First off, Man-Thing himself is MIA in this leadoff issue of a 3 part arc that leads into the upcoming Man-Thing movie. Still, his creepy presence is felt throughout every page. Nathan Mehr is an insurance agent sent down to the Louisiana Bayou to investigate the destruction of a Schist Industries construction site. There's really only one action scene in the whole issue (more on that in a sec), but writer Hans Rodionoff builds plenty of tension as Mehr begins to unravel the strange goings-on. Now for that action scene. Remember in Poltergeist 2 when Craig T. Nelson finished off a bottle of tequila and unknowingly swallowed a demon possessed worm? He then proceeded to violently puke up the demon which had grown to the size of small dog. Well, Man-Thing #1 has a sequence just as revolting. Ah, nothing like regurgitated black magic to put a smile on one's face!
Website: www.marvelcomics.com

Released to coincide with the annual Comi-Con in San Diego which acts as the backdrop for much of the issue's story, Normalman is a witty, blood drawing satire that sets the comics industry dead in its hilarious sites. Mark Hamill's recent Comic Book The Movie attempted to pull off this kind of satire but failed miserably. Here's why - CBTM tried too hard not to offend anyone and ended up a bland affair, while Normalman goes for the jugular and will get comics fans howling in their Spider-Man PJs. Even though no one - whether it be store owners, creators, or fans - is spared the whip, Valentino's love for the comics world comes through so well you don't feel he's being nasty at all. Normalman also comes with a reprint of a vintage 1991 story and roundup of all Normalman comic appearances.
Website: www.imagecomics.com

Aside from being a huge rock star, Rob Zombie is just like you and me - a fanboy! Now Rob gets to live out his comic dreams (being rich and famous does have its perks) by teaming up with horror comic auteur Steve Niles on the immensely entertaining The Nail. An homage to the B-movie horrors of the seventies, The Nail has all the right ingredients for a comic "for guys who like comics": bad ass monsters, boobies, motorcycles, professional wrestling, and plenty of blood and guts. The Nail is pro wrestler Rex Hauser whose camping trip with his family and two best friends goes down the crapper when they find themselves stalked by the undead. Yet, in the middle of all the carnage, The Nail stands out by showing the love Rex has for his family and the lengths he will go to defend them. The highlight of issue #2 is an extended car chase with Rex and co evading the "real" Hells Angels. Also, the art by Nat Jones is dark and gritty which makes sense for the source material that The Nail draws from. Just as Beavis and Butthead did a decade ago, I must give a thumb's up to the talent of Rob Zombie.
Website:www.darhorse.com