I’m not going to lie: The shelves of your local comic shop won’t be bustling with exciting titles tomorrow. It’s kind of an off week.

DC’s Countdown to Final Crisis and Death of the New Gods wrap, freeing us up for the DC Universe: Zero one-shot and, what we’re all waiting for, Final Crisis. (Admit it, you thought Countdown would never end.)

And speaking of event comics, Mighty Avengers #12 and Ms. Marvel #26 feed the insatiable beast that is Secret Invasion.

Elsewhere, IDW Publishing brings out its third Terry and The Pirates collection, while Oni Press uncovers the second Queen & Country Definitive Edition.

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: The Klassic Komix Klub hardcover

I picked this up at the NYCC show this weekend (Jim Hanley’s Universe had copies). It’s pretty much a sequel to Johnny Ryan’s Comic Book Holocaust, except with him taking the mickey out of classic literature instead of classic comic strips. Obviously if you’re the easily offended type, or if constant and unrelenting scatological humor isn’t your thing, then you should probably stay far away from this book.

I, on the other hand, have found the charm of Ryan’s work not to be in his endless stream of blood, excrement and bodily secretions but his bizarre almost non-sequitur use of such, so that a joke involving Madame Bovary having sex with a giant rainbow leads somehow directly into a Golden Girls reference. Marcel Duchamp would be proud.

And hey, if you’ve ever wanted to see The Shining re-enacted with the parents from Baby Blues, now’s your chance!

Kevin’s pick of the week: X-Men: First Class #11

I defy you to read the blog of writer Jeff Parker and not be compelled to pick up the latest issue of this thoroughly enjoyable all-ages series. It’s as if he’s cast some sort of spell, or struck a deal with Mephisto! This issue features Mysterio! Batroc the Leaper! Marvel’s assembled classic bad guys! Colleen Coover drawing Man-Thing for the main story! Senor Paws! A 1975 AMC Gremlin! Doop!

Honestly, how can you resist?

Birds of Prey #117

Kevin: Writer Sean McKeever ends his abbreviated run with this issue. Resident pinch hitter Tony Bedard steps in beginning next month.

Countdown to Final Crisis #1

Kevin: Never before has 52 weeks seemed so long. Now who’s ready for Final Crisis?

Justice Society of America, Vol. 2: They Kingdom Come, Part 1 hardcover

Kevin: This hardcover, which collects Issues 7-12, introduces Old Man Superman from Kingdom Come into current DC Universe continuity. It’s full-on superhero adoration, by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham.

Godland #22

Chris: My one mainstream floppy purchase of the week. I’m midway through the third volume of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus right now, so this will be a nice little soupcon to the whole 70s epic outer-space comic thing.

Hulk #3
Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Clash
Iron Man/Hulk Sampler

Kevin: Red Hulk versus Abomination! Unleaded Hulk versus the Lion of Olympus! The Incredible Hulk’s box-office take versus Iron Man’s!

Mighty Avengers #12

Kevin: Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev reunite to answer the big question of Secret Invasion: Where the hell has Nick Fury been?

X-Force #3

Kevin: This comes with a “Bloody Variant Cover.” Seriously.

The Complete Terry and the Pirates, Vol. 3: 1939-1940 hardcover

Chris: More genius from Milton Caniff in a handsome, hardbound and expensive package. I wonder if all those senior citizens who email me at the paper to complain about the content of today’s comic strips know that this classic material is out there?

Injury Comics #2

Chris: Also from Buenaventura Press. The latest issue of Ted May’s ongoing series. He’s a really funny, talented creator, so grab a copy if it’s in your store. Cyborgs, heavy metal and Heracles, need I say more?

Metronome hardcover

Chris: A debut experimental graphic novel from one Véronique Tanaka, designed to mimic the back-and-forth nature of a … well, figure it out yourself. Previews here.

Queen & Country Definitive Edition, Vol. 2

Kevin: The beautifully packaged 376-page tome collects Issues 13-24 of Greg Rucka’s espionage-thriller series, with art by Jason Alexander, Mike Hawthorne and Carla Speed McNeil.

Speed Racer: Chronicles of the Racer trade paperback

Kevin: The Speed Racer titles keep rolling out as we get closer to the movie’s premiere. This collects IDW Publishing’s four-issue series from earlier this year.

PiQ magazine, May 2008

Chris: The second issue of the magazine designed to replace Newtype USA arrives. Hopefully it will generate more excitement among the blogosphere than the first one did.

