OK, I’ma keep this short and sweet, like a chocolate-covered Danny Devito. Not a lot of books on the list, but a couple of other things out today are sure to put a hurtin’ on my wallet. So, in the immortal words of Young MC, “Bust it.”

Supergirl #35: I’m only buying this because it’s part five (or four?) in DC’s ongoing New Krypton storyline. I usually stay away from these multi-title tie-in jobbies, but I’m trying to get into Geoff John’s current Superman stuff, and this seems to be part and parcel. However, if these non-Supes titles tend not to tie tightly to the main tale (as told in Big Blue’s own books), then I might drop the crossovers sooner rather than later.

Thunderbolts #126: T-Bolts recently went from being one of the best books around to being just another weak spandex opera. Shows you what a change in creative teams can (or can’t do). Well, the Thunderbolts are getting another restaffing, and this time Andy Diggle is in charge. I liked his take on Green Arrow in Green Arrow: Year One, so we’ll see what he can do with this once-lovable band of misfits.

Fables V. 11 (Trade Paperback): At long last, the next installment of Fables is here (and there was much rejoicing). Few modern comic books read as well as Fables, and the previous ten volumes are among the best current trades available. The only problem with not buying the individual issues of this book is that the wait between paperbacks can seem interminable. So it’s truly a great day in comicdom when another volume hits the stands. I know quite a few people who will fall on this thing like starving hyenas. Mmm…Fables.

The Walking Dead Book 4 (Hardcover): Now this is the goods, ladies and germs. I’ve been waiting to get my hands on the next installment of Walking Dead for months. Those who know me will tell you I’m not a horror guy. I don’t usually go in for relentless darkness and gore. But when the darkness comes in the form of top-notch storytelling, I’ll take a taste. And this book is delicious. Great art, great plot, great characters, great everything. The basic premise of the Walking Dead series is, What if the zombie movie never ended? What if the characters who survived the zombie apocalypse just had to keep on surviving in a world overrun by the undead? How would they live in the ashes of their civilization? As such,  the book is much more about the monster within than the one without, and the character development is superb. Plus, it never fails to deliver the shocking surprises and cliffhanger endings that make so many of the best comics memorable. Sure, it has some depraved, hard-to-stomach developments. But your reward for dealing with it all is one of the most compelling reads in recent years. If you like non-mainstream comics, and especially if you’re a horror-buff, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. ‘Nuff said.

OK, pups. I gotta go get ready for paradise. Plus, I need to sell some more crack if I wanna buy both collections today. Better get choppin’!

Until next time…

Bagged and boarded,

Grip