HARLAN ELLISON’S® 7 AGAINST CHAOS HC

Written by HARLAN ELLISON

Art and cover by PAUL CHADWICK

On sale JULY 10 • 208 pg, FC, $24.99 US

Harlan Ellison, science fiction’s brightest luminary, has joined forces with multi-award-winning artist Paul Chadwick, creator of Concrete, to bring you 7 AGAINST CHAOS, a graphic novel that is singular, powerful and unpredictable. This extraordinary odyssey of mystery and adventure will take you to the rim of reality and beyond.

In a distant future, Earth is in grave danger: The fabric of reality itself is unraveling, leading to catastrophic natural disasters, displaced souls appearing from bygone eras, and sudden, shocking cases of spontaneous combustion. The only hope for Earth’s survival is a force of seven warriors, each with his or her special abilities. But can these alien Seven Samurai learn to get along in time to find the source of the gathering chaos and save all of reality?

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1

Written by ORSON SCOTT CARD, AARON JOHNSTON and JEFF PARKER

Art by CHRIS SPROUSE, KARL STORY and CHRIS SAMNEE

Cover by BRYAN HITCH

1:25 Variant cover by CHRIS SAMNEE

On sale MAY 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Don’t miss the debut of this all-new, digital-first series starring The Man of Tomorrow, written and illustrated by some of comics’ finest talents!

Journey into Superman’s past in a tale written by acclaimed Ender’s Game author Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston, with art by TOM STRONG’s Chris Sprouse and Karl Story! Plus, witness Superman’s first encounter with the work of Lex Luthor, brought to you by Jeff Parker (Hulk) and Chris Samnee (Daredevil)!

ARROW #7

Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM and ANDREW KREISBERG

Art by ALLAN JEFFERSON, LE BEAU UNDERWOOD, VICTOR DRUJINIU, JUAN CASTRO and XERMANICO

Cover by BARRY KITSON

On sale MAY 22 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Deathstroke’s origin revealed! You do not want to miss this! Plus: The Arrow pairs up with a familiar face to stop a madman with a Robin Hood complex, and when Oliver and Diggle get carjacked, they’re forced to take down the criminals using unconventional means.

AME-COMI GIRLS #3

Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI

Art by SANTI CASAS

Cover by SANFORD GREENE

On sale MAY 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Introducing Jade, the Green Lantern of the Ame-Comi Universe! But can she stop the new villain known as the Flying Guillotine? Plus: Power Girl goes head-to-head with Star Sapphire!

BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED #14

Written by DEREK FRIDOLFS

Art by FEDERICO DALLOCCHIO

Cover by MICO SUAYAN

On sale MAY 8 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Based on the hit videogame Batman: Arkham City! In this issue, learn about Batman’s relationship with Talia al Ghul before the events of Arkham City! But what is the purpose of Talia’s surprise appearance at Bruce Wayne’s speaking engagement…in Metropolis?

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #16

Written by ADAM BEECHEN, J.T. KRUL and DEREK FRIDOLFS

Art by NORM BREYFOGLE, HOWARD

PORTER, LIVESAY and BEN CALDWELL

Cover by NORM BREYFOGLE

On sale MAY 22 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

In “Batman Beyond,” Terry squares off against the sinister Shriek, while Max uncovers the shocking truth about Undercloud. Plus: The Justice League continues the search for Kai-Ro, and you won’t believe who’s coming to the rescue in “Superman Beyond”!

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #8

Written by PAUL TOBIN and RICARDO SANCHEZ

Art by TRADD MOORE and SERGIO SANDOVAL

Cover by TRADD MOORE

On sale MAY 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

In “Carved,” the new crime wave in Gotham City is stranger than ever. Will Batman solve the puzzle in time to save the citizens’ lives? Plus: The Dark Knight’s investigation into a missing mythological creature created by taxidermy takes a turn for the even more bizarre when he stumbles onto a living version of the creature in “Unnatural Selection!”

