Exclusive Preview of DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #0!

In stores tomorrow, DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #0 is a special over-sized anthology issue that reveals the origins and secrets of O.M.A.C., Mister Terrific, Hawk & Dove, Blackhawks, and Deadman!

 

See the origins of O.M.A.C. and the purpose behind the Eye’s creation. Mister Terrific travels into the 9th Dimension to see his past, present and future and discovers a secret about his own son! Hawk and Dove’s origins are revealed but will the delicate balance of war and peace be maintained or will war finally crush peace once and for all? The Blackhawks complete their first mission – will all the members survive it?  And finally, when Deadman is transported into the body of the man who killed him, will he seek revenge or find forgiveness in his heart?

 

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #0 comes to you from the creative team of Keith Giffen, Dan DiDio, and Scott Koblish (O.M.A.C.), James Robinson and Tom Derenick (Mister Terrific), Rob Liefeld and Marat Mychaels (Hawk & Dove), Tony Bedard, Carlos Rodriguez, and BIT (Blackhawks), and Tony Bedard and Scott McDaniel (Deadman). Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

 

Paperback Spotlight – O.M.A.C. VOL. 1: OMACTIVATE

It’s hard to believe that we’re already almost one full year into DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. To celebrate this monumental anniversary, each day this week on THE SOURCE we’ve been spotlighting a different paperback collected edition being released this month. With the launch storylines of these critically acclaimed series collected for the first time in their entirety, it’s a great way for new readers to join the growing DC Universe. Today, we shed a spotlight on O.M.A.C. VOL. 1: OMACTIVATE.

 

“Going into O.M.A.C., we knew we wanted to do a big, bold, brassy, over the top comic book,” co-writer and artist Keith Giffen told THE SOURCE. “That was, believe it or not, our mission statement. Whaddaya know... things worked out.”  

“Be forewarned: if you like your comics all warm and cuddly and concerned with your feelings you might want to pass on this. If, however, you're into the sheer lunacy that only comics can provide ... have we got some stories for you.”

 

“As I write this, I'm inking the first few pages of the O.M.A.C. zero story, digesting the mayhem and madness that Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen have just dropped on my desk,” inker Scott Koblish continued. “It's been about half a year since I touched a page of O.M.A.C., but it is a comfort to sit down with another set of great pages in front of me. In the intervening months, I've been stretching myself creatively and into different artistic fields, banging my head against as many walls as possible, in an effort to stretch myself out of my comfort zone. Inking over O.M.A.C is like coming home to a cup of hot chocolate after a day on the Iditarod; I'm enjoying it too much, and I know I need to get out there and race with the dogs again, but it's such a comfortable place I just want to stay here for awhile.”

“I've been a very big Jack Kirby fan since I was young. Jack Kirby was a virtuoso, a man who trusted his imagination to lead the way, and he painted in broad, influential strokes and he looms over the comic book industry like Shakespeare looms over the theater. Working on a book called O.M.A.C is a little like starting up a modern-day theater revival of Hamlet you have to make sure to keep what's good, you want to have a spin on it that keeps it fresh, and you want to remind everyone what was important about the work in the first place. Dan and Keith played well to those strengths. An O.M.A.C. story is an explosive thing, full of big ideas, bombast and power, stories that reflect our modern day collisions of monsters, machines and mortals.”

“It infected me to work on a book like this; the velocity with which ideas were flying was intoxicating.  As the team got comfortable with everyone else's strengths, it became clear to me that there was no story that couldn't be told. If Dan and Keith would turn onto some new concept, each time everyone knew how to make it work.”

“On each page of O.M.A.C., I would be surprised three times, and I'll take the last page of the first issue as a perfect example. Keith surprised me with that splash of Brother Eye, a full on homage to Jack Kirby: the sun was bursting with energy, the sky and moon were frantic with endlessly erupting with energy, and the land below the satellite was composed entirely out of shock-lines, as if the entire North American continent was shuddering in awe of the seething power of Brother Eye. The whole time I inked it, I couldn't get the phrase ‘the music of the spheres’ out of my head.  My second surprise would come with Brian and Kristy Miller's Hi-Fi colors: Bright, stunning, a confident attack on the senses, each color vibrantly juxtaposed in violent confluence. And the third surprise was Dan's dialogue, quirky and (to me) completely out of left field. It lent a twist to the proceedings that I really enjoyed. The sheer insanity of a satellite orbiting high in cosmic grandeur, lecturing a confused and bewildered Kevin Ko, ‘Eye am BROTHER EYE, and you and Eye have much to talk about. But first, call your girlfriend. She's worried about you.’ And then, at the bottom of the page, in Travis Lanham's deft and grand lettering, the next issue blurb - the promise of things getting ‘really weird’ next issue (and they did!). Fantastic.”  

