as bad as i wanna be

drive-by readings

Incorruptible #2 (Boom!) Mark Waid Jean Diaz Belardino Brabo Andrew Dalhouse Ed Dukeshire Joe Caramagna Dennis Calero/Rafael Albuquerque/Jeffrey Spokes (covers) spinning off the success of the excellent Irredeemable, Incorruptible goes the opposite path where a supervillain goes straight. and i don't mean going back to playing for the same team. anyway, Max Damage recruits his policeman nemesis to get his crusade in cleaning up after the now-power mad Plutonian. his Catwoman-like jailbait girlfriend named ... Jailbait ... doesn't like his newfound epiphany although i suspect she'd more or less get on the wagon soon enough. personally, i'd have her betray him at some point. but that's just me. that's why i just write a stupid blog. anyhoo, this series shows signs of having some legs. art-wise, am not too impressed especially with the lack of detail. let's give it a few more issues.

drive-by readings: Punisher: Noir #1

Punisher: Noir #1 (Marvel) "Home is Where the War Is" Frank Tieri Paul Azaceta Nick Filardi Joe Sabino Tim Bradstreet (cover) Dennis Calero (variant cover)

the Punisher finally gets the Noir treatment, and it makes a lot more sense because he's not really a superhero being retrofitted to the '20s. this time, he's a WWI veteran/widower who's trying to raise a son and run his grocery in the Bronx (oy, there's a Mr. Bumpo sighting). who else rears its ugly head but the Mafia? Dutch Schultz, come on down! this looks to be the return to the pure version of the Punisher, the concept of what he was, in the proper original context. bring the popcorn.

covers of the week

Sgt Rock #3 by Billy Tucci and Mark Sparacio
X-Men Noir #2 by Dennis Calero

looks like the Marvel Noir Universe is becoming a hot property and is a nice alternative for the Ultimate Universe that's coming to a close.

a-ha!

or maybe it should be a-haX!

the mystery of these past months is now revealed.

turns out its a new X-Men miniseries X-Men Noir coming out this winter. it re-imagines a 1930s Manhattan underworld populated by X-characters. the masterminds behind this gimmick are Fred Van Lente (Silencers, Action Philosophers, Marvel Adventures, Incredible Hercules) and Dennis Calero (X-Factor, Legion of Super Heroes).

i shoulda known. isn't that red shades a dead giveaway for Cyclops?