April doesn’t have a ton of news in terms of creative changes and such, but a few mini-series are concluding, and of course, there is the usual full slate of activity within the books in DC’s April solicitations.
The date has been set, and so wedding plans for Bruce and Selina start in Batman #44, while Tony Daniel’s return to draw the book in #45 helps kicks off a time-traveling story arc with Booster Gold. Batwoman commands an army, and Tim Drake goes down dark paths in this month’s Batmen Eternal chapters in Detective. Batgirl starts a new story arc in her solo title, while “Full Circle” continues in Birds of Prey, and The Many Arms of Death descend upon Gotham in Batwoman. We also see Harley Quinn wrap up her story arc with Penguin, and starts a new story with the Gang of Harleys. Nightwing follows up “The Untouchable” story arc with a pair of stand-alone stories featuring Damian, and Penguin pops up in Red Hood and The Outlaws. Jumping to the future, “The Long Payback” concludes in Batman Beyond. “Justice Lost” and “Dawn of Time” wraps up in Justice League and Justice League of America this month, as well as “Titans Apart” in Titans’s usual issue, as well as an Annual, while “The Following” continues in Teen Titans.
As far as creator changes, Tony Daniel returns to the Bat-Books in the pages of Batman. Alvaro Martinez and Raul Fernandez will pick up the art duties in Detective from Javier Fernandez in the second issue of the month, as well as Minkyu Jung and Jose Marzan, Jr. on art for Batgirl, and Mauricet taking over art chores on Harley Quinn. Nightwing will get a pair of creative teams in a month of one-off stories.
There are no new series starting off in April, but we will see the Trinity series end, as well as the second Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles miniseries conclude. Creature of the Night is yet again missing from the solicitations leading us to believe that some change needed to be made for the final issue. Titans will be getting an annual for the month. Also, it was previously revealed that Doomsday Clock will now become bi-monthly and release its next issue in May.
Finally, some TBU characters will be appearing in some other titles that do not fall under our normal coverage. Poison Ivy pops up in Damage #4, Ra’s al Ghul and Batman show up in the Deadman miniseries finale and Damian’s parentage being questioned kicks off Batman’s six-issue arc versus Deathstroke in the pages of Deathstroke.
Check out the gallery of some of the covers coming in March and the full details on the releases below.
BATMAN BOOKS
Batman #44-45 [4/4-4/18] Story by TOM KING; art by MIKEL JANIN and JOELLE JONES (#44) and TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA (#45); #44: “SOMETHING BLUE”! Follow Batman and Catwoman on two separate but parallel paths as their wedding planning kicks into high gear. Selina picks out her dress, and Bruce starts to make arrangements for their new life together—but this being Gotham City, and they being Batman and Catwoman, you can bet that nothing will go as expected! #45: “THE TRAVELERS” part one! Booster Gold has come to Gotham City, and he’s enlisting Batman and Catwoman to go on a time-traveling mission to rescue…Booster Gold! It seems a younger Booster Gold has gone back in time to kidnap an even younger version of himself, and to rescue his own past, Booster must pursue both of his previous incarnations through Batman’s history to find out what is going on. The start of a new story that will sow the seeds for a whole new epic to come. 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Detective Comics #978-979 [4/11-4/25] Story by JAMES TYNION IV; art by JAVIER FERNANDEZ (#978) and ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ (#979); #978: “Batmen Eternal” part three! Congratulations, Batwoman—you have an entire army at your command. So how are you going to use it?#979: “Batmen Eternal” part four! Ulysses Armstrong knows everything there is to know about Tim Drake’s future—including every inevitable step he’ll take on the road to becoming a dark version of himself! Unfortunately, Ulysses is perfectly happy to take everything from him…and use it to give birth to an unstoppable menace! 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6 [4/18] Written by JAMES TYNION IV; Art by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II; It’s the final battle as the Bat-family and the Turtles face off against Bane and the Foot Clan on Liberty Island. With America’s great symbol of freedom watching over them, the Dark Knight and the Heroes on a Half-Shell must bring Bane’s tyrannical rule over New York to an end. And don’t forget about Shredder. What role will that deadly villain have to play in all of this? It’s all-out action in this exciting series conclusion. 32 pg, $3.99 US, 6 of 6.
