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Soliciting Multiversity: DC’s Top 10 for October 2020

By | July 27th, 2020
Posted in Columns | % Comments

This month: a milestone, a poor idea, some shutterings, and a really fun all ages book. Let’s go!

10. Loose Ends

Rogol Zaar was introduced by Brian Bendis in his “Man of Steel” miniseries, and stuck around for the first year or so of his “Superman” title. Now, the character has popped up in the 31st century, looking to have revenge on Jon Kent. This is the type of story that only works in a shared universe, and is one of the reasons that I continue to love cape comics well into my 30s. I recently re-read all of Bendis’s “Legion of Super-Heroes,” and it’s hanging together quite well; I look forward to this bit of connective tissue to his Super books.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #10
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by RYAN SOOK and WADE VON GRAWBADGER
cover by RYAN SOOK
variant cover by DARKO LAFUENTE

ON SALE 10/27/20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
A grudge that has endured 1,000 years! The unstoppable behemoth Rogol Zaar has survived the millennium to haunt Jonathan Kent where he least expected it! It’s a menace so terrible the Legion of Super-Heroes may not survive. Was this the challenge Brainiac 5 predicted? Is the Legion up to the task? Plus, who is dating whom in the 31st century? Another searing chapter in the far-flung future of the DC Universe, courtesy of Bendis, Sook, and von Grawbadger!

9. A tie-in to a movie that may not come out this year

One of my earliest treasured comics was the 1989 Batman adaptation by Denny O’Neil and Jerry Ordway. This is not an adaptation of the film, but rather a series of stories set in that world, and one that has some great creators attached (Marguerite Sauvage! Louis Simonson! Steve Pugh!). It’s a good way to build hype for the film, though it seems increasingly likely that the film may not get its October release date. Since these are stories that aren’t actually in the film, it’s not as big of a deal if it doesn’t come out in the same week as the film, as it is currently scheduled.

WONDER WOMAN 1984 #1
written by ANNA OBROPTA, LOUISE SIMONSON, and STEVE PUGH
art by BRET BLEVINS and MARGUERITE SAUVAGE
cover by NICOLA SCOTT
Rooster Teeth variant cover by ROBIN EISENBERG

ONE-SHOT | ON SALE 9/29/20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
In these tales that tie in to the upcoming Warner Bros. movie Wonder Woman 1984, when a failed burglary attempt causes a hostage situation at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Diana Prince is forced to leave her teenage tour group behind so that Wonder Woman can save the day! But will Wonder Woman be able to bring 10 gunmen to justice and get back to her tour group in time? And in a second story, it’s the eighties, and greed is good—as long as you already have it all! Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor hunt down the reckless mastermind who makes the ultimate power move by stealing Diana’s golden lasso!

8. Horror One-Shots

DC has fun with its holiday one-shots, whether romance for Valentine’s Day or horror for Halloween. “DC: The Doomed and the Damned” is the one I chose to spotlight because, while the “Legend of Swamp Thing Halloween Special” sounds fun too, that book featured more of DC’s regualr creators. This one, on the other hand, has John Arcudi and Saladin Ahmed! Those are names you don’t get in DC books very often, and while it would be more exciting to see them on ongoing stories, it’s a start.

DC THE DOOMED AND THE DAMNED #1
written by KEN PORTER, JOHN ARCUDI, SALADIN AHMED, ALYSSA WONG, TRAVIS MOORE, MARV WOLFMAN, and more
art by RILEY ROSSMO, MIKE PERKINS, LEONARDO MANCO, TRAVIS MOORE, TOM MANDRAKE, and more
cover by KYLE HOTZ
PRESTIGE FORMAT | ONE-SHOT

ON SALE 10/13/20
$9.99 US | 80 PAGES | FC | DC
It was a dark and stormy night when the creatures of the DC Universe began to emerge from their lairs into the cool evening air. Tales of the macabre, the murderous, and the morbid abound in this spine-chilling special about monsters and mayhem! What happens when Batman encounters a true urban legend after speaking its name three times in a mirror, or when Madame Xanadu enlists the help of Man-Bat to take down a shadowy specter? And who can stop an intergalactic demon from turning people into frog beasts? Only the unlikely team-up of Green Lantern and Etrigan! All this and seven more fang-tastic tales to trick your treats and bob your apples.

