For the first time since 2010, September isn’t an over the top event month for DC – no 52 new titles, no #0 issues, no villains month, no “Futures End” tie ins – just good comics. DC has been doing much better on that front, too – let’s see what DC has in store for the back to school month.
10. The End of Season Zero and Season 2.5
Last summer, DC started putting out digital first titles that tied into their two live action series – “The Flash Season Zero” and “Arrow Season 2.5,” both meant to fill in gaps from the television schedule (the Flash’s took place between the pilot and episode 2, Arrow’s between seasons 2 and 3 of the show). DC has been incredibly smart with their digital books, focusing on their most popular characters for out of continuity works, video game tie-ins, and television-inspired books. I, personally, haven’t read these, but not for a lack of interest – but I think that as DC continues to grow its television presence, it would be wise to keep putting out books like this.
ARROW SEASON 2.5 #12
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art by JOE BENNETT and CRAIG YEUNG
Photo cover
On sale SEPTEMBER 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST • FINAL ISSUE
All roads have led to this—the final confrontation between Oliver Queen and Caleb Green! Don’t miss the shocking series finale of ARROW SEASON 2.5!
9. Green Lantern Variants
Each month, DC likes to trot out themed variants, and while I’ve never really hunted them down, I have enjoyed many of the concepts and/or individual covers. 2015 is Green Lantern’s 75th anniversary, and so 25 of DC’s books are celebrating that with variants. Many of these are stunning, including the Wes Craig “The Flash” variant above (which, sadly, I wouldn’t surprised if it got altered before release), but I have to question which books are getting them, and how they’re being used. For instance: Barry Allen and John Stewart have very little history together. Barry and Hal? Absolutely – so why put John here? Why not put John on one of the Justice League titles? Damian Wayne doesn’t need a GL-team up cover, but “Earth 2: Society,” a book that stars a Green Lantern, doesn’t have an Alan Scott variant? Throw Kyle with Superman or Martian Manhunter to represent his days in the Justice League – let Guy Gardner be on “Justice League 3001” – c’mon, DC. I really shouldn’t have to do your job for you.
THE FLASH #44
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI and VAN JENSEN
Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
GREEN LANTERN 75 Variant cover by WES CRAIG
On sale SEPTEMBER 23 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
Professor Zoom’s war against The Flash escalates as Zoom’s team launches an attack that Central City will never forget. With Wally West in the line of fire, The Flash is racing against the clock to save his city—and his friend.
8. “Green Lantern” Annual
MC Editor Emeretus Matthew Meylikhov uses me as his current DC information guide sometimes – asking me to clarify continuity issues, give my opinion on a new title, etc. He’s now asked thrice why Hal Jordan is now a renegade, to which I keep answering, “Because he just is?” Well, Matt, here’s why: buy the annual in September!
Continued belowGREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #4
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by PASCAL ALIXE
Cover by IAN CHURCHILL
On sale SEPTEMBER 30 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
What happened to Hal before the Green Lantern Corps disappeared and he was being hunted by them? Where did he get his new ship and new look? All is revealed here! Plus, a new force in the universe rises to take the place of the Green Lantern Corps!
7. My favorite pairing in comics! My stars!
There is something so wonderful about the Dick Grayson/Superman relationship. Clark trusts Dick in a way that Bruce never did (or at least never showed), and Dick, in many ways, is the answer to the question of “what would Batman be like if he was raised by the Kents?” King and Seeley are so in tuned with Dick’s voice, that I can’t wait to see how these pals interact.
The only bummer is that Stephen Mooney, who did the exceptional “Grayson Annual” #1 and the “Futures End” issue isn’t handling art here. But, he is filling in on “Midnighter,” so I can’t complain too much.
GRAYSON ANNUAL #2
Written by TOM KING and TIM SEELEY
Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ
Cover by MIKEL JANIN
On sale SEPTEMBER 30 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
When Dick comes home to find that the Batman he knew is gone, he seeks out his mentor, Superman. But both friends have changed since they last met. Can they find common ground and team up to stop Blockbuster’s plans for Spyral?
6. Fill ins already?
Look, I get it: comics are an uncertain business, and sometimes the best laid plans fall apart. But four issues into a new book/new run, and we’re seeing a lot of fill ins this month. “Justice League United” (just two issues in), “Black Canary,” “Constantine: The Hellblazer,” “Justice League 3001,” “Midnighter,” “Red Hood/Arsenal,” “Teen Titans,” and even “Batman” are all getting fill-in artists this month. Now, I’m sure some of those are story driven (“Batman” for sure is), but that’s a lot of artists needing time off. This isn’t slagging the artists – DC should’ve given people more lead time (especially with a two month break in the publishing schedule) to get things up ahead of time.
I know that fill ins happen, and I know that they usually work out well (as long as they’re planned out and smartly handled), but part of the fun of these new books/directions is seeing how a new creative team handles a run together. Having interruptions so early on just hinders the flow of the book.
