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

 

Comics, everyone!  You love 'em, your comic book shop has 'em, and I have your Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews about 'em!  This time around we're looking at all manner of comic book funnery, including the brand spankin' new Halloween Eve, the new but not too new beginning that is Uncanny Avengers #1, the return of the Clown Prince of Crime in Batman #13, and lots more, so hit that jump and get your eye muscles moving!

ADVENTURE TIME MARCELINE SCREAM QUEENS #4

Written by Meredith Gran

Art by Meredith Gran

Backup Story by Yuko Ota & Ananth Panagariya

DON'T MISS THE LATEST ISSUE OF THIS POPULAR ADVENTURE TIME SPIN-OFF MINI-SERIES! Starring fan-favorite Marceline the Vampire Queen and the hit of San Diego Comic-Con. Popular with all-ages and a great way to get girls into your store!

Grant: I've really been enjoying Meredith Gran's take on the Adventure Time Universe's version of a touring punk rock band.  The whole thing has been a rather light and fun experience.  I haven't been quite as wowed as I was back in issue #1, but there's still plenty of time to go in this series.  As well, I continue to be head over heels for the backup story teams that Boom! finds for this book, as they present the lovely Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagariya of the much loved Johnny Wander webcomic.  Yuko and Ananth have put up a preview of their story, so if you're on the fence, check that here!

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #3

Written by Fred Van Lente

Art by Clayton Henry

Those email forwards Grandma sends you? Every lurid cover of every supermarket tabloid? That website rambling on about truthers, birthers and black ops alien greys working for the U.N.? ALL TRUE. The Sect has dragged a curtain of confusion across the inner workings of the world, but fear not, the conspiracy-busters Archer & Armstrong are here to deliver Truth in the form of ass-kicking! But our heroes’ newfound friendship will face its greatest test as they battle The Sisters of Perpetual Darkness. Obadiah Archer thought he had been betrayed by his family before, but nothing can prepare him for this!

Also: the existence of God will be proven for all time. Or disproven. One of the two.

Grant: I found the first issue of Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry's reboot of Archer & Armstrong to be some pretty fun, if a bit slow, stuff.  Happily, I feel like issue #2 improved on that beginning, polishing up some of the aspects that were a little lacking in that number #1.  Here's hoping that said upwards trend continues here in the third issue, as we get to follow the continuing (and continually hilarious) adventures of Archer and Armstrong.

BATMAN #13

Written by Scott Snyder

Art by Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion

Backup Story Art by Andy Clarke

• The Joker returns in “DEATH OF THE FAMILY”!

• He crippled Batgirl. He killed Robin. What will The Joker do now that he’s returned to Gotham City?

• What must Batman do to protect his secret identity and that of those who fight alongside him?

Grant: I admire DC's restraint in having kept the Joker out of all of their books since he de-facing way back in Detective Comics #1 last year.  I'm a little less impressed by how "Death of the Family" is slated to overwhelm every single Batbook out there (with the exception of Batwoman, natch), but that's neither here nor there.  Scott Snyder hinted at what he could do with the Joker back during his run on Detective Comics pre-New 52, and I'm on the edge of my seat to see what he'll when the character is the driving force behind an entire storyarc.  I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it'll probably be pretty damn good.

CREATOR OWNED HEROES #5

Written by Steve Niles, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray

Art by Jay Russel, Andrew Ritchie, Jerry Lando & Paul Mounts

ALL-NEW STORIES BEGIN!

“KILLSWITCH,” Part One

Part one of a brand new four-part story. Introducing Killswitch, an enigmatic, and devastatingly handsome killer with a fetish for blunt force, a strong code of honor, and more than a few skeletons in his closet. Killswitch is drawn into a game of death with the world’s top assassins to find out who is behind the contract on his head – and why.

“BLACK SPARROW,” Part One

A brand new two-part story begins, as a family living in the old west must reconcile that someone close to them might be a killer, or worse. A dark tale of haunting family dedication and the price we pay for love.

PLUS! An interview with AMANDA CONNER, art galleries, con photos, and original articles all celebrating the creator owned spirit.

Grant: I really like the idea behind Creator Owned Heroes.  Getting a taste of two brand new stories by talented creators each month sounds like music to my ears, and coupling it with tons of creator interviews, insights, and random thoughts makes for one heck of a concert.  I'm happy to do my small part to help projects like this succeed and flourish, so sign me up for another go 'round.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #9

Written by Brian Wood

Art by Vasilis Lolos

Brian Wood and Vasilis Lolos's "Border Fury" concludes, as the secret behind Conan's impostor is revealed! Separated on Cimmeria's frozen plains, Conan and Bêlit each fight handicapped while facing a deadly foe-Conan by the unexpected identity of his pretender and Bêlit by debilitating snow blindness!

Grant: I know I said I was calling it a day on Brian Wood's Conan, but despite my issues with the switch from Becky Cloonan to Vasilis Lolos, I kind of just want to know how this part of the story ends.  While this series has had a bit of a hard time keeping down a consistent artist from arc to arc, it's hard to argue with the quality scripts that Wood is putting out month in and month out.  And with Declan Shavley slated to come in for the next arc, I might have to stick around a little longer than I was planning on.

