The Johnny Bacardi Show

Went to my LCS today, with the intention of picking up the final installment of Steve Englehart's JLA Detroit opus (JLA: Classified #25), and heaven help me if I didn't kinda look over the racks of comics that came out the last couple of weeks...and my eye rested on the latest issue of CHECKMATE- #4, to be precise. And suddenly, despite my staunch resolve to limit my exposure to all the misbegotten spinoffs of Identity Fiasco (and the wretched Secret Six #1 certainly didn't weaken my resolve), I had a tiny flashback to the two early issues of the sadly missed Chase comic, in which she joined a Suicide Squad group on a mission...and I impulsively snatched up not only #4, but #'s 1 and 3 as well. Typically for my LCS, they didn't have a copy of #2. Not only that, but in news that will gladden Wil Pfiefer's mercenary little heart, I decided I was a tad hasty in dropping Catwoman after Pete Woods left, so I grabbed a set of the issues that have come out since then! And not only that- I also picked up a copy of the new Astro City special, despite the fact that I had pretty much decided to wash my hands of AC after the lackluster Dark Age series of a while back. I blame the Alex Ross cover, a nice pulp magazine pastiche. Finally, I got my copy of Leading Man #1, which I had put in my folder a couple of weeks ago (I'm not a regular holds customer anymore, but they were nice enough to let me maintain a folder there so I could stash stuff I wanted to buy later) since I got a advance b&w comp from Oni and had already read it, but I haven't received anything from Oni in ages so I was uncertain if I'd get an actual full-color printed copy- and I liked Leading Man enough to pick it up from DCBS on a regular basis and didn't want to miss #1. Clear? Explain it to me, please.

But I didn't go totally nuts- all I walked out of the store with was Checkmate #1, the Astro City and Leading Man, plus the JLA: Classified. I put the rest back to await the next sidewalk sale (August 5, I believe) when I can get these books at 25% off. And don't ask me what I thought of Checkmate just yet- I haven't read it. But I will, soon, my pretties, soon.

And that, boys and girls, is my Comics Shop adventure for today. You may now resume normal activities.



Oh- and yes, I know Shadowpact is another spawn of IC...but it's got Phantom Stranger! And Ragman! And Nightmaster! And the Enchantress, albeit in a terrible new "modern" costume. I couldn't help myself.