We have a lot of great titles on-deck for next week, and I’m extremely excited! The second week of each month is always my favorite, and I have a feeling that many of you share that sentiment. If the titles weren’t exciting enough, Monday will also see our first post pertaining to covers, Cover Talk. Since we didn’t have the cover polls this week, we’ll have a lot to discuss and view on Monday, so make sure you’re ready!
Finally, Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow! Please go check out your local comic book shop and support them! I read digitally for the site, but I always purchase trades and variants from my local shop! I want to play my part in ensuring they remain in my community, and you should too!
Alright, on to business! For a collection of our opinions pertaining to last week’s releases, make sure you check out This Week In Comics: Bill Murray (sorta) Joins the Justice League. 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, a random comment (or rant), and the Batman News team member that will be reviewing each book. After I’ve overshared my opinions, you’ll find notes pertaining to other DC Comics titles/ delayed releases, as well as our Graphic Novel Watch. And finally, we want to hear from you! What titles are you picking up? What do you hope to see? Etc. So, without further ado…
May 10th
Suicide Squad #17
“EARTHLINGS ON FIRE” part two! Driven to extreme measures by the globe-spanning conspiracy known only as the People, Amanda Waller has done the unthinkable: made General Zod a full-fledged member of Task Force X! His first mission? Destroy the Annihilation Brigade, the People’s own, much deadlier version of the Suicide Squad!
Art by Tony S. Daniel
Variant cover by Whilce Portacio
Written by Rob Williams
Josh’s Stance: After last month’s issue, how could I not be excited? Williams continues to build his dynamic, engaging story, and is doing so with impeccable execution. I can’t wait to see the chaos that Zod brings to the team, as well as how Williams will deal with a number of other plot threads that haven’t been tackled yet.
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Gotham Academy: Second Semester #9
“The Ballad of Olive Silverlock” part one! With alliances irrevocably shifted, the loyalty of the Detective Club undergoes its most crucial test. The time has come to leave school behind and fight for each other and the city they love.
Art by Sandra Hope, MSASSYK, and Adam Archer
Cover by Karl Kerschl
Written by Karl Kerschl, Becky Cloonan, and Brenden Fletcher
Josh’s Stance: It’s a shame that it’s taken Gotham Academy: Second Semester so long to reach the quality that made the “first semester” so magical, but alas, recent developments proved to be well worth the weight. The only shame is that now the book will come to a close in just a few months.
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
All Star Batman #10
“The First Ally” part one! When the Dark Knight is taken down by a new enemy whose attacks he cannot counter, he uncovers a plot spanning generations…whose mastermind might be one of his closest allies! But who is the First Ally?
Art by Rafael Albuquerque
Cover by Rafael Albuquerque
Variant cover by Francesco Francavilla and Chris Burnham
Written by Scott Snyder
Josh’s Stance: I’m divided with this arc. On one hand, “The First Ally” feels like something that should have been part of Scott Snyder’s earlier run (which I consider a good thing), and has the potential to launch a new character much in the way that he launched the Court of Owls. The other half of me, however, looks at this and thinks, “There’s no way we would have followed Batman all this time and not known about some other, original, ally… Unless the “first ally is Alfred….
Batman-News Critic: Jay
Detective Comics #956
“League Of Shadows” finale! It’s all out war against the single most ruthless villain Batman’s ever faced: Lady Shiva and her army of nihilistic killers! But at least one member of the team might wind up swallowed whole by the darkness of the League…
Art by Marcio Takara
Cover by Eber Ferreira and Eddy Barrows
Variant cover by Rafael Albuquerque
Written by James T Tynion IV
Josh’s Stance: I know a handful of people disagree with me, but “League of Shadows” has been a solid arc. I also don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of them, and that this is simply just an introduction into Shiva’s role in things to come. We shall see though.
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Titans #11
“THE LAZARUS CONTRACT” part one! When Deathstroke discovers that Wally West’s return holds the key to bringing his son back from the dead, he’ll stop at nothing to do just that! Don’t miss the debut chapter of the epic crossover event that you’ve been waiting for!
Art by Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth
Cover by Mike McKone
Variant cover by Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth
Written by Christopher Priest, Benjamin Percy, and Dan Abnett
Josh’s Stance: Oh yeah! I’m excited for this! I’ve been waiting to get my hands on this story ever since it was announced. Granted, I will admit that when you choose a name that is tied so closely to it’s inspiration (“Judas Contract”), you open yourself up to some comparisons…
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Red Hood & the Outlaws #10
“Who is Artemis?” part two! After getting shot out of the sky by the Bow of Ra, the Dark Trinity finds itself stranded and separated in the war-torn country of Qurac. While Artemis squares off against her long-forgotten foe responsible for the Bow of Ra’s disappearance, Bizarro comes across a group of innocent refugees looking for a savior. Meanwhile, Red Hood faces a crisis of conscience when he’s forced to relive the trauma of his own death and comes face to face with his greatest enemy—himself!
Art by Dexter Soy
Cover by Nicola Scott
Variant cover by Guillem March
Written by Scott Lobdell
Josh’s Stance: Lobdell continues to kill it with Red Hood! He’s put so much effort into the characters while developing great stories around them, that Outlaws has become a fun, gripping story that I look forward to reading each month. After putting a focus on Jason and Bizarro, it’s Artemis’ time in the spotlight – a story that feels as though it’s solidifying this team’s place in the DC Universe.
