By Keith Backer

If you had told the average person, before the season started, that the Rays (sans “Devil”) would be the best team in baseball by the end of June, they would probably think you were insane. After all, this is a team that has never had a winning season since the franchise was born in 1998 and has finished in last place in the American League East every year with the exception of 2004. Their payroll is miniscule (roughly $43 million) compared to the beasts of the East, Boston ($133 million) and New York ($207 million), and there are no clearly defined super-star players (although you might be able to make a case for Carl Crawford). Yet somehow this team has managed to become the best team in all of baseball. (more…)

“X-Men: Divided”
Review by Shawn De Ocampo

Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Ben Oliver & Mike Choi

The latest issue of X-Men: Divided features Cyclops and the White Queen preparing to face their teammates in the recently transformed 60’s era of San Francisco. Interestingly, Emma (the White Queen) breaks through the psychic barrier to discover that the weaken and battered Martinique Wyngarde (Mastermind), along with 3 former hippies manipulating her, is the source behind the transformations. They are reliving the past. In response to this discovery, Emma directs Cyclops to blast the building next to him, the hiding place of Mastermind. A stunned Mastermind escapes. As a result, the people behind this scheme get lectured about what they have done wrong. (more…)

Review by Shawn De Ocampo

Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Scott Eaton

Charles Xavier is in the mindscape with Mr. Sinister, as Sinister reveals that he has added himself to Charles’ DNA. Gambit, who was under attack, is assisted by Sebastian Shaw and is warned that he is on an assassination list with Charles Xavier, Cain Marko and Carter Ryking. After they dispose of the assassins, Shaw informs Gambit that Sinister has encoded his DNA, with the Cronus Device, in all of the people on the list when they were children. Sinister’s DNA cycles through in each of them, reawakening to take over when the time is right. (more…)

By Adrian Coleman

The buzzword for this year’s NBA draft was ‘quality’. Because of the lack of superstar talent outside the very top and the abundance of undeveloped quantities elsewhere, teams were forced to minimize risk and avoid drafting strictly on potential. It was a welcome change from recent years. Team needs were met. Potential trade bait was acquired. The results were just short of spectacular for a few franchises, extremely satisfying for most, and only disappointing for those clubs whose negatives outweighed anything the draft could neutralize anyway.

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Review by Alex DeLarge
“Red Light, Green Light”
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Ed McGuinness
The fight continues from the previous issue where Red Hulk was dominating the new A-Bomb, who is absent from this issue. And our favorite Green Hulk, the one we all know and love, shows up to start a new rumble. The match up is so important that it seems The Watcher has come to see the fight, but unfortunately he got a little too close to the action than I am sure he wanted. The fight between Hulk and Red Hulk takes center stage except for two critical moments: the reveal of the identity of the Red Hulk from the perspective of Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D. and the introduction of a new challenger. It seems Doctor Sampson has a lot of explaining to do and THOR JOINS THE BRAWL! (more…)

By Keith Backer
It’s that time of year again, kids. Once again, it’s the end of June. Summer has officially begun, the kids are out of school, the beaches have opened and Managers and GMs are updating their resumes. Yes, this is the time when underperforming teams realize they suck and decide to start rolling heads, whether they deserve it or not. (more…)

Review by Shady

“X-it Strategy”
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Valentine De Landro

Previously, the X-Factor team was targeted for assassination by a former member of the Purifiers with the hired help of Arcade. Although X-Factor survived most parts of Mutant Town did not. Now, Val Cooper has brought her O*N*E counterparts to help with damage control. (more…)

“Old Man Logan”

Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Steve McNiven

Review by Shady

Mark Millar returns along with Steve McNiven to Wolverine to tell their own rendition of a bleak future where all the heroes are inactive, our hero has lost his way and is forced to make ends meet. (more…)

Title: Nexus issue #1 (The Original Nexus GN)

Writer: Mike Baron

Artist: Steve Rude

Publisher: First Comics (Capital Comics) in 1981/5.

Synopsis and Review by Cat-Scratch

Story:

The story opens with a man floating in a nutrient bath, he dreams of another place. He dreams of a man being tortured for having fought for a better world. The dreaming man leaves the bath, he tells his two friends to prepare is cruiser and lay out his uniform. He prepares and marches to his cruiser, people cheering him on. He is Nexus. (more…)

By Alex DeLarge

Writer: Tom Peyer
Artist: Freddie E. Williams II

Fast Money Part Four: Flash Mob

SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS

This series keeps getting better and better. It hasn’t been that difficult to do given the last year’s worth of Flash stories, but as each month passes it will become more difficult to do if things keep going as they are. This series has snowballed in quality. More… (more…)