Buy Pile Report (I know, I'm late)

If you're wondering why the final Buy Pile Report for the week is so late, well then that's none of your business. You're so nosey!

No, actually I was sick yesterday, and the thought of turning on my computer and writing at 2 a.m. when I was finished reading was really unappealing.

But I am back now to give you the scoop on this week's comics... or at least what's left of the scoop after the first two reports, "One More Day" and "Angry over Countdown."

Green Lantern #24 provided the next installment to the Sinestro Corps War, and there was plenty to like here -- even if it wasn't the best issue we've seen yet. For one, the "Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents Parallax" issue became more relevant when that painting Kyle fixated on in the issue was used to help bring his consciousness back to the forefront. It certainly makes that previously irrelevant issue a more important issue in the grand scheme. Secondly, not that I am the biggest fan of this whole Parallax = Yellow Entity thing in the first place, but you have to love Geoff Johns bringing Hal's story full-circle in this one. In the "Rebirth" storyline, it was the Specter that had to find Hal and lead him out of Parallax. This time around, it's Hal on the inside helping Kyle find his way out.

Still, this issue seems a little rushed, with not enough attention paid to the surrounding war, even though we get to see hordes upon hordes of forces descending upon Earth. I will forgive this issue of all it's ills if this problem is fixed in the next issue of "Green Lantern Corps," but for now I'm feeling a little unfulfilled. Overall, though, if you're following the war (and you should be!) this is a must-buy.

Black Adam #3 takes a step backward this month, not necessarily in quality, but in shock value. There was no cannibalism in this one, or resurrecting bones, or disemboweling anything. What we do get is a good deal of introspection on Teth Adam's part, a good showdown with a former ally (as Hawkman serves to represent how all of Adam's former friends will react to his pleas for help), and a cliff-hanger ending in which human Adam is shot. A good transitional episode in this eight-part story.

If you were as curious as I was for this "Third Kryptonian" storyline, which begins in Superman #668, then you were also as disappointed as I was that by the end of this issue Supes is no closer to finding this person than he was in issue 667. We get a detailed description of how he is searching and how Batman is helping him, which does serve to bring casual readers (like myself) into the fold quickly, but for an issue that's received so much hype, there needed to be more of a reveal. On the upside, watching Superman's relationship with his new foster son really saved this issue for me. I like this kid a heck of a lot more than the little kid in "Superman Returns."

Now, as I said, I was sick last night, with dizziness like you would not believe. Fantastic Four #550 did not help this at all. As quickly as the Fan 4 went into space, they're back. In one issue, they went to space, diagnosed the problem, found Doc Strange already there, brought Gravity from Earth to space, summoned the Silver Surfer, and all together they "performed surgery" on reality. Oh, and they created a pocket universe so they could trap a horde of mindless creatures who are sure to die there. None of this made anymore sense reading it than it does for you, reading my description. It's just a whole lot of "Why does this make sense? Because Reed says so." Only it's not charming like in a 1970's Stan and jack issue, it's just plan confusing.

All of that done in one issue? It smells to me like Marvel dropped the hammer on Dwyane McDuffie sooner than he would have liked. Sure, he's writing one more arc before Mark Millar takes over, but it's almost like he said to himself "I'd rather do my next arc than this space stuff, I'd better nip this in the bud."

Also, with so many guest stars, on top of the Black Panther and Storm, who are temporary members of the Fantastic Four until the end of this issue, it just feels like McDuffie got the job writing the Fan 4 and then said to himself "Crap, I'd rather write the rest of the Marvel Universe instead of these four characters!" Thing and Johnny have had nothing to do with this run, and Sue only made a difference when kicking the Wizard's ass in the one real good issue of McDuffie's run.

Just thinking about this issue has made my dizziness return, I'm out for now.