“POW! Liked the Checkmate Elite team? Ka-boom! How about some alligators with electric heads? Zap! Enjoyed the issue with the evil Human Resources girl? Thoom! How about some walking, talking animals? Crash! How about ripping the walls off of Kevin's last safe place?”

“The trade is a very nice package. It opens up about some of the process that Keith and Dan went through, and it has the first few pages of a shelved attempt at the first issue, different designs of O.M.A.C., the Psi-Fi Man and Sweet Leilani (I got to meet her Earth-Prime counterpart a few months ago and she's adorable).”

“Regrets? I wish we'd gotten to do more, to see what impact each new idea was going to have, but that's comics – we are always commanding a ship that seems ready to collapse out from under us at any moment. All we can do is throw out as many stories as we can, and hope some of them make an impression on a reader's mind. On your mind, hopefully. Pick up O.M.A.C. VOL. 1: OMACTIVATE if you can, and don't worry about us, we've been busy building our next boat. Hopefully you'll be there to watch us unfurl the sail on that one too.”

 

“For me, O.M.A.C. was one of those rare titles that truly explored uncommon territory in the DC Universe,” concluded series editor Harvey Richards. “Admittedly we didn’t work from a complete blank slate, we followed the footprints of the legendary Jack ‘the King’ Kirby, who introduced dozens of ideas that established the foundation of sci-fi characters in the DC Universe (and comics in general). Those are big shoes to fill. And while a handful of creators have flirted with the O.M.A.C. concept in the past, we felt that DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 would be the perfect opportunity to dive deep into those ideas again. And who else could be up to that task then Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen?”

“DiDio and Giffen on O.M.A.C. could only be described as letting two kids loose in a toy store. They were constantly on the phone brainstorming on possible story ideas. They reintroduced characters to the DC Universe that haven’t been seen in years and yet they added new elements to make the characters feel fresh for the modern world. Some characters were altered so much they became new characters entirely. Dan wrote draft after draft trying to find the right voice for the characters, while Giffen drew at least two issue’s worth of unused O.M.A.C. pages just trying to get the right energy and feel for the stories. Hardcore Kirby fans may even noticed a few Easter Eggs scattered throughout the run hinting at moments of the pass and possible future stories, but we never let those elements hinder a new reader’s enjoyment.”

“People couldn’t stop talking about Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish’s artwork on O.M.A.C. They were blown away at how Keith channeled Kirby’s style. It wasn’t difficult for Giffen because that’s his actual art style. He went back to his foundation as a comic artist – add Koblish’s clean crisp inks, the vibrate colors of HI-FI, Brian and Kristy Miller, and the dynamic lettering of Travis Lanham. Together we produced a comic that didn’t look like anything else on the stands!”

“Even though we didn’t get a chance to explore all of our ideas in the run, I have no doubt that this series has plant the seeds of new ideas for years to come. To all those fellow dreamers who sometimes fall reaching the stars, I’d like to pass on the word of Brother Eye, ‘Omactivate’!”

 

O.M.A.C. VOL. 1: OMACTIVATE is available in bookstores everywhere now.

 

“Something’s going very wrong.”

With their identities revealed to the world, the Secret Seven are more vulnerable than ever before. So vulnerable in fact, that they start slaughtering each other from within. But who is to blame for these casualties? Which team members can be trusted? Could the rumors that someone on the team is working for Aquaman or Wonder Woman be true? It’ll be up to Shade The Changing Man to figure it out and put a stop to the traitor who is responsible before any more innocent blood is shed. Even if it means sacrificing himself.

FLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN #3 is written by Peter Milligan, features art by Fernando Blanco and Scott Koblish, and hits stores on Wednesday.