Batman: White Knight #7 [4/4] Story and art by SEAN MURPHY. This issue, it’s Jack versus the Joker! Napier’s identity crisis spins out of control and compromises his grand plans for Gotham City—but not before he strikes a fateful bargain with Neo Joker. A browbeaten Batman accepts a peace offering from Batgirl, and some unexpected advice from Alfred sets the tone for the GTO’s new mission to redeem the city. 32 pg, $3.99 US, 7 of 8.
GREATER GOTHAM
Batgirl #22 [4/25] Written by HOPE LARSON; Art by MINKYU JUNG and JOSE MARZAN JR; “STRANGE LOOP” part one! After a routine mission to save the day, Batgirl realizes she’s been spending a little too much time in costume. Her life as Barbara Gordon is in a rut, and it’s time to focus on changing things for the better. Can the sudden reemergence of her former love interest, Kai, be a sign of good things to come? Or is he bringing all kinds of trouble with him? Things are not what they seem in Burnside, and it’s up to Batgirl to figure out why! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #21 [4/11] Written by JULIE BENSON and SHAWNA BENSON; Art by ROGE ANTONIO; “Full Circle” part three! The Calculator has broken Blackbird and Fenice out of Arkham Asylum, putting targets on Batgirl’s and Huntress’s backs. And while our heroes are out of the picture, Calculator holds Gotham City hostage in exchange for Oracle’s identity. The team will have to risk setting a trap for Calculator—a dangerous move that could expose Barbara Gordon’s deepest secrets! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Batman Beyond #19 [4/25] Written by DAN JURGENS; Art by PHIL HESTER and ANDE PARKS; “The Long Payback” finale! When Batman was at the mercy of Payback, Melanie Walker—a former member the Royal Flush Gang—swooped in to save his life. Now, with Melanie on the receiving end of Payback’s wrath, Terry will have to return the favor. But can a bruised and battered Batman save the day, or will he need the help of his mysterious new partner? 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Batwoman #14 [4/18] Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT; Art by FERNANDO BLANCO; “The Fall of the House of Kane” part two! Vengeance and madness come home to Gotham City! The Many Arms of Death have descended upon the city, bringing a plague that will devour everything Batwoman holds dear—and Alice, Kate’s long-lost sister, leads the way! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Harley Quinn #41-42 [4/04-4/18] Written by FRANK TIERI; art by MAURICET; #41: “Angry Bird” finale! Betrayed by one of the last allies she thought she had left from Gotham City’s criminal underworld, Harley’s in a corner in her battle against the Penguin…and that’s the most dangerous place you could possibly put her! Someone’s gonna get killed here, and it ain’t Harley…#42: “The Gang’s All Here”! Harley’s grudgingly accepted the Gang of Harleys back into her life—and now they intend to impress her with all the new tricks they’ve learned in her absence! Unfortunately, they might’ve picked up some bad habits too… 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #2 [4/25] Written by JODY HOUSER; Art by IBRAHIM MOUSTAFA; To rescue the person most important to her, Mother Panic needs to break into one of the most secure buildings in Collective-controlled Gotham City—Arkham Asylum. Will Catwoman, Gotham’s greatest thief, be willing to help her in her mission? And what has Poison Ivy done to Robinson Park to turn it into a soldier-eating nightmare? 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Nightwing #42-43 [4/4-4/18] Written by COLLIN KELY and JACKSON LANZING (#42) and MICHAEL MORECI (#43); Art by JORGE CORONA (#42) and MINKYU JUNG (#43); #42: “THE CRIMSON KABUKI”! When Damian Wayne disappears during a solo mission to Tokyo, Nightwing must enter the seedy underworld to save the boy who was once his Robin. But Dick will have to ascend the Crimson Kabuki’s tower of crime and survive a game of death against three of Japan’s most powerful fighters. Can Nightwing defeat an entire building of elite fighters, or will he lose Damian forever? #43: “THE BRAVE, THE OBNOXIOUS AND THE INEPT”! All Dick Grayson wants is a night to himself. But when Robin and Arsenal come calling in need of his help, Dick has to throw on his Nightwing costume and get to work. Before he knows it, he’s neck-deep in League of Assassin ninjas and trying to stop Arsenal’s sometime-girlfriend from killing them all—assuming Robin and Arsenal don’t kill each other first! 