What’s on the agenda? How about a little bit of everything! We’re talking Batman ’66, Batman Beyond, Scooby-Doo, the premiere of a Harley Quinn solo series, and there are even a few Zero Year tie-ins thrown in as well. One of those tie-ins is Birds of Prey and I’ll try and get to it later in the week, but my hopes really aren’t high for it. The last thing I read from Birds of Prey was in volume 2 and it was terrible.
Here are the review comics coming out this week, November 20th, 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: November 20th
SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP #1
Written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art and cover by DARIO BRIZUELA
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
Anticipation Level: Interested
(I had previously written this and the Harley Quinn Upcoming Announcements a couple weeks ago but both comics were postponed)
Yes, seriously. I kept seeing this advertise in all of the other comics I’ve been reviewing and a Batman/Scooby-Doo team up sounds both charming and a nice way to shake-up the usual review rotation. This isn’t going to become a regular thing by any means, but I want to give this cartoony book a try. Scooby and the gang are out to stop a crook pretending to be a bat-creature, but these folks are about to encounter the real thing when Gotham fiend The Man-Bat comes to town!
HARLEY QUINN #0
Written by AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by DARWYN COOKE, SAM KIETH, TONY S. DANIEL, PAUL POPE, WALTER SIMONSON, ART BALTAZAR and others
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
1:25 Variant cover by STEPHANE ROUX
“WE CAN BE HEROES” Blank variant cover also available
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: TAKE MY MONEY
I’m in no way a die-hard Harley Quinn fan, nor do I think we really needed another fringe-bat-title, but I’m intrigued by the idea of Harley’s first New 52 solo book featuring so many stellar artists. The potential for Deadpool/Ambush-Bug-esque fourth wall breaking has me nervous, but here’s hoping this will make for a fun read.
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #25
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by JULIUS GOPEZ and RAY McCARTHY
Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and CAM SMITH
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Ambivalent
What could little Jason Todd possibly be doing of interest during the Gotham Blackout 5-6 years ago? We’ll find out in this issue which ties into the Batman: Zero Year event. The solicitations state “There’s a dark force of nature that’s forming in Gotham City…A face laughing in the dark that will one day tear Jason Todd’s life apart. What are his plans for the Red Hood Gang? And who else will rise out of the shadows to guide Jason Todd one step closer to his destiny?” Which sounds a lot like we’re definitely making that Scott Lobdell plotline about Joker setting up Jason to be a sidekick cannon…which, I hope doesn’t happen here because that would make the manipulation the first thing the Joker ever did. Keep in mind, Joker has yet to reveal himself! He’s only just fallen into the at of chemicals and been born. For him to be trying to arrange for Batman to have a sidekick at this point in time is ridiculous so I sincerely hope that I’m reading way too much into that description and Joker never shows in this comic or even gets a mention.
BATMAN AND TWO-FACE #25
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
1:25 Variant cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
1:100 B&W Variant cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US RATED T
Anticipation Level: Interested
Last month we saw the Two-Face origin get rewritten and I’m very much on the fence about it. Whether or not I love or hate this new direction for the character hinges on these next couple of issues which promise to shine even more light on Dent’s sordid past. Also, does anyone else get the feeling that we’re building up to a reveal that Carrie Kelly is the daughter of Harvey Dent?
BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #4
Written by KYLE HIGGINS and
CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Art by THONY SILAS and IBAN COELLO
Cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Anticipation Level: TAKE MY MONEY
This series is running on all cylinders now. I highly recommend you go back and buy the first three issues so you can see these two great stories unfold about Superman Beyond stuck in the Phantom Zone and Batman Beyond facing an all-new villain.
BATMAN ’66 #5
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by RUBEN PROCOPIO and COLLEEN COOVER
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
1:25 Variant cover by DAVE JOHNSON
On sale NOVEMBER 20 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
Anticipation Level: TAKE MY MONEY
Batman ’66 has yet to disappoint. I think that this is one of the best bat-titles hitting the shelf and this installment with a cover by SOLO: Deluxe Edition‘s Mike Allred, looks just as promising as the 4 issues to come before it. Here we’ll see the Adam West and Burt Ward version of the dynamic duo confront the sinister Sandman! Check out Batman News’ exclusive preview of this issue here.
Graphic Novel Watch!
This week we have the release of Detective Comics, Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin which is the first volume of the New 52 Detective Comics that’s actually worth reading but unfortunately this particular graphic novel is a rather half-assed collection of John Layman and Jason Fabok’s first storyline. This hardcover only features issues #13-18 or, to put it another way, everything except the final 2 chapters of the Emperor Penguin story you paid for and the point at which Volume 3 ends won’t feel like a natural break to trade-waiters who will have to wait another 6 months or so for a conclusion that will certainly feel out of place in volume 4. It’s good material that was published poorly. Seeing a $25 book that includes everything but the ending just makes me shake my head.
