Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 10/12/11

It's time for another round of Post-Crisis Previews!  We've got a ton of books from lots of different genres on deck this week, ranging from vampires to Frankensteins to more vampires!  So different, right?  Alright, so those are all pretty similar, but there actually is some pretty decent variation going on beyond those, including Demon Knights #2, The Cape #2, and The Unwritten #30.  (Somewhat poor) joking aside, hit the jump to see all these titles and more!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #671

Written by Dan Slott

Art by Humberto Ramos

Now the moment you’ve been dying to see, Tiger!  Mary Jane Watson finally spiders-up! Plus a giant battle pitting brother against brother. But let's face it, you just care about that cover!

Grant: Contrary to the claims of the above solicitation, I probably couldn't care less about this cover.  Fortunately, despite this rather blatant attempt at cheesecakery, Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos have been telling one hell of a story within the pages of Amazing Spider-Man.  Spider-Island has been the perfect combination of action, emotion, and humour, and I'm always excited for the next issue.  Thankfully, ASM comes out twice a month, so I don't have to wait long between Spidey fixes.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #5

Written by Scott Snyder

Art by Sean Murphy

Vampire hunter Felicia Book must make a horrible choice that will change her life and the world of vampires forever. Be here for the concluding chapter that will have a huge impact on AMERICAN VAMPIRE!

Grant: The best part of this mini-series is that it has straight up been more American Vampire action.  The main difference has been that instead of the talented Raphael Albuquerque drawing, we've gotten the equally talented Sean Murphy, which is a pretty decent trade.  It also hasn't hurt that Felicia and Cash have been fighting a whole load of nazi vampires, which is always a good thing.  This final issue should be pretty darn good.

BALTIMORE CURSE BELLS #3

Written by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden

Art by Ben Stenbeck

A bloody ritual climaxes in a terrifying rebirth, as Lord Baltimore battles against the twisted “blessing” of vampiric nuns and an insane occultist.

Grant: I've been loving this series.  The first volume of Baltimore was superb, and Mignola, Golden, and Stenbeck have only gotten better this second go around.  This series is signature Mignola in that it is packed with the supernatural, overflowing with atmosphere, and features some of the best writing around.  The crisp and curt dialogue is among my favourite parts of this book, although that's not to dismiss the amazing art and exciting action scenes.  Frankly, based on the ending of last issue, #3 should be crazy intense.  Can't wait.

BATWOMAN #2

Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman

Art by J.H. Williams III

Horror! A terrifying new villain stalks the innocent children of Gotham City! Intrigue! A threatening government agency is hot on Batwoman’s trail. Romance! Kate Kane’s new relationship is heating up!

Can Batwoman stop the new evil rising from the damp back alleys of Gotham’s barrios? And overcome the many challenges she faces as both Batwoman and Kate Kane? 2011’s most anticipated new series intensifies in this exciting second issue!

Grant: Is it really any surprise that I'm back for round 2 of Kate Kane's latest adventures?  That cover alone is enough to get me on board, but there's also the excellent first issue that this creative team delivered last month.  As I mentioned, it is a shame that Greg Rucka isn't around for Batwoman's triumphant return to monthly comics, but the writing was still quite strong.  There's a lot of different plotlines going on, and all of them have me rather intrigued.

DEMON KNIGHTS #2

Written by Paul Cornell

Art by Diogenes Neves & Oclair Albert

The siege that will reverberate through history to the present-day DCU begins as the Demon Etrigan and his unlikely lover, Madame Xanadu, face the Horde! What five (mostly) noble souls would be crazy enough to join them? The cover gives but a hint, and the point could well be moot by the time this issue’s done. For the Horde is armed with the magic of Mordru – including some decidedly different dragons!

Grant: This is one of the few books that came of DC's New 52 that actually felt like it was somewhat new.  While most of this comic could have existed without a reboot (except for Etrigan's thankful lack of rhyming), I'm pumped for this comic because it actually feels different from most every other superhero comic that DC is pumping out on a monthly basis.  Sure, we have a lot of familiar faces here - including some who have fought with and against various superheroes - but Cornell is telling a tale that seems to be firmly grounded in the realm of fantasy, and I'm excited to have that change of pace.  Also: dragons!

