The hype machine has been promoting Identity Crisis as the comic event of the year; an epic that will have long lasting repercussions for every hero in the DC universe. Of course that's what they always say, and the jury is still out if the shadow of Identity Crisis will actually stretch beyond its time. What is abundantly clear from issue #1 is that ID is an impeccably written comic book that demonstrates Brad Meltzer's gift for pacing and narrative. Identity Crisis is a fantastic example of what can gloriously work only in comics: overlapping narrations, multiple flash backs and flash forwards.

The mini-series deals with the murder of the Elongated Man's wife, and the Justice League (and many other DC super heroes) mourning and investigating her death. At the funeral, Elongated Man is so distraught he literally falls apart. Believe me, watching a stretchy guy sob is not a pretty sight. Speaking of visuals, the art by Rags Morales and Michael Bair is on a par with the writing; their work is reminiscent of Brian Bolland at his best.

There's only one tiny problem I have with this otherwise superb issue. The book opens with Elongated Man and Firehawk staking out a shady transaction. How they aren't spotted by the criminals is slightly perverse since Firehawk sports a huge flame head noticeable to a blind man. No wonder things go wrong...
Website: www.dcomics.com

No, you haven't read the name wrong. On the very same day DC launched their flagship series for the year, Marvel released Identity Disc. While far removed from the high drama of Identity Crisis, the similarity in titles hasn't made DC all too happy even though Marvel professes complete innocence. But I digress...

Identity Crisis is the comic book version of the hit thriller The Usual Suspects. For the Suspects-impaired, the hit 1995 flick is about a group of criminals brought together to pull a job for the mysterious crime lord Keyser Soze. In Disc, the criminals are Sandman, the Vulture, Sabretooth, Juggernaut, Bullseye, and Deadpool while the enigmatic Keyser Soze figure goes by the name of Tristram Silver. This gaggle of evil is forced to perform their services by Valeria Merrick whose got the blackmailing goods on all of them.

Writer Rob Rodi does an ace job with the interplay between the various super villains, and it will be interesting to see what facets of Usual Suspects he retains and discards.
Website: www.marvelcomics.com

Your like or dislike of the WB's Charmed will shade your interest in this new series from Marvel since both focus on three babe-tastic witches. Here the spell casting trio is made up of spunky babe Jennifer Kale, ethnic babe Topaz, and demon babe Satana.

The plot is pretty pedestrian - an ancient book has been opened and the universe is in deep s**t if it isn't shut - but some fanboys may find the inclusion of three chick witches make the proceedings more palatable. On the art side, Mike Deodato Jr. does draw an exquisite Dr. Strange.

There's also a wonderful two page spread showing a host of magically inclined inhabitants of the Marvel Universe feeling the Tome of Zhered-Na open. A free SJ Fanboy T-shirt for anyone who can name them all!
Website: www.marvelcomics.com

Brian Michael Bendis soon takes over The Avengers and comicdom's most popular scribe has teamed up with many of the writers on other New York based hero titles for leadups. In his “Avengers Disassembled” arc, Bendis plans to destroy Earth's Mightiest Heroes and then build them back up from the ashes. Exactly how this issue figures into the grand scheme of things is not immediately discernible, but there's fanboy rumblings about Spidey mutating once more.

In issue #15, a mind controlling woman known as the Queen takes control over a Big Apple Skyscraper as well as the minds of hundreds of New Yorkers. Spider-Man and Captain America confront her but are easily defeated. The big question is exactly who this raven haired beauty is. Cap evidently knows her calling the Queen "Ana". Is it the Black Queen from X-Men? Is it Bernie Rosenthahl in revealing dress?

To be honest, I wouldn't have much regard for this issue aside from the fact it's a prologue to “Avengers Disassembled”. Damn those marketing geniuses at Marvel!
Website: www.marvelcomics.com