Welcome back to Upcoming Comics!
Just to warn you all, I’ll be taking a short break for the next month – so the next three Upcoming Comics entries will either be rather rudimentary, or tackled by someone else. I’ll see if I can still get on them during my break, but if I can, they’ll be rather basic – I won’t have the time to chime in with opinions like I usually do. However, everything should be back to normal come the January 11 entry.
(To be honest, this might be a blessing in disguise for you guys. I’ll be seeing No Way Home in a few days, and I will most certainly want to talk about it.)
In DC news, we finally have a gameplay trailer for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League! I have to be honest, I’m not incredibly impressed – while the boss fights look interesting and unique (I’m excited to go up against Flash), the enemies and environments haven’t grabbed me just yet. I think it’s a complete waste of Rocksteady’s talents that they’re working on a Suicide Squad game instead of a Superman game, if I’m honest… but I’m welcome to be proven wrong. Personally, I’m really excited for the Wonder Woman game – developed by the folks who made Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. THAT, I can get behind.
Now, here’s what we have for this week:
Upcoming Comics
Batgirls #1
Um, hello-you didn’t actually think we’d keep you waiting this entire year without giving you the Batgirls series we’ve all been wanting for forever, right? No way, we love you too much-just like Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, who are only able to navigate the dark, gritty, and oftentimes scary city of Gotham by leaning on the bright light that is their best-friendship. Mentored by Oracle, the Batgirls move to the other side of town where Barbara Gordon can keep a better eye on them while the hacker Seer is still invading their lives. Steph may be too rash sometimes, and Cass doesn’t speak much-but what they lack in similarities they make up for with their mutual respect and love for each other…and what makes them stronger together as Batgirls! And they may be good at kicking ass, but they are just trying their best to be normal teenagers-who’ll borrow the keys to a muscle car that belonged to a bad guy and perhaps give it a joyride around town without a driver’s license, then race to get back home to Oracle by curfew…! Splashing the pages with bright colors against a dark backdrop of Gotham, Batgirls is the pizza slumber party of the year you don’t want to miss!
Written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad
Pencils and Inks by Jorge Corona
Colored by Sarah Stern
Cover by Jorge Corona and Sarah Stern
Thoughts: Wow, I hate everything about that description. Waiting until December to release a book people have been wanting for years, then dropping a “you didn’t think we’d keep you waiting” line? C’mon. The book looks awesome, though. Genuinely excited for this one.
Batman News Critic: Matina
Batman: The Imposter #3
The battle against the imposter poisoning the Batman’s name heats up, while Detective Blair Wong makes a deadly decision! Is there any way back for Bruce Wayne’s war on crime after the damage the copycat has done? Or was that war already lost before it ever began?
Written by Mattson Tomlin
Pencils and Inks by Andrea Sorrentino
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Cover by Andrea Sorrentino
Thoughts: Every single panel I’ve seen from this book has been utterly majestic – I’d say it’s definitely worth your time for that alone.
Batman News Critic: Casper
Batman: Urban Legends #10
Tim Drake goes to make peace with Batman before he leaves Gotham. Superstar writer Tini Howard makes her DC debut on a Nightwing, Oracle, and Batgirls holiday spectacular. Azrael faces down the new villain THE POOR FELLOW. And Tweedle Dum has to make a grave decision.
Written by Meghan Fitzmartin, Tini Howard, Sam Johns and Dan Watters
Pencils and Inks by Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, Nikola Cizmesija, Christian Duce and Karl Mostert
Colored by David Baron, Nick Filardi, Luis Guerrero and Ivan Plascencia
Cover by Adriano Lucas and Belén Ortega
Thoughts: I hate that important moments in Batman lore are locked behind a paywall of this magnitude, where it’s a shot in the dark if you’ll be getting several good stories this week or not.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
I Am Batman #4
Fear State aftermath! Following the collapse of the Magistrate program, Jace Fox is still doing damage control from the events of Fear State. There’s a dangerous new player in Gotham, however, and they’ve set their sights on bringing down the Dark Knight!
Written by John Ridley
Pencils and Inks by Christian Duce and Stephen Segovia
Colored by Rex Lokus
Cover by Rain Beredo, Francesco Mattina and Gerardo Zaffino
Thoughts: This book already feels aimless, and it’s already on issue 4. So, why the hell are these covers so god damn good?
Batman News Critic: TBA
Robin and Batman #2
Dick Grayson is struggling in his training to be Robin, and the Batman decides the young man needs a break…and takes him to meet the Justice League! In an awe-inspiring moment, he meets the World’s Greatest Heroes…and their sidekicks! Will these teen titans get along?
Written by Jeff Lemire
Pencils and Inks by Dustin Nguyen
Colored by Dustin Nguyen
Cover by Dustin Nguyen
Thoughts: I’ve gushed about Dustin Nguyen plenty before today, so this time I’ll make note of the fact that Killer Croc seems to be getting a lot of attention from comic books this year.
Batman News Critic: Jay
The Joker #10
Following the harrowing events of Batman: The Killing Joke, the course of James Gordon’s life-and that of his family’s-was forever changed! But what happened when Gordon’s path again crossed with The Joker’s… PUNCHLINE BACKUP: Harper Row has successfully gotten Punchline’s former friend, Kelly Ness, out of Blackgate. What Kelly reveals about Punchline’s past and true nature will change her criminal case forever, but will Harper and Leslie Thompkins be able to protect her from Punchline’s loyalists?
