Clayface infiltrates Gotham City Bank and Trust looking to make a sizable withdrawal. There's just one problem: waiting in line at the bank is Stephanie Brown, a.k.a Batgirl. But when Clayface begins morphing into different people, Batgirl must hold the entire bank hostage until she can find out who the villain is impersonating.
BATGIRL #13 hits 8/11.
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Bruce Wayne is back – but what has he returned to?
In his absence, his closest allies and deadliest enemies have blazed a new path, creating a Gotham that’s different and in many ways more menacing than the city he left behind. So, how do his protégés, allies and foes react to the man that stands before them?
Is Batgirl’s career over? Red Robin was right – but what’s next? After mourning Bruce Wayne’s death, can Catwoman face him?
Welcome to BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME, eight one-shots that cover the city of Gotham and beyond, from Dick Grayson and Damian to the Birds of Prey to Red Robin to Commissioner Gordon in stories told by some of the industry’s brightest stars, including Adam Beechen, Fabian Nicieza, Mike Barr, Pere Perez, Ramon Bachs, Marc Andreyko, Cliff Richards and Bryan Q. Miller, featuring a connecting, 8-part cover by superstar artist Shane Davis.
All these questions and more will be answered. But surely we can throw down a few more teases, right? Take it away, Batman Group Editor Mike Marts:
“Bruce Wayne’s journey back home has been a long and dangerous road, but before he can assume the mantle of the Bat again, he must first figure out how things have changed in the world around him, how relationships have changed...and how those changes will effect his decisions moving forward as the protector of Gotham City.”
BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME begins in October.
In part 3 of "The Flood," Oracle faces off against the Calculator, while Batgirl is forced to team up with the Calculator's daughter in an attempt to save the citizens of Gotham City from a crippling techno-plague. But who will save Batgirl from an infected and rampaging Man-Bat?
BATGIRL #12 hits 6/9, courtesy of writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Lee Garbett.
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You saw what’s coming up with BRIGHTEST DAY earlier today, but what does the month of August have in store for the Dark Knight? Click below to find out.
BATMAN #702
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by TONY DANIEL
Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel continue their captivating untold tale of Bruce Wayne and his adventures between BATMAN R.I.P. and FINAL CRISIS! Discover the shocking secrets that point toward THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE that we couldn’t show you until now!
On sale AUGUST 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATMAN AND ROBIN #15
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by FRAZER IRVING
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
1:25 variant cover by FRAZER IRVING
In the final chapter of “Batman Must Die,” all is lost and everything has gone to pieces! Is Dick Grayson alive? Will Damian make a pact with the devil? And what will happen after the final confrontation with Dr. Hurt?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale AUGUST 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #5
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by RYAN SOOK
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:25 variant cover by RYAN SOOK
Grant Morrison is joined by all-star artist Ryan Sook in the penultimate issue of THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE! In this story, Bruce Wayne finds himself in the hard-boiled streets of Gotham City’s past. Will his adventure as a private investigator help him take one step closer to the present day?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale AUGUST 11 • 5 of 6 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
DETECTIVE COMICS #868
Written by DAVID HINE
Art by SCOTT MCDANIEL & ANDY OWENS Cover by PETER NGUYEN
A warped variation of the Joker drug has caused those who use it to suffer mental breakdowns and embrace anarchy and chaos. With riots cropping up throughout Gotham City, the citizens find themselves divided into two gangs: one led by a Batman impostor whose mission is to bring law and order back to the streets, and the other led by a Joker impostor whose purpose is to punish the innocent and set Gotham ablaze. And in the middle of it all is The Dark Knight – but can Batman stop an entire city?
On sale AUGUST 25 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
BATMAN: ODYSSEY #2
Written by NEAL ADAMS
Art by NEAL ADAMS
1:25 Sketch variant cover by NEAL ADAMS
Neal Adams’s ODYSSEY ramps up as The Caped Crusader slowly but surely loses control. A dark presence lurking in the background begins pulling Bruce’s strings...who is responsible? This second chapter is a tour de force of action as the greatest crime fighter on earth displays his vicious combat skills. What else can you expect? Adams’s art at its best!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale August 4 • 2 of 6 • 40pg, fc, $3.99
BATMAN BEYOND #3
Written by ADAM BEECHEN
Art by RYAN BENJAMIN & JOHN STANISCI
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
Batman’s investigation into the murders of Dark Knight villains past and present leads him to old associates of Bruce Wayne...some of whom aren’t so happy to see him. While the mysterious killer picks his next target, the rift between Terry and Bruce widens.
On sale AUGUST 18 • 3 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RED HOOD: LOST DAYS #3
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by PABLO RAIMONDI
Cover by BILLY TUCCI
Learn the secrets of Jason’s Todd hidden past! Jason’s out in the world and living in secret. Now he’s looking for new training, new skills, new teachers and a new identity. But what he finds on this path will challenge both his body and soul. The road to revenge becomes darker as his road to becoming Red Hood becomes clearer…
On sale AUGUST 4 • 3 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #15
Written by PAUL DINI
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
As Catwoman deals with the aftermath of battling her sister, Poison Ivy’s career at Gotham City’s S.T.A.R. Labs takes an unexpected turn!
On sale AUGUST 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #15
Written by PAUL DINI
Co-feature written by IVAN BRANDON
Art by DUSTIN NGUYEN & DEREK FRIDOLFS
Co-feature art by RAMON BACHS & JOHN LUCAS
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
Tommy Elliot’s life-and-death experience in the present sheds light on some interesting secrets about Thomas and Martha Wayne in the past. What is the mysterious connection? Guest-starring Catwoman!
