Being a nerdy, pop-culture obsessed person comes with certain proclivities—quoting famous movies ("SWEAR TO ME!"), keeping up with the latest comic book, entertainment and video game news on the Interwebs (Catwoman joins INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US!), arguing about who would beat who in a fight (Vibe, always), and collecting a whole lot of sweet, sweet tchotchkes.

Toys. Statues. Prints. Mugs. Plushies. iPhone cases. Stickers. Sneakers. Hoodies. T-Shirts. Purses. Wallets. The list goes on and on when it comes to the types of things we can surround ourselves with in every single aspect of our lives. Just take a look at this:

That's just part of our office. You don't want to see our homes (We don't want to end up on "Hoarders"). But the truth remains, we love letting our nerd flag fly—and we're hoping you do, too. So, we're giving you 5.2 Reasons to Fill Your Homes with DC Collectibles!

1. Archival Prints

Sweet Mary Marvel, look at these things! One of the newest arrivals to the DC Collectibles family of awesome stuff, these prints invoke a certain simplistic classiness in their design, making them ideal for home décor. We could seriously rave about them forever, but we'll let a few speak for themselves:

2. Ame-Comi

They're cute, beautifully designed, and fantastically anime-esque. These figures look undeniably gorgeous, but it’s the little, delightfully creative details that really sell them. Jade using her powers to make lantern-looking headphones, Mera's dress extending to a mermaid-ian finish, the awesomeness goes on and on. Check 'em out:

3. Batman: Black and White

Batman: Black and White was originally a back-up strip that ran in BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS. Each story was written and drawn by different creators—which allowed for various takes on the Dark Knight. The same principle extends here. Because of this line, we get access to Batman statues based on the art of Dawyn Cooke, Lee Bermejo, Dustin Nguyen and more!

4. Action Figures

We totally don't act out our favorite storylines (and our own DCU fan-fiction adventures) with toys. Nope. Not at all... Now if you'll excuse us for a moment, Arkham City Batman is about to throw down with New 52 Superman in a match refereed by Red Son Wonder Woman. It's going to be awesome.

5. Cover Girls of the DC Universe

Similar to Batman: Black and White but with, you know, cover girls, the series takes cover images by some of the best in the biz and makes them into statues. Adam Hughes opened the line (because, well, ADAM HUGHES!) and it has since expanded to brand new designs based on the costumes of The New 52.

5.1 DC Collectibles’ New System Of Measurement

5.2 What the Future Still Holds

And speaking of the future, be sure to check out the DC Entertainment Shop for more rad merch and keep an eye on DCComics.com and THE SOURCE in the coming weeks for a whole slate of fun new features and content from DC Collectibles. It’ll be kicking off the first week of September. Don’t miss out!

Did you know that you no longer have to wait till Wednesday to read a brand new DC comic? From the early adventures of a still-developing Superman to epic-scale action set far in our future to vastly imaginative Batman tales spun by some of the best creators in comics, you can find the action you crave starring the characters you love Monday through Friday, and you don’t even need to leave your living room to do it. (Also, be sure to read to the end of the article to find out how you can win a free download of each day’s title!)

We wrap up our week of Digital First spotlights with a look at SMALLVILLE SEASON 11, a near-weekly title that takes off right where the popular CW show left off and focuses on Clark Kent’s early experiences as Superman. Even better, Clark’s adventures are penned by none other than Bryan Q. Miller, the former writer and executive story editor of the TV series. Smallville Season 11 recently wrapped up its first “episode,” and today launches into an exciting new one that will (for the first time in the show’s history) bring Superman face-to-face with a certain legendary Caped Crusader.

Here’s what Bryan had to say about the series and why it’s a must-read for fans of the show and fans of Superman:

“Smallville Season 11 – your one-stop shop for not only a weekly continuation of the long-running television series, but all the classic Superman goodness you can ask for, with a few twists thrown in for good measure. Clark Kent and Lois Lane, perpetually engaged? Check. Oliver Queen, openly operating as the Green Arrow, married to none other than Smallville’s own Chloe Sullivan? Check. Lex Luthor, resurrected from the dead with none of his memories, but with a major grudge against Superman? Double check. Oh yeah… and through some whack-a-doo fake science cooked up by yours truly, the consciousness of Lex’s half-sister is rolling around in that beautiful bald head of his. You know… like you do.

When we wrapped our 12-week premiere, ‘Guardian,’ our ensemble was adrift in a sea of drama.  Luthor managed to lace Superman with a radioactive isotope – his satellites can follow the boy in blue everywhere he goes. Which means Clark can’t go home to Lois, or back to the farm, without leading Lex straight back to his secret. Chloe and Oliver tracked a downed spacecraft only to learn that it wasn’t from space at all… It contained Chloe’s doppleganger from an alternate Earth. With her dying breath, Alternate Chloe relayed that Earth 2 had been destroyed, victim to something called ‘The Crisis.’