DEMON KNIGHTS #13

Written by Paul Cornell

Art by Bernard Chang

• Everything’s gone to hell for the Demon Knights – literally!

• If they can’t escape Lucifer’s clutches, Jason Blood and the rest of the Earth are doomed.

Grant: Part of me still mourns the fact that Diogenes Neves and Oclair Albert are off this title, but if Paul Cornell can continue to bring the same off-the-wall, medieval-fantasy, wackiness that he's managed for the first thirteen issues, it's possible that I might one day get over their absence.  In Bernard Chang's defense, he laid down a pretty solid issue with last month's #0, but I will reserve final judgement until I see him rendering the entire Demon Knights team.  I'll let you know how it goes.

HALLOWEEN EVE

Written by Brandon Montclare

Art by Amy Reeder

Eve has an imagination that’s more than active – it can be downright dangerous! Working late at the costume super-store Halloween Land, she gets lost in her own thoughts until something goes bump in the night. The rubber masks and plastic novelties are coming to life, and Eve must face ghosts, goblins, and gorilla suits made real.

High fantasy and heartbreak in an oversized holiday one-shot by BRANDON MONTCLARE (FEAR ITSELF: FEARSOME FOUR) and Eisner Award nominee AMY REEDER (BATWOMAN, MADAME XANADU).

Grant: It seems like just yesterday that I was bemoaning Amy Reeder's early departure from the pages of Batwoman.  But if that were the case, it would then have been yesterday afternoon that she partnered with Brandon Montclare to Kickstart this little book called Halloween Eve.  The two have been real excited about the whole project, and I'll admit to being among those who helped kickstart it, so I'm pretty excited, too.  I'm quite intrigued to see how their labour of love translates to the comic book page.

PUNK ROCK JESUS #4

Written by Sean Murphy

Art by Sean Murphy

A devastating loss pushes Chris to the brink. Feeling betrayed and alone, he begins to research the world that Slate and OPHIS have kept him from his entire life. Armed with new knowledge, a new haircut, and a new attitude, an angry Chris is about to tell the whole world the truth. And it all starts after he discovers a few old records in Thomas’s room...

Grant: I can't gush enough about how much I've been digging Sean Murphy's wonderfully inventive Punk Rock Jesus.  This series has been packing a wallop in every issue, but none hit harder than the revelation Murphy threw in at the end of last issue.  All the characters in this book seem to be getting good and angry, and it just so happens that anger is one of the key ingredients to punk rock...

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1

Written by Rick Remender

Art by John Cassaday

THIS IS IT! The greatest era of the Marvel Universe starts here! From the ashes of AvX an all-new, all-different Avengers assemble!

Dive headfirst into Marvel NOW! as the superstar dream team of Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force, Venom) and John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men, Captain America) deliver high stakes action in UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 - sporting a jaw-dropping cover by Cassaday!

No fan can miss the blockbuster debut of an all-new Avengers team featuring members from all across the Marvel Universe...a team uniting Avenger and X-Man alike!

Captain America begins his quest to create a sanctioned Avengers unit comprised of Avengers and X-Men, humans and mutants working together - so why is Professor Xavier's dream more at risk than ever?

The funeral of one of Marvel's greatest heroes! The first attack of the most loathsome villain in history will quake the Marvel Universe forever! But following the devastating events of Avengers VS X-Men, can Captain America pull together a team that can get along for its first mission?

Grant: What's this?  A Marvel book on my pull list?  I know, there aren't usually a lot of them, but I am not deaf to the constant talk of Marvel NOW (it's hard to be when they keep shouting about it).  My knowledge of what's been going down in the Marvel U remains mostly based on what I hear down the grapevine, so as always, I'll be interested to see how this book manages as an introduction for new(ish) readers and, you know, as the start of Marvel's not-a-relaunch relaunch.

STUMPTOWN V2 #2

Written by Greg Rucka

Art by Matthew Southworth

The new story arc from Eisner Award-winning writer Greg Rucka and acclaimed artist Matthew Southworth continues!

Private investigator Dex Parios is hot on the heels of guitarist Mim Bracca's missing 'Baby.' But what do a pair of skinheads and the D.E.A. want with a rock star's M.I.A. guitar?

Grant: For all the great stuff coming out this week, I'm definitely the most excited about the latest issue of Stumptown.  Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth, and Rico Renzi are back in a big way with the second volume of this wonderful little series starring Portland-based private detective Dex Parios.  Things got off to a good, if calmer, start last issue, but the previews hint that they aren't going to stay that way.  Can't wait to see what trouble Dex will get herself into next.

And for all you trade waiters out there, don't forget that tomorrow is the release of volume 1 of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples Saga, which has been all kinds of great. If you haven't given it a look yet, you owe it to yourself to pick up the first issues for the low, low price of $9.99. Seriously, it's kind of amazing and if you skip this opportunity to read it, we can't be friends anymore.  You've been warned.

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