written by PETER J. TOMASI
art by CARLO BARBERI and ART THIBERT
cover by DAN MORA
Kids today, amiright? What with their vaping, texting, emoji-ing and whatnot—never mind what happens when teen villains the Gang get their hands on Gold Kryptonite! That’s exactly what the young bad guys plan to do to impress the Earth’s biggest villains! Super Sons Robin and Superboy stand face to face with Rex Luthor, Joker Jr. and other psychos pulled right from your nightmares. The Gang has already robbed Superboy of his powers, and now they’re ready to reveal their grand plan!
ON SALE 09.05.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | 2 of 12 | RATED T
Rex Luthor? Joker Jr.? Sigh...it appears that The Gang appearing in Adventures of The Super Sons will not be the The Gang, but simply a The Gang. That's kinda too bad. Although there is mention in the solicit of "other psychos," so I suppose there's still a chance we'll see Brains, Bulldozer, Ms. Mesmer and Kong in the pages of of this comic...
Regardless, I'm pretty excited about Gold Kryptonite. It's not the best kryptonite to build a comic book story arc around, of course, but any kryptonite other than green is a fun one to see these days.
written by MAIRGHREAD SCOTT
art by PAUL PELLETIER and NORM RAPMUND
cover by SEAN MURPHY
...
You can’t go home again. But that’s just where Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl, is forced to go when the chip granting her mobility keeps shorting out in the aftermath of her clash with Grotesque. Will Commissioner Gordon drive Babs totally bonkers with his bedside manner? Or will the malfunctioning tech impact more than just her legs? Plus, what’s the deal with killer art critic Grotesque and his murderous new M.O.? It’s all in part two of “Art of the Crime.”
ON SALE 09.26.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
I can't quite figure out what's going on with that cover. I'm not sure if Batgirl is getting a new terrible costume, or if that's supposed to be a flashback to her post-Flashpoint/New 52 "Year One" costume, which it looks awfully close to, but also differs from enough to make me doubt that is what she's wearing.
BATMAN #54
written by TOM KING
art and cover by MATT WAGNER
...
Dick Grayson—the original Robin—gets to spend some quality time fighting crime with his mentor for the first time since Batman popped the question to Catwoman. It’s a walk down memory lane as Bruce Wayne helps Dick get over the loss of his high-flying acrobat parents, which in turn led to his crime-fighting career. Guest artist Matt Wagner (Mage, TRINITY) jumps on board for this special issue!
ON SALE 09.05.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
"Art and cover by Matt Wagner"...!!! That's something that will make a solicitation copy-reader stand up and take notice. It's been far, far too long since we saw Wagner drawing Batman comics.
written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
art and cover by LEE BERMEJO
variant cover by JIM LEE
DC BLACK LABEL, the highly anticipated new imprint from DC Comics, starts here!
The Joker is dead.
There is no doubt about that. But whether Batman finally snapped his scrawny neck or some other sinister force in Gotham City did the deed is still a mystery.
Problem is, Batman can’t remember…and the more he digs into this labyrinthian case, the more his mind starts to doubt everything he’s uncovering.
So who better to set him straight than…John Constantine? Problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people’s heads even more. So with John’s “help,” the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker.
BATMAN: DAMNED is a bimonthly super-natural horror story told by two of comics’ greatest modern creators—a visceral thrill-ride that proudly puts the “black” in BLACK LABEL.
PRESTIGE FORMAT
ON SALE 09.19.18
$6.99 US | 48 PAGES
Approximately 8.5” x 10.875”
FC | 1 of 3 | MATURE READERS
While DC seems to have plenty of exciting-sounding projects lined up for its previously announced new imprints, the problem with announcing a whole mess of new imprints around the same time--and so long before they actually start releasing comics on them--is I can't remember which label is devoted to which kind of comics.
Based on the fact that I'm pretty sure DC isn't killing off The Joker, I think "Black Label" is their new word for "Elseworlds"...but it might also simply mean "Prestige Format"...or a combination of the two. Although they also say that "two of comics' greatest modern creators" will "proudly put the 'black' in BLACK LABEL," so maybe it just means over-hyped...? Or the black refers to how dark it's going to be...? Or some combination. I guess we'll find out.
