You’re going to see a slew of posts coming from me today, so I hope you’re ready! Tax free weekend was this past weekend, so I’ve been focusing on the day job for the past week… For this week though, it’s all Batman, all day, every day! Once I finish this, I’ll catch up with Cover Talk, post an interview with Marguerite Bennett about Batwoman, and then cap of the week with a review of Batman & Harley Quinn!
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: We Say Goodbye to Gotham Academy. 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 16th
Dark Nights: Metal #1
The superstar BATMAN team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo reunite for a massive, universe-spanning event!
DARK NIGHTS: THE FORGE and THE CASTING hinted at dark corners of reality that have never been seen till now! Now, as DARK DAYS: METAL begins, the Dark Multiverse is revealed in all its devastating danger-and the threats it contains are coming for the DC Universe!
DARK DAYS: METAL is a DC event unlike any other-one that will push Batman, Superman and heroes of the Justice League beyond their limits to take on threats unlike any our world has ever seen! It will take the combined might of the World’s Greatest Heroes as you’ve never seen them before to face what’s coming their way!
Written by Scott Snyder
Pencils by Greg Capullo
Inks by Jonathan Glapion
Colored by FCO Plascencia
Cover by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia
Josh’s Stance: This is the big event to close out the summer, and there’s a lot of momentum and hype involved with it. The Forge and The Casting were both respectably entertaining, and considering they were just preludes, I can only imagine how much of a punch Metal will pack!
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Batman #29
“THE WAR OF JOKES AND RIDDLES” part five! Batman has done his best to keep the peace, but with neither faction backing down, he may have to choose the lesser of two evils if he wants the violence to end. Will Batman embrace the murderous anarchy of The Joker or the bloody fascism of the Riddler? If he wants to win, he’ll have to choose a side—and either way, he loses.
Written by Tom King
Pencils and Inks by Mikel Janin
Colored by June Chung
Cover by Mikel Janin
Josh’s Stance: We’re in the back half of “The War of Jokes and Riddles” and I’m curious to see how King wraps all of this up. I still wish we were getting more of the meat of the story rather than just thematic snap-shots, but there’s still a TON of worthy moments, so I’ll refrain from complaining too much. Can you blame me for wanting more of a good thing, though?
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Nightwing #27
“SPYRAL” part two! Nightwing and Huntress have been ambushed by Spyral, and their old friend Tiger is leading the charge! Will the duo find out what corrupted their former agency—or are they about to be disavowed and burned?
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Javier Fernandez
Cover by Javier Fernandez and Chris Sotomayor
Josh’s Stance: After the cliffhanger two weeks ago, you better believe I’m excited to see where this leads! AND more Dick and Helena? Yes please!!!
Batman-News Critic: Jay
Injustice 2 #8
Ra’s al Ghul presents his terrifying ultimatum. When Batman reveals the location of al Ghul’s secret lair, his teammates are furious to learn how he knows. The Dark Knight is reeling from the return of an old friend. And then he’s off to recruit perhaps the most powerful man on the planet who isn’t Superman.
Art by Juan Albarran and Bruno Redondo
Cover by Dale Keown
Written by Tom Taylor
Josh’s Stance: Every time I read Injustice, I walk away from the book feeling amped! And then I get sad that I can’t read more in the moment… #GoodComicBookProblems
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Super Sons #7
“PLANET OF THE CAPES” part two! Monster maker Kraklow puts Superboy to the test during his first team-up with Damian Wayne’s Teen Titans. As wave after wave of Kraklow’s wicked creations try to overwhelm the Teen Titans, can Superboy turn the tide in this onslaught of enemies?
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils and Inks by Jorge Jimenez
Colored by Alejandro Sanchez
Cover by Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez
Josh’s Stance: I know I always say this, but Super Sons is the most enjoyable book I’m reading by DC at the moment. Every issue is a ton of fun, and there’s also a lot of heart. I’m also a fan of Jon and Damian’s friendship because of the dynamic between these two!
Batman-News Critic: Jay
Green Arrow #29
“HARD-TRAVELING HERO” part four! Black Canary and Green Arrow’s missions converge in two cities at once! Canary’s in Seattle, where she’s hot on the trail of the Auctioneer, and Arrow’s in Gotham City, where Oliver Queen’s investigation into human trafficking among the city’s elite draws the attention of Bruce Wayne!
