1) Ultimate Spider-man #160

This final issue of the title features what Marvel is teasing as the true death of their Ultimate flagship character.  With a new character assuming the mantle and starting a new series later this year, this is arguably the biggest event to happen in the Ultimate universe.  With press coverage of this issue abounding this week, expect lots of non-regular customers to walk in the shop looking for this one.

2) Rocketeer Adventures #2

IDW’s tribute miniseries to Dave Stevens continues this week.  Issue two features an incredible lineup of creators paying homage to Stevens, including the likes of Darwyn Cooke, Geof Darrow, Mark Waid, Chris Weston, Dave Stewart, Gene Ha, and Alex Ross.  The great thing about this series is that all these creators clearly love and respect Stevens, and it shows in the work they are producing.

3) Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search #1

If you hadn’t heard, DC reintroduced Swamp Thing back into the non-Vertigo universe at the end of Brightest Day.  This three issue miniseries also brings John Constantine over and will deal with the characters in their new DCU roles.  What does this mean for the Vertigo line?  Will we see even more Vertigo characters start to transition back to the DCU? Perhaps this series will provide some answers.

4) Dark Horse Presents #2

This second issue of Dark Horse’s fabled anthology title features the likes of Paul Chadwick, Richard Corben, Howard Chaykin, Carla Speed McNeil, Michael T. Gilbert, Neal Adams, and a fantastic new story from Sanford Greene, plus several more.  That’s a lot of talented creators working on their own original material.  This is one book definitely worth picking up.

5)  Batman: Gates of Gotham #2

Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, and Trever McCarthy continue their miniseries spotlighting the history of Gotham City, its’ founding fathers, and the legacy they left behind.  If you missed the first issue, this story is a unique combination of history, architecture, and the slow decay of a metropolitan city.

> Bonus Picks of the Week: The Mighty Thor #3, Guild: Bladezz one shot, Action Comics #902, Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #5, and X-men: Age of X HC.