Batman: The Long Halloween - WOW!!!  I didn't pick this up when it was coming out in individual issues, 'cause I didn't think it looked that great to begin with, but about half way through there was this tremendous buzz about the series, and I regretted not buying it.  Then it came out in an hard back collection and I decided to get it and am SO glad that I did.  This is a true detective story, far more than anything that's coming out in Batman's regular titles, this showcases the World's Greatest Detective in a case that even he couldn't solve until it was too late.  Sure the book is $30, and sure they'll probably release it in soft cover, but this is such a great collection that I'm not upset at all that I spent the money on it.  I read it in one evening because I couldn't put it down.  This is a book that is definitely worth picking up, either now or when it's re-released in soft cover.  It is a must read for anyone remotely interested in Batman.

Captain America #12 - I liked the story, but almost felt gyped by the "double sized anniversary issue" thing.  It seemed that the story was told in about half the pages and the final segment was a bunch of action followed by a couple cheap jokes.  Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I think it could have been pared down to a regular sized comic, then I wouldn't have to pay an extra buck for it *grin*  Anyway, as we recall from last month, Nightmare has Cap and Sharon Carter in his grasp and is about to cause a nuclear holocaust using his human pawns.  How can our heroes fight back in the realm of Nightmare?  Well, it turns out that dreams have power there, and since Cap is the embodiment of the American Dream...  Not bad at all, but a bit longer than it needed to be.

Detective Comics #727 - I picked this up because Nightwing and Robin were on the cover.  In the end that really didn't save the book.  Bruce Wayne is in Washington DC trying to get relief funds for Gotham, so Nightwing and Robin are in charge of the city.  They save a bunch of innocents from the Firefly, but nothing really happens.  I'm not terribly fond of Mr. Dixon's work in Detective (which is odd, because I love his Robin and Nightwing stuff), and this is no exception.  I'm amazed that a few short months ago, he did a team up in Nightwing with these two characters and it was fantastic, but here it's not that great at all.  Oh well.  It wasn't really a waste, I guess, as there were some good moments.

Jay and Silent Bob #2 - It's about time!!!  The last issue came out in, what, June?  Anyway, Jay and Bob are on there way to better places when their *ahem* habits get them kicked off the bus.  They wind up in Pittsburg and meet an "adult movie" star who takes them to the set of her current film.  They guys are really looking forward to it until director Neil Patrick Harris goes off on a tirade about the creation of a new independant film genre using erotics to shock the masses or something like that.  Pretty funny stuff all around.  Anyway, I wouldn't reccomend this to the faint of heart, but it's a fun issue.

Thunderbolts #21 - Hawkeye, who appeared last issue, kicks butt then takes names of the Thunderbolts.  You see, the 'bolts are a bit paranoid at this point, and when an Avenger shows up at their door, they think he's an enemy.  He makes a deal - if he can last five minutes against the Thunderbolts, they'll listen.  He does more than last, he takes them all down.  Anyway, he offers them a chance to start over again, supposedly under the good graces of the Commission on Superhuman Activities.  Songbird doesn't believe him, thinks he's going to turn them in, and takes off.  Mach 1 goes after her and manages to calm her down, but in the end, who gets saved and who's left behind?  I enjoyed this issue, but the flashback scenes to Songbirds past were a bit much, almost seeming like filler.  The rest was really good though.  I'm glad I stuck with this book through the long haul.