Oh yeah! SDCC is this week, and I’m counting down every day until I’m in San Diego, and basking in complete nerd ecstasy!!! As I said last week, if you want some play by plays of what’s going down at SDCC, make sure you follow Andrew, Brandon, and I on Twitter! We’ll make sure any major news announcements are posted throughout the weekend, and I will follow-up with a recap of all the panels by the end of the weekend! Also, we officially have interviews scheduled with various members of creative teams working on the following titles: Batman, Detective Comics, All Star Batman, Batgirl, Batgirl & the Birds of Prey, and Mother Panic! If you have any questions you want us to ask, place them in the comments and we will consider them!
In other news, October Solicitations have been released, so I’ll make sure I get those up tomorrow. That post will also include the results from the Best Cover Poll: Q-2 2016. If you haven’t voted on your favorite cover(s), you can do so here! Make sure you hurry though, today is the last day to vote!
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 20th
Batgirl & the Birds of Prey Rebirth #1
“WHO IS ORACLE” Chapter One: Batgirl and Black Canary are together again, working a case that strikes right at the heart of their partnership! Someone’s uncovered the greatest secret Barbara Gordon ever kept: her time as Oracle, the most powerful hacker on the planet. And not only do they know her secret, they’re using her name to sell dangerous information to criminals! Now one of those deals has brought some major heat to Gotham City…Helena Bertinelli is out of Spyral, wearing the hood of the Huntress, and making mafia blood run in the streets! Everything you thought was hidden will be revealed if the Oracle has their way…
Written by Julie Benson and Shawna Benson
Pencils and Inks by Claire Roe
Colored by Allen Passalaqua
Cover by Nathan Fairbairn and Yanick Paquette
Random Blurb of Excitement: Yes. Yes! YES! I can’t wait to get my hands on this book! I’ve been waiting for a good Birds of Prey, since the first volume of BoP in the New 52. This will be the Benson sisters’ first dip into comics (as far as I know), so I have NO CLUE what to expect. That being said, what I’ve seen of this book so far reminds me of Gail Simone’s pre-Flashpoint run on Birds of Prey, and that is a win!
Batman News Critic: Cat
Batman #3
“I AM GOTHAM” Chapter Three: Batman and Gotham strike out together to get to the bottom of the mysterious attacks against the city. Could this novel and headstrong new hero be everything Gotham City needs…at the cost of the Dark Knight?
Written by Tom King
Pencils by David Finch
Inks by Matt Banning and Danny Miki
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Cover by Matt Banning, Jordie Bellaire, and David Finch
Random Blurb of Excitement: I feel like this will be the issue where things get real for this plot! So far we’ve had two solid, yet slightly disconnected, issues… and I feel like the conflict will introduce itself here!
Batman News Critic: Brandon
Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 5 #14
Since the rise of the Regime, The Flash has always been one of Superman’s most tenuous allies. Now his loyalty is really going to be tested, as someone he loves has to face Superman’s unswerving justice. Then, with the Speedster at his most vulnerable, Batman offers him a risky way out.
Art by Mike S. Miller
Cover by David Yardin
Written by Brian Buccellato
Random Blurb of Excitement: Have I told you how good this book is lately? I have? Well, I’m about to tell you again… You NEED to be reading Injustice!!!
Batman News Critic: Elena
Justice League #1
“THE EXTINCTION MACHINE” Chapter One
The oceans rise. The earth quakes. And an ancient power rises to reclaim not just the world, but the universe itself—and not even the combined might of the Justice League can stop it. An all-new era begins with this epic by comic book legend Bryan Hitch (JLA, The Ultimates) and master storyteller Tony S. Daniel (BATMAN: R.I.P., DEATHSTROKE).
Written by Bryan Hitch
Pencils by Tony Salvador Daniel
Inks by Sandu Florea
Colored by Tomeu Morey
Cover by Brad Anderson, Ed Benes, Tony Salvador Daniel, Terry Dodson, and Gary Frank
Random Blurb of Excitement: While Brian had positive reviews for Justice League Rebirth, I, on the other hand, wasn’t too fond of the issue. I didn’t think it was bad, but it didn’t do anything to win me over either. Ultimately, I felt that the issue was a little disconnect from the rest of Rebirth, and was a little heavy handed. That being said, I have complete faith in Hitch to deliver a strong story, and am hoping for a better turnout with this issue.
Batman News Critic: Brian
New Suicide Squad #22
Delve, if you dare, into the twisted mind of Harley Quinn as she wrestles with her past and questions her future in the mind-bending finale of NEW SUICIDE SQUAD.
Written by Jim Lee and Sean Ryan
Pencils and Inks Ronan Cliquet
Colored by Blond
Cover by Juan E. Ferreyra and Jim Lee
Random Blurb of Excitement: This is just cruel. Sean Ryan? Sean Ryan!?!?!?!?! *Sigh* Look, I know it says that Jim Lee has some writing credits, but I can’t help but feel it’s just in the way of direction and story so that this title will lead into Rebirth. I think it’s fair to say Ryan will be doing most of the work on the script here. What scares me, is that this is essentially going to be a character study on Harley Quinn, and the worst thing about Ryan’s work is character development… (and logic… as well as dialogue… but that’s not the focus here…). I’m already expecting this issue to be bad, but considering it’s coming off such a great run by Seeley and Ferreyra, it’s only going to make it look worse. As Andrew used to say, “You don’t have to thank me…”
Batman News Critic: Josh
Notes:
- Additional Rebirth releases this week: Aquaman #3, Green Arrow #3, Green Lanterns #3, and Superman #3.
- Harley Quinn #30 has been pushed back to July 27th.
- Harley’s Little Black Book #4 has been pushed back to
July 13thAugust 3rd. - Harley Quinn & Her Gang of Harleys #4 has been pushed back to August 3rd.
- The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #6 has been pushed back to August 24th.
- 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.
Best cover of July 13, 2016 is Nightwing Rebirth #1 by Javier Fernandez and Chris Sotomayor with 66% of the votes.
- Detective Comics #936 by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Adriano Lucas (27%)
- Bombshells #15 by Ant Lucia (7%)
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batgirl Vol. 2: To the Death – Gordon, and the ultimate martial arts master. Her near-superhuman fighting abilities are so much a part of her identity that when they failed her, she was willing to make an unthinkable bargain to get them back.
Impressed by their first encounter, the unbeatable assassin Lady Shiva agreed to help restore Cassandra’s incredible skills. In return, exactly one year later, Lady Shiva would return to challenge Cassandra to a rematch.
Only this time, it’s to the death.
Batgirl must confront her darkest demons in these classic adventures from writer Kelley Puckett (BATMAN ADVENTURES) and artists Damion Scott (ROBIN) and Robert Campanella (GREEN ARROW)! BATGIRL VOL. 2: TO THE DEATH collects BATGIRL #13-25.
Harley Quinn Book & Mask Set – Harley Quinn leaps into a new book and mask set that includes a highly detailed PVC mask plus a copy of the HARLEY QUINN VOL. 1: HOT IN THE CITY TP, collecting issues #0-8 of her smash-hit series.
