Each and every week “The Showstopper” Henchman21 and “The Game” MK2FAC3 read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible. 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 lists, grab some comics, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of August 17, 2011. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

This week on The GoD List, we have the fallout from this weekend’s Comics of Doom! Words were said. Comics were read, but one book came out the victor! Was it a book from last week’s GoD List? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out. But this is new week. This week sees the end of some books, some new starts, and some books that are currently in their infancy. And what books from this week will have the potential to become the number one contender and take the coveted title of Doom of the Week? We have some ideas. And if you want to see what we picked this week, then you have to read on, Doomnation.

MK2FAC3

ISSUES:

Batman #713 (DC Comics – $2.99): May I have your attention, please! I’m about to shoot for a moment, so bear with me. I haven’t been a fan of the Batman title since Grant Morrison came off a few years ago. There have been a couple of good issues, but the majority of Tony Daniel’s run with the character has been subpar at best. The stories weren’t great, his art wasn’t great, and overall it just lacked a sense of direction. It’s shame, too, since I don’t dislike his approach on the character, I like his art, and I love Dick Grayson as Batman. The bad thing was simply that it didn’t feel any different than a generic Bruce Wayne story. Well, of course, with the exception of new characters introduced in every issue (I’m hyperbolizing, but there were a lot of new characters in his run to the point of being ridiculous). This issues differs than Tony Daniel’s run, however, in the fact that it’s not written by Tony Daniel. Instead, it’s being written by fan favorite writer Fabian Nicieza. Nicieza has been doing a bang up job with all his recent Bat-work, so I don’t expect this to be any different in that respect. But this should be different. This issue should be huge. It’s the last issue of Batman before DC’s September relaunch. Not just that, but as far as we know, it’s the last appearance of Dick Grayson as Batman. Expect this issue to be Dick Grayson questioning himself as the protector of Gotham throughout the pages as you read. But don’t forget, in last week’s Detective Comics we saw Dick Grayson accepting his role as The Dark Knight. I know it sounds like I’m dogging this book, and I might be… a little. But the reason I picked it is simple. As I said, it’s the last time we see Dick Grayson in the cape and cowl, and it’s the last issue of the first volume of Batman, that gets it main event status by default.

Daredevil #2 (Marvel Comics – $2.99): Last month, we saw the rebirth of Matt Murdock accepting his title as the hero of Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil. Largely, the first issue, written by Mark Waid, was a light-hearted take on the character that welcomed him back in the role. It was a nice breath of fresh air to those out there who were a little tired of the insane lifetime’s worth of troubles that the character has experienced over the past few decades. The artwork was a little trippy and really awesome, and it fit the story. So, now that we’ve got the first out of the way, let’s move on to the second issue. This week’s issue is still written by Waid with art from Paolo Rivera , but promises to deliver on a lot of the questions surrounding the recent events of Matt Murdock’s life, and the person doing the questioning? Well, that’s none other than The Super Soldier of the U.S., Captain America! And if that’s not enough for you to pick this up, then I’ve got two words for ya… buy it!

Supergirl #67 (DC Comics – $2.99): Sure, it’s the last issue of the current volume of Supergirl. Yes, she’s been “recast” as some sort of out of control alien that doesn’t seem to care about Earth. So, of course this issue is a big deal in that regard, but that’s not why I’m picking this issue. No, I’m picking this issue because I’ve really loved this current story arc of Supergirl cosplaying as a college student and figuring out the mystery of several missing college students. Written by the amazing Kelly Sue Deconnick, with art from ChrissCross and Marc Deering, each issue has been packed with action, humor, and mystery. This arc has further proved that this a fun comic. And there’s not enough of fun in current comics. And sadly, there will be even less in September.

COLLECTION:

There are a lot of great books coming out this week, like the Tales of Batman, Vol. 1: Gene Colan hardcover, The Secret Society of Supervillains, and many others, but in my heart… in my soul, deep down, I knew that there could be only one. And that one is…

