The post The Justice League, DCs preeminent superhero team, dies at 62 appeared first on Game News.
]]>On April 26 in the pages of Justice League #75 (opens in new tab), nine of the ten core members of the Justice League including Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman were gathered in deep space to battle a conglomeration of the most vicious villains in the universe known as the Dark Army and were during the fight – with only one member returning alive.
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And so, the comics world is mourning the sudden, sad deaths of the Metropolis’s Man of Steel, Gotham City’s Caped Crusader, and the Warrior Princess of Themyscira along with Aquaman, Zatanna, John Stewart (Green Lantern), Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter. And in a larger sense, the world also mourns the loss of the preeminent superhero organization the Justice League itself, which will remain dormant for the foreseeable future according to a spokesperson for the organization, DC writer Joshua Williamson.
The Justice League was founded in 1960 when the alien conqueror Starro first attempted to conquer Earth, with Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter joining forces to defeat the psychic starfish, along with an assist from Superman and Batman, a tale told in the immortal The Brave & The Bold #28 (opens in new tab).
Shortly after, the team was officially codified with Superman and Batman joining up during an attack by another alien despot, Despero, who attempted to use his mind-control abilities to commandeer the League.
This burgeoning era is chronicled starting in Justice League of America #1 (opens in new tab) (also in 1960), which began the League’s original heyday. In these years, they expanded their membership quickly, bringing in heroes such as Zatanna, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and many more – forming a core membership roster that has lasted off-and-on as the heart of the Justice League until their deaths on April 26.
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Through the decades, the League has protected the Earth from threats greater than most of us could even imagine, from the existential destruction of reality itself to countless alien invasions, and the innumerable plots of those who would use their own superpowers for evil instead of good.
The world may never see the likes of the Justice League again – let alone the individual heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
And though there are still those with the power to step into the shoes of Earth’s greatest protectors, most of us will be left with a sentiment perhaps best expressed by Superman himself in his eulogy for Martian Manhunter’s first funeral during the Final Crisis (opens in new tab) event: “We’ll all miss [them], and pray for a resurrection.”
The Justice League is survived by the Titans and the Teen Titans.
Check out more Newsarama coverage of the ‘Death of the Justice League’
- The Justice League, DC’s preeminent superhero team, dies at 62
- DC just killed Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and the Justice League – here’s how they did it
- Are Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Justice League really dead? Yes … and no
- What the hell is a Godstorm? That Justice League #75 moment explained
- This DC superhero has an ‘Endgame’ moment in Justice League #75
The post The Justice League, DCs preeminent superhero team, dies at 62 appeared first on Game News.
]]>The post DCs June 2022 comics and covers revealed appeared first on Game News.
]]>Dark Crisis is set in the future, when the Justice League is dead, even though there is no longer a monthly Justice League title, the dead Justice League members such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Aquaman are still alive and kicking in their ongoing series.
But June’s The Flash ongoing begins a story arc trying into the events of Dark Crisis, and DC is launching a new limited series Dark Crisis: Young Justice (there’s that Dark Crisis-colon stuff we told you to look for) in which Tim Drake, Impulse, Superboy, and Cassie Sandsmark get the band back together in the wake of the world mourning the loss of the dead Justice Leaguers … who aren’t dead in their own titles.
Hmmm, we’ll have thoughts on that game of DC continuity Jenga another time, but until then check out the rest of what DC has in store for June, including its Pride Month celebration with a new volume of its now-annual DC Pride anthology and new series starring Nubia, the Earth-11 Teen Justice, Poison Ivy, and a Tim Drake special, who reunites with his old Young Justice teammates Impulse, Superboy and … wait a minute.
No, as we say … another time.
The still-alive Batman returns to Gotham City, Black Adam also gets a new series, Flashpoint Beyond keeps going, Aquaman and the Flash team-up before or after they die in the new series Voidsong, and the Earth-Prime CW-DC comic book series wraps up.
So check out all of DC’s June 2022 solicitations and covers and you can also check out the DC March 2022 solicitations, the DC April 2022 solicitations, and the DC May 2022 solicitations and/or scroll through all of DC and Marvel’s most recent solicitations (including Marvel’s May edition) on our solicitations tab.
DC June 2022 Spotlight comic books
BATMAN #124
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by HOWARD PORTER
Backup written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Backup art by DANI
Variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
1:25 variant cover by FILYA BRATUKHIN
1:50 variant cover by JOCK
PRIDE variant cover by AMY REEDER
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
In the aftermath of the Shadow War, Batman has returned to Gotham! But when he hears word of strange developments in Badhnisia, he’s forced to question…has Abyss returned? Or has a new hero been born in the dark?
And in the backup, Poison Ivy uncovers the troubling ramifications of the Gardener and Harley Quinn’s actions during Fear State in this prologue to Poison Ivy drawn by Dani and written by Poison Ivy series writer G. Willow Wilson.
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DARK CRISIS #1
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
Variant covers by JAMAL CAMPBELL, INHYUK LEE, GREG CAPULLO, JONATHAN GLAPION, and BRUNO REDONDO
1:25 variant cover by DAN SCHOENING
1:50 variant cover by STEVE BEACH
1:100 foil variant cover by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Team variant cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
$5.99 US | 40 pages | 1 of 7 | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Crisis on Infinite Earths. Infinite Crisis. Final Crisis.
And now…Dark Crisis!
The epic event years in the making is finally here! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Justice League are dead. The remaining heroes are left to protect the world from an onslaught of violent attacks by DC’s greatest villains! Can the legacy heroes step out of the shadows of the classic heroes to form a new Justice League? And will that be enough to stop a darkness greater than anything they’ve ever faced from destroying everything?
Don’t miss out on the first issue of the blockbuster event of the summer!
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DARK CRISIS: YOUNG JUSTICE #1
Written by MEGHAN FITZMARTIN
Art by LAURA BRAGA
Cover by MAX DUNBAR
Variant cover by TODD NAUCK
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
Crises have always had devastating impacts on the generation of heroes that make up Young Justice, and Dark Crisis will hit them even harder. Tim Drake, Impulse, and Superboy go missing during the Justice League’s funeral. The only person concerned enough to find them? Cassie Sandsmark, a.k.a Wonder Girl. But…the three boys of Young Justice aren’t on this Earth anymore…they’re on the world of their dreams, one they may never want to leave!
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BLACK ADAM #1
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover by IRVIN RODRIGUEZ
Variant covers by RAFA SANDOVAL, MIKEL JANÍN, and LUCIO PARRILLO
1:25 variant cover by CRYSTAL KUNG
1:50 throwback variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
1:100 foil variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Team variant cover by TRAVIS MERCER and DANNY MIKI
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
There is no forgiveness for Black Adam.
This is the reality Teth-Adam, immortal man of indomitable will, must face when he discovers he has been infected with an incurable plague destroying his immortality. Haunted by the specter of centuries of dark deeds, Black Adam transfers his powers to a worthy successor who will redeem Adam’s legacy and defend their ancestral homeland of Kahndaq, only to subsequently become mystically “handcuffed” to him when Adam’s plague is arrested, giving birth to perhaps the most volatile and dysfunctional super-team in DC history! Powered by stunning art by Rafa Sandoval (Justice League) and breathtaking painted covers by Irvin Rodriguez (Detective Comics), writer Christopher Priest (Deathstroke, Justice League) brings his trademark wit and skill for character deconstruction to an entirely fresh examination of the man you love to hate! Get ready to ride the lightning!
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FLASHPOINT BEYOND #5
Written by GEOFF JOHNS, TIM SHERIDAN, and JEREMY ADAMS
Art by XERMÁNICO
Cover by MITCH GERADS
Variant cover by XERMÁNICO
1:25 ratio variant cover by SCOTT KOLINS
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 5 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
The Clockwork Killer’s identity is finally revealed as the dust settles after the showdown at Arkham Asylum. But as we learn the truth behind how the Clockwork Killer came to be, Thomas is faced with a reality-altering choice!
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NUBIA: QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS #1
Written by STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
Art by ALITHA MARTINEZ and MARK MORALES
Cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
Variant cover by JAE LEE
1:25 variant cover by ALITHA MARTINEZ
PRIDE variant cover by KEVIN WADA
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 4 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Nubia may be queen, but not all Amazons call Themyscira home, which prompts the new monarch to leave Themyscira for the first time in decades to serve her people in a way Hippolyta never had the opportunity to. Now, as she embarks on her tour through Man’s World to show off the newly established sisterhood, she will be met with joy, distrust, and danger. As she travels to the homes of both the Bana-Mighdall and Esquecida tribes, something lurks in the shadows following her every move. A villain from Nubia’s mysterious past has been waiting for the day the queen joined the outside world again, and they’re ready to make her wish she never left the paradise! Taking place right after the Nubia: Coronation Special, a second miniseries for the fan-favorite Amazon begins! You won’t want to miss the exciting new adventures of the one true queen, brought to you by the creative team behind Nubia & the Amazons—writer Stephanie Williams and artist Alitha Martinez!
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POISON IVY #1
Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Art by MARCIO TAKARA
Cover by JESSICA FONG
Variant cover by WARREN LOUW
1:25 variant cover by NICK ROBLES
1:50 variant cover by FRANK CHO
1:100 foil variant cover by WARREN LOUW
Team variant cover by DAN MORA
PRIDE variant cover by KRIS ANKA
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Pamela Isley has been a lot of things in her life. A living god, a super-villain, an activist, a scientist, and dead. In a new body that she didn’t ask for and with a renewed sense of purpose, Ivy leaves Gotham and sets out to complete her greatest work—a gift to the world that will heal the damage dealt to it…by ending humanity.
