Another week, another set of releases! This week we get the second half of Batman and Catwoman’s sexcapade on rooftops, plus another chapter of “Bludhaven” in Nightwing! I’m excited by the release of Nightwing alone, so of course I’m looking forward to Wednesday. On a separate note, we recently posted the Top 25 Covers of 2016! Make sure you check out the results, and comment on your favorites!
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. Following that, we’ve got notes pertaining to select releases, and our weekly cover poll. 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…
January 18th
Nightwing #13
“BLUDHAVEN” part four! The Run-Offs abandon Nightwing, leaving him to fend for himself in the harsh streets of Blüdhaven. And he finds himself the next target of the Blüdhaven serial killer’s obsession!
Art by Marcus To
Cover by Marcus To
Variant cover by Oclair Albert and Ivan Reis
Written by Tim Seeley
Random Blurb of Excitement: There are two titles that are excellent at the moment, and Nightwing is one of them (Detective Comics is the other). Seeley is telling new, innovative stories while bringing a strong sense of familiarity and nostalgia… It’s awesome!
Batman News Critic: Jay
Trinity #5
“BETTER TOGETHER” part five! Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman must battle for their lives against their greatest foes in an arena of their own making! And the fight won’t be done until they confront each other in this deadly match. The mastermind behind this attack has revealed himself at last: Mongul is back!
Art by Francis Manapul
Cover by Francis Manapul
Variant cover by Bill Sienkiewicz
Written by Francis Manapul
Random Blurb of Excitement: Mongul surprised me last month, so I’m excited/curious to see if it really is him! Regardless, Manapul should feel very happy with the work he’s created!
Batman News Critic: Brian
Batman #15
“STREETS AND SWAMPS”! Swamp Thing comes to Gotham City with a mysterious request for Batman—but these longtime allies will have to make up for lost time and work together in order to confront a growing threat that only they can stop!
Art by Mitch Gerads
Cover by Mitch Gerads
Variant cover by Tim Sale
Written by Tom King
Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m about 99% positive this solicitation is wrong… but who knows. Maybe the whole “Rooftops” bit only take up three or four pages, then Swamp Thing magically appears… I doubt it though.
Batman News Critic: Brandon
Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77 #1
What mysteries are hidden in the book Ra’s al Ghul hired Catwoman to steal? And why does this caper lead Batman down memory lane—to his childhood fight against actual Nazis? Witness the Caped Crusader’s first encounter with one of the greatest heroes the world has ever known: Wonder Woman!
This epic team-up is brought to you by writers Marc Andreyko (WONDER WOMAN ’77) and Jeff Parker (BATMAN ’66), with fantastic artists David Hahn and Karl Kesel (BATMAN ’66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E.). It’s a time- and space-spanning adventure unlike anything you’ve seen before!
Art by David Hahn and Karl Kesel
Cover by Mike Allred
Variant cover by Alex Ross
Written by Marc Andreyko and Jeff Parker
Random Blurb of Excitement: ’66 Batman and ’77 Wonder Woman!?!? Hell yeah!
Batman News Critic: Jay
Harley Quinn #12
“JOKER LOVES HARLEY” part two! Don’t ship Joker and Harley too hard! In this issue, the “reformed” Joker deceives Harley, and when that happens, she goes for his throat!
Art by John Timms
Cover by Amanda Conner
Variant cover by Frank Cho
Written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
Random Blurb of Excitement: I still just want to see Joker and Red Tool go at it… There are SO MANY jokes waiting in the weeks between those two.
Batman News Critic: Elena
Injustice: Ground Zero #4
The Joker tries to rally the worshipful clan Harley has organized, as Nightwing, Hawkgirl and a swarm of soldiers move in to take them all prisoner. But the timely arrival of Batman and the Wonder Woman from the parallel world may tip the balance—if they can get their heads around the concept of having to rescue The Joker.
Art by Juan Albarran and Daniel Sampere
Cover by Ben Oliver
Written by Chris Sebela
Random Blurb of Excitement: Ground Zero continues to be a solid story. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m slightly surprised because I expected this story to lose momentum or relevance after a few issues, but apparently I’m wrong. Here’s to hoping that trend continues.
Batman News Critic: Elena
Super Powers #3
A peaceful day in Metropolis is interrupted when Brimstone comes to clear a path for Darkseid. This looks like a job for…Supergirl!? Yes, because Superman is out of town visiting his new baby brother! But villainous plots are afoot on New Krypton, too. Is anywhere safe for our superheroes?
Art by Art Baltazar
Cover by Art Baltazar
Written by Franco and Art Baltazar
Random Blurb of Excitement: It’s good, family fun… Everybody needs a little goodness in their life.
Batman News Critic: Jay
Justice League #13
A “JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD” tie-in! It’s the day no one saw coming when Harley Quinn finds herself the protector of Gotham City, repelling a brutal assault from the super-villain threat of [REDACTED].
Art by Carlos D’Anda
Cover by Sandu Florea and Tony S. Daniel
Variant cover by Yanick Paquette
Written by Tim Seeley
Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m assuming this is a day dream/ dream of Harley serving as the protector of Gotham… Either way, Seeley is helming this issue again, so I’m down. (Well, more so than usual anyway.)
