DC Solicitation Sneaks: September 2021
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
Far Sector
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this maxi-series from writer N.K. Jemisen and artist Jamal Campbell over the course of its serialization. Which was not only extended by the pandemic, but its shift to a bi-monthly schedule partway through its release. The wait should be worth it, though, as this series has a delicious high concept that takes the concept of what you can do with the Green Lantern Corps and runs with it. Runs with it all the way to the far reaches of the universe and the City Enduring, a metropolis that’s home to 20 billion people. Overseeing something that big may seem like a tall order for rookie Lantern Jo Mullien. It’s actually a lot easier than it sounds since the City hasn’t had to deal with any kind of violent crime after it removed its citizen’s ability to feel.
That’s a pretty creepy price to pay for peace of mind. An ultimately ineffective one too as Mullien winds up having to deal with the first murder the City has seen in centuries. Which means we’ve got a sci-fi-infused whodunit on our hands in a setting that’s as wild as you can get. I’ll be doing my own investigation as I read this to see if “Far Sector” is as good as its hype and advance reviews.
Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham #1 (of 6): “Fables” was the longest-running creator-owned title to come out of Vertigo for a reason. That reason being that it maintained a really high standard of quality throughout its 150-issue run. It hasn’t quite been a decade since the series ended, but that isn’t stopping DC from bringing the series back twice over. This miniseries is the first part of the “Fables” comeback and its title should be pretty self-explanatory. Seeing two very different kinds of detectives team up to solve a series of grisly murders should be a lot of fun and get everyone warmed up for the main event: A 12-issue “Fables” maxiseries from creator/writer Bill Willingham and main artist Mark Buckingham. Willingham is also writing the “Batman” miniseries with artist Brian Level. I’m expecting to see that same “Fables” standard of quality maintained with these new projects, so long as Willingham keeps his politics to the margins of the series like he did the first time around.
Deathstroke Inc. #1: Oh, so there’s a new “Deathstroke” series kicking off in these solicitations. Who’s writing it now… Joshua Williamson? The guy who’s only written one series I kind of like (“Birthright”) and a lot of other stuff I didn’t care for? Howard Porter may be drawing it, but I think I’m going to pass on this. If I really feel the need to read a “Deathstroke” series, Christopher Priest’s run is still waiting for me.
Suicide Squad: King Shark #1: Apparently DC and WB are banking on “The Suicide Squad” being such a big hit that fans will be clamoring to read about the adventures of King Shark a month after the movie has come out. That seems a trifle optimistic to me, but what do I know about how to schedule a tie-in comic to a major motion picture? Anyhow, writer Tim Seely and artist Scott Kolins have the title character trying to please his dad, the God of Sharks, by entering a tournament for totemic animals such as himself. The solicitation text doesn’t specify what kind of tournament it is, but my guess is that it’ll either be a Battle Royale or Mortal Kombat. If that sounds like fun to you and you like Seeley, Kolins, or both, then maybe give this a look come September.
The Joker vol. 1: Much as I like the idea of James Tynion IV writing a villain-centric comic, that’s not what this series is. Based on the reviews I’ve been reading, this is actually a James Gordon solo bock that has him tracking down the Clown Prince of Crime for murdering just about everyone in Arkham Asylum. Only, get this, the Joker didn’t actually kill anyone this time. Hilarious, isn’t it? Some critics have expressed relief that Gordon is actually the focus of this series and that it isn’t trying to make the Joker sympathetic. All of this makes it sound like we’re going to get the same kind of bland superhero story that I’ve come to expect from Tynion at DC. It’s possible that the art from Guillem March will be able to elevate that kind of story, but since I can’t be certain of it, I think I’ll be passing on this one.
The Other History of the DC Universe: Academy Award-winning writer John Ridley’s long-in-the works series is finally collected. This series is about showcasing the history of the DCU from the perspective of historically disenfranchised groups, which is certainly a worthwhile cause. It also makes me think that this is going to be a 256-page collection which showcases how much it sucks to be from those disenfranchised groups. A major downer of a read, in other words. I could be wrong about this and I’m tempted to pick this collection up just to see if that’s the case, and how much Giuseppe Camuncoli’s art enlivens the experience.
American Vampire vol. 9: 1976: It’s about damn time! Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s revisionist vampire epic started out as a Vertigo title and will end as a Black Label series. While vol. 8 didn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, it’s disappointing to see its creators take so long to get back to their series. It’s done, now, and we’ll finally get to see what’s going to become of the newly human Skinner Sweet after he hooks up with the still vampiric Pearl Jones to stop the apocalyptic threat of the Gray Trader. With this done, maybe those of you waiting for Snyder to get back to “Wytches” will finally get your wish now.
Batgirl of Burnside Omnibus HC: While Batgirl’s reinvention under the auspices of Babs Tarr, Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart got a lot of buzz at first, it didn’t turn out to be the game-changer that many were expecting. The series itself was still a lot of fun and if you ever wondered if that buzz was justified or not, then you can just pick up this volume. Or see if you can find the three volumes (in print or digital) for much less than the $100 cover price of this collection.