MTV Geek | DC Comics

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Thursday Evening (ET) Edition

In Los Angeles this Friday? COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and Golden Apple Comics will be co-hosting a wrap party for the release of the first issues of DC Comics-The New 52. In attendance will be Brian Buccellato (THE FLASH), Bernard Chang (DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS), Dan DiDio (O.M.A.C.), Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, VAMPIRE), Sterling Gates (HAWK & DOVE), Adam Glass (Suicide Squad), Kyle Higgins (NIGHTWING/DEATHSTROKE) and Scott Lobdell (SUPERBOY/TEEN TITANS/RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS). For full details about the event, head on over to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES.

IGN continued their series of interviews with all of the creative teams behind DC Comics-The New 52. “I'm already growing attached to our first villain (and creation), Mob Rule,” THE FLASH co-writer Brian Buccellato said. “We are NOT making life easy for The Flash…why should we?”

And speaking of THE FLASH, IFANBOY has selected the first issue as their “Pick of the Week.” This marks the fifth consecutive week that they’ve chosen a title from DC Comics-The New 52. Ron Richards wrote a fantastic post about his connection to the character to accompany their selection. “When creating stories about The Flash, it’s all about speed and momentum,” he wrote. “Both in depicting The Flash within the book and the pace of the story itself. It’s clear with THE FLASH #1 that Manpul and Buccellato understand that. The kinetic energy that comes from drawing The Flash clearly is spread to the story itself and as of right now, I’m super excited to be a fan of The Flash once again.”

IGN also caught up with I, VAMPIRE writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and AQUAMAN writer Geoff Johns. “She's a lot more aggressive than most of our heroes in the DC Universe. But she is incredibly strong and she's incredibly loyal,” Johns said of Mera. “The first issue kind of sets the stage for Aquaman and then Mera comes into the book, and – I think it's issue #6 – is actually just going to focus on Mera. So for me, ever since BLACKEST NIGHT, pulling her out of obscurity and putting her into it and building her up, I think it just makes Aquaman stronger and it adds another iconic female superhero to the DC Universe.”

Want previews of some of next week’s second issues?

MTV GEEK has your first look at DETECTIVE COMICS #2, by Tony S. Daniel, Ryan Winn and Sandu Florea.

COMICVINE has the exclusive preview of JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #2, written by Dan Jurgens and featuring art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan.

We don’t know about you, but we’re sure going to miss seeing USA TODAY and THE NEW YORK TIMES’ weekly reviews of all the week’s releases.

And you may have noticed that NEW YORK MAGAZINE featured ANIMAL MAN in the “brilliant” section of their Approval Matrix, saying that issue #1 takes the book’s premise into “great, creepy territory.”

To be continued …

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Monday Noon (ET) Edition

This Wednesday will bring the final week of first issues from DC Comics-The New 52. The press buzz hasn't quieted down yet!

CBS SUNDAY MORNING profiled DC Comics-The New 52 yesterday. Keep checking back to THE SOURCE, as we will post the video here once it becomes available for viewing online. We don’t want to spoil anything, but if you missed yesterday's segment, be sure to watch the entire video. It has a particularly cool ending.

PARADE MAGAZINE ran a piece on some of the changes to Superman in DC Comics-The New 52. “We take him back to a time when he had to struggle more, when he was more vulnerable,” Jim Lee said to them about the Man of Steel. Want more Superman? Head on over to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES to check out their exclusive preview of SUPERMAN #1, which hits stores this week.

YAHOO’s ASSOCIATED CONTENT interviewed DETECTIVE COMICS writer and artist Tony S. Daniel. “I wanted to nail down a more vintage detective/crime story aspect to the storytelling, a film noir style to my stories,” Daniel told them of the series. “The style here is the bleak, pervasive menace to Gotham City in Batman's world.” DETECTIVE COMICS #2 hits stores next week.

