Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews for 10/16/13

And then, it was time for the latest edition of our Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews!  Lots of dandy titles on the docket today, including Hawkeye #13, Imagine Agents #1, Zero #2, and much more!  So click through the cut and I'll see you on the other side!

Major Release

 

HAWKEYE #13

Written by Matt Fraction

Art by David Aja

Fraction and Aja continue the surprise comic hit of the century!

After a lifetime of decisions both good and bad, Clint and Barney Barton have to realize they are brothers and ultimately, they're the only ones who can save one another. I mean if they don't kill each other first.

Good luck with that, Barton brothers.

Grant: It has been some time since the last issue of Hawkeye, as Hawkeye #13 has been pushed back a couple of times in the lead up to its release tomorrow, but considering everything that has come before, I have little doubt that the wait will have been worth it.  Matt Fraction and David Aja continue to be one of my favourite creative teams out there right now, so I cannot wait to see them come back with Hawkguy and brother of Hawkguy.

 

New Kids on the Block

IMAGINE AGENTS #1

Written by Brian Joines

Art by Bachan

WHY WE LOVE IT: Brian Joines' story is one of wit, originality, and heart, complemented by imaginative and loveable art by Bachan.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT: Big action and bigger fun in the vein of Men in Black and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, with a dash of Chew.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Ever try to wrangle an illiterate, 30-­foot tall rock monster away from his 5-­year-­old best friend? Or calm down a 400 pound muscle-­man rag-­doll during her daily temper-­tantrum? For Dave and Terry, it's all in a day's work. As agents for I.M.A.G.I.N.E., they are responsible for keeping your imaginary friends in-­line... Little do they know that six-­year-­old Elliot and his best bear-­friend, Furdlgurr, are about to be entangled in a plan to change everything!

Grant: I'm not overly familiar with either of the creators involved in this book, but the preview pages have looked pretty nifty, and we all know what a sucker I am for all-ages titles.  Plus, the concept of agents responsible for keeping imaginary friends on the up and up sounds rife with possibility.  I will definitely be checking this one out.

LETTER 44 #1

Written by Charles Soule

Art by Alberto Alburquerque

There's something up there. As newly elected President Stephen Blades reads the letter left for him in the Oval Office by his predecessor, he learns this stunning secret: seven years earlier, NASA discovered an alien construction project in the asteroid belt. A crew of heroic astronauts was sent to investigate, and they're nearing the conclusion of their epic journey. Don't miss the first chapter in this thrilling tale of real-world space travel, intrigue, and secret histories!

Grant: I wasn't overly fond of Charles Soule's 27, the title that first brought his name to prominence, but he's currently working on so many books that there must be something to his work.  While I've missed out on a lot of what he's been doing between the two titles, I'm interested enough in the idea of Letter 44 to give his work another shot.  Smaller publishers often take chances on really interesting books that the Big 2 would never touch, so I'm hoping that this will fall into that category.

S.H.O.O.T. FIRST #1

Written by Justin Aclin

Art by Nicholas Daniel Selma

The Secular Humanist Occult Obliteration Taskforce—defending humanity from angels, demons, and a bunch of other crap S.H.O.O.T. doesn’t believe in.

Justin Aclin (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Twisted ToyFare Theatre) and Nicolás Daniel Selma (Tomb Raider: The Beginning) take aim at the supernatural in an all-new big-action, big-ideas sci-fi adventure!

* Original, irreverent, and controversial!

* Aclin and Selma are the next “it” team in comics!

“Is S.H.O.O.T. First Dark Horse’s Next Big Hit?” —Newsarama

Grant: Another fictitous government agency comic, but this one featuring a group that protects the world from religious supernatural beings.  Again, a mighty intriguing concept that piques my interest despite my unfamiliarity with the creative team.  Will also be giving this one a look.

Fond Bittersweet Farewell

BATWOMAN #24

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

Art by Trevor McCarthy

The battle between Batwoman and Batman begins here--it's all been leading to this!

 

Grant: I've written at length on the site about my feelings on J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman leaving Batwoman, but it doesn't make the departure any easier to swallow.  They, along with Trevor McCarthy were making one of the more interesting books of DC's large stable of titles, and it is a shame to see them leave due to editorial interference.  I know that there are many who weren't overly fond of the title, but I always felt it was something special, so while Batwoman will go on with a new creative team next month, I'll be bidding her adieu with this issue.

 

You May Have Missed

SHELTERED #4

Written by Ed Brisson

Art by Johnnie Christmas

 

Victoria and Hailey find themselves hunted, their only salvation the trappings of a bunker. Lucas's true colors begin to show as he takes deadly measures to maintain control of the survivors.

 

Grant: Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas' Sheltered is one heck of a comic book.  Their unorthodox narrative of children killing their parents to help survive what they believe to be the end of the world has been equal parts horrifying and fascinating to watch.  It feels like there's a great deal that we're yet to discover, and I'm eager to see how things play out as the characters really start to come to terms with the awful things they've done.

