Wowzers, there’s a lot of stuff coming out today (including soccer-themed Smurfs, of all things), much of it worth a look.
DC offers Fables, Gotham Central, and the collection of the almost unanimously adored Superman: Secret Identity. There are also critically admired but underperforming titles like Bloodhound and Firestorm, though I haven’t tried either yet.
From Marvel, District X begins its second arc. (I thought the first arc had a weak ending, but I’m still intrigued by the concept.) New Thunderbolts might be fun, though writer Fabian Nicieza often indulges in ridiculously convoluted plotting. Warren Ellis takes over Iron Man, if that’s your sort of thing (Spec: this issue, Tony Stark checks his e-mail… with nanobots!). And She-Hulk gets collected in Single Green Female. (If you haven’t tried the book, this is a perfect opportunity, though it’s probably the easiest book in the world to pick up without feeling lost, so nothing should stop you from sampling one of the monthlies, either.)
Viz has a new chapter of Alice 19th, the seventh, which makes me wonder how I managed to miss Vol. 6. Hm. Tokyopop may or may not have two or three titles I follow, but they front-load their listings at the beginning of the month, and it’s anyone’s guess when the newest Sgt. Frog will show up in specialty stores.
Maybe this will be the week I try Demo, from AIT/Planet Lar. Those are stand-alone stories, aren’t they?
It’s a special week for grim-and-gritty fan-baiting, too. Members of the JSA conduct an autopsy in their latest issue, tears flow like a babbling brook in Identity Crisis 6, and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes get boozy and maudlin in Avengers Finale.