Tag: Batman

Top 5 Picks for 4/21/12

Amazing Spider-Man Ends of the Earth teaser courtesy Marvel.com

Amazing Spider-Man #682 Doctor Octopus holds the planet hostage in part one of Ends of the Earth. Spidey’s old foe unleashes a new Sinister Six but Peter Parker calls in the Avengers for backup!

Batman #7 Batman barely survived with his life and sanity after The Court of Owls first attack. The secret society is plotting their next assault. Secrets exposed in this issue will change Bruce’s world.

Last of the Greats Volume 1 Humanity’s last hope hates us. He’s the lone survivor of a superhero family and the only force that can save Earth from destruction but he despises humans. This is the Zanadu Book of the Month our group is reading.

Supercrooks #1 From the creative force behind Kick Ass and Marvel’s Civil War and Old Man Logan comes a a team of supervillains out to pull off one last big score in Europe.

Uncanny X-Men #9 An outer space prison break unleashes an army of alien criminals on Earth. The mastermind is a wicked cross between CP-3O and Hannibal Lecter. A disaster like this brings the X-Men and Avengers together for their last teamup before the Avengers Vs. X-Men war erupts.

Batman Vs Zombie Owls

Batman #8 variant courtesy DC Comics

  Batman must survive the Night of the Owls, an upcoming crossover clawing into all the Batman family of books. Batman #8 includes the first of a series of back-up stories exploring history of the Court of Owls, the mysterious secret society manipulating Gotham City. DC Comics revealed a first look at the issue’s variant cover by fan-favorite artist Jason Fabok.

 “The description for this cover was that Batman was being tackled, or smothered by the Court of Owls,” Fabok told THE SOURCE. “The idea of the court reaching down to Batman in a zombie like manner immediately sprang to mind.  Artistically I really wanted to play with the shadows on both Batman and the owl-masked men so I added a strong source light on one side to light the shot. I used my camera on my Macbook to get some rough shadow reference and went from there. I penciled the piece traditionally but inked it digitally on my cintiq. Peter did a great job as usual on colors. I’m very humbled to have had the opportunity to do a Batman cover, especially in connection with such an excellent Batman run.”

   Batman #8 is by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. The back-up story is co-written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV and illustrated by Snyder’s American Vampire artistic partner Rafael Albuquerque. The issue flies into stores on April 18th.

 

Top 5 Picks for 3/14/12

Saucer Country #1

Saucer Country #1 A Presidential candidate’s frightening encounter on a lonely road leaves her with terrifying memory flashes. Now she must win the White House to expose the truth and save the world.

Saga #1 An original sci-fi epic for mature readers from the man behind Y: The Last Man and Lost. A couple struggles to raise their newborn in an endless galactic war. Fans are calling this Star Wars meets Game of Thrones.

Avengers Assemble #1 The Zodiac attacks! This new series stars the cast of the upcoming Avengers movie against a brand new version of one of their deadliest enemies.

Wolverine and the X-Men #7 courtesy Marvel

Wolverine and the X-Men #7 Kitty Pryde pregnant with aliens. Beast, Rachel and Iceman shrunken and inside the body of their teammate trying to save her. Broo under attack from a new alien threat. Wolverine’s gamble in a galactic casino backfires. Adventures in outer and inner space with the comic book that delivers more fun than anything on the shelves!

Batgirl #7 The Joker attacked Batgirl and changed her life forever in the classic Batman: The Killing Joke. See a side of that fateful night you’ve never experiences before. While Barbara faces her demons a new killer stalks Gotham City.

 

 

The Mastermind Behind The Court of Owls Revealed in Batman #10

 

Batman #10 courtesy DC Comics
    The Night of the Owls crossover flies across all Batmanfamily of titles in May. The Dark Knight’s allies will face different versions of the Talon, enforcer for the Court of Owls. The mysterious organization has been secretly manipulating Gotham City for decades. 

  Today DC Comics revealed the cover and solicit for Batman #10 in June teasing that in this issue Batman takes the fight to the Court of Owls and we learn the mastermind behind the secret society.

  Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are the creative team behind this epic new chapter in Batman history.

