I LOVE COMICS ISLE OF MISFIT BOYS

Anyway, Showcase Aquaman is Aqua-Awesome. VERY kid-oriented. Sorta like the Flintstones, where the most fun is in seeing prehistoric animals playing records, washing dishes, etc, only the underwater animals that do the same in Aquaman never make wisecracks. So far my favourite story is "Aquaman's Sea Animal Hospital", which is a very gentle and non-violent story about Aquaman opening a Sea Animal Hospital (duh) and helping his finny friends (many of which don't actually have fins--there seems to be a rather loose definition of "fish" in these stories). And then, quite suddenly and abruptly, SEA PIRATES SHOOT AQUAMAN DEAD! I won't spoil the story for you, but, um, I'm so happy I got this volume. I'm still not sure if I'll continue buying the Showcase series unabated, but, whatev.

AQUAMAN EVEN HAS THE POWER TO MAKE A STORY WITH THE SILVER AGE GREEN ARROW IN IT GOOD. That's saying something.

Also wonderful is the very first panel in the Aquaman origin story, where you see this frazzled old sailor type shouting incentive at a young kid locked in a tank with two sharks.

anyway:
COUNTDOWN 51-48
Written by Paul Dini and others
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
51 written by Paul Dini; art by Jesus Saiz
50 written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray; art by Jim Calafiore
49 written by Tony Bedard; art by Carlos Magno
48 written by Adam Beechen; art by David Lopez
Covers by Andy Kubert & Tim Townshend
The event of the year is here! This brand-new, year-long weekly series features a
cast of hundreds where anything goes! With head writer Paul Dini and a rotating team of
some of the industry’s best writers and artists, COUNTDOWN will serve as the backbone
of the DCU in 2007.
When a character dies in COUNTDOWN 51, it sets off an unexpected ripple that
will touch virtually every character in the DC Universe.
The COUNTDOWN is on…so begins the end!
COUNTDOWN 51 on sale May 9
COUNTDOWN 50 on sale May 16
COUNTDOWN 49 on sale May 23
COUNTDOWN 48 on sale May 30
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

also, RIP Bob Oksner
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_02_18.html#012954

It's a good spot though. There's a story to be told as well of the sadness he seems to feel stumbling across the purple-eyed mutant offspring of Atlantis (which may well be why you see it most in the Aqualad stories). He probably needs more EMO STARING ACROSS THE SEA FROM ROCKY OUTCROPS.

Other things remembered about why the rest of you should buy this - Aquaman being able to control a water buffalo because it has... er... water in its name. And the one where Lois Lane gets turned into a mermaid because her legs hurt, only for Superman to memorise the whole history of medicine and turn them back into legs again.

Anyway, Countdown. I'm not sure what the linkage is, but one of the Teen Titans dies in the book shipping a week before the first Countdown. Or perhaps doesn't, but is dead by the time the next issue of Titans comes out.

What's the "major spoiler" mentioned in the comments field on 52 PickUp that's in the latest GLC?

Did Showcase HoM Vol 2 ship when it was supposed to, or has it been delayed?

BTW, finally caught up on 52. That fight = BALLS. Read like GJ all the way (cf. the speechifying about being a hero GOD SHUT UP) w/ the other folks adding dialogue flourishes. Also, smart me didn't realize the other woman in NP was Ms. Prince until I finished reading & looked @ the cover. Brains!

Smart money's on Starfire to bite it (and then come back whenever Johns returns to TT).

GLC spoiler maybe "Great Darkness Saga" fakeout?

What be "Great Darkness Saga"?

Can anyone w00t or pfft on the P&G Uncle Sam stuff? I think Douglas (!!!) & Aldo were reading it...?

Oh, Huk - not you too.

52 WEEK #42
KRYPTO THE SUPER DOG #6 (OF 6) - final issue! buy it or the dog gets it!
OMEGA MEN #5 (OF 6) - Flint Henry, where have you been all my life?
ROBIN #159
SPIRIT #3
SUPERMAN #659 - MORE KRYPTO!
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #4
SHE-HULK 2 #16
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS #8 SENSELESS VIOLENCE SPECTACULAR

1) get Cliff Chiang on She-Hulk yesterday (tho I heart Rick Burchett)
2) I would be fine w/ Genius Jones being all meta, except for the godawful "didn't make CENTS" pun
3) FUNKY FLASHMAN!

