It looks like a good week for No. 1 issues. Heck, maybe even a great week.

At Marvel’s Icon imprint, there’s the debut of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s Kick-Ass, and the return of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal (with a new volume and new numbering).

IDW Publishing generates a new Doctor Who series, starring the Tenth Doctor and Martha, while at Dynamite, Alex Ross and Jim Krueger follow up a 0 Issue with Project Superpowers #1.

And then there’s Jeff Smith, who debuts his much-anticipated RASL tomorrow.

See? It’s good to be No. 1.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

Chris’ pick of the week: RASL #1

As good as Jeff Smith’s take on Captain Marvel was (and it was very good) RASL has much more of a “proper follow-up to Bone” than that book had, perhaps because it’s a personal, self-published project. I’m very curious to see Smith take on a more adult, darker premise. I’m not sure why, but the adventures of a dimension-hopping art thief seems like a smart follow-up to the massive commercial and critical success that was Bone. He’s done such a stellar job at promoting the book up till now (I don’t think Smith’s skills as a marketer and businessman get enough play) that I expect there will be a lot of folks like myself on Wednesday eager to follow him down the path to a new adventure.

Kevin’s pick of the week: Criminal 2 #1

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ noirish crime series relaunches with a new volume, and the first of three standalone stories. With two collected editions already on shelves, there’s no reason this series shouldn’t be burning up the sales charts — other than it doesn’t star muscle men wearing capes and tights. What it does feature is some of the most engrossing storytelling in the market today. Flawed and believable — if not always likable — characters, hopeless situations, bleak settings; it’s classic film noir transformed into a comic. And it’s Brubaker and Phillips at their best.

This issue, set in the ’70s, focuses on Gnarly the bartender and the Undertow bar. It also features more story pages and extra back matter.

All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #9

Chris: It’s the goddamn ninth issue.

Crayon Shinchan, Vol. 1

Chris: Manga fans with long memories will remember ComicsOne attempting to publish this series a few years ago. You may have also caught the animated adventures on Adult Swim recently. For the uninitiated, however, Crayon Shinchan is a rambunctious and rude little boy who is completely lacking manners or decorum. Thus, he can be frequently found without pants, asking women what color their nipples are and in generally driving his parents around the humiliated bend. If this sort of synopsis sounds extremely funny to you then you and I have similar senses of humor, because I found this first volume to be a laugh-riot and am adding the series to my ever lengthening “must-buy” manga list.

Hellblazer: Joy Ride trade paperback
Hellblazer #241

Kevin: This trade paperback collects the first eight issues of Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco’s run, which is probably the best Hellblazer has been in a good while. If, like me, you wandered away from the series, this is a good time to drift back. Issue 241, meanwhile, is the second part of “The Laughing Magician” storyline, as Constantine goes up against an African war-mage.

Captain America #35
Daredevil #105

Kevin: Between these two issues and the debut of the second volume of Criminal, it’s Ed Brubaker Week. Captain America battles the pawns of the Red Skull! Daredevil battles Mr. Fear! Good stuff.

Franklin Richards: Collected Chaos

Kevin: This digest collects four of Marc Sumerak and Chris Eliopoulos’ delightful all-ages Franklin Richards one-shots: March Madness, World Be Warned, Monster Mash and Fall Football Fiasco.

Kick-Ass #1

Kevin: Everything from the title — Kick-Ass — to the premise — “realistic” superheroes — just screams “Mark Millar,” doesn’t it? As if Millar’s name isn’t enough to send fans grabbing for this new Icon series, the artist is John Romita Jr. So, yeah. Big sales for this one.

All-New Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe A to Z, Vol. 1, premiere hardcover

Kevin: Ah, memories. I loved the Marvel Handbook and DC’s Who’s Who series when I was a kid. Of course, this hardcover, 12-volume series appears to be a step or three up from those original guides. This debut volume covers the alphabet from 1602 to Blackwulf.

X-Men: First Class, Vol. 2 #9

Kevin: If you haven’t been reading Jeff Parker & Co.’s fun all-ages series, starring the original X-Men, you’re really missing out.