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The Stakes Raise For The Edge

In the second issues of the “Edge” group books, the odds are not in our protagonists’ favor. In DEATHSTROKE, MEN OF WAR and ALL-STAR WESTERN, new villains will be revealed. Grifter and Voodoo are on the run while Stormwatch, the Blackhawks, O.M.A.C. and the Suicide Squad must fight battles that’ll have grave consequences.

STORMWATCH #2

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA and AL BARRIONUEVO

Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA

On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

The moon is alive! Following the events of SUPERMAN #1 where [TEXT REDACTED], the covert team of sci-fi Super Heroes known as Stormwatch must not only battle the Earth’s moon, but find a way to hide its monstrous metamorphosis from the rest of the Earth! How? Uh, they’re working on it. Meanwhile, the recruitment of Midnighter goes poorly, and we learn why the Martian Manhunter is a member of the team. Written by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who)!

DEATHSTROKE #2

Written by KYLE HIGGINS

Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT

Cover by SIMON BISLEY

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Deathstroke’s tactical prowess is put to the test when the man who hired him attempts to renege on the contract. Pitted against a salvo of new assassins, including the vicious Road Rage, Slade must take his giant sword to the 405 freeway and proclaim himself the most vicious killer in the city of Angels!

GRIFTER #2

Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON

Art and cover by CAFU and JASON GORDER

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The police are looking for him. Government operatives are hunting him down. And Cole Cash can hear the voices of an alien race in his head. Escaping New Orleans will require quick thinking and a violent streak straight out of Cole’s Special Operations background – and just like that, his life will be turned upside down, figuratively as well as literally.

SUICIDE SQUAD #2

Written by ADAM GLASS

Art by FEDERICO DELLOCCHIO and RANSOM GETTY

Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

80,000 ordinary people vs. the Squad! Well, they’re not really “people.” Not anymore. With an entire sports stadium on lockdown following the outbreak of an unknown virus, Deadshot, Harley Quinn and the rest of the Squad must sneak past a military perimeter and fight their way through the infected to retrieve... “it.” What is “it”…? Brace yourself for a stomach-churning reveal as the most brutal version of the Suicide Squad soldiers on! Plus: Bring a body bag – it’s the team’s first Squad fatality!

VOODOO #2

Written by RON MARZ

Art and cover by SAMI BASRI

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Is she a hero? Is she a villain? Voodoo is on the run in the new DC Universe, trying to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, using all of her considerable skills to complete a mission that will put the entire Earth in danger. DC’s sexy, edgy new series goes into overdrive with one of the most unexpected opening scenes ever!

O.M.A.C. #2

Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN

Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH

On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Brother Eye gives Kevin Kho the ground rules to their new “arrangement.” New players are introduced to the game as Sarge Steel and Checkmate begin their hunt for the One Machine Army Corp, but O.M.A.C.’s appearance may be short-lived when he faces the incredible threat of Rocker Bonn, the Amazing Man!

MEN OF WAR #2

Written by IVAN BRANDON and JONATHAN VANKIN

Art by TOM DERENICK and PHIL WINSLADE

Cover by VIKTOR KALVACHEV

On sale OCTOBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

In the split second after a heavy-weapons blast the air goes silent and still, just as it does in the ghostly realm of Circe. How will Rock and his team of men – battle-hardened, but still human – survive a villainess who can walk on the very wind?

Plus, Navy Seals Ice and Tracker go where no boots are on the ground, but when their mission is compromised, how will they tell friend from foe?

BLACKHAWKS #2

Written by MIKE COSTA

Art and GRAHAM NOLAN and NORM RAPMUND

Cover by KEN LASHLEY

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

While the Blackhawks deal with a potential public exposure, Lady Blackhawk is keeping dangerous secrets of her own! And the first clues of a vast conspiracy throughout the DC Universe begin to take shape. The action ratchets up for DC’s newest team of high-tech military operatives.

ALL-STAR WESTERN #2

Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI

Art by MORITAT and JORDI BERNET

Cover by MORITAT

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

What happens when a psychologist and a sociopath have to work together to track down Gotham City’s first serial killer? They’ll soon find that crime in the big city runs deeper than its foundations, and it’s all mapped out in the mysterious Crime Bible – that is, if they don’t kill each other first.

Plus: No zombie is safe in the Wild West when Lazarus Lane summons the demon known as El Diablo!

