This week, in Comiclandia ...

Generation M 5 (of 5)
Well, the most lack-fucking-laster mini-series to come out of the whole House of M and Decimation fuck up ended, and I'm left wondering why I bought this piece of crap. Seriously. I mean, first off, the covers are all false advertising. Why put Chamber, Jubilee, Moonstar, and Blob on the covers when all they do is appear in a few panels. The only cover that made sense was the Angel cover, although he didn't play prominently in that issue (he did in this one), and, oh yeah, HE DIDN'T FUCKING LOSE HIS WINGS! You know, I'm starting to hate Marvel more and more, and it's because of shit like this. When the Decimation thing started, they said major X-Men would be losing their powers. So far, it's only been former X-Men, not any current one. Each X-Men that's in a title that allegedly lost their powers has gotten them back, or we know they will (which is the case with Polaris). I know this was supposed to provide "new storys and ideas," but I guess they weren't good ones. Generation M has just been a sham of a series, too. It was all just a way to introduce Sally Floyd, who I don't really like, and reveal that her dead kid was a mutant that died because of her mutation, which means that she's a hypocrite because if her kid had lived, she would've wanted her to be one of the ones that became a human while she allegedly is friends with all these mutants. Gah. I need to get rid of these comics and fast. Grrr.

Spider-Woman: Origin 4 (of 5)
I have mixed feelings about this mini-series. While I do love that Jessica Drew is a central player in the MU again, I'm not sure how I feel about this being her new origin. I liked her being connected to the High Evolutionary and all that. And now her parents are alive, but she finds her mom dead and her dad's still working for Hydra. I don't know where the last issue is headed (besides her daddy issues), and I'm kinda worried that one of my favorite comic book characters is being ruined (again). Sigh. At least she's good at giving Nick Fury lip. Heh.

Teen Titans Annual 1
OK, so I wasn't going insane when I thought that the whole Connor sleeping with Cassie thing hadn't happened when it was mentioned in Teen Titans 33. That's because it happens here. In the annual that came out after said issue. This issue confuses me further about where this fits in with Infinite Crisis, but Superboy and Wonder Girl be the only superheroes not fighting while the universe is falling apart (let alone have time to do it in the Kents' barn). They do have some nice reminiscing, though.

Birds of Prey 92
Another title makes the leap one year forward, with some surprising results. Oracle not mentioning why there's no wedding ring on her finger. The Jade Canary! Dinah in the middle of nowhere being tortured or trained by a pack of wet, shirtless men led by some scary looking old woman that calls her "Tag." The Jade Canary! Killer Croc enjoying his own blood! The Jade Canary beating down on The Ventriloquist! Who the Jade Canary is! An invisible agent. Oh yeah, and the Crime Doctor's glasses are way nifty.

Nightwing 118
OK, so this issue would've been better if it weren't already public knowledge that there were two Nightwings and that they were obviously Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Jason's still kind of a nutjob (he slits someone's throat five pages into the issue), and Dick is using his with a fashion designer (of the female variety; things sadly haven't changed that much). Dick and Jason are now in New York, there seems to be more to the fashion designer than her ample endowment, we get the return of Clancy (who I don't know who she is because I'm still new-ish to this book), and the very uncharacteristic gasp Dick gives when he finds out the guy he's fighting is a metahuman (Dick, you've been fighting metas since you were a kid; aren't you used to it by now? Hell, you used to fuck an alien!). Love the ending, though it makes me think naughty things about Dick and Jason. Ahem. Moving on ...

Green Arrow 60
Yet another One Year Later title that I'm trying out. This issue would've been way better, again, if you didn't already know what the surprise ending was (which DC gave away a long time ago). Writer Judd Winick does a good job setting up Star City after the time gap and sets up some interesting new villians and situations. The fact that Star City is separated by a wall must be creating all sorts of problems (and future plots) for the title. We also get a bit of Deathstroke, no mention on the fates of Connor or Mia, and, of course, the spectacular ending with the new mayor. Looking forward to the next issue.

Runaways 14
There are no words for how much I love Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona, and this title in general. The "Parental Guidance" storyline starts here with some intersting developments. We finally get to see some of Karolina as she's apparently getting ready to marry Xavin. These two play well together, and I love the fact that they mention the Skrull Marching Band. The Skrulls, big baddies of the universe that fight the Fantastic Four, have a marching band! That, I would love to see. We then get Victor being caught up on the teams past, including their old codenames and their traitor. And Nico being a bit more badass. There's also some insight into what Alex was up to before he and the team ran away. The ending kinda sets up the new Pride, and, well, let me just say that all the speculation going about who would be heading the Pride was all very wrong, and in such a delicious way. That's all.

Superman 650
I'm really enjoying the One Year Later titles I've been picking up (that I didn't used to read before the jump). This issue, for example, which starts off the "Up, Up, and Away!" storyline, sets up some great plot developments and just slight hints about what's happened the past year. Obviously, the main point is that Superman has gone away, but Clark Kent is still around (and eating all the pretzels in Metropolis, apparently). But I think that was the best part of this issue: seeing Clark and how he's progressed. He's become a great reporter (there was mention of him possibly being up for a Pulitzer, he's enjoying life with Lois, and he doesn't have to drop everything when some baddie comes to town (that's what his handy watch and cousin are for now, it would seem). There's also Lex being let scot-free for all of his crimes (counting at 120). And his public profile is at an all time low. Which pisses him off. Royally. But this issue is worth it just for the ending, especially the last line: "I always knew you had a glass jaw." Ouch.

Infinite Crisis Secret Files
While the cover's a little meh, the story itself is pretty nifty. We finally get some background on what Alex Luthor, Superman-2, Lois-2, and Superboy Prime were up to in their little pocket dimension for the past 20 years. The story shows how Superboy Prime got manipulated over and over by Alex, the "torture" he was put through. You also see the heartbreak of Kal-L trying to help Lois live, when she's already accepted that she's dying. There is, of course, Alex's lunacy, how Superboy was the cause of all the continuity fuck-ups, and some nice allusions of things to come (or that have already happened) in the profiles. But for all that, still, it costs $6. Sigh.

Ultimate X-Men 68
So the whole "Date Night" story arc has been a little lackluster. Rogue and Bobby fuck (because now she has Gambit's powers and not her own? Fuck that.). Jean and Scott fuck (presumably). Sabretooth was fucking with Logan's head (or was he) just get enough tissue to get back to a lab to creat a clone of him (oh, great, does that mean Ultimate X-23? If so, I'm done with this title.). We get a Kitty cameo and Piotr being a sad little homoboy (sigh). Then there's the explanation of the Phoenix (and it's chewy center) and that weird reality-altering guy from the past few issues. Sigh. The next storyline is supposed to center on Jean and Phoenix, and if that doesn't pick up, then I might end up dropping this title. No skin of my back, really.

And in the left-over-from-last-week pile ...
Thunderbolts 100
With this issue, the "new" gets dropped from the title (thank Hera) and the title goes back to its original-ish numbering. While that's great, I don't know how I feel about this issue. Or title in general. Thunderbolts was always kind of hit or miss for me. This issue seems more miss, really. I mean, we get Zemo acting semi-heroish (and kissing Songbird). Moonstone is still catatonic. I don't know. I"m starting think I shouldn't have picked up this book again, but I am kinda interested in where the subplot is going with the CSA's deal with Zemo. And even though his plot was very, very, very convulted, I don't think Genis should've "died" (can you die if you're made of photonic energy?). I was looking forward to him meeting with his Young Avenger brother. Oh well, maybe once they bring him back from the dead, that'll happen.