The other most noteworthy news from DC's February solicits seems to be that the publisher is doing a crossover of sorts between the DC Universe proper and Gerard Way's New 52 Vertigo imprint, Young Animal. The event will start with a 48-page, $5 JLA/Doom Patrol special, and then continue into four other one-shots, below...
Written by JODY HOUSER
Art by TY TEMPLETON
Backup story written by MAGDALENE VISAGGIO
Backup story art by SONNY LIEW
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
“MILK WARS” part two! Mother Panic has discovered a Gotham City transformed. What happened to her family and friends? And who moved into Gather House, the religious school that scarred Mother Panic as a young girl? It’s Father Bruce, the orphan millionaire who decided to give back to society by filling the deep demand for sidekicks. So many Robins in need of a nest! Plus, part two of the Eternity Girl backup story!
ONE-SHOT • On sale FEBRUARY 7 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T+
That's obviously a hell of a cover, and it's hard to go wrong with either Ty Templeton or Sonny Liew art--let alone both in one issue--but this seems an odd choice for a crossover. I mean, I read the first few issues of Mother Panic, and I recall Batwoman being in them. I'm pretty sure Batman at least had a cameo. Mother Panic is set in Gotham City, and what I assumed was the "real" Gotham City, so this doesn't really feel like a crossing-of-the-streams kind of thing in the way that, say, Batman/Sandman Mystery Theater might have, you know?
Written by CECIL CASTELLUCCI
Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO
Backup story written by MAGDALENE VISAGGIO
Backup story art by SONNY LIEW
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
“MILK WARS” part three! Shade has been split into multiple parts, each representing a different mood, all in service to the perfect and beautiful Wonder Wife. But Happy Shade is starting to sense that not all is right in Wonderland, and she finds something strange staring back at her on the other side of the looking glass! Plus, part three of the Eternity Girl backup story!
ONE-SHOT • On sale FEBRUARY 14 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T+
I hated Shade, The Changing Girl. I struggled mightily to make it through the first issue, but couldn't make it through the second.
That said, Mirka Andolfo is a great artist. I will certainly try again to read at least this issue of Castellucci's Shade...in trade. Someday.
CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE/SWAMP THING SPECIAL #1
Written by JON RIVERA
Art by LANGDON FOSS
Backup story written by MAGDALENE VISAGGIO
Backup story art by SONNY LIEW
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
“MILK WARS” part four! Swamp Thing has detected a disturbance in the Green, and his hunt for it has led him to RetCo headquarters. There he finds Cave Carson and his crew struggling against being assimilated into RetCo’s diabolical narrative. Is it possible for Swampy and Cave to destroy the organization from the inside? Plus, find out how their efforts help Eternity Girl in the final installment of her backup story!
ONE-SHOT • On sale FEBRUARY 21 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99
Hmm. Again, Cave Carson was basically a DCU book--Superman guest-starred!--so I'm not sure how exciting/interesting a selling point a DCU team-up special is. I suppose it's ironic that DCU-turned Vertigo-turned DCU character Swamp Thing is the character whose name is in the title, though...
DOOM PATROL/JLA SPECIAL #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO and GERARD WAY
Art by DALE EAGLESHAM and others
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
“MILK WARS” finale! As RetCo’s foundation shatters, the Young Animal teams come together with the Justice League and even more DC Universe heroes to finish the job. The only problem is, Milkman Man and RetCo still stand in their way. To right reality, the heroes of Young Animal and the DC Universe will have to unlock an outrageous power never before seen on any world!
This mind-blowing conclusion will establish new realities for all of the DC’s Young Animal titles. Look for the return of Cave Carson, Shade and Mother Panic next month!
ONE-SHOT • On sale FEBRUARY 28 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T+ US • RATED T+
Not to be confused with JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1! Aren't comics grand...?