I was a little surprised to see that this isn't going straight-to-trade, given the Azzarello/Bermejo team's success with the original graphic novel The Joker a few year's back, and when serial issues cost $7 a piece, publishing them serially doesn't make a lot of economic sense to me (I sure as hell wouldn't buy an out-of-continuity miniseries at that price point when I know the trade is just months away), but maybe that allows them to sell Jim Lee variants...? I don't know; I don't understand the comics market. (Obviously.)
written by SCOTT PETERSON
art and cover by KELLEY JONES
Scarecrow is loose in the streets of Gotham City, and Batman must drag him back to Arkham Asylum! To make matters worse, he’s doused Batman with the strongest batch of fear gas in his arsenal, turning the city the Dark Knight Detective protects into his worst nightmare and enemy!
ON SALE 09.26.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | 2 of 6 | RATED T+
Of course, I'm totally going to buy ever issue of this pricey out-of-continuity miniseries as they are serially published, despite the fact that a collection of it is all but inevitable. But this is different. This is Kelley Jones drawing Batman and The Scarecrow.
I love that cover so much.
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by DAVID MACK
...
Years in the making, from the award-winning team of Brian Michael Bendis and multimedia sensation David Mack, comes a brand-new graphic novel experience. And it’s all kind of based on a true story. Sort of…
Deep in the American intelligence community, someone realizes that comic book creators, who travel all over the world to sell their wares, might make the perfect cover for operatives in the dangerous, topsy-turvy world of intelligence and counterintelligence…and that’s when all hell breaks loose. This is the story of the time the world of comics and the world of international spywork smashed together—with unexpected results!
Artist David Mack, follows his Emmy nominated work on Jessica Jones, and his critically acclaimed video work for Dashboard Confessionals and Amanda Palmer, brings another completely unique vision to this driving comedic spy story that is also a beautiful Valentine to all those creators who sit alone and make beautiful stories.
ON SALE 09.05.18
$3.99 US | 1 of 6 | 32 PAGES
FC | MATURE READERS
If Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack are the protagonists, and the cast consists entirely of real-life comics creators, this might be interesting. Otherwise? Sounds a little movie pitch-y.
DETECTIVE COMICS #988
written by JAMES ROBINSON
art and cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
variant cover by MARK BROOKS
Kicking off an arc guest-written by James Robinson (writer of the Batman classics “Blades” and “Face the Face”) with art by rising star Stephen Segovia! It looks like the kind of murder case too ordinary to draw the attention of Batman…but once the World’s Greatest Detective gets involved, the identity of the victim completely unravels—and leads to a conspiracy among some of the Dark Knight’s strangest foes!
ON SALE 09.12.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
DC followed the end of James Tynion's "Rebirth" run on the secondary Batman title with a fill-in story arc, and now that will be followed by...another fill-in arc...? Weird. One would assume Detective would be the second-most desirable book for a writer to write, so DC really shouldn't have a whole hell of a lot of trouble finding pretty much whoever they want to write it, right? So I assume they have a writer lined up, and are just waiting until his--or her? That would be unexpected!--schedule lines up.
With issue #1,000 on the horizon, it seems particularly odd that Detective is kinda languishing with fill-in writers. On the other hand, Wonder Woman has also had a series of fill-in writers ever since Greg Rucka left, and his run was so short one could really consider that akin to a fill-in as well...
written by MARK WAID
art by OSCAR JIMENEZ, ANTHONY CASTRILLO, JIM CHEUNG, HUMBERTO RAMOS, SERGIO CARIELLO and others
cover by STEVE LIGHTLE
Wally West is pushed to his limit when Savitar attempts to take control of the Speed Force, an indefinable energy field that is the source of all speedsters’ powers. A trip to the 64th century also proves eye-opening for Wally, as he is shocked to find out that in the future he is worshipped as a god! Collects THE FLASH #106-118 and IMPULSE #10-11.
ON SALE 10.10.18
$34.99 US | 368 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-4012-8460-2
I've been meaning to start reading Mark Waid's Flash run via these The Flash By Mark Waid collections, and apparently I've been meaning to do so for a lot longer than I thought, as I was shocked to see a solicitation for a book five. I would have guessed the series was up to book two, possibly book three at this point.
written by TOM KING
art and cover by CLAY MANN
...
