DC Solicit Overviews for August 2012

Let’s do this.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #12
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:100 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale AUGUST 15 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• “THE VILLAIN’S JOURNEY” part four!
• The team struggles to stay together as they try to combat their newest foe.
• A shocking last page that will have the world talking about this issue!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Lemme guess what this “shocking” last page might be. Some dude will show up out of nowhere and say a shitty one-liner while being an asshole, and it’ll be badly drawn.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #12
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• It’s the funeral for ROCKET RED.
• Several members resign from the team – who will be left?

Oh, OMAC, you deserve better than this.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and DAN DIDIO
Art and cover by JASON FABOK
On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• Will this issue be the final adventure ever for JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL?
• The true nature of O.M.A.C. revealed!
• Ties in to the shocking events of JUSTICE LEAGUE #12!
• Guest-starring BLUE BEETLE!

This is a fucking travesty. One goddamned year in and they’re already retconning the Didio/Giffen stuff. Good fucking job, Geoff Johns, you piece of shit.

EARTH 2 #4
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by NICOLA SCOTT and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by IVAN REIS
1:25 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• THE GREEN LANTERN, THE FLASH and HAWKGIRL in action!
• The debut of the all-new ATOM SMASHER!
• A monstrous evil claws its way out of the poisoned soil of EARTH 2!

Hey, Hawkgirl…

WORLDS’ FINEST #4
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by GEORGE PEREZ, KEVIN MAGUIRE and SCOTT KOBLISH
Cover by GEORGE PEREZ
1:25 B&W Variant cover by GEORGE PEREZ
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• Hakkou, the Irradiated Man – the mysterious bad guy who might have a connection to Earth 2 – has grown to monstrous proportions. It’s up to Power Girl and Huntress to stop him – from destroying Tokyo?!
• Huntress learns how crime works on this Earth in the mean streets of Rome!
• Plus: Learn what the heroic duo have been up to in the five years since they arrived on this Earth!

This seems like it’s pretty decent, if you’re into this sort of thing.

AQUAMAN #12
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:25 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• The conclusion to “The Others”!
• The traitor in the team is revealed!
• Who is BLACK MANTA working for?

The Others is still a really dumb team name. Worse than The Outsiders? Just maybe.

WONDER WOMAN #12
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG
1:25 B&W Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• WONDER WOMAN faces a choice: Defend ZEUS’S throne from APOLLO – or defend her closest friend!
• Plus: Zola gives birth to something completely unexpected!

She’s going to give birth to E.T., based on the cover.

CAPTAIN ATOM #12
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art and cover by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• CAPTAIN ATOM’S evolution continues as he regains his human appearance. But even though he’s closer than ever to regaining his humanity, it comes at a major cost as chaos is unleashed at his laboratory headquarters.
• This issue reaches from Earth to the edge of the universe and ends with a massive change in Captain Atom’s status quo in the DC Universe.

I really hate the phrase “__________’s place in the DC Universe”. It’s always the mark of a terrible story meant more to say “OOH, LOOK AT ME, I’M IMPACTING THE FATE OF WORLDS WITH THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CHARACTER! NOW MY MOM CAN’T SAY I’M JUST PLAYING WITH DOLLS ALL DAY! I’M IN THE BIG LEAGUES, WRITING A CHARACTER NO ONE’S GIVEN A FUCK ABOUT SINCE CARY BATES STOPPED WRITING HIM! LA DEE FUCKING DA!”

Also, what is this supposed to be, Greivous Facial Injuries Monthly?

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #12
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by JORGE JIMENEZ
Cover by RYAN SOOK
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• KID FLASH stars in his first solo adventure, racing against time as he deals with the prehistoric trouble the TEEN TITANS brought back from MYSTERY ISLAND!

Oof. Tumblr’s not gonna be happy about this.

THE FLASH #12
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• Setting up THE ROGUES as a team as the next major storyline for the series begins!
• GLIDER takes center stage!

THE FLASH ANNUAL #1
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art by FRANCIS MANAPUL, MARCUS TO and others
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• The Rogues – victorious? If THE FLASH had trouble with them individually, together they’ll kill him!
• Something worse than The Rogues is just waiting for the right moment to attack…

I’m pretty sure the new Flash title makes the New 52 worth it alone. Interesting, fun stories with good art starring Barry Allen? Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure that was close enough to impossible before the reboot, what with the entirety of his character being “I sacrificed my life to preserve the multiverse once, and I just came back like a few months ago.”

