In the last few years, the Batman universe has been as interesting as ever. I’ve been following a lot of the books, including the current Batman and the Outsiders series, which spins off into the new Batgirl comic, by Adam Beechen, Jim Calafiore, and Mark McKenna.

Issue #1 began well enough, catching up with Batgirl in the middle of stalking two thugs and touturing them for information. We then jump to a somewhat clunky, but freshly-executed phone conversation between Alfred and Batman.

In next scene, the dialougue emphasizes the uniqueness of Cassandra Cain (Batgirl) as a character. She hardly ever speaks, letting other members of the Batman family narrate her story for her. Rather than using key action shots in a flashback to catch new readers up on Batgirl’s recent history, stacks of narration blocks and word bubbles frame iconicly posed characters, making for a few middle pages that read like a Wikipedia entry.

For the final act, Batgirl is alone again, allowing the simple, almost poetic voice that Beechen gives her to establish perfect rythym with Calafiore well chosen layouts. Ideally, this style and tone becomes that status quo for the series. It’s nice to see a character in Gotham who’s more conflicted and darker than Bruce. I look forward to spending more time with Cassandra Cain, but hope it doesn’t suffer from another Batman-narrated high-school writing assignment.

This month, Desperado releases the first issue of the second volume of Antoine Sharpe, The Atheist. Originally titled simply The Athiest, the title was altered to take attention away from the religious overtones. Appropriate, because author Phillip Hester isn’t concerned with converting anyone from their chosen faith. The Athiest might be more accurately titled The Skeptic, but that’s not as exciting.

If you’re a fan of Hellblazer, Penn & Teller’s Bullsh*t, X-Files, or similar media, you’ll probably find something to love about Antoine Sharpe. The protagonist is a kind of paranormal detective, although, unlike the kooks on TV, he’s more interested in the actual truth. In the first series, he fought against an army of dead souls attempting to reincarnate by possessing living humans.

The Razor, might also be an adequete alias for Sharpe, as he expertly applys Occam’s Razor to any situation, remaining calm and rationale under the freakist situations. If your the type that admires heroes for their intelligence and stoicism (think Batman) but still enjoys a touch of the supernatural in your fiction, then check out the new issue this month or get the original story, The Athiest: Incarnate.

Novelist and Hellblazer: Papa Midnite writer Mat Johnson’s new graphic novel, Incognegro recreates the South of Twain, Faulkner, Bierce, and O’Connor from a different angle, that of the Incognegro. Like any good superhero detective, Zane Pinchback utilizes his alterego in a quest for justice and freedom. His ability? To pass as white in the South of the 30s.

Incognegro is on an early short list for best graphic fiction of 2008, and it’s hard to imagine many that would top it. Warren Pleece’s (Hellblazer, Crisis) black-and-white work has personality and style (similar to Brian Hurtt here). Johnson’s plot, like any good story of the decayed, post-Reconstruction South, winds through morality and deceit, using suspense and twists with meaning, not merely to titillate. The only criticism I can make is that the dialouge often seems anchronistic, although I might trust literary-historian Johnson’s authority on dialects of the time over my own.

Incognegro on In Stock Trades

Adrian Tomine’s latest collection of Optic Nerve (Drawn & Quarterly) singles has received overwhelming praise from all directions: Blair Butler’s “Fresh Ink,” Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Collecting issues 9-11 of his highly irregular series (the early issues of which are collected in the also recommended 32 Stories), Shortcomings tells the story of a young couple separated by distance, expectations, and jealousy. As with all of Tomine’s stories, the story rings so true it leaves your ears buzzing. His black-and-white artwork is brilliantly appropriate to his slice-of-life storytelling. Tomine’s characters are not just real people–they’re people you know (and maybe wish you didn’t), and they inhabit the same world as us.

Regardless of your opinion on indie comics or realistic fiction, you’ll find something to appreciate Shortcomings. And best of all, you won’t have to wait half a decade for the end of the story like some of us.

The second Damned series, Prodigal Sons, should be on the shelves March 19 from Oni Press. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt (Hard Time, Queen and Country) handle creative duties again. I really enjoyed the first series, which followed Eddie, a classic noir protagonist who can return from the dead when someone touches his body, as he navigates his way through and underworld of organized crime and demons.

The Damned: Prodigal Sons is a only three issue series, but will be followed by another mini, Daughter’s Dance.Fellow ST. Louis-artist Chris Samnee (Capote in Kansas, Queen & Country) provides pencils on the upcoming Daredevil special, Blood of the Tarantula. I’ve been unable to find any previews of Samnee’s work on the issue, but I’m sure it will be worth getting.