animal man | DC Comics

Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire Discuss The End of “Rotworld”

For months, the two elemental sides of life in the DC Universe – the Red and the Green – have been coming together to defeat the Rot. This month, issues #17 of ANIMAL MAN and SWAMP THING serve as the official “Rotworld” finales. And in March, issues #18 of both series will be “Rotworld” epilogues, marking the ultimate conclusion for this monumental crossover event.

But what kinds of repercussions will the grand finale of “Rotworld” have on ANIMAL MAN and SWAMP THING?

“The expectation is that this will end up being an imaginary story that was a lot of fun but didn't really mean anything. We both knew that if we wanted to do one of those sort of stories, it would have to have some kind of real consequence afterwards,” ANIMAL MAN writer Jeff Lemire explained to IGN. “Or else it would have been pointless, you know? While certain things may snap back, there are definitely huge changes for both books that will stick and will really dramatically change the direction of both books moving forward.”

“With 18, you’ll see how everything has been building towards a change in the status quo and a kind of reimagining of certain parts of the mythology that were set up from the first issue that we did together,” SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder continued to MTV GEEK. “For me, it’s not about pushing him or shocking people with anything, or doing anything to change him for the sake of changing him more than taking him to a place that we most feel the emotional and psychological transformation in him, we’ve been trying to build from the very beginning. I’m really proud of where we’re leaving him off”

For more from Lemire and Snyder about ANIMAL MAN #18, SWAMP THING #18, and the conclusion of the “Rotworld” crossover event, check out the full interviews that ran with the duo today on MTV GEEK, IGN, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and NEWSARAMA. And be sure to visit all of these outlets for sneak peeks at the interior art for ANIMAL MAN #18 and SWAMP THING #18, both of which hit stores on March 6.

Tags:

animal man, swamp thing, Rotworld, scott snyder, jeff lemire

THE DARK Group Solicits

CONSTANTINE #2

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art by RENATO GUEDES

Fold-out cover by JUAN JOSE RYP

1:25 Variant cover by RENATO GUEDES

On sale APRIL 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• Which ghostly menace haunts Constantine today?

THE PHANTOM STRANGER #7

Written by DAN DIDIO and J.M. DeMATTEIS

Art and fold-out cover by GENE HA and ZANDER CANNON

On sale APRIL 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Do you dare ask who slayed the Stranger?

SWORD OF SORCERY #7

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by MARC ANDREYKO

Art and fold-out cover by AARON LOPRESTI

Backup story art by ANDREI BRESSAN

On sale APRIL 17 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• What is the great evil Constantine unleashes on Gemworld, and why is Amethyst powerless to stop him?

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #19

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art and fold-out cover by MIKEL JANIN

On sale APRIL 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The House of Mystery is under seige—can special guest star The Flash help Justice League Dark battle this unexpected threat?

ANIMAL MAN #19

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by STEVE PUGH

Fold-out cover by JAE LEE

On sale APRIL 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• As Animal Man's popularity grows, the paparazzi follow him everywhere. But is there one place he wishes they just wouldn't go?

SWAMP THING #19

Written by CHARLES SOULE

Art by KANO

Fold-out cover by ANDY BRASE

On sale APRIL 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• What could Swamp Thing possibly fear more than The Scarecrow?

DIAL H #11

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN

Fold-out cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale APRIL 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• What? The? Flash?

DEMON KNIGHTS #19

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art and fold-out cover by BERNARD CHANG

On sale APRIL 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• What undead menaces threaten the lives of the Demon Knights?

I, VAMPIRE #19

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by FERNANDO BLANCO and ANDREA SORRENTINO

Fold-out cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

On sale APRIL 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ • FINAL ISSUE

• With this, the final issue, will Andrew Bennett survive to dawn’s light?

Click here to see a gallery of covers for the above titles.

(The cover for JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #19 by Mikel Janin)

Tags:

constantine, the phantom stranger, Sword of Sorcery, Justice League Dark, animal man, swamp thing, Dial H, demon knights, I Vampire

5.2 Reasons to Venture Into "Rotworld"

Never has anything so rotten been so good.

…Okay well, there’s yogurt. And blue cheese can be pretty tasty, too. But in terms of comic books, the “Rotworld” event spanning the pages of Animal Man and Swamp Thing took it to a whole new level when they showed readers a world overrun by the Rot—the elemental force of death and decay. And holy heck, it is awesome.

