I'm going to review this weeks new comics. Something I hope to do every week, as something to do, and as always an excercise in writing. Because #1 I like talking about comic books, and #2 I want to try and make others want to give the esteemed medium of graphical storytelling a try. So I'll try to do a "quick" review of what I buy or read each week. These can get quite long

I'll start out with my 2 favorites of this week.
Agent X # 14
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Alvin Lee
Publisher: Marvel

At the moment this is probably my favorite book to read, the old writer and art team are back, to sadly bring this series to a close. In this issue we find out the "origin" of Agent X, which explains how everyone survived the end of the "Deadpool" series which led into this book, and why we all thought Agent X was Deadpool. As always this is an extremly funny action book, thats very pretty to look at. A lot of story is revealed with plenty of joking on the backround, and set up the final confrontation for the next issue. There's not enough to say just how much fun I have reading this. When this writer is on this book, everyone should read it. Its Marvel's diamond in the rough, it makes me sad, I'm like the only person I know who reads it. And because of lackluster sales(which is why it's ending) I expect they won't be putting into TPB any time soon. But at least I can enjoy the final swan song of the writer who created this character, and hopefully send him out with a bang.
Rating: 9/10

Sandman: Endless Nights Special
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: Miguelanxo Prado
Publisher: Vertigo

What have i been missing. I mean I knew that the Sandman series single handedly created the Vertigo line, I knew that Neil Gaiman is one of the most heralded writers in comics, and that Sandman has won more award than any other comic series. So why did I wait this long...it wasn't cheap enough and I didn't know where to begin. Well this issue has one of the stories from the Sandman: Endless Nights Hardcover that was just released, which has 7 stories drawn by some of the brightest talents in comics today. The story in this issue, "The Heart of a Star" is magical. I myself am a sucker for characters who are supposed to represent concepts of the universe. In this Dream(The Sandman) is taking his new love to meet his family and friends. His family are "The Endless" physical manifestations of Death(I just want to point out that Death looks like a 20 year old goth girl), Destiny, Desire, Despair, Destruction, and Delerium. His friends they are the physical manifestations of the stars from other galaxies. Its inherantly amusing to see that Sol(Our Star) as a young, small, clumsy kid(as this takes place before life on earth had begun. Its hard to convey the wonderment of reading as this woman is throw in waaay over her head as she meets all these things mortals just arn't even built to comprehend. Its a wonderful exercise in fantasy. Oh yeah and the art is fantastic, a perfect match for this story.
Rating: 10/10

New X-Men # 146
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Phil Jiminez
Publisher: Marvel

Hot off the explosive ending of the previous storyline, we have the new one "Planet X" which is bringing to a head many of the dangling plot lines of the last year. But it also seems a great step backward for what Morrison has done so far. Cerebra is gone, Xavier can't walk again, all of the new characters seem to be on the way out, plus the traitor is revealed. The traitor is not who you expect, and he turns out to be not who we all thought he was. And while my interest is piqued, I don't think the writer can explain his reveal, if he does explain it well then I will be happy, but this twist feels to me, a little forced as if it was dictated by the editors. At the end of this issue, Xavier is in the perverbial den of wolves, One half of the X-Men are being downed in a plane crash, and the other half have (seemingly) been blown up in space. So I'm both excited and dissappointed about this storys start, but it all really depends on the rest of the storyline. But hey...its still better than Uncanny X-Men. And geez I keep forgetting to mention the art but it is solid, very detailed and a good organic feel, good facial expressions, yet still has a classic look.
Rating: 7/10 - an interesting suprise, but can't appreciate this issue till the rest come out

Uncanny X-Men # 431
Writer: Chuck Austen
Artist: Phillip Tan
Publisher: Marvel

#1 I want to say at the moment the artist is the star of this book, Marvel thinks this guy is the next big thing, he's had a great start and I like it, in a couple years this guy is gonna be awesome. He does an manga-ish style along with very heavy line work, makes for something most people prolly havn't seen before. The story...still doesn't feel like its going anywhere, they ar playing up the Soap Opera angle a little too much for my tastes, and its sad because I like this writer on every other book I've read him on except his X-Men. Polaris is aparently Magneto's daughter now...uhg this was resolved like almost 40 years ago, and she wasn't his daughter they just had similar powers. And of course now that Polaris has told us why she's fucked up, she won't be fucked up anymore...well personally I don't think she should have bee psyco anyway, not in her character. The other half of this storyline which should be the main one just hasn't really begun yet...and we're half way through the storyline. I just feel I havn't got a pay-off for reading this book, all these "suprises" are lame, too sudden, and not having any real consequence than to take up pages, and bore me.

