This week's comic book expectations

Among other titles this week, we have the debut of a new ongoing Iron Man
series, Invincible Iron Man #1. Because, we needed more Iron Man in the
Marvel Universe nowadays. You know, because it's not like the man is over
exposed with his ongoings and his spot as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director and his
mini-series (Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas #1 debuts Wednesday too). Honestly,
Shellhead is around as much as Wolverine nowadays.

And do you know this Invincible first issue had six different covers? SIX?

You would think there was some non-comic book stuff going on Marvel was
trying to promote or somethingŠ

On a more important note, though, Iron Man can also be seen this week in
Secret Invasion #2. When last we left our heroes, they were in the Savage
Land meeting their doppelgangers. Or, were the doppelgangers the real deal?
SPOOKY!

The solicit for this book promises some good heroes vs. heroes action, plus
a Captain America leading the troops. Since Brubaker has done such a great
job on the "Captain America" book, though, I doubt Steve Rogers is coming
back here. Just a hunch.

And speaking of "Secret Invasion," we get two tie-ins this week. Well, kind
of two. The first is legit, Mighty Avengers #13, continuing the story of
where Nick Fury has been (you know, other than hiding after the credits),
and who his new Howling Commandos are. Marvel promises this is an important
tie-in to pick up. (Aren¹t they all to Marvel?)

The other tie-in, which I am kind of jazzed about, Franklin Richards:
Not-so-Secret Invasion #1. Who doesn¹t love little Franklin and
H.E.R.B.I.E.? We're going to get to see the Invasion from their little point
of view, with five mini-stories within the book's pages. Also, I am pretty
sure we¹re getting a Mini-Marvels "Secret Invasion" backup here. I'm not
kidding, I love this goofy kiddie stuff sometimes, and this is one of them.

All this talk from Marvel, and I haven't even mentioned the biggest issue of
the week, Avengers/Invaders #1. If you haven't heard of it, Alex Ross and
Jim Krueger tell a tale of the WWII Invaders getting transported to our time
and dealing with the current situation in the Marvel Universe (sans
Skrulls). Personally, I think this story will likely be a masterpiece, the
type I would be wary of if not for the weight Ross and Krueger throw around.
I'd be even more enthusiastic if Ross were doing interiors. Still, with all
the other events going on in the next few months, between DC's and Marvel's
summer pushes, this is one series that might do well to be left as a
Collected Trade purchase.

On another side of the universe, DC is trying to convince us all that Hell
has frozen over. It must have, because this week we¹re finally getting the
conclusion to Superman's "Last Son" story arc in Action Comics Annual #11.
Does anyone out there even remember what has been going on with that story?
Well, with as many heavy hitters on the table here (Lex, Zod, Mettallo,
Bizaro, Parasite) and Geoff Johns penning this story (with Richard Donner,
of course) I'm confident this final issue will be somewhat satisfying. It
better to have taken so long!

War breaks out in space in Rann/Thanagar: Holy War #1, the first issue of
the next installment of the two planets' ongoing battle. Personally, I've
never cared too much for the galactic side of things in these big events -- especially because it seems like all DC can think of sometimes is throwing
Rann and Thanagar together again. Still, I've been digging Jim Starlin's
work of late, so this latest battle in the ongoing conflict may actually be
decent.

A cool little "Final Crisis" tie-in drops this week as well in DC Universe
Special -- Justice League of America. Really, this book should include Libra
in the title, since the entire 80-page book (for $5, a bit over priced) is
devoted to Libra¹s first appearances back in the JLA in the 1970¹s. It
should be a nice little history lesson for us, you know, before Grant
Morrison completely changes the character to fit his needs.

Other books worth noting this week: Cable #3, Countdown to Mystery #7, Dark
Tower: The Long Road Home #3, Nightwing #144, Nova #13, X-Factor: Quick and
the Dead #1 and Young X-Men #2.