Another Tuesday, another “Convergence” announcement.
This week, DC has announced the third round of two-part minis that will tie into “Convergence,” this time featuring pre-Crisis incarnations of some of DC’s biggest characters, as well as a few mentions of the Tangent Universe. As was true with the last two batches of announcements, there are a few really exciting creative teams present, such as Marv Wolfman writing “New Teen Titans” and Len Wein writing “Swamp Thing.” However, this is the first batch of promo art that, for the most part, hasn’t really reflected the time period of the original stories. Part of that could just be that there aren’t as many artists who were drawing for DC in the early 80s that are still working regularly (although, off the top of my head: George Perez, Keith Giffen, Dave Gibbons, and Alan Davis), or because those comics look almost unrecognizable to fans of today’s comics. Either way, there are still some fine artists represented (Nicola Scott, Federico Dallocchio), and a number of these books feature characters and iterations that should make for a compelling read.
However, they are not without their oddities either. Despite the “Wonder Woman” solicit specifically announcing “white jumpsuit clad” Diana, the cover shows her in her stars and stripes. Everyone and their mother refers to the Michigan based JLA as “Justice League Detroit,” but the solicit calls them the “Detroit Justice League.” Both “The Flash” and “Green Lantern Corps” take place in Gotham this month. Nitpicks aside, Jeff Parker gets to write Hawkman and Kamandi interacting, and that is exciting enough for me.
The announcements were originally made via The Nerdist and IGN. See the full solicts, and preview art, below. We will be back here, same Convergence time, same Convergence channel, to discuss the final ten minis next Tuesday, one can only presume.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artists: Roberto Viacava and Andy Owens
Colorist: Sotocolor
Superman and Supergirl try to escape the city through the Phantom Zone, but they enter a portion they’ve never seen before and learn that Supergirl is destined to die if they return to their proper time and dimension. True story
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS
Writer: Marc Andreyko
Artist: Carlos D’Anda
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb
After a year under the dome, the Outsiders have gone their separate ways, but when OMAC attacks, Batman must find out if they have what it takes to still be a team.
THE FLASH
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Federico Dallocchio
Colorist: Veronica Gandini
Trapped in Gotham, Barry Allen has nowhere to run. He fights on, seeking justice as well as a way to save the city. But he faces a Tangent Universe foe that thinks faster than the Flash could ever move.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS
Writer: David Gallaher
Artists: Steve Ellis and Ande Parks
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Say the Oath, save the world! If only being the Green Lantern Corps was that easy. Hal has resigned, John is busy, and Guy is pissed. Together for the first time—they’ll save Gotham or die trying.
HAWKMAN
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artists: Tim Truman and Enrique Alcatena
Colorist: John Kalisz
Hawkman and Hawkgirl put their Shadow War on hold as they face the anthropomorphic might of rat-men and bat-men in the deadly land of Kamandi!
JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Artist: ChrisCross
Colorist: Snakebite Cortez
With their heavy hitters sidelined, Elongated Man must lead the much-maligned “Detroit Justice League” against the overwhelming power of the heroes from the Tangent Universe!
NEW TEEN TITANS
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artists: Nicola Scott and Marc Deering
Colorist: Jeromy Cox
Titans Together! Fighting against the might of the Tangent Universe’s Doom Patrol, we are reminded why this is the greatest Titans team of all.
SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
Writer: Stuart Moore
Artists: Gus Storms and Mark Farmer
Colorist: John Rauch
While Brainiac 5 struggles to break through the dome, Superboy tries to keep the Legion of Super-Heroes spirits up—but then the Atomic Knights ride into town.
SWAMP THING
Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Kelley Jones
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Swamp Thing struggles to survive when the dome cuts off his contact with the Green.
WONDER WOMAN
Writer: Larry Hama
Art and Color: Josh Middleton
White-jumpsuit-clad Diana Prince is in the grips of a Domesday cult when her lover Steve Trevor leaps into the fray to save Etta Candy from vampires of Red Rain.
