Come April, DC is going to be doing a big shakeup of their books. Not all the books will be touched, but come April, the landscape of DC’s monthly releases will be looking quite different. One of my favorite things to do is to speculate, often times aimlessly. So, what does DC have in store for April? Let’s dig in.
There are some changes that we know about already: Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul on “Detective Comics” and the new, weekly, “Batman: Eternal” from Scott Snyder, Jason Fabok, et al are both set to launch. Also launching is Jeff Lemire’s “Justice League Canada,” and a new creative team will start on the “The Flash.” A bunch of books, in their solicits for February, seem to be suggesting an ending, or at least a major shake up.
In February, here is what the solicits look like:
45 books ongoing books
4 Forever Evil Books
2 One shots
Put them together, and you get 51 Titles. I can’t imagine DC pulling the “52” out of the New 52 just yet, so let’s presume that is the number they are shooting for.
So, what books do I think are ending? Let’s take them in shifts. First, the Bat books:
“Talon”
“Birds of Prey”
“Batwing”
“Red Hood and the Outlaws”
“All-Star Western”
Some of these are pretty obvious, as “Talon” has never really taken off, and “Batwing” struggled for an identity since Judd Winick left. “All-Star Western” has been one of the more solid books of the entire New 52 (still having their creative team in tact as of #28 is something only three other books – “Batman,” “Batman and Robin,” and “Wonder Woman” can say), but doesn’t really justify its $3.99 price tag. “Birds of Prey” used to have some real credibility with its title, but that good will has evaporated, at least for now, and the most bankable character in the book should probably have her own book. “Red Hood and the Outlaws” is an interesting, flawed book that seems problematic going forward.
“The Movement”
“Larfleeze”
Two books that seemed like good ideas at the time, but never really took off, and should probably be put out to pasture sooner than later. The fact that there was a giant Lantern books crossover ad “Larfleeze” isn’t included probably is a surefire sign.
“Worlds’ Finest”
“Animal Man”
“Stormwatch”
“Suicide Squad”
These are the toughest losses – well, minus “Stormwatch” – of the cancellations. “Animal Man” has been nothing short of great, but the solicits seem to be hinting at an ending, and Lemire is the type of writer who does finite stories quite well. 30 issues (counting the #0 issue) seems like a nice, round number, and will allow him to move onto more big picture DC properties before, in a year or so, launching another series similar to this. “Suicide Squad” was really a book used to feature Harley Quinn, and now that she has her own book, the main sales thrust of the book is gone. “Worlds’ Finest” has been solid, but nothing spectacular, and both of those characters have more value to other books than they do to their own. “Stormwatch” has been a mess since #1, but since Jim Starlin rebooted the book for no real reason, it has been an unreadable mess.
“Superman Unchained”
“Superman Unchained,” depending who you can believe, was always supposed to be a miniseries, or was downgraded to one retroactively, but #9 or 10 seems to be the end of the line. This is actually the biggest fly in this plan’s ointment, as it is set to end in April, not March. Just go with me here, and pretend that DC will allow 53 books one month.
Ok, so if that is going, what is taking its place? Remember, we have to have 52 ongoings, per the insane DC rules, so here is my prediction for April’s issues. Remember, this is all conjecture, with a mix of rumor, wishful thinking, and cynicism. (Speculative titles are bolded and speculative creators on established books are italicized)
Continued belowThe “New” New 52
The Bat Books:
“Batman” – Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
“Detective Comics” – Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelatto
“Batman and Robin” – Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
“Batman: The Dark Knight” – Greg Hurwitz and Alex Maleev
“Batman: Eternal” – Rotating
“Nightwing” – Kyle Higgins and Will Conrad
“Batgirl” – Gail Simone and Fernando Pasarin
“Catwoman” – Ann Nocenti and Rafa Sandoval
“Harley Quinn” – Palmiotti/Conner and Chad Hardin
“Batwoman” – Marc Andreyko and Jeremy Haun
“Robins” – Jeff Lemire and Trevor McCarthy
“Gotham” – John Layman and Syzmon Kudranski
“Black Canary” – Maguerite Bennett and Aaron Lopresti
Black Canary is currently on Arrow, a very popular television show. Having her character buried in a book called “Birds of Prey” makes no sense, and Bennett seems to be a rising star at DC. Pairing her with a solid veteran like Lopresti ensures that the book would, if nothing else, fit in with DC’s house style (which may not be a good thing for readers, but is for editors). With the upcoming Gotham TV show, a book focused on the city, its police force, and its lesser-heroes is probably something DC wants to have in place before a potential show starts. Layman can do the gritty sort of book this would be, and Kudranski’s moody art would be a perfect fit. Finally, the long rumored “Robins” book is going to get a different spin than previously mentioned: it is going to be focused, mainly, on Carrie Kelly and Helena Wayne. With Helena revealing her origin to Bruce in early 2014, she is going to be working more with the Bat, and it seems like Carrie is everyone’s choice for the new Robin. So, these two will be teaming up, being trained by an unlikely Robin – Jason Todd. Lemire has been linked to this for over a year, and Trevor McCarthy, one of the unsung heroes of the Bat books, needs a new title. I see Maleev coming back to “The Dark Knight” after this upcoming arc by Ethan Van Sciver. PS – Nightwing isn’t dying. Don’t believe the hype.