Spinning out of the pages of Batman, DC is proud to present the unbelievable next chapter in Poison Ivy’s life by the incredible creative team of G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara. Featuring a stunning cast of variant cover artists, including Warren Louw, Frank Cho, Dan Mora, Nick Robles…and introducing main cover artist Jessica Fong!
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DC PRIDE 2022 #1
Written by DEVIN GRAYSON, STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, TRAVIS G. MOORE, ALYSSA WONG, and others
Art by NICK ROBLES, BRITTNEY WILLIAMS, EVAN CAGLE, W. SCOTT FORBES, and others
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Wraparound variant cover by JOSHUA “SWAY” SWABY 1:25 foil variant cover by JEN BARTEL
$9.99 US | 104 pages | One-shot | Prestige Format
ON SALE 5/31/22
DC’s 2022 celebration kicks off with more stories, more characters, and more pride than ever before! This anthology features 13 all-new stories spotlighting LGBTQIA+ fan-favorites new and old including Superman (Jon Kent), Nubia, Tim Drake, Kid Quick, Aquaman (Jackson Hyde), Green Lantern (Jo Mullein), Alysia Yeoh, the Ray, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Batwoman, and more! This special also includes: • A Multiversity: Teen Justice kickoff story spotlighting Kid Quick and written by the miniseries team, Danny Lore and Ivan Cohen!
• An introduction by activist, actress, and real-life superhero Nicole Maines that
will include a teaser for her upcoming Dreamer project!
• Pinups by P. Craig Russell, J.J. Kirby, and more!
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DC June 2022 Pride backlist
I AM NOT STARFIRE
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art and cover by YOSHI YOSHITANI
$16.99 US | 184 pages | 6″ x 9″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77950-126-4
ON SALE NOW
Seventeen-year-old Mandy, daughter of Starfire, is not like her mother. Mandy is not a sparkly superhero and has no powers. She dyes her hair black and hates everyone. But when a threat from her mother’s past suddenly arrives, Mandy may need to become a hero—on her own terms.
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POISON IVY: THORNS
Written by KODY KEPLINGER
Art and cover by SARA KIPIN
$16.99 US | 192 pages | 6″ x 9″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9842-5
ON SALE NOW
Pamela Isley doesn’t trust other people. But when a cute goth girl comes into her life, she makes Pamela feel like opening up. With dark secrets lurking deep within the Isley house, will Pamela welcome the possibilities of love, or give in to the thorny vines of revenge?
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THE LOW, LOW WOODS
Written by CARMEN MARIA MACHADO
Art by DANI
Cover by SAM WOLFE CONNELLY
$17.99 US | 160 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-312-0
ON SALE NOW
17+
Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania’s woods have rabbits with human eyes, a deer woman who stalks hungry girls, and swaths of skinless men. And the people of Shudder-to-Think aren’t doing so well either. When El and Octavia wake up in a movie theater with no memory of the last few hours of their lives, the two teenage dirtbags embark on a horrifying journey to uncover the truth about the strange town they call home. Collects The Low, Low Woods #1-6.
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YOU BROUGHT ME THE OCEAN
Written by ALEX SANCHEZ
Art and cover by JULIE MAROH
$16.99 US | 208 pages | 6″ x 9″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9081-8
ON SALE NOW
Jake Hyde is full of secrets, including his crush on the swim team captain and the strange blue markings on his skin that glow when in contact with water. What power will he find when he searches for his identity, and will he turn his back to the current or dive headfirst into the waves?
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EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES
Written by MARK RUSSELL
Art by MIKE FEEHAN
Cover by BEN CALDWELL
$16.99 US | 168 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-4012-7521-1
ON SALE NOW
Drama! Comedy! Tragedy! For the renowned Southern playwright called Snagglepuss, these are the ingredients that have made him a star of the New York stage and the glittering world that surrounds it. But the year is 1953, and behind the bright lights, darkness is brewing. Snagglepuss is gay…and his enemies are out to destroy him for it. Collects the complete GLAAD Media Award winner for Outstanding Comic Book, The Snagglepuss Chronicles #1-6.
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SUICIDE SQUAD: BAD BLOOD
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art and cover by BRUNO REDONDO and DANIEL SAMPERE
$29.99 US | 288 Pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77950-395-4
ON SALE NOW
Task Force X takes on a mission to neutralize a group of international super-terrorists known as the Revolutionaries—and the survivors are forced to join the Squad! Whom can Harley Quinn and Deadshot trust when their new teammates are the very people their crew was assigned to kill? This Suicide Squad might survive their next mission, but they may not survive each other. Collects the complete GLAAD Media Award-nominated Suicide Squad #1-11
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More DC June 2022 Spotlight comic books
DC PRIDE: TIM DRAKE SPECIAL #1
Written by MEGHAN FITZMARTIN
Art by BELÉN ORTEGA and ALBERTO JIMENEZ ALBURQUERQUE
Cover by BELÉN ORTEGA
Variant cover by TRAVIS MOORE
$5.99 US | 64 pages | Prestige
ON SALE 6/14/22
The breakout story from Batman: Urban Legends collected in one volume for the very first time, in time for Pride Month! Tim Drake’s search for a missing friend kidnapped by the villains known as the Chaos Monsters leads Tim to realize his identity as a bisexual man. Collecting the Tim Drake stories from Batman: Urban Legends #4-6 and 10, with a brand-new story that sees Tim teaming up with his former Young Justice teammates and the Batgirls, beginning Tim Drake’s 2022 path!
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MULTIVERSITY: TEEN JUSTICE #1
Written by IVAN COHEN and DANNY LORE
Art by MARCO FAILLA
Cover by ROBBI RODRIGUEZ
Variant cover by STEPHANIE HANS
1:25 variant cover by BENGAL
1:50 variant cover by MARCO FAILLA
PRIDE variant cover by STEPHEN BYRNE
Blank sketch variant cover
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Kid Quick—the Future State Flash—and their fellow heroes Supergirl, Robin, Aquagirl, Klarienne the Witch Girl, and Troy take center stage in a miniseries that rocks Earth-11 to its core! Co-writers Ivan Cohen (The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries) and Danny Lore (DC Pride, Champions) join rising-star artist Marco Failla (DCeased: Hope at World’s End) for the incredible debut issue, which begins with an attack by the H.I.V.E. and ends in the Church of Blood! What is Sister Blood’s true mission among the lost souls of New York City? Can Teen Justice get through their growing pains fast enough to learn the answer in time to stop it? And what role will the mysterious Raven—the brooding hero who has refused to join the team in the past—play in the ultimate battle? The secrets of Earth-11’s newest heroes and villains unfold in DC’s most exciting new team title!
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THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #3
Written by KENNY PORTER
Art and cover by JASON HOWARD
Variant cover by ANDY MUSCHIETTI
$5.99 US | 48 pages | 3 of 3 | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Barry has learned to control his powers and is finally starting to feel like the hero he’s always dreamed he could be. But then a showboating new villain going by the name, the Top shows up looking to test his abilities and make some cash selling his weapons after showing how they can take out the Flash! Barry will need to use every skill he’s picked up along the way if he’s going to stop this topsy-turvy terror!!
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AQUAMAN & THE FLASH: VOIDSONG #1
Written by JACKSON LANZING and COLLIN KELLY
Art by VASCO GEORGIEV
Cover by JAY ANACLETO
Variant cover by VASCO GEORGIEV
$6.99 US | 56 pages | 1 of 3 | Prestige
ON SALE 6/21/22
They descend suddenly from the stars, in monumental ships like floating cathedrals. They are touched by a dark and terrible force from beyond our reality, silent but for the one note they emit that freezes all motion. Their mission: to drain the Earth of all its kinetic energy and leave it a lifeless husk. They never expected anyone could escape their song—but the Flash was in the Speed Force when they struck, and Aquaman was in the deepest ravine far below the ocean’s floor. These heroes have little in common. They’ve rarely even fought side by side without their fellow Justice League members. Now they must find a way to work together against impossible odds to save the world and the people they love.
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EARTH-PRIME #5: THE FLASH
Written by ESS CARSON and EMILY PALIZZI
Art by DAVID LAFUENTE
Cover by KIM JACINTO
Photo variant cover
$5.99 US | 48 pages | 5 of 6 | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Impulse and XS burst onto the scene in 2049! When Barry Allen and Iris West go out of town for a much-needed vacation, Bart and Nora are left to stay out of trouble in Central City. With their parents gone, Bart begs Nora to let him go on patrol and really be a hero, but Nora refuses, saying it’s too dangerous without Barry there. But when one of Bart’s classmates at Central City University starts causing trouble, how can Impulse not leap into action?
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EARTH-PRIME: CROSSOVER #6
Written by JEFF HERSH and THOMAS POUND
Art by WILL ROBSON
Cover by KIM JACINTO
Variant cover by TK TK
$5.99 US | 48 pages | 6 of 6 | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
A threat has been amassing forces from across time and universes. Their plan is to finally free humanity from their dependency on these so-called heroes. All these beings do is bring about pain and destruction everywhere they go, solving no issues and bringing no peace to the world. Instead, this being will bring the hero community to its knees, and finally help society reach its true potential. The Age of Heroes is over.
DC VS. VAMPIRES– KILLERS #1
Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Art by MIKE BOWDEN
Cover by HICHAM HABCHI
Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH and JONATHAN GLAPION
$3.99 US | 32 Pages | One-shot | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
In the shadow of the new Vampire World Order, Harley Quinn rules the human underworld in this age of darkness. She has survived by only looking out for herself…but she might have just found the key to saving the world.
