Hello everyone and welcome back to Upcoming Comics! While we have a lot to talk about this week, I wanted to note that there are a few series ending this week, like Punchline and Gotham City: Year One. I’ve always found wrapping up stories to be the hardest part of any type of writing. When done well it can make the whole story really resonate, and when done poorly it can almost ruin a title. I hope the titles ending this week really land those finales and give readers proper resolution to these stories.
Alright, let’s see what DC has in store for us this Tuesday!
Upcoming Comics
Detective Comics #1070
The gothic opera crashes into a crescendo as Batman goes head-to-head with an Azmer demon…unaware that it is someone in Bruce Wayne’s life. Meanwhile, a mysterious team called the Vigil arrives to investigate the Azmer sightings-but who are the Vigil, and are they on Batman’s side? Then, in the backup: With Mrs. Freeze only a pale image of the woman Victor Fries fell in love with-what is he to do now to save her?
- Written By: Ram V, Simon Spurrier
- Penciled By: Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Caspar Wijngaard
- Inks By: Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Caspar Wijngaard
- Colors By: Caspar Wijngaard, Adriano Lucas
- Cover By: Evan Cagle
Thoughts: I find it hard to feel like the series is really going to crescendo with how gradually it’s been moving, but this issue could surprise me with something big.
Batman News Critic: Matina
Gotham City: Year One #6
The brutal, bloody conclusion to the year’s most acclaimed title is here. Slam Bradley has never feared walking the hard path alone, but even his courage will be tested by the shocking turn of events that will take Gotham City down a dark, violent path.
- Written By: Tom King
- Penciled By: Phil Hester
- Inks By: Eric Gapstur
- Colors By: Jordie Bellaire
- Cover By: Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Jordie Bellaire
Thoughts: Tom King is one of those writers I’ve found myself enjoying more when I can take his work as a whole, rather than in monthly installments. So as this series wraps up, I’m interested in seeing how it all reads together.
Batman News Critic: Jackson
Dark Knights of Steel #10
The true enemy of the Three Kingdoms has been revealed…but is the battle already lost? Or has the war only just begun? The endgame for season one begins!
- Written By: Tom Taylor
- Penciled By: Yasmine Putri
- Inks By: Yasmine Putri
- Colors By: Arif Prianto
- Cover By: Dan Mora
Thoughts: I really wanted to enjoy this series, and I might still if I sat down to catch up on it. But the opening issues just never really caught me. Maybe I’ll wait to see how it all wraps up in a few months.
Batman News Critic: Aaron
Tim Drake: Robin #7
A new dawn rises on Tim Drake and the Gotham Marina as a new chapter of Robin’s story begins! But how long can this sense of calm last with a certain someone still roaming free in Gotham?
- Written By: Meghan Fitzmartin
- Penciled By: Serg Acuña
- Inks By: Serg Acuña
- Colors By: Lee Loughridge
- Cover By: Dan Panosian
Thoughts: A new art team starts this month on Robin! It’ll be interesting to see how Acuña’s style fits the title.
Batman News Critic: Jeremy
Harley Quinn #28
Ever have one of those days where ya just can’t catch a break? A day where you’re really trying not to get into trouble while your girlfriend is out of town, but then some jerk attacks you at brunch, you get arrested for some teensy-weensy property damage, and you’re sentenced to community service? Why, I tell you, it’s enough to make a gal start seein’ cartoon fishies every which way and such! Also featuring a very special in-continuity dream of Harley Quinn starring, you guessed it, moi, in the role of a lifetime-the magical-girl-clown protector of Gotham City!
- Written By: Tini Howard, Erica Henderson
- Penciled By: Erica Henderson, Sweeney Boo
- Inks By: Erica Henderson, Sweeney Boo
- Colors By: Erica Henderson, Sweeney Boo
- Cover By: Sweeney Boo
Batman News Critic: Trade Waiting
Gotham Knights: Gilded City #6
You’ve seen the Gotham of the past and present as it is ravaged by the Golden Iris Virus, menaced by villains across time, and protected by its respective heroes. Now, in this final pulse-pounding issue, see this story that has spanned centuries come to a close, and bear witness to the events that lead to the hit game!
- Written By: Evan Narcisse
- Pencils & Inks by: ABEL
- Colors By: John Rauch
- Cover By: Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Dave McCaig
Batman News Critic: Cam
Punchline #6
RETURN OF THE CLOWN PRINCE! At the moment Punchline needed him the least, The Joker has returned to interfere with her war to take over as Gotham City’s queen of crime. In The Joker’s damaged and defeated state, will he help his former partner, or will he burn her the way he’s burned everyone else? The epic conclusion to the bestselling Punchline miniseries is here, and it will change the shape of Gotham’s villain world forever!
- Written By: Tini Howard, Blake M. Howard
- Penciled By: Gleb Melnikov, Max Raynor
- Inks By: Gleb Melnikov, Max Raynor
- Colors By: Luis Guerrero
- Cover By: Gleb Melnikov
Batman News Critic: Aaron
Beyond the Bat
Welcome back to Beyond the Bat! Here we take a look at the rest of DC’s offerings for the week outside Batman related titles. While there are a few Batman books ending this week, Beyond the Bat has some new ones starting up like the new Unstoppable Doom Patrol book. Let me know what you all are looking forward to!
Ratings
Most Excited: Detective Comics #1070- While I’m on the fence about the solicit, Detective Comics is still one of my favorite books I’m currently reading, and I do look forward to it’s gradual unfurling of its plot monthly. Plus the backups in this book are always really enjoyable.
Least Excited: Punchline #6- While I’m mildly curious to see just how this book wraps up, my dislike of Punchline in general would take an awful lot to overcome for me to be excited about this title.
Wild Card: Gotham City: Year One #6- Like I said in my opening thoughts, an ending can make or break a series so this one is really up in the air. I do hope it all comes together well though!
That’s it for this week’s Upcoming Comics! Don’t forget to let me know what you’re excited for in the comments section, and your thoughts on some of the titles wrapping up, near to wrapping up, or just starting. Until then, have a great week!
