DC Comics December Solicits

The December DC Comics solicits came out last week and there are a few notable issues this month including the 'anniversary' Action Comics #1050 as well as the end of Dark Crisis. I also can't help but notice that there is an insane number of covers this month so folks who speculate variants. have at it!

Here is a link to all the books from Newsarama:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-comics-december-2022-solicitations-covers/

And now on to the books that grabbed me.

ACTION COMICS #1050
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON, TOM TAYLOR, and JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by MIKE PERKINS, CLAYTON HENRY, and NICK DRAGOTTA
Cover by STEVE BEACH
Variant covers by JIM LEE, ALEX ROSS, MEGAN HUANG, CRYSTAL KUNG, LEE WEEKS, JOHN GIANG, RAHZZAH, GABRIELE DELL'OTTO, MIKE PERKINS, RILEY ROSSMO, DAN PARENT, STEVE LIEBER, SIMONE DI MEO, PAMELA HOOGEBOOM, NATHAN SZERDY, and RAFAEL SARMENTO
1:25 variant cover by JONBOY MEYERS
1:50 variant cover by AL BARRIONUEVO
1:75 wraparound variant cover by ALEXANDER LOZANO
1:100 variant cover by STEVE RUDE
1:250 variant cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
1:500 variant cover by ARIEL COLÓN
1:1050 inks variant cover by JIM LEE
Foil variant cover by ALEX ROSS
Team trading card variant cover by VARIOUS
DC Holiday Card variant cover by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS, and ALEX SINCLAIR

The Dark Crisis is over, and a new dawn shines on the DCU! In the wake of cataclysmic battles with Mongul, Henry Bendix, and Pariah's Dark Army, Kal-El is back on Earth and here to stay. And the people of our planet are ready to look up, up, and away into a brighter tomorrow. Well…most of the people. Clark Kent's reunion with Lois and his son, Jon Kent, proves fleeting when strikes the ultimate attack from Superman's greatest adversary: Lex Luthor. But this time something is different…Luthor has stolen something from Clark's life, something so important that it will change the very planet itself! If you think you've seen the biggest battle between Superman and Lex Luthor—think again! This clash will rock the course of their lives forever…and it's only the beginning.

Two years' worth of Superman stories come to a head in this oversize anniversary issue with all-star talent that launches Superman and the DCU into an exciting new era!

I was a huge fan of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Warworld run on Action so I am thrilled he is sticking around after. And now we get to see his take on Superman on Earth. I am trying to figure out what Lex could steal from Clark ... The Planet? A Superman trademark? I don't know what could change the planet itself ... The Eradicator?

What does strike me is the insane number of variant covers out there. A 1:1050?? Insanity!

SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #18
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by CIAN TORMEY and RUAIRÍ COLEMAN
Cover by TRAVIS MOORE
Variant cover by SIMONE DI MEO
1:25 variant cover by NATHAN SZERDY
DC Holiday Card variant cover by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS and ALEX SINCLAIR

"KAL-EL RETURNS" PART 6!
THE RISE OF RED SIN! With the landmark Action Comics #1050 just around the corner, prepare for the ultimate battle between Superman and Lex Luthor as Clark and Jon continue their intensive training. But will it be enough to overcome the mysterious new villain calling themselves Red Sin?

Hmmm ... could Red Sin be somehow related to Red Cloud?

I like the idea of some father/son training. We saw how Jon maybe could have been a little overwhelmed when Clark was off planet. 

I guess for me I want to see what Tom Taylor does now that the Gamorra story is finally behind us. 

BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD'S FINEST #10

Written by MARK WAID
Art and cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by DAN SCHOENING
1:25 variant cover by BRANDON PETERSON
1:50 variant cover by A.L. KAPLAN
Holiday variant cover by DAN MORA


The deadly duo of The Joker and the Key have twisted the increasingly powerful Boy Thunder into a walking time bomb of destructive power! Batman and Superman's quest to guide young David toward the light takes an unexpected turn when the Teen Titans learn of the dark secret he's been hiding from the World's Finest! The Titans issue their ultimatum—tell Superman and Batman, or they will!

I don't exactly which variant I am showing here but I like this trading card motif especially with Supergirl present and in her more classic costume. 

I have always been fond of  The Key as a JLA villain so I am glad Mark Waid is bringing him back. And I am really thrilled that Dan Mora is staying on the book. His art is superior. And this arc seems to include some classic Teen Titans. I like that this book remains inside yet outside the current continuity. Give Waid the keys to the kingdom.

