Major Spoilers Staff Picks for February 22, 2012

You’ve seen the list of new comics that are arriving in stores this week, but what should you pick up? Take the jump as the Major Spoilers Staff picks the books they are most looking forward to this week.

ATOMIC ROBO GHOST OF STATION X #5 (OF 5)
Writer: Brian Clevinger
Artist: Scott Wegener
Publisher: Red 5 Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: We’d like to apologize for the content of the four previous solicitations. They were unnecessarily antagonistic. Let’s just agree that people who aren’t buying this comic are to be pitied like the miserable wastes of skin they are. In this, the concluding issue of The Ghost Of Station X, Atomic Robo finally comes face to face with the brains behind the plot to destroy him. The twist? Whether or not he lives, humanity dies. A fun comic book for all ages!

STEPHEN: This is one of the few books I insist on getting in the print AND electronic form, and even though the book was available via comiXology a few weeks ago, it looks like I’ll finally get my hands on the slick cover that has touched the great one, Atomic Robo… What do you mean Atomic Robo is a fictional character? YOU LIE! TAKE IT BACK! ATOMIC ROBO IS REAL!

BULLETPROOF COFFIN DISINTERRED #2 (OF 6) (MR)
Story by: David Hine
Art By: Shaky Kane
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “TALES FROM THE HAUNTED JAZZ CLUB”
Red Wraith recounts three tall tales of love and mutilation. An incompetent doctor performs surgery on his beloved wife, a beatnik learns that sexual inexperience, marijuana and sharp instruments make a dangerous mix, and a woman with a morbid fear of human hair discovers that a bald body can still be hairy inside.

GEORGE: I am so jazzed that the original Bulletproof Coffin run got a sequel. Last issue captured the well-crafted, mind-bending perverseness that made the first series so enjoyable. These stories aren’t for the weak of heart or stomach, but for those with a strong spirit and a love for the macabre and bizarre, Bulletproof Coffin is your book.

CHEW #24
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “MAJOR LEAGUE CHEW,” Part Four
This issue we give new meaning to the phrase “death by chocolate.”

ROB: Consistently one of the (if not the) best, most interesting, and most entertaining books on the market right now, Chew is easily the best thing coming out this week. Anyone not reading this should be and anyone who is should be reading it more it is easily more than good enough for that.

STEPHEN: The premise of the series is disgusting, most of the characters are unlikeable, and they’ve outlawed chicken! CHICKEN! Jeebus, I love this series.

ZACH: Not enough can be said about how fantastic this series is. Chew is consistently one of my top books every month. John Layman is weaving together a story that deserves to be reread over and over. Rob Guillory’s art, well the Eisners speak for themselves. You NEED to pick this up on Wednesday.

FLASH #6
Writer: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Artist: Francis Manapul
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Struggling with the climactic aftermath of his battle with Mob Rule last issue, The Flash must solve a murder mystery that dates back 150 years! Is this case too cold even for Barry Allen? Also: Learn the origins of Central and Keystone City!

JIMMY: I absolutely love Francis Manapul’s art, and his story has been great as well. We just finished an arc with a new villain, Mob Rule, and now we have the promise of the reintroduction of Captain Cold into the title. I’m not enthusiastic about the direction they’re taking him with the metahuman powers, but I am open-minded to see where Francis takes me. I’m also not overlooking the fact that seemingly half the DC titles are having a guest artist on issue six, whereas Francis Manapul is still going strong both writing AND drawing the book, though I suppose it’s only fitting that Flash would be on time.

ZACH: Flash has been a book that I have consistently bought since the New 52 started and I have really enjoyed it. Story wise nothing has ever jumped off the page, but I love Francis Manapul’s art. How he uses different page layouts and in-panel art to show the speed of Flash is what has me buying this every week.

GRIMM FAIRY TALES: ALICE IN WONDERLAND #2
Writer: Raven Gregory
Artist: Robert Gill
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Having escaped from the clutches of the Jabberwocky, Alice sets off on a journey through the realm of madness and terror. Along the way she befriends another strange captive of this world and will quickly learn that not everyone is what they seem. From the same minds behind the hit Return To Wonderland trilogy comes the newest series that every Zenescope fan has been waiting for! Follow us back down the rabbit hole and re-discover Wonderland!

JIMMY: Without the Major Spoilers Podcast, I probably never would’ve given a Zenescope title a chance–my impression was the company just used shock value of mostly naked women to move comics with no story. Thanks to praise from Stephen and the rest of the crew, as well as a nice interview with one of the Zenescope founders, I decided I’d give it a try. Alice in Wonderland has been my gateway into Zenescope, and so far I’ve enjoyed it considerably. There certainly is a bit of overemphasis of the scantily clad female lead, but there has been some great story so far as well. If you’re a fan of alternate takes on Wonderland (ie. American McGee’s or Tim Burton’s) then you may enjoy this!

INCORRUPTIBLE #27
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Marcio Takara
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Max Damage has seemingly driven Plutonian from Coalville, finally cementing him as a hero among the struggling desperate populace. But at what cost? And when the deal he made with Plutonian comes due, can Max be the hero that Coalville needs once again? Don’t miss the beginning of a new era in this companion to Mark Waid’s Eisner-nominated superhero series, IRREDEEMABLE!