As for Wonder Heinberg - I guess "scheduling delays" have prompted DC to push off the final part of his story into some special one-shot / annual thing - #5's gonna be a fill-in, #6 is going to start the Jodi Picoult run, & to make it up to the fannies (according to AH), the final part of Where Is McSteamy? is gonna feature loads of special bonus goodies (hopefully not drawn by C-list fill-ins).

Note to Big Two - when working w/ TV & movie folks, plz get the scripts IN THE CAN before you start soliciting.

IGNORE ME.

That KRYPTO kiddie miniseries has been surprisingly fun.

COUNTDOWN, uh, DEVELOPING.

(um hi, can anyone spot hidden gems in this potentially awful but intriguing ebay list of minis? sorry to waste time/divert conversation.)

For me:
52 WEEK #42: mother of mercy, is this the end of Dibny Diary?
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1: Waid and Perez together--this looks like big fun
THE HELMET OF FATE: BLACK ALICE: just because I like the character
THE SPIRIT #3: origin time!
CIVIL WAR #7: I have a joke I'm not going to be able to crack until Wednesday
NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #2: and wait, is #3 coming out in 2010?
HOUSE OF SUGAR GN: really terrific project from imprint Hope Larson started to publish it
HEARTBREAK SOUP TP: actually I have this already--the fourth or fifth incarnation I've owned this material in--but holy crap it's great
MAGGIE THE MECHANIC TP: ditto--the Hernandez-curious who don't want to drop $50 on the "Locas" or "Palomar" hardcovers should really try these two

Minty Fresh: in that list, I'd say DC's "Invasion" is curiously entertaining in an over-the-top semi-awful way; the sadface 1979 "World of Krypton" mini is worth a look; and the 7 Soldiers things are wonderful if you haven't read 'em, especially Zatanna. Otherwise, total grimness: almost nothing I'd rescue from a quarter bin.

52 WEEK #42
AQUAMAN SWORD OF ATLANTIS #49: Kurt's not exactly leaving on a high note; make way for INFINITE TADFACE
BIRDS OF PREY #103
BRAVE AND THE BOLD CVR A #1
CHECKMATE #11: plz do not revert back to the suck that was issues 1 thru 4 or so
DMZ #16 (MR)
HELMET OF FATE BLACK ALICE #1: ah, bless you, Gail
SPIRIT #3
SUPERMAN #659
WONDER WOMAN #4 (RES)

BATTLE POPE #13 (MR)
INVINCIBLE #39

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #538 CW: Cardiac nooooooooooo
CIVIL WAR #7 (OF 7): The Spot nooooooooooo
HELLSTORM SON OF SATAN #5 (OF 5) (MR)
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #3
NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI #2 (OF 5)
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #4: guess-starring Stilt-Man's Hot Wife, AKA Stems
SHE-HULK 2 #16: B-I-WEN-DI-GO! (TM Slott Machine)
SILENT WAR #2 (OF 6): ah, bless you, Frazier
SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1: McKeever Spidey woo; reprints boo
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #39
X-MEN FIRST CLASS #6 (OF 8): SKRULL!

LOCAL #8 (OF 12) (MR)

