written by JAMES TYNION IV
art by GUILLEM MARCH
cover by TONY S. DANIEL
...
Batman faces off with the Designer as “Their Dark Designs” reaches its epic climax! In the last year, Batman has lost more than he could have imagined, and now he faces a cost so dear it will change the course of his life. And there is worse on the horizon. In the midst of all the horror, he can feel the drumbeat of battle. “Joker War” is coming, and Gotham City will never be the same.
ON SALE 04.15.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
...
FC | DC
Do you think that when a comics solicitation copy writer types out the words "never be the same" they ever catch themselves, pause, stroke their chins for a bit and think to themselves, "Do I really want to say that? Everyone knows it's a cliche at this point. Should I use it ironically, or will readers not be able to tell if I'm serious or not?"
At any rate, I'm skeptical over whether or not "Joker War" is going to change Gotham City forever or not. I am curious about what it might be. I assume it is a war between Joker and some non-Joker force, rather than a war among Jokers, although I guess there are still supposedly still three different Jokers out there, according to DC Universe: Rebirth #1, and that particular revelation has yet to be explored anywhere, not even in the Geoff Johns-written Three Jokers series that was announced...months and months ago...
Our gal Catwoman is turning 80 next year (and looking very good, if we meow say), and DC is celebrating with nothing less than with a huge soiree, invite only, packed with creators who mean the most to her and to whom she means the most! Stories featured in this 100-page spectacular include a tail—sorry, tale—that takes place at the end of the Brubaker/Stewart Catwoman run, in honor of artist Darwyn Cooke. Plus, Catwoman is caught by an exotic cat collector, runs into a wannabe thief trying to prove himself as her apprentice, encounters a mystery involving memorabilia from alternate continuities, and of course some Bat/Cat fun.
PRESTIGE FORMAT | ONE-SHOT | ON SALE 04.15.20
$9.99 US | 96 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with ten covers. Please see the order form for details.
Look for Catwoman Dollar Comics on pages 73-74!
written by ED BRUBAKER, PAUL DINI, TOM KING, ANN NOCENTI, MINDY NEWELL, WILL PFEIFER, and more
art by CAMERON STEWART, MIKEL JANÍN, ADAM HUGHES, EMANUELA LUPACCHINO, STEVE RUDE, JIM BALENT, TULA LOTAY, and more
cover by JÖELLE JONES
1940s variant cover by ADAM HUGHES
1950s variant cover by TRAVIS CHAREST
1960s variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
1970s variant cover by FRANK CHO
1980s variant cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
1990s variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
2000s variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
2010s variant cover by JEEHYUNG LEE
blank variant cover
Huh. It seems like the Batman, Joker, Catwoman and Robin A Celebration of 75 Years collections has just come out, but that was actually five years ago already? Wow; time sure is moving fast. This appears to be in the same format as the Action Comics and Detective Comics #1,000 issues, and some of the more recent milestones reached by dubious Marvel-ous math, like Wonder Woman #750. I think I prefer this format to the Celebration of... collections, as its all new material, and the artificially-inflated, random-ish high number issues, because the numbering here isn't as annoying.
The announced creators are a somewhat interesting mix; I'm particularly excited by the presence of Cameron Stewart (who is almost certainly drawing the story attached to the continuity of the excellent 2002-2008 Catwoman series, which is still easily the best Catwoman series), a favorite artist of mine who I wish I got more regular doses of work from. I'm also glad to see Jim Balent involved; I know his style has changed quite a bit from his time on the first Catwoman ongoing series, and his chosen subject matter makes him a creator that generates quite a bit of eye-rolling form many comics-readers, but he's undoubtedly played a huge role in the character's fictional career, and, without double-checking, I'm pretty sure he's still the artist who has drawn the most issues of a Catwoman comic.