And in the new Two-Face co-feature, Harvey Dent faces off against the Falcone family. Will any of them survive the encounter?
On sale AUGUST 18 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
RED ROBIN #15
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art and cover by MARCUS TO & RAY MCCARTHY
With Tim Drake targeted for assassination, will Red Robin have to eliminate his secret identity? Or is it all part of an elaborate ruse to draw out the lethal Egyptian assassin known as Scarab and get Vicki Vale off his trail?
On sale AUGUST 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATGIRL #13
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by PERE PEREZ
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
Clayface infiltrates Gotham City Bank & Trust looking to make a sizable withdrawal. There’s just one problem: waiting in line at the bank is Stephanie Brown – Batgirl! But when Clayface begins morphing into different people, Batgirl must hold the entire bank hostage until she can uncover and stop him!
On sale AUGUST 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
AZRAEL #11
Written by DAVID HINE
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
“The Killer of Saints” part 2 of 4! Is the Turin Shroud genuine or a hoax? Azrael learns the shocking truth behind the rumors and lies. Meanwhile, the mysterious killer continues to perform his deadly miracles, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
On sale AUGUST 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
OUTSIDERS #32
Written by DAN DIDIO
Art by PHILIP TAN & JONATHAN GLAPION
cover by PHILIP TAN
With the team split in two and wanted for acts of war, The Outsiders find themselves fighting with one another in order to survive. While Geo-Force, Katana and the Eradicator build a new team in Markovia, Black Lightning, Owlman and Metamorpho find themselves at the home of an old friend who just happens to want Metamorpho dead! Plus, The Creeper faces off against a creature of the night!
On sale AUGUST 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #47
Written by KEVIN VANHOOK
Art and cover by TOM MANDRAKE
Batman and Superman travel to an uncharted island in the Caribbean in an attempt to stop the evil Professor Combs from performing a Voodoo ritual that will turn the living into the undead. But when vampires and werewolves get involved, The Dark Knight will find himself six feet under and buried alive!
On sale AUGUST 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
The Calculator plans to exact his revenge on Oracle by first unleashing a nanovirus upon the citizens of Gotham. What does that do, you ask? Well, it’d turn everyone into mindless techno-zombies. Doesn’t sound like much fun, eh? For phase two of his plan, the Calculator plans on eliminating everyone close to Oracle – including Batgirl.
BATGIRL #10, courtesy of Bryan Q. Miller and Lee Garbett, hits 5/12.
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Writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Talent Caldwell kick off a crossover with RED ROBIN, as Tim Drake returns to Gotham Cit. But who does he find in the Batcave? None other than Stephanie Brown, the new Batgirl. And when Ra's al Ghul attacks one of Batman's closest allies, Red Robin and Batgirl will have to put the past aside to save Leslie Thompkins's life. Continued in Red Robin #10.
BATGIRL #8 hits 3/10.
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The situation is dire as Batgirl and Robin must venture into Devil's Square in an attempt to save Batman before Roulette's "most dangerous game" turns deadly, courtesy of writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Lee Garbett. BATGIRL #7 hits 2/10.
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Well, a ton, dear Source reader. Too much to capably sum up in one blog post. It's also way too early to give too much away. But, we can showcase some of the lovely artwork gracing the covers of the Bat-titles hitting in February, featuring the talents of Frank Quitely, Dustin Nguyen, Phil Noto and many more. So, take another bite of your lunch and look 'em over.
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Next to the job interview, the next most-stressful thing when it comes to work is your first day. Am I right? Well, imagine if your gig didn't involve sitting at a desk, but jumping around on the rooftops of Gotham's seedier neighborhoods? Welcome to Stephanie Brown's new role as Batgirl. And, as she'll soon learn, it takes a lot more to wear the mantle of the Bat than she originally thought. From the regular team of writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Lee Garbett comes a tale of learning the ropes and frat parties. I kid you not.
BATGIRL #4 hits today.
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Stephanie Brown – you might recognize her from such “hits” as:
1. Becoming Spoiler to literally rebel against her father (Cluemaster).
2. Dating Tim (Wayne) when he was still Tim (Drake)… actually, when he was Alvin Draper. But she only knew him as Robin at the time. But later she found out Robin was really Tim (Drake) who was pretending to be Alvin Draper.
3. Becoming Robin when Tim (Drake) stepped away from the job.
4. On-purpose-accidentally starting a gigantic Gang War that resulted in her...
5. Dying (kind of).
6. While very much not dead, wearing a goat skull as a helmet in Africa. It might have been a caribou skull. Luckily it wasn’t a crocodile skull – that’s when I disconnect as a reader. There’s no way Stephanie could have taken down a crocodile. Maybe she got the caribou skull after a crocodile ate a caribou…
7. Working against Tim (Drake) to make him a better fighter, at the behest of Batman (Bruce).
Not a stunning resumé, to be sure… but she’s doing her best to change all of that. ‘Cause that’s what Stephanie Brown does. In the face of insurmountable odds and reason, she just keeps going… and going… and going…Stephanie’s found new meaning in her life by adopting the mantle of “Batgirl” from Cassandra Cain. She’s found new purpose in her life by attending Gotham U. She refuses to be defined by the mistakes she’s made in the past. Stephanie Brown’s looking forward, not backward.
Hell, she even made Babs smile – which Babs hadn’t really done since the Birds dissolved. She’s gotten Babs’ blessing, and more importantly, has the Barbara Gordon as a mentor and ally.
A year from now, her greatest hits should look a bit different, but it all starts with:
1. “I’m BATGIRL!”
Everybody’s gotta start somewhere. And Stephanie’s future starts now.
And she gets a sweet ride in Issue #7!