FF #10

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Barry Kitson

Ben Grimm returns to the pages of the FF as Ronan the Accuser and the armies of the Kree Empire invade the Earth!

Grant: I've been going back on forth on this title almost from issue #1, but after the spectacular story we got last month, I am once again excited for the Future Foundation.  I imagine I'm going to have to wait a bit before we get the payoff of that amazing ending from last issue, but watching Ben Grimm unleash some Clobberin' Time on unsuspecting bad guys should make for a good read in the interim.

FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE #2

Written by Jeff Lemire

Art by Alberto Ponticelli

It’s all-out war as Frankenstein and his new field team, The Creature Commandos, uncover an age-old conspiracy at the heart of Bone Lake – one that will see them suit up as the world’s first “Necronauts,” traveling between worlds and through “dead space,” toward the mysterious Monster Planet. Meanwhile, the horrifying origins of the Commandos are revealed – and the S.O.M.B.I.E. makes its first appearance!

Grant: I had a great time with Jeff Lemire's warm-up round with Frankenstein in this summer's Flashpoint mini-series, and the opening issue from last month really delivered on that early promise.  I'm digging the concept, the characters (especially the creature commands), and the conflict (can Frankie and friends defeat the fiendish freaks and rescue his wife?!).  Rather excited to see where this all ends up going.

JOE HILL’S THE CAPE #2

Written by Joe Hill & Jason Ciaramella

Art by Zach Howard

Something has been awakened. Leaving behind a trail of violence, Eric sets his sights on the city of Boston, and those closest to him. Explore your dark side. 

Grant: Holy crap.  As I explained with the last issue, I totally missed the original one-shot when it came out last year, but I've caught up at this point, and this story is crazy.  It's like nothing else I've come across in comics.  Expectations are constantly being subverted in this phenomenal story that is really pushing the enveloped about what superhero comics can and should be.  If you're not already reading The Cape, go find yourself a copy and enjoy.

PUNISHER #4

Written by Greg Rucka

Art by Marco Checchetto

Last month, the Punisher fell. Hard. Now Frank Castle is a man brutally and violently broken and barely grasping onto life. And for Frank Castle… it means he’s more dangerous than ever.

Grant: Speaking of Greg Rucka, DC's loss has really been Marvel's gain.  I've never been all that into the Punisher, but since Rucka's taken the helm of this series, I've been looking forward to Frank Castle's continuing adventures.  Rucka's take has been really interesting, with Frank appearing almost as a secondary character in his own title.  His actual face time has been rather low (I'm pretty sure he still hasn't spoken yet), but his impact is felt by every character in the book.  I imagine he'll eventually have to take on a bigger role (perhaps this very issue!), but I've been liking it thus far.

UNWRITTEN #30

Written by Mike Carey

Art by Peter Gross & Vince Locke

The finale of “On to Genesis!” In 1930s New York, Wilson Taylor confronts the true enormity of his betrayals, while in the present day, Tom comes face-to-face with their aftermath – and the link that binds him both to the Tinker and his creator.

Grant: The Unwritten is among my top three books right now and has been since it first started coming out nearly three those years ago (are we really at issue #30?).  Mike Carey and Peter Gross have been crafting a fantastic story that started as a pseudo-Harry Potter tale that has slowly evolved into a narrative that is all about the importance of, well, narrative.  I know that part of it is my background as an English major, but I love the way that this series mixes so many different stories and literature to insist on the importance and power of language and storytelling.  It also helps that this is just a damn fine comic book.

I'm really excited for all of the books that are dropping this week.  Most of these series are either already among my favourites or have impressed me with their early efforts.  What about you?  Have you been following any of these titles or are there other books that you have your eye on instead?  Tell me about it in the comments!

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