I *will* be picking up Book of Lost Souls soon as it does look really good. Plus Colleen Doran is a cutie.
(I'll have to post a pic from when a group of us went drinking with the indy press guys and gals about 10 years (and for me about 50 lbs) ago. Fun night!I think I am as officially caught up on IC as I will be, having read:
Return of Donna Troy
Day of Vengeance
Villians United
The OMAC Project
Rann-Thanagar War
Prelude to IC
Countdown to IC
Superman Sacrifice
and finally last night reading IC issues 1-5!
***possible spoilers for those who haven't read Infinite Crisis 1-5 yet below***
Overall I am very much enjoying it with, imho, the weakest parts being the 'magic' and the 'space war' story elements. I dig the magical parts of the DCU but the whole thing seems wasted or just tacked on. I know I'm probably missing something out of the whole pile of crossovers that I haven't read but so be it. I AM looking forward to the 'Shadowpact' ongoing series but mainly because I'm a long-time fan of Bill Willingham and it'll be great to see him writing AND drawing a title again.
The 'space war'... meh. Other than positioning a bunch of heroes at 'the center of the universe' I don't see much point for it yet. We'll see.
The issue of IC that had Superman confronting Batman- wow. Powerful. The 'last time you inspired anyone was when you were dead!' line.....
I can smell what they're going to do with Superman of Earth-2 and... well... I just hope its suitably heroic. I like him- a lot. Though I've never been a Superboy (in any incarnation) fan I hope they go into more about why he went ape-shit. I guess being caught in a bubble would do it but he IS the same person as the other Supes, with the same upbringing. I also liked Alex Luthor in COIE so its a shame to see him become yet another Luthor villain (even if his intentions seem just, which comes more and more into question). I'm guessing *our* Lex will end up helping to save the day, no matter how reluctantly.
As far as Flash goes... they damn well better leave Barry alone. Was that him? Dunno. But leave him dead. PLEASE. His was the most valiant part of COIE and should, again INHO, but the pin that keeps all Flashes if not all DC heroes who knew him anchored.
I also hope that Ted Kord, aka Blue Beetle, gets the props he deserves. 'Countdown' was really sad in as much that he really was always underappreciated and everyone just blew him off and dismissed his opinion. The best humanization of a character I've read in a mainstream book (outside of an Elseworlds, What If, etc) in quite some time and of course... BLAMMO! Even the cover on 'Countdown' was a tease as of course his body was cremated and all that was left was his mask. I actually wish that cover scene would have taken place- it would have really galvanized the heroes.
I didn't pick up any of the OYL titles this week. Its funny- I'm just getting re-interested in where they all are *now*, and then the editorial staff at DC mandates that everyone has to change after IC.