DC is officially stating that Suicide Squad is dominating August… but they should really just say that Harley Quinn is dominating August. Let’s look at it this way, there will be four Suicide Squad titles getting released this month (Suicide Squad Rebirth, Suicide Squad #1, Suicide Squad’s Most Wanted, and Suicide Squad War Crimes). It’s fair to say that Harley will be in each of them, even if she isn’t the main character. You know what else Harley Quinn will be in? Harley Quinn #1, Harley Quinn #2, Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys, Harley’s Little Black Book, and will probably be in both issues of Injustice. So for the month of August, if you’re a Harley fan, you can expect to see her in roughly eleven titles… Do you remember how I’ve been talking about how I’m experiencing “Harley fatigue?” Yeah….
Other than that, everything else looks pretty good as Rebirth begins to take shape. I will be curious to see if the double releases impacts the sales of the “B titles.” I can’t help but think an extra Batman, Justice League, etc will take away from other titles… We’ll have to wait and see. Also, at the moment, there aren’t any details pertaining to a themed variant cover for the month of August. Once the themed variant is announced, we will share.
Alright, if you’re still with me, below you’ll find the solicitations for each issue, as well as the cover art (if DC has released it). As a reminder, I’m not putting the talent credits in this post because there’s already a ton of information here. I was asked to start adding some commentary back into this post, so I’ve obliged… For those of you that thought, “Thank God” when I stopped giving my opinion… sorry. Make sure you give me a piece of your mind in the comments! I want to hear what you’re excited about, worried about, your predictions, etc… If you have something to say, I want to know!
August 3rd
Batman #4
“I Am Gotham” part four. When Gotham City falls prey to true evil, will Batman be abandoned by the new heroes Gotham and Gotham Girl? The Dark Knight must decide who to entrust with the safety of his beloved city if he hopes for any of its citizens to survive.
I really want to get my hands on Tom King’s Batman already. I will admit I have reservations about Gotham and Gotham Girl, but I trust King. I’ll feel better once I find out who is actually underneath those masks, and what role they’ll actually play in Gotham. I have a lot of questions and a few concerns, but I have faith as well.
Batman ’66 Meets Steed Mrs. Peel #2
Gotham City’s police headquarters have been besieged by mysterious metal men, and our heroes are put in an unlikely position: as Catwoman’s saviors. And when even Batman’s best efforts falter, John Steed’s trusty umbrella plays a key role in the rescue! Co-published with3! Studios.
Batman Beyond #15
With the downfall of Brother Eye, a power vacuum has opened up in Gotham City and a longtime villain has stepped into the void to take control. As Tim Drake finds it increasingly difficult to call this future world home, Batman and Rewire become uneasy allies as they’re forced to confront the emerging threat of…Spellbinder!
Now that Batman Beyond is going back to its basics, I’m REALLY enjoying it. I’m sad to see Tim leave, but it’ll also be nice to get Terry back when Rebirth hits for this title.
Bombshells #16
Batwoman, Catwoman, Zatanna, Harley and Ivy begin to link up to work together as a rebellion, sending coordinated attacks across Germany and leading massive uprisings of refugees and citizens. Underwater, Mera confronts her betrothed for what’s rightfully hers, and must choose between her beloved and her throne.
Harley Quinn #1
“Die Laughing” part one! Welcome back to Harley Quinn’s crazy world on Coney Island…now get ready to wave goodbye, because everyone there just might get eaten alive! Harley’s gotta protect her neighborhood against an all-out zombie apocalypse! Break out the chainsaws, everybody!
I wonder how many “afterbirth” jokes will pop up in this issue?
Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five #15
Batman forms an alliance with the savage Hawkman, who is still determined to remove Hawkgirl from Superman’s regime. How does the warrior from Thanagar hope to succeed in defeating The Man of Steel where so many have failed? By getting his hands on some Kryptonite, and he claims to know where to find it.
Justice League #2
“The Extinction Machine” part two! Massive earthquakes shake cities to the ground as the ancient intelligence known as the Awakened takes control of the people of Earth, forcing them to turn against anyone with superpowers—including the Justice League! Unable to fight a war on two fronts, Batman asks for help from the one man he trusts less than anyone.
Hmmm… Lex Luthor? I bet it’s Lex Luthor… But there are a number of people I would say Batman trusts less than Luthor…
Nightwing #3
“Better than Batman” part two! Nightwing and his new mentor Raptor embark on their first assignment for the Parliament of Owls. Will Raptor prove himself a superior mentor for Nightwing? Or will they both fall prey to the fangs of Kobra?
