DC has been very slowly dolling out the new series, both ongoing and mini, that make up the ‘Infinite Frontier’ line, as well as filling in the rest of the DC publishing line around the margins. This month is so chuck full of notable pieces that I had to ignore a couple of books, such as the new Black Label Joker/Suicide Squad book, that would normally find a place on this list without trouble. Let’s quit wasting time and get to it.
10. Another horror imprint?
So DC has Hill House, a horror imprint run by Joe Hill, as well as Black Label, which is a more adult/mature line, which has featured some horror in the past. And now, there is “DC Horror,” which seems like, from its initial offering, will be a place for Warner Bros to produce adaptations of some of their horror films, starting with The Conjuring.
While this personally does little for me, this is some intelligent corporate synergy, allowing DC and the other parts of the AT&T/HBO/Time Warner conglomerate to play together nicely in a relatively low stakes, but high reward setting. What is especially interesting to me, however, is that there is a backup story by Scott Snyder and Denys Cowan, which is allowing a ‘new’ story from an established DC creator to infiltrate what seems to be a pretty clear movie tie-in. We’ll see if this will lead to further DC stories set in the Conjuring universe.
DC HORROR PRESENTS: The Conjuring:
THE LOVER #1
main story by David L. Johnson-McGoldrick and Rex Ogle
main story art by Garry Brown
2pg Ad art by Dave Johnson
Backup story by Scott Snyder
Backup story art by Denys Cowan
Cover by Bill Sienkiewicz
ON SALE 6/4/21 1 of 5 Ages 17+ $3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC HORROR
variant cover by Ryan Brown US $4.99 (card stock)
1:25 variant cover by Garry Brown US $4.99 (card stock)The terrifying debut of the tie-in to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It begins here, with a story that’s bursting at the seams with clues about the new film.
Meet Jessica. Jessica just returned to her freshman year of college after winter break, bringing with her the anxieties of last semester’s poor grades, the awkwardness of facing a boy she wishes she’d never slept with, and an undeniably unnerving feeling of being watched.
She soon comes to realize that something evil made her its target, and it will not rest until it has her in its unholy grip. But why did this sinister presence set its sights on a seemingly normal college freshman? Read this nerve-racking tale, creepily crafted by Conjuring screenwriter David L. Johnson-McGoldrick and Rex Ogle with heart-stopping art from Garry Brown and chill-inducing covers by Bill Sienkiewicz, to find out!
9. More Bats
One of the interesting approaches in ‘Infinite Frontier’ has been the (relative) culling of the Bat-line, in favor of packing more characters into less titles. “The Joker” is really a Jim Gordon/Joker book, and features a Punchline/Bluebird feature. “Batman: Urban Legends” is an anthology title that features multiple characters per month And now, we are getting “Batman Secret Files,” a collection of one-shots featuring one slightly oversized story focusing on one character.
While this somewhat feels redundant, if DC isn’t going to give some of these characters ongoings or miniseries, it is nice to see these characters get the spotlight.
Continued belowBatman Secret Files: The Signal #1
story by Tony Patrick
art by Christian Duce
cover by Ken Lashley
ON SALE : 7/6/21
$4.99 US | 40 PAGES | FC | DC
One-shot
variant cover by Cully Hamner
US $5.99
1:25 variant cover by Ken Lashley US $5.99The Signal comes back as Gotham City’s daytime protector after his time with the Outsiders. But during his sabbatical from his hometown, everything about the city and the people closest to him changed. And the mystery of the White Market, a deadly source of weapons being trafficked into Gotham City that even Batman can’t track down, will only push the Signal further away from everything he knows and into a brand-new world of danger. Writer Tony Patrick returns to pen a new chapter in the life of Duke Thomas alongside fan-favorite artist Christian Duce!
8. BFFs
Every few years, DC decides it is time to get the band back together and returns both a creator to their creation – in this case Dan Jurgens with Booster Gold – and two characters together – in this case, Booster and Blue Beetle – in order to stoke the fire of nostalgia. While there are certainly benefits to the pairing, the presence of Jurgens feels a little reductive and backward looking. While Jurgens is absolutely a legend in the industry, his writing hasn’t elicited anything new or innovative in years.