Mindy Newell, Ann Nocenti and Steve Rude area ll interesting, if unexpected, contributors, although given the fact that some effort has been made to round-up creators with some history on the character, I suppose Newell and Nocenti shouldn't be. I'm a little surprised not to see Tim Sale on the list, even as a cover artist, given how prominent his take on the character has been, thanks to he and Jeph Loeb's "Year One"-era comics like Long Halloween and their Catwoman: When In Rome miniseries.
written by MARC GUGGENHEIM and MARV WOLFMAN
art by TOM DERENICK, GEORGE PÉREZ, and others
cover by JERRY ORDWAY
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” leaps from The CW’s “Arrowverse” to this new collection starring fan-favorite character Felicity Smoak in a brand-new, Multiverse-spanning epic as she tries to locate the keys to the Anti-Monitor’s plan! Plus, Lex Luthor teams up with a council of Luthors, but can they all play nicely to save the Multiverse? Collects stories from Crisis on Infinite Earths Giant #1-2 and a Monitor’s worth of behind-the-scenes extras!
ON SALE 05.06.20
$17.99 US | 7.0625” x 10.875”
96 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-510-1
Oh, I was curious when the Crisis On Infinite Earths Giant appeared in solicitations, as DC never offers any details about the contents of the Giants, regarding what the publisher might fill those with. I assumed it was new material set during the original COIE, and then reprints of issues of it and some of the sundry spin-offs, sequels and other stories set during the original COIE. I see now that it was actually referring to a comic based on the CW's "Crisis" event, which I've both enjoyed and been stressed-out by. Not that I watched any of it, of course, I just saw various casting announcements and a million tweets on the subject.
I was sort of interested in it, but am soooooo hopelessly far behind on the "Arrowverse" shows that it would be simply impossible to ever catch up (I think I saw about two seasons of Supergirl, and most of one episode of The Flash and...that's it, actually).
I wouldn't mind checking out this book if I come across it in a library, though, as I like all those creators, and would be interested to see Perez drawing his versions of TV characters based on comics characters, in a comic based on a TV event based on a comic event he originally drew...
written by ROBERT KANIGHER, JOE SIMON and JACK KIRBY, GARTH ENNIS, WILL EISNER, and others
art by JOE KUBERT, JOE SIMON and JACK KIRBY, ALEX TOTH, CHUCK CUIDERA, RUSS HEATH, and others
cover by DAN BRERETON
Catch a glimpse of what it was like to live through two World Wars through the eyes of characters including Sgt. Rock, Enemy Ace, the Boy Commandos, Blackhawk, and many others. From tales of rebellion to surviving the battlefield, this title collects some of the greatest war stories of their time. Collects Sgt. Rock Special #2, Enemy Ace: War in Heaven #1-2, Showcase #57, Our Army at War #67, #83, #233, and #235, Boy Commandos #1, Star Spangled War Stories #87 and #183, All-American Comics #48, Weird War Tales #3 (1972), G.I. Combat #87, Our Fighting Forces #49 and #102, The Losers Special #1, and Military Comics #1.
ON SALE 05.06.20
$39.99 US | 352 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-015-1
I have no memory of that cover or, indeed, the comic book it is being pulled from, despite having been pretty actively paying attention to DC Comics at that point, and having been a big fan of artist Dan Brereton. That's a pretty intriguing creative line-up on that Sgt. Rock special, too; I'd kinda like to read that comic.
And I'd like to read this one as well. I mean, Simon and Kirby, Will Eisner, Joe Kubert, Alex Toth...that's about as all-star as any line-up could possibly get. It's a Mount Rushmore worth of foundational comics talents. And then you factor in the likes of Kanigher, Gath Ennis, Russ Heath...wow.
DC has a wealth of war comics, produced during the war in and in the years after it, and I know they managed to fill thousands of pages worth of Showcase Presents volumes featuring their war characters/concepts. I rather miss the experience of working my way through a phone book-sized paperback collection of black-and-white war comics by old-school masters of comics-making. Reading this won't be the same, of course, but it should offer some awfully similar pleasures.
art and cover by JAMES JEAN
DC spotlights top cover artists with the new Poster Portfolio series, continuing with celebrated artist James Jean! This collection includes 20 of Jean’s most memorable DC covers, highlighted by his years of iconic work on Fables! Printed on heavy card stock paper at a big 12 inches by 16 inches, the pages of the Poster Portfolio are easily removed from the binding and are suitable for framing.
