SuperQueeros! for January 25th, 2012

So many books this week and this is the only day I'm in the office! Okay, here's a quick run down of the SuperQueeros in stores this week:

Alpha Flight #8

It's the end of the series and the resolution to the Master of the World's machinations! Will Northstar save his boo? Will Kyle have awesome robot powers now???

Justice League Dark #5

Now that Constantine is working with the full team of the JLD will they be able to take out Enchantress? And at what cost??

Daken: Dark Wolverine #20

Resolution for the Donna Kiel relationship! Will Daken be redeemed? Gosh, I sure hope not!

Teen Titans #5

TAKE DOWN SUPERBOY! Can the team beat their own powerhouse? And is Skitter going to be the deus ex machina???

X-Men: Legacy #261

Anole has a cameo AND a line! In a really cute Blindfold scene! And Gambit is a jerk (of course).

SuperQueeros! for December 28th, 2011

The last comics of 2011 are pretty rockin'! Though there aren't any superqueeros in it, I'd recommend checking out Sinister's views on nature vs. nurture in Uncanny X-Men. Also, I'd recommend these killer books:

Avengers: Children's Crusade#8

Almost the end! The solicits say someone dies... Is it Vision, so that Iron Lad can get his armor back? Or Speed, because he's boring? Or Wanda, because they're counting her as a Young Avenger and it looks like that's the way the story is turning? Or maybe it's Billy and then whoever currently has the reality warping powers that drove Wanda crazy will bring him back and then kick the bucket. Yeah, I'm going with that theory. Let's find out if I'm right!

Teen Titans #4

More Bunker, more Bunker, more Bunker! I'm excited! And Superboy and Wonder Girl get in a fight! No doubt they will be in <3s and Robin will be mopey until the awesomeness of the Spoiler comes along! And Bunker will be in the story and punch Superboy! #nice

Alpha Flight #7

Wolvie! The most famous member of Alpha Flight returns to knock some sense into the fascist Canadian government!

Justice League Dark #4

The team comes together! But also, the Enchantress is supes crazy... Will they rescue her from her madness, or lock her up and throw away the key?

Hack/Slash #11

The end of the Women's Prison Breakout story arc!!!

SuperQueeros! for November 23rd, 2011

I give thanks this Thanksgiving for all the LGB boys and girl in comics this week!

Teen Titans #3

The WAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL! I am pretty sure I'm going to love this guy! While most of what I have seen from this comic is Robin's lust for Wonder Girl (Give it up, Cass, it's totes your name. [Also, Tim give it up. Your OTP is still out there {<3 <3 <3 Stephanie!}]), I think the internal conflict of a flaming 'mo from a traditionally macho culture has the potential to create a varied and interesting character. And how bad is it that I think his lack of boobs will mean that he'll be developed as both a person and as Robin's GBF? ... ... It's pretty bad.

Edit: Evidently Avengers: Children's Crusade #8 doesn't come out again until next month! Bi-monthly publishing schedules are the worst!

Daken: Dark Wolverine #17

KAROLIIINAAAAA! Yep, the only lady this week is the incomparable Karolina Dean, beating some sense into the drug-addled Daken. I have to say, I hate the drug-taking that Daken's been doing, but its effect on his healing factor has certainly upped the stakes! Now where's some Mutant Growth Hormone so he can self-medicate the side effects of Heat?

Alpha Flight #6

How bummed are you that this isn't gonna be a continuing series? So bummed, right? I'm all sorts of put out... but this storyline is so boss that I can't complain too much. And if Alpha Flight became a series of miniseries, like The Autority was for a while and like Young Avengers is now, I'd be so down for it! Fingers crossed that Van Lente and Pak can tie our fav canooks into the next event storyline!

Justice League Dark #3
I'm just loving the slow slouch that this book has been bubbling along. And Madame Xanadu! So mysterious! What is she up to??? Does she want to help or hinder the Enchantress? And when are all the disparate pieces of this team going to converge? #soon #excited

SuperQueeros! for October 12th, 2011

Deluge! Five awesome titles this week!! I literally cannot believe how awesome your reading is going to be tomorrow!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #2

Now that introductions are out of the way, Whedon starts in on the first arc. Buffy's gonna be a sorta private dick, a la Batman, and her buds are gonna be... chillin'? Schemin'? It's a little unclear from the solicit, but whatever it is I bet it won't last long!

