Love is in the air this June as the wedding of Batman and Catwoman draws closer in Batman #48 and #49 but their plans may be thrown out the window when the Joker shows up to put a stop to their nuptials. Mikel Janin takes over art duties from Tony S. Daniel and Sandu Florea. Alongside Batman, there are five “Prelude to the Wedding” specials featuring different members of the Bat-Family and how they’re preparing for the big day. Featured characters include Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Harley Quinn but noticeably absent is Tim Drake.
The other big news for June is the relaunch of Justice League from Scott Snyder which will continue to release twice monthly and features among other storylines, Batman and Martian Manhunter seeking out an ally from their past. Spinning out of the No Justice storyline Teen Titans and Titans are still absent for the month, but a special for each series will release of which signal new directions for each series.
Several books this month will also see new writers taking over, but it is not known if any of these are permanent at this point. Shawn Aldridge takes over duties on Batgirl and Christopher Sebela starts a run on Harley Quinn. Bryan Hill will take over Detective Comics with a story that features Black Lighting. Hill has stated that he is only attached to the series for five issues bringing us to the middle of August if the series continues to release two issues going forward.
With Birds of Prey and Super Sons both ending in May, no new announcements have been announced for either of these groups of characters at this point. However, Damian and Jon show up in the Super Sons/Dynomutt special as part of the latest crossovers involving Hanna-Barbera.
Even though it was announced last month, Bombshells United’s last print issue releases in June along with the final issue of the Bane: Conquest mini-series. Also mentioned last month, June 20 will see the release of the second and final book for Batman: The Dark Prince Charming. July will see two more miniseries end, while the final issue of Batman: Creature of the Night has yet to be solicited despite issue #3 originally solicited for February and delayed to a date now listed in April.
Also worth noting that a few series have changed format and prices under the radar. Nightwing was made monthly for May and the price point rose to $3.99 to reflect the change, but now Suicide Squad is switching to monthly as well and going up in price. And despite staying at the twice-monthly schedule, Scott Snyder coming on to Justice League is enough to raise the price per issue to $3.99 as well.
Finally, there are a couple of appearances from TBU characters in other series. The Batman vs Deathstroke story continues in Deathstroke. The Batman Who Laughs appears in The Immortal Men #3 and continued appearances of Huntress in The Hellblazer and Talia al Ghul in The Silencer again.
Check out the gallery of some of the covers coming in June and the full details on the releases below.
BATMAN BOOKS
BATMAN #48-49 [ 6/6, 6/20] Written by TOM KING, Art and cover by MIKEL JANIN; #48: “THE BEST MAN” part one! Batman and Catwoman decide it might be better to elope rather than go through some big, stodgy wedding ceremony, but no sooner do they put their marriage on the fast track than The Joker appears! And when The Joker kidnaps the Caped Crusader, will he give his old foe a piece of his mind or bash in his brains? #49: “THE BEST MAN” part two! Now it’s up to Catwoman to rescue her one true love. It’s the Cat vs. the Clown in one exciting showdown that sets the stage for our giant anniversary issue—and the biggest union in comics! 32 pg, $2.99
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING — ROBIN VS. RA’S AL GHUL #1 [5/30] Written by TIM SEELEY, Art by BRAD WALKER and DREW HENNESSY; Ra’s al Ghul returns to have a heart-to-heart with his grandson, Damian. Once upon a time, Ra’s thought Bruce Wayne would be the heir apparent to his criminal empire, but now that Batman has turned his back on Talia for good, Ra’s wants to know if Damian Wayne will honor his mother by stepping into the family business at last. ONE-SHOT, 32 pg, $3.99