ON SALE 08.12.20
$24.99 US | 12” X 16” | 42 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-493-7
Only 20...? That seems like a pretty small number, given that all of James Jean's DC covers were memorable. In addition to his Fables covers, which are what originally attracted me to the series, his coming on as the cover artist of the Cassandra Cain-starring Batgirl played a rather large part in my continuing to read the book after the departure of the book's original creative team of Kelley Puckett, Damion Scott and Robert Campanella. I also picked up more than one issue of Green Arrow simply because Jean's cover for it was so great.
I'm curious which 20 they chose. The one above, which I suppose is the cover of the book, is from 2003's Batirl #45, in which Cassandra dons Barbara Gordon's old Batgirl costume for a night of crime-fighting in it, as she attempts to figure out how Barbara was Batgirl. I recall that Tim Drake had a pretty positive response to Cass in Babs' costume.
written by SCOTT SNYDER
art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
cover by GREG CAPULLO
The “Death of the Family” story begins with the return of The Joker! Features story excerpts from this classic issue.
ON SALE 04.01.20
$1.00 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
Offered to coincide with The Joker 80th Anniversary
100-Page Super Spectacular #1.
This cover will be printed on standard cover stock and will not feature a die-cut.
This month's round of Dollar Comics reprints seem to consist mostly of Joker and Catwoman-related comics, to tie into the 80th anniversary of two of Batman's oldest marquee villains. The solicit for the above issue strikes me as a little strange in that it says it "Features story excerpts from this classic issue," but given that the issue is the same size as the original, I'm not sure what that means...unless "issues" is supposed to be "story," and there are scenes from throughout the "Death of the Family" arc...?
The other Joker and Catwoman comics being reprinted are 1990's Batman #450 by Marv Wolfman, Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo, in which a Joker impostor tries to profit off the villain's bad name; 2007's Batman #663 by Grant Morrison and John Van Fleet, which is apparently an illustrated prose story in the form of a comic book that I have no memory at all of, although I definitely would have bought and read it (I remember the Andy Kubert cover, at least!); 2002's Catwoman #1 by Ed Brubaker, Darwyn Cooke and Mike Allred, kicking off the aforementioned best Catwoman series ever; 2011's Catwoman #1 by Judd Winick and Guillem March, which kicks off the original New 52 ongoing (I believe this is the issue in which the pair have costumed sex on a rooftop at the end); and 2007's Detective Comics #826 by Paul Dini, Don Kramer and Wayne Fuacher, in which The Joker kidnaps then-Robin Tim Drake.
Also being reprinted are 2006's Checkmate #1, from writer Greg Rucka's relaunch of some of DC's 1980s espionage concepts, and 2011's Green Lantern #1, from Geoff Johns' New 52 relaunch of the title. It's not a bad batch of comics for $8, and each has at least one redeeming quality to recommend it. If I recall them correctly, the Batman #663 and Detective #886 are probably your all-around best bets, though, as they are essentially done-in-ones, offering you a complete story for your dollar.
I think I'd kind of love a Justice League comic or something Crisis-esque by him, something that would allow him to draw the whole dang DC Universe of characters, although if the writer weren't good or the story poor, I guess it would be a disappointment to have such a great artist who so rarely draws super-comics drawing it. Maybe DC should commission him to do his own dang thing...?
I'm not usually a fan of costumes like that, which are made to look realistic or functional—that looks like the sort of costume that someone playing The Flash might wear in a Flash movie—but Grampa makes it look good.
written by MARK WAID and BRIAN AUGUSTYN
art by PAUL PELLETIER, POP MHAN, GIL KANE, JOE STATON, and others
cover by STEVE LIGHTLE
Acclaimed writer Mark Waid’s run on The Flash continues with these adventures from the late 1990s. It’s Wally West and Linda Park’s wedding day—what could go wrong? Mysterious villain Cobalt Blue debuts with a surprising connection to Barry Allen! To stop him, it’ll take a super-team of super speedsters, including Wally, Impulse, Jay Garrick, Jesse Quick, and Max Mercury in the epic story “Chain Lightning”! Collects The Flash #142-150, The Flash Secret Files #1, Speed Force #1, The Life Story of the Flash graphic novel, and The Flash 80-Page Giant #1.
