Tuesday, June 24, 2014

September 2014 Solicits: Futures' End Month

DC's September 2014 solicits have finally completely come out. 

The lenticular covered, fancy September, Futures' End crossovers were announced a while ago. I suppose to keep some of Futures' End's story a secret, we don't get many story blurbs. What we do get are pictures of the covers and the creative teams. (When I can post a gif of the cover, I will. If I can't I will defer to the Futures' End half.

The remainder of DC's September books, the out of continuity, Vertigo, etc were finally solicited last week. There is one great new book coming out, listed at the bottom. Between the Sensation Comics announcement and this new book, I have some mild enthusiasm for DC, the most in a while.

On to the solicits!



 SUPERGIRL: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Tony Bedard
Penciller: Emaneulla Lupacchino
Cover: Giuseppe Camuncoli

I have to say that I'm not too interested in reading anything about the Cyborg Superman Zor-El. I keep hoping that will get retconned out (the same way that Joe Kelly's insane Zor-El who shot up Kara's school was erased). But instead, we get him back.

At the very least, it is being done by the book's creative team. 



JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Penciller: Jedd Dougherty
Inker: Jedd Dougherty
Cover: Mike McKone

Remember when there was a book called Legion Lost where some Legionnaires were trapped in our time fighting a mutating virus? That feels like forever ago, doesn't it?

Well, if we are in continuity, those Legionnaires are still here (even though the Legion book was eventually linked to Earth 2). So seeing Dawnstar (one of the lost Legion) on the cover was a pleasant surprise! Plus, I think she and Equinox make an interesting pair.

Lastly, I can't help but notice the added circles on Equinox's costume? Fashion only? Or some marker of power level? 



ACTION COMICS: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Pascal Alixe
Cover: Lee L Weeks
With the Man of Steel missing, ordinary people around the world start to mysteriously exhibit his strengths and abilities…

This is one of the few books with a solicit blurb.

There is a lot for me to like here. For one, it is the return of Sholly Fisch to the super-universe! But look at that cover! Is this going to be some sort of homage to my beloved 'Sand Superman' storyline? Will we see Quarmer?

This one I am very interested in reading! 

SUPERMAN: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Lee L Weeks
Cover: Ken Lashley

Remember when there was a book called Legion Lost where some Legionnaires were trapped in our time fighting a mutating virus? That feels like forever ago, doesn't it?

Well, one of those legionnaires was Wildfire. And the 'Masked Superman' costume looks suspiciously like Wildfire's. Wildfire could refrain from using his energy powers and simply fly and be super-strong to emulate Superman. It also would play off the 'Superboy/Superman as Legion inspiration' part of the original Legion origin.

Glad to see Dan Jurgens on a Superman book again. 



SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #9
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and wraparound cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
RESOLICIT •FINAL ISSUE  
This is it – the extraordinary, extra-sized finale of Scott Snyder and Jim Lee’s Superman saga, surrounded by an epic wraparound cover! It’s a battle in the sun as Superman and Wraith accept their destinies…and Lex Luthor pulls the trigger on his ultimate weapon!

It pains me to read this solicit for many reasons. Unchained has been a great Superman book since its inception. It has had a great Lois. And a multifacted plot.

But it has been woefully delayed. No big surprise given Jim Lee on art. And it turns out it was nothing but a glorified mini-series, canceled/stopped at issue 9. Still, I have enjoyed it!

Will this issue actually come out in September? We still need #7 and #8!




BATMAN/SUPERMAN: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Howard Porter
Cover: Aaron Kuder


Superman fighting Batman?? Say it isn't so!

We have seen this trope too many times to count. I am hoping that Greg Pak has some reason for this.

It will be good to see Howard Porter on the characters again!


SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciller: Tom Raney
Inker: Tom Raney
Cover: Tom Raney

We saw a violent despot Wonder Woman in Flashpoint. Now we see Diana as the God of War. And in the future, before being turned into a robot spider, she seems to have embraced that identity. 

But look ... an unhelmeted Superman. Does that add credibility to my Wildfire theory?



WORLDS’ FINEST: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Paul Levitz
Penciller: Yildiray Cinar
Inker: Paul Neary
Cover: Stephen Segovia

I haven't read Earth 2 in forever. So apparently there are more Kryptonians flying around there. And while I initially thought this pom-pom haired hero was a new Bumblebee, people whose opinion I trust tell me this is probably Zod's daughter and possible the new Power Girl.

What does that mean for Karen? Could this upcoming crisis anniversary kill of the original Power Girl, aping the Supergirl death of the original Crisis?

It will be great to see Yildiray Cinar on the book again.


ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #17
Written by JERRY ORDWAY, KELLY SUE DeCONNICK and STEVE NILES
Art by STEVE RUDE, VALENTINE DeLANDRO and MATTHEW DOW SMITH
Cover by STEVE RUDE  
Superstar creators unite for the final issue of the series! First, a Superman/O.M.A.C. team-up as only Jerry Ordway and Steve Rude can deliver! Then, when Lois Lane gets Superman a mystery gift for Valentine’s Day, Superman speculates with his friends about what it could be – and what he should get her in return! Finally, Superman is confronted by a ghost from Krypton! Don’t miss out!

I am very sad that Adventures of Superman is being canceled. It has been a nice little home for people like me looking for a more classic Superman. They haven't all been winners. But the ones I have liked, I have loved.

I suppose this is the way to go out though ... with a bang. Ordway, DeConnick, Niles, Rude, Doyle, Dow Smith! That is a murderers' row of talent!



SMALLVILLE SEASON 11: CHAOS #2
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by AGUSTIN PADILLA and DANIEL HDR
Cover by CAT STAGGS
Metropolis is under mystical siege, and Emil is trapped inside S.T.A.R. Labs with an unlikely source of help. Lex Luthor has trapped Ted Kord and Michael Holt inside their Antarctic base, cutting them off from Booster Gold’s help. Superman and Lois Lane are trapped on an alternate Earth – and that’s not the worst of their troubles! Where can they turn for help?

Before a Crisis, there must be chaos.

This universe has expanded. Miller has brought in a ton of characters. And this book is careening to a season end. This one sounds just as good. An alternate Earth? Maybe we meet a harbinger to help out.




THE MULTIVERSITY: THE SOCIETY OF SUPER-HEROES: CONQUERORS OF THE COUNTER-WORLD #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by CHRIS SPROUSE and KARL STORY
The biggest adventure in DC Comics history continues!
Grant Morrison joins modern legend Chris Sprouse (TOM STRONG, BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, ACTION COMICS) for a trip to Earth-20 starring a Society of Super Heroes unlike anything you’ve seen before! It’s pulp Super Hero action with a post-modern twist — you can’t afford to miss it!
Who is the demon-like Green Lantern protecting Earth-20? What secret does Doc Fate hold that could save the world? Who are the hand-to-hand and air-to-air combat queens known as the Blackhawks? And what happens when these heroes come face to face with their diabolical Earth-40 counterparts – led by Vandal Savage – for an epic war between parallel worlds? Find out all that and more in this exciting stand-alone issue which also acts as chapter two of the overall MULTIVERSITY storyline. Join us, if you dare, for THE MULTIVERSITY!

And then the big announcement.

Multiversity!

It has been rumored for so long I thought it was a myth! 

I am a huge Morrison fan. And I think the looser the reins are, the better his stories are. Letting him run roughshod over Elseworlds sounds like a brilliant idea. A gun-toting Dr. Fate? An Etrigan GL? Fantastic.

Count me in!!

6 comments:

Jay said...

Theories: Masked Superman is Kal-El. He'll be thought to be an imposter due to the mask but the twist is there is no twist. Either he's scarred, or he's got Kryptonite poisoning and the suit is a containment suit.

Superman is attacking Batman because he's been corrupted by Lex's xenophobia during their shared time together with the League. Signs of this possible outcome will be explored in JL, as Lex actually begins to corrupt Bruce.

Diabolu Frank said...

That JLU gif was surprisingly simple to make via a free online doohicky. You should do one for Supergirl.

I'll be reading my invaders from Mars two-parter and let the rest of this event pass me by.

Hey, my word verification involves a Texas flag curb address painting!

Anj said...

Jay - the no twist twist! You are probably right!

Martin Gray said...

The new Power Girl, huh? Not just a boob window but a boob hairdo!

You will flat out adore that Valentine'Day story in Adventures. And when you've read it, get to my review, already!

Diane Darcy said...

I hope I am very wrong about what I think is going to happen to Power Girl in the impending 'Crisis.'

If they go where I think they're going with her future, that will be the final straw for me that will get me to dump DC Comics all together until there is a new management in place with more progressive ideas than the current leadership.

When I started reading the New 52 three years ago, I started reading because I WANTED to see WORLD BUILDING. I wanted to see why Huntress and Power Girl were best friends in this newer universe, and I especially wanted to see their narrative take place within the context of Earth-2 with the established history that it originally had prior to the New 52.

With DC's systematic destruction of everything that made Earth-2 a great universe to read from and turning this world into the love-child of both Flashpoint and Injustice Gods Among Us, I found myself drifting away from this company. I also don't have enough investment in their primary universe to keep me interested. Earth-2 was my 'main universe.'

Anj said...

I have said it before, the superhero books of the New 52 are basically painted with the same cynical violent brush.

DC could do with a little variety.