Batwoman #2

Romance heating up (but not with Renee!!!!!), villains still at large (both Alice and this water witch) - this is the material mythologies are made of! Hop onto 2011's hottest comic before it leaves you behind! #whyisntDCpayingme?

Alpha Flight #5

Alpha Flight is facing of against the brain-washed dark dopplegangers! This is my favourite type of story, and with Canadian Thanksgiving yesterday I think we can all thank the Canada for giving us such bad-as superheroes duking it out north of the border!

Daken: Dark Wolverine #15

We find out who the Claws Killer is! Wouldn't it be weird if it were Moon Knight all along? Or that blonde detective girl!!! She is super obsessed with Daken, and he sorta needs an arch-nemesis who's NOT related to him or involved in his rearing... #onewaytofindout

Veronica #209 (Veronica Presents Kevin Keller #3)

...And finally the next chapter in the Kevin Keller epic sees Kevin dealing with his stage fright. A queer who doesn't like to be on stage?! What the hoo-hey Dan Parent?!!!?! #smashingstereotypes

SuperQueeros! for September 14th, 2011

Oh. My. Gaga. This week is DEFINITELY happening FOR REALSIES. Batwoman and Buffy are BACK!!!! Plus favs like Alpha Flight and Daken! And the bi kids are representing with Herc and Hack/Slash! The only way this week could get better is if Young Avengers came out this week. But I guess we have to save SOMETHING for next week!

Batwoman #1

KATE KANE IS BAAAAAAAACK!!!!! I haven't waited this long for beautiful art set to butt-kicking action since... Well since I was born and started waiting for her Detective Comics run to be written! Seriously, this is one of the only relaunch titles that I'm buying in hard copy because something this awesome NEEDS to be tangible! I think some ghosts and stuff are happening in the actual story, but basically it's Kate drawn by J.H. Williams III so it's PERFECT.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9: Freefall #1

("Freefall". I like this whole subtitle thing... It makes it seem more like episodes, or miniseries!) Buffy's back!!!!!!!!!!!! And Willow!!!!!!!!!!!! And Andrew, though I still have trouble telling who he is in-panel... (I just had a thought: maybe, like SMG, Tom Lenk didn't give permission for the use of his visage in the comics... Time to dig up some trivia!) Anyway, the preview looks good, so #buyit.

Alpha Flight #4

Northstar beats up people in order to save his boyfriend. HOT.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #14

Moon Knight continues to think he is Wolverine. Daken continues to be played. Kinky.

Hack/Slash #8

The Fame Monster/Justin Bieber continues to kill Lady Gagas. Save the Gagas, Cassie!!!

Herc #7

Hercules gets powers again!!! But it's only Spider-man powers...

SuperQueeros! for August 10th, 2011

Not a lot this week, but my sources (the same ones that mislead me last week...) say that Kevin Keller #2 ships on Wednesday! Fingers crossed!!! Aside from that the we get two of Marvel's most beloved superqueeros:

Daken: Dark Wolverine #12

It's the end of the bank-heist storyline! With a hot cop on his heels, Heat in his system, and Taskmaster standing in the way between the Dark Wolverine and his cash, Daken seems to be in a bit of a tight spot. Of course, if there's one thing this book has taught me in the past year it's that when things get tough, Daken gets scary. This book is gonna rock!

Alpha Flight #3

Alpha Flight goes rogue this issue, and the Canadian government reveals their dastardly back-up plan! Who knows what sort of deathtrap (Arctic-sharks-with-lasers?) the PM has Kyle suspended over, but fingers crossed that Northstar can come up with a plan to save his beau before Jean-Paul becomes the Mikaal Tomas of the Marvel U!

