Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 09/11/13

Welcome to your latest edition of the Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews! This appears to be the week of mystery, as I am unfamiliar with a good chunk of the properties coming out this Wednesday. That being said, there still looks to be plenty of dandy titles, including Infinity Hunt #1, Eternal Warrior #1, and Sons of Anarchy #1, among many others. So hit the jump to check all the comics out!

Major Release

INFINITY HUNT #1

Written by Matt Kindt

Art by Steven Sanders

INFINITY TIE-IN!

Hank Pym, Wolverine, and She-Hulk bring the students of the Marvel Universe together to announce a new CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS!

This CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS pits the super students of schools all over the Marvel U (including some you've never seen before) against each other.

However, the Contest is interrupted when Thanos' forces descend on Earth. What do they have to do with the young heroes?

Grant: While I admit to liking the idea of a book featuring the younger heroes of the Marvel Universe, this sounds like one of the most contrived setups ever. Why would Hank Pym, Wolverine, and She-Hulk be the ones to bring the kids all together? For that matter, why would anyone brings the kids together for this strangely named CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS (as I assume it must always be capitalized)? And while I'd ponder how any of this has anything to do with Thanos and Infinity, the solicitation was kind enough to ask the question for me. All that being said, contrived setups don't have to be the worst thing ever. Occasionally they can just be a shortcut to getting directly into an interesting story. Seeing as Matt Kindt is writing, I'm hoping that this comic will lean closer to that option.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #1

Written by Al Ewing

Art by Greg Land

INFINITY TIE-IN!

New ongoing series! FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS OF INFINITY COMES THE MIGHTY AVENGERS!

The Avengers are light-years away in space, contending with the Builders! Thanos' marauders ransack the Earth, doing as they please! Who will stand in defense of mankind?

Luke Cage! The Superior Spider-Man! Spectrum! The White Tiger! Power Man! And a mysterious figure in an ill-fitting Spider-Man Halloween costume! These unlikely heroes must assemble when no one else can-against the unrelenting attack of Proxima Midnight!

Grant: I feel like I've somehow missed the boat, because I could have sworn that this book already came out. However, from my quick online digging, that doesn't appear to be the case. While I probably won't be picking up Might Avengers #1, the concept and team lineup does sound pretty interesting. I like the idea of a prime time team featuring a more diverse cast, so I hope that this title lives up to its potential. Plus, the new Power Man character is pretty fun, and I can only assume that him spending more time with Luke Cage can only be a good thing.

New Kids on the Block

BRAIN BOY #1

Written by Fred Van Lente

Art by R. B. Silva

When the United States Secret Service needs to stop an assassination before the killer's even decided to buy a gun, they call the world's most powerful telepath: Matt Price, a.k.a. Brain Boy. But when the secret agent that can read anyone's mind finds that a powerful psychic network has been hidden from him, Brain Boy begins to wonder whether he knows everything or nothing at all!

* Written by New York Times best-selling author Fred Van Lente (Archer and Armstrong, G.I. Joe) with art by R. B. Silva (Superboy, Jimmy Olsen)!

Grant: I read a few parts of Fred Van Lente's Brain Boy when it was in Dark Horse Presents and found myself pleasantly surprised. Although I kind of lost track of it, apparently I was closer to the exception rather than the rule, as my understanding is that Dark Horse has upgraded Brain Boy into an ongoing, which considering the base concept, makes a lot of sense. I wish Van Lente and R. B. Silva all the best with it.

ETERNAL WARRIOR #1

Written by Greg Pak

Art by Trevor Hairsine

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Pak (Planet Hulk, Batman/Superman) and superstar artist Trevor Hairsine (X-O Manowar, X-Men: Deadly Genesis) launch a brand new campaign for Valiant's undying immortal champion, the Eternal Warrior, in an all-new monthly series!

Across five millennia and a thousand battlefields, Gilad Anni-Padda has traversed the darkest, most mysterious corners of the Valiant Universe. But the horror and bloodshed of constant warfare has finally taken its toll on the man myth calls the Eternal WarriorÖand he has abdicated his duties as the Fist and the Steel of Earth for a quite life of seclusion.

But when a blood vendetta from the distant past suddenly reappears in the modern day, he must decide if he will return to the ways of warÖfor the child who betrayed him thousands of years ago...

Grant: I've fallen away from Valiant's comics of late, but I must admit that they do put out quality stuff. Like most of their characters, I'm not overly familiar with the Eternal Warrior, but I do know the creative team. Greg Pak seems to be blowing up right now, so it feels like something of a coup that Valiant has gotten him for this title. And while he may not have the same name recognition at the moment, Trevor Hairsine is no slouch either. I feel like these two could easily make some solid comics together, so Eternal Warrior #1 will probably be worth taking a look it.

LOCKE & KEY ALPHA #1

Written by Joe Hill

Art by Gabriel Rodriguez

"Omega and Alpha," part 1

In the second-to-the-last issue of Locke & Key, the damned and the saved alike will make their final stand in the Drowning Cave, in a clash of blood and fire. The shadows have never been darker and the end has never been closer. Turn the key and open the last door; it's time to say goodbye.

Grant: I am loath to admit that I have not read a single issue of Locke & Key. I've heard oh so much of its hype, but I simply haven't put in the requisite effort to ascertain a copy of the first story to even see if it might be up my alley. Therefore, I can't tell you much about this issue beyond the fact that it is the penultimate issue of the long-running, critically-acclaimed series, so if you're like me and don't the series too well, it might not be the best jumping on point in history. However, if you've actually been following Locke & Key, I imagine you're looking forward to this issue with a strange combination of excietment and dread. It's almost over!

MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD #1

Written by Al Ewing

Art by John McCrea

The Martian mayhem overtakes Mega-City One! During the annual meeting of the Mega-City Mafia, a new boss makes a play for power thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Meanwhile, Judge Dredd conducts a routine bust that turns out all but routine when he makes a shocking (and disgusting) discovery!

Grant: I haven't looked at IDW's Mars Attacks tie-ins too closely, but I've found that whenever they catch my eye, they always seem pretty interesting. That's certainly the case with Mars Attacks Judge Dredd. The whole thing feels a little nonsensical, but at the same time, I kind of want to see the Judges shoot the hell out of some Martian invaders. I imagine that this miniseries will make for some good old fashioned harmless fun (if that's an appropriate descriptor for a book that will likely be filled with gunplay and explosions - which I believe it is).

SONS OF ANARCHY #1

Written by Christopher Golden

Art by Damian Coueciro

WHY WE LOVE IT: Sons of Anarchy has captivated the attention of the entire BOOM! team with its smart plotting, compelling characters, and modern vision of the outlaw genre. We love the show so much we couldn't wait to help expand the world of SAMCRO.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: Gunsmuggling outlaw bikers with complex pasts and gripping personalities. If you love 'guys with guns' like we do, this is that genre at its most elevated.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: With no one else to turn to, the daughter of an old SAMCRO member comes to Charming looking for help. The only people standing between Kendra and certain death are the Sons of Anarchy, and, for better or for worse, Sergeant-at-Arms Tig.

Grant: I was actually blown away to discover that Sons of Anarchy is not only a television show, but that it has been going for over five seasons at this point. Apparently I know nothing of popular culture. From my initial gleanings, it actually looks like a somewhat decent show about a motorcycle gang, which gets mad points in my books for starring Ron Perlman (among others). Anyways, I imagine that it could make for a solid source for a comic book series, which is likely why Boom! picked up the license for it. I must say that seeing Christopher Golden on writing duties piques my interest, as he's done some most excellent work with Mike Mignola on the Baltimore books. I might have to check this out.

You May Have Missed

ADVENTURE TIME: CANDY CAPERS #3

Written by Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagriya

Art by Ian McGinty

The wacky team-ups keep coming hard and fast in the latest issue of this Peppermint Butler/Cinnamon Bun who-done-it ADVENTURE TIME caper! Last issue, we followed along as Marceline and Tree Trunks tried to be the hero team Ooo didn’t know it needed…who will try to take Finn and Jake’s place this issue? A great series for fans of crime spoofs and kids who can’t get enough of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys!

Grant: Adventure Time: Candy Capers has been so much fun that I feel like I must be doing something wrong. Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagriya are absolutely killing it on writing duties while Ian McGinty has been destorying the art, with each issue featuring a new two character team-up of increasingly ridiculous proportions. I'd say that I cannot even begin to imagine who this issue will feature, but that cover is making me cross my fingers for Lemon Grab and Lumpy Space Princess. That would certainly be one sour duo (pardon the pun)!

BALLISTIC #2

Written by Adam Egypt Mortimer

Art by Darick Robertson

This madcap sci-fi buddy adventure about a wanna-be bank robber and his best-friend Gun, a drug-addicted, foul-mouthed, living gun, marks Darick Robertson's return to the hard sci-fi worldbuilding of his classic Transmetropolitan mixed with The Boys' ultra-violence and the lunacy of Happy.

Grant: I'd kind of forgotten about Ballistic, but Adam Egypt Mortimer and Darick Robertson kicked out one rocking opening issue for this miniseries. The buddy-vibe between the protagonist and his gun, Gun, is genuinely hilarious, and Robertson's art is as intense, violent, and crazy as the three series the solicitation name drops. If you missed Ballistic the first time around, I'd urge you to give #2 a chance. You likely won't have too hard of a time catching up, and then you'll be too busy laughing to notice anything you might miss.

THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS #4

Written by Gerard Way and Shaun Simon

Art by Becky Cloonan

"Love. It makes people do dangerous things . . . It's an emotion better suited for the uncivilized class."

Wanted fugitives Blue and Red, porno droids that have disobeyed the strict rules of Battery City in the name of love, make a run toward freedom. Will they make it to the city line before BLI pulls their batteries? In the desert, the Girl makes a life-changing discovery and suffers the loss of a dear friend. The party's over and it's time to fight!

* From Gerard Way, creator of The Umbrella Academy!

Grant: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys is something else. Gerard Way is pouring on lots of different ideas, mixing and matching them into one heck of a science fiction dystopia, and Becky Cloonan continues to feel like the perfect artist to realize those ideas. We've got a number of different subplots floating about, so I look forward to seeing how they slowly come together as we move towards the second half of the miniseries.

The Balance

DEADPOOL #16

Written by Gerry Duggan

Art by Declan Shalvey

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY part 2!

In the heart of the enemy's clutches, Deadpool meets some uncanny friends!

Captain America & Wolverine get sucked into the mystery of Deadpool's past.

Grant: I picked up Deadpool #15 solely due to Declan Shalvey's presence on art, and I was really taken with how enjoyable the issue was. It really reminded me of some of the early Joe Kelly, Gail Simone, or Fabian Nicieza runs with the character. That is to say, insane, hilarious, and violent as all get out. This storyline also looks like it's going to be a good one, with lots of different moving pieces slowly coming together, including some pretty decent guest stars. Unless things take a real turn, it looks like I'll be picking up Deadpool for the foreseeable future.

Pick of the Week

You know what? I think I'm going to have to roll with Deadpool #16 this time around. While I was initially tempted to roll with Adventure Time: Candy Capers #3, Deadpool #15 really took me by surprise when I picked it up a few weeks back. It delivered a solid script, some absolutely gorgeous art, and a genuinely impressive cliffhanger that I keep finding myself thinking back on. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this story shakes out.