With “The Night of the Owls” crossover coming to Gotham City this May, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES ran a complete week of coverage examining the event. While CBR often spotlights their Batman coverage under the “Bat Signal” header, they even retitled the column in honor of the event. With the Owls wreaking havoc on Gotham and taking over the city, it only seemed right for the “Bat Signal” to be subverted into the “Owl Signal.” Kicking off their week with the creative who introduced the sinister Court of Owls into the mythology, CBR spoke with BATMAN writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. BATMAN series editor Mike Marts joined in the candid conversation about the malevolent new villain that has sprung up to threaten the extended Bat-family. Said Snyder, “As I was working on the story, I realized there was a point in issue #9 where the attack that the Owls were going to launch against Gotham was so big and so broad that we had to at least address where the other Bat characters were. So I talked to Mike and told him that there was an opportunity to play in if they wanted to. From there, we tried to make an event where each writer or each team working on the Bat books could look at their story lines and decide if they wanted to organically tie it in.” Next came their interview with Kyle Higgins, writer of NIGHTWING. “From a thematic standpoint and an emotional standpoint, some of the things that come up during Nightwing's fight with the Owls are going to raise questions for him about what his place in the future of the city is, what his place in current Gotham could have been, and whether or not the way he and Batman operate in the city accomplish all that much of anything,” said Higgins. “So yeah, it's safe to say this crossover will frame some things for Nightwing to look at as we move forward in the series.” Though it might seem an unlikely participant in the “Night of the Owls,” ALL-STAR WESTERN takes place in Gotham of a century ago, offering insights into the Owls’ roots. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti explored the depth of the Court’s hold on the city. “The mythology that Scott [Snyder] is developing so admirably in BATMAN lends itself directly to ALL-STAR WESTERN because it encompasses the history of Gotham long before the caped crusader existed,” said Gray. “To that end, using both The Court of Owls and the Talon fit seamlessly into our existing plans for the book. In fact, we're already seeding ideas and images in ALL STAR that come into play not only with #9, but also all the way through the end of our first year.” With Batman under fire in his self-titled book, Robin’s on his own against the Owls’ assassin: The Talon. BATMAN AND ROBIN writer Peter Tomasi explains, “Robin pretty much faces this Talon alone in a wall to wall action packed story just outside of Gotham. Batman has his hands full with all the craziness that Scott's throwing at him at Wayne Manor, and members of the Bat Family need to step up and kick some serious ass to try and help set things right. With all of the Talon action taking place in Gotham proper, I thought it would be cool to move Robin into the outskirts for a little change of scenery in his battle.” Fending off the Owl attack on three separate front, writer Judd Winick discusses the crossover from the perspective of three distinct titles: BATWING, CATWOMAN and BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT. “I think it's a little bit of everything. These are three very, very different stories,” said Winick. “That's the fun of this entire crossover that it's a really big, terrific, ramshackle story just full of action, lots of emotion, and digs around in canon in a way that I think is really, really interesting.” And finally, writer Scott Lobdell spoke about how RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS fits into the action – no small feat, given the characters’ general inability to play well with others. “RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS ‘isn't like the other kids’ – they're not really asked to play in the reindeer games. When you see how they wind up caught between a Talon rock and a Mr. Freeze hard place, it will feel like exactly what it is: A ‘Night Of The Owls’ story through that Outlaw prism.” Don’t miss “The Night of the Owls,” coming this May.

All afternoon, THE SOURCE has been rolling out your very first look at DC Comics in February 2012.

February still seems a long ways off. But this Wednesday? That's right around the corner and we've got a whole new batch of third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 hitting stores. For ease of reading, we've compiled a comprehensive rundown. Tell your friends.

USA TODAY interviewed writer Brian Azzarello to accompany their exclusive preview of WONDER WOMAN #3, in which Diana’s new origins are revealed. "I can't wait to start really, really playing with the gods," Azzarello told them. "Look who she's immediately gaining as siblings — suddenly, the god of war is her half-brother … Now instead of protecting a mortal from the gods, she's also protecting her half-brother or sister."

POPMATTERS has your first look at I, VAMPIRE #3. “I, VAMPIRE is mythic in every way,” POPMATTERS wrote of the series. “It is the story of how the whole world is threatened by a love story that just darkens the character of each individual involved in that poisoned relationship. In some of the finest storytelling ever to grace the character of Andrew and his struggles with Mary, Josh Fialkov singularizes the character and the title among the recent crop of DC’s New 52. It is very much the evolution of the romantic vampire’s we’ve come to enjoy seeing on screen over recent years.”