Justice League Books:
“Justice League” – Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis
“Justice League Canada” – Jeff Lemire and Mike McKone
“The Flash” – Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort
“Wonder Woman” – Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang
“Aquaman” – Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier
“Green Arrow” – Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino
“Justice League 3000” – Giffen/DeMatteis and Howard Porter
“Earth 2” – Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott
“Teen Titans” – Scott Lobdell and Tyler Kirkham
“Justice League Weekly” – Rotating
“Shazam” – Sterling Gates and Gary Frank
“Booster Gold” – Dan DiDio and Dan Jurgens
“The Others” – John Ostrander and Scott Hepburn
“Lex Luthor” – Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke
“The Rogues” – Brian Buccellato and Scott Kollins
“Doom Patrol” – Sholly Fisch and Neil Googe
“Earth 3” – Paul Levitz and Cully Hamner
“Sensation Comics” – Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and Victor Ibanez
“Plastic Man” – Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver
“Martian Manhunter” – Matt Kindt and Alberto Ponticelli
“Cyborg and the Titans” – James Tynion IV and Patrick Zircher
“The Atom” by Gail Simone and Jesus Saiz
A weekly JL book has been rumored for some time now, and this seems a logical place to launch it. Ditto for “Shazam,” which would be under the pen of Sterling Gates, who worked with Geoff Johns on the Black Adam Villains Month issue. Sad news for Flash fans, but with Lobdell (hopefully) off of “Superman,” DC is going to stick him on “The Flash.” Luckily, Rocafort on that title should make it at least look pretty.
Doom Patrol was teased in last month’s “Justice League,” and I could see Fisch and Googe, both of whom would bring a cartoony fun to the proceedings, knocking this out of the park. Johns has been talking about a new solo series spinning out of “Forever Evil,” and that has to be a Luthor book, which Mahnke would own. The Plastic Man book has been rumored forever, and Kidnt has publicly stated how much he wants to write a Manhunter title. It isn’t too tough to see Simone bringing Ryan Choi out of retirement, either. Perhaps being trained by Ray Palmer, and having Atomica as the main villain?
Continued belowEvery few months, DiDio needs to flex his writing “prowess,” so I could see him taking “Booster Gold,” as much as that hurts my soul, with Dan Jurgens drawing his most famous creation. “The Others” give a place for ultra serious Aqua-stories, since Jeff Parker will (hopefully) make “Aquaman” less brooding, and “Earth 3” is going to be DC’s next attempt to expand the multiverse – maybe that will focus on the mysterious hooded fellow from “Forever Evil,” maybe it is something else. “The Rogues” would also expand the Flash-line, in anticipation of the CW’s show starting the fall.
The two real gambles here are “Sensation Comics” and “Cyborg and the Titans.” DC really needs to give a second title to Wonder Woman, and this allows two very capable, but very company-mindful writers in Gray and Palmiotti a chance to tell more “mainstream” WW stories, and leave her solo title to the more esoteric stuff that Azzarello and Chiang have been doing. Finally, the two characters who are going to come out of “Forever Evil” most changed are Nightwing and Cyborg – two classic Titans. Throw in Arsenal and Starfire from the now-cancelled “Outlaws,” and the recently teased Donna Troy and Wally West, add a dash of Beast Boy (from the cancelled “Ravagers”), and you’ve got quite the classic Titans line up.
Super Books:
“Action Comics” – Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
“Superman” – John Romita, Jr.
“Batman/Superman” – Greg Pak and Jae Lee
“Superman/Wonder Woman” – Charles Soule and Tony Daniel
“Supergirl” – Tony Bedard and Yildiray Cinar
“Superboy” – Marv Wolfman and Andres Guinaldo
“Superman Weekly” – Rotating
Not too many big changes here – Romita has been teased as working on “Superman,” and that would make the entire Lobdell-team transition out of the Super books, with Bedard and Wolfman coming on board earlier in the year. The Superman weekly book is probably a lock, too.
Dark Books:
“Justice League Dark” – JM DeMatteis and Mikel Janin
“Constantine” – Ray Fawkes and Aco
“Swamp Thing” – Charles Soule and Kano
“Trinity of Sin” – Ray Fawkes and Moritat
“Zatanna and the Shadowpact” – Paul Dini and Travel Foreman
First of all, DC is going to consolidate the two Trinity of Sin books into one, and add the Question. Moritat, fresh off of “All-Star Western,” would kill this. And Zatanna, being the other “major” JLDark player would get her own book, where DC could toss people like Blue Devil and Detective Chimp to make me happy.
Lantern Books:
“Green Lantern” – Robert Venditti and Billy Tan
“Green Lantern Corps” – Venditti/Jensen and Bernard Chang
“Green Lantern New Guardians” – Justin Jordan and Brad Walker
“Red Lanterns” – Charles Soule and Alessandro Vitti
“Sinestro” – Tom Taylor and Dale Eaglesham
Sinestro is a character far more suited to a solo book than Larfleeze, and with the downplaying of the other Lantern corps, it seems like Sinestro is a character that, regardless of what they do with him, ring-wise, could exist alongside the other books. Tom Taylor loves villains as heroes/heroes as villains, so he’s a natural fit, and Dale Eaglesham’s Villains Month Sinestro was amazing.
So, there you have it. Do I think any of this will actually happen? Probably not, but I think you’ll see something similar to this, perhaps not on this scale, coming from DC come spring. Personally, I think it is the perfect time for DC to go even bolder, to really get some interesting creators in there and make something fresh and unpredictable, to give “All-New Marvel NOW!” a run for its money, but I doubt DC does that. This is much more manageable, with all in-house talent, and some books fans have been clamoring for, which would boost sales a bit.
Let me know in the comments what books you think are being cancelled/announced come April.
