Thunderbolts #141

While this issue is another in a long line of Siege tie-ins it focuses squarely on the Thunderbolts team and their mission to retrieve the Spear of Odin for Norman Osborn.

Jeff Parker (writer) knows exactly what the strength of this book and what differentiates it from all the other team books out there. This is the story of a team of mercenaries who have no love or loyalty to each other and would sell each other out in a heartbeat if it would serve them. This beauty of this book is to watch how all these selfish people can come together at least long enough to meet the mission objectives and get the next paycheck and this time the mission is a doozy! Infiltrate Asgard while it it is being attacked, sneak into the armory and steal a weapon powerful enough to kill gods. Of course, nothing goes smoothly and they find themselves having to go up against not only the Asgardians but the Mighty Avengers as well.

All in all, a fun read. You don't have to have it to follow the larger Siege storyline but it's an interesting story nonetheless.

Scalped # 35

I will admit that you have to sift through a mountain of mediocrity to get to the really good comics out there but every now and again you find one that is worth the effort. Scalped #35 is just such a comic. Jason Aaron (writer) and Danijel Zezeli (artist) combine to pull back the curtain and give us a glimpse of what it means to survive in one of the poorest areas of the US.

We follow one couple as they struggle with getting enough food to eat while dealing with the various indignities that old age brings to us all. This is a proud, strong couple who realize that they are going to need help in order to survive the coming winter and we get to see what it's like for a proud man to have to go get Government assisitance just in order to provide for his family.

I would highly recommend this issue to anyone that would like to see that comic books are about more than super heroes but have the ability to let us see our fellow man in a different light and give us insight into what makes them tick.