Maintenance #6 (Oni)
The Premise: Doug and Manny are maintenance men for TerroMax, inc., the world’s largest organization dedicated to helping mad scientists and evil geniuses conduct their research. Doug and Manny have to clean up after the scientists when their experiments go bad- from babysitting a Man/Shark hybrid to being shrunk to microscopic size to take care of intelligent bacteria living in a toilet bowl.
Yes, this is a comedy series. A slightly dark comedy series.
In this issue, the heating system is on the fritz an all the scientists and employees are meeting for an office party in the lounge. Except for Doug and Manny. They have to report to a scientists lab to clean up a coffee spill. What they don’t know is that the coffee spilled onto a batch of chemicals and is now alive … and hungry. It devoured the scientist and nearly devoured Doug and Manny. They pursue it throughout TerroMax, only to see it run into the lounge. As it begins devouring scientists left and right, it heads towards the secretary who handily captures it in a thermos.
I cannot stress how much fun this series is. While so many comics are being dark and serious, this title is a refreshing change of pace. Buffy #8 (Dark Horse)
This excellent series continues on its season8 greatness. This issue brings us another chapter in the Faith story as Buffy provides a cameo. Fisticuffs ensue.
Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash #1 (Wilstorm and Dynamite Entertainment)
The Premise: The movie Freddy vs. Jason was a fun romp that made a good chunk of change. Enough that a sequel was planned. One fo the ideas for the sequel – Freddy vs Jason vs Ash. Unfortunately, the right people could not agree to terms and this movie was shelved. However, this title is based on the proposed FvJvA script.
The two survivors from the movie come back to Crystal Lake. Big Mistake. Just like the early Friday 13th movies – Jason does not waste any time dispatching the survivors. An S-Mart has recently opened in the area, but the housewares department is in serious disarray. So Corporate decides to send in a specialist to get the employees whipped into shape before the holiday shopping season. That specialist, Ash. The issue closes with his arrival in town – in search of the Necronomicon.
New Avengers: Illuminati #5 (Marvel)
This issue we learn that a member of the illuminati was a Skrull the entire time – Black Bolt. Iron Man calls the Illuminati together to show them the Skrull corpse of Elektra. The discuss possible ramifications when the Black Bolt Skrull reveals his true nature. He is not alone either, he has brought along new versions of the Super Skrull – one based on Avengers, one on X-Men. The Illuminati make quick work of them – but have no way of identifying and Skrulls still in Disguise. Not through telepathy, sorcery, or technology.
The issue an mini-series closes with the members all going their seperate ways – distrusting each other. This is a great setup for Brian Michael Bendis’ coming Secret Invasion storyline.
Y the Last Man #59 (Vertigo)
This amazing series is almost over. Just one more issue to go.
After the mind-blowing ending to last issue, we find Beth, Beth an Hero captured by the Israelis, when Ceba rescues them. We cut back to Yorick in the hotel room. Alter launches sleeping gas through the window and comes in to kill Yorick alone. She is surprised and glad to see that Yorick is not unconcious – but has his gas mask on an 355’s baton ready to take her on. They fight briefly until Yorick realizes that she is only targeting him so that he will kill here. She wants to die, but will not take her own life an will not accept death at the hands of a woman. Yorick knocks her out and delivers her to the rest of her troops.
Afterwards, Hero and the Beths fiind Yorick sitting morosely by a fountain.
Here’s hoping for a nice upbeat ending to the series…
