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As I suggested in my early con impressions, WonderCon had a reasonable amount of space and handled the numbers of attendees pretty well. It was no surprise that Saturday brought bigger numbers than Friday, and the crowding was more obvious, but still never reached that feeling of pushing and shoving that can easily erupt at crowded cons. The floor occasionally got backed up, particularly around the constantly slammed DC Comics booth, where big names like Scott Snyder appeared frequently for signings and the DC booth’s location, at the very front of the con entrance, contributed to some difficulty getting onto the floor. I noticed that the retail side of things was fairly busy, too, with some crowding and difficulty navigating, suggesting that plenty of fans were there to buy back issues and memorabilia, as well. The artists alley at WonderCon was a little on the scanty side in terms of size and numbers of tables, but those artists who were present were very engaging and passionate about their work. They seemed to have regular followers who were coming in to buy their artwork and there was a strong representation of the fine art side of fantasy prints and original work, as well as handmade arts and crafts.

Open areas like the food court and outside atrium were a welcome oasis, but it also continued to be easy to exit the con into the outdoor plaza areas for a rest and there was no difficulty with re-entry. Though the floor only allowed a couple of doors for access, the many exterior doors were open for comings and goings, with several food trucks outside, far enough from the entrance not to cause back ups. One other surprise was that Sunday seemed just as busy as Saturday, as I heard retailers commenting. They were turning over sales at just as high a rate that day. This feeling may be due to the fact that there were slightly fewer panels on Sunday, making the floor more of a feature, or simply that people waited to do their shopping on the floor on Sunday. When I stumbled into the Arena, a venue I hadn’t seen before, I was impressed with the numbers it could hold, and also that it was completely full for a Joss Whedon Shakespeare film adaptation event. This suggested to me that the con was handling numbers well, since I generally had no idea that so many people were even at the con on top of the numbers moving in the open spaces of the con. It was Easter Sunday the last day of the con, and it closed a little early, at 5PM, perhaps for this reason, but fans still had a sense that they would have been happy for the con to go on a little longer, a good sign regarding WonderCon’s appeal.

One final follow up: I suggested initially in my coverage that people might find WonderCon in Anaheim appealing due to Disneyland access, and that this would appeal to people will kids particularly. Though this turned out to be true, I also underestimated the appeal of Disneyland to singles and younger congoers. I went to Disneyland the following Monday and found that quite a number of WonderCon attendees were there too, from a younger demographic than I expected. You could tell from their conversations and generally less pastel clothing what guests were in town for the con, and I’d say about 1 in 10 were from the con in the massive crowds Disney drew on that post-Easter day.

Final thoughts: it was a well run and appealing con, offering plenty of choice in terms of panels, keeping up with what’s going on in comics and pop culture right now. Marvel were a little under represented, though Dan Slott was participating in panels, and several pros who were there for DC panels were formal Marvel people. Marvel didn’t have a booth on the floor, driving up the demand for DC variants and signings, which they happily accommodated. I was also impressed by the energetic presence of the mid-sized presses like Dark Horse, Archaia, Image, IDW, and ComiXology, for taking the opportunity to flourish and interact with fans when given a little more space to do so. The mid-sized presses really shone in their engagement with fans on the floor, their foresight in bringing new and upcoming books to purchase and get a sneak-peak at, and also through their involvement on panels. This gave the general impression that mid-sized presses are on the rise and taking on the role, collectively, as contenders for the Big Two. Good for them!

Whether WonderCon is in Anaheim again or back in San Francisco in the future, the planning and structure of the con should continue to hold up to make it a comfortable as well as enjoyable, exciting event for fans. This won’t be one of the cons where you have to sacrifice personal amenities just to see your favorite artists speak or get the variant your collection is calling for. They have a sense of putting the customer first at WonderCon and let’s hope that continues; it sets a good model for the growing con industry, and there are some bigger cons who could learn a thing or two from this.

Without further ado, some highlights of the con in photos from my trusty partner in crime Michele Brittany who proved her moxie as a pop culture photographer at WonderCon 2013 in spades. Thanks Michele!

Photo Credits: All photos in this article were taken by semi-professional photographer and pop culture scholar Michele Brittany. She’s an avid photographer of pop culture events. You can learn more about her photography and pop culture scholarship here.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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Geoff Johns’ final storyline as Green Lantern Chief is ‘Wrath of the First Lantern’, a storyline which will conclude with issue #20 of the main book. The event has brought in, as is always the case, the other three Lantern titles as a crossover, and tells the story of a new/old threat to the Lantern Corps. And while it’s a solid storyline, it’s also a very strange one for Johns to bring to the table at this point…

Wrath of the First Lantern sees the very first Green Lantern ever, Volthoom (get used to hearing some very silly names, guys), escape a prison he was put in and subsequently go on a rampage around the Universe. He moves from one lantern to another at a time, therefore creating the crossover, and goes on the offensive. The strange thing about the storyline is that each time he catches up to one –  be it John Stewart, Atrocitus, Kyle Rayner, or whoever – he effectively recaps their origin to them, making this one of the best stories to jump onto in a while.

Yes – the very last storyline from Geoff Johns is also essentially a series of origin stories for every single one of the main characters in the Green Lantern franchise. It’s rather strange. Volthoom’s power appears to be that he can rewrite timestreams, going backwards and forwards in time to change the lives of other people. So he can create a world where Hal Jordan’s father doesn’t die, or he can maintain the status quo and keep Poppa Jordan dead. For the last few weeks, Volthoom has gone over to a series of different characters, shown them alternate lives they could’ve lived, and then refused to change them – every week that’s happened. Readers get a potted history of whomever Volthoom has caught now, and by the end of the issue Volthoom has refused to change the origin, and also captured the hero.

This does allow Johns access to a reset button should he choose to take it. The last ten years have been one of change for the franchise, with grand sweeping gestures and smaller character-focused moments all built up on each other for a series of pretty successful storylines. Some of the stories have been better than others, but for the most part the Geoff Johns era of Green Lantern has been a pretty amazing success, creatively. Not only does Green Lantern now support four titles simultaneously, but it also tells stories which change the sweep of the DC Universe – from Sinestro Corps War to Blackest Night. There’s a clear vision for the characters, who have all been developed fairly well for ten consecutive years.

That can all be reset and cleared away if Geoff Johns wants to, via Volthoom. I’m hoping he doesn’t choose to take this route, because Volthoom hasn’t really worked as a villain so far. As a character, the villain has mainly existed as a fountain of exposition, narrating the lives of Guy Gardner or Carol Ferris like some kind of malevolent David Attenborough. He hasn’t had a particularly visible goal as a villain, and his progress has been very repetitive indeed. The saving grace has been that his powers offer artists a chance to try out some fantastically experimental page layouts, as they pull apart the lives of characters and arrange the important moments into spider-webs, and tapestries.

The story has served to underline the strength of the main characters. There are now around 20 characters in the Green Lantern franchise who could be used as the lead for one of the books, which speaks to how well the writers have managed to pick out underused, well-conceived characters already floating around in the DC Universe. There are several characters who had fallen into obscurity over the years, and writers like Peter Tomasi have done brilliant work in repurposing them. If nothing else, Wrath of the First Lantern has proven to be an excellent showcase for the franchise itself, and the directions new writers and artists could choose to take it in. Hopefully they won’t choose to, y’know, murder half of them.

Wrath of the Green Lanterns isn’t finished yet – Green Lantern #20 is the finale for the storyline, and for Geoff Johns’ run as a whole. It’s been very strange to take this moment in the run and start retelling everybody’s origin storyline – but it’s been a nice little showcase for the characters, and given the various creative teams a chance to experiment a bit with their storytelling. Fun, if a little unnecessary.

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“I’m sorry I’m late with my book”, Jimmy Palmiotti said rather humbly, opening a “spotlight” panel on March 31^st 2013 at WonderCon, and asked the audience if he ought to put on some “background music”.  Amanda Conner, his co-spotlighter, and Palmiotti explained, tongue in cheek, that if the panel appeared “random”, months of deep thought had allowed them to “plan it to be random”. Attendees were already engaged by the humor, and probably by their avid fandom of both Conner and Palmiotti’s work, in this panel Conner and Palmiotti hoped would be “interactive”.

For the first part of the panel, they followed a rough chronology of the story of their working and personal relationship together, but Q &A was welcome throughout. Palmiotti explained that the “magic started” between the couple when he inked a GARGOYLES cover for Conner and a friendship developed between them. This friendship allowed them to learn the “horrible, wonderful sides” of each other, Conner commented. Palmiotti added that they “knew each other insanely well” long before they started dating.

Their first big collaboration, where both provided their own input for a personally satisfying project, involved the VAMPIRELLA comic when Conner asked Palmiotti to create a script where she would be allowed to portray the title character “on the toilet”. Palmiotti, in gallant fashion, concocted a plot involving laxative-laced candy on Halloween, a child-eating demon, and a heroic devourer in Vampirella. Palmiotti encouraged writers to play to the desires of artists and “give them stuff they really want to draw” to produce great results. That’s been their “theme ever since”, he said. Comics have been their “career of choice”, Palmiotti reflected, even though their were “other choices” possible. Conner’s other choices, for instance, included working in advertising, and prior to that, owning a comic book store.

This chronological tour abruptly leapt to the present as both Palmiotti and Conner commented on keeping late hours, particularly at the con. The “number one rule”, Palmiotti shared sagely, is “never look at the clock. It ruins the night the next morning, worrying about it”. Then the “only indication”, he said, “is hearing birds. I don’t like that”. This commentary had the audience in uniform, vocal agreement. Conner and Palmiotti introduced another recurring topic in the panel, the sheer number of shoes Conner has managed to assemble. She insisted she had no more than 20 pairs of shoes, but Palmiotti remained dubious, putting the number at more like 600.

This speculation was interrupted by a question from the floor about the “timetable” on the planned collaboration CAPTAIN BROOKLYN. Conner explained that she’s working on a “glut of covers” at the moment, but when she’s finished those off, she’s going to stop other work and focus on BROOKLYN. Conner confirmed that they are “thinking about” the possibility of doing a Kickstarter for the project. CAPTAIN BROOKLYN, Palmiotti explained, is about a garbage man in Brooklyn, with a “house full of cats” and “Russian massage parlor girls next door” who has to devise a financial means of helping his sickly grandfather. On top of that, he comes to possess “superpowers that really don’t help his life”. Palmiotti says the book, as scripted, is “funny” but he trusts Conner to “bring it down to earth” and “ground it”, a power he feels is her particular strength as an artist. Her work “has a soul”, he said, “The eyes have a soul”, but he jokingly threatened her with finding a replacement if she doesn’t pick up the production pace.

Since the panel declared itself to be “interactive”, I asked Conner about her background studying comics art at the Kubert School in New Jersey, and whether she felt it was beneficial to study comics specifically in order to become a professional comics artist. The benefits, she said, of specialized study, is that she now knows how to “use a lot of other tools besides drawing specific to what I want to do”. At the time that she attended the Kubert School, she said, “most other art colleges frowned on comic art” and it was “not respected”. She feels things are “more open now”, but at  the time, she said, the Kubert School was “exactly what I needed”. Palmiotti commented that at that time, the Kubert School also had very few women, about 4 in her class, Conner recalled. Now comics are a “little more accepted”, Palmiotti said, and the word “geek” is on the rise.

“Now we’re the cool kids and can talk about stupid stuff”, Palmiotti commented, including channeling child-like behavior to geek out about things like films. Both Conner and Palmiotti revealed that they are avid film watchers, and particularly Palmiotti, who goes to the movies a couple of times a week. Conner focuses on particular films that catch her attention, which she watches “repeatedly”. As a kid, she was a huge fan of The Poseidon Adventure, then Star Wars, The Terminator, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and more recently, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.  Palmiotti’s most recent film enthusiasm is for the film Upside Down, particularly fascinated by this love story featuring reverse gravity fields and conflict between differing worlds.

An audience member brought up the subject of the completion of Conner’s run on SILK SPECTRE from the BEFORE WATCHMEN series, a project that ran only four issues rather than a possible six. “It could have stretched to 6”, Conner said, but she found it wasn’t necessary to do so. She declared herself relieved to have finished the job, since it was “labor and research intensive” to make sure she “blended it into the original storyline” of the mid to late ‘60’s. Her goal, which made the job more difficult, was to present “not people’s perception of the 60’s, but actually the ‘60’s” in contrast to our current, commercial views of the time period. This quest led her to contact her mother and her aunts, the youngest of which was “Laurie’s age” during the same time period. Palmiotti, who witnessed Conner’s rather excruciating commitment to historical accuracy in her art, came to call SILK SPECTRE “that effin’ book’ (which was the PG-13 version of the phrase).

Palmiotti said that Conner “became obsessive with every building” she drew, as well as clothing. The “layout” for Laurie’s house, apparently, was drawn from a single panel featuring a single room in the house in WATCHMEN. Conner built an “entire house” around a living room contained in the original comic. Palmiotti reminded the audience, who then applauded, that Conner’s work on SILK SPECTRE has since been nominated for a Reuben Award in “good company” with Evan Dorkin, and Bernie Wrightson, two of their favorite creators.

I asked Conner and Palmiotti what, particularly, they are looking for that they find attractive in a project in terms of character and plot. Palmiotti replied that he’s looking for several things, including the “soul of a character”, “what they want”, “what they fear” and “something at stake”. He’s very drawn to idea of romance in comic books. “It’s there even in JONAH HEX”, he said. “I like the idea of two people who have something in common, a goal”, Palmiotti explained. Even if he’s writing “horrible people”, he’s “looking for a likeable trait”. His example prompted a lot of laughter from the audience, proving the maxim “It’s funny because it’s true”. He said that even “Hitler’s dog thought Hitler was awesome” because the dog, being fed and tended by his master, could find a likeable trait. You have to “find those things in the characters”, he said, and ask yourself, “Why would we care?”.

Conner’s particular take on character focuses on the idea of perfection and imperfection. “I try not to make the character so perfect”, she said, preferring to create a character who is “someone like you know”. She wants her comics audience to react by thinking, “I know somebody who’s just like that”. That’s one of the reasons Palmiotti finds Spielberg films compelling, he explained, since they “start with the hero screwing up” and “we relate”. If a hero is “too perfect, there’s push-back”. He doesn’t respond to films where there’s a “super handsome guy and a perfect girl”, finding them “boring”.

An audience member’s question about Conner’s work drawing BARBIE in the past led to an energetic discussion of Wonder Woman as a character and the possibilities of new directions for her books. “I would love to write WONDER WOMAN”, Palmiotti admitted; he sees her as “more down to earth, less superior” than some other creators since being “too perfect” is a turn-off, though he thinks some solid work has been done on WONDER WOMAN. He observed that in some WONDER WOMAN comics he’s read, the creators “make everyone else more interesting” than Wonder Woman and he can’t understand that approach. “She’s the most interesting person in the room”, he pointed out, not her surrounding characters. Of course, he added, he would only want to write WONDER WOMAN with Conner as the artist on the project.

The last few questions fielded by Palmiotti and Conner included their typical work schedules, which they revealed to be opposite, and therefore difficult in timing, Conner’s recollections about her work for indie magazines, which she described as “guerrilla comic book making”, and what comics they like to read right now. Conner cited Terry Moore, finding herself “rivetted” by every story. Palmiotti’s a big fan of Darwyn Cooke’s work, but also always comes home with a “stack” of comics from the shop on Wednesdays. He buys every #1 issue from every company, he revealed, and continues to “try everything… like it’s my job”.

Conner and Palmiotti certainly presented a fully interactive panel, so much so that when panel time ran out, it felt like an interrupted conversation with plenty more to say. Hearing stories from their daily life and their work suggested that the divide, especially for these collaborators, is artificial, with influences moving back and forth constantly. Maybe that’s the secret to their wide-ranging output in comics, and a glimpse of the reason behind the energy they continually bring to the industry. The panel illustrated well the benefits of the “spotlight” approach to con appearances giving enough time and focus on particular creators to generate a conversation with their audiences.

Photo Credits: All photos in this article were taken by semi-professional photographer and pop culture scholar Michele Brittany. She’s an avid photographer of pop culture events. You can learn more about her photography and pop culture scholarship here.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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DC has released its graphic novel schedule into February 2014, and it’s a huge list of 147 books. The whole list is below, with Vertigo first and then the DCU.

A couple of notes: The Invisibles and DMZ are getting the deluxe hardcover treatment; Brian K Vaughan’s Swamp Thing run is finally being collected; and in the entire list there is exactly one new original graphic novel: The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Ship that Sunk Twice. That doesn’t mean there might not be some more announced, but the program seems to be on hold for now.

On the DC Comics side, it’s mostly all new 52 collections proceeding in an orderly fashion — new hardcover and previous paper back paired. Planetary is getting an Omnibus, as is the DC ONe Million stunt from years back—yet another Grant Morrison led project—The Authority is getting the hardcover collection treatment. Various recent notable Batman story lines are being collected — Court of Owls and Grant Morrison again. Various cool older things are being collected like Deadshot and old Joker and so on.

Also, given how the digital versions are selling, we’ll be curious to see how the Injustice: Gods Among Us video-game tie-in sells. Our guess: very well.

DC Comics title scheduled for September 2013:

World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria TP
Writer: Micky Neilson
Artist: Sean “Cheeks” Galloway
Original graphic novel
$16.99 US, 128 pg

DC Comics title scheduled for December 2013:

Gears of War Book Three: Dirty Little Secrets TP
Writers: Joshua Ortega and Karen Traviss
Artists: Julius Gopez, Colin Wilson, Pop Mhan and Leonardo Manco
Collects: Gears of War #14-24
$19.99 US, 256 pg

DC Comics title scheduled for February 2014:

Masters of the Universe Vol. 2: Origins of Eternia TP
Writers: Keith Giffen, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Brian Keene
Artists: Frazer Irving, Ben Oliver, Keith Giffen, Scott Koblish and Pop Mhan
Collects: Masters of the Universe: The Origin of Skeletor #1, Masters of the Universe: The Origin of He-Man #1, Masters of the Universe: The Origin of Hordak #1 and Masters of the Universe #1-4
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for September 2013:

American Vampire Vol. 4 TP
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Jordi Bernet, Roger Cruz, Riccardo Burchielli and Rafael Albuquerque
Collects: American Vampire #19-27
$16.99 US, 208 pg

Neil Young’s Greendale TP
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Original graphic novel
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Preacher Book Two TP
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Steve Dillon
Collects: Preacher #13-26
$19.99 US, 368 pg

The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Ship that Sunk Twice HC
Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Peter Gross, Kurt Higgins and Zelda Devon
Original graphic novel
$22.99 US, 160 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for October 2013:

The Fables Companion HC
Writers: Jess Nevins and Bill Willingham
Artists: Various
Original reference volume
$39.99 US, 256 pg

Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland TP
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artists: Craig Hamilton, Jim Fern, Ray Snyder and Mark Farmer
Original graphic novel
$14.99 US, 152 pg

Lucifer Book 2 TP
Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Peter Gross, Jon J Muth, Dean Ormston and Ryan Kelly
Collects: Lucifer #14-28 and Lucifer: Nirvana #1
$29.99 US, 416 pg

Sandman: Endless Nights TP New Edition
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artists: Glenn Fabry, Milo Manara, Miguelanxo Prado, Frank Quitely, P. Craig Russell, Bill Sienkiewicz and Barron Storey
Original graphic novel
$19.99 US, 160 pg

The Unexpected TP
Writers: Dave Gibbons, G. Willow Wilson, Alex Grecian, Joshua Dysart, Jeffrey Rotter, Mat Johnson, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Brian Wood, Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Al Ewing, Toby Litt, Cecil Castellucci, Joe Kubert, Neil Kleid, Mary H.K. Choi, Paul Pope, David Lapham, Gilbert Hernandez and Geoff Johns
Artists: Dave Gibbons, Robbie Rodriguez, Jill Thompson, Farel Dalrymple, Lelio Bonaccorso, David Lapham, Rahsan Ekedal, Emily Carroll, Denys Cowan, Don Hudson, Rufus DayGlo, Mark Buckingham, Victor Santos, Amy Reeder, Joe Kubert, John McCrea, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Paul Pope, Gilbert Hernandez and Jeff Lemire
Collects: The Unexpected #1 and Ghosts #1
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for November 2013:

Ex Machina Book One TP
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artists: Tony Harris and Tom Feister
Collects: Ex Machina #1-11
$19.99 US, 272 pg

The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artists: Duncan Eagleson, Vince Locke, John Watkiss, Jill Thompson, Dave McKean, Dick Giordano, P. Craig Russell, Bryan Talbot, Alec Stevens, Mark Buckingham, Michael Allred, Shea Anton Pensa, Gary Amaro, Steve Leialoha, Tony Harris, Marc Hempel, D’Israeli, Glyn Dillon, Charles Vess, Teddy Kristiansen, Richard Case, Jon J Muth, Kevin Nowlan and Michael Zulli
Collects: The Sandman #38-75 and stories from Vertigo Jam #1 and Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3
$150.00 US, 1,040 pg

Vertigo Visions: Frank Quitely HC
Writers: Bruce Jones, Neil Gaiman, Ilya, Doselle Young, Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison, Robert Rodi, Doug Moench, Bronwyn Carlton, Gahan Wilson, Paul Yellovich, George Hagenauer, Paul Kirchner, John Wagner and Carl Posey
Artist: Frank Quitely
Collects: Stories from The Big Book of Conspiracies, The Big Book of Death, The Big Book of Freaks, The Big Book of Hoaxes, The Big Book of Little Criminals, The Big Book of Losers, The Big Book of Martyrs, The Big Book of Weirdos, Flinch #12, Heartthrobs #2, Gangland #1, The Invisibles #1, The Sandman: Endless Nights, Strange Adventures #1, Transmetropolitan #31 and Weird War Tales #3
$24.99 US, 144 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for December 2013:

100 Bullets: The Deluxe Edition Book Five HC
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Collects: 100 Bullets #81-100
$59.99 US, 512 pg

Fables Vol. 19: Snow White TP
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artists: Shawn McManus, Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha
Collects: Fables #124-129 and backup stories from Fables #114-123
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Saga of the Swamp Thing Book Five TP
Writer: Alan Moore
Artists: John Totleben, Rick Veitch and Alfredo Alcala
Collects: Swamp Thing #51-56
$14.99 US, 168 pg

Spaceman TP
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Collects: Spaceman #1-9 and a story from Strange Adventures #1
$19.99 US, 224 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for January 2014:

Animal Man Vol. 5: The Meaning of Flesh TP
Writer: Tom Veitch
Artists: Steve Dillon, Tom Mandrake, Dick Giordano, David G. Klein, Mark Badger, Bret Ewins, Jim McCarthy and Steve Pugh
Collects: Animal Man #38-50
$24.99 US, 352 pg

DMZ Deluxe Edition Book One HC
Writer: Brian Wood
Artists: Riccardo Burchielli, Kristian Donaldson and Brian Wood
Collects: DMZ #1-12
$29.99 US, 304 pg

Fables Deluxe Edition Book Eight HC
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artists: Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy
Collects: Fables #60-63 and 65-69
$29.99 US, 232 pg

Hellblazer Vol. 7: Tainted Love TP
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Steve Dillon
Collects: Hellblazer #62-71, Hellblazer Special #1 and a story from Vertigo Jam #1
$19.99 US, 320 pg

Preacher Book Three TP
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artists: Steve Dillon and Steve Pugh and
Collects: Preacher #27-33, Preacher: Saint of Killers #1-4 and Preacher: Cassidy — Blood and Whiskey #1
$19.99 US, 352 pg

Swamp Thing by Brian K. Vaughan Vol. 1 TP
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artists: Roger Petersen, Joe Rubinstein, Mark Lipka, Rick Magyar, Steve Lieber, Guy Davis and Paul Pope
Collects: Swamp Thing #1-9, Vertigo Secrets and Origins: Swamp Thing #1 and a story from Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3
$19.99 US, 240 pg

The Unwritten Vol. 8 TP
Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Peter Gross and Dean Ormston
Collects: The Unwritten #42-49
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Vertigo titles scheduled for February 2014:

The Invisibles Vol. 1 Deluxe Edition HC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Steve Yeowell, Duncan Fegredo, Jill Thompson, Dennis Cramer, Chris Weston, John Ridgway, Steve Parkhouse, Kim DeMulder, Paul Johnson, Phil Jimenez, John Stokes, Tommy Lee Edwards, Dick Giordano, Mark Buckingham and Mark Pennington
Collects: The Invisibles #1-25 and a story from Absolute Vertigo #1
$29.99, 328 pg

Strange Adventures TP
Writers: Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Talia Hershewe, Peter Milligan, Lauren Beukes, Jeff Lemire, Ross Campbell, Kevin Colden, Paul Cornell, Brian Azzarello, Duane Swierczynski, Andy Diggle, Ming Doyle, Ann Nocenti, Nnedi Okorafor, Steve Orlando, Robert Rodi, Kevin McCarthy and Michael Allred
Artists: Denys Cowan, John Floyd, Juan Bobillo, Sylvain Savoia, Inaki Miranda, Jeff Lemire, Ross Campbell, Kevin Colden, Goran Sudzuka, Eduardo Risso, Ramon Bachs, Davide Gianfelice, Ming Doyle, Fred Harper, Michael Wm. Kaluta, Francesco Trifolgi, Sebastian Fiumara, Kevin McCarthy, Kyle Baker and Michael Allred
Collects: Strange Adventures #1 and Mystery in Space #1
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Unknown Soldier TP New Edition
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Kilian Plunkett
Collects: Unknown Soldier #1-4
$14.99 US, 112 pg

WE3 TP
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Collects: WE3 #1-3 plus new pages from the Deluxe Edition
$14.99 US, 144 pg

DC Comics Collected EDitions

DC Comics titles scheduled for September 2013:

Ame-Comi Girls Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Amanda Conner, Tony Akins, Walden Wong, Sanford Greene, Ted Naifeh, Mike Bowden and Santi Casas
Collects: Ame-Comi Girls #1-5
$14.99 US, 168 pg

Animal Man Vol. 3: Rotworld: The Red Kingdom TP
Writers: Jeff Lemire and Scott Snyder
Artists: Steve Pugh, Timothy Green II, Joseph Silver, Yanick Paquette, Marco Rucy, Dan Green, Andy Owens and Andre Balinger
Collects: Animal Man #12-17 and Swamp Thing #12 and 17-18
$16.99 US, 208 pg

Arrow Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg
Artists: Mike Grell, Jorge Jimenez, Sergio Sandoval, Julian Totino Tedesco, Eric Nguyen, Omar Francia and Xermanico
Collects: Arrow #1-5
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Batman/Judge Dredd Collection TP
Writers: Alan Grand, John Wagner
Artists: Simon Bisley, Cam Kennedy, Carl Critchlow, Dermot Power, Glenn Fabry, Jim Murray, Jason Brashill, Val Semeiks and John Dell
Collects: Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham #1, Batman/Judge Dredd: Vendetta in Gotham #1, Batman/Judge Dredd: The Ultimate Riddle #1, Lobo/Judge Dredd #1 and Batman/Judge Dredd: Die Laughing #1-2
$19.99 US, 304 pg

