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

Holiday weekend means comics are delayed a day, which is why we have the previews on Tuesday.  Before we get into the Post-Crisis Previews, I just wanted to apologize for lack of reviews on my part lately.  I've been having a slew of problems lately and barely been able to keep up with blogging.  I'm hoping to get back into the groove of things this week and hopefully we can get my reviews and other posts back on schedule.  That said, hit the jump for the previews.

BATGIRL #14

Written by Bryan Q. Miller

Art by Lee Garbett

It's terror in the third dimension starring Batgirl, Supergirl and Dracula...and Dracula, and Dracula! When Supergirl decides to get away from it all and visit Stephanie Brown on the campus of Gotham City University, a quiet, relaxing weekend turns into a monster movie mash-up! After a science experiment goes horribly wrong, 24 black-and-white Draculas are brought to life, and Batgirl and Supergirl are forced to become vampire hunters in order to stop an army of the celluloid undead!

Ryan: Normally I’m completely against any comic these days that has anything to do with vampires, simply because I am so incredibly tired of the vampire trend that is sweeping all creative mediums, this actually sounds pretty cool. Batgirl is already one of DC’s best books and I believe that a Supergirl guest appearance is only going to make it that much better. When you add in two dozen classic Hollywood horror Draculas, this should be a tremendously fun issue.

BATMAN #703

Written by Fabian Nicieza

Art by Cliff Richards

Celebrating the ""Return of Bruce Wayne""! Those closest to The Dark Knight look back on the legacy he has created. Featuring appearances by Alfred, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Selina Kyle and more!

Ryan: Bruce Wayne isn’t back yet, so I really have no idea what to expect from this issue based upon the solicitation. However, I do have a tremendous amount of trust in Fabian Nicieza’s ability to write awesome comics, so the only thing I really know about this issue is that it should be well-written. Beyond that, it’s a crapshoot.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #14

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Frazer Irving

In ""Batman Must Die!"" part 2 of 3, one of our heroes lies near death! Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne enter the ultimate, blood-soaked battle against two foes who almost destroyed the original Batman. Are the new Dynamic Duo up to this final confrontation with absolute evil? If they can't truly bond as a team, they're dead!

Ryan: Truthfully, I don’t remember much about the last issue of Batman & Robin, except that involved Dr. Hurt and a lot of weird-for-the-sake-of-weird which, as usual, detracts from the quality ideas that Grant Morrison has. Plus, if I’m not mistaken, I was really disappointed in the quality of Frazer Irving’s art, despite normally being a fan of his work. The usual Morrison comic rules apply here—if he stays focused and avoids getting wrapped up in the grandeur of his own nonsense, the issue will be awesome; if not, it will be abysmal.

Kirk: Unlike Ryan, I've been loving the recent Batman and Robin issues and think the book hasn't been this strong since that debut arc with Frank Quitely.  I'm really enjoying the pacing and how everything from Morrison's entire run is coming together in one epic conclusion.  Really looking forward to this issue.

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #1

Written by Marjorie Liu & Daniel Way

Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli

For decades, Daken, the son of Wolverine, remained hidden in the shadows of the Marvel Universe, methodically plotting how he would one day dominate the world around him. And now, with his father's soul hanging in the balance, that day has come. This is the beginning.

Kirk: Not really sure what to think of the new Wolverine status quo.  I was looking for the right spot to jump on Dark Wolverine, so with this relaunch, I thought I'd give it a try.  I was curious about the X-23 series starting up soon, too, and heard it was going to tie into or crossover with Daken, so that's another incentive to try this issue out.

DAREDEVIL #510

Written by Andy Diggle

Art by Antony Johnston

SHADOWLAND TIE-IN! As New York City crumbles under the weight of Matt Murdock's new order, his former friends and allies struggle just to hold their lives and world together. But as the pressure builds, Foggy Nelson will make an alliance no one saw coming while Black Tarantula takes a stand against Daredevil and learns the consequences of crossing the Man without Fear.

Kirk: While Shadowland has been undeniably weak so far, Daredevil's title has been a much stronger story with a better narrative and insights into Matt Murdock's mind.  It feels like Shadowland proper is simply trying to hard to be an event and appealing to everyone while DD remains focused and meatier in comparison.  

GI JOE #22

Written by Chuck Dixon

Art by Alex Cal

The JOES battle Mother Nature as a tidal wave threatens to sweep Scarlett, Ripcord and their strike team off an abandoned COBRA atoll. At the same time, Shipwreck, Cover Girl and the others have captured a COBRA weapon of mass destruction. But can they hold onto it? Action, mayhem, and post-nuclear consequences on the high seas!

Ryan: GI Joe versus a tidal wave? Not exactly the coolest story I could think of, but I’m sure Chuck Dixon can do something cool with it. Of course, it is a little frustrating that we are nearly two years into this series and the Joe’s have only had a handful of direct encounters with Cobra. I’d rather see Scarlet and Ripcord taking on Zartan than a wall of water.

GREEN LANTERN #57

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Doug Mahnke

BRIGHTEST DAY continues as what readers have been asking for finally arrives: a male Star Sapphire in the form of the Predator. But how is this entity unlike the others? And what does it want with Carol Ferris? Meanwhile, the White Lantern is defended by an unlikely hero...

Ryan: I’m not so sure that everyone has been asking for a male Star Sapphire. Personally, I’ve been asking for a Larfleeze ongoing series. I think DC is out of touch with what I really want in terms of this issue’s story. Of course, as long as Doug Mahnke is drawing it, I really don’t care what story DC thinks I want; it’s going to look wicked awesome and that is good enough for me.

