Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 12/19/07

This week marks a very Marvel centric pull list. DC just doesn't have that much coming out this week. There's the usual Countdown stuff and the conclusion to the Return of Ra's, but not much else. On the Marvel side of things, we get some Iron Fist loving as well as the What If? Civil War issue among other things. Hit the jump for the full list and solicitations of all the books I intend on purchasing this week.

COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #19
Story by Paul Dini
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
Script by Tony Bedard
Art by Carlos Magno

Karate Kid meets an all-new/old OMAC at the Command D bunker! Jimmy Olsen crosses paths with Mister Miracle! Mary Marvel is taken to Paradise Island! One of the Rogues becomes a real drag! Things are changing for the Monitors! And…at long last…Ray Palmer!

Plus, more DC villains origin backup stories, including Granny Goodness and Sinestro! The COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS continues!

Kirk Says: Another week signals another Countdown issue. It had a nice stretch a month or so ago, but it's been really up and down over the past month.


COUNTDOWN: ARENA #3 (OF 4)
Written by Keith Champagne
Art by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens

Get ready for COUNTDOWN: ARENA — a 4-issue weekly event written by Keith Champagne (JSA) with art by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens (GREEN ARROW) that pits the DCU's greatest heroes against themselves!

The villainous Monarch begins the last chapter of his campaign against the Monitors, combing the entire Multiverse to enlist the most powerful — or deadly — heroes and villains from throughout existence to join his army. The abducted must battle one another in Monarch's specially constructed Arena, where only the strongest will survive to join his battle against
the Monitors.

Carefully selected from worlds throughout all 52 universes, including characters from SUPERMAN: RED SON, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER, BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT, JSA: LIBERTY FILES, JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NAIL, and TANGENT, among many others, three versions of each hero will walk into the Arena, and only one will walk away. Welcome to THE ARENA, where Monarch's only rule is to survive at all costs.

Kirk Says: I should probably drop this book, but with only two issues remaining, I'll stick it out until the end.


DETECTIVE COMICS #839
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Don Kramer and Wayne Faucher

The startling climax of "The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul"! A secret surrounding Ra's' lineage is revealed! Everything comes to a head at Nanda Parbat as Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Damian face off against the eternal might of Ra's al Ghul!

Kirk Says: A couple months ago, I'd say I was looking forward to this issue. After finally getting to read this event, I'm just disappointed with how it turned out. This final chapter will most likely feature dozens of random events that are neither explained nor make sense, much like every other issue in this story.


IMMORTAL IRON FIST #11
Written by Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker
Art by David Aja & Roy Allan Martinez

THE SEVEN CAPITAL CITIES OF HEAVEN keeps kicking and punching its way toward the brutal finish line. Danny fights for survival --- for the centuries-long legacy of the Iron Fist against the other Immortal Weapons; for his own life, as Davos the Steel Serpent makes his deadly move behind the scenes; and for K'un-Lun itself as the sinister Mr. Xao and his legion of Hydra science-terrorists conspire to wreak havok on the mystical city. Can even an ultimate warrior like the Immortal Iron Fist fight a war --- and win --- on three fronts? Even with the classic HEROES FOR HIRE working behind the scenes? Yeah, no, probably not. By Matt and Ed and David and Matt and Dave (THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST).

Kirk Says: Feels like forever since the last Iron Fist issue. This is one of my favourite books and it's always a treat when this comes out. Only question I have is what happened to the cover? It's not by Aja and is completely different from every other in the series in style and format.


INCREDIBLE HULK #112
Written by Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Art by Khoi Pham

THE STORY:
CLASSIFIED

Kirk Says: Well, we all know this is actually Hercules new book, so the solicit and cover image are pretty much pointless at this point. I like the Hercules character, but I'm not sure I like the current role he's been playing in World War Hulk and its aftermath. I'll be giving it a try, but I hope this is a Herc book first and Cho is just a supporting character. I can't stand the "seventh smartest person on Earth".


JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #16
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art and cover by Joe Benitez & Victor Llamas

Lightning strikes again as a Flash returns! Where's this Flash from...and what is she doing on our Earth?

Kirk Says: I can't make head nor tales of that cover. Are those Legion characters or what? I enjoyed McDuffie's first arc. It was fun and entertaining, so I'll be sticking around to see what he has planned for this storyarc.


MIGHTY AVENGERS #6
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Frank Cho

The shocking conclusion to the Ultron terror as the Avengers reassemble and go on the offensive. It’s now or never for an Ultron butt-kicking. How on Earth will Tony Stark survive this??? And how does this connect to the startling Skrull infestation that may have taken over the Marvel Universe? The next big clue to the truth is HERE!!

