It’s been so long since our last meeting to discuss the latest news that some real actual bats have taken control of the cave. There is also another kind of mammal joining us, one big white elephant. Nuptial white. Or should I say, non-nuptial, because that wedding did not go so well, after all, did it? I won’t dwell on it for long, our dear podcasters have a much better outlet for opinions on such themes. Besides, my favorite elephant is Zitka, and she is not the white kind.
As July rolls by, we’re getting closer and closer to more of the #50 and #25 issues of Rebirth. Our breakdown of September’s solicitations is already out, and we can see that many of the Gotham titles are taking new directions starting with their anniversary issues. Red Hood will return to his renegade status, Batgirl will get a new costume and return to Gotham proper, Damian is leading a new team of Teen Titans, Batman is… well. I guess we have no idea where it is going. But then there is Nightwing and Detective Comics. Nightwing has been solicited up to #49 and the preview of the issue indicates something involving Metron’s chair – and that, we all know, has never bode well. Besides, the back and forth with the shipping schedule might have been DC wanting to have a little more time between Batman #50 and Nightwing #50. Then again, maybe I’m just going batty. As for Detective Comics, the #1000 issue is ever closer and there is still no permanent creative team attached. More curious and curious, I am.
September will also bring the first issue of Heroes in Crisis, Tom King’s next project. The latest DC Nation, which can be acquired for free on Comixology, features a page teasing the project. With a collection of heroes, it is revealed that two of them will be killed, three of them will be suspect, and that one of them is the culprit. Remarkable is the absence of Batman, while the other members of the Trinity are featured.
On to sadder news, this week one of the biggest names in comics departed from our world. Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man, has moved on to another sphere. He is largely known for his work in Marvel, undoubtedly, but since we’re in the Batcave let us not forget Ditko’s creations in Batman’s house. Without him, there’d be no Shade, the Changing Man, no Hawk and Dove, no Creeper, and, most importantly, no Blue Beetle, the Question and Captain Atom. That means that without this guy there would also be no Watchmen, for these were the original characters that later evolved into Owlman, Rorschach, and Dr. Manhattan. Rest in peace, Mr. Ditko. You were one of the greats.
BATMAN
Tom King, Lee Weeks, Matt Wagner, Tony S. Daniel
So, Batman #50 happened. Mixed feelings over here, between liking the issue but being slightly annoyed that publicity pushed something that was clearly not in King’s plans all along. But Batman never dies, and so we shall survive to see what’s coming up next. One thing we know, and that is that Mr. Freeze will be involved in the following arc, and with LEE WEEKS doing the art it can’t possibly be any less than remarkable.
And you know who else is coming to Batman? Dick Grayson. Dick Grayson being written by Tom King, who, in my books, is the official best Grayson writer of recent years. TONY DANIEL is the one drawing the issues, and he has been sharing a ton of – lord help me I can’t control myself – Dick… images. Free falling Dick, Dick doing a pose, and, my favorite, Dick being Bruce’s sunshine in the rain. Cue in “You Are My Sunshine”.
NIGHTWING
Benjamin Percy, Christopher Mooneyham, Otto Schmidt, Amancay Nahuelpan
One of the details slipped into September’s solicitations was the return of Nightwing to double shipping. There will also be a change in art, as AMANCAY NAHUELPN joins the ranks for issues #48 and #49. He’s shared a couple of shots of his work for the title: smiling boy Dickie and wet Dickie (pun completely on him this time).
BATGIRL
Mairghread Scott, Dan Panosian, Paul Pelletier, Elena Casagrande
Since it’s been a while since the last time we’ve been to the Batcave, it won’t hurt to bring up some older news, will it? After a 3 year run of Burnside, Batgirl will be getting a new look. Designed by SEAN MURPHY, Barbara’s new costume is a mixture of her look in Batgirl Year One and Murphy’s White Knight, plus a few new tweaks, like the Bat-shaped backpack.
The new look will be debuting on the second issue of Mairghread Scott’s run, as she revealed in an interview given to DC All Access this week. Her run is due to start with issue #25, coming out in a couple of weeks. DAN PANOSIAN, one of the artists working on the issue, has shared a mashup of panels. It seems the issue will heavily feature Dick Grayson while he fills in as Batman.
BATWOMAN
Marguerite Bennett, Fernando Blanco
We’re now two issues away from the final chapter of Batwoman’s run after the Rebirth relaunch. Accompanying Kate in this farewell is Renée Montoya, who’ll be one of the major characters of the last arc. FERNANDO BLANCO, who’s been on the title for a while now, shared some of his drawings for the title, featuring and Renée attending some fancy event and Harvey Bullock.
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS
Scott Lobdell, Dexter Soy, Clayton Henry, Pete Woods
With issue #26 Red Hood will be going in a new direction and, sadly, DEXTER SOY, the bringer of thunder thighs, will be leaving the title. He’s already wrapped up his work on issue #25, his last one, but I guess we can expect his Ninja Hood to pop up every once in a while.
