batgirl_22Well, as all you faithful fan-boys and fan-girls may have noticed, there was no Hold 322 this week. You see, a rival comic book podcast sent techno-ninjas into the studio while Jeff Bell was away and wrecked our main computer that all our shows are recorded and edited on. We are working hard to both get revenge and fix the computer but until then, no show. But fear not, true believers, I am still here to post a blog and share all my comic book related thoughts with you. (I’ll pretend you all just cheered in unison instead of the eye roll and groan that was everyone’s actual response)

First off, JC Carter was right to pick Batgirl #22 as his best of whatever week it was that it came out, it was really damn good (watch out Batman, Jim is feeling punchy punchy punchy!) but my pick as best of last week was Fantastic Four #10. Not only was it yet another great time travel romp with the first family of comics, filled with great drama and character conflicts, but if you are a fan of the Fantastic Four and upon seeing the last panel in the issue you do not gasp, say whoa or in some other way display your astonishment, then you’re dead inside or need to stop reading your comics while asleep.Fantastic 4 Marvel Now 10

Also, Superman Unchained, Batman (Zero Year), He-Man and the Master of the Universe and Ultimate Spider-Man (welcome back to the fray, Miles) were all also very good reads for me. Unfortunately, Superior Spider-Man #13, was not. It was the conclusion of one Otto-goes-more-and-more-off-the-deep-end story, leading into the next one where I gather he’ll now have a Spider Island HQ with minions and whatnot. I miss ghost Peter. He was what was giving me hope for Peter’s eventual return as Spider-Man, but then issue nine happened and we haven’t seen any sign of him since. Now I read the letter’s column in Superior Spider-Man #13 and I’m starting to lose faith in the House of Ideas (Marvel). There were letters from other Spidey fans that could have been written from me since they espoused my own opinions very well, and to each, the editorial response was dismissive and discouraging. “Ock’s here to stay” was one of Stephen Wacker’s responses to a particularly well written letter asking for Peter’s return. As well, a cover image for a November issue of SSM was shown, which gave no indication of Peter Parker making a comeback by then. It seems, if Peter is ever returning to his own life which Otto stole from him, it won’t happen in 2013 and I fear it may not happen in 2014 either, unless sales plummet past the basement level, of course.  I keep telling myself that Peter will return, but the folks at Marvel are doing one hell of a collective poker face.

SSM 13For my part, I am still committed to reading SSM until the end of this year, because all along I thought the story line would last a year and Peter would return on the anniversary of his death, but should that landmark come and pass with no hope of Peter’s return, I will have to drop the title and wait until my best fictional friend does indeed finally come back to the fold.  On a related note, in the latest issue of Nightwing, Dick Grayson does a Peter Parker like entrance into the mayor’s office, hanging upside down from the ceiling and cracking wise. It’s even more funny when you realize Dick and Peter are both slang for something inappropriate. Let’s all share an immature laugh at that, shall we?

And finally, my pick for this week is Batman/Super #2!  Go pick it up today or later this week and of course grab a copy of Batman/Superman #1 if you haven’t already.

Well, that’s enough for me for now.  Until my next bloviation, follow me on twitter @Robert_A_Easton, listen to Hold 322 (new episodes if possible, old ones if not) and read lots of comics!  Alons-y!

Image from Nightwing 22