Tuesday, June 16, 2020

DC September 2020 Solicits

The September solicits for DC Comics came out this week and I was immediately caught off guard. That's because Newsarama, the site I usually leave a link for was technically not there. My bookmark for Newsarama led me to Gamesradar.com!

So here is the Gamesrader link to see the whole month's solicits:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dcs-september-2020-solicitations-and-covers/

It is a bit of a lean month as by this time the Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen maxi-series will have completed. And, lest we forget, there is no Supergirl on the shelves.

We also get yet another mega-beefy bad guy to slip into the Rogol Zaar/Doomsday/Imperiex/Mongul mold. Will this one have staying power? I guess we'll see.

But let's not bury the lede. We do have a Supergirl sighting!

Action Comics #1025
Written By Brian Michael Bendis
Art And Cover By John Romita Jr. And Klaus Janson
Variant Cover By Lucio Parrillo

Welcome to the House of Kent! Superman’s truth is out there—and now it’s time to rewrite the rules! The invisible mafia has taken advantage of the chaos that’s descended on Metropolis, so the House of Kent is going to talk to them in a language they’ll understand. It’s a new adventure featuring Superman like you’ve never seen him—or them—before, in a story guest-starring Supergirl and two—yes, two!—Superboys!

It looks like there is going to be a bit of a brawl. What other language does the Invisible Mafia but violence.

I am just happy to see Supergirl back in the family. After all, this is a House of Kent arc. I wonder what she'll think of Conner.

I have always enjoyed the way Brian Michael Bendis portrays Supergirl so I am really looking forward to this and hoping she is redeemed from the ending in her own title.



Superman #25
Written By Brian Michael Bendis
Art By Ivan Reis, Julio Ferreira, And Danny Miki
Cover By Ivan Reis And Joe Prado
Variant Cover By Bryan Hitch
1:25 Card Stock Synmar Variant Cover By Ivan Reis

New Villain Alert: Introducing Synmar! A colossal new threat to Superman, the planet Earth, and the DC Universe arrives on the scene in this special issue! The unique warrior called Synmar was created to represent an entire alien race. He’s trained his entire life—but for what purpose? As the antithesis of everything Superman stands for, Synmar launches his aggression toward Earth—to destroy the Man of Steel and every being on the planet! This is what Superman was born to protect us from!

Synmar!

He is the antithesis of Superman! He represents a whole race!

While I like new villains, I'd love to see Brian Michael Bendis play with some classic Superman rogues. Give me a good Prankster story!

Here is hoping Synmar turns out to be a worthy addition.


Batman Superman #12
Written By Joshua Williamson
Art By Max Raynor
Cover By David Marquez
Variant Cover By Lee Weeks

Batman and Superman are missing! Is there more to their disappearance than meets the eye? As the heroes of Gotham City and Metropolis try to put the pieces together, they uncover a weirdly chaotic plot devised by Brainiac! What deranged mind could have corrupted the most dangerous computer in the known galaxy? We sure hope it wasn’t The Joker...

I really really hope it isn't the Joker. That guy is everywhere.

Maybe this is the Prankster story that I have been craving!

Always interested in seeing Brainiac so I am intrigued to see what Joshua Williamson cooks up.



Batman Superman Annual #1
Written By Joshua Williamson
Art By Dale Eaglesham, Clayton Crain, And Gleb Melnikov
Cover By Gabriel Rodriguez

On a dark and stormy night in the fifth dimension, two mortal foes meet to settle an age-old question once and for all: In a fight between Batman and Superman, who would win? The combatants? Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite. And in this battle for the ages, you will find out if a fifth-dimensional imp can bleed. It’s all in this, the ultimate slugfest between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel—plus a whole lot of magic!

You know I can't get enough of Mxy.
Throw in some Bat-Mite and I'm even happier.

Maybe this will be a parody issue like World's Funnest.

Love the cover with the villains watching from the gallery!


Legion of Super-Heroes #9

Written By Brian Michael Bendis
Art By Arthur Adams, Brian Michael Bendis, Jim Cheung, Nick Derington, Michel Fiffe, Gary Frank, Jenny Frison, Mitch Gerads, Mike Grell, James Harren, Tula Lotay, Emanuela Lupacchino, David Marquez, Kevin Nowlan, Joe Quinones, Ivan Reis, John Romita Jr., Riley Rossmo, Nicola Scott, Ryan Sook, Gene Luen Yang And Others
Cover By Ryan Sook
Variant Cover By Andre Araujo

Continuing a very special two-part comics storytelling event! The United Planets have found the Legion of Super-Heroes guilty of crimes against the galaxy, and it’s up to our young heroes to prove their innocence! Featuring an all-star cast of artists, this issue will feature a surprise 1,000 years in the making! Long live the Legion!

You know me and slam issues. That is a murderers' row of artists. So expect me to be carting this one around to conventions.

I am really liking this Legion book so far. It feels a little early to have them running afoul of the UP. So I'll see how this plays out.