All Nippon Air Line: Paradise at 30,000 Feet

Chris: Oh those yaoi books with their naughty acronyms! How they slay me! Ho, ho, ho.

Angst: The Best of Norwegian Comics

Chris: I picked this up at MoCCA last year. It’s a slim but charming little sampling of what’s going on comic book-wise in Norway. Jason provides the cover and a few interior strips (of what I assume is early material), but there’s enough quality work here to actually keep him from being the main attraction. I particularly liked the short excerpt from Lars Fiske and Steffen Kverneland’s tribute to turn of the century cartoonist Olaf Gulbransson — enough to want to see the rest of that book make its way to these shores.

Best Erotic Comics 2008

Chris: Courtesy of Last Gasp and editor Greta Christina comes this compilation of dirty comics with a literary appeal. Contributors include Daniel Clowes, Phoebe Gloeckner, Gilbert Hernandez, Michael Manning, Toshio Saeki, Colleen Coover and Ellen Forney, who also did the cover. Could be good.

Doctor Who #1

Kevin: The IDW licensing juggernaut continues with this new series, starring the Tenth Doctor and his companion Martha Jones.

Hieronymus B.

Chris: If you should be lucky enough to see this book in your comic shop on Wednesday, snap it up immediately, take directly it to the cashier, buy it and do not pass Go. This is a new collection of strips about a humble clerk by the delightful Ulf K, a German cartoonist whose work has been trickling in, usually through Top Shelf, for several years now (they’re also responsible for this one). Whimsical without being cloying, and featuring some truly stunning line work, Ulf K deserves a wider audience in the States.

Minima, Vol. 1
Yozakura Quartet, Vol. 1

Kevin: Del Rey Manga debuts two series this week. The first is Machiko Sakurai’s Minima, about a shy schoolgirl whose too-cute-for-words doll miraculously comes to life. The second is Suzuhito Yasuda’s Yozakura Quartet, which focuses on three superpowered girls and the “normal” boy who serves as their leader in the fight against supernatural crime.

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 #3 (of 6)

Kevin: This issue in the second volume of David Petersen’s gorgeous anthropomorphic fantasy finds the members of the titular Guard trapped underground in the weasel homeworld. Weasels!

Optic Nerve #8 (new printing)

Chris: I’m not sure why D&Q is resubmitting this older issue of Adrian Tomine’s series — has there been a clamor for it among fans? Is it particularly hard to find? At any rate, it’s a good issue, containing “Bomb Scare,” one of his best short stories, about a young, insecure teen and his budding friendship with a female classmate.

Project Superpowers #1

Kevin: On the heels of January’s top-selling 0 issue, Dynamite kicks off a miniseries by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Carlos Paul featuring public domain superheroes. This first issue focuses on the Green Lama and Black Terror.

Speed Racer, Vol. 1

Kevin: Amping up for the Speed Racer movie, IDW collects the Now Comics stories from the ’80s, by Len Strazewski, Gary Washington and Ken Steacy.

The Comics Journal #288

Chris: A new, smaller, squarebound format for the stalwart TCJ magazine, all aimed with an eye to getting on those bookstores shelves. I have to say it’s a pretty handsome package, complete with a not-quite-yet removable sticker. This issue is the “Best of 2007″ round-up and includes interviews with Rutu Modan, Paul Karasik, Bryan Talbot and Cathy Malkasian. There’s also lots of reviews, including one from yours truly.

Here’s the full list of comics shipping this week:

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP070073 DEADRIDER #2 (OF 4) $2.99
OCT070029 SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL 02 $17.95
OCT070057 SHAMAN WARRIOR TP VOL 06 $12.95
NOV070011 STAR WARS LEGACY #20 $2.99

