Action Comics #1000 Featured Columns 

Soliciting Multiversity: DC’s Top 10 for April 2018

By | January 30th, 2018
Posted in Columns | % Comments

April is the first month after “Metal” wraps, a skip month for “Doomsday Clock,” and a month before the “No Justice” mini-event begins. What that means is that the month may feel a little slight, but it is packed with some pretty great stuff.

10. Mr. Cray. Paging Mr. Michael Cray

I got worried when I saw that “The Wild Storm: Michael Cray” wasn’t on the docket for April. I’ve been enjoying the weird little cousin to “The Wild Storm,” and want to see Warren Ellis’s full vision for his imprint come to fruition. So, I reached out to DC and they clarified that it is just a skip month to give the team a little breathing room. Phew.

9. The world’s shortest cancellation

After supposedly ending in January with #20, “Cyborg” is back from the creative team of Marv Wolfman and Sam Lofti. While the premise already sounds more interesting than the last few arcs (despite the ridiculous ‘Mother Box 2.0: Robo-Dojo’ name), I’m always a little reluctant to see a character’s creator return after some time to write new adventures. This seems, more often than not, to be a mistake, with the creator unable to write the current version of the character with the same passion or authority that you’d hope they could muster. I’ll happily be proven wrong, as a Cyborg solo comic is something that seems like a no-brainer.

CYBORG #21
Written by MARV WOLFMAN • Art and cover by SAM LOTFI

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
In the DC Universe, Cyborg is the most technical advanced being on the planet—or so we thought. Introducing Mother Box 2.0: Robo-Dojo! Unlike Cyborg, these robots are piloted by the government’s best, brightest, and most loyal soldiers. Super Heroes just got a major upgrade produced, developed and financed by S.T.A.R. Labs.
On sale APRIL 4 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

8. Fill-in city

The DC3cast was talking off-air last week about the surprising number of fill-ins this month, with two by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing (“Nightwing” and “Green Arrow”), and one by Michael Moreci (“Nightwing”). Three out of the entire publishing line may not seem like a lot, but DC has been very good about keeping their creative teams in place since ‘Rebirth’ began. One theory that Vince had, which I share, is that due to the delays with “Doomsday Clock,” which takes place a ‘year’ in the future of the DC Universe, the books have to stretch their storylines out more. The last issue of “Doomsday Clock” is supposed to line up with that ‘one year’ in the future from November 2017. But since the book is now scheduled to not be finished until July 2019 (I’m not joking), some of the stories have to be adjusted. So, either expect to see more of this type of stuff, the DC universe lap “Doomsday Clock,” or some combination of the two.

NIGHTWING #42
Written by COLLIN KELLY and JACKSON LANZING • Art by JORGE CORONA • Cover by JORGE JIMENEZ • Variant cover by YASMINE PUTRI

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“THE CRIMSON KABUKI”! When Damian Wayne disappears during a solo mission to Tokyo, Nightwing must enter the seedy underworld to save the boy who was once his Robin. But Dick will have to ascend the Crimson Kabuki’s tower of crime and survive a game of death against three of Japan’s most powerful fighters. Can Nightwing defeat an entire building of elite fighters, or will he lose Damian forever?
On sale APRIL 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

7. It’s a crisis in time, baby

I have a real soft spot for “Zero Hour,” and it is weirdly relevant right now. Think about it: it’s an event focused on Hawkman (“Metal”), which introduced a new book called “Damage” (New Age of Heroes much?), set to bring the Justice Society and Legion of Super-Heroes back in a new ways (“Doomsday Clock”), and set to ‘fix’ the timeline a bit (‘Rebirth’). Of course, it is also classic 90s cheese, it introduced my favorite DC book of all time (“Starman”), established Kyle Rayner as the Green Lantern, and more. It’s so fun, you guys. This hardcover deserves a space on your bookshelf.

Continued below

ZERO HOUR: CRISIS IN TIME HC
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by DAN JURGENS, JERRY ORDWAY and others
Cover by DAN JURGENS and JERRY ORDWAY

All of reality comes under attack when a mysterious force of entropy begins slowly erasing time itself—making its way from both the past and future toward the present! As history itself unravels around them, the heroes of the world–including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the Justice Society and the Titans—scramble to fix the broken time stream. But even if they stop the true source of the chaos, the world they save will never be the same! Collects ZERO HOUR #0-4 in hardcover for the first time. Includes a new introduction by Dan Jurgens, updated timeline to the DC Universe and never-before-collected bonus material.
On sale MAY 2 • 200 pg, FC, $24.99 US

6. Booster’s back (again)

Fresh off of his “Action Comics” appearance, Booster Gold is now showing up in “Batman.” These two have been Justice League team members many times, but aren’t characters I necessarily put together. This is also the arc that pulled Tony Daniel off of “Damage” after three issues, so there’s that?

BATMAN #45
Written by TOM KING • Art by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA • Cover by TONY S. DANIEL • Variant cover by OLIVIER COIPEL

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“THE TRAVELERS” part one! Booster Gold has come to Gotham City, and he’s enlisting Batman and Catwoman to go on a time-traveling mission to rescue…Booster Gold! It seems a younger Booster Gold has gone back in time to kidnap an even younger version of himself, and to rescue his own past, Booster must pursue both of his previous incarnations through Batman’s history to find out what is going on. The start of a new story that will sow the seeds for a whole new epic to come—and also the return of Master Class artist Tony S. Daniel (DAMAGE) to BATMAN!
On sale APRIL 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

5. Sad to see this go

This little miniseries has been really compelling and fun thus far, and with the TV show being excellent as well, it’s a good time to be a Black Lightning fan. Sadly, the mini ends this month and, since this isn’t a BOOM! mini, it won’t be extended into an ongoing. Look for an “Outsiders” book staring Jefferson soon, though – that seems increasingly likely.