SuperQueeros! for July 13th, 2011

While there's probably only one title this week that will feature a queer character in any significant capacity, I'm including two others in the hopes that their 'queero will make a cameo:

EDIT: ALPHA FLIGHT #2

My comic book retailer gave me Alpha Flight #2, not Daken #11. So either he got shorted Daken or the shipping information I got this from was wrong! Daken: Dark Wolverine #11

Are there any other queer characters with their own on-going solo title? Even though he's another villainous queer, Daken is the most interesting superqueero around these days, and Rob Williams' run on this title isn't changing that any time soon. This issue sees the escalation of the plots introduced last issue: Daken gets nasty with his new closeted beau/tool, the serial killer gets stabbier, and the cop on the cover gets wrapped further in a web between the two of them.

New Avengers #14

I've read that Victoria is getting a little antsy playing the good guy and is double-agenting between the Avengers and the remains of H.A.M.M.E.R. The solicit for this issue says that the New Avengers and the Avengers are teaming up to deal with Fear Itself, though, so I'm not sure how Hand's double-dealing would feature in this issue. Either she's front and center, making some under-the-table meetings that will screw with her teammates, or she's sidelined this issue. Only one way to find out: flip through it in your comic book store and buy it if you see pink highlights!

New Mutants #27

So Karma's on the cover and on the first page, but if she's in this story at all you can color me purple and call me "Indra". I think Anole and Northstar on that first page too, and they're not even a part of this team! ANYWAY, it's New Mutants vs Sugar Man in a bid to free X-man, so hopefully they'll bring Karma in so that this isn't a snooze-fest. #AoAisboring

SuperQueeros! for June 15th, 2011

I forgot I hadn't finished Superqueeros yet! Here's who we got:

Alpha Flight #1

Wooo!!! The first official Alpha Flight issue! More Northstar! More Kyle! More Canooks! This is a Fear Itself tie-in, so I assume that the team is going to be fighting a generic muscle bunny with a super-hammer and a grumpy disposition. Cool? The coolest. Either way, Jean-Paul = <3 #getit

Daken: Dark Wolverine #10

It all starts (again) here! Daken is in the hands of new scribe Rob Williams and he's moved to the West Coast in his bid for WORLD DOMINATION. What surprises does this new chapter have in store? How will Williams compare with Liu? From the preview it looks like he's going to be a little more verbal than Marjorie, and I think that could be a very good thing. #newdirection #jumpingonpoint

Hellblazer #280

The DCnU has reminded me that Bling! isn't the only grumpy bisexual in the comic-verse: John Constantine of Hellblazer is the classic world-weary noir character, albeit with an dash of the arcane and a queer twist. This issue sees his niece coming to kill him and take his place visit. I wonder what will happen?

X-Factor #221

Did you read last issue?! The art was crap, but the cameo at the end??? AWESOME! And this issue... kind of drops that whole thing in two pages. And then 'Star stares at Rahne naked? This issue had better go somewhere amazing because the first few pages took me from crazy to disappointing to confused. I mean, nekkid preggers ladiez, FTW!, but the last two panels on page four make it seem SO RANDOM. I guess I'll just chalk it up to 'Star being all cute and test-tube-baby-raised-to-be-a-gladiator. I still love this book, no matter how bad the art gets or how random the nude wolf-ladies. <3

Cameos:

X-Men #13

A preview I saw showed Anole. I'm not terribly interested in this storyline (yay, more lies?) but it at least seems to be good about including the whole of the X-community.

Superqueeros! for May 18th, 2010

It's boy-week in comics this week as we get six bi/gay/pansexual male-indentified characters in four books! Plus a cover by out comic book artist Phil Jimenez! Now if we can just get Herc to get some on-panel guy-action I'll be a happy clam! Or snail, as the case may be. ;)

Alpha Flight #0.1

ALPHA FLIIIIIIGHT!!!!! As a queer and a Canadian I am STOKED to see this title back on the shelves. Plus, since I didn't read the original series I'm interested to learn about (most of) the original team. Especially Marrina! (Didn't she die really early on? She's back!) This issue is a pre-series set-up issue, so it should be perfect for folks like me who want some background on the ground-breaking Canadian super-squad. Plus, it'll have Northstar and Phil Jimenez on covers, so we basically know it's going to be a whole helping of awesome, Canook style! #pickoftheweek

X-Factor #219

Mysteries! Last issue was packed with MYSTERIES! Who are these super-powered Hit Girls? How can they fire bullets out of nothing? How can they so rarely miss?? How can they RISE FROM THE DEAD??? Well we're about to find out because M is PISSED OFF and ready to telepathically break into the Fort Knox of Answers that is J Jonah Jameson's mind! Plus, is someone going to tell her that Strong Guy got all fix-i-fied before she smashes some villain's face into the ground? And why isn't Guido pictured on any of the next three months of covers???

