Welcome back to Upcoming Comics!
Another small week this time – not in terms of quality, mind you. This week marks the beginning of Shadow War, Williamson’s big Batman event before he hands the reins over to Zdarsky! God, it feels like Williamson owns DC right now, and I don’t really understand why. Again, I like his writing, but nothing about anything he’s written has given me the impression that he should be the pioneer for DC’s new vision and direction. DC is in a weird place right now, so I’m at least thankful their movies have been pretty good lately.
Speaking of movies, I just picked up this statue from McFarlane Toys:
There are three variations of this statue: a normal version, this one, and a gold version (which Jay managed to procure). This one is easily my favourite, as I feel like I’m holding and looking at a live-action version of the Jim Lee illustration! It’s a very affordable price too, so I’d strongly recommend picking it up if you have the ability. What do you guys think of The Batman, now that you’ve had the chance to sit with it? Not to mention, that new Joker scene…
Anyway, here’s what we’ve got for this week!
Upcoming Comics
Shadow War: Alpha #1
When Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice…but do they? Expect over-the-top fights, action, mystery, and betrayal as this crossover event creates a major impact on the DCU! The action continues with Batman #122!
Written by Joshua Williamson
Pencils by Viktor Bogdanovic
Inks by Viktor Bogdanovic and Daniel Henriques
Colours by Mike Spicer
Cover Art by Jonboy Meyer
Thoughts: It’s always nice to see the al Ghul family in the spotlight, but I really can’t bring myself to care about another big Deathstroke event – and one that apparently leads into Dark Crisis. Blegh.
Batman News Critic: Casper
Batman: One Dark Knight #2
With the power out across Gotham, Batman must haul the not-particularly-cooperative villain responsible, E.M.P., across miles of chaotic city streets, filled with terrified people and opportunistic criminals! Blackgate Prison can nullify E.M.P.’s destructive electrical powers, if Batman can survive long enough to get them there-but what happens if there are two people loose in Gotham with those powers? What then? The mega-talented Jock (Batman: The Black Mirror, The Batman Who Laughs) writes and draws the blockbuster story of Batman’s worst night!
Written and Drawn by Jock
Thoughts: Savour books like these, because comics made entirely by one person aren’t always that common in the big two scene nowadays!
Batman News Critic: Casper
Batman: Beyond the White Knight #1
A lot can change in 10 years, especially in Gotham! Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, may be behind bars, but the real criminals are still out there. Gotham Motors CEO Derek Powers has seized control of the Wayne family’s assets and is using them to transform the GTO and the city they’ve sworn to protect. Crime is down, but at what cost? A new Batman has emerged in Powers’s city, and only Bruce is fully aware of the dangers to come. It’s time to destroy the mantle for good, but he’ll need one of his forgotten sons’ help to do so. Enter Jason Todd…the first Robin?! In this thrilling sequel to the blockbuster comic book hits Batman: White Knight and Batman: Curse of the White Knight, writer/artist Sean Murphy invites the audience to go beyond the Gotham they know to discover an engrossing new take on the city and its heroes. Welcome to Neo-Gotham and the world of Beyond the White Knight!
Written by Sean Gordon Murphy
Pencils and Inks by Sean Gordon Murphy
Colours by Dave Stewart
Cover Art by Sean Gordon Murphy and Dave Stewart
Thoughts: I’ve never really made my negative feelings towards White Knight known, which is probably for the best on everyone’s account. But the reminder of Jason Todd being the first Robin in this universe really is not welcome, even if these designs are fantastic.
Batman News Critic: Jeremy
DC vs. Vampires #6
Batman gets the upper hand on the vampires who have infiltrated the Justice League…but the Vampire King finally reveals himself, and it will be the most jaw-dropping moment of 2022! The shocking, bestselling series reaches its blood-drenched halfway point!
Written by James Tynion and Matthew Rosenberg
Pencils and Inks by Otto Schmidt, Simone Di Meo and Daniele Di Nicuolo
Colours by Otto Schmidt, Simone Di Meo and Rex Lokus
Cover Art by Otto Schmidt
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.
This week would be a great time for you all to catch up on The Swamp Thing! Season 2 is beginning after an incredibly sucessful and critically acclaimed first season, so you should get in on this as the momentum picks up again.
Ratings
Most Excited: Batman: One Dark Knight #2. It’s honestly of my opinion that Jock is one of the best Batman artists in the business right now (and might crack my personal top 10 of all time!).
Least Excited: Shadow War: Alpha #1. Deathstroke is a complicated, messy character, and I don’t think he’s at his best when put in stories like these.
Wild Card: DC vs. Vampires #6. No clue where this story is going, and that’s refreshing in a DC comic.
Best wishes, and see you in the reviews!
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Author’s Twitter: @ObnoxiousFinch
