After what seems like a near constant stream of ‘big’ months, March seems like a much, much quieter time for DC. That said, this gives us an opportunity to talk about some books that would’ve been on the cutting room floor in more crowded months. Let’s dig in.
10. A snapshot of a bygone era
OK, so let’s lay this out: in 1975, DC launched a new series called “1st Issue Special,” which was a place to showcase characters new and old in one-shot stories. However, unlike what you may infer from the title, these weren’t really ‘first issues,’ as none of these concepts really spun off into their own series (yes, there were Warlord and New Gods stories that spun out of their appearances in “1st Issue Special,” but those were reportedly in the works before the issues were released). So, this was essentially just a DC anthology with a misleading concept.
But, look at the talent that wrote or drew stories for this 13-issue series: Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Mike Grell, Joe Simon, Gerry Conway, Walter Simonson! It’s a veritable who’s who of that era’s top talent. And, on top of that, this is the first time this series has ever been collected. If you dig Mikaal Tomas Starman, or Metamorpho, or the Warlord, this is the collection for you.
DC FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL HC
written by JACK KIRBY, JOE SIMON, MIKE GRELL, GERRY CONWAY, and others
art by JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO, RAMONA FRADON, MIKE GRELL, WALTER SIMONSON, and others
montage cover by JACK KIRBY and others
DC collects the 1970s series that introduced one new concept after another—as well as reintroducing several DC favorites! Over the course of 13 issues, 1st Issue Special shined a spotlight on Atlas, Manhunter, Warlord, Lady Cop, and even the Dingbats of Danger Street—as well as giving the Creeper, Doctor Fate, and the New Gods their shots at comebacks! Collects 1st Issue Special #1-13.
ON SALE 04.15.20
$39.99 US | 272 PAGES
FC | ISBN: 978-1-77950-177-6
9. Let’s see how Bendis explains Mon-El
Aside from Hawkman, Mon-El might have the most convoluted origin in all of DC. The fifth issue of “Legion of Super-Heroes” is the latest in a long line of books trying to give Mon-El a Superman connection. Will he still be a Daxomite? Is he back to being a Kryptonian? Will be now be a descendant of the Kents? Let’s find out together!
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #5
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by RYAN SOOK
card stock variant cover by ALEX GARNER
DC’s far-flung future is happening right now! With the secret of Jon Kent revealed, the Legion of Super-Heroes is united to save New Earth from those who would destroy it. Will Aquaman’s lost trident be the key to New Earth’s demise? Plus, Mon-El comes clean about his connection to Jon, and Cosmic Boy and Ferro Lad find out they both have a crush on the same Legionnaire.
ON SALE 03.04.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99 US
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
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8. I wish it was “Gotham Academy”
“Gotham High” is the latest attempt to both tell a young Bruce Wayne story and also connect Bruce to his rogues gallery before any of them were actively heroes or villains. So, essentially, this is Gotham, with a little less cheesiness and scenery chewing, plus a more definitive version of the Joker.
That may sound like a callous description, but that’s because stories like this are naturally limited and limiting. There’s nothing about this story that can be truly “important” due to its timeframe, and the constant desire to make Bruce Wayne kid pals with a villain is really played out.
However, if you took the character names out of the solicitation text, it sounds like your fairly standard young adult fiction fare. And, getting kids who are reading other types of books to jump over to comics is a noble pursuit, so let’s hope it takes.
Continued belowGOTHAM HIGH TP
written by MELISSA DE LA CRUZ
art and cover by THOMAS PITILLI
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Eliza and The Witches of East End comes a reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers. Before they became Batman, Catwoman, and The Joker, Bruce, Selina, and Jack were high schoolers who would do whatever it took—even destroy the ones they love—to satisfy their own motives.
After being kicked out of his boarding school, 16-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents’ murder. Selina Kyle, once the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.
When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight—but is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes…and where everyone is a suspect.
With enchanting art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies—all within the hallways of Gotham High!
ON SALE 04.01.20
$16.99 US | FC | 6” x 9”
208 PAGES
DC GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR
YOUNG ADULTS
ISBN: 978-1-4012-8624-8
7. “A bold new direction”
It seems overkill to point out, yet again, that “The Terrifics” is the final ‘New Age of Heroes’ title left running at DC (although I will be talking about another NAOH character later in this very column!). But yes, this series is still running under the guiding hand of Gene Luen Yang. He more or less picked up the baton that Jeff Lemire was running with, but this solicit is selling us on a ‘bold new direction.’ While ‘seeking to redefine the concept of super-heroics with bleeding-edge technology and targeted global problem-solving’ isn’t exactly how I’d describe the first 25 issues of the series, it doesn’t seem like a total reinvention of the title. And that’s fine! I think it sounds like a lot of fun, and I’m excited to see where Yang and co. take this.
