TBU Comics Guide for August 2016

Welcome to the TBU Comics Guide for August 2016.  This new article is your place to come for upcoming solicitations and everything else you can expect for August 2016.  For the month of August, we are bringing you the important story points to look out for, a helpful release schedule (with notes for any cancellations, new series or delays as they are announced),  as well as creator changes information from issue to issue.  August brings the continuation of DC’s Rebirth with several new titles launching, the continuation of a few New-52 era titles, as well as a big focus on both Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad to coincide with the release of the Suicide Squad film.  So, buckle up for your preview to everything coming from the TBU in August.

Title Announcements and Schedule:

Other Solicitation Notes and News:

• Although a big portion of Rebirth announcements have focused on each new title coming with a $2.99 price point, All-Star Batman #1.  This may be due to longer page counts.
• Only the Rebirth books have the lower price point as New-52 era books and miniseries continue at pre-Rebirth pricing levels.
• DK3: The Master Race #6 has been resolicited for August 31.
• DC has cancelled the last five issues (#9 – #12) of Justice League of America as well as Annual #1.

Story Notes and Covers:

Rebirth TBU Titles:

• All-Star Batman #1 sees Batman beginning to take Two-Face to a destination outside Gotham City with every assassin and bounty hunter out to kill Batman.
• Batgirl #2 brings Batgirl to Singapore as she dives into the world of MMA fighting under the guidance of the ancient superhero Fruit Bat.
• Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1 finds Batgirl, Black Canary and Huntress all after the same criminal using the name of Oracle but for different reasons and with different goals in mind.
• Batman #4-5 sees Batman continuing to struggle with whether to trust the new team of heroes in Gotham and answer the question of what kind of hero Gotham deserves as the first arc of the new title comes to an end.
• Detective Comics #938-939 finds Batman, Batwoman and their team still continuing to fight against Colony.
• Harley Quinn #1-2 starts the new “Die Laughing” story as Harley deals with Zombies on Coney Island.
• Nightwing #2-3 sees Dick and his new mentor Raptor working for the Parliament of Owls with Batgirl trying to convince Dick of the error of his ways.
• In Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, Jason must prove he belongs in Gotham’s criminal underworld in order to go after Black Mask.

DCU Titles:

• Justice League #2-3 sees an ancient intelligence hive mind called the Awakened turn the citizens of the world against anyone with superpowers forcing Batman to turn to the one man he trusts less than anyone for help.
• Rick Flagg comes back to the Suicide Squad in Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 while Task Force X investigates a top secret cosmic item in Suicide Squad #1.
• Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Boomerang #1 starts a new ongoing series featuring two classic Suicide Squad members.
• John Ostrander returns to writing Task Force X with the one-shot Suicide Squad: War Crimes Special #1.
• Titans #2 sees the team preparing to do the unthinkable to fight the person who stole time itself from the DCU

New-52 Era Continuing Titles and Mini-Series:

• Batman Beyond #15 sees Tim fight against Spellbinder.
• In Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs Peel # 2 the heroes must save Catwoman!
• Dark Knight III: The Master Race #6 asks whether Gotham is ready for its new Batgirl.
• DC Comics Bombshells #16 sees Batwoman, Catwoman, Zatanna, Harley and Ivy begin to link up to work together as a rebellion while DC Comics Bombshells Annual #1 tells the secret origin of Batgirl, the first Bombshell.
• Earth 2 Society Annual #1 finds Dick Grayson searching for his missing son and struggling with living up to the legacy of being Earth 2’s Batman.
• Gotham Academy Annual #1 sees a fissure form in the Detective Club as the group investigates a mysterious disease plaguing the student body.
• Harley’s Little Black Book #5 an alien race for Superman into a boxing match with Harley Quinn as Neal Adams returns to do art in a tribute to a popular Superman story from the 1970s.
• Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys #5 shows the secret origin of Harley Sinn.
• Injustice Year 5 #15, Batman forms an alliance with Hawkman to fight against Superman’s regime.
• Teen Titans #23 finds the team fighting against HIVE as they try to destroy New Orleans.

Creator Information:

Since this is the first month for our new solicitations format, this section will include a complete list of creators for each upcoming title.  In the future, this section will mostly note only creative team changes from the regular writers and pencilers.

• All Star Batman #1 – Written by Scott Snyder with Art by John Romita Jr, Danny Miki, and Declan Shalve
• Batgirl #2 – Written by Hope Larson with Art by Rafael Albuquerque
• Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1 – Written by Julie and Shawna Benson with Art by Claire Roe
• Batman #4-5 – Written by Tom King with Art by David Finch and Matt Banning
• Batman Beyond #15 Written by Dan Jurgens with Art by Bernard Chang
• Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs Peel #2 Written by Ian Edginton with Art by Matthew Dow Smith
• Detective Comics #938-939 – Written by James Tynion IV with Art by Alvar Martinez and Raul Fernandez
• DC Comics Bombshells # 16 – Written by Marguerite Bennett with Art by Laura Braga and Mirka Andolfo
• DC Comics Bombshells Annual #1 – Written by Marguaerite Bennett with Art by Elsa Charretier
• Earth 2 Society #15  and Annual #1 – Written by Dan Abnett with Art by Federico Dallochio
• Gotham Academy Annual #1 – Written by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher with Art by Adam Archer, Michael Dialynas and Chistian Wildgoose.
• Harley Quinn #1-2 – Written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with Art by Chad Hardin
• Harley’s Little Black Book #5 Written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with Art by Neal Adams.
• Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys #5 Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Frank Tieri with Art by Mauricet
• Injustice Year 5 #15 Written by Brian Buccellato with Art by Xermanico
• Justice League #2-3 Written by Bryan Hitch with Art by Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea
• Nightwing #2-3 Written by Tim Seeley with Art by Javier Fernandez
• Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 – Written by Scott Lobdell with Art by Dexter Soy
• Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 – Written by Rob Williams with Art by Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion
• Suicide Squad #1 – Written by Rob Williams with Art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
• Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Boomerang – Written by Jai Nitz and Michael Moreci with Art by Cliff Richards and Oscar Bazaldua
• Suicide Squad War Crimes Special #1 Written by John Ostrander with Art by Gus Vazques
• Teen Titans #23 Written by Tony Bedard with Art by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund
• Titans #2 –  Written by Dan Abnett with Art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund

Click Here for a full list of DC’s August Solicitations