Ex Machina #14: (Wildstorm/DC Comics)
The mystery of the new hero in New York gets solved with unsettling certainty, while Hizzonner haggles with a knife-wielding ex-Marine suffering from a less-controllable version of the Mayor's own affliction. The Automaton plot is slightly more interesting than the bit in the jury room, which took a few reads to really grasp what happened (and it's a very innovative use of power). I loved the use of flashback to bookend the story, and "Kremlin" Tereshkov remains one of the sharpest characters in the title -- "It takes a science fiction weapon to fight science fiction man." Brilliant. Solid storytelling on a level with the great periods of Y: The Last Man.

Beowulf #4: (Speakeasy Comics)
My new friend Attilla Adorjany takes over art chores, and it's both a good thing and a bad thing. His sequential storytelling serves Augustyn's sparse script well, but in both line work (it looks like he inked himself) and page composition (Beowulf's pivotal last scene in the issue, a truly epic moment, is minimalized), along with the cookie cutter Homeland Securty G-men. Likewise, the virtually monochromatic coloring dulls the impact of the panels where Adorjany really shines. A bit of a letdown, but with all the action and excitement, still worth checking out.

Astro City: The Dark Age #3: (Wildstorm/DC Comics)
To quote Eve 6, the citizens of Astro City find faith in nothing as things go south with the Silver Agent, the dichotomies between brothers Charles and Royal stand exposed in stark relief. A complicated, murky story with (as always) outstanding art by Brent Anderson driving things along.

The Grimoire #5: (Speakeasy Comics)
I do love seeing Djief's smart and crisp artwork, as a lot of disparate pieces (some well explained, some not so much) come together in a climactic clash of generations. A treat for people following the story, but a bit hard to penetrate for even more casual readers (I know the whole story, and the pages in Las Vegas (a hint towards the soon-to-be-released Dan Mishkin-fueled Spell Game title?) were a bit hard for me to grasp at first. All around solid work, though, with just a few mis-steps.

Official Handbook of the Ultimate Marvel Universe: Ultimate Spider-Man/Ultimate Fantastic Four 2005: (Marvel Comics)
Ultimately a disappointment. I kept reading for differences from what I know (and have bought) in 616 OHOTMU books, but found the storytelling here dry, the rationales goofy (Ultimate Carnage, bleh, ditto Dr. Strange Jr.), and few thrills could be found in this blatant scenic trip around Marvel history. Decent reference material, even without addressing the Ultimate Team-Up continuity snafu with the Ultimate FF.

Buy Pile Breakdown: Only Busiek and Vaughan showed up with an "A" game, so not so good ...

Then there's the stuff on the "read pile" that I don't bring home ...

Wonder Woman #220: (DC Comics)
Dropped from the Buy Pile. It's important for me to mention that the titles I buy are purchased with my own hard-earned money. This issue of Themiscira's Finest was simply too goofy, with the Bat acting wildly uncharacteristic (after "War Games," does he even have a consistant character anymore?), more navel gazing between fight flashbacks over the death of the core of the Bwa-Ha-Ha League. I really was quite unhappy with the concentration of Stupitron particles in a comic that normally was bereft of the accursed element.

Runaways #7: (Marvel Comics)
Dropped from the Buy Pile. Seeing Swarm (a Nazi made of bees, as described by the team) should have been my first sign that things were going awry, but with the WB-esque overtones and awkward attempted kiss, well, it was all just too saccharine for my tastes. I had to leave it at the store, which was a pain since I just started liking this title.

Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #4: (DC Comics)
Huh? I have a very vague idea of what happened here, with flashbacks and flash forwards and precious little of the majesty and grandeur that got me interested in this mini. I don't know that I'd call this a resolution, with "Continued in Another Title Entirely" as its coda, but oh well. The mini will go down with the same sensibilities of a girl who was so hot dancing at the club, but who's flat and boring looking in the stark light of your apartment.

