Major Spoilers Staff Picks for February 29, 2012

You’ve seen the list of new comics that are arriving in stores this week, but what should you pick up? Take the jump as the Major Spoilers Staff picks the books they are most looking forward to this week.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #680
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • Because you asked for it… SPIDER-MAN IN SPAAAACE!
• Trapped 22,300 miles above the Earth, Spidey has to rescue John Jameson from the ongoing machinations of Doctor Octopus!
•Plus: a guest star so special…and so secret…we can’t even tell you until next issue!

STEPHEN:  Spider-Man in SPAAAACE!? Really?  How do the web-shooters work inside that spacesuit? Is he wearing his full costume under that suit, or just the mask?  And how did he get up there in the first place? These questions will surely be answered by the one and only Dan Slott, I’m sure they’ll also be adequately illustrated by Giuseppe Camuncoli, though I wish it was Humberto Ramos on the other end of the pencil.  Still, for a book that comes out two to three times a month, this book has a lot of good storytelling, art, and adventure for all.

ZACH: What is better than Spider-Man? Spider-Man in SPACE! I’m excited for this arc featuring the combined evilness of the Sinister Six led by the “interesting” looking Doc Ock. It is sad to see that Humberto Ramos is off for this story; his art sure is nice to look at.

FF #15
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Nick Gragotta
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The final chapter for the Council of Reeds! Guest-starring the Power Pack!

ZACH: In my attempt to read more Marvel books I started picking up Fantastic Four starting with #602, which has led me to FF. I don’t know much about FF besides the art looks real nice so that’s a plus. Needless to say, I have completely enjoyed Fantastic Four and am looking forward to this. I’ve actually been reading Marvel, have the planets aligned recently?

INVINCIBLE #89
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Ryan Ottley
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW!
There’s someone new in the Invincible costume, but why – and for how long? Answers to all these questions and more in this monumental status-quo-altering issue!

JIMMY: The cliffhanger of the last issue of Invincible was a frightening development, and coupled with the cover of this issue I am legitimately concerned that Robert Kirkman has nothing he won’t do with the characters in this title. I won’t go into any specific spoilers since I know a lot of you wait for the trade with Invincible, but suffice it to say that anyone who reads the single issues is going to want to pick this up ASAP.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #6
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Justice League is united at last against Darkseid! The awesome consequences of this high-stakes battle will resonate within the series for years to come! Geoff Johns and Jim Lee end their historic first arc with a bang!

MATTHEW: Sometimes I get annoyed when people imply that I don’t like things because they’re popular, as though I were some sort of comic-book hipster in a scarf and a trilby hat. Case in point: I’m really enjoying the big ol’ relaunch of the Justice League. Even though I’m afraid that it’s all sound and fury, even though I hate Hal Jordan’s character, even though I have some issues with bits of the character redesign, I’m really having fun with this book. And even Darkseid himself can’t ruin that. (The big jerk.)

ROB: I do believe this is the end of the first arc which has let us know how this “original” version of the Justice League came together. While the build up has been slow, it’s been pretty and enjoyable (you might even say it’s been pretty enjoyable) and I’m hoping that the build up will really pay off so we can see where things go from here.

STEPHEN: They’re still publishing this book? I thought everyone said this was going to crash and burn months ago? (Snark Mode: OFF)  The first issue is now on its seventh printing, and the series continues to move forward at a decent pace, even if I’d like to see the heroes give Darseid (the big jerk) the good ol’ what for sooner rather than later. An interesting read, great Jim Lee art equals win for me.

MAGIC THE GATHERING #2
Writer: Mat Forbeck
Artist: Martin Coccolo
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans, there’s a new Planeswalker in town! On the trail of the person who destroyed his town, Dack Fayden must travel to Innistrad, a plane of savage monsters, strange transformations and sinister magic. Naturally, Dack immediately gets caught up in a vampire attack at a secluded inn.

ROB: Issue one hit just the right notes and set the right tone for this to go over well. Now with Dack Fayden headed to Innistrad after someone that looks suspiciously like Liliana Vess one can only imagine that this may set up the turn into the next set, Avacyn Restored. Also, promo cards!

