It is that time folks – solicits analysis! What does DC have is store for next February? Read on to find out!
10. The Saddest Solicit of All Time
I understand what this solicit is supposed to do – it is supposed to entice you to pick up “Justice League 3000.” Instead, this solicit just makes everyone involved look incredibly sad. There is nothing about this book, outside of the now inclusion of the “Bwahaha” League members, that is appealing on any level. As with many DeMatteis books of the 21st century, the book is unbearably self-referential, and seemingly just makes shit up at every turn. Howard Porter’s art is nice and all, but this was supposed to be a Kevin Maguire joint, and the disconnect between the writing staff and the art is noticeable and jarring at every turn. If they want people to buy the book, they need to make it better, not bitch about it in a solicitation.
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #14
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art and cover by HOWARD PORTER
On sale FEBRUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Beetle and Booster! Fire and Ice! The Injustice League! Etrigan the Demon! Not to mention the Justice League (no, not that one, the one we’re doing). C’mon, people, we’re bending over backward here! At least meet us halfway – maybe flip through the issue at your local comics shop?
9. The Saddest Cash Grab of All Time
DC is publishing a black and white version of “The Dark Knight Returns.” Already one of the most reprinted stories in DC’s back catalog, they are now charging $34.99 for an uncolored version. This is, frankly, bananas – especially as the regular trade is listed at $19.99. Is removing an element worth nearly doubling the cover price? The coloring, by Lynn Varley, is a major component to the book being so widely revered – the iconic cover, all by itself, represents a peak of coloring at that time. To remove that is something that is absolutely silly. Is this something that fans have been clamoring for? If so, I haven’t heard it.
BATMAN NOIR: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by FRANK MILLER
Art by FRANK MILLER and KLAUS JANSON
Cover by FRANK MILLER
On sale APRIL 29 • 208 pg, B&W, 7.5” x 11.5”, $34.99 US
For the first time, DC Comics collects Frank Miller’s unforgettable Dark Knight epic in black and white! It is ten years after an aging Batman has retired, and Gotham City has sunk into decadence and lawlessness. Now, as his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenaged Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against The Joker and Two-Face for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman, in a battle that only one will survive.
8. A Beautiful Filth
This, on the other hand, is a new edition that actually sounds pretty great. “The Filth” is one of Grant Morrison’s favorite of his own works, and has never been collected as a hardcover before, and has been hard to come by for some time now. DC has gotten much better at keeping the work of their iconic writers/artists in print as of late, and this is another step in that direction.
THE FILTH DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by CHRIS WESTON and GARY ERSKINE
Design cover
On sale APRIL 8 • 352 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875” • $29.99 US • MATURE READERS
One of Grant Morrison’s most imaginative series features a heady brew of big ideas, exotic locales and bizarre action, starring prosthetically outfitted dolphins in scuba gear and a hard-smoking communist chimpanzee. This deluxe edition collects the entire thirteen-issue series plus bonus materials!
7. An Odd Choice for a Gallery Edition
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m focusing a lot on DC’s reprints and special editions this month. There’s a few reasons for that, one of which is the number of odd choices that they have been making with them. This, however, might take the cake.
The “Gallery Edition” is DC’s answer to the IDW Artist Edition, and DC has put out a few thus far, including Frank Miller’s “Ronin” and Kelley Jones’ work on Batman. Both are interesting choices, because neither is among DC’s most iconic work. They have announced a few more expected titles, like Neal Adams’ “Green Lantern/Green Arrow” and Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman,” but this month’s choice is another head scratcher. Michael Turner’s “Superman/Batman” work is lovely, to be sure, but is it the work that will draw fans to drop $100+ on an oversized “raw” artwork version? I know it isn’t for me, and I’m a fan of that particular run. I really wonder why DC chose this particular run – is it to honor his memory (he died in 2008)? I honestly don’t know.
SUPERMAN/BATMAN: MICHAEL TURNER GALLERY EDITION HC
Art by MICHAEL TURNER
Written by JEPH LOEB
Advance solicit • On sale in April • 208 pg, FC, 12” x 17” • $125.00 US
The art of comics legend Michael Turner is seen for the first time in it’s original form in the new SUPERMAN/BATMAN: MICHAEL TURNER GALLERY EDITION. This spectacular new book collects the “Supergirl” epic from SUPERMAN/BATMAN #8-13. Rounding out the book are numerous covers from IDENTITY CRISIS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, THE FLASH and other DC Comics titles that helped establish Michael as an artistic force to be reckoned with.