GAWKER’S IO9 interviewed BATWOMAN creative team J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman about what to expect from the series. “We're trying to establish that Batwoman operates in more of a supernatural portion of Gotham,” Blackman teased. Her opponents and some of the storylines have a supernatural bent to them, which in my mind makes them feel very different than the other Bat-stories. We're combining horror with romance with vigilante action, but there's also that strong supernatural angle as well.”

And if you’re still not sure what titles to pick up this week, there's a number of high profile exclusive previews to check out. In an interview accompanying their exclusive preview of TEEN TITANS #1, Scott Lobdell tells USA TODAY that the first issue is "designed specifically so that as you're sitting down to read this book, you're learning about Kid Flash, Red Robin and Wonder Girl. Pretty much what you see on the paper is what we know about them and what they know about each other." THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX and IGN channeled their dark sides with their respective exclusive previews of I, VAMPIRE #1 and JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1. UGO has the exclusive first look at THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1, while MTV GEEK premiered their exclusive preview of THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #1.

To be continued …

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Thursday Morning (ET) Edition

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 …

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Wednesday Afternoon (ET) Edition

Today sees the release of BATMAN #1, the first time the series has had a #1 issue since 1940. With it, a new chapter in the history of the Dark Knight begins. Writer Scott Snyder caught up with a couple of major outlets to discuss what to expect from the series.

“To him Gotham is his oldest ally, his home, and his comfort zone,” Snyder said of Batman to NEW YORK MAGAZINE’s VULTURE blog. “But the city is hundreds of years old, and Batman has only been Batman for a short while, comparatively, so what if the city belonged to another symbol before Batman? The idea is that a secret enemy has existed in Gotham for hundreds of years, and they're going to bring the whole weight of history to bare against Batman.” And in case you missed it, check out VULTURE’s exclusive preview of BATMAN #1.

In addition to BATMAN, Snyder is also the writer of SWAMP THING. “It’s really about [scientist] Alec Holland wrestling with monsters, both external and internal: a guy who is haunted by this mantle of this monster that he used to be,” Snyder told THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX of the series. “So, I really try to write a story that brings him face to face with some of his big fears about how his destiny and fate might be tied to that of this vegetable creature, Swamp Thing.” Be sure to read the full interview to find out which other series in DC Comics-The New 52 will be having a “really, really big crossover” with SWAMP THING.

In other DC Comics-The New 52 news, MTV GEEK chatted with WONDER WOMAN artist Cliff Chiang about the series’ take on the iconic character. “I’m hoping what we do with Wonder Woman will be… pleasantly unexpected,” Chiang teased.

To be continued …

Tags:

Batman, cliff chiang, hero complex, Los Angeles Times, MTV Geek, New York Magazine, scott snyder, swamp thing, Vulture, wonder woman

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Tuesday Morning (ET) Edition

As we prepare for another 12 titles from DC Comics-The New 52 to be published tomorrow, coverage and buzz continues to roll in. Here are some of the highlights.

AIN’T IT COOL NEWS caught up with Geoff Johns to discuss JUSTICE LEAGUE, AQUAMAN, GREEN LANTERN and DC Comics-The New 52 as a whole. “My big story-line for my first year of AQUAMAN is him on a quest to find out who sank Atlantis,” Johns revealed. “Because it wasn't an accident.”

USA TODAY ran an exclusive preview of SUPERGIRL #1 and interviewed series co-writer Mike Johnson. "We're really excited about the opportunity to hand this book to a female reader who is into things like The Hunger Games. This is a strong character with her own point of view," Johnson told them of Kara.

MTV GEEK spoke with Jeff Lemire about FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. “He is absolutely humorless, which in turn leads to a lot of humor down the line,” Lemire said about the series’ protagonist. “But he is a noble soldier, an unstoppable killing machine with the heart of a poet and the manners of a Victorian gentleman.”

