Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 09/01/10

Kirk is away tonight, so I'm bringing the Post-Crisis Preview to you solo tonight.  Since you were probably expecting them last night, let's not waste any more time.  Hit the jump to see my thoughts on this week's new comics!

FREEDOM FIGHTERS #1

Written by Jimmy Palmioitti and Justin Gray

Art by Travis Moore

A national mystery unfolds when the government learns of the existence of a Confederate super weapon intended to insure the South won the Civil War. Who built it and why wasn't it used? Find out when Uncle Sam leads the team on a quest through the hidden history of the United States! With new challenges and old threats returning to plague them, the stakes are higher than ever. Can even these stalwart heroes stand by their duty when their country calls?

Ryan: I really liked the first Freedom Fighters miniseries from Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, but the second left me pretty dissatisfied. I don’t know that I’d consider this if it weren’t such a short week (let’s face it, my pull list is too large as it is), but the strength of the writing team and the unique nature of the characters definitely has piqued my interest. This one is going to come down to a flip-through.

HAWKEYE AND MOCKINGBIRD #4

Written by Jim McCann

Art by David Lopez

Is the love already destroyed, in the book that IGN.com calls ""A hell of a good time""? Torn and battered – and rocked by the actions taken last issue – can Hawkeye & Mockingbird even trust each other anymore? The deadly duo known as Crossfire and Phantom Rider are betting against it as they continue their bloody path of revenge! To turn the tables, our quarreling couple must put aside their differences, set their own trap, and bring in a surprise player!

Ryan: This action-packed series has been a lot of fun thus far, though I feel like it hasn’t reached its full potential yet. I think a lot of that has hinged on the amount of mysteries that Jim McCann has built that haven’t been addressed yet, but also in the emotional distance between the title characters. It looks like their quarrel could come to a head in this issue, which could definitely set the tone for the series (and its overall quality) from this point forward.

INCREDIBLE HULKS #612

Written by Greg Pak and Scott Reed

Art by Tom Raney and Brian Chin

SO MANY HULKS, ONE BOOK A MONTH WASN'T ENOUGH TO HOLD THEM! Bruce Banner is the Hulk once again, and far from being left alone, he's got a whole family of gamma-charged allies at his side. Son Skaar, daughter Lyra, cousin She-Hulk, friends A-Bomb and Korg, and wife Red She-Hulk--or is that EX-wife? Meanwhile, a universe away, Hiro-Kala, the mysterious DARK SON of Hulk, rises to power on the planet K'ai. He has a plan for his long lost family members, and it involves a bigger smash than his father has ever made.

Ryan: I’ve always been a huge fan of the Incredible Hulk, but the Red Hulk business definitely killed my interest in following the series after the awesome World War Hulk concluded. With constant crossovers and one shots and miniseries galore in the time since then, its been really hard to jump back into the series. It looks like this issue should be the start of the new status quo, which means it could be a good time for me to jump back on board.

MAGDALENA #3

Written by Ron Marz

Art by Nelson Blake II

Descended from the bloodline of Christ, Patience is the latest incarnation of the Magdalena. Armed with the Spear of Destiny, she is tasked with destroying any and all evil...even if it takes the form of a little boy. Patience might be able to destroy the boy's demonic protectors, but can she bring herself to murder a child who could ultimately prove to be innocent?

Ryan: Had I never received a review copy of Magdalena from Top Cow, I don’t think I would have ever given this series a thought, let alone a purchase. That being said, if my copy doesn’t come in by Wednesday, I’ll actually be purchasing my copy of this issue. The strong character writing, cool concepts, and fantastic art from Nelson Blake II have made this religious warriors-versus-monsters series one of the strongest books I’ve ever seen come from Top Cow.

SECRET SIX #25

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Jim Calafiore

This is the showdown you've been waiting for, as two Secret Six teams head for a nasty collision! Who is left standing, and will there even be a Secret Six when the dust settles? Bad guy guests galore in this explosive issue!

Ryan: It’s Secret Six. Do you need to know anything else? Probably not, but I’ll say more so you don’t feel ripped off by this week’s previews. I’ve been waiting for some time to see the two Secret Six teams face off, which should make for an action-packed, disturbingly charming issue here. The series has a lot to live up to after last month’s awesome western issue (which I purchased an awesome page from at Wizard World Chicago), but by now you should know that this series never disappoints.

WOLVERINE: ROAD TO HELL

Written by Various

Art by Various

This September, Wolverine starts down the road to hell and we want to take you along for the ride...it all starts here! With all new material by the creative teams bringing you WOLVERINE, X-23, DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE and X-FORCE, The Road to Hell is packed with clues and signposts to help you find your way through the brand-new launch of Wolverine's own family of books! You won't want to miss it, because bonus material includes a second look at the first issue of Namor the First Mutant #1 and an exclusive preview of the November launch of an ALL NEW X-BOOK! You won't want to miss it!

Ryan: I already plan on picking up the Wolverine series, as well as X-23 and Uncanny X-Force, so I’m not sure that I actually need to pick up this anthology one-shot. Granted, I haven’t been reading any of the Wolverine books for some time, so this could be a good primer, but is it worth $3.99? I’ll give it a flip-through.

WOLVERINE #1

Written by Jason Aaron

Art by Renato Guedes

Acclaimed author JASON AARON (ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE, WEAPON X) and superstar artist RENATO GUEDES (Action Comics, Adventures of Superman) launch an all-new ongoing Wolverine series as Wolverine goes to hell...literally! Someone's out to destroy Wolverine—permanently—and they may have succeeded. But if Wolverine's soul is in hell, how is his body terrorizing those closest to him?

Ryan: I haven’t been reading any Wolverine comics since the end of Old Man Logan and, quite frankly, I miss the character. I figured this new series should be a great jumping on point, but I’m not terribly enthused about the first storyline concept (Wolverine in Hell? Seriously?) and I’ve never been a fan of Renato Guedes’s DC work. I’ll give this one a shot in hopes that it will exceed my expectations. If not, I guess I’ll go reread some Claremont and Miller goodness.

YOUNG ALLIES #4

Written by Sean McKeever

Art by David Baldeon

As the Young Allies are well aware, when the Bastards of Evil strike, they strike hard! Separated, scrambling, and with lives on the line, can the Young Allies pull together fast enough to survive?

Ryan: Young Allies is quickly becoming the premiere comic with teenage main characters (alongside the awesome Avengers Academy). The Bastards of Evil are out for revenge on the Young Allies, so this issue should be full of big action. As long as Sean McKeever can balance that against his usual fantastic character work, this issue is definitely going to be one of the week’s best!

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