Upcoming Comics: October 21, 2015

I have to admit something to everyone… I’m really depressed that there are so few Titans themed books being released this week!  Only three? That’s it? Well… I guess I shouldn’t complain… We’re getting more Titans in one week than we get of real Batman in a month at the moment… Ha!

Jokes aside, I’m pretty excited about this week! I’m still on a Batman & Robin Eternal high. We get another installment of Justice League. Titans Hunt debuts. We have the joy of reading Maps! And there’s Black Canary, Secret Six, and much more… it’s a good week for comics!

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 21^st

 

Justice League #45
The critically acclaimed “Darkseid War” continues as the second wave of war begins with “Darkseid War: Gods and Men”! Writer Geoff Johns is joined by superstar artist Francis Manapul for this special issue featuring the all-new, all-powerful Justice League! In the aftermath of the cataclysmic events of JUSTICE LEAGUE #44, members of the League have gained great power —the power of Gods!— but at a great price. And that price may be their destruction, unless Wonder Woman and Mister Miracle can help the League escape the curse of the New Gods and hold on to their humanity.

Written by Geoff Johns
Pencils and Inks Francis Manapul
Colored by Brad Anderson and Francis Manapul
Cover by Francis Manapul

Random Blurb of Excitement: Go. Get. This. Book. (Thank you… that’s all.)

Batman News Critic: Terry

 

 

Batman & Robin Eternal #3
Cassandra Cain is Grayson’s only lead in solving the mystery of Mother…but will he be able to interrogate her before Red Hood takes her out? In the past, Batman must save Robin from a fear toxin-induced panic!

Written by Tim Seeley, Scott Snyder, and James Tynion IV
Pencils by Paul Pelletier
Inks by Wayne Faucher and Tony Kordos
Colored by Rainier Beredo
Cover by Tony Salvador Daniel, Sandu Florea, and Tomeu Moreythe

Random Blurb of Excitement: Cassandra is a badass… and she’s totally going to kick my ass for not putting this book in the #1 spot… but it’s a little premature for that and Geoff Johns has been KILLING IT with Justice League!

(I seriously swapped the titles back and forth five or six times before just going with this… if this were The Bachelor and I had to give one of these books a rose… I’d have one of those dramatic moments where I’d break down in tears, say, “I can’t do this” then storm out of the room with cameras chasing me before yelling something random like, “Think of the CHILDREN!!!”)

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Black Canary #5
The secrets of Ditto’s bizarre abilities come to light—and Dinah and her newfound nemesis Bo Maeve come face to face! It’s not gonna be pretty…

Written by Brenden Fletcher
Pencils and Inks by Pia Guerra
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Cover by Annie Wu

Random Blurb of Excitement: This book has been really solid, and it isn’t getting the support or word-of-mouth that it deserves at the moment. Fletcher writes a great Dinah, so if you’ve been disappointed with the characterization of Black Canary since the launch of New 52 and have passed on this book due to that… don’t. Seriously, don’t!

Batman News Critic: Terry

 

 

Gotham Academy #11
The gang is going downtown! Olive and Maps use Kyle’s tennis tournament as an excuse to explore Gotham City and investigate the mysterious appearances of Calamity. Could Olive’s mom really be alive?

Written by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher
Pencils by Babs Tarr
Colored by MSASSYK and Serge Lapointe

Random Blurb of Excitement: This book makes me a happy, little camper! I am curious to see how Red Robin works into this, though. I’m positive it’ll lead into the Robin War tie-in for this book, but I’m still curious.

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Batman Arkham Knight: Genesis #3
Based on the smash-hit game Batman: Arkham Knight! Dive even further into the secret origin of the titular character in our darkest and most twisted issue yet—this is the one you’ve been waiting for!

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils and Inks by Alisson Borges and Dexter Soy
Colored by Dave McCaig
Cover by Stjepan Sejic

Random Blurb of Excitement: No joke, I feel like Genesis is head and shoulders a better book than Arkham Knight. It’s a tighter story, feels as though it carries more of a weight, and is what I wish Red Hood & Arsenal was…

Batman News Critic: Jay

 

 

Titans Hunt #1
CONVERGENCE is over, but the ripples are still being felt, especially by a young precog named Lilith. What are these visions she’s having of a Teen Titans team the world never knew? And why does she feel compelled to seek out Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, Donna Troy and an Atlantean named Garth and warn them that something dark and sinister is coming after them? Who are Mal, Gnarrk, Hank Hall and Dawn Granger, and what is their connection to the others—and to the fate of every soul on Earth? This is the Secret History of the TEEN TITANS!

