Before I get into this week's column, I just wanted to give you fine folks a heads up that HeroClix is doing a collector's club poll for their next set and Invincible is in the running. I know you would ALL prefer an Invincible set to whatever else is on this list so do me a favor and sling a vote my way... unless you're a huge "Runaways" fan or something...

http://forum.wizkidsgames.com/survey/index.php?sid=63

Thanks in advance.

So I've been doing this column for like, I don't know... seven years now and this has just now occurred to me; week in and week out... I ask you people to "BUY MY BOOKS" and while my first column kinda introduced me and I mention my books often, I don't think I've actually done a run down of exactly which books are my books... so lets do that this week. What do you think?

I agree, it's not the worst idea I've had. Let's get started.

THE WALKING DEAD

Art by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn.

This is my love letter to zombie movies. Basically it's the zombie movie that never ends. It's a zombie tale that focuses firmly on the survivors and their emotions and reactions to the world around them. The main character (more is less) is Rick Grimes a small town cop who has sort of fallen into being the leader of a small band of survivors.

Issue 24 is out today, and the book ships monthly from Image Comics. Issue 24 is sort of the tail end of a story-arc, but issue 25 is kind of a good jumping-on point if that's your cup of tea. Also, the trade paperbacks are readily available. Volumes 1-3 are in stores now (collecting issues 1-18) and volume 4 (collecting issues 19-24) will be in stores in about two weeks. So it's pretty easy to get caught up.

There's also an enormous hardcover shipping in early December that contains 1-24 in one back-breaking volume. It's a limited-edition thing and will more than likely be pretty hard to get a hold of. It's on the pricey side, too, but if limited run hardcovers are your think, ask your local retailer today.

MARVEL TEAM-UP

Art by Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco and Studio F.

This was my first regular series for Marvel (because, y'know, Jubilee was a mini-series) and it's still going strong right now. It's "Marvel Team-Up"... a book where Marvel heroes... Team-Up. The issue that just shipped, actually has Invincible (more on him later) meeting Spider-Man... it's a lot of fun, or so I hear. I try to make this book a little more, I don't know, connected than previous incarnations of this book. I try to have long epic arcs that have one team-up flow into the other naturally so every issue isn't just hero A and hero B baking cakes together or whatever. You really should give it a shot.

Issue 15 should be in stores next week, I think. It's the start of the big "League of Losers" arc in which a bunch of Marvel's third string heroes get together and save the world. It features Sleepwalker, Darkhawk, Dagger, Speedball, Terror, Inc, along with newcomers like Gravity, X-23, and Arana (remember, it's pronounced Ah-Rahn-Yuh... I think). Ask for it by name.

The second TPB collecting issues 7-13 will be out in December. The first, collecting issues 1-6 is available now. Cardiac makes an appearance... it's totally sweet.

BATTLE POPE

Art by Tony Moore, Matthew Roberts, Cory Walker, Val Staples and others.

"Battle Pope" is the first book I ever did. So what's coming out from Image is all reprints of that old stuff. But it's all being colored by original cover colorist Val Staples, so it's like a totally different book, to me at least. Val's also coloring "X-Men: Deadly Genesis" over at Marvel-- he's really good.

"Battle Pope" is about The Pope of the future in a world where God has come and everyone was too rotten to go to Heaven. This turn of events doesn't make the big G too happy, so he abandon's Earth, leaves us unprotected and allows Hell to spill out on the Earth, resulting in a mingling of humans and demons forming a new society. When God notices just how bad things have gotten for everyone, he breaks down, gives The Pope superpowers and leaves his son, Jesus H. Christ on Earth to be the Pope's sidekick.

There, now you don't have to buy the first issue.

It's really not quite as offensive as it sounds. I mean, it's offensive, but it's not anti-religion or anything. I dig religion, I'm just using that stuff as a springboard for the most retarded superhero book ever. Give it a shot.

Issue 5 will be out soon, as will a trade paperback collecting issues 1-4 along with loads of extras, so be on the lookout.

NEW AVENGERS

Art by David Finch, Danny Miki and Frank D'armata.

Just kidding. I don't really write "New Avengers."

INVINCIBLE

Art by Ryan Ottley and Bill Crabtree.

"Invincible" is everything I love about superhero comics put in one book-- and y'know, I love everything about superhero comics. It's my book where anything goes. If I want to do it, I can. If I want to kill someone-- I can, if I want to bring them back-- I can. It's loads of fun, I genuinely have the time of my life working on this book.

