October Solicitations

[Great Rao]

are here - http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33360 with thanks to BMK

HIGHLIGHTS:

Justice League #2
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:200 B&W variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
What happens when the World’s Greatest Detective takes on the world’s most powerful alien? You’ll find out when Batman and Superman throw down. Batman will need all his intellect, cunning and physical prowess to take on The Man of Steel.
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

Action Comics #2

Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
1:200 B&W variant cover by RAGS MORALES
On sale OCTOBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
In his weakest moment, Superman is taken down – but by whom? And if the world wasn’t ready for a man with super powers, they’re utterly unprepared for the rage of a Superman cornered! The cornerstone character of the new DCU continues his debut adventure!

Superman #2

Written by GEORGE PEREZ
Breakdowns and cover by GEORGE PEREZ
Art by JESUS MERINO
On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The all-new adventures of Superman continue! Everyone can see the new villain who’s attacking Superman – except The Man of Steel! How can he stop a threat that none of his super-senses can detect? Meanwhile, a Daily Planet reporter starts digging up some dirt on Superman, including a secret that could ruin him forever!

Supergirl #2

Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON
Art by MAHMUD ASRAR and DAN GREEN
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Get ready for a super-smackdown as Supergirl fights her cousin, The Man of Steel! What could cause these two to come to blows? Can the teenage Supergirl hold her own against the adult Superman? Well, let’s just say she’s got a trick or two up those fancy new sleeves of hers...

Suicide Squid #2
Written by ADAM GLASS
Art by FEDERICO DALLACCHIO and RANSOM GETTY
Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN
On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T+
80,000 ordinary people vs. the Squad! Well, they’re not really “people.” Not anymore. With an entire sports stadium on lockdown following the outbreak of an unknown virus, Deadshot, Harley Quinn and the rest of the Squad must sneak past a military perimeter and fight their way through the infected to retrieve... “it.” What is “it”…? Brace yourself for a stomach-churning reveal as the most brutal version of the Suicide Squad soldiers on! Plus: Bring a body bag – it’s the team’s first Squad fatality!

O.M.A.C #2
Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN
Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH
On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Brother Eye gives Kevin Kho the ground rules to their new “arrangement.” New players are introduced to the game as Sarge Steel and Checkmate begin their hunt for the One Machine Army Corp, but O.M.A.C.’s appearance may be short-lived when he faces the incredible threat of Rocker Bonn, the Amazing Man!

Legion of Super-Heroes #2
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by FRANCIS PORTELA
Cover by CHRIS SPROUSE and KARL STORY
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Taken hostage on a hostile world, the Espionage Squad is outmatched by a rebel leader that only one Legionnaire could possibly stand against – but Legion leader Mon-El may be outgunned as well! And just what does Brainiac 5 see in Glorith’s magic that could be a game changer for the Legion?

DC Comics Presents: The Jack Kirby Omnibus Sampler
Written by Various
Art by JACK KIRBY and others
Cover by JACK KIRBY
On sale OCTOBER 26 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
With the JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS VOL. 1 – STARRING GREEN ARROW HC on the way, DC presents this selection of Kirby mystery stories from the 1950s, pulled from the pages of HOUSE OF SECRETS #3, 8 and 12, HOUSE OF MYSTERY #76, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED #13, 1 and 24 and MY GREATEST ADVENTURE #15, 16 17, 20 and 21, plus a Green Arrow tale from ADVENTURE COMICS #251!

DC Comics Presents: Superboy's Legion #1

Written by MARK FARMER • Art and cover by ALAN DAVIS and MARK FARMER
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
A rocketship blasts away from an exploding planet and into the 30th century, where its passenger grows up to become Superboy, founder of The Legion of Super-Heroes! Reprinting the two-issue miniseries!

DC Comics Presents: JLA – The Age of Wonder #1
Written by ADISAKDI TANTIMEDH • Art by GALEN SHOWMAN and P. CRAIG RUSSELL • Cover by GALEN SHOWMAN
On sale OCTOBER 12 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
In 1876, during America’s centennial celebration, Clark Kent reveals his alien powers to create The League of Science! Teaming with his fellow heroes of the age of wonder, they battle justice – in the name of progress! Collecting the two-issue miniseries.

DC Comics Presents: Superman - Secret Identity #1
Written by KURT BUSIEK • Art and cover by STUART IMMONEN
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
Clark Kent’s life is filled with the taunts of his peers, who compare him to the fictional Clark Kent – the one with super-powers. What happens when he discovers powers of his own? Don’t miss this title reprinting the first two issues of the 4-part miniseries that’s set in the real world!