Continued below

7. Return to Vampirism

After a long layoff, “American Vampire” is back, and this time, it’s the 1970s. I often forget that “American Vampire” was how the mainstream comics world met Scott Snyder, and how it was that series that got him on “Detective Comics” and now here we are. He and Rafael Albuquerque have a really interesting synergy together that helped the book stand out from the myriad other vampire stories out there, and let’s hope that alchemy can help them stick the series’ landing.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE 1976 #1
written by SCOTT SNYDER
art and cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
variant cover by ARTIST
blank variant cover

ON SALE 10/20/20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | 1 OF 9 | FC
DC BLACK LABEL | AGES 17+
America is broken. Trust between the government and the American public has crumbled. Paranoia reigns supreme.
It’s 1976, and this is the concluding chapter of the Eisner Award-winning American Vampire!
Skinner Sweet has exhausted all efforts to regain his lost immortality. With his powers and purpose gone, he is now determined to go out with a bang. At a seedy motorcycle rally in the desert where he’s closer than ever to his death wish, Pearl Jones and a shocking partner tracks him down for one last, desperate mission: The force known as the Gray Trader and its minions are tunneling through the bowels of the world to unleash hell on Earth—just in time for America’s bicentennial. With catastrophe looming, it’s up to Skinner and Pearl to reconcile and change the course of history—or die trying.
The series that launched the careers of superstars Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque returns for nine final issues and the closing chapter of the legacy of American Vampire.

6. Fare Thee Well

A number of titles are getting the axe this month, with “Batgirl,” “Justice League Odyssey,” and “Batman and the Outsiders” all taking their bows. “Batgirl” will be back sooner than later, and no character in “Odyssey” will be without a home for long, but I’m more worried about the “Batman and the Outsiders” crew, aside from Batman himself. Bryan Hill and Dexter Soy’s book was met with lots of delays and weirdness in the Bat-books, and so this book feels like it was around longer than 17 issues, but that somehow less happened than 17 issues worth of story. I’m really bummed out this, because Black Lightning and the Signal are two of the only black characters DC has been spotlighting in their own titles for awhile now, and neither got the chance to shine as much as they should here. I know Hill spoke about having plans for the title beyond the first ‘season,’ so perhaps there is hope it gets repackaged or relaunched, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for it.

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #17
written by BRYAN HILL
art by DEXTER SOY
cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
variant cover by SANFORD GREENE

ON SALE 10/13/20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
FINAL ISSUE
Series finale! The war with Ra’s al Ghul reaches its end, and none of the Outsiders will ever be the same. And none of them might ever be a team again! Did Batman choose the wrong allies to assemble to fight Ra’s? Or did those allies make a mistake in believing in Batman? The critically acclaimed series comes to its end!

5. New creative team, who dis?

I can’t tell if this new creative team is ‘leftover 5G creator under contract’ or ‘fill-in arc until big new run starts next year,’ but either way, it’s nice to see newcomer Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken) and recent “The Flash: Fastest Man Alive” digital first artist Clayton Henry team up on a Rogues-focused story. A story based around the Flash’s ring is either going to be super fun or absolutely intolerable – let’s see which it is!

THE FLASH #763
written by KEVIN SHINICK
art by CLAYTON HENRY
cover by BERNARD CHANG
variant cover by INHYUK LEE
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by NICOLA SCOTT

ON SALE 10/13/20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES | FC | DC
The secret history of Barry Allen’s Flash ring is revealed as the Scarlet Speedster tangles with the Trickster in a tale that starts out as fun and games but ends with a last-page cliffhanger no reader will see coming. Don’t skip to the end! Don’t spoil it for friends! Don’t miss this inaugural issue of The Flash by the new series team of writer Kevin Shinick and rising-star artist Clayton Henry.

Continued below

4. A series of bad ideas, rolled into one

There isn’t too much known about the Tom King/Jorge Fornes “Rorschach” series yet, but the little that has come out all seems bad. I will legitimately read the first issue and judge for myself, but this reeks of pretension from every corner. Rorschach is the least interesting character to tell a new story with from the original “Watchmen,” and has already had a ‘new’ version show up in “Doomsday Clock.” Tom King has become DC’s go to ‘important’ writer, and this book continues that path, but that’s an even worse reason to give him a Rorschach book. And I’m not even talking about the CIA stuff!

Poor Jorge Fornes.

RORSCHACH #1
written by TOM KING
art and cover by JORGE FORNéS
variant cover by JAE LEE
blank variant cover

ON SALE 10/20/20
$4.99 US | 32 PAGES | 1 of 12 | FC
CARD STOCK COVERS
DC BLACK LABEL | AGES 17+
It’s been 35 years since Ozymandias dropped a giant interdimensional squid on New York City, killing thousands and destroying the public’s trust in heroes once and for all. And since that time, one figure in a fedora, mask, and trenchcoat has become a divisive culture icon.
So what does it mean when Rorschach reappears as an assassin trying to kill a candidate running against President Robert Redford? Who is the man behind the mask, and why is he acting this way? It’s up to one detective to uncover the true identity of this would-be killer—and it will take him into a web of conspiracies involving alien invasions, disgraced do-gooders, mystic visions, and yes, comic books.
Writer Tom King joins forces with artist Jorge Fornés for a new miniseries that explores the mythic qualities of one of the most compelling characters from the bestselling graphic novel of all time, Watchmen.

