April begins DC’s two-month long “Convergence” event, featuring a weekly series as well as 40 two-part stories, spread out over two months. Since, for longtime fans like me, the two-parters, focused on past timelines, are the most exciting parts, this column is going to exclusively look at various minis. But, before I do that, a few quick hits:
– Obviously, the “Convergence” weekly is a pretty big deal. Written by TV writer Jeff King, the weekly features characters from the recent “Earth 2” book, all the way back to the Warlord and Rip Hunter. This is the sort of sweeping, multiversional clashing book that only comes along once in a blue moon…oh wait. Yeah, “Secret Wars” is essentially the same thing, starting at essentially the same time. Nevermind.
– Vertigo is launching a new quarterly, “SFX” – the inaugural issue, “POP,” features work from Jim Zub, Nathan Fox, Peter Milligan, Hope Larsen, and more. These Vertigo quarterlies are a great idea that I hope DC keeps up with over the next few years.
– “JSA Omnibus” #3 – ’nuff said.
– We already discussed the “Convergence” Chip Kidd variants.
– “Wonder Woman ’77 Special” #1 comes out in print, the first of two oversized issues collecting the first run of “Wonder Woman ’77” comics. Sure, $7.99 is a lot to pay for 80 pages of content, but I say that as many fans, myself included, intend to buy 40+ other comics from DC this month. So, we’ll see!
And now, on to the Top 10:
10. Putting great creators on interesting characters – even if just on covers
One-handed Aquaman has a lot of fans out there – me included – but putting Tony Bedard and Cliff Richards on the book isn’t the most exciting proposition. That’s not a knock on those guys, but both are very much rooted in today’s era (or maybe the directly pre-“Flashpoint” era) of comics, and their styles aren’t so different from the average DC talent that their perspective on Aquaman would be all the different than what we normally see.
But then, we get that amazing Becky Cloonan cover, and we dream on what could have been. This entire event features some great cover work, but this one might be the best combination of unique talent, iconic character, and time-period specificity. Bravo, Becky!
CONVERGENCE: AQUAMAN #1
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by BECKY CLOONAN
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 15 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM ZERO HOUR! Aquaman has lost his home, his powers, and his hand – but now he faces his most difficult challenge: a battle to the finish with Deathblow!
9. A chance to right a few wrongs
2011 was a tough year for me as a comics fan: Roy Harper is, perhaps, my third or fourth favorite comics character of all time, and that was the year that he shot a dead cat from his bow while strung out on heroin. Yeah, I know.
So, by revisiting this era of “Titans,” which features many of the beloved 70s and 80s Teen Titans as adults, we hope that DC can put a cap on this era by helping Roy appear not as some deluded nutjob, but a multi-faceted character worthy of his nearly 50 year history.
The entire pre-“Flashpoint” week seems to be primarily aimed at fixing stories that time prevented them from properly ending, and giving some fan favorite characters another chance in the spotlight.
Continued belowCONVERGENCE: TITANS #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art RON WAGNER and JOSE MARZAN, JR.
Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 8 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! Starfire and Donna Troy track down Arsenal, who had retreated after the loss of his arm and the death of his daughter – but what they find is more terrifying than they ever could have expected!
8. A journey through continuity
The New 52 has been shockingly lacking Booster Gold, especially after the first year. Sure, he popped up in “All-Star Western,” but that hardly counts as a proper Booster series. Here, we get the most balls out, crazy book of the month, because of the ability to circumvent both the time stream and the multiverse. Rip Hunter + Booster = crazy tales that will unlock weird and unexpected tales? I sure hope so.
CONVERGENCE: BOOSTER GOLD #1
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ
Cover by DAN JURGENS and DANNY MIKI
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Trapped with Rip Hunter and other time travelers, Booster Gold and his future self must work together to get out of prison and off the planet.
7. An opportunity to get tough characters right
Jeff Parker is a writer quite adept at tackling tough characters and making them seem easy to understand and appreciate. So, by giving him Hawkman to work with, DC has made one of their smartest decisions of this event. Throw in Kamandi, and this is a must-buy. Please, oh please, let Parker tackle one of these in an ongoing later this year.
