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.
Author's Note: DC Comics has a notorious reputation for incorrect solicitation information, so take everything below with a grain of salt.
Flashpoint!!!
Okay, let's just get this out of the way right now: There are 18 Flashpoint-related books out in July. That's an average of four and a half a week.
Flashpoint #3, Booster Gold #46, Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance #2, Flashpoint: Secret Seven #2
Flashpoint: Abin Sur – The Green Lantern #2, Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #2, Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #2, Flashpoint: Deathstroke and The Curse of The Ravager #2
Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of The Unknown #2, Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2, Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and The Furies #2, & Flashpoint: Deadman and The Flying Graysons #2
Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2, Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #2, Flashpoint: The Outsider #2, & Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2
Flashpoint: Project Superman #2 & Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2
Just remember you don't HAVE to buy them all. Just get the ones that sound fun and/or interesting to you. There's nothing that says you have to go all in on an event in order to enjoy it. That being said… that's a lot of extra books to expect people to pick up.
Absolutes Back in Print… Just Not Right Now
People love DC's Absolute Editions! People don't love when DC's Absolute Editions go out of print. Problem meet solution as DC releases new editions of four of its Absolutes.
Absolute All-Star Supeman, Absolute Batman: Hush, Absolute Kingdom Come, & Absolute Watchmen.
Here's the rub: These Absolutes don't actually come out in July. You can just pre-order them in July for when they are released later in the year. The Direct Market is fun!
Long Time Readers Get Thrown a Tasty Nostalgia Bone
Are you perhaps a decades long reader of DC Comics who not only longs for the sepia-toned days of youth, but also has some spare cash laying around? Well then DC would like to talk to you about a little project called Retroactive! This month, DC revisits the 1970s with new tales written and drawn by old school creators! (Mostly.)
DC Retroactive: Superman – The '70s #1 written by Martin Pako, art and cover by Eduardo Barretto
DC Retroactive: Batman – The '70s #1 written by Len Wein, art and cover by Tom Mandrake
DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The '70s #1 written by Denny O'Neil, art and cover by J. Bone
DC Retroactive: Justice League of America – The '70s #1 written by Cary Bates, art and cover by Andy Smith and Gordon Purcell
DC Retroactive: Green Lantern – The '70s #1 written by Denny O'Neil, art and cover by Mike Grell
DC Retroactive: The Flash – The '70s #1 written by Cary Bates, art and cover by Benito Gallego
He’s STILL Walking
You've GOT to be kidding me. In Superman #713, The Man of Steel is still making his way across the country.
What could possibly make The Man of Steel decide to stop being Superman? Superboy and Supergirl catch up with him in Portland, Oregon, and they want answers!
New (or Just Different) Creative Teams
Lots of new names on some familiar books in July. Something must be in the water in Gotham City.
Writer Judd Winick and artist Greg Tocchini take on Batman and Robin #25; Cameron Stewart draws Batman Incorporated #9; David Finch hands his pencil to Jay Fabok for Batman: The Dark Knight #4 and Tony Daniel does the same with Steve Scott for Batman #712; writer Marc Andreyko and artist Billy Tucci step into Birds of Prey #14; writer Matthew Sturges shows up in Power Girl #26.
Plus Awesome Guest Artists
Jonah Hex #69 features guest art by Jeff Lemire; and Fables #107 has guest art by Terry Moore.
Characters to Watch Out For:
The Flash. Batman. Jonah Hex. Lois Lane. The Mayor of Portland.
Major Titles of the Month:
Flashpoint #3. Jonah Hex #69. DC Retroactive: Green Lantern – The '70s #1. Fables #107.
Want more? Check out the complete list of comics solicited by DC Comics for July, 2011.
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You’re totally right about the inaccurate DC solicit info, Conor. It’s been bugging me for a while now. And speaking of incorrect solicits, it appears that Batman: The Dark Knight #4 isn’t coming out in July anymore as it has completely disappeared from DC’s site. Maybe Finch didn’t like handing the penciling duties to someone else? Pure speculation, I know.
I’m looking forward to a lot of the stuff you mentioned, but there’s also the Mad Harry Potter Special that seems to contain a bunch of Harry Potter parodies. For those who want more Kevin Maguire but missed out on his co-features in Doom Patrol, there’s DC Presents: Metal Men which contains the seven part story and a random earlier issue. DC is also reprinting an Elseworlds story by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips in DC Presents: Batman – Gotham Noir. I have no idea if that one’s good or not but I’ll might get it to find out.
@JeffR Batman: Gotham Noir is excellent.
Writer Judd Winick and artist Greg Tocchini take on Batman and Robin #25 , now that is just epic.
I’ll definitely be getting the ’80s retroactive books, not sure yet about the ’70s books.
Also, for the love of all that is holy, my unSuper self coulda walked across the country by this point!
I think these articles are a good idea, but I can’t bring myself to read them for the same reason that I can’t read a copy of Previews.
There is a gluttony of interesting things here.
I don’t think Superman will stop walking until literally every single other character in DC has told him “This is stupid.”
@RapidEyeMovement Now that’s a book that I’d definitely buy!
@conor I’ve been wanting to read Batman: Gotham Noir for a little while now. Is is a one-shot or a mini? How many issues?
Lemire on Hex and Moore on Fables has me VERY happy 🙂
@MegaPhillip: It’s a one-shot with 96 pages, so it’ll be more like a mini-trade collecting several issues.
Terry Moore on Fables?? What will Ron do?!
Anyone else think the mystery person on the Lois Lane cover looks like Grifter? More Wildstorm/DC crossovers?
@jonnyflash It’s been suggested and is quite possible.
Thoughts from these selection and others:
-Kenneth Rocafort sure draws some ‘purty’ covers.
-More then likely getting the Batman 70s one-shot but nothing else. The others don’t really interest me with the possible exception of Green Lantern 70s.
-Francesco Francavilla doing another one and done story in ‘Tec involving James Gordon! Woo!
-My favorite cover ever pops up with Batman and Robin #25. I knew Damien was strong, but I didn’t think he was THAT strong to: A) Smash Jason’s helmet into a million peices and B) Cause a massive dent in a wall.
-Double dipping Jonah Hex for Lemire’s issue.
-Lots of great ‘DC Presents:’ books coming out. You got the forementioned Batman Noir which I am totally going to buy. But then you have an interesting Superman book with Joe Casey/Chuck Dixon, a Captain Marvel book which I’m excited for, AND a Metal Men collection from the minds of the JLI (DeMatteis, Giffen, and Maguire)
Overall a solid month of books for DC.
@conor I just watched that video. I’m totally getting Gotham Noir now.
The penciller change on Dark Knight might get it published more often, eh? I’ve ordered issue 4 three times, DC keeps cancelling and resubmitting it, and issue 5 is currently in the shitcan stage for the second time.
I wouldn’t change where I live for anything, but it can make having a comicbook obsession tedious being 100 miles away from the nearest specialty store.
Wow, I am getting less and less DC books as the months go on. The Flash doesn’t have a title currently. Doom patrol has been cancelled. I am down to just batman & Robin. I have no interest in Flashpoint. Oh well. More spots open for other publishers I guess.
Definitely grabbing Gotham Noir!
THat pic near the bottom of Batman punching a catholic school girl is amazing.
so its 12 issues of grounded an 2 filler issues?
What the f happend with John Cassidy.