 

SIX GUN GORILLA #5

Written by Simon Spurrier

Art by Jeff Stokely

It's a Weird West showdown like you've never seen before: Six Gun Gorilla faces off against the sadistic, fourarmed bounty hunter Auchenbran in a dustup for the ages! And while the battle rages, Blue discovers that he was brought to the Blister for a reason, and his seemingly inconsequential quest is anything but.

 

Grant: Six Gun Gorilla remains one of my favourite titles on the market right now.  It initially appeared as a fun mixture of pulp and science fiction, but last issue really emphasized how important the pulp aspect of the narrative is, as the comic went into a lengthy meditation on the importance and meaning of stories that just so happened to be integral to the overall plot.  With only two issues left, I'm dying to see what happens next and loathing the moment when it all comes to an end.
 

ZERO #2

Written by Ales Kot

Art by Mateus Santolouco

Shanghai, 2019. An opulent skyscraper party full of terrorists looking for fresh funding. Edward Zero is about to sabotage it big time -- and then the skyscraper starts to vanish, bit by bit. So maybe he should look into that first?

 

Grant: I really dug Ales Kot's first issue of Zero.  While I've heard him claim things will be changing in a big way come the end of the opening arc, the book still feels like his most accessible to date, mixing the high-minded narrative he seems so fond of with some good old fashioned spy intrigue and explosive action.  Michael Walsh killed Zero #1 with some brilliant art, but I have every faith that Mateus Santolouco will do the same with his effort in issue #2.

 

The Balance

ADVENTURE TIME #21

Written by Ryan North

Art by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb

It doesn't matter how many episodes or issues you get your hands on for ADVENTURE TIME, there will always be something new and amazing waiting for you behind every corner. The comic is a great read for allages and it's not just for the fans of the shows (but seriously, who isn't a fan?). It's a great comic about fans in a fantastical world, with adventures, lessons, and sometimes princess farts.

 

Grant: Any week where there's new Adventure Time comics is a good week in my estimation.  Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb have been churning out brilliant comics every month for twenty issues, which is crazy to think about, both because creative teams seem to rarely last longer than a year on most titles and because the quality has been so high throughout their collaboration.  The solicitations for these books are always somewhat generic, but the content of the comics never is.

BALTIMORE INFERNAL TRAIN #2

Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden

Art by Ben Stenbeck

When Baltimore and Duvic find themselves fighting side by side against a plague of vampires, our hero is captured and taken to a weird ritual where a witch plans to feed him to the ancient undead.

"(Baltimore) does what many modern horror comics attempt to do and fail at, it brings a sense of wonder."-Comic Book Resources

 

Grant: Baltimore is another of my perennial favourites.  Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden continue to develop the Lord Baltimore mythos in intriguing and fascinating new ways, and Ben Stenbeck has been there every step of the way to realize these deeds and misdeeds in excruciatingly chilling detail.  It's also been a nice bonus to have Dave Stewart along for the ride to offer Stenbeck's art the perfect finish to really push the horror home.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21

Written by Brian Wood

Art by Paul Azaceta

A twisted religious order targets the heathens Conan and Bêlit, who flee with a relic of immeasurable value. Mad warrior monks pursue the couple across a mazelike landscape, cutting off every avenue of escape. With no other options, Bêlit looks to the mysterious item, hoping to find some salvation within.

* From Brian Wood (Star Wars, The Massive), and Paul Azaceta (Amazing Spider-Man, B.P.R.D.).

* The most-talked-about Conan comic in years!

* Wood's Star Wars was a day-one sellout!

Grant: Brian Wood and his revolving team of artists have been writing riproaring issues of Conan without missing a beat, which like Adventure Time, is impressive due to the sheer volume of comics they have produced together.  This most recent story arc has been one of the darkest, and I imagine that its resolution will not be terribly pleasant for Conan or Bêlìt.

X-FILES SEASON 10 #5

Written by Joe Harris

Art by Michael Walsh

"Believers" Part 5 of 5:

The sense-shattering conclusion! Reunited at last, Mulder and Scully pursue the Deacon deep beneath the surface of Yellowstone National Park. Also in pursuit are the telltale black helicopters of the FBI, but are they friend . . . or foe?

 

Grant: As a non-X-Files fan, I've been surprised at just how enjoyable Joe Harris and Michael Walsh's X-Files Season 10 has been.  I honestly jumped on board solely for Walsh's art, but Harris' scripts have sucked me into the story, and I can't wait to see how this whole wacky chase will end up.  They left us with a doozy of a cliffhanger last issue, so it will be interesting to see how they resolve that one.

Pick of the Week

It is a close call between Hawkeye and Batwoman, but I'm going to have to give the edge to Batwoman #24, because even though I've been missing Hawkguy, Kate Kane will be changing in a big way next month, so this issue is where I'll be saying my goodbyes.  She will be missed.
 

What say you?  Which titles are on your radar for imminent purchasing this Wednesday?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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