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING — NIGHTWING VS. HUSH #1 [6/6] Written by TIM SEELEY, Art by TRAVIS MOORE; Dick Grayson has a lot of responsibility. Being the original partner to Batman, he’s the natural choice to be Bruce Wayne’s best man. So if anyone has to get to the wedding, it’s going to be him. Too bad Hush has other plans—and maybe Bruce Wayne does, too! ONE-SHOT, 32 pg, $3.99
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING — BATGIRL VS. THE RIDDLER #1 [6/13] Written by TIM SEELEY, Art by MINKYU JUNG; On the eve of Batman’s wedding to Catwoman, two of Gotham City’s finest minds clash. In her role as Oracle, Barbara Gordon wired all of her allies together. But when The Riddler takes on Batgirl, will he tear everything asunder? ONE-SHOT, 32 pg, $3.99
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING — RED HOOD VS. ANARKY #1 [6/20] Written by TIM SEELEY, Art by JAVIER FERNANDEZ; Red Hood has always been the one standing slightly apart from the rest of the Bat crew. Some see him as the Robin gone bad—which is exactly the kind of thing someone like Anarky can exploit. Now Red Hood is running security at Catwoman’s bachelorette party—and if Anarky can crash it, that could be the final straw for Jason Todd! ONE-SHOT, 32 pg, $3.99
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING — HARLEY QUINN VS. THE JOKER #1 [6/27] Written by TIM SEELEY, Art by SAMI BASRI; Harley Quinn knows a thing or two about dysfunctional relationships. When she hears that her old flame is trying to get in the way of a happy new life for one of her best friends, the Maid of Mischief tracks The Joker down to give him a piece of her mind—and maybe a few blows from her hammer, too. ONE-SHOT, 32 pg, $3.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #982-983 [6/13,6/27] Written by BRYAN HILL, Art by MIGUEL MENDONÇA; #982: “On The Outside” part one! Duke Thomas. Cassandra Cain. They and other young heroes don’t intend to stand down, no matter what Batman thinks is best. Who can Batman trust to guide them? They need a teacher…and Black Lightning fits the bill! #983:“On The Outside” part two! Batman wanted Black Lightning involved in the lives of his protégés—but how involved was the Dark Knight thinking? What kind of missions will Jefferson Pierce take them on? And what, exactly, is he whispering in their ears about Batman himself? 32 pg, $2.99
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN #5 [6/20] Written by LIAM SHARP, Art and cover by LIAM SHARP; There’s a grave missing detail of Batman and Wonder Woman’s investigation into the death of King Elatha—it’s not only about who killed him, but also what it means. As one king dies, another must arise…long live the new king Balor Evil-Eye! Now Batman and Wonder Woman must fight alongside Tir Na Nóg and destroy its causeways to our dimension! 32 pg, 5 of 6, $3.99
BATMAN: SINS OF THE FATHER #5 [6/20] Written by CHRISTOS GAGE, Art and cover by RAFFAELE IENCO; The war between Deadshot and Batman hurtles toward a deadly conclusion. While Batman tries to find a way to prove Floyd Lawton and Deadshot are one and the same, Deadshot focuses his quest for vengeance on Bruce Wayne, determined to take away everything he values in life. 32 pg, 5 of 6, $2.99
GREATER GOTHAM
BATGIRL #24 [6/27] Written by SHAWN ALDRIDGE, Art by SCOTT GODLEWSKI, Cover by DAN MORA; After narrowly escaping the mazes of her own mind, Batgirl swings back into action to help Jacob Cesaro, an old classmate who has recently made some bad life decisions. Little does she know he’s now Two-Face’s latest recruit—and the key to his plans to take over the city! But Jacob’s not in it for the money and power promised by one of Gotham City’s greatest villains…he’s got something much more valuable in mind! 32 pg, $3.99
BATMAN BEYOND #21 [6/27] Written by DAN JURGENS, Art by WILL CONRAD; “Target: Batman” part two! When a hyper-crime crisis strikes Neo-Gotham, Batman flies in to save the day. But why is the local news bashing him for his heroic deeds? Stranger still, why are the very people Batman saved suddenly turning on him with anger and almost uncontrollable violence? 32 pg, $3.99
