Monday, March 16, 2020

DC Comics June Solicits


Last week DC Comics released it's June 2020 solicits. Here is a link to Newsarama's coverage:
https://www.newsarama.com/49409-dc-comics-june-2020-solicitations.html

First and foremost, for me, was that there is no Supergirl book on the shelves. June is the first month after her cancellation. It seems so foolish and shortsighted. But then again, I can't say that the book on the shelf has truly been a Supergirl book for a while ... so maybe this was the right move?

Just as bad as no solo title is that the Girl of Steel is nowhere to be found in the solicits. No talks with her cousin in either super-titles. No guest starring in Legion. No joining the Titans. No side mission with Justice League Dark.

Kara has been ghosted by DC Comics.

Crazy.

So here are the other super-books.

ACTION COMICS #1024
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by FRANK CHO

The city of Metropolis has been rocked by Luthor’s latest attack and the drama surrounding Superman’s truth, and that gives the invisible mafia a new foothold to change the City of Tomorrow forever. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet is under siege! The fallout from Superman: Villains continues as Clark Kent steps out into the world as a reporter for the first time.

I guess I'll need to figure out how Luthor relapses from Apex Lex back to plain old Lex at some point. And the Daily Planet under siege? I am going to guess that it is from other news outlets and not a physical siege.

I keep hoping Romita's time on the book comes to an end.



SUPERMAN #24
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO

Superman’s legendary susceptibility to magic is about to turn his life inside out and upside down. A mysterious new villain has come into Superman’s world to pit him against the most powerful sorcerer and agent for the Lords of Order: Doctor Fate!

As a fan of Dr. Fate, I look forward to this issue. Superman's susceptibility to magic has always fascinated me. I would have thought the villain would be Blaze (given the Red Cloud connection) but she is far from mysterious or new.

I'm as big a Kevin Maguire fan as you can get but I would have loved to see Ivan Reis' take on Fate.



BATMAN/SUPERMAN #11
written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art by MAX RAYNOR
cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
card stock variant cover by JAE LEE
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by JENNY FRISON

It’s Superman versus Batman as the deadly machinations of the Ultra-Humanite crash to their end! The Dark Knight has been transformed into a human atomic bomb, all in the name of wiping Superman from the face of the Earth! As Batman struggles against the urge to kill his friend, Superman must undo the damage done and help the other victims of the Ultra-Humanite’s experiments. It’s the thrilling conclusion to “Atomic” that will reverberate across the DC Universe for months to come!

The Ultra-Humanite?? Excellent.

A bare chested Batman like in Neal Adams Ra's Al Ghul issues? Excellent.

Now that the Batman Who Laughs stuff is behind us, maybe this will become the World's Finest book I have been wanting.

LOIS LANE #12
written by GREG RUCKA
art and cover by MIKE PERKINS
variant cover by AMANDA CONNER

At the end of multiple investigations, Lois finds herself with the power to change—or destroy—the lives of everyone involved. 

Hmmmm ....

Will this wrap up in a meaningful way?

Because there are multiple investigations with little progress in the book as of now.

Hopeful.


SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN #12
written by MATT FRACTION
art and cover by STEVE LIEBER
variant cover by BEN OLIVER

Whoa—is that what I think it is? If I’m reading this solicitation text correctly, we made it to issue #12! Mazel tov! Party time! If you see Matt and Steve at the next convention, go buy them a drink because I have no idea how we made it this far! No, wait, I do—it’s all thanks to you guys! In this final issue, with the Daily Planet on the ropes, Jimmy learns something about it that’ll change everything forever.

What will change everything? That his own brother is the one trying to kill him. And that, somewhere along the way the Luthor and Olsen bloodlines mingled.

I'll miss this book.

It has been the perfect zany palate cleanser over the last few months of dark comic reading.

Let's hope this team reunites for a Jimmy Special next winter.



EVENT LEVIATHAN: CHECKMATE #3
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by ALEX MALEEV
variant cover by MATT TAYLOR

Green Arrow’s team of super-spies—including the Question, Manhunter, Lois Lane, and Talia al Ghul—has infiltrated Leviathan—and that officially makes them members of Leviathan! Along the way, they learn that one of their own is actually a secret Leviathan agent who betrayed the new Checkmate from the start! Plus, Superman flies onto the scene to shake things up even further!
From the award-winning creative team that brought you last year’s Event Leviathan comes the next surprising chapter in DC’s most dangerous saga.

Hmmm ... sounds like a mystery.

Who could the secret Leviathan agent in the midst of the team. Well we don't know the entire team but Talia fits the bill easiest. Of course, she could be a triple agent as well.

Can't imagine it being Lois or Vic.

Can't wait to read.


LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #8
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by RYAN SOOK
variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

The United Planets are at war as a new epic begins! The president of the United Planets is unable to maintain peace as Ultra Boy’s homeworld of Rimbor and Chameleon Boy’s homeworld of Durla declare interplanetary war! With the Legion of Super-Heroes choosing sides and a civil war brewing, will these young heroes need to split into separate teams? Plus, Superboy makes a discovery about the future that will change everything he knows…there is a new Krypton! Find out what happens next in the only book telling you the future of DC Comics every month!