And look at that, clear, concise writeups that actually give me a hint of what to expect from the issue! It’s like someone ressurected Nikola fucking Tesla over here, the way this title keeps rediscovering what every one of these other motherfuckers should know by now.

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #12
Written by JOE HARRIS
Art and cover by YILDIRAY CINAR and MARLO ALQUIZA
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• The quest for ASHRA KHAN takes a new turn!
• The menace of ZITHER is revealed!

Generic Bullshit Monthly, issue 12. Wooooo.

GREEN ARROW #12
Written by ANN NOCENTI
Art and cover by HARVEY TOLIBAO
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• GREEN ARROW hits the streets of CHINA!
• It’s arrows against martial arts in this action-packed issue!

Ann Nocenti writing martial arts/archery fights. Why does this not entice me like it should? Because of the ugly-ass art on the cover. That’s why.

Leifeld gonna Leifeld.

PHANTOM LADY #1
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by CAT STAGGS and RICH PERROTTA
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
On sale AUGUST 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $2.99 US • RATED T
• The female FREEDOM FIGHTER debuts in her own miniseries!
• Featuring her partner-in-crimefighting, the diminutive dynamo known as DOLL MAN!

It’s a female hero in a book with a female artist and a female cover artist and written by 2 guys who have proven that they can write a fun female-led title without making it…

NATIONAL COMICS: LOOKER #1
Written by IAN EDGINTON
Art by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale AUGUST 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
• New digital-first adventures!
• Emily Briggs was a top supermodel until she was turned into a vampire!
• Briggs uses her supernatural powers to protect the innocent as they navigate the corrupt world of high fashion and modeling!
• A fresh, sexy take on a classic DC character!

…this. I have liked stuff Edginton has done before with D’Israeli, so I’m trying to take literally everything about this with at least a few grains of salt. That said, what the living fuck. This is literally the most generic thing you could have done with this character, down to the bone. Also, why would a vampire have a camera they knew full well would not be able to take pictures of them? Just seems silly.

Fuck Before Watchmen and all its friends.

ACTION COMICS #12
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Backup story written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art by RAGS MORALES, BRAD WALKER and RICK BRYANT
Backup story art by CAFU
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
1:100 B&W Variant cover by RAGS MORALES
On sale AUGUST 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• What is the horrific secret behind “THE FORGOTTEN SUPERMAN”?
• What happens when Superman is too late to save LOIS LANE?
• And what is the staggering new threat The Man of Steel is about to face?
• Plus in the backup, Perry White’s brush with death leads to startling consequences for Superman!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

SUPERMAN #12
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by DAN JURGENS and JESUS MERINO
Cover by DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND
1:25 B&W Variant cover by DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers.
The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• The entity that came from the bottom of the ocean in issue #9 is back – and it’s trying to create a dimensional gateway for his army!
• Earth is in peril, and Superman is the only one who can prevent mass death and destruction.

Seriously, when did Superman  become the midcard Superman title? His name is the book, there’s no reason not to make it your top-shelf Superman series. Am I alone here?

SUPERMAN ANNUAL #1
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by CAFU and others
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT
On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• Abducted by a group of mysterious aliens, Superman is dragged to a remote alien galaxy to take part in THE GAMES, a world hopping game of cat-and-mouse where players are hunted for sport.
• Can even the help of a mysterious new GREEN LANTERN overcome the might of an alien empire?

I recently had an interesting conversation with Michael Peterson, Shin Megami Tensei enthusiast and writer of the Project:Ballad webcomic, about the fact that the nonhumanoid aliens on this cover have heads that greatly resemble penises. I proceeded to point out that the green man with the 4 arms had, and I quote, “a beaked vagina mouth”. And now that I look at it again, it seems as if the brown gentlecreature with the hornlike protrusions is anally accosting our caped crusader from Krypton. Cap that with a blast of heat vision that reminds me of that one Smallville episode where heat vision is used as a metaphor for unwelcome, awkward erections, and you have a whole that makes me think that either Tyler Kirkham needs to have a cold shower, or I do.

I could say something about the common theme of threatening dark toothed creatures and the fact that Supergirl is being menaced by tentacles here, in a manner that would lead to implications, but I just do not feel like doing that type of thing right now.