Story and art by various
Montage cover by JIM LEE
Join us for the 80th anniversary celebration of the most important comic book in American history: ACTION COMICS #1, featuring the first appearance of Superman! It’s an extraordinary party as we revisit stories from across the decades, featuring the debuts of not just the Man of Tomorrow, but also Supergirl, Brainiac, the Fortress of Solitude and more! See the work of generations of top writers and artists on the original superhero! Enjoy sparkling essays from literary wizards who have won Pulitzer Prizes and hit the bestseller lists, including Jules Feiffer, who relives his memories of when ACTION COMICS #1 first hit newsstands. Plus, a historical essay by guest editor Paul Levitz, and all one thousand ACTION COMICS covers presented on a special 30” x by 39.75” poster! And as a bonus, don’t miss a previously unpublished 1940s Superman tale believed to be written by Jerry Siegel with art by the Joe Shuster studio, salvaged fifty years ago and hidden away until now!
This new hardcover serves as a companion to the ACTION COMICS #1000 comic book coming in March!
On sale APRIL 11 • 384 pg, FC, $29.99 US
Eighty years ago, Action Comics #1 cost a mere ten cents. Today, Action Comics #1,000 will cost you $29.99. Talk about inflation!
Written by HOPE LARSON
Art by CHRIS WILDGOOSE
Cover by DAN MORA
...
As the temperature drops even lower, Batgirl feels the pressure to find the maniac behind the worst blizzard that Gotham has seen in years! All signs point to the city’s latest villain turned hero: the Penguin. Could his efforts to help be a front for a greater crime in the making? What does his brilliant yet corrupt son, Black Sun, have to do with it? Find out in the thrilling conclusion to our wintry tale!
On sale FEBRUARY 28 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Hey, have I ever told you guys how much I hate the fact that The Penguin has a son, and this son of a villain goes by the name "Black Sun"...? No? Well, it's a lot.
BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #19
Written by JULIE BENSON and SHAWNA BENSON
Art by ROGE ANTONIO
Cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON
...
“Full Circle” part one! In addition to her vigilante life as Batgirl, Barbara Gordon also fought crime behind the scenes as Oracle. Now she’s taking it one step further—working to stop crimes before they happen. Her first target? Bringing down the Calculator’s intricate network of super-villains. Huntress and Black Canary are concerned she might be going too far, and it could put them all in the crosshairs when a new evildoer arrives to settle the score on behalf of the Calculator.
On sale FEBRUARY 14 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Oh she did, did she? When, in the six months or so that she was unable to fight crime as Batgirl in the new, super-short DCU continuity?
And what's all this about stopping crimes before they happen? Haven't you read Civil War II Batgirl? Or, better yet, haven't you read reviews of Civil War II, Julie and Shawna Benson?
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by STEPHEN BYRNE
Cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON
When our heroes leave the labyrinth, they must confront the horrors Black Adam has been committing against the people of Spain. There is a way to defeat him, but is it worth the price they must pay?
On sale FEBRUARY 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ • DIGITAL FIRST
There's a scene in the last issue of this series depicting Batwoman hitting a baseball into a stained glass window of what looks like Captain Marvel. That's how I read it, anyway. I guess it wasn't The Big Red Cheese after all, but Black Adam. I guess that makes more sense. I think it was the squinty eyes in the window depiction that made me think of the Captain.
Written by LIAM SHARP
Art and cover by LIAM SHARP
Don’t miss the start of a new, six-issue miniseries written and illustrated by Liam Sharp (WONDER WOMAN)! When a Celtic god’s murder leads to a war between the fairy folk and a possible breach between worlds, Wonder Woman must find the murderer and keep the peace while Batman investigates strange occurrences in Gotham City. As Diana must turn to the World’s Greatest Detective for help, the two heroes quickly learn their cases may be connected.
On sale FEBRUARY 21 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $3.99 US • RATED T+
Huh. I'm not sure why they are rather randomly attaching "The Brave and The Bold" to the title of this series...is it time to renew that copyright already? DC had previously randomly attached it to a JLA: Year One spin-off featuring Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Flash Barry Allen, and it always felt off to me.
