Each week, MK2Fac3 and Henchman21 read a lot of comics. Seriously, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. They look forward to some more than others, I mean, who doesn’t? So, let’s take a look into the depths of their pull list, grab some issues, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of June 22, 2011. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

This week, expect to see some All Nighters, intrepid girl reporters, one of the best comic books on the shelves, the death of an icon, mysterious men, and a really fast youngster. Not to mention some collections about spooky fairy tales and some of the best ongoing manga today. So, brace yourselves, and hit the jump to see what our most anticipated books of the week are!

MK2FAC3

SINGLE ISSUES

All Nighter #1 (of 5) (Image Comics – $2.99): David Hahn is a name that you might have seen pop up a lot recently, and if you haven’t you definitely will. Insanely talented, Hahn is writing and drawing a book about a 20-year-old art student who is trying to grow out of her troubled past who hangs out with her friends at local diner. This appears to be in the slice of life genre of comics which can go either way, but this title seems to be closer to the perfection of The New York Four than anything else. I love these kind of books, and I’m almost certain I will love this book, as well. And, as is the tendency of most Image #1’s, it’s likely to sell out. So make sure to pick this up, so you won’t miss out on what’s bound to be one of the best series of the year.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and The Resistance #1 (of 3) (DC Comics – $2.99): I just really wanted to see Lois Lane get a series. And although it’s not an ongoing, the concept of this is really cool. Lois Lane as an embedded reporter deep within the battles of Flashpoint is something I can totally get behind. It’s an interesting take on the character that’s always been Superman’s co-worker, Superman’s girlfriend, or Superman’s wife. It’s a great way to see the character out on her own, so I’m really looking forward to this. There’s not really much to say other than it’s another take on the Flashpoint universe, and so far, that’s been pretty fun. And it’s Lois Lane as an embedded journalist! That is awesome!

Locke & Key: Clockworks #1 (of 6) (IDW – $3.99): I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m completely in love with Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s Locke & Key series, so in a shocking twist to no one, I picked the first issue in the latest mini-series for the week. This issue takes place during the Revolutionary War, so we get a bit of history of the town, and the family history of the Locke’s, as well. I sincerely believe this is one of the top books in print right now, and I can’t express to each and everyone of you how and why you should be reading this book, but it’s seriously amazing. If you’re looking for anything outside of the superhero genre, you should be looking at Locke & Key. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to see the mysteries of the series starting to open even wider, although it’s going to be extremely difficult to let the book go. Hardcover collection, I will read you always.

COLLECTION

Scary Godmother Comic Book Stories TP (Dark Horse Comics – $24.99): I’m convinced that Jill Thompson is one of the best artists working in modern comics, and unfortunately, I feel like we don’t get to see her work enough, although considering Cartoon Network’s adaptation of Scary Godmother, and the recent news of her collaborative effort with Evan Dorkin, Beasts of Burden getting picked up as a movie adaptation, I’m sure she doesn’t really need to, but I love it when I can get my hands on something she’s done. And nothing really sells her talent like her Scary Godmother work. She’s written and drawn several in this series with her take on the fairy tale genre with a spooky twist. And with this book collected 312 pages of Scary Godmother work, I couldn’t suggest anything more than this book. It includes sketch pages, a complete mini-series, and various other works from anthology books from Dark Horse. It’s definitely kid-friendly, and although my heart don’t pump Kool-Aid, I’m pretty sure my life might get a little sweeter after reading this.

HENCHMAN 21

COMICS

Ultimate Spider-Man #160 (Marvel Comics – $3.99): This is the end of “The Death of Spider-Man” story arc, and the end of this volume of Ultimate Spider-Man. Have you heard how this is going to end? I guess it was in the papers or something. Anyway, before you light a fire that burns down the whole town, I’m not going to say how it ends but let’s just say the “Death of” part lives up to its promise. I haven’t read the whole story yet (waiting for the trade) but from what I hear it has been very exciting. Brian Bendis is up to his usual standards on the series and artist Mark Bagley is back where he belongs at Marvel working on the character he is perfect for. I’m looking forward to reading it later. Hopefully the news hasn’t made you want to read this less.

Mystery Men #2 (Marvel Comics – $2.99): If you’re looking for a Marvel event that isn’t blowing up like a Uranium bomb, Mystery Men is an event that isn’t blowing up quite as much, but is deserving of your time. The first issue came out just a few weeks ago and got me intrigue in its story of a group of pulp heroes in the early days of the Marvel universe. Writer David Liss has been writing a similar kind of story in the pages of Black Panther, so I wasn’t surprised that the first issue impressed me. The art by Patrick Zircher set the dark mood of the story perfectly. I can’t wait to find out more about these new characters and how they fit together. If you enjoyed Incognito, there’s something here that you may enjoy.

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1 (of 3) (DC Comics – $2.99): There probably are too many Flashpoint books, but I’m still interested in reading some of them, and that includes Kid Flash Lost. Most of the Flashpoint tie-in books that I have read so far have stood on their own, but it seems like this would be one that really factors into the larger story. Whether it ties into the main story or not, I just hope for a good story. Is Kid Flash going to be able to help Wally, or will his failure cause there to be no survivors in a world changed by the Reverse Flash. I guess we’ll find out as Sterling Gates and Oliver Nome bring us the first chapter in this potentially big time mini-series.

COLLECTIONS

There are too many good collections coming out this week. I could have highlighted the last volume of Terry Moore’s Echo, or scratched my X-Men itch with the Age of X hardcover, or I could point you towards the indie cool of Jesus Hates Zombies: Jurassic Kind of Life. All of those would be good options if you are looking for something to read. Or you can just pick up all of them. However, what I’m going to recommend for you is the next in a fairly long manga series, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys (Viz – $12.99). Volume 15 is out this week and this is a series that any comic fan should be reading. 20th Century Boys follows a group of characters through three time periods as they fight against a mysterious figure from their past. The series is constantly surprising and is the most mature and interesting series I have read in years. Urasawa is a master storyteller, and even if you’re not a fan of manga in general, you should still give the first volume a shot. Sure, it has a lot of the same quirks of manga (turning pages right to left, quick reading, exaggerated faces) but there is so much to enjoy here. Urasawa has a clean and expressive style and this is a book that will change any preconceived notions you have about manga. I highly recommend giving this a shot.