The Longbox Short-List - Week of January 31, 2018

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Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/30/2018 - 09:46

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

ASTRO CITY #50 - Just got word that they are ending the ASTRO CITY ongoing series with issue 52. Though it's not the end of ASTRO CITY as they said there will be graphic novels and more down the road. Issue 50 starts off an arc picking up where ASTRO CITY 1/2 started many many moons ago.

SILENCER #1 - Another of DC's new line of heroes. To be honest, DAMAGE didn't really grab me all that much, and I feel like these characters should have been featured in METAL before they got their own books. I am hoping DC proves me long, but right now I am not sure any of these books can have any legs.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI : DJ #1 - I am not sure he was even named in the movie, but DJ is Benicio del Toro's character who betrayed Finn and Rose. I am real curious to know more about him. Definitely seemed like there was a lot more to this character than we got to see on screen.

PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY #5 and JEAN GREY #11 - Even though it's only been five issues, PHOENIX RESURRECTION has felt like it was dragging at times. I am real curious how this all works continuity wise, since young Jean Grey is still featured in POISON X, but that is not all that unusual.

STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #16 - This has been a real fun "all universes collide" arc. Last issue, we found out that Q was involved in all the trouble the various Enterprises have been going through. This actually reminds me of an overly caffeinated version of my favorite Star Trek book "Q-SQUARED."

AVENGERS #678 - NO SURRENDER PART 4! In terms of pacing and action, this has been the exact opposite of PHOENIX RESURRECTION. I am really enjoying this one so far. This is the massive Marvel hero gathering we haven't gotten in way too long.

DARK NIGHTS METAL #5 - With the gaps between issues (planned and unplanned), it's been real hard to maintain the same level of interest in DARK NIGHTS METAL I had when the series started. It has been very good, but I am just not sure it can have any real lasting impact since it just feels like DC has already moved passed METAL for DOOMSDAY CLOCK and the upcoming NO JUSTICE. That is the problem with stacking so many events around each other.

SPAWN #282 - The hype on this issue is that it will be debuting a new hero who will be getting its own Image book moving forward. I keep thinking that it will end up being Cyan Fitzgerald, though she isn't a new character. They have been teasing her superpowers a lot the last few months. I think that could be a great change up to SPAWN.