Turkeys don’t stop comics, dammit.  So I’ve brought you five fresh reviews, just like every Thursday.  You ready to see what I think?

Batman #681; Writer Grant Morrison, Pencils Tony Daniel, Inks Sandu Florea, Colors Guy Major
DC $3.99 {Title’s sales in October were est. 103,929 w/ iss 680 ranking 4}
The R.I.P. conclusion.  Allow me to spoil away with a hearty, “really?”  Batman moves beyond smart here.  He is now unreasonably intelligent.  If this Batman was at the end of Watchmen and Ozymandias was all, “I did it thirty minutes ago”, Bats would say, “Oh yea?  Well, actually three years ago I knew what you were planning and so I brainwashed the scientists to instead create a giant bat that craves the blood of people who dress like Egyptians, and so it’s coming here to eat you, and it would kill me too if thiry minutes ago I hadn’t created this amazing teleportation device and…” forever.  I mean, seriously.  The entirety of this comic book is basically, “No, you don’t get it– I’m fucking Batman, and I know everything.”  And then he “dies”.  Like a chump.  He jumps onto a helicopter as Doctor Hurt escapes, punches through the window, and the helicopter explodes over a body of water.  Do I, for even a moment, think that Bruce Wayne is dead?  No.  Why would I?  Shit, not SIX pages earlier, the Joker is knocked off of a bridge in an exploding ambulance.  I mean, am I supposed to think he’s done too?  Maybe I’m supposed to think Bruce will just be tuckered out?  Mentally sapped?  Except they spent the whole goddamned issue explaining to me how he’s the goddamned Batman and he doesn’t get mentally sapped.  This shit is dumb.  From the glory shot of Nightwing damn near masturbating to Batman’s cowl as the the helicopter wreckage burns in the background, to the reveal of Doctor Hurt being… I don’t know, Satan?  This whole issue reeks of stupidity.  I will give it this.  I laughed a lot.  More than I did at the last SOLID issue of All Star Batman.  So kudos to Mr. Morrison and his unintentional comedy.  It’s some funny shit.  I have no idea if I’ll read the next issue.  Part of me wants to return to laugh at the next segment of the train wreck.

Brit #10; Writer Bruce Brown, Pencils/Inks Nate Bellegarde, Breakdowns Andy Kuhn, Colors FCO Plascencia
Image $2.99 {Title’s sales in August were est. 3,851 units w/ iss 8 ranking 253}
Yep, it’s still cancelled.  Still kind of glad it’s cancelled.  This book works on two levels.  First– the creepy Future Brit’s obsession with Donald.  It’s funny and it’s weird… a superhero who wants to watch highlight reels with his disabled sidekick is some good material.  Second, the alternate future “Atom Shiva”– a weirdo evil Atom Eve.  At the same time, tossing jokes out for the cameo audience doesn’t really show much in terms of love for this franchise does it?  And that’s the problem.  Brit doesn’t get to be cool here.  Wolf-man and Invincible get to be cool.  Sure, the art’s good, and there are some strong quips, but BRIT has not been in charge of this book for awhile.  When they put this title down in two issues, I hope Kirkman brings back the character we got to know and love from the previous collections for cameo’s where he overrides Invincible and Wolf-man in their books.  That’d be a nice change.  Only two issues to go.

Guardians of the Galaxy #7; Writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, Pencils Paul Pelletier, Inks Rick Magyar, Colors Wil Quintana
Marvel $2.99 {Title’s sales in October were est. 36,541 units w/ iss 6 ranking 72}
DAMN YOU GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.  I thought that for sure you “switching up the team” would be a mistake, and I could cancel you from my pull.  But nooooo, you put Rocket Racoon in charge, and you’re fun to read again.  What’s more is that what they do with all the previous team members is interesting content.  This book has the chance of amping up the interest, to be sure.  My biggest worry?  All this talk of the “loss of future tense” and name dropping the next Marvel-crossover-exploitaganza “War of Kings” could spell icky doom for this title.  For now, it looks like I will be back.

The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #1 (of 6); Writer Gerard Way, Art Gabriel Bá, Colors Dave Stewart
Dark Horse $2.99 {Prev. arc “Apocalypse Suite” sold est 28,860 units in February w/ iss 6 ranking 67}
The James Jean covers are gone.  I knew this ahead of time, but it’s still a little weird.  We open with a one page recap by Pogo (who admits he is still dead) and we’re off to the races in an issue subtitled “The Jungle”.  The new series has been humorously advertised as the story that “changes nothing”, but from first glance that seems to be some great false advertising.  You’d think that saving the world might make the team a bit more focused, a bit better.  The opposite is true.  Spaceboy is a ton of lard, the Rumor has more angst than ever, and… well, the Séance must be seen to be believed.  I don’t think I could tell you precisely what this new arc is going to be about, but I will say that Number Five going postal on a group of what I’m assuming (probably wrongly knowing the genius of Mr. Way) of timecops and screaming like a lunatic is great reading.  Gabriel Bá’s art is still as magnificent as ever and Dave Stewart never disappoints (all making me drooling for B.P.R.D. 1947).  My one “aw shucks” was when I got to the end of 32 pages without ads… no letter from Scott Allie.  But you know when a comic is so good that your only disappointment was no letter from the editor, you have spent a fine $2.99.  You should buy this book and the five after that.

The Walking Dead #55; Writer Robert Kirkman, Pencils/Inks Charlie Adlard, Gray Tones Cliff Rathburn
Image $2.99 {Title’s sales in October were est. 24,091 units w/ iss 53 ranking 116}
A well balanced issue, for sure, as the fallout from the brutal 48th issue continues.  The issue effectively uses an obvious flashback / dream sequence start to establish what we already know– Rick is coming under some serious mental fatigue.  He gets on “the phone” again, and you can see the poor man unravelling.  It’s compelling stuff, but no where near as haunting as the final image… one you can feel coming but you don’t want to happen.  It is amazing the connections we forge as readers to these poor characters, and I will honestly say that I’m bothered by the end of this issue because I had hoped for more.  And that doesn’t mean I had hoped for more in terms of writing– I had hoped for more from these people, not these “characters”.  If Walking Dead has a message, it may in fact end up being that there is no such thing as “hope”.  The tragedy goes on, as brilliant as ever.

That’s a wrap.  I’m still pretty proud of myself for continuing to get this out “the day after” no matter what.  I hope I can continue to be reliable in the future.  As always, your comments are invited below, and if this is your first time to the Towel, look around!