Herc #3

So our fav bi-guy Herc ain't got no powers (Humanizing! Good narrative move!) and so his sassy handler Rhea has him listen to people's problems (Good lift from JMS's Superman story!) and then put on some fancy clothes to fight Brooklyn's beasts. BAD MOVE! Just like Emma Frost, Herc uses his semi-nudity to distract his opponents/readers into making bad combat choices/impulse comic purchases! Unless his tunic is going to have as many wardrobe malfunctions as Caitlin's from Gen13 I demand a redesign!

JLA #57

After the Obsidian/Jade crossover between JSA and JLA I forgot to keep following the adventures of pan-sexual alien Starman! Luckily he's been busy fighting Eclipso, so I don't think he's noticed his fall from my queer spotlight, but I figured I should bring him back into the fold. Also, totally coincidentally, Obsidian guest stars in this issue! But, given Todd's past with Eclipso, whose side will he be on? And will that dumb Brightest Day mechanic be gone so that he can team up with his sister, or is this book's creative team about to get HUGE HEADACHES trying to both tell their story and separate two of its main characters at all times???

PREVIEW: Alpha Flight #0.1

Newsarama has a preview of the #0.1 issue of the new Alpha Flight limited series that is due out later this year. The preview doesn't include any screen time with our favorite ground-breaking queer speedster, Northstar... but the art is great and we get to see Sasquatch before he goes all furry (a first for me!)

Check it out at Newsarama!

Breaking News: Alpha Flight is Back!

It's been revealed, as I type on a conference call with the new creative team (including Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Dale Eaglesham) that the iconic Canadian superhero team, Alpha Flight will be getting its very own series. Pak (of Incredible Hercules, Chaos War, and World War Hulk fame) and Van Lente will be penning the script with Eaglesham taking up art duties on the book. The team was brought back from the dead during the recent Chaos War event, re-uniting surviving teammates (Northstar, Aurora, Sasquatch, and Snowbird), with their deceased colleagues (Shaman, Guardian, Vindicator, and Marrina).

Pak & Co. have revealed that the team will be back with its own limited series which will run for a scheduled 8 issues (hinting that a 9th would be possible with strong sales support). The team will still work for Department H although the major source of conflict will occur when the government which they work for suddenly changes hands (a feeling many Canadians experienced when the Harper-led conservative government shocked many on the left with a strong show in elections leading to the first right-wing control of the Canadian Parliament in decades). Pak & Co. confirmed the inclusion of our favorite queer crusader, Northstar on the team and Northstar's boyfriend, Kyle.

I'm ecstatic to hear that Alpha Flight is getting another series. Especially after that decidedly unpopular re-imagining, Omega Flight, which featured a terribly random and mismatched cast of characters. The greatest and most iconic feature of Alpha Flight, as Pak points out during his call: 

"They're a very interesting team because they are protectors of a nation," Pak said. "It's like a team of Captain Americas in a way. That's a very interesting thing to play with."

Omega Flight consisted of a series of heroes who had only passing allegiance to Canada, but this new classic line-up is sure to bring back some of those nostalgic feelings of the original Alpha Flight run. Bravo.

Check out Newsarama's coverage of the call [link]

Superqueeros! for January 26th, 2011

All the queers in comics this week, at your fingertips. And if I miss one, let me know!

New Mutants #21

Zeb Wells' two years writing on New Mutants has been about getting to this point: Elder Gods are attacking Earth, the X-Men (and everyone else) has failed at keeping them at bay, and it's up to Karma to activate humanity's only hope, Professor X's son Legion, without turning on his villainous tendencies as well. This is what Illyana came back to prevent, this is what this book has been building up to for two years, and this is the last chapter before Age of X! Definitely a must read.