When DC COMICS—THE NEW 52 began, Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire and Swamp Thing writer Scott Snyder (you may have heard of them) both built concurrent storylines exploring the two elemental sides of life in the DCU: the Red (animals) and the Green (plants). However, while Buddy Baker and Alec Holland hadn’t been interacting with each other, they were both facing the same enemy: the Rot.

ANIMAL MAN #12 kicked off the “Rotworld” event and finally brought together the forces of the Red and the Green to combat the Rot together. Unfortunately for everyone, things didn’t go as planned and now the Rot has won and taken over the entire world. Talk about a bummer. However, heroes never surrender, and for the past few months, Animal Man and Swamp Thing have both been battling across the Rot-infected landscape of the DCU to put an end to the destructive force and its avatar, Anton Arcane.

The penultimate chapters to “Rotworld” hit stores and the Interwebs yesterday, and if you haven’t been keeping up with this event, it’s time you went back and did exactly that. And to help convince you to take the trip, we’re counting off the 5.2 Reasons to Venture Into “Rotworld!”

1. A is for A-List

Animal Man and Swamp Thing both previously had a relatively small fan base that stemmed from Grant Morrison and Alan Moore’s respective work on the characters as part of the Vertigo line. With the launch of the New 52, Lemire and Snyder have taken both characters to new heights—making them not only fascinating and a delight to read, but also incredibly powerful characters that help maintain the balance of all life on Earth.

2. A is also for Awesomely Amazing Art

Swamp Thing was already known for its crazy trippy art from back during Alan Moore’s aforementioned run, and artists Yanick Paquette and Marco Rudy have kept that tradition alive and thriving with the current series. Not to be outdone, Steve Pugh and Timothy Green II bring brilliant eye-catching and disturbing imagery to every issue of Animal Man.

3. Seeing Super-Gross, Rotted Versions of the World’s Greatest Heroes

Remember when we said that the Rot had taken over the planet? Yeah, we were serious. Pretty much every hero without a strong connection to the Red or the Green has fallen and been infected, and it’s both a simultaneous thrill and freak-out when you turn the page to see Superboy or the Flash turned into grotesque monsters. You both anticipate and dread who you might see next.

4. TWISTS!

Of course awesome characters and awesome art are great, but what’s even better is a gripping story that expertly ties them together. “Rotworld” is exactly that. What’s even more fun is the unexpected twists and turns Lemire and Snyder throw our way—such as the revelation of Gotham’s guardian and the Green Lantern (we won’t say which one) as the Metropolis prisoner.

5. The Structure of the Event

Lemire and Snyder both began planting the seeds for the “Rotworld” event since the launch of both their titles—both in terms of the story and the structure of the event itself. As mentioned, both Animal Man and Swamp Thing told concurrent storylines, each independent of the other beyond thematic similarities. That tradition continues with “Rotworld.” The opening two issues—#12—and final two issues—#17—tie together, but everything in between tell the tale of their respective heroes in the midst of “Rotworld” without heavy crossover. It’s a cool read that feels part of the cohesive whole without being entirely dependent on one another.

5.1 The SWAMP THING ANNUAL... by Becky Cloonan!

5.2 Still to Come: Animal Man and Swamp Thing vs the Justice League

Tell us why you’re enjoying “Rotworld” in the comments below! And if you could choose to be an avatar of the Red or Green, which would you choose?

Tags:

5.2 Reasons, Rotworld, animal man, swamp thing, jeff lemire, scott snyder

THE DARK Group Solicits

CONSTANTINE #1

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art by RENATO GUEDES

Cover by JUAN JOSE RYP

1:25 Variant cover by RENATO GUEDES

On sale MARCH 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The star of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK is unleashed in his all-new ongoing series!

• Liar, cheater, manipulator…John Constantine is all of these, and yet he uses these skills and more to protect the world from the darkest corners of the DC Universe.

• What Constantine learns in this first issue will shake the very foundations of the New 52…and only he knows how to deal with it!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #18

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art and cover by MIKEL JANIN

On sale MARCH 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The conclusion to the “DEATH OF MAGIC” comes crashing down upon our heroes, as its consequences dramatically shift the status quo of the team moving forward!

• This issue also has ties to the new ongoing CONSTANTINE series, also on sale this month.

