Back to work tomorrow!  Best way to make up for it?  Comics!

• The Names #1 (DC/Vertigo): Peter Milligan’s plate is filling up quickly.  Good for him–better for us.  Here, he’s offering up a recent widow who’s taking in the likes of George Soros and Warren Buffet.  That’s a premise even they can’t devalue!
• The Squidder #3 (IDW): Templesmith’s art is terrific.  It’s worth the price of admission.  Doesn’t hurt that he’s also doing a fine job on the writing side of things.  Sure, the story’s a familiar one, but he’s making his take on it an exciting one all the way around.  I like Jack a lot.  He reminds me of Costner’s Mariner from Waterworld, but as played by Bruce Willis or Jason Statham.  (It’s funny: I don’t usually imagine actors in roles when I read comics.  Wonder what it is about this one?)

• God Hates Astronauts #1 (Image): Billed as a jumping on point for those of us who failed to jump on Ryan Browne’s GHA the first time around.  So, what the hell–Geronimo!
• Sidekick #8 (Image): Flyboy can’t–or chooses not to–rise above the betrayal he’s suffered at the hands of Red Cowl, his mentor; he’s been wronged and he’s ready to return in kind.  I’ve been down on much of what J.M.S. has been pumping out, but I’m digging this one.  He’s clicking with cliché in a meaningful way and delivering a dark twist without coming off as played or playful.

• Southern Bastards #4 (Image): Got me a hankerin’ for some ribs–and another issue of Aaron and Latour’s Southern Bastards, especially now that football season is upon us.  Speaking of: I particularly enjoyed how Coach Boss bounced between putting together a game plan to deal with Winthrop’s no-huddle offense and coming up with a strategy to deal with the equally as challenging offense of the stick-swinging Earl Tubb.
• Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #6 (Marvel): #5 didn’t quite live up to the standard set by an excellent #4 (really, how could it have?), but it still kicked all sorts of ass: Kaare Andrew’s writing is lively and engaging, and his art is so ridiculously detailed and kinetic, especially as he draws out more of Danny’s backstory, setting up further his current conflict.  One of my favorite monthly reads.

• Miracleman #10 (Marvel): I’m finally all caught up–and I want Moore!  Damn thing is brilliant.  If I had only read it when it first came out…
• Moon Knight #7 (Marvel): What a way to end a run! #6 is a brilliant bridge–even if it is a bit smug.  Trent–a disgruntled beat officer–tries to take out and replace Moon Knight, but he fails pretty epically.  Of course he does: Moon Knight is perfect in all he does–which mirrors the perfection of Ellis and Shalvey’s storytelling.  Yeah, this Spectre-acular creative team has set the bar pretty damn high, but that doesn’t mean Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood are going to blow (up) their opportunity to make Moon Knight their own.  I’m excited–especially because Wood’s been doing some of our favorite writing of the year on The Massive.

• Uncanny X-Men #25 (Marvel): #24 fell a bit flat: Kris Anka’s art wasn’t enough to elevate an issue that doesn’t really go anywhere.  I knew–I just knew!–that this damn Original Sin crossover would put a crack in my newfound faith in X-Bendis.  With Bachalo back on board, maybe this issue will crackle and uncannily spackle the aforementioned fissure.  That wouldn’t make up for the fact that #24 was more or less $4 filler.
• Cloaks #1 (BOOM!): I don’t know the creators (Caleb Monroe and Mariano Navarro), but I’m willing to give it a shot in hopes that they’re making some magic a la another BOOM!/Archaia book: The Last Broadcast, which has been so very good.

• The Death-Defying Dr. Mirage #1 (Valiant): A couple of draws here: it’s a Valiant #1, and I’m excited about artist Roberto De La Torre, who did some de la terrific work on Shadowman.
• Ex-Con #1 (Dynamite): I liked Duane Swierczynski’s work on Bloodshot enough to try this out.  (Brought the same attitude to X, however, which I dropped pretty quickly.)
• Extinction Parade: War #3 (Avatar): As I mentioned last month: this is good stuff!  In #2, Brooks brings some beauty and musicality to the zombie massacre by unveiling a heady dance of death, which is delivered in great detail by the undaunted Raulo Caceres.

• The Twilight Zone #8 (Dynamite): This brings the second arc–which has played second fiddle to the first one–to a close.  Hasn’t been a disappointment, but also hasn’t excited, which may leave the series on the chopping block.  This one’ll have to blow me away to keep me around.
• Über #17 (Avatar): Gotta give Gillen a hand: my heart sank when Vernon sank, even though I knew things weren’t going to work out for him.  Got too warm and fuzzy; something bad had to happen.  Even still, Gillen got me feelin’ pretty quickly; but then just as quickly, he had me forgetting, which is what made Vernon’s hand breaking through the surface of the water that much more impactful.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott