Each and every week “The Heartbreak Kid” Henchman21 and “The Mississippi Blue Blood” 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 24, 2011. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

When last we left you, Batman was ending, Hunter was sad and angry at the same time, and Christoph McDavid was taking a nap. This week, however, marks the beginning of a brand new era with the first installment of a guest writer. Who is he?? Is he a former world heavyweight champion? Or is he a top contender for the cruiserweight belt? Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. Time will only tell. Comics! This week, we see the likes of Chew, Gates of Gotham, TMNT, The Bionic Man, and Captain America jockeying for position so that they can climb the ladder of success and pull down the ever coveted title of Doom of the Week. So, are there great comics coming out this week? Well, in the immortal words of Zack Ryder, “Woo woo woo! You know it!”

MK2FAC3

ISSUES:

Batman, Incorporated #8 (DC Comics – $2.99): So, remember when I told you that I would write about every issue of Batman, Incorporated that was coming out? Well, I’m not sure that I lived up to that promise because I honestly can’t remember. What I can remember, however, is that the past two issues of this comic book series from Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham (who is unfortunately not on this issue) have been nothing short of spectacular. And I honestly mean that. My love for Batman, Grant Morrison, and Batman stories written by Grant Morrison aside, those were damn fine comics. So, obviously, I’ve got high expectations for this issue, in which Batman, with the help of Oracle, goes into the Internet to fight cyber crime. I have no idea if that’s a correct solicitation from DC, or how that storyline will play out, but it’s ambitious, and it’s following up to of the greatest issues of a comic to come out this year. Also, it’s worth noting that this is the last issue of Batman, Incorporated to come out until the oversized one-shot coming later in the Fall, entitled Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan that bridges the stories of Incorporated with the Morrison/Burnham series that’s set for 2012. So, pick this up, reader!

Batman: Gates of Gotham #5 (of 5) (DC Comics – $2.99): Last week, I said that Batman #713 (which, as I expected, wasn’t very good) was the last appearance of Dick Grayson as Batman. Well folks, I hate to shatter your rose-colored shades, but sometimes people lie. And in that instance, my pants were totally on fire, and I apologize for that. Although I should be apologizing to myself for putting myself into such an uncomfortable situation… YEESH. But I digress. THIS comic features the last appearance of Dick Grayson as Batman. It’s plotted by Scott Snyder (upcoming writer on Batman/former writer on Detective Comics) while Kyle D. Higgins (future writer of Nightwing) handles the actual scripting duties. So, if you think they’re not going to do something to bridge all of these events, you’re probably right considering all the relaunching and de-aging and whatnot. But they might. And that “might” should make you want to read this issue purely from a completionist standpoint. But if that doesn’t whet you pallet for comics, then maybe this will: In Gates of Gotham, a powerful force from the past confronts the Batman’s city, when a villain known as The Architect tries to take down several pillars of the community… both figuratively and literally. But just who is The Architect? My guess, Bill Finger.

Chew #20 (Image Comics – $2.99): Chew is awesome. That should be enough. But I assume it’s not, so let’s get to why you should read this story. Tony Chu is a cibopath. Don’t know what that is? I don’t blame you. Before I started reading this title on it’s first issue, I didn’t know either, but a cibopath is a person who has the crazy ability of being able to see all of the details of someone or something’s life… when he eats it. Yep, so if he eats a carrot, he can see all the pesticides that were sprayed on it, if he eats a hamburger he can see how brutal and painful its slaughter was, and if he bites off the ear of a dead man, he can see how that person died. So, you can see why Chu only eats beets. Unfortunately, it’s his job to use his ability to solve crimes in his branch of government work, the FDA. Take everything you know about government agencies and throw them away, because I like Chew‘s versions better. This issue wraps up the current storyline, so if you haven’t been reading, do yourself a favor and pick up the trades or the Omnivore editions, because you’re going to love this book.