DARK KNIGHTS OF STEEL #9
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by YASMINE PUTRI
Cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by GERARDO ZAFFINO
1:25 variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO

The bestselling series continues! The opening battle for the Three Kingdoms takes a deadly and dramatic turn as heroes return…enemies are revealed…and dark secrets spill out like blood on the battlefield!

Dark Knights of Steel is nearing the end with number 9. It looks like war is going to break out.

As for enemies revealed ... perhaps it is here where my theory that the real threat are White Martians will be revealed. We shall see.

Glad to see Yasmine Putri on art again.

DC VS. VAMPIRES #12
Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG and JAMES TYNION IV
Art by OTTO SCHMIDT
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
Variant cover by NATHAN SZERDY
1:25 variant cover by FILYA BRATUKHIN

The cataclysmic final issue of the bestselling series will end with a bang and a whimper! Green Arrow will lead humanity's final charge from the blood mines of Smallville. Supergirl's mission to get off-world comes to an explosive end. And it's Batgirl versus Nightwing for the fate of the entire planet—the stakes couldn't be higher as the future of humankind is on the line!

Well, one thing that strikes me here is that in the final issue Supergirl is still trying to get into space for a yellow sun ray bath. Which means she most likely isn't 'super' in the earlier issues. And an explosive end? If she dies at the end, I will be rather sore.

Hoping this book comes to a satisfactory conclusion!

DARK CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #7
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by DANIEL SAMPERE and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
Variant covers by CLAY MANN, TONY S. DANIEL, and FELIPE MASSAFERA
1:25 variant cover by IAN CHURCHILL
1:50 variant cover by KYLE HOTZ
1:100 foil variant cover by DANIEL SAMPERE and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
Infinite Crisis homage variant cover by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Premium George Pérez tribute virgin foil variant cover by VARIOUS
Dawn of DC variant cover #1 by DAN MORA
Dawn of DC variant cover #2 by DAN MORA
Dawn of DC variant cover #3 by DAN MORA
Dawn of DC variant cover #4 by DAN MORA

The Great Darkness is defeated, but the final war has only just begun between the remaining heroes and Deathstroke's Dark Army! Who will be left standing? The Justice League and the infinite Earths have returned, but at what cost? Do not miss the shocking conclusion that launches the DCU into 2023!

Hmmm ... for a while Dick Grayson has been played up as the soul of the DCU, everyone's big brother, the best of all worlds. So perhaps he is the imprint for whatever final universe comes out of this series? 

I have been iffy on this book because I don't know if the issues we have read so far tell us a story yet. 

I have seen the Dan Mora covers and they are beautiful. 

DARK CRISIS: WAR ZONE #1
Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG, DELILAH S. DAWSON, JEREMY ADAMS, FRANK TIERI, and STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
Art by GEORGE KAMBADAIS, DANIEL BAYLISS, FERNANDO PASARIN, MATT RYAN, and SERG ACUÑA
Cover by RAFAEL SARMENTO
Variant cover by MARIO "FOX" FOCCILLO and PRASAD RAO
1:25 variant cover by DAN JURGENS, NORM RAPMUND, and ALEX SINCLAIR

A BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND VIEW OF DARK CRISIS!
As the Hall of Justice falls, get new perspectives on the various conflicts while the battles across Dark Crisis rage on! With the classic Justice League members gone, see how members of the next generation such as Red Canary and The Flash Family deal with the chaos in this key chapter of the saga leading into Dark Crisis #7.

As I have said, Dark Crisis hasn't told a complete story as yet in the main book. So adjunct books like this which show events of the story not shown in the flagship title are intriguing to me. A 'boots on the ground' look at the street battles? Maybe we will actually see Kara do something as a JL member.

There are a lot of creators tied to this one but some names of folks who I trust. So I am hopeful.

DARK CRISIS: BIG BANG #1
Written by MARK WAID
Art by DAN JURGENS and others
Cover by MIKEL JANÍN
Variant covers by ARIEL COLÓN, NATHAN SZERDY, FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II, and CRYSTAL KUNG
1:25 foil variant cover by MIKEL JANÍN


After the monumental events of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, Pariah has successfully resurrected the infinite Multiverse…and all of reality is still reeling from the event. Join Doctor Multiverse on a haunting journey through these newly re-formed realities, from The Jurassic League to DC: Mech…from Dark Knights of Steel to Batman '89 and back again…in a guest-star-galore all-new epic by comics legend and DC architect Mark Waid!

I suppose this one had me at 'Mark Waid'. But some of the variant covers are bananas including one which has the current rendition of the DC Superhero Girls Wonder Woman. 

I can't wait to see Waid dip his toes in all the universes here. And looks like they'll get artists associated with each time to join in given the 'Dan Jurgens and others' tag line.

My guess is this will be a fun read.

Did I miss anything?