Pair that with the total lack of Jaime Reyes at the moment, and this feels like nostalgia over anything else.
Blue & Gold #1
story by Dan Jurgens
art by Ryan Sook
cover by Ryan Sook
ON SALE : 7/20/21
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
1 of 8
variant cover by Dave Johnson
US $4.99 (card stock)Desperate to regain the spotlight, Booster Gold looks to attract the public’s (and Justice League’s) attention the same way any washed-up, second-rate hero would—social media. The not-so-tech-savvy hero from the 25th century enlists the help of his best friend, Blue Beetle, who possesses both the money and the brains to help his old pal navigate the scary world of internet influencers. Watch out, evildoers, our heroes are live and online!
Don’t miss Dan Jurgens’s triumphant return to Booster Gold with the help of all-star artist Ryan Sook (Legion of Super-Heroes), telling a tale filled with heart and maybe even redemption for DC’s two favorite underdogs!
7. More nostalgia
For many fans, especially folks in their late 20s/early 30s, the Bruce Timm Justice League cartoons were some of the most important and formative introductions to DC characters. While I’ve come to appreciate them later, I wasn’t watching them as they originally came out, and so a series set that in that world doesn’t particularly light my fire, but I recognize how excited a lot of people will be for this series. It is also a smart move by DC to expand their animation to comics, following in the Batman: The Animated Series footsteps.
Justice League Infinity #1
story by J.M. DeMatteis and James Tucker
art by Ethen Beavers
inks by Ethen Beavers
cover by Francis Manapul
ON SALE : 7/6/21
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
1 of 7
variant cover by Scott Hepburn
US $4.99 (card stock)From Justice League Unlimited producer James Tucker and series writer J.M. DeMatteis comes an all-new season starring the World’s Greatest Heroes! There is a being wandering the universe searching for its true purpose, but what it finds out on the farthest edges of the cosmos will change not just our universe, but many! Meanwhile, the war for the throne of Apokolips arrives on Earth, and the true ruler will only be decided one way: Who can destroy the Justice League?
6. A (green) spotlight
My daughter is 9 years old, and many of her introductions to DC heroes, like those folks 20 years older than her had with Justice League Unlimited, come in the form of DC Super Hero girls, either the television series or the series of OGNs. And so, to her, Green Lantern is Jessica Cruz. DC’s continued push to diversify its line and, specifically, to create more OGNs that appeal to younger readers, has allowed them to feature some characters that may not get as much of a starring role in the mainline books.
Take all of that together, and it seems like a perfect time for a Jessica Cruz story. Pair that with Lilliam Rivera and Steph C., two interesting creators, and it looks like this will be a really fun title. I know I’ll be getting it for my daughter.
Continued belowUnearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story
story by Lilliam Rivera
pencils by Steph C.
inks by Steph C.
cover by Steph C.
ON SALE 9/14/21
$16.99 US | 208 PAGES | FC | DC
6″ x 9″
ISBN: 978-1-77950-051-9Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera and artist Steph C. reimagine one of DC’s greatest Green Lanterns, Jessica Cruz, to tell a story about immigration, family, and overcoming fear to inspire hope.
Jessica Cruz has done everything right. She’s a dedicated student, popular among her classmates, and has a loving family that has done everything they can to give her a better life in the United States. Jessica usually worries for her undocumented parents, but her fears and anxiety escalate as a mayoral candidate with a strong anti-immigration stance runs for office. As the xenophobia in Coast City increases, Jessica begins to debate if it’s worth staying in the U.S. or moving back to her home in Mexico. And despite her attempts to lean on her friends and family, she finds herself constantly visited by visions of Aztec gods, one pulling her toward hope and the other toward anger.
But when her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica finds herself being pulled into an abyss of anxiety. Despit feeling helpless with her father, Jessica must find her way out of her fears and ultimately become a voice for her community.