Yes. I want this, and I want it now! Parliament of Owls? I’m intrigued… I feel like we’re actually going to get a follow-up to what happened in Robin War. As for Kobra, I hope Seeley does a better job than Barr’s doing with the character in Suicide Squad’s Most Wanted: Katana at the moment… I mean, we know he will, but still…
Suicide Squad Rebirth #1
Soldier. War hero. Traitor. Captain Rick Flag was one of America’s greatest military commanders before he was banished to a secret military prison. But after years of isolation, Flag’s life changes forever when a woman called Amanda Waller offers him redemption in exchange for taking on the single most dangerous job in the entire DC Universe: keeping the Suicide Squad alive!
I’m watching you Suicide Squad… And I’m watching you closely. If Sean Ryan were still overseeing New Suicide Squad, I’d welcome you with open arms… but Seeley and Ferreyra are giving us a really fun run at the moment, so you have some decently sized shoes to fill…
August 10th
All Star Batman #1
“My Own Worst Enemy” part one! Superstar writer Scott Snyder explodes into an all-new Batman series alongside legendary artist John Romita Jr., reimagining some of the Dark Knight’s greatest villains. First up: Two-Face! Batman must take Two-Face to a destination out of Gotham City, but the duplicitous villain has a two of spades up his sleeve. Every assassin, bounty hunter and ordinary citizen with something to hide is on their tails with one goal: kill Batman! Handcuffed together on the road to hell, this is Batman and Two-Face as you’ve never seen them before!
Snyder returns to Batman with All Star Batman. For a few years now, he’s openly discussed ideas he’s had for villains, and many of us thought we’d never see those stories come to light when it was announced he would no longer write Batman. Thankfully, it looks like that isn’t the case, and that we’ll get to see some of those ideas unfold here… starting with Two Face.
Detective Comics #938
“Rise of the Batmen” part five! Batman, Batwoman, and the entire team take the fight to the deadly Colony! Those highly trained operatives took the Bat-team apart on their own turf…so how will they fare when the Colony is in its element, with all their weapons trained on our heroes?
I’m not going to lie, I’m mainly excited about this because of Cassandra, Tim, and Kate. BUT, if anyone other than Batman is made out to be a better martial artist than Cassie, I’m going to be peeved. Seriously though, I feel like this is the type of Bat-family book we waited for throughout the entire New 52… And I’m crossing my fingers that Tim is back to being the Tim we grew to love… We deserve that. Hell, Tim deserves that!
Harley Quinn & Her Gang of Harleys #5
This is it—the story you’ve been waiting for: the secret origin of comic’s newest, deadliest and most insanest villainess, Harley Sinn! Why is she so obsessed with Harley? How did she manage to become a super-villain? And what is her connection to the Gang of Harleys themselves? Find out this issue! Plus…Harley’s still kidnapped! So there’s that.
Justice League of America #12
Green Lantern’s ring has been hacked! Someone has a personal vendetta against the League, attacking them where they are the most vulnerable!
I was going to make a snarky comment about this probably getting delayed (I know you’re all shocked)… but it looks like this might ship on time since new artists are coming in… Yay!
Red Hood & the Outlaws #1
“Dark Trinity” part one! When a turf war puts Black Mask in Red Hood’s crosshairs, Jason discovers that the False Face Society is not what it seems, and that the organization is about to auction off a powerful weapon. As criminals from all over the globe descend on Gotham City, Jason must prove that he belongs amongst the city’s worst in order to gain access to this Dark Summit!
“Dark Trinity.” Conceptually, I’m down for that. Unfortunately, Lobdell has somehow managed to stay in the good graces of DC and is still writing this book… *Sigh*
Suicide Squad’s Most Wanted: El Diablo & Boomerang #1
From the pages of SUICIDE SQUAD comes an all-new series featuring two of the team’s most infamous heroes, El Diablo and Boomerang! First, a sudden pardon frees the fiery El Diablo from Belle Reve prison, much to the shock (and irritation) of team leader Amanda Waller. Chato returns to his old neighborhood to reunite with his family, but when he’s attacked by a heavily armed local gang and their leader, the deadly, super-powered Bloodletter, will his freedom and his life get cut dramatically short?
