Young Romance: A New 52 Special #1 courtesy DC Comics
Superman and Wonder Woman on a date in civilian clothes! Catwoman and Batman mixing crime and passion! Nightwing and Batgirl potentially hooking up…with other lovers? DC Comics’ hottest gay couple split on the most romantic holiday?
Fan favorite writers like Ann Nocenti, Andy Diggle and Kyle Higgins spin tales of love and intrigue in a big comic book perfect for the comic book lover this Valentine’s Day.
Young Romance: A New 52 Special #1 courtesy DC Comics
Young Romance: A New 52 Valentine’s Day Special #1 is out tomorrow. The big question: how does these six love stories fit into continuity or is this just a romantic diversion?
What super couple do you want to see hook up in the New 52?
Zanadu Comics Seattle First Round Table Group 1/11/12
My Seattle hood comic book shop invited me to share my most anticipated comic books for 2013! Here are the new books, events and trends to look out for this year! Here is a special Zanadu Comics Videoblog:
Thanks to Perry, Howard, Casey, Morgan and Erin for a great experience every book comic Wednesday and for inviting me to share my geeky knowledge and excitement. Visit ZanaduComics.com for Casey and Morgan’s weekly picks!
The Joker is tormenting Bruce Wayne and promising the Death of the Family in the Batman books. Talia Al Ghul’s Leviathan has claimed an ally of Batman’s global family in Batman Inc.
Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham are bringing the pain to Gotham City in this week’s Batman Incorporated #7. This is just one of Burnham’s pages courtesy Comics Newsarama. Bruce’s ex-lover wants put his Batman franchise out of business. The battered heroes lost one of their own. In this issue we see the aftermath of Leviathan’s shocking assault. Damian will take on his mother’s champion with the fate of Gotham City hanging in the balance.
Avengers #4 In the aftermath of the cosmic clash on Mars Jonathan Hickman sends the Avengers into the Savage Land and explores the origin of the new Hyperion.
Batman Inc #7 Can Damian save Gotham City? The survivors of Batman Inc take the offensive against Talia and her Leviathan.
Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #1Celebrate the Time Lord’s 50th Anniversary with this brand new IDW series starring ALL ELEVEN Time Lords! The adventure kicks off with first Doctor (William Hartnell) and the giant bugs, the Zarbi!
Hawkeye #7 The Avenging Archer helps victims of Hurricane Sandy in this special issue. You can help them too. The more issues are sold the bigger check writer Matt Fraction will write to help the recovery effort.
Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 courtesy DC Comics
Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 The story that gets you ready for the upcoming video game starring DC Comics’ greatest heroes and villains from the makers of Mortal Kombat.
Invincible #100 Which path will Mark Grayson choose? Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley celebrate 10 years and 100 issues.
It’s curtains at the circus with tents of terror courtesy of the Joker in this week’s Nightwing #16. Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows create a violent, spooky study in evil winning. Dick runs to Haly’s Circus only to find one horrific hearbreak after another.
This may become the ultimate Nightwing versus Joker clash. When I think of all the tie-in issues of Death of the Family this may be the toughest to read as the Joker unleashes one shocker after another at Dick until the final moment that will leave you guessing until the finale in Batman #17.
Batman fans are recovering from the shocking events of this week’s Batman #16. What Bruce discovered inside Arkham Asylum was the Joker at his most horrific and demented. (A literal Dance of Death!)
Next month’s Batman #17 is the final chapter of Death of the Family and we learn the Joker’s full plan and how it will affect the Batman family. Writer Scott Snyder is talking about what to expect in the grand finale:
“Well, I can tell you there are definitely some insane moments in the conclusion and some crazy things happen so, I’ve always been braced for it as something that isn’t designed to just shock for the sake of shocking, but is the culmination of the story in a way that feels organic and surprising,” Snyder tells The Huffington Post. “I can’t remember who it was, but I had a teacher that gave me a writing quote when I was a student that said ‘Every ending should be both inevitable and totally surprising,’ and I completely believe that. Hopefully this is an ending that feels organic to the story we’ve been telling, and when you get there you’ll say ‘I can’t believe this just happened,’ and at the same time, you’ll feel that it’s a cumulative, horrible thing out of everything that’s been going on.”
Batman #17 courtesy DC Comics
Snyder and Greg Capullo have transformed the Clown Prince of Crime into a something even more horrific. This story could take Bruce back to his origin when it was just Batman – no Robins, no Batgirl, no one else. In a twisted way is the Joker making Bruce a “better” Batman?
“Joker is coming at Batman from a place of very personal terror for me. And a place of personal guilt, and also a place of great personal anxiety,” Snyder told PopMatters. “So I think he is coming after Bruce in a way that is getting at a very, very personal story for Bruce. Because as much as Bruce loves the Family, you could make the accusation that in some ways he wishes he could stop worrying about them. Does that me he wishes they didn’t exist? Of course not. Does that mean he doesn’t love them? No, of course not. But that’s the way the Joker interprets it. The Joker says, ‘You’ve become slow and weak, and you’ve become nothing of the Batman I used to know. So deep down I know you’re unhappy. And I’ve heard you think this almost (not in a supernatural way, but just in a kind of figurative way),’ So he says, ‘Let me grant you your wish, because I’m here to serve you. And we’ll have so much fun afterwards.’”
Batman #16 Bruce is about to confront the Joker in this critical Death of the Family chapter. The Joker’s plan is finally revealed inside Arkham Asylum. Is Batman ready the showdown? Are you ready to see what the Joker has waiting inside?
New Avengers #2 Marvel’s biggest brains gather to plan for the death of the Earth and everything? Black Panther assembles Namor, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Black Bolt and Doctor Strange but have the new Illuminati already given up?
Saga #9 The sci-fi space opera switches focus from the bounty hunter whose been track the star-crossed lovers of the series. The Will make have his own romantic hands full with an alien temptress.
Savage Wolverine #1 Logan. Shanna the She-Devil. The Savage Land. Frank Cho. That should be a ’nuff said but in just in case: Dinosaurs. SHIELD. Shanna by Cho!
X-Factor #250 Lords of Hell battle to control Earth. Will the heroes of X-Factor Investigations sacrifice themselves to stop the Hell On Earth war?
In The Dark Knight Trilogy Ra’s Al Ghul told Bruce Wayne to become a symbol to fight injustice. In this week’s Detective Comics #16 the Joker has become an inspirational symbol to Gotham City’s unhinged and mentally unstable. The Joker never appear in this excellent issue (or does he?) but his sinister influence chokes this issue like Joker gas creeping into you.
In this Death of the Family tie-in Batman fights to stop bands of Joker fans and wannabes. John Layman and Jason Fabok craft a chilling tale of madness and manipulation among ordinary people pushed over the edge and ruthless new criminals seizing their claims in Gotham City. Layman shows us the ramifications of the Joker’s comeback.
Batman races across Gotham trying to stop the violence and track down the mysterious League of Smiles. The real madman behind the outbreak may not be the Joker but a new holy terror. Another new villain is taking advantage of the Joker’s rampage. While Oswald Cobblepot has been recruited by the Joker the Emperor Penguin makes his move on the crime lords of Gotham City. The back story showing the new villain’s rise to power is chilling and fun.
John Layman, Jason Fabok and Andy Clarke deliver a fun read that ties loosely into Death of the Family while setting the stage for new enemies and showdowns in Gotham City’s Underworld.