JIMMY: We’re now in the wake of the big crossover origins story, and thankfully both titles should be going back to their normal storylines. Now that it’s been announced the series is ending I am looking forward to seeing how Mark Waid sets up his endgame. Max Damage has to either fix Coalville or fail in the process, and it’ll be interesting seeing how he deals with the giant radioactive cloud that’s traversing the Earth now.

INFESTATION 2 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #2
Writer: Paul Crilley
Artist: Valerio Schiti
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATIONS: The City of Towers is in chaos! As the citizens flee the coming of the INFESTATION, only Abraxis Wren holds the secrets that might save Sharn — but does he have the strength of will to survive this crucible of terror? Plus — learn the strange history the world of Eberron shares with the threat of INFESTATION 2!

RODRIGO:  This is it! The epic tale of brave heroes overcoming psychotic beings from beyond time and space comes to it’s devastating conclusion. But enough about Critical Hit! let’s read about Infestation 2!

JURASSIC STRIKE FORCE 5 #2
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artist: Caio Cacau
Publisher: Silver Dragon Books
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: After escaping from 160 Million years on ice the evil alien Zalex and his mutated reptilians are ready to resume their conquest of the galaxy. But first they are going to start with a little planet called Earth. An Antarctic nuclear sub base proves to be no obstacle in their conquest of Earth…no problem until Dino StrikeForce shows up to throw a wrench in Zalex’s plan! You can’t afford to miss this battle that’s been 160 million years in the making!

RODRIGO: I don’t know guys, this is really not turning out the way I want. Then again, I’ve only read one issue. So I might as well stay on board and see where this train goes. I can always bail out at issue 3. Statistically speaking that would be mean.

RASL #13
Writer: Jeff Smith
Artist: Jeff Smith
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: Rasl tries to carry out his plan to shut down the universe bending St. George Array forever, but rogue government assassin Salvador Crow won’t give up without a battle!

STEPHEN: It’s been a long time coming, but the end of Jeff Smith’s RASL is just around the corner. Each issue is like a mini art gallery mashed with the local science lecture hall. What? You’re town DOESN’T have a local science lecture hall? Your town is lame. RASL, on the other hand is pure awesome.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #7
Writer: Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz
Artist: Dan Duncan
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Baxter Stockman. General Krang. These Turtle villains have largely kept to the shadows… until now. Baxter is determined to capture the Turtles before Krang comes to New York… and he just might have the perfect invention to complete his task. And if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget Old Hob is still in the picture! Trouble for the Turtles abounds!

GEORGE: One of my favorite ongoing monthlies. This book retains enough of the familiar while introducing bits of the new that I think it will appeal to old fans and newcomers alike. The recognizable weapons and characterizations are there, but new elements like reincarnation and shadowy government conspiracies are at play. This issue promises to introduce the new interpretation of General Krang, and I don’t think he’s a gooey pink brain anymore.

TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN: CUTIE ISLAND TPB
Writer: Shannon Wheeler
Artist: Shannon Wheeler
Cover Price: $17.99
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
SOLICITATION: A new cartoon collection from the Eisner Award- winning and current New Yorker Magazine cartoonist Shannon Wheeler! Too Much Coffee Man, the long-underwear-clad hero who’s been delighting fans for two decades, returns to the printed page in his first all-new adventures since having his life remade in opera form. Wheeler remains one of the best satirist of a generation, lending a hilariously cynical eye to Too Much Coffee Man’s struggle to make sense of the ever-changing modern world – with a space octopus thrown in for good measure, of course.

BRUCE: Wheeler’s Too Much Coffee Man strips have appeared in all sorts of places like free weekly newspapers, magazines and minicomics, and are pretty much impossible to collect one by one. That’s why it’s exciting when new collection of TMCM appears, I’ll get the whole kit and caboodle, plus new material not found anywhere else without any effort on my part. Not very super as heroes go, nor is he particularly heroic, TMCM always offers an unique (and cynical) take on modern life, with relatable and very funny observations about the messed up world where we try to enjoy our coffee.

UNCANNY X-FORCE #22
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Greg Tocchini
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • Wolverine and AOA Nightcrawler face a strange and deadly new foe in Otherworld
• Fantomex’s sentence is carried out and he is injected with an anti-reality serum…
• Psylocke becomes Lady Briton!
• Deadpool is decapitated!

ROB: I keep finding myself pleasantly surprised by how much I’m enjoying Wolverine related titles, and this is yet another example. With Fantomex sentenced to oblivion and Psylocke getting her Lady Britain powers back/amped, this looks to be yet another interesting romp through alternate realities.

WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #6
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Nick Bradshaw, Walden Wong, Jay Leisten, Norman Lee , Cam Smith
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • Things get worse!
• Wolverine & Kid Omega go to an intergalactic casino to win enough money to keep the Jean Grey School going!

ROB: More Wolverine, more students, more oddities. With Kitty being eaten inside out by a manufactured micro-brood and Logan in space trying to win some more capital for the school, how is the school going to survive? Well, that’s what I plan to find out on Wednesday.