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

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB080075 CONAN LEGACY FRAZETTA COVERS #2 ( OF 8 ) GOD IN THE BOWL $5.99
DEC070043 LIVING WITH THE DEAD TP $9.95
MAR080078 MINDSTYLE JIM HENSONS CITY CRITTERS TRADING FIG $255.68
FEB080099 RETURN O/T GREMLINS #2 (RES) $2.99
OCT070062 STAR WARS DARK TIMES #10 $2.99
JAN080094 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF OLD REPUBLIC #27 VECTOR PART 3 $2.99
JAN080093 STAR WARS LEGACY #22 $2.99
MAR080094 STATIONERY SET CAMILLA D ERRICO $4.99

DC COMICS

AUG070362 AFRO SAMURAI BUST $69.99
AUG070363 AFRO SAMURAI JUSTICE BUST $69.99
JAN080162 BATMAN #675 $2.99
SEP070283 BATMAN 1/2 SCALE BUST $295.00
JAN080197 BATMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 05 $14.99
FEB080218 BIRDS OF PREY #117 $2.99
FEB080220 CHECKMATE #25 $2.99
FEB080180 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 1 $2.99
FEB080183 DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #8 ( OF 8 ) $3.50
JAN080259 DOROTHEA VOL 01 (MR) $12.99
FEB080296 FABLES #72 (MR) $2.99
JAN080265 I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE VOL 04 $9.99
JAN080200 JONAH HEX TP VOL 04 ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG $12.99
DEC070245 JSA HC VOL 02 THY KINGDOM COME PART 1 $19.99
FEB080223 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #20 $2.99
FEB080300 NORTHLANDERS #5 (MR) $2.99
FEB080275 NUMBER OF THE BEAST #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB080268 SCOOBY DOO #131 $2.25
FEB080272 SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB080235 SHADOWPACT #24 $2.99
FEB080234 SPIRIT #16 $2.99
FEB080260 SUPER FRIENDS #2 $2.25
FEB080213 SUPERMAN BATMAN #47 $2.99
FEB080285 SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN080237 TEAM ZERO TP $17.99

IMAGE COMICS

DEC072086 DYNAMO 5 #12 $3.50
JAN082074 GODLAND #22 $2.99
MAR082141 JOHNNY DELGADO IS DEAD TP VOL 01 $14.99
JAN082080 MICE TEMPLAR #4 $2.99
OCT072019 SPAWN #177 $2.95
NOV072057 SPAWN GODSLAYER #8 $2.99
FEB082186 WITCHBLADE #117 ROSS CVR B $2.99
FEB082185 WITCHBLADE #117 SEJIC CVR A $2.99
NOV072082 WITCHBLADE TAKERU MANGA 1-6 SET $15.99

MARVEL COMICS

JAN088154 AVENGERS INVADERS SKETCHBOOK PI
FEB082303 AVENGERS TP KREE SKRULL WAR NEW PTG $24.99
FEB082301 DAREDEVIL TP VOL 02 HELL TO PAY $15.99
FEB082311 DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 1 $29.99
FEB082310 DEADPOOL VS MARVEL UNIVERSE TP $24.99
JAN082148 HULK #3 $2.99
FEB082227 HULK VS HERCULES WHEN TITANS COLLIDE $3.99
FEB088110 IRON MAN HULK SAMPLER PI
FEB082232 MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #35 $2.99
FEB082196 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PICTURE DORIAN GRAY #5 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB082243 MIGHTY AVENGERS #12 SI $2.99
FEB082245 MS MARVEL #26 SII $2.99
FEB082275 NEW EXILES #5 $2.99
FEB082251 POWER PACK DAY ONE #2 (OF 4) $2.99
FEB082252 SHE-HULK 2 #28 $2.99
JAN082178 THOR #8 $2.99
FEB082200 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #53 $2.99
FEB082202 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #121 $2.99
JAN088351 UNCANNY X-MEN #497 DJURDJEVIC VAR DWS (PP #809) $2.99
FEB082261 UNCANNY X-MEN #497 DWS $2.99
FEB082272 WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #2 $2.99
JAN088014 X-FORCE #3 BLOODY VAR $2.99
FEB082266 X-FORCE #3 DWS $2.99
FEB082273 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #11 $2.99
FEB082308 X-MEN TP EMPEROR VULCAN $13.99
FEB082259 YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #4 (OF 6) $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

