Wednesday, November 8, 2023

DC Comics Solicits: January 2024



The January 2024 DC Comics solicits came out earlier this month. Here is a link to all the books coming out that month.

It is a new year and it is a surprisingly meager month for the Super-family. A mere six books on the shelves! I keep hoping for some Supergirl news. 

Wait ...

I keep hoping for some GOOD Supergirl news. But there isn't any. And not much more that grabbed my attention. On to the super-titles.

SUPERMAN #10
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by BRUNO REDONDO
Cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
Variant covers by LEE BERMEJO and BRUNO REDONDO
1:25 variant cover by LEIRIX
1:50 variant cover by MIRKO COLAK

HOWDY, PARDNERS! Welcome to the Wild West of Metropolis, where the Man of Tomorrow meets the Man from Yesterday! Clark Kent is on a rootin’-tootin’ rodeo adventure alongside the ghostly Marilyn Moonlight as they get to the bottom of why she haunts the night! Get your posse and join us for a hoedown like you’ve never seen before. Yee-haw!

We are three months away from this story. The last Superman issue was chock full of plots and subplots. So I wonder how much is going to be wrapped up with The Chained and the Luthor family before this.

That said, Marilyn Moonlight is a fun new character and I can't wait to read more about her. And Superman as a cowboy! Looks like a hoot. Bring it on!
ACTION COMICS #1061
Written by JASON AARON
Art and cover by JOHN TIMMS
Variant covers by CHRIS BACHALO, KAARE ANDREWS, JORGE JIMENEZ, and JOËLLE JONES
1:25 variant cover by NATHAN SZERDY
1:50 variant cover by PAOLO RIVERA
1:100 variant cover by TOM REILLY

THE WIZARD, BIZARRO!

Jason Aaron writes Superman for the very first time, teaming up with all-star artist John Timms to present a startling new vision of the Man of Steel’s strangest foe. When Superman’s doppelgänger discovers a dark secret about himself, it unleashes the most dangerous version of Bizarro the world has ever seen.

It seems that the anthology aspect of Action Comics is gone in the era of the NYCC announcement of Superman Superstars concept.

I have no Jason Aaron books in my collection. But friends who do have Aaron books tell me that they don't think he is a good fit for my hero. Would love to hear from folks here what they think. 

I do like Bizarro and I feel like it has been a while since we had a story with him so at least I have that going for me.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #23
Written by MARK WAID
Art and cover by DAN MORA
Variant cover by SEBASTIAN FIUMARA
Variant cover by JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER
1:25 variant cover by DAN MORA
1:50 variant cover by MICHAEL WALSH

The walls are closing in on the World’s Finest duo as Boy Thunder falls fully under the thrall of Gog in the universe of Kingdom Come! Superman and Batman race against the clock not only to keep Boy Thunder from becoming Magog—but to save the Multiverse itself!

I said before I worry when things like this happen. Will I be able to reconcile Magog meeting Batman and Superman from E-0 in the past when I re-read Kingdom Come?? 

I trust Waid and Mora. 

But I am a bit white-knuckled.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST 2024 ANNUAL
Written by MARK WAID, CULLEN BUNN, STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, DENNIS CULVER, and CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL
Art by EDWIN GALMON, ROSI KÄMPE, TRAVIS MERCER, and JORGE FORNES
Cover by DAN MORA
Variant covers by JOHN GIANG and JAMAL CAMPBELL
1:25 variant cover by GERALD PAREL
1:50 variant cover by MARK SPEARS

It’s the world’s finest annual! As the battle against Magog rages on Earth-22, Batman and Superman discover a surprising secret by way of the 5th dimension! Meanwhile, Metamorpho’s story picks up after the events of the Elementary arc as our hero journeys deep within an ancient tomb that may have a hidden, deadly connection to his secret origin! Plus, Batman recruits the Challengers of the Unknown for a top-secret mission, and a special, sizzling story stars the Teen Titans’ most buzzworthy member, Bumblebee! It’s a world tour of the World’s Finest in this first-ever series annual, curated by World’s Finest architect Mark Waid!

