Welcome back to Upcoming Comics!
We are already 10% into 2022. I’m not ready to think about that, so I’m running away to England.
That’s not a joke, by the way – in exactly two weeks, I’m going on an impromptu visit to the UK, having a week-long trip to London to meet some friends I’ve never had the chance to hang out with in person! It’s a crazy decision for me, but international travel has just opened up for the first time in years, and this sort of thing has been a dream of mine since I was 13. I’m hoping to spend a longer stint in America later this year, but for now, I’m just excited to find out how much I can accomplish with even a week overseas.
(Sound off if you have any suggestions for where I should go in London, or what comic stores I should visit!)
Meanwhile over in the world of DC, I’m planning four longer reviews: one for Catwoman: Hunted, one for Pennyworth, one for Arkham City: Order of the World, and one for Infinite Frontier/Justice League Incarnate. Catwoman should be out within a few days and Pennyworth is imminent, with Arkham City coming out in March and IF/JLI coming out pretty much right before my review of Justice League #75. While we’re at it, I’m also quite open to suggestions if you guys would like more reviews that cover larger pieces of content!
Now, here’s what we’ve got for this week… and this is a big one.
Upcoming Comics
Batman/Catwoman #10
Don’t mess with Catwoman! As our three storylines experience a rare moment of convergence, Selina fights for her life against The Joker and her own daughter, Batwoman. What secrets from her deadly friendship with the Clown Prince of Crime will cause this row between mother and child? Find out in an action-packed issue that proves this cat can fight!
Written by Tom King
Pencils and Inks by Clay Mann
Colored by Tomeu Morey
Cover by Clay Mann and Tomeu Morey
Thoughts: It’s nice to see Batman/Catwoman out regularly now, after so many delays for so many reasons. I’ve been liking a lot of it, even if it’s had struggles with momentum. Excited to see how it reads in a trade!
Batman News Critic: Michael
Detective Comics #1052
“His hold is breaking!” That’s the message written in blood across the minds of Arkham Tower’s inhabitants, after a nightmare melee is unleashed! With Gotham’s deadliest criminals reverting to their former, murderous selves in one horrific night, Dr. Wear has a lot of explaining to do…and a lot of covering up to perform. Can Nightwing get to the bottom of this mystery before the people of Arkham Tower are put in peril again? Plus, Batman’s iron grip on Gotham is enough to drive the desperate to madness…and madness is on the mind of the Boy in part six of “House of Gotham.” When an average night at coat check at the Iceberg Lounge turns into a violent battle royal between the Dark Knight and the Penguin, lines are blurred, people are hurt, and the Boy’s descent into a life of crime deepens…
Written by Matthew Rosenberg and Mariko Tamaki
Pencils and Inks by Fernando Blanco and Max Raynor
Colored by Jordie Bellaire and Luis Guerrero
Cover by Irvin Rodriguez
Thoughts: Another amazing cover, but sadly the story itself I haven’t really heard much to write home about.
Batman News Critic: Casper
Batman: Urban Legends #12
Ace the Bat-Hound is locked away in a secret lab run by super-villains! Batman and Zatanna have to pick up the pieces after a magical catastrophe. Wight Witch and Ghost-Maker meet students of their sensei they never knew. Eternity’s crimes hit home.
Written by Vita Ayala, Mohale Mashigo, Mark Russell and Ram V
Pencils and Inks by AnandRK, Nikola Cizmesija, Arist Deyn and Karl Mostert
Colored by Arist Deyn, Nick Filardi, Trish Mulvihill and John J. Pearson
Cover by Karl Mostert and Trish Mulvihill
Thoughts: How is the description for this comic shorter than the description for Detective Comics? Either way, the pets DO have me interested…
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Batgirls #3
The Batgirls’ investigation leads them to believe new street artist Tutor is responsible for putting innocent Gothamites under trance, using his murals and then stealing their stuff. Luckily for them, Tutor is hosting an underground art show at the old shipyard tonight, so Babs and the Batgirls go undercover as attendees, so the Batgirls can prove to Babs once and for all that Tutor’s the one behind all the strange crimes! And to make matters worse, Babs bumps into Tutor’s ex at the event! Oof!
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: I like the idea of a street artist as a villain – that’s a really neat concept!
Batman News Critic: Matina
I Am Batman #6
Jace Fox’s baptism by fire as Batman during “Fear State” was the first step toward his next great challenge-a relocation to the Big Apple! Joining his mother and sisters in the move as they arrive to the city, Jace will find new adventure, a rekindled love, and terrifying new adversaries as “Empire State of Mind” begins!
Written by John Ridley
Pencils and Inks by Ken Lashley
Colored by Rex Lokus
Cover by Olivier Coipel and Alex Sinclair
Thoughts: This is Jace’s chance to either stand on his own or fall by the wayside, and I feel it could honestly go either way. He’s had some beautiful covers, though.
Batman News Critic: Myself!
The Joker #12
There are dark, sinister secrets in the world, and then there are the secrets held by the infamous Sampson family on their compound down in Texas! Jim Gordon is about to enter a hell he never imagined to save…The Joker? Punchline Backup: The Trial of Punchline grows volatile as the Royal Flush Gang makes their biggest and most wicked move in Gotham Ever. Punchline’s endgame is here!
