Waiting for Wednesday, Issue 1

As many of you are well aware, Wednesday is a day for all fanpeople to break free from their cubicles and to stand up and rejoice, as it is new comics day. Well, it is in the States, at least. I think new books ship on Thursdays in the UK--anyone know if that's correct? Anyway, what with it being Wednesday and all, I'd like to try something new, and if it goes well, maybe we'll keep it around as a weekly feature.

Now, this something new is truly a revolutionary idea--so revolutionary, in fact, that every other comics blog on the planet has already thought of it. And, most likely, they're doing it better than I'll be able to do.

But that's fine, as there are no delusions of grandeur, here. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. You should hear Nathaniel's delusions of grandeur. Ask him about them sometime. They're, well...delusional. And they may or may not involve this blog as the starting point for some kind of revolution.

But I've said too much, so let's just forget that last part. About the revolution. That Nathaniel wants to start...by using this blog.

AnyVonDoom, on to this week's "Books That Alex is Looking Forward to Buying at the Comic Shop." (Pretty catchy, isn't it?)

First up, this week sees the release of the trade paperback collection of Marvel's Black Panther Secret Invasion tie-in. Written by the hard-boiled specialist, Jason Aaron and drawn by Marvel's next breakout talent, Jefte Palo, this story arc was fantastic.

Basically, the Skrulls come to Wakanda, the African nation where the Black Panther resides as King. And, well, let's just say that the result is...violent. (As you can clearly see from the cover image, below.) But it's also thought-provoking, as we see war from both sides of the fight in an intense tale told perfectly by Aaron.

Now, while Secret Invasion was sweeping through the Marvel Universe, it's understandable that you may have missed the Panther's role in the mega-event. But, in my opinion, this arc was the best Secret Invasion tie-in, and definitely worth checking out.

Next up on my pull list for today is Madame Xanadu #8, written by Matt Wagner and beautifully illustrated by Amy Hadley. Check out the cover, below.

I gave this series a shot with issue one, and I've been onboard ever since. It's from DC's Vertigo line, so you won't see any capes and tights in this book. But, you will see great art and a time-spanning story from Matt Wagner. Madame Xanadu is a mystical character who traverses time and lives in many different historical periods, serving as royal adviser to Mongol dynasties and tarot reader to Kings and Queens.

Through her eyes, we see the fall of Camelot and the events of the French Revolution, and in this latest issue, she must solve the mysterious murders taking place in Whitechapel and catch Jack the Ripper. Like I said, the series jumps around from time period to time period, but if you're into magic and history (and who isn't?!) then I'd urge you to pick this book up.

And, lastly, we have Peter David's Marvel Comics adaptation of Stephen King's Dark Tower stories with Dark Tower: Treachery #6. If you haven't been reading this series, figuring it's simply a rehashing of King's classic novels...well, I think you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.

Peter David has made these characters his own, and the dark, moody (and definitely creepy) artwork from artist Jae Lee is the perfect backdrop for this world hatched from Stephen King's mindscape. Check out the cover.

So, that's all I've got for the first edition of "Waiting for Wednesday." How about you? What books will you be picking up today? Let us know in the comments!