Over the past few days, we’ve been linking to all of the exclusive previews of the second issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 that are going on sale tomorrow.
Below, take a look at all the previews that ran (sorted alphabetically and separated by cover), compiled here in one easy location for your convenience.
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We’ve got some fun afternoon bites for you!
Head on over to the official Green Lantern fan page on Facebook for an exclusive preview of GREEN LANTERN CORPS #2, in stores tomorrow.
UGO profiled Batman, giving a crash course in the history of the Dark Knight’s evolving looks. Displaying interpretations of him across various mediums including comic books, film, television and video games, UGO’s run down of Batman is a true testament to the character’s prolific status in pop culture.
And speaking of Batman, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES gave BATMAN #2 a 5-star review. "More comics need to be just like this,” they wrote of the book by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion.
Meanwhile, THE UPTOWNER interviewed co-writer and artist Scott McDaniel about setting STATIC SHOCK in Harlem. “Harlem provides his base of operations, his home and his school,” McDaniel said of protagonist Virgil Hawkins’ neighborhood. “For now, Harlem represents home, safety, security, normalcy. But for the superhero, those precious things never last.”
To be continued …
(Greg Capullo’s variant cover for JUSTICE LEAGUE #3)
New York Comic Con has been over for two days, but, well, everyone's still talkin' about it. Here are some recommended reads:
UGO caught up with Geoff Johns about AQUAMAN. “They are a glimpse of the horrific world at the bottom of the ocean and beyond that Aquaman has never faced, that we have never really encountered,” Johns said of The Trench, the villains in the series’ first arc. “They are still learning and meeting new species every day, so I wanted to go as horrific and bizarre as I could. And you haven't even really seen how bizarre these creatures can get. They are pretty nasty.”
Following the announcement of THE CURSE OF SHAZAM, NEWSARAMA chatted with artist Gary Frank. "Both Geoff and I were keen that our costume should look different to the rest of the Justice League's costumes since it comes from a different place," Frank revealed of how fans can expect Shazam to look. “We're still ironing it out but, whereas the other costumes feel very modern and cool, ours needs to feel timeless and, hopefully, cool. We are dealing with magic rather than tailoring, so this has to be in there somehow.”
COMIC BOOK RESOURCES spoke with Scott Snyder, writer of BATMAN, SWAMP THING and AMERICAN VAMPIRE, about all of his respective series. “To me, he takes on a Robin because he needs a human connection,” Snyder said of Batman. “He needs to be a father because of what happened with his parents. He needs an ally because he is lonely – even though he won’t admit it. So he takes on a Robin but then at the same time, as much as he cares for that character, he has tremendous issues about getting too close to anyone and having it be his mission.”
And speaking of Gotham City, AIN’T IT COOL NEWS chatted with Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti about ALL-STAR WESTERN and their upcoming series, THE RAY. “All great cities have their own history and Gotham is no different,” said Palmiotti about the setting of ALL-STAR WESTERN. “Some of the main landmarks in the city will be and are featured in some of the new 52 books coming out and we are working closely with the crew to make sure we create an environment that reflects both ways the time period and the life of the city.”
(The cover of BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN)
COMIC BOOK RESOURCES has the first exclusive interview with Chip Kidd about his upcoming original graphic novel, BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN. “What I've always liked very much is that there are certain things Batman can do that Bruce Wayne cannot. But there's very much a flipside to that because there are things Bruce Wayne can do that Batman cannot,” Kidd said. “You need both of those things -- or at least I do -- to make things interesting. A good part of the story and the plot goes into the building and design trade of Gotham City -- how that works or doesn't work and how it's corrupted. There is a good bit of history with Bruce Wayne's father. It's not any kind of twisted, huge revelation. It's about the design legacy of the Wayne's in Gotham City.”
To be continued …
(Ivan Reis and Joe Prado’s variant cover for BATMAN #3)
BATMAN #5
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by GREG CAPULLO • Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:200 B&W variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Deep beneath Gotham City lies the Court of Owls’ deadliest trap – and Batman has fallen right into it! Can he escape, or will he perish in a maze of nightmare? Enter the labyrinth, Batman – if you dare!
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.
