It's not about "good" or "bad" -- it's all about if I dig it.

"Because neither Grant or myself bothered to comment on the first issue of Godshead, Nico Bosovo has decided to use our names and likenesses illegally for the introduction of the second issue."

-Godshead #2

Okay, I enjoyed the last two or three weeks of buying and reading nearly every book that hit the stands, but I'm tired of Ramen Noodles, so it's back to the old way of doing things -- I'll only be buying a limited number of books from here on out (at least, until I strike it rich; go ahead, hold your breath). However, I will continue compiling a list of all the things that I see on the shelves on Wednesday; you may not know what I think of a book, but at least you'll know it's out.

Now, if one of you can convince Marvel and DC to put me on the comps list . . .

Amazing Spider-Man #38 (Marvel Comics, $2.25) J. Michael Straczynski has done a great job of turning this book around. There was a time when I refused to pick up anything Spider-Man related, after all the horrible clone stuff (to say but hte worst of it). Lately, though, JMS and Paul Jenkins have brought the character back to the top of the Marvel line -- particularly JMS, which I suspect is due to a more mainstream/sci-fi background.

This isn't an issue about fights, or destruction, or crime waves or villianous machinations. Much like Ultimate Spider-Man #13, this is about the human side of the characters -- Aunt May and Peter Parker in this case. It's about coming to terms with guilt that isn't necessarily well-placed, and dealing with revealed secrets. The creative team of JMS, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna do a superb job at handling this quiet tale -- no splash pages or action sequences, just good storytelling.

That said, though, this issue fell a little short of the bar that has been set. Not much, mind you -- it's the ending that let me down. After the excellent dialogue between May and Peter, and the really skillful handling of such a major event, I could have done without the appearance of the costume. A little thing, and so little that I almost was able to ignore it -- but not quite. Even so, this issue is as good a reason to pick up the title again, no matter how badly you felt burned by past plotlines. (9 out of 10)

S.C.I. Spy #1 (of 6) (Vertigo / DC Comics, $2.50) James Bond meets James T. Kirk? It's hard not to make comparisons, although anyone who makes a action hero with a suave calm and hands him futuristic gizmos is asking for it.

Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy (with inks by Jimmy Palmiotti) do a nice solid job on the story, with a lot of good action sequences with some clever twists. The overall story, too, has promise -- Moench rarely fails to start things off well. What I missed, though, was something -- anything -- to jump out at me and make this a great read, something more than solid. Perhaps I've been reading too much Bendis and Rucka lately; desensitization has set in. I also felt like the little bit of nudity and swearing were entirely gratuitous, inserted for a cool factor. It's too bad, too, because this is exactly the sort of story that younger readers would love: fairly simple and accessible with a lot of great adventure.

Not bad -- I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the series to see what happens from here -- but not much more than good. (7 out of 10)

X-Force #124 (Marvel Comics) I still find it strange that Marvel left the old title on this book -- besides the fact that it has little if anything to do with anything that came before it, it seems like a different world altogether than the rest of the X-books. Even the appearance of Wolverine a few issues back felt more like another company had borrowed the character for an imaginary tale.

I waver from month to month on how much I like the book. On the one hand, Peter Milligan is taking the super-team concept in new and entirely different directions. On the other, Milligan is taking the super-team concept in new and entirely different directions. The title has been more of an interpersonal relationship book than about mutant angst and big battles; the initial problem was that few characters stayed alive long enough to relate to, and those that did survive were not terribly likeable. Now, though, a few characters have been around long enough to develop, and it's easier to find an anchor in the series.

This issue features Edie ("U-Go Girl") in the spotlight, as her powers are failing her and Guy ("the Orphan") helps her reconenct with herself. The ensuing backstory makes Edie much more sympathetic. It's a really nice tale that further develops the relationship between the two characters, although not in the way that you might expect.

Darwyn Cooke steps in to fill the art shoes of Mike Allred this issue, and though the two are easily distinguishable, the book keeps a great visual flow with the past seven issues (unlike certain other X-books). Laura Allred does a brilliant job with the coloring, too; the overall feeling when it's all said and done is like a nice visit to the Americana Museum followed with a healthy dose of mushrooms.

Some issues of this book are hard for me to enjoy, much less recommend, but this stand-alone story is not one of them. (9 out of 10)

Unquantified, shameless mark rant of the week: Godshead #2 (www.godshead.com) Breaking with tradition (because I can), I present to you one of the most refreshingly funny and creative comics I've ever seen -- and it's on the web, baby! Yeah!. This is a wonderful read, and a great presentation -- if anyone wants to see a great outside the box way of thinking (without pushing people away with weirdness), check out the page design. Nico Bosovo, the creator, describes it thus: "Ever wondered what really goes on behind the eyes of an artist? Ever dared to live in three worlds at once? And what actually happens in the most intimate personal moments of your favorite superheroes? Step behind the scenes and out of the usual comic realm with Nico Bovoso's "Godshead 2." Forget the rules and enjoy not just the final product, but the process, the muse, and the mania. Because every creator is all-powerfulóand it pays to know what goes on in god's head." Be warned: there's some potentially offensive stuff, and a pretty graphic bit of sex depicted on page 9 -- skip it if it bothers you, but read the rest. To quote myself, "F**cking great read." And that's all you should need to know. (10 out of 10)

Also out this week:

Vampi #13 (Anarchy Studios)

Futurama Comics #7 (Bongo Comics)

Lady Death Heartbreaker #1 (Chaos! Comics)

First #16 (CrossGen Comics)

Mystic #21 (CrossGen Comics)

American Century #11 (DC Comics)

Batgirl #25 (DC Comics)

Batman Legends Of The Dark Knight #152 (DC Comics)

Crusades #12 (DC Comics)

Deadman #3 (DC Comics)

Farscape War Torn #1 (DC Comics)

Four Women #5 (of 5) (DC Comics)

Green Lantern #147 (DC Comics)

JLA Shogun Of Steel (DC Comics)

Spectre #14 (DC Comics)

SteamPunk #11 (DC Comics)

Superman #179 (DC Comics)

Superman Adventures #66 (DC Comics)

Tom Strong Book Two Hc (DC Comics)

Young Justice #42 (DC Comics)

Stray Bullets #23 (El Capitan Comics)

Vampirella #6 (Harris Comics)

10th Muse Cruz Cover #9 (Image Comics)

Aria Midwinters Dream (Image Comics)

GI Joe Mia (Image Comics)

Tomb Raider Journeys #2 (Image Comics)

Alias #6 (Marvel Comics)

Avengers Celestial Quest #6 (Marvel Comics)

Citizen V & The V Battalion Everlasting #1 (Marvel Comics)

Exiles #9 (Marvel Comics)

Fantastic Four #52 (Marvel Comics)

Fury #6 (of 6) (Marvel Comics)

Spider-Girl #44 (Marvel Comics)

Ultimate Spider-Man #18 (Marvel Comics)

Uncanny X-Men #402 (Marvel Comics)