Batman News Critic: Brian
Justice League vs Suicide Squad #5
[REDACTED] has finally obtained that which [REDACTED] has sought all this time—it’s the means to utterly [REDACTED] the Justice League forever. Now, only [REDACTED] and the Suicide Squad stand in [REDACTED] path of total world domination. No pressure!
Art by Robson Rocha
Cover by Robson Rocha
Written by Joshua Williamson
Random Blurb of Excitement: We have this issue, then one more… and I’m still waiting for a story, much less an “event.” If anything, JL vs SS feels like an outline for a story, not a full story. This is turning out to be an incredible let-down. If anyone from DC happens to read this, please stop calling bridging stories “events.” Just tell your story. There’s no reason this story couldn’t have just been told in the pages of Justice League and Suicide Squad.
Batman News Critic: Brian
Notes:
- Additional DC releases this week: Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #4, Green Arrow #15, Green Lanterns #15, Justice League of America: The Ray Rebirth #1, Raven #5, Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Amanda Waller #6, Superman #15,
- Justice League of America: The Ray Rebirth #1 will release this week, and will be covered in our monthly Break (From) the Bat post!
- Harley’s Little Black Book #6 has been scheduled for October 24th November 30th December 28th January 25th
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 January 11, 2017 is All Star Batman #6 by Jock with 26% of the votes.
- Detective Comics #948 by Ben Oliver (24%)
- Titans #7 by Lee Weeks (13%)
- Red Hood & the Outlaws #6 by Cam Smith and Giuseppe Camuncoli (13%)
- Justice League vs Suicide Squad #4 by Fernando Pasarin (10%)
- Suicide Squad #9 by Riley Rossmo (5%)
- Justice League/ Power Rangers #1 by Karl Kerschl (4%)
- Batgirl & the Birds of Prey #6 by Yanick Paquette (3%)
- Gotham Academy: Second Semester #5 by Karl Kerschl (2%)
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batgirl Vol 3: Point Blank – Cassandra Cain returns to Gotham’s streets as Batgirl. Raised to be a perfect fighting machine, Cassandra has vowed to use her unrivaled combat skills to protect the citizens of Gotham. After defeating the feared assassin Lady Shiva in a harrowing battle, Cassandra must prove that she’s more than just an incredible fighter as she trains with Batman to become a detective.
Batgirl’s detective skills are soon put to the test when she must help an amnestic secret agent recover his memory in time to stop a mysterious catastrophic event threatening Gotham City! Time is quickly running out and Cassandra must fight harder than ever before, using both her wit and strength to solve the mystery. Can Batgirl save Gotham before it’s too late?
Kelley Puckett (BATMAN ADVENTURES) and artists Damion Scott (ROBIN) and Robert Campanella (GREEN ARROW) bring you these classic Batgirl crime-fighting adventures. BATGIRL VOL. 3: POINT BLANK collects BATGIRL #26-37 and a story from BATGIRL SECRET CASE FILES & ORIGINS #1.
Harley Quinn Vol. 6: Black, White, and Red All Over – HAS HARLEY MET HER (LOVE) MATCH?
Harley Quinn knows all about mad love, but she’s put all that behind her. Now she’s an independent, butt-kicking woman with a business that offers violence in the service of good. But Harley is about to find out what it feels like to be on the receiving end of some truly mad love.
His name is Red Tool, and he wants to prove his love for Harley…by murdering people, kidnapping her and trying to force her to marry him!
But Harley’s got even bigger problems on her plate than a homicidal lovesick psycho who can’t feel any pain. The mayor of New York City has decided that the “understanding” he had with her to let her business operate without interference came with an unannounced expiration date…and that date is now.
Will Harley end up behind bars, or worse? Or will Red Tool prove to be the right tool for the job?
Writers Amanda Conner (BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE) and Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) and artists John Timms (Deadpool) and Chad Hardin (DEMON KNIGHTS) introduce the new character that will have Harley seeing red! Collects HARLEY QUINN #26-30.
Justice League Vol. 1: The Extinction Machines – Part of the most critically acclaimed, best-selling, all-new line of volume one graphic novels, DC Universe Rebirth!
Superman has fallen. The Man of Steel died protecting his adopted home, leaving his allies in the Justice League to fight on without him-and leaving the older, wiser Superman of a vanished universe to pick up the torch.
But to Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the League, this new “Superman” is a stranger. And just like Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz, the rookie Green Lanterns left by Hal Jordan to guard the globe in his absence, the replacement Superman has a lot to prove.
He’d better do it quickly. Because a godlike threat unlike any the League has ever fought is coming. Vast engines of destruction are about to be unleashed, remaking the planete s surface and forging its people into living weapons.
They are the extinction machines. And it will take every member of the Justice League to shut them down…
Comics superstars Bryan Hitch (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA) and Tony S. Daniel (SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN) join forces to launch a bold new era for comics’ greatest superhero team in JUSTICE LEAGUE VOL. 1: THE EXTINCTION MACHINES-exploding from the blockbuster DC Universe Rebirth event! Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE #1-5 as well as the JUSTICE LEAGUE: REBIRTH one-shot.