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MILESTONES IN HISTORY #1
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN, PAT CHARLES, TANANARIVE DUE, KARYN PARSONS, ALICE RANDALL, TOURÉ, and others
Art by RAY-ANTHONY HEIGHT, JAMAL IGLE, ARVELL JONES, DOMINIKE “DOMO” STANTON , RON WILSON, and others
Cover by CHRISCROSS
Variant cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
$9.99 US | 96 pages | One-shot | Prestige
ON SALE 6/14/22
The Dakota Universe is built on the shoulders of giants—and it is time for their stories to be told! In this massive oversize special, a who’s who of talent from many disciplines tell the tales of trailblazing Black and African figures throughout every era of humanity! From the realms of literature, aviation, music, dance, military conquest, and more, the history of the world is Black history, and this special aims to prove it! Plus, don’t miss the shocking final-page reveal that points to the future of the Milestone Universe line!
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BLOOD SYNDICATE: SEASON ONE #2
Written by GEOFFREY THORNE
Art by CHRISCROSS and JUAN CASTRO
Cover by DEXTER SOY
Variant cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 2 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
The leader of one of Paris Island’s most powerful gangs needs to add some soldiers to his army…and has his sights set on Wise Son! The heroes might’ve “cleaned up” the streets, but in the shadows there’s utter chaos as rival gangs battle for control. Wise could have a seat at the table, but he’s been out of the game for so long…does he want back in? He came back from Afghanistan a changed man…
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ICON & ROCKET: SEASON ONE HC
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN and LEON CHILLS
Art by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Cover by TAURIN CLARKE
$29.99 US | 192 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-552-0
ON SALE 8/2/22
When Raquel Ervin discovered a centuries-old alien living in her city, she had no idea she would be awakening a power that would make the world tremble…and transform the pair of them into the superheroes Icon and Rocket! When they declare all-out war on the drug trade, their actions topple a chain of dominoes that nearly unravels the global economy, and brings a sadistic extraterrestrial killer into their own homes! Collects Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0 and Icon & Rocket: Season One #1-6.
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DUO #2
Written by GREG PAK
Art by KHOI PHAM and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by DIKE RUAN
Variant cover by TAKESHI MIYAZAWA
$3.99 US | 32 Pages | 2 of 6
Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
Kelly Vu and David Kim, partners in both life and science, miraculously survived a horrible attack…but Kelly’s body was sacrificed in the process! Now both their consciousnesses live within David’s brain, and things only get more complicated as a detective begins investigating David for Kelly’s murder. Far above their heads, powerful forces lie in wait for the right moment to finish what they started—and end David and Kelly once and for all.
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DC June 2022 Spotlight graphic novels and collections
BATMAN’S MYSTERY CASEBOOK
Written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art and cover by CHRISTOPHER UMINGA
$9.99 US | 144 pages | 5 1/2″ x 8″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77950-586-6
ON SALE 8/30/22
Batman is a great detective, but he rarely works alone. His sidekicks Robin and Batgirl, his butler Alfred, and the police of Gotham City all play a role in helping him keep his city safe. You can too!
Look for clues!
Analyze evidence!
Solve riddles!
Learn history!
Help the Batman as he goes on his adventures and see if you can spot the answers to these mysteries before he logs them into his casebook.
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MY BUDDY, KILLER CROC
Written by SARA FARIZAN
Art and cover by NICOLETTA BALDARI
$9.99 US | 152 pages | 5 1/2″ x 8″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77950-124-0
ON SALE 8/30/22
Andy, like a lot of kids, feels a little lost and out of place when he moves to Gotham. Unlike most kids, he’s less excited about the idea of meeting Batman than he is about seeing his childhood hero, the wrestler Waylon Jones…a.k.a. Killer Croc! If Andy can find him and ask for some wrestling tips, he can have it all. Trouble is, Batman is looking for Andy’s childhood hero, too.
In My Buddy, Killer Croc, Sara Farizan and Nicoletta Baldari unite to tell a charming tale of a boy in a new school, his new friends and enemies, and the super-villain who teaches him how to put the bullies in their place.
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BATMAN: EARTH ONE COMPLETE COLLECTION
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by GARY FRANK
$39.99 US | 504 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″| Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-634-3
ON SALE 8/2/22
Read the whole saga!
In a Gotham City where friend and foe are indistinguishable, Bruce Wayne’s path toward becoming the Dark Knight is riddled with more obstacles than ever before. Focused on punishing his parents’ true killers and the corrupt police who allowed them to go free, Bruce Wayne’s thirst for vengeance fuels his mad crusade, and no one, not even Alfred, can stop him.
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank reimagine a new mythology for the Dark Knight, where the familiar is no longer the expected. Collects Batman: Earth One Vols. 1-3.
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SUPERMAN ’78
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by WILFREDO TORRES
$24.99 US | 152 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-265-9
ON SALE 7/19/22
Fly into director Richard Donner’s Superman once more in Superman ’78! Written by Robert Venditti (Superman: Man of Tomorrow) and drawn by Wilfredo Torres (Batman ’66), Superman ’78 tells a brand-new adventure in the world of the beloved film. A bright, shining day in Metropolis is interrupted by a mysterious drone that crash-lands in the city and starts wreaking havoc. This looks like a job for Superman! But where did the metallic menace come from, what is its purpose, and who is Brainiac? As Metropolis is invaded by this being and its mechanical drones, Superman must make a life-changing sacrifice and leave Earth once and for all. But once aboard Brainiac’s ship, the Man of Steel finds he might not be the last son of Krypton as he believed. This volume collects issues #1-6 of the hit miniseries Superman ’78!
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BATMAN VOL. 6: ABYSS
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by JORGE MOLINA
$24.99 US | 176 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-656-5
ON SALE 8/2/22
As Gotham celebrates surviving Fear State, Batman retreats alone into the darkness. But when he learns of a mystery involving Batman Inc., it forces the Caped Crusader to leave Gotham for a brand-new adventure where he will face an old enemy and a unique, deadly new one. Collects Batman #118-121 and #124.
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DC June 2022 comic books
ACTION COMICS #1044
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art by RICCARDO FEDERICI
Backup story art by DAVID LAPHAM
Cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Variant cover by IAN CHURCHILL
PRIDE variant cover by DEREK CHARM
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
The Warworld Revolution is here! With the Genesis Stone feeding Kal-El a portion of his long-dormant powers, the quest to overthrow Mongul’s tyrannical rule is well under way…but can Superman convince the war-torn combatants of this hellish nightmare planet that kindness can best cruelty? All this, plus Midnighter stabs some fools who had it coming! Then, in “A World Without Clark Kent,” Lois, Jon, and John Henry Irons (a.k.a. Steel) convene to unlock the secrets of the mysterious Genesis tech…and Thao-La awakens…
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AQUAMEN #5
Written by CHUCK BROWN and BRANDON THOMAS
Art by SAMI BASRI
Cover by TRAVIS MOORE
Variant cover by MICO SUAYAN
PRIDE variant cover by JOE PHILLIPS
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Our heroes race to construct a new deactivation spire as the Atlantean sleeper agents continue to awaken worldwide. Can the Aquamen Family hold them off long enough for construction to be completed? Not if the Scavenger has anything to say about it!
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BATGIRLS #7
Written by BECKY CLOONAN and MICHAEL W. CONRAD
Art by ROBBI RODRIGUEZ
Cover by JORGE CORONA
Variant cover by KIM JACINTO
1:25 variant cover by RIAN GONZALES
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
With the Batgirls’ damaged reputation still on the line and repairs on the Clock Tower well under way, Babs just might have finally found the key to their redemption. Meanwhile, serial killer the Hill Ripper is still on the loose! The girls receive their first major break in the case from an unlikely source—unfortunately for them, the main suspect is among the most enigmatic and dangerous villains in all of Gotham!
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BATMAN BEYOND: NEO-YEAR #3
Written by COLLIN KELLY and JACKSON LANZING
Art and cover by MAX DUNBAR
Variant cover by CHRISTIAN WARD
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 3 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
The last party in Gotham City is here! Commissioner Barbara Gordon is stepping down from the GCPD, and Wayne-Powers CEO Dominic Lumos is throwing her a retirement party. Batman doesn’t trust Lumos one bit, so he’s going undercover to get information on his new enemy—but runs afoul of the GCPD’s new top cop Beam Boonma!
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BATMAN: BEYOND THE WHITE KNIGHT #4
Written by SEAN MURPHY
Art and cover by SEAN MURPHY
Variant cover by SEAN MURPHY
$4.99 US | 32 pages | 4 of 8 (All covers card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
17+
The hunt continues as Bruce Wayne searches for the most dangerous offspring in Neo-Gotham, the daughter of The Joker! Little does he know the new Batman is right behind him, waiting for just the right moment to strike and put an end to the older generation of heroes in the city. All seems to be going according to plan for Derek Powers, as his true intentions are revealed. Plus, Ace the Bat-Hound joins the story!
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BATMAN: FORTRESS #2
Written by GARY WHITTA
Art and cover by DARICK ROBERTSON
Variant cover by GERARDO ZAFFINO
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 2 of 8 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Batman and the Justice League are working desperately to save innocent lives after the arrival of a mysterious alien ship that has destabilized the entire planet. After all attempts to communicate with the unknown invaders fail, they’re left with no alternative but to fight! But can even the combined might of the Justice League and all the world’s militaries repel such an overwhelmingly superior force?