THE TERRIFICS #26
written by GENE LUEN YANG
art by SERGIO DAVILA and VICENTE CIFUENTES
cover by DAN MORA
A bold new direction for The Terrifics begins here! Following the events of the T-Finity experiment, Mr. Terrific has at last gained control of his long-defunct company Terrifictech, with the help of a mysterious benefactor. Seeking to redefine the concept of super-heroics with bleeding-edge technology and targeted global problem-solving, Michael Holt and his team of outcasts are expanding their horizons to a bright new future. But as the Terrifics evolve, the remnants of evils past just won’t let them go…
ON SALE 03.11.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | DC
6. An even further step
Last month, I celebrated DC doing an OGN with a brand new character, though “Anti/Hero” was very much still in the company’s superhero wheelhouse. Well, “My Video Game Ate My Homework” is an even further step outside of DC’s comfort zone, as it is an OGN that has more to do with things like Tron or Stay Tuned than it does with Superman or Batman. I am certainly not the target audience for this title, but I love that it exists, and I hope DC continues to take as many chances with their Kids’ line as they’re doing here.
Continued belowMY VIDEO GAME ATE MY HOMEWORK TP
written by DUSTIN HANSEN
art and cover by DUSTIN HANSEN
Meet Dewey Jenkins, a 13-year old schoolkid who’s about to fail science class. Follow him on an amazing adventure that leads Dewey and his friends to a virtual world where they will have to overcome all sorts of digital creatures and solve a number of puzzles in order to get home.
My Video Game Ate My Homework is a funny, fast-paced adventure that shows the importance of cooperation and teamwork, as well as the importance of using your own unique abilities to solve problems. It’s illustrated in Dustin Hansen’s colorful, cartoony style, and filled with lots of sight gags and nods to video-gaming tropes.
Dustin Hansen spent years directing and creating video games before becoming a writer and illustrator, and makes his DC debut with My Video Game Ate My Homework!
ON SALE 04.15.20
$9.99 US | FC | 5.5” x 8”
160 PAGES
DC GRAPHIC NOVELS
FOR KIDS
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9326-0
5. Wonder Woman…IN SPACE!
I am straining my brain to think of the last time that an arc of “Wonder Woman” brought Diana into space. Could it really be pre-“Flashpoint?” I think it might be! Leave it to Steve Orlando, as much a student of comics as anyone in the industry, to bring Diana beyond the stars. With Maxima, no less!
WONDER WOMAN #754
written by STEVE ORLANDO
art by V KEN MARION
cover by ROBSON ROCHA and DANNY MIKI
card stock variant cover by RAFAEL GRAMPÁ
Just when she thought her troubles were over, Wonder Woman is thrust into a new adventure that takes her out of this world! Princess Maxima, the former ruler of the planet Almerac, has crash-landed on our hero’s doorstep and is desperate for her help. Maxima’s people are victims of a vicious lie, and only the truth she’s discovered will set them free. With Wonder Woman by her side, can she retake her throne and bring back the planet’s peaceful matriarchal society? Back on Earth, there is no peace…only Warmaster! The vengeful villainess has obtained a weapon of mass destruction that can wipe out the Amazons for good!
ON SALE 03.25.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99 US
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
4. The end of the Year of the Villain? Maybe?
This month, there are a number of books that seem to be either wrapping up, or about to wrap up, both the ‘Infected’ and the ‘Year of the Villain’ stories. While it hasn’t quite been a year (not until May), it seems like DC is getting itself ready for some big moves, and there’s only so much time to be dragging out these stories before getting to more interesting spaces.
The first issue of “Hell Arisen” was a lot of fun, and we’ll see how the rest of the series shakes out, but four issues with actual forward momentum seems like a good deal for me.
YEAR OF THE VILLAIN: HELL ARISEN #4
written by JAMES TYNION IV
art and cover by STEVE EPTING
variant cover by RICCARDO FEDERICI
This is it! Lex Luthor has gathered a strike force of villains he’s leveled up to be the baddest bad guys around—Captain Cold, Oracle, Solomon Grundy, Black Manta, and Lobo, each and every one a recipient of one of Lex’s dark gifts.
But the Batman Who Laughs has his own army of infected heroes. Six hundred sixty-six of them, all transformed into their worst selves.
It’s a final showdown between two of DC’s most iconic villains, all to curry the favor of Perpetua. Whoever wins will take over the Multiverse alongside her. Does Lex ascend, or does he get laid low? Does the Batman Who Laughs finally remake the DC Universe in his own image? Either way, life for our heroes will never be the same.
ON SALE 03.18.20
$4.99 US | 4 OF 4 | 32 PAGES
FC | DC | FINAL ISSUE
This issue will ship with two covers.
