[Editor's note: Grant Morrison provided the below commentary for the bonus material in the new BATMAN AND ROBIN MUST DIE! Hardcover - for more behind-the-scenes material from Grant, Frank Quitely and Frazer Irving, be sure to check out the book, now in stores!]

As regular readers of these collected editions will know, I sketch out pretty much all of the cover roughs for this series in my notebook at the start of the creative process. Here are the last of those scribbled ideas, alongside the polished, professional finished versions by Frank Quitely.

Issue Thirteen

Back in BATMAN #428, in 1988, the Joker had famously used a crowbar to beat Jason Todd, the unlucky second Robin, to within an inch of his life before blowing him with a bomb. As is the way of comic book characters, Jason Todd eventually made it back from the dead many years later (and even made an appearance as the Red Hood in this very series), but I wanted to see the new Robin redress the balance in his own inimitable way — hence this image of a grinning, unrepentant Joker taking his skull fractures with a smile

Here’s a first look at the BATMAN titles coming out in August:

BATMAN INCORPORATED #10

Written by GRANT MORRISON

Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

1:25 Variant cover by FRAZER IRVING

In “LEVIATHAN STRIKES,” Batman realizes to his horror that he’s been outwitted as the true identity of Leviathan continues to elude him. Is his deadly adversary an old foe with a grudge to settle, a new face of evil or something completely different? One thing is for sure: The surprise ending will not soon be forgotten!

On sale AUGUST 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

BATMAN #713

Written by FABIAN NICIEZA

Art by STEVE SCOTT and RYAN WINN

Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN

Over the years, Dick Grayson has worn several guises: First, he was Robin the Boy Wonder, then Nightwing, and finally Batman. But now that Bruce Wayne has donned the cape and cowl once again, Dick finds himself at an identity crossroads.

On sale AUGUST 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #5

Written by DAVID FINCH

Art by JAY FABOK

Cover by DAVID FINCH

1:25 Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE

David Finch’s brilliant take on Batman continues to explore the darker corners of Gotham City in the penultimate chapter of “Golden Dawn,” now featuring art by Jay Fabok (Soulfire)! As The Dark Knight suffers one of his worst defeats, Jason Blood makes an unexpected move. With a surprise funeral and guest appearances by Etrigan, the Demon and Ragman, this series continues to heat up!

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

BATMAN 80-PAGE GIANT 2011 #1

Written by VARIOUS

Art by VARIOUS

Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Don’t miss this new helping of short stories featuring Batman and his partners in crimefighting, told by some of comics’ newest voices and freshest talents.

ONE-SHOT • On sale AUGUST 3 • 80 pg, FC, $5.99 US • RATED T

DETECTIVE COMICS #881

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art by JOCK and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

Cover by JOCK

This is it – the finale so twisted, so shocking we can’t even begin to give away details here! Be there for the extra-sized conclusion of the acclaimed run by Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla. DETECTIVE COMICS #881 is the issue everyone will be talking about. Believe it.

On sale AUGUST 10 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

BATMAN AND ROBIN #26

Written by DAVID HINE

Art by GREG TOCCHINI

Cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

1:10 Variant cover by J.G. JONES

Le Jardin Noir – France’s very own Arkham Asylum – falls under siege! Someone has freed the lunatics, and unless they can be stopped, they’ll turn Paris into a surreal Hell on Earth! Batman and Robin join Nightrunner in a mind-bending battle with the strangest lineup of villains this side of Bizarro World.

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

BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM #4-5

Written by SCOTT SNYDER and KYLE HIGGINS

Art and covers by TREVOR MCCARTHY

1:25 Variant covers by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Batman, Red Robin, Robin and Black Bat are all thrown into a race against time as The Architect’s true plan is revealed! But what does that mean for Oswald Cobblepot and Tommy Elliot? And just how does the first Super Villain of Gotham City factor into The Architect’s plot to destroy the city’s first families? Be here for the exciting penultimate issue!

And in issue #5, it’s Batman vs. The Architect! The downfall of a major Gotham family! The betrayal of Damian Wayne! It’s all here in this final issue, plus the untold fate of Gotham City’s first Super Villain! Be here as GATES OF GOTHAM sets the stage for a bold new direction in the Bat books!

Issue #4 on sale AUGUST 3

Issue #5 on sale AUGUST 17

4 and 5 of 5, 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY #5

Written by PAUL DINI

Art and cover by CARLOS D’ANDA

The miniseries that leads you into the video game comes to its dramatic conclusion. The die is cast and the criminal gulag known as Arkham City is now in place. But even with its imposing walls and security measures, is anyone in Gotham City really going to feel safe with a legion of criminals living next door? Batman’s determined to enter the belly of the beast and find out just who is pulling the strings.

On sale AUGUST 24 • 5 of 5, 32 pg, FC,

$2.99 US • RATED T

BATGIRL #24

Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER

Art by PERE PEREZ

Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Stephanie Brown has done her best to put her past behind her, but as the Repears’ mysterious client stands revealed, Batgirl’s going to learn the hard way that those who fail history are doomed to repeat it. This issue has it all: Secrets unearthed! Alliances broken! Splash pages!

