BRIGHTEST DAY #13-14With Pat Gleason taking over art on Batman and Robin, will he continue on the Martian Manhunter segment? Did the schedule give him enough lead time to finish? Notice how this is a rare instance where the solicits reference J'Onn's story, and I still don't care?
Written by GEOFF JOHNS & PETER J. TOMASI
Art by IVAN REIS, PAT GLEASON, ARDIAN SYAF, SCOTT CLARK and JOE PRADO
Covers by DAVID FINCH
1:10 Variant covers by IVAN REIS
Don’t miss the hottest event in comics as BRIGHTEST DAY continues with the search for a new White Lantern. And Martian Manhunter returns to Mars as we discover the origin of the creature mysteriously stalking him. Plus, the evil within Firestorm now haunts Professor Stein! And Hawkman: betrayed!
Retailers please note: These issues ship with two covers each. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
Issue #13 on sale NOVEMBER 3
Issue #14 on sale NOVEMBER 17
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
DC COMICS PRESENTS: BRIGHTEST DAY #2The Firestorm issues make sense, and I guess that was a popular if totally unrelated Manhunter story. Way to not pay for a cover, DC!
Written by JOHN OSTRANDER and DAN JOLLEY
Art by BRYAN HITCH, PAUL NEARY, DALE EAGLESHAM, WADE VON GRAWBADGER, JAMAL IGLE, ROB STULL, LARY STUCKER, DOUG MAHNKE and PATRICK GLEASON
Cover by IVAN REIS and OCLAIR ALBERT
Spotlighting Martian Manhunter and Firestorm – two heroes who returned after BLACKEST NIGHT as the BRIGHTEST DAY dawned in the DC Universe! First, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold guest-star in a story from MARTIAN MANHUNTER #24, while three travelers seek answers on Mars in the distant future in a tale from issue #11. Then, in an epic from FIRESTORM #11-13, Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond clash for the first time as they battle some of their greatest foes.
On sale 10 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
MADAME XANADU #29I smell a cameo!
Written by MATT WAGNER
Art by AMY REEDER & RICHARD FRIEND
Cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Eisner Award-nominated artist Amy Reeder returns for the amazing series finale! Set in the New York City of 1966, Madame Xanadu and her new protégé, Charlotte Blackwood, ponder what the future may hold. According to The Phantom Stranger, they stand on the edge of a new age – and the coming of a familiar team of heroes…
FINAL ISSUE • On sale NOVEMBER 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US MATURE READERS
BRIGHTEST DAY SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES
From BLACKEST NIGHT to BRIGHTEST DAY!
They’re back for a reason.
Comics’ biggest event continues as BRIGHTEST DAY burns away the BLACKEST NIGHT! In this best-selling follow-up, the white light has resurrected twelve heroes and villains. Though the exact reasons for their rebirths remain a mystery, each is destined to play an intricate role in the future of the DC Universe.
Written by award-winning writers Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi, BRIGHTEST DAY sets the stage for the next exciting era of the DC Universe.
Martian Manhunter: 6.75” h
Hawkman: 6.75” h
Firestorm: 6.75” h
Mera: 6.5” h
All four figures feature multiple points of articulation and include a display base.
Character-appropriate accessories are also included.
4-color clamshell blister card packaging.
On sale April 6, 2011 * Action Figures * PI
Jemm, Son of Saturn
SUPERMAN: THE LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON VOL. 2 HCJ'emm's still out of character, but his appearance is pretty good and very relevant to far future events.
Written by JAMES ROBINSON and STERLING GATES
Art by BERNARD CHANG, JAMAL IGLE, PETE WOODS, JULIAN LOPEZ and TRAVIS MOORE
Cover by DAVID FINCH
The super citizens of New Krypton face an attack from a newly freed Brainiac, and it’ll take all their might – along with Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes — to survive the onslaught! This hardcover collects SUPERMAN: THE LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #3, ADVENTURE COMICS #10-11, SUPERGIRL #52 and SUPERMAN #699!
On sale JANUARY 12 • 128 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Miss Martian
TINY TITANS/LITTLE ARCHIE #2Offered without comment.
