First, let me get the obvious out of the way: There’s a ton of exciting stuff happening in the DCU.

Whether it’s Bruce Wayne returning, BRIGHTEST DAY’s ongoing mysteries and reveals or the edgy adventures of the SECRET SIX, nearly every title has its share of surprises and “Wow” pages and moments. And those pages include some great art. So why not put the spotlight on a few of those moments?

That’s the conceit behind “This Just Happened.” Simple, right? So, let’s grab this week’s stack and check out some of the cool moments or shots from the latest week of DCU books.

Can Jesus Merino draw Alan Scott or what? JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #43, which serves as an epilogue to the JLA/JSA crossover “Dark Things,” features a lot of soul-searching and reflection. Which is to be expected when you’re coming out of a major crossover event featuring two of the DC Universe’s biggest teams. But look at that splash page. Merino has a knack for making every scene dynamic, and this panel’s a perfect example.

A lot of people forget just how deadly Gorilla Grodd can be. Maybe they’re fooled by his frighteningly sharp intellect or by the fact that he’s a giant gorilla, and some people think gorillas are cute. Well, this one isn’t. And he’ll tear your head off in a second if given the chance. Now, show that via the pen of Sean Chen and we’ve got an image none of us want to see come to life.

J.T. Krul has a knack for Green Arrow. Heck, he’s got a knack for most of the characters he’s writing. This is Ollie in his element, roaming the streets of Star City and pinning down his enemies with a well-timed trick arrow. Artist Diogenes Neves manages to pull off a hat tip to the lies of Mike Grell and Neal Adams while putting his own spin on writer J.T. Krul’s take on the Emerald Archer.

Now, we knew Don Kramer could draw an excellent Wonder Woman, right?

How about scary, creepy and straight up ugly monsters?

Yeah, he can do that, too.

Cool, huh?

Now, lemme turn it to you, Source readers — what were the cool moments you saw this week?

Lex's quest for power - specifically, the power wielded by the Black Lantern ring -- continues, as writer Paul Cornell and artist Pete Woods' second issue ups the ante for the villainous star. Buckle in for a greatest hits tour of the DCU's most wanted as Lex Luthor continues his epic hunt, with covers by superstar artist David Finch.

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There are some characters that connect so strongly with readers that they take on a life of their own, becoming more than just ink on a page. Like modern fables and folklore, comics create strange and exciting worlds and landscapes for readers to visit and experience, and they populate these worlds with characters so well-defined, it’s as if we’d known them forever.

Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN is one such work. An epic, 75-issue opus that was both genre-bending and trend-setting during its original release and to this day, it, like WATCHMEN and a number of series, is what many point to when discussing comics as high art. It’s not a stretch to call it a masterpiece.

But why are we talking about SANDMAN on the DCU blog, you ask?

For those unfamiliar with the character at the center of the cover – and shame on you if you don’t know who that is – that’s Death, sister to Dream of the Endless and one of the most enduring characters introduced during Gaiman’s 75-issue SANDMAN series. Beautifully presented by ACTION COMICS cover artist David Finch, the cover begs the question – what is Death doing in ACTION COMICS?

Though the worlds of the Sandman and the DC superheroes have bled into one another from time to time, ACTION COMICS #894 marks a unique moment for not only Death, but the star of ACTION – Lex Luthor. Luthor, as fans of the series know, is in the midst of a storyline that takes him on a winding and dangerous quest for power – a quest that will bring the megalomaniacal villain into close proximity with characters in and beyond the far reaches of the DC Universe.

We touched base with writer Paul Cornell who, along with artist Pete Woods, are the team entrusted with the task of chronicling this special issue. Take it away, Paul:

“Death appearing in Action Comics was my own mad idea, the extreme case of putting Luthor up against characters he's not used to dealing with.

“I'm very pleased that, after I ran the idea by him, Neil Gaiman approved me using Death in this issue. He's been very supportive. It's so interesting to see her back in the DC Universe. Though Vertigo readers can rest assured that the character, and the way she's used, will be true to the spirit of what has gone before.”

ACTION COMICS #894 hits in October.

If you thought we had a blog packed with creators, news and excitement when BATMAN #700 came out, you’re in for a treat. As some of you know, this week marks the 700th issue of SUPERMAN. The anniversary issue not only features a first look at J. Michael Straczynski and Eddy Barrows’ “Grounded” storyline, but is full of clues and hints about the other titles in the SUPERMAN family, including ACTION COMICS, SUPERGIRL and the new SUPERBOY series from Jeff Lemire.

Before we dive into all the goodies, here’s a hint of what’s to come:

• Comments from Superman writers and artists, past and present, talking about the charater, his significance.

• A sneak peek at not only SUPERMAN #700, but beyond – including Paul Cornell and Pete Woods’ upcoming run on ACTION COMICS, Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle’s SUPERGIRL and the new SUPERBOY series.

• And – well, that’d be telling. Suffice to say, we’ve got a handful of surprises that’ll keep you on your toes and near a computer.

Speaking of, we’ve got a SUPERMAN-centric image that’ll knock your socks off. But more on that later.