Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! We learned a ton this week about what’ll be happening this October at DC. From a brand new Absolute Universe to tons of creative team changes, especially for bat books. I think the last DC initiative, Dawn of DC, got off to a really bad start by almost immediately pausing everything for two months of Knight Terrors, and never really regained its momentum. Hopefully the heads at DC will be able to get their stuff together to have a more focused direction this time around.
Upcoming Comics
Detective Comics #1087
Gotham City is besieged on all sides. The Orghams’ iron fist holds the city in a death grip. The Joker’s Daughter terrorizes the streets, while Mr. Freeze’s most apocalyptic creation yet menaces the city from below. Does the Dark Knight stand a chance?
- Written By: Ram V, Dan Watters
- Penciled By: Christian Duce, Stefano Raffaele, Francesco Francavilla
- Inks By: Christian Duce, Stefano Raffaele, Francesco Francavilla
- Colors By: Francesco Francavilla, Luis Guerrero
- Cover By: Evan Cagle
Thoughts: It’s time to see if Ram V can successfully make a compelling Joker’s Daughter story.
Batman News Critic: Jackson
Absolute Power: Origins #1
Discover the untold story of what led Amanda Waller to form the TRINITY OF EVIL and take down Earth’s Super Heroes! It’s the Suicide Squad’s founder as you’ve never seen her before, in an all-new companion miniseries to the Absolute Power event.The definitive history of one of the DCU’s deadliest villains is at last revealed! Amanda Waller’s catastrophic attack on the metahumans of Earth has rendered both hero and villain POWERLESS, but what led “THE WALL” to this place? In Absolute Power: Origins, Academy Award-winning writer JOHN RIDLEY and fan-favorite artist ALITHA MARTINEZ will tell the tale about how one woman lost everything she held dear…powerless beneath the forces of senseless acts of chaos. The path of vengeance would bring her to two simple words that would change her life—and the lives of the entire DCU—forever: NEVER AGAIN.
- Written By: John Ridley
- Penciled By: Alitha Martinez
- Inks By: Norm Rapmund
- Colors By: Andrew Dalhouse
- Cover By: Irvin Rodriguez
Thoughts: Here’s to hoping that this somehow justifies the massive heel turn Waller has taken over the past few years. Some of you might not be aware, but she used to be an anti-hero, not a full on evil villain.
Batman News Critic: Chris
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #2
Atlantis now has a new ruler—long live Depth Charge! Amanda Waller’s loyal Amazo Robot known as Depth Charge has stolen Aquaman’s powers along with his throne, and now all Atlanteans must stay in line or risk having their powers taken as well. It’s up to Jackson Hyde and the rest of the Aqua-Family to launch a revolution…without being discovered!
- Written By: John Layman
- Penciled By: Max Raynor
- Inks By: Max Raynor
- Colors By: Luis Guerrero
- Cover By: Pete Woods
Thoughts: I guess they decided to throw a few Doom Patrol members into the “Aqua-Family” issue since they’re not popular enough to get their own Amazo
Batman News Critic: Aaron
Batman: Dark Age #4
Batman’s world begins to grow as the people of Gotham realize they only need a costume to justify their problematic behavior. Fortunately, with Robin at his side and an empowered populace, Batman begins to turn the tide in his war against crime. But he isn’t the only one preparing an army—Falcone is readying his own recruits to take the battle to new lows. Will a figure from Bruce’s past play a key role in the battle to come?
- Written By: Mark Russell
- Penciled By: Mike Allred
- Inks By: Mike Allred
- Colors By: Laura Allred
- Cover By: Mike Allred, Laura Allred
Thoughts: It’s fitting for Russell that things get progressively more absurd.
Batman News Critic: Akash
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #15
Nightwing and Deadman’s journey down long-forgotten circus paths begins to reveal answers…but they might wish it hadn’t! Booster Gold realizes getting everyone to agree on a perfect timeline is easier said than done! Batman and Guy Gardner face the secrets of the universe! And finally, our hard-hitting Question story begins as Renee Montoya finds herself under attack as both the commissioner and the Question!
- Written By: Tim Seeley, Mark Russell, Alex Segura, Joshua Hale Fialkov
- Penciled By: Kelley Jones, Jon Mikel, Andy MacDonald, Lisandro Estherren
- Inks By: Kelley Jones, Jon Mikel, Andy MacDonald, Lisandro Estherren
- Colors By: Patricio Angel, Michelle Madsen, Mike Spicer
- Cover By: Simone Di Meo
Thoughts: Taking bets now on how long before the Batman/Guy team-up references the “One Punch”.
Batman News Critic: Akash
Harley Quinn #42
Let’s be honest; I ain’t always the easiest ta get along with. Hey, don’t agree so fast! You ain’t exactly the bee’s knees yerself! Okay, where was I—oh yeah, ON THE RUN! My scientific study on villainous villains has gone all KINDS of wrong, and I’ve made myself a whole lotta enemies in a real short time: Mistah Freeze! Robin! And worst of all, this new cop Pulaski, who’s got a target aimed smack dab at my head. Don’t shoot my head, Pulaski! I LOVE my head! And assumin’ Pulaski doesn’t shoot my lovely head, step inside it for a lovely story about the power of readin’ books and why burnin’ em is no good (TERRIBLY inefficient as a fuel source)—as brought to you by the librarians who keep kickin’ me out of the video section— Joanne Starer and Marcial Toledano Vargas!
- Written By: Tini Howard, Joanne Starer
- Penciled By: Sweeney Boo, Marcial Toledano Vargas
- Inks By: Sweeney Boo, Marcial Toledano Vargas
- Colors By: Sweeney Boo, Marcial Toledano Vargas
- Cover By: Sweeney Boo
Thoughts: Now we know that, in addition to Catwoman, Tini Howard will be leaving this title as well. I’m hoping for a bit of a different direction with the new team.
Batman News Critic: Jack
Beyond the Bat
Welcome to Beyond the Bat, where we take a quick look at the rest of DC’s comics coming out this week.
Graphic Novel Watch
Sometimes you need more than floppies. Sometimes you want something that can sit nicely on your shelf that proudly displays your favorite stories. That’s when you turn to graphic novels. Let’s see what bat collections are coming out this week:
Ratings
Most Excited: Detective Comics #1087– The past few issues haven’t been quite as good as the Intermezzo arc, but I’m still excited to see how this all ends
Least Excited: Harley Quinn #42– Only a couple more months of this run.
Wild Card: Absolute Power: Origins #1– If nothing else I’m curious to see what they’re going to use to characterize her actions
Well that’s it for this week! Let us know in the comments what comics you’re looking forward to.
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