Star Wars: Darth Vader And The Lost Command
Written by Haden Blackman
Pencils by Rick Leonardi
Inks by Dan Green
Colors by Wes Dzioba
Lettering by Michael Heisler
Cover by Michael Kutsche
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: November 22, 2011
Cover Price: $24.99

“I am Darth Vader. I am a Dark Lord of the Sith. I am death!”

I have long been a big fan of Star Wars, so when it comes to comic book chronicles from the Expanded Universe, I’m relatively easily pleased. However, Darth Vader and the Lost Command (set 19 years before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) excelled far beyond my expectations, and is an admirable entry into some of the more memorable Star Wars publications in several years.

Star Wars: Invasion-Revelations #3
Written by Tom Taylor
Art by Colin Wilson
Colors by Wes Dzioba
Letters by Michael Heisler
Covers by Chris Scalf
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 14, 2011
Cover Price: $3.50

The Yuuzhan Vong are coming! That is everyone’s fear in Star Wars: Invasion-Revelations #3.

Imagine Nina’s surprise when she realizes that not only is her mother a Yuuzhin Vong, but so is she. As if that wasn’t enough, there is another Yuuzhin Vong about the size of a tomato that has called in her forces, and now everyone is in a panic, because well, they have to evacuate the planet or they are all going to die.

Bizarre New World: Population Explosion
Written & Created by Skipper Martin
Pencils by Christopher Provencher
Colors by Wes Dzioba
Lettering by Ellen Everett
Cover Pencils by Tone Rodriguez
Ape Entertainment
Cover Price: $6.95; On-sale: now

By far, the coolest perk I’ve experienced with this whole “internet reviewer” gig was when creators actually started emailing me requests to review their comics. Me personally. When I got my very first such email, I was all at once shocked, nervous, and elated. I had finally arrived! Forget that I wasn’t making money doing it. Pfft. Who needed money? This was something MUCH more important”¦ MUCH more substantial.

People were giving me their comics.

How many years had I waited for that very thing to happen? To no longer have to go searching for the coolest stuff on the racks”¦ to actually have it come to me!

Well, come to me it has, folks. The first must-read book of 2008 just got dropped in my lap and I couldn’t be happier.