Graphitti Designs’ Gallery Editions replicate the look, feel and attitude of the artwork. Every page is reproduced at original size on heavy paper stock to provide the fan and collector with museum quality reproductions obtainable nowhere else. This stunning Gallery Edition collects Michael Turner’s work for DC Comics, reproduced directly from his uninked pencil art that was then enhanced and colored by the talented Peter Steigerwald. This format showcases Michael’s art with all the subtleties and details that have never been captured in this fashion until now.
6.Jeff Parker Better Not Be Gone!
It is unclear, at this moment, if Rob Williams is simply filling in for Jeff Parker on issue #20, or if he is taking over the book. If the former, that’s great – Williams is a great writer, and it will be nice to see him play around in this sandbox for a bit. If it is the latter, I’m ready to storm the gates at DC. Parker has done such an exceptional job with “Batman ’66,” and managed to bring out just about every ounce of joy and creativity that is possible with a property like this. If he is off the book, it will be extraordinarily hard to replicate his level of excellence on the title. Williams is a fine writer, but I don’t know if, aesthetically, he will be able to match what Parker has done on the title, in terms of blending humor, and pop culture, and still creating a compelling story.
BATMAN ’66 #20
Written by ROB WILLIAMS
Art by RUBEN PROCOPIO
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
On sale FEBRUARY 25 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
Gotham City has a new hero in town: Joker Man! Can it be? Has the Clown Prince of Crime now become a comedic crimefighter? This new Joker seems to be sincere about lassoing the lawless by rounding up all the criminals, including some of his former allies! In fact, he’s so good at it that the citizenry wonders if they still need Batman and Robin at all!
5. Everything’s Coming Up Harley
This month is Harley Quinn variant month – DC loves them some Harley, and so do the fans, inexplicably. In addition to the variants, and her monthly comic, there is also a “Valentine’s Day Special” coming out under the Harley Quinn banner. The more I think about it, the more she is truly becoming DC’s Deadpool – overused and targeted at the exact type of comics fan that I am not. That said, the “Valentine’s Day Special” could be a fun one, as there are few characters that have as natural of a tie-in to the holiday as she does.
Continued belowHARLEY QUINN VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL #1
Written by AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by JOHN TIMMS
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
Variant cover by AMANDA CONNER
Blank variant cover
On sale FEBRUARY 11 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will arrive in stores with three covers. Please see the order form for details.
Love is in the air in New York City! The planet’s richest bachelor, Bruce Wayne, is in town for a charity auction – and the highest bidder gets a date with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding! Good thing Harley Quinn just came into some money (please, whatever you do, don’t ask how). But can Bruce really spend a night with Harley without her learning how he spends his nights?
4. Vertigo Continues to Rebuild
We posted about “Suiciders” earlier in the week, and the book looks like a fun concept, filtered through a talent that DC clearly feels fans want to see more from. This, to me, feels like an old school Vertigo title in the sense that it simply doesn’t feel like it fits, at all, into the modern day DCU. That has been an odd thing about many of their newer titles – they didn’t seem to have that separation that past titles had. This is a good thing for “Suiciders,” as it continues DC’s efforts to rebuild Vertigo back up to the creator-owned powerhouse it once was. In addition, it keeps Bermejo under DC’s umbrella, so that they may use him for prestige projects down the road.
SUICIDERS #1
Written by LEE BERMEJO
Art and cover by LEE BERMEJO
1:13 Variant cover by JOCK
On sale FEBRUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Retailers: This issue will arrive in stores with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
In the post-apocalyptic city of New Angeles, killing isn’t just a crime – it’s entertainment.
When the “big one” finally hit the West Coast, Los Angeles was left in ruins. And when the U.S. government decided to cut the city loose, things went from bad to worse. To survive, L.A. did what it does best: It turned survival into entertainment.
Now, thirty years later, the city of New Angeles is thriving once more thanks to the blood sport known as SUICIDERS – a TV series that combines the spectacle of hand-to-hand combat with elaborate, high-tech obstacles that test each competitor’s ability to survive. But these competitors have an edge: They’ve been freakishly enhanced by drugs and technology. The results are both marvelous and monstrous, as the man called The Saint begins to rise above his fellow Suiciders.
