Ghostopolis-Doug TenNapel just knows how to write a fun quirky story. I haven’t read a book by him so far that I haven’t liked and Ghostopolis is no exception. Following a terminally ill boy as he’s accidentally teleported to the land of the dead by an inept government agent, TenNapel just throws together random concepts and runs with them and gives you some great characters and fun dialogue along the way. I picked up the $24.99 HC since I always feel like I get my moneys worth from TenNapel, but there is a soft cover alternative. Either way, check it out for a weird look at the afterlife or if you just want to try something a little different. A

Absolution- I’ve liked the majority of Gage’s comic work and while I really wasn’t interested in this series as it was coming out I thought I would give it a try. Focusing on a super-powered police officer named John Dusk, Absolution asks what happens when someone with the ability to permanently stop murderers and rapists takes the step to do so and the moral conflicts involved. While that concept isn’t new, I did enjoy the amount of time Gage spent actually focusing on John Dusk’s decisions and if he should feel remorse or not for killing. Gage makes it a point to develop his character interactions to actually break up the morality of both sides, not just making Dusk a gritty anti-hero. Add solid scripting and a good basic plot as well and this makes for a good read. The art is clean and simple and horrific where it needs to be (this is an Avatar book after all), and it compliments the story. Considering the single issues would cost you nearly $30 and this package reprints every variant cover as well as bonus material, the $24.99 price tag isn’t bad. B+

Batwoman Elegy HC- I’ve spoken with a few people who don’t like the art style of J.H. Williams III, and while I accept that not all people see eye to eye in art that kind of throws me off because seriously this stuff is beautiful. Unique and dynamic panels and storytelling, an unnatural fluidity that condenses long fight scenes into beautifully short and condensed sequences, and the ability to adapt the style to the demands of the script and story without a hitch. Rucka’s story is great, but let’s face it the main reason you should shell out the $24.99 for this is for the oversized art. The price tag is not horrible by any stretch for the package, but considering they don’t give you the Question back-up stories then you’re really paying for 6 issue at $2.99 worth, which should only add up to a $19.99 trade package. What you are paying for here is the oversized treatment of the artwork and in the long run I do think it’s worth it. Considering you might have to wait another six months for a softcover then you just have to ask yourself is it worth biting the bullet on $5 worth and avoid the waiting. A