A curated anthology Annual? Interesting. Was hoping that Supergirl would be here but I guess not.

Decent list of creators here. I heard Dennis 'Doom Patrol' Culver is writing the Metamorpho story which feels like a nice fit. And a 5th Dimension story? Cool. 
SUPERMAN: LOST #10
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art and cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Variant cover by LEE WEEKS
1:25 variant cover by CHRISTIAN WARD

What is the price of one man’s soul? Having finally regained everything he lost, will Superman risk it all again to save his second adopted world from an unhinged Green Lantern? This critically acclaimed series concludes in a blockbuster finale!

Is this series 'critically acclaimed'?

This has been a roller coaster ride of a mini-series. Hoping it wraps up in a satisfactory way. 

So crazy when the first issue just crackled!

POWER GIRL #5
Written by LEAH WILLIAMS
Art by DAVID BALDEÓN
Cover by GARY FRANK
Variant covers by JEFF SPOKES and RAHZZAH
1:25 variant cover by DANI
1:50 variant cover by STEVE PUGH

The cat’s out of the bag—Streaky takes center stage in a hair-raising adventure! Will the super-pet have what it takes to save Metropolis from its greatest canine threat? Or has the city really gone to the dogs?

I don't know why Power Girl needed Supergirl's cat.

I especially don't know it when 'Paige' already had Stinky cat.

That said, I am a Streaky fan so I am intrigued that he finally has his own spotlight issue. Love that cover by Gary Frank.


JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. GODZILLA VS. KONG #4 
 Art by CHRISTIAN DUCE 
 Cover by DREW JOHNSON 
 Variant covers by WHILCE PORTACIO 1:25 
variant cover by JORGE MOLINA 1:50 
variant cover by JAMES STOKOE 

The Justice League’s losses are mounting as they battle to contain the titans from Legendary’s Monsterverse! Aquaman and Atlantis confront an otherworldly leviathan, while in the shadows, the Legion of Doom and Lex Luthor plot their next decisive move to eliminate the League…but the emergence of the League of Shadows could spell doom for the world!

I liked the first issue a lot. I like that Supergirl seems to have a decent role in the story. And how can I not applaud this variant cover of Supergirl, Nightwing, and Donna Troy fighting Kong!

Pretty fun!

Anyways, what did I miss?

5 comments:

  1. Action #1061 has a variant cover by Nathan Szerdy that is an homage to the Adam Hughes cover to "Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes" #23.

    More than an homage, the main elements of the cover are pretty identical, though kind of imbalanced and nowhere near as good. Supergirl looks out of place and kind of pasted onto the cover. She's not even looking at the Bizarro Girl (whoever she is). Still, it's nice to be reminded of the original.

    Unfortunately it's the 1:25 cover, so it will be expensive and out of reach for me.

    T.N.

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  2. Jason Aaron warps characters to fit his story but not as egregiously as Tom King. He destroyed the core of the muscle car Ghost Rider and left the character in an unusable place for example. A lot of his stories are things you stopped thinking were cool as soon as you started to shave. I've also noticed you can tell when he gets through his original plans for series by how things get weirdly bad when he's run through his original plans for a series. At least DC seems to edit most writers better than Marvel and there's no way he can insert The Orb into a Superman series. After Avengers he's definitely on my never read list.

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  3. Thanks for the info on the variant cover! I also probably won't get it.

    As for Jason Aaron, you are not the first person who has told me this is a bad mix.

    We'll see.

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  4. William Ashley VaughanNovember 9, 2023 at 4:43 PM

    I don't plan to get Action Comics after December. With Kennedy leaving, I would rather save my money for better comics. I hope that with World's Finest: Teen Titans coming to an end, that Waid will finally do a World's Finest: Supergirl comic like he says he wants to. If he was able to get DC editorial's head out of its hindquarters and get permission, then June would be a good time to bring it out like he did his previous World's Finest spinoff mini series.

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  5. Yeah I'm gonna go back on the fence when it comes to Action Comics as well. 2024 seems to be off to a boring "Supergirl-Less" start...

    JF

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