I’m exhausted from birthday festivities, so I’m going to keep this short and sweet! Batgirl’s new creative team launches their run, Injustice heads into its third year, and Earth 2 kicks off its weekly series. On top of that, Snyder’s Endgame is here, the Joker is taking over Futures End, and Worlds’ Finest is back to being Batman and Superman… If anyone is wondering, it’s going to be a good week! You’ll notice that some of the covers are different sizes. That is simply due to DC not updating their site with current covers (or a cover at all), so I had to source from another site.
This week’s releases are listed in order of what I’m most excited to read, to what I’m least excited to read. For each title, I’ll include the official solicitation, the talent credits, more of my randomness, and the Batman News team member that will be covering each book. And of course, I (we) want to hear from you! What titles are you picking up? What do you hope to see? And what are your thoughts about the order of my list? So, without further ado…
October 8th
Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Three #1
Superman’s new world order is in effect across the globe. The world is transformed. Violent dictatorships have fallen. Wars have ceased. But this order comes at the expense of freedom. Now, Batman has found an unlikely ally against Superman’s regime – and John Constantine is ready to unleash a bit of chaos.
Art by: Mike S. Miller, Bruno Redondo
Cover by: Neil Googe
Written by: Tom Taylor
Random Blurb of Excitement: Year Three!!!!! Ahhhh!!!!!!! (I’m excited… can you tell?)
Batman News Critic: Elena
Batman #35
From the superstar creative team that brought you a new start to the Caped Crusader comes the story that could end him. Be there in October for the biggest, deadliest and most epic story yet from writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo – “Batman: Endgame” begins here!
Art by: Danny Miki, Greg Capullo
Backup Written by: James T Tynion IV, Scott Snyder
Cover by: Greg Capullo
Variant cover by: Brian Stelfreeze, Andy Kubert
Written by: Scott Snyder
Random Blurb of Excitement: Alright peeps! It’s finally here! There’s been a TON of hype, and a TON of secrecy around this arc! I have to give props to DC/ Snyder for actually keeping it under wraps – that’s rare these days. We finally got the real cover, and with that, we know that the Justice League is involved.
Batman News Critic: Brandon
Batman Eternal #27
In the grips of martial law, the criminal underground is going berserk – and the only person who can stop it is…Catwoman?!
Art by: Javier Garron
Cover by: Clay Mann
Written by: Tim Seeley, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes, James T Tynion IV, Scott Snyder
Random Blurb of Excitement: Last week’s issue wasn’t that great in my opinion… But, typically when Eternal has a less than stellar issue, it comes back with an amazing issue! I hope that’s the case.
Batman News Critic: Brandon
Earth 2: World’s End #1
Daniel H. Wilson, New York Times best-selling author of Robopocalypse and Robogenesis, delves into the world of EARTH 2 for the start of a new weekly series that will see the origins of a world much like the New 52 Earth, but yet so different. A world that saw its greatest heroes die – and new ones take their places. A world where Superman became it’ greatest villain, and a man named Zod seeks to save it, along with Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash and other heroes. A world they can only save from the forces of Apokolips through great personal sacrifice! Death and destruction will follow each week, and you’ll never know who will live and who will die! It all begins with this extra-sized debut issue!
Art by: Eddy Barrows, Jorge Jimenez, Ardian Syaf, Paulo Siqueira
Cover by: Ardian Syaf, Jaime Mendoza
Variant cover by: Yanick Paquette
Written by: Mike Johnson, Marguerite Bennett, Daniel H. Wilson
Random Blurb of Excitement: And it’s finally here! I’m expecting World’s End to be a fast and furious title! Adding another weekly into my rotation is going to kill my wallet, but I expect it will be worth it! As a reminder, the creative team has recommended that you read World’s End, then follow it with the monthly Earth 2 title.
Batman News Critic: Sean
Earth 2 #27
World’s End is here! Everything the Wonders of Earth 2 have fought for stands to be destroyed. Be here as their powers are tested and hard choices are made!
