DC Solicitation Sneaks: October 2020
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
Lois Lane: Enemy of the People
You tell me that this maxiseries is about the title character uncovering a secret that could threaten her husband’s life and disrupt the balance of power in the DCU and I’d say that I’m interested. Then you tell me that it’s coming from writer Greg Rucka and artist Mike Perkins and I’d say, “SOLD!” Rucka has shown over the years that he knows how to filter grounded ideas like police work and espionage through a superhero filter with his work on titles like “Gotham Central” and “Checkmate.” “Lois Lane” looks to do that for politics and journalism, and if you don’t think that the writer will be grinding an axe or two against the current administration while he does this, then I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn that I’d like to sell you. I view that last bit as a plus, by the way. A less controversial plus is likely to be the art from Perkins, who really knows how to do “dark and moody” like few others do.
Batman #100: If things had gone to plan, this issue would be written by Tom King. Things, mostly sales, didn’t so now we’ve got James Tynion IV wrapping up his “Joker War” event and settling in as the title’s official writer for the foreseeable future. At least King is getting the twelve-issue “Batman & Catwoman” maxiseries with Clay Mann to provide proper closure to his run. As for Tynion, it’s impressive to see his success after he started on the title as someone who was put there for an extended filler arc. This tells me that he’s doing something right and that I should be reading his run. However, I think back to his “Detective Comics” work and can’t help but feel that I’d be setting myself up for disappointment. Maybe I’ll get around to checking out his “Batman” work when it’s published in an affordable omnibus format. While we’re on the subject of King, he’s got a new maxiseries debuting in these solicitations and I’ve got one word for it…
Rorschach #1 (of 12): No.
Batman: White Knight Presents — Harley Quinn #1 (of 6): Here’s further proof and a test for “White Knight’s” success. Not only is this the first spinoff miniseries for Sean Murphy’s take on the “Batman” mythos, but it’s the first project he won’t be writing himself. The awesomely named Katana Collins scripts and co-plots this miniseries with Murphy while “Black Science’s” Matteo Scalera provides the art. While I’m more interested in reading the upcoming collection of the “Curse of the White Knight” miniseries, this will probably be worth checking out as well as it involves Harley being pitted against a new criminal mastermind after she’s found herself with two very good reasons for getting out of the game. Unlike the solicitation text, I won’t spoil what those reasons are, or any of the other obvious developments from the end of “Curse of the White Knight.” THANKS DC!
American Vampire 1976 #1 (of 9): For reference, vol. 8 of this series came out back in July 2016. I know that Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque have been busy scaling the heights of the comics industry in the intervening years, but the wait for this final miniseries is something of a disgrace for them. That said, it is the FINAL arc for “American Vampire,” so I’ll be there to pick up the collection when it’s finally released in 2021. As for what it’s going to involve: Skinner Sweet — STUNTMAN! He’s still human and looking for a glorious exit. That is until Pearl Jones shows up with news that the Gray Trader is finally making his move and is prepared to bring about Armageddon on the American Bicentennial. I’m fine with this, but mostly glad that the creators are finally finishing what they started.
Arkhamaniacs: “Superman of Smallville” and “Tiny Titans” creators Art Baltazar and Franco give us this sure-to-be-charming story of young Bruce Wayne heading over to Arkham Asylum to find out why there’s so much laughter coming from it. I’m not kidding about the “sure-to-be-charming” part since Baltazar and Franco specialize in cute and funny takes on DC characters. So expect to see a lot of inmates who are zany to the max and to find out whether or not the Joker has baloney in his slacks with this new graphic novel.
Plunge HC: I’m still nonplussed about all of the titles from Hill House debuting in hardcover instead of paperback. That said, the combination of Joe Hill writing, and Stuart Immonen illustrating a story about divers investigating a (haunted?) 40-year-old wreck in the Bering Strait is a pretty hard one to resist.
Batman: Three Jokers HC: As for this, the problem isn’t if I ignore it. The problem is if everyone else does. I mean, the whole reason this exists is for Geoff Johns to explain why the Joker is so different from era to era. Normally I’m really fond of the writer’s efforts to tie in all kinds of continuity into a cohesive whole, but the idea of trying to explain the Joker sounds like a bad one to me. It may just be a swerve and Johns and artist Jason Fabok are going to tell us a different story, yet that just makes this a comic I’m more wary of rather than excited for.
Wonder Woman: Dead Earth HC: What if Wonder Woman woke up and found herself in the world of “Mad Max?” If you don’t think that sounds like a great premise for a comic, then I don’t think we can be friends. “Extremity” and “Murder Falcon” creator Daniel Warren Johnson is the man who came up with this idea and I have complete faith that he’ll draw the absolute hell out of it. Seeing him draw Diana of Themyscira punching out giant monsters should be all the thrill I need to enjoy this miniseries. Which is good because he’s a far better writer than he is an artist and he’s not going to be able to draw on my love of Metal to make up for that difference. Though if he wants to try and sneak in another cameo from Dio then that’ll certainly help make it up.