AVATAR COMICS ALAN MOORE'S MAGIC WORDS G/N VOL 1 2002
AWESOME COMICS KABOOM 1-3 FULL SET 1999 JEPH LOEB
CROSSGEN COMICS SALVATORE'S DEMONWARS EYE.. 1-5 SET
CROSSGEN COMICS SALVATORE'S DEMONWARS TRIAL.. 1-5 SET
CROSSGEN COMICS SAURIANS 1-2 FULL SET 2002 MARK WAID
CROSSGEN COMICS SOLUS 1-8 FULL SET 2003 PEREZ
DARK HORSE COMICS GO BOY 7 1-4 SET 2003
DARK HORSE COMICS SEX WARRIOR 1-2 FULL SET 1993 MILLS
DARK HORSE COMICS SIN CITY SILENT NIGHT SPECIAL MILLER
DARK HORSE COMICS STAR WARS BOBA FETT SPECIAL 1996
DARK HORSE COMICS STAR WARS DARK EMPIRE G/N 1994
DARK HORSE COMICS STAR WARS EMPIRE STRIKES BACK G/N '97
DARK HORSE COMICS STAR WARS REVENGE OF THE SITH G/N '05
DARK HORSE COMICS STAR WARS VISIONARIES G/N 2005
DC COMICS ADAM STRANGE 1-3 FULL G/N SET 1990 KUBERT
DC COMICS AQUAMAN 1-4 FULL SET 1993/94 PETER DAVID
DC COMICS AQUAMAN 1-5 FULL SET 1989 KEITH GIFFEN
DC COMICS BATMAN DARK KNIGHT ADVENTURES G/N 1994
DC COMICS DESPERADOES QUIET O/T GRAVE 1-5 FULL SET 2001
DC COMICS FOREVER PEOPLE 1-6 FULL SET 1988
DC COMICS GIANTKILLER 1-6 FULL SET+ 2000/01 BRERETON
DC COMICS GREEN LANTERN NEW DAWN GRAPHIC NOVEL 1997
DC/CLIFFHANGER COMICS CRIMSON x5 DF VARIANTS WITH C.O.A
DC/CLIFFHANGER COMICS TWO-STEP 1-3 FULL SET 2003 ELLIS
DC/HOMAGE COMICS DISAVOWED 1-6 FULL SET 2000
IMAGE COMICS 10th MUSE 1-9 FULL SET 2000/02
IMAGE COMICS 21 TWENTY ONE 1-3 FULL SET 1996 WEIN
IMAGE COMICS ALLEY CAT 1-6 FULL SET+SPECS ALLEY BAGGETT
IMAGE COMICS ALTER NATION 1-4 FULL SET 2004
IMAGE COMICS AREA 52 1-4 FULL SET 2001
IMAGE COMICS ARIA SUMMER'S SPELL 1-2 FULL SET 2002
IMAGE COMICS ARIA USES OF ENCHANTMENT 1-4 FULL SET 2003
IMAGE COMICS ATHENA INC 1-6 +MORE 2001/03 HABERLIN
IMAGE COMICS BLOOD LEGACY 1-4 FULL SET 2000
IMAGE COMICS BLOODWULF 1-4 + SPECIAL FULL SET 1995
IMAGE COMICS BOOF + THE BRUISE CREW 1-6 FULL SET 1994
IMAGE COMICS CHASSIS 1-5 FULL SET 1999/2000
IMAGE COMICS CYBERNARY 1-5 FULL SET 1995/96
IMAGE COMICS DARING ESCAPES 1-4 FULL SET 1998/9 HOUDINI
IMAGE COMICS DARK MINDS VOL2 0-10 FULL SET 2001/02
IMAGE COMICS DARK REALM 1-4 FULL SET 2000/01
IMAGE COMICS FELON 1-4 FULL SET 2001/02 GREG RUCKA
MARVEL COMICS BLAZE OF GLORY 1-4 FULL SET 2000
MARVEL COMICS DAREDEVIL NINJA 1-3 FULL SET 2000 BENDIS
MARVEL COMICS DEADLINE 1-4 FULL SET 2002 DAILY BUGLE
MARVEL COMICS DOOM 1-3 FULL SET 2000
MARVEL COMICS ELEKTRA ROOT OF EVIL 1-4 FULL SET 1995
MARVEL COMICS GHOST RIDER CROSSROADS SPECIAL 1995
MARVEL COMICS NIGHT THRASHER 1-4 FULL SET 1992/93
MARVEL COMICS NIGHTSIDE 1-4 FULL SET 2001/02

ONI PRESS QUEEN & COUNTRY DECLASSIFIED 1-3 SET RUCKA
DC COMICS JLA ROCK OF AGES G/N 1998 GRANT MORRISON

You know you're in Flavor Country when you have to name the model for the main character of the mini you're trying to dump as the selling point.

oh yeah i forgot immortal iron fist this week!

PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #4: PUNISHIN'!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #3: IRON FISTIN'! (and yes - ew.)
SOCK MONKEY: THE "INCHES" INCIDENT #3: Am I the only one showing this book love? Will Inches prevail against gingerbread obsessed ants? Will Uncle Gabby and Crow Doll survive her "madness"? Will I remember the name of the Cap'n guy?

Really now. Huh...

[xpost] - Well, SOMEONE dies. Might as well be him.

I know. Some things just can't wait for the trade - for me one of those things is the image of a billion ants crawling into the cracked head of a cute doll.