Batman-News Critic: Brian
Injustice: Ground Zero #11
As events reach their climax, Regime forces finally locate the headquarters of Batman’s Resistance, and Harley assembles a new army to bring justice to the streets of Gotham City. Two Wonder Women battle on Themyscira for leadership of the Amazons, and the two Batmen reach a decision to bring over the Superman from the parallel Earth.
Art by Tom Derenick and Marco Santucci
Cover by Mike S. Miller
Written by Chris Sebela
Josh’s Stance: Wait… This is still a thing? Hey, DC, I don’t think anyone cares anymore now that Injustice 2 has arrived.
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Supergirl #9
“Escape from the Phantom Zone” part one! Trapped in the Phantom Zone, Supergirl and Batgirl must face the Phantom King to escape! But what deadly team is Emerald Empress building? And what does it have to do with the future of the Girl of Steel?
Written by Steve Orlando
Pencils and Inks by Brian Ching
Colored by Michael Atiyeh
Cover by Michael Atiyeh, Brian Ching, and James Harren
Josh’s Stance: I haven’t been reading Supergirl lately – I decided to trade-wait this title after its first arc – but I’m less enthusiastic about this issue because of the Annual that came out recently featuring Batgirl and Supergirl… Hopefully this will be much better!
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Batgirl & the Birds of Prey #10
“Blackbird” finale! The Birds now know how the mysterious new metahuman known as Blackbird has turned also-rans into dangerous killers…but what’s her endgame? And are they prepared for the terrible secret of what her powers can really do?
Art by Roge Antonio
Cover by Yanick Paquette
Variant cover by Kamome Shirahama
Written by Shawna Benson and Julie Benson
Josh’s Stance: I’m going to try something new this week… I’m going to try to say something positive…. Ummm….. Well, it’s not last on my list! But no, seriously, I’m excited to have Nightwing and Green Arrow team up with the Birds. It should be fun, it’s just going to be a matter of whether the plot and logic can hold up with the story… (History says that it won’t…)
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Justice League of America #6
“MYTHIC” part two! Aegeus’s mythic horde continues to steamroll over the battered landscape of Penn City, and the only thing standing in their path is…the Atom?? Also: Lobo is laid out, his healing factor neutralized, and the only thing that could possibly save him requires a level of violence that we may not be allowed to print!
Art by Andrew T MacDonald
Cover by Joe Prado and Ivan Reis
Variant cover by Doug Mahnke
Written by Steve Orlando
Josh’s Stance: I don’t take this book seriously… It’s a joke….
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Notes:
- Additional DC Releases slated for this week: Bug! The Adventures of Forager #1, Future Quest #12, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #20, New Super-Man #11, Scooby Apocalypse #13, Scooby Doo, Where Are You? #81, Shade the Changeling Girl #8, Superwoman #10, and Wonder Woman #22.
- The Flash #22 has been pushed back to May 17, 2017.
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batman Arkham: Mr. Freeze
An expert in the field of cryogenics, Victor Fries led a relatively normal existence. He worked diligently and married a woman named Nora who then became terminally ill. To stop her degenerative disease from taking her life, Victor put her into suspended animation.
But a horrible lab accident transformed the former Dr. Fries into an ice-colored monstrosity incapable of surviving above freezing temperatures. To counteract this, Victor constructed a special, ultra-durable suit to keep his body alive. He embraced his new persona and became Mr. Freeze.
Mr. Freeze is on a constant quest to bring back his beloved Nora, and he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed. He wields a freeze gun and uses ice and cold to wreak havoc–mostly in Gotham and against Batman.
BATMAN ARKHAM: MISTER FREEZE collects some of the villain’s greatest stories by some of the industry’s greatest creators, including Paul Dini (BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES), Scott Synder (BATMAN), James Tynion IV (DETECTIVE COMICS), Jason Fabok (JUSTICE LEAGUE), Charlie Adlard (WALKING DEAD), Mark Buckingham (FABLES) and many more!
Batman – Detective Comics: The Victim Syndicate
A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!
Innocent victims maimed or broken by Batman’s greatest enemies band together, and they blame Batman and his fellow vigilantes for what happened to them just as much as they blame the psychopaths who hurt them. Batman and his newly trained team of allies must take on these troubled souls, but one of Batman’s teammates can’t help but think they might have a point…
From writer James Tynion (BATMAN/TMNT) and artist Alvaro Martinez (BATMAN ETERNAL) comes the second volume of the return of DETECTIVE COMICS! Collects DETECTIVE COMICS #943-949.
Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world’s greatest superheroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business.
Honoring the past, protecting our present and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.
Teen Titans Go!: Ready for Action
On your mark, get set–Teen Titans GO! You don’t have to be over 18 to be a superhero! Robin, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg and Starfire are back fighting bad guys and eating pizza in these six epic tales.
Rock ’n’ roll zombies. Killer video games. A gigantic green monster. An evil book. The return of Red X. The Teen Titans swap powers. Multiplying villains! What more could you ask for?
The teen superheroes from Jump City tackle all this and more in this exciting all-ages graphic novel, collecting TEEN TITANS GO! #19-25.
