The Dark Knight is the talons of the Council of Owls in Batman. Now Bruce’s hometown has another enemy with sharp teeth to face. Vampires are taking their war to Gotham City. DC Comics revealed on The Source that Andrew Bennett and the Queen of Blood are coming to Batman’s town in I, Vampire.
“Up until now, we’ve been telling a story that’s very insular, and the vampires have struck and run. Well, in issue 5 that ends. Now they come face to face with the Batman, and it’s not going to end well for anyone. Plus, doesn’t Batman have those friends who call themselves the Justice League Dark?” teased writer Joshua Hale Fialkov.
The I, Vampire, Justice League Dark crossover begins in March.
The geek in me immediately thought of the gripping Identity Crisis epic but I won’t go there as DC Entertainment reveals a new brand identity.
“It was just a few months ago that Superman, Batman and many of our other Super Heroes were updated when we launched DC Comics – The New 52 and now it’s time to do the same for the company’s identity while remaining true to the power of storytelling which is still at the heart of DC Entertainment,” said John Rood, EVP, Sales Marketing and Business Development for DC Entertainment.
courtesy DC Comics The Source
“It was our goal to capture DC Entertainment in a dynamic and provocative identity. Our solution is a living expression which changes and adapts to the characters, story lines and the ways fans are consuming content,” say Nicolas Aparicio, Executive Creative Director at Landor Associates. “The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.”
You can read entire press release and see more versions of the logo on DC Comics The Source.
China Miéville is part of DC Comics The New 52 Second Wave. The Best Selling Fantasy Novelist is taking on the cult classic title Dial H for Hero.
DC’s The Source asked Miéville about the transition to writing his first comic book series and his inspiration.
“Pretty much, I suspect, as people would imagine. Lots of nerves – because comic fans are appropriately passionate and unforgiving, and because it’s a very different kind of writing. I have tended to write at length, I’m a person who likes descriptions and rococo prose, so having to strip that out, or rely on dialogue and so on, has been something I’ve been very nervous about getting right. All of which said, it’s also been an unremitting delight to learn a new way of working. I like doing stuff that’s collaborative, too – writing comics, involving very direct and ongoing editing, more than novels (which save it up for the end), working with cover artists, interior artists, bearing in mind everyone else writing in the universe, the history of the world you’re writing in, and so on, is much more like being part of a gang than my usual stuff. I think it’s gone well. I guess ultimately you have to ask the readers, though.”
“The initial joy that title always gave me was because making up superheroes is so ridiculously enjoyable, it’s a basic game that all of us into comics play, it was always part of our draw for the world of capes. I doubt there’s many comics geeks who didn’t have scraps of papers covered in garish designs and ‘cool’ superhero names. Dial H is the title above all other that is the celebration of the superherogenerative drive – it’s a superhero comic, and a metasuperhero comic at the same time.
Combine that, when I was a little older, with ongoing excitement at how little of the backstory and the universe of Dial H was ever explained, and I find that combination of child-geeky ludic delight and unusually opaque foundations unique in the DC universe, and indeed in any other comic universe of which I know. What I’d like to do is indulge that mystery but also prod at it, explore it, shine a few lights in crevices, without ruining everything by overexplaining. I remain convinced cakes are to be both had and eaten.”
Batman Incorporated art by Chris Burnham courtesy DC Comics
Get ready for the “Second Wave” from DC. The publisher revealed 6 new ongoing series in the DC Comics The New 52 initiative.
BATMAN INCORPORATED – Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham team up on a fresh take on BATMAN INC, in which the Batman brand is franchised worldwide to prepare for a threat to the Earth.
EARTH 2 – James Robinson. And Nicola Scott chronicle the greatest heroes of a parallel Earth, the Justice Society, on a collision course with other worlds.
WORLDS’ FINEST – Paul Levitz with George Perez and Kevin Maguire on a tale starring Huntress and Power Girl in our world struggling to find their way back to Earth 2. Perez and Maguire will be the artists on alternating arcs.
Dial H art by Brian Bolland courtesy DC Comics
DIAL H – Novelist China Miéville and Mateus Santoluoco’s new take on the cult classic concept about the psychological effects on an everyman who accidentally gains powers to become a hero. This is the writer’s first ongoing comic book series.
G.I. COMBAT – J.T. Krul.and Ariel Olivetti team up for the return of a classic DC Comics series, THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT, along with rotating back-up stories and creative teams – including THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, with writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Dan Panosian; and THE HAUNTED TANK, with writer John Arcudi and artist Scott Kolins.
THE RAVAGERS – Howard Mackie and Ian Churchill’s take on superpowered teens on the run from the organization that wants to turn them into villains.This spins out of TEEN TITANS and SUPERBOY.
Blackhawks, Hawk and Dove, OMAC, Men of War, Mister Terrific and Static Shock will be replaced by these new titles in April. Bob Harras said some of these characters will appear in other New 52 titles.
Batgirl #4 is set on Christmas Eve as Barbara is haunted by the most horrific night of her life. Batgirl’s war with Mirror leads her to relive the nightmare that left her paralyzed. This made Batgirl confront her past and evolve as a character. Barbara uses the Mirror’s tactics to force him to face his own tragic past.
Gail Simone has created a thrilling cat and mouse story that also serves as an empowering survival story. Adrian Syaf’s art make Batgirl dangerous and sexy with heart and strength. Fight scenes are kinetic. Barbara’s scenes with her roommate around the Christmas tree are heartwarming and relatable. I hope critics who were against Barbara getting out of the wheelchair will read this. This is the beginning of a great new era for Batgirl. Barbara receives a holiday miracle in the final panel that should lead to new mysteries for Batgirl.
Captain Cold preview design courtesy The Source, DC Comics
The Flash’s Rogues Gallery is a collection of the most iconic evil in the DC Universe. No one is colder than the Captain!
Artists Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellatto reveal their brand new design for the iconic villain. The new series has only shown brief glimpses of the icy killer but in Flash #7 Captain Cold is back with a vengeance leading the Rogues.
DC Comics Blog The Source provided the design preview. What do you think of the muscled up, showing some skin version of the classic villain?
Preview Art of Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes! via Tumblr, Art by Cameron Stewart
Stephanie Brown was a vigilante called the Spoiler and then became Batgirl in the pre-DC New 52 continuity. Creator Cameron Stewart teases that the fan favorite may be coming back in Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes!
The artist released an image of Stephanie as a schoolgirl in jeopardy via Tumblr. In the revamped DC Universe Bruce Wayne had sent Stephanie to a boarding school.
The issue is a one-shot written by Grant Morrison and hits comic book stores December 21st. Morrison and Stewart worked together on the Batman and Robin series.
On a personal note – KEEP BARBARA GORDON AS BATGIRL! Let Stephanie Spoil.
