Buy Pile Report

Well, it's been three hours since I finished reading World War Hulk #5, and I'm still not sure what to make of it. I mean, heading into this event, all I really wanted was a Hulk-Smashing good time, and I guess I got that out of most issues, including this final part. We got to see Sentry really cut loose, forcing Hulk into a more heroic role, talking Sentry down off his power-crazed ledge and effectively saving the planet. In fact, it seemed like a pretty good ending.

But, then Marvel went and added a "twist." After Hulk comes to his senses, and Sentry comes to his, and Hulk tells the group that he was simply trying to torture and prove a point, not kill, we learn that it was, in fact, a member of his Warbound that blew up that ship that killed Hulk's Queen.

Umm, Exqueeze me? Granted, I didn't read "Planet Hulk," I don't know if the seeds of this were sewn there, but where the hell did this come from?!? It strikes me that this "twist" was simply a feeble attempt by Marvel to put their heroes back into the right light. Suddenly, Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic aren't accidental world killers, they're just two guys that still take morality into their own hands. But not accidental world killers. It all just tasted very cheesy to me. But should I really be surprised by this coming from Marvel?

Another book that confused me to an extent was Salvation Run #1. Again, this was an issue that really whet my appetite. We watch as these Rogues reluctantly work together on a strange world against all-odds and not only survive but begin to strive. Then, more villains (including A-Listers like Joker and Clayface) arrive and we have the makings to a GREAT story focusing simply on the interaction between all these villains...

But then, at the end of the issue, we learn that there is, in fact, a group watching the villains, who purposely planned to make the planet look less dangerous when Checkmate was checking it out as a possible prison, just so the villains would be sent to their doom. Suddenly there is a conspiracy angle to this story, and frankly I could give a damn. I was becoming enamored with the idea of all these villains out on their own -- and not I'm not so sure.

Now, I am in a bit of a rush tonight, so I'm only going to talk about one last issue... and believe it or not, it's Countdown to Final Crisis #24. Yes, Countdown. For the second straight week, Countdown dropped my jaw. Not that the book was all that great -- but the developments in it are really getting me excited. This week's issue almost entirely focuses on this black-suited Superman (presumably Superboy Prime), as he runs rampant around Earth 15, killing every hero in site.

It was gruesome and beautiful, watching a truly moral-less Superman running amok for no sane reason other than the fact that he is, in essence, a fanboy gone wrong. As I said, there was nothing all that special in this issue -- but watching the potential for evil in this character really has me excited for "Final Crisis."