Written by ART BALTAZAR & FRANCO
Art and cover by ART BALTAZAR
Aw yeah! The first rule of Pet Club is…we don’t talk about Pet Club! That’s right! Josie and the Pussycats get an invitation to join the Pets! Will Archie’s favorite band survive the experience? Find out what happens when the Dance Party at the Tiny Titans Tree House turns into a costume party! It’s Batusi time!
On sale 10 • 2 of 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
TINY TITANS #34
Written by ART BALTAZAR & FRANCO
Art and cover by ART BALTAZAR
The Look-A-Like Issue! Did you ever wonder why Superboy and Zatara look the same? Well, the Tiny Titans do! What would happen if they switched costumes? Would anyone notice? Would Superboy become a magician? Would Zatara be able to fly without a cape? The answers lie within this issue!
On sale 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
The Vile Menagerie\
Despero
R.E.B.E.L.S.: THE SON AND THE STARS TPThe trade in which Vril Dox regrows Despero's penis. Didn't you know that's why he hated the Justice League so much? Did you see genitals during his naked JLI rampages? Vril Dox: Intergalactic Piece through inflated pieces.
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by CLAUDE ST. AUBIN, SCOTT HANNA and GERALDO BORGES
Cover by KALMAN ANDROSOFSKY
In this new R.E.B.E.L.S. collection featuring issues #10-14, the resurrected villains of the Black Lantern Corps battle The Sinestro Corps — with the R.E.B.E.L.S. caught in the middle! Meanwhile, Vril Dox and his team of renegades plot to stop Starro the Conqueror once and for all…
On sale DECEMBER 15 • 144 pg, FC, $17.99 US
Doctor Trap
DC COMICS PRESENTS: J.H. WILLIAMS III #1Martian Manhunter has important cameos, his ongoing series supporting player Agent Chase stars, and mutual enemy Dr. Trap makes his debut. Chase deserves a comprehensive trade, but this works as a perfect sampler. Recommended.
Written by D. CURTIS JOHNSON and J.H. WILLIAMS III
Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III and MICK GRAY
Cameron Chase, agent of the Department of Extranormal Affairs, is introduced in the debut issue of her cult-favorite DCU series! Plus, family secrets are revealed in a tale from issue #6 – and the Dark Knight guest stars in the two-part story “Shadowing the Bat,” from issues #7-8. Featuring the spectacular art of J.H. Williams III!
On sale 3 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
Doomsday & Mongul
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #78
Written by JOE KELLY
Art and cover by ED BENES
It’s open season on the World’s Finest as it looks like all their worst enemies have joined forces to take down both Batman and Superman. Who could possibly be behind this carefully coordinated attack?
On sale 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
They're not real. So you know.
Doomsday & Bloodwynd (For Reals)
DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #7
Written by LEN WEIN
Art by DAN JURGENS & JERRY ORDWAY and BRIAN BOLLAND with SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by DAN JURGENS & JERRY ORDWAY
1:25 Variant cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
The unthinkable happens at the heart of the DC Universe when the world’s most beloved hero – Superman – dies defending us all from Doomsday! Meanwhile, Brian Bolland takes us into the Time Pool with The Atom, leaving him face-to-face with the Demon in Camelot!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale 17 • 7 of 10 • 40 pg, FC $3.99 US
Consider: Bane vs. Doomsday? That whole "Batman could take Superman" thing sounds pretty stupid when couched in those terms, eh? Also, Bloodwynd lives on in reruns thanks to Superman's enormously hyped TKO nap.
Lobo
R.E.B.E.L.S #22He's in there-- just past the enormous breasts...
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by CLAUDE ST. AUBIN & SCOTT HANNA
Cover by FRANCIS PORTELA
“To Be a R.E.B.E.L.,” part 2! As the R.E.B.E.L.S. openly challenge the Green Lantern Corps for the hearts and minds of the galaxy, Starfire learns the horrifying truth about the Psions – the alien race that destroyed her people.
On sale 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Vandal Savage
ACTION COMICS #895
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Co-feature written by NICK SPENCER
Art by PETE WOODS
Co-feature art by RB SILVA & DENIS FRIETAS
Cover by DAVID FINCH & BATT
Lex Luthor has had an incredibly difficult time of it lately, what with fighting master assassin Deathstroke, avoiding being eaten by Gorilla Grodd, and even meeting Death herself! Now he’s finally back at his office in Metropolis, so he can relax a little bit – oh shoot, Lex, watch out for Vandal Savage and that axe!