Jim Lee’s Free Comic Book Day Cover Revealed

courtesy DC Comics

 The secret is out! Jim Lee’s cover to DC Comics The New 52 Free Comic Book Day Edition. The big three: Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman share the cover with what I assume is the mystery woman, Pandora.

 Here’s your first look at the until-now top-secret cover by DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee. The legendary artist will also be illustrating five pages for the comic book’s interior, including a four-page JUSTICE LEAGUE gatefold to accompany a brand new story by New York Times bestselling writer and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns.

 Lee also created custom art for the Free Comic Book Day t-shirt, featuring his redesign of the JUSTICE LEAGUE for DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 in an homage to a classic piece by José Luis García-López. Free Comic Book Day is May 5th.

Justice League Vs Darkseid

 

Justice League #6 variant cover courtesy DC Comics

 DC’s greatest heroes united only to be blasted by Darkseid!  Can the team regroup to stop the ultimate villain? Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s Justice League #6 arrives this week.

  USA Today has an exclusive preview images of the climatic battle and interviews wth the creators.

“You really see Batman’s superpower is elevating the others around him,” said Johns. “Other than being a great tactician and a great fighter, he does know how to motivate people in the right way and crack into them like a safe.”

 “Every character steps up and does something important in taking down Darkseid and saving the day. That’s the trick to any team book facing one ultimate bad guy is how do you get every character doing something meaningful, and the story delivers on that,” adds Lee.

  This issue has a backup story setting the stage for the next arc in issue 7 and brings the Justice League 5 years forward into present day DC Comics New 52 continuity. Thanks to The Source.

  Johns and Lee have succeeded beautifully at creating a new origin for these iconic characters. It’s been a thrill ride with action, humor and drama. I have to agree with Johns that Batman has this power to inspire. Bruce Wayne and Hal Jordan’s interaction has been a favorite part of this arc. I can’t wait for the big throwdown this week!

 

Earth 2 Batman Revealed

Batman of Earth 2 designed by Jim Lee courtesy DC

  DC Comics The New 52 is doubling down with a Second Wave of new titles crashing this May and the debut of a parallel world. The Source revealed the Batman of Earth 2 designed by Jim Lee and a big teaser from Earth 2 editor Pat McCallum.

“Who will Batman kill to save his own daughter?” asks McCallum. “Right out of the gate that should tell you we’re dealing with a different kind of Dark Knight here. More ruthless, dangerous…the costume is familiar and yeah, there is a Wayne under the mask, but we’re looking at a man desperate to save the only family he has left. Earth 2 is about to become a very bad place to be a bad guy.”

Batman Talon Triple Shot: 3 Lethal Looks

Talon design courtesy DC Comics

  The Night of the Owls event affects the Batman family of books as the secret society unleashes an army of assassins knows as Talons on Gotham City’s heroes. Talons from different eras will attack different members of the Bat-family. The Source revealed three new designs a century apart.

  Scott Snyder’s American Vampire collaborator Rafael Albuquerque created the 1980’s version of the Court’s Talon appearing in the back-up stories in Batman.

  “I’ve tried to bring a clerical look,” he said. “Ceremonial, but also, something an assassin could use. Needless to say that I’ve followed what Greg awesomely did on the original Talon design, but also tried to do something different, with more leather than metal, and a cloak, to resemble almost a religious look to him.”

Talon design courtesy DC Comics

  Jason Todd, Arsenal and Starfire will face a slick almost reptilian version of the eternal assassin.

  “Our Talon is from the 1980s, so I think it reflects a very modern look,” said Bobbie Chase, Red Hood and the Outlaws series editor. “Our character is also an acrobat, and Kenneth [Rocafort] did a great, dynamic job with the design.”

  The Talons were back in the 1880’s along with Jonah Hex. Here’s the design for the henchman appearing in All-Star Western.

 “I first went to Racinet’s history of western costume. Then I looked a little harder at Ospery’s armies of the Napoleonic wars,” teased All Star Western artist Moritat, tongue firmly in cheek. “After several sketches I leaned toward  Prussian cavalry, specifically Borstell’s Pomeranian brigade.”

Do you have a favorite Talon look yet? Night of the Owls begins this May.

By Editor