1. Thunderbolts - I, like Randy, felt like cheering when I read this too. Just a bloody great comic. I think it would be cool if American Eagle became the “villain” of the book. The best part about Ellis’ run so far is the way he has elevated the so called fourth tier characters he’s using into characters that I really want to read about.

2. Immortal Iron Fist - “Less talking. More Kicking.” Best line of the year and totally sums this issue up.

3. Daredevil - As usual, another great issue. Any other week this would’ve been number 1

4. World War Hulk: X-Men - Picked this up thanks to Dan Grendall’s recommendation in Wednesday Number Ones and I’m glad I did. Another strong World War Hulk issue.

5. Criminal - Like Daredevil, another great issue. It was cool to see Leo return too. Really enjoyed the essay by Steven Grant also.

All these books were great too:
X-Factor, Invincible, Hellboy: Darkness Calls, Fantastic Four & X-Men: First Class. Actually, any other week they would’ve been my top 5

Just a suggestion, but it would be cool if there was a one-sentence or so reason for the pick.

It’s a good suggestion, and one we’ve had before, but honestly, it comes down to time. We all do our Top Five as part of our day job in comics retail, so putting together the Top Five Fridays to get discussion started is quick and easy. Writing up more on them would delay it, and require all five of us to have time to write.

So we do these quick posts, and if we have time or inclination to chime in and further elaborate, we do so. Since I do this week:

1. Thunderbolts - Amazing artwork by Deodato, a story that gets better and better from Ellis, great moments for Songbird, Radioactive Man, American Eagle (of all people) and a smackdown long in coming for one of the team. One of those superhero comics where I felt like cheering.

2. X-Men: First Class - I’m a latecomer to this one, but the notion of Invisible Girl mentoring Jean Grey in the early days of both teams is played for the perfect amount of whimsy and seriousness, and Roger Cruz’s art was actually perfect for this one.

3. Hellboy Darkness Calls - If only because Duncan Fegredo is an art god, and this book is some of his best. But also because there’s witches, Baba Yaga, angry Russian zombies and Hellboy punching stuff.

4. Criminal - Gorgeous art by Sean Phillips, terrific noir by Ed Brubaker, a great heist and a great car chase.

5. Fantastic Four - McDuffie and Pelletier continue to impress… I can’t remember specifics, which means I need to read it again

And that’s not even including all the collections I picked up this week, like Art of Bone, X-Men First Class HC, the Annihilation hardcovers and Collected Toupydoops.

2. The Nightly News: Went back and reread this series before #6 as well. I picked up the first issue on a whim and it has been one of the best mini-series of the last couple years. Hell, I bought the freaking Legion of Monsters: Satana one shot because Jonathan Hickman did the backup. That’s how good Nightly News is.

3. Criminal: Every issue makes me sad that Sleeper had to end but at least Brubaker and Phillips have an outlet for the best crime stories in any medium.

4. She-Hulk: Shulkie back in the courtroom = me with a smile on my face. The last few issues with SHIELD were ok but Slott’s best She-Hulk issues are about dealing with She-Hulk the lawyer.

5. Green Lantern - Sinestro Corps Special: How many fangasm moments can one book have? One of the best books to come out of DC in a while and has me really excited for the GLC/Sinestro Corps war.

2) Jack of Fables: No love for the new storyline? I still like this book a lot and love the fun parallel between this book and the Fables run (with Jack as Bad Prince and Froggy as the Good Prince…neat). If I recall, this is taking place way outside of the time frame of the main book, right? Fables jumped ahead like 5 years or so (as they do from time to time). The ending was odd. I won’t spoil it but it actually has a somewhat direct impact on the main story, or could. Hmmm..

3) Micronauts: Howling Curmudgeons had a nice blurb about the Bill Mantlo book (being done as fund raiser to help pay for his care). Made me have a hankerin’ for this original run of comics from the late 70’s. They were literally some of my first real comic books that I sought out month to month. Some were fantastic and some really hold up after all these years. The possible inclusion of at least one of these characters in the new Annihilation book helps get me jazzed, too. I had almost thought these were “outside” the continuity of the Marvel U. Glad I was wrong!

4) Black Panther: To be honest, I got this because I am an addict to all things Marvel Zombies. Didn’t really care for it too much. It might be that the MZ’s have worn out their welcome (probably) but it also doesn’t help that the context of it stymies me and I still have figured out why Mr. and Mrs. Panther are part of the Fantastic Four. The cover was cool, though. The last of the MZ/Army of Darkness books comes out next week and I can’t wait for that as defies my idea that the series is worn out by providing fun and still spooky zombie fun. BP just didn’t have that (though a few moments got close).

5) Art of Bone: Okay, I only got to page through this book at the store but I wants it. It is precious to me. I have to thank again the folks of Pants to recommend this series as I probably would have skipped over it entirely had it not had strong recommendations. That said, this book looks wonderful and when I can pay off my kid’s summer camp and swimming fees this summer this might be a Fall purchase. Good book to share with non-comic fans, too. Sits nicely on a table in the middle of the living room for folks to page through.

1. Captain America
2. Catwoman
3. Thunderbolts
4. Iron Fist
5. Walking Dead

I havent been reading Criminal and Daredevil even though I’ve been buying it, otherwise I bet that they would be on this list too.

I will say that last week’s Captain America was the best comic that I’ve read all year.