DETECTIVE COMICS #5
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
1:25 Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale JANUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
There’s been a seriers of assassinations in the criminal underworld – and The Penguin is among Batman’s first suspects! But when seemingly ordinary women become part of the killings, Batman discovers a common denominator that leads him on the trail of a vicious killer who is spiraling down a path of destruction. Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend, investigative reporter Charlotte Rivers, ends up on the killer’s hit list. And with her missing, can Batman uncover the layers of lies and deception within the underworld in time to save her?
(Not final cover)
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #5
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale JANUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
When a madman attacks Batman with a new and powerful fear toxin, The Dark Knight visits the coldest and most distant part of his soul. And as his deepest fears resurface, he must rely on old friends to help quell the terrible effects, and to remind him of his true mission as a hero. But what Batman discovers hidden in a moment of courage may change his life forever... for a dark figure from his past has returned – the one adversary The Dark Knight truly fears.
BATWING #5
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by BEN OLIVER
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
On sale JANUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The mystery of the Kingdom, Africa’s first and last Super Hero team, continues. When their former headquarters is opened to the public, its American benefactor, Bruce Wayne, is on hand. Will the villainous Massacre, who’s been murdering the lost heroes, stop by for the grand opening? If he does, it will be up to Batman and Batwing to stop him. It’s a battle of the bats!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #5
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale JANUARY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
There’s a devil on Robin’s shoulder – and his name is Nobody! Batman and Robin’s relationship gets pushed to the breaking point as Nobody insinuates himself into Damian’s life and tries to make him see that Bruce’s plan to battle crime is hopeless – and only by teaming up and tapping into Damian’s killer instinct can they ever hope to rid Gotham City of its evil roots.
BIRDS OF PREY #5
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by JESUS SAIZ and JAVIER PINA
Cover by DAVID FINCH
On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
After [REDACTED] in issue #4, the team agrees to take 24 hours to take stock of what just happened. But there’s no such thing as R&R for the Birds of Prey, as Black Canary realizes that Gotham City is still in grave danger. And the key to unmasking the villain known as “Choke” may lie in the mystery of a man who one day just walked out on his family and life…and into a world of mind-control and murder.
BATWOMAN #5
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:25 Variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
On sale JANUARY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“Hydrology,” the first arc of the critically acclaimed new BATWOMAN series, reaches its powerful conclusion! After the horrors Batwoman has faced, she has a final showdown with The Weeping Woman – a specter with the power to dredge up Kate’s deepest pain. Can she finally forgive herself so she can dispel this evil? And how will she respond when Chase and the DEO tighten their grip, forcing Kate to make an impossible decision?
BATGIRL #5
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
Cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale JANUARY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Still reeling from the shocking return of a major figure with secrets from her past, Batgirl goes on the hunt for the terrifying killer Gretel, whose eerie and violent power over the men of Gotham City leaves no one safe – not even guest star Bruce Wayne!
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #5
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
With Jason going one-on-one with the ancient evil known as the Untitled and Koriand’r barely able to crawl to his side, it’s up to Roy to stand alone against the monstrous threat known as Crux!
CATWOMAN #5
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Catwoman is flying solo and finding plenty of turbulence! She has her paws full when a simple smash and grab turns into a hit and pummeled, as she faces an adversary who is more than a match for Selina. She calls herself Reach, and she doesn’t pull any punches. Can our favorite Feline Fatale land on her feet?
NIGHTWING #5
Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art by EDDY BARROWS and PAULO SIQUERIA
Cover by EDDY BARROWS
On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
With winter closing in, Haly’s Circus hits New Orleans! But as Dick Grayson gets closer in his search for answers about the mystery of the circus, it’s not just the temperature that heats up. And just how does a voodoo ritual gone bad factor in? Find out as Nightwing takes the Big Easy!
New York Comic-Con attendees receive autographed comics from Steve Scott and Paul Tobin during a signing event that introduced exclusive custom comics from DC Entertainment featured in specially marked boxes of Big G cereals. (Diane Bondareff / AP Images for General Mills)
Exclusive Comics Featuring Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman Available in Specially Marked Big G Cereals
Big G and DC Entertainment have joined forces to create comic books featuring DC Comics’ Super Heroes available exclusively inside specially-marked Big G cereal boxes. With the “Justice League” Super Heroes and their epic stories, Big G and DC Comics combined powers in their dedicated efforts to promote reading among children.
