You surf the web enough, you start seeing patterns.

The number 52, for instance, seems to be very popular right now. Drill down further and new trends start to emerge. Critics like ANIMAL MAN and THE FLASH. Websites likes a good holiday story, particularly a week out from Halloween. Ready?

FLASH FACT: critics really do like THE FLASH. Just check out POPMATTERS' advance 10 out 10 stars rave review of THE FLASH #2, which hits stores tomorrow. “Francis Manapul writer-artist behind the New 52 Flash and co-writer Brian Buccellato, simply streak ahead of any previous limitations in storytelling. What Manapul and Buccellato have produced with the Flash is a rich, textured drama that hinges on both the emotional core and hard scifi,” they wrote. “Manapul and Buccellato conduct readers to a wonderland of augmented cognition and rapid cell development. But the real joy is linking beyond the ideas the writers express, and finding science theories for ourselves like the neuroscience of prediction and quantum entanglement and bringing these to bear on our reading of the book … The Flash is simply comics at its finest.”

Want to hear more about THE FLASH? Head on over to NEWSARAMA, for Vaneta Rogers' interview with the creative team. "What's interesting about Barry Allen's perception among fans is that a lot of people think he's 'old-school.'"said series co-writer and artist Francis Manapul. "But in reality, the only thing old-school about him is his idealism. His optimism. Right? So he's this very black and white type of hero, and he's been thrust into this world that's gray." THE FLASH co-writer Buccellato suggests, "We went through a period where the anti-hero and tortured hero were prevalent, and it's because they were unique at the time that they captured the imagination of readers. But now, I think people see a noble hero as something special. We want somebody who will do the right things because they're the right things, and maybe we don't need to know that deep down he's tortured."

Meanwhile, with Halloween around the corner, GAWKER’s IO9 interviewed I, VAMPIRE writer Joshua Hale Fialkov to help get you in a horror state of mind. “I went back to Bram Stoker. I'm using Dracula but with a slightly more superhero twist,” Fialkov revealed when asked about what type of powers the vampires in his title possess. “They can turn into bats, wolves, and a hybrid monster (to give them that great visual punch). They have the Stoker set. They can walk in the sunlight, but they can't use their powers. To kill them, you must chop off their head and stake them in the heart. They can turn to mist. They're super-strong, but not Superman. The basic idea is that they're an upgraded version of us.”

AIN'T IT COOL NEWS interviewed DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and JUSTICE LEAGUE artist Jim Lee about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. “Brian and Cliff have come up with ways of introducing centaurs into WONDER WOMAN that is very creepy, and it's exciting to see a realistic, modernist take on ancient Greek mythology, and used in a way to make it kind of...you know, the same way we've seen different updatings of classic mythology, like Frankenstein, vampires, werewolves, he's kind of doing that with Greek mythology, so it's exciting to see.”

Meanwhile, CBR spoke directly with the WONDER WOMAN creative team, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. “Greek mythology is something that is unique to the character of Wonder Woman. Let's play it up. Why shouldn't it be played up?” Azzarello said. “The other thing is, now, we've given her a family -- a big, horrible family -- and the story possibilities are endless. The gods act horribly to each other, they act horribly to humans. But at the same time, they're not entirely unsympathetic, either. They are all coming from a place you understand. That's kind of the universal quality of mythology, that it's all about human nature. The other thing is, Wonder Woman's never had a Gotham City. Now, her family is going to be her Gotham City.”

While you're at COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, be sure to check out their exclusive first look at tomorrow’s TEEN TITANS #2.

Once Halloween is in the rear view mirror a week from today, we can all get ready for the winter holidays. Writer/artist Lee Bermejo helps sets the stage with an interview with NEWSARAMA about BATMAN: NOEL. “There are characters who fit in with the roles that those ghosts play in Dickens,” says Bermejo. “The ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ is a sequence with Catwoman. The ‘Ghost of Christmas Present ’ is a sequence with Superman, and the ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ is Joker. The roles these characters play at that moment in the story help serve the same purpose that the ghosts serve in A Christmas Carol.”

To be continued …

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5

Written by GEOFF JOHNS

Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS

1:25 Variant cover by ERIC BASALDUA

1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE

On sale JANUARY 18 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

Now, with the teenaged powerhouse Cyborg at their side, this group of individual heroes must somehow put their differences aside to face the terror of Darkseid!

This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #5

Written by DAN JURGENS

Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN

Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND

On sale JANUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The JLI has one last chance to stop the alien powerhouse known as Peraxxus before he and his SignalMen bring about the end of the world. Will the team be able to work together, or will they bear the responsibility for Earth’s destruction?

AQUAMAN #5

Written by GEOFF JOHNS

Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

On sale JANUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Aquaman has been left for dead in the middle of the desert! But how did the King of Atlantis find himself marooned in such a hellish environment? As Aquaman struggles to survive impossible odds, what extreme measures will he resort to in order to stay alive?

