Upcoming Comics: July 13, 2016

We’re roughly ten days away from SDCC, and I’m getting REALLY EXCITED! Andrew, Brandon, and I will be attending this year, and we’re starting to plan what we’ll cover throughout the weekend. At the moment, we are working with DC to schedule some interviews, and we should have the full schedule of SDCC events soon so we can plan which panels we will attend. There will most likely be a few official posts pertaining to announcements from SDCC, but if you really want to share the experience with us, make sure you follow us on Twitter!  You can find our Twitter handles at the top of our profiles. Also, if you’re attending SDCC, let us know! It would be great to meet some of you fine Bat fans and discuss comics in person!

Turning the focus to this week, we are only covering three books this week. Two Harley titles have been pushed back, and we’ve decided that we will no longer cover Earth 2 on a monthly basis, but will trade-wait the title instead. Once details about JSA are announced, we’ll regroup and discuss how we want to cover the title as it transitions/ relaunches in Rebirth

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

 

July 13^th

Nightwing: Rebirth #1
He’s been Robin, Batman, a spy, a ghost. Now, Dick Grayson returns to Gotham City to reclaim the life that was taken from him. But when a new evil threatens those he loves most, Nightwing faces being torn away from home once again in order to destroy the dark force once and for all. Powerhouse artist Yanick Paquette (BATMAN, SWAMP THING) joins series writer Tim Seeley (GRAYSON, BATMAN & ROBIN ETERNAL) to return Nightwing to the DC superhero stage!

Written by Tim Seeley
Pencils and Inks by Yanick Paquette
Colored by Nathan Fairbairn
Cover by Javier Fernandez and Chris Sotomayor

Random Blurb of Excitement: About a year ago, I made a comment that I was so excited I was going to pee my pants… Well, let’s just say I piddled… I loved Grayson, but I’m glad to see Nightwing back, and I love that our heroes are actually working together as a team and family! Rebirth has been strong so far, but the Bat books have been STELLAR! I’m hoping the trend continues this month as we jump into Nightwing, Batgirl, and Batgirl & the Birds of Prey. (Pretends like Red Hood & the Outlaws has no ties to the Bat family).

Batman News Critic: Jay

 

 

Detective Comics #936
“RISE OF THE BATMEN” Chapter Three: In issue #936, Batman is M.I.A., and it’s time for Batwoman to take the reins! But can she control a strike force that’s barely worked together…including unstable wildcard Clayface?

Written by James Tynion IV
Pencils by Alvaro Martinez
Inks by Raul Fernandez
Colored by Brad Anderson and Adriano Lucas
Cover by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Adriano Lucas

Random Blurb of Excitement: Speaking of stellar, Tynion has delivered an outstandingly fun launch featuring some of our favorite characters, and the best interpretation of Red Robin/Tim Drake that I’ve seen in years (although, Tim is also represented REALLY WELL in Batman Beyond as well). I can’t wait to see what awaits us in this fantastic run!

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Bombshells #15
Mera adjusts to a life without her powers—and starts to fall in love with Arthur. Meanwhile, as Batwoman reunites with Renee Montoya in hopes of freeing Jewish prisoners from concentration camps, Harley and Ivy encounter Zatanna and Constantine, and plans to form a rebellion begin.

Art by Mirka Andolfo and Laura Braga
Cover by Ant Lucia
Written by Marguerite Bennett

Random Blurb of Excitement: Bennett continues to tell an entertaining, intriguing, and underrated story! If you’re not reading this book, pick up the trades and catch up! You won’t be disappointed.

Batman News Critic: Elena

 

 

Notes:

• Additional Rebirth releases this week: Action Comics #959, Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps Rebirth #1, New Superman #1, The Flash #2, and Wonder Woman #2.
• Harley’s Little Black Book #4 has been pushed back to July 13^th August 3^rd.
• Harley Quinn & Her Gang of Harleys #4 has been pushed back to August 3^rd.
• The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #6 has been pushed back to August 24^th.
• Justice League of America… TBD.

 

 

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.

 

 

May Variant Cover Poll Results:

Below you will find the results for our May Variant Cover Poll. The winning cover will be included in our Best Cover of Q-2 2016 poll.

 

 

June Variant Cover Poll Results:

Below you will find the results for our June Variant Cover Poll. The winning cover will be included in our Best Cover of Q-2 2016 poll.

 

 

Batman #1 Variant Cover Poll Results:

Below you will find the results for our Batman #1 Variant Cover Poll. The winning cover will be included in our Best Cover of Q-2 2016 cover poll. (This was a close vote, so there are a few covers moving forward!)

 

Graphic Novel Watch:

DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 2: Allies – ATTACK ON ALL FRONTS!

The shadow of WWII looms ever larger as the Bombshells battle the Axis Powers across the globe.

In Gotham City, a quartet of copycat BATGIRLS are doing their part to protect the home front.

In Greece, WONDER WOMAN faces a battalion of the undead, led by the villainous Baroness Paula von Gunther.

