There’s a new year right around the corner, but the publishing slate for DC looks quite similar in 2022 as it did in late 2021. That’s not a complaint, but rather an acknowledgment of a sort of routine that DC has been in since the end of ‘Future State.’ As of now, it doesn’t yet feel like a rut, but we’ll see how we’re feeling when January actually gets here.
10. Fly off into space, Mr. Reeve
It is both understandable and a little frustrating how much DC has been leaning on both Batman and Superman as of late. That’s nothing really new for the publisher, but it seems even more prominent than it has in the recent past. But one of the nice byproducts of that has been the “Batman ’89” and “Superman ’78” series, the latter of which wraps up this month. While I think the occasional miniseries is the perfect vehicle for stories like this, I hope that this isn’t the last time we get a series set in this timeline. I want to see some Gus Gorman stories!
SUPERMAN ’78 #6
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by WILFREDO TORRES
Cover by MIKEL JANIN
Variant cover by RAFA SANDOVAL
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 6 of 6 | $4.99 US Variant (Card Stock)
ON SALE 1/25/22The final battle for Metropolis is here! Superman stands against Brainiac as he tries to save his city from being cataloged and bottled by the mechanical menace. But can Superman save his adoptive city and the bottled city of Kandor from Brainiac’s clutches, or will he be forced to make the impossible choice?
It’s always interesting to see what DC decides to send out press releases/news blasts about. Earlier this month, a press release went out with the title “Nightwing #88—The Blue Stripes Are Back!.” Now, I get that people like this costume, but this had serious “Malibu Stacy has a new hat” vibes. I don’t know if DC really needed to alert readers to this revision.
NIGHTWING #88
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art and cover by BRUNO REDONDO
Variant cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
1:25 variant cover by BRUNO REDONDO
$3.99 US | 32 pages | $4.99 US Variant (Card Stock)
ON SALE 1/18/22The blue stripes are back! Nightwing gets an updated suit starting this issue! Meanwhile, after the distressing events of rescuing Haley from getting dognapped by bad guys, Nightwing discovers there are way more hits on Dick Grayson than he realized, thanks to going public about his fortune, and he needs to find a clever way to be Dick Grayson and Nightwing at the same time. Meanwhile, Heartless tries to buy power away from Blockbuster in order to take control of Blüdhaven, and both of these big bads have Nightwing in their crosshairs.
8. A worthwhile collection
With the way that the comics internet is structured nowadays, it can be hard to tell how things are being received on a macro level, aside from websites like ComicBookRoundup, and even then, it is just based on reviews, not hype/chatter/discussion. All of that is to say that I hope people are reading “The Nice House on the Lake,” both because of the absolutely stunning Alvaro Martinez Bueno artwork and because James Tynion IV is crafting his most satisfying genre exercise yet. If you haven’t checked out the series yet, this is a fantastic way to get caught up before the second arc launches.
Continued belowTHE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE VOL. ONE
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art and cover by ÁLVARO MARTÍNEZ BUENO
$19.99 US | 200 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-434-9
ON SALE 3/1/22
17+Everyone who was invited to the house knows Walter—well, they know him a little, anyway. Some met him in childhood; some met him months ago. And Walter’s always been a little…off. But after the hardest year of their lives, nobody was going to turn down Walter’s invitation to an astonishingly beautiful house in the woods, overlooking an enormous sylvan lake. It’s beautiful, it’s opulent, it’s private—so a week of putting up with Walter’s weird little schemes and nicknames in exchange for the vacation of a lifetime? Why not? All of them were at that moment in their lives when they could feel themselves pulling away from their other friends; wouldn’t a chance to reconnect be…nice?
Don’t miss the first collected edition of 2021’s smash-hit horror sensation—so you can be all caught up when The Nice House on the Lake returns with issue #7!
7. Rest in Power, JPL
When John Paul Leon died earlier this year, there was a correct and immediate outpouring of love and respect from his peers and fans alike. There’s good reason for that: he was an amazing artist. He’s so amazing that he’s getting me to recommend people buy a Tom King Bat-comic. But more than that, this, his last work, has become a tribute to Leon’s incredible career. He is already missed terribly.
BATMAN/CATWOMAN SPECIAL #1
Written by TOM KING and others
Art by JOHN PAUL LEON, TOMMY LEE EDWARDS,
BERNARD CHANG, MITCH GERADS, and others
Cover by JOHN PAUL LEON
Variants by LEE WEEKS
and BILL SIENKIEWICZ
$9.99 US | 80 pages | One-shot | Prestige
ON SALE 1/25/22
17+Some great romances are destined to be. The Batman/Catwoman series shows readers the romance between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle as it changed over their lives, but what about their connections from before they became costumed adventurers? This special, meticulously illustrated one-off issue by John Paul Leon (Batman: Creature of the Night) traces the life of Selina Kyle from its earliest days to her entry into the criminal underworld, and reveals that Bruce was actually a presence in her life all along. Whether fate or coincidence, this story gives even more reasons why Selina and Bruce’s connection is one of the most enduring love affairs in comics.
