Upcoming Comics: March 16, 2016

Bring on the fill-in creative teams! We started seeing this last week, but it appears to be occurring with more and more books at the moment. So… If you thought I was unmotivated by the current titles before, be prepared because it’s only going to get worse… While some titles will most likely end their run heading into Rebirth as originally planned (Batman & Robin Eternal, Poison Ivy, etc), most are going to be filler. The only positive is that we might gain some insight on some writers and artists that are transitioning with Rebirth due to their departure from their books. Typically I would say we could expect June solicitations this week, but DC previously announced that Rebirth details wouldn’t be announced until later this month at WonderCon. We’ll just have to sit tight until then.

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…

 

March 16^th

 

Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five #6
The moment everyone has been waiting for: Damian finally dons the costume of Nightwing. But what motivates him to do so—and what does he think it will accomplish? The answer may reveal itself when he encounters Catwoman, who seems to have returned to her criminal ways. Plus, Superman takes on Solomon Grundy!

Art by Juan Albarran, Tom Derenick, and Bruno Redondo
Cover by David Yardin
Written by Brian Buccellato

Random Blurb of Excitement: It’s been a while since this title has topped my list, so it’s kind of fitting to see it return during Injustice’s final year. If you’ve still been holding out on dipping your toes back into the Injustice pond, I’d recommend you do yourself a favor and just jump into the deep end!

Batman News Critic: Elena

 

 

Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life & Death #3
As the murder investigation at the lab deepens, a new surprise awaits Poison Ivy in the form of the growing hatched sporelings! As these new lifeforms test the limits of their power, will they soon outgrow the need for their creator?

Written by Amy Chu
Pencils by Clay Mann and Stephen Segovia
Inks by Jonathan Glapion, Seth Mann, Art Thibert, and Dexter Vines
Colored by Ulises Arreola Palomera
Cover by Clay Mann and Ulises Arreola Palomera

Random Blurb of Excitement: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Amy Chu’s take on Poison Ivy, and hope that she sticks with her run. I do have a feeling that this will be the last issue we see Clay Mann pencil, but I think we all know he’s going to be moving on to some big projects for Rebirth considering his exclusive contract…

Batman News Critic: Cat

 

 

Batman & Robin Eternal #24
The Bat-team scatters across the globe to take on Mother’s agents. Dick Grayson takes the fight right to Mother in order to stop her and save Bluebird and Cassandra Cain. But does he stand a chance against one of Mother’s most powerful creations?

Written by Steve Orlando, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV
Pencils Alvaro Martinez Bueno
Inks by Raul Fernandez
Cover by Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Raul Fernandez, and Tomeu Morey

Random Blurb of Excitement: The quality of this book has dropped the past few weeks, and I don’t feel too confident that this issue will get much better, but I also don’t think it will be terrible. I predict that this issue will be a little bloated, but that the final two issues will wrap things up quite nicely… That’s what I’m hoping for at least…

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Titans Hunt #6
A traitor in their midst! As Mister Twister relentlessly tightens his grip, our heroes band together to crack open one of the greatest mysteries in DC history! But if they can’t trust their own memories, they certainly can’t trust each other…and with good reason. One of them is not who they seem to be!

Written by Dan Abnett
Pencils by Stephen Segovia
Inks by Art Thibert
Colored by Hi-Fi
Cover by Hi-Fi and Paulo Siqueira

Random Blurb of Excitement: Mystery drove the first few issues of this title, but the momentum has stalled a little. Abnett is going to kick things into high gear if he expects to hold people’s interest for the remainder of this title.

Batman News Critic: Cat

 

 

Robin, Son of Batman #10
The Son of Batman faces the Son of Lu’un Darga! Damian, Maya, Goliath and their new friends seek out Talia al Ghul in order to fight back against the rising threat of the Lu’un Darga family, only to come face to face with the rival clan’s champion, young Den Darga! Has Damian finally met his match?

Written by Ray Fawkes
Pencils and Inks by Ramón F. Bachs
Colored by Mat Lopes
Cover by Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, and John Kalisz

Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m somewhat excited to see Fawkes with writing credits, but with only two issue left in Damian’s solo book after this one, I’m not holding my breath for anything spectacular.

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Black Canary #9
Black Canary barely escaped the army of martial artists who abducted her to a mysterious battleground! Unfortunately, they’ve followed her right back to Gotham City…but Batgirl owes her a favor or two!

Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Pencils and Inks by Moritat
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Cover by Guillem March

Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m still debating if I’m even going to read this… I gave up on Black Canary a while back…

Batman News Critic: Brian

 

 

 

 

Notes:

• Secret Six #12 has been pushed back to March 23^rd.
• Justice League of America #8 has been pushed back to March 23^rd March 30^th.
• Justice League: Darkseid War Special #1 has been pushed back to March 23^rd March 30^th.
• Justice League #49 has been pushed back to March 30^th.
• The Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade #1 has been pushed back to April 20^th.