3. The century

Other comics called “Batman” reached their hundredth issue a long time ago, but this is the first ‘Rebirth’ title to reach that milestone, though both “Wonder Woman” and “The Flash” would have if they hadn’t switched back to legacy numbering, which I’m going to guess is the next move for this title, too. But why waste an anniversary?

This also sees the end of ‘Joker War,’ the big-Bat event from James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez. I can’t believe how much I’ve enjoyed the early parts of a Joker event in 2020, but that’s a testament to what Tynion has done in this story, which is a different take on the Joker than we’ve seen over the past few years.

BATMAN #100
written by JAMES TYNION IV
art and wraparound cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
backup stories art by GUILLEM MARCH, CARLO PAGULAYAN, and DANNY MIKI
wraparound cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
card stock variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
1:25 card stock variant cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
blank variant cover

ON SALE 10/6/20
$6.99 US | 56 PAGES | FC | DC
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVERS $7.99 US
“The Joker War” comes to a city-shattering conclusion as Batman battles The Joker in a brutal, no-holds-barred duel! This is a fight 80 years in the making, and its outcome won’t just change Batman’s life—it will change Gotham City for years to come! Plus, catch the first glimpse of the new villain known as Ghost-Maker! And after the senses-shattering conclusion of “The Joker War” come a pair of short stories that will chart what’s to come in Gotham City and Batman. Don’t miss the first showdown between Batman and Clownhunter!

2. Arkham-any, totally insane-y, Aww-Yeah-y

Look, I’m not entirely sure that the title is a reference to Animaniacs, but it doesn’t matter, Art and Franco doing a young Gotham story is enough of a selling point. But if it is a reference to Animaniacs, then I’m bouncing off the walls with excitement. This is also a really smart move from DC, as the book is only $9.99, which keeps it cheap enough for parents on an impulse buy. The world doesn’t need more Bat-villain stories, but if it has to have them, let them be from Art and Franco.

Continued below

ARKHAMANIACS TP
written by ART BALTAZAR and FRANCO
art and cover by ART BALTAZAR

ON SALE 12/8/20
$9.99 US | 168 PAGES | 5.5″ x 8″ | FC
ISBN: 978-1-77950-378-7
Art Baltazar and Franco—the Eisner Award-winning creative team behind Superman of Smallville and Tiny Titans—provide their signature take on a certain apartment building (Arkham) in Gotham City and the people (mostly) who live there!
Young Bruce Wayne is drawn to the fun and excitement he sees going on at Arkham, but to Wayne Enterprises, it’s just another property they own. Bruce is determined to find out why Arkham is full of so much fun and laughter. What exactly is going on over there? Time to sneak over when no one is looking…even though it’s like the house is laughing at him! Ha ha ha!

1. See ya, Creeper

“Red Hood and the Outlaws” was trash in the New 52, surprisingly great in ‘Rebirth,’ bad again as “Red Hood: Outlaw,” and instantly dropped from my life when the sexual misconduct allegations against Scott Lobdell began to surface. The fact that DC kept him (and, frankly, other abusers [see continuing solicitations for Warren Ellis’s “The Batman’s Grave”]) employed is shameful, and hopefully this is the final work of Lobdell’s to be graced with the DC logo.

But what’s shocking is that, unlike “Batgirl,” which is ending at #50, this book continues. The title is so associated with Lobdell, that it seems like a full reset would benefit it. But that’s not what we’re getting with #51. As for what we are getting, I’ve got no clue. All I know is, I’m glad to see Lobdell go. Don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya, creep.

RED HOOD: OUTLAW #50
written by SCOTT LOBDELL
art by PAOLO PANTALENA
cover by DEXTER SOY
variant cover by PHILIP TAN

ON SALE 10/27/20
$5.99 US | 48 PAGES | FC | DC
Jason Todd’s downward spiral began when he was murdered by The Joker. But deep in his heart he blamed himself for charging headfirst into deadly danger. His rage and self-loathing caused him to lash out at those around him—keeping friends and family alike at arm’s length. Until the Outlaws. First Arsenal and Starfire, and later, Artemis and Bizarro, saw through his defenses. Now it’s time to pay it forward to the one person who represents all the mistakes he’s made in his own life: Duela Dent. But can he save The Joker’s Daughter…when he couldn’t even save himself? Don’t miss the end of the Outlaw era!

For full solicitations, check out Newsarama.


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Brian Salvatore

Brian Salvatore is an editor, podcaster, reviewer, writer at large, and general task master at Multiversity. When not writing, he can be found playing music, hanging out with his kids, or playing music with his kids. He also has a dog named Lola, a rowboat, and once met Jimmy Carter. Feel free to email him about good beer, the New York Mets, or the best way to make Chicken Parmagiana (add a thin slice of prosciutto under the cheese).

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