Upcoming Comics: April 12, 2017

There’s quite a bit to cover this week, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. In addition to our usual rundown, I’m going to add a second cover poll each week. This poll will be for the previous week’s variant covers. Now, I know I haven’t posted polls for February or March variant covers yet, but I’ll get those posted next week so we’re all caught up. On another note, I noticed some teases for July solicitations over the weekend – I feel like really early in the month to be seeing these – so there’s a good chance DC will release that information today/ this week. If they do, I’ll get that posted by the end of the week (Thursday or Friday).

Alright, on to business! Below, you’ll find a link to a recap of last week’s titles, as well as a variant cover poll for those same titles. 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. 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…

 

Looking Back – April 5^th

For a recap of last week’s releases, check out This Week In Comics: Batman Takes on Bane’s Ridiculous Teeth. In the spoiler tag, you’ll also find a collection of last week’s variant covers, as well as a cover poll!

 

 

April 12^th

Detective Comics #954
“League Of Shadows” part four! Ra’s al Ghul has the answers Batman needs to take down the League of Shadows…but will he lift a finger to help him? Or would he rather use the League to take care of the Dark Knight Detective once and for all?

Art by Marcio Takara
Cover by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira
Variant cover by Rafael Albuquerque
Written by James T Tynion IV

Random Blurb of Excitement: It’s no secret that I love Detective Comics. I know some people feel that the books is “safe,” but I feel as though it is the truest representation of what I love from Batman books. If only we had a Batman focused book, rather than a team book, that I could say the same about…

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Suicide Squad #15
“BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE” finale! Fueled by vengeance, Harley Quinn travels to Rustam’s stronghold to take on the traitor Deadshot and his entire team of villains all by her lonesome. But help comes from a most unexpected place in this thrilling conclusion to the most shocking Suicide Squad story of the Rebirth era!

Art by Eddy Barrows, Richard Friend, John Romita, Jr., and Eber Ferreira
Cover by John Romita, Jr. and Richard Friend
Variant cover by Matteo Scalera
Written by Rob Williams

Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m super excited for this issue! Not only do I want to find out the details pertaining to Waller, but I’m also curious to see how Williams wraps up this arc. In addition, I’m curious to see how much of the current plot threads carry forward into the next arc.

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

 

Titans #10
“Made in Manhattan” finale! While Wally and Dick are trapped inside Meta Solutions with the raging Mammoth, Psimon reveals that his employers have big plans for Bumblebee! Can the rest of the Titans rally before the Fearsome Five unleash hell on New York City?

Art by Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth
Cover by Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth
Variant cover by Nicholas Bradshaw
Written by Dan Abnett

Random Blurb of Excitement: I’m going to be honest, I’m less interested in the outcome of this arc, and more interested to pick up where the Annual left off. Regardless, I’m still enjoying Titans and look forward to what Abnett and Booth have in store.

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

Gotham Academy: Second Semester #8
In an epic climax to this storyline, Olive faces her true destiny as the fate of Gotham Academy hangs in the balance. Will her friends be able to reach her in time…or will the Academy be lost forever?!

Art by Sandra Hope, MSASSYK, and Adam Archer
Cover by Karl Kerschl
Written by Karl Kerschl, Becky Cloonan, and Brenden Fletcher

Random Blurb of Excitement: Gotham Academy has really picked up its game the past few months, and I couldn’t be happier to see the change! Second Semester finally found the magic that made the initial run so entertaining, and I only hope the creative team can continue that trend!

Batman News Critic: Brandon

 

 

Red Hood & the Outlaws #9
“Who is Artemis?” part one! When Artemis discovers that the Bow of Ra has been used to destroy an entire city, Red Hood and the Outlaws race to Qurac to discover the identity of this barbaric bowman—and who they find is too shocking to believe!

Art by Dexter Soy
Cover by Nicola Scott
Variant cover by Guillem March
Written by Scott Lobdell

Random Blurb of Excitement: Last month, set-up what looks to be a very promising story. His first arc was really strong, and the character work he’s done with Bizarro has been great!

Batman News Critic: Brian

 

 

 

Justice League of America #4
“THE EXTREMIST AGENDA” finale! The new JLA’s first adventure comes to a (multiple-)earth-shattering conclusion as Batman and his team takes the fight directly to Lord Havok.

Art by Joe Prado and Ivan Reis
Cover by Joe Prado and Ivan Reis
Variant cover by Doug Mahnke
Written by Steve Orlando

Random Blurb of Excitement: Yes, let’s get this arc over with! I’d like to believe that future arcs will be stronger, but I don’t have much confidence.