X-Men: To Serve and Protect #3

Storm becomes a pseudo-Thor again! Blink gets a story!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kitty looks for a cure at the Baxter Building! And Chris Yost's AWESOME (I know, I too am shocked!) Rockslide/Anole story enters it's second half! Seriously, these X-Men short story collections are some of the best X-stories out there, and they almost always include an LGBT hero. Plus, Anole and Rockslide are so awesome together and I think that this story, along with Young X-Men, is going to be a defining story for their relationship. This is the book I'm most looking forward to this week!

Chaos War #5

The final chapter of Chaos War! Expect a cameo from Northstar as he and the rest of Alpha Flight join the final fight against the Chaos King. I haven't been following this mini, but I hear that it's a great story that revitalizes the deities of the Marvel U, which sounds like a superheroic task in and of itself. Whatever the case, any book with Alpha Flight or Northstar in it has to be amazing. It's called the Canada Effect, and it means you should pick this title up. ;)

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SuperQueeros! for November 24th, 2010

It's Northstar Week! Not only is Northstar one-half of the un-quarantined X-men in Uncanny's creatively named "Quarantine" storyline, but Sasquatch's deal with the Great Beasts leads to Jean-Paul's inclusion in an awesome revival of the original Alpha Flight line-up for the Chaos War! Also, as if that weren't enough, Lafayette tells his story in the True Blood mini, the Wildcats' penultimate issue hits stores, and one of the New Mutants falls to the Inferno Babies! Plus GCS and Madame Xanadu! This is the best Thanksgiving EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chaos War: Alpha Flight

The most awesome Northstar-featuring comic this week (imo) sees the revival of his deceased teammates as they get one issue to help bring down the Chaos King. The premise for this event's tie-in books is: every living person is asleep and defenseless, so deceased heroes have been revived to fight an onslaught of attacking gods. I'm not sure if these characters stay relevant to the storyline after this one-shot, but whether or not they do I'm excited: I've not read any of the original Alpha Flight run and now, just like Marina, Vindicator, Guardian, and Shaman, I get a second chance!

Uncanny X-Men #530

If Chaos War: Alpha Flight is the most awesome Northstar-inclusive title this week, then Uncanny X-men is the most fabulous. The "Quarantine" storyline is, essentially, that Anole and the kids get sick (ANOLE ALERT!) and Utopia is quarantined from the outside world. Meanwhile, stuff starts going down outside the island, and the sick mutants start losing their powers. Where does Northstar come in to the equation? Well there are only two mutants NOT on Utopia when the quarantine starts: Dazzler and Northstar. Yup, we're about to get a full story arc of a super-diva and her super-GBF kicking butt all over San Fransisco. Who said all the X-Gays were metaphors only? #awesome #buyit

EDIT: Okay, Northstar and Dazzler aren't the ONLY un-quarantined X-Men. But 20% gay is still very gay!

True Blood #5

Lafayette's story! It's finally here! The second-to-last issue of the True Blood mini is out this week and we finally get to hear some of what Lafayette's been hiding. If you've been missing the fabulous fry cook while TB is off the air, this is the book for you. Plus, if you like Ryan Kwanten's Jason in compromising positions this book features just that sort of tale too!

Wildcats #29

Everything ends in #30! With one issue to go before everything hits the fan expect this issue to be a game-changer. Who will be the new Doctor? Will Apollo smash more golems like a blond Hulk? And is the ship headed toward Earth the Carrier or something worse????

New Mutants #19

This is the end of "Fall of the New Mutants" but it's definitely not the end of the Project Purgatory storyline! One of Marvel's Mutants is "fallen" and "no longer a part of the New Mutants" by the end of this issue, but I have a feeling that will play heavily into our heroes' successful counterstrike next month(s). Whatever happens, however, this issue is looking to be a turning point for our heroes as they're pushed to the max to overcome the overwhelming force that is: The Purgatory Babies! #KarmaKickingButt

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