THE SHADE #5
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Javier Pulido
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The Shade’s quest to find out who ordered his assassination takes him to Barcelona, where he stumbles upon a decades-old feud between a teenaged vampire and her archenemy. What does this feud have to do with the Shade’s origin? A crucial piece of the puzzle is revealed here!

MATTHEW: James Robinson’s multi-generational tale of an immortal hearkens back to the post-Zero Hour Starman series, one of the very few things that launched out of that crossover that didn’t make me want to stab myself in the eyes. You have to love Opal City, the Shade’s joie de vivre, and even the appearance of Madama Fatale in a previous issue. Go Google her, and then gape at the fact that Robinson made her cool. Awesome stuff…

STEPHEN: I want this series to continue as it has been so great to this point. The only way the series will continue is if people get out there and pick up the issues. Robinson took a hokey character and made him interesting years ago, and that love that he poured into the character and universe continues to shine (even if it does contradict the New 52).

STEED AND MRS. PEEL #2
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Ian Gibson
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATIONS: From the one and only Grant Morrison – ‘The Golden Game Part Two: Hare and Hounds!’ Your favorite Avengers John Steed and Emma Peel continue the search for Tara King, who was kidnapped by a mysterious organization. The reunion kicks into high gear, featuring gorgeous art from Ian Gibson, best known for his work with Alan Moore on The Ballad of Halo Jones. The original British TV series The Avengers helped define the ‘Spy-Fi’ genre as one of the longest-running hit espionage series alongside Mission: Impossible and a small screen counterpart to that other famous United Kingdom spy, James Bond! A science fiction/spy fiction mash-up from Grant Morrison and two of TV’s most iconic heroes!

JIMMY: I need to read issue #1 still, but this seems like a really fun series. Not having read #1, I don’t have a whole lot to say, but I really enjoy most books that Boom! Studios puts out, and this series seems to have a fun sensibility about it. It’ll be interesting to see what Boom! does once Irredeemable/Incorruptible conclude, but hopefully they’ll have a couple strong-selling series to pick up the slack.

MATTHEW: I remember trying to pick up this series back in 1990-something, and failing to find all the issues bothered me for some time. Now, Boom! is reissuing the original series in individual chapter form. I’m fascinated to see so little admission that this is 20 year old story, but it’s good Grant Morrison, and it’s got Mrs. Peel in various catsuits, so that’s fun. If you only know The Avengers from Uma & Fiennes, you owe it to yourself to see the characters done well.

ROB: With issue one catching me as an impulse buy I was pleasantly surprised with just how well it turned out. Now with issue two coming I’m hoping that we’ll carry the tone and charm of the story through. The series shows promise, and the spy genre is always fun, so this should be good.

STEPHEN: It’s a fifth week, and the pickin’s are slim, so why not pick up a book that came out back when Matthew and I were in college?

TINY TITANS #49
Writer: Art Baltazar and Franco
Artist: Art Baltazar
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: It’s time to meet…the Squishy Titans! The pink blob Plasmus! The futuristic pet Proty! The stretchy Offspring! The diabolically dirty Clayface! Who’s the squishiest? Who’s the stretchiest? Join us as the Squishy Titans welcome a mysterious new member from the Orange Lantern Corps!

JIMMY: We’re one issue away from the finale of Tiny Titans, which is in my opinion the best all-ages comic put out in a long while. And it really is all-ages–my wife and I love this comic, and I know people with kids who enjoy it as well. Art and Franco do a good job of writing to both adults and children and putting in jokes for both audiences.

XENOHOLICS #5
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Seth Damoose
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: “THE TRUTH IS HERE!”
Who kidnapped the Professor? Did a UFO land in New York City? Who is telling the truth about being abducted and who is lying? The answers to all those questions and more are in this issue as the Xenoholics are once again taken by aliens. But are the aliens friends… or Foes?

ZACH: Action, deceit, and aliens, what more could you want from a comic? I’m not anywhere close to figuring out what is the truth in Xenoholics, but I am sure that it’s a fun ride. The lies and truth have slowly been coming to the surface and even more should be reveled this issue as the group finds themselves being taken by aliens once again.