FLASHPOINT FRIDAY: The SECRET SEVEN Revealed

When a scorned enemy reveals the identity of the Secret Seven to the world, it’ll be up to Shade the Changing Man to hold the team together. But as he struggles to lead them, he’ll need to find the confidence to understand his incomplete memories. Otherwise, he may lose grip on reality and turn into a madman--the very kind he intends to stop.

FLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN #2 comes from the creative team of Peter Milligan, Fernando Blanco, Scott Koblish, and Brian Buccellato, and hits stores next week. iFANBOY has the exclusive preview pages.

Cover

September's THE EDGE Solicits

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STORMWATCH #1

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA

On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

They are Stormwatch, a dangerous super human police force whose existence is kept secret from the world Directly following the ominous events of SUPERMAN #1, Adam One leads half the Stormwatch team to recover the [INFORMATION REDACTED] from deep in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, Jack Hawksmoor and the rest of the Stormwatch crew look to recruit two of the deadliest super humans on the planet: Midnighter and Apollo! And if they say no? Perhaps the Martian Manhunter can change their minds...

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GRIFTER #1

Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON

Art by CAFU

Cover by CAFU and BIT

On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The DCU’s most wanted man stars in his own series!

Cole Cash is a charming grifter few can resist. And yet he’s about to be branded a serial killer when he begins hunting and exterminating inhuman creatures hidden in human form – creatures only he can see!

Can the biggest sweet talker of all time talk his way out of this one when even his brother thinks he’s gone over the edge?

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DEATHSTROKE #1

Written by KYLE HIGGINS

Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT

Cover by SIMON BISLEY

On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

“Friends die, family disappoints, but a legacy... That lives forever.”

Slade Wilson is the best mercenary in the DCU, and he’s been doing this a long time. Some might say too long. But they’ll learn: Never turn your back on Deathstroke the Terminator. He won’t quit, no matter how high the stakes. Kyle Higgins (BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM) and Joe Bennett (TEEN TITANS) team up to bring you the finest in mayhem and gore.

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SUICIDE SQUAD #1

Written by ADAM GLASS

Art by MARCO RUDY

Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN

On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

They’re a team of death-row super villains recruited by the government to take on missions so dangerous – they’re sheer suicide!

Harley Quinn! Deadshot! King Shark! Defeated and imprisoned, they’re being interrogated about their mission – and about who’s pulling the strings behind this illegal operation. Who will be the first to crack under the pressure?

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O.M.A.C. #1

Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN

Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH

On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The all-seeing Brother Eye satellite has unleashed a new beast upon the DC Universe in this smashing new series! Kevin Kho has become an unwilling participant in a war between Checkmate and Brother Eye as he is transformed into the One Machine Army Corp known only as O.M.A.C.!

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BLACKHAWKS #1

Written by MIKE COSTA

Art and cover by KEN LASHLEY

On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Welcome to a world waging a new kind of war that’s faster and more brutal than ever before. It’s fought by those who would make the innocent their targets, using computers, smart weapons and laser-guided missiles. The new enemy is hard to find – and closer to home than we think.

Between us and them stand the Blackhawks, an elite force of military specialists equipped with the latest in cutting-edge hardware and vehicles. Their mission: Kill the bad guys before they kill us.

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MEN OF WAR #1

Written by IVAN BRANDON

Art by TOM DERENICK

Cover by VIKTOR KALVACHEV

On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

On the ground and on the front lines, a young, headstrong soldier known as Joe Rock assumes command of Easy Company – a team of ex-military men turned contractors. Will they survive the battle-scarred landscape carved by the DCU’s Super-Villains? Find out in this explosive new series from Ivan Brandon (Viking, DOC SAVAGE) and Tom Derenick (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA)!

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ALL-STAR WESTERN #1

Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI

Art and cover by MORITAT

On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

Even when Gotham City was just a one-horse town, crime was rampant – and things only get worse when bounty hunter Jonah Hex comes to town. Can Amadeus Arkham, a pioneer in criminal psychology, enlist Hex’s special brand of justice to help the Gotham Police Department track down a vicious serial killer? Find out in this new series from HEX writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, with lush artwork by Moritat (THE SPIRIT)!