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #4
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by PERE PEREZ
Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN and JOEL BENJAMIN
On sale AUGUST 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
• New digital-first adventures!
• The story arc kicking off the SEASON PREMIERE EVENT concludes!
• CHLOE and OLIVER make a shocking discovery as they come face-to-face with the sole survivor of the crash.
• More machine than man, an out-of-control HENSHAW must be stopped – this looks like a job for SUPERMAN!

Bryan Q. Miller has never personally wronged me, so I’ll just say that this seems like something formulated to make sure I never actually get around to caring enough to read it.

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #4
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE
1:100 B&W Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• BATMAN and TALIA AL GHUL continue their fight for control of their son DAMIAN – better known as ROBIN!
• WINGMAN and REDBIRD descent upon GOTHAM CITY! Who are these heroes, and what is their relationship to THE DARK KNIGHT?
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

I literally cannot wait for this series to begin, so I can get this Morrison/Burnham goodness into my life.

BATMAN #12
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Backup story written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
1:100 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale AUGUST 8 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• It’s the epilogue to “The Court of Owls”!
• The next major storyline begins here!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

You know, I’m certainly compelled to make certain comparisons to a certain eighth issue of a certain series that certainly had the worst art of the run and will certainly be remembered as one of the few black marks on a certain writer’s run on a certain character. But that would really only apply to the cover here.

DETECTIVE COMICS #12
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by ED BENES and ROB HUNTER
Backup story art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
1:25 B&W Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale AUGUST 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• What is the final fate of Charlotte Rivers and Hugh Marder?
• Guest-starring ROBIN.
• The TWO-FACE backup story continues!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #1
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by ROMANO MOLENAAR and SANDU FLOREA
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• The grudge match you’ve been waiting for: BATMAN vs. THE BLACK MASK!

Have you ever seen anything so completely idiotic you can’t actually believe it exists? Like, say, a Batman comic that has Robin credited as a guest star? Because nobody would expect Batman and Robin to interact. That’s not a story that has been told. They’re rarely even seen together! It’s not like they have a book dedicated to them teaming up. Also, nobody wants to see Batman fight a man with a mask made of his mother’s casket, especially not in a “grudge match”. What fucking grudge? “Grr, you got me the wrong wood polish for my coffin skull mask! I must kill you!”

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #12
Written by GREGG HURWITZ
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 B&W Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• BATMAN has been captured by THE SCARECROW, who wants THE DARK KNIGHT to be his guinea pig for the ULTIMATE fear toxin.
• Don’t miss revelations about THE SCARECROW’s past!

Why does this exist? Not even “Why do we have 2 Batman titles dedicated to giving godawful Nineties artists paychecks?” or “Who decided David Finch needed his own vanity series?”, but “Why are there 2 storylines dedicated to Batman (not quite) being psychologically broken through hallucinogenics in the same fucking year? ” Riddle me that, motherfuckers! Riddle me fucking that.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #12
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale AUGUST 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• The finale of the fight with TERMINUS!

Wow, this just redefines generic. One line, referring to a villain named TERMINUS. Fuck. This.

BATWOMAN #12
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:25 B&W Variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. The variant cover will feature the standard edition cover in a wraparound format.
• J.H. WILLIAMS III returns as artist on this new story!
• An adventure of epic proportions begins here, with BATWOMAN and the werebeast zealot, ABBOTT, hot on the trail of the urban legend BLOODY MARY. The trail leads to a twisted carnival and an abandoned HALL OF MIRRORS, where they face nightmarish versions of themselves…
• Batwoman seeks an unexpected ally: WONDER WOMAN!

You know, this would probably be interesting if it didn’t insist on having much of a plot, and instead was a sort of psychedelic art showcase for Williams.

Batwing features a villain named LORD BATTLE. That is all I have to say about that.

The description for Batgirl is literally “BATGIRL battles BATWOMAN! KNIGHTFALL strikes!”

Genericness reigns.

One of these is representing the characters as characters with attributes other than sexiness. The other is Catwoman, where the main figures are literal puppets that are being made by their puppetmaster to act sexy towards the viewer and have literally no agency. Wait, do I smell subtle commentary? Maybe I do.

