Out with the Old...

After months of ruling the tournament circuits, the infamous Jace, the Mind Sculptor will be banned.  M12 will see a replacement Jace in the form of Jace, Memory Adept.  Weigh in here in share your thoughts on the swap.

Ghostface

The island Sodo is home to the most reprehensible criminals, who live here in isolation without fear of further prosecution by the state. The only rule felons must abide by is this: never leave the island - otherwise one becomes a Ghostface, hunted and killed like a feral animal.


But when the wrongly accused threatens to shatter the very foundation of the island, a mass paranoia consumes Sodo, and the line between tormenter and prey suddenly becomes blurred...
                                                                    ***
There are few graphic story tellers who can pull me into a world as quickly as Min-Woo Hyung and this first volume of Ghostface throws you into the thick of a conflict years in the making.  For those of you lucky enough to have read the creator's previous work in Priest can continue to expect great characters, an intricate plot, and moral ambiguity from Hyung.  Those new to his work are in for a treat.  If there is only one book you pick up this week, the choice is easy; grab Ghostface off the shelf before someone else beats you to it.

Picks of the Week

 ALL NIGHTER #1 (OF 5)
Kit Bradley is a 20 year-old art student and petty criminal who knows it's time to leave her delinquent past behind, but isn't ready for the responsibilities of adulthood.  Her social headquarters is an all night diner, and while trying to put the 'off' on an on-again-off-again boyfriend, she runs into an old flame, and an enigmatic loner named Martha, who alters Kit's life forever.  Created by Eisner and Ignatz Award nominee DAVID HAHN.

 BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH THE SEARCH #1 (OF 3)
Following the events of Brightest Day, the new protector of Earth has been chosen. But one reluctant hero making his return to the DCU is trying to convince Batman, Superman and the others heroes of the DC Universe that this may not be a good thing, because he can see that things are not right and mankind's brightest days are indeed over. 

 

 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #160

Does Peter Parker die?

 

 

I'm sorry, did you say you wanted more FLASHPOINT?

PICKS OF THE WEEK

 GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES #1
Afghanistan.  Marines face a never-ending onslaught of Taliban.  But even hell can get worse.  The dead are coming back to life in The Graveyard of Empires, and only together can both sides of the today's conflict survive tomorrow's undead assault.  Writer MARK SABLE (Unthinkable, Two-Face Year One) reunites with his GROUNDED co-creator, PAUL AZACETA (Amazing Spider-Man) to tell this controversial tale of terror.

 LEVEL UP GN
Dennis Ouyang's parents want him to become a doctor. But Dennis just wants to play video games. What happens when fate takes a hand - in the form of four adorable, bossy, and occasionally terrifying angels - to lead Dennis down the straight and narrow path to gastroenterology?

 ANYAS GHOST GN
Anya would give almost anything if she  could have a real friend. So she takes the first offer of friendship she gets - from a ghost! But things don't quite go the way she'd expected. 

Wait a minute, no week is complete without the Flashpoint coming at ya'.   

 

 

Picks of the Week

 MYSTERY MEN #1

The series explores the pulp-infused era of the early 1930's. Given that Timely Comics didn't debut until 1940, it's a time Marvel's books have rarely explored before. The Mystery Men are a gathering of pulp-influenced heroes. Marvel's description lists The Surgeon, The Operative, Achilles, The Revenant, and The Aviatrix as members.

IRON AGE ALPHA #1

The one true Dark Phoenix returns to the Marvel U with a vengeance!  As the earth is destroyed, Iron Man is swept into the time-stream where the only chance for survival is to gather the greatest heroes from across the eras and change the course of history! The Avengers, Fantastic Four, the X-Men and more will join Iron Man for this trip through all the ages of Marvel! Rising stars Rob Williams (DARK WOLVERINE) and Rebekah Issacs (MS. MARVEL) team up for the century-spanning epic that takes you through the Marvel Universe's greatest moments...and maybe to
its last

And because you asked for it, more of the world that is Flashpoint

One Man's Fight Against Destiny

Kidnapped as a child and trained by a band of magicians in an isolated stone fortress, Drazen is destined to seek out and defeat his own father, the renegade magician named Lancaster.

There are few villains in graphic novels who know how to make and execute a plan well.  When they do, it is certainly something to behold.  Not to tip their hand too much, but Lancaster is one of those villains.  If this were all Day of the Magicians had to offer, it would have been a decent read.  Fortunately for you, La Neve and Nizzoli brought a lot more to the table than just an intelligent villain.  There is a believable human quality in each of the main characters in this story. Their emotions, motivation, and reactions are honest and compelling.  Take the journey with Drazen as he approachs the most important day in his life.

Recommended for fans of Fables, Unwritten, and Magus

*Ryan

King, Warrior, Magician, Cursed....

Elias the Conqueror has an unquenchable appetite for power, one that will cost him everything, including his own face.  The search for his old self will bring many a parade of fantastical characters his way, both good and evil...

There are only a few things graphic novels need to earn a place on my book shelf; a solid story, dynamic characters, beatiful artwork, and well-executed scripting.  Bonus point are available for comedy, epics, martial arts or sword and sorcery. This book manages to have it all in less than 200 pages.  Do yourself a favor and flip through this book.  Everything good I could tell you about this beauty is evident regardless of which panel you turn to. 

This book is for fans of Conan, Hellboy, Northlanders, or any of their ilk

Ryan