ON SALE 05.13.20
$39.99 US | 448 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-019-9
I think this is about where I came on, in terms of reading The Flash with anything approaching regularity. I particularly liked this era of Flash comics, in which Wally became the center of what was basically a whole family of super-speedsters.
written by SAM HUMPHRIES
art by SAMI BASRI
cover by GUILLEM MARCH
variant cover by FRANK CHO
Some mysteries just don’t want to be solved! As Harley digs deeper into the death of her friend, it becomes clear that there are forces in Los Angeles that don’t want her this close to the truth. Will Harley be broken by the City of Angels, or will she be able to avenge her friend’s death? And will she be able to convince Booster Gold that he is not her crime-fighting partner and never will be?
ON SALE 04.01.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
Let me state once more that, for the record, I love Guillem March.
Hopefully this comic doesn't lean too heavily on the characters' recent interactions in Heroes In Crisis, because 1) UGH and 2) it's not the best basis for a comedic comic book story, which I would imagine this would be, based on the title and the cover image.
written by BRIAN AZZARELLO, PAUL DINI, DENNIS O’NEIL, SCOTT SNYDER, TOM TAYLOR, JAMES TYNION IV, and more
art by RAPHAEL ALBUQUERQUE, LEE BERMEJO, SIMONE BIANCHI, TONY S. DANIEL, MIKEL JANÍN, JOCK, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, EDUARDO RISSO, RILEY ROSSMO, and more
cover by GREG CAPULLO
The Clown Prince of Crime celebrates 80 years of chaos! The Joker has been the greatest villain in comics since his debut and to celebrate we have a who’s who of comics’ finest talent giving the Harlequin of Hate the birthday roast he deserves. The stories feature a range of terror and anarchy, showing how the Joker has impacted Gotham City from the police to Arkham Asylum, from the local underworld to the Dark Knight and his allies! Make sure to RSVP to this birthday bash—you wouldn’t want to wake up with a Joker Fish on your doorstep, would you?
PRESTIGE FORMAT | ONE-SHOT | ON SALE 04.29.20
$9.99 US | 96 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with ten covers. Please see the order form for details.
1940s variant cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
1950s variant cover by DAVID FINCH
1960s variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
1970s variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1980s variant cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ
1990s variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
2000s variant cover by LEE BERMEJO
2010s variant cover by JOCK
blank variant cover
Not much in the way of surprises in terms of the contributors here, the ones listed—all of whom are dudes—consisting mostly of people who currently write and draw Batman and Joker stories for DC, or have within the last five to ten years or so. The most surprising inclusion among the writers is Dennis O'Neil, who, of course, shouldn't be a surprise, but it's been an awful long time since the definitive Batman editor did a Joker story. Among the artists, I'm most interested in seeing Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, whose work is always welcome, and Raphael Albuquerque, who I don't think has ever drawn the character...or, if he has, I either missed that story or forgot reading it. I'm also interested in seeing what Riley Rossmo comes up with; he's got a very unique, very expressive style that really stands out in these kinds of anthologies (His contribution to Wonder Woman #750, for example, was by far the most noteworthy, precisely because it looked so wildly different than all the other stories within it).
written by ROBERT VENDITTI
art by EDDY BARROWS
cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
variant cover by DAN MORA
The Spirit of Vengeance goes global! After spending untold time in isolation, the Spectre is back, and his thirst for retribution will ripple across the Earth! As old wounds are reopened under the Spectre’s unstoppable influence, it’s up to the Justice League to stop the conflict. But how can they act on a global stage when they must first contend with their own resentments?
ON SALE 04.15.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
Hmmm...Venditti is still writing Justice League, so perhaps this will end up being a real run after all, rather than a brief, page-filling one between bigger names...? I guess we'll see. The artists are still changing too-quickly, but then, that seems to be the way this title is now run. Issue #44 featured the work of Xermanico, whereas Barrows is drawing this one.