JSA LIBERTY FILES: THE WHISTLING SKULL #6

Written by B. CLAY MOORE

Art and cover by TONY HARRIS

On sale MAY 15 • 32 pg, 6 of 6, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Dr. Hellman’s escaped experiment gains our sympathy, and John Singleton, the sixth Skull, is still in need of a rescue. Will his successor complete the job in Switzerland in time to lend a hand? The miniseries comes to its epic conclusion here!

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 SPECIAL #1

Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER

Art by AXEL GIMENEZ and DIANA EGEA

Cover by CAT STAGGS

On sale MAY 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Detective John Jones, the Martian Manhunter, steps into the Smallville spotlight in “Effigy,” a stand-alone adventure! A grisly murder in Gotham City sends Martian Manhunter on a quest to confront his past. Guest-starring Batman and Nightwing!

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #13

Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER

Art by DANIEL HDR

Cover by PETE WOODS

On sale MAY 8 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

An all-new episode begins with “Argo” part 1 of 3! Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes try to stop war between Earth and a shocking enemy! Plus, a glitch in Booster Gold’s Legion flight ring propels the “Gold Standard,” his trusty robot Skeets and The Man of Steel into the 31st century.

BATMAN: LI’L GOTHAM #2

Written by DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS

Art and cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

On sale MAY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST

In the second issue of the new, digital-first series, the search for a missing holiday choir leads Batman and Nightwing into a confrontation with Mr. Freeze! But in this heartfelt Christmas tale, the frozen fiend’s motives aren’t as nefarious as they seem…

And on a festive New Year’s Eve, Catwoman thinks she’ll be spending a quiet night at home, contemplating her New Year’s resolutions—until Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn show up, that is!

GREEN LANTERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES #13

Written by IVAN COHEN

Art and cover by DARIO BRIZUELA

On sale MAY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E

The Interceptor crew visits an old friend for the intergalactic Aftel Cup Race! Hal puts his friend’s car through its paces as a mysterious competitor helps him out—and why is Lobo determined to stop him?

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #33

Written by SHOLLY FISCH

Art and cover by ROBERT POPE and SCOTT McRAE

On sale MAY 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E

Heavy metal rock band “Smooch” is scared silly when the ghost of Johnny B. Badd shows up and puts on a show-stopping performance! Can Mystery Inc. crack the case and bring back the music?

INSURGENT #5

Written by F.J. DeSANTO and TODD SMITH

Art and cover by FEDERICO DALLOCCHIO

On sale MAY 8 • 32 pg, FC, 5 of 6, $2.99 US • RATED T+

The action in Manhattan heats up as Cindy Ford attempts a rescue mission and John Ravane battles the Insurgent Leader. And as President Chong looks on in horror, his secret machinations are revealed! When Ravane makes his final choice, will anyone be left standing?

HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #2

Written by KEITH GIFFEN

Art by POP MHAN

Cover by HOWARD PORTER

On sale MAY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

In the second issue of the new, ongoing series, Hordak’s forces have invaded Eternia, and Despara’s identity is revealed! But what is her relationship to He-Man? And will he be able to stop her from killing everyone he loves?

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ORIGIN OF HORDAK #1

Written by KEITH GIFFEN and BRIAN KEENE

Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH

One-shot • On sale MAY 29 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

How does one go about becoming a demigod? And, what the heck is a demigod anyway? These questions and more will be answered in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ORIGIN OF HORDAK! Travel to the distant past and learn how the old gods died and how Hordak went from being a conquerer of the cosmos to something very like a god.

INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US #5

Written by TOM TAYLOR

Art by JHEREMY RAAPACK and TOM DERENICK

Cover by DREW JOHNSON

On sale MAY 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST

Based on the upcoming DC fighting game from NetherRealm Studios, creators of Mortal Kombat! Batman has two allies: Damian and Dick Grayson. One is with him, while the other has joined Superman’s cause. The conflict between The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel is about to turn very personal. Plus: The Flash travels to Australia and ponders his own allegiances.