In the Jimmy Olsen co-feature, Superman’s pal has to convince a bunch of bloodthirsty aliens that Earth is too boring and staid to host the universe’s biggest (and most destructive) party. But how exactly is he going to do that? (Everyone, put on a bow tie!)
On sale 24 • 40 pg, FC $3.99 US
Damn it! I just did a slew of top cover countdowns, and DC is doing their best to make them immediately outdated! Last month Dave Finch painted a boss Lobo cover, this month sees one of the best Lady Shiva covers ever, and now here's Vandal Savage taking an ax to Lex Luthor! Yes, I'm as surprised as you are I just applauded two Dave Finch covers.
I have no idea who Agent Chase is and that J'onn appeared in her series. Now I'm intrigued...
ReplyDeleteSo in addition to "Brightest Day" there's another new series called "DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day?" MY HEAD HURTS. But, hey, MM #24 was actually entertaining so I'm interested. Unless it's just a reprint without anything new added.
That Lady Shiva cover is amazing, and a much better style than the Finch Brightest Day covers. I love the way it's rendered. Plus he actually makes the Huntress costume I dislike look cool for a change. Lady Shiva looks a tad too placid, though. I love how comic art is trending very slowly back towards realistic.
Do read Chase. There are no hats, but there are trench coats, and the debut of J'Onn's 1960s super-team.
ReplyDeleteI find it highly doubtful there will be any new material in DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day. Even the solicited cover is a reprinted interior detail.
Shiva is totally photo referenced-- like Greg Land trace referenced. Michelle Yeoh? I don't care though, because Shiva actually looks Asian for once, and badass like always.
Finch is good, it's just his characterization that sucks on a lot of the A-list. (Yes, I'm subtly including our boy in the A-list)
ReplyDeleteBane could totally take Doomsday... :|
Finch can't do Superman at all, and his doing Batman is so obvious it bores me. Of course he'd do Batman, and of course he'd do it just like that. His Flash and Green Lantern are very '90s, but that's okay. Can't recall his Wonder Woman, but I really like his Aquaman. That leaves flat face Martian Manhunter, who looks like an ambulatory green finger in a blue glove with the tips cut off. He's just this big, gangrenous, wrinkly hobo digit, with red string cutting off circulation until he drops off. Hobo wish he had a public option.
ReplyDeleteFrank, have you ever tried to write a MM comic. If so have you ever publshed some of it on the blog. Also if you did can you tell who your main villain was (a creation of your own or an original). Also what was the plot. And im not trying to steal your ideas if you put it up, i just want to know what you would write about because you seem to know alot about MM probally more then most writers.
ReplyDeleteI used to do fan-fic type stuff here for "anniversary" posts, but I never got much feedback. I assumed people didn't like them, and they took a ton of time to do, so I just quietly discontinued the practice. I guess those who can't do: bitch.
ReplyDeleteJohn Jones: Manhunter From Mars #100 (Sept.-Oct. 1968) was a total rush job my my 100th post, so everything about it is slipshod. Plus, it's a fake history, not really a story.
Manhunter from Mars #125 (February 1973) was a more recent and fun little goof I came up with to make use out of Despero's original, forgot protagonists Jasonar and Saranna.
The Martian Manhunter #150 (Winter 1976) was messy, and I snuck in a second draft months after it originally posted. This one is half story, half phony history.
Manhunter from Mars #175 (February, 1979) was the last published fanfic, which I used to explain/write-out Jasonar.
Manhunter from Mars #199 (February 1981) came about because my original version of #200 was so awful and born of work-related exhaustion, I needed a whole other "issue" to fix all the problems I'd created.
The 1984 Manhunter from Mars Annual #1 Parts One and Two is my crumby fanfic magnum opus. I squeezed as many pre-existing Martian characters into that "book" as possible, so it rambles, but I'm still proud of it. Also, I adored "working" with Gil Kane.