“We’re excited to embark on this partnership with General Mills as we align our missions to encourage reading among children,” said Hank Kanalz, senior vice president at DC Comics. “It doesn’t take superhuman powers to get your children to enjoy reading, just a fun comic.”
From Batman to Green Lantern to Wonder Woman, these custom comic books feature some of the greatest Super Hero characters of all time. In total, up to 12 million comic books will be offered to consumers, while supplies last.
“Combining beloved DC Comics Super Heroes with our kid-friendly cereals allow us to play a huge part in providing families everything they need for a positive start to their day,” said Julie Anderla, integrated communications manager at General Mills. “Our aim is to encourage reading among children by providing them with material they are enthusiastic about.”
Participating Big G cereals include Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Trix (14.8 oz.), Golden Grahams® (16 oz.), Reese’s® Puffs (18 oz.) and Cocoa Puffs® (16.5 oz.). Visit www.BigGCerealHeroes.com to get more information and view exclusive General Mills and DC Comics content.
In 30 minutes, the DC ALL ACCESS: BATMAN panel at NYCC begins in Room 1A10. Looking for a taste of what to expect? Check out the cover to DETECTIVE COMICS #5.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY continued their exclusive weekly previews of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with BATMAN #2, which received prominent placement on the site’s homepage. The preview was picked up by PEREZ HILTON. “There's Batman and bad guys and the Bat-cycle! What more could you ask for?” wrote Perez.
MAXIM caught up with DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and JUSTICE LEAGUE artist Jim Lee about New York Comic Con, which kicks off tonight at the Javits Center in Manhattan. “I’d say bathe every day, that would be top on my priority list,” Lee said while distributing his basic rules for surviving NYCC. “I would think, as a fan, plan your day. If you wing it, you’ll have a decent experience, but you will not be utilizing the experience to the full capacity.” Be sure to head over to MAXIM to read the full interview and check out your exclusive first look at Jim’s variant cover for BATMAN #2, in stores next week.
BET broke the exclusive news that New York-based Marc Bernardin would be taking over as the writer for STATIC SHOCK, beginning with issue #7. “I relate to his love for family, his sort of passion for science and technology,” Bernardin said of series protagonist Virgil Hawkins. “I like his selflessness when it comes to the people of his city.”
“I wanted to get to know Virgil a bit more than we have so far,” Bernardin revealed to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES when asked about the direction he intends to take on STATIC SHOCK. “The thing that defines a hero is choice. They choose to do the hard thing when everyone else would do the easy one. They choose to put themselves in harm's way. So we need to know more about the kind of person who makes that kind of choice, especially one so young.”
To be continued …
Sunday’s NEW YORK POST covered this weekend’s New York Comic Con and teased upcoming convention announcements. “It’s a great thing it’s here in New York,” said DC Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras. “It’s very exciting for us.” The POST's coverage broke the very first DC Comics news of the Con: Andy Kubert will be illustrating a two part story in ACTION COMICS.
This morning, THE NEW YORK POST followed up with another exclusive announcement sure to get folks talking: Wonder Woman's new origin in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. “In this case, making her a god actually makes her more human, more relatable," said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee. Head over to THE NEW YORK POST’s website for their full coverage, including the first look at WONDER WOMAN #2, in stores next week.
Can't wait for more announcements at NYCC? There are plenty of previews to keep you occupied ‘til then. Witness:
USA TODAY has the exclusive preview of SUICIDE SQUAD #2 by Adam Glass, Federico Dallocchio and Andrei Bressan. “They're making decisions and doing things that have real costs to them, and those costs are people's lives: their own or other people's," Glass said of the Suicide Squad. "You're on a team with a group of people and you don't know if someone's gonna stick it in your back."
WIRED’s GEEKDAD has your first look at DEATHSTROKE #2 by Kyle Higgins, Joe Bennett and Art Thibert. “It won’t be very long until the heroes and villains alike know just who the scariest dude in the new DC universe truly is,” GEEKDAD wrote of Deathstroke.
COMIC BOOK RESOURCES previewed RESURRECTION MAN #2 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Fernando Dagnino. They also interviewed BATMAN and SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder as part of their ongoing BAT SIGNAL coverage. “What Gotham does is try to convince you that the things you consider your great strengths as a hero are your weaknesses, your weak spots,” Snyder said about BATMAN. “For Bruce that really is his confidence and his sense of knowledge and wisdom about the city, his confidence as its protector.” Be sure to read the full interview for your exclusive look at the cover to BATMAN #5.