In London, STARGIRL and SUPERGIRL learn a shocking-and dangerous-family secret, while MERA encounters a monstrous threat from the sea that not even she can control.

And in Berlin, ZATANNA attempts to thwart the evil magic that’s been released into the world, while the CATWOMAN and HUNTRESS rescue a captured BATWOMAN from the clutches of the Third Reich.

But the paths of these superheroines will converge as they face their greatest challenge yet. To defeat the undead tenebrae soldiers overtaking London, they’ll have to form a Justice League of their own!

Inspired by the popular DC Collectibles line, DC COMICS: BOMBSHELLS VOL. 2: ALLIES throws the world’s finest heroines into one of the greatest battles in history!

Written by Marguerite Bennett (BATGIRL, EARTH 2: WORLD’S END) and featuring artists including Laura Braga (WITCHBLADE), Mirka Andolfo (CHAOS) and more, this volume collects issues #7-12.

 

DC Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 1 – In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places-some that have existed, or might have existed, and others that can’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t exist. The result: stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow.

Featuring the League of Justice battling the insane sorcerer Luithorr, Diana Prince and the Justice Riders against the evil robber baron Maxwell Lord, Batman and Superman as pulp heroes, a gender reversed World’s Finest teaming up to save Lex Luthor and other tales!

Now, for the first time, the Justice League’s prestige format Elseworlds tales are featured in a new graphic novel collection. Collects ELSEWORLD’S FINEST #1-2, ELSEWORLD’S FINEST: SUPERGIRL & BATGIRL, JUSTICE RIDERS, LEAGUE OF JUSTICE #1-2, TITANS: SCISSORS, PAPER, STONE, and WONDER WOMAN: AMAZONIA!

 

Justice League of America Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 – In these epics from JLA #31-76 and MYSTERY IN SPACE #75, the world’s greatest superheroes face Brain Storm, the Key, the Royal Flush Gang, Felix Faust, and numerous threats from across the cosmos! Guest-starring Metamorpho, the Justice Society of America and more!

 

Suicide Squad Vol. 4: The Janus Directive – Amanda “the Wall” Waller has fought tooth and nail to keep her Suicide Squad of metahuman black ops agents in operation. Together with Checkmate, a covert government spy agency, these two teams make up Waller’s Task Force X, taking on the missions that the United States government deems too dangerous for anyone else. But the members of Task Force X aren’t the only ones doing the government’s dirty work…

When Waller uncovers a conspiracy code named the “Janus Directive,” it becomes clear that another government agency intends to wipe out Task Force X, and body count is not a consideration.

Is this the beginning of an all-out secret war between the country’s most dangerous operatives, or is someone else pulling the strings to further their own endgame? And if that’s the case, has someone finally done the impossible and outsmarted the Wall?

From an array of classic comics creators including John Ostrander, Paul Kupperberg, Kim Yale, John K. Snyder III, Steve Erwin, and many more, SUICIDE SQUAD: THE JANUS DIRECTIVE presents the classic crossover event in its entirety for the first time! Collects SUICIDE SQUAD #26-30, CHECKMATE #15-18, MANHUNTER #14, FIRESTORM #86 and CAPTAIN ATOM #30.

 

Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert – Penning just a handful of comic tales over two decades, writer Alan Brennert was never a prolific contributor to the DC Universe. But to fans familiar with those iconic tales, Brennert ranks among the all-time greatest Batman authors. Primarily a writer of television and literary fiction, he wrote only nine stories for DC Comics, but all were instant classics. Largely taking place outside of the main DC continuity, in the realms of Elseworlds and Earth-Two, Brennert’s comics are some of the most-thought provoking and insightful in the Dark Knight’s history.

Also featuring art by industry legends Jim Aparo, Dick Giordano, Joe Staton, Norm Breyfogle and José Luis García-López, TALES OF THE BATMAN: ALAN BRENNERT brings together for the first time the complete works of a writer who has been a staple DC “Greatest Stories” collections for decades.

 

Teen Titans Go! Vol. 2: Welcome to the Pizza Dome – ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND PIZZA!

The Teen Titans are here, and they’re ready for their most awesome adventures yet! But they’ll have their work cut out for them…Will Robin finally win Starfire’s heart as the newest teen idol on the block? Can Raven survive the most demonic family reunion ever? Will Cyborg be bested by a sentient moustache? And just what, exactly, happens on Opposite Day?

Not to mention the most important question of them all: which Titan will emerge victorious in the epic battle for the ultimate prize-the last piece of pizza?!

All your questions will be answered in these and more all-new, all-ages adventures in TEEN TITANS GO! VOL. 2: WELCOME TO THE PIZZA DOME, from writers SHOLLY FISCH (THE ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD), MERRILL HAGAN (THE ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN), AMY WOLFRAM (TV’S TEEN TITANS GO!) and artists BEN BATES (SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED: A CRISIS OF IMAGINATION), LEA HERNANDEZ (KILLER PRINCESSES) and more!