Each and every week “From the timeline 1690″ MK2Fac3 and “12th Level Vice President In His D&D Game” Henchman21 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 November 2, 2011. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

In This week’s The GoD List, the Hunter Camp from the normal Earth timeline is off reading Casanova: Luxuria, so replacing him this week is none other than the Hunter Camp of Timeline 1690, and while some might call me an “evil” version, I see it as nothing of the sort. You see, I like some of the finer things in comics. You won’t be seeing any DC Comics or professional wrestling references on the list this week, you see, because Timeline 1690 Hunter only reads more obscure comic titles. And while you’ll get your normal Marvel and GI Joe fare from Henchman21, things may seem a little skewed this week. Think you know how this list will end? I doubt it. Continue on with this week’s GoD List.

MK2Fac3

ISSUES:

Dark Shadows #1 (Dynamite Entertainment – $3.99): Those who might not know me may also not realize that I’m a huge fan of horror, and that pretty much includes all genres and subgenres for the most part, but there’s a special place in my heart for the old spooky kind of horror that wasn’t obsessed with gore, but focused its attention more on monsters, ghouls, and really awesome prosthetics. And one of the TV shows that captured this same kind of attitude was Dark Shadows. I remember watching the episodes from time to time and really basking in all of its vintage glory, but when the comic adaptation was recently announced, I realized that I only vaguely recall these frightening features. I remember having a great relationship with the classic show, but I don’t feel like I was ever able to truly enjoy it. So, in my mind, I’m the target market for this new series from Dynamite Entertainment. Dynamite has been doing an amazing job recently of revamping dead franchises from classic television and bringing them into a modern era, and Dark Shadows is primed and read for a brand new version to hit the stands. I’ve been looking forward to this series since it was announced, and I “˜m dying to get my hands on the first copy. There’s no way that this book would not make it on my most anticipated books of the week, this comic would even make it to my most anticipated of the year. And look at that absolutely gorgeous cover from Francesco Francavilla.

Heart #1 (Image Comics – $2.99): Heart is a comic created by Blair Butler, someone most people in the comics industry are familiar with. She’s the host of G4’s Fresh Ink! video podcast and has brought many new and lapsed readers into comic stores by proxy. She’s an avid comic book supporter, obviously, and she’s also an MMA fan. So, when she had the chance to actually write a comic, it was only natural that she created a comic about an MMA fighter’s journey to the top. And really, most of us comic book readers like to see people punch each other in the face, so why wouldn’t we then also be fans of seeing mixed martial arts? Well, the fact of the matter is that most of us are. This, to my knowledge, is Butler’s first foray into the creative side of comic book storytelling, and I for one am excited by that fact alone. She’s someone that I admire as both a comic fan and podcaster, and I will always be down to support her work. But she’s not the only creator on this book. No, she’s not. The artist is none other than Kevin Mellon who is one of the most talented young artists to grace the comic book industry, and anyone who has his interiors on their book should be considered lucky. I’m a fan of Blair Butler’s work in general, I’m a fan of Kevin Mellon’s gorgeous art, and I’m a fan of mixed martial arts. How could I not want to read this book?

Infinite Vacation #3 (Image Comics – $3.50): Is this really coming out this week? Don’t play with me, is this really coming out? Seriously? Well, if that’s truly the case, I’m insanely excited! There have only been two issues of this Nick Spencer created comic book about a man (and well society, honestly) that hops from timeline to timeline as if they were taking vacations. Don’t like the fact that you lost your job? Head on over to timeline 1840 where you were promoted to 12th Level Vice President! Having trouble figuring out the fact that if two people buy a game that costs the same amount of money and give it to each other, it in fact doesn’t cancel the other purchase out? Hop over and see yourself on Earth 16 where you’re an Executive Accountant to the stars! But what would happen if there was someone trying to rid all of the alternate universes of each version of you? That’s what’s happening within the pages of Infinite Vacation. Wait a tick… am I writing about alternate timelines!? Oh no! Here’s comes Hunter Prime! [insert radio frequency white noise] Hi folks, and welcome to The GoD List! Did you guys see the Muppets on Monday Night Raw?! That was crazy! Oh wait, someone else already did everything else and we’re talking about Infinite Vacation? Dang! Oh well, I see that this Alternate Hunter failed to mention the stellar art from Christian Ward on this book! To put it simply, it’s trippy, crazy, and amazing. The coloring is fabulous, and the art brings another level to Nick Spencer’s already bizarre scripts. They work perfectly together, and I’m excited to finally see this series move forward. I was even asking about when it was coming out last week, so I’m thrilled to see that this comic will be in stores on Wednesday.

