This week’s a bit light, considering the holiday and a relative lack of DVD releases this week. Still, there’s a few things worth dropping a dime on, so let’s get movin’…

The first issue of Paul Dini’s run on the (thankfully) revamped Detective Comics (DC, $2.95) hit shelves this week, and you gotta run to your local comic shop and snatch it up, then hunt down Paul at Comic-Con in just a little over a week and get him to sign it. Or just stare at him from across a room, wondering why so few have such a brilliant handle on the Dark Knight like Paul does. You may also recall that Mr. Dini and his sock monkey son Rashy do their own talk show here at Quick Stop, “Monkey Talk”. You should really check that out, too. Hint. Hint.

When most creative people view the re-launch of a venerable franchise as a 1,2,3 process of simply wiping out what came before and starting from scratch, it takes a delicate hand – and an often harrowing leap of faith – to decide to revitalize a franchise while still keeping its previous continuity intact. It’s rare that such an endeavor proves successful, but just such a creative miracle was achieved by Russell T. Davies, executive producer the rejuvenated Doctor Who (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$99.98 SRP). Re-launched last year on the BBC to critical praise and fan approval, the Doctor’s adventures pulled in huge audiences of both old and new fans of all ages, proving that you don’t always have to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. Starring Christopher Eccleston as the time traveling Doctor (the ninth in a line that’s included the legendary Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, and Paul McGann) and Billie Piper as faithful and feisty companion Rose Tyler, it’s amazing how well it all pulled together. The 5-disc complete first season set features all 13 episodes, plus audio commentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

With a title like Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots (Kodansha America, $26.95 SRP), how could I not crack this book open as soon as I laid eyes on it? Thankfully, its contents live up to the title, featuring everything from Astroboy to assembly line mechanical arms dueling with lightsabers at a trade show.

Tom DeFalco returns with another in his fascinating Comics Creators On… series, this time focusing on the writers and artists behind the long history of those mighty mutants, the X-Men (Titan Books, $17.95 SRP). Interviewees include Stan Lee, John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Alan Davis, Grant Morrison, Louise Simonson, Dave Cockrum, and more.

Hans Zimmer’s scores too often veer into sonic wallpaper for me, but I was duly impressed by his score for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Walt Disney Records, $18.98 SRP), a rousing, swashbuckling affair that captivated me from start to finish. Stunning, I know.

It took a film like Find Me Guilty (Fox, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP) to remember that, when he tries and he has a solid director and script behind him, Vin Diesel can actually act. Here he plays Jackie Dee DiNorscio, a real life gangster who refused to rat out the Luccehese crime family and instead opted to defend himself – in what turned out to be one of the most surreal trials of al time. Wisecracking and affable, DiNorscio turned the court upside down, and Diesel delivers a memorable performance bringing it to cinematic life. The DVD features a conversation with director Sidney Lumet, TV spots, and the theatrical trailer.

Jack Kirby’s epic Fourth World gets the spotlight in the latest tabloid-sized issue (#46) of the Jack Kirby Collector (Twomorrows, $9.95 SRP), packed with original pencil sketches, rare pages, and so much more cool stuff that upholds Twomorrows rep as the best comics history torchbearer publishing today.

Also worth checking out is the first volume in the 3-volume arc of graphic novels acting as a prequel to director Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales, Two Roads Diverge (Graphitti Designs, $12.95 SRP). The film itself will comprise the final three volumes of the saga, so pick up a copy and get started on a most unique journey.

Farrah Fawcett had departed (save for a guest appearance), and you could tell that it was the beginning of the end for those femmes of the mission impossible set, Charlie’s Angels (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP). The 6-disc third season set contains all 24 episodes – one of which features a guest turn from Scatman Crothers. Scatman Crothers plusses anything he graces.

And finally, how about a look at a few characters from the latest series of Family Guy figures (Mezco, $12.00 SRP each), featuring Peter (as Gary the No Trash Cougar), The Sales Man, Tricia Takanawa, Greased-Up Deaf Guy, God, and McGriffen?

So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

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