DC COMICS

DEC070215 ACTION COMICS #862 $2.99
DEC070204 ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #9 $2.99
DEC070290 ARMY @ LOVE #12 (MR) $2.99
DEC070278 AUTHORITY PRIME #5 (OF 6) $2.99
DEC070206 BATMAN #674 $2.99
NOV070223 BIRDS OF PREY DEAD OF WINTER TP $17.99
DEC070223 BLUE BEETLE #24 $2.99
NOV070224 BLUE BEETLE TP VOL 03 REACH FOR THE STARS $14.99
DEC070269 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #42 $2.25
DEC070186 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 9 $2.99
NOV070254 CRAYON SHINCHAN VOL 01 (MR) $7.99
DEC070190 CRIME BIBLE THE FIVE LESSONS OF BLOOD #5 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC070291 CROSSING MIDNIGHT #16 (MR) $2.99
DEC070279 DEATHBLOW #9 $2.99
DEC070296 FABLES #70 (MR) $2.99
DEC078060 FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH #3 (OF 6) 2ND PTG $2.99
DEC070286 FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH #5 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
DEC070300 HELLBLAZER #241 (MR) $2.99
NOV070297 HELLBLAZER JOY RIDE TP (MR) $14.99
OCT070197 INFINITE CRISIS TP $14.99
DEC070295 JACK OF FABLES #20 (MR) $2.99
DEC070234 JLA CLASSIFIED #53 $2.99
JUL070311 JLA TROPHY ROOM MULTI COLORED KRYPTONITE REPLICA $250.00
DEC070235 JSA CLASSIFIED #35 $2.99
DEC070231 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #13 $2.99
NOV070257 KEY TO THE KINGDOM VOL 03 $9.99
DEC070238 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #39 $2.99
NOV070244 SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY TP VOL 02 $16.99
OCT070202 SUPERMAN HC VOL 02 CAMELOT FALLS $19.99
DEC070196 TEEN TITANS #56 $2.99
DEC070263 TEEN TITANS GO #52 $2.25
DEC070202 UNCLE SAM AND THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS #6 ( OF 8 ) $2.99
DEC078146 WORLD OF WARCRAFT #3 2ND PTG $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

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JUL071950 ELEPHANTMEN WAR TOYS #2 (OF 3) $2.99
DEC072088 FEARLESS #4 (OF 4) $2.99
DEC072054 KRASH BASTARDS GN $9.99
OCT072014 LAZARUS #3 (OF 3) $3.50
DEC072058 MIXTAPE HC VOL 01 JIM MAHFOOD ART $24.99
DEC072059 MIXTAPE HC VOL 01 JIM MAHFOOD ART LTD S&N ED $39.99
DEC072097 PROOF #5 (MR) $2.99
DEC072100 SHARK-MAN #2 $3.50
DEC072051 URBAN MONSTERS #1 $3.50
DEC072130 WITCHBLADE TP VOL 02 $14.99

MARVEL COMICS

DEC078175 BEST SELLING AUTHORS SAMPLER PI
DEC072176 BLACK PANTHER ANNUAL #1 $3.99
DEC072177 CAPTAIN AMERICA #35 $2.99
DEC072234 CRIMINAL 2 #1 (MR) $3.50
DEC072180 DAREDEVIL #105 $2.99
DEC072267 FRANKLIN RICHARDS TP COLLECTED CHAOS DIGEST $8.99
DEC072184 HOUSE OF M AVENGERS #5 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC072235 KICK ASS #1 (MR) $2.99
DEC072193 MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #33 $2.99
DEC072196 MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN #10 $2.99
DEC072156 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PICTURE DORIAN GRAY #3 (OF 6) $2.99
DEC072202 MARVEL ZOMBIES 2 #5 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC072245 MMW ATLAS ERA HEROES HC VOL 02 $59.99
DEC072246 MMW ATLAS ERA HEROES HC VOL 02 VAR ED VOL 92 $59.99
DEC078103 NEW EXILES #0 (PP #802) $4.99
DEC078102 NEW EXILES #1 2ND PTG VAR (PP #802) $2.99
DEC072211 NEW WARRIORS #9 $2.99
DEC072261 OFF HB MARVEL UNIV A TO Z PREM HC VOL 01 $24.99
NOV072221 ONSLAUGHT REBORN HC $19.99
DEC072281 ORSON SCOTT CARDS WYRMS TP $14.99
DEC072257 PUNISHER MAX HC VOL 04 (MR) $29.99
DEC072278 SHANNA SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST TP $10.99
DEC072213 SHE-HULK 2 #26 $2.99
DEC072168 SPIDER-MAN WITH GREAT POWER #2 (OF 5) $3.99
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DEC072208 THUNDERBOLTS INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT $2.99
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DEC072162 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #51 $2.99
DEC072165 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #119 $2.99
DEC072188 WORLD WAR HULK AFTERSMASH DAMAGE CONTROL #2 (OF 3) $2.99
DEC072227 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #9 $2.99
DEC072220 X-MEN LEGACY #208 DWS $2.99
DEC072276 X-MEN TP SUPERNOVAS $29.99
DEC072207 YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
DEC072230 ZOMBIE SIMON GARTH #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

