Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 02/03/10

Light week for comics with the only really significant release being Siege #2. I'm taking the opportunity to try out a few other books, such as Red Robin, but feel free to suggest anything else you think I should be reading and I'll see about picking it up. Hit the jump for Ryan's and my thoughts and expectations on the comics we intend to purchase this week.

ALADDIN: LEGACY OF THE LOST #1

Written by Ian Edginton

Art by Patrick Reilly Stjepan Sejic

From the mystical city of Shambhalla to the ends of the Earth comes a tale of magic, mystery and the motivations of power. It is the world of Ala ad-Din, better known as ALADDIN. Thief, gambler, liar and cheat, born in a brothel and raised on the streets, Aladdin falls under the eye of the sorcerer Maugrah, who has scoured the sands for the Dreaming Jewel—a lost relic of shattering power, able to steal the magic of the Djinn of the Lamp and reshape the world in his own dangerous design. But to do so, he requires a mystical ability carried within Aladdin's blood...power that not even Aladdin himself knows about.

Ryan: The good folks at Radical Comics were kind enough to send me a review copy of two comics this week, the first being this issue, which kicks off a new Aladdin miniseries. Radical’s take on the character sounds very dark and complex, which is a definite draw for me. This solicitation sounds pretty exciting and Radical’s got a strong track record for great projects, so I’m looking forward to digging into this one.

CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #4

Written by Ed Brubaker

Art by Sean Phillips

Tracy Lawless is getting close to finding the killers he's been searching for...but before he can put all the pieces together, he finds himself in their crosshairs in Chinatown, with enemies all around him. This can't end well, or wouldn't be an issue of Criminal, would it? And remember, all the single issues of CRIMINAL are packed with articles and extras that are not reprinted in the collections.

Ryan: Nearly every Criminal story has gotten better during the second half of the story, which is pretty impressive considering how strong they always start. The Sinners looks to be no different as things heat up for Tracy Lawless. This should be one of the most exciting books of the week and is easily this week’s frontrunner.

GHOST RIDERS: HEAVENS ON FIRE #6

Written by Jason Aaron

Art by Roland Boschi

Writer Jason Aaron's hellblazing, heaven-burning run on GHOST RIDER roars to its dramatic conclusion with a confrontation that's been a long time coming. In one corner, we have the Ghost Rider brothers, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch. In the other corner is Zadkiel, the renegade angel. And before the battle is through, you can rest assured that blood will flow on the golden streets of heaven. And no matter who wins, will it mean the end for America's favorite Flameheads?

Kirk: While I've enjoyed Heavens on Fire enough that I'll be eventually tracking down the trades for Aaron's run on the book, it has been a rather odd conclusion, primarily because the villain, Zadkiel, only shows up on a handful of pages and his threat is merely implied and rarely, if ever, really shown. Even his agents set out against the Ghost Riders have been relatively ineffectual. Makes it hard to believe there's any threat at all. I imagine it will all be worth it for what promises to be an action packed conclusion, but I still have some doubts coming in if it will have been worth the trip or not.

LEGENDS: THE ENCHANTED #0

Written by Nick Percival

Art by Nick Percival

You think you know them. Think again. Violently ripped from the pages of folklore come the Enchanted, supernatural immortals living in a dark, steampunk, creature-infested world where nature, technology and foul magic are in constant conflict. When the twisted, burnt remains of the half-wooden, half-mechanical warrior, Pinocchio are discovered, wolf-hunter Red Hood and giant-killer Jack realize the fragile rules of their existence have been shattered. With the help of other powerful Enchanted (the mercenary Goldilocks and psychic exterminators Hansel and Gretel), Jack and Red team up on an adventure to stop whatever, or whoever, is destroying their powers and murdering their kind.

Ryan: Legends is the second comic that was sent to me from Radical and, personally, is the one that I find the most interesting at first glance. I’m guessing that a lot of people will dismiss this series as a Fables clone, though I’m hard pressed to point out the Mice Templar/Mouse Guard situation where two similar premises produced two vastly different comics, both of which were pretty awesome. I’m always up for a solid steampunk story, but when you add in twisted archetypal characters like the Enchanted, it sounds all the more appealing.