IGN continued their series of interviews with all of the creative teams behind DC Comics-The New 52. Check out what Nathan Edmondson (GRIFTER), Adam Glass (SUICIDE SQUAD), Peter Milligan (RED LANTERNS), Fabian Nicieza and Pete Woods (LEGION LOST) and Peter Tomasi (BATMAN AND ROBIN) had to say about their respective series. “Their relationship is a father and son at odds right from the start,” Tomasi said to IGN of Bruce and Damian Wayne in BATMAN AND ROBIN. “Bruce struggles to get a handle on Damian and his past, trying to his best to teach his son what it means to be a just and moral person but making plenty of mistakes along the way. Damian wants to be accepted for who and what he is, but his past and present are locked in a constant battle that threatens to take a terrible toll.”

NEWSARAMA has the exclusive preview of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1 by Paul Levitz and Francis Portela. The issue goes on sale tomorrow.

To be continued …

(Everybody’s Talkin’ About) DC Comics-The New 52, Wednesday Afternoon (ET) Edition

With the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, DC Comics-The New 52 officially kicked off. Coverage has been widespread today. Looking for a comprehensive overview? Look no further.

THE NEW YORK TIMES ran a major feature story on the launch of DC Comics-The New 52 on the front of the Arts section and on their homepage. “We’re not looking for a way of going back to what we did before,” DC Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras told them. “We like to say here, ‘No trap doors.’ This is what we are going to do.”

TODAY.COM interviewed DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio. (You might have seen the story on MSNBC, too.) “It’s all about getting comics into the hands of new readers,” Lee said. “We’re trying to introduce these characters to new audiences.”

Last night’s Midnight Madness event with JUSTICE LEAGUE creative team Geoff Johns and Jim Lee at Midtown Comics in New York City had an incredible turnout and was a huge success. MSNBC was on location taking photos of everything from fan costumes to BATMAN and SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder mingling with fans to Geoff and Jim distributing pizza to those who waited in line for hours to get their hands on JUSTICE LEAGUE #1.

ABC NEWS interviewed Geoff and Jim, who discussed everything from new costumes to their collaborative process. “In the case of JUSTICE LEAGUE, we’re actually completely retelling and re-envisioning how they met and why they met and why they stayed together,” Geoff Johns explained. “The goal is to actually have more personality, more conflict, more tension. Everyone knows them as the super-friends, but we’re showing that they’re not actually friends – not yet.”

WIRED MAGAZINE posted a gallery of various JUSTICE LEAGUE character designs by Jim Lee. Take an exclusive look at Jim’s designs for Superman, The Flash and Aquaman and be sure to check out WIRED’s analysis of these characters’ fresh costumes and looks.

With so much excitement about the 52 titles being released, it’s hard to pick a favorite. “The best part is that for all of the different members of [the DC Comics team] that have read all of the books,” DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio told THE WASHINGTON POST, “I can’t find two people with the same Top-Five list. That’s what’s great for me.”

DiDio also caught up with THE VILLAGE VOICE. “We want to get back down to the core characters and rebuild the fiction around them,” he said of DC Comics-The New 52. “This isn't about rehashing stories, but providing things that new readers can relate to."

EBONY.COM looks at diversity in DC Comics-The New 52, including characters like Voodoo, Static Shock, Cyborg, Mister Terrific and Batwing. “When we go to conventions, we see people of all races and genders,” DiDio told them. “We want a real sense that these characters are participating in the same world that exists outside our window.”

DigiDay ran a piece about same-date digital publication. According to Hank Kanalz, SVP of Digital, “What we heard anecdotally is that people have been coming into comic book stores and buying more titles and asking about digital delivery.”

Io9 and MTV GEEK also shed some light on the heralding in of DC Comics-The New 52 with the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE #1. MTV GEEK also announced a special Twitter competition in which you can win each #1 issue being released as part of DC Comics-The New 52. For information on how to enter the contest, click here.

Much, much more to come as major interviews are being conducted as I load this blog post.

Congratulations are in order to Geoff, Jim, Scott Williams and everyone else behind JUSTICE LEAGUE #1. The issue hasn’t even been out for a full day yet and is already sold out. Here's a first look at the cover of the second printing.