Anyway, whatever they call it, I'm pretty confident this will be a pretty gorgeous looking trade paperback collection one day. Liam Sharp's too-short run on Wonder Woman was amazing looking, and the issue that had a few pages worth of a Justice League appearance left me eager to see him drawing more of the DC Universe.
Written by GABRIEL HARDMAN and CORINNA BECHKO
Art and cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
The newest Earth One original graphic novel presents an all-new origin for the Emerald Warrior!
Hal Jordan yearns for the thrill of discovery, but the days when astronaut and adventure were synonymous are long gone. His gig prospecting asteroids for Ferris Galactic is less than fulfilling—but at least he’s not on Earth, where technology and culture have stagnated.
When Jordan finds a powerful ring, he also finds a destiny to live up to. There are worlds beyond his own, unlike anything he ever imagined. But revelation comes with a price: the Green Lantern Corps has fallen, wiped out by ruthless killing machines known as Manhunters. The odds against reviving the Corps are nearly impossible...but doing the impossible is exactly what Hal Jordan was trained to do!
From co-writer and artist Gabriel Hardman (Invisible Republic) comes a soaring original graphic novel that takes a radical new look at the mythology of Green Lantern and provides a great entry point for new readers.
On sale MARCH 14 • 144 pg, FC, $24.99 US • 978-1-4012-7792-5
So far the Wonder Woman volume has been the only "Earth One" book I've really enjoyed, and I suppose it's well worth remembering that writer Grant Morrison didn't really do a whole hell of a lot of reinvention there; he basically just freshened up original writer William Moulton Marston's conception for the character, while Yanick Paquette drew it in a modern style.
That said, these tend to at least be interesting, if only to see what choices the particular creators make in seeking to refocus the characters to...well, I think the line has lost focus. Originally it was to be series of original graphic novels focused on a YA audience, but given how prevalent all of the characters chosen are, and that the New 52-boot similarly divorced them from their complex continuities and history, I don't actually know what the point of the "Earth One" line is.
Still, that doesn't mean this won't be interesting to look at as a sort of Just Imagine...Gabriel Hardman Creating Green Lantern comic...
JUSTICE LEAGUE #38
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by MARCO SANTUCCI
Cover by PAUL PELLETIER
...
“JUSTICE LOST” part five! Alone on the Watchtower, The Flash must find a way to save an astronaut drifting out into space. Meanwhile, Batman’s obsession with redeeming himself for two critical failures feeds a growing crisis of confidence in his leadership.
On sale FEBRUARY 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
JUSTICE LEAGUE #39
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by IAN CHURCHILL
Cover by PAUL PELLETIER
...
“JUSTICE LOST” part six! An environmental disaster unites both Justice League teams as Cyborg faces the first test of his leadership while still being overshadowed by Batman. Meanwhile, the Green Lanterns struggle with internal conflicts while being recruited by a mysterious visitor for an unspecified deep-space mission.
On sale FEBRUARY 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Reminder: Christopher Priest, one of the best writers DC is currently cutting checks to, will be writing Justice League soon.
Written by DAVID MICHELINIE, CHUCK DIXON, DENNIS O’NEIL, PETER DAVID, JEPH LOEB and MICHAEL JAN FRIEDMAN
Art by SAL VELLUTO, GABRIEL MORRISSETTE, GREG LAROQUE and others
Cover by SAL VELLUTO
It’s the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before, with a lineup that includes Wonder Woman, The Flash, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom and more! Led by Martian Manhunter, the “strike team” of fellow Justice League members are on a very special mission when Rafael Sierra and a group of rebels are planning to assassinate Sanobel President Enrique Ramos. Will they be able to work together and stop the rebels in time? Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE TASK FORCE #1-12.
On sale MARCH 21 • 296 pg, FC, $29.99 US • ISBN: 978-1-4012-7796-3
Oh, cool! I was just talking about this the other night, when writing up some thoughts about Wonder Woman and Justice League America Vol. 2, which included the "Judgement Day" story arc.
The premise for this series was air-tight, and such that there's hardly any point in DC history where they couldn't be publishing some version of it. Full-time Justice Leaguer Martian Manhunter, who almost never has a book of his own to take up his time, leads mission/story arc-specific teams of League-affiliated superheroes on special missions. Each arc had a different writer, but all had the same artist in Sal Velluto.
