Weird Worlds #3 – DC Comics

First up, from DC Comics, we have an anthology comic that mashes up a little bit for everyone. You have the main man, the baddest bastich himself, the last Czarnian, the one and only LOBO! Who doesn’t love a good ass kicking bounty tale, and that is what is delivered onto the page. Lobo is busy tracking down a four armed, purple alien and having to crack a lot of skulls. This part of the anthology was a bit slow the first two issues for me, but has really come around to a Lobo tale that I am enjoying the hell out of.

Then for the people that love the mashup of almost every origin tale ever conceived by a comic creative team, you get the brand spanking new Garbage-Man! A lawyer previously, Garbage-Man was used in an experiment by an evil corporation, and turned into a walking heap of trash who in this particular issue is mistaken for sasquatch. Swearing revenge on this evil corporation, we are treated to an awesome page of art where he is half reforming around a tree (seriously, just gorgeous!).

The third story in the Weird World anthology is my personal favorite, and centers around the somewhat socially awkward but bubbly Tanga (think an interstellar Pixie from the X-Men). Heading to an inhabited planet after drifting in space alone for so long due to a possible misunderstanding with the Green Lanterns, Tanga just wants to socialize a bit. But having a bit too much drink, passing out and being awoken during a monster attack has put a major crimp in those plans. Being the superheroine she is, Tanga promises the locals that she can take care of this monster but they are not so sure. Just a tremendously fun tale with a very engaging character.

Bottom Line: This anthology comic is well worth your time and money (and us guys at Burnt Weiners love anthologies). With the great creators Aaron Lopresti, Kevin Van Hook and Kevin Maguire working on this title, there really is no reason you shouldn’t be picking it up if you like your comics with piles of fun jammed into them!

Captain America And The First Thirteen One Shot – Marvel Comics

Part of the 70th Anniversary special of Captain America books coming out this month from Marvel, Captain America and the First Thirteen follows Margaret “Peggy” Carter and a somewhat different take on Captain America than I have seen before, as he comes across as more of a Casanova-type character than the good ol’ boyscout Steve Rogers we know and love. And let me tell you, while I don’t want it every month, Kathy Immonen really nailed it with that representation of Cap, as he and Peggy flirt and knock boots through the entire issue.

Peggy is an American working with the French resistance during World War II, and has recruited Captain America for a mission to steal some Japanese technology that the Germans have gotten their sauerkraut-stained hands on: some of the very first thermal imaging devices made!

While I really enjoyed the mix of the chilled vibe and action of the book, what really made me fall in love with the book was the extraordinary artwork from Ramone Perez and John Rauch. They nailed the old feel and especially the coloring of old war-time comics while keeping it extremely modern. It is dazzling to stare at the pages in this book, it really is.

Bottom Line: If you want a hellaciously fun Captain America tale where Cap is not the most likeable in the book (Peggy is the center stage badass), then this is a one shot to check out. I dare you to flip through it off the shelf and not grab it. Double dog dare ya!

Magus #3 – 12 Gauge

Jon Price and Rebekah Isaacs are telling an extremely engrossing tale of magic returning into the modern world. Magic is awesome, right? Well, when wielded correctly, it sure is, but for a long time, it was misused and corrupted  by far too many, so a secret society sealed off the flow of magic and slowly over time, made the world forget that they once had these great abilities.

But the seals once holding the magic in are cracking, and it is sneaking out, and magic users are springing up all over the world as a result. Oh, and magical creatures . . . for example a dragon in the middle of a supermarket! And who is going to stop all of this? Oh, some local boys, a man of the cloth, a wild mage and a few remnants of the old magical societies! But not everyone wants magi to stay bottled up, including some very powerful people who will use their resources to unleash it!

Bottom Line: A fun cast of characters, lots of action and an intriguing political storyline make this a comic to check out. Grab the previous issues or wait for trade, but you are going to want to check out the art from Rebekah Isaacs at some point.