A few more logs in the fire

Or, a few more reviews added to the pile.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #5 $2.25

It should be called the Fantastic Three, as there is no sign of the Invisible Woman in these pages.

Get it? Good.

Okay, jokes aside, this is one of the best mainstream books currently hitting shelves, and everyone should be picking it up. Bendis and Millar write the FF better than almost anyone ever has, and their improvements on the origins of the group make me want to travel back in time, smack Stan Lee in the head and say "This is how it SHOULD be done!" However, Kubert is no Kirby, and his art is only slightly better than serviceable here. The dialogue and character interaction is where this books shines. Believe me, the fact that it's taking two of the best writers in the biz to craft the tale isn't lost on me, but it's worth whatever Marvel's paying them, and at $2.25 this book's a steal. All you TPB collectors take note, you will not want to miss this one when it hits.

Batman: Harley and Ivy #1 $2.50

There are a few thing in this book that make me think it's not EXACTLY aimed at a younger audience, the cover price is the first. On top of that there are a few innuendos that seem to pop up in the dialogie. However, the fact that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini are on creative duties should give this book a ton of credibility. They may be the best two things to ever happen to the Batman franchise, with the possible exception of Loeb and Sale. Anyone who didn'tpick this up, you made a mistake. Wonderful art, great dialogue, witty, filled with action, and it's actually about the two characters it featureson the cover. This will likely be the best story in the Bat Universe this year, and it's not really IN the Bat Universe.

That's all for now, but Cinescape.com has a new Comicscape column up, it's always worth a look!

-L