Review:
My Picks of the Week--Crossed #9, Sparta USA #1 and New Ultimates#1

It's that time again! Here are my top three favorite new comics of the week!

Crossed #9
The series by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows finally comes to a close with issue #9. It's a series that started off very strong, fizzled in the middle, and in my opinion, ended really strong. This is a series that made me giggle at the most horrendous images I've seen in comics while playing a disturbing "where's Waldo" on some of its double page spreads. In this last issue, Stan and company have their final confrontation with the group of Crossed that have been stalking them the last few issues. My two favorite characters die, which I partly expected and didn't mind--it gives more emotion to the whole story when my favorites die. The series actually ends on sort of a high note, if that's possible, and I'm looking forward to reading it all together when it hits as a graphic novel. There were some massive delays between issues and that always harms the story as a whole.

Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #1
Okay, I may have a brain tumor or something but I like another Jeff Loeb comic. Yes, I said it, I like another Jeff Loeb comic. I haven't enjoyed a Jeff Loeb comic in years--and now there's two within a month's time as I really enjoyed Ultimate Comics X #1. Now I'll admit, I may like this comic largely on the fact that Frank Cho can draw some incredibly sexy women--who knew Hela, Mistress of the Damn could be so damn sexy? The issue, told from the point of view of Tony Stark, as the new Ultimates take on the new Defenders as Thor attempts to find his way out of the Realm of the Dead.  Plus we get the first appearance of Ultimate Ka-Zar and the return of Loki.  The battles are kind of goofy and over the top, but Cho's art makes it so worth it.  It also sports an awesome gatefold cover (although folded a bit weird) and once again I have to say how amazing Frank Cho's art is. Begrudgingly, I have to recommend this book!