WONDER WOMAN #5

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO

Art by TONY AKINS

Cover by CLIFF CHIANG

1:25 Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG

On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Wonder Woman has returned home to London…but leaving Paradise Island doesn’t mean leaving the gods behind, as two of the most powerful deities of the pantheon have come to town – and neither of them is leaving without being crowned King of the gods! Featuring guest art by Tony Akins (JACK OF FABLES)!

THE FLASH #5

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO

Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

Variant cover by GARY FRANK

1:200 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

On sale JANUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Central City in chaos! Iris West captive in Iron Heights prison! And as Flash tries to deal with all of it, he must also try to save the life of his old friend Manuel Lago from Mob Rule, DC Comics’ hottest new Super Villain!

CAPTAIN ATOM #5

Written by J.T. KRUL

Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II

Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU

On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Captain Atom likes to think of himself as a hero, but he can’t shake visions of another fate that could be far more monstrous. And maybe there’s more truth to this nightmare than he’d like to believe as he finally comes face-to-face with the bizarre creature that’s been lurking in the shadows.

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #5

Written by GAIL SIMONE and ETHAN VAN SCIVER

Art by YILDIRAY CINAR and NORM RAPMUND

Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER

On sale JANUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Ronnie and Jason have never agreed on anything, and now it’s all-out war as the mysterious Zither pits them against each other! But with the mystery of the Rogue Firestorms spiraling out of control, the guys will have to come to an agreement – or risk serious fallout!

GREEN ARROW #5

Written by KEITH GIFFEN and DAN JURGENS

Art by DAN JURGENS and RAY MCCARTHY

Cover by JASON FABOK and RYAN WINN

On sale JANUARY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

His touch melts flesh and burns through steel, and now the nightmare creature known as Midas wants Green Arrow dead! What secret from Green Arrow’s past fuels Midas’s rage, and how does it all tie in to the enigmatic woman known only as Blood Rose? Secrets are revealed as Ollie Queen’s past comes back – to kill him!

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #5

Written by PAUL JENKINS

Art by BERNARD CHANG

Cover by RYAN SOOK

On sale JANUARY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s the mind-blowing, metaphysical conclusion of Deadman’s soul-searching quest to find meaning in his mission and salvation for the spirits of those he has possessed! Deadman thinks he finally has the upper hand on his boss, Rama, but he’ll soon learn that when it comes to dealing with a god, there’s no such thing. All that plus mobsters, terrorists and a bazooka!

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #5

Written by TONY S. DANIEL and JIM BONNY

Art and cover by PHILIP TAN

On sale JANUARY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The appearance of an otherworldly visitor to the city sets in motion a series of horrifying visions of the dead walking the streets of New York City. But only Carter can see them, causing him to question his own sanity. Can Hawkman unravel the mystery before it consumes him?

MISTER TERRIFIC #5

Written by ERIC WALLACE

Art by GIANLUCA GUGLIOTTA and WAYNE FAUCHER

Cover by J.G. JONES

On sale JANUARY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s a battle in outer space as Mister Terrific leads a rebellion against the diabolical Kryl! But with Michael and his allies hopelessly outnumbered, it might take a miracle to save them. Who is the mysterious entity enlisted to help them? One thing’s for sure: This will either be Mister Terrific’s finest hour…or his last stand.

Last Friday, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles hosted a wrap party for the first month of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. The writers and artists in attendance included Brian Buccellato, Bernard Chang, Mike Costa, Dan DiDio, Josh Fialkov, Sterling Gates, Adam Glass, Kyle Higgins and Scott Lobdell. Head on over to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES to hear all of these creators talk about what titles from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 were their favorites. “It was really exciting to work with Francis on the book because he saw this book visually first,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and O.M.A.C. writer Dan DiDio about THE FLASH. “He was talking about images and speed and how he was going to be able to interpret the fastest man in the world. And when you saw the art come in, you couldn’t help but get super excited because you saw this visual interpretation that feels incredibly fresh.”

Sara Lima at COMICVINE published a piece on how DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 has made iconic leading lady Lois Lane into a powerful, self-sufficient, successful and integral female character. “This Lois finally gets to be the boss. She's smart, sassy, and has no problem standing up to the man who promoted her to Vice President,” wrote Lima. “She's certainly stronger, more interesting and has a lot more depth.”

Finally, as gamers everywhere already know, BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, the long-awaited sequel to the blockbuster game, BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM, hits stores in less than two weeks. G4 ran the first two of three segments showcasing the villains that The Dark Knight will be facing this time around. Watch the videos to catch a glimpse at how characters like Two-Face, Penguin, Solomon Grundy, Talla al Ghul, Riddler, Catwoman, and of course, Joker, will look in the new game. And remember to pick up BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, available for PS3, XBOX 360 and PC, on October 18th.

To be continued …

As part of the DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour, Francis Manapul artist and co-writer of THE FLASH heads to The Toronto Cartoonists Workshop tonight. This event will feature original art as well as a process piece from THE FLASH #1 and Francis will be signing copies of THE FLASH #1. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by to meet him!

Friday, September 30

7:00-11:00pm

Toronto Cartoonists Workshop

587A College Street (at Clinton)

Toronto, ON M6G 1B2