Three critical stories of the past in the Batman family of books out this week.
Batman #0 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo takes us back to Bruce Wayne returning from this global quest and ready to declare war on crime. See how the uniform, car and gadgets were born.
Batgirl #0 How did Barbara Gordon first become Batgirl? Gail Simone and Ed Benes tell the origin of Batgirl and how she fought her way back into the cape and cowl after a terrifying attack.
Batman and Robin #0 The current Robin was raised to be a lethal assassin by his mother. Witness Damian’s early life under the grip of Talia Al Ghul in this tale by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason.
These zero issues are part of DC Comics marking the one year anniversary of launching The New 52. All the September DC titles will #0 and be stand-alone stories.
“Some issues will tell the origins of a character or a team, or in some case where an origin has already been told, they will fill in the blanks in terms of questions readers may have about the New 52 DC Universe,” said Bob Harras, DC Entertainment Editor-in-Chief. “Each of these issues promises to reveal something surprising.”
More zero issues this week include Deathstroke, Demon Knights, Frankenstein Agent of SHADE, Green Lantern Corps, Grifter, Legion Lost, Superboy, Team 7 and The Ravagers.
Pax cospay and pet photo by Josh Lewis, Seattle Pulp
Pax Prime has come to Seattle! Gaming lovers have united in my home city to celebrate! One of the Emerald City’s best photographers (and ComicsBlend collaborator) Josh Lewis is capturing all the cosplay and craziness! Look for Josh’s pics on Seattle Pulp this weekend! Grrrrr!
Rick Remender and John Cassaday lead the Marvel NOW relaunch with Uncanny Avengers this October. Remender and Editor Tom Brevoort revealed their launch plan for the new team made of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Children of the Atom in today’s Marvel.com LiveBlog.
Captain America assembles Thor, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch, Rogue and Havok against a reborn Red Skull. Why does the classic villain unite Avengers and X-Men?
“The Red Skull has an anti-mutant agenda. It’s a modern perspective on who he was back in World War II Germany. Mutants are a boogeyman he can get behind and build his power base off of. He’s gathered a group of followers all of whom have bad experiences in their background involving mutants. They’re his version of the X-Men, but preaching that humans and mutants cannot live together, that this is a race war humanity cannot win unless they line up behind The Red Skull,” explains Brevoort.
“One of the goals is making The Red Skull the threat he deserves to be. That spreads across the Marvel Universe. I’ve had talks with Kieron Gillen about Iron Man. The shared universe is a big deal,” continues Remender, “You want one guy out there who is just pure evil, and that’s The Red Skull.”
Uncanny Avengers #2 courtesy Marvel
“John Cassaday’s Red Skull is particularly creepy and effective. Getting to play with that character was a big selling point of the book for him,” says Brevoort.
Cassiday and Brevoort reveal Professor Xavier and Magneto will turn up in the new series.
“Given the relationship of the characters, given the worldview of the book, it seems like it’s inevitable that, if he’s in the position to do so coming out of AvX, Magneto would show up at some point,” explains Brevoort.
“It’s fair to say that Xavier is very important to Uncanny Avengers. He’s pretty critical and you’ll definitely see him in the book,” continues Brevoort.
The teasers have said the formation of the team is a threat to Professor X’s dream.
“Charles’ relationships with these characters and his current status quo play a huge role in this book,” says Remender.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Avengers vs. X-Men had been building for years. The writer says the post-AvX lineups have been mapped out carefully.
“A lot of thought has been put into how these characters interact and the consequences of how they’ve been thrown together. That’s the fun of it beyond who they’re going to punch to save the world,” explains Remender, “One of the toughest but most rewarding things about this book has been figuring out how to make sure in every arc that A meets X.”
A reborn Red Skull is a huge threat but Remender will throw Kang and Apocalypse at the new team too.
“I’m getting the most excited about is how the villains and their plots mix and mash. Three of the biggest villains in the Marvel Universe play roles in what will culminate in a huge story over the first 20 pages,” explains the writer. Remender’s Apocalypse story from Uncanny X-Force will carry over into the new series.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Marvel revealed some of the first pages from inside the premiere issue: Cap and Thor ready for action and a bizarre operation in which a bomb appears to be planted in the brain of a victim who had visions of the Phoenix!