Written by Sam Johns and James Tynion IV
Pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Belén Ortega
Inks by Belén Ortega and Cam Smith
Colored by Romulo Fajardo Jr., Arif Prianto and Alejandro Sanchez
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Guillem March, Arif Prianto and Cam Smith
Thoughts: We’re getting into the home stretch for The Joker, along with Tynion’s work in the world of DC. It’s exciting to see how it comes together, especially in a series with such drastically different reactions all around.
Batman News Critic: Matina
Pennyworth #7
From the Russian tundra to the Giza Plateau, from the past to the present, Alfred Pennyworth has quite literally traversed the globe to find answers. Now only one thing stands between Alfred and the truth…but that one thing is the killing machine known as KGBeast! Alfred’s odyssey of espionage and betrayal comes to its thrilling conclusion!
Written by Scott Bryan Wilson
Pencils and Inks by Juan Gedeon
Colored by John Rauch
Cover by Jorge Fornés
Thoughts: A full review of this will be up shortly! I technically have until the trade comes out, but I want to do this sooner rather than later.
Review of the full release coming soon!
Justice League #72
The Royal Flush Gang has hatched one of the most elaborate plans in the history of the DC Universe, and now we know that all of it was a prelude to the crime of this and maybe even the next century. What in the Multiverse could the Royal Flush Gang be after? How does it connect to Black Adam’s trial? Find out here!
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils by Szymon Kudranski and Emanuela Lupacchino
Inks by Szymon Kudranski and Wade von Grawbadger
Colored by Hi-Fi and Szymon Kudranski
Cover by Nathan Fairbairn, David Marquez, Yanick Paquette and Ivan Plascencia
Thoughts: Genuine question: who would be offended if I phoned this in? I don’t plan to, because I actually like my job, but like… seriously, who would mind?
Batman News Critic: Myself…
Justice League 2021 Annual #1
The return of Wonder Woman! Wait, what’s that? Also, the return of…OMAC! Jack Kirby’s greatest creation, the One-Man Army Corps, returns to the DC universe just in time to team up with the reunited Justice League to stop secret forces of evil from gathering! Join Eisner Award winner Sanford Greene as he brings the legacy of the League to life leading into Justice League vs. the Legion of Super-Heroes!
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils and Inks by Sanford Greene
Cover by Sanford Greene
Thoughts: Oh god, TWO Justice League books this week?!
Batman News Critic: Myself! Ugh!
Future State: Gotham #10
Jason Todd, a.k.a. Peacekeeper Red, and Hunter Panic are helpless to do anything but watch as the new Batman battles his greatest enemy for the first time! Meanwhile, the secret villain who has been the mastermind behind everything since the beginning of Future State: Gotham makes a move that will have repercussions for the entire Bat-Family!
Written by Dennis Culver
Pencils and Inks by Giannis Milonogiannis
Cover by Simone Di Meo
Thoughts: I love Mother Panic, so I should be spending more time with this.
Review will be covered in a trade release.
Titans United #6
Blackfire victorious! Earth has fallen to the queen of the Tamaraneans, with the Titans completely at her mercy…all except one. It’s a family reunion like no other as Starfire faces her sister with a surprising ally in tow. And all the time Black Zero wrestles with his new identity…Is he ready to leave being Superboy behind?
Written by Cavan Scott
Pencils by José Luís
Inks by Jonas Trindade
Colored by Rex Lokus
Cover by Jamal Campbell
Thoughts: Having been reading the High Republic books and comics recently, I guarantee Cavan Scott is a fantastic writer.
Review may be covered in a trade release, if there’s demand for it.
Harley Quinn The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour #6
While Ivy starts reflecting on what’s been happening these last few months after leaving Kite Man at the altar and joining Harley Quinn for a de facto, impromptu honeymoon across the DCU, new villain Mephitic makes himself known to Harley and Ivy at the Black Cat Lounge.
Written by Tee Franklin
Pencils and Inks by Max Sarin
Colored by Marissa Louise
Cover by Max Sarin
Review will be covered in a trade release.
The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #11
When a museum exhibit celebrating the world’s greatest detectives is raided by a ghost, Batman and Mystery Inc. are ready to lend a hand (and some paws!), but newsman Jack Ryder wants to be part of the story…as the sometimes-hero known as the Creeper! Can they work together to discover who’s behind the fright at the museum?
Written by Ivan Cohen
Pencils and Inks by Randy Elliott
Colored by Carrie Strachan
Cover by Randy Elliott and Carrie Strachan
Review will be covered in a trade release.
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.
Not much this week that isn’t Bat-related: you could argue two of these are, but this is a busy enough week already. I’m sure we can give you our thoughts on some of these in the comments!
Ratings
Most Excited: Pennyworth #7. Excited to show you more of why I think this book slaps!
Least Excited: Justice League #72. You had to drag the Justice League Dark into this?
Wild Card: I Am Batman #6. I have no clue how this is gonna play out– oh wow, I’m really reviewing all three of the things on my rating list this week.
Best wishes, and see you in the reviews!
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Author’s Twitter: @ObnoxiousFinch