NOVA #34

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Art by Mahmud Asrar

A REALM OF KINGS TIE-IN—GUEST-STARRING MR. FANTASTIC AND BLACK BOLT! On a world of dark sorcery, Nova and his surprising allies battle the ancient evil of the Sphinx, but what are they really fighting for? The Human Rocket could rewrite the course of history and save thousands of lives—including the life of his true love. But should he, or is the alternative too terrible to contemplate?

Ryan: This story has been a lot of fun so far and this issues premise sounds like it is going to get even better. The real draw for me though, is the fact that Dynamo 5’s amazing Mahmud Asrar is going to be drawing my favourite Marvel character. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Kirk: I'm not actually as enamoured with this current Nova arc as Ryan. I was looking for an exploration of the Fault and all that insanity that was implied with the Realm of Kings special. Hell, any kind of follow up on War of Kings would have worked. What we got instead was basically that Jeph Loeb Offenders vs Defenders arc from Hulk done right with the craziness of the Sphinxes (yes, two of them) and how each has called in their own good and bad champions to battle it out in some crazy time pocket bubble thing. No, I can't really explain what's going on, but I am enjoying it. It's just not what I was expecting either.

RED ROBIN #9

Written by Christopher Yost

Art by Marcus To

Red Robin returns to Gotham City as “Collision” begins! Now armed with the knowledge that Bruce Wayne is lost in time, what is Tim Drake going to do about it?

Ryan: In last week’s Batman and Robin, Dick Grayson decided to dip Batman’s body in a Lazarus Pit to revive it, despite the fact that everyone knows that nothing good can ever come out of that. In this week’s Red Robin, Christopher Yost goes the route that writers like Grant Morrison should be taking with the return of Batman rather than resorting to cheap plot theatrics. I think we all know which one is going to be the better story.

Kirk: The few scans from the previous issue have convinced me that the book has changed significantly since I dismissed it with its first issue many months ago. I was so impressed with those scans that I will be picking up this issue to see how much it's changed for myself.

SIEGE #2

Written by Brian Michael Bendis

Art by Olivier Coipel

The blockbuster Marvel event of the year goes full-blown carnage and madness as the biggest and most brutal battle in Marvel’s history brings together heroes from all sides. Lines have been drawn, and an unlikely hero will save one Avenger, but they can’t save them all. The Siege has begun and it claims its first victim as AN AVENGER WILL DIE!!

Ryan: Siege #1 was terribly disappointing, which has really lowered my expectations for this second issue. It’s going to take a much stronger effort from the entire creative team to overcome the first issue. Will killing an Avenger accomplish that goal? Only if that Avenger is U.S. Agent of the Mighty Avengers squad, though knowing my luck it is probably going to be someone cool but ultimately expendable like Stature.

Kirk: Have to love the way they advertise books with the promise of someone dying, especially in light of how they just finished a series built on the foundation of promising the return of a recently killed of hero (Captain America: Reborn for those wondering to what I am referring). So, which Z-lister bites it? Goliath is already dead. Who else we got? If I had to be serious, I'd say Ares since he looks primed to turn on Osborn for his lies that led to the invasion of Asgard. He could then have a miniseries where he battles his way out of the underworld Kratos style.

WOLVERINE: WEAPON X #10

Written by Jason Aaron

Art by C.P. Smith

The perfect jumping on point! Wolverine has never had luck with women. They usually die or try to kill him. So what happens when a new woman enters his life? You think you know how this one goes, but this one issue will stop even Wolverine dead in his tracks! This is the place to start reading if you’re not already -- with stunning art by C.P. Smith, Jason Aaron is better than ever at what he does.

Kirk: A cover like that just screams fun to me. Can't wait to read this issue. However, Mystique's bare blue ass on that cover seems like something that should have been caught by an editor.