A large amount of books this week and also some of the best books of the month.  Just one more comic release week to get your holiday shopping done!  We’ll have all the reviews finished by Sunday evening.

Monthly Comics

Astonishing X-Men #33 – I haven’t been a fan of Warren Ellis’ run on the Astonishing X-Men, his first arc Ghost Boxes was just sub-par and this second arc isn’t quite up to his usual level of excellence.  However, this latest issue is a vast improvement from what we’ve been seeing.  The team learns more about the threat they’re facing, and well, that’s about it.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75

Black Panther #11 – The lead up to DoomWar continues as all of the players start to fall into place.  I’m really reading this for DoomWar as I’m a huge Doom fan.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5

Cable #21 – For 21 issues we’ve been seeing pretty much the same thing over and over, Cable and Hope on the run, Bishop gets closer, they run some more, Hope grows up.  Why this couldn’t of been a back up feature running throughout the various X-Men books is beyond me.  Other than seeing the future that’s in store, there wasn’t much point other than getting us to the third part in the Messiah series of stories.  This issue finally has us seeing Hope’s power for the first time and her making the decision to head back in time and join the X-Men.

Story: 7 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7

Captain America: Reborn #5 – Marvel screwed up the return of Steve Rogers with some books coming out spoiling the ending of this series with one issue to go.  Steve fights the Red Skull in his mind for control of his body while Bucky takes on Cap on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  My only question is there’s two large planes clearly violating DC air space.  In reality a small plane strays into the space, they send up jets after it.  Here’s two massive ships.  Oh well.  We know how this one ends, but there’s some amazing visuals in this one, but the story isn’t up to Brubaker’s usual solid work.

Story: 7 Art: 8.5 Overall: 7.5

Dark Avengers #12 – The team must deal with Molecule Man as we finally learn what’s been torturing Norman Osborn.  And we learn how truly powerful the Sentry is.

Story: 7.75 Art: 8 Overall: 8

Doctor Voodoo #3 – The battle with Nightmare continues as the arc hits a point it feels like it’s at a snails pace.  Why the events of this issue couldn’t of been compacted in the last or next is beyond me and all the mystic talk made it a little hard to figure out exactly what was going on.  While I appreciate Voodoo still finding his feet as the new Sorcerer Supreme this issue came off as muddled and rather confusing.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75

Ex Machina #47 – This has to be the highlight of Brian K. Vaughn’s career and he accomplishes what few have in bringing a series full circle.  The series is rushing to it’s conclusion (likely towards the end of 2010).  Will Mayor Hundred run for President?  Will he make it out of his term alive?

Story: 9 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.75

Fables #91 – Fables has bounced back to being one of the best series on the market.  How will the group deal with Mr. Dark?  Will they fall behind a former foe?  Or will they see through his still wicked ways?

Story: 8.5 Art: 8 Overall: 8.25

Green Lantern Corps. #43 – In what’s the weakest chapter of the three main Blackest Night books, Guy Gardner goes over the edge, embraces his rage and becomes a Red Lantern.  While the rest of the Lanterns fight to bring Kyle back from the dead.  On it’s own this issue seems weak, but I’m sure in a trade form it wouldn’t even be noticed as a bump in the overall story.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75

Incorruptible #1 – Mark Waid can write super heroes, we know that.  In Irredeemable he explores what happens when the world’s greatest super hero/living god goes bad.  This series is the opposite of that and explores the reaction the world’s greatest villain has to that.  It’s a rock solid start full of action where everyone has flaws right off.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7 Overall: 7.25

the Marvelous Land of Oz #2 – Still haven’t caught up, I swear I will soon.  I hear great things though.

Story: ? Art: ? Overall: ?

the Mighty Avengers #32 – The Mighty and Dark Avengers come to a head as they have to join forces to take on the Absorbing man.  There’s some great back and forth in this issue, great dialogue and some small plot points that’ll come into play down the road.  A lot fit into this single issue.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.5

Realm of Kings: Inhumans #2 – The Mighty Avengers pay a visit to the Inhumans as Devos attacks.  We also learn about the greater threat with the Alpha Primitives and some news from the fault.  So far, the Realm of Kings has been entertaining but not as impressive as DnA’s past three space epics.  I think the lack of a single mini-series as the main focus has left the various series dealing with this “theme” event to wander and vary in their quality as none are driving a main story.

Story: 6.75 Art: 6.75 Overall: 6.75

Thunderbolts #139 – Osborn has a grudge with the Agents of Atlas so he sends in the Thunderbolts to take care of them.  But the team is clearly outclassed when in comes to taking on Osborn’s nemesis’s.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #4 – There’s a breakout at Ravencroft and Moon Knight heads in to take care of the escaped prisoners.  This limited series has been a surprise enjoyment.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75

Dark Wolverine #81 – We learn more about Daken as Ms. Marvell/Moonstone heads out to find him and has a little chat over tea.  An excellent story.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8 Overall: 8.25

X-Factor #200 – It’s a new direction as the team has moved back to New York City to pick up.  Their first case?  To find the Invisible Woman, who’s vanished.  Ironic, no?  And that has something to do with Doom and Layla.  Also Theresa is back in Ireland and has to deal with all that’s happened to her, and Monet’s father has been kidnapped.  But, that’s a normal issue for Peter David’s wonderful series.  The only thing I dislike?  The new costumes for the team.  There’s no need for those.

Story: 8.75 Art: 8 Overall: 8.75

X-Force #22 – The team keeps on fighting Selene’s forces as it the situation seems desperate.  The art is great at times, and there’s a nice mood set throughout the issue.  There’s also a back up feature with Hope and Cable, and is that a phoenix we see in Hope’s eye?

Story: 7.25 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75

X-Men: Legacy #230 – It’s the end of the Rogue vs. Emplate story, I can’t say I was too impressed with it, but the arc was just an excuse for her to take the reigns and eventually take charge of the next generation of X-Men.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75

Graphic Novels

Logicomix: An Epic Search for the Truth – A biography of mathematician/philosopher Bertrand Russell and his attempt to isolate the logical foundations of mathematics.