PHANTOM STRANGER #6

Written by DAN DIDIO and J.M. DeMATTEIS

Art by GENE HA and ZANDER CANNON

Cover by GENE HA

On sale MARCH 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Welcome guest artists Gene Ha and Zander Cannon!

• Phantom Stranger is sucked into a metaphysical poker game against the three sons of Trigon!

• The stakes of this game couldn’t be any higher thanks to the host: Lady Luck, in her New 52 debut!

SWORD OF SORCERY #6

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by MARC ANDREYKO

Art and cover by AARON LOPRESTI

Backup story art by ANDREI BRESSAN

On sale MARCH 20 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• Amaya becomes the Lady Regent of House Turquoise and discovers the startling truth behind its power!

• A mysterious evil originating from Nilaq is now on Earth, and John Constantine doesn’t like that one bit!

• And in the backup feature, Stalker must defeat Lucifer to save his scion!

ANIMAL MAN #18

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by STEVE PUGH

Cover by JAE LEE

On sale MARCH 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• “ROTWORLD” epilogue!

• The horrible tragedy of ROTWORLD weighs heavily on the Baker family.

• Nothing will be the same for Animal Man after this issue!

SWAMP THING #18

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale MARCH 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• Don’t miss the heartbreaking epilogue to “ROTWORLD.”

• Swamp Thing makes the ultimate sacriface in an attempt save the world from the Rot!

• This issue marks the end of life as Swamp Thing knows it!

DIAL H #10

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN

Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale MARCH 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• This issue marks a turning point in Roxy and Nelson’s quest for knowledge and delves into the mysteries of the H Dials.

• The information contained in the issue will expand your knowledge of the known universe!

I, VAMPIRE #18

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by SCOTT CLARK

Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

On sale MARCH 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• A major character dies in this issue as the struggle for Andrew Bennet’s soul comes to a conclusion!

• Find out what happens next after this huge change in the status quo of the series!

DEMON KNIGHTS #18

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art and cover by BERNARD CHANG

On sale MARCH 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• After thirty years, the Demon Knights are slowly pulling themselves back together—but there’s an army of vampires waiting to tear them apart!

• What punishment does Xanadu have in store for Etrigan the Demon?

Click here to see a gallery of covers for the above titles.

(The variant cover for CONSTANTINE #1 by Renato Guedes)

Tags:

constantine, Justice League Dark, phantom stranger, Sword of Sorcery, animal man, swamp thing, Dial H, I Vampire, demon knights

THE DARK Group Solicits

THE PHANTOM STRANGER #5

Written by DAN DIDIO

Art by BRENT ANDERSON and PHILIP TAN

Cover by JAE LEE

On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The Phantom Stranger’s family has gone missing!

• He’ll stop at nothing to find them, even if it means going up against Pandora and the vengeful wrath of The Spectre!

SWORD OF SORCERY #5

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by MARC ANDREYKO

Art by AARON LOPRESTI

Backup story art by ANDREI BRESSAN

Cover by AARON LOPRESTI

On sale FEBRUARY 20 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• Amy learns how her father died and is forced to test her skills when she’s attacked by assassins from House Onyx!

• Plus: In the backup story: STALKER, the immortal warrior without a soul, must beat Lucifer at his own game!

ANIMAL MAN #17

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and SCOTT SNYDER

Art by STEVE PUGH

Cover by STEVE PUGH with YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The epic climax of “ROTWORLD” starts here and continues into this month’s SWAMP THING #17!

• All hope seems lost! Can Buddy find a way to stop the Rot before it takes over the world?

• Before that can even happen, Buddy must confront the horrible truth about the fate of his family.

SWAMP THING #17

Written by SCOTT SNYDER and JEFF LEMIRE

Art by MARCO RUDY

Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE with STEVE PUGH

On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The epic finale of “ROTWORLD” continues from this month’s ANIMAL MAN #17!

• What will it cost our heroes to stop this apocalypse from happening? The answer will blow your mind.

DIAL H #9

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN

Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• DIAL M for MINOTAURA! Friend or foe? Rescuer or captor?

• Nelson and Roxy continue to uncover secrets of the H-dial in Canada while evading the appendages of the Centipede.

• And introducing THE GLIMPSE, a fleeting yet deceptively powerful new hero.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #17

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art and cover by MIKEL JANIN

On sale FEBRUARY 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Constantine and the others are trapped on a world where magic has been outlawed, and Tim Hunter is king!