 

Graphic Novel Watch:

Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy – The #1 New York Times best-selling creative team of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Danny Miki introduce an all-new Dark Knight in BATMAN VOL. 8: SUPERHEAVY.

Following the disappearance and presumed death of Batman, former police commissioner Jim Gordon has been called to carry on the Dark Knight’s legacy and become his successor.

But while the name and what it stands for remain the same, this new Batman is far from just a copy of the original. Patrolling the city in a gargantuan high-tech Batsuit, Gordon is no shadowy vigilante. He has the full cooperation of the GCPD and the mayor, plus a multimillion-dollar budget from Powers International.

But will an expensive suit be enough to stop the mysterious, weed-like Mr. Bloom before his deadly plans for the city take root?

Collects BATMAN #41-45 and DC SNEAK PEAK: BATMAN #1. Guest contributors include Brian Azzarello (WONDER WOMAN) and Jock (BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR).

 

Coloring DC: Batman Adventures – Mad Love – DC Comics presents classic adventures in a whole new way: in black and white, on heavy stock suitable for coloring! This Eisner Award-winning tale told the origin of Harley Quinn, by the creative team that first introduced her in Batman: The Animated Series! Includes MAD LOVE, plus stories from BATMAN ADVENTURES ANNUAL #1 and BATMAN ADVENTURES HOLIDAY SPECIAL #1.

 

Gotham Academy Vol. 2: Calamity – Gotham Academy is haunted!

At the beginning of the term, Olive Silverlock returned to Gotham Academy a shadow of her former self. But thanks to her new friendships and their Detective Club sleuthing, Olive was finally starting to feel whole again.

Then, abruptly, Olive’s mother died-or, she seemed to. In the weeks after the funeral, Olive begins seeing her mother around the school. An Arkham Asylum patient with a deadly dark side, Sybil Silverlock was a powerful and complicated woman. Could her spirit be reaching out from beyond the grave? And if so, is it motherly Sybil who haunts Olive-or her deadly alter ego Calamity?

Plus, the kids hunt a werewolf on campus and Maps teams up with the Academy’s newest transfer, Damian Wayne!

Writers Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher team with artists Karl Kerschl and Mingjue Helen Chen for GOTHAM ACADEMY VOL. 2: CALAMITY. Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY #7-12 and DC SNEAK PEEK: GOTHAM ACADEMY #1.

 

Justice League 3001 Vol 1: Déjà vu All Over Again – The Justice League’s wildest year yet, from superstar creative team KEITH GIFFEN (LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES), J.M. DEMATTEIS (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA) and HOWARD PORTER (JLA)!

Thanks to Wonder Twins Terry and Teri Magnus, the original JL’s DNA has been resurrected in 31st-century bodies. Their powers may be on the fritz and their memories may be patchy, but Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern are, well, trying their best.

Since they were brought together a year ago, the team has endured countless threats, endless in-house bickering, death, rebirth, death again, and various states in between. But now things are really getting serious: Starro, one of the original League’s oldest enemies, has enslaved an entire planet’s population-legally.

Meanwhile, it’s becoming obvious to everyone except the Justice League that their leader, Ariel Masters, is, in fact, trying to kill them, and old friends from the distant past are making their mysterious reappearances (and having some very mixed feelings about the whole thing). Not to mention there’s a new Gal Gardner in town.

Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #14-15, JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #1-6 and DC SNEAK PEEK: JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #1.

 

Robin Vol. 2: Triumphant – Presenting Tim Drake’s first adventures as the Dark Knight’s partner by legendary comic creators CHUCK DIXON (NIGHTWING), TOM LYLE (STARMAN) and BOB SMITH (CATWOMAN)!

Tim Drake is the latest teenager to take up the mantle of Robin, and now he makes his debut as the Caped Crusader’s crime-fighting partner on the streets of Gotham City! He must confront the return of his first major adversary, King Snake, who is trying to build a drug empire in Gotham. Luckily, he has both Batman and the mysterious Huntress to aid him.

But the Boy Wonder will have to face his greatest challenge alone, when the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum and the Dark Knight is nowhere to be found. The Clown Prince of Crime will be Tim’s baptism by fire-will it end in tragedy or triumph?

ROBIN: TRIUMPHANT collects in chronological order for the first time ever BATMAN #465, 467-469, ROBIN II #1-4, and ROBIN III #1-6.

 

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 can be found in the spoiler tag. We also have the results from the January Variant Cover Poll, February Variant Cover Poll, and the February Neal Adams Themed Variant Cover Poll listed below as well!

 

January Variant Cover Poll Results:

 

February Variant Cover Poll Results:

 

Best February Neal Adams Themed Variant Cover Results: