DC's June previews reviewed

Yesterday we celebrated the thirty-sixth anniversary of my birth, but other things happene din the world as well. For example, DC Comics released their solicitations for the comics they plan to ship this June.

Among the notable news to be sifted out of those solicitations are the new Green Lantern creative teams, none of which make me want to read any Green Lantern comics, the new Scott Snyder/Jim Lee Superman comic with its unpredictably dumb name, a reboot of "Batman: Year One" by Snyder and artist Greg Capullo and the fact that "The New 52" has apparently become "The New 50" for June (I imagine that's due to production and scheduling issues, and that at least two new titles will appear in the July solicits. After all, those Green Lantern artists are going to have to draw something, right?).

Anyway, to read the full solicits, you can check out Comic Book Resources and/or ComicsAlliance. Otherwise, read on...

ALL-STAR WESTERN #21
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by MORITAT
Backup story art by STAZ JOHNSON
Cover by HOWARD PORTER
On sale JUNE 26 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+
The old West meets The New 52 as Jonah Hex visits the 21st century!

I liked that episode of Batman: The Brave and The Bold where Jonah Hex was summoned to the present by...Mongul, I think it was...?....in order to capture contestants for War World, based on Hex's reputation as one of the best bounty hunters of all time. I remember thinking that was a neat idea, and wondering why they never tried something similar in the comics.

Well, looks like they are!

Not sure who the back-up star is, but I like Staz Johnson; nice to see that byline appearing somewhere again.

Not sure which studio owns the Saw franchise, but if it's not Warner Brothers, DC Comics seems to be asking to get sued with this dumb cover by Alex Garner.

BATMAN #21
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Backup story written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV
Art by GREG CAPULLO and DANNY MIKI
Backup story art by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
...
On sale JUNE 12 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
...
Witness The New 52 origin of The Dark Knight in BATMAN: ZERO YEAR! Twists and turns are around every corner as Bruce Wayne takes the final steps toward his destiny! And in the backup story, learn more about how different Gotham City was at this dangerous point in time

I suppose this will cover all the stuff about Batman's New 52 origin that they just didn't have time or space to cover in Batman #0, Detective Comics #0, Batman: The Dark Knight #0, Batman and Robin #0 and Batman, Incorporated #0...?

I don't know if it simply reflects Snyder and Capullo's confidence in light of their recent success, or their cockiness, but over-writing Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One seems like a pretty big and bold move. I'll be curious to see what they come up with (I just started reading Snyder's run in trade, having read Black Mirror just this last Sunday night).

I'm pretty confused with the choice of "Zero Year" over "Year Zero," though, given the currency of the "Year" followed by number convention at DC Comics, and within Batman comics specifically.

Okay, I give up. Why is Batgirl's bat-symbol covered in Kirby dots...?

That's the cover to Batman and Batgirl #21, by the way. Apparently with Damian dead and Batman Robin-less (unless you count Tim Drake, Dick Grayson or Jason Todd), they're changing the title of Batman and Robin every story arc to reflect a different Bat-family guest-star, but keeping the numbering. That worked great for Captain America and Bucky...!

Not sure why they don't just dust off Batman: Gotham Knights, a book that had the exact same Batman plus a Bat-Family guest-star premise, and would have the added benefit of giving them a new #1 issue and make following the book slightly easier (like, what happens if you dig this book and want to read the first twenty issues of Batman and Batgirl....?)

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #12
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
...
On sale JUNE 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
...
Leviathan and the Heretic are on the ropes...could Batman be on the verge of avenging all he’s lost?

Apparently the only way Batman can process the feelings of grief and guilt he's experiencing after losing his son Damian was through an opera he wrote, which he can be seen singing here on the cover of Batman, Inc #12.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #1
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by JAE LEE
...
On sale JUNE 5 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
...
A new epic begins with the debut of this new, ongoing series! Don’t miss the first fateful meeting of Batman and Superman in The New 52!

Actually, we already saw the first fateful meeting of Batman and Superman in The New 52, back in Justice League #1 and #2. Remember? Superman punches Green Lantern out of the panel, and approaches Batman and says something like, "Look at my dumb armor! I'm Superman! What can you do?" And later Green Lantern's all like, "Oh, you know about Superman? Have you guys had a first fateful meeting before?" and Batman's like, "No, we've never met. But I've studied him." I'm paraphrasing.

Anyway, they made it pretty clear that Superman and Batman were meeting for the first time, unlike Flash and Green Lantern, who had exchanged phone numbers and secret identities already.

Your continuity's not even two year's old yet guys, you can't be fucking it up and having to retcon it at this point already! It's gotta last you a decade or two!

In any case, congrats to Pak on what will likely be a pretty swell gig, and to DC for getting a talented writer like Pak. I'm curious if Jae Lee is the ongoing artist or just the artist of the first story arc, as he doesn't seem like a 20-pages-every-30-days kind of artist. His is a nice style though. That's a pretty generic, two-dudes-posing-before-a-void-with-their-feet-hidden type of cover, but he's able to pull it off so much more elegantly than, say, Jim Lee (Take his cover for Superman Unchained, for example).

Oh, and note that the last Superman/Batman team-up comic was entitled Superman/Batman, whereas now Batman gets top billing.

CAMELOT 3000 TP
Written by MIKE W. BARR
Art by BRIAN BOLLAND, TERRY AUSTIN, BRUCE PATTERSON and DICK GIORDANO
Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
On sale JULY 24 • 320 pg, FC, $19.99 US
The classic tale that exploded into comics shops in the early 1980s is back in a new trade paperback collecting the entire 12-issue maxiseries! Featuring a cover by acclaimed artist Brian Bolland, this collection of the mythical tale of honor and bravery includes preliminary artwork by Bolland and developmental material from Mike W. Barr!

It's to my shame that I must admit that I've actually yet to read this series. That seems like a very good price point for a 300+ page trade (especially for color), although I'm fairly certain with a little persistence one could find the whole thing in its original single issues for about $12. I've seen plenty of issues in dollar boxes over the years, but never all 12 in the same box at the same time, so I never bought any.

DETECTIVE COMICS #21
Written by JOHN LAYMAN
Art by SCOT EATON
Backup story art by ANDY CLARKE
Cover by JASON FABOK
...
On sale JUNE 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
...
Harper Row joins Batman on a case that leads all the way back to DETECTIVE COMICS #0, but will The Dark Knight be willing to accept her help? Illustrated by guest-artist Scot Eaton!

I reeeealllly hope Harper Row doesn't become the new Robin. With Red Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl and God knows how many Batman Inc. sidekicks hanging around (Red Raven, The Squire), it beggars belief that Batman would recruit a new civilian to train on the heels of losing his second kid sidekick.

Although looking at that particular cover, she doesn't seem to be too terribly teenaged...

DIAL H #13
Written by CHINA MIEVILLE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN
Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
On sale JUNE 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
This issue must be read to be believed! Open-Window Man tells the tale of a world of living graffiti that’s on the verge of erasure. Send up the Open-Window signal—we need a hero!

In a perfect world, Open-Window Man would fight The Defenestrator at some point, in a comic with the words "It Had To Happen!" emblazoned across the cover.

The curtains as cape on that costume are a nice touch, by the way. I really can't wait to read this book in trade.


DJANGO UNCHAINED #5
Based on the screenplay by QUENTIN TARANTINO
Adapted by REGINALD HUDLIN
Art by R.M. GUERA and JASON LATOUR
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
...
RESOLICIT • On sale JUNE 26 • 48 pg, FC, 5 of 6, $4.99 US • MATURE READERS
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information This issue is resolicited. All previous orders are cancelled.
The latest chapter of the miniseries adaptation of the screenplay from the Quentin Tarantino film, with a cover by Frank Quitely! Based on the entire, uncut story, containing scenes that may not appear in the final film!
In this issue, it’s no holds barred as Django goes all out to save his beloved wife, Broomhilda!

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Backup story art by DUSTIN NGUYEN
1:300 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
On sale JUNE 12 • 32 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $5.99 US
...
When thirteen satellites fall from the sky in one day, the logical suspect is Lex Luthor—even though he’s still locked up in prison! But a stranger question remains: If Superman didn’t stop the last satellite from falling, who did? There’s a mystery hidden where even Superman can’t see it—Can The Man of Steel drag a decades-old secret into the light? Don’t miss the debut of this red-hot new series from two of comics’ brightest superstars: SCOTT SNYDER and JIM LEE!
This debut issue also includes a bonus two-sided, tipped-in poster measuring 11.6875” x 18.875” that is part of the reading experience and can be easily removed for display!

With Django and Superman both unchained, can a revival of DC Comics Presents pairing the two together on an adventure be far behind...?

Looking closely at that Superman solicit, it sure seems like something is off. $5 is a lot for a 32 page comic, if it's the now-usual 20 pages of story, 10 pages of ads, and it would seem to indicate that readers are paying an extra two bucks for that poster that's part of the reading experience. On the other hand, a back-up is also mentioned, and, DC books with back-ups usually are usually solicited as 40 pages (see Action and All-Star Western in this month's solicits, for example), as ten pages are devoted to that as well.

I'm assuming there are at least 30 pages of comics content in the issue (20 pages of Snyder and Lee, 10 pages s of Nguyen), and the poster is only adding an extra dollar to the price, but I don't know. Like I said though, something's wrong with the solicit information listed above.

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #21
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by JULIUS GOPEZ
Cover by AL BARRIONUEVA
On sale JUNE 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
There is a bounty on the heads of the Outlaws, and Jason can’t remember what he did to cause it.

Looking at this cover, I'm fairly certain it's fashion related.


SHOWCASE PRESENTS: DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN TEAM-UPS VOL. 2 TP
Written by MARV WOLFMAN, LEN WEIN, GERRY CONWAY and others
Art by RICH BUCKLER, JIM STARLIN, JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and others
Cover by JIM STARLIN
On sale JULY 17 • 568 pg, B&W, $19.99 US
Superman battles for justice alongside heroes including Supergirl, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Starman and more in these stories from DC COMICS PRESENTS #27-50 and DC COMICS PRESENTS ANNUAL #1!

FY,SP!

SUPERBOY #21
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
On sale JUNE 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Krypto comes to the rescue as Superboy is on the trail of Dr. Psycho and the new, mysterious H.I.V.E that has infested Metropolis.

Ha ha, look how dumb New 52 Krypto the Superdog looks!

I notice Wonder Woman villain Dr. Psycho is in Superboy this month, Hawkman villain Lionmane is in Batwing, Superman villain The Prankster is in Nightwing and Green Lantern villain Hector Hammond is in Superman. I wonder if that's just a coincidence, or some part of the overarching Secret Society plot (which apparently emanates from Justice League of America involves the villains choosing one another's heroic counterparts to mess with...?

For crimes against character design.