Supreme Power #18: (Marvel Comics)
This comic, on the other hand, almost made the jump. The US Government's "attack" on Hyperion, leading to a kind of metahuman draft and Mark Milton responding with a statement of his own ... all well put-together, compelling work. Arcanna, Tom Thumb and a few other "old names" seemed jammed in at a pace that did a disservice to the work, and that's probably all that kept this one on the shelves this week.

Robin #141: (DC Comics)
Uh-oh, it's magic. Another "almost jump" book, as Tim Drake's dead mob daughter girlfriend returns as a mystically motivated instrument of vengeance (how McFarlane a development), while getting cozy with the civilian side of the teen wonder. The newly introduced military hero finds a screw up of monumental proportions (probably inspired by Villains United, now I think about it, which always makes Luthor's Society look more impressive than they do in their own title). Eh. Willingham seems over-stretched, in my mind, and only Fables has maintained any consistency at all.

New Avengers #9: (Marvel Comics)
At Last! The Stunning True Origin of the Sentry! Sort of. A plot within the plots is revealed, and the most hyped retcon in Marvel history is almost ready for prime time (when you can feel the story's motivation through its thin plot machinations, that's no good). I liked Spidey's quips, liked the art, but didn't really feel it was much of a story.

Flash #225: (DC Comics)
I can't believe how anti-climactic the end of the "Rogue's War" was, with virtually none of the actual main parties in the conflict actually being involved in, well, this whole issue. I will admit that I liked the fulfillment of a bit of DC prophecy between Wally and his predecessor, but mistaking what Barry did for what, say, beat cops did is either a willful ignoring of the truth or a complete misunderstanding of how police forces work. Nothing to see here.

Captain America #8: (Marvel Comics)
There was some Eau de Christopher Priest in this, as Lukin takes a page from Hunter the White Wolf in manuevering around the good Captain and Nick Fury. The Skull's secrets come to life while Cap grinds his teeth and generally doesn't have a good time at all, despite whacking several guys upside the head with his shield. The sad thing is that, had Christopher Priest actually written this, it would have been a bit snappier, just with lots lower sales.

Green Lantern #4: (DC Comics)
The last three issues of this comic have been appallingly boring. This issue adds "disturbing" as Herctor Hammond's brought in to help borrow a page from the High Evolutionary (or is it the Leader? Kang? The shtick is a Marvel one, suffice it to say), while Hal Jordan keeps wandering around people who seem to have no memory of him as an attempted pan-galactic super villain, smirking like even he doesn't believe everybody's buying this. You know, I actively hate this title.

Young Avengers #6: (Marvel Comics)
The Kang storyline is resolved, sort of, in one of those unsatisfying time-travel-rubber-band-snaps-back sort of ways that never seems to do much for me. New costumes, new attitudes, new code names but no new reasons to care. Nor old ones, truth be told.

JLA Classified #11: (DC Comics)
"This is Oracle -- you're on the Global Frequency." Fan fiction, or Warren Ellis again sampling himself (what is he, X-Clan?) as a great Flash scene is the best piece of this, a messy stumble-into-greatness build up. It's not bad, per se, but it's not as great as everyone will tell you it is.

Astonishing X-Men #12: (Marvel Comics)
That isn't astonishing. Chuck Xavier is shown to be a horrible bastard, Hank McCoy lays the smackdown, Emma does something fairly predictable, Wolvie again gets the best lines ... and that touchy-feely ending? Gah. No, nothing special here, either, outside of Cassaday's artwork.

Read Pile Roundup: A kick right in the crotch.

So, How Was It This Week? The whole week is a whopping loss, with lackluster buys, two fallen from greatness and everybody from Brubaker to Morrison to Willingham to Ellis just kind of phoning it in.

The Buy Pile is a weekly collection of comic reviews done by Hannibal Tabu (www.operative.net), originally published at UGO.com.