• Their only hope of returning home is in the hands of Colonel Steve Trevor—but will the A.R.G.U.S. chief decide to protect the Earth by leaving Team Dark where they are?

I, VAMPIRE #17

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by DENNIS CALERO

Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

On sale FEBRUARY 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• Vampire love triangle! Cain and Mary are getting a little too close for comfort as the plan to rescue Andrew Bennett nears its end.

• However, Andrew’s got a plan of is own for Cain...

DEMON KNIGHTS #17

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art and cover by BERNARD CHANG

On sale FEBRUARY 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• How can things get worse for Jason Blood, the man bonded for eternity to the Demon Etrigan? Let’s start with decades of brutal torture…

• Vandal Savage is on the scene to rescue Blood, which may not be a good thing.

• And where is Madame Xanadu?

Click here to see a gallery of covers for the above titles.

(The covers for ANIMAL MAN #17 and SWAMP THING #17 by Steve Pugh and Yanick Paquette)

Tags:

the phantom stranger, Sword of Sorcery, animal man, swamp thing, Dial H, Justice League Dark, demon knights, I Vampire

5.2 Reasons Jeff Lemire Rocks

There's a lot of things we love, like comic books and toys and ice cream and cookies and naptime. We share a lot of similar interests with children, apparently. But we also love our creators. No, we’re not referring to our literal creators. We’re not talking about the people who built us. Which isn’t to suggest that we're super intelligent robots slowly bidding our time before the inevitable robot uprising or anything like that...

*ahem*

No, we're talking about the writers and artists that help make our comics and characters great with their incredible talent, hard work and dedication, and all-around general awesomeness—which is what makes us super excited about Jeff Lemire taking over the writing reins on Green Arrow starting with issue #17. We've been fans of Jeff for quite some time—and not only because he's a super nice dude that often has hilarious twitter conversations with fellow writers like Scott Snyder (follow them both at @JeffLemire and @SSnyder1835). Certainly those are two reasons, but they’re not the only ones. In fact, we're going to give you a full 5.2 Reasons Jeff Lemire Rocks!

1. Green Arrow

Sure, his run on the title hasn't started yet, but from his early comments alone, we're already confident he's going to knock this one out of the park (expected a bulls-eye joke there, didn'cha?). Lemire said that while he was never that into the character previously, he's gone back and read a lot about the character since then and cited Mike Grell's character-defining LONGBOW HUNTERS and Andy Diggle and Jock's GREEN ARROW: YEAR ONE as major influences for his approach. That alone is enough for him to get our ringing endorsement. Add in the phenomenal art of I, Vampire's Andrea Sorrentino and that is a guaranteed bulls-eye.

2. Animal Man

Easily the breakout series of DC COMICS—THE NEW 52, Jeff Lemire's Animal Man took readers down a dark and terrifying path, infusing the title with an indie comic feel and a generous dose of horror while still retaining its superhero sensibilities. It's fascinating to see the family dynamic unfold and the relationship play out between Buddy and Ellen—all while in the middle of battling monstrous creatures, dealing with their daughter bringing dead pets back to life, and holding conversations with a talking cat named Socks that is actually an avatar to a group of ancient beings that represent all animal life on Earth.

3. Justice League Dark

Pardon the pun, but Justice League Dark is downright magical. Lemire recently came onboard the series with issue #9, and already he's begun a tale filled with mysticism, mayhem and memorable characters (including Frankenstein, who Lemire worked on previously) that has kept readers as enthralled as an audience member at one of Zatanna's magic shows. But JLD isn't a one-man show. Artist Mikel Janin is the Teller to Lemire's Penn, and together they put on one heck of a magic trick. Sorry, we mean illusion.

4. Sweet Tooth

Lemire's Vertigo series SWEET TOOTH is sadly nearing its end, with only one issue left to go. But that gives you plenty of time to catch up on this fantastic series both written and drawn by Lemire. It's a wonderful tale of friendship, innocence, survival and animal-people. It's like Richard Corben's "A Boy and His Dog," but with a violent drifter and a 9-year-old boy with antlers. So, you know, completely awesome.

5. Legends of the Dark Knight

The digital first Legends of the Dark Knight series consists of weekly installments of Batman-centric tales written by various creative teams. Things kicked off with a bang by teaming Lemire's artistic skills with the writing power of Damon Lindelof (TV’s Lost, "Star Trek Into Darkness") in a one-shot tale. As such, we don't want to give anything way except to say that it's totally worth checking out just to see Lemire's Dark Knight alone.