FEB084165 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS ADVENTURES OF SINBAD #0 (MR) $0.99
JAN083672 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #79 (A) $4.99
JAN083659 AFTER SCHOOL NIGHTMARE GN VOL 07 (MR) $10.99
JAN083660 AI REVOLUTION GN VOL 03 (MR) $10.99
FEB083647 ARMY OF DARKNESS XENA WHY NOT #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
FEB083563 AYRE FORCE HC VOL 01 $19.95
FEB083564 BART SIMPSON COMICS #41 $2.99
SEP063228 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FOIL CVR #5 PI
NOV073266 BEAU SMITHS NO GUTS NO GLORY TP (RES) $19.99
FEB083486 BETTY & VERONICA #235 $2.25
FEB083488 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #160 $3.69
FEB083454 BIZARRE NEW WORLD POPULATION EXPLOSION GN $6.95
JAN083661 BLACK SUN SILVER MOON GN VOL 05 (MR) $10.99
JAN084002 CAIN GN VOL 02 (MR) $12.95
JAN083834 CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED DELUXE HC VOL 02 TALES BROTHERS GRIMM $17.95
JAN083835 CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED DELUXE TP VOL 02 TALES BROTHERS GRIMM $13.95
JAN083719 COMPLETE TERRY AND THE PIRATES HC VOL 03 1939-1940 $49.99
FEB084153 DARK PRINCE GN VOL 02 (A) $12.95
FEB083642 DARKNESS VS EVA #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
OCT073861 DEAD AT 17 TP COMPENDIUM ED (MR) $24.95
FEB083713 DEMON PRINCE CHILDREN OF GAIA GN VOL 02 $11.99
JAN083589 DF DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #1 (OF 5) SGN ED $29.99
FEB083731 DF DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #2 SGN ED $29.99
JAN083591 DF GRIMM FAIRY TALES #3 ALT CVR PI
MAR083695 DF PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #1 ULTRA LTD ED CVR $10.00
MAR083694 DF RED SONJA #26 UK EX CVR PI
OCT073449 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 ROBERTS CVR A #10 $3.50
OCT073450 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 WALPOLE CVR B #10 $5.50
JAN083457 FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR A $3.99
JAN083458 FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR B $3.99
FEB083819 FALLEN ANGEL IDW #26 (MR) $3.99
JAN083728 GENE SIMMONS ZIPPER #5 $3.99
FEB083439 GOLD DIGGER #95 $2.99
FEB083440 GOLD DIGGER PEEBO TALES SPECIAL #3 $3.50
FEB083441 GOLD DIGGER SOURCEBOOK #16 $3.95
MAR083892 GOOD & EVIL #3 PART 1 THE BEGINNING $2.99
FEB083697 HACK SLASH SERIES #11 MCKELVIE CVR B (MR) $3.50
FEB083696 HACK SLASH SERIES #11 SEELEY CVR A (MR) $3.50
FEB084105 INDIA AUTHENTIC #12 ANDHAKA $2.99
FEB083602 INJURY COMICS #2 (MR) $4.95
FEB083561 INSANE JANE #2 (OF 4) (MR) 0) $3.99
FEB083899 INVINCIBLE SUMMER AN ANTHOLOGY TP #2 $14.00
FEB083985 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #270 $7.50
FEB083662 KAGETORA GN VOL 09 $10.95
FEB083603 KLASSIC KOMICS KLUB HC (MR) $14.95
MAR083585 LADY DEATH 2007 SWIMSUIT SP RUBY RED FOIL ED $5.99
FEB083807 MAC BOLAN THE EXECUTIONER DEVILS TOOLS #1 (OF 5) $3.99
MAR083867 MAKING STUFF AND DOING THINGS (MR) $12.00
JAN083803 METRONOME HC (MR) $13.95
FEB083990 NEOZOIC #4 $2.95
JAN083388 NEPHILIM GN $10.95
MAR083937 NEXUS ORIGIN ONE SHOT (O/A) $3.99
FEB083666 PASTEL GN VOL 10 (MR) $10.95
DEC073540 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS FOIL CVR #2 (OF 7) PI
FEB083947 QUEEN & COUNTRY DEFINITIVE EDITION TP VOL 02 $19.95
MAR083510 RAGMOP TP (O/A) $29.95
OCT073256 RAMA THE LEGEND TP $14.95
FEB084109 SADHU WHEEL OF DESTINY #1 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
JAN083389 SAY PLEASE GN $12.95
JAN083390 SEDUCE ME AFTER THE SHOW GN $12.95
SEP073561 SHEENA TRAIL O/T MAPINGUARI STAPLES CVR B ONE SHOT $9.50
SEP073560 SHEENA TRAIL O/T MAPINGUARI STONE CVR A ONE SHOT $5.50
FEB083565 SIMPSONS CLASSICS #16 $3.99
FEB083576 SIMPSONS COMICS TP DOLLARS TO DONUTS $14.95
FEB083494 SONIC X #32 $2.25
JAN083881 SPACE DOUBLES #3 $2.99
FEB083840 SPEED RACER CHRONICLES OF THE RACER TP $17.99
FEB083815 ST TNG INTELLIGENCE GATHERING #4 (OF 5) $3.99
FEB083813 STAR TREK NEW FRONTIER #2 $3.99
FEB084162 TALES FROM WONDERLAND QUEEN OF HEARTS #1 (MR) $2.99
FEB083900 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #45 $3.25
JAN088382 TERRY MOORES ECHO #1 2ND PTG (PP #809) $3.50
FEB083708 THIRSTY FOR LOVE GN (MR) $12.95
JAN083662 TRAIN PLUS TRAIN GN VOL 06 (MR) $10.99
JAN083679 TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT GRIMLOCK $3.99
JAN083341 VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA TP $15.95
JAN083469 WARHAMMER 40K BLOOD & THUNDER LTD ED HC $49.99
JAN083468 WARHAMMER 40K BLOOD & THUNDER TP $16.99
DEC073503 WARHAMMER HC FORGE OF WAR LTD ED $49.99
MAR083866 WELCOME TO THE DAHL HOUSE TP $7.00
JAN083353 WHITE PICKET FENCES DOUBLE FEATURE GN $6.95
JAN083723 WORMWOOD CALAMARI RISING #4 $3.99
FEB084088 X-O MANOWAR BIRTH HC $24.95

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