Not too much on my plate this week in terms of comics. Probably needed the break after the dozen or more books from last week, but I'll probably end up grabbing one or two random books at the shop depending on if anything strikes my fancy. As it is, there's still a respectible number of books on the pile, so it's not like this'll be a completely barren Post-Crisis Previews. Hit the jump for a look at what to expect this week. Feel free to let me know if there's any books you'd be interested in seeing me review. I might pick it up if I have any extra cash. 
CABLE #1Written by Duane Swierczynski
Art by Ariel Olivetti
“ARMS,” Part 1
A new ongoing series spinning out of the decade’s biggest X-Men event! The future of mutantkind starts here!
“Messiah CompleX” changed the X-Men forever. But no one’s world has been rocked as hard as Cable, the time-traveling mutant from the future. He’s been charged with the one mission that could save all of mutantkind -- or, if he fails, damn it to extinction. And hot on his trail is a relentless enemy who won’t stop until blood is spilled. No matter where…or when…Cable runs. Brought to you by the dynamic team of Duane Swierczysnki (MOON KNIGHT ANNUAL) and Ariel Olivetti (PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL).
Kirk Says: I'll probably regret buying this, but I'll give it a shot just to see where they take the baby storyline. Based on preview art, I'm already hating the art style they chose, but if the story is decent I'll give it a few issues at least. Probably end up only buying this single issue though.
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #8Story by Paul Dini
Story consulting by Keith Giffen
Script by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Carlos Magno and Rodney Ramos
The Countdown ticks down as storylines converge and collide — a Great Disaster is clearly proving to be unavoidable!
Kirk Says: It's Countdown. It's better than the first 25 or so issues, but still so many little nitpicks I could make. Regardless, I'm enjoying it for what it is and you're either reading this or making fun of it at this point. Sometimes both.
GREEN LANTERN #28Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Mike McKone and Andy Lanning
The bizarre introduction of the Alpha Lanterns concludes as the trial of the Lost Lantern ends! But what does the induction of the Alpha Lanterns mean to the future of the Corps? What fate awaits the rest of the Lost Lanterns? Plus, Hal has a startling revelation about the "Blackest Night!"
Kirk Says: Green Lantern is slowly sinking back down into its former, average to slightly above average title range post-SCW. Terrible fill-in art, issues about Alpha Lanterns that don't feature Alpha Lanterns, fill-in writers telling pointless tales over in GLC after introducing Mongul. It's like DC doesn't want a book overshadowing its main events and is intentionally doing this. Hopefully it gets back on track or this series will end up being event to event based, with people only jumping on for things like Blackest Night and then jumping back off when it ends.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER SPECIALWritten by Darwyn Cooke
Art by Cooke, J. Bone and David Bullock
Celebrating the DVD release of the New Frontier movie comes this collection of never before seen stories including "New Frontier: The Lost Chapter," with script and art by Darwyn Cooke! This tale provides a first-hand look at Faraday's quest to outlaw masked vigilantes, culminating with the day Superman goes to Gotham to bring down Batman. Also included are two back-up stories featuring Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Sgt. Rock and others, as well as behind-the-scenes bonus material from the movie!
Kirk Says: New New Frontier? By Cooke? Is it Christmas? This is like a dream come true. New Frontier is one of the best comics ever produced. I'm hoping Cooke can recapture the magic and this isn't just a cheap DC inspired movie tie-in.
LOGAN #1Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Eduardo Risso
Superstar artist Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) joins critically acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan (TV's LOST, Y: The Last Man) for a unique take on the man who's the best there is at what he does. Finally armed with long-lost memories from his past, Wolverine returns to one of his first battlefields to settle an old score in an all-new adventure with a shocking revelation about the man known as Logan.
Kirk Says: Vaughan and Risso are the only reason I'm picking this title up. The premise seems quite generic and I don't particularly care for Wolverine one way or the other. One thing I hate about this solicit is Vaughan's credits. "TV's LOST.." All the amazing work he's done and they post some TV drama that has nothing to do with comics and is far from the best show on TV (don't kill me LOST fans). Maybe if he just came into comics and you want people to take notice of him, but comic fans are buying comics about Wolverine. Not LOST fans. Pride of Bahgdad, Runaways, etc would have been perfect if for some reason you don't recognize Vaughan's name. All amazing comics that would instantly tell you you'll like his work or it will be high quality.
NIGHTWING #142Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Rags Morales and Michael Bair
Why is another super-powered body, this time the corpse of the KGBeast, being stolen from the Gotham Cemetery — and how is Nightwing going to stop it?
Nightwing starts to piece together the diabolical plans of Dr. Creighton Kendall, a scientist whose twisted mind harbors dark and devious plans that may fit into the far-reaching scheme of Talia al Ghul and her desire to protect herself once and for all from the evil clutches of her father and the world at large.
Kirk Says: Tomasi's first issue on Nightwing was good, but he really impressed me last issue to the point I'm willing to stick around for an extended stay as long as he doesn't have Jason Todd show up and turn into a giant mutant blob or Nightwing getting raped as a teenager or other nonsense. If you used to like Nightwing back in the Dixon days or just a fan of the character, the last two issues are good jumping on spots.
TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE #3 (OF 6)Written by Amy Wolfram
Art by Karl Kerschl and Serge Lapointe
The newly formed Teen Titans must face off against the possessed Justice League of America to the death! And in this battle, there are no winners.
Kirk Says: The honeymoon is over and the nostalgia ship has sailed. Gorgeous art can only carry a rehash so far. It's not written bad, per se, but it's not covering any new ground and it's not offering any new developments in the characters to warrant the book's existence. Hoping to see something noteworthy this issue. Otherwise, DC should have just put out an art book by Kershcl
X-FORCE #2Written by Christopher Yost & Craig Kyle
Art by Clayton Crain
With one of their own already fallen, X-Force is out for blood. More blood. And they’ll stop at nothing to bring an end to the PURIFIERS’ plan to resurrect one of the X-Men’s greatest foes… It’s all-out war, with no quarter asked—and none given.
Kirk Says: I have to admit, X-Force was a complete joke to me when it was announced. Team Claw X-treme is all I could see and I couldn't believe Yost and Kyle were ditching New X-Men for yet another Wolverine starring title. Thankfully, I was wrong and the first issue really impressed me, both visually and storywise. I'm still not sure about the expiration date on a title with a premise like this, but this first arc should be enjoyable at least. Definitely the best of the post-Messiah Complex X-titles.
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8 comments:
I think you're being a little harsh on Teen Titans Year One. It's slow, certainly, but it's been pretty enjoyable, in my opinion. I'm also not at all familiar with the source material, so I'm also pretty interested to see where things are going.
With you on the other stuff, though. :D
The art on GL isn't bad but it's a letdown after Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Sciver. I agree that GLC shouldn't have had a fill-in story. What bothers me a bit is that they knew before SCW ended that they would need fill-in artists on GL and GLC but didn't get someone who could match the regular team. It's like having Joe Benitez as a fill-in on JLofA. That simply should not happen. There is a certain level of quality that they must always have on big books.
I think Alpha lantern story is very good, especially when coupled with GLC 21 and 22. This weeks issues introduces a new Corps.
TT Year One has been a huge disappointment and waste of money. The comic reads in 2 minutes tops. The story doesn't read like a silver age book, it reads like a kids book. Super-Spidey Stories was more intelligently written and enjoyable.
I was leafing through PREVIEWS yesterday and I noticed a couple of comics claiming to be written by people associated with Heroes. I commented to my friend that it was like they thought getting the writer or producer of Heroes to write comics was a ploy to get more readers, as if the fanbase of Heroes wasn't from people who are already into comics.
I have only just bought the Sinestro Corp hardback collection book 1 and I thought the art was excellent. Book 2 isnt out yet so I am unable to comment on any fill in art.
Hopefully you weren’t including Mckone in the fill in artist category. Mike Mckone is one of my favourite artist, I loved his early JLI annuals, Exiles and Fantastic Four (great art, average stories). You know what you get from Mckone, good solid story telling. Also he is from the North east of England so I have to support him.
I usually only buy trades, but I will be getting New Frontier, as I love Cooke’s work. I loved his Selina’s Big Score.
Kirk, keep up the excellent work on this site. Nothing better than enjoying comic book moments with a cup of tea on a Saturday morning.
Cheers
Kirk, man - how come you don't read Buffy?
I'm not really looking forward to the rehash of Hal's origin coming up in GL, but we see the Red Lantern(s) for the first time this issue and having seen the preview, that's enough for me.
Concerning Teen Titans - I didn't try to come off as if the book sucks and no one shoudl read it, but it's basically a retelling of an old annual, but spread out over an entire miniseries instead of one issue and based on #2, it seems like they have nothing new to add to the story and it feels like one big issue of filler. Great art, nothing technically wrong with the writing, but old story with nothing new added makes for a sad Kirk.
Regarding Green Lantern - I'm not saying this book is bad either, but it's not the Sinestro Corps War is the biggest complaint I can give it. It's slowly, but surely reverting to it's pre-Sinestro Corps War level of quality. It was never a bad book, but 1-18 or whenever the SCW started was vastly inferior to what came after it. Having the book slip back down that path after elevating itself to one of the best in the business makes the decline that much more drastic and annoying to see, leading the harsher negativity.
@zenithgeeksville - I'm not bashing McKone, but he's a step down in terms of quality compared to Ives and Reis. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just one artist, but they've had 2 and 3 or more artists on a single book, making pages so disjoint and the change in art becomes so much more apparent and jarring that way.
I'm not sure if the New Frontier would ever be put in a trade, as the original mini is already an Absolute. Probably only way you'll ever see it is if he does a New Frontier 2 (doubtful) or you buy the floppy version this week.
Glad you enjoy the MotW. It's probably my favourite one to write / put together each week as well.
@daniel woburn - I watched Buffy back when it first came out off and on through the first few seasons. Basically if I was home, bored and wanted to watch TV and it happened to be on, but it never really sucked me in like other people. I have no complaints about the show and I loved that all musical episode they had that one time, but I also don't own any DVDs or even know how the series ended. Thus, I never bothered picking up a comic that's supposed to be a new season for the now ended TV show, despite the pedigree of creators the book has had.
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