Rating: 4/10 - Just seems lame to me

Ultimate Six # 1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Joe Quesada, Trevor Hairsine
Publisher: Ultimate Marvel

The first of this Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimates crossover miniseries. We see a bunch of villans that Spider-Man has taken out in the past, having all been "Illegal Genetic Mutations" they are being detained by the government. Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, and the Green Goblin, and now joining them in their "special" cell block is a newly geneticly enhanced Kraven the Hunter. We learn the terms of their incarceration. Norman Osbourne seems to have some kind of plan to escape, and talks about a "sixth" person whereas we've only seen 5 so far. So the mystery is set up as to who the 6th person is, and sets up for a battle that is sure to pretty interesting, and might very well shake the foundations of the Ultimate Universe, *ahem* well we'll see. The dialouge in this issue is fantastic as is with everything Bendis writes, I've never really seen him handle battles of this scale so I'm interested in how he's gonna deal with it. Hairsine's art was suprising, never heard of him but he seems a good match for this book, all his characters faces are easy to tell apart, which is often a problem with comic art, and he has a very good mix in style their are parts I think of Mark Bagley(Spider-Man) and Brian Hitch(Ultimates). They layed the groundwork and introduced everything. I hope they deliver cause it seems they have a lot to do in so few issues. But Bendis hasn't ever let down before, why would he start now. (Well...there was Daredevil: Ninja but that doesn't count :-P)
Rating: 8/10 - a good start can't wait for the rest.

Runaways # 6
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Adrian Alphona
Publisher: Marvel Tsunami

The final part of this books first storyline. The kids have discovered all their parents are some kind of supervillan and have connections all over the world, their on the run. And they've all discovered their is something very special about themselves. We have one girl who turned out she was alien, one has a pet Raptor that responds to her thoughts, one who has some kind of techno battle gloves, a mutant girl, and a girl with a magic staff. All these were sort of gifts they discovered as they found out their parents were wierd super criminals. Now their on the run from everyone. Its been a good read so far a little slow but with so many characters you can't just wiz through. The kids are portrayed really well, I just thought it was a little corny at the end when they all chose "codenames", the art is also young, fresh, and vibrant. And the kids actually look their age, no 16 year olds that look 20 :-P. I can't wait to see where the book goes from here.
Rating: 8/10

Daredevil # 52
Writer: David Mack
Artist: David Mack
Publisher: Marvel Knights

Part Two of Echo. Mack's trippy art continues to tell the story of the Deaf Indian girl, and her tragic life. Oooh Daredevil actually made an appearence in this issue! lol. Macks art is the true treat here, he really makes you pay attention to the art as he hides words all over the page using his collage, and painting. Essentially we are going through Echo's vision quest, and she is looking for answers about herself. Next issue it seems like she's confronting the Kingpin(recently jailed). Not sure what else to ay art is excellent, story is decent. Not a bad read.
Rating: 8/10 - Just plain good

The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: Sam Keith, some other guy :-P
Publisher Vertigo Comics

Yep I bought this the day after I read that Sandman issue I reviewed earlier. It is the first of the 10 volumes of the Sandman Library. Its starts as Dream is captured in a mystical ceremony meant to capture Death. He is imprisoned by their magic and they steal his tools his Helmet, his bag of sand, and his amulet made from pure Dream. He stays their imprisoned motionless for like 40 years. Till he is able to escape now he finds his kingdom in the Dreaming in rubble, he must regain his tools and the rest of his power, so that he can re build his kingdom which has gone to run in his absence. The art is dark and moody, the story wonderful, mystical, and pure fantasy. He goes to Earth, to Hell, and into Dreams. The depictions of Hell and Lucifer are prolly my favorite. A very interesting read, I'm glad I bought it...but now i want to buy all the others.
Rating: 10/10 - Great storytelling, great story