KILL SHAKESPEARE #5

Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col

Art by Andy Belanger

Hamlet strikes out on his own, away from both Prodigal leader Juliet and Richard's lieutenant Iago. But is the Prince of Denmark delivering himself into even greater danger?

Ryan: This series has been an unexpected treat and the newest issue is easily one of the books I’m most excited about this week. With Hamlet caught between alliances and the middle of the ongoing struggle between the Prodigals and Richard III’s forces, this issue should be full of interesting and exciting twists and turns. Plus, you never know which of Shakespeare’s creations will show up next.

RED ROBIN #16

Written by Fabian Nicieza

Art by Marcus To

The new Anarky has his own version of Red Robin's Hit List! Ulysses Armstrong has made a record of Gotham City teens who could be Red Robin – and he's murdering them one by one. With an incapacitated Tim Drake crossed off his list, can Red Robin stop Anarky before the villain attacks his next target? And with the deaths of innocents weighing on his conscience, how far will Red Robin go to cross Anarky off his own Hit List?

Ryan: I think this might be the most exciting solicitation of the week. I’d never really cared much for Anarky until the last storyarc on the Robin ongoing series where Fabian Nicieza revamped the character; as this story is clearly spinning out of that one, I’m pretty pumped. To me, the dual identity of Anarky—the true, politically motivated Lonnie and the immature, fractured Ulysses—is far more interesting and a greater parallel to the American “understanding” of anarchy than the strict adherence to anarchist beliefs that Alan Grant had written into the character. If Nicieza continues to play with this concept, this is going to be an extremely awesome comic.

THANOS IMPERATIVE #4

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Art by Miguel Sepulveda

The all-star alliance of sci-fi heroes strike! Silver Surfer, Quasar and Nova lead a make-or-break attack against the undying Lord of the Cancerverse forces! It's either total victory or utter defeat! Meanwhile, in the Cancerverse itself, Star-Lord's rag-tag team learns whether attempting to make a deal with Thanos was the smartest choice they ever made—or the worst decision of their entire lives!

Ryan: Nova’s “cosmic Avengers” team should catapult this issue towards the top of the Rankings pretty easily on its on, though the ongoing tension with Star-Lord’s alliance with Thanos will certainly carry its own wait on this issue’s quest for a Book of the Week win. Of course, it would be a lot easier for this book to be #1 if so much of Miguel Sepulveda’s awesomeness wasn’t lost in the translation from pencils to colors. 

Kirk: Thanos Imperative has yet to disappoint and seems to be ramping up to even greater things with the last half the event. Agreeing with Ryan, though, based on all the black and white pencils we've seen for this title, it's really a shame Sepulveda's art ends up muddy and washed out by the colouring and/or inking.  The contrast between the pencils and final product is like night and day.  Still looks good, but not what it could be.

THOR #614

Written by Kieron Gillen

Art by Doug Braithwaite

It's the poisonous fruit of Loki's trickery during the Siege, as the God of Thunder battles demons and monsters to cross from one side of the desolate dimension to the other! At stake...his life and the fate of all Asgardians!

Kirk: It seems Thor, the title, has lost some of that mindshare it had with fans with JMS's departure several months back, but it's still easily one of the best books coming out of Marvel at the moment and Gillen and Braithwaite have been stellar on this current arc.  It's a shame so many view it as filler between JMS's previous run and Fraction's upcoming run on the book as it is anything but.

THOR: MIGHTY AVENGER #4

Written by Roger Langridge

Art by Chris Samnee

ROAD TRIP TO NORWAY! The Warriors Three come to humble Thor on behalf of Odin. But Thor's the God of Thunder, not directions, and a wrong turn of his goat-drawn carriage strands the Asgardians in jolly old Oxford...where Captain Britain says they are NOT wanted. It's mighty Mjolnir vs. the stiffest upper lip in England!

Ryan: The Warriors Three are one aspect of Thor’s mythology that I’ve never been a huge fan of, so it will be interesting to see if Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee can win me over on them as much as they have with everything else in the brilliantly charming series. This book is easily the best Marvel comic that you aren’t reading right now (I’m assuming that you are already reading Marvel’s best comic right now, Avengers Academy), so if you haven’t checked it out, this could be a good jumping on point.

X-FORCE: SEX AND VIOLENCE #3

Written by Chris Yost & Craig Kyle

Art by Gabriele Dell'Otto

The blood soaked conclusion!! Wolverine is the best he is at what he does. Domino is the luckiest there is at what she does. But this time, it's not going to be enough. The full force of the Assassins Guild is coming down on our heroes, and it's not going to be pretty. Except for the art.

Kirk: Buy it for the art, stay for the great popcorn action flick story.  This book has been everything I expected from it and I'll gladly trade my singles in for the oversized hardcover whenever it comes out just for the art.  As long as the story continues to be entertaining, I won't have any complaints about this issue.

X-MEN #3

Written by Victor Gischler

Art by Paco Medina

In a desperate bid to fend off an endless horde of vampires, the X-Men do the unthinkable: They resurrect Dracula. Will the former Lord of the Vampires go along with Cyclops' scheme to take down Dracula's upstart son, Xarus? Meanwhile, Wolverine sets off to rescue Jubilee, unaware of the chilling transformation she has undergone. To attempt to free his former teammate, Wolverine must embark down his darkest path yet.

Ryan: I really have no idea why I’m picking this one up. I don’t like vampires for the sake of vampires, which is precisely how this story feels. I don’t like the fact that Paco Medina draws all of the characters like Hustler models. I really don’t like the idea of Wolverine as a vampire. I also really don’t like that Cyclops’s newest brain-dead scheme is to resurrect Dracula. You know what? I might not pick this one up after all, even if I am a sucker for reading X-Men comics long after I stop enjoying them.

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