DC is introducing some important new changes and characters in the new year. Fans will have access to many of the exciting announcements that were made at NYCC earlier this month while DC’s lineup ushers in what looks to be a promising new year.
First things first, the missing titles from December, as expected, will release in January, pushing some of the books forward a week since January happens to be a five-week month. What the means for a majority of fans is that January is going to be an expensive month with some titles shipping twice that normally don’t and even some titles that will release three issues in the single month. With some new annuals also planned, this could explain why both Harley Quinn and Nightwing, which previously were on a double ship schedule only have one issue each in January, as no official announcement of those titles going down to one issue per month has been made.
On to some of the new stuff for the month, Brian Michael Bendis is launching his new imprint Wonder Comics with Young Justice #1. Tim Drake’s Robin will be at the center of this Young Justice title, a decision that offers the character some deserved attention in the wake of Titans publicity for two of his fellow Robins. Drake will be joined by Amethyst, Super Boy, Wonder Girl, and Impulse as his teammates, a change of pace from the Young Justice team fans of the show have become familiar with. Each of the members will be featured on their own variant covers.
The conclusion of Batman: Creature of the Night has finally been re-solicited after the previous issue released all the way back in April of this year. And while that series is coming to an end as expected, Suicide Squad has been announced to be ending with January’s issue which also happens to be an oversized fiftieth issue. Also, Archie Meets Batman ’66 and Batman: Kings of Fear will both wrap up in January as well.
Batman #38 puts Bruce Wayne up against a nightmare with a personal flair. Detective Comics #995 catches up with Batman as he deals with the devastating attack on Alfred from the previous issue. The Gordon’s get political in Batgirl #30 with conflicts coming to a head in the Gotham Congressional race. As longtime fans know, you can’t judge a book by its cover alone especially if you are expecting to see what is happening on the cover in the actual issue, but Damian and Red Hood are facing on the cover for Teen Titans Annual #1 while Harley Quinn looks to have murdered someone in Harley Quinn #57.
As far as creator changes for the Bat-Books, Batman sees Travis Moore return to the title to bring the murderous young Bruce character back. Elena Casagrande will provide some art for this month’s issue of Catwoman, while Garry Brown comes on board to Nightwing.
Harley Quinn remains front and center in Heroes in Crisis #4 as Wonder Woman struggles to make sense of Booster Gold’s possible betrayal. Doomsday Clock #9’s cover features members of the DC Universe disappearing at the hands of Dr. Manhattan. Besides Teen Titans, Justice League will also be getting an annual in January.
Finally, there are a couple of other appearances from TBU characters as Batman will be appearing in Damage #13, while over in Deathstroke Slade continues his story in Arkham Asylum. The Teen Titans will appear in the one-shot Mysteries of Love in Space #1. The anthology style book will focus on brief love stories featuring both new and familiar DC characters just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Check out the gallery of some of the covers coming in December and the full details on the releases below. Let us know which books you are the most excited for this month!
BATMAN BOOKS
BATMAN #62 [01/09] Written by TOM KING, art by TRAVIS MOORE; What happened to the boy who wanted to be Bruce Wayne? The young criminal mastermind orchestrate his own parents’ deaths to emulate his hero and was carted off to Arkham when Batman exposed his crimes, but that is not the end of the story. Tom King reteams with NIGHTWING artist Travis Moore to create a sequel to their masterpiece of dark horror from BATMAN #38. $3.99, 32 PAGES
BATMAN #63 [01/23] Written by TOM KING, art by MIKEL JANIN; There are strange goings-on in the dark alleys of Gotham City, mysteries that will require a different skill set than the Caped Crusader’s if he’s going to stop the whole city from succumbing to the darkness. John Constantine, the Hellblazer, is a person with just those skills—but after the events of “The Witching Hour,” is Constantine in any condition to help the Dark Knight Detective? $3.99, 32 PAGES