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Damon Lindelof, Jonathan Larsen, Tom Taylor, B. Clay Moore, Steve Niles, T.J. Fixman, Andrew Dabb and Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artists: Jeff Lemire, J.G. Jones, Nicola Scott, Wayne Faucher, Ben Templesmith, Trevor Hairsine, Christopher Mitten, Giorgoi Pontrelli, Tan Eng Huat, Phil Hester and Eric Gapstur
Collects: Legends of the Dark Knight #1-5
$14.99 US, 168 pg

Batwoman Vol. 2: To Drown the World TP
Writer: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Artists: Amy Reeder, Richard Friend, Rob Hunter and Trevor McCarthy
Collects: Batwoman #6-11
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Batwoman Vol. 3: World’s Finest HC
Writer: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Artists: J.H. Williams III and Trevor McCarthy
Collects: Batwoman #0 and 12-17
$22.99 US, 160 pg

Green Arrow Vol. 3 TP
Writers: Ann Nocenti and Jeff Lemire
Artists: Freddie Williams II, Rob Hunter, Tom Derenick, Art Thibert, Robin Riggs and Andrea Sorrentino
Collects: Green Arrow #0 and 14-20
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army HC
Writers: Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Tony Bedard and Peter Milligan
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, Cafu, Scott Hanna, Fernando Pasarin, Chriscross, Marlo Alquiza, Andrei Bressan, Amilcar Pinna, Aaron Kuder, Miguel Sepulveda and others
Collects: Green Lantern #13-16, Green Lantern Corps #13-16, Green Lantern New Guardians #13-16, Red Lanterns #13-16, Green Lantern Corps Annual #1 and pages from Green Lantern Annual #1
$29.99 US, 416 pg

Justice League Vol. 2: The Villain’s Journey TP
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Gene Ha, Carlos D’Anda, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Mark Irwin, Jonathan Glapion, Sandra Hope, Batt, Rob Hunter, Joe Weems, Alex Garner and Trevor Scott
Collects: Justice League #7-12
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Justice League Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Pete Woods, Pere Perez, Paul Pelletier, Marlo Alquiz, Ruy Jose, Sean Parsons, Cam Smith and Art Thibert
Collects: Justice League #13-17 and Aquaman #14-16
$24.99 US, 192 pg

Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo Vol. 2 HC
Writer: Bob Haney and Cary Burkett
Artists: Jim Aparo, John Calnan and Joe Staton
Collects: The Brave and the Bold #123-136 and 138-151
$49.99 US, 520 pg

Secret Society of Super-Villains Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Gerry Conway, David Kraft, Bob Rozakis and Paul Levitz
Artists: Pablo Marcos, Rich Buckler, Arvell Jones, Dick Ayers, Dick Dillin, Mike Vosburg, Ric Estrada and others
Collects: Secret Society Of Super Villains #1-10 and a story from Amazing World of DC Comics #11
$19.99 US, 208 pg

Shazam! Vol. 1 HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Collects: Stories from Justice League 0, 7-11, 14-16 and 18-21
$24.99 US, 192 pg

Stormwatch Vol. 3 TP
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Will Conrad, Cliff Richards, Eduardo Pansica and Julio Ferreira
Collects: Stormwatch #0 and 13-18
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Guts TP
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artists: Cliff Chiang, Tony Akins and Dan Green
Collects: Wonder Woman #7-12
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Wonder Woman Vol. 3: Blood HC
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artists: Cliff Chiang, Tony Akins, Dan Green and Amilcar Pinna
Collects: Wonder Woman #0 and 13-17
$24.99 US, 176 pg

DC Comics titles scheduled for October 2013:

Batgirl Vol. 2: Knightfall Descends TP
Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes, Alitha Martinez and Ed Benes
Collects: Batgirl #7-13 and 0
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Batgirl Vol. 3: Death of the Family HC
Writers: Gail Simone, Ray Fawkes and Scott Snyder
Artists: Ed Benes, Daniel Sampere, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Mark Irwin, Vicente Cifuentes and Admira Wijaya
Collects: Batgirl #14-19, Batman 19 and Batgirl Annual #1
$24.99 US, 224 pg

Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family HC
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion
Collects: Batman #13-17
$24.99 US, 176 pg

Batman, Incorporated Vol. 2 HC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Chris Burnham, Jason Masters
Collects: Batman, Incorporated #7-13
$22.99 US, 160 pg

Batman: Odyssey TP
Writer: Neal Adams
Artists: Neal Adams, Josh Adams, Michael Golden, Kevin Nowlan, Bill Sienkiewicz, Scott Williams and Paul Neary
Collects: Batman: Odyssey Vol. 1 #1-6 and Vol. 2 #1-7
$19.99 US, 368 pg

Batman Unwrapped by Andy Kubert HC
Writers: Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman and Mark Waid
Artist: Andy Kubert
Collects: Batman #655-658, 664-666, 686 and 700, Detective Comics #853 and a story from 52 #46
$34.99 US, 272 pg

Batman: The World’s Finest Archives Vol. 3 HC
Writers: Bill Finger, Edmond Hamilton, William Woolfolk, Alvin Schwartz, David Vern and others
Artists: Bob Kane, Ray Burnley, Dick Sprang, Charles Paris, Jim Mooney, Lew Sayre Schwartz, Sy Barry, Stan Kaye, Sheldon Moldoff and others
Collects: Stories from World’s Finest Comics #33-70
$75.00 US, 512 pg

Catwoman Vol. 3: Death of the Family TP
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artists: Adriana Melo, Julio Ferreira, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Emanuela Lupacchino and Jaime Mendoza
Collects: Catwoman #0 and 13-18 and a story from YOUNG ROMANCE #1
$16.99 US, 176 pg

DC Comics One Million Omnibus HC
Writers: Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Mark Schultz, Chuck Dixon, Ian Edginton, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Dennis O’Neil, Doug Moench, Alan Grant, Devin Grayson, D. Curtis Johnson, Len Kaminski, Mark Waid, Michael Jan Friedman, Ron Marz, Garth Ennis, William Messner-Loebs, John Francis Moore, Tom Peyer, John Ostrander, James Robinson, Jerry Ordway, Karl Kesel, Peter David, Christopher Priest, Chris Roberson, Dan Jurgens and Geoff Johns
Artists: Val Semeiks, Phil Jimenez, Mike Wieringo, Richard Case, Georges Jeanty, Cully Hamner, Flint Henry, Norm Breyfogle, Dusty Abell, Ron Lim, Will Rosado, Tom Grindberg, Vince Giarrano, Yvel Guichet, Mark Buckingham, Jim Balent, J.H. Williams III, Shawn Martinbrough, Greg Land, Josh Hood, Bryan Hitch, John McCrea, Craig Rousseau, Howard Porter, Keith Giffen, Sean Phillips, Greg Luzniak, Tom Mandrake, Scott McDaniel, Jerry Ordway, Butch Guice, Staz Johnson, Peter Snejbjerg, Tom Grummett, Dusty Abell, Norm Breyfogle, Anthony Williams, Michael Collins, Todd Nauck, Angel Unzueta, Roberto Flores, Jesus Merino, Dan Jurgens and others
Collects: DC One Million #1-4, Action Comics #1,000,000, Adventures of Superman #1,000,000, Aquaman #1,000,000, Azrael #1,000,000, Batman #1,000,000, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1,000,000, Catwoman #1,000,000, Chase #1,000,000, Chronos #1,000,000, The Creeper #1,000,000, Detective Comics #1,000,000, The Flash #1,000,000, Green Arrow #1,000,000, Green Lantern #1,000,000, Hitman #1,000,000, Impulse #1,000,000, JLA #1,000,000, Legion of Super-Heroes #1,000,000, Legionnaires #1,000,000, Lobo #1,000,000, Martian Manhunter #1,000,000, Nightwing #1,000,000, Power of Shazam #1,000,000, Resurrection Man #1,000,000, Robin #1,000,000, Starman #1,000,000, Superboy #1,000,000, Supergirl #1,000,000, Superman #1,000,000, Superman: The Man of Steel #1,000,000, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #1,000,000, Wonder Woman #1,000,000, Young Justice #1,000,000, JLA in Crisis Secret Files, DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1, Booster Gold #1,000,000 and Superman/Batman #79-80
$99.99 US, 1,024 pg

Deadshot: Beginnings TP
Writers: John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Steve Englehart, Doug Moench, Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz
Artists: Luke McDonnell, Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Don Newton, Alfredo Alcala and Bruce Patterson
Collects: Deadshot #1-4, Batman #369 and Detective Comics #474 and 518
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Green Lantern Vol. 2: The Revenge of Black Hand TP
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Renato Guedes and Ethan Van Sciver
Collects: Green Lantern #7-12 and Green Lantern Annual #1
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Green Lantern Volume 3 HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, Tom Nguyen, Marc Deering, Szymon Kudranski and Ardian Syaf
Collects: Green Lantern #0 and 13-20
$24.99 US, 224 pg

I, Vampire: Wave of Mutilation
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artists: Andrea Sorrentino, Dennis Calero, Scott Clark and Fernando Blanco
Collects: I, Vampire #0 and 13-18
$16.99, 192 pg

Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 1 TP
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artists: Jheremy Raapack, Mike S. Miller, Marc Deering, Axel Gimenez, Bruno Redondo and others
Collects: Injustice: Gods Among Us #1-4
$14.99 US, 168 pg

JLA Earth 2 Deluxe Edition HC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Original graphic novel
$24.99 US, 144 pg

The Joker: Death of the Family HC
Writers: Ann Nocenti, Gail Simone, Adam Glass, Peter J. Tomasi, Kyle Higgins, John Layman, Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
Artists: Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Ed Benes, Daniel Sampere, Mark Irwin, Vicente Cifuentes, Fernando Dagnino, Patrick Gleason, Tomas Giorello, Mick Gray, Keith Champagne, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Timothy Green II, Wayne Faucher, Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
Collects: Catwoman #13-14, Batgirl #13-16, Suicide Squad #14-15, Batman and Robin #15-16, Nightwing #15-16, Detective Comics #15-16, Red Hood and the Outlaws #15-16 and Teen Titans #15-16
$29.99 US, 376 pg

JSA Liberty Files: The Whistling Skull TP
Writer: B. Clay Moore
Artist: Tony Harris
Collects: JSA Liberty Files: The Whistling Skull #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Smallville Season 11 Vol. 3: Haunted TP
Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Collects: Smallville Season 11 #9-12
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Suicide Squad Vol. 3 TP
Writers: Adam Glass and Ales Kot
Artists: Fernando Dagnino, Henrik Jonsson, Sandu Florea and Timothy Green II
Collects: Suicide Squad #14-20
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Superman Vol. 2: Secrets & Lies TP
Writers: Dan Jurgens, Keith Giffen, Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
Artists: Dan Jurgens, Jesus Merino, Kenneth Rocafort, Pascal Alixe, Marco Rudy, Tom Raney, Elizabeth Torque and Mico Suayan
Collects: Superman #7-12 and Superman Annual #1
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Superman Vol. 3 HC
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
Collects: Superman #0 and 13-19
$24.99 US, 192 pg

Superman: Dark Knight Over Metropolis TP
Writers: John Byrne, Roger Stern, Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway
Artists: Bob McLeod, Brett Breeding, Arthur Adams, Dick Giordano, Dan Jurgens, Art Thibert, Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke
Collects: Superman #44, Adventures of Superman #466-467, Action Comics #653-654 and Action Comics Annual #1
$14.99 US, 168 pg

DC Comics titles scheduled for November 2013:

All-Star Western Vol. 3: The Black Diamond Probability TP
Writers: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Moritat, Phil Winslade and Staz Johnson
Collects: All-Star Western #0 and 13-16
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Aquaman Vol. 2: The Others TP
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
Collects: Aquaman #7-13
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Julio Ferreira, Pete Woods, Pere Perez, Paul Pelletier, Art Thibert and Sean Parsons
Collects: Aquaman #0 and 14-16 and Justice League #15-17
$24.99 US, 176 pg

Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls TP
Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
Artists: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Rafael Albuquerque, Andy Clarke and Jason Fabok
Collects: Batman #8-12 and Batman Annual #1
$16.99 US, 208 pg

Batman and Robin Vol. 2: Pearl TP
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, Lee Garbett, Andy Clarke, Ray McCarthy, Keith Champagne, Dustin Nguyen and Tomas Giorello
Collects: Batman and Robin #9-14 and 0
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Batman and Robin Vol. 3: Death of the Family HC
Writers: Peter J. Tomasi and Scott Snyder
Artists: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Keith Champagne, Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes
Collects: Batman and Robin #15-18, Batman #17 and Batman and Robin Annual #1
$24.99 US, 176 pg

Batman, Incorporated Vol. 1: Demon Star TP
Writers: Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham
Artists: Chris Burnham and Frazer Irving
Collects: Batman, Incorporated #0-6
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2: Scare Tactics TP
Writer: Tony S. Daniel
Artists: Tony S. Daniel, Sandu Florea, Szymon Kudranski, Ed Benes and Rob Hunter
Collects: Detective Comics # 8-12, 0 and Detective Comics Annual #1
$16.99 US, 232 pg

Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin HC
Writer: John Layman
Artists: Jason Fabok and Andy Clarke
Collects: Detective Comics #13-18
$24.99 US, 192 pg

Batman: Night of the Owls TP
Writers: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tony S. Daniel, Judd Winick, Peter J. Tomasi, Duane Swierczynski, Gail Simone, Scott Lobdell, Kyle Higgins, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Jason Fabok, Tony S. Daniel, Joel Gomez, Sandu Florea, David Finch, Richard Friend, Marcos To, Ryan Winn, Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, Travel Foreman, Jeff Huet, Ardian Syaf, Vicente Sifuentes, Kenneth Rocafort, Guillem March, Eddy Barrows, Ruy Jose, Eber Ferreira and Moritat
Collects: Batman #8-11, Nightwing #8-9, All-Star Western #9, Catwoman #9, Batgirl #9, Batman: The Dark Knight #9, Batman and Robin #9, Birds of Prey #9, Red Hood and the Outlaws #9, Batman Annual #1 and Batwing #9
$19.99 US, 368 pg

Green Arrow Vol. 1: Hunter’s Moon TP
Writer: Mike Grell
Artists: Ed Hannigan, Dick Giordano and Frank McLaughlin
Collects: Green Arrow #1-6
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Joe Kubert Presents TP
Writers: Joe Kubert, Brian Buniak, Sam Glanzman and Paul Levitz
Artists: Joe Kubert, Brian Buniak and Sam Glanzman
Collects: Joe Kubert Presents #1-6
$19.99 US, 304 pg

The Joker: The Clown Prince of Crime TP
Writers: Dennis O’Neil, Elliot S. Maggin and Martin Pasko
Artists: Irv Novick, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Ernie Chua, Vince Colletta, Tex Blaisdell and Frank McLaughlin
Collects: The Joker #1-9
$16.99 US, 176 pg

The Judas Coin TP
Writer/Artist: Walter Simonson
Original graphic novel
$14.99 US, 104 pg

Justice League of America Vol. 1 HC
Writers: Geoff Johns and Matt Kindt
Artists: David Finch and Scott Clark
Collects: Justice League of America #1-6
$24.99 US, 176 pg

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 3: Death of the Family TP
Writers: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
Artists: Pasqual Ferry, Ig Guara, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Timothy Green II, Pascal Alixe, Wayne Faucher, Ardian Syaf, Robson Rocha, Ken Lashley, Jaime Mendoza and Le Beau Underwood
Collects: Red Hood and the Outlaws #0 and 14-17 and Teen Titans #15-16
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Red Lanterns Volume 3 TP
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes, Miguel Sepulveda and Will Conrad
Collects: Red Lanterns #0 and 13-20
$19.99 US, 224 pg

Superman: H’el on Earth HC
Writers: Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco and Mike Johnson
Artists: Kenneth Rocafort, R.B. Silva, Rob Lean, Roger Robinson, Iban Coello, Amilcar Pinna and Mahmud Asrar
Collects: Superman #13-17, Superboy #14-17 and Supergirl #14-17
$29.99 US, 296 pg

Swamp Thing Vol. 3: Rotworld: The Green Kingdom TP
Writers: Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire
Artists: Marco Rudy, Dan Green, Andy Owens, Kano, Yanick Paquette, Andre Balinger, Steve Pugh, Timothy Green II and Joseph Silver
Collects: Swamp Thing #12-18 and Animal Man #12 and 17
$16.99 US, 208 pg

Worlds’ Finest Vol. 2 TP
Writer: Paul Levitz
Artists: Kevin Maguire, George Perez, Sandra Hope, Cliff Richards, Cafu, Yildiray Cinar, Phil Jimenez, Barry Kitson and Geraldo Borges
Collects: Worlds’ Finest #6-12
$14.99 US, 160 pg

DC Comics titles scheduled for December 2013:

The Authority Vol. 2 HC
Writers: Mark Millar, Doselle Young, Tom Peyer and Grant Morrison
Artists: Frank Quitely, Trevor Scott, Scott Williams, Mark Irwin, Chris Weston, Garry Leach, Derek Fridolfs, Sal Regla, John McCrea, Dustin Nguyen, Richard Friend, Jason Martin, Arthur Adams, Tim Townsend and Gary Erskine
Collects: The Authority #13-29
$34.99 US, 416 pg

Birds of Prey Vol. 3: A Clash of Daggers TP
Writers: Duane Swierczynski and Gail Simone
Artists: Romano Molenaar, Vicente Cifuentes, Juan Jose Ryp, Daniel Sampere and Admira Wijaya
Collects: Birds of Prey #13-17 and Batgirl Annual #1
$14.99 US, 160 pg

The Creature Commandos TP
Writers: J.M. DeMatteis, Mike W. Barr and Robert Kanigher
Artists: Pat Broderick, John Celardo, Fred Carillo, Bob Hall, Jerry Ordway and Dan Spiegle
Collects: Weird War Tales #93, 97, 100, 102, 105, 108-112, 114-119, 121 and 124
$19.99 US, 288 pg

Deadman Book Four TP
Writers: Bob Haney, Len Wein and Gerry Conway
Artists: Ric Estrada, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Jim Aparo and Frank Chiaramonte,
Collects: DC Special Series #8, DC Comics Presents #24 and stories from Adventure Comics #459-466
$14.99 US, 168 pg

Doctor Mid-Nite New Edition TP
Writer: Matt Wagner
Artist: John K. Snyder III
Collects: Doctor Mid-Nite #1-3
$14.99 US, 160 pg

The Flash Vol. 2: Rogues Revolution TP
Writers: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Artists: Francis Manapul, Marcus To, Scott Kolins, Diogenes Neves, Oclair Albert, Marcio Takara, Wes Craig and Ray McCarthy
Collects: The Flash #9-12 and The Flash Annual #1
$16.99 US, 176 pg

The Flash Vol. 3: Gorilla Warfare HC
Writers: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Artists: Francis Manapul, Marcus To, Ryan Winn and Marcio Takara
Collects: The Flash #13-19
$24.99 US, 176 pg

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men Vol. 3: Takeover TP
Writers: Dan Jurgens and Joe Harris
Artists: Dan Jurgens, Ray McCarthy, Yildiray Cinar, Marlo Alquiza and Karl Kesel
Collects: The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #13-18
$16.99 US, 176 pg

Green Lantern Corps Vol. 2: Alpha War TP
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Fernando Pasarin, CAFU, Scott Hanna and Marc Deering
Collects: Green Lantern Corps #8-14 and 0
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Green Lantern Corps Vol. 3: Rise of the Third Army HC
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: CAFU, Scott Hanna, Fernando Pasarin, Chriscross and Marlo Alquiza
Collects: Green Lantern Corps #15-20 and Green Lantern Corps Annual #1
$24.99 US, 192 pg

I, Vampire Vol. 3: Wave of Mutilation TP
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artists: Andrea Sorrentino, Dennis Calero, Scott Clark and Fernando Blanco
Collects: I, Vampire #0 and 13-19
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Nightwing Vol. 3: Death of the Family TP
Writers: Tom DeFalco, Kyle Higgins and Scott Snyder
Artists: Andres Guinaldo, Mark Irwin, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Juan Jose Ryp, Roger Bonet, Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion
Collects: Nightwing #13-18 and Batman #17
$16.99 US, 176 pg

The Savage Hawkman Vol. 2: Wanted TP
Writer: Tom DeFalco
Artists: Joe Bennett, Art Thibert,
Collects: The Savage Hawkman #0 and 9-20
$19.99 US, 288 pg

Superman: Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof TP
Writers: Grant Morrison, Sholly Fisch and Max Landis
Artists: Rags Morales, Gene Ha, Cully Hamner, Karl Story, Ben Oliver, CAFU, Brad Walker and Ryan Sook
Collects: Action Comics #9-12 and 0, and Action Comics Annual #1
$16.99 US, 224 pg

Superman: Action Comics Vol. 3: At The End of Days HC
Writers: Grand Morrison and Sholly Fisch
Artists: Travel Foreman, Rags Morales, Mark Propst, Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessy, Chris Sprouse and Karl Story
Collects: Action Comics #13-17
$24.99 US, 224 pg

Superman Vs. Mongul TP
Writers: Len Wein, Paul Levitz and Alan Moore
Artists: Jim Starlin, Dick Giordano, Frank McLaughlin, Romeo Tanghal, Curt Swan, Dave Hunt and Dave Gibbons
Collects: DC Comics Presents #27-28, 36 and 43 and Superman Annual #11
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Teen Titans Vol. 3: Death of the Family TP
Writers: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
Artists: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira
Collects: Teen Titans #14-20
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Young Justice: Invasion TP
Writer: Greg Weisman
Artist: Christopher Jones
Collects: Young Justice #20-25
$12.99 US, 128 pg

DC Comics titles scheduled for January 2014:

Batman—The Dark Knight Vol. 2: Cycle of Violence TP
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Artists: David Finch, Richard Friend, Mico Suayan and Juan Jose Ryp
Collects: Batman—The Dark Knight #10-15 and 0
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Batman—The Dark Knight Vol. 3: Mad HC
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Artist: Ethan Van Sciver
Collects: Batman—The Dark Knight #16-21
$22.99 US, 144 pg

Batman: Arkham Unhinged Vol. 2 TP
Writer: Derek Fridolfs
Artists: Jorge Jimenez, Mike S. Miller, Darick Robertson, Peter Nguyen and others
Collects: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #6-10
$14.99 US, 168 pg

Batman: Arkham Unhinged Vol. 3 HC
Writer: Derek Fridolfs
Artists: Mico Suayan, Jheremy Raapack, Eric Nguyen, Federico Dallocchio and Davide Fabbri
Collects: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #11-15
$22.99 US, 168 pg

Batwing Volume 3: Enemy of the State TP
Writers: Judd Winick, Fabian Nicieza, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Marcus To, Ryan Winn, Richard Zajac, Beau Underwood, Fabrizio Fiorentino, Allan Jefferson, Phyllis Novin, Juan Castro, Eduardo Pansica and Julio Ferreira
Collects: Batwing #13-18
$16.99 US, 144 pg

The Demon: From the Darkness TP
Writer: Matt Wagner
Artists: Matt Wagner and Art Nichols
Collects: The Demon #1-4 (miniseries) and The Demon #22
$14.99 US, 128 pg

Demon Knights Vol. 3 TP
Writers: Paul Cornell and Robert Venditti
Artist: Bernard Chang
Collects: Demon Knights #13-18
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Earth 2 Vol. 1: The Gathering TP
Writer: James Robinson
Artists: Nicola Scott, Trevor Scott, Eduardo Pansica and Tomas Giorello
Collects: Earth 2 #1-6
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Earth 2 Vol. 2: The Tower of Fate HC
Writer: James Robinson
Artists: Nicola Scott, Trevor Scott, Yildiray Cinar, Ryan Winn, Tom Derenick and Ruy Jose
Collects: Earth 2 #0 and 7-12 and a story from DC Universe Presents #0
$24.99 US, 176 pg

Green Lantern: The Animated Series Vol. 2 TP
Writers: Art Baltzar, Franco, Ivan Cohen and Cecil Castellucci
Artists: Dario Brizuela and Luciano Vecchio
Collects: Green Lantern: The Animated Series #6-11
$12.99 US, 128 pg

Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 2: Beyond Hope TP
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Tyler Kirkham, Batt, Tomas Giorello and Marcio Takara
Collects: Green Lantern – New Guardians #8-12 and Blue Beetle #9
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 3: Rise of the Third Army HC
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Aaron Kuder, Andrei Bressan, Andres Guinaldo, Greg Adams and Amilcar Pinna.
Collects: Green Lantern: New Guardians #0 and 13-20
$24.99 US, 224 pg

Green Lantern: Sector 2814 Vol. 3 TP
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artists: Joe Staton, Bruce Patterson, Mark Farmer and Bob Smith
Collects: Green Lantern #194-200
$16.99 US, 200 pg

Katana Vol. 1 TP
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artists: Alex Sanchez, Cristina Coronas and Bill Sienkiewicz
Collects: Katana #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3: The Fatal Five TP
Writer: Paul Levitz
Artists: Francis Portela, Scott Kolins, Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish
Collects: Legion of Super-Heroes #15-21
$14.99 US, 160 pg

The Planetary Omnibus HC
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artists: John Cassaday, Jerry Ordway, Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning
Collects: Planetary #1-27, Planetary/Batman #1, Planetary/JLA #1 and Planetary/Authority #1
$75.00 US, 832 pg

Superboy Vol. 3 TP
Writer: Tom DeFalco,
Artists: R.B. Silva, Rob Lean, Ron Frenz, Roger Robinson, Iban Coello and Amilcar Pinna
Collects: Superboy #13-19
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Superman Family Adventures Vol. 2 TP
Writers: Art Baltazar and Franco
Artist: Art Baltazar
Collects: Superman Family Adventures #7-12
$12.99 US, 128 pg

Superman: Man of Steel Vol. 8 TP
Writers: Paul Kupperberg, John Byrne and Jerry Ordway
Artists: John Byrne, Ty Templeton, Ross Andru, Keith Williams, George Pérez, Karl Kesel, Mike Mignola, Jerry Ordway, John Beatty and Dennis Janke
Collects: Action Comics #598-600, Superman #16-18 and Adventures of Superman #439-440
$16.99 US, 232 pg

Terra Obscura: S.M.A.S.H. of Two Worlds TP
Writers: Alan Moore and Peter Hogan
Artists: Yanick Paquette and Karl Story
Collects: Terra Obscura Vol. 1 #1-6 and Terra Obscura Vol. 2 #1-6
$24.99 US, 320 pg

DC Comics titles scheduled for February 2014:

Batman: Li’l Gotham Vol. 1
Writers: Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen
Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Collects: Batman: Li’l Gotham #1-3 and stories from Detective Comics Annual #11 and Batman Annual #27
$14.99 US, 128 pg

Constantine Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes
Artists: Renato Guedes
Collects: Constantine #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

DC Universe Presents Vol. 3: Black Lightning and Blue Devil TP
Writers: Marc Andreyko, Joe Keatinge and Tony Bedard
Artists: Robson Rocha, Oclair Albert, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, J.P. Mayer, Ricken, Federico Dallocchio and Jesus Saiz
Collects: DC Universe Presents #13-19
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Deathstroke Vol. 2: Lobo Hunt TP
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artists: Edgar Salazar and Scott Hanna
Collects: Deathstroke #0 and 9-20
$19.99 US, 296 pg

Dial H Vol. 2 TP
Writer: China Mieville
Artists: David Lapham, Alberto Ponticelli and Dan Green
Collects: Dial H #7-16
$16.99 US, 224 pg

Green Lantern: Wrath of the First Lantern Vol. 1 HC
Writers: Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Tony Bedard and Peter Milligan
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Dan Jurgens, Phil Jimenez, Mark Irwin, Tom Nguyen, Szymon Kudranski, Ardian Syaf, Fernando Pasarin, Scott Hanna, Chriscross, Marlo Alquiza, Aaron Kuder, Andres Guinaldo, Miguel Sepulveda and Will Conrad
Collects: Green Lantern #17-18, Green Lantern Corps #17-20, Red Lanterns #17-20 and Green Lantern New Guardians #17-20
$24.99 US, 192 pg

JLA Vol. 4 TP
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Howard Porter, Frank Quitely, Ed McGuinness, John Dell and others
Collects: JLA #32-46
$24.99 US, 384 pg

Justice League of America’s Vibe Vol. 1 TP
Writers: Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg and Sterling Gates
Artists: Pete Woods and Sean Parsons
Collects: Justice League of America’s Vibe #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Justice League Dark Vol. 3: The Death of Magic TP
Writers: Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes
Artists: Graham Nolan, Victor Drujiniu and Mikel Janin
Collects: Justice League Dark #14-19
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Martian Manhunter: Son of Mars TP
Writers: John Ostrander and John Arcudi
Artists: Tom Mandrake and Jan Duursema
Collects: Martian Manhunter #0-9
$19.99 US, 240 pg

The Ravagers Vol. 2 TP
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artists: Ian Churchill, Ig Guara and Norm Rapmund
Collects: The Ravagers #8-12 and 0
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Power Girl: Power Trip TP
Writers: Geoff Johns, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
Collects: JSA Classified #1-4 and Power Girl #1-12
$29.99 US, 392 pg

Supergirl Vol. 3 TP
Writer: Mike Johnson
Artists: Mahmud Asrar and Sami Basri
Collects: Supergirl #13-19
$14.99 US, 160 pg

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On March 30^th, WonderCon attendees got treated to a bonus feature in a Spotlight panel with Ann Nocenti, Jim Lee acting as her interviewer. The two had so much shared history that they reminisced about the “good old days” at Marvel as well as plunging into the current artwork that most impresses them on their work for DC. The panel opened with a tone-setting description from Nocenti of her time as a Marvel writer and editor, “back in the day when Marvel Comics was so much fun”, when you could “smoke and drink and have guns in the office”. Lee confirmed that the gun in the office was an observable phenomenon, and Nocenti added by way of explanation that guns were needed for “reference”.