MAXIM previewed DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #3. The issue by Paul Jenkins and Bernard Chang continues Deadman’s journey of self exploration as he attempts to gain answers on how to gain control of his “life.”

Now that he’s bonded with his armor, can Jaime Reyes learn how to control it? Find out in BLUE BEETLE #3 by Tony Bedard, Ig Guara, Ruy Jose and J.P. Mayer, previewed exclusively at MTV GEEK.

It’s time for a fourth team member in BIRDS OF PREY #3! Head on over to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES for your exclusive preview.

With the Intruders neutralizing the ring powers of the Green Lantern Corps, it’ll be up to Guy Gardner and John Stewart to figure out how to stop this grave threat. Check out IFANBOY’s exclusive preview of GREEN LANTERN CORPS #3 by Peter J. Tomasi, Geraldo Borges and Scott Hanna.

IGN previewed Selina Kyle’s latest adventures in CATWOMAN #3. What trouble has the femme fatale got herself into this time? Find out when the issue by Judd Winick and Guillem March hits stores this week.

Following their exclusive preview of LEGION LOST #3 last week, TOR.COM has your first look at LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #3 by Paul Levitz and Francis Portela.

And that's not all. DISCOVER MAGAZINE highlighted the science in MISTER TERRIFIC in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

What else is going on the internet?

ADVERTISING AGE presented a 2011 Media Vanguard Award to the BURN NOTICE digital comic for “Most Innovating Broadcast Brand Extension.” (Congratulations to all those involved with the book!)

Meanwhile, BATMAN: NOEL writer and artist Lee Bermejo was interviewed by YAHOO! ASSOCIATED CONTENT. “I like a very ‘urban warfare’ look for my Batman,” Bermejo said of The Dark Knight’s costume design in the book. “I suppose it comes from my overall need to ground things in as much reality as possible. I like to approach all design from the inside out, trying to figure out what fabrics could be used to make the thing IF it were really being constructed. I wanted there to be a point to Batman having this more modern, utilitarian look. It fit in well with what I wanted to do in the story.”

“The idea for the project pretty much came when I had finished Joker,” Bermejo continued to THE MORTON REPORT. “And I had a blast drawing Joker. I really enjoyed it. But it was a really dark, brutal piece of work, and I kind of wanted to go in the other direction. To push myself creatively, but also to try something new.”

Finally, COMICVINE listed four reasons why Sinestro is the most powerful Green Lantern.

And speaking of Green Lantern, check out Francis Manapul’s breathtaking variant cover for next month’s issue #4. Amazing, right?

To be continued …

MAXIM chatted with AQUAMAN writer Geoff Johns who spoke in the defense of Aquaman and his cool cast of characters. . “Her background is really interesting,” Johns said of Mera. “She felt very strong to me, her hydroconnect powers are very interesting - controlling the water is visually beautiful and I felt the character was very appealing. That’s why we introduced her in BLACKEST NIGHT and had her stand on her own before we brought Aquaman in. You know, I think people respond to the character because she is such a strong, confident kickass superhero.”

TV GUIDE MAGAZINE interviewed BATWING writer Judd Winick. Head on over to their website to read what he had to say and to check out an exclusive preview of issue #3, which hits stores next week.

Speaking of previews, IGN has your exclusive first look at STORMWATCH #3. And while you’re on their site, be sure to check out their list of eight comic book writers to put on your radar, including Joshua Hale Fialkov, J.T. Krul and Sterling Gates.

COMIC BOOK RESOURCES did the Monster Mash with Dan DiDio, Keith Giffen and Jeff Lemire, who teased the upcoming crossover between O.M.A.C. and FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. “The real subtext that's going on here -- and there's actually not that much subtext -- is seeing a little a bit of what Checkmate versus S.H.A.D.E. is about. How the two different agencies compare to each other or how they look at each other,” DiDio said. “The other subplot that is really interesting is, without giving too much away, Brother Eye might want something from S.H.A.D.E. and this might be a way of putting up a big distraction,” Lemire continued. “Trying to slip in the back door.”

