Quite the mind-blowing selection of comics this week! Pick Of The Week goes to Brandon Graham & Farel Dalrymple for Prophet #24 (Image). Fast Five picks include Batman #8 (DC), Rocketeer Adventures 2 #2 (IDW), Amazing Spider-Man #684 (Marvel), The Manhattan Projects #2 (Image), and Wonder Woman #8 (DC). Spoilers!

I’m back! Convention season is over for me (for now), so let’s get right back to the weekly reviews! Pick Of The Week goes to Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli for Amazing Spider-Man #683 (Marvel)! Fast Five picks include Swamp Thing #8 (DC), Invincible #90 (Image), Avengers Academy #28 (Marvel), Sweet Tooth #32 (Vertigo), and CHEW #25 (Image). Spoilers!

Huzzah, I say! Huzzah! Pick Of The Week goes to Jason Aaron & Steve Dillon for PunisherMAX #21 (Marvel). Fast Five picks include Heart #3 (Image), Orchid #4 (Dark Horse), Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #5 (DC), Amazing Spider-Man #677 (Marvel), and Scalped #55 (Vertigo). Spoilers!

My nose is stuffy. Send me citrus?

Back from Comic-Con, and I grace you all with a Fast Five! Picks include X-Men: Schism #2 (Marvel), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – Century: 1969 (Top Shelf), Criminal: The Last Of The Innocent #2 (Icon), Detective Comics #880 (DC), and Amazing Spider-Man #666 (Marvel).

It’s good to be back!

Jam-packed episode this week! Pick Of The Week goes to Scott Snyder & Sean Murphy for American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #2 (Vertigo)! Fast Five picks include Amazing Spider-Man #665 (Marvel), The Red Wing #1 (Image), Hellboy: The Fury #2 (Dark Horse), X-Men: Schism #1 (Marvel), and Green Lantern #67 (DC).

No review show next week because of Comic-Con!

No Pick Of The Week, but we do have a great Fast Five! Picks include Ultimate Avengers Vs New Ultimates #2 (Marvel), Hulk #30.1 (Marvel), R.E.B.E.L.S. #26 (DC), 5 Ronin #3 (Marvel), and Amazing Spider-Man #656 (Marvel).

Stay tuned at the end for a special WonderCon announcement!

The Amazing Spider-Man # 656 by Marcos Martin

So while Spidey appears to have a new costume again, I find myself liking it on this cover. The yellows really pop when against the black and gray webs, and with him diving between green lasers it makes it feel like lots of action is happening. Marcos Martin’s style is a really good fit for Spider-Man, because he makes Spidey look so graceful, yet a complete badass at the same time. If anything, he almost looks like Spider-Man in Shocker armor. Add a little more red in the black parts, and it’d almost be a sure thing.

5 Ronin #3 by David Aja

Even as a lone samurai, the Punisher is suppose to look like a force to be reckoned with. And once again David Aja kills it on this series covers. Look at the empty eye sockets, with just cold and gloomy colors throughout the entire cover. The stance, the holding of the rifle, he looks like death incarnate. Plus all the sketches along the sides, including the iconic Punisher skull is the real cherry on top. Of the 5 Ronin miniseries covers, this one is my favorite hands-down. It sends a chill up my spine if I look at it for too long.

Batman #708 by Guillem March

While I’m not a fan of Azrael, I do like how Guillem March combined solid characters in the foreground, and washes in the background. The crossing of two different types of blades catches the eye, and the style of the flames are wicked to look at. The dominant reds of the knights work well against the pale blues of the screaming Batman, and when Batman is screaming, you know it can’t be good. Very nice cover overall.

Loki #4 Travel Foreman & Nathan Fairbairn

This is by far my favorite cover of the week. While I haven’t been reading this series, I almost want to because of the cover alone. I imagine these images would be the last things you would ever see if crossing Loki. The wolf, the serpent, all different forms of the legendary trickster god. Loki himself looks demonic with all the wrappings and his favorite horned helmet. It’s the intricate details of everything on the cover that really blows me away, because I’m taking literally minutes studying the time and care that went into every character. Truly spectacular cover.

Hulk #30.1 by Rob Garney

So it looks like your typical Hulk cover, where Hulk is angry and smashing the usual cars and buildings. Only with this cover, I can’t stop looking at Rulk. The way he takes up almost the whole cover as he’s charging at you the viewer, he just comes across as extremely powerful and god-like. The fury can be seen radiating from his eyes, and the foaming at the mouth conveys the rabidness of this creature very well. Rob Garney did a great job illustrating Rulk being the strongest there is, perhaps even more than Banner.

Captain America #615 by Marko Djurdjevic

With Captain America on trial, this cover is extremely fitting. It shows Bucky’s struggle with which part of himself to identify with, and how to go about in doing his duty as Captain America. Stand for truth, justice, and all that jazz, or fight against injustice at any means necessary? Again, very fitting cover reflecting the current arc.

Morning Glories #7 by Rodin Esqueljo

So what if I just happen to like cheerleaders? Is that so wrong? It’s not their fault they’re so flexible. Anyways, with the comic fans cheering about this new series, it only seems fitting to have the characters cheering right back at them. Okay, that’s not the reason by a long shot, but the cover does look very nice with the combination of the cheerleader and her big…pom-poms, and the old school action dots surrounding her. Good series, good cover, enough said.

Metalocalypse: Dethklok #3 by Eric Powell

Oh Eric Powell, this definitely was the perfect collaboration for you. Same look, same dark humor as The Goon, illustrating the Dethklok covers with your style was a match made in hell. Here you have Dr. Rockzo the Rock-N-Roll Clown (he does c-c-c-cocaine), about to dive-in nose first to a mountain of cocaine so large, the last time I saw that much was at Charlie Sheen’s bachelor party. For fans of the [adult swim] show, this mini-series has been both hysterical and enjoyable every issue. Covers like this one is just the icing on the cake.

The Amazing Spider-Man #655 by Marcos Martin

It’s the simple covers with minimal details that really make you pay attention. Take this Marcos Martin cover for instance; we see Spidey feeling defeated, and in the center of a web of trouble perhaps caused by him. The blacks and reds of his costume reversed not only look cool, but send the message of something not being okay. This almost looks like something Tim Sale might have done, but if you have a closer look, it’s obviously another Martin masterpiece.

Detective Comics #874 by Francesco Francavilla

Without question, Francesco Francavilla is quickly ascending in the ranks as my new favorite artist of the year. Every cover, every issue featuring his glorious interior art, and I’m left speechless. His pulpy feel sells the covers and characters well, giving you a gloomy, yet suspenseful feeling. And the way he plays with the shades of colors on this cover in particular is just fantastic! Give me more Francavilla Batman, DC. I demand this of you.

While there wasn’t a Pick Of The Week, we do have a delightful Fast Five! Picks include Secret Six #30 (DC), Hulk #29 (Marvel), Invincible #77 (Image), Amazing Spider-Man #653 (Marvel), and Sweet Tooth #18 (Vertigo).

Get your Comic-Con tickets yet?

Huzzah, comic fans, huzzah! Pick Of The Week goes to Bryan Q. Miller & Pere Perez for Bruce Wayne: The Return Home – Batgirl #1 (DC)! Fast Five picks include Amazing Spider-Man #645 (Marvel), Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #3 (DC), House of Mystery Halloween Annual #2 (Vertigo), Executive Assistant Iris #6 (Aspen), and Knight and Squire #1 (DC).

Plan on seeing RED this weekend?