Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! When this post goes live on September 6th, it will be Batman News’ 15th anniversary! I base that date off of Chris Begley’s original one year birthday post, (there are a few posts on the site that are dated before the stated first date, though I assume they may have been retroactively listed). While I may have only been with the team for a few years now, it’s been a blast getting to talk with a group of like minded Batman fans and writing about some of our favorite (and not so favorite) comics. When I started here the comics editor was Andrew, who was the very first person on the site to review comics. Once he stepped down, Jay took his place and has overseen a whole new generation of reviewers. It’s thanks to Batman News that I’ve gotten to do such cool things as interview the cast of Penguin, so here’s to 15 more years.
Upcoming Comics
Red Hood #1
Jason Todd has left Gotham and Batman behind him. All he’s taking with him is his costume, his bike, and a metal briefcase containing two handguns (and lots of bullets).New Angelique seems like the perfect place for Red Hood to put down roots. There’s crime, vice, and corruption everywhere. When Jason discovers a superpowered serial killer who is targeting the city’s police, he finds himself sucked into a terrible and bleak conspiracy with seemingly no end in sight. But Jason isn’t the only person on the scene. Following his trail is Helena Bertinelli a.k.a. Huntress. Is she here to stop him or help him? What will happen when the two black sheep of the Bat-Family start working together? Get ready for Red Hood like you’ve always wanted to see him.
- Written By: Gretchen Felker-Martin
- Art By: Jeff Spokes
Thoughts: Jason has had a, let’s say “tumultuous” publication history for the past decade or so, so let’s see how this new title shakes out. If nothing else, I think the fake New Orleans setting will be interesting.
Batman News Critic: Chris
Absolute Batman #12
Batman is at the mercy of the monstrous Bane. And though his body has seen better days, his mind and spirit are still strong. But how much longer can that withstand Bane’s brutal onslaught?
- Written By: Scott Snyder
- Art By: Nick Dragotta
Thoughts: I’m so ready to see the mutated Killer Croc mess up Bane
Batman News Critic: Jackson
Batman: Dark Patterns #10
A mysterious arsonist has been secretly guiding the growth of Gotham and Batman from the shadows…now their dark design enters its final stage. Will this grand work be a success, or will the world’s greatest detective douse the blazing plot before it’s too late?
- Written By: Dan Watters
- Art By: Hayden Sherman
Thoughts: I wonder if this will be Firefly or a new arsonist villain.
Batman News Critic: Jack
Batman and Robin #25
A NEW ARC BEGINS HERE! With Memento’s reign of terror at an end, Damian is more committed than ever, both as Robin and as a Wayne of Gotham. But when an unassuming hitman known only as “the Quiet Man” arrives in Gotham on a mysterious mission of revenge, one of Batman’s deadliest enemies thought to be dead returns! A brand new art team, first appearance and of a brand-new villain, and the return of a fan favorite!
- Written By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
- Art By: Javi Fernandez, Fico Ossio
Thoughts: The last arc stretched on a bit too long, but I’m up to see how the next one goes.
Batman News Critic: Chris
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – A League for Justice #3
General Zod emerges from his slumber, aligning himself with Lex Luthor to takeover the planet. But will Luthor kneel before this powerful being from beyond the stars? Meanwhile, the League for Justice seeks out new members, taking on a daring mission to rescue some familiar faces from Luthor’s vile laboratory. Will the League be able to come up with a plan to stop the approaching invasion, or will their one chance of hope fall into foul feline hands?
- Written By: Rob Williams
- Art By: Andy Diggle, Leandro Fernandez
Thoughts: Exactly how many stories involve Luthor trying to sell out humanity to an alien conqueror? It happens more often than you’d expect.
Batman News Critic: Chip
Beyond the Bat
Welcome to Beyond the Bat, where we take a quick look at the rest of DC’s comics coming out this week.
Graphic Novel Watch
Sometimes you need more than floppies. Sometimes you want something that can sit nicely on your shelf that proudly displays your favorite stories. That’s when you turn to graphic novels. Let’s see what bat collections are coming out this week:
Ratings
Most Excited: Batman: Dark Patterns #10– A new Dark Patterns arc begins and I am here.
Least Excited: Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – A League for Justice #3– I will admit that Chip’s reviews seem to make this sound like it’s picking up.
Wild Card: Red Hood #1– Doesn’t get much more “Wild Card” than a new Red Hood comic by a mostly unknown writer.
Well that’s it for this week! Let us know in the comments what comics you’re looking forward to.
COMMENTS