DC COMICS: THE NEW 52 HC

Written by VARIOUS
Art by VARIOUS
Cover by JIM LEE
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 1,216 pg, FC, $150.00 US
In September, DC Comic will launch 52 new #1 issues starring the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes! In December, to commemorate this incredible event, DC is collecting every one of these debut issues in a once-in-a-lifetime massive hardcover that includes:
    * JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee

    * ACTION COMICS #1 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales

    * BATMAN #1 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

    * GREEN LANTERN #1 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke

    * SWAMP THING #1 by Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette

    * STORMWATCH #1 by Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda

    * TEEN TITANS #1 by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth

    * And 45 more!


JACK KIRBY’S FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS VOL. 1 TP
Written by JACK KIRBY • Art and cover by JACK KIRBY and VINCE COLLETTA
On sale NOVEMBER 30 • 304 pg, FC, $39.99 US
At last, the first title in the acclaimed FOURTH WORLD series is in trade paperback, collecting SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #133-139, FOREVER PEOPLE #1-3, NEW GODS #1-3 and MISTER MIRACLE #1-3! Featuring the debuts of Orion, Darkseid, Mister Miracle and more!


TALES OF THE BATMAN: DON NEWTON VOL. 1 HC
Written by BOB ROZAKIS, DENNIS O’NEIL, MARTIN PASKO and others
Art by DON NEWTON and others • Cover by DON NEWTON
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 272 pg, FC, $39.99 US
In these tales from BATMAN #305-306, DETECTIVE COMICS #480 and 483- 492 and BRAVE AND BOLD #153-165, Batman revisits “The Curse of Crime Alley,” meets Maxie Zeus and wages war on the League of Assassins.

THE WONDER WOMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 2 TP
Written by WILLIAM MOULTON MARSTON • Art and cover by HARRY G. PETER
On sale NOVEMBER 30 • 192 pg, FC, $17.99 US
In this new title collecting WONDER WOMAN #2-3, SENSATION COMICS #10-14 and COMICS CAVALCADE #1, Wonder Woman battles Mars, god of war, and Paula Von Gunther, a treacherous German spy.

THE STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC
Written by STEVE DITKO, LEN WEIN, PAUL LEVITZ, MARK MILLAR and others • Art by STEVE DITKO and others • Cover by STEVE DITKO
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 384 pg, FC, $59.99 US
Collecting tales by artist Steve Ditko from SHOWCASE #75, THE HAWK AND THE DOVE #1-2, MAN-BAT #1, DETECTIVE COMICS #483-485 and 487, ADVENTURE COMICS #467-468, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #267, 268, 274, 276 and 281, OUTSIDERS #13, LEGENDS OF THE DC UNIVERSE 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and the TALES OF THE NEW GODS TP.

SUPERMAN: GROUNDED VOL. 2 HC
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI and CHRIS ROBERSON
Art by EDDY BARROWS, ALLAN GOLDMAN, JP MAYER and others
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 168 pg, FC, $22.99 US
In this second “Grounded” volume, from SUPERMAN #707-711 and 713-714, Superman meets the new Wonder Woman for the first time! But why can’t he shake the feeling that he already knows her? Then, Superman visits Boulder, Colorado, where The Flash made a strange discovery that relates to Superman. And in Salt Lake City, Batman arrives to revisit one of his earliest adventures with The Man of Steel!

THE ANNOTATED SANDMAN VOL. 1 HC
Written by LESLIE S. KLINGER
THE SANDMAN written by NEIL GAIMAN
Art by SAM KIETH, MIKE DRINGENBERG, MICHAEL ZULLI, KELLEY JONES, CHARLES VESS and COLLEEN DORAN and others • Cover by DAVE McKEAN
On sale DECEMBER 28 • 560 pg, B&W, 11.75” x 11.75”, $49.99 US • MATURE READERS
In-depth, informative and entertaining, THE ANNOTATED SANDMAN is a fascinating look at the New York Times best-selling series by Neil Gaiman.
Edited by and with an introduction and notes by Leslie S. Klinger, the expert researcher and editor behind the Edgar®-winning New Annotated Sherlock Holmes and the critically acclaimed New Annotated Dracula, THE ANNOTATED SANDMAN is a panel-by-panel journey through every issue of THE SANDMAN. Beginning with issues #1-#20, this volume provides commentary, historical and contemporary references, hidden meanings and more, presented side-by-side with the series’ art and text. Using scripts and hours of conversation with Gaiman, Klinger reveals fascinating details of THE SANDMAN’s hundreds of unforgettable characters and its place in literary history.
The first of an incredible four volume series, the ANNOTATED SANDMAN Vol. 1 is a must-have for every Sandman fan!

