I’d rather not talk about the Dexter series finale. It was so off the mark- so horrible, that I wish there was a TV show version of Dexter that could kill it, chop it up, and throw the pieces into the Ocean. It was such an insult to the series, that it taints all of the seasons before it. I need something to cleanse it from my brain. That finale can not be the last Dexter related story that I experience.

Here is hoping that Marvel Comics is able to tell a story true to the character and seasons that came before. Dexter Down Under pulls our favorite anti-hero from Miami and plants him into a very different atmosphere, Australia. It could be refreshing to see Dexter in a new setting, will he be a fish out of water, or will he fit in nicely among the local predators?

Dexter Down Under #1
Official Description: It’s a new, blood-soaked adventure starring Dexter Morgan, who isn’t just Miami’s #1 forensic blood splatter expert…he’s also a serial killer who targets other serial killers! When Dexter travels down under, he quickly discovers that sharks aren’t Australia’s only deadly predator!

Dexter Down Under hit comic book stores on February 19, 2014, which means that you can go out and get it now! Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments!

Uncanny X-Force and Cable and X-Force are racing to their endgame as Part 4 of “Vendetta” sees the return of Stryfe and the climax of more than a year of stories in two titles. When the dust settles, both teams will be done as a new team rises lead by Cable and Psylocke. What will be the fate of Hope, Bishop, Spiral, Puck, Domino, Colossus, Forge and Doctor Nemesis- the characters without another series they are currently appearing in? Here is hoping that Bishop finds true redemption for his villainous actions chasing Hope through time and getting a lot of blood on his hands while he tried to murder her.

Uncanny X-Force #17
Official Description: Classic X-Force villain STRYFE has returned! And he’s eager to exact his revenge on the man who left him broken and adrift in the timestream: CABLE. As Stryfe’s plan comes to bear, Hope is brought face-to-face with Bishop, the man who crusaded across centuries in a mission to exterminate her. But this time around, she’s ready to retaliate…and they’ll hold nothing back as they race to destroy one another. Don’t miss this no-holds-barred, knockdown, drag-out X-FORCE event! Because when the dust settles, only ONE X-Force team will be left standing…

The final issue of Uncanny X-Force hits stands on Wednesday Janary 29, 2014. The All-New Marvel NOW! X-Force kicks off in February from the new creative team of writer Si Spurrier and artist Rock-he Kim.

Check out these X-Force related trades…

Here we go! With the end of “Battle of the Atom”, the coin has flipped and the original X-Men have deflected from Wolverine’s side to join with Cyclops. How will this change the status quo? It’ll be nice to see the team back with Angel and from the cover and description writer Brian Michael Bendis has found a clever way to bring Wolverine into the mix through his younger female clone, X-23. Pairing her with young Cyclops is intriguing also, although covers have known to be very deceiving in the past. I love the promise of more Kitty and Illyana interactions and would LOVE to see Colossus added to the book.

All New X-Men #20
Official Description: The fallout of X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM continues! X-23 is back and kissing… WHO IS THE MYSTERY MAN??!

The issue hit stands this past Wednesday, December 18th, 2013. What do you think about the addition of X-23 to the original X-Men? Would you like to see any other characters join the team?

First, lets check out the official descriptions for these upcoming Action Comics issues, then lets chat about them…

Action Comics #26
Official Description: All hell breaks loose as Superman is caught between an alien menace and the super-powered soldier the U.S. Army has sent to kill it!

Action Comics #27
Official Description: Superman takes on the brutal Beast Lord as startling revelations are made about our Earth’s underground world! Plus: more on the mysterious Ghost Soldier!

Alien menace? Super-powered soldier? Beast Lord? Ghost soldier? For better or worse these two issues look like they are filled with stuff out of the 90s era Action Comics. I sorta dig it, but is that what the “New 52” relaunch was about? I thought they were trying to make things edgy and dark? An unmarried Clack Kent, Superman dating Wonder Woman, a new suit (minus the red briefs of course), etc- the list goes on. I still don’t see a good reason for the relaunch and I’m hopeful that someday I’ll see “my” Superman again, but in the meantime, I miss following the adventures of the Man of Steel and I’ve been warming up to jumping back in and collecting Man of Steel and/or Superman.

Have you been following Action Comics? Is it worth picking up? Issues #26 comes out on Wednesday December 4th, and issues #27 comes out Wednesday January 8th.