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BATMAN: KILLING TIME #4
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
Variant cover by KAEL NGU
1:25 variant cover by BEN OLIVER
$4.99 US | 40 pages | 4 of 6 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
The bodies are beginning to pile up as the hunt for Catwoman and the Riddler intensifies…and they finally meet face to face with their shocking buyer! Batman and the mysterious Help join forces in what will go down as one of the more memorable team-ups!
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BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #6
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
Art and cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Variant cover by RICCARDO FEDERICI
$4.99 US | 40 pages | 6 of 10 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
Bruce Wayne’s difficult journey to become Batman continues as he travels to Northern Canada seeking a mastery of weapons and marksmanship from a legendary hunter. Bruce’s companion, however, will reveal a lethal secret that could jeopardize the entire mission…
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BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS #16
Written by VITA AYALA, MARK RUSSELL, CHE GRAYSON, and JOSH TRUJILLO
Art by NIKOLA ČIŽMEŠIJA, KARL MOSTERT, SERG ACUÑA, and ROSI KÄMPE
Cover by KARL MOSTERT and TRISH MULVIHILL
Variant cover by EJIKURE
Variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
$7.99 US | 64 pages | Prestige
ON SALE 6/14/22
Batman and Zatanna stand up against the curse they’ve been facing throughout their whole relationship! Ace and his Super-Pet compatriots make their last stand. Will the new Birds of Prey crumble because of their lack of trust in each other? And we go back in time for a Batman and Alfred team-up story where Alfred’s taking the lead on the action!
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BATMAN/CATWOMAN #12
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by CLAY MANN
Variant covers by TRAVIS CHAREST, JIM LEE, and SCOTT WILLIAMS
$4.99 US | 32 pages | 12 of 12 (all covers card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
17+
Wedding bells are finally ringing for Batman and Catwoman! As our story concludes, the lovers prepare to take the next steps in their lives together by trading everlasting vows. The Bat/Cat wedding is here, and knowing Bruce and Selina, it’ll be anything but conventional. You won’t want to miss this final chapter of Tom King’s Batman epic!
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BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #4
Written by MARK WAID
Art and cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
1:25 variant cover by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II
1:50 Bizarro variant cover by RILEY ROSSMO
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
As Robin and Supergirl race to retrieve the secrets of the Devil Nezha from ancient China, Batman and Superman get more than they bargained for in the present! To save humanity from the fires of the demon, the World’s Finest must go toe-to-toe with the protector of Sector 2814…Hal Jordan.
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CATWOMAN #44
Written by TINI HOWARD
Art by BENGAL
Cover by JEFF DÉKAL
Variant cover by JENNY FRISON
1:25 variant cover by SOZOMAIKA
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
Harley Quinn and Catwoman get their gals’ out-of-town trip at the roller derby crashed when some mysterious creep runs them off the road…and then follows them around at the derby! But this is Catwoman and Harley Quinn—you stalk them, and you’ll pay for it…maybe with a limb or two. Meanwhile, there seems to be more than one lurker in the shadows, because Red Claw is on scene looking for the girls too…but you’ll have to pick up the issue to find out why!
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DARK KNIGHTS OF STEEL #7
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by NATHAN GOODEN
Cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by EJIKURE
1:25 variant cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 7 of 12 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
With three kingdoms on the brink of war, Batman is in hiding, recovering from an attack and a shocking betrayal. But Batman finds he’s not the only unfortunate soul to be taken in by his surprise rescuers—strange, magical youngsters have been given sanctuary alongside the bastard prince, Bruce Wayne. Will these teen outcasts change everything Batman believes in? Or will they perish at the hands of a demon?
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DEATHSTROKE INC. #10
Written by ED BRISSON
Art by DEXTER SOY
Cover by MIKEL JANÍN
Variant cover by IVAN TAO
1:25 variant cover by FILYA BRATUKHIN
$3.99 US | 32 pages | $4.99 US Variant (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Slade Wilson’s blood-drenched past and exploits are well chronicled, but how did Slade become the infamous assassin and mercenary known as Deathstroke? What dark turns did his life take that set him on the path of destruction that would tear his family apart? Find out as “Deathstroke: Year One” begins…
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DETECTIVE COMICS #1061
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI and NADIA SHAMMAS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and DANNY MIKI
Backup written by SINA GRACE
Backup art by DAVID LAPHAM
Variant cover by LEE BERMEJO
1:25 variant cover by ERIN McDERMOTT
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Mommy’s home! With Talia al Ghul back in town, anything can happen…and the mother of Robin is here to lay down the law. Meanwhile, the Riddler’s scheme to turn Batman’s sacred city into a twisted riddle of life and death has at last been revealed…and Edward’s going to use whatever and whoever he can to turn Batman’s life upside down. Then, in the finale of “Gotham Girl, Interrupted,” Claire Clover unravels the mystery behind the Gotham Girl website…so why doesn’t she believe what she finds in the process? It’s betrayal, healing, and punches galore!
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FABLES #152
Written by BILL WILLINGHAM
Art by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Cover by QISTINA KHALIDAH
Variant cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 2 of 12 | $4.99 US Variant (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
17+
One of the most famous Fables of all might be restored to her former glory, but it’s not going to come without a cost. The benefactor behind her magical resurrection has also come to collect from Geppetto, who we learn has a few strings of his own. Is this godlike being really the one behind the rise of the Empire? And why only now have they returned with a vengeance?
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FUTURE STATE: GOTHAM #14
Written by DENNIS CULVER
Art by GEOFFO
Cover by SIMONE DI MEO
Variant cover by MIKE BOWDEN
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Black and White | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
The real Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City as Batman, but Jason Todd doesn’t believe it’s really him after Hush posed as Bruce for all those months. And what will this mean for Jace, the Next Batman? Just when things can’t get any worse, another mysterious Batman attacks the Magistrate! Also in this issue: the fate of Damian Wayne!
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HARLEY QUINN #16
Written by STEPHANIE PHILLIPS
Art and cover by RILEY ROSSMO
Variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
1:25 variant cover by IVAN TAO
PRIDE variant cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
You know how the whole villain origin story is usually about the “one bad day” that changed everything? I think it’s Tuesday most of the time. But what if it’s, like, a lot of bad days, and some of them were even caused by me, Harley Quinn? Well, that would be a recipe for one pretty bad villain, right? The secret origin story of a brutal new villain, Verdict, is revealed here! Though I guess it won’t be very secret once we reveal it, huh?
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I AM BATMAN #10
Written by JOHN RIDLEY
Art and cover by CHRISTIAN DUCE
Variant wraparound cover by TAURIN CLARKE
1:25 variant cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
How do you stop a killer who feels nothing: no pain, no emotion a killer who believes their actions only make the world a better, more beautiful place by exposing the literal and figurative ugliness of the rich and powerful? The more important question for Batman as he squares off with Manray…what if he can’t stop him?
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JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #4
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art and cover by SCOTT GODLEWSKI
Variant cover by TRAVIS MOORE
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 4 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
Now it’s the Legion of Super-Heroes’ turn to get stuck in a time they don’t belong in: the 21st century. Time for the greatest heroes of the future to see the reality of their heroes of the past. All this is happening because the Great Darkness is coming, and even as the truth behind it is about to be revealed, it may be too late to stop all from becoming nothing. It’s the heroes of two eras in ways you’ve never seen them before!
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MONKEY PRINCE #5
Written by GENE LUEN YANG 楊謹倫
Art and cover by BERNARD CHANG 張伯納
Variant cover by INHYUK LEE 이인혁
1:25 variant cover by MICHAEL CHO
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/7/22
Monkey Prince and Shifu Pigsy travel to Atlantis, where they believe a shard of Monkey King’s powerful jingu bang staff has fallen underwater…and if they can find it, Monkey Prince should be able to wield it…at least they think! Take a journey to the waters with them, down to the Chinatown district of Atlantis where all the Chinese sea dragons thrive!
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NAOMI: SEASON TWO #4
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and DAVID F. WALKER
Art and cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 4 of 6
ON SALE 6/14/22
TV’s newest sensation, Naomi, finds herself at the center of the biggest drama of her entire life! The mystery of Dee is revealed, and with it comes terrible news that will change Naomi’s life forever. Meanwhile, the town itself has turned on Naomi. They’ve had enough of the superhero chaos she has brought to this usually quiet part of the world. All this, and a cliffhanger last page nobody will be ready for! From the original Naomi creators comes another blockbuster chapter in the life of Naomi McDuffie!
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NIGHTWING #93
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art and cover by BRUNO REDONDO
Variant cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
1:25 variant cover by SERG ACUÑA
PRIDE variant cover by NICK ROBLES
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
Battle for Blüdhaven’s heart! After uncovering that Blockbuster isn’t who he says he is—in fact, he’s much worse—Nightwing, Babs, and Blüdhaven mayor Melinda Zucco battle to expose Blockbuster’s…malpractices. With Blockbuster controlling more of the criminal underground than Nightwing ever thought possible, can Dick Grayson help stop him before things go too far?
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ROBIN #15
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by ROGER CRUZ and NORM RAPMUND
Variant cover by SIMONE DI MEO
1:25 connecting variant cover by MARIO FOCCILLO
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Damian Wayne is back from the Shadow War and licking his wounds the best way a Wayne knows how…brooding (duh). But in light of the shocking death in the al Ghul family, Robin resolves to dig deeper into the world of the Demon…and a return to Lazarus Island—with Flatline at his side—leaves him with yet another shocking revelation!