DETECTIVE COMICS #995-997 [01/02, 01/16, 01/30] Written by PETER J. TOMASI, art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA; #995: Alfred Pennyworth…attacked at the Wayne mansion! Who’s hunting those closest to Batman? The monstrous shadow creature plaguing Gotham City gains the upper hand when two of the Dark Knight’s most ardent allies fall prey to the violent vendetta. Will those tragedies send Batman over the edge? Good thing he’s on his way to Arkham Asylum—but will he investigate a murder, or get incarcerated in a padded cell? #996: In the catacombs under Paris, Henri Ducard is not going to sit and wait for the death that’s coming for everyone who helped to train Batman…he’s going to wrestle it to the ground and put a bullet between its eyes! Good plan—but what if it just gets right back up? Can even Batman save him then? #997: There’s no man on Earth more convinced that he knows what makes Batman tick than Dr. Hugo Strange! Which makes him a natural target for the thing that’s hunting Batman, unless Batman gets there first! $3.99, 32 PAGES
ARCHIE MEETS BATMAN ’66 #6 [01/09] Written by JEFF PARKER and MICHAEL MORECI, art by DAN PARENT and J. BONE; The United Underworld has all of Riverdale under their control and it’s up to Batman, along with Archie and the Gang, to save their beloved hometown! It’s going to come down to some ingenuity, a few high tech devices, and the showdown of the century right in the center of town! $3.99, 32 PAGES, 6 of 6
BATMAN: CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #4 [01/23] Written by KURT BUSIEK, art by JOHN PAUL LEON; Bruce Wainwright is not the man he believed himself to be. He never was. But when you’ve unleashed horror on the world…what can you do about it? Is Bruce human after all? Or has he become more than a man? It’s the unmissable finale of one of the best-reviewed miniseries of the year, sure to go down as a modern Batman classic! $6.99, 56 PAGES, 4 of 4
BATMAN: KINGS OF FEAR #6 [01/09] Written by SCOTT PETERSON, art by KELLEY JONES; The epic finale! Batman must battle Scarecrow and his own mind to save Gotham City. If he doesn’t, Scarecrow will turn Gotham and everything else Batman believes in into a nightmarish hellscape! $3.99, 32 PAGES, 6 of 6
BATMAN/THE MAXX: ARKHAM DREAMS #4 [01/30] Written and art by Sam Kieth; Midnight, the witching hour. Arkham is the scariest and most dangerous place in Gotham on a good day… but when the power is suddenly cut… super-sophisticated magnetic locks are now useless… and the worst inmates are released! Meanwhile, in the bowels of Arkham, Dr. Disparu has added the Riddler and Killer Croc to his insane plot to uncover Batman and The Maxx’s hidden secrets, buried deep in their inner psyches known as “Outbacks.” The plot thickens, and so does the tension, as Disparu’s secrets are finally revealed! $4.99, 36 PAGES, 4 of 5
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2 [01/16] Written by SCOTT SNYDER, art by JOCK; After the shocking ending of issue #1, a ticking clock sets Batman on a trail throughout the different realities of the Multiverse. He starts to see all the iterations of his life, and what could have been…but more importantly, Bruce Wayne begins to deduce that his current life is somehow wrong, and that all the mistakes he’s made are somehow connected. Meanwhile, the Batman Who Laughs raises the curtain on his second act, pulling out the big guns to break into Arkham Asylum…enter one of the most punishing Batmen of the Dark Multiverse: the Grim Knight! $4.99, 32 PAGES, 2 of 6
GREATER GOTHAM
BATGIRL #30-31 [01/02, 01/30] Written by MAIRGHREAD SCOTT, art by PAUL PELLETIER and NORM RAPMUND; #30: You can take the Batgirl out of Gotham City, but you can’t take Gotham out of the Batgirl! Politics gets personal as the race for Congress in Gotham City heats up, leading to civil unrest in Barbara’s new neighborhood—as a new villain begins to make themselves known! #31: In this issue, it’s Batgirl for Congress! Plus, masked assassins and awkward exes! Barbara Gordon volunteers to campaign for an up-and-coming reformer candidate who wants to take on the GCPD. That puts Barbara in a tough spot against her father—police commissioner James Gordon. And just when things couldn’t get any more awkward, a former flame reenters Barbara’s life. Personal angst and a masked super-villain hunting a mystery target. It’s gonna be a long day, Babs. $3.99, 32 PAGES
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #2 [01/23] Written by BRYAN HILL, art by DEXTER SOY; Sofia Barrera is on the run from an enforcer for the Ark, the program that gave her powers—but in the process, she’s fallen into the hands of the mystery man called Kaliber! He claims he wants to protect her…but who’s paying his bill? And is Katana already questioning Black Lightning’s leadership on their very first mission? Or is she just pushing him in a direction he’s not willing to go? $3.99, 32 PAGES