Written by Dan Abnett
Pencils Geraldo Borges and Paulo Siqueira
Inks and Colors by Hi-Fi
Cover by Hi-Fi and Paulo Siqueira

Random Blurb of Excitement: I have a lot of hope for this title… I HOPE it doesn’t let me down! In all seriousness though, I feel like this could the Teen Titans book we wished we’d had. I’m crossing my fingers anyway…

Batman News Critic: Sean

 

 

Secret Six #7
A new epic begins, and a major turning point in the life of Black Alice gets underway! With the world drained of all its arcane energies, the great mages of the DC Universe gather to learn who—or what—is responsible. The answer points to the Secret Six’s most powerful member, and it’s going to drag the team into unfamiliar territory: the realm of magic.

Written by Gail Simone
Pencils and Inks by Tom Derenick and Dale Eaglesham
Colored by Jason Wright
Cover by Dale Eaglesham and Jason Wright

Random Blurb of Excitement: Thank God we’re starting a new arc! I’m 50/50 with this book at the moment. I love the quirkiness of the characters, and feel as though Simone has a prime opportunity to clean this book up… at the same time, I don’t feel like the team is relevant or have a reason for being together. I really want to feel like these guys have a purpose as a team, rather than feel like DC just felt it would be convenient to have a Secret Six book

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

Teen Titans #12
The Titans are shaken to their foundation when the truth behind Superboy’s crimes is revealed. Now, how can the team protect its most powerful member any longer?

Written by Ian Churchill and Will Pfeifer
Pencils by Felipe Watanabe
Inks by Norm Rapmund
Colored by Dan Brown
Cover by Ricken

Random Blurb of Excitement: This book picked up momentum, and then fumbled a little bit before ever really gaining its footing… Now we just need to see if it will pick up the pace again, or if it’ll begin to flounder out completely.

Batman News Critic: Terry

 

 

Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 4 #12
The shattering conclusion to the Year of the Gods! In this final issue of Year Four, the balance of power may be tipped by the arrival of a force that could challenge even the Gods of Olympus. Also, Wonder Woman must make a stand, and the final fate of Ares is revealed

Art by Mike S. Miller
Cover by Bruno Redondo
Written by Brian Buccellato

Random Blurb of Excitement: Look… I’m just going to be honest with you. I read the digital issues of this book thinking there was going to be a big finish, and I was incredibly let down… We have one more year after this… Let’s hope it ends on a high note…

Batman News Critic: Elena

 

 

Teen Titans Go! #12
Raven thought things couldn’t get any worse after Starfire posted an online dating profile…until she posted one for Raven, too! But she quickly learns things can get a whole lot worse when their “perfect dates” start showing up at their door!

Art by Dario Brizuela and Lea Hernandez
Cover by Daniel Hipp
Written by Sholly Fisch

Random Blurb of Excitement: One of my best friends has a young son who loves watching Teen Titans Go!, and apparently there was a marathon on tv at the beginning of the month, and she went to Facebook saying she was going to lose her sanity if she had to watch another episode. I directed her to buy this lovely comic… for her sanity of course.

Batman News Critic: Jay

 

 

Notes:

Robin: Son of Batman #5 has been pushed back until October 28^th

Harley Quinn & Powergirl #5 has been pushed back until November 4^th.

 

 

Graphic Novel Watch:

Convergence: Flashpoint Book One (Softcover) –  This CONVERGENCE collection stars Batgirl, Nightwing, The Question 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 FLASHPOINT and more. Collects CONVERGENCE: SUPERMAN #1-2, CONVERGENCE: THE QUESTION #1-2, CONVERGENCE: BATGIRL #1-2, CONVERGENCE: NIGHTWING/ORACLE #1-2 and CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1-2.

 

Convergence: Flashpoint Book Two (Softcover) – This CONVERGENCE collection stars Harley Quinn, The Atom, the Titans and many more in the miniseries THE ATOM #1-2, SPEED FORCE #1-2, TITANS #1-2, BATMAN AND ROBIN #1-2 and HARLEY QUINN #1-2.

 

Justice League: A League of One (Softcover) – For the first time, JLA: A LEAGUE OF ONE and JLA CLASSIFIED: COLD STEEL #1-2, written and fully painted by Christopher Moeller, are collected in a single volume! In “A League of One,” Wonder Woman hears a prophecy that her Justice League teammates will die in battle against a dragon—so it’s up to her to first defeat the team herself before she battles the dragon single-handed. Then, in “Cold Steel,” the team launches into space to stop a conflict between two alien factions.

 

The Multiversity Deluxe Edition (Hardcover) – The biggest adventure in DC’s history is here! Join visionary writer Grant Morrison, today’s most talented artists, and a cast of unforgettable heroes from 52 alternative Earths of the DC Multiverse! Prepare to meet the Vampire League of Earth-43, the Justice Riders of Earth-18, Superdemon, Doc Fate, the super-sons of Superman and Batman, the rampaging Retaliators of Earth-8, the Atomic Knights of Justice, Dino-Cop, Sister Miracle, Lady Quark, and the latest, greatest Super Hero of Earth-Prime: YOU! This deluxe edition hardcover collects all nine MULTIVERSITY issues, plus the indispensible GUIDEBOOK issue!

 

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.