We3: The Deluxe Edition Hardcover (Vertigo Comics – $24.99): Thankfully, I’m not including the image in this article, because had I done so, I would be writing this with tears pouring from my eyes. We3, written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely, is quite possibly my favorite comic book of all time. The story centers around a dog, a cat, and a bunny rabbit that have been genetically altered to not only speak in English, but to also be weapons for the government, as evidenced by their egg-shaped and colored exoskeletal battle armor. That’s the best way I can put it. These animals are able to escape their captors, but how, why, and what happens as a result is already making my eyes water by just thinking about it. It’s a highly emotional story, and I don’t know a single person with a soul who didn’t feel like their heart was ripped out while reading the book. Sure, that my sound like it’s a bad experience, but it’s not. It’s what happens when Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely take their all star approach to a story that’s anti-military and pro animal rights. It’s seriously a great story, and while the price tag of $24.99 may seem a tad steep for a three-issue mini-series, there are some factors at play. This Deluxe Edition hardcover features oversized art (from Quitely, that’s always a good thing), as well as brand new story pages that (from what I understand) are worked in to previously released material. That’s enough for all the monies on Earth. So, if you have or haven’t read this before, make sure you check out this brand new edition of one of the greatest comic books of all time.

Now prepare yourself for some vintage Henchman!

Henchman21

ISSUES:

Fables #108 (DC/Vertigo – $2.99): After 108 issues, it may seem daunting to jump into this series, but if you’re looking for a place to start, this issue is as good as any. Issue 106 ended what could be called the second paradigm of the Fables story, and 107 was a stand-alone issue. With issue 108, we get the start of the next major storyline, and I could not be more excited to see where we go. If you don’t know the premise of Fables by now, I’ll give it to you one more time. Every storybook character you’re ever heard of, and a lot you probably haven’t heard of, are alive and well, and living in New York City. Well, at least they were living in NYC, and presumably will be again at some point, but for now, they have just beaten a great evil, but at a great cost. This next storyline looks to focus on the children of Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf, as one of the cubs is in line to inherit their grandfather’s power. Oh, and their grandfather just happened to be the North Wind, so it’s kind of a big deal. Writer Bill Willingham has created one of the most interesting casts of characters in all of comics, and he is joined by the masterful Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha on art, and if you’ve never seen their work, you have to do yourself a favor and pick this up. The best jumping on point for this series may be the very first trade, but this is going to be a good spot as well.

Captain America #2 (Marvel Comics – $3.99): Did you see the Captain America movie? It was awesome! So was the first issue of the new Captain America series. Ed Brubaker was in rare form, returning Steve Rogers to his role as good old Cap and telling an action packed adventure story with ties to Cap’s past in World War II. Steve McNiven has returned to his usual style which should please those that didn’t like the change up he threw in Nemesis. I wasn’t sure how the new series was going to go, since I had fallen off of Captain America a bit towards the end of the Bucky Cap era, but I was happy to see the series return to form. Hopefully the momentum can continue in the second issue, but I have high hopes for it.

Knights of the Dinner Table #177 (Kenzer and Company – $5.99): I’ve only ever read a handful of Knights of the Dinner Table stories, but I have enjoyed what I have read. KotDT is about a group of friends whose chief source of entertainment is roleplaying games. The strip is pretty crudely drawn, but the art is just a means to get across the jokes. If you’ve ever played in a regular role-playing group for any amount of time, you’ll instantly identify with the characters and situations. There is a lot of humor on every page, but it’s not just the jokes that will make you want to check this out. The great thing about the actual comic book as an item is that if you’re a gaming fan, there’s more to read than just the comic. There are game reviews, previews, adventures you can use in your role-playing game and a lot of other topics of interest. Each issue is a nice thick magazine filled with humor and information, and if you’re a table top junky like me, you’re sure to get some enjoyment out of Knights of the Dinner Table.

COLLECTION:

Fables Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 (DC/Vertigo – $29.99): I already went on about the new issue of Fables, but DC has seen fit to give me an excuse to talk about the series again. Issue 108 may be a good jumping-on point, but if you haven’t read Fables before, you really owe it to yourself to read it from the beginning, and the Deluxe Edition hardcovers are a great way to do it. Volume three collects the March of the “Wooden Soldiers” storyline, which ran from issue 19 to issue 27 (with issue 22, also included here, as an intermission story). This may be my favorite storyline from the entire run of Fables, and I’m excited to read it again. In the story, Prince Charming runs for mayor, Snow White gets as big as a house, and Fabletown is attacked by a whole lot of wood. This book has a lot of things going for it, from the engaging script by Bill Willingham, to the tight pencils of Mark Buckingham, down to the fabulous James Jean covers, there is plenty to enjoy. If you’re looking to get someone into comics, this is a perfect starting spot for them. I could not recommend this or any other volume of Fables any higher.