Check out these Superman related trades…

Recently we previewed the first two issues of Superman/Wonder Woman and “Villains Month” issues featuring Doomsday and H’el. But don’t I hate DC Comic’s “New 52”? No. I don’t hate it. I just hate how they went about the reboot. I felt like I never got closure for the old DC Comics universe. That years and years of great stories just built to no natural conclusion. That is something I still hate and hope that they one day resolve. After two years I do have to get over it if I want to enjoy Superman in comic form ever again, right?

Superman #24 is the conclusion of “Psi War” and it looks like it is leading directly into a new story about Krypton. How will this compare to the old universe’s “Return to Krypton”? From the cover of issue #25, it looks like we very well may be seeing Jor-El alive in some form or another? Time travel? Alternate universe? I wonder if this would be a good jumping on point for a new “old” reader?

Superman #24
Official Description: “Psi War” comes to a shocking conclusion as one of the people closest to Superman becomes a casualty—and then, cometh the Oracle to tell Superman that Krypton lives once more!

Superman #25
Official Description: “KRYPTON RETURNS” concludes! Months before its explosion, Superman finds himself locked in combat against H’El! Can he find a way to save the planet? A most unexpected foe stands in his path: Jor-El! A hero will fall during this epic adventure!

DC Comics publishes issue 24 tomorrow Wednesday October 23rd, and issue 25 hits stands on November 27th.

One of the more intriguing aspects of DC Comic’s “New 52” relaunch has been the relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman. One of the biggest “missed opportunities” of the DC Universe that started in the 80s was that these two icons never got together. Now we get to see it play out without the bond of “Lois and Clark” in the way. Throwing them together into a new series is an interesting way to explore the relationship, I just hope it is organic and that this title has an effect of the each of their other books. Throwing Doomsday into the mix as a big bad is a fun move. Did you check out Doomsday’s origin as part of “Villain’s Month”?

Superman/Wonder Woman #1
Official Description: Beginning a bold new series that details the relationship between The Man of Steel and the Warrior Princess as rising star writer Charles Soule is joined by fan favorite artist Tony S. Daniel to tell the tale of a romance that will shake the stars themselves. These two super-beings love each other, but not everyone shares their joy. Some fear it, some test it—and some will try to kill for it. Some say love is a battlefield, but where Superman and Wonder Woman are concerned it spells Doomsday!

This issue features an amazing wraparound gatefold cover that opens up to a triptych with Superman and Wonder Woman in the center!

Superman/Wonder Woman #2
Official Description: Whom the gods destroy, first they piss off! Seeking help against Doomsday, Diana turns to her brother Hephaestus for weapons—but a more immediate threat is Apollo and the other gods. They do not approve of Superman as a consort to Diana, and he will have to prove himself in combat!

Issue #1 comes out on October 9th with issue #2 out on November 13, 2013, from DC Comics.

It is no secret that I hate that DC Comics relaunched with the “New 52” with little regard to fans or the characters. I get wanting to do something new and big to attract a new audience, and it has been successful in that right. But there was a way they could have done it by taking their time and bringing out ongoing series to natural conclusions, instead of just ending everything abruptly with the “Flashpoint” crossover. Sure, some titles like Batman and Green Lantern kept going like nothing had changed, but character like Superman who were altered greatly did not have a satisfying end. And that is a shame. </rant>

That being said, DC Comics has actually been doing some interesting stuff, including this month’s “Forever Evil” and “Villains Month”, where every title has been taken over by a villain, showing us their place in the New 52, or like for Doomsday above, shedding new light on his 52 Origin. H’el is one of the few new Superman villains in recent years to catch my attention. A Krypton villain who is powerful and ruthless- like ow Zod used to be. I just might be intrigued enough to pick up these two titles. Maybe. We’ll see.

Superman #23.3
Official Description: After his last battle with Superman, H’el wakes up on Krypton years before it is destroyed! Can H’el manipulate the Science Counsel, soldiers and countless others including Jor-El, to save the planet? And what does it mean for the birth of Superman if he succeeds?

Batman/Superman #3.1
Official Description: Long before Superman fought the unstoppable monster known as Doomsday, the beast’s reputation for death and destruction haunted The Man of Steel’s home world of Krypton.

Superman #23.3 hit stores last week while Batman/Superman #3.1 comes out on Wednesday September 25th, 2013. Both from DC Comics. Superman is written by Scott Lobdell with art by  Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund. Batman/Superman is written by Greg Pak with art by Brett Booth.

Have you been following the New 52? What has stood out? What would you change?