Each and every week “The Red-Wingman” Henchman21 and “The Wednesday Warrior” MK2FAC3 read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible… theoretically. 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 October 5, 2011. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is the best month of the year! Fall is here and there’s a nip in there and a horror comic on your pull list. Great things happen in the month of October, folks, but does that mean that each week that an amazing comic will come out? We hope so, and if you keep reading The GoD List, then you will see what we think will reach that mark. Oh, and Henchman21 totally picks X-Men. SURPRISE SURPRISE!!

MK2Fac3

ISSUES:

Animal Man #2 (DC Comics – $2.99): One of my top five books of the DC Relaunch, and the only reason I’m not saying that it’s my favorite is because I’m not about to try to think and rate all of those books. NO SIR. But what I will do is tell you that this book is seriously amazing. It bridges the gap between Grant Morrison’s work on the title to a more modern outlook, while also adding in elements of some pretty gruesome horror for Mr. Buddy Baker. Jeff Lemire has done a genius move by making this about Buddy’s family, and his story seems like the next logical step from Morrison’s classic run. But not only that, Lemire is adding on his own outlook to the character that makes Animal Man feel relevant again. I know this book’s #1 issue sold out and will be getting multiple printings, I just hope that people read it instead of throwing the sucker on eBay, because if you did read it, I know you’ll be sticking around. Seriously one of the best books on stands right now and it only has one issue out. This is going to be a legendary run, so make sure you get it on the ground floor.

OMAC #2 (DC Comics – $2.99): O.M.A.C. is awesome. F the haters.

Skullkickers #11 (Image Comics – $2.99): Look, I know that I’ve lied to you in the past, but that was only because I didn’t know what I was talking about. But now, I swear to you that this is THE final issue of the current storyline. Five Funerals and a Bucket of Blood is finished with this issue, and I’m sure it’s going to be an awesome conclusion. You know why I’m sure? Because every other issue has been awesome as well. Jim Zubkavitch, Edwin Huang, and Misty Coats all do an awesome job with this book that provides the reader not only with awesome action, medieval creatures, and bloody battles, but it also does so with a smile on its face. It’s a hilarious book that combines several genres to make for a great read. So, you should seriously read it. And that I’m not lying about. I know Skullkickers is on the list every month, but that’s only because it deserves the attention. Buy this book! The next issue is an indie creator showcase!

COLLECTION:

Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth TPB (Dark Horse Comics – $12.99): Is this really coming out this week? If this is really coming out this week, then what else could I pick? It’s freaking Axe Cop, you guys! If you’ve been dwelling in an underground domicile for the last couple of years you may have missed out on this, but it’s an extremely successful webcomic written by a young kid and drawn by his older brother. And, boy let me tell you, the content in this book is just what you would think it is by that description: Totally freaking awesome. It’s about a cop with an axe that changes species at the drop of a hat and his brother is a dinosaur. How could you not love that? It’s a child’s wonderfully imaginative mind translated through art and given to us in readable medium. That’s great, right? Well, the success and insanity from the webcomic caught the eyes of Dark Horse, and they provided us with a trade paperback collecting all of the webcomic to a certain time, and then licensed the Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth mini-series. And I am so grateful that they did. Just incredibly amazing. I can’t stress how much fun you’ll have while reading this comic. So, make sure to read it.

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I’m not going to talk about X-Men: Schism #5 today, because I’ve talked about it too much already, but I’m sure it’s going to be good, and at this point, if you haven’t read it, you should just wait for the trade. I will talk about some other books though, so don’t think I’m letting you off easy.

ISSUES:

Fear Agent #31: Out of Step, Part 4 (of 5) (Dark Horse Comics – $3.50): This is one I’ve read already so I can tell you just how good it is. Even though this is the second to last issue of this series (hopefully just for now) I was still blown away by how great it was. There are things that we learn in this issue that will have you re-evaluating how we look at Heath Huston and all of his adventures so far. Writer Rick Remender knows how to pull the heart strings while still telling an exciting story. And the art by Tony Moore and Mike Hawthorne is astounding. If you’ve never read Fear Agent before, you owe it to yourself to pick up the first trade, and if you have been reading since the beginning, make sure you pick this issue up. This may be the best issue of the series so far.

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #1 (of 6) (Image Comics – $2.99): Who am I to resist the allure of the dirt cheap DCBS first issue discount? I’m just me, I guess. Anyway, I decided to order this on a lark, mostly because I was looking to diversify my reading list and pick up a few more Image books. The description from Image’s website goes like this: “Luther Strode is just your average nerd until he sends away for a bodybuilding course from an old comic book, one that works a whole lot better than he ever imagined. His newfound strength and strange talents make school a lot easier, but they’ve also caused some very, very bad people to take a very, very keen interest in him. Things will never be the same for Luther Strode? If he survives.” So it sounds like a little bit Spider-Man, a little bit Flex Mentallo, and whatever else gets mixed in. Will this be any good? I hope so. Maybe flip through this and see if the art is to your taste.

The Last of the Greats #1 (Image Comics – $3.99): This is another book I’m trying out for many of the same reasons I am checking out Luther Strode, but this one has a bit better pedigree. I have a lot of faith in writer Joshua Hale Fialkov, and I know Fac3man feels the same way about him. This one is about the last surviving member of a superhero team who is forced to save humanity from destruction, even if he doesn’t want to. It has an interesting premise, and I’m curious to see how Fialkov takes on his own superhero universe and what he brings to the genre. Something about the description on Image’s webpage makes me think this may go into Irredeemable territory, but it also looks like it will be different enough that any similarities won’t bug me. I’m very hopeful for this one. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.

COLLECTION:

X-cutioners Song Hardcover (Marvel Comics – $49.99): Yes! I own the issues and the trade for this story already, and I’m buying the hardcover edition. I know that this isn’t the best X-Men crossover ever, but it holds a special place in my heart for being the first x-over I ever picked up. This is 90’s goodness, at its, well, I’m going to say its best. This is the storyline that saw Cable die (for the first time, he got better. Then died again. But don’t worry, he’s about to get all better again), saw Stryfe revealed to be a clone of Cable, and saw the beginning of the Legacy Virus storyline that dominated X-Men in the mid-90’s. It also features some great art by Greg Capullo, Jae Lee, and Andy Kubert. If that’s not enough X-Men action for you can also pick up X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee Omnibus Volume 1 ($125) for even more goodness. Whatever you’re looking for, as long as it’s an X-Men book from the 90’s and you’ve got a fair amount of cash to spend, Marvel has you covered.