Tuesday, January 27, 2015

April 2015 Solicits: Convergence And Others

Marvel blew the doors off of the comic world this week, revealing their Secret Wars series uniting their universes in a Crisis sort of way. 

Maybe the reason why DC released their Convergence solicits so long ago was so that it wasn't going to compete as news with that Marvelous bombshell. Even though the Convergence descriptions dripped out a while ago, the final April solicits came out this week. Here is the Newsarama link: http://www.newsarama.com/23280-dc-comics-full-april-2015-solicitations.html

I am a longstanding DC fan so I am looking forward to revisiting some of these time periods. But I wonder if newer readers are going to think about this as yet another 'jumping off' point for a bunch of titles.

Here are the super-titles:


CONVERGENCE: SUPERGIRL: MATRIX #1
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by TIMOTHY GREEN II
Cover by HOWARD PORTER
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM ZERO HOUR! What do Supergirl, Lady Quark and Ambush Bug have in common? Well ... nothing, really. But that doesn’t stop them from appearing in this story together. You are SO welcome.

So Matrix ended up becoming the Linda Danvers Earth Angel Supergirl under Peter David. But before that she was the girlfriend of Lex Luthor, who at this point was cloned and pretending to be his own illegitimate son. I have to assume we are in that period given this red-bearded chap on the cover. I can't help but notice that the device in his hand looks like a Red Lantern symbol if I squint.

The solicit gives me little to work with although the presence of Ambush Bug and Giffen as writer makes me thinks this isn't going to be something serious.

I love how Supergirl looks on this cover as this is my favorite version of the costume. 


Each title has a variant cover designed by Chip Kidd which has an old school Ben-Day dot are piece fade into a solid color. I don't know if I like it ...


CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
Written by FRANK TIERI
Art by VICENTE CIFUENTES
Cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! The Justice League story you never expected to see begins when Supergirl, Zatanna, Vixen and Jade attend Jesse Quick’s baby shower, which quickly turns into a life-and-death struggle with Flashpoint Aquaman!

James Robinson had a very good run on JLA where the team was mostly comprised of legacy heroes claiming a spot on the team. Jesse Quick was there instead of the Flash. Jade was there, not GL. Donna Troy was there, not Diana. And Supergirl was there. That title ended with Jesse pregnant and losing her powers.

I am thrilled to us revisit this era. And great to see this all-female version of the League here.


CONVERGENCE: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by ROBERTO VIACAVA and ANDY OWENS
Cover by MIKEL JANIN

On sale APRIL 22 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Superman and Supergirl attempt to free their city via the Phantom Zone but learn that if they succeed, a terrible fate awaits Supergirl in Crisis on Infinite Earths!

Boy, Marv Wolfman likes to go back to the well, doesn't he. Once again he picks at the scab of killing Kara in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I suppose Kara will learn of her fate and still accepting it, her being the hero she is.

Very lovely cover here by Mikel Janin. It is nice the see the headband again.


CONVERGENCE: SUPERMAN #1
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by LEE WEEKS
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! A powerless Superman is called upon to protect Gotham City…and his pregnant wife Lois Lane!

Jurgens! Weeks! Superman and Lois together!!

Soooooo happy!!!


CONVERGENCE: ACTION COMICS #1
Written by JUSTIN GRAY
Art by CLAUDE ST-AUBIN
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Superman teams up with Power Girl, but can they stop a nuclear strike by Lex Luthor and Stalin of Red Son Moscow?

It will be nice to see the old school Earth 2 Superman and Power Girl working together again. And i Liked St. Aubin's work on REBELS so the art will be good.


CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by KARL MOLINE and JOSE MARZAN, JR.
Cover by BABS TARR
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM ZERO HOUR! Has Kon-El earned the right to be the new Man of Steel? Kon will have to prove his mettle in battle against the Superman of Kingdom Come! But what if the only way to save Metropolis is to lose the fight?

I think the best thing about this solicit is that cover by Babs Tarr. So much fun!!!

The Kingdom Come Superman is incredibly powerful so this will be interesting to see.


