Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 04/18/12

Welcome to your weekly edition of Post-Crisis Previews!  I'm actually traveling for business this week, so I won't be able to provide you with any reviews to complement the previews here.  Sorry about that.  Either way, I'm excited for the books that are coming out this Wednesday, and hopefully you are too.  So hit the jump to see my thoughts on Batman #8, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #6, Wonder Woman #8, and a few other titles.

BATMAN #8

Written by Scott Snyder

Art by Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion

Backup Written by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV

Backup Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Broken and beaten, Bruce Wayne has retreated from Gotham City – the city of Owls – to Wayne Manor. But no place is safe, because the Court is about to strike at the heart of city, and nothing will ever be the same. Be there for the start of the battle for Gotham City’s soul…and the prelude to “The Night of the Owls.”

And in the first chapter of a new backup story, learn the secret history of The Court of Owls – as well as the secrets of Gotham City and the Wayne family!

Grant: Um, so Batman by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque sounds like the best thing since Snyder started doing Detective Comics last year.  I know it's only a backup and I know it's about the history of the Court of Owls, but I'm more excited for that than I am for the main.  That's far from a knock on Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion, who have been doing great work on this title, it's merely demonstrative of how excited I am for Albuquerque-drawn Batbooks.

DARK HORSE PRESENTS #11

Written by Various

Art by Various

Don’t miss the continuing exploits of cunning assassin Amala, Carla Speed McNeil’s Finder, Evan Dorkin’s House of Fun, and Steve Niles’s Criminal Macabre.

This issue is also packed with the exciting premiere of Francesco Francavilla’s pulp-noir hero the Black Beetle, the return of John Arcudi’s The Creep, and a new story by Andrew Vachss with illustrations by Geof Darrow!

And in an exciting feature by Frank Barbiere and Luke Radl, meet the killers known as the White Suits, who have left their bloody fingerprints throughout modern history. When a young girl encounters one of the Suits during a mob deal gone wrong, she is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever—or end it!

Grant: I'm sure that there will be a lot of stuff in here that will be good, but I'm coming to the party solely to experience Francesco Francavilla's Black Beetle in print.  I love his art and have loved his other Black Beetle stories, so I can't wait to see what he gives us here in the pages of Dark Horse Presents!

PUNISHER #10

Written by Greg Rucka

Art by Marco Checchetto

• “The Omega Effect” Part Two! Guest Starring Spidey And Daredevil!

• A Perfect Time To Try This Highly Acclaimed New Series As Frank Castle Joins In With The Meanest Team-Up You Ever Saw.

• Forced To Work With Two Garishly Dressed Avengers, The Punisher Makes One Promise: “Trust No One…Hurt Everyone.”

Grant: So I was actually travelling last week, too, and consequently haven't had a chance to read the opening of this crossover.  Considering that this portion will be written by the regular team for Punisher, a team that I regularly enjoy, I'm not too worried about that, but hopefully everything works out in the end.  We shall see.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS #6

Written by Nick Spencer

Art by Wes Craig, CAFU & Michael Uslan

Backup Written by Michael Uslan

Backup Art by Trevor McCarthy

When they were first recruited, the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent were asked if they would rather “burn out or fade away.” Well, now it’s “burn out” time. Original T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS artist CAFU returns to help Nick Spencer and Wes Craig bring this twisted tale of murder, espionage and doomed heroics to its thunderous conclusion. Everything from the first panel of the first issue of the first volume has been building to this issue – Do not miss it!

Plus: In this issue’s backup story, the Undersea Agent finds himself in the bone-dry deserts of Texas fighting Nazis and imminent dehydration!

Grant: Last issue turned things around in a pretty big way after a lackluster first four issues.  My main complaint last time around was the lack of high-quality artwork on this miniseries, and almost as if DC predicted these qualms, they've brought back CAFU for this concluding issue.  I don't imagine that he'll be drawing the whole thing (too bad, that), but some CAFU is far better than none.  Can't wait.

WONDER WOMAN #8

Written by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang

Art by Cliff Chiang

To march on Hell itself, you’re going to need some sensational weapons – and Wonder Woman intends to call in a few family favors to get them! Armor of Hephaestus? Check. The pistols of Eros? Check! But will any of it be enough to wrest an innocent soul from the grasp of Hades? And what does Hermes know that Diana doesn’t…yet?

Grant: Cliff Chiang has officially joined Brian Azzarello on writing duties with this issue.  It fits pretty with DC's (continually less) recent artists-also-being-writers policy, but as long as Chiang doesn't supplant Azzarello completely, I have no issue with this.  Frankly, I imagine that there was already significant collaboration between the two already.  It will be interesting to see how this move affects the title's style - if it does at all.  As a side note, I've been seeing this cover for months on the front of Previews, so I'm excited to finally see what's inside the issue proper.

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