Kirk Says: Not sure what this Mighty Avengers arc has to do with the Skrulls or what this 'big clue' will be. I'm just glad this arc is finally over and we can move on the less than thrilling symbiote arc, which has been over for a couple months in New Avengers. While some might be sad to see Cho go, all I can say is good riddance. His art isn't that good to warrant the amount of delays this book has been saddled with. At least we'll have Bagley's art to look forward to in the next storyarc.


NEW X-MEN #45
Written by Christopher Yost & Craig Kyle
Art by Humberto Ramos

MESSIAH COMPLEX Part 8
A three way melee erupts over the baby! Some want to kill it, some want to save it, and when the dust settles, not everyone is left standing. Meanwhile, Layla Miller and Madrox gather clues while Madrox Prime slips deeper into his coma.

Kirk Says: Are we going to start getting some answers in this crossover soon? I'm still not sure why the baby is so important. If one is born, it stands to reason that more would follow. Where was Cable all this time? How'd the Purifiers know about the baby's birth beforehand and how'd they get there so fast? Who attacked the mansion with the Sentinels? How did Lady Deathstrike find Cable so fast? Is Hellion alive or dead? While it's nice to have stuff happening in a crossover, there comes a time when you need to give the fans some answers.


THE ORDER #6
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Barry Kitson

A super-powered girl-gang known as the Black Dahlias continues to take the law into their own hands, and it’s up to the Order to shut them down — even if some members of the team agree with their purpose. And what does the mysterious-ish M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W. want with former Order members? Meanwhile, out in the desert, some of the Order struggle to separate the difference between Hopi Lizard People and plain old run-of-the-mill gamma monsters. Oh! And guess what washes up
on-shore in San Diego? The last page = mind blown. We hope. Who knows? It's THE ORDER. YAY!

Kirk Says: This might be my last issue of The Order. It would take something drastic to get me to pick up any more issues of this title. It's not bad, but it just doesn't gell with me.


ULTIMATE X-MEN #89
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Tyler Kirkham

Storm soars solo! The sinister Shadow King is desperate to escape from the mental prison he was placed in centuries ago – and he’ll destroy Storm to do it! But will his freedom also unleash the horrifying swarm of the alien Brood? And will even the X-Men be enough to battle a being who has plotted our death and destruction for ages?

Kirk Says: I'm actually, sort of, kind of anticipating Ultimate X-Men again. It's mostly the Apocalypse stuff I'm looking forward to, but this title has been a non-factor for a long, long time. So it's nice to see it making some moves for a change.




WHAT IF? CIVIL WAR #1
Written by Ed Brubaker, Kevin Grevioux & Christos Gage
Art by Marko Djurdjevic, Gustavo & Harvey Tolibao

When a stranger appears in front of Iron Man, visiting Captain America’s symbolic grave at Arlington, he is told of two diverse ways CIVIL WAR could’ve concluded. The first: What If CAPTAIN AMERICA led all the heroes against the Registration Act? The second: What if IRON MAN lost the Civil War?
Join writers Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Daredevil), Kevin Grevioux (New Warriors, the movie-Underworld) and Christos Gage (Civil War: Casualties of War, World War Hulk: X-Men, TV’s Law & Order: SVU) in a giant-size issue that answers the questions Iron Man never wanted to ask!
With interior art by superstar cover painter Marko Djurdjevic, artist Gustavo (Marvel Age Spider-Man, Green Lantern, TMNT and The Amory Wars) and newcomer Harvey Tolibao (Iron Man Annual, Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic), this issue will fulfill your Civil War withdrawal!

Kirk Says: I'm a sucker for What If?'s and Elseworlds stuff. This year's crop of What If?'s have been pretty good. I really enjoyed the Annihilation and Planet Hulk / WWH ones. What If? Civil War has a lot of high profile talent attached to it and I'm expecting another excellent What If? from these guys.


WORLD WAR HULK: WARBOUND #1
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Leonard Kirk

The puny humans hate the Warbound, the savage alien monsters who joined the Hulk in his quest for vengeance against the heroes of Earth. But when new horrors arise in the New Mexico desert, the puny humans might just learn that a savage alien monster or two can be pretty handy in a pinch. What is Gammaworld? Which deadly enemy from the Hulk's past has returned? And who here dares to learn what it is to be Warbound, in life and death, whatever may come?

Kirk Says: I thought Elloe died in Aftershocks? Wasn't she skewered with spears during the fighting with the bugs? Either way, I really like the Warbound characters. Brood, Korg and Hiroim are all great characters and I'm glad to see that they aren't being forgotten post-WWH.

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