The story focuses on Mark Grayson the son of the world's premier superhero... who (I'm going to spoil this for everyone who hasn't read it yet because I'm sure most people have had is spoiled already) we later find out was actually sent to Earth to take over... so Mark has to defend the planet from his own father. There's about ten thousand other things going on in the book, but it's still easy to get in on the ground floor.

Issue 27 is in stores today, and the fifth trade paperback just shipped recently. Everything up to issue 24 is in TPB and there's a readily available hardcover collecting the first 13 issues in one handy book. Ask for it by name.

ULTIMATE X-MEN

Art by Tom Raney, Scott Hanna, Steve Dillon and Gina Going-Raney.

Well, this isn't even out yet--and it won't be out until January, but I can still talk about it, right? You all know what "Ultimate X-Men" is, so I'm not going to bore you with those details. Just know that starting with issue 67, I'm writing it.

I'm going to be doing a lot of character stuff, getting to know the characters a little more before we get back to the big action. I'll also be tying things in with stuff that happened way back in Millar's run early on in the title. So I'll be picking up a few loose threads and advancing subplots that have been in the book since the beginning.

I do a little with COUGHphoenixCOUGH, but I don't want to give much away.

Brian K. Vaughan and Stuart Immonen's last issue is in stores today... and yeah, I'm just as sorry to see them go as you are-- let's all share the pain together as you buy my issues, shall we?

MARVEL ZOMBIES

Art by Sean Phillips and June Chung.

Another one that's not out yet, but this one starts in December. This is the zombie book for fans of zombie gore and zombie action that complain "The Walking Dead" has too much kissing and holding hands.

Really, this book is just insane. I got an email from Sean Phillips today that said "this is the stupidest script I've ever read-- and that's a good thing." The things Marvel is letting me do in this book baffle even me, and after they let the script for the first issue through with no changes... I just decided to make things worse.

So basically it's the Marvel Universe, and everyone's a zombie... I think you can pretty much tell if you're going to like it or not from just that.

AN--

Oh, yeah... I can't really talk about that one, yet.

SAVAGE DRAGON: GOD WAR

Art by Mark Englert and Dash Martin

This is where I start showing what a screw up I am by mentioning my later than anything ever should be mini-series. The last issue of this (issue 4) is at the printer and will be out the first week of December. It should have been out long ago. It's a cool little mini-series about The Savage Dragon fighting with a bunch of Gods in a war. I recommend giving it a look. But get all four issues and then read it... or you'll be lost, sadly.

SUPERPATIOT: WAR ON TERROR

Art by E.J. Su, Dash Martin and Kanila Tripp

Same deal with this one, only issue #3 was just completed and won't be in stores for a few weeks at least. This is SuperPatriot fighting a mess of Nazi's who've taken over a small Illinois town. It's also a follow up to my first Image gig "Superpatriot: America's Fighting Force" which I did with Cory Walker way back in the swinging year 2002.

THE PACT #4

Art by Jason Howard

This one isn't so late, but yeah, it was already supposed to be out. It's the last issue of the experimental "Pact" mini-series that Jim Valentino put together. It features ShadowHawk, Zephyr (from "Noble Causes"), Firebreather and Invincible having adventures together in four issues written by the character's creators (or co-creators in the case of Phil Hester and I). Jim Valentino wrote (and drew) the first issue. Jay Faerber wrote the second, Phil the third... and I'm rounding things out in issue #4.

It's late, but you'll see why when it hits stands... it's chock full of stuff. It's cover-to-cover comics and it's not all one story. It was a bear to put together and Jason Howard was a sweetheart to put up with my delays as I tried to figure out what exactly was happening in this book. There's a crossword puzzle on one page... let's just leave it at that.

It could quite possibly be the thing I'm most proud of when it hits the stands. I swear.

THE ROBERT KIRKMAN "BUY MY BOOKS" DISCLAIMER

The first email I get saying "how the hell are you writing ten books a month" is going to result in me kicking all of you in the nuts. Yes ladies, even you. A lot of this was written a while ago, and none of it is all being written at the same time. That said-- it's a lot of books, I know. And I do not expect anyone to buy them all.

I do this for fun, I write comics because I enjoy it. The more comics I write, the more fun I have... so I seem to write a lot. I'm not out here trying to pry every last red cent from your pockets. Hell, truth be told I'd give them all to you for free if I could-- and I do that all the time at cons, ask anyone.

So yeah, I know you can't read them all, but any time you pick up one, just one of these books, know that I really appreciate it and I hope you know I poured everything I got into every one of these things. I love doing what I do and you people are the ones out there making it possible.

The thing is, if you don't buy them, I can't make them, so of course whenever I get a chance, I'm going to be trying to convince you to BUY MY BOOKS.