A Durla/Rimbor war? That's new!

Of course that could split the team down the middle if people take sides. I wonder if the two Legionnaires will realize they are family and that is where their allegiance resides.

A New Krypton? Perhaps the planet Zod made in present day? Does that explain Mon-El?

Loving this book!

Should we start some sort of countdown to when a Supergirl book returns?

5 comments:

  1. Yes, a countdown like the countdowns during the Iran hostage crisis.

    T.N.

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  2. As it's been since it started the Jimmy Olsen book should be a good read. I really like everything Fraction has done with this book.

    I'm enjoying LOSH, it's nice to see everyone back in action again. I hope this title doesn't get pulled into any major crossovers since they almost always spoil things, maybe 1000 years is enough of a firewall to prevent that from happening for awhile.

    Lois Lane has been something of a disappointment, mostly due to it not seeming to be much about Lois as has been discussed here. I normally love Rucka's stuff, maybe he can bring it all together in the last issue.

    That cover to Batman/Superman #11 leaves me with questions. Is Superman frying the Ultra-Humanite's brains? Batman has chest hair but no nipples? No. Bat. Nipples?

    I'm not going to be reading the Superman titles for awhile, I'm off Supes for now until he remembers he has some family. Considering everything that's gone on you'd like they'd give us a single thought balloon that shows he still cares a bit about his absent son and clowned cousin. It's hard for me to feel positive about a character who seems so distanced from the things that have happened to the people who he should care about.

    I don't know what to say about the way DC has gone to full radio silence about Supergirl. Ghosting is exactly the right phrase.

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  3. Professor FeetlebaumMarch 16, 2020 at 11:02 PM

    If it's any consolation, Supergirl WILL be appearing in the Teen Titans Go!/DC Superhero Girls Special Giant #1 (out 6/3/20), so June won't be completely Supergirl free.

    As for the main DC Universe...Brian Bendis seems to like the character. Now that she's a free agent, maybe Bendis will bring Kara into the Superman titles more often, or have her show up in Young Justice. That is unless DC decides they want to keep her out of the picture for awhile, maybe until the big G5 (or whatever it's called now) reboot happens (I think that's still on).

    Whatever happens, it would be nice if DC could learn from their mistakes. Maybe that's too much to ask. Because where Supergirl is concerned, DC has been Definitely Clueless.

    Going through the other solicits, I see that there will be facsimile editions of Flash #135 and Batman #321. There were also facsimile editions of other key issues, like Green Lantern #1 (Silver Age), Flash #123 (Silver Age) and Detective Comics #38 (Golden Age). I wonder if they would consider a facsimile edition of Action Comics #252? Or Superman #123? Or Action Comics #285? In light of the recent return of the Legion of Super Heroes, a facsimile edition of Adventure Comics #247 would make sense.

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  4. William Ashley VaughanMarch 16, 2020 at 11:06 PM

    Supergirl isn't completely absent from the June solicits. See below.

    TEEN TITANS GO!/DC SUPER HERO GIRLS SPECIAL GIANT #1
    Cover by YANCEY LABAT
    Written by AMANDA DEIBERT
    Art by ERICH OWEN
    Kara is excited to have a whole weekend to herself to get up to all kinds of moshing mayhem, but the other Super Hero Girls keep interrupting her “me time.” When Kara’s wish for solitude comes true as one by one the girls become
    obsessed with a new app, it’s up to Supergirl to save Metropolis—and her fellow heroes—on her own!
    Written by DEREK FRIDOLFS
    Art by AGNES GARBOWSKA
    In this Super Hero Girls tale, Bumblebee is tired of always being tiny! Karen sets her mind to creating a device that will make her big instead of small, but when things don’t go as she planned, the other girls will get a crash course in seeing the world through Bumblee’s eyes!
    Plus these reprint tales:
    • “Robin the First,” Teen Titans Go! #4 (2014)
    • “Teen Titans Go...Fish!” from Teen Titans Go! #4 (2014)
    • “Prank’d,” from Teen Titans Go! #5 (2014)
    • “Don’t Look,” from Teen Titans Go! #5 (2014)
    • “But Games Can Never Hurt Me,” from Teen Titans Go! #6
    (2014)
    • “Sleep Over,” from Teen Titans Go! #6 (2014)
    ON SALE 06.03.20 | $4.99 US | FC | 96 PAGES | DC

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  5. The news is uniformly terrible, a global pandemic, the Supergirl TV Show production forced to flee Canada with no timeline if it will ever be resumed, there is no Supergirl Book on the horizon. We are literally waiting for a bunch of sketchy "creatives" to figure out Supergirl's Next Big Plunge into Darkness & Catastrophe.
    Sometimes it sucks to be a Supergirl fan it truly does...

    JF

    ReplyDelete