Meanwhile, in the first chapter of two-part tale written by Michael Moreci (from DC’s Writers Workshop program) with art by Oscar Bazaldua, Boomerang and the Squad embark on a mission to take down a ruthless dictator within a small, unstable Central American nation, but when the mission goes awry, the Squad must jump in a helicopter and flee as all hell breaks loose. But amid the chaos, the team realizes one of them was accidentally left behind: Boomerang! How can he stay alive long enough to be rescued when a whole army wants him dead?
I’m not sure if we’ll review this title each month, or just wait for the trades… The current Most Wanted run has left a bad taste in my mouth thanks to Katana. Regardless, we know the entire Squad will be featured, so we’ll see… I may leave it up to you guys. If you want me to review the monthly releases, let me know. I’ll do it for you…
August 17th
Batgirl & the Birds of Prey #1
“Who Is Oracle?” part one! Someone has stolen the name Oracle right out of Barbara Gordon’s past! Hot on this false Oracle’s trail, Batgirl, Black Canary, and Huntress are all tracking the same mafia capo…so it makes sense to team up, right? Problem is, Barbara and Dinah need the secrets locked up in Oracle’s brain…and Helena Bertinelli would rather put a crossbow bolt right through it!
I feel like starting a chant… Huntress! Huntress! Huntress! Huntress!… Come on, join in with me! HUNTRESS! HUNTRESS! HUNTRESS!
Batman #5
“I Am Gotham” part five. In the final chapter of this epic, is Batman truly the hero Gotham City deserves—or does it deserve better? In this ultimate showdown, where the line between allies and enemies blurs, the question will finally be answered…and the fate of Gotham will be decided.
Hmm…. Have I mentioned that I really want to get my hands on this run?
Earth 2: Society #15
A new menace rises to threaten the fragile order the Wonders struggle to maintain. Emboldened by Green Lantern’s loss of power, the Ultrahumanite emerges from the shadows with an army of super-powered slaves. His goal is nothing less than reforming Earth-2 in his vision, utilizing the Amazonian technology that Fury had hoped to use to rebuild a better world
Harley Quinn #2
“Die Laughing” part two! As the plague of zombies on Coney Island continues to spread, Harley must rescue one of her own from the undead hordes…and try to uncover the cause of this corpse-y catastrophe!
Cue the Walking Dead jokes and/or character knock-offs… I’m betting we see Harley leading a zombie with a chain around its neck. And following this arc, Harley travels back in time to fight dragons in a Game of Thrones inspired world!!! (Not really… but I could imagine that happening at some point… “Harley is coming.”)
Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 5 #16
Batman and Batgirl hatch a plot to break into Cyborg’s database and get their hands on footage of Superman’s many executions. Their goal is to broadcast it to the world, and turn everyone against the regime. Meanwhile, an enraged and kryptonite-armed Hawkman finally has his confrontation with the Man of Steel!
(In Tom Hardy’s Bane voice: “Yes, the fire rises!”)
Justice League #3
“The Extinction Machine” part three! The hive-mind entities known as the Awakened take their vendetta against the Justice League to the next level by changing ordinary people into grotesque monsters bent on hunting down super-humans all over the world. Meanwhile, Superman journeys to the center of the earth to stop the catastrophic quakes that are taking lives all over the world.
Wait… so we couldn’t just use Hive for this?
Nightwing #3
“Better than Batman” part three! Nightwing and Raptor have become the pride of the Parliament of Owls, successfully completing missions for them across the globe—but Batgirl is not happy. Can she convince Nightwing he’s gone too far, or has he fallen too far under Raptor’s influence?
Go away Babs! I’m still pulling for Dick and Helena!!! But… depending on what Dick is up to with this Raptor fellow and the Parliament of Owls, she could be right… Maybe.
Suicide Squad #1
“The Black Vault” part one! When a mysterious and definitely super-important cosmic item falls out of the heavens and into enemy hands, America has only one option: Task Force X, Amanda Waller’s strike team of incarcerated super-criminals. A one-stop-shop for plausibly deniable espionage and ultra- violence, this “Suicide Squad” only handles missions they’re not expected to survive. An insane new era of SUICIDE SQUAD begins here with superstar artist Jim Lee and red-hot writer Rob Williams (UNFOLLOW, MARTIAN MANHUNTER).
