BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM HITS BOOKSTORES TOMORROW

Released in comic book stores last week, BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM will be in bookstores everywhere beginning tomorrow. Collected in its entirety for the first time, the critically acclaimed miniseries is written by fan-favorite Gotham scribes Scott Snyder (BATMAN) and Kyle Higgins (NIGHTWING).

Together, they explore the shadowed history of Gotham City, setting the stage and laying the foundation for the action that is still to come in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. Uncovering secrets of Gotham’s mysterious and violent past, BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM provides insights into the upcoming “Night of the Owls” crossover, establishing the city itself as one of the major players in the ongoing adventures of the Bat-family.

“GATES OF GOTHAM is the culmination of a lot of firsts – my first miniseries at DC Comics, my first time collaborating with the amazing Scott Snyder, the first in depth look at the history of Gotham City, and most important of all, the first chapter in one of the biggest Bat stories ever – THE CITY OF OWLS,” said Higgins. “With the relaunch of the DC Universe on the horizon, Scott, Mike Marts, Ryan Parrott, Trevor McCarthy, Guy Major and I set out to uncover the untold secrets of comics' most famous city while also laying the groundwork for Batman's greatest challenge yet.  For anyone enjoying our current runs on BATMAN and NIGHTWING, I can't recommend GATES OF GOTHAM enough – this is where it all began!”

Exclusive preview of HUNTRESS #5

In HUNTRESS #5, Helena continues traveling through Italy to seek justice against the treacherous Moretti and his flock of mobsters.

Her next mission? Assault an ancient monastery that’s guarded by the Italian military. But can Helena make it inside and find the culprit she’s looking for before she gets caught?

Don’t miss the penultimate issue of HUNTRESS, written by Paul Levitz and illustrated by Marcus To and Richard Zajac. Look for it in stores tomorrow.

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ANIMAL MAN: EVOLVE OR DIE T-shirt featuring art by Travel Foreman

Wish you could have your very own ANIMAL MAN T-shirt like the one pictured here in ANIMAL MAN issue #7 written by Jeff Lemire with art by Steve Pugh based on the cover to ANIMAL MAN issue #1 by Travel Foreman?

Well, now you can.

This ANIMAL MAN: EVOLVE OR DIE T-shirt featuring art by Travel Foreman will be available late February 2012 at comic specialty stores or directly through the Graphitti Designs website: www.graphittidesigns.com

And don’t forget to pick up ANIMAL MAN #7, Part 1 of "Animal vs. Man," on March 7th!

USA TODAY previews SUICIDE SQUAD #6

Harley Quinn has escaped Belle Reve Penitentiary and is on the run. In next week’s issue of SUICIDE SQUAD the Hunt for Harley begins.

USA TODAY features an exclusive preview of SUICIDE SQUAD #6 and spoke with the comic book’s writer, co-executive producer on the CW TV series Supernatural, about the storyline and the Squad. Head on over to the interview and look for SUICIDE SQUAD issue #6 on Wednesday!

THE LIEFELD LINE-UP: CREATIVE TEAMS FOR DEATHSTROKE, GRIFTER and THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN

We recently announced that writer/artist Rob Liefeld will be bringing his distinctive sensibilities to DEATHSTROKE, GRIFTER and THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 - and here's a look at the full creative teams for those series.

On GRIFTER, Liefeld's stories will be scripted by Frank Tieri, whose previous DC Comics work includes JSA CLASSIFIED, GOTHAM UNDERGROUND and BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS. Scott Clark will remain the ongoing series artist. Scripter Mark Poulton will support Liefeld's vision on THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN. Poulton's notable recent work includes a reboot of Liefeld's AVENGELYNE for Image Comics. HAWKMAN will be illustrated by Joe Bennett, whose prior DC Comics work includes TEEN TITANS, HAWKMAN and JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST.

And on DEATHSTROKE, Liefeld will shoulder both writing and illustration duties, kicking off a new storyline with a battle royale between the mercenary against intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo.

Liefeld and the new creative teams join these three series beginning with their ninth issues in May. Check out the covers for all three series here at The Source.

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THE FLASHPOINT FEBRUARY Digital Comics SALE

Everything he knew changed in a flash.