The Spectre seems to be the villain/challenge for this issue, and while I like Manapul's cover of the Spectre snacking on Leaguers, I'm afraid I can't tell you the first thing about that character's status any more, having lost track of it/him during the New 52boot. He showed up in GOtham during Batman Eternal in a rather radically different form than the pre-Flashpoint version, and I know he's more recently appeared in a Detective Comics story I haven't yet read (But am really looking forward to doing, as it has Kyle Hotz art. Kyle Hotz's style is perfect for both Batman and The Spectre). The solicitation copy here refers to The Spectre spending "untold time in isolation," which seems to contradict the very little I think I know about post-Flashpoint Spectre, so...I dunno...?
written by DAN DiDIO
art and cover by SHANE DAVIS and MICHELLE DELECKI
variant cover by STEVE RUDE
What’s this? There’s an entire new group of Metal Men, except they’re not metal…or men…but…animals?! After the Metal Men left Magnus for Nth Metal Men, Magnus knew the next team he created had to be loyal—and what’s more loyal than animals, right? All this, plus the new Metal Men face the Missile Men in their first epic battle since their conception.
ON SALE 04.15.20
$3.99 US | 7 OF 12 | 32 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
I believed that there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for DC to publish a year-long limited Metal Men series written by Dan DiDio, but now I see that I was mistaken; an excuse to generate that Steve Rude variant cover is a reason for the series to exist.
written by JEFF LEMIRE
art and cover by DENYS COWAN and BILL SIENKIEWICZ
variant cover by HOWARD CHAYKIN
It’s 1941, and Hub City is on the brink of a world war…and private eye Charlie Sage is on the brink of unraveling an enormous conspiracy! If he could just get that mysterious dame in red to talk—and keep his kneecaps intact, what with that strike-busting muscle coming up behind him—then maybe, just maybe, he can break the terrible cycle that keeps leading him back, through the ages, to his own death…
PRESTIGE PLUS
ON SALE 04.15.20
$6.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | 3 OF 4 | BIMONTHLY
APPROX. 8.5” x 10.875”
DC BLACK LABEL | AGES 17+
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
This series isn't just Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne with The Question, is it...? A previous issue of the series apparently had The Question waking up in cowboy times after his death, as Bruce Wayne did (after a few earlier stops, of course), and this issue appears to be set in gangster times, just as an issue of Return of Bruce Wayne was.
written by GEOFF JOHNS and DAVID GOYER
art by LEE MODER, SCOTT KOLINS, MIKE McKONE, CHRIS WESTON, and others
photo cover
Meet Courtney Whitmore, a typical teenage girl trying to make it through high school—but she’s about to stumble upon a secret that will make her life a lot more complicated! Her new stepfather, Pat Dugan, was once a costumed adventurer called Stripesy. Finding the Kid’s costume, Courtney decides to become the new Star-Spangled Kid! But Dugan isn’t about to let his new daughter put herself in harm’s way—at least, not by herself. He soon builds a robotic suit called S.T.R.I.P.E. so he can keep an eye on Courtney as she battles for justice. Now the duo fight side by side as they take on aliens, cults, super-villains, and more! Collects Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0-14, JSA All Stars #4, and stories from DCU Heroes Secret Files (1999) and DCU Villains Secret Files (1999).
RESOLICIT ON SALE 05.13.20
$34.99 US | 416 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-4012-9712-1
This title is resolicited.
All previous orders are cancelled.
I'm actually a little shocked that this has been turned into a TV show. As sitcom-ready as the premise of Geoff Johns and Lee Moder's comic book series was, it involved so much very specific DC Comics continuity, much of it tied to a very narrow, very particular era that had been retconned repeatedly in various crises that, well, it's not like you could just use the comic as a storyboard or anything, you know?
But TV shmeevee, the comics are pretty good. I really loved Lee Moder's artwork, which here employed a style rather different than that of a lot of his other work. I'd certainly recommend the majority of the comics that are in this collection.
