Happy third week of January. As with weeks past, this week brings new comics from our friends at Marvel. So, let’s take a look at what they are dropping for our reading pleasure this week.

Among the new coming out on Wednesday, we’re most interested in X-Factor #214, Wolverine #5, Scarlet #3, Invincible Iron man #500 and Deadpool Max #4.

As with most weeks, new comics arrive on Wednesday, so hit your nearest comics book store early for best selection.

Don’t know where your nearest comic store is? Use this handy guide to find one.

Comics On-Sale:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #652
AVENGERS ACADEMY #8
AVENGERS VS. PET AVENGERS #4
DEADPOOL MAX #4
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500 JRJR VARIANT
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500 LARROCA WRAPAROUND (50/50 COVER)
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500 QUESADA WRAPAROUND SKETCH VARIANT
SCARLET #4
SCARLET #4 MALEEV VARIANT
SCARLET #4 OEMING VARIANT
SUPERIOR #4
SUPERIOR #4 YU TRIPLE VARIANT
THOR #619

With the release of Iron Man 2 this week, Captain America on the way next year and The Avengers coming in 2012, Marvel is, of course, going to be bring us more and more comics that tie-in with those movies. This time around we’ve got a preview of one of those titles that helps us understand more about the inner workings of The Avengers team.

With Avengers: The Origin already out in stores, Marvel is about to release Avengers Academy into the wild. Here’s what you need to know about this new title:

From acclaimed creators Christos Gage and Mike McKone. The Heroic Age is here and the Avengers must train a new generation of heroes. But who are they? And what dark secret will turn their world–and potentially the entire Marvel Universe–upside down by the end of the issue?

If you think this is just another teen hero book…the last page shocker will prove you wrong.

Check out some preview pages and covers for the comic after the jump. Avengers Academy #1 hits comic store shelves June 3.

Welcome to another edition of The Pull List Comic Reviews! This week, the Blackest Night event takes center stage, Bendis and Oeming make a triumphant comeback and Archie gets married (again). As always, WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

PULL OF THE WEEK:

Blackest Night #5 [of 8]
DC Comics – $3.99 US
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis
Score: 9.0

The mastermind behind the dead rising stands revealed as the Blackest Night prophecy inches towards becoming true, but will the unified heroes of the world have enough to stop it? Not if a late dinner guest bearing gifts has anything to say about it.

Geoff Johns welcomes you all to hell. How could he not? In the thirty plus years that I’ve been reading comics, I can’t remember a time when things looked so grim in a story thanks to this issue. The big guns of the Justice League arrive in time to assist the Flashes – Barry Allen and Wally West – in confronting Nekron as the Black Lanterns’ power battery reaches full charge. Fast forward to the end of the issue and only two heroes remain standing while the rest are chomping at the bit, dying to feast on some good, old fashioned heart muscle. And this is only the fifth issue in an eight-issue series?!? Wow.

Johns, along with artist Ivan Reis, are obviously toying with us and giggling madly along the way. The re-emergence of “Bruce Wayne” – his name was in quotations in the issue as well – signaled that the next phase was about to begin, but what he did to heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, etc I don’t think anyone saw coming, characters and readers alike. The sixth issue cannot get here fast enough, if you ask me.