THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #30: “Heavy Mettle” (All Ages)

Mike Baron (w); Carlo Barberi (p); Bob Petrecca (i); Heroic Age (c); John J. Hill (l); cover by Ty Templeton

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Follow the adventures of the Justice League, based on the hit cartoon.

In this issue: Legendary writer Mike Baron (THE FLASH) guests for a pulse-pounding issue featuring Speedy and Booster Gold. Alone on the Justice League Watchtower, they must defend the team headquarters against the deadly and merciless Doctor Polaris! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Question: How will knowledge of football and medieval English warfare help Speedy and Booster Gold defeat Doctor Polaris? Speedy finally gets called to duty only to find that Booster is the only other one there, and he's writing a book. So when Speedy finds himself fighting Polaris alone, he questions Booster's worth. He discovers, however, that knowledge is every bit as useful as physical abilities. Or, as they say, “Knowledge is power.”

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MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #24: “Breaking Up is Venomous to Do!” (All Ages)

Fred Van Lente (w); Cory Hamscher (p/i); Guru eFX (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Patrick Scherberger, Hamscher & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Bitten by an irradiated spider, which granted him incredible abilities, Peter Parker learned the all-important lesson, that with great power there must also come great responsibility. And so he became the amazing Spider-Man!

In this issue: Featuring the fearsome debut of VENOM to the Adventures Universe! Spider-Man realizes he has to get rid of his new black costume -- but the costume isn't going to go without a fight! (from marvel.com)

Review: At last! Venom—my favorite character to ever emerge from the pages of a Spider-Man comic—makes his Adventures debut. In the original version, Eddie Brock was a reporter who blamed Spider-Man for ruining his career, after which his personal life went down the tubes as well. He ended up at church, where Spider-Man's rejected black symbiote lay waiting. In this issue, Van Lente takes some liberties; Brock is now a burglar, and the black costume is, of course, a “smart stealth” costume. But the basic premise remains the same: Spidey thwarts Brock's plans and then removes the costume, which bonds with Brock and gives birth to Venom. Though I miss the slobbering and the tongue, I must say that Hamscher's Venom looks great. Hopefully, as the last panel hints at, we will see more of him in this book.

Oh yes…check out the hilarious new “ Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius ” backup story.

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ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #105: “Clone Saga: Epilogue” (Teen/Young Adult)

Brian Michael Bendis (w); Mark Bagley (p); Drew Hennessy (i); Justin Ponsor (c); Cory Petit (l); cover by Bagley & Richard Isanove

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The bite of a genetically-altered spider grants high school student Peter Parker incredible, arachnid-like powers.

In this issue: Young Peter Parker must pick up the pieces of his life and face a series of terrifying questions: Will Aunt May survive her heart attack? What plans does Nick Fury have for Gwen Stacy? Is Peter being drawn back to MJ, or will he stay with Kitty Pryde? What about the mysterious Spider Woman? The answers will shock you. (from marvel.com)

Review: Everyone's trying to recover in the aftermath of the events of the Clone Saga. Aunt May is recovering from heart attack, Fury's still trying to control the situation, MJ's trying to recover mentally and physically. And Peter has to not only deal with all of that and more, but also to decide if he wants to be Spider-Man anymore. Bagley deserves special mention here. He's one of the few artists I can think of who can make the small scenes every bit as powerful as the big action scenes. When you see Peter's teary eyes, it will REALLY get to you. In bringing the Clone Saga to an end, Bendis and Bagley have produced one of their most emotional issues to date.

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To be reviewed in next week's column:

THE BATMAN STRIKES! #30

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #21

PERHAPANAUTS: SECOND CHANCES #4

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

2/10/07