Upcoming Comics: October 7, 2015

Today is my birthday! I have a Batman cake (seriously). I’ve got my Batman underwear on (I consider them lucky). Batman socks. Batman-News t-shirt. Batman watch. It’s cool and overcast here – which I love (I seriously live in the wrong city as far as my preference concerning weather). And I have no plans except writing this little diddy, pulling together the Best Cover of Q-3 post, and reading some Batman comics! And best of all, Batman & Robin Eternal starts this week, so I’m going to have Cassandra Cain returning to my life, and way more of mister Grayson! Life is good.

Alright, on to business! 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 reviewing each book. After that, you’ll find a poll for this week’s best cover! Should you have trouble picking one cover, no worries! The poll is open so you can select as many covers as you’d like. Then, as always, you’ll find graphic novels scheduled for release this week, along with their cover as well (note: graphic novel covers will not be included in the poll for best cover). And of course, I (we) want to hear from you in the comments section! 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 7^th

 

Batman & Robin Eternal #1
It’s here at last—the sequel to the blockbuster weekly series BATMAN ETERNAL!

Five years ago, Batman and Robin worked the most disturbing case of their crimefighting careers—bringing down the organization of the ultimate human trafficker, the mysterious woman known only as Mother. At the time, Dick Grayson never quite understood the scope of that case, but now its darkest secrets are coming back to haunt him and everyone else who ever worked with Batman! With  Bruce Wayne now lost to them, Dick and all his allies are out in the cold! Who can they trust? Is someone among them not who they say they are? And who is the deadly, silent young woman in black who’s come to Gotham City looking for Batman?

Prepare yourself for six months of international intrigue, twists and turns, and new additions to the world of Batman and Robin, from showrunners James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder, and writers Tim Seeley, Steve Orlando, Genevieve Valentine, Ed Brisson, and Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly!

Written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
Pencils and Inks Tony Salvador Daniel
Colored by Tomeu Morey
Cover by Tony Salvador Daniel, Sandu Florea, and Tomeu Morey

Random Blurb of Excitement: Shhhhh… Just give me the book now… walk away slowly…. And nobody will get hurt. (Seriously, I’m more excited for this than I was for Batman Eternal. Dick and Cassandra? Enough said!

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

 

Midnighter #5
Grayson and Midnighter have finally cornered the man selling the tech that was stolen from the God Garden! Unfortunately for them, he’s saved all the best toys for himself! Somebody’s not leaving Russia alive…

Written by Steve Orlando
Pencils and Inks Stephen Mooney
Colored by Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Cover by ACO and Romulo Fajardo, Jr.

Random Blurb of Excitement: I adore this book, so I’m trying to enjoy it while I can. It’s sales have been really low, and it’s in danger of cancellation, which is a shame because it’s a solid book and there’s a lot of potential! I’m hoping that Dick’s involvement will boost sales a little to satisfy DC, and hopefully create new fans.

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

 

Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 4 #11
The series builds toward its climactic finish as a still-absent Superman leaves an open window for Earth’s leaders to launch a nuclear attack against his reeling allies! Meanwhile, former enemies Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn set off to save Queen Hippolyta.

Art by Juan Albarran and Bruno Redondo
Cover by Neil Googe
Written by Brian Buccellatoo

Random Blurb of Excitement: I was expecting this book to feel a little more epic at this point… It’s not bad by any means, but I feel like more could’ve been done with these characters. There’s still time to end with a bang though.

Batman News Critic: Elena

 

Batman Arkham Knight #9
It’s the team-up you’ve been waiting for! Batman, Nightwing and…Deadshot?! And just when you thought things couldn’t get any crazier—enter: Metamorpho!

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils by Viktor Bogdanovic and Robson Rocha
Cover by Howard Porter

Random Blurb of Excitement: This book isn’t bad, but it isn’t great either. If Tomasi will tighten-up the story, then it could be amazing. Just saying…

Batman News Critic: Jay

 

 

 

Batman Beyond #5
It’s all-out war for Neo-Gotham and humanity as Brother Eye and his army pour over the city, with the cyborg Justice League in the lead! But this isn’t a city that will go down without a fight; it’s a city with history—and with defenders. Be on the lookout for some fan favorite characters coming out of the woodwork to stand in humanity’s last defense and to join Batman Beyond in the DCU!

Written by Dan Jurgens
Pencils and Inks by Bernard Chang
Colored by Marcelo Maiolo
Cover by Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo

Random Blurb of Excitement: I know some people are really unimpressed with this book, but I actually enjoy it now that it’s beginning to feel “comfortable in its own skin.” Also, I’m glad we finally have a book where I feel like Tim is being represented justly.