BATMAN BEYOND #27-28 [01/02, 01/30] Written by DAN JURGENS, art by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND; #27: The Clown Prince of Crime amasses his own army, and there might not be enough of Batman and Robin left to stop them. The only thing more dangerous than The Joker is a city full of weaponized Jokerz being pointed at Gotham, led by the Clown Prince himself! With his old nemesis firmly back in play, retiree Bruce Wayne becomes obsessed with bringing him down. But does he have enough in the Bat-tank? And what happens when Gotham’s terrified citizens start backing The Joker’s play? #28: The Joker prepares to deliver his fatal punchline: everything and the kitchen sink hits the fan for Batman and Robin, and even with Dick Grayson’s help, the Dynamic Duo of tomorrow and Bruce Wayne may not stand a chance. Will Joker turn Terry’s brother into the new Jason Todd? Is now a good time for Terry and Bruce to clash? And why are Neo-Gothamites cheering on the Clown Prince? Will anyone survive “The Final Joke”? $3.99, 32 PAGES
CATWOMAN #7 [01/16] Written by JOELLE JONES, art by JOELLE JONES and ELENA CASAGRANDE; What’s a cat burglar to do? When things went bad for her in Gotham, Selina Kyle picked up stakes and moved to set up a new life in Villa Hermosa. Things went about as well as they could for an international super-criminal, particularly now that Catwoman has established herself as a major player in her new town. Too bad the past always has a way of catching up with you. Gotham comes to Catwoman in the form of the Penguin, fresh from his most recent tussle with Batman, and he’s not just looking to horn in on Selina’s new scheme; he comes bearing hot goss about everything—and everyone—Selina tried to leave behind. $3.99, 32 PAGES
DEATHSTROKE #39 [01/09] Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST, art by CARLO PAGULAYAN, FERNANDO PASARIN and JASON PAZ; Slade is back in Arkham after his Zeta Beam jaunt to the planet Pulor…but did he ever actually leave? Is the alien invasion just a delusion? And who is this faux Deathstroke running around? A deep dive into Slade’s psyche, just in time to watch him lose his mind! $3.99, 32 PAGES
HARLEY QUINN #57 [01/09] Written by SAM HUMPHRIES, art by JOHN TIMMS; There’s been a murder in Gotham City, and all evidence points to just one suspect: Harley Quinn! Batman hunts Harley down on Coney Island, where they come to blows…but did she actually do the crime? Meanwhile, the Trials of Harley Quinn begin! The Lords of Order and Chaos send their harbinger Mirand’r—the ghost of a young, Earth-obsessed Tamaranean—to find a champion to complete their seven trials and become the Lords’ archangel of retribution…and Harley Quinn is their new contender! $3.99, 32 PAGES
NIGHTWING #56 [01/09] Written by SCOTT LOBDELL and FABIAN NICIEZA, art by GARRY BROWN; The Nightwings have been picking up the slack Dick Grayson left behind, making a dent in petty crime and cleaning up the streets of Blüdhaven. But as Scarecrow’s plan comes to fruition, it looks like they may have bitten off more than they can chew…putting Grayson in a position he was not prepared for. One where he may be forced to become a hero once more… $3.99, 32 PAGES
OLD LADY HARLEY #3-4 [01/02, 01/30] Written by FRANK TIERI, art by INAKI MIRANDA; #3: Harley’s barely managed to escape from Gotham City—but going down the river to Blüdhaven might have been an even bigger mistake! The whole city is a prison, held in the grip of the bloodthirsty Bane Twins…and we’re sad to say, they definitely take after their father! And where there are criminals, you know there are Laughing Boys…and where there are Laughing Boys, can The Joker be far away? #4: Harley’s on to the next stop on her quest to find out how the Joker is haunting her from beyond the grave—and that’s the 51st state of Atlantis! Sure, the city under the sea is all Starbucks and water-logged hipsters now, but since Aquaman was the last person to see the Clown Prince alive, can the King of the Sea provide Harley with some much-needed answers? And will they come in time before the Laughing Boys make their ultimate move? $3.99, 32 PAGES, 3 of 5, 4 of 5
RED HOOD: OUTLAW #30 [01/16] Written by SCOTT LOBDELL, art by PETE WOODS; Will the Red Hood’s latest campaign be his last? Jason’s hot on the heels of the drugs he and Arsenal recently tracked to Beijing, but instead of finally encountering the mysterious Solitary, he finds himself face to face with a figure from his past. Plus, who’s the new Wingman, and why’s he tracking the Red Hood? And how can he and Jason be in the same place at the same time? Find out in “Outlaw” part five! $3.99, 32 PAGES