COLLECTION:

Ha! Ha! Real funny! You think I’m going to leave out Batman when this graphic novel comes out this week!? Surely you jest!

Batman: Noel (DC Comics – $22.99): One of the high points for the insanely popular Joker graphic novel from Brian Azzarello was the mind blowing art from Lee Bermejo, and while Batman was barely featured in that story, shades of the character could still be seen. Bermejo’s The Dark Knight-like Joker was so iconic that he even got a rare villain entry into the Batman Black & White line of collectable statues from DC Direct, and after seeing the preview pages that DC was running last month of Batman: Noel, I’m almost certain he’ll have his own Batman in the line, as well. But this book isn’t just about Bermejo’s gorgeous art, it’s also about the concept, and while it’s a recurring theme in DC Comics to take classic tales and apply them to The Batman, I’m not sure that I’ve ever once read a story about The Caped Crusader in the situations from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. After this week, though, that will certainly change. Lee Bermejo is stepping into the the writer/artist profile with this original graphic novel that adapts the classic Christmas story and takes it to the snow filled streets of Gotham City. I don’t know about about Bermejo’s writing talents, but really… how could anyone possibly mess this up. I mean, A Christmas Carol was great before, but a little Batman makes everything better. He’s already got the art down, so the rest is just going fall into place with this concept. It’s just going to work, no matter what! Did you ever want a Batman book to read every Christmas? I know I did! And now, we’re both in luck. Ahh Christmas… Ahh Batman… Ahh… Batmas. Perfection.

Henchman21

ISSUES:

Fear Agent #32 Out of Step #5 (of 5) (Dark Horse Comics – $3.50): Well, this is the end of Fear Agent, hopefully just for now. I would love nothing more than to see this book come back at some point, not that I really expect it to. However, I’m more than happy to celebrate the last five or so years that this book has been out. Fear Agent has been at times exciting, heartbreaking, and too many other things to name. Writer Rick Remender has taken his main character Heath Huston on one hell of an adventure, and even though this is the end, Fear Agent will stand as a modern classic of sci-fi. Once this is collected in a giant omnibus, readers who missed it are going to get to find out what those of us who have already read Fear Agent know; that there have been few series as good as this released in the last decade. Fear Agent will be missed, but we will never forget the great story that we experienced.

7 Warriors #1 (Boom! Studios – $3.99): I have no idea where this came from, but I’m guessing it was originally released a few years ago, because the art for 7 Warriors is by Francis Manapul, who has been killing it on The Flash for the last year or so. The story is about a group of seven women who are chosen to defend the capital of Libya in the 6th century. I know this is earlier work from Manapul’s career, but judging from the preview pages, his work on this book is still up to the levels we see from him today. I don’t really know what to expect from this, but it seems pretty interesting, and I’ll buy anything with Manapul’s name attached to it, so I am giving this a shot.

Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel Comics – $3.99): I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t pick some kind of X-Men book, and much like last week’s first issue of Wolverine & The X-Men, this week’s release of Uncanny X-Men #1 gives me the perfect excuse. I’ve spoken many times about my love for the current state of the X-Men universe, and you may be a little sick of seeing write about it every week. I know the Face is, or at least I assume he is but I’ll go on for a little while anyway. Uncanny X-Men continues Kieron Gillen‘s run, and now he’s joined by Carlos Pacheco, at least for the first arc. This series is looking at Cyclops’ team that stayed behind in Utopia after the events of Schism. I’m expecting a more serious book than the fairly humorous Wolverine & the X-Men. Gillen’s run has been good so far and I have no reason to think it will go downhill from here. It’s a great time to either get back to the X-Men, or maybe give them a shot for the first time.

COLLECTION:

Joe the Barbarian HC (DC/Vertigo – $29.99): Have I told you how much I love GI Joe? Because I do. I had so many of the toys growing up and the fond remembrances last to this day. So, I was a little surprised to find out Grant Morrison would be writing a GI Joe series. But who am I complain if one of the best writers in comics is taking one of my favorite properties? However I was really surprised when I found out he was taking the whole Joe mythos in a vastly different direction, focusing on a diabetic kid who travels to an imaginary world inhabited by his toys and ends up in a journey of self-discovery. I wasn’t prepared for the frankly heart-warming story. I was hoping for more of a deep examination of the relationship between Flint and Lady Jaye, but I’ll take what I can get. Add in art by Sean Murphy, who wasn’t on my radar when the series began, but he sure was by the time it was finished. He never got a chance to draw a bad ass H.I.S.S. tank, but he did an excellent job with the script he was given. The delays when the series came out hurt the momentum of the story, but it should read a lot better in one collection. All I have to say is, now I know, and knowing is half the battle.