Heads Up: DC Comics Previews – November 2012

Being a comic fan can be tough. With so many publishers printing more and more books, canceling titles and starting new ones, it can be daunting when you head to the comic book shop on a Wednesday to know exactly what’s coming out.

The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.

And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.

SPOILER WARNING! In order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.


Joe Kubert

The industry is still reeling from the latest death of a comic book legend. It’s unknown how far along Joe Kubert was with Before Watchmen: Nite Owl (you can see from the cover image below, the un-inked art from his son Andy Kubert) and it’s unknown what DC’s plans are to complete any of the work he didn’t finish. Until we know, we might as well celebrate as much Joe Kubert as we can get.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #4
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Backup story written and illustrated by JOHN HIGGINS
Art and cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE KUBERT
1:25 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 32 pg, 4 of 4, FC, $3.99 US
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US • MATURE READERS

“Let it burn…”

Plus, writer/artist JOHN HIGGINS brings you the latest chapter in saga of the CRIMSON CORSAIR!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

JOE KUBERT PRESENTS #2
Written and illustrated by JOE KUBERT, BRIAN BUNIAK and SAM GLANZMAN
Cover by JOE KUBERT
On sale NOVEMBER 28 • 48 pg, FC, 2 of 6, no interior ads, $4.99 US • RATED T

• At last: A lost Joe Kubert classic sees print! The amazing sci-fi epic THE REDEEMER begins in this issue!
• New stories with classic characters ANGEL AND THE APE and the crew of the U.S.S. STEVENS!

These Are Not The Artists You’re Looking For

DC’s prioritizing books coming out on schedule means we have to deal with fill-in artists for the more high profile pencilers. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t kind of scenario.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #14
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by TONY S. DANIEL and RICHARD FRIEND
Backup story art by GARY FRANK
Variant cover by JASON FABOK
1:100 B&W Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• The second chapter of a tale that lights the fuse that will ultimately explode in 2013’s TRINITY WAR.
• The League must fight the mysterious Cheetah… AND a monstrous Superman! The result will radically change the dynamics of the entire team!
• Amid all this, where is Green Lantern?
• Plus: The next chapter of the SHAZAM backup epic by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank!

AQUAMAN #14
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by PETE WOODS
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:25 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS
On sale NOVEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• In the aftermath of “THE OTHERS,” who lives? Who dies? And what is the fate of the Atlantean relics?
• The debut of the OCEAN MASTER!

WONDER WOMAN #14
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art by TONY AKINS and DAN GREEN
Cover by CLIFF CHIANG
1:25 B&W Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Wonder Woman’s twisted “family” grows larger than she could have imagined.
• On the trail of the god who betrayed her, Diana crosses the path of the deadly SIROCCA!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #14
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by RYAN SOOK
On sale NOVEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A major new storyline starts here!
• In the aftermath of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1, the team picks up the pieces from their devastating losses.
• Black Orchid, Frankenstein and Amethyst explore the macabre House of Mystery — and what they find positions John Constantine as the most dangerous man in the DC Universe!

Death of the Family

The Joker wants Batman all to himself in November. Plus! Jock is back working with Scott Snyder!

BATMAN #14
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Backup story written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Backup story art by JOCK
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant cover by TREVOR McCARTHY
1:100 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale NOVEMBER 14 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” continues!
• The Joker is back and somehow more sinister than ever! What caused this change? And can even Batman stop a Joker so driven and dangerous?
• And where is Alfred?
• Plus: In the backup feature, The Penguin is running out of options as he’s confronted by The Joker!

BATGIRL #14
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art and cover by ED BENES
On sale NOVEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in as Barbara tries to save her family from a fate much worse than death!
• Has Batgirl come this far just to fall victim once again to The Joker?

CATWOMAN #14
Written by ANN NOCENTI
Art by RAFA SANDOVAL and JORDI TARROGONA
Cover by TREVOR McCARTHY
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• A “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” tie-in!
• Catwoman is caught in The Joker’s trap as he toys with her mind.
• But The Joker should beware because Catwoman always comes to play!

Bats Still in Smallville’s Belfry

Batman and Stephanie Brown Barbara Gordon/Nightwing are still causing trouble for Tom Welling.

SMALLVILLE: SEASON 11 #7
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by CHRISCROSS and MARC DEERING
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• The first time in print for these digital first adventures!
• It’s a four-way, knock-down, drag out rumble as Intergang guns-for-hire
PRANKSTER and MISTER FREEZE join the fray.
• Can BATMAN and SUPERMAN survive these villains and protect the life of – Joe Chill?!

Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith might be the biggest artistic name in comics to have never done any work at Marvel or DC. But all that has changed now that he’s working on the digital first Legends of the Dark Knight series that, like Smallville: Season 11, will be published in larger compilation issues. I’m psyched to see Templesmith’s twisted vision of Gotham City.