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ROGUES #4
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by LEOMACS
Cover by SAM WOLFE CONNELLY
Variant cover by KAARE ANDREWS
1:25 variant cover by LEOMACS
$6.99 US | 48 pages | 4 of 4 | Prestige Plus | 8 1/2″ x 10 7/8″
ON SALE 6/28/22
17+
Gorilla City blues! All the Rogues wanted was a better life for themselves. But that’s all over thanks to all their greed and backstabbing. Those still left alive are busted up with their backs against the wall, and Grodd’s forces are closing in. With no heroes racing to save them, they must make a deadly deal with Gorilla Grodd to survive.
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SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #116
Written by DEREK FRIDOLFS
Art by RANDY ELLIOTT
Cover by DEREK FRIDOLFS
$2.99 US | 32 pages
ON SALE 6/21/22
Velma is off to the optometrist to get a new pair of glasses, and her appointment is being haunted by a giant cyclops crashing through the office! While Velma struggles to believe her eyes, the rest of Mystery Inc. sets its sights on solving the mystery of this one-eyed monstrosity.
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SUICIDE SQUAD: BLAZE #3
Written by SIMON SPURRIER
Art and cover by AARON CAMPBELL
Variant cover by VALENTINE DE LANDRO
$6.99 | 48 pages | 3 of 3 | Prestige Plus | 8 1/2″ x 10 7/8″
ON SALE 7/5/22
After the blood-soaked events of last issue, there are no heroes left with the strength to take on the cannibal killer…with the possible exception of, believe it or not, one Michael Van Zandt. But when Michael learns the truth of both the killer’s true nature and that of the powers he’s been given, humanity might have a lot more to fear than one flying carnivore…
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SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #12
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by CIAN TORMEY
Cover by TRAVIS MOORE
Variant cover by ROGER CRUZ and NORM RAPMUND
1:25 variant cover by MARIO FOCCILLO
PRIDE variant cover by DAVID TALASKI
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
Lex Luthor and President Bendix have joined forces to unleash the Gamorra Corps on Superman…and put a stop to the first son of the Last Son of Krypton once and for all. But a new hero has joined the fight…and he’s going to use that tin-can suit like a chew toy if Luthor isn’t careful. Welcome back, Krypto. Who’s a good boy?
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TASK FORCE Z #9
Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Art and cover by EDDY BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
Variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
1:25 variant cover by JAMES HARREN
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 9 of 12 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
Are we the baddies? After the shocking (but not really) betrayal by Mr. Bloom, the new Task Force Z are public enemy number one. All of Gotham is hunting for them. They are out of money, out of friends, and out of Lazarus Resin. But now they will have to face their most dangerous foe yet—and it’s one of their own!
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THE FLASH #783
Written by JEREMY ADAMS
Art by AMANCAY NAHUELPAN
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON and MICHAEL ATIYEH
Variant cover by BENGAL
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
A Dark Crisis tie-in: the search for Barry Allen! With the Justice League gone, Wally gathers the entire Flash Family in a desperate attempt to search the Speed Force and finally locate the missing Barry Allen. But does Barry want to be found? This three-issue story ties directly into this summer’s event. Dark Crisis continues here!
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THE JOKER #15
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and CAM SMITH
Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
Variant cover by DIKE RUAN and BRIAN BOLLAND 1:25 variant cover by GUILLEM MARCH
$5.99 US | 40 pages | 15 of 15 | (All covers card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
The Clown Prince of Crime had one more trick up his sleeve—a thrilling, surprise final issue! How did Gordon escape Texas? What happened to Bane and Vengeance? Did The Joker get the last laugh? Find out!
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THE JURASSIC LEAGUE #2
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art and cover by ÁLVARO MARTÍNEZ BUENO
Variant cover by NICK ROBLES
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 9 of 12 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 5/31/22
17+
Bizzarosaur has invaded Supersaur’s home village, and now the super-powered sauropod must defend his home and the humans who have raised him since his arrival on Earth. But will he be strong enough to defeat this strange foe, or will he need the help of Wonderdon and Batsaur, who are both converging on his location? A whole new Trinity assembles for the first time in this adventure that will need to be seen to be believed!
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THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE: NIGHTMARE COUNTRY #3
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by LISANDRO ESTHERREN and ANDREA SORRENTINO
Cover by REIKO MURAKAMI
Variant cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO
1:25 variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
17+
It’s not in the Corinthian’s nature to save a life—but if he wants to understand the nature of the Smiling Man, he’s going to have to protect one of the few people to have ever seen him. Unfortunately, considering the strict orders he’s been given by Dream, saving a life very much endangers his own…
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THE SWAMP THING #14
Written by RAM V
Art and cover by MIKE PERKINS
Variant cover by STEVE BEACH
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 14 of 16 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/28/22
As the corruptive force of industry eats away at the Earth, the Green has called upon a deadly form of alien flora in a desperate and misguided attempt to wipe the slate clean. Swamp Thing’s attempts to save the planet from this alien plague quickly prove inadequate; it’s time for someone more experienced with spacebound threats to enter the fray: the Green Lantern!
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WONDER WOMAN #788
Written by BECKY CLOONAN, MICHAEL W. CONRAD, and JORDIE BELLAIRE
Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO and PAULINA GANUCHEAU
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
Variant cover by PAUL POPE
PRIDE variant cover by NICOLE GOUX
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/14/22
As Cizko continues to build his forces, Wonder Woman discovers that she will not have to face the threat of this new “Villainy Inc.” alone. Diana is joined by friends old and new, including Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, now operating as agents of Checkmate, along with displaced Asgardian heartthrob Siegfried. But as Cizko continues to gain power and influence, will this be enough to stop the villain once known as Dr. Psycho, and uncover the dark nature of who is really calling the shots? Plus, a new chapter of the Adventures of Young Diana!
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WONDER WOMAN: EVOLUTION #8
Written by STEPHANIE PHILLIPS
Art by MIKE HAWTHORNE and ADRIANO DI BENEDETTO
Cover by MIKE HAWTHORNE
Variant cover by LIAM SHARP
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 8 of 8 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/21/22
The finale of Wonder Woman: Evolution arrives as Diana faces off against a new and insidious DCU villain whose plan could rewrite all of humankind! The trial for humanity’s future comes to an end, but the battle for Earth’s survival rages. Will Wonder Woman make the ultimate sacrifice? Stephanie Phillips and Mike Hawthorne create a startling conclusion that will change Wonder Woman forever.
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DC June 2022 collections
BATMAN: NO MAN’S LAND OMNIBUS VOL. 2
Written by CHUCK DIXON, GREG RUCKA, DENNIS O’NEIL, and others
Art by DALE EAGLESHAM, SCOTT McDANIEL, and others
Cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ
$150.00 US | 1,112 pages | 7 1/16″ x 10 7/8″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-714-2
ON SALE 8/9/22
Months after a massive earthquake cut off Gotham City from the rest of the United States, Batman and his allies are still struggling to maintain law and order. When an unlikely savior arrives offering to help rebuild Gotham, their assistance might come at a grave cost. The epic conclusion to Gotham’s darkest hour includes all of the crossover issues from one of the biggest story events in DC Comics history.
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BATMAN: SECRET FILES
Written by JAMES TYNION IV, ED BRISSON, MARIKO TAMAKI, and TONY PATRICK
Art by CHRISTIAN WARD, DANI, ROSI KÄMPE, JOSHUA HIXSON, DAVID LAPHAM, and CHRISTIAN DUCE
Cover by CHRISTIAN WARD
$19.99 US | 224 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-711-1
ON SALE 7/19/22
Batman and Detective Comics scribes James Tynion IV and Mariko Tamaki are joined by a cadre of incredible collaborators to tell the heretofore-untold origin stories of some of Batman’s greatest allies and archrivals. Discover the mysteries of breakout characters from Fear State and Joker War such as Miracle Molly, Clownhunter, and the Gardener! Collects Batman Secret Files: The Signal #1 , Batman Secret Files: Huntress #1, Batman Secret Files: Clownhunter #1, Batman Secret Files: Peacekeeper-01 #1, Batman Secret Files: Miracle Molly #1, and Batman Secret Files: The Gardener #1!
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THE BATMAN & SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES VOL. 2
Written by IVAN COHEN and SHOLLY FISCH
Art by DARIO BRIZUELA, RANDY ELLIOTT, and SCOTT JERALDS
Cover by DARIO BRIZUELA
$12.99 US | 128 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-428-8
ON SALE 7/19/22
Batman is the DC Universe’s greatest detective, but he still needs help! The teen sleuths of Mystery Inc. and their faithful hound Scooby-Doo are always willing to lend a hand…mostly to pull off various miscreants’ masks! Their adventures continue as the Caped Crusader and the curious canine tackle dognappers, Riddlers, Creepers, and villains galore! Collects The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7-12.
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BLACK MANTA
Written by CHUCK BROWN
Art by VALENTINE DE LANDRO and MATTHEW DOW SMITH
Cover by VALENTINE DE LANDRO
$16.99 US | 160 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-713-5
ON SALE 8/2/222
Black Manta is dying. After unearthing a rare and powerful metal at the bottom of the ocean, Manta finds himself plagued by excruciating pain. But the hunt for his salvation puts Manta in the crosshairs of Devil Ray, a dangerous new rival who aims to become the new Scourge of the Seven Seas! Collects the Black Manta short from Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 and Black Manta #1-6.
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BRIGHTEST DAY OMNIBUS (2022 EDITION)
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and PETER J. TOMASI
Art by IVAN REIS, PATRICK GLEASON, and others
Cover by IVAN REIS
$100.00 US | 696 pages | 7 1/4″ x 10 7/8″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-633-6
ON SALE 8/30/22
Offered again! In this follow-up to Blackest Night, 12 heroes and villains were resurrected by a white light expelled from deep within the center of the earth. Now Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Firestorm, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Deadman, Jade, Osiris, Hawk, Captain Boomerang, and Zoom must discover the mysterious reason behind their return and uncover the secret that binds them all in this massive hardcover collecting issues #0-24 of the hit series!