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3. Shades of “Fantastic Four” #347
There is very little that I love more than seeing a rag-tag group of heroes come together. Brian Bendis is getting to create a ‘back-up’ Young Justice squad, and the lineup is fantastic: Sideways, Artemis (or is that Arowette?), Spoiler, and Aqualad. Plus, this continues bringing the full ‘Wonder Comics’ crew together, with Dial H and the Wonder Twins also showing up. Bendis looks like he’s having so much fun at DC, and it is fun to watch him have such a blast.
Continued belowYOUNG JUSTICE #14
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and DAVID F. WALKER
art and cover by JOHN TIMMS
variant cover by DAVID LaFUENTE
Now that Young Justice has figured out who the bad guys are, it’s time to bring the fight to S.T.A.R. Labs’ front door! But the combined forces of Dial H for Hero, the Wonder Twins, Naomi, and the entire Young Justice roster may not be enough to defeat these evil scientists. It’s time to call in some super-powered backup…the new Young Justice! Plus, how will Superman revealing his secret identity affect Conner Kent?
ON SALE 03.04.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.
2. He doesn’t look a day over 14
A Robin-centric 100 Page Giant that features stories from the entire history of the character, from Dick Grayson to Damian Wayne, is a wonderful idea. Bringing in creators that have handled all of these characters over time is another fine idea. While the details aren’t exactly clear about whether these are all new stories or reprints, it is a pretty fun concept. Plus, these types of issues will become more and more common as characters keep hitting these milestones.
ROBIN 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #1
written by MARV WOLFMAN, CHUCK DIXON, DEVIN GRAYSON, TIM SEELEY, TOM KING, JUDD WINICK, JAMES TYNION IV, AMY WOLFRAM, ROBBIE THOMPSON, ADAM GLASS, PETER J. TOMASI, and more!
art by TOM GRUMMETT, SCOTT McDANIEL, MIKEL JANÍN, KENNETH ROCAFORT, FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II, JAVI FERNANDEZ, NICOLA SCOTT, DUSTIN NGUYEN, ANDY KUBERT, FRANK MILLER, and others
cover by LEE WEEKS
1940s variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1950s variant cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
1960s variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
1970s variant cover by KAARE ANDREWS
1980s variant cover by FRANK MILLER
1990s variant cover by JIM CHEUNG
2000s variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
2010s variant cover by YASMINE PUTRI
blank variant cover
DC Comics celebrates Robin the Boy Wonder’s 80th anniversary in style with an all-star creative team representing each iteration of the iconic character across eight decades of history! From the high-flying adventures of Dick Grayson to the tragedy of Jason Todd, the enthusiasm of Tim Drake and the arrogance of Damian Wayne, the persistence of Stephanie Brown and the rebelliousness of Carrie Kelley—the mantle of Robin has been worn by many, but always represents one thing: a hero.
ONE-SHOT
PRESTIGE FORMAT
ON SALE 03.11.20
$9.99 US | 96 PAGES
FC | DC
This issue will ship with 11 covers.
Please see the order form for details.
1. The most mixed of feelings
Adam Strange is a really great DC character that is underutilized. Tom King is a writer who destroys things I love. Evan Shaner and Mitch Gerads are excellent artists. The cover makes me dry heave with frustration. It would not shock me if this was my favorite comic of 2020, nor would it shock me if this was my least favorite comic of 2020. I’m hoping it is more “Omega Men” than “Heroes in Crisis,” more “Mister Miracle” than “Batman,” but we’ll see.
STRANGE ADVENTURES #1
written by TOM KING
art by MITCH GERADS and EVAN “DOC” SHANER
cover by MITCH GERADS
variant cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
blank variant cover
After winning five Eisner Awards and topping year-end “best of lists,” the comic book of 2019 was Mister Miracle. The comic book of 2020 will be Strange Adventures.
The Mister Miracle team of writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads are joined by fan-favorite artist Evan “Doc” Shaner to bring you an epic tale in the tradition of Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and DC: The New Frontier—a story of blood, war, and love that readers will be talking about for years to come.
Adam Strange is the hero of Rann, a man famous throughout the galaxy for his bravery and honor. After leading his adopted home to victory in a great planetary war, Adam and his wife Alanna retire to Earth, where they are greeted by cheers, awards, and parades. But not all is as happy and nice as it seems, as the decisions Adam made during battles on Rann come back to haunt his family and threaten the entire DC Universe. And now a surprise DC hero will have to choose between saving Adam Strange and saving the world.
A story like no other, Strange Adventures is an ambitious, thrilling, shocking, and beautiful 12-issue saga that will push Adam Strange to the breaking point—and beyond!
ON SALE 03.04.20
$4.99 US | 1 OF 12 | 40 PAGES
CARD STOCK COVERS
FC | DC
This issue will ship with three covers.
Please see the order form for details.
Check out the full solicitations over at Newsarama.
