Vs. CARD OF THE WEEK: Bart Allen <> The Flash (DCR-173)

Take two friends who love comics. Add a superhero-themed collectible card game. Sprinkle a dash of competitiveness, and a lump of testosterone. The result? Weekly matches that turn friends into nemeses.This is not your typical "card of the week" column. Every web site dedicated to CCGs has been there and done that. This column is all about our competition, though. Dan and I usually play two games of Vs. a week, and every Sunday, we'll feature the card that we think most influenced the outcome of the matches we played the preceding week, and the metagaming lessons we learned in…

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On The Shelves: 4/26/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 4/26/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com] PICK OF THE WEEK American Way #3ABRAMS Moms Cancer HC, $12.95 Not sure why this is being listed again as it came out about a month back, but it's a great read, with simple but effective artwork…

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LINK: Read The Expatriate for Free!

One of several great comics Image publishes that's been hobbled by sporadic and late-shipping issues, The Expatriate is definitely one of my favorites. Check out my review of the second issue, and then hit artist Jason Latour's blog for daily doses of the first four issues...for FREE!!!Why? Let LaTour explain it:Just for the simple fact that we can. Because we made this thing with love and sweat and tears and balls the size of Jupiter.... and we don't think enough of you are reading it. (See we're not completely made of gold, we have ulterior motives :))We want you to…

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On the Shelves: 4/19/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 4/19/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com] PICK OF THE WEEK Dead End: Vol. 4ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS Mouse Guard 2nd Prtg #1 (Of 6), $3.50 If you missed the first printing, walk, don't run... DARK HORSE COMICS Conan #27, $2.99 Conan Book Of Thoth…

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Pedro & Us; plus, Good News Coming?

I've been off since last Thursday and am returning to work tomorrow, wisely taking an extra day to recover with a day all to myself. Yesterday morning, Salomé and I both headed in to our respective jobs to get some paperwork we needed for the "Dream. Apartment." application. Since Isaac had a podiatrist appointment that she was taking him to in the afternoon -- poor kid's inherited my flat feet, possibly even worse than mine -- she took him with her while I dropped India off at school on my way in. While I was at work, I received an…

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Review: La Perdida

La PerdidaBy Jessica Abel ($19.95; Pantheon Books)Wow! I missed La Perdida in its serialized form, first hearing of it when the final issue hit the stands last year, but considering it took five years to finish, I'm guessing reading it collected in one impressive tome was for the best. Unlike decompressed superhero comics where "writing for the trade" often implies unnecessary padding, Jessica Abel crams heaping handfuls of story into each chapter of her gripping tale of self-discovery and self-deceit, but they are unquestionably parts of a larger whole; an excellent, completely engaging and essential whole that belongs on every…

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