The quality was kind of rocky--you'll get that with different writers every story--but, like I said, the concept was solid. Ironically, the book improved considerably when they abandoned that concept, and it instead simply became a third Justice League book, one in which J'onn devoted himself to training the younger and/or more inexperienced members of the team.
Let's see, the first 12 issues, huh? Then that means...
1.) A three-parter by David Michelinie featuring J'onn and Gypsy teamed with Aquaman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Flash Barry Allen and Nightwing
2.) A done-in-one featuring Lady Shiva
3.) A two-part "KnighQuest: The Search" tine-in written by Denny O'Neil, featuring Gypsy, Green Arrow and Bronze Tiger helping out then wheelchair-bound Bruce Wayne
4.) Peter David's two-part story in which J'onn shape-changes into a lady and leads an all-female squad
5.) A done-in-one written by Jeph Loeb that featured a handful of "New Blood" characters, including Loeb's own co-creation Loose Cannon
...and, finally...
6.) A three-parter in which J'onn, Gypsy, Black Canary, The Elongated Man and Hourman face off against racist super-group The Aryan Brigade
That's pretty much it for the original concept; after a few "Judgement Day" tie-ins and a Zero Hour tie-in issue, we get the #0 issue and the new iteration of the book, by writers Mark Waid and Christopher Priest.
Written by SAM HUMPHRIES
Art and cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
...
“THE UNTOUCHABLE—FACE OFF”! In a flashback issue with art by Phil Jimenez, witness the second early encounter between Nightwing and the Judge, when Dick Grayson was a college student and a Teen Titan—a meeting that haunts him still.
On sale FEBRUARY 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Phil Jimenez art is always a good thing, but ugh that "R"...
Based on the fucked-up looking "R" for "Robin" symbol, I have to assume that neither Dark Nights: Metal nor Doomsday Clock will have fixed the DC Universe by the time this issue ships, so I have no idea when Dick Grayson found time to go to college and be a Teen Titan during the, like, four to five years that passed between the time his parents died and the time he became Nightwing. Maybe he attended college for, like, a semester, and then dropped out...?
Written by TRINA ROBBINS, KURT BUSIEK and LEE MARRS
Art by TRINA ROBBINS, IRV NOVICK and RICK MAGYAR
Cover by TRINA ROBBINS
Tales of Wonder Woman in the style of the Golden Age of Comics by Trina Robbins and Kurt Busiek are collected at last! In these stories from the 1980s, Paradise Island is threatened by a mysterious Amazon known as Atomia! This title collects THE LEGEND OF WONDER WOMAN #1-4, WONDER WOMAN #318 and a story from WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #2.
On sale MARCH 21 • 128 pg, FC, $16.99 US • ISBN: 978-1-4012-7795-6
I was not aware of the existence of these comics, but I sure as hell am going to buy this collection of them.
Written by PAUL DINI, JAMES ROBINSON, JEFF LEMIRE, STEVE ORLANDO, MARK RUSSELL, KYLE HIGGINS, ALISA KWITNEY, PHIL HESTER and others
Art by GUILLEM MARCH, FRAZER IRVING, KELLEY JONES and others
Cover by KELLEY JONES
It’s hard being a monster…and even harder being a monster in love. Sparks will fly and hearts will be broken when the ghouls and ghosts of the DC Universe assemble to bring you the Valentine’s Day Special that no one saw coming!
PRESTIGE FORMAT • ONE-SHOT • On sale FEBRUARY 7 • 80 pg, FC, $9.99 US
They had me at "Kelley Jones," honestly.
DC ran a "The Brave and The Bold" from 2007-2011-ish. Started with Mark Waid writing and ended with J. Michael Straczynski's first work for the company. One-shot stories, not typically featuring Batman. I don't remember them very well, with the exception of a Zatanna/Batgirl/Wonder Woman issue that I thought was pretty well-done.
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