Black Panther Vol. 2: Enemy Of The State

Like I said before, Christopher Priest's Black Panther run was probably the definitive run for the character. His use of nonlinear storytelling and humorously titled micro-chapters just propels everything into this insane barrage of pop culture, action, and political intrigue that has not since been matched in comics. This volume follows the title character as he deals with a coup in his home nation, Wakanda, intercut with Bill Clinton attacking Everett K. Ross with a hockey stick and the Avengers mucking everything up. The only downfall is that in the seven issues here they go through like three different artists, although Mark Brooks knocks it out of the park at least.

RATING: 85%

JLA/Avengers

Look, I know a lot about comic books, and even I can't really explain this one. Basically, the Justice League of America is DC Comics' main hero team, featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc, and the Avengers is Marvel Comics' main hero team, featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, etc. This book written a few years ago was a big crossover event, and its plot is convoluted and incomprehensible, but what keeps this from being lame is George Perez's amazing art. Anyway, if you click on the image there and can identify more than half of the characters then maybe check out the book if you get a chance but don't call me when you're confused.

RATING: 61%

Ultimates Vol. 1: Super-Human

I know I've said this before, but Marvel's Ultimate line of comics all began pretty terrific. Currently, only Ultimate Spider-man is still good, but I guess it's been seven years, so you know. Anyway, The Ultimates is a new version of the classic Avengers, Marvel's premiere hero team, here made up of Captain America, Giant Man, Wasp, Iron Man, and Thor, and founded by government lackey Nick Fury. In this incarnation, though, they are all assholes, which seems pretty realistic to me. That is one of the strengths of the Ultimates (not Jeph Loeb's Ultimates) - that they are presented in a very realistic manner. Here they are government stooges who are all pretty big jerks, and eventually they are just used to invade countries for oil. Ahhh, politics and comics. Well, you should check this out if you never have, which I can probably say most of you haven't.

RATING: 88%

Mighty Avengers: The Ultron Initiative

Here's an ethical dilemma: I did not read this entire trade's worth of stories, because when I was buying it in single issue format I hated it so much I dropped it. Now, if you know me and my comic buying habits, you know it takes a lot for me to drop a book - usually I will hold on to a book for at least 10 issues after I start hating it. But this one was awful. Here's the plot: after the Marvel Heroes' Civil War, professional douchebag Iron Man forms this group of government approved Avengers to avoid evil, and good thing to, because evil strikes in the first issue. The not so nice robot Ultron takes over Iron Man and then makes the weather really stormy, and for four issues the Avengers basically stare at the robot while standing on the same street corner, no exaggeration. Bendis, a famous comic writer despite being largely untalented, tries to incorporate thought balloons, but if this is all that's going on in these heroes' heads, then no wonder I dropped the book. (PS - I readded the book a couple issues later when an artist I love took over, Mark Bagley).

RATING: 21%

Avengers: World Trust

World Trust is a classic Avengers tale (well, I mean the lineup is classic; it's actually just from 2002) taking place a short time before the pointless shakeup known as Avengers: Disassembled. The first half of this trade focuses on the Avengers leading the world when every capital city on Earth is mysteriously transported to another dimension. Then they save everybody, of course, and the last two issues, drawn by the amazing Gary Frank, are about talking and politics, so there's a nice waste of one of the best artists in comics. It's an interesting premise but it doesn't go anywhere, which doesn't mean I'm justifying what Brian Michael Bendis has done to the team (but who am I kidding since I currently buy every book that that douchebag writes).

RATING: 41%