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The world has been reborn. Last month’s release of DC Universe: Rebirth #1 kicked off a new era of storytelling for the publisher.  The house that gave us Batman and Superman is looking to make up for the mistakes of the New 52 canonical reboot, reinstating old plot points that were erased from their timeline and even bringing back […]

This week at The Beat our staff members were particularly swamped with new books — between Archie comics ending their titular title and DC in the midst of a huge line-wide reboot, we had our work cut out for us at the Stately Beat Manor. After a hearty week of article writin’, when we heard that Ulu Vakk (A.K.A. Color King) was in town, we actually decided to go seek out his company. Vakk’s color ability is a scream to utilize in public. He’s always turning random things different colors! Unfortunately, he went a bit too far when he toyed with our comics, making us believe that the coloring of the individual issues of some our favorite collections were wrong. However, the act that which actively banished the Color King from the Stately Beat Manor was when he spoiled this week’s Archie #666. Folks, avoid these spoilers and be sure to pick up all of our titles in the upcoming staff picks:

Alex’s Picks:

Archie #666

Writer: Tom DeFalco Art: Dan Parent, Fernando Ruiz, Pat and Tim Kennedy

On the eve of the game-changing ARCHIE #1, an all-star cast of Riverdale’s finest creators join forces to celebrate one of the longest-running comic series ever in the much-loved Archie style! Take a look back at Archie’s wonderful life and the many lives he’s lived in a zany, heartfelt and hilarious adventure that will be a must-have for fans old and new—and a can’t-miss, one-of-a-kind collector’s item. A dazzling journey through the world of Archie with plenty of winks and nods to what’s come before, ARCHIE #666 caps off a legendary run of comic excellence while opening the door to the next thrilling chapter—featuring six covers celebrating Archie’s vibrant history.

Even if this issue was spoiled by the Color King, this comic is worthy of critical reception for a number of reasons — the first being that the title is the last entry into the Archie franchise after the titular character took a bullet for Kevin Keller. The second including that it’s now time to reflect on the history of the character before the massive relaunch happens with Mark Waid and Fiona Staples.

Secret Wars #3

Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciller: Esad Ribic

ALL THE DEVILS DANCE!

I hate to be a Marvel zombie, but even the Color King can’t get enough of Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman. The series has been breaking some new ground in the Marvel Universe, really taking advantage of how to bend mythology that is already established into incredible new directions. Let’s see if this newest issue of the event can live up to the praise.

Airboy #1

Writer: James Robinson Artist: Greg Hinkle

When acclaimed comics author JAMES ROBINSON (Starman, Fantastic Four) is hired to write a reboot of the 1940s action hero Airboy, he’s reluctant to do yet another Golden Age reboot. Just what the hell has happened to his career–?! His marriage?! His life?! Hey, it’s nothing that a drink can’t fix.

Having read the first installment of Airboy, I can say for all intensive purposes that this comic is not for children. It is however, for fans of James Robinson, who has had a very interesting career from coming back to comics after his legendary Starman run in the 90’s. The story is all about him breaking the landscape of comics in a really interesting way. I guarantee that this first issue will include at least a few aspects of the creator that you didn’t see coming.

Public Service Announcement: DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN NEAR THIS COMIC BOOK!

Matt’s Picks:

Samurai Jack #20

Writer: Jim Zub Art: Andy Suriano

FINAL ISSUE! A scribe named Mako has heard many strange stories of the great hero known only as ‘Jack.’ Mako’s journey to record the truth of the samurai reveals a fascinating look at his legacy and possible future: Jack the King. Jack the General. Jack the Legend.

Because I had an interview with artist Andy Suriano this week and have one with writer Jim Zub next week, I was privileged enough to receive an advance copy of the last issue of the newest iteration of Samurai Jack. It does not disappoint, great for fans of the comic, but also perfectly suitable for fans of the animated series, even if they skipped the previous nineteen issues. It impressively offers closure without necessarily being a final chapter. Highly recommended.