The S.T.R.I.P.E. that appears in the comic is a big robot suit, but not a gigantic one; I'd say it's somewhere between 8-10 feet, if memory serves. If you look closely at that cover image though, it looks like there's a giant robot fist in the upper corner, so I guess in the TV show, the S.T.R.I.P.E. robot is more of a mecha-sized robot battle suit...?
written by AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
art by CHAD HARDIN, TOM DERENICK, and TREVOR SCOTT
cover by AMANDA CONNER
It’s a Wonder Woman story for the ages as she sets off in search of Steve Trevor! Joining Wonder Woman on her quest is Steve’s commanding officer, Etta Candy. The two soon find themselves trapped on a mysterious, uncharted island. If Steve is there, he may not have survived the island’s many dangers! Collects Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me #1-6.
ON SALE 05.13.20
$16.99 US | 160 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-4012-9468-7
Has anyone read this? Is it any good? I like the cover image, and would certainly be interested in a story in which Wonder Woman fights Western wildfires to rescue animals and firefighters, but the solicitation copy sounds like...not that.
stories and art by various
cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Celebrate the many colorful eras of Wonder Woman through the decades, with stories ranging from formative Golden Age tales to her current adventures, including Diana taking on spies in the 1950s, Silver Swan in the 1980s, and teaming with Batman and Superman in in the 1990s. Collects Wonder Woman #5, #45, #50, #76, #126, #155, and #204-206, Sensation Comics #70, Wonder Woman (1986) #15-16, #140-141, and #170, Wonder Woman (2006) #5 and #0, and Wonder Woman Annual (2017) #1.
ON SALE 05.06.20
$39.99 US | 352 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-200-1
Odd. It says "cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams," but that's pretty clearly the work of Phil Jimenez. I can't tell just by looking how many of these I've read before, but as long as it provides a generous helping of "Formative Golden Age tales," than it's probably a pretty decent collection; no superhero comics are better than Golden Age Wonder Woman comics.
...
Well, maybe some Marvel Family comics from the 1940s. And some Jack Cole Plastic Man. But not too many more comics!
stories and art by various
cover by PAUL RENAUD
As the first outsider to set foot on Themyscira, pilot Steve Trevor soon forged an alliance with Princess Diana. Steve’s strength and courage in the face of danger have proven him to be a consummate soldier and occasional spy, saving his squad and the nation more times than we can count. All the while, he’s been an invaluable ally to Diana, both in her civilian life and in her duties as Wonder Woman, serving as her entry point to and frequent guide through the strange and unpredictable world of humankind...and on occasion, much more. Collects All-Star Comics #8, Wonder Woman #41, #127, #179, #289-290, #322 and #329, Wonder Woman (1986) #12, Wonder Woman (2016) #2, and Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor Special #1.
ON SALE 05.20.20
$19.99 US | 232 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-198
Oh, because of the movie, right...? I'll be sort of curious to look at this one in person. Because I started reading comics when I did, in the early 1990s, Steve Trevor has always felt sort of foreign to me, as pretty much the entire period between Crisis On Infinite Earths and The New 52, he was more-or-less a non-presence in Wonder Woman's life and comics. Like, he technically existed post-Crisis, but, like Etta Candy, his role was so diminished and so different from the original iteration that he might as well have been an entirely different character. When he did start showing up again after the New 52boot, he felt like something of an intrusion in the Wonder Woman milieu I was by then used to.
Of course, somewhere in the late '90s, I discovered the original comics, featuring the real Wonder Woman, I got a sense of Steve Trevor and what his whole deal was. I liked that Steve okay, and I guess the new and current Steve is a modernization of that Steve, restoring his original role as Diana's love interest, but...I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I think Wonder Woman works betters sans Steve...? Outside the World War II milieu, he can feels a little superfluous to me.