Lee started off by introducing Nocenti as the “self proclaimed female token writer at DC” and asked her how her current state came to be, considering that in her Marvel days there were several women on staff. Nocenti commented that though there were women at Marvel, she recalled that there were never any women at comic cons back then, unlike the demographic at WonderCon. “It must have been rough on you guys”, she teased Lee. Some of her workmates at Marvel, she explained, were Mark Gruenwald, “the soul of Marvel Comics”, Larry Hama, who was known for “pounding, crazy music” in his office, and Peter Sanderson, a “living archive” of all things Marvel.

Nocenti obviously had fond memories of the bullpen days at Marvel, stating, “The physical bullpen made the place creative”. She had a steep learning curve upon arriving at Marvel with a fine arts background, and had a lot to learn under her first editor Jim Shooter, someone who she described as “having a beautiful sense of story” and who ingrained in her the need for a “can’t/must” moment of conflict for a hero. The maxim still holds true for Nocenti, she confirmed. “He’s right”, Lee said, “Conflict is one of the key things in drama”. “Louise Simonson also had a huge influence on me”, Nocenti added, a woman who had the “power to cloud men’s minds” according to legend, by infusing even her most severe criticisms with a “cheerful attitude”.

Nocenti shared some of the lessons she learned from editing at Marvel with the audience, including the need for the editor present a fan’s perspective to the writer or artist: “A good editor has to understand that a writer is working so hard, and is so over worked, that they need ideas thrown at them from a fan’s perspective”. But from the editor’s perspective, she observed, it often leads to bizarre conversations and often caused her to ask herself “Did I just say that?” when generating “wacky” ideas with writers. Nocenti particularly enjoyed crossover development in the bullpen, and feels that she wasn’t alone in that enthusiasm, sharing “really exciting creative meetings” where “everyone would want to play at the same party”. Her advice to editors is to “learn everything”, like a “captain knows how to run a ship”, and she feels that this approach was encouraged at Marvel, but is less common today. This enables an editor to “know what everyone’s going through”.

Lee presented Nocenti with a copy of a comic they had once collaborated on together, though she confessed she didn’t recall the book, X-Men #39. After flipping through it and chatting together, Nocenti declared, “This looks like a great story. I want to buy this and read this!”, to the audience’s amusement. Lee’s questions, however, led Nocenti into darker recollections, about the “mini implosion” period at Marvel that led to her departure. Ron Perlman, she narrated, came into her office one day, wanting to meet her, and was fairly charming, but the “next thing we knew, he had gutted Marvel” financially. It was a “very traumatic” experience for “old timers”, she commented, and brought to her attention a famous quote from Dorothy Parker: “Don’t put all your eggs in one bastard”. After leaving Marvel, Nocenti worked in journalism, teaching, and filmmaking, gaining a wealth of experience that she now finds useful for life back in comics.

Writing a story about Catwoman in Arkham Asylum, for instance, she said, is drawn from a combination of her experiences working “at a place like Arkam” in her youth, and also from later editing Prison Life Magazine, which contained the work of prisoners. She observed a psychological feature that she’s incorporated into comics, the fact that it’s often “one small thing” that drives people crazy, not necessarily the bigger issues in life. Her experiences as a journalist and activist also led Nocenti to visit China, and some of her observations there led directly to her recent writing on GREEN ARROW, particularly noticing the pervasive “firewalls” on internet access in China and the sense of surveillance. Though she enjoyed working on GREEN ARROW, Nocenti explained that she “just couldn’t find her connection” to the character and was happy to move on to writing CATWOMAN, a character who she felt immediately in sync with. Her work on KATANA, too, keeps her imagination on its toes, drawing on the “idea of ancient clans, where the rich hire Samurais and ninjas are like spies”.

Lee and Nocenti spent the remainder of the panel showing and discussing process artwork and completed panels from upcoming CATWOMAN and KATANA stories, and enthusing over their finer features. The images included the set up for what Nocenti described as a “big gang war” for Catwoman and scenes in Arkham with “old torture devices”. Nocenti’s work on KATANA is based on her own obsession with martial arts and Kurasawa and martial arts films. “All comic book writers are doing really is unloading their personal obsessions on the page”, she confessed. This leads the writer to worry that readers might not find it interesting, she said, but in the case of Katana, Nocenti’s obsessions have translated to plenty of interest from fans. Nocenti regularly practises karate and judo around the house to see how Katana would move and act, and makes things even more “realistic” through watching martial arts films. It’s clear that her adaptable nature, shown throughout her varied career paths, is still going strong, and that her personal enthusiasm for her projects is still one of Nocenti’s most defining features.

Photo Credits: All photos in this article were taken by semi-professional photographer and pop culture scholar Michele Brittany. She’s an avid photographer of pop culture events. You can learn more about her photography and pop culture scholarship here.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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A panel on Friday, March 29^th, the first day of programming at WonderCon brought together a rather iconic cast to discuss “iconic characters” and what keeps a character “true” to their origins over long periods of time. Mark Waid opened as moderator by pointing out that the table full of seasoned pros had more than 125 years of comics experience between them and most had worked on longterm characters and newer creations alike. The essential question posed by Waid was how to “vault” characters “into the 21^st century without losing what keeps them special”. The question seemed particularly pertinent to Waid, whose ongoing work on DAREDEVIL has evoked critical acclaim. Waid asked his panellists how they handle the “core elements of characters” to face this challenge.

J. M. De Matteis introduced an image that stayed with the panellists as a reference point for discussion. He felt that creators handling long-lived characters work “within a cage”, so they can’t “go wide” with the character in term of change, but they can “go deep” in terms of making new discoveries. For De Matteis, personally, it’s all about the “Big Why” of characters, figuring out what makes them tick. He prefers working with super-villains to pose questions about the formative impact of their past histories because there’s “always a little corner of the psyche to dig into”. Ann Nocenti, however, in her recent work with Catwoman found that “her archetype was pretty clear” as a troubled kid originally, “on the streets” originally, and moving through “foster homes”. Her intuitive approach is to “play with a character and see what feels right” and she doesn’t mind the fact that later creators will do the same with long-term characters. It’s “like treading water”, she said, “You give a sense of constant, dynamic action, but you’re really not moving far”, and she expects later creators to be under the same constraint.

Doug Mahnke’s challenges, as an artist working on long-term heroes, is rather specific, handling costumes and their overtones. He observed that heroes, even today, often don’t look “contemporary” because their appearance has become iconic and we no longer question the anachronism, like Superman’s “underwear outside his pants”. Other features like capes and boots, Mahnke said, “made sense at the time” they were created based on a “swashbuckling” influence. In fact, he explained, an artist’s job is to “bring out the majesty in the character. It doesn’t matter so much what they’re wearing”, but you can use costume as a “tool” to use to your advantage.

Several of the panellists then commented on the fact that objectively, some of the nomenclature and costumes of characters created decades ago would seem “stupid” now. Nocenti’s example was a resurrection of a minor character, Zebra Man who was “visually fantastic” but the name and concept bizarre. Slott felt that once an icon is an icon, “the fact that it’s an icon gives it weight”, preventing further critique from readers. Even Waid’s considered opinion was that “Green Lantern” is a “stupid name for a character, but after 75 years”, it has “gravitas”.

The panel then tackled the question of when and how exactly a character becomes officially iconic, and they set the bar high on awarding this status. De Matteis opined that “nothing about the character idea makes it iconic. It’s the execution”, and not every character reaches this status despite reasonably strong storytelling behind them. Dan Slott interjected that it only takes “one writer and one artist to do it”, like Frank Miller on DAREDEVIL. The discussion often drifted into slap-stick commentary on the more absurd aspects of superhero lore like the possession of a super vehicle as an icon accoutrement. Nocenti provided the little known detail that Cat Woman’s car is known as a “Catillac”. Slott confessed to proposing in a “meeting with real adults” that Superman’s car should be known as “Superman’s Ford Taurus of Solitude” with disasterous results.

Waid observed that some characters are iconic in pop culture without necessarily being long-lived, like Woody Woodpecker, who’s highly recognizable, but not a currently active character. Waid commented that the tendency toward merchandizing may encourage the slow-down or freeze of new developments in a character since “every character becomes a beach towel” in the end. The entire panel segued into a long and fairly serious discussion of Wonder Woman as a character and why she has, or has not, lived up to her iconic status in terms of actual comic storytelling.

Most felt, like De Matteis, that Wonder Woman comics have not always been “all that good”, nevertheless the character definitely qualifies as “iconic”. Waid had a fairly idiosyncratic theory behind why this is the case. He observed that there was a strong “sexual element” to the “first 10 years of the strip” that was later removed to render the character more “plain vanilla”, and that now, lacking that “x-factor of sexuality”, stories fail to live up to the early days (an issue, he said, he frequently discusses with Grant Morrison). Slott disagreed pointedly with Waid’s assessment. He instead blames the lack of verve in Wonder Woman comics to the fact that comics are essentially a “make dominated industry” that has not explored the “many angles of the character” sufficiently. Slott still feels that if the right team is put together, the stories can rise to iconic status again, without recourse to the “weird quirky bits”. His choice of phrase caused plenty of giggling among the panellists.

This led Waid to ask his panel how they decide what elements are most essential to a character, what continues to translate, and what can be left behind. De Matteis advised to “always approach the characters psychologically and emotionally” and not worry too much about the “other stuff”, and sometimes that psychological appeal can be found in lesser known characters. Nocenti commented that her current work on KATANA based on the strange but intriguing concept of a “girl with a sword” produced “good potential” for developing “obsessional love triangle” elements between herself, her murdered husband, and his murdering brother.“The less iconic a character, the more fun you can have!”, she enthused.

Slott agreed with Nocenti on  this idea, up to a point. When you’re handling an iconic character, readers lose the fear that their reckless lifestyles will do them in, whereas if a character is “unknown”, “Everyone is worried”, wondering if they will survive from issue to issue. Slott and Nocenti shared an interesting moment of commiseration, albeit brief, about their mutual killing off of Spider-based characters, and the emotional reaction of fans. “Screw letters from emotional fans”, Slott concluded, laughing, but Waid intervened by informing the audience that he’s sure Slott “weeps himself to sleep at night with 6 year olds’ fan mail” over the death of Spider-Man .

The panellists didn’t always find their subject matter easy to decipher, nor did they feel that there’s always an easy answer for why some characters “click” as icons and some don’t. Batman, particularly, has a mysteriously successful dynamic, they said. But some things do change. Waid observed that he “couldn’t have imagined a world where I walked down the street and everyone knew who Tony Stark was” until after the Iron Man films had been made. Waid suggested that iconic status for characters might be measured in the number of imitators who have sprung up. De Matteis returned to his general position that archetypal patterns determine iconic status, however. Slott provided examples, stating that Superman is like Hercules, Batman a being on a vengeance-quest, and Tony Stark is, too, iconic in formula, as a combination of “Man and Machine”, an icon that the world is ripe for right now.

The panellists’ parting thoughts during the Q and A period focused on an interesting point made from the audience about the superhero/villain ratio. With so many more supervillains than superheroes in comics, “recycling” them is the norm, but at what point do they become “stale” and need to be retired, at least for awhile? De Matteis was firm about the roles of the artist and writers, insisting that there are “no stale characters but stale interpretations of characters” and that good work will prevent this problem. “Every character is great if you did into them in the right way”, he said. Waid’s closing example to support De Matteis’ point was that “20-25 years ago, no one would have thought that GREEN ARROW would become 2 times the best selling DC book, and then get his own TV show”. His bottom line: “If you dig deep enough you can find something that resonates”, and that’s the key to creating an icon, something that may not happen overnight.

 Photo Credits: All photos in this article were taken by semi-professional photographer and pop culture scholar Michele Brittany. She’s an avid photographer of pop culture events. You can learn more about her photography and pop culture scholarship here.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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The biggest topic of discussion leading up to WonderCon has been the location. Most WonderCon goers have been very disappointed by the move to Anaheim, CA, over San Francisco. There’s ongoing chatter about whether it will move back to San Francisco in 2014, but no clear news on that possibility yet. If location alone is going to be a deal-breaker, there’s not much getting around that, but the convention itself, running in Anaheim, deserves some honest assessments about its merits or demerits, whatever they might be.

To start with, WonderCon 2013 allowed con badge pick-up and pro pass pick-up from noon the day before the con, always a good move. The staff were friendly and helpful, and it was a transaction bound to only take a couple of minutes, whatever the need. Glimpses of the convention center were promising: it’s a fairly spacious location with lots of impressive glass allowing light in, and a wide pedestrian zone in several directions, including fountains and palm tree lined seating nooks. The hotels in the same pedestrian complex as the convention center offered discount rates for the con weekend that were comparable, if not a little lower than the hotel deals available for other mid-sized cons on either coast, and rooms were still available for booking near the con period. The only downside of the hotels is that a couple of them appeared a little understaffed to handle the sudden influx of arriving guests between 7PM and midnight the night before the con opened, meaning somewhat long lines for check-in and a lack of staff to answer the needs of guests who had already checked in.

The con opened with less hassle. The lines were long for entry, but moved briskly, and once the initial entry period was over, there was an ease of access that was enviable in comparison to big cons like NYCC. All doors were available for entry from the exterior of the complex, regardless of the type of pass you might have, and then badges were checked before entry to the floor itself. This ease of access had some helpful implications. If during the day, you happened to want to return to the surrounding hotels to drop off heavy bags of con purchases, you could do so in a matter of minutes and be right back on the floor or into panels without missing a beat. These observations apply to Friday, the first day of the con. Saturday is expected to be the more high volume day of the convention, with passes sold out well in advance, and the procedure for admission may change to handle these numbers.

The interior of the convention center has an unusual layout, with halls and walkways front-loaded, including tall stairways and escalators leading up to three floors, two of which, as well as the basement, are used for panels and events, with the first floor mainly dedicated to the con floor. On a day of reasonable numbers of attendees (and Friday passes did eventually sell out early in the day), this functioned very well. There were no circuitous hallways needed to reach the upper or lower floors. The open areas, however, are a little narrow, and its possible that on Saturday this could lead to more traffic jams, but since all passages lead in straight lines, it’s likely to move reasonably quickly, rather than requiring complex strategies to get from A to B.

The floor itself is spacious, and has  a wide range of tables and booths that fans would consider a staple of cons from major publishers, to small publisher tables, a few video game features, and plenty of small artisan sellers. Wonder of wonders, there were even freebies of comics and ephemera available from several publishers, something that seems to have disappeared from NYCC, but remains for the savvy at SDCC. Fan reactions were positive. Despite reasonably high numbers of influx, the passage ways between booths were navigable, even with cosplay photo options straddling the thoroughfares. Cosplay was strongly represented, though not a dominant feature of the day, and without the need to rush in order to spend long periods pushing through crowds, even the cosplayers seemed in a pleasant mood, more than willing to pose for photos and interact before going to hunt down a variant comic or discount trade on their list.

There weren’t a massive number of variant comics made available for WonderCon 2013, but the ones that were received a lot of attention. Dark Horse variants drew lines that moved briskly, whereas DC’s variants of BATMAN and JUSTICE LEAGUE titles were a little more unwieldy. To their credit, con staff kept the lines in order, but if you wanted a DC variant from WC 2013, it took a little determination and maybe an eye toward timing. Close to closing time for the day, the lines were only a quarter of their previous eye-rolling length. A common feature of the cons and local businesses was the overarching politeness and patience of staff. Maybe it’s part of the “happiest place on earth” Disneyland motif.

The panels offered at WC 2013 are also somewhat limited in number and range, with fewer cult-following creators as guests. That’s not to say that WC lacked worthy guests, but they were a little strapped to participate in several panels each to carry the load. The atmosphere of the con, more pleasant because of less stress and crowding, seemed to bleed into the experience of the guests as well, and they appeared laid back and informal in panels. Because things weren’t overcrowded, there wasn’t a need to stand in long lines to access panels with creators and pros, and there was more of a possibility that you’d be able to ask your own questions during Q and A sessions rather than battling it out to make it into long queues for the mike. During floor signings, creators seemed equally at ease and with a less crowded atmosphere, they were happy to chat with fans and actually had the time and space to respond to fans, often expressing their own gratitude for the support.

So, all in all, the con is showing strong signs of being well-organized, friendly, and appealing to fans. Enthusiasm was high, with plenty of excited chatter rather than grumbling complaints about discomfort. The outside areas available for relaxing contributed to this, and the pleasant weather didn’t hurt, either. It made the con feel more about a con space rather than a building that pedestrian areas surrounded the convention center with outdoor seating, and that the floor itself had an outdoor atrium with food vendors to complement its floor-based foodcourt, with seating available.

Right now, Wondercon in Anaheim has all of the amenities of a mid-sized con on its way to becoming a large con without large con problems to contend with. It’s location may be a problem, but there are some selling points. Firstly, even flying into LAX versus a more local airport means only a reasonably priced shuttle ride to the venue complex, and secondly, there is a strong potential in Anaheim for a family-friendly experience. Cons are great for kids, and plenty were in attendance (some of the greatest cosplayers, in fact), but, of course, all the Disney locations are within a couple of miles radius of the convention center. Several pros I spoke to brought their families with them because of this feature, and were having a blast. In several panels, creators pointed out their spouses and kids in attendance, and the Disney location was, again, one of the reasons. Of course, this would mainly appeal to the demographic who have kids, but it was an interesting extra dimension to the con experience. Whether a Disney fan or not, the presence of Disney means lots of pedestrian areas, local transport routes, and two large restaurant complexes near the convention center. Within a mile of con, you could choose from dozens of restaurants and bars, and plenty of shopping to boot. So even though Anaheim seems like a strange location for the con due to its relative isolation, within Anaheim operating without a car and still having a night-life is definitely possible.

Saturday, the biggest con day, may well be more trying for attendees, and any weaknesses beneath the surface in terms of planning and resources will no doubt become apparent, but taking the first day of WonderCon in Anaheim on its own, and weighing its virtues comes with plenty of surprises. In short, it felt easy to attend, interesting to observe, and exhibited a lot of the strengths of a well run con in an appropriate location. It may not be WonderCon in San Francisco, but it was still WonderCon, with a commitment to comics, pop culture, and the needs of fans.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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Publishers seem increasingly willing to roll the dice on anthology formats recently. Maybe it’s the success of things like Dark Horse Presents, and the model they’ve followed of introducing new works and then successfully spinning them off into new story titles like BLACK BEETLE. There’s an inherently approachable aspect to anthologies—new readers can pick them up and take a tour of many ideas and art styles without feeling out of the loop, and creators themselves aren’t subjected to the high-wire act of telling fresh tales while balancing the necessities of continuity. It’s also a chance to bring on new talent and give readers a chance to play a role in selecting what appeals to them. Vertigo, however, has a long history of valuing the anthology format to engage with new readers, from its FIRST CUT to FIRST OFFENSES, which readers still pick up when trying to get a handle on what the line has to offer in terms of genre and content.

TIME WARP, a revival of a late 1970’s anthology format, presents nine stories by a variety of well known and new creators following a loose theme that may not be as loose as it appears at first glance. The key word “time” stands out as a recurring (literally) factor in these stories. On the whole, because the anthology contains so many varied story-telling techniques and art styles, its appealing and gives the reader a sense of time and money well spent based on its “something for everyone” approach. As a one-shot, it also reads like a graphic novel in disparate parts that comments on the potential of science fiction in the comics medium with capacity to challenge our concepts of humanity, technology, and their often troubled relationship.

[Caution: Mild spoilers on content, but no plot-twist revelations ahead]

“R.I.P” , written by Damon Lindelof, with evocative art by Jeff Lemire and fluid colors by Jose Villarubia, is a strong start to the collection. What could be more basic, pulpy, and attractive than a time-travel tale with dinosaurs and multiple attempts to escape death? The story’s variations on a theme, however, get complex quickly, with satisfying results. All the kinds of questions about the implications of time travel that kids grew up with watching Star Trek: The Next Generation take a bite out of the story and lead the reader in logical loops. Lemire’s energetic, chaos-controlling line-work, combined with Travis Lanham’s quirky lettering, suggest an undercurrent of the haphazard about all human endeavors. The message seems to be, despite all our planning, when we deal with factors essentially bigger than us, we might get by, but only by the skin of our teeth. The suspension of belief necessary for the story isn’t overbearing since it points out all the problems and difficulties of handling big themes in its plot structure.

“It’s Full of Demons” is a particularly challenging story, one might almost call a mystery despite its early introduction of a possibly alien time traveller in turn of the century Austria.  After reading the complete story, you might have a Memento-like experience of reconstructing the details of the story backward along the lines provided by a full revelation of their significance. This is engaging for the reader. Tom King’s writing is clever in providing just enough detail to make this backward reading possible while not revealing too much about why the increasing madness of a little girl growing up after her brother’s death might be important to readers. The themes of the story are, in fact, heavier the more you examine them, commenting on how fear and the “demonizing” of figures and groups may be an even greater threat than the shocking intrusion of the vastly unknown into daily life. Tom Fowler’s artwork suggests history well without rendering it ponderous, and in particular conveys emotional states in its main character with great empathy.

Gail Simone writes “I Have What You Need”, with upbeat and somewhat eerie art by Gael Bertrand, and vibrant colors by Jordie Bellaire. Simone isn’t afraid to get complicated, either, about the implications of time travel, even within one’s own mind, and delves pretty deeply into human nature by exploring the idea that a drug could enable you to revisit the best ten minutes of your life. Her kindly shopkeeper holds this god-like key to a “product” that everyone wants, and also provides commentary on what humans deserve, and what they get out of life. Twist endings are a common feature of many of the stories in TIME WARP, and though the stories might have been intriguing without them, it’s a pattern that gives the reader a sense of the value of each particular story as a unit of entertainment and harks back to the genre features of early pulp sci-fi.

“The Grudge” is an intelligent and very human tale of rivalry between two scientists, the kind of rivalry we’ve seen in techno pop culture between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Written by Simon Spurrier, with art and color by Michael Dowling, its compressed storytelling gives you a sense of having read a whole comic or perhaps a graphic novel, again presenting an entirely different, detailed world within the anthology. It spans the life of these scientists, their tragedies, and the tension between public demand for spectacle in scientific discoveries and the real needs of scientific advancement to look toward greater future building. Dowling’s near photo-realistic art style easily conveys the sense that this could be our twenty-first century future, still governed by the baser, and higher impulses of the human beings involved in advancement. But the story infuses even tragedy with humor, and most importantly, believing in the reality of the characters helps convey the messages of the narrative.

One of the most surprising additions to TIME WARP is a Dead Boy Detectives story. Originally created by Neil Gaiman as a spin-off from SANDMAN, the Dead Boy Detectives seem to veer pretty far from science fiction in their investigation of the occult. However, Gaiman was never one to draw a firm line between the occult and the scientific, and neither has pulp tradition, a borderland other comics in TIME WARP also explore. This episode, “Run Ragged”, written by Toby Litt, with layouts by Mark Buckingham, finishing work by Victor Santos, and letters by the great Todd Klein, reads like a sudden glimpse of a return to a favorite world, and indeed it’s described as a lead-up to a continuing storyline in THE WITCHING HOUR ANTHOLOGY. The artwork, and also the colors by Lee Loughridge are accomplished and appealing, particularly successful at conveying motion and action while creating a sense of the haunted atmosphere of the material.

“She’s Not There” may remind readers of the more psychological aspects of good science fiction, with more than a dash of the noir emphasis on intense relationships. The premise, that a company in the future can charge vast amounts of money to resurrect ghosts as “information” gleaned from loved ones, hits one of the many common themes in TIME WARP, the general neediness of human beings and the lengths they’ll go to in order to seek comfort from their pasts. Another “mystery” aspect of the story, written by Peter Milligan, with art and colors by M.K. Perker, is the reason for the resurrected wife Angel’s death, and the lingering problems that might have comprised her relationship with her husband in the first place. The story poses a unique question, “Can you own a ghost?”. In a technological world where everything’s a commodity, it seems like a singularly dark possibility. The artwork suggests a blend of the familiar and the unknown in equal proportions, keeping readers guessing, just like the plot.