Police scientist Barry Allen awakens to a world far different from the one he remembers. A world that never heard of Superman, a place where friends are enemies and enemies become unlikely allies, a society torn apart by a war between two all too familiar faces, a world where he is no longer the Fastest Man Alive. The former Flash must race against time to discover and restore what once went wrong—fixing the time stream and returning the world to the one he once knew. But as war threatens to consume everything and heroes fall to its insatiable hunger, will Barry Allen be fast enough or will the clock run out?

Welcome to the World of Flashpoint.

Penned by superstar writer Geoff Johns, the mastermind behind the DC Comics mega-events INFINITE CRISIS and BLACKEST NIGHT, and featuring art by fan-favorite artist Andy Kubert, FLASHPOINT raced its way across the comic world in a universe-spanning event that changed the very course of the DCU forever and led directly into DC COMICS – THE NEW 52. Now with the Flashpoint "February" Sale, you can get all five-issues of the FLASHPOINT main title, every issue of the tie-in limited series, the special FLASHPOINT one-shots and the tie-in events of BOOSTER GOLD and THE FLASH—all for only .99 cents each!

Get them while you can because next thing you know, it'll be over in a flash.

The 3-Day Sale begins today!

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS: A new arc and a new creative team beginning with Issue #9

A spotlight series starring a different hero in each story arc, DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS will be getting a new creative team with issue #9. Following the conclusion of the science-fiction based CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN, the new story arc begins when the nation’s best FBI profiler, Kass Sage, must reach out to her father for help in solving a desperate case. The twist? Her father is the imprisoned serial killer, Vandal Savage.

Writing this three-part story will be James Robinson, the acclaimed writer of STARMAN, THE SHADE and the upcoming EARTH 2. And illustrating the book will be the artist of DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS’ premiere story arc (starring Deadman), Bernard Chang.

“I'm absolutely jazzed to be working with one of my favorite writers, James Robinson, again,” Chang exclusively told THE SOURCE. “Along with the rest of the superb crew of DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS – cover artist Ryan Sook and editors Eddie Berganza and Wil Moss. I really enjoy telling stories of substance and character, so I'm planning on taking what we did well during the Deadman arc (with Paul Jenkins) and adding even more Tabasco sauce. We’re taking it to the next level!”

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #9 doesn’t hit stores until May, but in the meantime, take an exclusive sneak peek at the new story arc by checking out Chang’s character designs for Kass Sage and Vandal Savage.

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The Conversation Continues About BEFORE WATCHMEN

Yesterday, we encouraged you to participate in the conversation regarding DC Entertainment’s official announcement of BEFORE WATCHMEN, a set of seven all-new inter-connected prequel mini-series that will expand on the acclaimed WATCHMEN universe.

Well the chatter has far from died down and plenty of people are still talking. To read what people are saying about BEFORE WATCHMEN and to throw in your two cents, check out some of the coverage that’s run in places like FORBES, THE GUARDIAN, PEREZ HILTON, OH NO THEY DIDN’T, AM NY, NPR, AMAZON’s OMNIVORACIOUS BLOG, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL’s SPEAKEASY BLOG, METRO WORLD NEWS, THE WASHINGTON POST’s COMIC RIFFS, MTV GEEK, SLATE MAGAZINE, PASTE MAGAZINE, EMPIRE MAGAZINE, FLAVORWIRE, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and NEWSARAMA. Then head on over to Facebook and Twitter to keep the dialogue going.

To be continued …

ARTIST MARCUS TO JOIN BATWING WITH ISSUE #9

Fan-favorite artist Marcus To will be joining writer Judd Winick on BATWING, beginning with issue #9 in May. To is currently illustrating the six-issue HUNTRESS miniseries, which follows the international adventures of the extended Bat-family through Italy. With BATWING, he’ll be bringing his distinctive style to the heroic exploits of David Zavimbe in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo.

But To’s first issue finds Batwing still in Gotham City – unfamiliar ground for the hero of another continent. Having pursued Massacre to the United States, Batwing is faced with an even greater threat: The Court of Owls.  It’s all part of the “Night of the Owls” crossover event coming in May.

In the meantime, check out To's cover to BATWING #9.

Exclusive Preview of the Final Issue of PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE

Earlier today, we announced that acclaimed novelist Gregg Hurwitz will be taking over as the series writer for BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT, beginning with issue #10 in June. But in the meantime, don't miss the miniseries Hurwitz is currently writing, PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE.

In PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE, readers were introduced to a new side of Oswald Cobblepot, one of the most notorious and treacherous members in Batman’s gallery of rogues. In the miniseries’ epic finale, it’ll be up to The Dark Knight to save the children of Gotham City. But will he be able to put a stop to Penguin’s plan for revenge before it’s too late?

“Living with Oswald Cobblepot for five months—you'd think it'd be an unappealing proposition,” Hurwitz exclusively told THE SOURCE. “But it was the most fun I've had in comics. I hope you enjoyed my and Szymon's dark little tale of the dark little man. I can promise you this: it's about to get even darker, so buckle up!”

“Gregg’s story was a perfect match for my art. He had very clear and detailed visions for each panel,” continued series artist Szymon Kudranski. “There doesn’t necessarily need to be dialogue or narration in every scene/panel. Artwork should speak for itself and I hope that showed in this miniseries. Sometimes silent panels have bigger impacts and can replace 1000 words. Mostly, I try to operate with shadows and catch the mood. My biggest challenge was to draw Penguin as a child – how to make him scary without gore and blood, but also in a way that would make him sympathetic at the same time. I was also very happy with John Kalisz on board as the series’ colorist. It's not easy to color my art but John always found the perfect colors to not ‘destroy’ the greyscaled art. His palette for Penguin is exactly how I envisioned it.”

Pick up PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE #5 when it hits stores next Wednesday.

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NOVELIST GREGG HURWITZ JOINS BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT CREATIVE TEAM

Acclaimed novelist Gregg Hurwitz will be taking over as the writer for BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT beginning with issue #10 in June. Hurwitz is the internationally bestselling author of YOU'RE NEXT. No stranger to the shadows of Gotham City, he is also currently writing PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE, a five issue mini-series which explores the dark and peculiar past of one of Batman’s most iconic rogues.

“Okay. So this is the job I've been waiting to get since I was eight years old. I'm thrilled to be tackling one of the world's greatest characters with one of the industry's greatest artists,” said Hurwitz on his upcoming run on BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT. “Finch and I are very fired up to take the Batman into dark and dangerous new terrain, presenting a story that'll be epic and sweeping and juuust a little bit twisted. We're gonna see a cornerstone villain from a whole new angle, too. I've always been fascinated by Jonathan Crane—not just what makes him tick, but what could have happened in his past to make him obsessed with fear at the expense of all else. And perhaps that particular obsession isn't so different from the demons that drive the Dark Knight. As I discovered when writing Penguin: Pain and Prejudice—Batman fits uniquely with the villains in his rogue's gallery. They are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang, ego and shadow. But in some cases, maybe the match is even closer. Maybe instead of ego and shadow, it's shadow and shadow. Maybe when Batman looks in the mirror, the Scarecrow's face is looking out. We're used to Batman teaching his villains a lesson, but this time the Scarecrow might have something to teach Batman, too. Right now, I'm knee deep in straw and burlap, trying to stitch together a tale I hope you'll find familiar yet new, a twist on a classic. It's gonna get bumpy and scary and bit unhinged, so buckle up for the ride.”

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #10 won’t be out until June, but you can check out Hurwitz’s work in the climactic final issue of PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE, out next week.

Join the conversation about BEFORE WATCHMEN

Earlier today, DC Entertainment officially announced BEFORE WATCHMEN, a set of seven all-new inter-connected prequel mini-series that will expand on the acclaimed WATCHMEN universe.

To read more about the announcement and join in on the conversation, check out some of the coverage that’s run in places like MTV.COM, /FILM, LATINO REVIEW, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES, BBC NEWS, MTV GEEK, THE ONION’s A.V. CLUB, NEW YORK MAGAZINE’s VULTURE, IGN, THE WASHINGTON POST’s COMIC RIFFS, GAWKER’s IO9, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, THE STRANGER, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, CRAVE ONLINE, COMPLEX MAGAZINE, THE EXAMINER, MEDIA BISTRO’s GALLEYCAT, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES’ ROBOT 6, COMICS ALLIANCE, NEWSARAMA, COMICVINE, IFANBOY, ICV2 and ACTION FIGURE INSIDER.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to check out the Watchmen profiles on Facebook and Twitter to stay tuned for all of the latest news about BEFORE WATCHMEN.

To be continued …

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