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #2
Written by B. CLAY MOORE
Art and cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• The first time in print for these digital first adventures!
• The Dark Knight battles some of his greatest foes in this oversized adventure!
• The Joker’s put a mind-bendingly nefarious plan into effect for the wealthy of Gotham City…

Imposter!

There’s a new Green Lantern in town and the Justice League is none too pleased because, while he may be a dick, Hal is their dick.

GREEN LANTERN #14
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
1:25 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US

• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!
• The Justice League comes after the new Green Lantern, demanding answers about the missing Hal Jordan!
• The Green Lantern Corps makes a disturbing discovery about the Guardians!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

 

For a full list of DC Comics in November, click here.

Comments

  1. JL Dark was my MOST anticipated release of the new 52 and thought i had potential to be a real hip, counter-culture, occult book. but they’ve been cluttering, misstepping and back treading since issue 1.
    Other ‘dark’ characters (re: I,Vampire, Amythyst, Swamp Thing) cameo for an issue and use it as a rock to step on to holding their own title meanwhile JL Dark loses any steam it might have had.

    Wonder Woman. My god. That book is do damn good.

  2. Really excited for Kubert presents and death of the family.

  3. I don’t mind them prioritizing releases even if that gives us fill in guys. Much better to have the comic than be left dangling.

  4. Personally I’ve always supported quality over quantity! A good example of it being done right imo is Saga, have a break between arcs. I wish that publishers were of the same mindset, too bad its all about the $$

    • Definitely agree. I would have no problem missing a title a month or two tops if it would keeping the art consistent and high quality.

      It would also save some $$ not having so many titles each month but it seems DC have put their foot down.

    • I agree with the $$ issue also.

    • JL is a new arc and I have no problem with Daniel stepping up to do an interlude arc. I don’t mind a different artist on different arcs though. I think this was done quite well on Detective with Jock and Francavilla alternating. And I didn’t mind the way it worked on Morrison’s Batman and Robin. If the fill in comes in the middle of an arc though? I’d much rather just wait. The last issue of Morrison’s Batman and Robin was a bit of a mess with three different artists contributing. All great artists, but they did not mesh well.

  5. Definitely getting Kubert Presents.

    Tony Daniel on JL? Hope that’s extremely temporary.

    Frankenstein in JLD? And no mention of whether or not it’s a guest spot? I’d love to have him on the team, but does this mean they’re planning on canceling his solo title?

    Pumped for Death of the Family! “Where’s Alfred”?? I don’t like the sound of that.

    I gotta say, the Third Army storyline in GL has me intrigued.

  6. You dig the knife in a little deeper with the crossed out Stephanie Brown.

    • “You see, it’s the slow knife, the knife that takes its time, the knife that waits years without forgetting, then slips quietly between the bones. That’s the knife that cuts deepest.”

  7. None of those fill-in artists are slouches though. All of the books should still look pretty great, even if they may look different from the originals. Lots to like in this list, as far as comics go.

  8. holy shit! Ed Benes on Batgirl! definitely picking that up.
    Tony Daniel as fill-in on Justice League? i can deal. his art seems better when he isn’t scripting and plotting.
    all the Joker covers look awesome! especially Templesmith’s. the first i’ve heard of him and a new Legends of the Dark Knight book. November looks like another kiss-ass month for DC. they’ve been on fire for the last couple of years now. hope Marvel’s Marvel Now steps up to the plate and takes it to the next level by knocking it outa the park like the guys across the street did.

  9. The news of Aquaman gets even worse considering, if Bleeding Cool is to be believed, that Johns and Reis are leaving the book! Not sure if that means the book is outright gone but either way it’s really sad. Then again, if Bleeding Cool is believed yet again, Reis may take over as artist for JLA so that’s good news.

    Two things to note:

    1) Phantom Stranger #2 has a soccer ball on the cover for no fucking reason.
    2) Peter Tomasi is taking over G.I. Combat with Howard Chaykin as artist! Chaykin may not be permanent but if Tomasi is, along with Palmiotti/Gray, I’ll definitely buy that series.

  10. I’d rather a consistent run with the same creative team over timeliness. Done the road, the quality of the arc or series matters much more than if the book came out a month or two different. Switching artists mid-arc, for me, makes me a lot less likely to pick up a series in collected form. Ruins the greater value of the story.

  11. Have Ben Templesmith draw a Batman book and I will give you all the money, DC. ALL OF IT! End of story.

  12. I’m looking forward to the Batman story with the return of the Joker.Looks like some crazy stuff happening.

  13. Let’s not act like, Tony Daniel’s art is bad. His writing is horrendous but he’s a great artist. And as far as Ann Noccenti taking over Catwoman. Expect that book to become unreadable. Just look at what she’s done for Green Arrow.