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

(ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1 variant cover by Chris Samnee)

We often hear that a picture is worth a thousand words. As writers, we take some exception to that but even we have to admit that nothing we say can adequately sum up the amazingness of the digital first Batman: Li'l Gotham series than just showing you this:

The cuteness level of that image... That's like right above being covered with kittens and right below the Puppy Bowl. It's so cute and adorable that puppies and rainbows are about to explode out of our heads from the overload.

Each installment of the monthly series by writer/artist Dustin Nguyen and co-author Derek Fridolfs focuses on the major holiday of each month, with a Halloween and Thanksgiving chapter already online and Christmas and New Year's ones to follow.

Although that picture might be worth a thousand words, we'll go ahead and give you a few more (it is the holidays after all!) and breakdown the 5.2 Reasons to Celebrate the Holidays with Batman: Li'l Gotham!

1. Li'l Characters, Big Fun

Batman: Li'l Gotham takes the grim and gritty nature of the Dark Knight and does a complete 180, painting the world of Gotham City and its delightful denizens in a more fun and adorably miniaturized light. From Damian Wayne shouting "It's Crime Time" to Jason grumbling about how no one ever saves him a seat at Thanksgiving, every installment is full of fun adventure and gleefully entertaining dialogue.

2. A Huge Cast

The members of the Bat-Family make appearances (in super cute form, obvs), but the cast of characters that can and do appear doesn't stop there. In the Halloween issue, eagle-eyed readers can catch a number of DC Comics-inspired costumes—including a Darkseid eating donuts and drinking a soda, something we're sure the regular Darkseid does whenever he's not trying to destroy all of creation.

3. Damian is Hilarious

This is less of a reason and more of just a statement of fact.

4. Dustin Nguyen's Art

We've always been a fan of Dustin Nguyen's stylized artwork and the unique tone it brings to the world of the Dark Knight. With Batman: Li'l Gotham, he shrinks down characters like Batman, Robin, the Arkham Inmates and more—but even though they've diminished in size, the art is still just as powerful. Nguyen conveys a level of excitement and emotion that leaps off the page, and he includes fun little details that perfectly capture each character.

5. The Potential Holiday/Villain Combos

As we mentioned, each installment of Batman: Li'l Gotham takes place during a particular holiday. But each installment also centers around one of the Gotham villains—which makes us excited to see the potential combinations. A Joker-themed April Fool's Day? Poison Ivy teaching us the important of Earth Day? Mad Hatter's Easter Adventure? Or even Calendar Man dressed as a Groundhog going crazy and chasing after the other villains for stealing his shtick?

5.1 Christmas is Coming!

5.2 We Reiterate: Crazy Cute

If you’re a DC fan, it really is going to be a happy Halloween. From a new batch of comics that just happen to be perfect for a little midnight reading (by candlelight, if you really want to go all out) to some fun Halloween treats that you can find right here on DCComics.com, we’re celebrating Halloween DC style, and we invite all of you to celebrate with us.

As you know, Halloween just happens to be on a Wednesday this year, and while that might put a damper on late night parties, it’s great if you’re a comic book fan. Wednesday is new comic book day, and you’ll notice that our slate today is particularly spooky. Even better, those books run the gamut from family friendly to turn-on-all-the-lights-and-break-out-the-happy-music terrifying, making there truly something in stores today for everyone, whether you’re a super hero fan or not.

Let’s take a look at what’s out today…

First, before you head to your local comic shop, login to the DC Digital Store and download the first installment of Batman: Li’l Gotham, a brand new, all-ages digital first series from the creative team of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs. Yesterday, our brief article about Li’l Gotham received quite an enthusiastic response from Batman fans, and we’re excited to hear what they think of the first issue. If you missed yesterday’s post, you can read it here, or you can just go ahead and download the first installment of Batman: Li’l Gotham by clicking here.