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

BATMAN BEYOND #8

Written by ADAM BEECHEN

Art by CHRIS BATISTA and RICH PEROTTA

Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Batman’s slipperiest foe steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight for a “Legends of the Dark Knight” issue that reveals, for the first time, the full story of Inque! Her past is blacker than anyone ever knew... and considering the new ally she’s fallen in with, her future could be darker still!

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

RED ROBIN #26

Written by FABIAN NICIEZA

Art and cover by MARCUS TO and RAY MCCARTHY

Ready to operate from his new HQ, Red Robin knows that before he can fulfill his crimefighting destiny, he must close out one outstanding issue. His father’s killer, Captain Boomerang, was brought back to life... The time has come for him to return to the grave!

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

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #26

Written by PETER CALLOWAY

Art by ANDRES GUINALDO and LORENZO RUGGIERO

Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

A secret that goes back to the very first issue of GOTHAM CITY SIRENS will be revealed at last! But will it spell the end of the Sirens? One thing is certain – none of them will be the same!

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

BIRDS OF PREY #15

Written by MARC ANDREYKO

Art and cover by BILLY TUCCI

In the concluding chapter of “War and Remembrance,” Lady Blackhawk and the original Phantom Lady are in the clutches of an enemy whose evil has lain dormant for decades! Can the Birds of Prey find and rescue their captured compatriots before it’s too late for them...and the world? This is the thrilling conclusion to a story fifty years in the making! Written by fan-favorite MANHUNTER scribe Marc Andreyko and featuring breathtaking artwork by the amazing Billy Tucci!

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

On July 19th, Spiegel & Grau will release Grant Morrison's SUPERGODS, his non-fiction history and exploration of the superhero archetype. I've read through an early version of the book and found it to be the page-turner that I expected it to be: an enlightening, in-depth journey through seven decades of costumed superheroes, from the big ones like Superman and Wonder Woman to the most obscure, forgotten caped vigilantes. Part history and part memoir, if you have any interest in what comics Grant found most inspirational in the formative years of his writing career, then you absolutely need to pick up this book.

The official description for SUPERGODS:

From one of the most acclaimed and oracular writers in the world of comics comes a thrilling and provocative exploration of humankind's great modern myth: the superhero.

For Grant Morrison, possibly the greatest of contemporary superhero storytellers, these heroes are not simply characters but powerful archetypes whose ongoing, decades-spanning story arcs reflect and predict the course of human existence: Through them, we tell the story of ourselves. In this exhilarating book, Morrison draws on history, art, mythology, and his own astonishing journeys through this alternate universe to provide the first true chronicle of the superhero-why they matter, why they will always be with us, and what they tell us about who we are.

Check out the exclusive first look at the book's cover below, and keep an eye out for SUPERGODS this July!

Today marks the last issue of BRIGHTEST DAY. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, then clicking on the jump is the very last thing you want to do (major spoiler alert!)

John Constantine was first introduced to the DC Universe in Alan Moore’s SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #37 (1985), in which the always suave and mysterious Brit’s first role was that of a supernatural advisor to Swamp Thing. Upon their introduction, John’s vast knowledge of Swamp Thing’s origins caused him to embark on a quest of self-discovery. It was on this journey that Swamp Thing first encountered many other characters in the DC Universe, including the Phantom Stranger, Deadman, and Etrigan the Demon.

John then took on the role of the protagonist with the launch of his own series, HELLBLAZER, which has run continuously since its initial release date in January of 1988. A chain-smoking occult detective, he has often struggled to balance the powers of Heaven and Hell on earth. While John has been known to take on the role of a hero, he is often cynical and not unwilling to compromise with darker forces for his own benefit.

Going forward, Vertigo will continue publishing HELLBLAZER as an ongoing comic book series. The series recently celebrated its 275th anniversary issue by its current creative team of acclaimed writer Peter Milligan and artists Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini. Through the years, John Constantine’s stories have been written by a diverse and prolific cast of writers, including Jamie Delano, Brian Azzarello, Neil Gaiman, Ian Rankin, Mike Carey, Garth Ennis, Andy Diggle, Warren Ellis, and Grant Morrison. The series has also been illustrated by such artists as David Lloyd, Leonardo Manco, Steve Dillon, Rick Veitch, Marcelo Frusin, and John Ridgway.

John Constantine’s return to the DC Universe follows BRIGHTEST DAY #23’s shocking reveal of Swamp Thing. With the plant elemental on the loose, who better to help find him and restore his identity than he who helped him learn it in the first place? The story continues in BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1, written by TOKYO DAYS, BANGKOK NIGHTS author (and former Vertigo editor) Jonathan Vankin and with art by Marco Castiello, in stores this June.

Head on over to Comic Book Resources and Newsarama for exclusive interviews with Co-Publisher Dan DiDio  about the series' final issue.

You may have been worried that the events of BRIGHTEST DAY were coming to an end with this ultimate issue of the series, but as John Constantine would say, that’s just “bollocks.”