BLACK CANARY #4
Written by BRENDEN FLETCHER
Art by PIA GUERRA
Cover by ANNIE WU
GREEN LANTERN 75 Variant cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
On sale SEPTEMBER 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Guest artist Pia Guerra (Y: THE LAST MAN) joins the series! Dinah is on the hunt for her kidnapped guitarist, Ditto, and when she finds the person responsible, you better believe she’ll make them pay! Also: Uncover the secret of the band’s former singer, and how she plans to exact revenge on them for kicking her out!
5. The End of “Truth”
“Truth” has dominated the Super books since June, and September sees it wrapping up. This is a good thing, as “Truth,” from a purely release schedule standpoint, has been a mess. The first issue released was June’s “Action Comics” #41, which references an event from July’s “Superman” #42. Ending the crossover will allow the books to tell their own stories at their own pace, which is a very good thing.
The cover to “Action Comics” also has Superman back in his New 52 costume – could we be ditching the t-shirt already?
Continued belowACTION COMICS #44
Written by GREG PAK and AARON KUDER
Art and cover by AARON KUDER
GREEN LANTERN 75 Variant cover by NEIL EDWARDS and JAY LEISTEN
On sale SEPTEMBER 2 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.
4. Send Directly to Brian Salvatore, care of Multiversity Comics…
Much like the omnibus that Superman got back in 2013, this looks stunning. From the Darwyn Cooke cover to the collection of stories found within, this seems like the perfect encapsulation of what, initially, made Batman great. Sure, there are other books like this one (like the Batman 75th anniversary hardcover released last year), but this seems to be the most complete, in terms of telling the beginnings of Batman. 700 pages, collecting almost 40 issues of “Detective Comics” and “Batman?” Yeah, that’s essential shelf porn.
BATMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS HC
Written by BILL FINGER, GARDNER FOX and others
Art by BOB KANE, JERRY ROBINSON and others
Cover by DARWYN COOKE
On sale NOVEMBER 4 • 784 pg, FC, $75.00 US
The stories that catapulted Batman to legendary status are collected here in a single, massive volume. These original stories from DETECTIVE COMICS #27-56 and BATMAN #1-7 include the origin of the Dark Knight, as well as the debuts of Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Professor Hugo Strange, The Joker, Catwoman and more!
3. Sandman Is Over…ture
Just over three years since it was announced, “Sandman Overture” is finally wrapping up. It is hard to even judge the book right now, as the issues come out so spread apart, that any narrative flow is totally wrecked. Sure, it looks beautiful. Sure, Gaiman is great at writing Dream and his world. I’m looking forward to reading the collection eventually, where I can really sink my teeth in and enjoy the book as it was meant to be taken in, not as a three issues a year stutter-stop experience.
THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE #6
Written by NEIL GAIMAN
Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III
Cover A by J.H. WILLIAMS III
Cover B by DAVE McKEAN
1:00 special ink variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:200 special ink variant cover by DAVE McKEAN
On sale SEPTEMBER 30 • 32 pg, FC, 6 of 6, $3.99 US
COMBO PACK EDITION: $4.99 US • MATURE READERS
The final issue of the Eisner Award-nominated series is a sweep of science fictional beauty and madness. Featuring cameos by some of Morpheus’s favorite siblings, the grand finale of OVERTURE dovetails into the start of The Sandman’s first journey, providing new insight into THE SANDMAN VOL. 1: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES.
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
2. RIP FBP
It has been over a year since Warner Bros. expressed interested in adapting “FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics,” which makes it even odder that the series is coming to an end with #24. Perhaps the momentum never was regained after Robbi Rodriguez left the book, but whatever the reason, it is sad to see the book go. Even Vertigo’s ‘hits’ seem to be going away earlier than in the past, and that’s a shame. Fare thee well, “Collider” “FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics.”
FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS #24
Written by SIMON OLIVER
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by NATHAN FOX
On sale SEPTEMBER 2 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUE
Out in the back of beyond, in the place between time and space, the future of everything rests in Adam’s hands:
(R/R)² – (8/3) πGρ – (1/3) λc² – [(k/c) ÷ (R)²]Nothing expands forever.
1. Jock is Back in Gotham
When we had Scott Snyder on the DC3cast, we had to bleep out the name of a future “Batman” fill-in artist – that name was Jock. Jock and Snyder doing another Bat-story is great news, and Snyder seemed especially thrilled with this issue. This seems like the mid-way point in the first Gordon-as-Batman story, “Super Heavy,” and Jock is an inspired choice.
BATMAN #44
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JOCK
GREEN LANTERN 75 Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale SEPTEMBER 9 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
It’s the origin of new villain Mr. Bloom! In a tale from Bruce Wayne’s past, Batman must investigate a vicious crime in the shadowy area of Gotham City known as the Narrows. Don’t miss this special issue illustrated by superstar artist Jock (Wytches, GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE)!
You can read the full solicitations over at Comic Book Resources.