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INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US: YEAR ZERO – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by ROGÊ ANTÔNIO and CIAN TORMEY
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TODESCO
$16.99 US | 152 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-556-8
ON SALE 7/12/22
The beloved, fan-favorite series Injustice is back! And this time, with a prequel…Year Zero: “The Fall of the Old Gods”! Before Superman, Batman, or the Justice League were household heroes, there was the JSA! But when a secret begins to unravel within the JSA, will it lead to the unraveling of the heroes we know today? Is there a traitor within the ranks of our heroes? Or is someone hiding something that could ruin every DCU superhero forever? No one is safe in Injustice: Year Zero! Collects Injustice: Year Zero #1-14.
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LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT
Written by DARICK ROBERTSON, STEPHANIE PHILLIPS, BRANDON THOMAS, and others
Art by DARICK ROBERTSON, MAX DUNBAR, GIANNIS MILONOGIANNIS, and others
Cover by JASON FABOK
$19.99 US | 184 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-564-3
ON SALE 7/12/22
The iconic series Legends of the Dark Knight is back! Comics legends and rising stars alike tell iconic stories across the Batman mythos. Anchored by a three-part story by Darick Robertson (co-creator of The Boys), this is a can’t-miss collection of Gotham City sagas. This collection’s villains include The Joker, the Scarecrow, the Penguin, the Riddler, Solomon Grundy, Killer Croc, and brand-new antagonists who will change the Batman mythos forever!
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NEW TEEN TITANS VOL. 14
Written by MARV WOLFMAN and others
Art by EDUARDO BARRETO, ROMEO TANGHAL, and others
Cover by EDUARDO BARRETO
$29.99 US | 416 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-549-0
ON SALE 7/19/22
In the final volume of the second New Teen Titans series, the Titans face off against Wildebeest, Godiva, and Mother Mayhem once more, and encounter an enemy capable of infiltrating their dreams. Plus, discover the origins of Nightwing! Collecting incredible tales from the late ’80s, this volume contains stories from The New Teen Titans #41-49, The New Teen Titans Annual #4, Secret Origins #13, Secret Origins Annual #3, and Tales of the Teen Titans #91.
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PENNYWORTH
Written by SCOTT BRYAN WILSON
Art by JUAN GEDEON
Cover by JORGE FORNÉS
$17.99 US | 152 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-567-4
ON SALE 7/26/22
Loyal butler to the Wayne family. Surrogate father to Bruce Wayne. Batman’s most trusted ally. Alfred Pennyworth is all of those things, but a top secret, Cold War-era mission left uncompleted during his days as an MI6 counterintelligence agent will drag our present-day butler back into his globe-trotting, espionage-laden past. From the frozen wastes of Russia to the Giza Plateau, from his school plays to his encounter with genetically modified super-soldiers, Pennyworth collects the thrilling tale of adventure that spans Alfred’s most exciting mission of his secret-agent past. Collects Pennyworth #1-7.
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SUICIDE SQUAD VOL. 2: AMBUSHED!
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON and DENNIS HOPELESS
Art by EDUARDO PANSICA, JÚLIO FERREIRA, and DEXTER SOY
Cover by EDUARDO PANSICA and JÚLIO FERREIRA
$19.99 US | 192 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-531-5
ON SALE 7/26/22
Amanda Waller has sent her newest iteration of the Suicide Squad into war zones, and even outer space—but this group has members that have already come back from the dead, so they’re not intimidated by whatever the Wall throws at them. As members plot against one another, and Rick Flag makes his move to take Waller out, everything comes to a head on Earth-3! Collects Suicide Squad #7-15.
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SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by BILQUIS EVELY
$19.99 US | 224 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-568-1
ON SALE 7/26/22
Kara Zor-El can no longer find any meaning or purpose in her life. But all that changes when an alien girl seeks her out to help her take revenge on the bad guys who destroyed her world. Now a Kryptonian, a dog, and an angry, heartbroken child head into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core. It’s Supergirl like you’ve never seen her before in a character-defining sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece! Collects the entire miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1-8.
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TEEN TITANS ACADEMY VOL. 1: X MARKS THE SPOT
Written by JEREMY ADAMS
Art by BRANDON PETERSON, WILL CONRAD, and others
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
$17.99 US | 200 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-562-9
ON SALE 7/12/22
The original New Teen Titans have reteamed and formed the Titans Academy to teach the next generation of super-powered teens…if the students can survive the training. Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Donna Troy are the teachers at the school and will pass along their knowledge to the young recruits looking to learn how to use their powers to reach their full potential. Collects Suicide Squad #3, Teen Titans Academy #1-5, Infinite Frontier #0, and Teen Titans Academy 2021 Yearbook #1.
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THE ANIMAL MAN OMNIBUS (2022 EDITION)
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by CHAZ TRUOG, DOUG HAZLEWOOD, and others
Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND $100.00 US | 712 pages | 7 1/4″ x 10 7/8″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-632-9
ON SALE 8/23/22
Offered again! Grant Morrison’s epic run on Animal Man collected in one massive hardcover.
Buddy Baker has been experiencing visions of aliens, people transforming into strange pencil-like drawings, and hints of a terrible crisis. As his odyssey of self-discovery gives way to spiritual enlightenment as well as the depths of despair, Buddy meets his maker: a writer named Grant Morrison! Includes Animal Man #1-26 and a tale from Secret Origins #39.
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THE GREEN LANTERN SEASON TWO VOL. 2: ULTRAWAR
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by LIAM SHARP
$17.99 US | 168 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-565-0
ON SALE 7/19/22
In the lethal aftermath of the war with the Anti-Matter Lanterns, Hal finds himself in a bizarre afterlife facing the judgment of the Young Guardians. Nothing will ever be the same again as the truth about the coming Ultrawar and the Cosmic Grail is finally revealed. What monstrous forces gather in the shadows? What mind-bending and heartrending secrets will surface from this backdrop of cosmic conspiracy and shady interstellar politics? And as the divisiveness spreads from world to world, can love prevail? Hal must prepare himself to face both death and rebirth in hopes of saving the universe…one more time. New York Times bestselling author Grant Morrison and world-renowned artist Liam Sharp’s epic run on the Emerald Knight comes to a close! Collecting The Green Lantern Season Two #7-12, along with a sketchbook section showcasing Sharp’s incredible line work, this final collection is a must-have for any ring-bearing Lantern out there in the Multiverse!
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]]>The post Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: full line-up, covers, preview appeared first on Game News.
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Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular (opens in new tab) goes on sale August 31 to recognize the King of Atlantis’s first appearance in November 1941’s More Fun Comics #73 (opens in new tab).
Not bad for a hero often ridiculed for being the guy who talks to fish.
Here is a list of all the stories in Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular, as well as who created them:
- ‘Foxtail’ by writer Jeff Parker, artist Evan ‘Doc’ Shaner, and letterer Rob Leigh
- ‘Father’s Day’ by writer Geoff Johns, penciller Paul Pelletier, inker Norm Rapmund, colorist Hi-Fi, and letterer Josh Reed
- ‘Lady in the Lake’ by writer Michael Moreci, artist Pop Mhan, colorist Tony Avina, and letterer Wes Abbott
- ‘Multitudes’ by writer Stephanie Phillips, artist Hendry Prasetya, colorist Ulises Arreola, and letterer Travis Lanham
- ‘It’s a Family Affair’ by writer Shawn Aldrdge, artist Tom Derenick, colorist Nick Filardi, and letterer Rob Leigh
- ‘The Rhine Maidens’ by writer Marguerite Bennett, artist Trung Le Nguyen, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Pat Brosseau
- ‘Between Two Shores’ by writer Cavan Scott, penciller Scot Eaton, inker Norm Rapmund, colorist Hi-Fi, and letterer Rob Leigh
- ‘What Remains of a Storm’ by writer Dan Waters, artist Miguel Mendonca, inker Daniel Henriques, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Rob Leigh
- ‘Rebellion’ by writer Dan Jurgens, artist Steve Epting, colorist Jeromy Cox, and letterer Rob Leigh
- ‘Red Sea’ by writer Chuck Brown, artist Valentine Delandro, colorist Marissa Louise, and letterer Clayton COwles
- ‘Foreshadow’ by writer Brandon Thomas, penciller Diego Olortegui, inker Wade von Grawbadger, colorist Adriano Lucas, and letterer Deron Bennett
Here is is the complete ‘The Rhine Maidens’ story DC has shared as a preview:
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Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 preview
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Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 will celebrate not just Arthur Curry, but also his associated characters such as Mera, Tempest, Aqualad, Black Manta, and Ocean Master.
And in a pleasant surprise, Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular will also include the return of an Aquaman variant: Bombshells Aquaman. He’s from the fondly remembered Elseworlds series DC Comics Bombshells, which reimagined the DCU characters in the style of ’40s pin-up models and post-World War II ephemera.
Like previous 100-page 80th anniversary specials, Aquaman’s cover price will be $9.99, along with card stock variant cover editions that will set you back another buck.
Speaking of variant covers, in addition to the main cover by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, Aquaman’s will sport a line-up of eight ‘decade’ themed variants depicting the ‘marine monarch’ (is that a new one?) sporting his different looks through the years.
The line-up includes Michael Cho (’40s), Ramon Fradon (’50s), Walt Simonson (’60s), José Luis García-López (’70s), Chuck Patton/Kevin Nowlan (’80s), Yvel Guichet (’90s), Becky Cloonan (’00s), and Robson Rocha (’10s).