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #21 [4/11] Story by SCOTT LOBDELL; Art by DEXTER SOY; Looking to make his mark on Gotham City’s crowded underworld, Red Hood infiltrates the Iceberg Lounge in an attempt to further annoy the Penguin. But it might be the Penguin who gets the drop on Red Hood this time. Plus, the truth about Bizarro’s condition finally comes out—and the consequences could be catastrophic for Artemis! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
GREATER DC UNIVERSE
Justice League #42-43 [4/4-4/18] Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST; Art by PETE WOODS; #42: “JUSTICE LOST” part two! Trapped in the chaos of tribal conflict, the Justice League becomes divided over whether to intervene in a civil war in order to protect thousands of fleeing refugees—and a crucial decision could have dire consequences for one of their members! Meanwhile, Batman and Aquaman clash over how to take down the nemesis known only as the Fan, who holds all of their secrets hostage. #43: “JUSTICE LOST” finale! Struggling to save one of their own and extricate themselves from the grip of war, the Justice League’s hand is forced by the mercenary Deathstroke! Decisions must be made about Red Lion’s brutality, the insidious tactics of the Fan and the League’s role as the World’s Greatest Heroes. When the dust settles, will the old alliances still stand? 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Justice League of America #26-27 [4/11-4/25] Written by STEVE ORLANDO; Art by HUGO PETRUS; #28: “DAWN OF TIME” part two! Chronos starts traveling through time with the Justice League in hot pursuit. At the same time, he’s taunting Ryan Choi, getting in his head and trying to convince him he’s never going to be the real Atom. Will Ryan be able to overcome Chronos’s attack and help his team or will time itself forever belong to Chronos? #29: “DAWN OF TIME” finale! Chronos has won. Super heroes are non existent in the new timeline he’s manipulated into existence. The League will have to find each other, reform and fix the time stream or all of time will be at Chronos’s command. 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Suicide Squad #39-40 [4/11-4/25] Written by ROB WILLIAMS; art by EDUARDO PANSICA and JULIO FERREIRA; #37: “BREAK THROUGH THE WALL” part two! The government loses control of its new military weapon, the Wall, and he’s rampaging through Washington, D.C. with his sights set on the Capitol building! Rick Flag is forced to turn back to the Suicide Squad to stop the Wall before Washington is in ruins! #38: “BREAK THROUGH THE WALL” finale! The Squad faces down the Wall as their fate hangs in the balance. If the Squad doesn’t stop the Wall, the U.S. government will be demolished! 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Super Sons #15 [4/18] Written by PETER J. TOMASI; Art by CARLO BARBERI and ART THIBERT;“End of innocence” part one! Robin and Superboy have been to hell and back again, but this time their friendship must stand the ultimate test: the Amazo Project! Kid Amazo returns as the pieces of this deadly plan fall into place and reveal a secret that might tear apart Damian and Jon’s growing friendship. 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Teen Titans #19 [4/25] Written by BENJAMIN PERCY; Art by SCOT EATON and WAYNE FAUCHER; “The Following” part three! Beast Boy has gone rogue, turned by the nefarious Puppeteer into an unstoppable killing machine, along with hundreds of innocent teenagers! Can the Teen Titans stop their former friend’s deadly rampage and put an end to the Puppeteer’s reign once and for all? 32 pg, $3.99 US.
