This news had been leaked over the weekend, but today DC confirms it on their blog the Source: come April, Batman and Detective Comics will both increase to $3.99 starting with issues 8 in April.
Of course, DC’s caveat for having a title at $3.99 was that the book comes with eight extra pages of content, although whether that was more story content, a back-up story, behind-the-scenes looks or some other sort of extra (such as a “transcribed” dialogue of some kind). With Justice League and Action Comics, the extras were essentially done on an issue to issue basis, sometimes giving us more story and sometimes giving us other less exciting stuff. However, Action picked up a new creative team for back-up stories (by Shelly Fisch and ChrisCross) and Justice League will soon start a Shazam back-up by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank with issue #7.
There is no news on what Detective Comics will get as a back-up for your extra dollar, but we do know what fans of Batman will get: a brand new series of back-up stories by series writer Scott Snyder, co-written by James Tynion IV, with art by the co-creator of his hit Vertigo series American Vampire, Rafael Albuquerque! Now that’s a pretty great deal, all things considered. These back-up stories will reveal more of the secret history of the Court of Owls and their agenda. The second story planned for these back-ups is entitled “The Fall of the House of Wayne”, which runs behind three issues and reveals the tie between the Waynes and the Court of Owls, as told by Jarvis Pennyworth, Alfred’s father.
But wait! There’s more! If you’re a fan of Batman and his family of books, then it is probably good news to you that DC snuck in a quiet mention of the upcoming Batman event “Night of the Owls.” The crossover starts in May and will span the Bat-books and fully bring to the forefront the villainy of the Owls.
So, to recap: Batman and Detective Comics go up to $3.99, which creates a sad face, but Rafael Albuquerque will be drawing eight-page back-ups in Batman, which creates a happy face, all of which leads into a big Batman event, which creates a to-be-determined face.
