Welcome back to Upcoming Comics!
Despite everything going on with comics… and, you know, the world… I am having a fantastic time in London. It’s hard to describe everything I’ve been doing succinctly, but next Upcoming Comics will have a more lengthy recap.
The important news is, expect some very cool articles when I’m back, including a few that should be timed with the release of The Batman. I’m actually seeing it the night after I come back (because I’m insane, I suppose), so I’ll be having a very busy week! I’m ESPECIALLY excited for the next immediate post I’m making, which is the kind of article I could only write for this website. Look forward to it!
In the mean time, here’s what we’ve got for this week:
Upcoming Comics
Batman: Killing Time #1
Three villains, one Dark Knight, and a deadly heist gone wrong. Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin join forces to pull off the greatest robbery in the history of Gotham City. And their prize? A mysterious and priceless artifact in the secret possession of Bruce Wayne! But, as the events unfold, what fun is a heist without a bloody double cross or two? The blockbuster team of Tom King and David Marquez bring an epic, white-knuckled, action-packed tale of a young Batman desperate to recover his most prized possession from a host of violent rogues before the clock strikes the Killing Time…
Written by Tom King
Pencils and Inks by David Marquez
Colours by Alejandro Sanchez
Cover Art by David Marquez and Alejandro Sanchez
Thoughts: I always like it when a creator says they made a book just for the fun of it!
Batman News Critic: Casper
Batman #121
The deadly conclusion to the “Abyss” arc as Lex Luthor’s dangerous master plan for Batman Inc. is revealed. And an old ally returns to pull the lost Batman out of Abyss’s darkness and a new member of Batman Inc. rises! In the final chapter of “They Make Great Pets,” Maps finds the missing piece to the shocking and deadly mystery…with a little help from Batman!
Written by Joshua Williamson and Karl Kerschl (Author), Karl Kerschl
Pencils by Karl Kerschl, Jorge Molina and Mikel Janin
Inks by Karl Kerschl, Jorge Molina, Mikel Janin and Adriano Di Benedetto
Colours by Tomeu Morey and Dave McCaig
Cover Art by Jorge Molina
Thoughts: I’m so thankful that Maps continues to be a Gotham staple, even if she’s relegated to backups.
Batman News Critic: Jay
Detective Comics #1055
The Tower under siege! With their grand scheme crumbling around them, Dr. Wear and the mysterious Dr. Ocean have lost control of Arkham Tower to the patients it houses…who just so happen to be some of the most violent, murderous villains Gotham City has ever seen. The Bat-Family on the inside are in shambles: Huntress is wounded, Nightwing is carrying 175 pounds of smarmy jerk on his shoulder, and Dr. Meridian is incapacitated. Who’s left to save the civilian hostages from this nightmare? Hmm…wasn’t there a patient who thought she was Harley Quinn? Then, in “House of Gotham” part 9, the boy is growing up…and growing into the man that Gotham City has made him. Through the trauma of his time with the Penguin to the terror wrought by Azrael, a new mission springs to mind for this lost son of Gotham…murder.
Written by Mariko Tamaki and Matthew Rosenberg
Pencils and Inks by Amancay Nahuelpan and Fernando Blanco
Colours by Jordie Bellaire
Cover Art by Irvin Rodriguez
Batman News Critic: Casper
Arkham City: The Order of the World #6
Dr. Joy has reunited with her missing patients. Now all the survivors of Arkham Asylum’s destruction are together again under one very, very nice and normal roof. But they are not alone in this strange reflection of their old home. For there is a specter with them, one of flame, flesh, and righteous fury-the angel Azrael, and he is very, very angry.
Written by Dan Watters
Pencils and Inks by Dani Strips
Colours by Dave Stewart
Cover Art by Sam Wolfe Connelly
Thoughts: Oh, I’m so excited to finally dive into this! It’ll be one of many big pieces about books I’ve got on the backburner, including Pennyworth and Justice League Dark.
Review will be here shortly!
Dark Knights of Steel #5
Betrayals and assassinations have brought the world to the brink of war! As the Kingdom of Storms and Themyscira prepare for invasion, the El family is reunited at last to mourn their father…but what secrets does Bruce Wayne have that could prove vital to the future of the land?
Written by Tom Taylor
Pencils and Inks by Yasmine Putri
Colours by Yasmine Putri and Arif Prianto
Cover Art by Dan Mora and Yasmine Putri
Batman News Critics: Myself and Matina (we cover it on and off)
Justice League #73
“Lords of Chaos” part two! The Justice League and Justice League Dark team up to navigate the remade world of chaos. All the heroes must come together to save what’s left of the world they have dedicated their lives to protecting. But has Doctor Fate gone bad? Oh no, he has.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils by Emanuela Lupacchino and Szymon Kudranski
Inks by Szymon Kudranski, Wade von Grawbadger and Scott Hanna
Colours by Hi-Fi
Cover Art by Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn
Thoughts: This cover would be fantastic if DC were brave enough to let the art speak for itself. I hate how they splatter perfectly good comics with obnoxious text.
Batman News Critic: Myself
Suicide Squad #13
As the War for Earth-3 begins to rage, Rick Flag’s new Squad-including Cheetah, Mirror Master, Peacemaker, and a parademon of Apokolips-confronts Waller with a mission to bring her home and stand trial for her crimes. But Waller didn’t go to Earth-3 alone and now the Squad must face its predecessors, including the deadly Talon, Match-a clone of Superboy-and the Justice Squad’s newest member from Teen Titans Academy.
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Pencils by Eduardo Pansica and Dexter Soy
Inks by Dexter Soy and Julio Ferreira
Colours by Marcelo Maiolo
Cover Art by Rafa Sandoval and Alex Sinclair
Thoughts: Obviously this is a tie-in to War for Earth-3, so Cam will likely cover Part 1 in this review as well. Poor guy.
Batman News Critic: 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.
I hear great things about Monkey Prince, and we’ll cover Justice League Incarnate with Infinite Frontier shortly before Justice League #75!
Ratings
Most Excited: Arkham City: The Order of the World #6. Soon you’ll hear everything about exactly why I love this book! I bet it’s going to look fantastic in a trade.
Least Excited: Justice League #73. Please god, let it end. I’m so over it.
Wild Card: Batman: Killing Time #1. King’s run on Batman was kind of before my time on the website, but I really didn’t like it – then again, I’ve been enjoying Batman/Catwoman, so who even knows here.
Best wishes, and see you in the reviews!
——————
Author’s Twitter: @ObnoxiousFinch