Justice League Annual #2
Written By Robert Venditti
Art By Aaron Lopresti And Matt Ryan
Cover By Mike Perkins

It’s a locked-room murder mystery in the Hall of Justice! Superman, an investigative journalist; Batman, the World’s Greatest Detective; the Flash; a CSI technician; Wonder Woman; a mystical detective for the Justice League Dark; and Green Lantern, an intergalactic police officer, must put their heroic minds together to solve the case. The Hall houses some of the greatest artifacts in the DC Universe—but also its deadliest. Who is the victim? Who is the culprit? And what is the motive? Can the Justice League put together the clues to solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again—and at them? Their lives depend on it!

I don't usually list Justice League here but this Annual sounded to good not to share. Mostly, as I read the solicit, I was reminded of the murder mystery on the satellite in Justice League of America #171-172 (vol 1).

That was such a huge story for me as a kid. So I am hoping this story resonates just as much! Anyways they had me at 'Vendetti and Lopresti'.

Still hoping we get a Supergirl book back on the shelves. But at least she is still in the Superman books.

Did I miss anything?

7 comments:

John (somewhere in England) said...

There are two comics that I think are worth adding to the above list: the last issue of the Amethyst mini-series which has been excellent so far; and Batman: The Joker War Zone #1, a "one-shot" that includes a short story featuring the inimitable Stephanie Brown.

Anonymous said...

Sad that all links to old Newsarama stories are broken. So that means older solicits, comic book reviews, all of it is kind of gone up in smoke.

How many are going down the Death Metal and Joker War holes? Given that most of the DC Universe is going to be appearing in the Death event, I would be surprised if Supergirl isn't featured. She'll probably be in hell, but so will everyone else.

T.N.

Martin Gray said...

Bat-Mite vs Mxy is always good value, so I’ll try that, and yes, the JLA Annual has a great premise.

Anonymous said...

Sorry DC can't rekindle my enthusiasm at all at this point, if she is in this storyline its probably because they need to job her out again.

JF

William Ashley Vaughan said...

It won't be on this solicit, but the DC Cybernetic Summer Special will have a Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes story. The rest of it doesn't look too bad either.

Anonymous said...

Good call, William. I had already asked my comic shop to get me a copy, but it kind of crept in there. It's arriving in July, and there was never a solicitation for July. Other books coming in July had been previously solicited, mostly for April, May and June. But this special is an exception - something new for July.

It looks like a fun book. A lot of writers and artists I like are featured. It's coming out 7/28 and has to be ordered by 6/29. Comic shops are unlikely to order many, or even any, for their shelves.

And yes, DC is evidently still publishing these seasonal anthologies that sell 5,000 to 7,000 copies. This one is likely to sell 1,000 copies nationwide. (There are around 2,000 retailers, and I estimate just 25% of them will order 2 copies, given the current state of retail. That may be an overestimation. They are very conservatively ordering right now, many stores only buying just enough for customers with pull lists. And this is a $9.99 book! No, maybe fewer than 1,000 will sell.)

But, DC is plunging ahead, printing almost *everything* except.... you know what. I'm going to give myself hypertension.

I don't mind them printing Batman; and won't not buy this anthology out of protest. But every time I buy a very low-selling DC book, I get angry.

Cover Art by: Dan Mora

Rub some sunscreen on your circuits, because DC’s favorite cyborgs are hitting the beach! In this sizzling summertime special, Harley Quinn and Sy Borgman conquer a truly titanic water slide, Cyborg, Superman, and Cyborg Superman find it difficult to have a conversation, much less a fight, and Batman tries everything to escape a summer cookout—even taking on the omnipotent Brother Eye and his newly infectious OMACS. And it’s not just the cyborgs hitting the surf! Flashes from across the multiverse gather for a race to claim the title of fastest speedster in the multiverse! Mercury Flash from Earth-44 is out to win it all this year, and the only person standing in his way is…Barry Allen! And Red Tornado’s on a camping trip with his wife Kathy and his daughter, Traya, but he’s distracted by Justice League matters! When a threat emerges, will Red Tornado be able to protect his family?

Featuring a cover by Dan Mora, DC Cybernetic Summer #1 includes these stories: • Red Tornado in “Summer Camp” by Stephanie Phillips and Leila del Duca • Cyborg, Superman, and Cyborg Superman in “Catfish Crisis” by Stuart Moore and Cully Hamner • Superboy, starring the Legion of Super-Heroes, in “Summer Lovin’” by Liz Erickson and Nik Virella • Batman, O.M.A.C. and Brother Eye in “The Limits of Control” by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman • Robot Man in “The Summer Blues” by Max Bemis and Greg Smallwood • Harley Quinn and Sy Borgman in “Splish Splash Special” by Che Grayson and Marguerite Sauvage • Booster Gold, Blue Beetle and Skeets in “The Boys of Summer” by Heath Corson and Scott Koblish • Mercury Flash in “The Speedster Games” by Joshua Williamson and David Lafuente • Midnighter, Apollo, Monsieur Mallah and The Brain in “Out There” by Steve Orlando and Paul Pelletier • Platinum and Wonder Woman in “Fandom” by Andrew Constant and Nicola Scott

T.N.

Martin Gray said...

Thanks for the info TN, a good line-up of creators and characters there!