BANE: CONQUEST #12 [6/27] Written by CHUCK DIXON, Art and cover by GRAHAM NOLAN; Bane! Batman! Their eternal feud continues in the heart of a Kobra stronghold! Who will live and who will die? And who will triumph in the end as this crime epic races on to its shocking conclusion, Bane co-creators Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan bring their yearlong saga, the latest chapter in the life of the Man Who Broke the Bat, to a climax that you’ll never see coming! 32 pg, 12 of 12, $3.99
BATWOMAN #16 [6/20] Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT, Art by FERNANDO BLANCO; “The Fall of the House of Kane” part four! Alice’s deadly plague of virus-ridden bats may have been torn from the sky, but she still roams free. Now Batman must do whatever it takes to stop her—even if that means going through her sister, Batwoman, to do it. Blood ties and betrayal wage war in a clash for control that’s been in the making since the day Kate Kane put on the cowl: Batman vs. Batwoman! 32 pg, $3.99
HARLEY QUINN #43-44 [6/6, 6/20] Written by CHRISTOPHER SEBELA, Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO; #43: When Harley Quinn finds herself hammer-deep in a paranoid spiral, the last thing she needs is for someone to blow up her favorite bodega! Worse, the only clue she finds seems to indicate Harley herself was the actual target of the attack! What’s a girl to do when she’s pushed all her friends away just as someone decides to kill her? #44: She’s up crazy creek without a hoagie when Harley Quinn goes full Batman to hunt down whoever made her favorite bodega go boom. But while digging her way through a twisted trail of clues, Harley discovers trouble that could mean the end of New York City…only nobody believes her! 32 pg, $2.99
MOTHER PANIC: GOTHAM A.D. #4 [6/27] Written by JODY HOUSER, Art by IBRAHIM MOUSTAFA; After six months of learning the ins and outs of her new status quo, Violet Paige decides it’s time to go public: Gotham City’s favorite bad-girl celebutante is back! But not everyone is pleased to learn of the socialite’s sudden resurfacing, least of all her estranged brother, who thought he had her on ice for good. Meanwhile, the Cult of the Bat begins to make moves, and it’s no laughing matter. 32 pg, $3.99
NIGHTWING #45 [6/6] Written by BENJAMIN PERCY, Art by CHRISTOPHER MOONEYHAM; Nightwing investigates a string of murders that at first seem disconnected…but when signs start to point to the digital underworld, the mean streets of Blüdhaven begin to transform. So how does a hero like Dick Grayson-—used to using his fists to solve problems—stop a villain he can’t get his hands on? Especially when Blüdhaven isn’t the only thing compromised by a tech implant in this new “smart city” initiative…so is Nightwing’s mind. 32 pg, $3.99
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #23 [6/13] Written by SCOTT LOBDELL, Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE and RYAN WINN; Bizarro is teetering on the brink between brilliance and—well, Bizarro! Artemis is coming to grips with her past as a secret envoy to Lex Luthor. But it’s Red Hood who’s in for the shock of his life when he finds the cache of letters Ma Gunn kept from him when he was a ward under her care. Letters from his father. Jason Todd has hated his deadbeat dad as long as he can remember, but what he’s about to learn may threaten the future of the Outlaws—and anyone who dares to stand in Jason’s path. 32 pg, $3.99
GREATER DC UNIVERSE
JUSTICE LEAGUE #1-2 [6/6, 6/20] Written by SCOTT SNYDER, Art by JIM CHEUNG and MARK MORALES (#1) JORGE JIMENEZ (#2); #1: “THE TOTALITY” part one! A brand-new era begins here! Comics legends Scott Snyder and Jim Cheung launch the Justice League into a cosmos-shaking mystery that will draw out their most terrible foes…in ways, our heroes couldn’t possibly imagine! In this debut issue, Martian Manhunter struggles to protect the team from an incoming threat that will shatter the world as they know it, while a familiar face strikes out on a dark path. #2: “THE TOTALITY” part two! The League faced an impossible decision…and now they must face the consequences! While Martian Manhunter and Batman attempt to recruit an old ally back into the fold, The Flash and Hawkgirl are blindsided by new challenges that could rewrite their mythologies! 32 pg, $3.99
