Batman Incorporated Preview

Batman, Incorporated preview art courtesy DC Comics

   DC Comics announced a New 52 “Second Wave” with 6 new titles debuting this May. Batman, Incorporated marks the return of Grant Morrison to concept he created: a worldwide Bat-presence to prepare for a global threats. Batman Editor Mike Marts talked with DC Comics The Source about what fans can expect from the relaunched series. 

  “Grant Morrison’s new Batman Incorporated series is the final, unbelievable act of a saga six years in the making,” said Marts. “Along with his artistic partner-in-crime Chris Burnham, Grant delivers twists, turns, punches and reveals no reader will see coming. Things pick up directly after the shocking cliffhanger of last year’s LEVIATHAN STRIKES one-shot—and only get crazier from there!”

Batman Incorporated preview art courtesy DC Comics

 

 

That one-shot featured the return of fan favorite Stephanie Brown (The Spoiler) but I won’t say anymore to avoid spilling spoilers!

 

The Return of The Avengers “Mrs. Peel, Still We’re Needed.”

courtesy Boom! Studios

  A confession – when I was little kid and saw The Avengers listed in the tv guide I immediately thought it was a television show about Cap, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch so I stayed up past my bedtime. I was a little disappointed at first but that quickly passed and then I got scared out of my young mind!

  I was watching “The Winged Avenger” episode and I thought sure that clawed monster could get in my house! That was the beginning of my love for The Avengers – John Steed and Emma Peel.

  Boom Studios released Steed and Mrs. Peel #1 this week, inspired by the classic television series.

 Tara King is on the hunt for mole. When Tara vanishes and her last contact turns up dead in a most oddly appropriate way, John Steed is called in to take over the mission. Steed defies orders and recruits Mrs. Peel to help him find the killer, the missing agent and uncover the mole.

 Comics Superstar Grant Morrison captures the quirky fun, thrills and chemistry between the one of the greatest duos in television history. Ian Gibson’s art is a perfect fit for the world of fantasy, espionage and danger and his likeness of television stars Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg is excellent. 

  It’s a testament to Diana Rigg who played Emma Peel. Steed actually had 6 partners during the show but everyone thinks of Emma first!

Top 5 for 1/18/12

Batman #5 courtesy DC Comics

  Batman #5

  Deep under Gotham City is the Council of Owls’ ultimate trap and Batman fell right into it. Batman versus the Talon in a deadly labyrinth.

  Steed and Mrs. Peel #1

  The Avengers (not Earth’s Mightiest Heroes but England’s most stylish spies) are back in a new story by comic book superstar Grant Morrison. John Steed and Emma Peel reunite when Tara King is kidnapped by a mystery organization. The dashing duo and their mashup of sci-fi, spy and crime stories made The Avengers one of the most iconic shows in television history.

Avengers #21

  X-Woman Storm is now an Avenger. The team needs every hero it can get against the combined forces of H.A.M.M.E.R. Hydra, The Hand and AIM under the leadership of Norman Osborn.

Avengers #21 courtesy Marvel Comics

  Prophet #21 

  Image Comics throws some indy cred into the fuel to make a 90’s sci-fi concept blast off again. In the far future mankind has devolved into primitives and become prey for alien invaders. John Prophet awakens from cryosleep to wake up and restart the human race. Brandon Graham and Simon Roy take their European sci-fi style on the 90’s Rob Liefeld creation. The Zanadu Comic Book Round Table chose this as the first book to discuss at the next gathering on February 8th – the geek counterpart to O’s book club!

  Generation Hope #15

  Mindwiped Sebastian Shaw’s rescue and return to Utopia triggers new splits and fires up old grudges among the X-Men. Emma Frost has some serious explaining to do. Can this old enemy really become a hero now that he’s a blank slate?

DC New 52 Second Wave

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.