BLACK LIGHTNING: COLD DEAD HANDS #6
Written by TONY ISABELLA • Art and cover by CLAYTON HENRY

This is it: the climactic battle between Black Lightning and Tobias Whale for the future of Cleveland and the nation! Alien weapons! Flying killers! Police under fire! And the surprises keep coming right through the very last page of this story! Black Lightning’s back…but will he survive this ultimate showdown?
On sale APRIL 4 • 32 pg, FC, 6 of 6, $3.99 US • RATED T

4. Not so sad about this one

“Trinity” has been a mess. After a stunning first issue, the series has slogged through so many unnecessary arcs, with no set creative team, and is wrapping up with James Robinson on the book, seemingly trying to connect a few last dots before putting it to rest. This is a shame, because one of the benefits of ‘Rebirth’ was the renewed focus on this collective relationship, and the book just couldn’t deliver that.

TRINITY #22
Written by JAMES ROBINSON • Art by PATCH ZIRCHER • Cover by GUILLEM MARCH • Variant cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“MAN DOWN” finale! The Trinity and Warlord have discovered Deimos’ plan to use the Skartaran Time Weapon to reduce his enemies to dust—but time itself is not on our heroes’ side! It’s up to Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman to save Steve Trevor, defeat Deimos and seal the breach with Skartaris before the entire world is consumed by magic powerful enough to melt millennia! .
On sale APRIL 25 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

Continued below

3. Changes are afoot in Astro City

It is interesting that “Astro City,” a Vertigo title that started at Image, is wrapping up its floppy run with #52, an extremely significant DC Universe number. Especially interesting is the multiversal imagery on the cover as well. This is already the most connected to the DC Universe the title has ever been. But that’s not the big story.

The big story is that the series is moving over to a series of OGNs, which seems like a natural fit for the story, the creators, and the market for the book. I wonder if we won’t see more books of this stripe doing the same thing.

ASTRO CITY #52
Written by KURT BUSIEK • Art by BRENT ANDERSON • Cover by ALEX ROSS

It’s the final issue of ASTRO CITY…for now. Michael Tenicek lost his world years ago. Now he may lose another, as ordinary life among the extraordinary takes a shattering turn. A character-focused finale to the ongoing Vertigo ASTRO CITY series, and a launch point for its new form. Guest-starring the Hanged Man, Honor Guard and more.
On sale APRIL 18 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

2. Where’s Maury Povich?

I never thought I would see a paternity test for Damian Wayne be a plot point, but in the hands of Christopher Priest, I’m fine with it. The man rumored to have been offered to edit the Bat-line finally gets to bring him over to “Deathstroke” for more than just a short spell. This is the start of a six month arc, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. First of all, bringing Batman into any book helps sales, so this is a great move for “Deathstroke” as a title. But with Priest’s “Justice League” run wrapping up in April, it’s also good to see Priest’s continued exposure to the more ‘mainstream’ DC characters hasn’t disappeared.

DEATHSTROKE #30
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST • Art by CARLO PAGULAYAN • Cover by LEE WEEKS • Variant cover by JEROME OPENA

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
“Deathstroke vs. Batman” part one! Beginning this month, a six-issue series-within-a-series featuring the ultimate showdown between DC’s fiercest rivals! When Batman discovers a mysterious package containing DNA test results proving that he is not Damian Wayne’s biological father, the Dark Knight sets his sights on his son’s true father—Deathstroke! But Damian Wayne can’t really be Slade Wilson’s son—can he? And who sent the package—and why? The ultimate custody battle ensues as the World’s Greatest Detective and the World’s Deadliest Assassin clash in this instant classic!
On sale APRIL 4 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

1. The grandaddy of them all

I already wrote quite a bit about this comic, so I won’t bore you with too much more. But, what needs to be said again is just how big of a deal this is. 1000 issues is unprecedented in western non-anthology comics, and DC is rightly making this a big deal.

ACTION COMICS #1000
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Stories and art by an all-star lineup of top talent

Retailers: This issue will ship with ten covers. Please see the order form for details.
Celebrate 1000 issues of Action Comics with an all-star lineup of top talent as they pay tribute to the comic that started it all! From today’s explosive action to a previously unpublished tale illustrated by the legendary Curt Swan to the Man of Tomorrow’s future—this very special, oversized issue presents the best of the best in Superman stories!

FEATURING ALL-NEW ART AND STORIES BY:
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
JOHN CASSADAY
OLIVIER COIPEL
PAUL DINI
JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ
PATRICK GLEASON
BUTCH GUICE
GEOFF JOHNS
DAN JURGENS
TOM KING
JIM LEE
CLAY MANN
BRAD MELTZER
JERRY ORDWAY
TIM SALE
LOUISE SIMONSON
SCOTT SNYDER
CURT SWAN
PETER J. TOMASI
MARV WOLFMAN

…AND MORE! DECADES-SPANNING OPEN-TO-ORDER VARIANT COVERS BY:
• STEVE RUDE (1930s)
• MICHAEL CHO (1940s)
• DAVE GIBBONS (1950s)
• MICHAEL ALLRED (1960s)
• JIM STERANKO (1970s)
• JOSHUA MIDDLETON (1980s)
• DAN JURGENS (1990s)
• LEE BERMEJO (2000s)

…PLUS A BLANK VARIANT COVER!

PRESTIGE FORMAT • NO ADS • On sale APRIL 18 • 80 pg, FC, $7.99 US • RATED T

For the full solicitations, visit 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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