Welcome To The Edge

Welcome To The Edge

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Stormwatch is a dangerous super human strike force whose existence is kept secret from the world. Jack Hawksmoor and the rest of the crew look to recruit two of the deadliest super humans on the planet: Midnighter and Apollo. And if they say no? Perhaps the Martian Manhunter can change their minds. Featuring a surprising new roster, STORMWATCH #1 will be written by the critically-acclaimed Paul Cornell (Superman: The Black Ring, “Dr. Who”) and illustrated by Miguel Sepulveda.

Warfare: Past and Present

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Blackhawk is an elite group of mercenaries made up of brave men from around the world equipped with the latest in cutting-edge hardware and vehicles. Their mission: Kill the bad guys before they kill us. A set of contemporary tales that battle the world's gravest threats, BLACKHAWKS #1 will be written by Mike Costa and illustrated by Ken Lashley.

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The grandson of the original Sgt. Rock assumes the command of Easy Company, a team of crack ex-military men financed by a covert military contractor, as they brave the battle-scarred landscape carved by the DC Universe’s super-villains. MEN OF WAR #1 is contemporary military story fighting under modern conditions, and will be written by Ivan Brandon and illustrated by Tom Derenick.

allsw_cv1knr-e0943k

Even when Gotham City was just a one-horse town, crime was rampant – and things only get worse when bounty hunter Jonah Hex comes to town. Can Amadeus Arkham, a pioneer in criminal psychology, enlist Hex’s special brand of justice to help the Gotham Police Department track down a vicious serial killer? Featuring back-up stories starring DC’s other western heroes, ALL-STAR WESTERN #1 will be written by the fan-favorite Jonah Hex team of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and illustrated by Moritat.

The DC Universe’s Loose Cannons

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A metahuman mercenary who made a living taking out the toughest targets, Deathstroke will reclaim his fearsome legacy by any means necessary in DEATHSTROKE #1, a new series from rising star Kyle Higgins (Batman: Gates of Gotham) and artists Joe Bennett and Art Thibert.

grif_cv164noocbatu

Ex-black ops agent Cole Cash is a charming grifter that few can resist. And yet he’s about to be branded a serial killer when he begins hunting and exterminating inhuman creatures hidden in human form – creatures only he can see. Can the biggest sweet talker of all time talk his way out of this one when even his brother thinks he’s gone over the edge? Find out in GRIFTER #1, written by Nathan Edmondson with art by CAFU and BIT (the team behind T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS).

omac_cv1127nksas-ans

A man loses control of his life as the omnipresent Brother Eye transforms him against his will into a powerful killing machine OMAC #1, written by DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio and co-written and illustrated by Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish.

FLASHPOINT FRIDAY: “I’m A Changing Man”

flashpoint-logo_whiteFLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN #1 comes to us from a distinguished creative team indeed. Peter Milligan is the writer of many acclaimed titles, notably SHADE THE CHANGING MAN, the cult classic published by Vertigo in the ‘90s. From CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS to INFINITE CRISIS, artist George Perez is no stranger to major events. Joining them on the project are artist Scott Koblish, who has worked on various DC titles for decades, including SUPERMAN, FINAL CRISIS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, and WONDER WOMAN, and Fernando Blanco, the artist of FALLEN ANGEL.

When it comes to a series written by Milligan starring Shade the Changing Man, the “leader” of the Secret Seven, one might expect a level of otherworldly weirdness. The first four pages certainly pave the way for a surreal journey to come….

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FLASHPOINT FRIDAY: The Secret Seven are being slaughtered from within.

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FLASH FACT:The Secret Seven are being slaughtered from within. Shade the Changing Man must figure out who it is in time, or he will have another team's death on his hands.

FLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN #3

Written by PETER MILLIGAN

Art by FERNANDO BLANCO and SCOTT KOBLISH

Cover by GEORGE PEREZ

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

Exclusive First Look at JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA’s 50th Anniversary Issue

Last month, we announced the large roster of contributors working on JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA’s extra-sized 50th anniversary issue. Broken up into a series of four episodes, this 56-page issue features the talents of writer Marc Guggenheim, interior artists George Perez, Scott Koblish, Howard Chaykin, Freddie Williams, Tom Derenick, and cover artists Felipe Massafera and Darwyn Cooke.

Check out the gallery below to see Felipe’s cover, Darwyn’s variant cover, and artwork from all five artists (order from left to right: George Perez & Scott Koblish, Freddie Williams, Howard Chaykin, Tom Derenick). JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA's landmark 50th issue hits stores tomorrow.

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