This week I have to pick Cimmerian Red Nails #1. It was nice to be taken a little closed to the late 1970’s in this issue. It gave us the flavor of Robert E. Howard’s writing and combined all the elements we have come to hope for in a barbarian story. The girl, the strange creatures, the sword fights and even the strange cultures. Conan readers, pick this one up, it is likely as close as we are going to get.

I also want to make an honorable mention this week for Black Cat. The two issues, though not related, reflect on the characters past history and relationships and still involve crime. There is even a reference banner in the annual, which is a tool new writers seem to have forgotten about.

• Daredevil #16
• Black Cat Annual #1 (Wedding of Spider-man)
• Wolverine #4
• Jessica Jones Blind Spot #4
• A Man Among Ye #2
• Cimmerian Red Nails #1
• Green Hornet #1
• Black Cat #8
• Alienated #4
• Death of Nancy Drew #3
• Avengers of the Wasteland #5

This week is a little short but the latest store fixture move has increased visibility so the extra hours were worth it.

Though the list is short, We Only Find Them When They Are Dead #1 turned out to be a book with potential. The first issue is the standard space vermin cutting up material for profit, but the family legacy detail is a well placed emotional thread. We have been short science fiction books lately and I am glad to see one start up that has a subplot. Though first prints sold out, in three weeks we will have the second prints. I would not jump on this as a speculation book, it is not that kind of thing, but it was good enough to read.

1. NInjas & Robots #1
2. A Man Among Ye #1
3. It Eats What Feeds It #1
4. Sabrina Something Wicked #1
5. Spy Island #1
6. We Only Find Them When They Are Dead #1
7. Inkblot #1
8. Jessica Jones Blind Spot #3
9. Count Crawley #4

This past week was about Marvel’s Empyre story. Though I have not gotten issue #6 yet, I do not have great hope for it to conclude in a way that makes me feel better about the story. The event is plagued with poor artistic choices which make it hard to identify secondary characters and no subtle hints as to the master of the endgame. For those who have read chapter 5, where is the half face reveal or the glance between conspirators?

The news-leaked “wedding” seemed just shoved in there.Though I hate spotlighted social agendas, this one deserved a little more. The two characters are actually a long term, established couple and deserved better.

The biggest positive was easy, Carol Danvers becoming The Accuser was probably one of the better ideas in the story. I am not sure it will have any long term success but a Marvel space book without her just would not work.

Lastly, my one question… Where the hell is Groot in this story?

• Empyre #0: Avengers
• Empyre #0: Fantastic Four
• Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling #1
• Lords of Empyre: Swordsman #1
• Empyre #1
• Empyre #2
• Empyre #3
• Empyre #4
• Empyre #5
• Captain Marvel #18
• Captain Marvel #19
• Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah #1
• Empyre: Avengers #1
• Empyre: Avengers #2
• Empyre: Avengers #3
• Empyre: X-Men #1
• Empyre: X-Men #2
• Empyre: X-Men #3
• Empyre: X-Men #4
• Empyre: Captain America #1
• Empyre: Captain America #2
• Empyre: Captain America #3
• Empyre: Savage Avengers #1
• Paradox #1
• The Resistance #2