Welcome to Villain Month week 3 where we will surely see the origins of such villains as Ra’s Al Ghul and Clayface, but for a slightly different look into the past we have the Adam West inspired Batman ’66 available as well. However, if you’d rather look to the future than the past then there’s always Batman Beyond Universe #2 (But then again even that’s awfully nostalgic since it’s based on a show that was canceled over a decade ago). Keep in mind that almost all of these comics are new reader friendly except for maybe Batman Beyond Universe.
Here are the review comics coming out this week, September 18th, graded on a scale of my own anticipation.
Hell no! – I’d rather not – Ambivalent – Interested – TAKE MY MONEY
Scroll to the bottom of the page and post in the comments section what books you’re most looking forward to this week!
Upcoming Comics: September 11th
Villains Month: Week Three
- Dial E
- Shadow Thief
- Eclipso
- The Rogues
- The Cheetah
- Lex Luthor
- H’El
- The Penguin
- Ra’s Al Ghul & The League of Assassins
- Clayface
- The Scarecrow
- Black Hand
- Arcane
- Deathstroke
BATMAN ’66 #3
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by JOE QUINONES
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
1:25 Variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
Anticipation Level: TAKE MY MONEY
Are you telling me that the artist behind Batman: Black and White’s Harley and Ivy short is drawing the adventures of Adam West Batman? Hell yes, I’ll buy that. This one-shot features a story pitting Batman and Robin against none other than The Joker and, yes, you can see the mustache through the face-paint.
BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #2
Written by KYLE HIGGINS and CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Art by THONY SILAS and IBAN COELLO
Cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Anticipation Level: Interested
Bruce and Terry are no longer speaking? Ghoul did something horrible, but what? Dick Grayson is now Terry’s mentor?! How could your curiosity not be piqued? I really, really enjoyed the look and feel of last month’s installment of Batman Beyond 2.0 and this month the print crowd will actually be getting the second half of part 2 before the digital-only readers, which is interesting. But Justice League Beyond did fall flat for me so here’s hoping things pick up in that story about a Superman who has lost his powers.
BATMAN #23.3: THE PENGUIN
Written by FRANK TIERI
Art by CHRISTIAN DUCE
3-D motion cover by JASON FABOK
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Ambivalent
If this actually focuses on what Penguin is up to in a post-Forever Evil world then great, but if we go the usual route of an origin story I might be bored to tears. We already had Penguin: Pain & Prejudice go into the villains past in detail and, frankly, Penguin is one of the most over-used villains in the New 52 so writer Frank Tieri will need to have a few tricks up his sleeve to make this Villains month issue count.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.3: RA’S AL GHUL AND THE LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by JORGE LUCAS
3-D motion cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Interested
James Tynion IV’s current Red Hood and the Outlaws storyline has been building toward the League of Assassins and Ra’s al Ghul for some time and Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc. put Ra’s in the backseat as daughter Talia took over global super villain duties. But now The Demon’s Head has returned as leader of the family and this issue promises to show us both an origin story and some hints as to Ra’s role in Forever Evil. Now, as much discussion as we have about how Joker’s origin needs to remain secret, I also like to have quiet a bit of mystery with my Ra’s al Ghul too. So I’m looking for something that offers just a brief glimpse at Ra’s early days. I don’t want ALL of the answers and if we could avoid his childhood (unlike every other Villain origin these days) that would be great. The fact that this is Tynion and Jorge Lucas (Court of Owls #1) teaming up again definitely has me excited.
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.3: CLAYFACE
Written by JOHN LAYMAN
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
3-D motion cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Interested
There’s no mention in the solicitations about a Clayface origin story (that’s been promised to come in Hurwitz’s Batman: The Dark Knight next month) but it does say that this will be written by Detective Comics’ scribe John Layman and it will showcase Clayface auditioning before the Secret Society. Why exactly he would need to audition (I think his resume really says it all. I mean, if Signal Man can join, I think the guy who can mimic others right down to their DNA should get a membership card no problem) is unclear right now, but with John Layman writing it I’m definitely interested.
DETECTIVE COMICS #23.3: THE SCARECROW
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI
3-D motion cover by JASON FABOK
On sale SEPTEMBER 18 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: TAKE MY MONEY
Peter J. Tomasi is on a roll right now and his Two-Face Villains Month issue was awesome. Add in the facts that Scarecrow is playing a big part in Forever Evil as a member of the Secret Society, Kudranski is great at drawing horror, and that Peter J. Tomasi is also the architect behind Forever Evil: Arkham War and I think that we have what could be (SHOULD be) a really ambitious Villains Month one-shot that pushes the story forward. This one has potential.
Graphic Novel Watch!
The hardcover of Batwoman, Vol. 3: World’s Finest comes out this week. It includes issues #0, #12-17 and is on sale for $22.99.