Now expanded to celebrate the legacy of iconic artist John Paul Leon, whose untimely passing after a long battle with cancer shocked the comics world, this special will feature his work completed for the original story and tributes created in his name by some of his closest friends and admirers.
6. A bizarre and fascinating edit
So DC is getting set to latch onto Black Adamania, which is sure to hit the streets like mop tops in 1964 once Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam hits theaters next summer. And so DC is packaging three of their most ‘essential’ Black Adam stories into a box set. One is Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s “Shazam” from the New 52 and one is Johns and Rags Morales/Leonard Kirk/Don Kramer’s “JSA: Black Reign.”
But the third choice is a really weird one: it is a new collection called “Black Adam: Rise and Fall of an Empire,” which is basically an edit of “52,” with just the Black Adam scenes remaining. I’m legitimately fascinated to see how this story reads, removed from the other “52” storylines and given its own spotlight. Am I curious enough to re-buy the story in this edited form? Time will tell.
BLACK ADAM BOX SET
Written by VARIOUS
Art by VARIOUS
Slipcase art by JIM LEE
$51.00 US | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-452-3
ON SALE 7/5/2022Before seeing Black Adam on the big screen, rediscover classic DC comics that inspired the film! This slipcase box set includes softcover editions of Shazam! Vol. 1, Black Adam/JSA: Black Reign, and Black Adam: Rise and Fall of an Empire—a new collection of Black Adam’s epic journey from 52.
5. Is this solicit serious?
Let me share a piece from this solicit, and see if you think it is as ridiculous as I do:
The origin of Batman and his never-ending fight against crime in Gotham City is modern mythology, but what of the story in between? How did an angry, damaged young man grow into the most accomplished detective and crime-fighter the world has ever known? How did the Dark Knight…begin?
OK, first of all there is literally a film called Batman Begins that does exactly this. Also, lots of comics that tell this exact story, most recently “Batman: The Detective” from Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert. I suppose I can understand why DC feels the need to sell/hype this series, but hype up the fact that Chip Zdarsky did a really good Batman/Red Hood story in “Batman: Urban Legends,” or that Carmine Di Giandomenico killed it on “The Flash” during ‘Rebirth.’
Because, let’s face it, it is pretty lame to say stuff like “this is new territory” when there’s ample evidence to the contrary isn’t going to trick too many folks into giving this a try.
Continued belowBATMAN: THE KNIGHT #1
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
Art and cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
1:25 variant by GERALD PAREL
1:50 foil variant by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (All covers card stock)
ON SALE 1/18/22The origin of Batman and his never-ending fight against crime in Gotham City is modern mythology, but what of the story in between? How did an angry, damaged young man grow into the most accomplished detective and crime-fighter the world has ever known? How did the Dark Knight…begin?
Superstar writer Chip Zdarsky (Daredevil) and acclaimed artist Carmine Di Giandomenico (The Flash) will take Bruce Wayne on a fraught journey, making allies and enemies, on his training to become Batman in this definitive new series!
4. Corporate Synergy!
It should come as no surprise that DC is publishing a Peacemaker comic the same month that the titular HBO Max show begins. While DC isn’t always great at aligning their comics and TV/films, you can usually count on some sort of release on the month the film/show debuts. The best thing this book has going for it is the creative team, which represents a dream team for this type of story. If Garth Ennis can’t work his magic on Peacemaker, I’m not sure anyone can.
PEACEMAKER: DISTURBING THE PEACE #1
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Art by GARRY BROWN
Cover by JUAN FERREYRA
Variant by GARRY BROWN
1:25 variant by RYAN BROWN
1:50 variant by AMANDA CONNER
$6.99 US | 40 pages | One-shot | Prestige
ON SALE 1/25/22
17+The breakout character from The Suicide Squad gets his own tale of peace ahead of the upcoming HBO Max TV show!
Long before joining the Suicide Squad, Christopher Smith, code name Peacemaker, meets with a psychiatrist—a woman dangerously obsessed with his bizarre and violent past. From his tragic childhood to his military service overseas to his multiple missions with Special Forces, Smith has more than his share of skeletons in the closet. But who’s actually analyzing whom? And will this trip down memory lane result in yet more fatalities?