DC COMICS: THE NUMBER ONES COMIC COVER PORTFOLIO SET: THE FULL COLLECTION
Art by VARIOUS
This September, DC Comics explodes with 52 new #1 issues! DC’s entire line of comic books starring the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes is being renumbered with new, innovative storylines featuring the most iconic of DC’s characters, helmed by the most creative writers and artists in the industry.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, DC Direct is producing an incredible portfolio featuring the striking cover images from all 52 debut issues illustrated by superstar artists including Jim Lee, Adam Hughes, David Finch, Ivan Reis, Francis Manapul, George Pérez and many more!
Fifty two images by various cover artists are printed on high-quality 4-color matte paper stock, collected in a 4-color folder and shrink-wrapped together. All prints measure 9” x 12” and are ready for framing.
Limited Edition.
*Quantities may be allocated
On sale October 5, 2011 * Portfolio * $129.99

And last but not least:

WOMEN OF THE DC UNIVERSE SERIES 4: ARISIA BUST

DESIGNED BY RYAN SOOK
SCULPTED BY JIM MADDOX
The Women of the DC Universe line of busts continues with Series 4, featuring new artist Ryan Sook.
The Green Lantern of Space Sector 2815, Arisia Rrab is the latest in a long line of generational Green Lanterns. Taking on the responsibility of Green Lantern at only thirteen years old, Arisia became the youngest of all Green Lanterns.
Designed by illustrator Ryan Sook, Arisia is the latest character to join the popular WOMEN OF THE DC UNIVERSE bust series.
The hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain bust measures approximately 5.5” high x 4.25” wide x 5” deep and is packaged in a 4-color box.
Limited Edition.
On sale March 14, 2012 * Bust * $65 US

[nightwing]

TALES OF THE BATMAN: DON NEWTON VOL. 1 HC
Written by BOB ROZAKIS, DENNIS O’NEIL, MARTIN PASKO and others
Art by DON NEWTON and others • Cover by DON NEWTON
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 272 pg, FC, $39.99 US
In these tales from BATMAN #305-306, DETECTIVE COMICS #480 and 483- 492 and BRAVE AND BOLD #153-165, Batman revisits “The Curse of Crime Alley,” meets Maxie Zeus and wages war on the League of Assassins.

I am sorely tempted by this one.  I LOVED Don Newton's artwork on anything (may he RIP), but especially Batman.  The only trouble is that for a lot of his tenure, the "Batman" and "Detective" titles were linked, so unless you buy the recent Gene Colan volume, you can't read complete tales.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BATMAN VOL. 5 TP
Written by FRANK ROBBINS, DENNIS O’NEIL and MIKE FRIEDRICH
Art by IRV NOVICK, NEAL ADAMS and others • Cover by NEAL ADAMS
On sale NOVEMBER 23 • 512 pg, B&W, $19.99 US
Reprinting tales from DETECTIVE COMICS #391-407 and BATMAN #216-228, this value-priced collection includes the introduction of Man-Bat and Batman’s battle with The League of Assassins.

Never has a book been such a sure thing for me.  Since DC doesn't seem interested in publishing a "Bronze Age Batman" omnibus, I'll have to settle for black and white.



Ho-hum, Batman and Superman are fighting again.

I smell a rat here: if Superman's outfit is really "Kryptonian battle armor," then how come Batman, Green Lantern and Aquaman (and possibly others) are wearing variations on the same outfit?

Also, I see Neal Adams is having another go at his "Odyssey" (more properly titled, "Ordeal").  I saw his post on Facebook where he blames the low number of retailer orders on bad eggs on the internet and lackluster promotion by DC.  I'm sure reader dissatisfaction and disinterest has nothing to do with it.

Not sure why that statue is on the list, but I guess anything labeled "Arisia Bust" is worth a look. :-)

[India Ink]

I probably will get the Gene Colan Batman collection, so the Don Newton collection will go with that, but it doesn't make sense to divide the two--since one continued into the other.