That is one of the reasons I would want to check this out though, to see the character—and his relationship with Wonder Woman—as it evolved. I've only read a small handful of these, including the Steve Trevor Special, which the cover is taken from, and which was seemingly created to have a comic that at least somewhat reflected he and Wondy's soldier bros from the film in a comic book story.
written by KEITH GIFFEN, J.M. DeMATTEIS, GREG RUCKA, JUDD WINICK, GEOFF JOHNS, TIM SEELEY and others
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE, KEITH GIFFEN, PHIL JIMENEZ, JESUS SAIZ, RAGS MORALES, JOE BENNETT and others
cover by TONY HARRIS
Witness the rise and fall of one of DC’s most manipulative masterminds! Coinciding with his big screen debut in Wonder Woman 1984, this volumes collects key moments in Maxwell Lord’s history as both a hero and a villain, from his debut as the financial backer of the Justice League International to his fateful Infinite Crisis encounter with Wonder Woman, and beyond. This new title includes Justice League #1 (1987), Justice League International #12, Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1, The Omac Project #2, Wonder Woman #219, Justice League: Generation Lost #20, and Justice League #12 (2017).
ON SALE 05.27.20
$16.99 US | 160 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-609-2
Ha, I like that the title of this book, which also seems to exist simply because of the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, basically acknowledges that the first Max Lord, the one that appeared before Countdown to Infinite Crisis, was essentially an entirely different character than the one who appeared in that one-shot, and the comics that followed. Oh, and I guess the one from Justice League #12 would be a third Max...? The only real consistency between the "real" Max Lord and the heel version that appeared in Countdown was that they were both manipulative, and had some degree of psychic abilities that could result in nosebleeds.
I know the reason that this is being marketed as a Wonder Woman book, but man, how weird is it that these comics are being marketed under the "Wonder Woman" title. For the majority of his existence, Lord has only rarely and barely crossed paths with Wonder Woman. He's really a Justice League character, as it was in the Justice League books he appeared and played a major role for about a decade, but that was a decade in which Wonder Woman's involvement in the League was pretty minor. Heck, a few years ago he was the villain in the Supergirl TV show, another character he really didn't have much of anything to do with.
Given how wide, deep, weird and compelling Wonder Woman's rogues gallery is, the presence of Max Lord in her second film seems somewhat strange to me, but I am operating under the theory that there's something era or power set-specific, and/or perhaps symbolic, to his being there instead of, I don't know, Doctor Psycho or someone.
written by ALEX SANCHEZ
art and cover by JULIE MAROH
The New York Times bestselling illustrator of Blue is the Warmest Color, Julie Maroh, and Lambda Award-winning author Alex Sanchez (Rainbow Boys), present a new coming-out romance set against the backdrop of the DC Universe.
Jake Hyde doesn’t swim—not since his father drowned. Luckily, he lives in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which is in the middle of the desert, yet he yearns for the ocean and is determined to leave his hometown for a college on the coast. But his best friend, Maria, wants nothing more than to make a home in the desert, and Jake’s mother encourages him to always play it safe.
Yet there’s nothing “safe” about Jake’s future—not when he’s attracted to Kenny Liu, swim team captain and rebel against conformity. And certainly not when he secretly applies to Miami University. Jake’s life begins to outpace his small town’s namesake, which doesn’t make it any easier to come out to his mom, or Maria, or the world.
But Jake is full of secrets, including the strange blue markings on his skin that low when in contact with water. What power will he find when he searches for his identity, and will he turn his back to the current or dive head first into the waves?
ON SALE 06.03.20
$16.99 US | FC | 6” x 9”
208 PAGES
DC GRAPHIC NOVELS
FOR YOUNG ADULTS
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9081-8
I think it's worth pausing a moment to note where we are when it comes to the production of comics featuring DC superheroes at this moment. There is going to be an original, YA graphic novel drawn by Julie Maroh starring Aqualad II, a character co-created by Geoff Johns in 2010 to resemble a character original to a 2010 cartoon series who was specifically created because, had they not included Kaldur'ahm in Young Justice, then all of the young heroes would have been white kids (and/or green, in the case of Miss Martian, I guess).
Now that character has a high-end graphic novel which one could be forgiven for not even realizing was an Aqualad comic. Sometimes it's hard to believe just how far mainstream super-comics have come, and how fast.
written by LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON
art and cover by LEILA DEL DUCA
Princess Diana of Themyscira believes that her 16th birthday will be one of new beginnings—namely, acceptance into the warrior tribe of the Amazons. But her birthday celebrations are cut short when rafts carrying refugees break through the barrier that separates her island home from the outside world. When Diana defies the Amazons to try to bring the outsiders to safety, she finds herself swept away by the stormy sea. Cut off from everything she’s ever known, Diana herself becomes a refugee in an unfamiliar land.
