This week's comic book expectations

So, finally after months upon months of Brian Bendis and Joe Quesada driving the hype machine into overload, on Wednesday we'll finally get a chance to read Secret Invasion #1.

And, I've said it before, I'll say it again, I'm really pissed at Marvel for having this event when they did. I don't care what the sales numbers say, I'm a victim of event fatigue -- especially after a horrendous "Civil War," the marginal "World War Hulk" and the not nearly as good as advertised "Messiah CompleX."

Now comes along "Secret Invasion" -- skrull sleeper cells within the Marvel Universe posing as our heroes, and now they're ready to make their move. As far as I'm concerned, this is the most exciting sounding event yet. But, I could really care less about it after all the crap Marvel has hyped only to disappoint me. All the tie-ins, all the must-reads, all the "things will never be the same" issues. And you just know that this event isn't going to resolve anything, it's just going to funnel into the next event.

So, unfortunately I will still be buying this "Secret Invasion" series, because it does sound interesting, but I'll be passing on all the tie-ins and extras that Marvel loves to publish just for a quick buck. I strongly encourage you all to do the same, so Marvel will treat their next event (coming in 2 weeks or so after "Secret Invasion") with a little more standalone feel, like DC will be doing with "Final Crisis."

But, the Invasion is not the only big thing out this week. Action Comics #863 wraps up Geoff Johns' stellar "Legion of Superheroes" arc, and I highly recommend the arc to any of you TPB buyers out there. Johns has redefined the old-school Legion and their place in the future, while at the same time writing just a good Superman team-up story. And, the best part of every Superman story is, after all, Big Blue coming through in the end.

It will also be interesting to see where the ending of this story leads for the Legion, as Johns obviously has plans for them in the future following Supes' return to his own time. I'd love to read an ongoing in this universe, telling the post-Justice League of Earth rebuilding tale.

Nightwing #143 should also be a strong issue this week. Since Peter Tomasi took over the title, in fact, Dick Grayson's tales have jumped up a notch, and this week we'll get to see Robin get more involved with Nightwing's investigation into Dr. Kendall. Personally, I really enjoy watching team-ups between these two, so this may be a good issue for you all to give this series a go.

From Marvel, Young X-Men #1 debuts this week, and I am awfully curious to see which direction this book takes. It is to be the story of Cyclops training "the last class of X-Men," with plenty of help from the original New Mutants. Still, will this book have any hints of teenaged-angst-heroes or will it go the absolute other direction, in which the heroes are constantly depressed because they know how doomed the mutant race is and they are the youngest?

Personally, I think between the non-familiar cast and the unoriginal idea of young mutants being taught, this book will flop. But, I am still looking forward to learning more about it.

Other hot titles this week include Kick Ass #2, Cable #2 and Project Superpowers #2. I guess it's a good week for No. 2s.