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Comic Round Up
The Week of May 12

Mini-reviews on the good, the bad, and the fugly in new comics.

BITE CLUB #2 (VERTIGO)

Ever wonder what it would be like if The Sopranos was about gangster vampires instead of just gangster gangsters? No? Me either, but that's the idea behind Bite Club, and it turns out to yield a damn good comic. I mean who doesn't go for bloodlust of both the skin and blood variety, violence, incest, and religious doubt? Last issue we were introduced to the Del Toro crime family, an unholy organization in a tailspin after the murder of boss Eduardo Del Toro. This issue shows the aftermath of prodigal son Leto's (he's the world's first vampire priest) ascension to the head of the family. Howard Chaykin and David Tischman come up with devilishly (pun intended) clever dialogue and make this nocturnal Godfather a fun read- and quite a kinky one too. Leto's babetastic sister tries to weasel her way into his celibate frock. Another morbid touch to Bite Club is the very simplistic art style of David Hahn which looks downright Cartoon Network-ish in its approach. Website: www.vertigocomics.com

THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #14 (MARVEL)

This is one of those comics where after putting it down you wish you could just shake hands with the creative team and enthusiastically say,"Nice job." Of course, the next thing I'd probably say is something obnoxious like "Will Mary Jane and the Black Cat ever have an affair?", but I digress. Issue #14 revolves around a kid named Joey Beal. Life has dealt him a tough hand. Joey's mother died while giving birth to him, and as a result, he's suffers from cerebral palsy leaving him unable to walk and talk. He is totally dependent on his father and sister who lovingly take care of him. Joey spends much of his day in his wheelchair on the roof of his apartment looking out over the city. One day he sees Spider-Man. He also sees something else, but just read the book to find out what. Paul Jenkins has fashioned an incredibly personal and touching story about the people "life" makes us, but it's the beautifully painted artwork by Paolo Rivera that floored me. Imagine Alex Ross on acid. Actually don't imagine anything, just read the book. Website: www.marvelcomics.com

STAR WARS EMPIRE #19 (DARK HORSE)

Episode 3 is a year away, but I got a decent Star Wars fix from Empire #19. Empire is set in the period right after the destruction of the first Death Star so luckily the continuing adventures of Jar Jar Binks will never form a story arc. Written by Green Lantern's Ron Marz, issue #19 opens up with a scene very similar to the beginning of Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader's imperial shuttle lands in the docking bay of a space station much to the fear of its man in charge. Except this time it's not Moff Jerrjerrod aboard the second Death Star, and its not a man at all, but a horse like alien named Jib Kopatha who supplies information to the Empire. Vader wants the M.O. on the location of the rebels after their quick departure from Yavin. What he gets instead is a reminder of a young Senator from Naboo and a pack of Falleen with vengeance on their minds. Brian Ching nicely illustrates Marz' taut potboiler, and rubs a little fanboy mojo by depicting Vader in a Batman-esque pose that kicks ass. The force is strong with this issue. Website: www.darkhorse.com

AVENGERS #497 (MARVEL)

It seems every ten years or so, someone brings back the Invaders- thatvenerable World War Two super hero outfit which numbered Captain America, Sub Mariner, and the original Human Torch amongst its members (along with comicdom's worst monikered hero the Whizzer). Guess another generation has passed because here are the Invaders again in this new Avengers story arc, and soon to be found in their own series. But whether or not this is a good or evil incarnation of the team remains to be seen (or atleast until next issue). In regards to the Avengers themselves, the big news is fledgling member Captain Britain and the beginning of a little red hot Avengin' love between two of Earth's mightiest heroes. Let's just say one grows to incredibly huge sizes and the other likes to shoot arrows at targets. Throw in whip cream equipped Jarvis wearing a tutu, and you got the recipe for comic gold, baby! Website: www.marvelcomics.com