Now Diana must survive in the world beyond Themyscira for the first time—a world that is filled with danger and injustice unlike anything she’s ever experienced.
With new battles to be fought and new friends to be made, she must redefine what it means to belong, to be an Amazon, and to make a difference.
From New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak) and acclaimed artist Leila del Duca (Shutter), Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a story about growing into your strength, fighting for justice, and finding home.
ON SALE 05.27.20
$16.99 US | FC | 6” x 9”
208 PAGES
DC GRAPHIC NOVELS
FOR YOUNG ADULTS
ISBN: 978-1-4012-8645-3
This is interesting. I haven't read all of DC's YA ogns yet, but the ones I have read have all been quite good, and Wonder Woman—or Wonder Girl, I guess she would be at this point—is certainly well-suited to the format and the audience, as the character fits so easily into fantasy narratives as she does anything in the superhero genre.
Writer Laurie Halse Anderson using a refugee frame for the character is pretty interesting too, not just because of the timeliness or relevance, but because Wonder Woman (like Superman) has often been approached as an immigrant character of sorts, and, conceptually, "refugee" fits under the umbrella of "immigrant," although the context (and connotations) are quite different.
There are a lot of Wonder Woman comics on offer in April, and this looks like one of the more promising ones.
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by JOHN TIMMS, DAN HIPP, DAVID LAFUENTE, ANDRE LIMA ARAUJO, and NICK DERINGTON
cover by JOHN TIMMS
After the explosive conclusion to their Gemworld adventure, the Young Justice team is having a tough time finding their way back to their Earth. Then, Naomi joins the team and the stage is set for an epic Wonder Comics crossover, with Naomi, the Wonder Twins, and Young Justice, together for the first time, tackling the biggest mysteries of the year: Where did Conner Kent come from? Why does Bart Allen remember everyone but no one else does? How does it all connect to Jinny Hex’s trunk? Plus, Tim Drake gets a new superhero name! Collects Young Justice #7-12.
ON SALE 05.27.20
$24.99 US | 160 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-038-0
Hooray, dinosaurs! That should help soothe the pain of seeing Tim's new costume and hearing his new code name spoken aloud in-story for the first time.
That seems like an awful lot of artists for a single collection, but given that this will involve different realities throughout the Multiverses, I hopefully all those artists are utilized with some strategy, and they aren't just drawing pages at random to get the books shipped on time. Given the presence of Dan Hipp, who has such a particular style, I have to assume that's the case. IN addition to Hipp, I'm a big fan of David Lafutente's and, increasingly, Nick Derington's. Both would be great regular artists on the series, although I think I'd prefer LaFuente over Derington on Young Justice month in and month out, but mainly just because I'd rather seen Derington on a Bat-book.
2 comments:
I was sort of interested in it, but am soooooo hopelessly far behind on the "Arrowverse" shows that it would be simply impossible to ever catch up
The advice I gave to a friend was:
Just watch it. Go into the first episode with the knowledge you have of the characters from the comics, and just pretend that they're those characters - maybe with a series or a storyline here or there that you've skipped out on.
Honestly, even though I was fully caught up on all of the series before the crossover started, I think it would be an enjoyable watch with just a baseline of DC comics character knowledge. (There were parts of it that had me feeling like I was an 11 year old kid reading the original Crisis again, which means somehow it was more emotionally resonant with me than the last two Avengers movies were, and probably means that I'm a trash person, or that my guard to DC nostalgia is lower than it is for Marvel. But it was still fun IMO!)
I've never watched Arrow, fell behind off of Flash several seasons ago, only saw part of the first seasons of Supergirl and Legends, and haven't seen any of Batwoman or Black Lightning, but I still followed the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover just fine. It's really not that good, but it's chock full of fan service, and if you're an old DC fanboy like me, well, you'll be serviced.
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