The unusually titled story “00:00:03” places human beings under another kind of microscope under the pressure of extreme situations. During vast interstellar wars, we follow the decisions of Helene as she attempts to perform her military duties under the influence of a unique “molasses” protocol that extends perception of time. Written by Ray Fawkes and drawn by Andy MacDonald, this is the kind of story that sci-fi readers will be particularly attracted to. It offers sweeping conflicts on a large stage, space battles, and remarkably deep characterization of a central figure in action. The age old question posed by sci-fi, “Are we still human inside our technology?”, is both addressed and answered in a poignant way.

If you’re all about the art of sci-fi comics, then you’ll have quite a few surprises to look forward to in TIME WARP, but it’s likely that Matt Kindt’s “Warning: Danger” will be top of the list. With Kindt’s sketchy outlines, and splashy use of watercolor tones, the story breaks from many of the common assumptions of what traditional sci-fi art should look like. How do you convey the crisp lines of spectacular technology in such an idiosyncratic style? Kindt’s answer is to render technology, and its premises in the story, organic, and therefore a little more alarming. By breaking with what readers may recognize, Kindt presents an unrecognizable, and very compelling vision of the future. His diagrams of the armor and accoutrements of two civilization-representing soldiers locked in single combat schematize the ingenuity and determination of one-upmanship in technological advancement. There’s a downbeat sense of recurring time that’s featured in a number of TIME WARP stories, providing the opportunity for humans to relive their obsessions and failures, or get it right when given another chance.

The final piece in TIME WARP gathers together the thematic threads of recurring time, human decision-making, and the bizarre responsibilities that power over technology entails. When technology becomes somewhat monstrous, who’s really in control? Is the humanity inside the machine enough to guide progress away from disaster? “The Principle” is written with a key focus on two main characters by Dan Abnett, and presented rather beautifully with colors and art by I.N.J. Culbard. The trope of presenting a guy new to his job as an identifying character for the readers is here completely necessary to add tension to the gradual revelation of plot. The attempt to prevent an assassination of the “principle” figure through staging the same moment in time over and over again gives characters repeated chances to get things right, and also humorously comments on some historical mysteries as time-travel screw ups. Culbard’s inks, particularly, have a certain noir sensibility, too, though infused with a sci-fi eye toward motion, and seem appropriate when grounding the future in the past. Abnett doesn’t hold off on the sci-fi theme of responsibility, either, and closes the collection with a final message about the tendencies of humanity to abuse power in banal ways, and the responsibilities, often dire, we face in trying to keep that kind of potential chaos under control.

In fact, looking back through TIME WARP, the overarching implication of these stories seems to be Time=Responsibility. The further we push technological advancement, and the more we tinker with our humanity, the more work we generate for ourselves monitoring our trajectory. But with concepts and artwork like the kind contained in TIME WARP, the spectacle of those sci-fi heights never ceases to be attractive, even when it’s pointing out the potential pitfalls that almost certainly lie ahead. TIME WARP contains a miscellany of energetic science fiction, and its hard not to find the sheer breadth of material and the talent behind it a selling point. Nine worlds, and compact story-telling that often spans lifetimes in one volume? It’s both entertaining and consistently thought-provoking, marking a worthy return of the TIME WARP title.

Title: TIME WARP #1/Publisher: Vertigo, DC Comics/Creative Teams:

“R.I.P”: Damon Lindelof, writer, Jeff Lemire, artist/“It’s Full of Demons”: Tom King, writer, Tom Fowler, artist/“I Have What You Need”: Gail Simone, writer, Gael Bertrand, artist/“The Grudge”: Simon Spurrier, writer, Michael Dowling, artists/“Dead Boy Detectives”: Toby Litt, writer, Mark Buckingham, layouts, Victor Santos, finishing/“She’s Not There”: Peter Milligan, writer, M.K. Perker, artist/“00:00:03”: Ray Fawkes, writer, Andy MacDonald, artist/“Warning: Danger”: Matt Kindt, story and art/“The Principle”: Dan Abnett, writer, I.N.J. Culbard, colors and art

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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Grant Morrison’s run on Action Comics has been met with both high praise and no small measure of bewilderment. But this is a legendary run – you just need to think five dimensionally.

When Morrison was announced as the writer of Action Comics #1, back in 2011, there was a great deal of excitement within the comics community. The man who had given us one of the greatest Superman books of all time, All-Star Superman, seemed a poetic choice as the architect of this brand new history. Morrison spoke of his love for the original Golden Age character, his socialist roots and desire to do good in the world; Superman as a folk tale, before he became the centrepiece of our modern mythology. The young Kal, standing proud and over-confident in his American jeans and self-branded t-shirt, cape flying behind him as he raced from one adventure to the next.

Action Comics, set five years behind the current day Superman comic, was to show us how Kal went from farmboy to international hero – from brash young man to a wiser one – but also to introduce all the pieces of the puzzle that make him who he is. There was fan outcry at the pre-publication revelations that Clark and Lois would no longer be a couple, and that Clark’s parents would no longer be alive. Comic fans, strangely adverse to change in a constantly recycling continuity, were outraged at the lack of a romantic plot with Lois, perhaps inadvertently recasting her in their minds as in existence only to please the leading man. The lack of parents of course linked this Superman much more strongly to his Golden Age roots, and removed him too from any existing connections to the world he found himself living on. An alien alone.

As Morrison’s run kicked off, with newspapers still fascinated by the jean-clad Superman and somehow missing the alarm bells that usually come with any mention of “socialism”, it soon became clear that Morrison’s ambitions were far greater than previously stated. This was not to be merely the introduction of the character, but the making of him – joining up pieces of a fragmented puzzle to show the whole, a Superman for a new generation of readers that brought the best of every previous incarnation along for the ride. Perhaps not surprising given the writers similar treatment of Batman, but the sheer scale of this particular endeavour given the extremely tight timescale is rather phenomenal.

Unsurprisingly, many readers were somewhat lost at various points – because when I say fragmented, I am being quite literal. After only four issues it was necessary for artist Rags Morales to need a break to catch up, and another plot was inserted with both the baby Kal’s escape from Krypton, and a future Superman returning to a point in time not long after the previous issue. The change in art style thanks to Andy Kubert for this two issue interlude helped underscore the time difference, and in issue seven we were back on our original track. These interludes became a signature of Morrison’s run, with further adventures spending time on the Superman of Earth 23 – and a meta teaser for Morrison’s upcoming Multiversity – as well as a Halloween trip to the Phantom Zone, and of course the obligatory issue zero with its genuinely heartwarming tale.

But here’s the thing: Morrison planned a short six issue run on the comic. When the first artist change came up, he told me that:

“…for me it hits the long term collections of it to have things done like that but at the same time it brings back a lot of the freshness and improvisation of doing comics again and just responding to that and also sometimes you know they’ll be like we need a two part filler here – okay I’ll just come up with something, and it might not necessarily fit it in to the middle of this but okay, you need a filler.”

And yet, every little aspect of this comic – from the future plot to the Phantom Zone to the appearance of the little teetotal man in the first panel of issue one – suggests a much grander plan. If I was uncharitable I’d chalk this up to a mild case of fibbing, but I know that’s not the case. Of course it’s likely that someone with so much knowledge of the DC universe would subconsciously drop little things in to the narrative that might turn out to be useful later – but for a six issue run? It’s a marvellous little contradiction that is completely in keeping with the unfolding story itself, perhaps demanding that it be told.

So we have the initial plot, the tale of Clark finding his feet as an investigative journalist and being a superhero in a world without superheroes – for he was the first – while the world reacts with suspicion, just in time for the Collectors to appear on the scene labelling Earth as a doomed planet. Clark is also receiving communications from a secretive person named Icarus, while Lex Luthor attempts to negotiate for his own life with the incoming alien threat. Superman of course saves the day, after pushing himself further than ever before, and the people of Earth are happy to have their own personal saviour. Kal even gets a shiny new suit out of it.

This alone woud be a solid little arc, establishing Kal as an accepted hero, uniting him with Brainiac and his Fortress of Solitude, placing Lex, Lois and Jimmy on our radar of people to look out for, and… well, also hinting at the involvement of the 5th dimension, casually mentioning a missed visit that is later revealed to be the Legion of Superheroes, foreshadowing the appearance (and constant invisible presence) of Krypto, a suggestion that the small man is the devil, and the introduction of Nimrod who we know will shoot Superman in the brain in the future because we’ve seen it in a past issue, as well as the K-Men who don’t actually quite exist yet because they’re from the future also, and the future form of Eric Drekken and the existence of the “First Superman”.

All in all, it’s a good job Morrison stayed on to write more as while those plot bunnies would have given any writer much to play with, it’s clear that by now there was a greater plan in mind. In the first 8 issues, the fragments were already starting to tug apart, and I was reminded of Morrison’s fondness for telling stories that can only be told in comic form. In comics, unlike say films or games, each story is already a four dimensional experience – the reader is in control of the pacing and movement through time, even able to reverse time or skip from one time to another. With comics, the one thing that sets them apart from all other media – for me – is the gap between the panels. What happens in the gutters is completely unique to each and every reader, from the simple movements of a character across time, to the shifts between place, person and stories. When a writer chooses to increase those gaps, not only between sequenced panels but between issues, between pages, and between stories being told simultaneously at different time points, the story becomes even more interactive. A co-creation between creators and readers alike.

The fragments can be jarring, until you read further and more gaps are filled. This is partly due to the nature of the Big Bad, a 5th dimensional bastard named Vyndktvx, but it also serves to both explain the multitude of artists on the book, and to fill in those five years between issue one and where the character is supposed to end up. Five years over a handful of issues results in snapshots in time, little episodes that are important in the forming of Superman himself rather than an exhaustive chronological list. Superman was hated and feared – but not for long. Superman gave up his Clark Kent identity – but not for long. Superman is exasperated by the perceived inactivity of the other superheroes – but not for long. Superman plays can and mouse with Lex Luthor – but not for long. Superman interacts with Lois and Jimmy – but not for long. And so on. We know who Superman becomes, we have seen that story before in a million different varieties. But for this Superman, what is important? The chance to say goodbye to his father. The return of his faithful hound who never left his side. The children who found shelter in his cape. His landlady who gave everything to help him survive. That Kents never give up and that no matter what, he’ll never really be alone.

This is not the Superman of All-Star Superman. That Superman was older, matured, and a perfect focus of the Silver Age made real. This Superman is born from the pages of the Golden Age, each issue showing another edge of the same character while introducing the instruments of his incredibly complex life. He’s just a man who will never give up – the message at both the beginning of issue one as he threatens a corrupt businessman, to the end of issue eighteen where he hugs his dog and jokes about his hard won fight for both his life and the entire universe. An alien alone perhaps, but one who is very human. All-Star Superman was a god you could believe in; Action Comics Superman gets shit done.

Having Superman face off against the devil, a jealous little man from another dimension who poses as dealer, bartender and lawyer, is a neat touch. Vyndktvx is not only attacking Kal at the end of the run but has been attacking him all his life, sometimes in ways that Kal will never know and perhaps never should. He is even the figure responsible for the Super-Doomsday, an “unstoppable killer franchise from a parallel reality” that is perhaps a shade too close to our own little Earth. Commentary on Superman as corporate symbol would appear to be in conflict with Morrison’s previous comments on Superman’s heritage, but not when you look between the lines. Vyndktvx’s pledge to “make coins of” Superman, and his subsequent failure is a clear illustration that Superman the mythic symbol of our age lives beyond corporate lines and greed. His past may be murky, but Superman’s ability to inspire is unstoppable. At least, in the hands of Morrison.

The revelation that the universe was born from Mxyzptlk’s hat, and subsequently that many worlds were destroyed by the multitude, the three dimensional interpretation of the multispear, is an interesting play on gods toying with their creations from above – and of course a parallel of the ability of creators to manipulate their own paper universes. That Kal is a favourite of his 5th dimensional audience for his ability to not be controlled – alongside his father – places him at the centre of the story for reasons beyond him simply being Superman. His angering of a petty god leads to his life being irrevocably damaged, neatly fitting in with the New 52 changes and perhaps hinting at a deeper message.

This is an ambitious run, all the more so for how everything does in fact tie together in the end. Even the smallest throwaway comments in the early issues are given meaning in later reveals, while the back up strips by Sholly Fisch (and the Action Comics Annual #1) are uncannily in tune with the main comic as well as giving deeper insights into Kal’s humanity. As time and story starts to slide sideways, with Vyndktvx breaking the fourth wall, the creators themselves appearing alongside the hand of god, and angels tumbling from the sky, the time slips start to collide with the whole picture becoming clear. With the arrival of the final issue I spent a few hours reading the entire run first, and the effect is rather like standing back from a tapestry to see all the threads intertwine.

Honestly, I could spend thousands of words picking out all the links and meta-touches here, and still it would do no good – because what you, dear reader, insert in between those gaps and how you read the comic, through the manipulation of time and touch, and what you decide it all comes to… well that’s what makes the comic.

But I defy anyone not to have a little sniffle at the return of Krypto, and for the boys who borrowed Superman’s cape.

Ha-la Kal-El, ha-la-la!

Action Comics #1-18
Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencillers: Rags Morales, Brad Walker, Andy Kubert, Gene Ha, Travel Foreman, Cafu
Inkers: Andrew Hennessy, Mark Propst
Colourist: Brad Anderson, Art Lyon
Cover Artist: Rags Morales, Brad Anderson
Letters: Steve Wands, Patrick Brosseau
Editor: Matt Idelson, Will Moss
Publisher: DC

[Laura Sneddon is a comics journalist and academic, writing for the mainstream UK press with a particular focus on women and feminism in comics. Currently working on a PhD, do not offend her chair leg of truth. Her writing is indexed at comicbookgrrrl.com and procrastinated upon via @thalestral on Twitter]

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I saw the final night of the ENCORE! concert staging of ythe Adams/Strouse Superman musical last night and I truly wish I had seen it earlier so I could have written about it earlier and told everyone to go see it because it was a DELIGHT! but the theater was jammed so I guess it didn’t need my rave! (I spotted Joss Whedon among those taking it in!)

Everything about this production was charming and fizzy and fun, starting with the bold splashy sets filled with pop art ben day dots and explosions. Originally produced in 1966, this was very much a period piece, but people were a lot more sophisticated in 1966 then we give them credit for, from Lois’s kicky mod dresses to the sly suggestion that Superman is a little more into his celebrity than his heroism might indicate.

The cast was note perfect, from Edward Watts strapping, slightly goofy but always sincere Superman; Jenny Powers as a pert, yearning Lois, David Pittu and Will Swenson bringing down the house as a pair of villains.

This musical came out a few months after the campy Batman TV show debuted, a reminded that the DC superheroes were already a significant part of the cultural consciousness. It’s a Bird’s Superman plays on the same kind of cartoonish approach to the idea of the Superhero — both Batman and Superman are just “good guys” who solves petty street crimes and vanquish the occasional wackadoo with an unlikely hairdo—but it’s a lot more amenable to the idea that we need an amazing hero to look up to, even if he is a little bit slow on the uptake about a few things, like romance and mad scientists with evil schemes.

All the singing and dancing and acrobatics was outstanding, and I left the theater humming the tunes…something I could not say about SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. Different stories for different times.

Anyway, great fun, and I’m really glad I got to see it.

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Looking to work in comics? There are quite a few openings at DC Entertainment—most of them in the Burbank office — but this one in NYC for Editorial Scheduling Coordinator might be the most nerve-wracking, as the job description is a detailed rundown of tracking and scheduling and resolving discrepancies. There’s also this:

Must have the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with managers and other levels of personnel.

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by Matt O’Keefe

It was a packed room at the show’s official panel for the comic for which the convention was named. Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Shelly Bond and company began the event giving out prizes to winners of the con scavenger hunt. The grand prize winners, a couple and their baby daughter, received first a song from Gene Ha, who sang “Blue Skies” to loud applause.  Willingham then blindfolded the mother and challenged her to identify several objects by feel alone. Whatever she identified, she got to keep. She wasn’t able to guess the first item, the pen with which Willingham wrote Fables #47, or the second, the dollar editor Shelly Bond told Willingham his first draft of Fables #97 was worth. She successfully guessed the third object: an engagement ring. The father proposed in front of everyone and she accepted, to more applause.

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Next it was time for announcements. Willingham repeated the announcement from Emerald City Comic Con that Vertigo would publish a Fables Encyclopedia written by Jess Nevins with a cover by Adam Hughes. He went on to tell the crowd that they were working on a companion book for a 2014 release, which would have interviews with the Fables creators and background on the series.

Fables editor Shelly Bond then talked about the upcoming Fairest original graphic novel also announced at ECCC which, like the 1001 Nights of Snowfall OGN, will be an anthology with art by a variety of artists. She revealed that Fables regular Chrissie Zullo would provide the framing sequence and that other illustrators included Mark Chiarello, Karl Kerschl, Adam Hughes, Phil Noto, Renae de Liz, Chris Sprouse, and sometimes singer Gene Ha.

Bond went through a PowerPoint presentation to talk about issues of Fables coming up in the next few months. She highlighted three future covers. The first teased the return of Boy Blue, the second showed Snow White kissing someone other than her husband Bigby Wolf, and the third showed Snow as Joan of Arc. She talked about the issue after the “Snow White” arc, which will be illustrated by Barry Kitson. In the issue Junebug, the daughter of former wooden soldiers Rodney and June, would visit the abandoned Fabletown.

Willingham opened the floor to a Q&A.

Asked about his unique borders for the series, Buckingham talked about how in the third arc of Fables, once he knew that he was the ongoing artist, he began to get playful and designed the borders so readers would know which character’s stories they were reading.

Plans to bring back Jack? Willingham pointed out that his death in Jack of Fables happened at some undisclosed time in the future, so his return to the main Fables series was a possibility.

An attendee asked the panel which character from Fables they most identified with. Gene Ha said Flycatcher because he was someone who didn’t reach his full potential until later in his life. Willingham joked that he was like Bufkin because he drinks too often and has too many books. Bond chose Thumbelina so she could beat Willingham to the punch on a joke about her height. Buckingham said he was like Wellstoff because when drawing he tends to sit around all day eating jellybeans.

Does Bill Willingham always have a big picture in mind when writing? Yes. Willingham said he could do a three page comic and still conceive the whole world in which the story takes place. His default setting is to think big.

Would Bufkin’s solo adventure be in the next Fables trade paperback? Yes.

Asked about spontaneous changes, Willingham told the audience that he was going to kill off Flycatcher in the March of the Wooden Soldiers arc, but Buckingham convinced him to reconsider. Flycatcher went on to become a significant character in the series.

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As the first of several “Comic Book Roundtable” events to be held at the Soho Gallery of Digital Art under the auspices of gallery owner John Ordover and former Marvel editor, author, and educator Danny Fingeroth, this event exploring the life and legacy of Dr. Frederic Wertham was planned for the occasion of Wertham’s 118^th birthday, but in the lead up to the event, recent developments in scholarship about the controversial comic reformer shed new light on the evening’s subject matter. In February 2013 Librarian, professor, and scholar Carol Tilley discovered, after examining Wertham’s papers held by the Library of Congress, that some of Wertham’s methods and reports were questionable, sparking debate in comics scholarship and among comics fans.

“Surely You’re Joking Dr. Wertham” hit the controversy head-on by bringing together a distinguished panel for discussion, including Tilley, comics writer, editor, and educator Denny O’Neil, author and educator David Hajdu, practising physician, psychiatrist, and author Sharon Packer, and author, editor, art director, and cartoonist Craig Yoe. The Soho Gallery provided excellent accompaniment to the event in the form of Wertham-related images and quotes displayed as a digital exhibit, and hosting a reception afterward.

The evening opened to a thoroughly packed-in audience, among whom were many scholars and authors who have shown a public interest in Wertham’s career and legacy, including James Reibman, the official Frederick Wertham biographer designated by Wertham’s estate. Host and moderator Danny Fingeroth provided an introduction to Wertham in the form of slides including pictures of Wertham in and out of official capacity as a clinical psychiatrist working with children, and also reminded the audience of the other books Wertham authored aside from his now legendary Seduction of the Innocent, a critique on the “influence of comic books on today’s youth”, published in 1954. This placed Wertham within the context of other cultural reactions of the time that questioned the sex and violence being depicted in comics as appropriate for young readers.

Tilley started off the panel discussion by explaining exactly what her recent research has uncovered about Wertham’s work. While her original intention was to locate materials relevant children’s education, she found “other things” that she didn’t expect to find among Wertham’s documents which she found “well-organized” in a “couple of dozen plus boxes” at the Library of Congress. The documents included copies of Wertham’s other research papers and speeches spanning his career, among which she found “discrepancies” and “some indication that he did things like combine the testimony of kids” or “broke apart” the testimony of one child “into four or five” in order to use quotes. This practice also resulted in evidence of “deleted or added” phrases from the children’s testimony that Wertham presented in Seduction of the Innocent and other works. This resulted, Tilley said, in a general “perception” of evidence in Wertham’s book that was “not the same as the actual case” of his research materials. When questioned about whether these changes were negligible or whether they altered the meaning of the children’s testimony, she confirmed that these “additions and word changes did change the meaning of testimony”. While Wertham’s book has often been criticized for its “lack of attribution” in footnotes or bibliography, Tilley feels that she has “seen personally” that his use of sources was not exacting enough. For those interested in Wertham’s legacy, this was something of a bombshell, though Tilley has been public about some of these findings previous to the evening’s discussion.

Hajdu then commented on Wertham as a figure, reminding the audience that Wertham is  often a “handy symbol” of a wider movement against comic book excesses, and even a “personification” of the “cynicism toward comics in the late 40’s and 50’s”, even though he didn’t start this trend personally. Hajdu explained that even “newspaper comics incited criticism” prior to Wertham’s career and were often perceived as “crude, anti-literate” and examples of “defiant behavior” that raised public concern. The Catholic Church, particular, he noted, were active in inspiring state legislation against comics, due to their belief in the “power of aesthetics and the power of art” for both positive and negative influences on human behavior.

[Packer, Yoe, and Fingeroth]

O’Neil, himself raised Catholic, confirmed that his “first encounter with the (comic) witch hunters was in the pages of The Catholic Digest” and that he, as a young person “read and believed” that superhero comics, particularly, were potentially harmful. He related, to the audience’s amusement, that former Marvel editor Roy Thomas “as a kid” had participated in a book burning in Missouri where he “burned comics he was not interested in”, but rescued others he liked. Tilley briefly added that she had discovered evidence that librarians, too, had participated in comic burning and attempted to keep them out of libraries during this period because they were seen as “disruptive”.

Packer suggested that Wertham’s book title, Seduction of the Innocent, might have spoken particularly to a Christian demographic because of its suggestion of the massacre of the innocents by King Herod related in the New Testament of the Bible. This led to a reassessment among the panellists of Wertham’s title, since its original version was “All Our Innocents”. Fingeroth pointed out that this change made the title “very pulp sounding” and therefore more sensational.

Yoe’s background on the subject of juvenile delinquency as an author, and also his discovery of the “fetish art” of Joe Shuster confirmed that there were real-life implications for the more violent aspects of comic art, such as the case of the Brooklyn Thrill Killers who killed indigent people and molested women and when interviewed by Wertham as an expert witness, confessed to being inspired in their deeds by Shuster’s artwork. Yoe, however, prompted a wide-ranging and at times heated discussion on the subject of exactly how and when Wertham’s papers at the Library of Congress had been made available for research purposes. Both Yoe and Hajdu, upon requesting access in the past, had been denied use of the papers since they were “sealed” until the children who participated in the studies had passed away. “In many ways, I respect Dr. Wertham”, Yoe said, but “the Library of Congress is our library” and its contents “should be seen” regardless of the circumstances behind their compilation. Outspoken attendee and Wertham biographer Reibman, who was granted access to the papers at a much earlier date in order to work on his book, disagreed with Yoe’s statement in favor of “freedom of information”, arguing that sealing Wertham’s papers at the library was part of the “terms of the gift” to the library. Reibman’s frequent interjections on behalf of Wertham during the event contributed to a rather heated atmosphere.

Yoe questioned further why some individuals, and not others, were then granted access despite the terms of the gift. Hajdu chimed in that he had requested access “dozens of times” but had been denied despite his academic credentials. Yoe asked Tilley if, based on her experience as a librarian, this discrepancy was “unusual” or not. Tilley confirmed that in her experience, the sealing of the papers while at the Library of Congress and then granting access to only those individuals sanctioned by the estate of the deceased, was indeed “unusual”.  Attendee Karen Green, Graphic Novels Librarian at Columbia University, also commented that while “archives can be restricted”, for public documents this practice is “not usual”. Tilley provided further information about the situation by explaining that she was obliged to sign an agreement with the Library of Congress about the materials she accessed, even though a large portion of the Wertham papers consisted of “newspaper clippings” which “shouldn’t be restricted” anyway. Yoe brought some levity to the rapid fire questioning and often terse dialogue between he and Reibman by pointing out that Hajdu closely resembled a young Frederic Wertham and ought to have just turned up at the library, saying “I am here to see my papers”. Though Hajdu found the comparison amusing, he said “That’s the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard”.

[O'Neil and Hajdu]

Fingeroth then gathered the reigns of the discussion as moderator to direct attention back to the panelists and away from the discursive arguments breaking out among audience members. Fingeroth asked O’Neil, specifically, if he had felt any “lingering hesitation” about comics after his experience with The Catholic Revue in childhood. O’Neil related that Wertham’s legacy, but particularly the Comics Code had impacted his career in comics.  He was involved in “several public arguments” with administrators at comics publishing companies, wherein comics supporters felt the need to argue “comics are good, not evil anymore”. O’Neil’s personal feeling has always been, and still is, he said, that “If it’s censorship, it’s bad”, and often felt frustrated by the “vagueness of the language” in the Code itself, often leading comics creators to create elaborate avenues to get around the letter of the Code. He related a particularly frustrating incident where an IRONMAN story involving a “six story tall monster” crushing a police car was censored because it “showed disrespect to the police car” even though it also showed policemen being very brave in their fight against the monster. This kind of “idiocy” in the Code he particularly objected to, and added his motto that “blind worship of authority figures whether or not authority figures had any authority” should never be supported.

At this point, it was relevant to clarify that Wertham was not the founder of the Comics Code, though his work certainly paved the way for its development. Yoe reminded the audience that Wertham was, in fact, a progressive who was in support of the freedom of the press. It was more that Wertham “created the climate”, O’Neil supplied, which led to the Senate hearings, which led to the drafting of the Code. Both Yoe and O’Neil agreed that comics publishing was, in fact, in a very low economic position at the time of the Senate hearings anyway, due to the rise of paperback novel sales and TV watching. Yoe and O’Neil continued to discuss whether a “rating system” couldn’t have been created, rather than the unilateral Comics Code, in order to steer children away from more disturbing comics. Hajdu pointed out that the rating system was not in effect in Hollywood, by comparison, until the 1960’s, so there was not a particularly clear model to instate for comics at the time.