MTV GEEK sits down with DC Entertainment’s Co-Publishers, Jim Lee and Dan DiDio

During San Diego Comic Con, MTV GEEK sat down with DC Entertainment’s Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio to discuss DC Comics-The New 52.

“What we really wanted to do is shake up the business,” said DiDio. “What we’re doing is launching 52 new titles and not only that, but it’s a brand new take, a brand new view and brand new ideal behind our characters. What we’re hoping to do is energize our fanbase, our existing fans and bring in new fans.”

Head on over to MTV GEEK to check out the full interview, where Jim and Dan talk about everything from costumes to digital day-and-date to why 52 titles are being launched at the same time.

Tags:

Dan DiDio, jim lee, MTV Geek, san diego comic con

“It’s time for the vampires to inherit the earth.” – Joshua Hale Fialkov

On Friday, MTV GEEK chatted with I, VAMPIRE writer Joshua Hale Fialkov about what to expect from his upcoming series.

“Vampires are an endangered species,” Fialkov teased of the book’s premise. “Andrew managed to convince Mary to make the vampires go into hiding. They stop feeding so that they stop being hunted. But, for years now, they've been living like second class citizens, and Mary can't take anymore. Our book starts with Mary telling Andrew that she's done getting pushed around, and it's time for the vampires to inherit the earth.”

I, VAMPIRE #1 goes on sale September 28th.

Tags:

I Vampire, Joshua Hale Fialkov, MTV Geek

“There's a lot of great stuff about the character that we're going to show you that hasn't been discussed or presented before." – Jim Lee

(The cover to ACTION COMICS #1 by Rags Morales)

Yesterday, we revealed many new details about the more modern interpretation of the Superman mythos in DC Comics-The New 52. A new costume. An orphan. A bachelor. This September, Superman will become the new man of tomorrow.

Entertainment website TMZ exclusively broke the news that in DC Comics-The New 52, Superman and Lois Lane will never have been married. The story was picked up by numerous outlets including THE HUFFINGTON POST and MTV GEEK.

"Maybe as readers and fans, we've grown a little too comfortable with Superman," artist and DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee told USA TODAY. "Part of the creative changes we've put behind the mythology is to tell people, 'Look, you may think you know Superman, but you don't.' There's a lot of great stuff about the character that we're going to show you that hasn't been discussed or presented before."

Tags:

action comics, jim lee, MTV Geek, Superman, the huffington post, TMZ, usa today

FLASHPOINT TUESDAY

(FLASHPOINT #3 variant cover by Ivan Reis and George Perez)

Regular readers of THE SOURCE have most likely noticed the absence of FLASHPOINT FRIDAYS over the course of the past two weeks, as we unveiled titles from the upcoming launch of the new DC Universe. Not to worry, FLASHPOINT FRIDAY returns this Friday as a regular, weekly feature on the blog and today we’ll have a special Tuesday edition, including previews of several of this Wednesday’s FLASHPOINT releases.

And if you haven’t already picked up some of the recently released FLASHPOINT mini series and are curious to get a sneak peek at them, check out these exclusive previews: Newsarama showed a first look at BOOSTER GOLD #45 and FLASHPOINT: CITIZEN COLD #1. MTV Geek previewed FLASHPOINT: DEATHSTROKE AND THE CURSE OF THE RAVAGER, along with an interview with Jimmy Palmiotti. Wired’s GEEKDAD debuted pages from FLASHPOINT: EMPEROR AQUAMAN #1, and iFANBOY had a sneak peek at FLASHPOINT: FRANKENSTEIN & THE CREATURES OF THE UNKNOWN #1.

And if you’re a digital reader, be sure to check out FLASHPOINT #1, now available as a digital comic, and find out for yourself why BLASTR calls the FLASHPOINT series, “shocking and compelling,” and “one of the best event series in recent memory.”

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