5.1 A Tale with Geoff Johns in the 80-Page GHOSTS anthology

5.2 His Upcoming Vertigo Project TRILLIUM

What are you loving about Lemire? Let us know in the comments below!

Tags:

5.2 Reasons, jeff lemire, Green Arrow, animal man, sweet tooth, Justice League Dark, trillium, Legends of the Dark Knight

MTV Announces New Justice League of America Books for February

Back in August, we told you that in 2013, we’d be launching JUSTICE OF LEAGUE AMERICA from the superstar creative team of Geoff Johns and artist David Finch. Today, we’re pleased to tell you that the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA news only starts there.

Earlier this morning, MTV announced that in addition to the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1, February will also mark the launch of two new series: KATANA and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S VIBE.

Spinning out of BIRDS OF PREY, KATANA will be written by Ann Nocenti (CATWOMAN) and illustrated by Alex Sanchez (JSA CLASSIFIED). And with a premiere issue being co-plotted by Geoff Johns, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S VIBE will come to you from the creative team of writer Andrew Kreisberg (ARROW) and artist Pete Woods (LEGION LOST).

As for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1? MTV let you know that there will be 52 variant covers of the issue available when it arrives in stores. These variant covers will each feature the flags of all fifty U.S. states, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

But there’s more! MTV also announced that starting in February, GREEN ARROW will be getting a new creative team! Kicking off with issue #17, GREEN ARROW will be written by Jeff Lemire (ANIMAL MAN; JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK) and drawn by Andrea Sorrentino (I, VAMPIRE).

Stay tuned to MTV GEEK throughout the day for more about each of these series from their creators.

Tags:

justice league of america, geoff johns, david finch, Green Arrow, Katana, vibe, jeff lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, ann nocenti, alex sanchez, andrew kreisberg, pete woods, variant covers, animal man, justice league: dark, MTV, MTV Geek

THE DARK Group Solicits

THE PHANTOM STRANGER #4

Written by DAN DIDIO

Art by BRENT ANDERSON and PHILIP TAN

Cover by BRENT ANDERSON

1:25 B&W Variant cover by BRENT ANDERSON

On sale JANUARY 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• John Constantine and Justice League Dark are about to learn the hard way why it’s never a good idea to make the Phantom Stranger angry!

• But why do the defenders against the dark arts need the Stranger’s presence in the first place?

SWORD OF SORCERY #4

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by MARC ANDREYKO

Guest art by TRAVIS MOORE

Backup story art by ANDREI BRESSAN

Cover by WALTER SIMONSON

1:25 B&W Variant cover by WALTER SIMONSON

On sale JANUARY 23 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• Amaya travels home to Earth from Gemworld only to find new trouble! What will happen to her powers when she becomes Amy Winston again?

• Guest-starring John Constantine!

• And in the new backup story, enter a world of modern magic and terror with Stalker, the man without a soul!

ANIMAL MAN #16

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by STEVE PUGH, TIMOTHY GREEN II and JOSEPH SILVER

Cover by STEVE PUGH

On sale JANUARY 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• “ROTWORLD: THE RED KINGDOM” part four!

• Animal Man has Constantine, Steel, Black Orchid, Beast Boy, Frankenstein and a whole army of patchwork men and women at his back — but is that enough to go up against Anton Arcane at the heart of the Rot?

• Team Red sets off for Metropolis to recruit a powerful new ally!

SWAMP THING #16

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale JANUARY 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• “ROTWORLD: THE GREEN KINGDOM” races toward its epic conclusion!

• It’s Swamp Thing vs. Rotmonster as Superman as Arcane’s ultimate plan is revealed!

• What sacrifice must Swamp Thing make to cleanse the Earth of the Rot?

• And what secret did Batman leave behind in the ruins of Gotham City?

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #16

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art and by MIKEL JANIN

On sale JANUARY 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The team is trapped on a magic-less planet that makes a horrible mockery of their powers!

• With time running out, Tim Hunter may be the team’s last chance to escape…if Steve Trevor doesn’t seal their fate first!

• Keep an eye out for a new character based on a winning design from SyFy’s popular show Face Off!

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #16

Written by MATT KINDT

Art and cover by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and WAYNE FAUCHER

On sale JANUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

• Don’t miss this final issue finale!