Fingeroth asked the panelists, and in particular, Packer, whether Wertham’s research was purely “anecdotal” or whether he furnished “hard statistics” when working with children. Packer provided some context as a clinical psychiatrists about the methods of the time during Wertham’s career. She compared Wertham to Sigmund Freud and pointed out that though “Freud was celebrated at that time”, “much of his original psychological literature” was “just as baseless” as Wertham’s methods. Tilley added that her survey of Wertham’s papers revealed that his “data was rich”, but it was just “how he used it rhetorically” that was “questionable”. Yoe commented that even though his rhetorical use of his data might lead us to view Wertham with increased suspicion, in the big picture, Wertham made a “pretty good case. Many comic books were not good for young children” in term of their content.

[Tilley and Packer]

Fingeroth took the question to a finer point. Did Wertham, he asked, in the opinion of the panelists, “take too many liberties” or not? Tilley stood her ground by asserting that “scientific investigation” requires accuracy, and a failure of accuracy is troubling from a scientist. Tilley added that her “personal sense” from working with the papers is that Wertham “cared more about getting rid of the comic book industry” than about his public cause of helping children develop in a psychologically  healthy atmosphere. Though he certainly “cared for kids”, she reminded, she still felt that Wertham used children as “leverage” to achieve this greater goal of attacking the comics industry. One of the things that gave her a less than sterling impression of Wertham’s personality was discovering detailed transcripts that he “noted meticulously” of phone conversations that contained potentially harmful gossip about people who he saw as enemies in his career. He “collected information”, she said, “looking for weak spots” in the lives of people he wanted to undermine, particularly people who acted as “consultants for the comic book industry”.

Fingeroth asked about Wertham’s movement, in his later career, toward criticism of the film industry and whether Wertham might have seen “comics as a stepping stone to a higher agenda” as a “career path”, but the general consensus among panelists seemed to be that comics were more easily attacked as a less profitable industry early in Wertham’s career, and that the tide of criticism had generally turned toward film around the time of Wertham’s developing interest in film. Film itself had, by the mid to late 60’s, become more overtly violent with works like Bonnie and Clyde.

The rather charged atmosphere during the panel discussion gave way to an extensive question and answer period involving the audience and spanned a number of subjects. Did the distaste the comic book industry came to feel for Dr. Wertham result in a generally negative portrayal of psychiatry within comics? Yoe agreed that there are certainly plenty of “sinister psychiatrists” portrayed in comics tradition, and Packer supplied examples from Batman mythology including the Arkham family. O’Neil added that the character Harley Quinn was originally assigned to “cure” the Joker of his madness and instead was “driven nuts” herself. A more pointed question was posed about whether the possibility that Wertham skewed his evidence really made the questions he was asking about the role of comics at the time irrelevant. Hajdu fielded this question by commenting that the “weakest criticism of Wertham is that comics can’t affect minds and hearts”. As an art form, Hajdu argued, comics certainly do have impact and can “transform people”. “Comics have that power”, he reminded.

O’Neil weighed the issue by confessing that as a comics creator “You launch a given work and you have no way of knowing how it’ll bounce” and he often worried during his early career what impact particular comic stories might have on “kids already imbalanced”. O’Neil gave and example of his decision-making when he declined to include a “martial arts move” in one of his comics because it was “simple and damaging” and judged that kids might too easily learn to implement it. The audience, of course, immediately wanted O’Neil to demonstrate the deadly move, but he refrained in the interest of safety. For the same reason, O’Neil never allowed Molotov cocktails in his works, sure that it was too much of a “temptation” for kids to “see if it would work” building their own.

The Beat’s own Heidi MacDonald asked a rather burning question from the floor, one that continues to puzzle readers and comics historians alike: “Why do you think he attacked comics specifically? What did he hope to get out of it?”. The panelists answered in various ways. Yoe felt pretty strongly that Wertham was, in fact, motivated primarily by the fact that he “cared about kids” and was worried about the impact of comics. Packer analyzed Wertham a little by pointing out that Wertham himself, despite being married for many years, had no children of his own and this might have created a kind of “displacement” of concern for children that drove him to extremes. Hajdu simply stated that he felt Wertham to be “attracted to sensationalist cases” whether as an expert witness in extreme criminal cases or his research. He was, Hajdu said, a “publicity hound” at heart. Even Yoe added the admission that without a doubt Wertham had a “raging ego” driving his career.

Questions continued to circle back to the central role of Tilley’s new research on Wertham’s inconsistencies. How do we reassess Wertham based on the incorrectly conveyed details of his research, which clearly skewed his information in order to more sensationally and fundamentally support his thesis, when the “big picture” of his message, that extreme violence and sex in comics can be inappropriate for child readers, does seem sensible? Fingeroth presented a list of Wertham’s more “progressive” tendencies, stating that it’s possible to “go through a checklist of Wertham’s beliefs and agree except for comics” and respect many of his social contributions.

The final assessment of the panelists revealed some consensus out of a wide-ranging interrogation of Wertham’s method and legacy. O’Neil reminded the audience that Wertham was certainly not the “black-hearted villain” that many comics fans feel him to be, but he did detrimentally present those working in comics, “demonizing” them and making them out to be the “seducers and corruptors” of society, a crusade that damaged comics for decades to come. Yoe felt that the fundamental problem with Wertham’s whole approach to his subject was not necessarily the assumption that comics could be damaging to young minds, but that he “didn’t see that comics could be an art form”, and never commented on their positive potential as an “educational” resource. Yoe left the audience with the question, a lingering one, “Why couldn’t he see that?”. If Wertham had seen the potential of comics as a positive force, no doubt our current view of his work would also be more balanced on the whole.

[The panelists and their moderator]

A predictably lively, but amicable, discussion period followed during the reception for the event, but if attendees expected definitive answers about the implications of Tilley’s new research on Wertham, they were left to their own devices. The panel discussion did provide solid context for Wertham’s life, work, and even a little for his motivations, as well as some solid information on what exactly Wertham’s failings as a researcher might be. Whether audience members were “pro-Wertham” or “anti-Wertham” initially, the discussion opened up new facets of his personality and work for further thought. Frederick Wertham may be less of a mystery now in the light of new research, but if anything, he’s even more of an enigma, confirmed as a complex figure. Learning more about Wertham changes perception of comics history, and that’s bound to change even more as scholars pay closer and closer attention to the records left behind in collections, personal archives, and thankfully, libraries.

The Comic Round Table events will continue this Spring at the SOHO Gallery for Digital Art with another hot topic in comics right now, the openly anti-gay position of Orson Scott Card and his work on SUPERMAN entitled “The Man of Steel vs. Orson Scott Card” on April 10^th.

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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After a mini PR meltdown over DC editorial’s leaked plans to kill John Stewart, the long running Green Lantern character who is considered DC’s best known African American character, it is being confirmed on Twitter that he’s going to be okay after all! DC’s Executive Director of Publicity Alex Segura and Green Lantern writer Robert Venditti released the joyous news:

Seeing a lot of unverified reports on this. To clarify: John Stewart is not going anywhere.

— Alex Segura (@alex_segura) March 22, 2013

Lots of rumors out there. Here’s the truth: Van and I have never even contemplated killing John Stewart.

— Robert Venditti (@robertvenditti) March 22, 2013

We have plenty of plans for John. Plans that probably wouldn’t work as well if he was, you know, dead.

— Robert Venditti (@robertvenditti) March 22, 2013

And Reddit went mad with relief.

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Holy licensing deal, Batman!

It seems that the campy, kitschy 1966 version of Batman—which was long verboten to be mentioned at DC and WB in general due to its campy, kitschy nature. But as many noted, a line of toys based on the show was introduced at Toy Fair, and now we see that a whole line of merchandise, including a digital-first comic, is coming.

The comic will be by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case, with a cover by Mike Allred.

Comic book fans also got a special treat when DC Entertainment unveiled art for its all-new digital comic book series BATMAN ’66, launching in summer 2013.  Inspired by the classic TV series, the digital comic book features many fan-favorite characters like Catwoman, The Riddler, The Joker and, of course, the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin. Written by Jeff Parker, the series will feature cover art by Michael Allred and the first issue will be drawn by Eisner Award winner Jonathan Case. BATMAN ’66 will also be collected and available for sale in monthly print issues.

“The juxtaposition of offering a retro BATMAN ’66 comic as a current and modern digital first title is fun,” stated DC Entertainment President, Diane Nelson.  ”DC Entertainment is the most prolific producer of digital first comics and, as we work to create new and compelling content, this is a great way to also preserve the legacy of our characters.  It’s exciting to roll out the new BATMAN ’66 comic as part of this bigger initiative with our Warner Bros Consumer Product partners.”

The jokey, ludicrous approach to Batman on display in the show has long been thought of a the single greatest setback to serious superheroes for a long time. But now, apparently after 30 years of grim and gritty, it can be appreciated as an outlier.

Sadly, the DCD collection of the show remains in rights hell, due to the need to get approval from the heavy hitting lineup of guest stars, and myriad other rights issues between WB, which owns the characters, and Fox, which owns the series. Maybe this is the first step in paving a way to what would be a goldmine for all involved?

Via DCWKA and Twitter.

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by Marc-Oliver Frisch

As DC keeps clowning around and pushing hard to single-handedly choke the concept of irony to death by summer, the company’s average and total sales figures for new comic books performed solidly in the month of February.

After hiring Bob Harras, hiring Rob Liefeld, hiring every writer and artist who worked at Marvel in 1999, releasing a Green Lantern title especially for kids, releasing more Watchmen comics several of which written by J. Michael Straczynski, making a habit of hiring, promoting, then firing creative personnel on all kinds of titles every month, releasing Before Watchmen: Dollar Bill, hiring a raging homophobe to write Superman and announcing “WTF month,” in February 2013 DC released Justice League of America #1, a new high-profile Geoff Johns vehicle promoted with not one, not three, not 12, but 54 different cover choices, thus making it something like the lynchpin of gimmick-driven market gaming. I mean, the plastic-ring thing from a couple of years back was a fair stab, but this one is bolder.

(The company has since started to celebrate “WTF month” by chasing off various creators about to take over various flagship titles and planning to kill one of its few major minority characters. On the plus side, I suppose at least DC isn’t making a big deal out of shoehorning a property that was popular in Spawn 20 years ago into the tail end of a Bendis crossover.)

Retailers gobbled up those Justice League variants, evidently, giving DC’s average sales figures a solid, if not spectacular boost. Due to the smaller number of new DC titles published in February (70, versus 79 in January), however, the company’s total unit sales still dropped from 2.5 to 2.4 million, and its overall dollar sales from 8.6 to 8.4 million.

Meanwhile, the audience seems to be awfully tired of crossovers. No matter if it’s “Rotworld,” “Throne of Atlantis,” “H’el on Earth” or “Wrath of the First Lantern,” it’s abundantly clear in February that DC badly miscalculated the audience’s patience with such shenanigans. The positive effects on the participating titles are nil, at this stage, and in some cases, the crossovers even seem to be actively hurting sales. The one that’s still working, despite being in its waning stages, is “Death of the Family,” but that’s due to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo having a spectacularly popular Batman run. The other crossovers lack this sort of centerpiece, and, not surprisingly, it’s showing in the sales figures.

With the media attention and very real sales increases the “New 52″ relaunch brought, DC had the opportunity to make people care. Instead, what readers got were erratic storytelling, creative-team changes — many of them mid-storyline — and crossovers. This didn’t work when Marvel tried it during Bob Harras’ tenure, so it’s puzzling why they thought it might be a good idea this time. The message this sends is that nobody cares about anything, as long as books are coming out and people are dumb enough to buy them. It’s a depressing and demeaning way of running a creative enterprise, for the audience as well as for the creators.

See below for the details and, as usual, please consider the small print at the end of the column. Thanks to Milton Griepp and ICv2.com for the permission to use their figures. An overview of ICv2.com‘s estimates can be found here.

—–

288 - INSURGENT
01/2013: Insurgent #1 of 6 --  7,143
02/2013: Insurgent #2 of 6 --  4,662 (-34.7%)

DC just pulled the emergency plug on this six-issue miniseries after the release of issue #3.

It’s not the first time this has happened, but it’s been a couple of years since they last did it. Sales are terrible enough, of course, but what made DC believe throwing a no-name book out there to fend for itself was going to work? And do they realize what damage cancelling a series midway does to the audience’s confidence in future projects?

It’s always odd when Marvel or DC do this. If they can’t or won’t afford to complete a miniseries, if only as an investment in customer and talent relations, talk of a healthy market rings hollow.

—–

283 - SCOOBY DOO: WHERE ARE YOU? (Johnny DC)
02/2008: Scooby Doo #129 -- 4,161
02/2009: Scooby Doo #141 -- 3,861
02/2010: Scooby Doo #153 -- 3,780
02/2011: SD:WAY? #6      -- 4,456
---------------------------------
02/2012: SD:WAY? #18     -- 4,655 (+ 2.7%)
03/2012: SD:WAY? #19     -- 4,677 (+ 0.5%)
04/2012: SD:WAY? #20     -- 4,752 (+ 1.6%)
05/2012: SD:WAY? #21     -- 5,269 (+10.9%)
06/2012: SD:WAY? #22     -- 4,968 (- 5.7%)
07/2012: SD:WAY? #23     -- 4,934 (- 0.7%)
08/2012: SD:WAY? #24     -- ?
09/2012: SD:WAY? #25     -- 4,979
10/2012: SD:WAY? #26     -- ?
11/2012: SD:WAY? #27     -- 5,032
12/2012: SD:WAY? #28     -- 4,879 (- 3.0%)
01/2013: SD:WAY? #29     -- 4,729 (- 3.1%)
02/2013: SD:WAY? #30     -- 4,752 (+ 0.5%)
----------------
6 months:   n.a.
1 year  : + 2.1%
2 years : + 6.6%
5 years : +14.2%

—–

269 - GREEN LANTERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (Johnny DC)
04/2012: GL: TAS #1  -- 12,791
05/2012: GL: TAS #2  --  9,615 (-24.8%)
06/2012: GL: TAS #3  --  8,716 (- 9.4%)
07/2012: GL: TAS #4  --  7,790 (-10.6%)
08/2012: GL: TAS #5  --  6,968 (-10.6%)
09/2012: GL: TAS #6  --  6,619 (- 5.0%)
10/2012: GL: TAS #7  --  6,516 (- 1.6%)
11/2012: GL: TAS #8  --  5,961 (- 8.5%)
12/2012: GL: TAS #9  --  5,464 (- 8.3%)
01/2013: GL: TAS #10 --  5,263 (- 3.7%)
02/2013: GL: TAS #11 --  5,211 (- 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: -25.2%

Scooby-Doo, as always, keeps hovering just below 5,000 units, while Green Lantern: The Animated Series appears to be settling down in the same area. Bear in mind that direct-market sales are only part of the equation for these titles, next to subscriptions, mass-market chains, bookstores and libraries. That’s presumably why these titles are still ongoing, while Superman Family Adventures and Young Justice (see below) were both axed.

—–

243 - SAUCER COUNTRY (Vertigo)
03/2012: Saucer Country #1  -- 15,684
04/2012: Saucer Country #2  -- 11,263 (-28.2%)
05/2012: Saucer Country #3  -- 10,656 (- 5.4%)
06/2012: Saucer Country #4  --  9,959 (- 6.5%)
07/2012: Saucer Country #5  --  9,470 (- 4.9%)
08/2012: Saucer Country #6  --  8,700 (- 8.1%)
09/2012: Saucer Country #7  --  8,152 (- 6.3%)
10/2012: Saucer Country #8  --  7,557 (- 7.3%)
11/2012: Saucer Country #9  --  7,102 (- 6.0%)
12/2012: Saucer Country #10 --  6,608 (- 7.0%)
01/2013: Saucer Country #11 --  6,256 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Saucer Country #12 --  6,067 (- 3.0%)
----------------
6 months: -30.3%

Cancelled with issue #14.

—–

224 - HUMAN BOMB
12/2012: Human Bomb #1 of 4 -- 11,212
01/2013: Human Bomb #2 of 4 --  8,152 (-27.3%)
02/2013: Human Bomb #3 of 4 --  6,931 (-15.0%)

While the creators certainly have a reputation here, in principle, the problem is the same as with Insurgence: a snowball’s chance in hell to stand out in a market that’s already overcrowded.

With 16 ongoing DC Universe titles already selling below the 20,000-unit mark and “New 52″ titles launched as recently as September 2012 dropping like flies, I’m not sure what a miniseries starring a random D-list character released without promotion is supposed to accomplish, other than to tank horribly and immediately.

—–

217 - YOUNG JUSTICE (Johnny DC)
02/2011: Young Justice #1  -- 10,777
------------------------------------
02/2012: Young Justice #13 --  7,237 (- 0.7%)
03/2012: Young Justice #14 --  7,241 (+ 0.1%)
04/2012: Young Justice #15 --  7,273 (+ 0.4%)
05/2012: Young Justice #16 --  7,466 (+ 2.7%)
06/2012: Young Justice #17 --  7,459 (- 0.1%)
07/2012: Young Justice #18 --  7,458 (- 0.0%)
08/2012: Young Justice #19 --  7,375 (- 1.1%)
09/2012: Young Justice #20 --  7,515 (+ 1.9%)
10/2012: Young Justice #21 --  7,558 (+ 0.6%)
11/2012: Young Justice #22 --  7,344 (- 2.8%)
12/2012: Young Justice #23 --  7,200 (- 2.0%)
01/2013: Young Justice #24 --  7,155 (- 0.6%)
02/2013: Young Justice #25 --  7,136 (- 0.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 3.2%
1 year  : - 1.4%
2 years : -33.8%

Cancelled with issue #25. Direct-market sales weren’t that bad, actually, but there you go.

—–

213 - JOE KUBERT PRESENTS
10/2012: Joe Kubert Presents #1 of 6 -- 14,842
11/2012: Joe Kubert Presents #2 of 6 -- 10,542 (-29.0%)
12/2012: Joe Kubert Presents #3 of 6 --  8,897 (-15.6%)
01/2013: Joe Kubert Presents #4 of 6 --  7,876 (-11.5%)
02/2013: Joe Kubert Presents #5 of 6 --  7,288 (- 7.5%)

As a vehicle for new work by industry legend Joe Kubert, this book has a better reason to exist than most, but, once again, as one of 70 DC titles shoved out there to swim or drown on their own terms, these sales are what you get.

—–

203 - THE UNWRITTEN (Vertigo)
02/2010: The Unwritten #10 -- 13,644
02/2011: The Unwritten #22 -- 11,371
------------------------------------
02/2012: The Unwritten #34 --  9,789 (+ 3.2%)
02/2012: The Unwritten #.5 --  9,595 (- 2.0%)
03/2012: The Unwritten #35 --  9,675 (+ 0.8%)
03/2012: The Unwritten #.5 --  9,529 (- 1.5%)
04/2012: The Unwritten #36 --  9,678 (+ 1.6%)
05/2012: The Unwritten #37 --  9,549 (- 1.3%)
06/2012: The Unwritten #38 --  9,494 (- 0.6%)
07/2012: The Unwritten #39 --  9,478 (- 0.2%)
08/2012: The Unwritten #40 --  9,127 (- 3.7%)
09/2012: The Unwritten #41 --  8,943 (- 2.0%)
10/2012: The Unwritten #42 --  8,881 (- 0.7%)
11/2012: The Unwritten #43 --  8,791 (- 1.0%)
12/2012: The Unwritten #44 --  8,532 (- 3.0%)
01/2013: The Unwritten #45 --  8,465 (- 0.8%)
02/2013: The Unwritten #46 --  8,352 (- 1.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.5%
1 year  : -13.8%
2 years : -26.6%

The Unwritten keeps slowly drifting down the charts. With Hellblazer and Saucer Country gone, it’s the lowest-selling remaining Vertigo title by 7,000 units. The upcoming arc tying in with Fables may be a final attempt to improve the book’s fortunes.

—–

178 - THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN
02/2012: Firestorm #6  -- 19,162 (-10.2%)
03/2012: Firestorm #7  -- 17,786 (- 7.2%)
04/2012: Firestorm #8  -- 17,076 (- 4.0%)
05/2012: Firestorm #9  -- 17,240 (+ 1.0%)
06/2012: Firestorm #10 -- 15,789 (- 8.4%)
07/2012: Firestorm #11 -- 14,931 (- 5.4%)
08/2012: Firestorm #12 -- 14,137 (- 5.3%)
09/2012: Firestorm #0  -- 17,279 (+22.2%)
10/2012: Firestorm #13 -- 13,460 (-22.1%)
11/2012: Firestorm #14 -- 12,862 (- 4.4%)
12/2012: Firestorm #15 -- 11,997 (- 6.7%)
01/2013: Firestorm #16 -- 11,361 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Firestorm #17 -- 11,100 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -21.5%
1 year  : -42.1%

Cancelled with issue #20.

—–

173 - ARROW
11/2012: Arrow #1  -- 25,442
12/2012: Arrow #2  -- 15,780 (-38.0%)
01/2013: Arrow #3  -- 13,090 (-17.1%)
01/2013: Arrow #4  -- 11,581 (-11.5%)

To be frank, I don’t quite expect Arrow will make it past issue #10, at this rate, despite being a digital-first title.

—–

172 - I, VAMPIRE
02/2012: I, Vampire #6  -- 18,153 (- 3.5%)
03/2012: I, Vampire #7  -- 18,440 (+ 1.6%)
04/2012: I, Vampire #8  -- 18,717 (+ 1.5%)
05/2012: I, Vampire #9  -- 17,175 (- 8.2%)
06/2012: I, Vampire #10 -- 16,517 (- 3.8%)
07/2012: I, Vampire #11 -- 15,734 (- 4.7%)
08/2012: I, Vampire #12 -- 14,788 (- 6.0%)
09/2012: I, Vampire #0  -- 17,920 (+21.2%)
10/2012: I, Vampire #13 -- 14,260 (-20.4%)
11/2012: I, Vampire #14 -- 13,666 (- 4.2%)
12/2012: I, Vampire #15 -- 12,846 (- 6.0%)
01/2013: I, Vampire #16 -- 12,310 (- 4.2%)
02/2013: I, Vampire #17 -- 11,833 (- 3.9%)
----------------
6 months: -20.0%
1 year  : -34.8%

Cancelled with issue #19.

—–

171 - DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS
02/2012: DCU Presents #6  -- 20,188 (- 8.4%)
03/2012: DCU Presents #7  -- 17,830 (-11.7%)
04/2012: DCU Presents #8  -- 16,566 (- 7.1%)
05/2012: DCU Presents #9  -- 15,776 (- 4.8%)
06/2012: DCU Presents #10 -- 14,310 (- 9.3%)
07/2012: DCU Presents #11 -- 13,619 (- 4.8%)
08/2012: DCU Presents #12 -- 15,138 (+11.2%)
09/2012: DCU Presents #0  -- 17,528 (+15.8%)
10/2012: DCU Presents #13 -- 14,405 (-17.8%)
11/2012: DCU Presents #14 -- 13,537 (- 6.0%)
12/2012: DCU Presents #15 -- 12,561 (- 7.2%)
01/2013: DCU Presents #16 -- 12,001 (- 4.5%)
02/2013: DCU Presents #17 -- 11,985 (- 0.1%)
----------------
6 months: -20.8%
1 year  : -40.6%

Cancelled with issue #19.

—–

169 - SWORD OF SORCERY
09/2012: Sword of Sorcery #0  -- 29,954
10/2012: Sword of Sorcery #1  -- 23,947 (-20.1%)
11/2012: Sword of Sorcery #2  -- 18,080 (-24.5%)
12/2012: Sword of Sorcery #3  -- 15,280 (-15.5%)
01/2013: Sword of Sorcery #4  -- 13,995 (- 8.4%)
02/2013: Sword of Sorcery #5  -- 12,334 (-11.9%)

Cancelled with issue #8.

—–

168 - AME-COMI GIRLS
10/2012: ACG #1: Wonder Woman      -- 24,966
11/2012: ACG #2: Batgirl           -- 16,083 (-35.6%)
12/2012: ACG #3: Duela Dent        -- 13,185 (-18.0%)
01/2013: ACG #4: Power Girl        -- 12,488 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: ACG #5 of 5: Supergirl    -- 12,343 (- 1.2%)

Another digital-first book, and, after it was first solicited as an ongoing series and then turned into a five-issue mini, to be relaunched once more as an ongoing title in March. Sales have been levelling out here, at least, so maybe it’s worth a shot.

—–

167 - THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN
02/2012: Savage Hawkman #6  -- 21,316 (-11.1%)
03/2012: Savage Hawkman #7  -- 19,433 (- 8.8%)
04/2012: Savage Hawkman #8  -- 18,300 (- 5.8%)
05/2012: Savage Hawkman #9  -- 17,626 (- 3.7%)
06/2012: Savage Hawkman #10 -- 16,417 (- 6.9%)
07/2012: Savage Hawkman #11 -- 15,460 (- 5.8%)
08/2012: Savage Hawkman #12 -- 14,745 (- 4.6%)
09/2012: Savage Hawkman #0  -- 18,750 (+27.2%)
10/2012: Savage Hawkman #13 -- 14,763 (-21.3%)
11/2012: Savage Hawkman #14 -- 14,726 (- 0.3%)
12/2012: Savage Hawkman #15 -- 13,564 (- 7.9%)
01/2013: Savage Hawkman #16 -- 12,852 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Savage Hawkman #17 -- 12,376 (- 3.7%)
----------------
6 months: -16.1%
1 year  : -46.9%

Cancelled with issue #20.

—–

165 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo)
02/2008: Hellblazer #241 -- 11,998
02/2009: Hellblazer #252 -- 11,174
02/2010: Hellblazer #264 -- 10,025
02/2011: Hellblazer #276 --  9,466
----------------------------------
02/2012: Hellblazer #288 --  9,553 (+ 2.0%)
03/2012: Hellblazer #289 --  9,363 (- 2.0%)
04/2012: Hellblazer #290 --  9,472 (+ 1.2%)
05/2012: Hellblazer #291 --  9,426 (- 0.5%)
06/2012: Hellblazer #292 --  9,533 (+ 1.1%)
07/2012: Hellblazer #293 --  9,247 (- 3.0%)
08/2012: Hellblazer #294 --  9,396 (+ 1.6%)
09/2012: Hellblazer #295 --  9,143 (- 2.7%)
10/2012: Hellblazer #296 --  9,255 (+ 1.2%)
11/2012: Hellblazer #297 --  9,146 (- 1.2%)
12/2012: Hellblazer #298 --  9,132 (- 0.2%)
01/2013: Hellblazer #299 --  9,329 (+ 2.2%)
02/2013: Hellblazer #300 -- 12,522 (+34.2%)
----------------
6 months: +33.3%
1 year  : +31.1%
2 years : +32.3%
5 years : + 4.4%

Thus ends DC’s longest-running ongoing title. Hellblazer is about to move over to the DC Universe imprint and relaunch as Constantine, a “New 52″ book.

Sales on the title haven’t been spectacular by any stretch, but they’ve been unusually stable. Losing fewer than 3,000 units over five years is no small feat, these days, even if the needle continues to point down ever so slightly. (The five years before that weren’t as kind, mind you. In March 2003, when the set of statistics we’re currently using begins, Hellblazer #182 sold an estimated 17,257 units.)