Garth Ennis and Garry Brown delve deep into Christopher Smith’s history of violence, and reveal what might bring peace—or not—to the Peacemaker.
3. You just know how pissed Damian is that he’s still Robin
Peter Tomasi and Jorge Jimenez’s “Super Sons” is one of the most fun books of the ‘Rebirth’ era, and to see Tomasi return to their characters after the status quo shift of Jon’s ascent to Superman is exciting. While Jon is newer to the scene than Robin, due to time and space travel, Jon now presents much older than his pal, and is currently the Superman of Earth. Damian is surely taking this well, so it’ll be fun to see exactly how they get along in this new one-shot.
SUPERMAN & ROBIN SPECIAL #1
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Variant by JORGE JIMENEZ
1:25 variant by RAFA SARMENTO
$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (Card stock)
ON SALE 1/25/22As the Super Sons, Jon Kent and Damian Wayne put evil to bed…past its bedtime. But a new day has dawned, and Jon Kent is now the Superman of Metropolis—all grown up and fighting for truth, justice, and the kinds of grown-up things that Superboy was only beginning to understand as a child. Now a ghost from Jon’s past has reared its head, and to battle this evil, he’ll need to reunite with Robin for one last mission into the heart of darkness. This time they’ll be battling not as Super Sons, but as Superman and Robin! This thrilling adventure is written by acclaimed Super Sons scribe Peter J. Tomasi!
2. Mark Waid is back, and he’s good again [wolf howl]
While I think its absurd to treat issue 1050 as a milestone of any merit, especially as it falls mid-arc, this issue sees Mark Waid and Don Mora tell a Batman/Superman story that seems to suggest a new ongoing from Waid at DC, something that hasn’t happened in over a decade. For that reason alone, this shot up the list to #2, and was almost the #1 choice on that alone.
Continued belowThat’s before I saw the cover. Woof, Buzz’s girlfriend.
DETECTIVE COMICS #1050
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art by IVAN REIS and DANNY MIKI
Backup 1 written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Backup 1 art by FERNANDO BLANCO
Backup 2 written by MARK WAID
Backup 2 art by DAN MORA
Cover by IRVIN RODRIGUEZ
Variant by LEE BERMEJO
4-part connecting variant by JORGE MOLINA
1:25 variant by JORGE FORNÉS
Team variant by JAY FABOK
$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (Card stock)
ON SALE 1/25/22It’s the landmark, oversize issue Detective Comics #1050, and some of the biggest names in comics are here to celebrate the Dark Knight! First up in “The Tower” part four, the villainous force keeping Arkham Tower’s patients sedated is at last revealed—and this villain’s return is guaranteed to catch you by surprise! It’s the dramatic conclusion to act one of Mariko Tamaki’s Arkham Tower epic, brought to life by the legendary Ivan Reis! Then, in “House of Gotham” part four, Matthew Rosenberg and Fernando Blanco take us into the seedy underbelly of Gotham’s criminal elite through the lens of the original Robin (Dick Grayson), and reveal what it takes for a young man to survive amongst the deadliest killers in the DCU. It’s a tour de force of Gotham’s vilest villains!
Last but not least, making his grand return to the DCU, writer Mark Waid teams with Detective Comics uber-artist Dan Mora to bring you the start of a brand-new day for Batman…and Superman? It’s the world’s finest collaboration that you’ll need to read to believe!
1. A chance to make his mark
I think it is both fair and generous to say that Brian Bendis’s DC tenure has not been what many, including Bendis and this writer, had hoped it would be. But this story is the first time that Bendis has a chance to really leave a lasting impact on DC as a whole. Sure, he aged up Jon Kent and introduced a few (very good) young characters in Naomi, Teen Lantern, and Jinny Hex, but he also made Tim Drake go by “Drake” for awhile, so who could say if its been good or not?
But even with those modest successes, there hasn’t been a story that has felt like a singular Bendis title (outside of, maybe, “Batman Universe?”) just yet. This is his chance to do just that. Leave your mark, BMB.
JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art and cover by SCOTT GODLEWSKI
Variant cover by Travis Moore
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (Card stock)
ON SALE 1/11/22One thousand years in the future, a Legion of Super-Heroes comes together to dedicate their lives to recapturing the great age of heroes of the 21st century. When the heroes discover that reality is falling to a great darkness in both times simultaneously, the Justice League and the Legion of Super-Heroes must team up to stop it all. But what is the connection between the secrets of the new Gold Lanterns and the coming of the Great Darkness? A monumental DC epic event miniseries!
For the full solicits, check out Newsarama.