BIRDS OF PREY #12
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by TRAVEL FOREMAN and JEFF HUET
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• Shock follows shock as the team learns that the plant monsters were the creation of POISON IVY!
• With deadly toxins in their bloodstreams, THE BIRDS have six months to live – and they’ll be given an antidote only if they help IVY punish those who are despoiling the planet.

CATWOMAN #12
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by ADRIANA MELO and JULIO FERREIRA
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
• The big finale is here, as CATWOMAN confronts DOLLHOUSE!
• Don’t miss the fallout from CATWOMAN’s tryst with SPARK!

Oh man, Judd Winick had 2 ladies make out in his glorified softcore porn Catwoman book? Qu’elle suprise! Also, Birds Of Prey continues to seem just interesting enough to make me miss Swierczynski and Foreman’s Immortal Iron Fist stories, but not interesting enough to make me actually want to read Birds Of Prey. Also, six months to live is kind of a long deadline, unless it means that cumulatively, they have 6 months to live.

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #12
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• STARFIRE has made it all the way to TAMARAN only to find herself caught between the forces of THE BLIGHT and the political maneuvering of her sister, BLACKFIRE.
• How will JASON protect ISABEL on what has become an intergalactic date from Hell?

Okay, you know that TNG Season 8 twitter account, the one that’s just summaries of fictional episodes of TNG? You know how it’ll always have a plotline like “The Enterprise is on a collision course with Vulcan, and only Beverly Crusher can save the day” with one like “Data learns how to masturbate”? Yeah, that’s what this is reminding me of. Also, lookit! Lil’ Kenny Rocafort thinks he’s Drew Struzan! So cute.

Nightwing looks too boring for words.

I hope to god these guys are called the One-Armed Bandits–

BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED #5
Written by DEREK FRIDOLFS
Art by JUAN JOSE RYP
Cover by DAVE WILKINS
On sale AUGUST 8 • 40 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• New digital-first adventures!
• The origin of ARKHAM CITY characters HAMMER and SICKLE!
• What is their connection to HUSH?
• Incredibly detailed art by rising star JUAN JOSE RYP (Wolverine: The Best There Is).

–ah, guess not. Too bad. Juan Jose Ryp is pretty good, though.

Green Lantern is what you’d expect from the Usual Gang Of Fanboy Chucklefucks. Red Lanterns actually looks a little less terrible since Ed Benes, History’s Greatest Monster, isn’t on the art.

The Dark Line continues, and in lieu of commentary, here are some nice covers.

Wasn’t that nice?

G.I. COMBAT #4
Written by J.T. KRUL, JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by ARIEL OLIVETTI and DAN PANOSIAN
Cover by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and WAYNE FAUCHER
On sale AUGUST 1 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+
• The conclusion of “THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT” and “UNKNOWN SOLDIER” epics!
• G.I. COMBAT continues next month.

So apparently 4 issues constitutes an epic now. That’s good to know.

STORMWATCH #12
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by IGNACIO CALERO and SEAN PARSONS
Cover by SCOTT CLARK and DAVE BEATY
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
• MARTIAN MANHUNTER battles STORMWATCH!
• A major turning point for the DC Universe as MARTIAN MANHUNTER quits STORMWATCH forever!
• Don’t miss STORMWATCH this month in I, VAMPIRE!

So wait, does he fight them after he quits, or does he quit because nobody wants to fight him?

Suicide Squad, Voodoo, and Ravagers look like Southern-fried hog dick.

ALL-STAR WESTERN #12
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by MORITAT
Backup story art by SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by RAFA GARRES
On sale AUGUST 22 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+
• The finale of JONAH HEX and TALLULAH BLACK’S battle with the followers of THE CRIME BIBLE.
• Part 2 of the TERRENCE 13 backup story.

Man, do I wish I was still getting this one. Scott Kolins drawing old-timey skeptic adventures, Moritat, and a Rafa Garres cover?

That’s cooler than being cool. That’s ice cold.

The entire Young Justice section is turds.

In Vertigo news, iZombie, Spaceman, and Scalped are ending. Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about these, so here’s some lovely covers.

To crib a line, this cover is harder than a Spanish test. ^

You know what kids love? Giant gorillas endangering Superman’s life.

4 thoughts to “DC Solicit Overviews for August 2012”

  1. Not to sound like Will Smith’s grandma, but maybe try not rely on cursing? Use more descriptive words than “bullshit.” Or maybe more descriptions about what kind of bullshit t is. But otherwise, it’s no too bad at all!

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