We’ve got another week of new releases as we ramp back up to a normal publication schedule come June! I’m curious to hear if any of your local comic shops opted to go with DC’s current distribution, or if they’re holding our for Diamond to continue shipping on May 20. Let me know in the comments!
Alright, on to business. This week’s releases are listed according to our anticipation scale, with titles listed in alphabetical order within each sub-header. 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. Following that, you’ll find notes pertaining to other DC Comics titles, as well as our Graphic Novel Watch. And finally, we want to hear from you! What titles are you picking up? Why are you excited? What do you hope will happen in the book? Etc. So, without further ado, review our Anticipation Scale, and comment away!
The Anticipation Scale
NO! – A comic I downright dread reading and if I wasn’t a reviewer, I would never buy it.
“You Don’t Have to Thank Us” – The idea of reviewing it doesn’t make me ill or angry, but it definitely sounds like it’s going to be a chore. Still, I’m reading it for you. I’m putting it at the bottom of the pile, but I’m reading it for you.
Mixed – A middle of the pile comic. It’s probably got the same chance of being dreadful as it does of being stupendous. I’m neither looking forward to it or avoiding it, whatever happens… happens.
Intrigued – I think this comic has potential to be a fantastic read. There’s some slight hesitation there, but it’s definitely going to be at the top of the pile.
TAKE MY MONEY – Everything about this issue has me excited. If I don’t get to read this book on Wednesday, I will be furious. I would pay extra just to have it in my hands right now! That’s how much I’m looking forward to it!
And as a reminder, our review scale is based on a 10-point system. A rating of “5” means the book is mediocre/average, and the more toward “10″ we go, the more awesome/worth buying it is. The more toward “1″ we go the more awful/not worth buying it is. That’s how we rate things. It’s not like most video game review scores where everything under 8 is crap, and it’s not like a school report card where everything under a 7 is failing or close-to-failing. Please keep this in mind when reading our reviews.
MAY 12th
INTRIGUED
Justice League #44
Cold war kickoff! After receiving a distress signal from Aquaman, the Justice League travels to Antarctica, where they discover an ancient prison at the bottom of the legendary pit of Tartarus. But who picked the locks within? Freed from their shackles, creatures of myth and horror emerge to battle the team, while the League must confront their own personal demons. What exactly lies at the base of this well, and what will be left of the Justice League when they discover its secret?
Written by Robert Venditti
Pencils and Inks by Xermanico
Colored by Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Cover by Francis Manapul
Josh’s Stance: If I’m being honest… I don’t even remember what was going on, but I’m happy new books are hitting shelves and you can never go wrong with Venditti at the helm.
Batman News Critic: Nick
MIXED
Harley Quinn #72
Some mysteries just don’t want to be solved! As Harley digs deeper into the death of her friend, it becomes clear that there are forces in Los Angeles that don’t want her this close to the truth. Will Harley be broken by the City of Angels, or will she be able to avenge her friend’s death? And will she be able to convince Booster Gold that he is not her crime-fighting partner and never will be?
Written by Sam Humphries
Pencils & Inks by Abel
Colored by Hi-Fi
Cover by Guillem March and John Kalisz
Josh’s Stance: I’m pretty sure I still have PTSD from Heroes in Crisis, so when I see Harley and Booster together, I don’t exactly have a positive reaction…
Batman News Critic: Matina
Additional releases from DC Comics: The Last God #3, Lois Lane #10, Justice League Odyssey #12, and Metal Men #6.
GRAPHIC NOVEL WATCH
Doomsday Clock Part 2 – The fate of the DC Universe is decided in a confrontation between Superman and Dr. Manhattan in this concluding hardcover collecting Doomsday Clock #7-12! With the Earth teetering on the brink of an international super-war, Black Adam and his followers make their move! And while our heroes are busy elsewhere, Dr. Manhattan has set his endgame into motion. The Doomsday Clock continues to tick toward midnight with the fate of the Multiverse hanging in the balance.
Additional graphic novels from DC Comics: Action Comics Vol. 3: Leviathan Hunt, Adventures of Superman by George Perez, Justice League Dark: The Witching War, Superman Smashes the Klan.
QUARANTINE BOOK CLUB
As a reminder, we’ll be covering Dear Justice League and Shadow of the Batgirl on Friday, May 15 for our Quarantine Book Club! Make sure you pick up a copy from your local comic book shop so you can join in on the conversation! Also, be sure to check out last week’s coverage of Batman & the Monster Men.
Dear Justice League
The greatest heroes in the DC Comics universe, the Justice League, answer mail from their biggest fans–kids!–courtesy of Michael Northrop, New York Times bestselling author of TombQuest, and artist Gustavo Duarte.
Does Superman ever make mistakes? What was Wonder Woman’s eleventh birthday like? Does Aquaman smell like fish? In this new middle-grade graphic novel, iconic heroes are asked questions both big and small, and when they are not busy saving the world, the Justice League even finds time to respond. Their honest and humorous answers will surprise and delight readers of any age, as it turns out that being a superhero is not too different from being a kid.
Full of feats, follies, and colorful illustrations, Dear Justice League gives readers the inside scoop into everyday heroics, no matter who wears the cape!
Shadow of the Batgirl
Cassandra Cain, teenage assassin, isn’t exactly Batgirl material…not yet, at least. But with Batgirl missing from Gotham City, can Cassandra defy her destiny and take on a heroic mantle of her very own? She’ll have to go through an identity crisis of epic proportions to find out.
After a soul-shattering moment that sends Cass reeling, she’ll attempt to answer this question the only way she knows how: learning everything she possibly can about her favorite hero-Batgirl. But Batgirl hasn’t been seen in Gotham for years, and when Cass’s father threatens the world she has grown to love, she’ll have to step out of the shadows and overcome her greatest obstacle-that voice inside her head telling her she can never be a hero.
Sarah Kuhn, author of Heroine Complex and I Love You So Mochi, takes on one of her favorite heroes for a new audience of readers. Featuring the edgy art style of Nicole Goux, Shadow of the Batgirl tells the harrowing story of a girl who overcomes the odds to find her unique identity.