SEP073265 THOR #1 NEW PTG OLIVIER COIPEL CVR CGC 9.8 PI
JAN083263 WIZARD MAGAZINE #198 JOLIE WANTED PHOTO CVR $5.99
JAN083262 WIZARD MAGAZINE #198 RED HULK CVR $5.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

NOV073781 2000 AD #1571 $4.50
DEC073854 2000 AD #1572 $4.50
NOV073609 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #75 (A) $4.99
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DEC073534 AGE OF INSECTS VOL 01 NOT HUMAN $5.99
DEC073883 ALL ACTION CLASSICS TOM SAWYER GN (RES) $6.95
DEC073591 ALL NIPPON AIRLINE PARADISE 3000 FEET GN $12.95
JAN083863 AMULET HC VOL 01 STONEKEEPER (O/A) $21.99
DEC073784 ANGST BEST OF NORWEGIAN COMICS TP $12.00
DEC073465 ANT UNLEASHED #3 (MR) $3.99
JAN083302 AZUMANGA DAIOH OMNIBUS GN VOL 01 $24.99
SEP073684 BARKS ROSA COLL TP VOL 02 DONALDS ATOM BOMB $8.99
DEC073482 BART SIMPSON COMICS #40 $2.99
OCT073401 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ORIGINS FOIL CVR #2 (NOTE PRICE) PI
JAN083521 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ZAREK TP VOL 01 PX ED (RES) (OCT073415) $14.99
NOV073705 BEST EROTIC COMICS 2008 SC (A) $19.95
DEC073403 BETTY #172 $2.25
NOV073401 BLACKBEARD LEGACY #1 (OF 4) $3.99
NOV073519 BLOODRAYNE PRIME CUTS #1 BILBAO CVR B $3.99
NOV073518 BLOODRAYNE PRIME CUTS #1 HARDIN CVR A $3.99
OCT073348 BLUEWATER PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS #1 $0.99
NOV073510 BODY LANGUAGE GN (MR) $8.95
JAN083813 CLICK GN VOL 06 ( OF 8 ) $9.99
NOV073310 CLOCKWORK GIRL #3 (OF 4) $1.99
JAN083607 COMPLETE OMAHA THE CAT DANCER TP VOL 06 (A) $12.95
DEC073964 DAN DARE #4 (OF 7) FABRY CVR $2.99
DEC073963 DAN DARE #4 (OF 7) LEACH CVR $2.99
JAN083587 DF HULK #1 DF EXC VAR CVR $14.99
JAN083812 DO WHATEVER YOU WANT GN VOL 01 (OF 7) $9.99
NOV073614 DOCTOR WHO #1 $3.99
NOV078200 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS #1 2ND PTG (PP #800) $3.99
AUG073560 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 GOPEZ CVR A #8 (OF 12) $3.50
AUG073561 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 WALPOLE CVR B #8 (OF 12) $5.50
NOV073311 ENGINEER #2 (OF 4) $3.95
DEC073488 FALL OF CTHULHU CVR A #10 $3.99
DEC073489 FALL OF CTHULHU CVR B #10 $3.99
DEC073738 FALLEN ANGEL IDW #24 (MR) $3.99
JAN083633 FETISH (RES) (A) $9.95
JAN083391 GRAVEL #1 (MR) $3.99
JAN083393 GRAVEL #1 SIGNED POSTER ED (MR) $4.99
JAN083392 GRAVEL #1 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
OCT073924 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #22 (MR) $2.99
NOV073559 HERE COME THE LOVEJOYS GN SECOND COMING (A) $16.95
JAN083928 HIERONYMUS B GN $14.95
JAN083525 HIGHLANDER TP VOL 01 PX CVR (RES) $19.99
JAN083524 HIGHLANDER TP VOL 01 REG CVR (RES) $19.99
NOV073473 HIGHLANDER WAY O/T SWORD #3 $3.50
DEC073299 HOPE FALLS #4 (OF 5) BOULTWOOD CVR B (MR) $4.50