GREATER DC UNIVERSE
ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER SONS #6 [01/09] Written by PETER J. TOMASI, art by SCOTT GODLEWSKI; The Super Sons are lost in time and space! On the run from the Gang and trapped on the Planet of Secrets and Mystery, Superboy and Robin have lost everything and gotten a glimpse of how their tomorrows may end. When the planet’s mysterious creator returns for his broken creation, the boys find out that tomorrow sucks as much as yesterday! $3.99, 32 PAGES, 6 of 12
DOOMSDAY CLOCK #9 [01/23] Written by GEOFF JOHNS, art by GARY FRANK; The critically acclaimed series by master storytellers Geoff Johns and Gary Frank reaches its most shocking chapter yet when the DC Universe collides with its greatest threat: Dr. Manhattan. But nothing is hidden from Manhattan, and the secrets of the past, present and future will rock the very foundation of the DC Universe. $4.99, 32 PAGES, 9 of 12
HEROES IN CRISIS #4 [01/02] Written by TOM KING, art by CLAY MANN; Wonder Woman versus…Booster Gold?! Diana finds out the hard way that Booster can be a formidable opponent when his back’s against the wall. Of course, being the prime suspect in a superhero massacre and exposing a secret trauma hospital for metahumans will do just that. Meanwhile, Batman and the Flash combine their detective skills to investigate what went awry at Sanctuary and uncover a serious glitch in the system—not to mention an explosive, spoiler-ific secret! $3.99, 32 PAGES, 4 of 9
HEROES IN CRISIS #5 [01/30] Written by TOM KING, art by CLAY MANN; The secrets of the DC Universe are hacked! Sanctuary wasn’t supposed to keep records, but now that the A.I. is compromised, superhero secrets are leaking all over the ’Net. Booster and Harley set aside their differences to focus on who they believe is the real killer (assuming one of them isn’t lying, that is). Meanwhile, Batman and the Flash continue to investigate the mysterious murderer. The answer can be found in Sanctuary…but is it safe to go digging in the crime scene? $3.99, 32 PAGES, 5 of 9
JUSTICE LEAGUE #15-16 [01/09, 01/23] Written by JAMES TYNION IV and SCOTT SNYDER, art by STEPHEN SEGOVIA, JIM CHEUNG and MARK MORALES; #15: Hawk fight! Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl clash with Shayera Hol (also a Hawkgirl) when the League trio tries to break into a secret vault deep within Thanagar Prime—and the feathers are gonna fly! Speaking of secrets, M.M. learns one about himself and Lex Luthor, as related to him by the Martian Keep, guardian of all Martian wisdom and history. Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman must stop Starman from going nova. #16: It’s a mystery in space: Why would the Guardians of the Universe hide top-secret intel deep in the bowels of a secret vault on Thanagar Prime? That’s what Martian Manhunter, GL and Hawkgirl want to know! That’s not the only puzzler popping off either, as an ancient connection that bonds Kendra and Shayera Hol unlocks the secret of the map on Hawkgirl’s Dark Metal wings. Back on Earth, Starman and the Trinity look to create a wormhole that could transport them to Thanagar Prime. The only catch? It could vaporize them! $3.99, 32 PAGES
JUSTICE LEAGUE ANNUAL #1 [01/30] Written by JAMES TYNION IV and SCOTT SNYDER, art by DANIEL SAMPERE and JUAN ALBARRAN; The Source Wall has degraded too much, and the League must patch the hole right now or the whole Multiverse will collapse! Our heroes scramble for a solution and turn to the only thing that might work: the Omega Titans! The only problem? They killed the Entropy Titan back in JUSTICE LEAGUE: NO JUSTICE. Whoops…but never fear! Kyle Rayner, Miss Martian and Steel—from the non-planet-eating Titans team—guest-star with a plan to create a new Entropy Titan…one that’s so crazy it just might work. $4.99, 48 PAGES
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #7 [01/16] Written by JAMES TYNION IV, art by ALVARO MARTINEZ BUENO and RAUL FERNANDEZ; First rule of magic: things can always get worse! Man-Bat learns that the hard way when he plays narrator and chronicles the nightmarish menagerie known as the Otherkind—horrific, monstrous entities such as “the Soup,” “the Rip” and “the Offspring”—that burst through the Sphere of Gods and invaded Earth. The JLD soon realize they’re no match for an invading horde of hellspawn, and to have any kind of chance, they’ll have to go down a darker path. But how much darker can this team get before they become monsters themselves? $3.99, 32 PAGES
JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #4 [01/02] Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, art by PHILIPPE BRIONES; Next stop on the Odyssey—Planet Cyborg! The space-faring Justice League travels to a new world that worships Cyborg, and meets a population that’s obsessed with body modification in preparation for a galactic war. Cyborg and Azrael clash over whether to stop the simmering standoff or continue following the clues left behind by Darkseid. Elsewhere, Starfire and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz infiltrate the society’s upper crust in order to decipher the second language on the codex. $3.99, 32 PAGES
JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #5 [01/30] Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, art by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO; It’s Cyborg and Jessica Cruz versus giant battle robots—to the death! To save her teammates, Starfire must absorb the next language in the Codex in order to gain new, dark powers. But this Rosetta Stone could prove dangerous to Kory! And betrayal looms for the Odyssey League when Rapture kidnaps Azrael and offers him a deal that could save the Ghost Sector—as long as he sells out his teammates. $3.99, 32 PAGES
SUICIDE SQUAD #50 [01/16] Written by ROB WILLIAMS, art by DIOGENES NEVES and SCOTT HANNA; The infection in Temho Me4ta prison spreads, and cannot be allowed to reach the surface. The Suicide Squad is all that stands in the way of a global pandemic. It’s line-in-the-sand time: Will the Squad be forced to live up to its name? Don’t miss this extra-sized anniversary issue! $4.99, 48 PAGES, FINAL ISSUE
TEEN TITANS #26 [01/23] Written by ADAM GLASS, art by BERNARD CHANG; The Teen Titans plot the ultimate break-in—the Batcave! But Batman’s security is no joke, and the Titans will need to work together to get past it without alerting the Dark Knight himself. What’s so important to Damian that he’d betray his father this way? $3.99, 32 PAGES
TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1 [01/30] Written by ADAM GLASS, art by RYAN BENJAMIN; Betrayed by the Red Hood, Damian hunts down Jason Todd and vows vengeance—or death! Meanwhile, Djinn and the rest of the Titans battle one of the Other’s closest allies—Joy Stick! (Making his DCU debut from the Teen Titans Go! universe.) But when Control Freak learns all of Djinn’s most dangerous secrets, Djinn will do anything to keep the Teen Titans from finding out the truth! $4.99, 48 PAGES
YOUNG JUSTICE #1 [01/09] Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, art by PATRICK GLEASON; Superboy! Wonder Girl! Robin! Impulse! Amethyst! They’re all united in YOUNG JUSTICE #1, the debut issue of a brand-new series that also introduces new heroes Teen Lantern and Jinny Hex! When the nightmare dimension known as Gemworld invades Metropolis, these teen heroes reunite to deal with the situation—but they’re shocked to discover the battle may be the key to the return of Conner Kent, a.k.a. Superboy! This mix of fan favorites and new legacy heroes will be the center point for some of the biggest goings-on at DC! As if that weren’t enough, Bendis reunites with all-star artist Patrick Gleason (SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) to bring the new heroes of DC’s Wonder Comics to life! $4.99, 40 PAGES
SECONDARY DC BOOKS
INJUSTICE VS. MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #6 [01/02] Written by TIM SEELEY, art by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II; He-Man is beset on all sides—by enemies and allies alike. If he helps Superman use the Nexus, he may save Earth from ever falling to injustice. But Skeletor has a marvelous trick up his sleeve! The battle rages, but who will prevail? $3.99, 32 PAGES, 6 of 6
MYSTERIES OF LOVE IN SPACE #1 [01/30] Written by JAMES TYNION IV, SALADIN AHMED, CECIL CASTELLUCCI, KYLE HIGGINS, JEFF LOVENESS and others, art by TOM GRUMMETT, KYLE HOTZ, ELENA CASAGRANDE, MAX DUNBAR and others; Sometimes love can make you feel like you’re from another planet…but what if you actually were? Join Superman, The New Gods, Green Lantern, Starro, Hawkgirl and even the Teen Titans’ new sensation Crush for eight tales of romance that will whisk you to the moon and back! $9.99, 80 PAGES
TEEN TITANS GO! #32 [01/23] Written by AMANDA DEIBERT and J. TORRES, art by ERICH OWEN and AGNES GARBOWSKA; Starfire is “Snowbunny’s Fool” when Robin takes the team to a ski resort—but it’s cold-weather-hater Raven who really surprises her teammates! And back in Titans Tower, things go awry when watching “Friendly the Snowman” provides the wrong kind of inspiration! $2.99, 32 PAGES