The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #3 [4/18] Written by LIAM SHARP; Art by LIAM SHARP; Batman arrives in Tir Na Nóg to help Wonder Woman solve the mystery of a murdered god. But while he may be the World’s Greatest Detective, he soon learns that the techniques he uses on our world may not aid him in this strange new one. As the investigation continues and new suspects are revealed, this dynamic duo learns that each may be more dangerous than the last. 32 pg, $3.99 US, 3 of 6.
Titans #22 [4/11] Written by DAN ABNETT; art by PAUL PELLETIER & ANDREW HENNESSY; “Titans Apart” part three! As Arsenal follows the trail of a conspiracy that no one else can see, he finds himself at the mercy of Cheshire, who’s both a deadly assassin and his ex! Only Donna Troy takes Roy at his word, but she’s trapped in the Watchtower…and must escape to save the man she loves! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
Titans Annual #2 [4/25] Written by DAN ABNETT; art by TOM GRUMMETT; “Titans Apart” finale! Arsenal and Donna discover the truth about the Bliss conspiracy…only they’re too late! With the Justice League off the board and the Titans divided, who will stand against the evil Brain as he attempts to create his new world order—and kill everyone on Earth in the process? 48 pg, $4.99 US.
Trinity #22-21 [4/11-4/25] Written by JAMES ROBINSON; Art by PATCH ZURCHER; #21: “MAN DOWN” part two! Deimos and his armies have besieged the Trinity—so why is Steve Trevor helping the enemy?! Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman fight their way through one monstrous magical menace after another as Dark Strike’s stolen Skartaran weaponry is unleashed! #22: “MAN DOWN” finale! The Trinity and Warlord have discovered Deimos’ plan to use the Skartaran Time Weapon to reduce his enemies to dust—but time itself is not on our heroes’ side! It’s up to Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman to save Steve Trevor, defeat Deimos and seal the breach with Skartaris before the entire world is consumed by magic powerful enough to melt millennia! 32 pg, $3.99 US.
SECONDARY DC BOOKS
Batman: Sins of the Father #3 [4/18] Written by CHRISTOS GAGE; Art by RAFFAELE IENCO; Based on the hit video game series from Telltale Games! Having eliminated all the obvious suspects behind the killing of former Arkham employees, Batman breaks into the most secure area of the facility to search their most deeply buried files, only to be ambushed by the villain known as Black Spider. Meanwhile, the search for Deadshot’s true identity points toward a family called the Lawtons—a family with a dark and twisted history. DIGITAL FIRST, 32 pg, $2.99 US, 3 of 6.
Bombshells United #15-16 [4/04-4/18] Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT; art by ANEKE (#15) and SANDY JARRELL (#16); #15: Bombshells divided! The Batgirls are determined to track down the source of their friends’ misfortunes back in Gotham City. Their investigation leads to an eerie spit of land, where a lone radio tower projects a deadly signal that curses all who hear it. #16: Wham! The Bombshells dive into a deadly volcanic lair, while the agents of Apokolips clash with the royal roller derby, the female fury, the space jammer—Big Barda! DIGITAL FIRST, 32 pg, $2.99 US.
Injustice 2 #23-24 [4/04-4/18] Story by TOM TAYLOR; art by MIKE S. MILLER & BRUNO REDONDO (#23) & DANIEL SAMPERE (#24); #23: Even with the help of Superboy and the Teen Titans, Batman and his team still face desperate odds against the seemingly invincible Amazo. The Atom also uncovers a terrifying secret about Amazo. Meanwhile, in Gorilla City, Damian, Vixen and Animal Man have to make a risky decision. #24: It’s all hands on deck for the start of the final battle against Amazo. Former enemies are forced to reunite to stop Professor Ivo’s creation and Ra’s al Ghul’s mad, genocidal plan. Ra’s’ own team seems to be fracturing at the same time. And a secret weapon is finally unleashed! DIGITAL FIRST, 32 pg, $2.99 US.