SUICIDERS is a dark, post-apocalyptic epic that tells the story of a strange, brutal world, written and illustrated by Lee Bermejo, the #1 New York Times best-selling writer/artist behind JOKER, BATMAN: NOEL, LUTHOR and BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH.
3. DC’s Weeklies are Winding Down/Ramping Up
We are only a month away from the solicits for the last issues of DC’s three weeklies (“Batman Eternal,” “Earth 2: World’s End” and “New 52: Futures End”), and you can see, especially in the “Eternal” solicits, how fast the action is coming to a head. In addition, “Eternal” #47, the solicit pasted below, features Dark Horse favorite Juan Ferreyra (“Colder”), an insanely talented artist, doing the pencils on this issue (check out his amazing Abe Sapien he did for us last year). This is great news, and continues to spotlight “Eternal” as the best spot for interior art in DC’s catalog.
BATMAN ETERNAL #47
Written by SCOTT SNYDER, JAMES TYNION IV, RAY FAWKES, KYLE HIGGINS and TIM SEELEY
Art by JUAN FERREYRA
Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
On sale FEBRUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
In the new order of Gotham City, Selina Kyle holds all the cards…and now it’s up to master spy Julia Pennyworth to steal them back!
2. How Late Will This Be?
Continued below
Jim Lee and Grant Morrison working with Overman? That’s a super fun idea – sadly, I can’t imagine this coming out on time. Lee’s “Superman Unchained” took 18 months or so for 9 issues to come out, so expect to see this next summer.
THE MULTIVERSITY: MASTERMEN #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:10 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE
1:25 Variant cover by AARON KUDER
1:50 Variant cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
1:100 Variant cover by GRANT MORRISON
On sale FEBRUARY 18 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with five covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Superstar writer Grant Morrison joins legendary artist Jim Lee on Earth-10 for one of the most dynamic, action-packed issues of this entire world-shattering series – THE MULTIVERSITY: MASTERMEN!
Imagine a world where the Nazis not only won World War II but went on to direct world culture for the next 60 years with the help of an orphaned, alien super-weapon known as Overman! But hope is not lost! Rising from the ashes of oppression are a diverse band of heroes raging against the fascist regime – a band of heroes known as THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS!
What nightmarish parallel worlds haunt the dreams of Overman? Who is the mysterious figure called Uncle Sam? And when the dust settles, will the actions of Phantom Lady, Black Condor, Human Bomb, Doll Man and The Ray be enough to stop Leatherwing, Blitzen and the other “heroes” of Earth-X?
Learn all this and more in this exciting issue that acts as chapter seven of the critically acclaimed MULTIVERSITY storyline.
1. Believe It or Not, This is the Most Exciting Comic of the Month
OK, so this isn’t the splashy item I usually like putting at #1, but there is a specific reason for my choosing this (outside of Magog’s return): this, along with “Aquaman” #39, are the only issues that seem to be introducing new ideas this month, and both of those are the returns of pre-“Flashpoint” characters (Aquaman’s mother is also returning). That isn’t really the knock it sounds like, because we have been led to believe that DC wants all of its stories wrapped up in March, letting “Convergence” happen and, potentially, relaunching their entire line with #1s in June.
Because of that, most of these stories seem, even more than usual, to be second act stories. No real beginnings, no real endings, just sort of middle ground. That makes for boring solicits, and really boring analysis of solicits, which is why I was so focused on the collected editions this month, as they offered something other than “the story from last issue continues, and will wrap up next month!”
However, another reason for the lack of interesting analysis is a very positive one: DC’s books are, for the most part, in much better places than they’ve been in a long time. Aside from the aforementioned “Justice League 3000,” the continued presence of Scott Lobdell on “Red Hood and the Outlaws,” and the dumpster fire that is the Finches’ “Wonder Woman,” (review coming soon) DC’s line looks relatively strong. And when strong books are out there, the solicits get a bit boring. I don’t want to just keep saying, “this creative team has been great!” or “it looks like DC made a great choice here!” That isn’t an interesting column.
On that same note, next month should be insane, so strap in!
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #16
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
HARLEY QUINN Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale FEBRUARY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Superman and Wonder Woman come face-to-face with the newest arrival to The New 52: MAGOG!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
For the full solicits, visit our friends at Comic Book Resources.