DEC073298 HOPE FALLS #4 (OF 5) KUDRANSKI CVR A (MR) $3.50
NOV073312 HYBRID BASTARDS #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.50
DEC073970 INDIA AUTHENTIC #10 PARASHURAM $2.99
NOV073522 INFINITE RYVIUS TP VOL 01 COLLECTED ED $9.99
DEC073533 JFH JUSTICE FOR HIRE #2 (OF 12) W/ DVD $3.99
DEC073973 JOHN WOOS SEVEN BROTHERS TP VOL 02 (MR) $14.99
DEC073859 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #268 $7.50
DEC073407 JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #27 $2.49
OCT073395 JUNGLE GIRL CHO FOIL CVR #4 PI
OCT073253 KADE SHIVAS SUN #2 (OF 4) $3.95
NOV073486 KITCHEN PRINCESS GN VOL 05 $10.95
JAN083814 LET DAI GN VOL 11 (OF 15) (MR) $9.99
NOV073942 LIVING CORPSE #2 (MR) $2.99
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DEC073962 MEGAS #1 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99
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JAN083411 NARCOPOLIS #2 (MR) $3.99
JAN083412 NARCOPOLIS #2 (OF 4) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
JAN083288 NEARLY INFAMOUS ZANGO #1 $3.50
DEC073886 NEMI VOL 01 GN (RES) $14.95
DEC073864 NEOZOIC #3 $2.95
NOV073792 NEXUS #100 SPACE OPERA ACT 2 OF 4 (RES) $4.99
NOV073297 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #157 $2.99
JAN083583 OPTIC NERVE #8 (NEW PTG) (RES) $3.50
NOV073403 ORION THE HUNTER 48 PAGE GIANT $6.99
DEC073409 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #119 $3.69
NOV073430 PIRACY IS LIBERATION GN VOL 03 WIRES (MR) $13.95
JAN083418 PLAGUE O/T LIVING DEAD SET $19.99
DEC073301 PROJECT EON TP (O/A) $14.95
NOV073448 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #1 (OF 6) $3.50
NOV073521 PS238 #29 $2.99
DEC073519 RASL #1 $3.50
NOV073277 REX LIBRIS #10 $3.50
DEC073714 ROGUE ANGEL TELLER OF TALES #1 $3.99
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JAN083286 SEDUCTIONS $3.99
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DEC073396 SOME NEW KIND OF SLAUGHTER #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.95
DEC073412 SONIC X #30 $2.25
DEC073728 SPEED RACER TP VOL 01 $19.99
DEC073730 STAR TREK ALIENS SPOTLIGHT ROMULANS $3.99
DEC073300 STARSHIP TROOPERS #6 $3.50
DEC073861 STONE ISLAND GN $23.50
NOV073888 STRANDED #2 $2.99
JAN083464 TALENT TP VOL 01 (RES) (O/A) $14.99
DEC073808 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #43 $3.25
DEC073809 TALES OF TMNT COLL BOOKS TP VOL 05 $13.00
JAN083887 TANK GIRL GN APOCALYPSE (O/A) (MR) $16.95
JAN083886 TANK GIRL VOL 3 GN (O/A) (MR) $16.95
NOV073566 THICKER THAN BLOOD #1 SDCC EXCL BLOOD RED FOIL ED (MR) $14.95
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DEC073473 TOTEM #4 (MR) $3.25
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NOV073490 YOZAKURA QUARTET GN VOL 01 $10.95

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