Ultimate Comics X-Men #6

I've lost a lot of desire for the Ultimate line over the past few years. When Ultimatum came and killed a ton of major characters, I figured that would be a good place to end the line. But Marvel continued with it. The readers, on the other hand, did not. So Marvel decided to redo the line for a third time, this time killing off Spider-Man, and bringing in a lot of new up-and-coming creators. It still hasn't clicked all that well. I used to get the entire line, but with this third outing, I just stuck with my X-Men. It was an easy call for me since I get anything with an "X" on it, and Nick Spencer is writing it. But even that hasn't helped. It just doesn't hold much interest because these aren't the "real" Marvel characters. There's no "Oh no! So-and-so died!" That's why I didn't understand the huge outcry over the new Spider-Man being of African-American/Latino heritage. It wasn't Peter Parker, so why the fuss? This is the perfect universe to do something like that. It's a just big ol' What If?

But this issue is where everything finally clicked. There's been a big plan all along. One that reaches as far back as Ultimatum. And that right there is where the genius of the new blood creators comes through. They're not the type of writers to just give you all the answers on the first page of the first issue. And they shouldn't. What's the point of reading a story if you know how it ends before it starts? That's why so many prequels get it wrong. This issue finally brings some of that grand arc to light. It's a pretty bold one, too. I didn't see it coming. Maybe I should've, but I was caught off guard by it. It's going to be interesting to see how broad this idea is taken. We've seen a slightly similar story in the main Marvel U, but it can never go so far as it can in the Ultimate U.

So if you've been disappointed in the direction of the current Ultimate Comics line, I think this might be the beginning of some very interesting, and very big, developments. Let's just hope the payoff is worth the long build-up.

The Li'l Depressed Boy Volume 0

The Li'l Depressed Boy is one of my top three favorite comics currently. More often than not I can see myself in his shoes. It's a quality that makes you, the reader, care for the character in a way that isn't present in most books. It also has the distinction of being the only book to ever publish one of my letters, so it'll always have a special place with me.
This volume collects the stories that were released as a webcomic years before it became an Image comic. It's rough around the edges, but you can see where LDB grew from. The fact that you can see LDB drawn by a myriad of artists is a unique treat. Each one gives their own special take on our lead, and each style fits the emotions of the particular strip.
LDB is a very emotional comic. Frankly, it's not for everybody. But it should be. There's not a person on this planet that hasn't felt like him or found themselves in one of his situations at least once in their life. He's a character you want to succeed, because if he does, then maybe, just maybe, so will you.

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #1

If you are a fan of the main Wolverine and the X-Men series, then you should not miss this side series. It lets Quentin Quire shine brightly, where he doesn't get the full attention in the main book. Quentin's always been a jerk (to put it "kid-friendly"), but that's what makes him a great character. You can't have every character be your obvious hero, or run-of-the-mill villain. Is Quentin a hero? Nope. But he's not a clear-cut villain, either. That's what makes him interesting. You want to see what mischief he starts.
The mischief he brings about in this series is completely directed at Wolverine, someone who he has a huge problem with currently. Quentin traps Logan and Armor in Logan's mind, for a reason that is yet to be fully explained. Sure, the simple answer is simply to screw with Logan, but nothing is ever simple when it comes to Quentin Quire.
It's good to see Brian Wood back at Marvel. It's been probably over a decade since he's written anything for them. He's still got a great grasp on characters that he has never written before, or written very little of in the past. He immediately makes Quire his own. The story fits it amazingly well with Jason Aaron's main series.
I am torn on the art. I love Mark Brooks' art, so the psychic parts of the story work well. The multitude of inkers is a little jarring, but not distracting. Just...noticeable in certain panels. But, I do not like Roland Boschi's art on the present day parts. I've seen better from him before, so it's disappointing he didn't bring his A game to such a high profile book. I really hope it gets better in subsequent issues, or quite frankly, it could be a huge detraction from the overall series.
But for now, the book is a worthy read. It leaves you with just enough story to satisfy, but also enough "I don't get it" so you'll come back for the answers.