Looking at recent “New 52″ launches, there’s reason to be skeptical whether a relaunch that’s essentially going to make the book more generic and taking away one of its trademark qualities — being written almost exclusively by British writers of a certain renown — is a particularly prudent move. Of course there’s bound to be a significant sales increase for March’s issue #1. But will the new Constantine title be able to achieve a comparable degree of stability before dropping back to Hellblazer sales levels? The odds aren’t great.

—–

162 - BATWING
02/2012: Batwing #6  -- 21,643 (-10.0%)
03/2012: Batwing #7  -- 21,058 (- 2.7%)
04/2012: Batwing #8  -- 20,373 (- 3.3%)
05/2012: Batwing #9  -- 35,731 (+75.4%)
06/2012: Batwing #10 -- 20,724 (-42.0%)
07/2012: Batwing #11 -- 20,047 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: Batwing #12 -- 18,279 (- 8.8%)
09/2012: Batwing #0  -- 22,135 (+21.1%)
10/2012: Batwing #13 -- 17,166 (-22.5%)
11/2012: Batwing #14 -- 15,967 (- 7.0%)
12/2012: Batwing #15 -- 14,674 (- 8.1%)
01/2013: Batwing #16 -- 13,427 (- 8.5%)
02/2013: Batwing #17 -- 12,595 (- 6.2%)
----------------
6 months: -31.1%
1 year  : -41.8%

Not cancelled yet, amazingly. There’s a new creative team with new plans coming on with issue #20, instead. Not that this will stop DC management to change its mind on everything yesterday.

—–

161 - DEATHSTROKE
02/2012: Deathstroke #6  -- 21,306 (-10.8%)
03/2012: Deathstroke #7  -- 19,744 (- 7.3%)
04/2012: Deathstroke #8  -- 18,834 (- 4.6%)
05/2012: Deathstroke #9  -- 20,878 (+10.9%)
06/2012: Deathstroke #10 -- 19,722 (- 5.5%)
07/2012: Deathstroke #11 -- 17,107 (-13.3%)
08/2012: Deathstroke #12 -- 16,772 (- 2.0%)
09/2012: Deathstroke #0  -- 20,796 (+24.0%)
10/2012: Deathstroke #13 -- 15,078 (-27.5%)
11/2012: Deathstroke #14 -- 14,452 (- 4.2%)
12/2012: Deathstroke #15 -- 13,528 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Deathstroke #16 -- 12,758 (- 5.7%)
02/2013: Deathstroke #17 -- 12,626 (- 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: -24.7%
1 year  : -40.7%

Cancelled with issue #20.

—–

158 - JSA LIBERTY FILES: THE WHISTLING SKULL
12/2012: Whistling Skull #1 of 6 -- 21,370
01/2013: Whistling Skull #2 of 6 -- 16,593 (-22.4%)
02/2013: Whistling Skull #3 of 6 -- 12,851 (-22.6%)

There’s no readily evident reason for the catastrophic third-issue drop. The debut issue was promoted with a 1:10 variant-cover edition, but there’s no such factor involved between issues #2 and #3.

On the other hand, this is rather closer to what I’d have expected this miniseries to sell in the first place, so maybe there was some retailer incentive for issues #1 and #2 that I’m not aware of — or maybe retailers just heavily miscalculated on those first two issues.

—–

155 - TEAM 7
09/2012: Team 7 #0  -- 34,503
10/2012: Team 7 #1  -- 27,661 (-19.8%)
11/2012: Team 7 #2  -- 19,510 (-29.5%)
12/2012: Team 7 #3  -- 17,090 (-12.4%)
01/2013: Team 7 #4  -- 14,919 (-12.7%)
02/2013: Team 7 #5  -- 13,005 (-12.8%)

Cancelled with issue #8.

—–

151 - DIAL H
05/2012: Dial H #1  -- 45,308
06/2012: Dial H #2  -- 30,618 (-32.4%)
07/2012: Dial H #3  -- 26,109 (-14.7%)
08/2012: Dial H #4  -- 22,733 (-12.9%)
09/2012: Dial H #0  -- 24,070 (+ 5.9%)
10/2012: Dial H #5  -- 19,903 (-17.3%)
11/2012: Dial H #6  -- 17,832 (-10.4%)
12/2012: Dial H #7  -- 16,217 (- 9.1%)
01/2013: Dial H #8  -- 14,672 (- 9.5%)
02/2013: Dial H #9  -- 13,541 (- 7.7%)
----------------
6 months: -40.4%

This this title seems to be fairly well-reviewed, but that won’t save it from meeting its demise very, very, very soon if sales don’t improve drastically.

—–

150 - DJANGO UNCHAINED (Vertigo)
12/2012: Django Unchained #1 of 6 -- 11,795
01/2013: --
02/2013: Django Unchained #2 of 6 -- 13,554 (+14.9%)

It’s pretty unusual for sales to increase by any standard, let alone with the second issue, so this qualifies as a small hit for Vertigo. A motion-picture adaptation selling below the 15K mark certainly won’t save the imprint’s bacon, as far as new periodical comics are concerned, though.

—–

149 - DEMON KNIGHTS
02/2012: Demon Knights #6  -- 23,476 (- 9.1%)
03/2012: Demon Knights #7  -- 22,000 (- 6.3%)
04/2012: Demon Knights #8  -- 21,124 (- 4.0%)
05/2012: Demon Knights #9  -- 20,196 (- 4.4%)
06/2012: Demon Knights #10 -- 19,005 (- 5.9%)
07/2012: Demon Knights #11 -- 18,201 (- 4.2%)
08/2012: Demon Knights #12 -- 17,295 (- 5.0%)
09/2012: Demon Knights #0  -- 20,474 (+18.4%)
10/2012: Demon Knights #13 -- 16,805 (-17.9%)
11/2012: Demon Knights #14 -- 16,005 (- 4.8%)
12/2012: Demon Knights #15 -- 15,152 (- 5.3%)
01/2013: Demon Knights #16 -- 14,168 (- 6.5%)
02/2013: Demon Knights #17 -- 13,571 (- 4.2%)
----------------
6 months: -21.5%
1 year  : -42.2%

It’s too early to tell if sales are genuinely levelling out. In any case, there’s cause to be amazed that Demon Knights hasn’t been axed yet.

—–

148 - STORMWATCH
02/2008: --
02/2009: Stormwatch: PHD #19  --  5,708
---------------------------------------
02/2012: Stormwatch #6        -- 26,076 (-10.4%)
03/2012: Stormwatch #7        -- 24,384 (- 6.5%)
04/2012: Stormwatch #8        -- 23,212 (- 4.8%)
05/2012: Stormwatch #9        -- 22,448 (- 3.3%)
06/2012: Stormwatch #10       -- 20,592 (- 8.3%)
07/2012: Stormwatch #11       -- 19,678 (- 4.4%)
08/2012: Stormwatch #12       -- 18,531 (- 5.8%)
09/2012: Stormwatch #0        -- 21,764 (+17.5%)
10/2012: Stormwatch #13       -- 17,621 (-19.0%)
11/2012: Stormwatch #14       -- 16,559 (- 6.0%)
12/2012: Stormwatch #15       -- 15,437 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Stormwatch #16       -- 14,411 (- 6.7%)
02/2013: Stormwatch #17       -- 13,657 (- 5.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 26.3%
1 year  : - 47.6%
5 years :   n.a.

Very slowly levelling out over the last few months. By the time the new creative team gets here with issue #19, though, it’s going to take a small miracle to prevent Stormwatch from being one the danger list.

—–

145 - THE RAVAGERS
05/2012: Ravagers #1  -- 44,230
06/2012: Ravagers #2  -- 31,128 (-29.6%)
07/2012: Ravagers #3  -- 24,963 (-19.8%)
08/2012: Ravagers #4  -- 20,730 (-17.0%)
09/2012: Ravagers #0  -- 22,437 (+ 8.2%)
10/2012: Ravagers #5  -- 18,656 (-16.9%)
11/2012: Ravagers #6  -- 17,334 (- 7.1%)
12/2012: Ravagers #7  -- 16,177 (- 6.7%)
01/2013: Ravagers #8  -- 15,030 (- 7.1%)
02/2013: Ravagers #9  -- 14,223 (- 5.4%)
----------------
6 months: -31.4%

Cancelled with issue #12.

—–

133 - FABLES (Vertigo)
02/2008: Fables #69  -- 24,337
02/2008: Fables #70  -- 23,975
02/2009: Fables #81  -- 22,517
02/2010: --
02/2011: Fables #102 -- 19,215
------------------------------
02/2012: Fables #114 -- 17,374 (- 1.2%)
03/2012: Fables #115 -- 17,384 (+ 0.1%)
04/2012: Fables #116 -- 17,543 (+ 0.9%)
05/2012: Fables #117 -- 17,484 (- 0.3%)
06/2012: Fables #118 -- 18,566 (+ 6.2%)
07/2012: Fables #119 -- 17,110 (- 7.8%)
08/2012: Fables #120 -- 16,704 (- 2.4%)
09/2012: Fables #121 -- 16,596 (- 0.7%)
10/2012: Fables #122 -- 16,513 (- 0.5%)
11/2012: Fables #123 -- 16,229 (- 1.7%)
12/2012: Fables #124 -- 16,018 (- 1.3%)
01/2013: Fables #125 -- 15,983 (- 0.2%)
02/2013: Fables #126 -- 15,480 (- 3.2%
----------------
6 months: - 7.3%
1 year  : -10.9%
2 years : -19.4%
5 years : -35.9%

Presumably, the anniversary issue in January did well enough to cover up the usual underlying decline, hence the larger drop in February. On balance, Fables sticks to its very slow but steady decline.

—–

132 - BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED
04/2012: Arkham Unhinged #1  -- 31,170
05/2012: Arkham Unhinged #2  -- 25,215 (-19.1%)
06/2012: Arkham Unhinged #3  -- 23,322 (- 7.5%)
07/2012: Arkham Unhinged #4  -- 21,809 (- 6.5%)
08/2012: Arkham Unhinged #5  -- 21,059 (- 3.4%)
09/2012: Arkham Unhinged #6  -- 20,259 (- 3.8%)
10/2012: Arkham Unhinged #7  -- 19,890 (- 1.8%)
11/2012: Arkham Unhinged #8  -- 18,393 (- 7.5%)
12/2012: Arkham Unhinged #9  -- 17,220 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Arkham Unhinged #10 -- 16,113 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Arkham Unhinged #11 -- 15,703 (- 2.6%)
----------------
6 months: -25.4%

Is this digital-first title levelling out? Too early to tell.

—–

130 - FAIREST (Vertigo)
03/2012: Fairest #1  -- 31,769
04/2012: Fairest #2  -- 22,997 (-27.6%)
05/2012: Fairest #3  -- 22,329 (- 2.9%)
06/2012: Fairest #4  -- 21,156 (- 5.3%)
07/2012: Fairest #5  -- 20,371 (- 3.7%)
08/2012: Fairest #6  -- 19,446 (- 4.5%)
09/2012: Fairest #7  -- 18,626 (- 4.2%)
10/2012: Fairest #8  -- 18,376 (- 1.3%)
11/2012: Fairest #9  -- 17,417 (- 5.2%)
12/2012: Fairest #10 -- 16,919 (- 2.9%)
01/2013: Fairest #11 -- 16,498 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: Fairest #12 -- 16,141 (- 2.2%)
----------------
6 months: -17.0%

Vertigo’s best-selling ongoing title appears to be finding its level around the 16,000-unit mark.

—–

128 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
02/2008: Supergirl & LoSH #39 -- 31,123
02/2011: LoSH #10             -- 23,738
---------------------------------------
02/2012: LoSH #6              -- 23,428 (-  8.6%)
03/2012: LoSH #7              -- 21,894 (-  6.6%)
04/2012: LoSH #8              -- 21,457 (-  2.0%)
05/2012: LoSH #9              -- 20,854 (-  2.8%)
06/2012: LoSH #10             -- 19,963 (-  4.3%)
07/2012: LoSH #11             -- 19,421 (-  2.7%)
08/2012: LoSH #12             -- 18,907 (-  2.7%)
09/2012: LoSH #0              -- 21,561 (+ 14.0%)
10/2012: LoSH #13             -- 18,487 (- 14.3%)
11/2012: LoSH #14             -- 17,767 (-  3.9%)
12/2012: LoSH #15             -- 16,912 (-  4.8%)
01/2013: LoSH #16             -- 16,496 (-  2.5%)
02/2013: LoSH #17             -- 16,242 (-  1.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 14.1%
1 year  : - 30.7%
2 years : - 31.6%
5 years : - 47.8%

Levelling out, at long last. But with sales well below 20K already, that alone might not be enough for the book to survive 2013.

—–

122 - SMALLVILLE SEASON 11
05/2012: Smallville S11 #1  -- 27,004
06/2012: Smallville S11 #2  -- 22,468 (-16.8%)
07/2012: Smallville S11 #3  -- 20,864 (- 7.1%)
08/2012: Smallville S11 #4  -- 19,861 (- 4.8%)
09/2012: Smallville S11 #5  -- 19,499 (- 1.8%)
10/2012: Smallville S11 #6  -- 19,663 (+ 0.8%)
11/2012: Smallville S11 #7  -- 19,104 (- 2.8%)
12/2012: Smallville S11 #8  -- 18,633 (- 2.5%)
01/2013: Smallville S11 #9  -- 17,845 (- 4.2%)
02/2013: Smallville S11 #10 -- 17,024 (- 4.6%)
----------------
6 months: -14.3%

Smallville, another digital-first book, hasn’t quite found its level yet.

—–

121 - BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED
02/2012: Unlimited #1          -- 26,589 (+21.8%) [30,683]
03/2012: Unlimited #2          -- 23,570 (-11.4%)
04/2012: Unlimited #3          -- 24,196 (+ 2.7%)
05/2012: Unlimited #4          -- 24,356 (+ 0.7%)
06/2012: Unlimited #5          -- 24,058 (- 1.2%)
07/2012: Unlimited #6          -- 22,555 (- 6.3%)
08/2012: Unlimited #7          -- 21,219 (- 5.9%)
09/2012: Unlimited #8          -- 20,897 (- 1.5%)
10/2012: Unlimited #9          -- 19,877 (- 4.9%)
11/2012: Unlimited #10         -- 19,004 (- 4.4%)
12/2012: Unlimited #11         -- 18,089 (- 4.8%)
01/2013: Unlimited #12         -- 17,446 (- 3.6%)
02/2013: Unlimited #13         -- 17,025 (- 2.4%)
----------------
6 months: -19.8%
1 year  : -36.0%

Also a digital-first title, and Batman Beyond Unlimited continues to level out nicely. For a collection of previously published material, sales upwards of 15K should be perfectly all right.

—–

120 - INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US
01/2013: Injustice #1  -- 20,733
02/2013: Injustice #2  -- 17,068 (-17.7%)

Another digital-first book. Unlike Arrow or Ame-Comi Girls, Injustice sees a very modest second-issue drop, rather increasing its chances at mid-term survival.

—–

118 - ALL STAR WESTERN
02/2008: Jonah Hex #28 -- 13,614
02/2009: Jonah Hex #40 -- 11,631
02/2010: Jonah Hex #52 -- 11,213
02/2011: Jonah Hex #64 -- 10,255
--------------------------------
02/2012: ASW #6        -- 26,170 (-  3.8%)
03/2012: ASW #7        -- 25,349 (-  3.1%)
04/2012: ASW #8        -- 25,040 (-  1.2%)
05/2012: ASW #9        -- 31,413 (+ 25.5%)
06/2012: ASW #10       -- 25,334 (- 19.4%)
07/2012: ASW #11       -- 23,572 (-  7.0%)
08/2012: ASW #12       -- 22,767 (-  3.4%)
09/2012: ASW #0        -- 25,388 (+ 11.5%)
10/2012: ASW #13       -- 21,481 (- 15.4%)
11/2012: ASW #14       -- 20,186 (-  6.0%)
12/2012: ASW #15       -- 19,190 (-  4.9%)
01/2013: ASW #16       -- 18,254 (-  4.9%)
02/2013: ASW #17       -- 17,398 (-  4.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 23.6%
1 year  : - 33.5%
2 years : + 69.7%
5 years : + 27.8%

These numbers still aren’t levelling out in any meaningful way.

—–

112 - PHANTOM STRANGER
09/2012: Phantom Stranger #0  -- 40,103
10/2012: Phantom Stranger #1  -- 33,350 (-16.8%)
11/2012: Phantom Stranger #2  -- 24,979 (-25.1%)
12/2012: Phantom Stranger #3  -- 23,378 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Phantom Stranger #4  -- 19,903 (-14.9%)
02/2013: Phantom Stranger #5  -- 18,032 (- 9.4%)

After the big drop in January, I suspected that my numbers for issues #0 through #3 — which were adjusted for a 10% cut Diamond likes to knock off of returnable comics for the purposes of their charts — may have been wrong this time. But looking at the February figure now, I don’t think so anymore. Phantom Stranger just seems to be dropping quickly.

—–

109 - THRESHOLD
01/2013: Threshold #1  -- 29,312
02/2013: Threshold #2  -- 18,389 (-37.3%)

Looks like my guess that the book might end up below the 20K mark within a few months was rather conservative.

Issue #1 was promoted with a 1:100 variant edition, while the ratio for the issue #2 variant was 1:25 — so that explains at least part of February’s big drop. Overall, though, these sales are emphatically not good. If the numbers don’t improve immediately, Threshold will be in cancellation territory by issue #3.

—–

103 - YOUNG ROMANCE: NEW 52 VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL
02/2013: Young Romance #1 -- 20,963

For an inconsequential $7.99 special, this is a surprisingly good number.

—–

102 - LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT
10/2012: LotDK #1  -- 42,904
11/2012: LotDK #2  -- 30,085 (-29.9%)
12/2012: LotDK #3  -- 25,710 (-14.5%)
01/2013: LotDK #4  -- 22,671 (-11.8%)
02/2013: LotDK #5  -- 21,041 (- 7.2%)

Very slowly levelling out, though it remains the best-selling digital-first title by a few thousand units.

—–

99 - BIRDS OF PREY
02/2008: Birds of Prey #115 -- 23,157
02/2009: Birds of Prey #127 -- 21,424
02/2011: Birds of Prey #9   -- 30,641
-------------------------------------
02/2012: Birds of Prey #6   -- 30,376 (-  4.2%)
03/2012: Birds of Prey #7   -- 29,196 (-  3.9%)
04/2012: Birds of Prey #8   -- 28,661 (-  1.8%)
05/2012: Birds of Prey #9   -- 41,521 (+ 44.9%)
06/2012: Birds of Prey #10  -- 28,457 (- 31.5%)
07/2012: Birds of Prey #11  -- 27,389 (-  3.8%)
08/2012: Birds of Prey #12  -- 26,587 (-  2.9%)
09/2012: Birds of Prey #0   -- 30,574 (+ 15.0%)
10/2012: Birds of Prey #13  -- 25,851 (- 15.5%)
11/2012: Birds of Prey #14  -- 24,904 (-  3.7%)
12/2012: Birds of Prey #15  -- 24,026 (-  3.5%)
01/2013: Birds of Prey #16  -- 23,182 (-  3.5%)
02/2013: Birds of Prey #17  -- 22,112 (-  4.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 16.8%
1 year  : - 27.2%
2 years : - 27.8%
5 years : -  4.5%

Another 1,000 units gone.

—–

85 - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
02/2012: Justice League Dark #6   -- 38,360 (- 6.4%)
03/2012: Justice League Dark #7   -- 36,089 (- 5.9%)
04/2012: Justice League Dark #8   -- 35,022 (- 3.0%)
05/2012: Justice League Dark #9   -- 34,649 (- 1.1%)
06/2012: Justice League Dark #10  -- 33,238 (- 4.1%)
07/2012: Justice League Dark #11  -- 31,792 (- 4.4%)
08/2012: Justice League Dark #12  -- 30,754 (- 3.3%)
09/2012: Justice League Dark #0   -- 34,287 (+11.5%)
10/2012: Justice League Dark #13  -- 30,008 (-12.5%)
11/2012: Justice League Dark #14  -- 28,966 (- 3.5%)
12/2012: Justice League Dark #15  -- 27,712 (- 4.3%)
01/2013: Justice League Dark #16  -- 26,902 (- 2.9%)
02/2013: Justice League Dark #17  -- 25,841 (- 3.9%)
----------------
6 months: -16.0%
1 year  : -32.6%

And another 1,000 units gone.

—–

84 - SUICIDE SQUAD
02/2008: Raise the Flag #6 of 8 -- 16,152
-----------------------------------------
02/2012: Suicide Squad #6       -- 30,834 (-  5.8%)
03/2012: Suicide Squad #7       -- 32,908 (+  6.7%)
04/2012: Suicide Squad #8       -- 32,789 (-  0.4%)
05/2012: Suicide Squad #9       -- 32,581 (-  0.6%)
06/2012: Suicide Squad #10      -- 31,576 (-  3.1%)
07/2012: Suicide Squad #11      -- 29,809 (-  5.6%)
08/2012: Suicide Squad #12      -- 28,302 (-  5.1%)
09/2012: Suicide Squad #0       -- 31,875 (+ 12.6%)
10/2012: Suicide Squad #13      -- 27,644 (- 13.3%)
11/2012: Suicide Squad #14      -- 63,691 (+130.4%) [69,185]
12/2012: Suicide Squad #15      -- 57,132 (- 10.3%)
01/2013: Suicide Squad #16      -- 27,061 (- 52.6%)
02/2013: Suicide Squad #17      -- 26,370 (-  2.6%)
-----------------
6 months: -  6.8%
1 year  : - 14.5%
5 years : + 63.3%

Suicide Squad remains fairly stable overall, on the other hand. The current creative team will still be off the book after issue #19. (This week, at any rate. You never know.)

—–

82 - SUPERBOY
02/2011: Superboy #4  --  27,448
--------------------------------
02/2012: Superboy #6  --  34,520 (-  7.8%)
03/2012: Superboy #7  --  33,050 (-  4.3%)
04/2012: Superboy #8  --  31,900 (-  3.5%)
05/2012: Superboy #9  --  34,838 (+  9.2%)
06/2012: Superboy #10 --  31,358 (- 10.0%)
07/2012: Superboy #11 --  29,677 (-  5.4%)
08/2012: Superboy #12 --  27,518 (-  7.3%)
09/2012: Superboy #0  --  31,840 (+ 15.7%)
10/2012: Superboy #13 --  25,726 (- 19.2%)
11/2012: Superboy #14 --  28,017 (+  8.9%)
12/2012: Superboy #15 --  27,619 (-  1.4%)
01/2013: Superboy #16 --  27,110 (-  1.8%)
02/2013: Superboy #17 --  26,762 (-  1.3%)
-----------------
6 months: -  2.8%
1 year  : - 22.5%
2 years : -  2.5%

At first glance, it looks like sales are levelling out, but there’s still a crossover with Superman and Supergirl going on. So ultimately, it’s quite possible that there’s a much steeper underlying decline here that will become apparent in March.

—–

80 - KATANA
02/2013: Katana #1  -- 27,021

—–

78 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA'S VIBE
02/2013: Vibe #1  -- 27,051

Well, Threshold launched with an estimated 29K units in January, and it slipped below 20K with its second issue. So the prospects aren’t rosy here. The silver lining is that the first issues of Katana and Vibe were promoted with 1:50 variants instead of, like Threshold, 1:100 ones, so there’s a fighting chance for the second-issue drop-off not to be entirely as stiff. Even then, though, issues #3 will follow.

In any case, the fact that sales of the two new launches are within 30 units of each other doesn’t bode well. It usually means that retailers didn’t know what to do with these, which, in turn, suggests that there may not be much of an audience clamoring for them.

—–

77 - TALON
09/2012: Talon #0  -- 59,691
10/2012: Talon #1  -- 55,737 (- 6.6%)
11/2012: Talon #2  -- 41,250 (-26.0%)
12/2012: Talon #3  -- 35,034 (-15.1%)
01/2013: Talon #4  -- 30,909 (-11.8%)
02/2013: Talon #5  -- 28,003 (- 9.4%)

Another recently launched title that’s not levelling out in any meaningful way — despite being co-written by new golden boy Scott Snyder and spinning out of a spectacularly successful storyline.

Not good at all, in terms of what it says about the market.

—–

76 - WORLDS' FINEST
05/2012: Worlds' Finest #1  -- 69,531
06/2012: Worlds' Finest #2  -- 51,510 (-25.9%)
07/2012: Worlds' Finest #3  -- 45,514 (-11.6%)
08/2012: Worlds' Finest #4  -- 39,629 (-12.9%)
09/2012: Worlds' Finest #0  -- 42,770 (+ 7.9%)
10/2012: Worlds' Finest #5  -- 35,951 (-15.9%)
11/2012: Worlds' Finest #6  -- 34,338 (- 4.5%)
12/2012: Worlds' Finest #7  -- 32,010 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Worlds' Finest #8  -- 30,399 (- 5.0%)
02/2013: Worlds' Finest #9  -- 28,332 (- 6.8%)
----------------
6 months: -28.5%

Not remotely finding its level yet.

—–

75 - ANIMAL MAN
02/2012: Animal Man #6     -- 38,504 (- 5.1%)
03/2012: Animal Man #7     -- 36,860 (- 4.3%)
04/2012: Animal Man #8     -- 36,369 (- 1.3%)
05/2012: Animal Man #9     -- 35,699 (- 1.8%)
06/2012: Animal Man #10    -- 34,992 (- 2.0%)
07/2012: Animal Man #11    -- 33,909 (- 3.1%)
08/2012: Animal Man #12    -- 34,549 (+ 1.9%)
09/2012: Animal Man #0     -- 38,295 (+10.8%)
10/2012: Animal Man #13    -- 34,303 (-10.4%)
11/2012: Animal Man #14    -- 33,503 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Animal Man #15    -- 32,013 (- 4.5%)
01/2013: Animal Man #16    -- 30,322 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Animal Man #17    -- 29,425 (- 3.0%)
----------------
6 months: -14.8%
1 year  : -23.6%

Let’s put it this way: The “Rotworld” crossover doesn’t seem to have done Animal Man much good.

—–

73 - SUPERGIRL
02/2008: Supergirl #26 --  34,186
02/2009: Supergirl #38 --  34,225
02/2010: Supergirl #50 --  33,338
02/2011: Supergirl #61 --  22,048
---------------------------------
02/2012: Supergirl #6  --  38,719 (-  6.6%)
03/2012: Supergirl #7  --  37,041 (-  4.3%)
04/2012: Supergirl #8  --  36,042 (-  2.7%)
05/2012: Supergirl #9  --  35,129 (-  2.5%)
06/2012: Supergirl #10 --  33,309 (-  5.2%)
07/2012: Supergirl #11 --  31,879 (-  4.3%)
08/2012: Supergirl #12 --  30,420 (-  4.6%)
09/2012: Supergirl #0  --  34,457 (+ 13.3%)
10/2012: Supergirl #13 --  29,450 (- 14.5%)
11/2012: Supergirl #14 --  31,270 (+  6.2%)
12/2012: Supergirl #15 --  30,814 (-  1.5%)
01/2013: Supergirl #16 --  30,350 (-  1.5%)
02/2013: Supergirl #17 --  30,146 (-  0.7%)
-----------------
6 months: -  0.9%
1 year  : - 22.1%
2 years : + 36.7%
5 years : - 11.8%

Sales are levelled out, it would appear, but as with Superboy, the crossover is still in full swing here. So the stability is probably deceiving.