‘Detective’ picks up three weeks after our last chapter’s bittersweet conclusion. As Lois and Clark struggle to deal with their Luthor-imposed change in status quo, a storm is brewing in a rainy, industrial pit of a city – Gotham. That’s right. After ten years of waiting, Smallville finally gets a visit from Batman. The Batman. Not Bruce Wayne (and lots of talk about bats as we revel in not-so-subtle allusion). No… we get Batman, almost a decade into waging his war on crime. He’s got toys. He’s got skills. He’s got anger. And he’s got a partner – our female Nightwing, Barbara Gordon. Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and a heap of villains. All for 99 cents a week!”

The cover for Smallville Season 11 #13-15 (Art by Cat Staggs)

Interior page from Smallville Season 11 #13 (Art by Chris Cross and Marc Deering)

Interior page from Smallville Season 11 #13 (Art by Chris Cross and Marc Deering)

***

The first chapter of “Detective,” the latest Smallville Season 11 storyline, hits our digital shop today. But if you’ve never read Smallville Season 11, we’re giving you a chance to download the debut issue on us. For today only we will be giving away 50 promotional codes on Twitter that will allow you to download the first chapter of Smallville Season 11 for free.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1) If you're not already doing so, be sure to follow @DCComics on Twitter.

2) Simply tweet or retweet the following, “Retweet for your chance to win a free digital download of Smallville Season 11. #dcdigital http://bit.ly/RSbFNk”

That's all there is to it! At 5pm PST today, 50 tweeters will be chosen at random and direct messaged a redemption code for a free copy of Smallville Season 11 #1 that can be entered at http://www.readdcentertainment.com/redeem. (You’ll need a Comixology account to download your free copy.) Good luck and mind the cape!

Click here for the giveaway terms and conditions.

Did you know that you no longer have to wait till Wednesday to read a brand new DC comic? From the early adventures of a still-developing Superman to epic-scale action set far in our future to vastly imaginative Batman tales spun by some of the best creators in comics, you can find the action you crave starring the characters you love Monday through Friday, and you don’t even need to leave your living room to do it. (Also, be sure to read to the end of the article to find out how you can win a free download of each day’s title!)

If you’re a Batman fan, you have plenty of great choices when it comes to monthly Bat-books. But are you aware that one of the most original and exciting Batman titles is only available digitally? For the next title in our week of Digital First spotlights, we take a nice long look at LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, a weekly series of stand-alone tales all starring the Dark Knight and told by some of the most popular writers and artists in comics. Past creators have included JG Jones, Damon Lindelof, Jeff Lemire, Nicola Scott, Ben Templesmith, B. Clay Moore and Steve Niles.

Even better, there are more great legends to come. Today, Legends of the Dark Knight launches into a brand new tale written by I, Vampire writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and drawn by artist extraordinaire Phil Hester. Here’s Joshua to tell you more about it:

“Batman is an icon for one very simple reason. Elasticity. Batman has appeared in so many different versions, from the gun-toting Golden Age original to the guffawing fun of the ’60s Silver Age (and accompanying TV show), to the Grand Guignol glory of the modern age. What was most exciting for me in writing a story of the digital series has been contributing to that legacy of change.  

And look at the range of stories we’ve seen so far. From the smart, delicate story behind Lindelof and Lemire’s first entry, to the whizz bang fun of Jonathan Larsen and JG Jones and the dirty, nasty, delight of B. Clay Moore and Ben Templesmith’s, to the thoughtful and heartfelt run by Steve Niles and Trevor Hairsine.  

When I first spoke with editor Ben Abernathy about telling a story in such great company, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell a story of the city of Gotham, and the people who live in it, constantly rubbing up against the colorful world of the Batman and his rogues gallery. And I wanted to do it with one of the few DC characters who predates Batman (and Superman, even!): Slam Bradley.

Slam is a character that means a lot to the DCU, despite never quite getting the spotlight shone on him. He was the first—the quintessential—pulp detective in a world about to change. Much like Slam’s actual life, he was a solid, strong and smart creation born on the eve of something much different. With the rise of the super heroes, poor Slam held on to a spot in Detective Comics until issue #152, wherein he disappeared more or less until the brilliant work of Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke brought him back to life in the pages of Catwoman.  

So, the idea for me was to take that original character, a guy who doesn’t fit in, who knows he’s been muscled out by the kooks in tights, and throw him smack dab in the middle of something that he just can’t quite handle. And if we’re doing noir, who’s a better villain than the Black Mask? Jimmy Cagney with a skull for a head! Beat that!

When we began talking art…well, I laid out my dream artists…and sure enough, I got them. The work of Phil Hester has been a huge inspiration throughout my career. And, oh yeah, he’s a WAY better writer than me, so I got the benefit of not just his pencil but of his amazing storytelling and writer’s brain. He and inker Eric Gapstur and colorist Jim Charalampidis have made what, for me, is one of the most beautiful Bat-comics in a long, long time.

But enough about our little three-parter… (On sale today! Click the link! Seriously!)

What this series represents to me, ultimately, is the power of an idea. The power of a character that’s so well defined and understood you can do literally anything to him and he will not crumble. Whether it’s fighting bad guys in Gotham City alleyways or wrestling Amazo on the Justice League Watchtower, or, yes, doing the Bat-usi, Batman will always come out standing, grimacing, and completely and utterly awesome.