Once you get to your shop, you’re going to want to keep an eye out for MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ORIGIN OF SKELETOR #1. This one-shot tells the complex and often frightening story of Skeletor’s origin, courtesy of writer Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, Vampire) and Frazer Irving (The Shade). It may take place in an entirely different world and universe than ours, but this horror-tinged tale cuts close to home.

Not quite dark enough for you? Then be sure to seek out Lot 13, the bloody good new horror miniseries by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Glenn Fabry (Preacher).  And we do mean bloody. This comic follows one family as they make a disturbing discovery at an old abandoned apartment complex. You can check out a preview of the first issue here.

Over at Vertigo, prepare to be spooked by GHOSTS #1. This 80-page anthology comic features some of the biggest, best and most original writers and artists in comics joining together for the sole purpose of freaking us all out. Who’s responsible for our soon-to-be-sleepless Halloween night? How’s this list strike you? Jeff Lemire, Paul Pope, Gilbert Hernandez, Phil Jimenez, Cecil Castellucci, Geoff Johns (in his very first Vertigo project) and Joe Kubert. And that’s just start! You can check out a preview of this “spirited” new comic here.

There’s certainly no shortage of scary stuff, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing for the younger DC fans out there. In fact, there’s never been a better day to take your sons, daughters, nephews, nieces and little siblings to the comic shop—especially if your shop is participating in Diamond’s Halloween ComicFest. Why? Because they can get a free, full-size Batman/Scooby-Doo comic. (How’s that for an early treat?) Plus, many shops have cool Halloween events planned. You can find out more about Halloween ComicFest here, or just call your local shop.

Finally, we’d be lax if we didn’t point out that more than a few of our ongoing monthly comics promise some prime edge-of-your-seat reading as well. SWAMP THING ANNUAL #1 and JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1 offer super-sized stories and equally large-scale thrills. While at Vertigo, AMERICAN VAMPIRE #32 and THE NEW DEADWARDIANS #8 both present unique takes on the undead.

But not all of the fun is happening at the comic shop today. Here on DCComics.com, Halloween marks the last day of Super-Villains Month, and we’re wrapping things up in suitably sinister style. Surely you’ve noticed our updated homepage skin. That’s the work of the gifted Ryan Sook, and if you like what you see, you can get the full-size image at the DC Comics Facebook page.

We also just posted two remarkably villainous videos featuring the pumpkin-carving skills of Andy Bergholtz. Andy’s a sculptor who’s been making quite a splash around Halloween with his intricate and imaginative work with pumpkins. Be sure to check out our time-lapse videos of him carving an expressive Two-Face and a truly sinister Joker. All of a sudden, that vampire jack-o-lantern on our front porch is looking awfully sad…

Speaking of the Clown Prince of Crime, to celebrate the last day of Super-Villains Month, this morning we posted an exclusive new image of the Joker from the upcoming videogame Injustice: Gods Among Us. The image may have just gone up this morning, but that grin’s sure to haunt us well past Halloween…

Over on Twitter, we asked all of you to send us photos of your DC-inspired costumes and pumpkins, and you certainly responded. From "Commisioner Gourd-on" to lots of cute little super heroes, you're a fun and photogenic bunch. We put the photos together into a Facebook photo album to help get you in the Halloween spirit. Go on and check it out. And keep sending us your photos!

Finally, even if you live on the greatest street in the world, we’re pretty sure your bag of Halloween candy could never rival the treats you’ll take home if you’re the winner of the Big Score Sweepstakes. Today’s the last day to enter, so make sure you don’t miss out.

Whether you’re spending it trick-or-treating, partying with good friends and great witch’s brew or just staying in and watching Arrow, there’s much to enjoy from DC this Halloween. Stay safe, have fun and save us a jawbreaker!