Fan of The Big Bang Theory? Then head on over to ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY to check out Jim Lee’s awesome sketch of Leonard as a ThunderCat. Meanwhile, WIRED’s UNDERWIRE named The Joker as comics’ greatest supervillain.

To be continued …

Look what just landed on our desks!

Yesterday marked the release of 12 more titles in DC Comics-The New 52. As press continues to roll in, check out some of the highlights from the past couple of days.

For the fourth week in a row, IFANBOY selected a title from DC Comics-The New 52 as its Pick of the Week. Their selection this week? WONDER WOMAN #1 by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. “In this issue, she’s a straight up action star, with the power of a god,” IFANBOY wrote of the Amazonian princess.

And speaking of WONDER WOMAN, the series’ critically acclaimed creative team was interviewed by MTV GEEK, IO9 and COMIC BOOK RESOURCES. “There's a very clear sense that what's happening to these characters actually means something. Some of them are in real danger, and why are they in danger? Because they're up against something that is much more powerful and immoral than they are,” Azzarello said to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES. “ I always shy away from the word ‘evil,’ but let's just say there's some big evils in this book.”

UNDER THE RADAR chatted with Cliff Chiang, who will be part of a WONDER WOMAN release party at Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn, New York this Saturday. “We're revamping the gods and their roles in the world. They're kind of conniving and scheming for power,” Chiang explained. “Wonder Woman is a pawn of theirs. Sometimes she upsets their plans and sometimes she unwittingly helps them achieve their goals. It's been great modernizing the gods and getting rid of togas and all the classical Greek architecture. The heart of all that mythology is great, but we don't want any of this to feel old. We want readers to see a very clear creative vision. We're not just rehashing.”

In anticipation of a couple local signings over the course of the next week, THE LOS ANGELES EXAMINER gave Los Angeles native Eric Wallace’s MISTER TERRIFIC a 5-star review, calling it a “strong debut issue.”

THE HUFFINGTON POST interviewed BATMAN and SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder. “All of a sudden these murders begin that start to alert him to the fact that maybe he doesn't know the city as well as he thought,” Snyder said of the Dark Knight. “there's an enemy from old Gotham nursery rhymes. An ancient evil in Gotham that's been there for centuries. Because Gotham really 300 years old, no matter how long Bruce has been Batman, he's not as old as the city. So maybe the city belonged to another symbol, a rival symbol, long before it did the Bat, and maybe that sort of organization or that enemy just hasn't really been bothering with Batman until now.” Head on over to THE HUFFINGTON POST to read the full interview and check out their exclusive preview of SWAMP THING #2.

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR highlighted their favorite titles released over the past two weeks from DC Comics-The New 52, which they dubbed an “impressive array of books.” Among their picks were BATMAN AND ROBIN, BATWOMAN, FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E., GREEN LANTERN, SUPERBOY, BATMAN, CATWOMAN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS and WONDER WOMAN.

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE interviewed DC Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras about DC Comics-The New 52. "I think the (52) first issues really are setting the groundwork, but we're building from there with every issue," Harras told them. "The goal is definitely to keep readers excited and really kind of getting back to that sense of 'What's gonna happen next?' ... We're really just building the base of excitement."

FORBES covered the impact of DC Comics-The New 52 thus far. “To quote one comic store owner, ‘The New 52 is the biggest game changer in comic books we’ve seen in 30 years,’” the piece read. “The anticipation of the new releases every week has been nothing short of mind-blowing. Comic shops can’t keep the titles in stock. Some are selling out within hours of being put on the shelf, if they even make it to the shelf.”

IGN continued their series of interviews with all of the creative teams behind DC Comics-The New 52. Check out what Geoff Johns (JUSTICE LEAGUE), Tony Bedard (BLUE BEETLE), Judd Winick (CATWOMAN), Peter Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS), and Eric Wallace (MISTER TERRIFIC) had to say about their respective series. “There's a reason these characters stick together,” Johns teased. “You'll see new villains. You'll find out why Aquaman and Green Arrow hate each other. It's actually a pretty good story behind that, and that will come to light. You'll see the never ending problems that exist on the team because of Batman and Green Lantern. You'll see why Wonder Woman is the best fighter among the team. You'll learn why Superman keeps his distance from everybody else. There's a really cool arc where Superman and his role on this team is a little bit different than before. I think that's on purpose; he's a little bit disconnected from them. You'll see why Flash refuses to call himself a vigilante.”

To be continued …