Punisher #46(Marvel Max, W: Garth Ennis, A: Lan Medina)
Overview: Hands down the best comic out there right now. Garth Ennis could start writing with a filed down turnip and tell stories exclusively in sanskrit, and I'd still probably buy anything he puts out. Ennis takes the Punisher and strips away any of the garbage like the stupid white boots and gloves, dorky supervillains, etc, and just writes stories about Frank Castle being pretty much the hardest man alive. And it's a "Max" title, which means theres swearing and titties and lots of blood. The book's gone through different artists, but with the exception of the guy who drew the Barracuda storyline, it's usually pretty gritty and quasi realistic art, which adds to it. This is one of the rare comics I'd recommend to pretty much anyone.
Current Storyline: revolves around the widows of various gangsters the Punisher has killed, and their plot to get even with him, as well as a girl whose boobs got cut off who fucks people up and may or may not be on the Punishers side in all this.
American Virgin #13(Vertigo, W: Steven T. Seagle, A: Becky Clooney)
Overview: This kid has been groomed to be the face of a televangelist empire all his life, preaching "no sex until marriage" and spearheading an increasingly popular movement until his girlfriend, a missionary worker in Africa, is killed. He goes out to find her killer/justice/blah blah and between the revelations of that trip and the shock of it all, he begins to question his whole life. Overall, it's got a distinct Preacher-rip-off feel to it, but not as good, obviously. I keep it in my pull bin because it's well written for the most part, and it's semi-different in it's subject material.
Current Storyline: They're back from Africa, and Adam is now trying to track down all the girls from a beauty pageant he judged because he believes one of them must be his new "one." I don't know, I read the first few issues in a TPB at Borders when I was killing time, and i've only been reading this arc since #10, so I'm not entirely sure what's going on. Whatever.
Fallen Son: Wolverine*(Marvel, W: Jeph Loeb, A: Lentil Yu)
Overview: I guess there's going to be this series of "Fallen Son" books about how Captain America's death affects various characters.
Current Storyline: Wolverine is pissed off about CA's death. He goes investigating. This is a kind of stupid book that is one of the many that are coming out just because people like me will keep buying anything related to the Civil War short of "Ms. Marvel bakes Registration themed cupcakes, Vol. 1." Yeah, sure, Wolverine is a hard ass and pulls some sneaky shit. But I could have probably saved my three dollars on this one. And by "saved" I mean bought "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigalo" or a 375 of Majorska.
Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears #3(Marvel, W: Garth Ennis, A: Clayton Crain)
Overview: This is one of those "characters out of continuity and ALSO in a different time/place/reality" things that annoy the ultra nerds but that I really enjoy. I just don't get people who actually care that a story might break with the understanding that Jimmy the SuperGiantAwesomeGuy locked up villian A in 1964, who then showerloved villain B who gave birth to a mutant calculator that was melded with a cyborg rat who OF COURSE hates Jimmy the Superblah, so THERE'S NO WAY villain B could have another child because the mutant calculator made her infertile.
Oh, right, about this comic. A confederate soldier is nearly killed on the battlefield, nursed back to health by a free black guy who lets him work off the debt, they become friends, the NOT RACIST ANYMORE soldier leaves, the klan comes to town, kills the black guy and his family, soldier comes back to visit, then has to get vengeance. And the black guy becomes a Ghost Rider-y type guy. I know I'm being very derisive w/ this summary, but it's great, and, surprise, Ennis writes it. The art is kind of painted or maybe just looks like it is, but either way, it's pretty nice too.
Current Storyline: This whole thing is only a 6 issue miniseries so the above IS the storyline.
Immortal Iron Fist #4(Marvel, W: Ed Brubaker/Matt Fraction, A: David Aja)
Overview: Iron Fist is some guy who's really good at karate and can make his fist really powerful and glow and fuck things up. He and Luke Cage used to have some kind of homoerotic crime-fighting-for-hire outfit in the 70's, and now he's a bazillionaire somehow. This new series follows current era Iron Fist, but also goes back and deals with the Iron Fist legend and all the previous Iron Fist's. Ed Brubaker is one of the best writers in comics today, and whoever does the art is pretty okay too.
Current Storyline: Some friend of Iron Fist's dad has joined up w/ Danny Rand (Iron Fist) and they're fighting Hydra. There's more going on but I read this last week and with my memory that means I might as well try and tell you about what I had for breakfast four days before my third birthday (eyeball stew).
Midnighter #6*(Wildstorm, W: Garth Ennis, A: Glenn Fabry)
Overview: I just started reading this recently because it's yet another Ennis book. As best I can tell, it's about a guy who has a bomb or something in his chest, travels time to fuck people up, and is gay. Yeah.
Current Storyline: He's in ancient Japan, is the best samurai ever. Meets some really femme-y also awesome dude samurai, they fall in love, fuck a bunch. This bums out some rival of his master who tries to have him killed. He's unkillable but his boytoy isn't. Sad face. This is probably the least-great of all the Ennis stuff out right now, but it's still entertaining and (duh) well written.
Scalped #4(Veritgo, W: Jason Aaron, A: R.M. Guera)
Overview: Based around an Indian reservation and all the fucked up shit that goes on (they're not ALL as cheery as Chief Wahoo apparently). Dashiel "Bad Horse" has been off the rez forever, comes back to kick ass and ends up a "dog soldier", one of the head bad indian guy's police. BUT....he's actually working for the FBI undercover to bring down said bad indian's crime ring.
Current Storyline: Bad Horse is following the chick he used to be in love with who's also the bad guy's daughter, and more of the bad guy's and Bad Horse's mom's backstory unravels. And lots of people get shot.
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