Written by Sam Johns, Matthew Rosenberg and James Tynion IV
Pencils and Inks by Francesco Francavilla and Belén Ortega
Colored by Francesco Francavilla, Arif Prianto and Alejandro Sanchez
Cover by Guillem March and Arif Prianto
Thoughts: Interestingly, I hear a lot of praise for this book outside of this website’s circle. I’m still sick of Punchline, though.
Batman News Critic: Matina
Pennyworth #5
The continuing untold early Cold War adventures of Alfred Pennyworth, British spy! Alfred is reunited with one old friend, confronts another, and takes a meeting with his MI6 handler…or it could all be just a hallucination as he runs out of time and freezes to death, alone in the vast emptiness of the frigid north.
Written by Scott Bryan Wilson
Pencils and Inks by Juan Gedeon
Colored by John Rauch
Cover by Jorge Fornés
Thoughts: This cover (and this book) has no right being as good as it is.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Future State: Gotham #8
As the Magistrate continues to tighten its iron fist around Gotham City, things get even worse when the successor to the Clown Prince of Crime takes up the mantle and becomes the Next Joker! As the villain embarks on a murderous rampage across the city, only one man stands between him and his latest victim…the scoundrel for hire known as Grifter?
Written by Dennis Culver
Pencils and Inks Nikola Cizmesija
Cover by Simone Di Meo
Thoughts: Do we have to call this new character the Next Joker? Their design is cool enough as is.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two #7
Mayor Mayhem’s grip over Gotham tightens as he enacts a plan that puts Barbara Gordon at the center of a political scandal! Batman, Nightwing, and Robin leap into action to expose Mayfield’s plans for Gotham and break his hypnotic hold over the city before the polls close. But when all roads lead to Arkham, can the Bat Family take down all of the city’s costumed criminals?!
Written by Alan Burnett and Paul Dini
Pencils and Inks by Rick Burchett and Ty Templeton
Colored by Monica Kubina
Cover by Christian Ward
Thoughts: If I’m honest, I wish these books had art more like what we’d see on the covers for each issue.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour #4
After being called out by a new villain known as Mephitic, a toxic sludge aiming to stink up the joint, Ivy and Harley head to Detroit to take matters into their own hands. But Vixen isn’t having all this chaos in her city, and she’s ready to clean up the place…
Written by Tee Franklin
Pencils by Max Sarin
Inks by Max Sarin
Colored by Marissa Louise
Cover by Max Sarin
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Titans United #4
Starfire takes on Lady Vic as more super-powered sleeper agents activate, displaying powers far beyond those of the Titans. Just who is behind the Cadmus experiment, and what is Blackfire planning as she brings Superboy to his knees?
Written by Cavan Scott
Pencils by José Luís
Inks by Jonas Trindade
Colored by Rex Lokus
Cover by Jamal Campbell
Review will be covered in a trade release.
The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #9
G-g-ghosts? P-p-pirates? What’s a team of daring (and not-so-daring!) detectives to do when a buried treasure takes center stage in one of the Riddler’s latest schemes? Why, they’ll crack the case before he cracks the safe, or they’ll walk the plank, me hearties!
Written by Sholly Fisch
Art by Scott Jeralds
Cover by Scott Jeralds
Thoughts: Oh, that cover is unfortunate.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Tis The Season To Be Freezin #1
Oh the weather outside is freezing, but these stories sure are pleasin’. So since you’ve no place to go, why not grab a sweater, pour a cup of hot cocoa, and stoke the fire…because these 10 tales are sure to lower the mercury! Join us as Harley Quinn and Blue Snowman ice out Hawkman, Batman fights the cold heart of Mr. Freeze, the JLQ don’t stand a snowball’s chance against Minister Blizzard, and the Flash and Superman team up to chill out Captain Cold. So warm your holiday heart with these freezin’ feats of frosty fiction!
Written by Rich Bernatovech, Tee Franklin, Tara Roberts and Andrew Wheeler
Pencils by Eric Battle, Meghan Hetrick, Yancey Labat and Travis Mercer
Colored by Tony Avina, Andrew Dalhouse, Jason Howard, Marissa Louise, Allen Passalaqua and Ivan Plascencia
Cover by David Nakayama
Thoughts: It’s Summer over here, so.
Batman News Critics: Matina and Cam
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.
Jeez. It’s weeks like these that remind you how much DC content is Batman-centric now. Anyone remember Gotham Spoilers? Imagine if he was still reviewing every one of these, week to week.
Ratings
Most Excited: Batgirls #1. People have been clamouring for this book since the start of Rebirth, really – glad to see we’re finally getting it!
Least Excited: I mean, you saw that Batman and Scooby-Doo cover, right?
Wild Card: Tis The Season To Be Freezin #1. I’ve actually enjoyed a fair few of DC’s anthology stories, but it’s hard to tell the level of quality you’re getting each time.
Best wishes, and see you in the reviews!
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Author’s Twitter: @ObnoxiousFinch
