The Quarter Bin

For comics shipping 07.01.09 or The Week We Celebrated Our Independence Day. Every week I’ll check Diamond’s shipping list to see what you absolutely, positively need to spend all your hard earned cash on at the Local Comic Shop.

DARK HORSE COMICS

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #26 – $2.99

A new storyline kicks off this week, and by the looks of it, it seems like Oz will finally be joining the fray. Georges Jeanty has really been knocking “Season 8″ out of the park, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

DC COMICS

Batman and Robin #2 – $2.99

Seems like just yesterday the first issue of this new book came out, and that’s all the better. Morrison and Quitely collaborations are typically highly enjoyable, and this series looks to continue that tradition. While I’m not to certain just what to think of the new Bat-villain Pyg, the creative team has more than earned a little leeway in the “I don’t know about this” department. Definitely should be on everyone’s buy pile.

Greek Street #1 – $1.00

Peter Milligan and Davide Gianfelice team to bring the Greek tragedy into the modern era. Incest, kings, monsters, oracles and gods all living in the Red Light District of London. Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is going to rock. Milligan wrote two of my favorite series of all time (X-Force/X-Statix, Human Target), and Gianfelice really impressed me with his work on Northlanders. If that solid a team wasn’t enough, the book is only a dollar. Do give it a try.

Green Lantern Corps #38 – $2.99

After the dust from the Sciencell break out clears, the Guardians implement a new law into the Book of Oa. The final issue of GLC before the start of “Blackest Night.” You’re not going to want to miss this one.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #1 – $3.99

This book may have had a bit of trouble coming together (it was announced in early 2008 as an ongoing, now it’s just a mini… oh, and it was supposed to take place immediately after Final Crisis, but that was over months ago, and other books have already referenced the events of this series even though it has yet to actually start…), but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a good story. James Robinson’s an insanely talented writer when feeling motivated enough (his recent Superman stuff has been pretty uneven), and newcomer Mauro Cascioli’s painted artwork looks simply stunning. I think just about everyone should give this book a shot, particularly because there’s a desperate need for a good Justice League story right now. Plus, we’ll be getting a taste of what Robinson has in mind when he takes over the main book in a few months.

MARVEL COMICS

Captain America: Reborn #1 – $3.99

Despite the fact that Captain America #600 was basically a big set-up story for this mini, I’m looking forward to it. Brubaker hasn’t let me down yet, and now that he’s teaming with Bryan Hitch on art, this story has the makings of an instant classic. Even if you disagree with Steve Rogers coming back, this is the writer who brought Bucky back to life, shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt?

Invincible Iron Man #15 – $2.99

Fraction and Larocca are terrific. If you’re not already reading this book every month, you need to start now.

War of Kings #5 – $3.99

With just two chapters left to go in Marvel’s super space soap opera, events are coming to a head. Lilandra, dead. Black Bolt, pissed. Vulcan, power tripping. Abnett and Lanning have done a superb job with Marvel’s outer space stories, and I can’t wait to see what happens when this is all over.

Trade Paperback/Hardcover of the Week

Solomon Kane: The Castle of the Devil – $15.95

Robert E. Howard was so much more than Conan. Of course, I had no idea until I saw this book on the stands. Scott Allie and Mario Guevara bring the puritan avenger to life in this adventure where Kane tries to extract vengeance on a baron who hanged a boy, only to find something much, much more damning under the baron’s castle. I’ve been waiting for this trade to come out since I first heard about the story, and I know trade-waiting isn’t the best way to support books you want to read, but sometimes it just works out that way. If you’re a horror fan, you owe it to yourself to check this book out.

That’s all for this week. See you next time.