I didn't buy the Batman Showcases for two reasons--I was buying the Dynamic Duo Archives and expected them to keep going, and the first volume of the Batman Showcases repeated the credit errors of the first Dynamic Duo Archive (which are more than errors, as they deny credit to Sheldon Moldoff for work everyone knows he did). So I hate to buy books in the middle of a series--but I've started to do this with Justice League and might do the same with Green Lantern. I think I might end up buying all the Batman Showcases--but I'm waiting to see what artwork they use for vol. 5. If they use revamped Neal Adams art, then I won't get the book, but if the art is faithful to the original stuff then I'll really want to get it.

[nightwing]

That's a good point about the Adams art.  I really, really don't want the stuff he mucked up for those recent hardcovers, but I already have the original floppies of his Batman work, so it's not necessarily a deal-breaker.  I just want all that Bronze Age goodness in a format I can get to more easily than digging through long boxes...and share with my boys without being a nervous wreck.  Considering DC has reprinted almost all of the Adams stuff repeatedly, they must still have the non-altered art ready to use again, so here's hoping they do.

I used to have an aversion to joining a series late, too, but a while back I started "Essential Captain America" with Volume 4 (the bulk of the Englehart run) and "Essential Dr Strange" with Volume 2 (how many copies of the Ditko run do I really need?) and Showcase Presents Brave and the Bold with Volume 2 and you know what?  It didn't hurt at all, and they look fine on the shelf.  (Well it did hurt a little...I didn't care for either Marvel book in the main...contrary to popular sentiment I found Englehart's Cap horrible though interestingly Dr Strange didn't get good until Englehart showed up...sadly at the very end of the book).  The experience was so liberating I've decided to start Thor with Vol 3 (which is when everyone agrees it started getting good) and I'm going to replace some of my Fantastic Four Essentials with Masterworks...but only to cover issues 41-60 or so, since that's all I want.  I finally decided, what the heck?  As a kid of the 70s I almost never got to start a series at the beginning anyway, so why should it be a big deal now?

One thing about starting B&B late, though: I didn't get any of the Adams stuff.  So I don't know whether they went with the original art or the icky re-do's.  Maybe the answer would give a clue as to how they're handling Batman vol. 5, but I'm almost afraid to ask.

[India Ink]

I did order the B&B Showcase volume 1, but I sent it back when I realized it used the Adams revamps from the first volume of the Batman Illustrated hardcover--which I bought when it first came out, not realizing it had revamps. I also have volumes 2 & 3 of the B&B Showcase--with their beautiful Aparo art. [note: the Illustrated hardcover is half Adams revamps and half reprints using the Baxter book reprints as their source--volume 1 of B&B Showcase replicates these same versions in black & white.]

But this is why I am leery of any books with Adams art, now. I checked out the Justice League Showcase (volume 5) before I bought it. And I've looked through the Green Lantern Showcase volume 5--and will probably order it.

I also like to have Archives or Showcases, so I don't have to bother taking comics out of boxes to look at stories. But I rarely ever look at the one volume of Batman Illustrated that I bought--because I don't like seeing the Adams revamps. And now I have to try and track down all the back issues of B&B with Adams art that I am missing. So these revamps don't save me any money or trouble.

I'm just hoping that, since the JLA and GL Showcases used the original line art, the Batman Showcase will also use original art. I like to look at Giordano's ink work--and Showcases are good for that.

[nightwing]

That's encouraging news about the GL and JLA books.  Now that I think on it, I *did* hear that B&B vol 1 had the revamped art, and that was the deciding factor in not getting it.  The old memory's not so hot now, you know.

Vols 2 and 3 do have wonderful Aparo art, but Haney's writing makes it very tough to slog through.  When he's good, he's very good, but when he isn't -- which is a majority of the time -- it's the reading equivalent of a root canal.  After a while you almost get used to him writing every single guest star out of character (Plastic Man as a depressed loser?  Green Arrow as a money-hungry fool?), but it starts seeming willful when you're a hundred issues in and he's still writing BATMAN out of character.

Aparo abandons his fine-lined, Adams-esque rendering in favor of his heavier, more cartoony style at the end of Vol 3, so that will probably be my last.  But wow, was he something in his glory days.  I got every Phantom of his I could find, and trust me anyone who could make me treasure a Charlton Comic was a genius, indeed.

[superboy]

When is the whole new supes gone bad and beating up JLA coming out? Him and bats again.They always trying to make batman powerful enough to stand up against superman.

[nightwing]

Check the first post.  Each solicit features an "on sale" date.