Now, who do I talk to around here about a ‘Tales of the Man of Steel’ series?”

***

The first chapter of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: SLAM! hits our digital shop today. But if you’re new to this star-powered Batman anthology series, we’re giving you a chance to download an issue on us. For today only we will be giving away 50 promotional codes on Twitter that will allow you to download the first chapter of Legends of the Dark Knight (written by Damon Lindelof and drawn by Jeff Lemire) for free.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1) If you're not already doing so, be sure to follow @DCComics on Twitter.

2) Simply tweet or retweet the following, “Retweet for your chance to win a free digital download of Legends of the Dark Knight. #dcdigital http://bit.ly/PluB5Z”

That's all there is to it! At 5pm PST today, 50 tweeters will be chosen at random and direct messaged a redemption code for a free copy of Legends of the Dark Knight #1 that can be entered at http://www.readdcentertainment.com/redeem. (You’ll need a Comixology account to download your free copy.) Good luck and enjoy your visit to Gotham!

Click here for the giveaway terms and conditions.

Did you know that you no longer have to wait till Wednesday to read a brand new DC comic? From the early adventures of a still-developing Superman to epic-scale action set far in our future to vastly imaginative Batman tales spun by some of the best creators in comics, you can find the action you crave starring the characters you love Monday through Friday, and you don’t even need to leave your living room to do it. (Also, be sure to read to the end of the article to find out how you can win a free download of each day’s title!)

We’re looking at DC’s Digital First titles this week, and today we shine our spotlight on the one that started it all for us, BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED. Set in the world of the uber-popular video games BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM and BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, brand new installments of this fan-favorite comic can be downloaded every Tuesday.

Here’s series editor Jim Chadwick on how Batman: Arkham Unhinged came to be:

“Batman: Arkham Unhinged is an original digital comic series set very specifically in the world of the Batman: Arkham City videogame.

Leading up to the release of the game in 2011, we launched two different Arkham City mini-series, one print and one digital. The print story—written by Paul Dini and drawn by Carlos D’anda—was a direct lead-in to the actual game story, spinning out of events from the original Arkham Asylum. Concurrent with the print comic, we produced a series of digital comics, each of which was a self-contained story focusing on one of the villains featured in the game. Derek Fridolfs came on to co-write most of those with Dini, while each chapter was drawn by a different artist.

As it turns out, these digital shorts also represented our first venture into original digital comics. It was such a success that we decided to start a new series in conjunction with the actual release of the Arkham City videogame last October. Wanting a title that tied into the game while potentially having a life of its own, we eventually settled on Batman: Arkham Unhinged. The format has allowed for a lot of flexibility. Generally, our stories have run in three weekly chapters, or one 30-page arc. Some of the stories may spin directly out of events in the game itself. In other cases, we’ve flashed back to events prior to either game, allowing us to expand a bit on the background of the characters as they may have existed pre-Arkham City.

Derek Fridolfs came on board as our main series writer and we’ve been fortunate to pair him up with a number of excellent artists: Simon Coleby, Darick Robertson, Pete Woods, Mike Miller, and Juan Ryp to name just a few.  Some of the stories feature Batman prominently, others the villains, and still others the supporting characters. For out current arc (drawn by Federico Dallochio) we shine a spotlight on the Bruce Wayne/Talia relationship. Talia, of course, has a significant role in the game. In our next arc—going live starting September 4—we’re putting Nightwing and Robin in the forefront, as they have to defend Wayne Manor from an invasion by Hugo Strange’s Tyger Guards.

With the first anniversary of the series almost upon us, we have some big changes coming up. Announcements will be forthcoming, but for now let’s just say that Batman: Arkham Unhinged is must reading whether you are a fan of the game or just a Batman fan.”

The cover for Batman: Arkham Unhinged #38-40 (Art by Mico Suayan)

Interior page from Batman: Arkham Unhinged #38 (Art by Federico Dallochio)

Interior page from Batman: Arkham Unhinged #38 (Art by Federico Dallochio)

Interior page from Batman: Arkham Unhinged #41 (Art by Davide Fabbri)

***

BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED #38 is out today, and it marks the start of a new arc. So if you’ve never read Arkham Unhinged before, it’s a great day to start!

Even better, if you act now, you have a chance to download an issue on us. For today only we will be giving away 50 promotional codes on Twitter that will allow you to download the first chapter of Batman: Arkham Unhinged for free.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1) If you're not already doing so, be sure to follow @DCComics on Twitter.

2) Simply tweet or retweet the following, “Retweet for your chance to win a free digital download of Batman: Arkham Unhinged. #dcdigital http://bit.ly/RJmukJ”

That's all there is to it! At 5pm PST today, 50 tweeters will be chosen at random and direct messaged a redemption code for a free copy of Batman: Arkham Unhinged #1 that can be entered at http://www.readdcentertainment.com/redeem. (You’ll need a Comixology account to download your free copy.) Good luck getting into Arkham!

Click here for the giveaway terms and conditions.