Wednesday, July 27, 2022

DC Comics October Solicits

The DC solicits for October 2022 have come out and it looks like a fairly starightforward month with one interesting addition to the Dark Crisis mix. Here is a link to all the books:

https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-comics-october-2022-solicitations-covers/

Perhaps the thing that caught my eye the most this month is the sheer number of variant covers that are out there (I don't list them all in this post) and how many of them are very eye catching. I don't know if the ones I like best are the ultra-rare, expensive ones or not. But there is some very pretty are out there.

Also, this month marks the return of Clark to Earth which means the super-books are due for a shake-up. Will Jon continue to wear the mantle of Superman? Will there be two Super-men on the planet? I can't wait to see.

On to the books.

ACTION COMICS #1048
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art by MIKE PERKINS
Backup art by DAVID LAPHAM
Cover by STEVE BEACH
Variant cover by DAVID LAPHAM

"KAL-EL RETURNS" PART 3—THE EPIC CROSSOVER BETWEEN ACTION COMICS AND SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL CONTINUES! Superman, Supergirl, Steel, and the rest of the Super-Family have brought the Phaelosian refugees to the Fortress of Solitude, but before they can show the newcomers the ropes of heroics on planet Earth, a sneak attack from above turns the Arctic tundra into a war zone! Plus, the march toward Action Comics #1050 continues when Lex Luthor presents a disturbing deal to Metallo…


The Phaelosians on Earth ... hmmmm. Perhaps they'll be stuffed in Kandor?

I do like that all the Super-family is mentioned in the books. Glad Kara is still in the mix.

And love this David Lapham variant cover. Perfect.

SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #16
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by CIAN TORMEY and RUAIRÍ COLEMAN
Cover by TRAVIS MOORE
Variant cover by ARIEL COLÓN

"KAL-EL RETURNS" PART 2!
Father and son are at last reunited after the Warworld Saga ripped them apart…and you don't need to have super-senses to know that this is a reunion well earned. As planet Earth becomes reacquainted with the rise of two Supermen, one man stands in their way. Lex Luthor sets his deadly machinations in motion as the march toward Action Comics #1050 continues!


It will be interesting to read these issues. I hope they concentrate on the Clark/Jon dynamic as each discusses what they have been through in their time apart and how they have grown.

No mention of Jay or Gamorra! 

And this cover reminds me a little of Action Comics #285!

BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD'S FINEST #8
Written by MARK WAID
Art and cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by TAURIN CLARKE

"RECKLESS YOUTH" continues as Superman and Batman struggle to mentor the new Boy Thunder! The Key has drawn the World's Finest team into an impossible dilemma unlike any they've ever faced when the entire city of Metropolis goes into a deadly lockdown!

Definitely a 'Batman' feel to this cover with Superman and Boy Thunder jumping off a roof like the Dynamic Duo. Nice way to add to the feel of the story. 

At least so far the solicits make it sound like this is going to truly be just the World's Finest and not included as many guest stars as the first arc did.

DC VS. VAMPIRES #10
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 JOHN GIANG

The war for Earth takes a decisive turn as the heroes prepare to strike back! Can Supergirl and her team in Australia escape to space? Will the Birds of Prey's infiltration of Gotham City go unnoticed by the Vampire King? Can Green Arrow save the human cattle from the Blood Farm? The shocking answers await!


This series is turning the corner to its finale. Sounds like all three plot lines are still moving forward separately here which is interesting. 

Nice Supergirl cover here.

DARK CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by DANIEL SAMPERE and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
Variant cover by IVAN REIS and DANNY MIKI

WAR AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE!
After the shocking events of the last issue, Pariah has won. And now his Dark Army is poised for the invasion of our world. It's up to the Titans to rally the remaining heroes to defeat Deathstroke's ever-growing forces and avert total destruction! An epic war starts on the steps of the Hall of Justice, and only a miracle could help the heroes now.
But all hope is not lost, as the worlds without a Justice League have begun to loosen their grip…but can the heroes return to Earth if it means one member of the Justice League could be lost forever?


This book is also in the final stretch. Not much plot is given away here. I hope by now we know Pariah's plans and how it will be accomplished. It also seems like this will be an all out brawl issue.

Glad the JLA is returning. 
And nice homage cover to Identity Crisis here.
DARK CRISIS: THE DEADLY GREEN #1
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, DAN WATTERS, RAM V, and others
Art by DANIEL BAYLISS and others
Cover by GOÑI MONTES
Variant cover by FELIPE MASSAFERA
1:25 foil variant cover by STEVE BEACH

SUPERMAN AND SWAMP THING UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE GREAT DARKNESS!
During the original Crisis on Infinite Earths, Swamp Thing encountered and formed a truce with the Great Darkness, but this ancient force has been awakened by Pariah and now its influence is felt across the Multiverse. Now the Avatar of the Green must work together with new allies to investigate how far it's spread and why it would work with Pariah. If they want to stop the Great Darkness from swallowing the Green, they need some extra help…ENTER: SUPER SWAMP THING.


And then this little gem.

I remember DC Comics Presents #85 very well where Swamp Thing has to bring Superman back from a fungal infection, a sort of Scarlet Jungle fever. I also remember the American Gothic storyline which ran concurrently with Crisis and brought about the 'Great Darkness' which is supposedly behind this Dark Crisis. This issue feels like a little bit of a mix. We see Swamp Thing has to see how far things have spread (much like his walk through horror in Gothic) and he calls on Superman for help. 

I look forward to this issue a lot. And love this variant cover high lighting some of the darkness in the Trinity - Kara's death in COIE, Jason Todd being killed, and Diana killing Max Lord. One thing Dark Crisis is doing is hoisting up DC Continuity.

So what do you think? Did I miss anything?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That David Lapham cover is fantastic.

Unfortunately, not much pique my interest. I'm afraid modern comics may have burned me out.

Anj, I do not know if you have heard, but Supergirl will make an appearance in the upcoming Legion of Super-Heroes animated film.

https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2022/07/25/a-welcome-return-rounding-up-this-years-big-comic-con-moments

"In the film, Supergirl finds she needs a few lessons as she acclimates to Earth…and Superman looks to the heroes of the Legion to get it done."

Anonymous said...

Supergirl seems to have become a supporting character within and without the super books...thats all DC seems willing to hazard given the toxic numbers of Batbooks on the schedule and ongoing drive to shoe horn Harley Quinn into everything included The Book of Judges. So in which horror mini is Supergirl gonna get jobbed DCeased or DC v Vampires? Anyone got the over under on that? :)
The Legion Animated Movie sounds...intriguing, at least she is being mentored by her historic contemporaries, remember this is DC she could just as easily be caged up in the Batcave or taught how to kill on Themiscyra...

JF

William Ashley Vaughan said...

The thing that impressed me most on the schedule was the return of the Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries with the great and perennially underrated Scholly Fisch back as scripter. When this was Scooby Doo Team Up it did a couple of terrific Supergirl guest shots. Hopefully, that could happen again.

Martin Gray said...

Nice rundown, and great spot re the Action Comics vibe homage. Hopefully Supergirl will get a spotlight soon, again, why not in Action Comics?