—–

72 - CATWOMAN
02/2008: Catwoman #76 -- 18,798
-------------------------------
02/2012: Catwoman #6  -- 41,447 (- 5.9%)
03/2012: Catwoman #7  -- 39,608 (- 4.4%)
04/2012: Catwoman #8  -- 38,711 (- 2.3%)
05/2012: Catwoman #9  -- 49,726 (+28.5%)
06/2012: Catwoman #10 -- 37,158 (-25.3%)
07/2012: Catwoman #11 -- 35,551 (- 4.3%)
08/2012: Catwoman #12 -- 34,117 (- 4.0%)
09/2012: Catwoman #0  -- 39,117 (+14.7%)
10/2012: Catwoman #13 -- 40,147 (+ 2.6%) [60,257]
11/2012: Catwoman #14 -- 63,653 (+58.6%)
12/2012: Catwoman #15 -- 35,020 (-45.0%)
01/2013: Catwoman #16 -- 33,915 (- 3.2%)
02/2013: Catwoman #17 -- 30,194 (-11.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.5%
1 year  : - 27.2%
5 years : + 60.6%

There’s no discernible reason for the big whopping drop — no crossovers, variant covers or creative-team changes were involved. And Catwoman #17 didn’t come out in the last week of February, either, so a box of copies didn’t just fall off a truck. Very odd.

—–

69 - SWAMP THING
02/2012: Swamp Thing #6  -- 41,235 (- 5.9%)
03/2012: Swamp Thing #7  -- 40,268 (- 2.4%)
04/2012: Swamp Thing #8  -- 39,431 (- 2.1%)
05/2012: Swamp Thing #9  -- 39,385 (- 0.1%)
06/2012: Swamp Thing #10 -- 37,383 (- 5.1%)
07/2012: Swamp Thing #11 -- 36,257 (- 3.0%)
08/2012: Swamp Thing #12 -- 36,696 (+ 1.2%)
09/2012: Swamp Thing #0  -- 40,123 (+ 9.3%)
10/2012: Swamp Thing #13 -- 36,069 (-10.1%)
11/2012: Swamp Thing #14 -- 42,036 (+16.5%)
12/2012: Swamp Thing #15 -- 33,916 (-19.3%)
01/2013: Swamp Thing #16 -- 32,262 (- 4.9%)
02/2013: Swamp Thing #17 -- 31,497 (- 2.4%)
----------------
6 months: -14.2%
1 year  : -23.6%

Levelling out again, evidently. It’s moot, though, since Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette will be off the book after issue #18.

—–

68 - BATWOMAN
02/2012: Batwoman #6  --  49,227 (- 5.2%)
03/2012: Batwoman #7  --  46,874 (- 4.8%)
04/2012: Batwoman #8  --  45,341 (- 3.3%)
05/2012: Batwoman #9  --  43,942 (- 3.1%)
06/2012: Batwoman #10 --  41,014 (- 6.7%)
07/2012: Batwoman #11 --  38,980 (- 5.0%)
08/2012: Batwoman #12 --  38,064 (- 2.4%)
09/2012: Batwoman #0  --  41,684 (+ 9.5%)
10/2012: Batwoman #13 --  37,315 (-10.5%)
11/2012: Batwoman #14 --  36,395 (- 2.5%)
12/2012: Batwoman #15 --  34,964 (- 3.9%)
01/2013: Batwoman #16 --  34,103 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: Batwoman #17 --  32,041 (- 6.1%)
----------------
6 months: -15.8%
1 year  : -34.9%

Another title with a sales drop for no apparent reason.

—–

59 - RED LANTERNS
02/2012: Red Lanterns #6  -- 43,450 (- 7.5%)
03/2012: Red Lanterns #7  -- 41,628 (- 4.2%)
04/2012: Red Lanterns #8  -- 40,189 (- 3.5%)
05/2012: Red Lanterns #9  -- 39,215 (- 2.4%)
06/2012: Red Lanterns #10 -- 38,005 (- 3.1%)
07/2012: Red Lanterns #11 -- 36,462 (- 4.1%)
08/2012: Red Lanterns #12 -- 35,070 (- 3.8%)
09/2012: Red Lanterns #0  -- 38,928 (+11.0%)
10/2012: Red Lanterns #13 -- 42,804 (+10.0%)
11/2012: Red Lanterns #14 -- 40,779 (- 4.7%)
12/2012: Red Lanterns #15 -- 39,071 (- 4.2%)
01/2013: Red Lanterns #16 -- 38,223 (- 2.2%)
02/2013: Red Lanterns #17 -- 35,839 (- 6.2%)
----------------
6 months: + 2.2%
1 year  : -17.5%

Sales are still slightly ahead of the August figure, to be fair. But looking at the February drop, it’s pretty clear that people are tired of crossovers here: From September through January, the book was part of the “Rise of the Third Army” crossover, and now there’s “Wrath of the First Lantern,” which runs for another three months.

—–

57 - GREEN ARROW
02/2008: Arrow/Canary #5  -- 36,662
02/2009: Arrow/Canary #17 -- 23,392
02/2010: Arrow&Canary #29 -- 16,600
02/2010: Black Arrow #30  -- 42,014
02/2011: Green Arrow #9   -- 33,922
-----------------------------------
02/2012: Green Arrow #6   -- 30,097 (- 10.4%)
03/2012: Green Arrow #7   -- 29,004 (-  3.6%)
04/2012: Green Arrow #8   -- 27,433 (-  5.4%)
05/2012: Green Arrow #9   -- 26,966 (-  1.7%)
06/2012: Green Arrow #10  -- 25,769 (-  4.4%)
07/2012: Green Arrow #11  -- 24,646 (-  4.4%)
08/2012: Green Arrow #12  -- 23,126 (-  6.2%)
09/2012: Green Arrow #0   -- 28,408 (+ 22.8%)
10/2012: Green Arrow #13  -- 22,057 (- 22.4%)
11/2012: Green Arrow #14  -- 21,825 (-  1.1%)
12/2012: Green Arrow #15  -- 20,672 (-  5.3%)
01/2013: Green Arrow #16  -- 19,888 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Green Arrow #17  -- 36,043 (+ 81.2%)
-----------------
6 months: + 55.7%
1 year  : + 53.0%
2 years : +  6.3%
5 years : -  1.7%

In February, the new creative team of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino took over Green Arrow, promoted with a 1:50 variant-cover edition and an additional “We Can Be Heroes Blank Cover Variant.” Results are spectacular, obviously.

Now, we know Lemire has some draw as a writer, but I’m wondering what caused the major chunk of the boost here. The “We Can Be Heroes” charity variants, of which DC has been releasing one per month since September 2012, might be the key. To date, they’ve only been used on issues whose sales were — or seemed to be, at least — elevated by other factors. But Green Arrow is making me consider they might be a bigger draw than I previously gave them credit for.

Then again, maybe I’m just underestimating Jeff Lemire’s draw. Either way, we’ll get a better sense next month.

—–

54 - WONDER WOMAN
02/2008: Wonder Woman #17  --  41,948
02/2009: Wonder Woman #29  --  33,237
02/2010: Wonder Woman #41  --  25,354
02/2011: Wonder Woman #607 --  33,053
-------------------------------------
02/2012: Wonder Woman #6   --  54,190 (-  6.0%)
03/2012: Wonder Woman #7   --  51,314 (-  5.3%)
04/2012: Wonder Woman #8   --  50,450 (-  1.7%)
05/2012: Wonder Woman #9   --  48,750 (-  3.4%)
06/2012: Wonder Woman #10  --  47,229 (-  3.1%)
07/2012: Wonder Woman #11  --  45,669 (-  3.3%)
08/2012: Wonder Woman #12  --  44,584 (-  2.4%)
09/2012: Wonder Woman #0   --  49,778 (+ 11.7%)
10/2012: Wonder Woman #13  --  43,731 (- 12.2%)
11/2012: Wonder Woman #14  --  42,384 (-  3.1%)
12/2012: Wonder Woman #15  --  41,641 (-  1.8%)
01/2013: Wonder Woman #16  --  40,105 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Wonder Woman #17  --  39,110 (-  2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.3%
1 year  : - 27.8%
2 years : + 18.3%
5 years : -  6.8%

Sales appear to be levelling out, at long last. Historically, this is a solid level for a Wonder Woman title, if not a spectacular one.

—–

53 - TEEN TITANS
02/2008: Teen Titans #56  -- 50,283
02/2009: Teen Titans #68  -- 35,096
02/2010: Teen Titans #80  -- 26,537
02/2011: Teen Titans #92  -- 26,170
-----------------------------------
02/2012: Teen Titans #6   -- 53,123 (-  2.7%)
03/2012: Teen Titans #7   -- 51,402 (-  3.2%)
04/2012: Teen Titans #8   -- 50,814 (-  1.1%)
05/2012: Teen Titans #9   -- 50,261 (-  1.1%)
06/2012: Teen Titans #10  -- 47,491 (-  5.5%)
07/2012: Teen Titans #11  -- 45,367 (-  4.5%)
08/2012: Teen Titans #12  -- 42,817 (-  5.6%)
09/2012: Teen Titans #0   -- 47,318 (+ 10.5%)
10/2012: Teen Titans #13  -- 41,059 (- 13.2%)
11/2012: Teen Titans #14  -- 39,745 (-  3.3%)
12/2012: Teen Titans #15  -- 68,707 (+ 72.9%)
01/2013: Teen Titans #16  -- 63,726 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: Teen Titans #17  -- 39,186 (- 38.5%)
-----------------
6 months: -  8.5%
1 year  : - 26.2%
2 years : + 49.7%
5 years : - 22.1%

The “Death of the Family” crossover moves on, and so do the extra readers it brought to Teen Titans.

Curiously, the solicitation text still name-checks the crossover, and its logo continues to be on the cover. Retailers were having none of it, though. Depending on how relevant the contents actually were, we might see some significant re-order activity here in March.

—–

50 - GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS
02/2011: Emerald Warriors #7  -- 44,828
---------------------------------------
02/2012: New Guardians #6     -- 50,319 (- 3.8%)
03/2012: New Guardians #7     -- 48,422 (- 3.8%)
04/2012: New Guardians #8     -- 47,320 (- 2.3%)
05/2012: New Guardians #9     -- 46,237 (- 2.3%)
06/2012: New Guardians #10    -- 44,404 (- 4.0%)
07/2012: New Guardians #11    -- 42,929 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: New Guardians #12    -- 41,479 (- 3.4%)
09/2012: New Guardians #0     -- 46,718 (+12.6%)
10/2012: New Guardians #13    -- 48,500 (+ 3.8%)
11/2012: New Guardians #14    -- 47,062 (- 3.0%)
12/2012: New Guardians #15    -- 45,136 (- 4.1%)
01/2013: New Guardians #16    -- 43,770 (- 3.0%)
02/2013: New Guardians #17    -- 42,285 (- 3.4%)
----------------
6 months: + 1.9%
1 year  : -16.0%
2 years : - 5.7%

The “Rise of the Third Army” crossover leads seamlessly into the “Wrath of the First Lantern” crossover. Once again, sales are still marginally ahead of the book’s August 2012 figures, but at this stage, the crossovers are masking an underlying decline, at best.

—–

49 - FLASH
02/2008: Flash #237      --  37,719
02/2010: Rebirth #6 of 6 --  70,824
02/2011: Flash #9        --  55,980
-----------------------------------
02/2012: Flash #6        --  68,061 (-  5.0%)
03/2012: Flash #7        --  64,975 (-  4.5%)
04/2012: Flash #8        --  63,702 (-  2.0%)
05/2012: Flash #9        --  62,807 (-  1.4%)
06/2012: Flash #10       --  55,681 (- 11.4%)
07/2012: Flash #11       --  53,674 (-  3.6%)
08/2012: Flash #12       --  51,779 (-  3.5%)
09/2012: Flash #0        --  56,890 (+  9.9%)
10/2012: Flash #13       --  49,936 (- 12.2%)
11/2012: Flash #14       --  48,012 (-  3.9%)
12/2012: Flash #15       --  45,925 (-  4.4%)
01/2013: Flash #16       --  44,093 (-  4.0%)
02/2013: Flash #17       --  42,936 (-  2.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.1%
1 year  : - 36.9%
2 years : - 23.3%
5 years : + 13.8%

The book seems to be settling down just above 40K, but given the capricious figures to date, it’s probably still too early to tell.

—–

48 - BEFORE WATCHMEN: DOCTOR MANHATTAN
08/2012: Dr. Manhattan #1 of 4 -- 86,197
09/2012: --
10/2012: Dr. Manhattan #2 of 4 -- 57,226 (-33.6%)
11/2012: --
12/2012: Dr. Manhattan #3 of 4 -- 48,909 (-14.5%)
01/2013: --
02/2013: Dr. Manhattan #4 of 4 -- 43,273 (-11.5%)
----------------
6 months: -49.8%

—–

44 - BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN
06/2012: Comedian #1 of 6 -- 115,713
07/2012: Comedian #2 of 6 --  70,762 (-38.9%)
08/2012: --
09/2012: Comedian #3 of 6 --  55,114 (-22.1%)
10/2012: --
11/2012: --
12/2012: Comedian #4 of 6 --  50,073 (- 9.2%)
01/2013: --
02/2013: Comedian #5 of 6 --  44,393 (-11.3%)
----------------
6 Monate:  n.a.

Well, I hope it was worth the damage it’s done to creators’ rights issues for all involved. The sales figures don’t suggest that retailers were rewarded for ordering boatloads of copies early on, at least. The numbers just keep crashing with every new issue.

—–

43 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
02/2008: Green Lantern Corps #21 -- 47,582
02/2009: Green Lantern Corps #33 -- 44,607 [50,171]
02/2010: Green Lantern Corps #45 -- 75,404
02/2011: Green Lantern Corps #57 -- 52,770
------------------------------------------
02/2012: Green Lantern Corps #6  -- 51,168 (- 5.4%)
03/2012: Green Lantern Corps #7  -- 48,692 (- 4.8%)
04/2012: Green Lantern Corps #8  -- 47,584 (- 2.3%)
05/2012: Green Lantern Corps #9  -- 46,336 (- 2.6%)
06/2012: Green Lantern Corps #10 -- 44,615 (- 3.7%)
07/2012: Green Lantern Corps #11 -- 42,996 (- 3.6%)
08/2012: Green Lantern Corps #12 -- 41,778 (- 2.8%)
09/2012: Green Lantern Corps #0  -- 47,309 (+13.2%)
10/2012: Green Lantern Corps #13 -- 50,773 (+ 7.3%)
11/2012: Green Lantern Corps #14 -- 49,594 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Green Lantern Corps #15 -- 47,841 (- 3.5%)
01/2013: Green Lantern Corps #16 -- 45,387 (- 5.1%)
02/2013: Green Lantern Corps #17 -- 44,497 (- 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: + 6.5%
1 year  : -13.0%
2 years : -15.7%
5 years : - 6.5%

Another “Wrath of the First Lantern” crossover. You know the drill.

—–

37 - EARTH 2
05/2012: Earth 2 #1  -- 95,742          [102,490]
06/2012: Earth 2 #2  -- 75,936 (-20.7%) [ 84,740] 
07/2012: Earth 2 #3  -- 74,892 (- 1.4%)
08/2012: Earth 2 #4  -- 67,393 (-10.0%)
09/2012: Earth 2 #0  -- 69,111 (+ 2.6%)
10/2012: Earth 2 #5  -- 61,529 (-11.0%)
11/2012: Earth 2 #6  -- 58,271 (- 4.8%)
12/2012: Earth 2 #7  -- 54,409 (- 6.6%)
01/2013: Earth 2 #8  -- 50,860 (- 6.5%)
02/2013: Earth 2 #9  -- 48,208 (- 5.2%)
----------------
6 months: -28.5%

Sliding down the charts, with no end in sight.

—-

32 - RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS
02/2012: Red Hood #6  -- 39,898 (- 6.3%)
03/2012: Red Hood #7  -- 38,630 (- 3.2%)
04/2012: Red Hood #8  -- 37,974 (- 1.7%)
05/2012: Red Hood #9  -- 54,220 (+42.8%)
06/2012: Red Hood #10 -- 37,044 (-31.7%)
07/2012: Red Hood #11 -- 35,820 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: Red Hood #12 -- 34,439 (- 3.9%)
09/2012: Red Hood #0  -- 39,511 (+14.7%)
10/2012: Red Hood #13 -- 35,420 (- 6.7%)
11/2012: Red Hood #14 -- 37,710 (+ 6.5%)
12/2012: Red Hood #15 -- 64,103 (+70.0%)
01/2013: Red Hood #16 -- 59,621 (- 7.0%)
02/2013: Red Hood #17 -- 53,076 (-11.0%)
----------------
6 months: +54.1%
1 year  : +33.0%

Interestingly, this wasn’t marketed much differently from Teen Titans in terms of its relevance to the “Death of the Family” crossover, but sales here remain significantly above pre-crossover levels. But the title character played a major role in the crossover, of course, so that’s probably why retailers ordered more heavily here.

—–

29 - BATMAN, INCORPORATED
02/2011: --
------------------------------------
02/2012: --
03/2012: --
04/2012: --
05/2012: Batman, Inc. #1  --  96,486 (+124.1%)
06/2012: Batman, Inc. #2  --  73,654 (- 23.7%)
07/2012: --
08/2012: Batman, Inc. #3  --  66,720 (-  9.4%)
09/2012: Batman, Inc. #0  --  66,112 (-  0.9%)
10/2012: Batman, Inc. #4  --  60,888 (-  7.9%)
11/2012: Batman, Inc. #5  --  58,172 (-  4.5%)
12/2012: Batman, Inc. #6  --  52,636 (-  9.5%)
01/2013: Batman, Inc. #7  --  50,345 (-  4.4%)
02/2013: Batman, Inc. #8  --  55,414 (+ 10.1%)
----------------
6 months: -17.0%
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years :  n.a.

Amazingly, killing off characters still gets a raise out of retailers.

—–

28 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT
02/2011: --
-----------------------------------
02/2012: Dark Knight #6  --  77,140 (+  0.4%) [80,464]
03/2012: Dark Knight #7  --  75,297 (-  2.4%)
04/2012: Dark Knight #8  --  74,287 (-  1.3%)
05/2012: Dark Knight #9  --  82,169 (+ 10.6%)
06/2012: Dark Knight #10 --  71,671 (- 12.8%)
07/2012: Dark Knight #11 --  68,632 (-  4.2%)
08/2012: Dark Knight #12 --  67,084 (-  2.3%)
09/2012: Dark Knight #0  --  72,919 (+  8.7%)
10/2012: Dark Knight #13 --  65,271 (- 10.5%)
11/2012: Dark Knight #14 --  62,792 (-  3.8%)
12/2012: Dark Knight #15 --  60,569 (-  3.6%)
01/2013: Dark Knight #16 --  58,258 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Dark Knight #17 --  55,990 (-  3.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 16.5%
1 year  : - 27.4%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

25 - ACTION COMICS
02/2008: Action Comics #862 --  55,658
02/2009: Action Comics #874 --  48,360
02/2010: Action Comics #886 --  29,845
02/2011: Action Comics #898 --  31,935
--------------------------------------
02/2012: Action Comics #6   --  96,592 (- 11.7%)
03/2012: Action Comics #7   --  91,822 (-  4.9%)
04/2012: Action Comics #8   --  87,980 (-  4.2%)
05/2012: Action Comics #9   --  88,796 (+  0.9%)
06/2012: Action Comics #10  --  80,751 (-  9.1%)
07/2012: Action Comics #11  --  76,232 (-  5.6%)
08/2012: Action Comics #12  --  71,203 (-  6.6%)
09/2012: Action Comics #0   --  78,626 (+ 10.4%)
10/2012: Action Comics #13  --  67,241 (- 14.5%)
11/2012: Action Comics #14  --  64,341 (-  4.3%)
12/2012: Action Comics #15  --  61,298 (-  4.7%)
01/2013: Action Comics #16  --  58,645 (-  4.3%)
02/2013: Action Comics #17  --  57,189 (-  2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.7%
1 year  : - 40.8%
2 years : + 79.1%
5 years : +  2.8%

As Grant Morrison’s run is nearing its end, DC wants to let everybody know that, once again, they’ve horribly botched the editorial management of one of their flagship titles.

—–

22 - AQUAMAN
02/2012: Aquaman #6  -- 63,450 (- 2.5%)
03/2012: Aquaman #7  -- 62,345 (- 1.7%)
04/2012: Aquaman #8  -- 61,657 (- 1.1%)
05/2012: Aquaman #9  -- 60,527 (- 1.8%)
06/2012: Aquaman #10 -- 59,288 (- 2.1%)
07/2012: Aquaman #11 -- 57,675 (- 2.7%)
08/2012: Aquaman #12 -- 61,210 (+ 6.1%)
09/2012: Aquaman #0  -- 61,227 (+ 0.0%)
10/2012: Aquaman #13 -- 54,648 (-10.8%)
11/2012: Aquaman #14 -- 53,664 (- 1.8%)
12/2012: Aquaman #15 -- 75,947 (+41.5%)
01/2013: Aquaman #16 -- 62,153 (-18.2%)
02/2013: Aquaman #17 -- 58,578 (- 5.8%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.3%
1 year  : - 7.7%

The “Throne of Atlantis” epilogue keeps the figures solidly ahead of the book’s November sales.

—–

21 - BATMAN AND ROBIN
02/2010: Batman and Robin #8  --  87,302
02/2010: Batman and Robin #9  --  84,562
02/2011: Batman and Robin #20 --  60,642
----------------------------------------
02/2012: Batman and Robin #6  --  70,103 (- 3.7%)
03/2012: Batman and Robin #7  --  68,010 (- 3.0%)
04/2012: Batman and Robin #8  --  66,659 (- 2.0%)
05/2012: Batman and Robin #9  --  75,967 (+14.0%)
06/2012: Batman and Robin #10 --  66,894 (-11.9%)
07/2012: Batman and Robin #11 --  65,043 (- 2.8%)
08/2012: Batman and Robin #12 --  63,993 (- 1.6%)
09/2012: Batman and Robin #0  --  69,146 (+ 8.1%)
10/2012: Batman and Robin #13 --  63,097 (- 8.8%)
11/2012: Batman and Robin #14 --  75,543 (+19.7%)
12/2012: Batman and Robin #15 --  89,878 (+19.0%)
01/2013: Batman and Robin #16 --  81,494 (- 9.3%)
02/2013: Batman and Robin #17 --  60,988 (-25.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.7%
1 year  : -13.0%
2 years : + 0.6%

As the book emerges from “Death of the Family,” another 20,000 units disappear, magically leaving Batman and Robin where it was before the crossover started — well, almost.

—–

20 - NIGHTWING
02/2008: Nightwing #141 -- 30,980
---------------------------------
02/2012: Nightwing #6   -- 53,036 (- 5.4%)
03/2012: Nightwing #7   -- 50,489 (- 4.8%)
04/2012: Nightwing #8   -- 52,063 (+ 3.1%) [61,711]
05/2012: Nightwing #9   -- 61,395 (+17.9%)
06/2012: Nightwing #10  -- 50,585 (-17.6%)
07/2012: Nightwing #11  -- 49,124 (- 2.9%)
08/2012: Nightwing #12  -- 47,484 (- 3.3%)
09/2012: Nightwing #0   -- 53,109 (+11.9%)
10/2012: Nightwing #13  -- 47,171 (-11.2%)
11/2012: Nightwing #14  -- 50,720 (+ 7.5%)
12/2012: Nightwing #15  -- 74,407 (+46.7%)
01/2013: Nightwing #16  -- 69,643 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Nightwing #17  -- 62,107 (-10.8%)
-----------------
6 months: + 30.8%
1 year  : + 17.0%
5 years : +100.5%

—–

18 - BATGIRL
02/2010: Batgirl #7      -- 29,524
02/2011: Batgirl #18     -- 24,390
----------------------------------
02/2012: Batgirl #6      -- 53,151 (-  6.8%)
03/2012: Batgirl #7      -- 50,761 (-  4.5%)
04/2012: Batgirl #8      -- 48,878 (-  3.7%)
05/2012: Batgirl #9      -- 58,710 (+ 20.1%)
06/2012: Batgirl #10     -- 47,050 (- 19.9%)
07/2012: Batgirl #11     -- 45,004 (-  4.4%)
08/2012: Batgirl #12     -- 43,804 (-  2.7%)
09/2012: Batgirl #0      -- 50,441 (+ 15.2%)
10/2012: Batgirl #13     -- 50,074 (-  0.7%) [71,109]
11/2012: Batgirl #14     -- 77,468 (+ 54.7%)
12/2012: Batgirl #15     -- 75,341 (-  2.8%)
01/2013: Batgirl #16     -- 72,470 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Batgirl #17     -- 65,751 (-  9.6%)
-----------------
6 months: + 50.1%
1 year  : + 23.7%
2 years : +169.6%

Two more Batman spin-off titles that keep profiting significantly from the “Death of the Family” aftermath.

—–

17 - GREEN LANTERN
02/2008: --
02/2009: Green Lantern #38  --  68,908 [77,372]
02/2010: Green Lantern #51  --  95,509
02/2011: Green Lantern #62  --  71,517
--------------------------------------
02/2012: Green Lantern #6   --  94,087 (- 3.9%)
03/2012: Green Lantern #7   --  90,232 (- 4.1%)
04/2012: Green Lantern #8   --  88,335 (- 2.1%)
05/2012: Green Lantern #9   --  87,601 (- 0.8%)
06/2012: Green Lantern #10  --  80,615 (- 8.0%)
07/2012: Green Lantern #11  --  78,708 (- 2.4%)
08/2012: Green Lantern #12  --  77,187 (- 1.9%)
09/2012: Green Lantern #0   --  89,909 (+16.5%)
10/2012: Green Lantern #13  --  91,814 (+ 2.1%)
11/2012: Green Lantern #14  --  78,499 (-14.5%)
12/2012: Green Lantern #15  --  74,363 (- 5.3%)
01/2013: Green Lantern #16  --  72,884 (- 2.0%)
02/2013: Green Lantern #17  --  71,060 (- 2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: -  7.9%
1 year  : - 24.5%
2 years : -  0.6%
5 years :    n.a.

The flagship Green Lantern title transitions from “Rise of the Third Army” to “Wrath of the First Lantern,” and it’s nowhere more obvious than here how tired the audience is. But while the Geoff Johns run is running out of steam commercially, all signs currently point to whatever comes after him being a complete disaster.

