Upcoming Comics: July 24th, 2013

This is the life model decoy of Andrew Asberry. The real Andrew is still in San Diego conducting Comic-Con business or he’s missing or dead. All of this was written 2 weeks ago. Here are the review comics coming out this week, July 24th, graded on a scale of Andrew’s own anticipation.

Hell no!  –   I’d rather not   –   Ambivalent  –  Interested  –  TAKE MY MONEY

Scroll to the bottom of the page and post in the comments section what books you’re most looking forward to this week!

Upcoming Comics: July 24th

JusticeLeagueDark22

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #22

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:25 Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
1:00 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Anticipation Level:   TAKE MY MONEY

TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 3! Awww, man! How crazy was chapter 2 of Trinity War?! No, seriously… was it good? I’m writing this article 2 weeks in the past.

TALON10

TALON #10

Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Anticipation Level:   Interested

No more pointless Birds of Prey crossovers! This time it’s all about Calvin Rose vs. Bane and I have a good feeling about it. However, I certainly hope the artwork is better than it was last month. That final page cliffhanger of the lanky guy attacking Talon was laughable.

BatmanTDK22

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #22

Written by GREGG HURWITZ
Art and cover by ALEX MALEEV
1:25 B&W Variant cover by ALEX MALEEV
On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Anticipation Level:   Interested

So I guess Batman: The Dark Knight is all about telling the origin stories of Batman’s various villains. This new arc is all about Clayface and that’s an origin I definitely want to hear, but I certainly hope author Gregg Hurwitz has a better approach to this story than his past 3 attempts. Penguin, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter’s origin stories all dealt specifically with their childhood. But do we know how Oswald Cobblepot rose to power in Gotham’s underworld? What about how Jonathan Crane abandoned his sick experiments for a grander scheme of  costumed supervillainy? Or how exactly Jervis Tetch created all of those mind-control hats and the psychedelic teas? If this is yet another story that’s loaded with flashbacks to an ugly childhood I’m going to be upset.

Catwoman22

CATWOMAN #22

Written by ANN NOCENTI
Art by RAFA SANDOVAL and JORDI TARRAGONA
Cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON
On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Anticipation Level:   I’d rather not

I’m both curious and afraid of how author Ann Nocenti is going to introduce Dr. Phosphorus to the New 52. Personally, I think Dr. Phosphorus should be forgotten about. The way he was reinvented as Blight for the Batman Beyond universe works far, far better than any incarnation he had in Bruce Wayne’s era.

RedHood22

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #22

Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by JULIUS GOPEZ
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Anticipation Level:   I’d rather not

If this doesn’t satisfy then I’m going to drop it from the review rotation, but with a new plot centered around Ra’s Al Ghul’s League of Assassins things might be looking up for this series. Until now it’s been bogged down by bad art, a story too entrenched in Scott Lobdell’s work, and, worst of all, a complete mind-wipe of lead character Jason Todd.

batman_superman_2_v6c89j46tk_

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #2

Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by JAE LEE
1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:100 B&W Variant by JAE LEE
On sale JULY 3 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

Anticipation Level:   Interested

The first team-up between Bruce and Clark continues and this time there’s not going to be a fill-in artist. I took a lot of heat last month when I gave issue #1 a 7/10 and said it was “good.” Batman/Superman was enjoyable and had terrific art but it didn’t blow me away the way it did so many other readers and a trip to Earth 2 doesn’t have me all that excited either. Hopefully issue #2 will be just the thing to make me fall in love with this new series. I expect to see some very emotional scenes in this one as Superman is reunited with the Pa Kent of another dimension.

Graphic Novel Watch!

Nightwing, Vol. 2: Night of the Owls is released. It’s a softcover, just like the previous volume and if everything went according to plan a review already went up for this last week.