Spinning out directly from last month’s “Red Circle” event from superstar writer J. Michael Straczynski, we’ve got a first look at THE SHIELD #1, the debut issue of the new ongoing series chronicling the patriotic hero’s exploits. Along for the ride is an INFERNO co-feature. The main story, written by Eric Trautmann with art by Marco Rudy takes Lt. Joe Higgins — a.k.a. the Shield — into the hot spots across the globe where civilians fear to tread. His first mission finds him in Bialya, the nation destroyed by Black Adam in the pages of 52. There’s something lurking in the mountains beyond militia activity, and it’s up to the Shield to investigate.

Meanwhile, in the INFERNO co-feature by writer Brandon Jerwa and artist Greg Scott, we meet Inferno — but who is he? And why are the Dark Men after him?

THE SHIELD #1 hits 9/9.

You saw HANGMAN, no? So why not some info on INFERNO? Ask, and you will receive, friends:

You’ve seen the amazing designs. You’ve seen Jesus Saiz’s cover art. But there are more details to reveal, and more art to show. That’s what The Source is for, no?

This August, writer J. Michael Straczynski pairs with an all-star cast of artists to introduce a new wave of heroes into the DCU with four one-shots, each spotlighting one of the four. THE HANGMAN pairs JMS with artists Tom Derenick and comic legend Bill Sienkiewicz, while INFERNO features the gritty linework of Greg Scott. THE SHIELD showcases the work of former SUPERMAN and BATMAN artists Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens while THE WEB features the team of Roger Robinson and Hilary Barta. A pretty impressive lineup, huh? But that’s not all. We corralled Joey Cavalieri — and JMS — who along with assistant Chris Conroy is editing the RED CIRCLE books, to give us the lowdown on these reinterpreted characters and what their deal is. Take it away, Joey:

“Join the Red Circle: four books about four super heroes who are brand new to our universe. Everything goes in circles, and while these mighty crusaders have their roots in another time, J. Michael Straczynski has made sure that these guys’ colorful costumes aren’t empty suits. They’re fully rounded ndividuals, inhabited with the ethos of our modern era.

There’s the Hangman…a doctor who’s been spared the executioner’s noose (a circle of rope, get it?) only to be confronted with a choice that condemns him o roam around Earth forever, aiding everyone in his orbit.

And the Web, a man who’s had a life of ease and selfishness…but is forced to cast the resources of his, er, surroundings outward, to embrace and encircle everyone who needs his help!

Inferno has incendiary powers, but no memory other than a single name…which may not even be his. He must circle back and discover who he is, where he came from, and why everything around him goes to blazes…

The Shield is the spearhead of a program meant to encompass America’s borders, but quickly becomes a link in a bigger chain. That chain becomes a chain reaction. As J. Michael said in a note to me ‘n Dan: ‘This is where it gets really interesting. All four books are connected. One book sets up the next, then sets up the next, via interrelated actions. Each book slides off the next, showing the interconnectedness of the world, how fate can launch a bank shot from one person to the next. The Circle of Life, again reinforcing the Red Circle motif.’

Get the connection? We’ll show you how the circuit gets completed this summer. Circle your calendars: the Red Circle Revolution begins August 5th!”

It’s a week of rollouts here at The Source, and to close out our Red Circle character debuts, we’ve got the final cover by Jesus Saiz featuring the new look for THE WEB. Unlike THE HANGMAN and INFERNO, which went through a few changes in the design process, THE WEB was nailed pretty close the first go ’round. Sometimes things just fall into place, what can I say? So make with the click.

THE SHIELD image we debuted yesterday was pretty close to final. It’s hard to really tinker with such an iconic costume, so why try? But with a few more of the Red Circle characters available, it was a no-brainer to let an artist of J.G. Jones’ caliber take a stab at redesigning some. Here’s a look at Jones’ character sketch for INFERNO. Come back tomorrow for another sneak peek at the newest members of the DCU.

Oh, and because I’m in a giving mood, we’ve thrown in Jesus Saiz’s final take on the character, which will also serve as a cover, come August.