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

 

Batgirl & the Birds of Prey #9
“Blackbird” part two! The Birds need answers about the mysterious Blackbird, who’s handing out massive increases in power to Gotham City’s most dangerous metahumans…and to get them they’re sending their own dangerous metahuman, Black Canary, undercover into the world of black-market super-powered fights! Roulette rules this world with an iron fist…will she give up the secrets Dinah needs? And at what price?

Art by Roge Antonio
Cover by Yanick Paquette
Variant cover by Kamome Shirahama
Written by Shawna Benson and Julie Benson

Random Blurb of Excitement: This issue should really be called “Galdiatrix: Comic Version.” And no, I’m not remotely excited about it.

Batman News Critic: Josh

 

 

Notes:

• Additional DC releases this week: Action Comics #977, Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps #18, New Superman #10, Supergirl #8, The Flash #20, and Wonder Woman #20.    

 

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.

 

Graphic Novel Watch:

Batman Vol. 2: I Am Suicide – He’s the one man who broke the Bat. He rules the island prison that once held him captive with an iron fist. He is Bane, and he has something-or someone-that Batman needs. And Batman will risk a suicide mission to take it, or them, from him.

But to infiltrate the stronghold of a criminal genius, the Dark Knight will need to raise his own army of criminals. From the bowels of Arkham Asylum, he’ll select an elite squad of the craziest, deadliest, most dangerous villains alive-including Catwoman, the one woman in the world who knows him best, despite the blood on her claws.

But Batman’s makeshift Suicide Squad is every bit as unstable as the real deal. As lust, addiction, insanity and betrayal take their toll on his team, not everyone will make it out of Bane’s fortress alive and unbroken…

New York Times best-selling writer Tom King (THE OMEGA MEN) continues his groundbreaking Dark Knight saga, joined by artists Mikel Janín (GRAYSON) and Mitch Gerads (SHERIFF OF BABYLON). Collects BATMAN #9-15.

 

Batman: Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 3 – This third BATMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS includes dozens of stories from the early 1940s in which the Dynamic Duo battle evil-doers including the Penguin, the Joker, Two-Face and many more from the pages of DETECTIVE COMICS #75-91, BATMAN #16-25 and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #10-14.

 

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1 – With his city under siege, Batman pushes himself to the breaking point as he takes on the Joker, the Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, the Riddler and the Scarecrow, one after another. But things get worse when Bane, the man behind this madness, attacks an exhausted Batman! This new title collects issues of BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT, ROBIN, CATWOMAN, BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT and more—watch for more details soon!

 

Batman: Legacy Vol. 1 – It begins with the return of the Apocalypse Plague-a deadly disease that infected Gotham City and almost killed Robin-now in an even more virulent form. Batman, Robin, Nightwing and even Catwoman must find out the origin of this ancient virus before it is released worldwide. Their travels take them from the heart of Gotham halfway around the world to Sudan, where two of their greatest enemies are revealed to be the masterminds of this wicked plot. The stakes have never been this high and the question remains: Will Batman and his allies stop a relic of the past from dooming mankind’s future?

Now, for the first time ever, get the complete BATMAN: LEGACY storyline along with never-before-collected chapters that reveal the architects of the outbreak in BATMAN: LEGACY! Collects BATMAN #533, BATMAN SHADOW OF THE BAT #53, CATWOMAN #33-35, DETECTIVE COMICS #697-700 and ROBIN #31.

 

Suicide Squad: Secret Files – Three of the most dangerous members of the DC Universe’s least predictable team share the spotlight in this killer collection, starring characters from the blockbuster movie!

KILLER CROC is the Suicide Squad’s biggest, baddest beast, which makes him the right monster for the job when an island full of terrifying creatures becomes a threat to the world at large. But when he’s confronted with the horrible truth of these mutant menaces, will humanity or monstrosities win in the end?

BOOMERANG is a hardcore mercenary who thinks his mission to take down a Central American dictator is just another job-but trouble has a way of returning to him like one of his trademark weapons. Alone behind enemy lines, can Boomerang make a comeback?

AMANDA WALLER may be a regular human, but she has perhaps the greatest ability of all: she understands how power works-and how to wield it. That’s how she’s kept the Squad under control and become one of the best deprogrammers of brainwashed villains. But when one of her subjects turns the tables on her, can she save the Squad from a killer who knows all their secrets?

Declassify the answers in SUICIDE SQUAD: SECRET FILES-an action-packed showcase from a squad of today’s top writers and artists and featuring characters from the award-winning film Suicide Squad! Collects stories from SUICIDE SQUAD MOST WANTED #1-6.