5. Another anthology
The anthology game has been strong at DC over the past couple of years, and “Wonderful Women of the World” is the latest attempt to diversify not just the creators behind the work, but also the topics covered in their anthologies. Instead of focusing on superheroes, this anthology seeks to focus on people in the real world who are doing the work to make the world a better place.
We don’t know much about the creators behind the book yet, or even the stories being told, but Laurie Halse Anderson is curating the talent. Anderson is not just a talented veteran author, but also someone who has been involved with organizations like RANN and the National Coalition Against Censorship, and so it seems like Anderson would have a rolodex full of creators who share her values enough to participate in this title. I’m excited to see who will join Anderson on this book.
Wonderful Women of the World
story by Various
pencils by Various
inks by Various
cover by Nicola Scott
ON SALE 9/28/2021
$16.99 US | 208 PAGES | FC | DC
6″ x 9″
978-1-77950-378-7An all-new anthology celebrating noteworthy women from around the world!
Women change the world—they’ve been doing it for centuries. Now New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson gathers women and nonbinary writers and artists to reveal the women making our world better day by day. Real-world heroes from the fields of business, activism, science, and pop culture are making tough decisions every day, and DC Comics celebrates them here!
4. A wild idea
There have been rumors of this title for about a year, but the details never were quite right. With Grant Morrison – who some reported had done their final work for DC last year when “The Green Lantern” wrapped up – writing and Mikel Janín on art, this book is a higher profile title than initially thought. This title is surprisingly wrapped up in the events of “Action Comics,” while also looking back to ‘Future State.’ With Morrison so involved in a Superman story, it leads me to believe that Morrison will have a more prominent role in the DC Universe going forward, after being relegated to ancillary stories over the past few years.
Even if this is a one-time deal, I love the idea of Morrison being used as a creator to come in and boost a line or introduce some fun new concepts now and then.
Superman and the Authority #1
story by Grant Morrison
art by Mikel Janín
cover by Mikel Janín
ON SALE 7/20/21
$4.99 US | 40 PAGES | FC | DC
1 of 4
card stock variant cover by Bryan Hitch
US $4.99
1:25 card stock variant cover by Jen Bartel
US $4.99Sometimes even Superman finds a task almost impossible. Sometimes even the Last Son of Krypton needs to enlist help. Some tasks require methods and heroes that don’t scream “Justice League.” So Clark Kent, the Metropolis Marvel, seeks out Manchester Black, the most dastardly of rogues, to form an all-new Authority tasked with taking care of some business on the sly. Not only will Black know the right candidates for the team, but if Superman can make him behave himself and act in service of the greater good, then he’ll prove literally anyone can be a hero! They’ll have to move quickly, however, as the Ultra-Humanite forms his own team to take out the Man of Steel.
This new limited series helps launch an all-new Superman status quo, setting up story elements that reverberate across both Action Comics and Superman: Son of Kal-El in the months to come. And not only is Superman putting together a superstar team, but it takes superstars to tell the tale: Grant Morrison (The Green Lantern, All-Star Superman) and Mikel Janín (Batman, Future State: Superman: Worlds of War)!
3. Say my name
No one is sadder than me that “Shazam” is a four issue miniseries instead of a new ongoing. That said, this is an extension of “Teen Titans Academy,” and seems more like a place to tell Billy Batson’s story without taking up too much page count in the main title. Tim Sheridan is doing incredible work in his short DC stint thus far, and so DC giving him a little more space to tell this story is a great sign of confidence in his abilities. Hopefully, this leads to a new Shazam series down the road, a re-institution of the Shazam family, and more, but for now, Sheridan’s vision for Billy Batson is exciting enough.
Continued belowShazam! #1
story by Tim Sheridan
art by Clayton Henry
cover by Clayton Henry
ON SALE : 7/20/21
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
1 of 4
variant cover by Gary Frank
US $4.99 (card stock)
1:25 variant cover by Steve Lieber
US $4.99 (card stock)Billy Batson came to Titans Academy looking for answers. Why was the rest of his adopted family cut off from the power of Shazam? Why are his own powers becoming increasingly unreliable? The answers send Billy on an outrageous adventure that’ll not only change him but have an immense impact on the school and other students on Titans Island.