Art by: Andy Smith
Cover by: Gary Frank
Variant cover by: Timothy Green, II
Written by: Marguerite Bennett, Tom Taylor
Random Blurb of Excitement: I’ve been very open that I wasn’t fond of the abrupt ending to the last “arc” and I wasn’t a fan of the Futures End issue at all… But I’m excited and hopeful for this!
Batman News Critic: Sean
New Suicide Squad #3
Enough is enough! The tensions and anger has been building and they can no longer be held back. It’s Harley vs. Joker’s Daughter in an all-out brawl through the streets of Moscow! Meanwhile, Deadshot has been captured by the Russians and is being tortured for information. How can things get any worse? Deadshot’s about to find out.
Art by: Jeremy Roberts
Cover by: Jeremy Roberts
Variant cover by: Bryan Hitch
Written by: Sean Ryan
Random Blurb of Excitement: I thought the first two issues were a lot of fun. There could stand to be a little more danger, but that’s a minor complaint. BUT, if this book starts moving in ANY direction that would lead to what the Future’s End issue contained, then I’m out… Ok, I wouldn’t be out since I’m reviewing this book, but I wouldn’t be a fan, and you’d start seeing scores of 2-4 again.
But for this week… harley. Harley. Harley! Harley!!! HARLEY!!!
Batman News Critic: Josh
Batgirl #35
Barbara Gordon is no stranger to dusting herself off when disaster strikes… so when a fire destroys everything she owned, she spots the opportunity for a new lease on life — and seizes it! Following the rest of Gotham’s young adults to the hip border district of Burnside, Barbara sets about building an all-new Batgirl… and discovers all-new threats preying on her peers! It’s a re-invention of Batgirl from the boots up, by the incredible creative team of Cameron Stewart (BATMAN INC.), Brenden Fletcher (WEDNESDAY COMICS), and rising star Babs Tarr!
Art by: Babs Tarr
Cover by: Cameron Stewart
Variant cover by: Kevin Nowlan
Written by: Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart
Random Blurb of Excitement: It’s the first issue of the creative change! I avoided the preview because I would rather read the issue in full before forming an opinion of the new team. I’d say I’m about 50/50 at this point with excitement and fear. I’ve said it before, but I’ll repeat it again… I’m afraid they’re going to take Barbara in the “wrong direction.”
Batman News Critic: Elena
Worlds’ Finest #27
Take a trip into the history of Earth 2 to learn the truth about the deals between Zod and Jor-El!
Art by: Jed Dougherty
Cover by: Stephen Segovia
Written by: Paul Levitz
Random Blurb of Excitement: You’d know that as soon as this book starts getting good with Huntress and Powergirl, it jumps into the past to focus on Earth 2’s Batman and Superman. I’m going to wait for Sean’s review before I decide to pick this up.
Batman News Critic: Sean
Futures End #23
Discover what the victorious Brother Eye has in store for The Joker 35 years from now. Will he go down laughing?
Art by: Art Thibert, Aaron Lopresti
Cover by: Ryan Sook
Written by: Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, Jeff Lemire, Brian Azzarello
Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m still waiting for a few more positive comments before I jump back in… But I’m extremely close. My feet are on the edge. My eyes are closed…
Batman News Critic: Jesse
Graphic Novel Watch:
Earth 2 Vol. 3: Battle Cry (Softcover) – The heroes of Earth 2 take on the forces of Steppenwolf and the Hunger Dogs of Apokolips when all hope is lost in these stories from EARTH 2 #13-16, EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1 and EARTH 2 #15.1: DESAAD. Now a new Batman enters the fray, but is he enough to turn the tide and stop Darkseid?
Earth 2 Vol. 4: The Dark Age (Hardcover) – Once thought dead, Superman now returns to Earth to do the destructive bidding of Darkseid in these stories from issues #17-20 and EARTH 2 ANNUAL #2! The Wonders of Earth 2 have struggled to keep the forces of Brutal and Darkseid at bay. But now, with the return of Superman, they can no longer stand up to the wake of destruction he brings. And with the emergence of a new and mysterious Batman comes the hope that he may know how to defeat the rogue Man of Steel before Earth 2 is destroyed.