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Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 covers
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This is the first in a rising tide of Aquaman-related comic books coming from DC. Arthur Curry co-stars in the upcoming limited series Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target (opens in new tab), and his protege Aqualad is manning up in Aquaman: The Becoming. Aqualad’s dad will also be getting a solo series with Black Manta (yes, that’s also the original Aquaman’s arch-nemesis – it’s complicated).
Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular goes on sale on August 31.
Newsarama selects the best Aquaman stories over the first 80 years.
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]]>The post How Aquaman fought against the tide to become one of DCs (and the movie industrys) biggest superheroes appeared first on Game News.
]]>Aquaman’s history in comic books has taken him through some strange incarnations, but his heritage as an oceanic king – and his membership in the Justice League of America – have helped him remain one of DC’s most popular characters more than 75 years.
“There’s something about a sea-going hero that everyone loves,” says Grant Morrison, the comic book writer who helped highlight Aquaman’s strengths in the ’90s. “When I was doing Aquaman in JLA (opens in new tab), he was being written [in the solo Aquaman (opens in new tab) title] by Peter David, so they kind of brought to the fore the idea of the King Arthur of the oceans, and I loved that portrayal of him. He’s not just the king of a country. He’s a king of three-quarters of the Earth’s surface in all of its depths.”
David agrees, and tells Newsarama that he always saw the character as part of modern mythology.
“In all mythos, there is always a fascination with water and what’s going on beneath the ocean surfaces,” David says. “Three-quarters of this planet is water, and so it naturally makes sense that the possibilities it hides might be things that only dwell in our imagination. We know there’s not really a Superman or a Batman, but humans living beneath the sea? Could be.”
Evolving Mythology of Aquaman
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But the current definition of Aquaman’s character as a regal half-human/half-Atlantean wasn’t always part of his story. When the character debuted all the way back in 1941’s More Fun Comics #73 (opens in new tab), he was written as a human being that had been changed scientifically into a water-breather.
“He was pretty bland in the ’50s,” Morrison admits, remembering how the science-based character’s greatest adventures were simply fighting against pirates and threats to shipping lanes.
“Aquaman,in his early appearances, was definitely written for a wide-eyed, young audience,” says Keith Giffen, who wrote the character during the ’80s. “When Aquaman first appeared, he was riding around on seahorses, and it had a more childish air about it.”
But that version of Aquaman’s origin didn’t have staying power, and in 1959, DC made him into Arthur Curry, the half-human/half-Atlantean royalty he remains today.
This new origin gave Aquaman a connection to both the mysterious oceanic world and the surface world, and according to Morrison, it was this “unknowing royalty” angle that really set him apart from other characters.
“With Aquaman, it’s not just the idea of being the King Arthur of the seas, but of first being the prince who doesn’t know he’s secretly royal,” they say. “It’s a story people have always loved.”
After his new origin story was introduced in comic books, Arthur rose to the throne as king of Atlantis and married an underwater queen named Mera. Subsequent Aquaman stories in the ’60s introduced a slew of new characters to his mythos, including his half-brother Orm who would eventually become his nemesis, Ocean Master.
Aquaman and the Justice League
But perhaps no moment in Aquaman’s history gave him such staying power as his inclusion in the Justice League of America when the team debuted in 1960’s The Brave & The Bold #28 (opens in new tab), as well as the character’s presence in the Super Friends (opens in new tab) TV show in the ’70s and ’80s.
Yet Aquaman’s ongoing appearances in Justice League stories also highlighted the negative side of him, says Kurt Busiek, who wrote the character in the mid-’00s.
“Out of water, his powers aren’t terribly special – he’s strong, but lots of superheroes are strong. And being able to communicate with fish is an easy ability to mock when it’s being compared against Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash,” Busiek says.
Giffen says Aquaman became the butt of a lot of jokes from fans because of his Super Friends appearances.
“It felt a little ridiculous sometimes,” Giffen says. “Every Justice League adventure had to have some way to have Aquaman get wet.”
Strengthening the Aquaman character
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In the ’80s and ’90s, the character often struggled to find favor among fans, as writers tried new origins and drastic changes to make him more attractive to modern audiences.
The Aquaman revamp Giffen helped orchestrate during that era tapped into a deeper, richer mythology for the character, renaming him Orin and making him a full Atlantean. But some of the changes made were a little more drastic, and Giffen once told Newsarama that he questions their wisdom.
Later in the ’90s, the character got another revamp from David, whose Aquaman series was the longest-running for the character.
“I wanted to make him something of a bad ass, in comparison to the somewhat goofy nice guy everyone remembered from the old Super Friends TV show,” David says of his run.
The writer also got rid of Aquaman’s clean-cut look, something the current Warner Bros. movie has echoed.
“When Zack Snyder first put up a picture of Jason Momoa as Aquaman, the modern day fans were saying, ‘That doesn’t look anything like Aquaman!’ But the older fans were saying, ‘No, that’s Peter David’s Aquaman,'” David says. “I’m flattered that the current movie version is thought of as ‘my’ Aquaman.”
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But one of the most remembered moments in David’s run occurred in Aquaman #2 (opens in new tab), when Aquaman lost his left hand and, eventually, replaced it with a harpoon.
“I wanted to change Aquaman’s image,” David says. “I wanted him to intimidate people, and there’s no better way to do that than have him with some sort of weapon. I selected a harpoon because it’s a weapon that is typically used against his sea brethren, so now he had one that he can use against denizens of the surface.”
Eventually, Busiek’s run in 2006-2007 returned the character to his original, classic origin and mythology, but replaced him with a younger version. It wasn’t until 2010’s Blackest Night (opens in new tab) that the original character made his triumphant return at the hands of Geoff Johns, the comic book writer-turned-movie executive who also has a writing credit on the Aquaman film.
Aquaman’s relaunch revival
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For several years after the character’s return in Blackest Night, Johns and writer Dan Abnett continued to guide the character’s evolution in comic books, including the return of characters like Mera and Ocean Master.
“I’ve always really been fascinated with the character,” Johns told Newsarama at the time of his new Aquaman comic book’s launch in 2011. “I think there’s a great world to explore with that character, with the ocean and the mythology that comes with that. And creating new things for that world, and expanding it, was compelling to me as a writer. I thought it was a great challenge.”
Johns also embraced the “humorous” perception of Aquaman.
“Aquaman is this guy who, on land, he’s kind of laughed at,” the writer said. “But in the ocean, he’s supposed to be the king of this huge underwater society, so there’s a weird juxtaposition between those two roles. And he prefers to be on land, and his job is to protect the land from sea and the sea from land. So he’s literally caught in the middle of all these things.
“I think everyone [can] relate to Aquaman. I think he’s very, very human, because of all that,” Johns said. “But he’s also admirable because he does step up and take care of business, and he doesn’t let what anyone says stop him. He lets it roll right off his back like water.”
Aquaman’s newer developments
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Although the Aquaman film echoes many of the character’s more beloved history, the character continues to go through new incarnations in the comic books.
After an arresting period where he had amnesia, Aquaman regained his memory and returned to his life – even marrying his long-time lover Mera, after they welcomed a child together named Andy.
And in Scott Snyder’s recent Justice League run, Aquaman’s superpowers were linked to a ‘Life Force’ that connects all Earth’s creatures.
“Aquaman’s powers are what they’ve always been,” said current Justice League writer Scott Snyder. “But we wanted to kind of go back and see if there’s a way to expand the meaning behind them.”
Whatever comes next for the character, mainstream audiences will probably know him best (for at least the near future) as the character portrayed in the Aquaman film. And his story in comic books will continue to evolve.
Make sure you’ve read the best Aquaman stories out there.
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]]>Hey, it doesn’t have the same ring as Green Lantern/Green Arrow, but at least they both wear green.
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The new seven-issue series was confirmed by DC but first announced via Twitter (opens in new tab) by writer Brandon Thomas, who will also write the upcoming Aquaman solo limited series Aquaman: Becoming.
“Arthur Curry & Oliver Queen team up (and throw down) in Deep Target, a mind-bending, worlds altering adventure that launches in October!” reads Thomas’ tweet.
The series will be illustrated by Ronan Cliquet and Ulises Arreola with covers by Marco Santucci and InHyuk Lee.
Both characters are without solo series at the moment, although the pair are currently spending time as teammates in Brian Bendis’ Justice League series.
The original Aquaman Arthur Curry will appear in Deep Target, but seems to be giving up the title of Aquaman to the current Aqualad Jackson Hyde in Thomas’ Aquaman: Becoming limited series, while Green Arrow figures prominently in Bendis’ Checkmate limited series.
Although not traditionally characters with ‘deep’ ties (sorry), they actually share one of the deepest ties of all – they both debuted in November 1941’s More Fun Comics #73 with a common co-creator, Green Arrow by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and Aquaman by Weisinger and Paul Norris.
Of course, that means they’re both celebrating their 80th anniversaries in 2021 with June 29’s Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 (opens in new tab) and August 31’s Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, respectively.
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Interestingly, though Aquaman and Green Arrow debuted together and have been longtime allies in the Justice League, the two heroes have rarely adventured together as a duo, and definitely haven’t shared a single starring title before.
Green Arrow and Aquaman have also developed as two of the tentpole stars of DC’s TV shows and movies – though totally separately, existing in different universes. Green Arrow was, of course, the longtime star of Arrow, which launched the CW’s DC TV universe and ran for eight seasons, and brought in dozens of other DC heroes – though never Aquaman.