CONVERGENCE: SUPERMAN – THE MAN OF STEEL #1
Written by LOUISE SIMONSON
Art by JUNE BRIGMAN and ROY RICHARDSON
Cover by WALTER SIMONSON
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM ZERO HOUR! Superman is missing, so now it’s up to Steel to defend Metropolis from the GEN13 kids!

If Wolfman is going to the well, then Louise Simonson is going home again.

I have never been a huge Steel fan but I am excited for this book written by Simonson and drawn by June Brigman. This sounds like the perfect example of what Convergence is trying to do, revisiting classics.


CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1
Written by STUART MOORE
Art by GUS STORMS and MARK FARMER
Cover by PIA GUERRA
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD

STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS!! While Brainiac 5 struggles to break through the dome, Superboy tries to keep the Legion of Super-Heroes’ spirits up – until the Atomic Knights ride into town to cause mass destruction!

Hooray! Old school Superboy and the Legion!!!

I have been craving a Legion book again. Maybe this will sate me a little.


SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN #9
Written by CECIL CASTELLUCCI and LAUREN BEUKES
Art by CHRIS SPROUSE, KARL STORY and MIKE MAIHACK
Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

It’s a “Girls’ Day Out,” and Lois Lane doesn’t do “puff piece” interviews, which is fine, because Diana of Themyscira is not interested in being treated as fluff. But when they’re attacked by croco-aliens and robots, the situation really gets heated! Then, in “The Problem with Cats,” Wonder Woman has been summoned to the Isle of Cats to rescue her Justice League teammates, but can Diana save the day? 

And while not Convergence, I wanted to point people to Sensation Comics #9 which includes a story by Supergirl/Batgirl webcomic creator Mike Maihack! 'The Problem with Cats'?? I can only hope Supergirl and Streaky show up.

What will you be getting?

7 comments:

Gene said...

I heard that She-Hulk will still be around after Marvel's reboot, so I am not concerned.

I wish Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle went back to the well instead of Wolfman. We get it that Supergirl died, we get it that it was a big defining moment in comic book history. We get it. But that was 30 years ago, and Supergirl is about moving forward.

I am very glad Mike Maihack is getting some mainstream work. I hope he gets to do Batgirl and Supergirl for DC soon.

Anonymous said...

We get it that Supergirl died, we get it that it was a big defining moment in comic book history. We get it. But that was 30 years ago, and Supergirl is about moving forward.



I doubt it dc will ever kill mainstream Kara. as she has a TV show launching this year.




Anonymous said...

As a relatively new reader I have mixed feelings about convergence. On one hand while I'm not going to pretend I know much about Post Crisis or that I have a deep interest in it, I am really interested in all the books that relate to Pre Crisis and else world stories. I'm also happy to see characters that I think were better before the reboot, such as Captain Marvel, Green Arrow, and the Teen Titans.
If this event really is just harmless filler for DC's big move, then I'm fine with it, looks like fun. However if this will change the continuity of the New 52 and mix things up by adding stuff from pre and post crisis, then I'm really not looking forward to it, since I think that will hurt DC in the long run, and just make things harder on new readers.

Jay said...

I really really really doubt its going to change New 52 continuity. Outside of the smaller timely retcon here and there. More or less though I think its going to remain the same and continue to be the charter continuity for the line. What I think is going to change is that DC is going to map out beyond just the multiverse, and reinstate some older continuities into a wider omniverse. Which can be explored in one-shorts, anthologies, or however else they feel like from that point forward.

Anonymous said...

Good Old Marv Wolfman, a million new stories he could tell about the Bronze Age SG AND STILL he opts for the snuff scene every time. He is as reliable as a stopped clock.

JF

Martin Gray said...

Dearie Lord, yeah, pack it in, Marv! Just imagine, they could've asked Kara's actual writer of the time, Paul Kupperberg, to give us one more tale of Kara.

I'm getting all of these comics, looking forward to most hugely. I also loved the James Robinson JLA run (once he zipped Donna's uncharacteristic potty mouth).

As for a take of the classic Legion, heaven!

Anj said...

It will be interesting to see how sales go on these books as they seem to appeal to an older crowd.

That said, maybe they will be something of a enticement for newer readers to head back and check out older stories.

And yes, Marv is trying to pump the dry well of Crisis #7. I would love to see Kupperberg instead!