—–

9 - DETECTIVE COMICS
02/2008: Detective Comics #841 --  50,535
02/2009: --
02/2010: --
02/2011: Detective Comics #874 --  39,106
-----------------------------------------
02/2012: Detective Comics #6   --  94,415 (-  5.0%)
03/2012: Detective Comics #7   --  89,891 (-  4.8%)
04/2012: Detective Comics #8   --  87,675 (-  2.5%)
05/2012: Detective Comics #9   --  96,016 (+  9.5%)
06/2012: Detective Comics #10  --  83,317 (- 13.2%)
07/2012: Detective Comics #11  --  79,835 (-  4.2%)
08/2012: Detective Comics #12  --  75,998 (-  4.8%)
09/2012: Detective Comics #0   --  84,063 (+ 10.6%)
10/2012: Detective Comics #13  --  76,392 (-  9.1%)
11/2012: Detective Comics #14  --  74,560 (-  2.4%)
12/2012: Detective Comics #15  -- 106,395 (+ 42.7%)
01/2013: Detective Comics #16  --  92,300 (- 13.3%)
02/2013: Detective Comics #17  --  85,824 (-  7.0%)
-----------------
6 months: + 12.9%
1 year  : -  9.1%
2 years : +119.5%
5 years : + 69.8%

The secondary Batman title also keeps profiting from “Death of the Family,” even though it’s firmly in the “aftermath” stage.

—–

4 - JUSTICE LEAGUE
02/2008: JL of America #18   --  89,803
02/2009: JL of America #30   --  69,710
02/2010: JL of America #42   --  57,522
02/2011: JL of America #54   --  46,269
---------------------------------------
02/2012: Justice League #6   -- 140,819 (-  2.7%)
03/2012: Justice League #7   -- 136,436 (-  3.1%)
04/2012: Justice League #8   -- 133,240 (-  2.3%)
05/2012: Justice League #9   -- 131,332 (-  1.4%)
06/2012: Justice League #10  -- 130,502 (-  0.6%)
07/2012: Justice League #11  -- 123,971 (-  5.0%)
08/2012: Justice League #12  -- 120,796 (-  2.6%) [161,235]
09/2012: Justice League #0   -- 125,868 (+  4.2%)
10/2012: Justice League #13  -- 117,752 (-  6.5%)
11/2012: Justice League #14  -- 113,094 (-  4.0%)
12/2012: Justice League #15  -- 115,074 (+  1.8%)
01/2013: Justice League #16  -- 117,719 (+  2.3%)
02/2013: Justice League #17  -- 105,304 (- 10.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.8%
1 year  : - 25.2%
2 years : +127.6%
5 years : + 17.3%

Last month, the book was promoted with a “We Can Be Heroes” variant, which may have masked a decline that’s now becoming more evident. Justice League looks like it’s on its way out of the 100K club.

—–

3 - BATMAN
02/2008: Batman #674 --  68,208
02/2009: Batman #686 -- 111,353 [128,780]
02/2010: Batman #696 --  61,290
02/2011: Batman #707 --  58,803
-------------------------------
02/2012: Batman #6   -- 128,459 (-  5.0%) [135,435]
03/2012: Batman #7   -- 131,091 (+  2.1%)
04/2012: Batman #8   -- 130,602 (-  0.4%) [136,218]
05/2012: Batman #9   -- 134,605 (+  3.1%)
06/2012: Batman #10  -- 130,265 (-  3.2%)
07/2012: Batman #11  -- 127,210 (-  2.4%)
08/2012: Batman #12  -- 125,249 (-  1.5%)
09/2012: Batman #0   -- 156,561 (+ 25.0%)
10/2012: Batman #13  -- 148,305 (-  5.3%) [174,642]
11/2012: Batman #14  -- 159,729 (+  7.7%)
12/2012: Batman #15  -- 151,568 (-  5.1%)
01/2013: Batman #16  -- 145,923 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Batman #17  -- 150,684 (+  3.3%)
-----------------
6 months: + 20.3%
1 year  : + 17.3%
2 years : +156.3%
5 years : +120.9%

Well, continuously spectacular sales, obviously.

There hasn’t been a book that clicked this well this consistently with the audience and sold this well for so long based on one particular creative team in years — in decades, probably.

—–

1 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
02/2008: JL of America #18   --  89,803
02/2009: JL of America #30   --  69,710
02/2010: JL of America #42   --  57,522
02/2011: JL of America #54   --  46,269
---------------------------------------
02/2013: JL of America #1    -- 307,734
-----------------
2 years : +565.1%
5 years : +242.7%

And the big one.

Retailers were able to order each of the book’s 52 “state variants” (including one each for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) separately, and there were also the regular cover, an Emerald City Con variant, a Combo Pack Edition and a complete set containing all the variants (the latter two not included in the above sales figure, because they had separate order codes). So, all told, there were 56 ways of buying Justice League of America #1.

And retailers and collectors love that sort of thing, as the numbers amply demonstrate. We’ve seen sales overwhelmingly driven by gimmicks before, of course, but it’s been a while since Marvel or DC employed them on this scale. While the second-issue drop-off will no doubt be huge, it’ll be interesting to see just how huge.

Mind you, even if the book loses two thirds of its sales in March, it’s still going to crack 100K, so everything’s relative.

—–

6-MONTH COMPARISONS
+ 55.7%: Green Arrow
+ 54.1%: Red Hood
+ 50.1%: Batgirl
+ 33.3%: Hellblazer
+ 30.8%: Nightwing
+ 20.3%: Batman
+ 12.9%: Detective Comics
+  6.5%: Green Lantern Corps
+  2.2%: Red Lanterns
+  1.9%: New Guardians
-  0.9%: Supergirl
-  2.8%: Superboy
-  3.2%: Young Justice
-  4.3%: Aquaman
-  4.7%: Batman and Robin
-  6.8%: Suicide Squad
-  7.3%: Fables
-  7.9%: Green Lantern
-  8.5%: Teen Titans
-  8.5%: Unwritten
- 11.5%: Catwoman
- 12.3%: Wonder Woman
- 12.8%: Justice League
- 14.1%: LoSH
- 14.2%: Swamp Thing
- 14.3%: Smallville
- 14.8%: Animal Man
- 15.8%: Batwoman
- 16.0%: JLD
- 16.1%: Hawkman
- 16.5%: Dark Knight
- 16.8%: Birds of Prey
- 17.0%: Batman, Inc.
- 17.0%: Fairest
- 17.1%: Flash
- 19.7%: Action Comics
- 19.8%: BB Unlimited
- 20.0%: I, Vampire
- 20.8%: DCU Presents
- 21.5%: Demon Knights
- 21.5%: Firestorm
- 23.6%: ASW
- 24.7%: Deathstroke
- 25.2%: GL: TAS
- 25.4%: Arkham Unhinged
- 26.3%: Stormwatch
- 28.5%: Worlds' Finest
- 30.3%: Saucer Country
- 31.1%: Batwing
- 31.4%: Ravagers
- 40.4%: Dial H
- 49.8%: Dr. Manhattan

—–

1-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 53.0%: Green Arrow
+ 33.0%: Red Hood
+ 31.1%: Hellblazer
+ 23.7%: Batgirl
+ 17.3%: Batman
+ 17.0%: Nightwing
+  2.1%: Scooby-Doo
-  1.4%: Young Justice
-  7.7%: Aquaman
-  9.1%: Detective Comics
- 10.9%: Fables
- 13.0%: Batman and Robin
- 13.0%: GL Corps
- 13.8%: Unwritten
- 14.5%: Suicide Squad
- 16.0%: New Guardians
- 17.5%: Red Lanterns
- 22.1%: Supergirl
- 22.5%: Superboy
- 23.6%: Animal Man
- 23.6%: Swamp Thing
- 24.5%: Green Lantern
- 25.2%: Justice League
- 26.2%: Teen Titans
- 27.2%: Birds of Prey
- 27.2%: Catwoman
- 27.4%: Dark Knight
- 27.8%: Wonder Woman
- 30.7%: LoSH
- 32.6%: JLD
- 33.5%: ASW
- 34.8%: I, Vampire
- 34.9%: Batwoman
- 36.0%: BB Unlimited
- 36.9%: Flash
- 40.6%: DCU Presents
- 40.7%: Deathstroke
- 40.8%: Action Comics
- 41.8%: Batwing
- 42.1%: Firestorm
- 42.2%: Demon Knights
- 46.9%: Hawkman
- 47.6%: Stormwatch

—–

2-YEAR COMPARISONS
+565.1%: JLA
+169.6%: Batgirl
+156.3%: Batman
+127.6%: Justice League
+119.5%: Detective Comics
+ 79.1%: Action Comics
+ 69.7%: ASW
+ 49.7%: Teen Titans
+ 36.7%: Supergirl
+ 32.3%: Hellblazer
+ 18.3%: Wonder Woman
+  6.6%: Scooby-Doo
+  6.3%: Green Arrow
+  0.6%: Batman and Robin
-  0.6%: Green Lantern
-  2.5%: Superboy
-  5.7%: New Guardians
- 15.7%: GL Corps
- 19.4%: Fables
- 23.3%: Flash
- 26.6%: Unwritten
- 27.8%: Birds of Prey
- 31.6%: LoSH
- 33.8%: Young Justice

—–

5-YEAR COMPARISONS
+242.7%: JLA
+120.9%: Batman
+100.5%: Nightwing
+ 69.8%: Detective Comics
+ 63.3%: Suicide Squad
+ 60.6%: Catwoman
+ 27.8%: ASW
+ 17.3%: Justice League
+ 14.5%: Scooby-Doo
+ 13.8%: Flash
+  4.4%: Hellblazer
+  2.8%: Action Comics
-  1.7%: Green Arrow
-  4.5%: Birds of Prey
-  6.5%: GL Corps
-  6.8%: Wonder Woman
- 11.8%: Supergirl
- 22.1%: Teen Titans
- 35.9%: Fables
- 47.8%: LoSH

—–
Average Periodical Sales (not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, Johnny DC titles and magazines)

DC COMICS
02/2008: 27,652
02/2009: 23,080
02/2010: 26,199**
02/2011: 23,252**
---------------
02/2012: 31,535 (-  6.9%)**
03/2012: 29,679 (-  5.9%)
04/2012: 31,319 (+  5.5%)
05/2012: 38,708 (+ 23.6%)
06/2012: 37,599 (-  2.9%)
07/2012: 33,837 (- 10.0%)
08/2012: 33,500 (-  1.0%)**
09/2012: 35,811 (+  6.9%)
10/2012: 32,901 (-  8.1%)**
11/2012: 33,872 (+  3.0%)
12/2012: 34,272 (+  1.2%)
01/2013: 31,759 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: 34,711 (+  9.1%)
-----------------
6 months: +  3.6%
1 year  : + 10.1%
2 years : + 49.3%
5 years : + 25.2%

DC UNIVERSE
02/2008: 35,994
02/2009: 30,224
02/2010: 35,895
02/2011: 25,887**
---------------
02/2012: 34,456 (-  7.2%)**
03/2012: 33,229 (-  3.6%)
04/2012: 35,264 (+  6.1%)
05/2012: 44,139 (+ 25.2%)
06/2012: 43,082 (-  2.4%)
07/2012: 38,502 (- 10.6%)
08/2012: 38,047 (-  1.2%)**
09/2012: 39,408 (+  3.6%)
10/2012: 36,571 (-  7.2%)
11/2012: 36,585 (+  0.0%)
12/2012: 36,880 (+  0.8%)
01/2013: 33,485 (-  9.2%)
02/2013: 36,838 (+ 10.0%)
-----------------
6 months: -  3.2%
1 year  : +  6.9%
2 years : + 42.3%
5 years : +  2.4%

VERTIGO
02/2008: 10,885
02/2009: 11,353
02/2010:  9,256
02/2011: 10,295
---------------
02/2012: 10,252 (+ 2.6%)
03/2012: 12,688 (+23.8%)
04/2012: 11,595 (- 8.6%)
05/2012: 11,102 (- 4.3%)
06/2012: 11,448 (+ 3.1%)
07/2012: 11,589 (+ 1.2%)
08/2012: 10,764 (- 7.1%)**
09/2012: 11,710 (+ 8.8%)
10/2012: 11,496 (- 1.8%)**
11/2012: 11,487 (- 0.1%)
12/2012: 11,771 (+ 2.5%)
01/2013: 10,764 (- 8.6%)
02/2013: 12,019 (+11.7%)
-----------------
6 months: + 11.7%
1 year  : + 17.2%
2 years : + 16.8%
5 years : + 10.4%

—–
Disclaimers, et cetera

The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.

ICv2.com‘s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it’s a “month-to-month” column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass-market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month.

If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book’s initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in parenthesis behind those issues (e.g. “[36,599]“). Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used.

Titles released under the Johnny DC imprint and magazines, such as Mad, mostly sell through channels other than the direct market, so direct-market sales don’t tell us much about their performance. For most Vertigo titles, collection sales tend to be a significant factor, so the numbers for those books should be taken with a grain of salt as well. To learn (a little) more about Vertigo’s collection sales, go right here.

** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.

For a more lyrical approach to discussing sales figures that covers all the essentials in a more condensed, less tedious fashion, finally, go right here.

—–
Marc-Oliver Frisch writes about comics at his weblog and at Comicgate. You can also follow him on Twitter.

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It’s been an… eventful couple of days around DC’s HQs. There’s a little more information slipping out around the Superman and Green Lantern franchises.

First off, Tony Daniel clarified a few things about the Action Comics run he’s drawing and taking over plotting duties on, over at his Facebook page:

Yes, many have heard, Andy Diggle left Action Comics after the first issue. I can only say I feel bad he made that decision. I think it was the wrong one, but that was his choice to make. For the remainder of the arc I’ll be working off his plots to finish out this first arc. So essentially, I become ‘scripter’ in the credits w/ Andy as ‘plotter.’ As for myself, I end my short run after I complete this first arc, which ends with issue 21. This was preplanned since last fall as there is another project I’ll be taking on, and assisting with, a massive project with DC. I still think people will like this arc and I’m staying as true as I can be to Andy’s plans for this story. In the end I hope he’ll find it somewhat recognizable as something he took part in.

He adds in the comment section:

Andy did the hard work already.

It seems Action will be needing an entirely new creative team starting with issue #22.  And the Daniel era will only be three issues.  Those issues will be April-June and the signs are lining up for a big event, likely the long-promised Trinity War, hitting sometime between July and September.

Speaking of Superman, here’s a new theory where they came up with the Superman Unchained  title.  Someone at DC may have been riffing on the new Superman animated feature, “Superman Unbound,” which is set to premiere at WonderCon, prior to a May retail release.  Unbound… unchained… similar concepts.  Here’s a trailer for the animated version.

Finally, over in the Green Lantern aisle, Bleeding Cool is hearing reports that DC editorial has backed off plans to kill the John Stewart Green Lantern.  If correct, this would be the latest in a series of miscalculations drawing an immediate reaction getting quickly reversed by DC, including the (temporary) removal of Gail Simone from Batgirl and Orson Scott Card being hired as the first writer for the new Superman digital comic series.  On the other hand, it’s hard to sell a major media outlet on an exclusive about killing off your big character if all the Internet has already written about it, so if you’re still going through with it, you’d need to convince people it wasn’t happening long enough to get your mainstream media placement.  That’s a cynical reality, but mainstream media placements have been a MAJOR component of comic book hero deaths in recent years.

If DC starts talking up vague, but significant events in a future issue of Green Lantern or Green Lantern Corps, there’s going to be a lot of people jumping to the conclusion that John Stewart is buying the farm.  We’ll have to wait and see what happens with this and if DC decides to address the topic directly.  In the unlikely event Fialkov is announced as returning to Green Lantern Corps and Red Lanterns (as Simone returned to Batgirl), it’s a safe bet that editorially suggested death arc isn’t happening.

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It’s a modern comic book cliche.  Need sales?  Kill off a character.  Preferably a big enough character than it can make all the newspapers and media websites.  You don’t always see that much of a sales bump long term, but you sell a huge amount of the death issue and then you can announce the character’s return a few months later.  The latest character targeted for death?  Apparently, it’s John Stewart.

First we have Bleeding Cool reporting:

I have been told by a number of high profile industry sources that Fialkov was asked to change his upcoming story to one that killed off Green Lantern John Stewart, DC Comics’ most prominent black character. And that is why he quit.

Then Comic Book Resources steps in:

CBR has independently confirmed that, as reported on Bleeding Cool, Joshua Fialkov’s resignation from his Green Lantern titles was due in large part to an editorial edict to kill off John Stewart.

My response from DC

No comment.

Fialkov on Twitter

1st off, I’m not commenting on anything other than what I posted.Secondly, I’m actually REALLY sick.So no offense for lack of replies.

— Joshua Hale Fialkov (@JoshFialkov) March 21, 2013

My first reaction is to ask if DC editorial can’t come up with anything more interesting than killing off a character.  I’m willing to give a pass on the killing off of Damien/Robin, since that was always the plan from the get-go, but that is just such a trite tactic at this point.  Let’s not forget, all indications are that Batwing is getting killed and replaced, too.  (Although I doubt that one will get quite the media attention.)

My second reaction is to shake my head at the editorial second-guessing if this is all true.  There’s a reason you don’t hear about the Silicon Valley concept/fad of “pivoting” with fiction.  That’s because it doesn’t work very well with fiction.

If this is true, I do not blame Fialkov for leaving.  On top of having to scrap the material he was hired to write, killing off John Stewart would be a political firestorm.  You could make an argument that John Stewart is the most prominent black superhero.  Certainly he is at DC.  If you’re the writer that kills him off, the hate and racism accusations (probably worse from people who don’t read comics) will be directed at you, not the editor that told you to do it.  You think Dan Slott was catching grief on Twitter for killing off Spidey, that would be nothing.  And that’s just the current political climate at work.

We’ll have to see if the new writers were brought on for that storyline.    And we’ll see if plans change again.  After all changing of editorial direction is this week’s theme for DC news.

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Hold onto your monocles, because it’s time for DC comics to make their first attempt at getting you to drop them in shock. The initial round of April ‘shock’ gatefold covers have been released via various locations – CBR, MTV Geek, DC’s Source blog, and so on – and I’ve collected them here. So far we have, I believe, seven officially released covers from DC, as part of their (formerly WTF) April promotion, from comics including Dial H, Batman, Stormwatch and Swamp Thing.

Each one of these is meant to make you spit out your Pimms in surprise – so, how well do they succeed?

Personally? Well.. I wasn’t shocked (my monocle remains trusty and proud), but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the stories suggested here. Mr Miracle’s return in Earth 2 is probably the best of the reveals so far, but that new Batwing also looks pretty familiar…

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Consider it official, Joshua Fialkov is definitely off his Green Lantern books.  DC’s Alex Segura has tweeted the new writers.

Excited to confirm @vandotjensen as new writer (with @robertvenditti co-plotting) on GLC and @charlessoule as the new writer on RED LANTERNS

— Alex Segura (@alex_segura) March 20, 2013

That would be Van Jensen of Pinocohio, Vampire Slayer (and more famously, of PW Comics World) with a plotting assist from Venditti on Green Lantern Corps and Charles Soules of 27 (excellent comic, BTW) and having his first issue of Swamp Thing ship next month on Red Lanterns.

So one new writer to the DCU, another new-ish writer getting a second book.

What happened to Fialkov?  In his own words:

Just a quick note to confirm what everyone knows, I am no longer the writer of GLC and Red Lanterns for DC Comics. There were editorial decisions about the direction of the book that conflicted with the story I was hired to tell, and I felt that it was better to let DC tell their story the way they want. I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’ll miss working with the entire Green Lantern team.

That’s pretty clear and up front.

While rewrites may not have been the exact issue here, you can spend an awful lot of time rewriting scripts (and not getting paid for the rewrites) if editorial changes their mind about where the story is going.  It also can make it counter-productive to get ahead on your scripts, from the perspective of hours spent on a title.

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Constantine #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES
Art by RENATO GUEDES
Colored by MARCELO MAIOLO
Lettered by SAL CIPRIANO
Edited by KATIE KUBERT and BRIAN CUNNINGHAM
Covers by ROD REIS, IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

Constantine does not have bulging quadriceps.

Okay I guess I do need more than six words…in order for you to be so muscular that your quads ripple right through your Dockers like Ivan Reis’s Constantine does, you need to work out like all the time. I mean seriously, next time you are at the pub count how many of your friends have giant rippling quads bursting through their pants. I think it will be a surprisingly low number. ANd few of them will be alcoholic, chain smoking magicians.

Also, Constantine — the one I’ve been reading about for all these years — does not have a big he-man butt chin. Even in his hey day, Sting did not have a big he-man butt chin:

If Constantine is to be voiced by Patrick Warburton in a cartoon, then he should definitely have a big he-man butt chin. otherwise…dubious.

PS: really liked the colors in this book, which went well with Guedes’ fine-line style. I was not a fan of Constantine suddenly talking like Gordon Ramsay, yeah. I guess Ramsay is the modern day Sting. This book was not aimed at me and it did not accidentally hit my target.

I did greatly enjoy Hellblazer #300 which I neglected to say at the time, an all fucking, drinking smoking farewell. I forgot what a great comics writer Pete Milligan is and enjoyed seeing my man Guiseppe Camuncoli turn in such stellar work. But different character, different audience, yeah.

Which Constantine will Guillermo del Toro go for? Butt chin or ciggie-pack?

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It seems like a good day for announcements about leaving DC titles.  First news breaks that Andy Diggle has left Action Comics.   There are now two reports that Joshua Fialkov has left Green Lantern Corps and Red Lanterns.

Bleeding Cool cites “repeated editorial changes to already-approved directions” and Comic Book Resources cites “creative differences.”  Sounds like independent confirmation.

DC has not replied to a query about this, but they may want replacement writers lined up before making a formal announcement.

It’s a little hard to say how far ahead Fialkov was on the scripts, but this makes 3 titles where the writer has left before the first issue hit the stands.  This is also not to say Fialkov is hurting for work.  He’s been writing the Alpha mini-series for Marvel and will be writing The Ultimates for Marvel’s Ultimate line starting with #25 in June.

That’s all anybody knows at the moment, but it sure does make you wonder if he’s crossing the street to Marvel.  It also creates a new context for a two week old tweet:

When deciding on a publisher, don’t look at who’s done A book at a company, look at who’s done TWO books there.Fool me once… #protip

— Joshua Hale Fialkov (@JoshFialkov) March 8, 2013

Although he did have “TWO books” at DC, so maybe it’s related and maybe it’s not.  Either way, it’s interesting.

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A preview for Constantine #1 was widely circulated last month and the reaction around these parts was somewhat less than enthusiastic.  IIRC, someone in the comment section renamed it “Heckblazer.”  I’ve read the full issue and it’s not as bad as the initial impression, but it really isn’t Hellblazer, either.

There have been some changes to the comics after the preview ran, which seem to be to make it a little more edgy. Fire flickering around Sargon’s face. More sinister images of the Cold Flame cult members. Slight dialogue changes. Narration captions split into multiple boxes. Doctor Occult swapped out for Tannarak. The Cold Flame cult changes aside, it seems mostly like editorial was still noodling with it.

On the whole, this seems to be Constantine by way of Sam Spade. He acts a bit more like a dodgy noir private eye who knows some magic than the conniving trickster of the Vertigo run. He still gets to say “bloody hell” and “bastard.” He still smokes. It’s still not particularly safe for be friendly with Constantine. But there’s a certain gravitas to the personality that’s gone. Constantine seems less of a grand bastard in this. Then again, the opening caption reads “Nearly destroyed by its temptations in his youth, John Constantine knows the price of magic’s corrupting influence all too well. Now, he fights the battle to maintain balance and prevent anyone from becoming too powerful…”

Constantine having a mission to maintain the balance (Holy Eternal Champion Cycle, Batman!) is a large break from Constantine basically being out for himself and sticking to the odd dark sorcerer. This is a balancing act (pun intended) to have some of Constantine’s anti-hero tendencies still surface while having him serving more of a cause. There’s also a monologue about people with super powers and capes to hit the reader over the head about Constantine now being set in the world of Superman and Batman, which opens the comic.

Which is to say, it wouldn’t take too much more tweaking to make this a different character. This could be a Doctor Occult comic, just as easily. (Especially since he’s apparently been written out of the story.)

On it’s own merits, it’s an average enough action-magic (not quite horror) story. There’s a quest for an artifact. A villain blows things up. It’s not to the level of the Animal Man material I’ve read, but is in that general direction. For that matter, the cover’s image of Constantine struck me as a Doctor Strange pose.

Strangely, the Deadman story arc in DC Universe Presents struck me as being much more in the spirit of Hellblazer than Constantine did.  (Pun intended.)

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Andy Diggle has left Action Comics.  His first issue was #19.  The whispers I’m hearing from high places are that Tony Daniel will be taking over as writer (in addition to artist) with issue #20.

Here’s how it played out on Twitter:

Sadly, I’ve decided to walk away from Action Comics for professional reasons.

— Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

It was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make, especially with Superman’s 75th anniversary and Man of Steel on the horizon. — Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

But it was the right decision. No regrets. Onwards! — Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

Sincere thanks to Matt Idelson for inviting me to follow Grant Morrison on Action Comics. I hope we still get to work together someday.

— Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

Thank you to all the fans who’ve expressed their enthusiasm in anticipation of my run.

— Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

I wish nothing but the best of luck to whichever new creative team picks up the red boots and cape. — Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

Meanwhile find me on DOCTOR WHO for @idwpublishing, THIEF OF THIEVES for @skybound, UNCANNY for @dynamitecomics and SNAPSHOT at @imagecomics — Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) March 20, 2013

With confirmation from DC’s Alex Segura:

Regarding ACTION COMICS – artist Tony Daniel will be expanding his role and taking over as writer and artist for the remainder of the arc.

— Alex Segura (@alex_segura) March 20, 2013

That’s quite a turn of events.  I was very curious to see what Diggle was going to do with Superman, but those tweets suggest some serious creative differences.  Tony Daniel surprised a lot of people with his sales on Detective Comics.  (Remember how many months Detective #1 kept showing up in the top 300 comics?)  It more when he was going to return to writer/artist than if.

What does this mean for the future?  Daniel is confirmed as writer for remainder of the _arc_.  It’s possible Daniel winds up as regular writer and it’s equally possible DC is shopping for a new writer as you’re reading this.

A developing situation and we’ll wait for the official announcement on issue #20.

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Part of yesterday’s “March Surprise” for DC Comics—confirmation that two popular writers were walking off their books due to editorial interference—was another odd fragment found lying around‚ the issue of Supergirl with one team listed on the cover (Mike Johnson and Mamud Asrar) while the actual contents were by the famous team of Frank Hannah and Robson Rocha. Some people have been questioning the actual existence of the hitherto unknown Hannah, suggesting he might be the new Alan Smithee—a pseudonym for a staff-written episode.

However we can confirm that Hannah is a real living, premiere-going person, and the Scottish writer of the well-received film THE COOLER. Although the drama behind the Supergirl situation has not yet been explained to Bleeding Cool, Hannah’s issue is but a one-off, although given the churn rate at DC, we might expect to see his name popping up again in the future. Expect the unexpected, that’s the motto.