As we set to close the door on the first six months of ‘Rebirth,’ it is sort of incredible to look through DC’s solicitations for the month of December. You have some books – the twice monthly ones – that seem like they’ve been around forever, and have covered so much ground. And then, you have a monthly book like “Supergirl” that, despite having its zero issue in August, is still finishing up its first arc. This isn’t a knock on either set of books, but the reality is a little jarring.
The nice side effect of that is that it has restored the scope and scale to the DCU that has been missing for some time. The world feels huge and, due to the overall high quality of the books thus far, there was a lot of great stuff to choose from.
10. A very interesting action figure
I read way too much into these solicits each month; that’s sort of my job, but I recognize that I’m often looking to make connections that aren’t quite there. That said, hear me out on this one.
This Static figure is being resolicited for an April release. Now, we haven’t seen Static in a comic since early 2012 and, despite a few news items about it, the long discussed revival of Milestone Comics still hasn’t happened. But the fact that this figure now has an April release date gives me hope that it will be coming in early 2017. We know the next wave of Rebirth titles will be arriving around that time (more on that in a bit), and Dan DiDio talked about having a number of books by people of color in the pipeline. Wouldn’t it make sense to roll out a few Milestone books, even if they’re not part of ‘Rebirth,’ but part of the Multiverse? That would do two things: it would give those characters, creators and stories a place of prominence in the DC lineup, but it would also keep the ‘Rebirth’ action a little more contained.
I think it is happening. Mark my words; you heard it here first.
DC ICONS STATIC ACTION FIGURE
Straight from Dakota City, it’s Static, star of his own Milestone Comics series and animated TV series! This action figure comes with its own accessories.
Retailers: This item is resolicited. All previous orders are canceled.
RESOLICIT • Measures Approximately 6” Tall
$28.00 US • On Sale APRIL 2017
Allocations May Occur
9. (In)Justice for the Writing Workshop
Aside from the backup stories in the “Suicide Squad: Most Wanted” miniseries, this marks the first appearance of one of the DC Writers Workshop graduates on a new book. Granted, it is a digital first book set in a video game universe, but it is something. Chris Sebela is a hell of a writer, and DC is smart to be putting his talents to use, but let’s hope that this is just a stopover on the way to something really great (no offense to those who love the “Injustice” comics).
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US — GROUND ZERO #1
Written by CHRIS SEBELA
Art by POP MHAN and TOM DERENICK
Cover by BEN OLIVER
Variant cover by MATTHEW CLARK
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
Don’t miss the start of this new series bridging the gap between the recently concluded INJUSTICE digital first series and the upcoming Injustice 2 game! The story of the first INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US videogame is told in comic book format for the first time, but from the skewed perspective of Harley Quinn. As heroes from the parallel Earth arrive to tip the balance against Superman’s regime, Harley’s determined to cause her own brand of mayhem with her newly formed Joker Clan!
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
8. Omnibuy them all! (Rimshot)
I’ve been on record as really loving the cover dress and ideas for the recent wave of DC ominibi, and this month we get the first of the Bronze Age collections. The Bronze Age is a weird time in comics history; it isn’t quite the creative explosion of the Silver Age, or the radical retelling of the post-Crisis time. But, to me, it is where much of the good stuff of comics today comes from. I have a particular soft spot for team books in the Bronze Age, so I’m all in on this collection. Plus, that Karl Kershl cover? Mercy!
Continued belowJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by DENNIS O’NEIL, MIKE FRIEDRICH and LEN WEIN
Art by DICK DILLIN, JOE GIELLA and others
Cover by KARL KERSHL
In these adventures from the early 1970s, classic members of the League including Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Arrow, the Atom and Black Canary face a Thanagarian invasion and encounter fellow super-teams the Justice Society of America, the Seven Soldiers of Victory and the Freedom Fighters! Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #77-113.
On sale MARCH 22 • 848 pg, FC, $99.99 US
7. A familiar locale
Dick Grayson is moving to Blüdhaven. I know we’ve seen this story before, but I trust Tim Seeley and Marcus To to tell the story properly, and give new wrinkles to Dick’s new/old home. This is pure nostalgia for me, but I trust in the creators to do more than just make me remember the 90’s.
NIGHTWING #10
Written by TIM SEELEY
Art and cover by MARCUS TO
Variant cover by IVAN REIS and OCLAIR ALBERT
Retailers: This issues will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“BLUDHAVEN” part one! Following “Night of the Monster Men” and his battle with Raptor, Nightwing heads to Blüdhaven for a fresh start. But that doesn’t last long when he runs into a crew of former Bat-villains!
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
6. The Return of Kyle Rayner
Don’t quote me on this, but I am pretty sure this is the first time we’ve seen Kyle Rayner since the end of “The Omega Men,” and the first time we’ve seen him as a large part of the DCU since he ‘died’ during ‘Lights Out,’ right? And yet, the solicit treats it like it isn’t a big deal. Now, part of this is my Rayner fanboyism fighting through, but DC has been trying to five Kyle meaningful stories over the past decade, and when he’s treated as just a footnote in a story like this, it undercuts that just a hair.
HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #10
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
Variant cover by KEVIN NOWLAN
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“BOTTLED LIGHT” part three! Trapped in a bottle by Larfleeze, the combined Green Lantern and Sinestro Corps find themselves in a race against time to escape from their bottled world as Kyle Rayner searches for a way to reunite with the Corps!
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
5. Don’t call it Wizard
So, DC did their own version of “Previews” earlier this year when, ahead of ‘Rebirth,’ they published their own mini magazine, which had some creator interviews and looks at all the initial ‘Rebirth’ solicits. It was a cool idea, and one that DC is doubling down on. “Direct Currents” is a quarterly magazine that will serve the same purpose: informing fans and retailers about new books/arcs/creative teams, and doing so on their own terms.
The solicit is interesting for two reasons: first, it confirms that “Super Sons” is happening sooner than later (as there is a preview in the book). We knew the book was coming next year, and with the solicit of “The Saga of the Super Sons” resolicited this month, that makes a lot of sense. But more interestingly is the reveal that the second wave of ‘Rebirth’ titles is coming early in the year as well. This has been assumed for some time, and will likely consist of “Super Sons,” “JLA,” and 4-6 more titles. As I said before, I could see a few Milestone books, and then who knows.
Continued belowDIRECT CURRENTS #1
Cover by JASON FABOK
Retailers: See Order Form for ordering information.
Direct Currents is the new, FREE quarterly magazine that brings you into the world of DC with exclusive sneak peeks of every title—starting with the top-secret Justice League/Suicide Squad crossover event coming in December! Plus: Get a first look at the all-new SUPER SONS series starring the offspring of Superman and Batman, and new info on the second wave of Rebirth titles!
RETROSOLICITED • On sale NOVEMBER 30 • 32 pg, 8.125” x 10.875”, FC, FREE
4. Frank is back!
The solicit reveals that Frankenstein is making his ‘Rebirth’ debut in this issue. That is great news. When you realize that Doug Mahnke is drawing him, it is great news. The solicit for #13 also reveals that the Bride of Frankenstein is also showing up, so this has the potential to be an “Agent of S.H.A.D.E.” reunion. Let’s hope Father Time shows up!
Seriously though, ‘Rebirth’ has been great at establishing the core DC Universe, and reviving and revitalizing a lot of the suffering books and characters that the New 52 really tore apart. While there are still some major clunkers in the bunch (Lantern books, “Titans”), a lot of the core stuff has been really wonderful. It is nice to see them start to bring in more of the fringe characters – like Frankie – and repopulate the world a bit.
SUPERMAN #12
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Variant cover by ANDREW ROBINSON
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“SINISTER PURPOSE” part one! Frankenstein has come to Hamilton County, home of Superman, and Hell has come with him. It’s Man of Steel vs. the Monster to save the life of someone in the town with a horrifying secret.
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
3. Being Super
I’m still a little chaffed at the idea that we didn’t get this exclusive, but the fact that this book exists is helping me through that. This is a top notch creative team on a prestige format (!) Elseworlds-style story. This feels like the type of thing that DC used to roll out a few times a year from the mid-80s to the mid-00s, and I’ve missed it. This is a smart decision for a number of reasons: Supergirl is crazy popular right now, the format allows creators to stretch their muscles in a different way, and you may hook a creator that wouldn’t normally do a cape book (like Mariko Tamaki), since they can do it in a vacuum, without worry about continuity.
I can’t wait to check this out, if only for the Joelle Jones art.
SUPERGIRL: BEING SUPER #1
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art and cover by JOELLE JONES
Flying and crushing coal into diamonds may come easy, but try popping a Kryptonian zit! Caldecott Honor-winning and Eisner Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) teams with Eisner Award-nominated artist Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer) for a coming-of-age tale like you’ve never seen before. But while growing pains shake up Kara’s world, a deadly earthquake rocks the small town of Midvale beneath her feet! The Girl of Steel has a choice: let her world die, or overcome her adolescent insecurities and be super!
PRESTIGE FORMAT • On sale DECEMBER 28 • 48 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $5.99 US • RATED T
2. ‘Tis the season
I know books like this are hokey and corny, but I love them. When you see the creators attached, it is clear that this is an instant buy for me. The only, and I do mean only, downsides are the price ($9.99 for 96 pages) and the inclusion of a Harley Quinn story, but that’s my issue, not yours. The price is a little more than a dollar (102 cents, to be accurate) more than what it should be, based on DC’s non-“All-Star Batman” pricing, which is $2.99 for 32 pages. That means that every page is worth approximately nine cents in a ‘Rebirth’ comic (ads are counted as pages for this exercise). Here, each page is worth 10.4 cents.
Look, I know that I’m nitpicking and that oftentimes specials are more expensive, but this is a holiday special. How about really getting to the giving spirit and giving this a more affordable price?
Continued belowDC REBIRTH HOLIDAY SPECIAL #1
Written by PAUL DINI, JAMES TYNION IV, STEVE ORLANDO, VITA AYALA, CULLEN BUNN, TIM SEELEY, JAMES ASMUS, HEATH CORSON, K. PERKINS and others
Art by ROBBI RODRIGUEZ, GUSTAVO DUARTE and others
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
DC’s biggest and brightest heroes celebrate the holidays in this new special! Don’t miss a Chanukah crisis for Batwoman, a Flash family Christmas, Wonder Woman interrupting John Constantine’s hellblazing pagan party and more—including the return of Detective Chimp! Today’s top talents bring you a very special holiday gift that’ll keep on giving through the New Year! And writer Paul Dini crafts a Harley holiday tale featuring DCU guests that bridges all the stories in the weirdest, wildest way.
ONE-SHOT • On sale DECEMBER 14 • 96 pg, FC, $9.99 US • RATED T
1. The first crossover (sort of)
This keeps being billed as the first crossover of ‘Rebirth,’ ignoring ‘Night of the Monster Men,’ currently happening in the Bat-titles, but I know what they mean: they mean the first real ‘event’ book. This is an interesting creative team: two up and coming superstars working on a book that features the two biggest team properties (and film properties) that DC has. That leads me to believe that the story won’t be anything groundbreaking, with no major deaths or shakeups coming from it. But that’s fine – these two guys are twice the creators that usually get these assignments. As long as the book is fun and interesting, I’m happy.
And light on Harley. Please.
JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #1
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by JASON FABOK
Variant covers by TBD
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for details.
The first major event storyline of DC’s Rebirth era begins with a day Amanda Waller always knew would come: the Justice League discovers the existence of the Suicide Squad! This government-sponsored black-ops team of super-villains with bombs implanted in their brains is obviously a deal-breaker for Earth’s paragons of truth and justice! But you can bet that the Wall and her Task Force X won’t go down without the fight to end all fights as this weekly series gets underway!
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 40 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $4.99 US • RATED T
You can see the full solicitations over at CBR.