Dave’s Pick:

Batman Beyond #1

Writer: Dan Jurgens      Art: Bernard Chang

At last, Batman Beyond gets his own ongoing series in THE definitive future of the DCU! But this isn’t the Beyond you think you know! With the Justice League missing and without Bruce to guide him, this new Batman will need to explore this bizarre world on his own while fighting to raise humanity from an opponent that’s already won.
The heroes Batman knew have failed, the world he knew has been turned on its head, and every step he takes will lead him either toward finding home – or further down the road of disaster!

Admittedly, I stayed away from all the DC weeklies. After 52 everything seemed gimmicky. From my understanding, future Tim Drake has taken over because DC can’t stand to have an Irish Batman. However this week I’m also not looking to do a ton of scrutinizing reading, so the more familiar the better. Jurgens and Chang fit the bill. From the preview this will be some of Bernard Chang’s sharpest work since Deadman. The world of Batman Beyond has been one of those things that feels fresh while at the same time being easy to connect to a world you already know and I can’t wait to see how this creative team ventures through it.

Torsten’s Picks:

BAT MITE #1 (OF 6)

Item Code: APR150177

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $2.99

[OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!  Inferior Five!]

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BIZARRO #1 (OF 6)

Publisher: DC COMICS

(W) Heath Corson (A/CA) Gustavo Duarte

“Hate HARLEY QUINN? Then you will super hate BIZARRO! Bizarro star of worstest comic ever! Go ahead and miss it! If there’s one thing this issue not have it these two things: Jimmy Olsen and Chupacabras!” Don’t miss the start of this six-issue all-ages miniseries!

Item Code: APR150181

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $2.99

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THE ART OF DISNEY/PIXAR`S INSIDE OUT HC

Publisher: CHRONICLE BOOKS

The Art of Inside Out explores the making of Pixar’s upcoming film Inside Out, an exploration of the most extraordinary location imagined-inside the mind of an 11-year old girl named Riley. Featuring concept art-including sketches, storyboards, colorscripts, and much more, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience of the making of the film. Unlike other Art Of titles, this will follow the development of the movie from concept to final render with no chapter or explanatory text. The focus of the book will be wholly on the development of characters, worlds, and look of the film through the many year long process. This fresh approach will delight Art Of fans and will captivate the imagination of multiple generations of movie goers.

Item Code: APR151920

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $40.00

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BORB GN

Publisher: UNCIVILIZED BOOKS

(W/A/CA) Jason Little

Borb by Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies, Motel Art Improvement Service) is the story of Borb, a severely alcoholic homeless man. Borb is a downtrodden urban Candide whose misfortunes pile up at an alarming rate. The narrative is presented as a series of daily newspaper strips as the author draws on the long and complex tradition of the comic strip slapstick vagabond archetype. At once hilarious, horrifying, and full or heart, Borb depicts the real horrors specific to present-day urban homelessness. Borb is Little’s most complex and challenging work.

Item Code: APR151789

In Shops: 6/10/2015

SRP: $19.95

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THE LEAGUE OF REGRETTABLE SUPERHEROES

Publisher: QUIRK BOOKS

(W) Jonathan Morris

For every superhero hitting the big time with a blockbuster movie, there are countless failures, also-rans, and D-listers. The League of Regrettable Superheroes affectionately presents one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print – from Atoman to Zippo – complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, the book celebrates characters that haven’t seen the light of day in decades, like Natureboy, Dr. Hormone, Thunder Bunny, and more. It’s a must-read for comics fans of all ages!

Item Code: APR151910

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $24.95

[Are these actual heroes from the Golden Age? So they might be in the public domain?!]

Convergence #0

Story: Jeff King, Dan Jurgens

Art: Ethan Van Sciver

Colors: Marcelo Maiolo

Letters: Travis Lanham

Publisher: DC Comics

Event comics are like vending machnies, sometimes you get nothing. That’s been true of more recent years stuff like AXIS, INFINITY, and Image United. The other side of that lost quarter are those books that make you glad these series exist. You’ll get a Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinity Gauntlet, or House of M where the event delivers a promise that was hyped just right. On rare occasions, comic fans can be pleasantly surprised by something going in we believe to be overhyped. That right there is the beauty of DC Comics latest event Convergence.