• Frankenstein and his team of misfit S.H.A.D.E. agents are sent in to stop a group of superpowered biological terrorists from detonating a

dirty bomb in Central City!

DIAL H #8

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN

Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale JANUARY 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The Centipede creeps in and strikes!

• Nelson and Roxie are on the trail to unlock the mysteries of the H-dial while being stalked by the mysterious Centipede, who may have the answers they are looking for...and his own dark and deadly motivations.

• Everything combusts when Flame War appears and ignites a confrontation that must be read to be believed!

DEMON KNIGHTS #16

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art by BERNARD CHANG

On sale JANUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• It’s the DC debut of new writer Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, The Surrogates)!

• It’s been thirty years since the Demon Knights last rode together — and they’re less than happy to see each other!

• What has happened during this time? Who lives? Who’s dead? Who’s going to stop the massive vampire invasion that threatens all life? The Demon Knights had better find some answers fast!

I, VAMPIRE #16

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by DENNIS CALERO

Cover by ALEX GARNER

On sale JANUARY 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The true origin of vampires in The New 52 is revealed here through the life and times of Cain!

• Andrew’s plans as King of Vampires are coming together, and that’s not good for humanity.

Click here to see a gallery of art for the above titles.

Tags:

the phantom stranger, Sword of Sorcery, animal man, swamp thing, Justice League Dark, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Dial H, demon knights, I Vampire

Win an Animal Man Card Signed by Jeff Lemire!

Last Wednesday, we offered All-Star Western fans the chance to win a Nighthawk and Cinnamon card signed by Moritat. Fortunately, there was no need to hold a showdown to settle on a winner. We just chose one from the photos you selected:

ALL-STAR WESTERN #0 wowed me this week!

The photo and caption were submitted by @ThomasConnery on Twitter. We couldn’t say how Thomas might fare with a six-shooter, but that’s a great shot.

What’s that? You think you can do better? Well, then today’s your lucky day, pardner, because we’re doing it all again.

This week marks the release of ANIMAL MAN #13, which along with SWAMP THING #13 (also out this week!) launches the highly anticipated Rotworld storyline. The earth has fallen to the Rot and it will be up to Buddy Baker and Alec Holland to save it. Let’s hope they’re successful. But if they’re not, you might want to get a hold of this sweet Animal Man card before the Rot does. Especially since it’s not only signed by Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire, but boasts a pretty fun sketch by him on the back as well.

The front and back of Jeff's card. The signature and sketch are on the back.

As usual, the card is 11” by 14” and is made of heavy card stock. It features Animal Man on the front and Jeff’s signature and sketch on the back. And of course, you need to do a few things if you’d like to get your hands on it.

1) If you're not already doing so, be sure to follow @DCComics on Twitter and Instagram.

2) Pick up some of your favorite new DC comics on Wednesday and take a photograph of you reading them. (If you can’t make it to a comic shop on Wednesday, a photo of you reading any DC comic will do.)

3) Share your picture with us via Instagram and tag @DCComics and #DCComicscontest.

That’s all there is to it! At 5 pm PST on Monday, October 8, 2012, one winner will be chosen at random and direct messaged for his/her mailing address. The winner will be featured on Twitter and if possible, here on DCComics.com. DC Comics will tweet the winner’s photo and a fan shout out on or around Tuesday, October 9, 2012.

Giveaway Details

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase of any kind will not increase your chances of winning.

This Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years old as of the date of their entry. Employees of DC Entertainment and any of DC Entertainment’s affiliates, parents, subsidiary companies, or advertising and promotion agencies and members of their immediate families are not eligible to enter or win the Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants agree to these Official Rules and DC Entertainment’s Privacy Policy. The decisions of Sponsor are final and binding on all matters relating to this Sweepstakes. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

One entry per person. All entries must comply with these Official Rules and meet the submission guidelines detailed herein. Each entrant is solely responsible for any and all uses of his/her registered Twitter account.

By submitting a picture, entrant warrants, represents and agrees that: (i) entrant is the person appearing in the picture; (ii) the reproduction, distribution and display of the picture does not violate the rights of any persons or entities; (iii) the entrant has the right to submit the picture to Sponsor; and (iv) Sponsor may reproduce and display the picture on DCComics.com and all DC Comics-operated Twitter and Facebook pages. Sponsor reserves the right to condition the award of prizes upon the execution by the winner(s) of a publicity release. Notwithstanding this reserved right, entry is conclusively deemed to be permission by the entrant for Sponsor to use the entrant's name and the picture (without compensation to the entrant) if the entrant is a winner to publicize the Contest and otherwise, as determined by Sponsor, unless prohibited by law. Sponsor reserves the right to require the winner to execute an affidavit of eligibility as a sworn document and provide other proof of eligibility as a condition of receipt of the prize or award.