CONVERGENCE: HAWKMAN #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by TIM TRUMAN and ENRIQUE ALCATENA
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 22 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Hawkman and Hawkgirl put their Shadow War on hold as they face the might of anthropomorphic rat-men and bat-men in the deadly land of Kamandi!
6. An excuse to be unironically dated
Look at that incredible Babs Tarr cover! This is an excuse to fully embrace the nuttiness of the mid-90s: the stupidly hair-styled, the wonderfully absurd leather jacket, and those shades. This is a chance for us all to buy a Superboy comic starring the not-yet-named Kon-El looking like a magazine ad for LA Looks and not feel guilty at all.
I truly hope that when this event is over that DC can embrace their past, even the goofy parts, and give us more comics that feel like this cover looks.
CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by KARL MOLINE and JOSE MARZAN, JR.
Cover by BABS TARR
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 15 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
STARRING HEROES FROM ZERO HOUR! Has Kon-El earned the right to be the new Man of Steel? Kon will have to prove his mettle in battle against the Superman of Kingdom Come! But what if the only way to save Metropolis is to lose the fight?
5. A look back at some of the most iconic books of all time
“New Teen Titans” is on the Mount Rushmore of comics, and it is nice to see DC putting classic writer Marv Wolfman with a modern day master like Nicola Scott on this title. Now, granted, we get an invasion from the Tangent Universe, so this isn’t a straight-up NTT story, but who am I to complain?
Continued belowCONVERGENCE: NEW TEEN TITANS #1
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by NICOLA SCOTT and MARC DEERING
Cover by NICOLA SCOTT
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 22 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Titans Together! The greatest Titans team of them all takes on the might of the Tangent Universe’s Doom Patrol!
4. Revisiting versions of characters that have been lost to time
The characters that made up the pre-Crisis “Justice Society of America” are some of the most fascinating of all time, because of their very odd histories. First they were “the” characters, then they were the characters in the comics that “the” heroes read growing up, then they were on their own Earth. Here are the classic Earth-2 versions of these iconic characters, fighting off the Qward Universe, another classic DC concept. This is pure nostalgia in a comic.
CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by TOM DERENICK and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by DAN PANOSIAN
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Older and in full retirement under the dome, members of the Justice Society get the chance to regain their youth to stave off forces from the Qward Universe. But the promise of youth comes with a deadly price!
3. Reuniting characters with their proper creators
Greg Rucka was the person that convinced people that “Convergence” was for real. To have him back on board with DC, writing the character that he is most associated with, meant that DC was taking this event seriously. Plus, that Cully Hamner cover – oof.
CONVERGENCE: THE QUESTION #1
Written by GREG RUCKA
Art and cover by CULLY HAMNER
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 8 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! Two-Face is fighting another world’s Harvey Dent, and it’s up to Renee Montoya as The Question to help him beat the odds.
2. Telling stories that “Flashpoint” killed
“Flash: Speed Force” was a concept that was announced back in 2010 as a place for non-Barry Allen speedsters to live, specifically Wally West and his family. Well, then “Flashpoint” happened, and the book was lost to the ether. Nothing about the Flash, save for Barry Allen, has really come through the New 52 intact. This will be, at least for 2 months, a chance for us to remember when speedsters were a cornerstone of the DCU. A glorious, glorious time.
CONVERGENCE: SPEED FORCE #1
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by TOM GRUMMETT and SEAN PARSONS
Cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 8 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! The fastest family alive loses its powers as Wally West and his kids face an uncertain future while trapped away from home. Will they be able to outrun the chaos that follows the arrival of Flashpoint Wonder Woman? Plus, don’t miss the most unexpected Zoo Crew character of all!
1. A proper “Shazam” story that isn’t part of “The Multiveristy”
Look at that cover. Need I say more?
CONVERGENCE: SHAZAM! #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art and cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! It’s Shazam versus Steampunk, as the world of Gotham by Gaslight takes on the Captain Marvel family and friends!
As always, you can find the full solicits over at Comic Book Resources.
