Superboy No. 6
As Superboy continues to make his trek to masculine, Kryptonian manhood, he must face the gauntlet that his superior cape-wearing elder has taken: namely a fight to the death with Doomsday.
Just as Jeff Lemire and Marco Rudy finally set into their groove, they plan to give the Teen of Steel a trial by fire by having him face one of the universe's most feared killing machines.
Lemire writes such a believable teenage superhuman it's almost scary. He seamlessly includes all the angst, wonder and confusion that those years bring into a character that previously had the personality of a stump.
As Superboy begins to succumb to the overbearing force of the galactic menace, he begins to feel the same terror Supes felt in his previous battle with Doomsday. All of these complex emotional dilemmas are beautifully portrayed in the young metahuman's face, as Rudy has put incredible detail into every cut, scratch and gash in Superboy's usually pristine visage.
This issue certainly is a step up for the team working on the Man of Steel's doppelganger, but certainly the team has a long way to go before it can take the boy and become a man.
Avengers vs. New Ultimates No. 3
Like Tony Stark after a few too martinis, "Avengers vs. New Ultimates No. 3" is lewd and rude, but somehow it maintains an aura of surprise and intrigue around every bend.
This issue picks up with a classic super-powered WWI – alliances have been made, and now all that's left is an assassination. Nick Fury has been pegged as a traitor to the U.S., and after striking a deal with the Russians and the Chinese, he may ultimately be the cause for the next global rumble.
As Cap, Thor, Giant Man, and Stark form the supposed good guys of the equation, Fury has recruited a team just as destructive. The team-up of Punisher, War Machine, Hawkeye, and Blade will prove to be a severe challenge for those who remain loyal to the American way.
As always, Mark Millar writes a script that is both compelling and steeped in twists as the New Ultimates have to prepare themselves for Fury's brewing rampage. Millar's intense plot is coupled perfectly with artists Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho.
As the series progresses relentlessly to the death of the wall-crawler, all eyes will be on Millar, as his writing will surely make the death as memorable as possible.
Casanova: Gula No. 4
Writer Matt Fraction's game of super-espionage mixed with a hint of time- warping goodness has come to a screeching conclusion, as all is revealed about the true origins of Casanova Quinn and the body double that has always occupied his position.
This issue's artwork takes a strange twist as time itself slows down, and as the world approaches its end, the team decides a palette of Easter pastel vomit is the ideal direction for Casanova's epic second-volume conclusion.
For those just stepping into the world of super spies, sex and illusion, Fraction's dimension is one that is difficult to parse as the twists, turns and terminology thrown in the blender creates a milkshake of pure and utter bewilderment.
Matt Fraction's phenomenal voice can be distinctly heard over the cacophony of art, plot and intrigue that clearly separates this series from its alternative competition.
Fraction's additional story at the conclusion of this issue is both entertaining and true to form as the snippet of a plot is more or less the entire Casanova story arc in a nutshell.
Everything has been set right in the universe, and now Fraction is off to more convoluted plots and more racy imagery, though one must applaud the man's actions for writing a comic that truly embodies the Bond-esque lifestyle.
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