Batman News Critic: Sean

 

 

 

Detective Comics #45
A brand-new epic begins as the superstar team of writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Marcio Takara takes the new Batman on his first mission with the Justice League! When Jim Gordon is approached by the Justice League to solve a series of mysterious mass murders, he must turn his focus away from Gotham City and test his mettle with the World’s Greatest Heroes!

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils and Inks Marcio Takara
Colored by Chris Sotomayor
Cover by Andrew Robinson

Random Blurb of Excitement: Hmmm…. I have a “let’s wait and see” hesitation with this. Most of my hesitation stems from the fact that I want to move past Gordon being Batman, but this essentially further solidifies him in that role… I’m also starting to get extremely nervous about Gordon’s outcome when all of this is said and done. I mean, let’s face it… I can’t see him going back to a normal life or just being a cop. There aren’t too many natural progressions I can see from here, so I’m worried that there could be a potential end for our favorite cop. (If I were to take the character after his Bat-Chappie role, I would make him a part of the GCPD again, but also turn him into the Question to work for justice outside the law now that he’s lived the reality of being a vigilante. Granted, I would forget anything that’s been done with the Question since the New 52…)

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

Bat-Mite #5
Bat-Mite faces his greatest makeover challenge yet when he comes up against those dolorous denizens of the DC Universe, The Inferior Five! The Light Mite wants them to go from Inferior to Superior, but the half-witted heroes are not quite ready for prime time.

Written by Dan Jurgens
Pencils and Inks Corin Howell
Colored by Michael Atiyeh
Cover by Michael Atiyeh and Corin Howell

Random Blurb of Excitement: Yeah… I’m not reading this book…

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

 

Notes:

Justice League of America #4 was pushed back until October 14^th, and Justice League of America #5 has been pushed back until November 4^th.

 

Graphic Novel Watch:

Batman Eternal Vol. 3 (Softcover) – The third act of BATMAN ETERNAL begins as the GCPD have done the impossible: They’ve beaten Batman! Meanwhile, the rogues of Gotham City unite under a mysterious foe that even the Riddler is terrified of. The epic finale of the critically acclaimed series roars to its conclusion in these tales from issues #35-52 and BATMAN #28.

 

Batman: The Road to No Man’s Land Vol. 1 (Softcover) – After a cataclysmic earthquake, those who refuse to vacate Gotham City live amid a citywide turf war. Collects BATMAN #555-559, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #75-79, DETECTIVE COMICS #722-726, ROBIN #54 and THE BATMAN CHRONICLES #14.

 

Convergence (Hardcover) – Where do worlds go when they die? The earthquakes felt round the Multiverse, Superman’s lost days after “Doomed,” the world’s end—all these points will converge as the history of the DC Universe is spun from the perspective of a mad god and his arrogant child. The biggest story in DC history ties into literally every DC story ever told—and it all begins here. Kingdom Come, Red Son, Wild West Justice League, Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew—all the worlds of the DC Universe can still be found on Telos. This new mega-event from the issues #0-8 of the CONVERGENCE weekly series brings together heroes and villains from DC Comics’ history.

 

Convergence: Zero Hour Book One (Softcover) – This CONVERGENCE collection stars Green Arrow, Superboy, Catwoman the Suicide Squad and many more, as they fight in a gladiator-style competition to see which worlds will live…and which will perish! This book also addresses dangling plot threads from the 1990s that involve Green Arrow, Connor Hawke and Justice League International. Collects CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1-2, CONVERGENCE: CATWOMAN #1-2, CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY #1-2, CONVERGENCE: GREEN ARROW #1-2 and CONVERGENCE: SUICIDE SQUAD #1-2.

 

Convergence: Zero Hour Book Two (Softcover) – This CONVERGENCE collection stars Batman, Aquaman, Green Lantern and many more, and includes the miniseries SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #1-2, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #1-2, SUPERGIRL: MATRIX #1-2, AQUAMAN #1-2 and GREEN LANTERN/PARALLAX #1-2.

 

Crisis on Infinite Earths Deluxe Edition (Hardcover) – The 12-issue epic is collected in a deluxe hardcover! The mysterious Anti-Monitor has begun a crusade to end all existence. As alternate Earths are destroyed, the Monitor quickly assembles a team of heroes from across time and space to stop the menace!

 

Secret Six Vol 3 (Softcover) – In these stories from issues #15-24 and SUICIDE SQUAD #67, the Suicide Squad has captured Deadshot, and they’re determined to make him rejoin the team. But the Secret Six have some serious objections to that plan! Plus, Catman heads to Africa to find the men who kidnapped his long lost son, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake that threatens to destroy the Secret Six once and for all.

 

Cover of the Week:

Now, with all of this week’s releases listed above, it’s time for you to sound off! What’s the best cover that is being released this week? If you’re like me, and can’t decide on just one, then you can select multiple if you would like. Vote using the poll below, and we’ll announce the winner next week. Last week’s results are in the spoiler tag.