Welcome back to Upcoming Comics!
Not a big week, so I won’t have a big opening spiel. That being said, now’s as good a time as any to remind you that you only have a few hours left to back the HasLab Galactus!
Galactus is probably the largest major character in either the Marvel or the DC Universe, so it’s appropriate that he gets a figure worthy of his size. This mean son of a bitch clocks in at just under 3 feet, and he’s got light-up parts and several swappable faces. He also comes with three of his Heralds: Frankie Raye Nova, the Silver Surfer and Morg, who is a character I’d never heard of until just now. For fans of Marvel Two-In-One, he’s also getting a bonus Doctor Doom head!
Obviously this isn’t directly Batman-related (I’ve been known to bat for the other team now and then), but it is an important milestone for anyone who’s into action figures, and you probably won’t get a chance like this again. Consider picking it up if you’re as financially irresponsible as I am!
Now that this shameless plug is out of the way (toy companies really need to hire me), here’s what we’ve got for this week.
Upcoming Comics
Batman/Superman 2021 Annual #1
The epic epilogue to the Archive of Worlds saga! In his pursuit of perfection, the godlike Auteur.io sought to create and destroy worlds with the wave of a hand and a flair for the dramatic. But against all odds…the World of the Knight and the World of Tomorrow live on! The Batman of the noir-tinged streets of Gotham City finds himself stranded in the sunny, retro-futurist World of Tomorrow-and Superman discovers himself in the opposite predicament. With their home worlds in decay and only one chance to save them, the key to preserving their very existence is but the flip of a coin. Or the flip of this book! This special flip book is two times the story, with one full comic on one side and one full comic on the other, meeting in the middle! Follow Superman’s journey on one side of this epic flip book annual, and turn the adventure over to crusade with the Batman and his trusty sidekick, Robin!
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Pencils by Francesco Francavilla and Paul Pelletier
Inks by Francesco Francavilla and Mick Gray
Colored by Francesco Francavilla
Cover by Bryan Hitch Alejandro Sanchez
Casper’s Thoughts: Heads up, everyone! If you’ve been reading Yang’s Batman/Superman run, you’re gonna want to pick this up, as we’re revisiting the Batman, Superman and Robin from the Archives of Worlds! Francavilla and Pelletier are on art duties and it looks like this is going to be a fun issue. Let’s go!
Harley Quinn 2021 Annual #1
Kevin here! You know, Harley’s sidekick, and your favorite new character? I know Harley usually does these solicits, but she’s a little tied up at the moment. Like, literally. See, there’s a new villain in Gotham calling himself Keepsake, and you know how Gotham villains are: definite psychological issues. So Keepsake kidnapped Harley, while trying to convince her to be his partner and help take over the city. Now, I don’t mean to imply that Harley’s not capable all on her own, but this time she needs a little help. Which means I’m teaming up with Solomon Grundy so we can visit Gotham’s worst criminals and figure out where Harley might be. Plus, a major new Bat-villain!
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Pencils and Inks by Marco Failla, Darko Lafuente and Jon Sommariva
Colored by Miquel Rodriguez Lopez
Cover by Darko Lafuente Miquel Rodriguez Lopez
My Thoughts: I’ve heard good things about this run so far! I won’t be reviewing this issue, though we may be getting a new face or two on board to handle the load. There are a lot of Batman comics lately!
Teen Titans Academy #6
When an entire town in upstate New York turns on the students of Teen Titans Academy, while the adult Titans are on a mission, Gorilla Greg, Chupacabra, and the other new students find themselves fighting for their lives against a chaotic mob. But is there something driving the town’s madness more than just intolerance?
Written by Tim Sheridan
Pencils by Rafa Sandoval
Inks by Jordi Tarragona
Colored by Ulises Arreola Palomera and Alejandro Sanchez
Cover by Alejandro Sanchez, Rafa Sandoval and Jordi Tarragona
Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1
The event over a year in the making begins Fear State settles upon Gotham City, and no one is safe! Overwhelmed by the dual threat of the Scarecrow and Peacekeeper-01, Batman and his allies have been one step behind since the events of Infinite Frontier #0 and with the arrival of a mysterious anti-Oracle and the return of Poison Ivy, Batman might have more than he can handle!
Written by James Tynion IV
Pencils and Inks Riccardo Federici
Colored by Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Chris Sotomayor
Cover by John Gallagher and Ben Oliver
Josh’s Thoughts: It’s finally here! We’ve reached Fear State, and considering this is Tynion’s swansong, I’m expecting some big things.
My Thoughts: I’m often mixed on crossovers, but for the team it can be a really fun exercise to collaborate and bounce between each other from comic to comic!
Beyond the Bat
Welcome to Beyond the Bat! Here you can see everything else that DC is releasing this week, beyond the scope of the books we cover on the website.
I’d definitely suggest you guys check out the Aquaman 80th Anniversary Special this week. Aquaman is one of the few heroes of DC that has had consistently good writing for the past… god, about ten years now? That and a frankly stellar movie makes him perhaps the greatest underdog story of DC’s history, and that’s worth celebrating in spades.
Overall, I’d say we have a small but decent week for comic boo– wait one god damn second, is that Darkseid’s bare naked ass?
Oh my god, it is! That’s Darkseid’s butt! Right there, on the cover of a DC event comic! Are- are we allowed to talk about this?
…
Ratings
Most Excited: Infinite Frontier #5. No particular reason.
Ahem.
ACTUAL Most Excited: Batman/Superman Annual #1. Casper’s reviews, along with general word of mouth, really get me pumped up for this comic. A damn shame it’s ending, but good to see it’s going out on a high note!
Least Excited: Teen Titans Academy #6. The premise should enthrall me, but the execution has never really lived up to expectations.
Wild Card: Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1. This is how Tynion will be leaving his Batman saga – a little abruptly if you ask me, but what can you do? I’m curious how Williamson will do as the new Batman writer, though I can’t say I’m especially enthusiastic.
As always, let me know if you have any suggestions for the column. Best wishes, and see you in the reviews!
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Author’s Twitter: @ObnoxiousFinch