TEEN TITANS SPECIAL #1 [6/27] Written by ADAM GLASS, Art by ROBSON ROCHA and others; Robin, Kid Flash and Red Arrow are sick of the super-hero status quo, and if the adults won’t do anything about it, you’d better believe these teenagers will! Following the shocking events of NO JUSTICE, don’t miss this special oversized issue that sets the stage for a fearless new direction that will change the Teen Titans forever! 48 pg, $4.99
TITANS SPECIAL #1 [6/13] Written by DAN ABNETT, Art by PAUL PELLETIER and others; It’s the dawn of a new age of TITANS! The events of METAL and NO JUSTICE have left the team in tatters, but a strange new threat has emerged to lead Nightwing to reassemble the Titans with a mix of old blood and new. A rash of metahuman power fluctuations are threatening people around the globe, and only the friends who grew up as superheroes can help those whose powers have grown out of control! It all starts here in this special issue kicking off a bold new direction! ONE-SHOT • 48 pg, $4.99
SUPER SONS/DYNOMUTT SPECIAL #1 [5/30] Written by PETER J. TOMASI, Art and cover by FERNANDO PASARIN and OCLAIR ALBERT; It’s no fun for Jon Kent to be visiting Big City with his parents for the funeral of an old friend. So his best pal Damian Wayne decides to follow along and give him the inside scoop on the city. But when they go to meet Robin’s local friend, Dynomutt, they find him injured and in need of help. And Dynomutt’s human superhero companion, Blue Falcon, has seemingly turned evil. What’s the reason for this betrayal between once-loyal companions, and what role might the evil Red Vulture play in this scenario? 48 pg, $4.99
SUICIDE SQUAD #43 [6/13] Written by ROB WILLIAMS, Art by EDUARDO PANSICA and JULIO FERREIRA; “CONSTRICTION” part three! Trained to kill by Kobra, Deadshot’s daughter Zoe may be even more deadly than her father. Batman and Deadshot must face her down and stop her before she kills both them and all of Kobra! 32 pg, $3.99
DEATHSTROKE #32 [6/6] Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST, Art by CARLO PAGULAYAN; “BATMAN VS. DEATHSTROKE” part three! When a retired superhero gets caught in the crossfire between the World’s Greatest Detective and the DCU’s most deadly assassin, could an entire legacy be wiped out? Lines are crossed when Deathstroke and Batman’s feud takes its darkest turn yet—and there’s no going back! 32 pg, $3.99
SECONDARY DC BOOKS
BOMBSHELLS UNITED #19 [6/6] Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT, Art by ANEKE and MARGUERITE SAUVAGE; In this final issue, the war—and the Bombshells—come to an end at last. With grief and with grace, the world is changed—forever. 32 pg, $2.99, FINAL ISSUE
TEEN TITANS GO! #28 [6/20] Written by SHOLLY FISCH, Art by JEREMY LAWSON and MARCELO DiCHIARA; Control Freak’s latest plan? Sending the Teen Titans to the past! Will our heroes have fun in 1950s Hollywood? Maybe. But when they return to the present, Robin’s got some chores to do, and the rest of the team will need some superhero mentoring! 32 pg, $2.99
INJUSTICE 2 #27-28 [6/6, 6/20] Written by TOM TAYLOR, Art by DANIEL SAMPERE (#27) and BRUNO REDONDO and JUAN ALBARRAN (#28); #27: Condemned to a prison planet by the Guardians of Oa, Hal Jordan must come to grips with his role in Superman’s failed Regime. Haunted by visions of the past and berated by his guard, Soranik, the former Green Lantern takes out his anger on a new arrival. But then an attack on the prison might soon spell disaster for the Green Lantern Corps. #28: When the Red Lanterns attack the prison colony on the planet Harring, a powerless Hal Jordan finds himself on the side of an old enemy. The Green Lanterns’ dire situation forces Hal to make a desperate move. 32 pg, $2.99