Meanwhile, Aquaman has his own blockbuster movie (with a sequel in the works), with star Jason Momoa reportedly set to be one of the few actors from the Justice League movie who will continue in their role in the future DC film universe.
The pair will finally come together as co-headliners on the page when Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target debuts in October. Stay tuned to Newsarama for DC’s October 2021 solicitations, coming later this month.
Aquaman and Green Arrow haven’t co-headlined a title before, but they’ve both co-starred in some of the best Justice League stories ever.
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]]>The post Aquaman ending explained – everything you need to know after watching appeared first on Game News.
]]>While it’s not quite as good as Wonder Woman (opens in new tab), Aquaman is definitely an improvement on Justice League (opens in new tab) and it’ll renew your hope for the DCEU as a whole, which means we’re going to want to know all about the upcoming DC Extended Universe movies (opens in new tab) on the way. From the biggest questions we have after seeing the Aquaman ending, to what that Aquaman post-credits scene (opens in new tab) really means, we address it all below, but be warned, there’s full spoilers for the Aquaman ending from this point onwards, so you don’t want to read on until you’ve seen the film.
If you have seen it (lucky you!), then feel free to read on and take a deep dive (get it?) into what the Aquaman ending means for a possible sequel and even other DCEU movies. Anyone else still holding out for Justice League (opens in new tab) 2? Read on for everything you need to know about the Aquaman ending.
1. Are Atlanteans immortal?
I don’t know if you noticed, but Arthur goes through a lot in this movie. He’s shot, he’s stabbed, he’s blown up more than once! He’s even gets hit at point-blank range by a rocket launcher and survives. While his strength definitely comes across in Justice League, the events of Aquaman raise the question of whether or not he’s immortal. There’s no real mention of this in the movie and he apparently ages like any other human, but there also aren’t many superheroes, even in the DCEU, who can survive the kind of beating Arthur takes in Aquaman. Atlanteans are clearly stronger than humans, but is that it, or are they also basically invincible?
Arthur isn’t the only Atlantean with powers either, and in fact, his ability to breath underwater and swim incredibly fast isn’t seen as a superpower by his fellow Atlanteans who have the same abilities. But it also seems like Arthur has a little something extra compared to your average Atlantean. Mera is surprised when he can communicate with a whale while they’re escaping Atlantis, as is Karathen when she realises Arthur can understand her, implying that not all Atlanteans have this ability. But Mera can manipulate water, even drawing it out of a person while on land, an ability we don’t see displayed by any other Atlantean during the film. So, do all Atlanteans have different powers? And if so, why? If Arthur’s abilities are unusual, even for his people, where do they come from? Have they just randomly been passed down through his bloodline, or is there some other reason why he seems to be a super-powered Atlantean?
2. Why does Vulko want Arthur to be King?
I have so many questions about the character Vulko – how did he become King Orm’s advisor? Why did he really train Arthur? What’s his ultimate aim? The character is pretty underdeveloped in the film with no real explanation as to who he is or where he’s come from, but the main question I have is: why is he so keen to overthrown Orm and make Arthur king? He trains Arthur as a boy (supposedly out of some sense of duty to Queen Atlanna), he sends Mera to talk Arthur into coming to Atlantis, and he sets them both on a path to retrieve the Trident of Neptune, which will make him king, all to overthrow Orm and put Arthur on the throne of Atlantis. That’s a lot of effort, and it’s not immediately clear why Vulko wants Arthur to rule.
It’s sort of vaguely implied that Vulko disagrees with Orm’s plan to attack the surface world, but we never really see him try to dissuade Orm from his course of action. If anything, he gives him advice to help with his plan. Maybe it’s because he’s already tried to talk Orm out of it and he didn’t listen, but we know Vulko wanted Arthur to be king even before Orm talked about war, as shown during one of the flashback scenes. So, what’s the deal? Is it just that, as Queen Atlanna’s first born, Arthur is technically the rightful heir to the throne? If so, Vulko has one hell of a strict sense of duty considering that, for all his faults, Orm was actually raised as an Atlantean. While he clearly has issues, he also has a point when he tells Arthur that he’s the one who knows Atlantis and its people best. Plus, he must have been much younger than his brother when Vulko was training Arthur to become king, so I can’t imagine he’d already made such a bad impression that Vulko was so determined to overthrow him. Hmmm.
3. How did King Orvax find out about Arthur?
After Atlanna leaves Arthur and his Dad, she returns to Atlantis to marry King Orvax to keep her family safe – but we later find out that Orvax discovers the truth about Arthur and sentences Atlanna to die at the hands of the Trench. King Orm talks about his mother’s ‘betrayal’ so it’s clearly common knowledge by the time Aquaman takes place, but considering the lengths Atlanna went to protect the information, how did King Orvax find out? As far as we know, she’s the only Atlantean who knows about Arthur and she wasn’t likely to tell Orvax. Did she trust the wrong person? She obviously tells Vulko at some point because he goes to the surface to train Arthur after her death; was he the one who let the damaging information slip? Or did Orvax already suspect and send his soldiers to find out exactly what happened to Atlanna while she was on the surface? Perhaps Atlanna had a moment of weakness and tried to return to Arthur, only to accidentally lead Orvax’s men to her secret family. However he found out, Orvax made sure Atlanna paid dearly.
4. Why does Arthur change his mind about becoming King of Atlantis?
At the beginning of Aquaman, Arthur has zero interest in becoming King of Atlantis and only agrees to go with Mera to stop Orm’s war on humanity. Despite this, by the time we reach the Aquaman ending, he’s crowned king and looking pretty happy about it. So, what changed? Why did Arthur decide to give up his human life in favour of ruling the underwater kingdom of Atlantis? Jason Momoa answered this question for himself when I sat down for a chat with the Aquaman cast (opens in new tab) recently, stating: “He’s been through a lot in his life, which you get to see [in the movie], and I don’t think that he believes in himself and it’s everyone around him [that does]. Having Mera, having my father, knowing that I’m the chosen one – he’s never believed it, but I think that it’s who he surrounds himself with [that helps him to believe]… that’s what makes us kings, right? Or queens.”
5. Is Arthur going to have a diplomatic crisis on his hands?
Whatever the reason, Arthur will clearly have a lot on his plate when he finally gets down to ruling Atlantis. Not only does he need to familiarise himself with a kingdom and a people he knows next to nothing about, but he also has to clean up Orm’s mess. Forget what he did to the surface world – Orm attacked, manipulated, and bullied the other kingdoms of Atlantis into doing his bidding and making him Ocean Master, even murdering the King of the Fisherman and going to war with the Brine. Arthur may have eventually united the kingdoms against Orm, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him trying to keep the peace and undo the damage caused by his campaign, with the other leader maybe even calling for his brother’s execution. Maybe that’s what Aquaman 2 will be about? Aquaman: The Diplomatic Crisis… then again, maybe not.
6. How long will Orm stay imprisoned?
Speaking of Orm, there’s no way he’s going to stay safely tucked away in prison for the remainder of his existence, right? That’s just not what happens in superhero movies. How long until he breaks out, do you think? Place your bets now! Could it even be before we see Aquaman again? Maybe the next Aquaman movie will start with him hunting down his escaped brother. On the other hand, maybe they’ll have made up and be ruling happily together… yeah, there’s no way that’s going to happen. Things are always tricky when the big bad is family (just ask Thor!), but it also means that you can’t just leave the story thread hanging in a sequel. One way or another, Orm is going to have to be revisited if we get another Aquaman movie.
7. Who is Black Manta?
Black Manta is the other villain in Aquaman and, in case you didn’t now, he’s a pretty iconic baddie in the Aquaman comic books. First appearing in Aquaman #35 in 1967, he’s an underwater mercenary who uses his technology and intelligence to achieve his goals rather than any supernatural abilities, and eventually becomes Aquaman’s archenemy. It’s clear from the Aquaman ending and post-credits scene that his character is being set up to fill a similar role in the DCEU, despite his origin story being different from the comics, so I think it’s safe to say we’ll see him again.
8. Where’s the rest of the Justice League?
It’s the elephant in the room, but where were the rest of the Justice League during Aquaman’s troubles? While his conflict with Orm is most certainly an Atlantean affair, when you’re up against these kinds of odds, surely there’s no harm is asking your friends for a little help? What were Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Cyborg up to during the events of Aquaman, and why didn’t Arthur give them a call? Were they on holiday? Avoiding their fishy friend for some reason? Dead?! It could be any of the above, and we’ll probably never know. In fact, the only reason that we know Aquaman is set post-Justice League is because director James Wan told us so, and the film is definitely lacking in any Easter eggs or references to the wider DCEU. “I feel like the story and journey that he [Aquaman] goes on is strictly his own journey, and if I was to try and force other characters into it it would have been weird,” Wan told me when I interviewed him. “And I also feel like there’s so many movies about those other characters already, this is Aquaman’s time in the spotlight, let it be his and Mera’s movie.” Fair enough.
9. Will we get Aquaman 2?
Depending on how much you enjoyed Aquaman, you may or may not be wondering whether we’ll be getting a sequel – but considering the mixed response to the DCEU so far, a sequel is by no means a certainty. When I asked Momoa about his contract obligations going forward, he revealed that he’s committed to at least one more appearance as Aquaman, but whether that’s in Aquaman 2 or something else, we don’t know right now. “I am contracted for one more,” he says. “It was awesome doing Justice League, it’s great being there with a huge cast, but it would be phenomenal if people really love Aquaman [to do a sequel]… I have an idea where I would want it to go…” Sadly, when I pushed him to reveal his idea, he was having none of it (of course!), but it’s comforting to know that we have at least one more appearance from the aquatic superhero in the pipeline.
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