I’m not going to lie, I rolled my eyes when I saw “mysterious and definitely super-important” in the solicitation. This does look promising though, so I’m hoping for the best! That being said, if Jim Lee is covering art, I expect there will be delays. I’m not hating, the guy just takes on too much and has a tendency to get behind.
Teen Titans Go! #17
When Starfire comes down with a case of the dreaded Tamaranian flu, the Teen Titans go to another dimension to find the rare medicine she needs. But is the cure worse than the disease?
August 24th
Batgirl #2
“Beyond Burnside” part two. Batgirl is off to Singapore! Following the mysterious advice of the ancient superhero known as Fruit Bat, Babs dives into the dangerous world of MMA fighting. But her first opponent may be more than just an adversary in the ring. Could she be connected to Babs’ new travel-companion-slash-maybe-crush?
I’m… not sure how to respond to this. Ultimately, I’m open. I’ll take anything over what we’ve been getting from the current creative team, but I’m curious to see how Babs globe trot plays out… Also, am I the only one that thought of Shiva when I read this solicitation? Batgirl and Lady Shiva kind of feel like they go hand-in-hand because of Cassandra. Plus there’s MMA and Singapore… Seems like a logical deduction, right? Right?
Detective Comics #939
“Rise of the Batmen” part six! The full scope of the Colony’s plans, and their mysterious leader, have all been revealed…so what’s it going to take to stop them? Believe us, you are not prepared for the last scene!
Harley’s Little Black Book #5
(Mumble-mumble) years ago, the alien race known as the Scrubb forced Superman into a boxing match for the ages, against Earth’s greatest heavyweight champion, (mumble-mumble)! Now, (mumble-mumble) years later, the Scrubb have returned…but with said champion unavailable, the Scrubb have chosen the next-best thing: Harley Quinn! This can’t end well for anyone involved. Featuring unbelievable art by the legendary Neal Adams, it’s a tribute to one of the greatest Superman stories of the 1970s, in Harley Quinn’s own particular, ah, idiom!
Teen Titans #23
When H.I.V.E. threatens to destroy New Orleans, the city turns to the Teen Titans for help! But the H.I.V.E. Queen is ready for the Titans, and has a special surprise in store for Red Robin…
Rebirth already!!!
Titans #2
“Remember the Titans” part two! As the Titans prepare to do the unthinkable in order to defeat the intergalactic demon that stole time itself from the DC Universe, enter the Fearsome Five! But are the sinister quintet acting of their own accord…or are greater forces at work?
August 31st
Bombshells Annual #1
The long-buried tale of a heroine of the Great War! An ace pilot turned ancient predator, you may now know her as the Halloween horror, “The Bloody Batgirl”! But here, we will present the secret story of how she became the first Bombshell known as…the Batgirl!
Dark Knight III: The Master Race #6
Is Gotham City ready for a new Batgirl?!
Earth 2: Society Annual #1
Earth-2’s Batman is Dick Grayson. Does he have what it takes to be a true Batman and follow in the legacy of Bruce and Thomas Wayne before him? Or will he only ever be a stand-in? Beyond anything else, he has one overriding goal…to find his missing son. Is that a job for the Batman…or is it something only Dick Grayson can do? The Wayne legacy is at stake. This is an epic turning point in the history of Earth-2’s Batman.
Gotham Academy Annual #1
When the Gotham Academy student body comes down with a mysterious disease, Pomeline and Colton disagree on the origin of the threat, causing a fissure in Detective Club! The team fractures to get to the bottom of the case…but who will solve it first? Will Maps be able to reunite her friends? Will they ever eat pizza together again?! Join the search for clues in the first ever Gotham Academy Annual, precursor to Gotham Academy: Second Semester!
This is an interesting move… I’m curious to see if this actually ties into Second Semester, or if it’s just a standalone story.
Justice League of America Annual #1
The vendetta of the League’s newest enemy puts them through the ultimate test by releasing the DCU’s most dangerous super-villains from prison!
Suicide Squad: War Crimes #1
When a retired American politician is taken to Europe and tried for alleged war crimes, the USA must recover him from an allied nation before terrible truths are revealed. Enter the Suicide Squad, who storm the Hague itself to save America from her own dark secrets. The writer who started a revolution, John Ostrander returns to the Suicide Squad for the first time in a decade to tell one of his boldest and bloodiest stories ever.
Yes! This is what Suicide Squad should be!!!! ANNNNDDDDDD Ostrander is writing!!! This might be the best thing coming out of August!
