The month after #0s took over the landscape, we’re back to non-origin tales in the DCnU.
First of all, the Joker is back. This is good news for Bat fans and retailers alike, as Joker stories sell. Secondly, John Layman (“Chew”) and Jason Fabok (“Batman” Annual #1)are taking over “Detective Comics” – that is two reasons to pick up a book that many of us, myself included, were skipping before. Thirdly, in “Batman Inc.” #5, Grant Morrison returns to the future of “Batman” #666 where Damian is Batman for a future/elseworlds type story.
If those aren’t three reasons to pick up those Bat-books, I don’t know what I could do to sell you.
Green Lantern books are all crossing over this month for “The Third Army,” the Guardians’ new fleet of intergalactic policemen who are out to destroy free will in the universe. While the story sounds familiar, there are a number of familiar faces missing from this artwork, mainly Sinestro and Hal. Green Lantern stories used to not have to be giant space battles, but since Johns has taken the reigns, those are the primary GL stories. Hey, he does them well, so we’ll see how this one shakes out.
‘Rotworld: The Red Kingdom’ is in “Animal Man,” ‘Rotworld: The Green Kingdom’ is in “Swamp Thing,” and ‘Rotworld: Secrets of the Dead’ is over in “Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.” The most anticipated (and logical) crossover of the DCnU is here, and I for one can’t wait to see what these three incredible creative teams do here.
Both “The Savage Hawkman” and “Green Arrow” solicits hype next month’s “Hawkman: Wanted” storyline, running through both books. Here are two traditionally JL-related characters, neither of whom are currently on a Justice League team, both of whom have struggling books, crossing over…why? Hopefully, there is a strong story here, but these books need more than a crossover to fix what is going on in them.
While it may not quite be “Black and Tan,” the Blue Devil/Black Lightning arc in “DC Universe Presents” is an intriguing pairing of two characters with pissed off creators. Written by Marc Andreyko, best known for creating the Kate Spencer version of Manhunter, this is a smart move for DC for a few cynical reasons (in addition to being smart because these are two good characters written by a very capable writer): with Static Shock failing, Black Lightning is given the chance to be one of the higher profile African American characters, and with Andreyko, an openly gay man, writing the book, it boosts DC’s diversity both on and off the page. Both of those shouldn’t be motivations for DC, and I hope they aren’t, but I’ve gotta call it as I see it. Regardless, I’m optimistically excited for the return of Andreyko, Black Lightning and Blue Devil.
Oh, the fifth Wednesday of the month – you shall forever be known as DC Annuals Week. This month, “Action Comics,” “Batgirl,” “Justice League Dark” and “Swamp Thing” all get the Annual treatment, with the regular creative teams present, save for “Action,” which is written by usual “Action” backup writer Sholly Fisch. I buy all these books monthly, so I guess I’m out another $20 this month.
Tony Daniel is drawing “Justice League” for two issues, Ann Nocenti is the new scribe on “Catwoman,” Dan Jurgens is the new writer/artist on “The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men,” Will Conrad, no longer Marvel exclusive, is on “Stormwatch,” and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Jerry Ordway are pitching in some art for “Worlds’ Finest.” Nothing too exciting here, but worth noting, I suppose.
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What a weird book. Will these be Elseworlds titles? If not, why is Hawkgirl on New Earth? Is this another “Hey, I swear I’m going to leave for Marvel” situations where DC bends over backwards to keep old talent happy (see “The Judas Coin,” “Batman Odyssey”)? I just don’t know, man.
“Legends of the Dark Knight” #1 collects three digital Batman stories, including the pretty sweet Damon Lindeloff/Jeff Lemire story that kicked off the digital series. “Ame-Comi Girls #1 Featuring Wonder Woman” collects the manga-inspired WW story by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner. This would be a great WW book if there wasn’t already one – a fun, kid (and specifically girl) friendlier tale for fans of the Amazonian.
DC’s digital-first books have all been serving different nerd-niches, and I have to applaud them for their diversity in this department. “Smallville Season 11,” according to Jim Lee at SDCC, has a 40% new buyer demographic, as shown by being the first book someone purchases through Comixology (it is sort of cool/creepy that DC can track that). So between that, the gamers buying “Arkham Unhinged,” the manga fans, the ever-present Bat-market, and the “Beyond” fans, DC is creating a pretty strong base of digital fans. Well played.
“Ghosts” #1 is a book I somehow totally missed in my first run through these solicits, and boy does it look sweet:
>Written by GEOFF JOHNS, JOE KUBERT, GILBERT HERNANDEZ, PAUL POPE, CECIL CASTELLUCCI, MARY H.K. CHOI, AL EWING and NEIL KLEID
Art by RUFUS DAYGLO, GILBERT HERNANDEZ, PHIL JIMENEZ, JOE KUBERT, JEFF LEMIRE, JOHN McCREA and AMY REEDER
Check out this all-new anthology from some of the biggest talents in the industry! Stories spotlight a space heist on a ghost ship, a spirit who wants to play synthesizer in a techno band, a ghost-for-hire haunting agency and others dark, twisted tales.
80 pages for $7.99 with that talent line up seems eminently fair to me. Sign me up!