This zero issue gives readers an idea of what Convergence is about without really putting the gears in motion too much. Television producer Jeff King pairs with veteran comics writer Dan Jurgens to pen a prologue that answers questions you might have after reading Superman: Doomed a few months ago. Convergence #0 answers the mystery of what happened during Superman’s disappearance in the Doomed event. Readers will get a Brainiac unlike any you’ve seen before and all the Brainiacs you’ve seen before. In a way, that’s what Convergence is, everything old is new and everything new is grandiose. King and Jurgens are playing off a lot of nostalgia connected to the heart of a DC fan while trying to incorporate this new ultra Brainiac to the DCU. Seeing all the moments Superman died across all those universes is like an Easter egg hunt. Issue zero is where we get a road map of the event through New 52 Superman’s journey among the plane of domed cities. This tale is a good set up in driving home the point of what the Convergence spine series will be about and how it could potentially matter post Convergence.

Whether you love his work or not, Ethan Van Sciver was the perfect choice for Convergence. His hyper realistic style works to subtlety unify the different versions of characters we’ll see. It’s like threading popcorn through a string, each kernel will look different but ultimately you know they’re on the same line. There so many great illustrators in comics, but so few can handle the necessary scope event books need. Ethan is an artist who knows how to dial it to 11 when he needs to. Looking at these pages, the sheer level of details hidden in the panels will blow your mind. Particularly with the Daily Planets. Marcelo Maiolo’s colors are a loving compliment to all the gorgeous line work. The story has so much visual shifting that it could have been detrimental to the book, but the color work brings it all together smoothly.

Being someone who suffers from event fatigue, Convergence #0 was a pleasant surprise. It’s the history of DCU used brilliantly as a story device and it’s one of the most visually impressive looking event books since the original Crisis. But we can’t whole heartedly recommend it without a bit of warning. The biggest reason being a zero issue should never cost $4.99. Usually these been the least expensive issues of events, sometimes even FCBD issues. This one has 28 pages of story and a 10 page guide explaining each of the universes we’ll see during the event. It’s an addition which could have easily been published online, or as a free marketing pamphlet for stores to giveaway, instead of adding to the page count. Even if this isn’t solely the reason for the price point, it certainly couldn’t have hurt their wallets to eliminate it from the printing. If you are a reader that’s been on board from the day Convergence was announced, you won’t be disappointed when you pick up the book. As for the rest of us, if you don’t mind the price point, Convergence is good… really good.

Dave and all his multiverse counter parts can be seen every morning grabbing a donut and coffee on the way to the office because we all got together and killed the one version who didn’t like that stuff, or on twitter @bouncingsoul217

By Kyle Pinion

One of the bigger initiatives to come from the Big Two this year is the advent of the three weekly titles from DC Comics: Batman Eternal, Futures End, and Earth 2: Worlds End. With the latter on the verge of release, and Batman Eternal continuing to perform well in DC Sales Figures, members of the various creative teams for the titles gathered for DC’s Weeklies panel. Writers on hand included: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins (Batman Eternal), Dan Jurgens, Jeff Lemire (Futures End), Marguerite Bennett and Daniel H. Wilson (Worlds End).

The panel, moderated by Bob Wayne, was neatly delineated with each title receiving its own focus time. With that, things were kicked off with Batman Eternal.

- Scott Snyder thanked the attendees for picking up Eternal and making it such a sales success: “We came up with an idea that we felt would be so big and infect that neighborhood in Gotham. I helped write the first few and I’ll come back and do the last, but it’s these guys that are just killing it on the series. The great thing about it is that it’s not happening in a small corner.” Snyder also stated that when Batman returns in Issue 34, it will deal with the fall-out of Eternal, flashing forward past the Weekly time-frame, with the consequences of the series reverberating through a number of books.