The random selection will be held on 5 p.m. PST on Monday, October 8, 2012 from all eligible entries received. We will then Direct Message the winners on Twitter to get mailing address and other information. If a selected winner does not comply with these rules or respond to the request to claim their prize within 24 hours, an alternative winner will be selected from the remaining eligible entries. Total value of prize is $50.00.

Sponsor not responsible for late, lost, stolen, incomplete, misdirected, garbled, damaged, delayed or undelivered entries.

Winners’ List: For the name of the winner, available after Monday, October 8, 2012, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope, to be received by DC Entertainment to: Gerard Maté 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522.

The Sponsor of the Sweepstakes is DC Entertainment, 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

Tags:

giveaway, animal man, jeff lemire, Rotworld

THE DARK Group Solicits

THE PHANTOM STRANGER #3

Written by DAN DIDIO

Art by BRENT ANDERSON and PHILIP TAN

Cover by BRENT ANDERSON

1:25 Variant cover by PHILIP TAN

On sale DECEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The Stranger vs. Haunted Highwayman vs. Dr. 13!

• The Stranger’s curse dictates that he must betray all those he encounters! Can he beat the odds this time?

• The future and past of The New 52 collide in this issue!

SWORD OF SORCERY #3

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by TONY BEDARD

Art and cover by AARON LOPRESTI

Backup story art by JESUS SAIZ

1:25 Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

On sale DECEMBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• Amethyst finally meets her murderous Aunt Mordiel in person! But it turns out that Queen Graciel has secrets of her own. Will House Amethyst be further driven apart?

• Plus: In the backup, story Beowulf leans the disturbing secret behind the war that ravaged the DC Universe!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #15

Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES

Art by MIKEL JANIN

Cover by TREVOR McCARTHY

On sale JANUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A new story arc starts here!

• Trapped in a technologically advanced dimension where magic is outlawed and magic users are hunted and executed, the team must find Zatanna and Tim Hunter within 48 hours or be trapped there forever!

• Rules have never stopped this team before, but their attempts to use magic in this issue are met with terrifying results.

DIAL H #7

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI

Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale DECEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• A new storyline begins as Nelson and Manteau are off to Europe in search of a relic that might hold the answer to their secret powers!

• Meanwhile, a powerful stranger arrives in Littleville to await their return.

ANIMAL MAN #15

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by STEVE PUGH, TIMOTHY GREEN II and JOSEPH SILVER

Cover by STEVE PUGH

On sale DECEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• “ROTWORLD: THE RED KINGDOM” part three!

• Trapped in a horrible future controlled by The Rot, Animal Man battles Grodd and his Gorillas in a city they’re claiming for their own!

• Frankenstein joins the fight!

• Guest-starring Steel, Black Orchid, Beast Boy and John Constantine!

• Plus: Find out what happened to Maxine after Buddy left with Swamp Thing to enter Rotworld. Hint: It’s not good…

SWAMP THING #15

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art by MARCO RUDY

Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale DECEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+.

• “ROTWORLD: THE GREEN KINGDOM” part three!

• Batman’s fate in the Rotworld is revealed!

• Guest-starring the inmates of Arkham Asylum who have been dramatically affected by battling the Green, the Red and the Rot!

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #15

Written by MATT KINDT

Art and cover by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and WAYNE FAUCHER

On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• “ROTWORLD: SECRETS OF THE DEAD” finale!

• Frankenstein vs. the last of the Colossi for possession of the soul-grinder, Victor Frankenstein’s unholy machine of destruction — but it’s the only hope against The Rot!

DEMON KNIGHTS #15

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art and cover by BERNARD CHANG

On sale DECEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• EVERYTHING changes this issue!

• Merlin, Lucifer and a connection from the past to Stormwatch are all here…right before the team enters what could be their final battle!

• So what happens next? Or should the question be when? And whose hands will the Black Diamond fall into?

I, VAMPIRE #15

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art and cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

On sale JANUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• Mary and company continue to piece together the secret of what turned Andrew evil — and the answer lies with Cain, the first vampire!