Meanwhile, YAHOO!’s ASSOCIATED CONTENT interviewed writers Geoff Johns about AQUAMAN and Judd Winick about BATWING. “The goal of the first adventure takes place to establish how Aquaman is perceived on land and how he's perceived in the ocean,” Johns said of AQUAMAN’s premiere story arc. “Then we send him off on a journey to find out the biggest mystery of all: who sank Atlantis and why.”
And over at GEEKDAD, writer Corinna Lawson decided to do some research on Duane Swierczynski’s previous work before checking him out as the new writer for BIRDS OF PREY. “There’s no doubt that if non-stop, cool action sequences with fun characters are your thing, you need to read some Swierczynski stories.”
To be continued …
Today, the final batch of first issues from DC Comics-The New 52 went on sale. Among these books was AQUAMAN #1.
“Everybody around has at least heard of Aquaman, and they've probably heard all the jokes — the same jokes Aquaman's heard — and they have their opinion on Aquaman,” writer Geoff Johns told USA TODAY. “Whether it's good or bad, that's what the book's all about.”
“We tackle what people think Aquaman is already right off the bat,” Johns said to CNN’s GEEK OUT. “He is very much a character that is an underdog in the world of super heroes.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY has the exclusive preview of BATGIRL #2 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes featured on their homepage.
The second part of THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX interview with BATMAN writer Scott Snyder has gone live. “It really goes after his confidence as a protector and legend of Gotham,” Snyder said of The Dark Knight in his series. “Along with it, there’ll be a lot of revelations about the Wayne family, about the Grayson family too, and it will all tie into NIGHTWING. The epic storyline will be 11 issues long, really about a war for Gotham’s soul between the Bat and this other organization, with some shocking new enemies for him built out of this mythology we’re going to develop.”
With the first day of October being this weekend, Halloween is quickly approaching. To kick off our preparations, FEAR.NET interviewed writers Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire about their horror series, SWAMP THING, ANIMAL MAN and FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. “The Red and the Green are so closely linked,” teased Lemire about an upcoming crossover between ANIMAL MAN and SWAMP THING. “So in many ways, both of our stories, even though they're kind of separate for the first ten issues or so, are actually kind of part of a bigger story. That will come together at the end of the first year and then spin off into something new with both books linked again. We're super excited about that.”
And speaking of titles in the Dark family? BLOODY DISGUSTING has selected JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1 as their “Graphic Content Pick of the Week.”
To be continued …
It’s official! All 52 first issues of DC Entertainment’s historic publishing initiative DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 have sold out from Diamond Comic Distributors in advance of publication. And all 52 issues will receive second printings.
Here’s a further look inside the numbers for DC COMICS-THE NEW 52:
· ACTION and BATGIRL already have third printings and JUSTICE LEAGUE, the bestselling comic book to date for all of 2011, is in its fourth printing.
· AQUAMAN #1 is the eleventh title in DC Comics-The New 52 with sales of more than 100,000. The series joins the sales ranks of the previously announced titles ACTION COMICS, BATGIRL, BATMAN, BATMAN AND ROBIN, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT, DETECTIVE COMICS, THE FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, JUSTICE LEAGUE and SUPERMAN.
· BATMAN # 1 joins JUSTICE LEAGUE # 1 and ACTION COMICS # 1 as the third title with sales exceeding 200,000 copies.
“We at DC Entertainment thank our creators, our retail partners, and our readers, and remind them all we’re just getting started,” said John Rood, DC Entertainment Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development. “We’re thrilled to be making history, but we’re not standing around congratulating each other. We’re working behind the scenes to leverage our recent success into our long term vision for this company and its iconic characters and brands.”
“There’s never been anything like DC COMICS – THE NEW 52, as seen by our unprecedented sales and overwhelming fan enthusiasm," said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio. "All 52 first issues have now sold out in advance of publication and each one of the first issues has received a second printing. Backed by DC Entertainment's massive marketing campaign, dozens of retailer events, and hundreds of headlines from around the globe, this is a watershed moment for the comic book industry. It's the most significant publishing event in the last 25 years of this company’s long and storied history.”