- Fawkes discussed the breakdown of writer tasks and interests within their team, stating that he specifically will be writing the sub-plot dealing with Jim Corrigan and Batwing through the duration of the series. Higgins also chimed in, mentioning that despite coming onto the series late (replacing outgoing writer John Layman), his arc would begin in the 30′s and he would be bringing back The Architect in those issues (a character he co-created with Snyder in the Pre-New 52 Gates of Gotham mini).

- In describing the break-down of the series’ acts Higgins added: “The way that we’re structuring this is three acts. The end of the first big act of the series will be right around issue 20. Section two tees up something new and different with different characters. That’s the stuff I’m doing; I’m working with Jason Fabok to tell the end of section two.” Snyder added in that each of the acts are designed to raise the stakes until the city is on the edge of destruction while reaching a giant crescendo in its finale.

- Moving on to Future’s End, the panelists were a little less verbose regarding future plans, with a big as of yet unannounced event on the horizon, but they discussed the dynamics of the “incredibly unlikely group of writers” that make up their team. With Lemire pointing out that the unusual mix of writers gave way to the eclectic cast that makes up the title’s roster.

- Jurgens and Lemire were especially quick to praise Ryan Sook as the unsung fifth member of their team, who sat in on their writing meetings and created character sketches based on the ideas being bounced around.

- Regarding writer specific favorites, Lemire mentioned that it was Brian Azzarello who was gravitating towards Terry McGinnis, and this in turn led to a discussion amongst the panelists as to whether Terry is called Batman or Batman Beyond in the book proper. (A: He’s not called anything as of yet, as he has few associates per Lemire).

- Lastly, the panel’s focus turned to Earth 2: Worlds End, with “show-runner” Wilson describing the series as: “We’re in a situation where we’re continuing what’s going on in Earth 2 and there are some catastrophic events on the way and we’re bridging into the future. On the ground level, we have characters like Dick Grayson who are surviving on the ground, then you bump up a bit and you have the World Army, then, to the top level. Having all of this play out at the same time is really interesting; figuring out who deals with what and what’s happening to the world.”

- Both Bennett and Wilson agreed that the series will be shifting its gaze less to the big picture and more to the people within it, with Bennett specifically citing Batman Eternal as a huge influence on her work here: “It’s not just a story of attrition or the death of the world, it’s a story about the people in that world. It’s a story of triumph, of love and hope that’s coming out of the ruins.”

- Both writers also wanted to stress the importance of the series having a sense of accessibility, and the first issue will provide an intro as to the happenings within the Earth 2 monthly title.

- Lastly, Wilson mentioned that readers should be on the look-out for them to address some unanswered questions, particularly in regards to the fate of Sam, Alan Scott’s partner.

- The panel then moved into the Q&A portion, which begun with an elaboration on who is tackling what character in Futures End; Lemire is writing Frankenstein and any space characters, Giffen has the Cadmus team and Grifter, Jurgens is writing Tim Drake and Superman, and Azzarello oversees Terry McGuiness.

- Regarding any restrictions on ideas that the Eternal crew might have proposed, they said there weren’t any, and that in issue 20 the status quo will shift tremendously. With Tynion adding in: “We’re marching closer and closer to the end with every single issue, and issues #21-23 is the real turning point to set up that next section and things are going to start changing rapidly. Gotham is going to become very dangerous very quickly.” Fawkes also added that characters like Killer Croc, Jim Gordon, and Batwing will come out of the events of Eternal with new lives.

- On what the writers of Eternal would remember from the series as a whole: Snyder answered that the title is key theme. With Fawkes emphasizing this point, stating that the team wanted readers to believe this is the story that would destroy Batman, but once they reach the conclusion they’ll get the meaning of the title in that context.

- Snyder closed the panel stating that the coordinated work amongst the writers on Eternal affected the narrative of his upcoming Batman arc “Endgame”: “When I seehow much they’re doing, it was like, ‘Let’s make Batman do that too.’ ‘Endgame’ is about taking Batman and giving readers a Gotham they’ve never seen before.

TweetNowadays we think of it as the pre-mullet era of Superman, but at the time The Death of Superman was an incredibly big idea for DC. A story which killed off their main signature hero was not only an eventual inevitability, but also an idea which would actually have some resonance for the company. Superman [...]