“You couldn’t respectfully call it a Judge Dredd movie if I’m taking my helmet off,” says actor Karl Urban, star of Dredd 3D.
“Thank You!” respond Judge Dredd fans!
“That’s the way the character was conceived by [‘Dredd’ creator John Wagner] back in 1975. I was a fan of this comic growing up, and when I learned that they were going to do a completely new reboot, I read the script, and as soon as I saw that we were treating it with respect that was it,” continues Urban in a new MTV feature.
I wanted to share this cool new featurette that includes commentary from Judge Dredd creator John Wagner, director Pete Travis and writer Alex Garland.
“He’s your greatest hero and biggest nightmare wrapped up in one,” says Wagner. Take a look at see why!
Tony Daniel wraps up his year on Detective Comics with the rogues running the show! Detective Comics Annual #1 picks up after the Night of the Owls tie-in issue. Black Mask is back. Roman Sionis turns the table on Dr. Jeremiah Arkham and is reviving the False Face Society. Daniel uses Clayface, Tweetledum and Tweetledee but it’s how he uses a mystery villain against Sionis that’s the most wicked use of the rogues.
Romano Molenaar and Pere Perez split the art duties on this story. Both artists have styles that remind me of Tony Daniel and Gary Frank. Batman’s showdown with a new foe, the big reveal and final showdown are great moments in the carnival setting.
When villains are this fun it’s ok to have Batman in the background as he tracks down the Black Mask. This story is a perfect fit for the Annual style. Daniel will draw next month’s Detective Comics #0 then joins Geoff Johns on Justice League.
In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men – the Uncanny Avengers are born. Captain America assembles Thor, Wolverine, Rogue, Scarlet Witch and Havok against the threat of a reborn Red Skull and his S-Men. Rick Remender and John Cassaday launch this first book of the Marvel NOW relaunch in October.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Marvel revealed the first look inside Uncanny Avengers #1. Three inked pages by John Cassaday show an attack in the heart of New York City.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Marvel calls this the Red Skull’s first attack. It sure looks like Avalanche – a former member of Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The villain was last seen a reformed man running a bar out west.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Captain America and Thor rush into action. Cap hurls himself into battle against the villain while the Odinson is flying survivors out of the danger zone.
Marvel also says this premiere issue will include the funeral of a great hero and threaten Professor Xavier’s dream. I can only imagine what Rick Remender has planned. He is one fearless writer!
It’s so good to see John Cassaday drawing Marvel heroes again!
Come for the kiss. Stay for the drama. Justice League #12 features the much hyped kiss between Superman and Wonder Woman but this issue packs a ton of other great moments and leaves me wanting more.
Most non-comic book readers have been upset about Lois Lane getting ditched. Most of them don’t know about the rebooted New 52 continuity. Wonder Woman’s great love gets a world of hurt in this story. League government liaison Steve Trevor is the poor guy who gets dumped then fired by the Amazon princess.
This story may be remembered as the issue that brought Clark and Diana together but the team nearly rips apart. The new villain Graves uses his powers to torment the League with ghosts of their pasts.
The aftermath of the battle is the best part of the story. One member quits. One member makes a play for leadership. All of them are under fire from the country they’re trying to protect thanks to the villain’s manipulations.
Jim Lee is acclaimed for his beautiful art, muscled heroes, gorgeous heroines and big screen action. I have to point out the heartbreaking anguish of Diana, the battered Steve Trevor and Superman’s desperate fear when he thinks he might lose Diana.
The best part of the story is after the great showdown with the new villain. The fallout of the fight is one standout moment after another. Lee draws the hell out of big fight sequences but his best work in this issue is when he’s showing the emotionally beaten Diana leave Steve for Superman.
The final pages show the New 52 debut of a character with her own agenda for the Justice League, the threat of Graves is not over and the fractures within the team will shake out into huge conflicts in upcoming issues. I came for the super kiss. Johns and Lee have me seduced by what’s next.