2. A milestone for Milestone
After what feels like dozens of false starts, Milestone is finally returning in a really interesting way. Initially announced as a digital first initiative, the Milestone books will now released on the same day and date in print, digital, and on DC Universe Infinite. That means that the initial launch was delayed from April to June, but this seems like a very concerted effort to launch these books to as many readers as possible.
So, even though this is a resolicit, it is still incredibly exciting to see Milestone return. It is sad and disheartening that the comics landscape isn’t all that more diverse than when Milestone launched in 1993, and so Milestone is just as needed today as it was nearly 30 years ago. Let’s hope that DC really commits to this line, and doesn’t simply give up on these books after an initial push.
Static Season One #1
written by VITA AYALA
layouts by CHRISCROSS
finishes by NIKOLAS DRAPER-IVEY
cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
ON SALE : 6/15/21 $3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC 1 of 6
old school variant cover by SHAWN MARTINBROUGH
$4.99 US
new school variant cover by NIKOLAS DRAPER-IVEY $4.99 US
1:25 variant cover by DENYS COWAN $4.99 US
team variant cover by OLIVIER COIPEL $4.99 USAt long last, the most famous face of the Milestone Universe is making his shocking return!
Bullied nerd Virgil Hawkins wasn’t the kind of kid you’d normally find on the streets at a protest—but like everyone else in the city of Dakota, he was fed up. Unfortunately, the first time he stood up to raise his voice, the world turned upside down. The experimental tear gas released that day left some of his classmates maimed or dead…but it left Virgil, and others, with stunning new abilities. Virgil has power inside him now—real power, the ability to channel and manipulate electromagnetic fields.
But there’s anger burning inside him, too.
What is he supposed to do about all of this? And first and foremost—what is he supposed to do about his bullies, now that they’ve got superpowers too?
A dynamic creative team of new comics voices and Milestone Media veterans join forces to open up a new chapter in the story of the most iconic Black teen superhero in comics history.
1. Come son of Kal-El, get your own title!
It seems a little early to shake up the Superman line, but I can’t complain when Tom Taylor is taking on a Jon Kent series. Taylor is one of the best writers at DC, and one that has seemed under-utilized thus far. By giving him the Jon Kent ongoing, he is getting the opportunity to elevate Jon to the ‘Superman of Earth’ status, and also putting Taylor on his highest profile DC book yet.
Whether this status quo lasts for a long time or not, moving Jon into the spotlight is a move that fits in well with what has been happening in the Super books, as well as continuing the push to bring a more diverse and young focus to DC’s titles, without shuffling off the old guard. By keeping Clark in “Action” and Jon in “Superman,” DC gets to have its cake and eat it too in terms of legacy.
Superman: Son of Kal-El #1
story by TOM TAYLOR
art by JOHN TIMMS
cover by JOHN TIMMS
ON SALE 7/13/21
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC |
DCcard stock variant cover by INHYUK LEEUS $4.99
card stock variant cover by STEPHEN BYRNEUS $4.99
1:25 card stock variant cover by JEN BARTELUS $4.99
1:50 card stock variant cover by JOHN TIMMS US $4.99Jonathan Kent has experienced a lot in his young life. He’s traveled the galaxies with his Kryptonian grandfather and lived in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes, who were intent on training him for the day his father, Clark Kent, could no longer be Superman. There is a hole in the Legion’s history that prevents Jon from knowing exactly when that will happen, but all signs point to it being very soon. It’s time for the son to wear the cape of his father and bear the symbol of hope that has told the world who Superman really is.
Join writer Tom Taylor (Nightwing,DCeased) and artist John Timms (Infinite Frontier) as they usher in a whole new era for the House of El!
Also, “Tales of Metropolis” continues. Jimmy Olsen gathers his misfit heroes, including Ambush Bug and Gangbuster, to find out who the Projectress really is and why she set her sights on Bibbo!
To see the full solicitations, visit our friends at Newsarama.
