This week's comic book expectations

So, before we get to the onslaught of Marvel titles this week, let's look at the three (not counting "Trinity," since it's a given) really top-level books DC is coming out with this week, all three of which need to score a big readership given how badly Marvel has killed DC in the sales department recently.

Obviously, it all starts with Final Crisis #2, the second part of a series that debuted in the worst way last month. To give you a quick recap, "Final Crisis #1," which was not the highest-selling book of last month, was met by fans who read all that "Countdown" crap (like me) with anger/confusion over what strange continuity Grant Morrison was pulling his story from. It was also met by complete DC newbies with confusion, since the story is pretty unfriendly to new readers. And while a small percentage did like the book, and a larger percentage than that is giving Grant Morrison the benefit of the doubt, the question is how much better can this book get in the sales department to help DC out?

And, oh yeah, there's a storyline that needs to improve, too, right? To recap for those who forgot, in issue number one, J'onn J'onnz was murdered, Orion died, and Dan Turpin came face-to-face with Darkseid, now in human Michael Clarke Duncan form. It was all pretty convoluted, feeling pretty much like Grant Morrison just decided he wanted to tell a tale and the rest of us loyal readers can screw off for caring about continuity. Well, from the five-page preview I saw of this second issue, it's not going to improve much.

Frankly, I am just taking the approach now that, Morrison is going to tell his tale and I'm going to appreciate it for what it is, if I can, and worry about continuity flaws when I'm done appreciating. Let's see how that goes.

On to writers I like better. Superman #677 marks James Robinson's first issue on the title, an event I am stoked for. Robinson knows how to add personality, or revive personality, into other wise boring characters, so he is the perfect man for the job on Superman's book, just as Geoff Johns is perfect on "Action." Now, Those two writers are planning on making the two books flow together much more closely in the coming months, but that won't begin until after Robinson's done telling his initial arc, one in which Superman fights old villain Atlas, so if you're only looking to by "Superman" in the future to make it sync with "Action," you don't need to buy this issue. But, I am confident Robinson is going to make it worth your money all the same.

Speaking of Johns, his Green Lantern #32 is the last of the must-buy DC books, continuing in the "Secret Origins" arc re-telling Hal Jordan's past. I'm not going to sell you too hard on this issue, since you should be reading GL anyway, but I'm particularly excited for this issue since, as the cover suggests, this is the issue where Sinestro starts training the young Jordan. And while that prospect is exciting enough, I am very interested to see what little hints Johns plans on dropping in this issue for use later on in the "Blackest Night" storyline, when Sinestro and Jordan meet again.

Now then. On to Marvel. The company that is trying to carve every last piece of the market for themselves this week, leaving "Final Crisis" with nothing. Marvel honestly has so much coming out this week and I think I need to handle their side of things as a lighting round:

Captain America #39: The cover says it all. How can you turn down a book, as good as this one has been, featuring Bucky meeting this new "Steve Rogers" for the first time? If the art hits a homer here, we may be looking at the non-event comic book of the year.

Fantastic Four #558: For as crappy as Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's first arc on the book was, Dr. Doom makes his comeback here and he's apparently looking for Reed Richards' help (haven't we done this storyline a lot lately?), a prospect that might convince me to give Millar and Hitch a second chance.

Immortal Iron Fist #16: A one-shot that features Danny Rand re-examining his life and his purpose, a should-read for any "Iron Fist" fan... heck, Matt Fraction's book is normally a should read. And, I would imagine this one-shot is a good jumping on point.

X-Men Legacy #213: Professor X's quest to reclaim his memory continues, now with Gambit in tow, and we'll get to learn more here about just how much Mr. Sinister did to shape the X-Men behind the scenes.

Secret Invasion Titles: Five in all! Ya think Marvel is going in for the kill?!?

Avengers: The Initiative #14: Another one of those flashback/flashforward sort of tie-ins reveals who was the skrull amidst the Camp all along. This one is for "initiative" fans and hardcore "SI" fans only.

Mighty Avengers #15: The second "SI" book this month with Yellow Jacket on the cover, he's presumably the focus on this flashback story showing how he was replaced by his Skrulltastic counterpart. Again, not required reading if you're not a hardcore "SI" reader.

Ms. Marvel #28: Ms. Danvers in a book set in that big Super Skrull Invasion of New York City, one of the bigger tie-in-able scenes it seems from the first few "SI" books. It should make for some fun action scenes.

New Avengers #42: Probably the most important of all the tie-ins, this is the third part of the arc explaining all that needed to be explained about "New Avengers #1," and promises to shed more light on the motivations for the Invasion overall. If you're investing in tie-ins, this is the arc to buy.

Secret Invasion Runaways/Young Avengers #1: Another tie-in set in the fight in New York City, but this one catches my interest only because both of these teams are all too familiar with Skrulls, and those are the people you always have to look out for in these big events. Plus, it's not like these kids haven't been shown in the mothership book, so we might see one or two revelations here.

That about does it, just don't forget about Project Superpowers #4, also out on Wednesday, a book that I'm convinced now will go down as one of the pretty darn great non-conventional superhero stories in the last 20 years.