Written by Benjamin Percy
Arty by Juan E. Ferreyra
Cover by Otto Schmidt
Josh’s Stance: Green Arrow’s been on a cross-country escapade encountering members of the Justice League, and this chapter brings him to Gotham City! Naturally, since Batman is involved, we’ll be covering this issue… I’m not mad about it!
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Batwoman #6
“OPEN FIRE” part one! Return to the brief flash of the future seen in BATWOMAN: REBIRTH and meet Commander Kane—a battle-hardened version of Batwoman! Hurting from battles unknown, she’s taken control of the deadly Colony and declared war on Gotham City! What could possibly cause Kate Kane to bring the battlefront to her home? Find out here!
Written by Marguerite Bennett and James Tynion IV
Pencils by Renato Arlem and Eddy Barrows
Inks by Renato Arlem and Eber Ferreira
Colored by Adriano Lucas
Cover by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Adriano Lucas
Josh’s Stance: I enjoy issues like this because they give you an idea of the direction the book might take. It can also create some suspense as to whether or not some of these things might happen, or not. If done well, this could be a great read – which is what I’m hoping for!
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Teen Titans Go! #23
The Justice League is stopping by Titans Tower, but this time it’s not about saving the world. Nope, today it’s about “Misadventures in Babysitting.” Then, when the Teen Titans make their heroic services available to the public, their “Customer Support” voicemail overflows!
Art by Derek Fridolfs and Lea Hernandez
Cover by Dario Brizuela
Written by Derek Fridolfs and Sholly Fisch
Josh’s Stance: I’ll be honest, I tend to skip Teen Titans Go! because of the tone of the book, but every now and then an issue looks funny enough that I know I have to read it… This is one of those issues I’ll definitely be reading.
Batman-News Critic: Jay
Trinity #12
“DARK DESTINY” part one! Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman must turn to the mystic trinity of Dead Man, Zatanna and John Constantine when Red Hood, Artemis and Bizarro are sacrificed into the depths of the Pandora Pits by Circe and Ra’s al Ghul.
Written by Francis Manapul and Rob Williams
Pencils by V. Kenneth Marion
Inks by Ray McCarthy
Colored by Dinei Ribeiro
Cover by Clay Mann and Tomeu Morey
Josh’s Stance: Lately I’ve felt that Trinity has been rather average. The art has been beautiful, but the stories have been quite boring. I do find the multiple trinities interesting, but only if it’s going to actually lead somewhere over time. That being said, I’m super excited to see what Manapul and DC have up their sleeve with Zatanna, Dead Man, and John Constantine!
Batman-News Critic: Brian
Justice League #27
“LEGACY” part two! A massive metahuman war threatens to leave the future ripe for conquest by the despot known only as Sovereign. So warn the children of the Justice League, who have come back in time to save the world. But the term “blood feud” takes on new meaning when the younger heroes declare that for the crisis to be averted, one of the Justice League must die!
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: Meh… Hitch continues to ship relationships that I feel most people don’t want, and kids of League members come from the future to kill someone on the League… I gave this final arc a chance with the previous issue, but I’m going to continue to hold off on reading this title until the new creative team takes over.
Batman-News Critic: Brian
Notes:
- Additional DC Releases slated for this week: Aquaman #27, Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #11, Bombshells #33, Green Lanterns #29, Superman #29, and Wonder Woman #28.
- Justice League vs Power Rangers #6 has been pushed back to September 6, 2017.
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batgirl: Stephanie Brown Vol. 1 – BATGIRL: STEPHANIE BROWN VOL. 1 features classic stories written by BRYAN Q. MILLER (Smallville) with art by Lee Garbett (LUCIFER), Trevor Scott (EARTH 2) and others.
Stephanie Brown is no stranger to crime-fighting. She’s taken down criminals as the Spoiler and worked with Batman to keep Gotham safe, but she’s assuming a new identity that everyone in her city knows…
…Batgirl!
A typical college freshman by day, Stephanie takes to the streets at night, recklessly seeking out danger as the new Batgirl. But her nocturnal adventures have attracted the Gotham underworld’s gunfire, and even Batman and Robin don’t know what to make of this new vigilante in a secondhand costume.
With the support and guidance of the original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, Stephanie must learn the difference between playing dress-up and being the new Batgirl. Can she prove herself and earn her title, or will she fail to honor the legacy of her cowl? Collects BATGIRL #1-12.