The original published draft of Manhunter from Mars #200 (March 1981) made no sense and had to be massively reworked after the fact to save face. I still have a one day gap in my schedule for where I'll have to replace that de-published first attempt.
I didn't start to feel like I had my rhythm until Manhunter from Mars #250 (May 1985), which isn't the best, but I was satisfied with it.
I had a blast with Manhunter from Mars #300 (July, 1989)! It's one of my favorite mock covers, and the story where I felt the least need to fake period writing tropes, although I did take a dig with Dark Zook. All that Vandal Savage stuff is wish fulfillment retconnage.
Manhunter from Mars #350 (September, 1993) is the Idol-Head fanfic "Adaptation." It's the story of how I couldn't come up with a story, but the cover turned out well.
Manhunter from Mars #400 (November, 1997) was my most overt attempt to write like the person I claimed wrote the "comic." I'd totally buy it as a James Robinson story, and was much closer to intentional "good" writing than most, but it never got a single comment. That really broke my stride.
Ah well, as I said, what I gots, nobody wants.
I'm going to hunt down Chase now, especially since it sounds X-Filesish. I hope J'onn makes a good amount of cameos.
ReplyDeleteFrank, do you know how many times I went nuts searching for your fan fictions in various comics databases and then realized, hours later, that they don't exist?
Silly girl-- all Anonymous had to do was ask. Nobody ever expressed much interest, but I thought I might throw them into a Fanatical Fictions menu with Tom's stuff someday, but then Tom got his own button (that's in need of an update.)
ReplyDeleteChase was basically The X-Files for super-heroes, sans Mulder. Also, there was a quasi-continuation of the series through most of DC's Secret Files & Origins books middle sections by writer D.C. Johnson. J'Onn had small cameos in #1 and #3(ish,) was retroactively made a member of the Justice Experience that debuted in #6, and the whole series was tied strongly to the Ostrander solo series.
Frank, I was bored and the inner geek of me came out and I started thinking about superhero and arch enemy tag team matches example Manhunter from Mars and Malefic vs Batman and Joker vs Lex and Superman vs Flash and Zoom. Do you know of any others to help feed my geekiness. Also do you have any opinions on who would win?
ReplyDeleteSebastian, since both Superman and Batman know about the Martian vulnerability to fire, either could exploit it. If this were an upfront battle, that would doom the J'Onzzs. Batman would presumably also have access to kryptonite, which would hinder Superman. However, Lex Luthor would likely wear his battle armor, which when combined with Superman's abilities (even under radiation exposure) would probably be enough to overcome the Gothamites. In a stealth match, the odds would be a lot more favorable for the Martians, but they would still have to overcome the World's Finest heroes and villains' considerable power.
ReplyDeleteI say all this because while those three groups would be struggling amongst themselves, the combined might of Flash and Zoom would wreck everyone else. The reason why I hate super-speedsters is because they move so much more swiftly, think so much more quickly, and can apply so many compensatory tricks than anyone else, no one should realistically be able to touch them. Outside of a surgical telepathic strike or conniving traps amongst the brains, Speed Force beats all. Further, even with handicaps, the odds of catching both Flash and Zoom are pretty long, and only one needs to escape to pose an incredible threat to all other parties.
...unless the Martians shapeshift into one of the other heroes/villains to throw everyone else off, then even the Speedsters can't tell who's who. The Martians-as-Superman/Luthor attack the real Superman and Luthor. Batman studies everyone's fighting strategy trying to figure out who's the real Superman/Luthor. The Joker's not a team player, so he'd defect and would play on his own side, and do something probably useless and dumb like throw rubber chickens at everyone, so he's technically out of the picture. While the Supermen and Luthors are attacking each other, the Speedsters join the fray. Since it's two against four, the odds are that at one point, one Speedster will be facing off with the real Luthor of Superman, and at this moment, while they are distracted, the Martian Bros. telepathically shut their brains down, and then everyone else's, and leave victorious to a bounty of Choco's and milk.
ReplyDeleteDid I win?
Frank is right though...the Speed Force is much more of a plot killer than any of J'onn's superpowers are. Flash should be able to disable any villain/weapon/whatever before anyone blinks, even if he's just moving at the speed of sound. It's even more ludicious when it's faster than light speed, which is even sillier.