I’m still on a high from San Diego Comic-Con! We shared quite a bit of information over the past week, and still have a few things coming! If you haven’t checked out our interviews or coverage, I highly recommend you do so! We currently have interviews with Steve Orland (Batman/ The Shadow), Kyle Higgins (Nightwing: The New Order), and Tim Seeley (Nightwing) posted, as well as a recap of DC Comics presence at SDCC. So be sure to check these out before tomorrow’s releases hit the shelves.
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: Batman Shoots a Torpedo. 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…
August 2nd
Nightwing #26
“SPYRAL” part one! Huntress comes back into Nightwing’s life at his lowest moment. But is she here to help him find the man who killed one of Dick’s closest allies? Or is she here to carry out a mission of her own?
Written by Tim Seeley
Pencils and Inks by Javier Fernandez
Colored by Chris Sotomayor
Cover by Javier Fernandez and Chris Sotomayor
Josh’s Stance: Oh thank God! It’s no secret that Huntress is one of my favorite characters. It’s also no secret that I think she’s been ruined in Batgirl & the Birds of Prey. King and Seeley did amazing things with Helena in Grayson, and I’m super excited to see his approach with her in Nightwing. I can’t help but feel that this if the first time I’m actually going to get to see the “real” Huntress. Plus, anything involving Spyral will make me excited.
Batman-News Critic: Jay
Injustice 2 #7
The heroes come together again to mourn a fallen comrade. Later, Batman is confronted by Blue Beetle, and Black Canary is visited by someone from her past. Then, just as Batman and his team think they’re going to have a rare moment of happiness, the Suicide Squad gets ready to spoil the party.
Art by Juan Albarran and Bruno Redondo
Cover by Dale Keown
Written by Tom Taylor
Josh’s Stance: Injustice 2 has been a hell of a fun ride since its debut, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Yeah, we had that regurgitated origin story for Supergirl, but it was still a good read. Now we’re back to business, and I’m psyched!
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Batman #28
“THE WAR OF JOKES AND RIDDLES” part four! War is hell. Unless it’s in Gotham City, where it’s so much worse. The clash between The Joker and the Riddler continues to escalate, with the rest of the city’s villains picking sides and joining in. In the midst of the battle, Batman must try to save whoever he can while knowing he will forever be haunted by those he can’t.
Written by Tom King
Pencils and Inks by Mikel Janin
Colored by June Chung
Cover by Mikel Janin
Josh’s Stance: As much as I love “The War of Jokes and Riddles,” I do feel as though I’m missing the “meat” of the story. King is delivering the themes – and they’re great – but I keep finding myself wishing I could experience what’s taking place “behind the scenes.” As I said, I love the story we’re getting, I just wish we were able to read/ experience the rest of it. For example, how did each member get recruited? What are their roles in this? What’s actually happening to the city during all of this? What are Joker and Riddler’s strategic moves?
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Bane: Conquest #4
Bane has set his sights on crushing the Vor, a network of Eastern European thieves who are among the deadliest in the world…but somehow, it’s less than surprising that where you find a collection of thieves, you find Catwoman! Will she derail Bane’s plans? Or is there an opportunity for a deal here?
Written by Chuck Dixon
Pencils and Inks by Graham Nolan
Colored by Gregory Wright
Cover by Graham Nolan and Gregory Wright
Josh’s Stance: Bane: Conquest is ok, but it’s not close to what it could or should be. Dixon is a legend for a reason though, so I’m holding out hope that he’ll pull out an engaging story when all is said and done.
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Justice League #26
“LEGACY” part one! A group of heroes from a post-apocalyptic future escape into the past to stop their world from coming to be. But to do it they’re going to need the help of the Justice League—who just happen to be these time travelers’ parents!
Written by Bryan Hitch
Pencils by Fernando Pasarin
Inks by Oclair Albert
Colored by Brad Anderson
Cover by Brad Anderson, Bryan Hitch, and Alex Sinclair
Josh’s Stance: I have to wonder how many more stories Hitch would have come up with concerning time/ time travel were this not his final story. Even if you go back to his JLA run, time and time travel played a large role in the narrative. Now we have future kids of Justice League members coming back in time to save the future, except there is no Jon or Damian… So… Uh, when do we get the announcement about who is taking Justice League after Hitch?
Batman-News Critic: Brian
Notes:
- Additional DC Releases slated for this week: Cyborg #15, Bombshells #32, Deathstroke #22, Green Arrow #28, Green Lanterns #28, Shade: The Changeling Girl #11, Superman #28, and The New Gods Special #1.
- Harley Quinn #25 has been pushed back to August 9, 2017.
- Justice League vs Power Rangers #5 has been pushed back to
May 31, 2017August 9, 2017TBD. - Justice League vs Power Rangers #6 has been pushed back to
September 6, 2017TBD.
Graphic Novel Watch:
Harley’s Little Black Book – The fan-favorite creative team of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti joins forces with a slew of superstar comics creators—including Neal Adams, Simon Bisley, Joseph Michael Linsner, Billy Tucci, John Timms and more—for HARLEY’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK.
She’s the psychopathic psychotherapist with a heart of gold and a mind for mayhem. Now she’s uniting with the greatest heroes in the DC Universe in her very own team-up title. Ain’t it amazing?
With the Joker firmly in her rearview mirror, Harley Quinn has become an antihero like no other. But sometimes she runs into threats too, uhh, threatening for any one person to beat. That’s when she turns to a who’s who of the biggest, baddest, most bodacious heroes in the whole universe!
Superman. Wonder Woman. Green Lantern. Zatanna. Lobo. And…Harley Quinn???
Whoever’s tagging along, there’s one thing for sure: Wherever Harley goes, high-octane hijinks are sure to follow!
Flip through at your own risk! Collects the full six-issue miniseries.