COLLECTION:

I know I do this a lot, but there are seriously some great trades coming out this week including the first volume of Hickman and Epting’s FF, a freaking awesome omnibus of Steve Ditko’s Shade The Changing Man work from DC, the undoubtedly gorgeous hardcover edition of DC Legacies, and many more. So there’s literally something for everyone this week. But for me? I choose…

Echoes HC (Image Comics – $19.99): If you are unaware of who Joshua Hale Fialkov is, well reader, I sincerely feel bad for you. He’s an incredible writer with a knack for a dark tale and he’s proven his prowess with the likes of Tumor, his three-issue arc on Superman/Batman, and what is sure to be one of the breakout hits of the DC Relaunch, I, Vampire, and within the pages of this very book, Echoes. I have yet to read a Fialkov story that is not amazing, and I don’t just mean good, I mean amazing. Just read the concept for this book. Man inherits father’s problems, and his father is a serial killer. That alone gets the psychological horror fan in me bursting at the seams with demented joy. It’s a story of family, loss, and insanity, and I, for one, am in love with this author. And if you’re not reading his work, I promise, you’re missing out on some of the best material currently being created. Make sure you buy this.

Henchman21

ISSUES:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (IDW Publishing – $3.99): They’re back!! IDW launches their version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles this week, written by Turtle creator Kevin Eastman and co-written by Tom Waltz, and will feature art by Dan Duncan. Now, outside of Eastman, I’ve never read anything from these creators, so I’m not entirely sure what this book is going to be like. I’m not even sure what tone the book is going to take. Is it going to follow the more gritty realism (well as realistic as a book about talking Ninja Turtles can be) or will it lean towards more of the goofy outlandishness of the cartoon? I know that this book is being made in conjunction with Nickelodeon in anticipation of a new cartoon, so I’m guessing that it’s going to lean towards the cartoony side, but I sure hope some of the old street level violence from the original comics makes it through. I loved the Turtles when I was a kid though, so sure, I’ll give this a shot for the nostalgia factor alone.

Bionic Man #1 (Dynamite Entertainment – $3.99): I could never be as excited for Dynamite Entertainment’s new take on the Six Million Dollar Man, which they have called The Bionic Man, so I have brought in a pinch weasel to get you all excited for it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Jimmy PS Hayes!

Captain America and Bucky #621 (Marvel Comics – $2.99): I missed the first issue of this new run of Cap and Bucky stories when it initially came out, but I was able to find the first issue and I was blown away. What writer Ed Brubaker is presenting in this series is completely different from what is going on in the new Captain America series. Captain America and Bucky is starting out as the definitive origin story of Bucky. The first issue showed his childhood of growing up on an Army base until his father’s untimely death, to his induction into the Army and his first meeting with Steve Rogers. It is full-on World War II action and I love it. The art by Chris Samnee works great on the series and perfectly captures the time period the story is set in. Cap and Bucky maintains the more reality based action that the series has had since Brubaker took over while Captain America takes on some of the more traditional superhero action that Brubaker has used in places. They make for a great one-two punch for anyone looking to get into Cap’s world.

COLLECTION:

BPRD Plague of Frogs HC, Vol. 2 (Dark Horse Comics – $34.99): Since it doesn’t appear that Dark Horse is going to be releasing Library Editions of the BPRD stories anytime soon, and since I haven’t read any of the BPRD stories before, I figure it’s time for me to pick up the first and now second volumes of the adventures of Hellboy’s backup crew. I have been well aware of the greatness of these stories for a long time, I have just been waiting for the right time to give them a shot. This second volume collects the next batch of issues written by John Arcudi and Mike Mignola with art by Guy Davis. Honestly, I’m recommending this on reputation alone. I know from reading Hellboy that Mignola has created an interesting cast, and I’m looking forward to learning more about them, and from what I hear Guy Davis is an amazing penciler who has a style very reminiscent of Mignola’s and fits the style of this series perfectly. I hope that when I pick this up I experience everything that I have heard about the series.