There’s a new kind of crisis threatening the heroes of the DC Universe, ripped from real-world headlines by C.I.A.-operative-turned-comics-writer Tom King: How does a superhero handle PTSD? Welcome to Sanctuary, an ultra-secret hospital for superheroes who’ve been traumatized by crime-fighting and cosmic combat. But something goes inexplicably wrong when many patients wind up dead, with two well-known operators as the prime suspects: Harley Quinn and Booster Gold! It’s up to the DC Trinity of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman to investigate—but can they get the job done in the face of overwhelming opposition?
ON SALE 09.26.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | 1 of 7 | RATED T+
Well this sounds...cheery. Based on the last seven-part miniseries in which the word "crisis" was used in the title more metaphorically than to refer to an multiversal crossover epic and the action revolved around a murder mystery, this fills me more with dread than excitement. That said, King's a far better comic writer than the guy who wrote the series this most reminds me of, and Clay Mann's a pretty strong comics artist.
I assume this will be addressed, but I find it amusing the way the solicit refers to the prime suspects as Harley Quinn and Booster Gold. If only because I would have to assume the criminally insane mass-murderer/terrorist with a body count that includes scores of children is a little more prime a suspect than the time-travelling superhero who has been on at least one, maybe more Justice Leagues, depending on the continuity.
written by SHOLLY FISCH
art and cover by DARIO BRIZUELA
Faced with the combined forces of simian menaces like Gorilla Grodd, the Ultra-Humanite and Monsieur Mallah, Scooby and the gang team up with DC’s greatest ape heroes: Congorilla, Sam Simeon and Detective Chimp! But when things take a turn for the monstrous, can even our heroes save the city from the king-sized carnage of…Titano the Super-Ape?
ON SALE 09.26.18
$2.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED E
I find this cover quite disappointing. But only because it features just two gorillas, while the solicitation copy refers to pretty much every gorilla and chimpanzee in the DC Universe I can think of, give or take a King Solovar.
written by OTTO BINDER
art by C.C. BECK and PETE COSTANZA
cover by MICHAEL CHO
At first he was simply a disembodied voice on the radio, taunting Captain Marvel with his ever-more-fiendish schemes to conquer the world. Then, readers gasped as Mr. Mind was revealed—all two inches of him! Was this lowly creature really the epitome of evil he claimed to be? Fortunately, Billy Batson understood the folly of underestimating someone based on their size! As small as he was, Mr. Mind was big trouble—especially once he turned the menacing members of his Monster Society of Evil loose to wreak havoc!
This new title collects the entire 24-chapter serial from the Golden Age of Comics with new essays by Fawcett Comics expert P.C. Hamerlinck and film producer and comics historian Michael Uslan. Collects stories from CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES #22-46!
ON SALE 02.06.19
$49.99 US | 272 PAGES
7.0625” x 10.875”
FC | ISBN: 978-1-4012-8769-6
Finally. DC announced plans to publish this a while back, only to change their minds for some reason, and it was a cruel, cruel joke to play. I'm glad they're finally going through with it. I've only read a few isolated chapters of this in the past, but it's Otto Binder and C.C. Beck's Golden Age Captain Marvel, which is one of the crown jewels of comics-that-DC-owns-now. I can't wait for this. Like, there's also a solicitation for a new original graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and based on William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter's Golden Age Wonder Woman comics, which, under normal circumstances, would be the most exciting thing one can imagine DC publishing. But then, DC doesn't normally publish books like this.
written by ADAM GLASS
art by BERNARD CHANG
cover by NICK DERINGTON
...
The team’s dealing with an unexpected loss, but there’s little time to grieve. They must travel to Keystone City, where Golden Glider and Swerve plan to pull a heist at a children’s hospital. (That’s a new low, even for some Rogues!) There’s also plenty of drama to go around, as Kid Flash mulls quitting after his clash with Red Arrow, and Damian’s harboring a new, secret mentor, all while his secret prison’s about to blow up in his face.
ON SALE 09.19.18
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
I really like Nick Derington's cover art. He's been killing it on the Mister Miracle covers, too. DC really needs to get that guy on some interiors.
You know, I assumed that character was Godiva, but I guess it's actually Golden Glider...?
1 comment:
I know Doom Patrol has fallen into some hiatus land, but Nick Derington was the artist of that book during its Young Animal run. Hopefully, he'll be doing a new book soon.
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