The name(s?) of the game for this round is events, anniversaries, crossovers, multiverses, and variants galore.
ACTION COMICS #1050
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON, TOM TAYLOR, and JOSHUA WILLIAMSON Art by MIKE PERKINS, CLAYTON HENRY, and NICK DRAGOTTA Cover by STEVE BEACH
Variant covers by JIM LEE, ALEX ROSS, MEGAN HUANG, CRYSTAL KUNG, LEE WEEKS, JOHN GIANG, RAHZZAH, GABRIELE DELL'OTTO, MIKE PERKINS, RILEY ROSSMO, DAN PARENT, STEVE LIEBER, SIMONE DI MEO, PAMELA HOOGEBOOM, NATHAN SZERDY, and RAFAEL SARMENTO
$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 12/27/22
The Dark Crisis is over, and a new dawn shines on the DCU! In the wake of cataclysmic battles with Mongul, Henry Bendix, and Pariah's Dark Army, Kal-El is back on Earth and here to stay. And the people of our planet are ready to look up, up, and away into a brighter tomorrow. Well…most of the people. Clark Kent's reunion with Lois and his son, Jon Kent, proves fleeting when strikes the ultimate attack from Superman's greatest adversary: Lex Luthor. But this time something is different…Luthor has stolen something from Clark's life, something so important that it will change the very planet itself! If you think you've seen the biggest battle between Superman and Lex Luthor—think again! This clash will rock the course of their lives forever…and it's only the beginning.
Two years' worth of Superman stories come to a head in this oversize anniversary issue with all-star talent that launches Superman and the DCU into an exciting new era!
Why this caught my eye:
Well, at least they aren't charging the $10 like one might expect, but they will get you with the eleventy bajillion variants. That's just the nature of the game now though, but hey at least we got some Tom Taylor in it.
BATMAN/SPAWN #1
Written by TODD McFARLANE
Art and cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant covers by TODD McFARLANE, GABRIELE DELL'OTTO, SEAN MURPHY, FRANCESCO MATTINA, J. SCOTT CAMPBELL and JIM LEE
$6.99 US | 48 pages | Prestige | One-shot (all covers are card stock)
ON SALE 12/13/22
Two dark heroes, cursed by tragedy, find their paths again crossing…but not by choice! What sinister foe is at work, pitting the Dark Knight against the Hellspawn? From the shadows of Gotham City to New York City, this epic event is the blockbuster you've been waiting almost two decades for!
Why this caught my eye:
I'm not a McFarlane fan, but there is something oddly nice about seeing him and Capullo on a project. Again though, welcome to Variant Town.
DARK CRISIS BIG BANG #1 (ONE SHOT)
Written by MARK WAID
Art by DAN JURGENS and others
Cover by MIKEL JANÍN
$3.99 US | 32 pages | One-shot | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 12/13/22
After the monumental events of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, Pariah has successfully resurrected the infinite Multiverse…and all of reality is still reeling from the event. Join Doctor Multiverse on a haunting journey through these newly re-formed realities, from The Jurassic League to DC: Mech…from Dark Knights of Steel to Batman '89 and back again…in a guest-star-galore all-new epic by comics legend and DC architect Mark Waid!
Why this caught my eye:
I am of the opinion that Waid is a big boon for DC these days, and I have some faith with him jumping into multiversal material which is my favorite part of the DC sandbox.
TALES FROM EARTH-6: A CELEBRATION OF STAN LEE #1
Written by MICHAEL USLAN, MARK WAID, JERRY ORDWAY, KENNY PORTER, STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, MICHAEL W. CONRAD, BECKY CLOONAN, COLLIN KELLY, JACKSON LANZING, STEVE ORLANDO, ZAC THOMPSON, and MEGHAN FITZMARTIN
Art by LEE WEEKS, KEVIN MAGUIRE, JERRY ORDWAY, KARL MOSTERT, JUAN FERREYRA, ANTHONY MARQUES, PABLO M COLLAR, MAX DUNBAR, and HAYDEN SHERMAN
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
$9.99 US | 96 pages | Prestige | One-shot (all covers are card stock)
ON SALE 12/27/22
Over 20 years ago, Stan Lee reimagined the entire DC Universe. A criminal turned nocturnal warrior for justice, a champion from the Brazilian Amazon, an intergalactic lawman, and more sprang to existence from Stan's mind with the help of Michael Uslan. To celebrate the legendary comic book icon's 100th birthday, dive into 10 new adventures featuring his version of the DC Universe! Batman faces down a villainous new threat, the Choker! Green Lantern digs deep when Nekron arrives to consume the World Tree! The Justice League teams up with a familiar face in order to save the day! Shazam ventures into a top-secret facility to face off against a mind-blowing (and brain-burgling) enemy! The Flash uses her time-bending speed abilities to attempt to reverse the tragedies of her past, but may rob herself of her powers in the process! Chaos ensues when Wonder Woman becomes the editor of the National Exposer!
Why this caught my eye:
Speaking of that sandbox. In brutal honesty I can't ever recommend any of the original Stan Lee Just Imagine material, but this looks to be an interesting return to that world and that's just an impressive lineup of creators to contribute to a multiversal romp.
LAZARUS PLANET: ALPHA #1
Written by MARK WAID and GENE LUEN YANG
Art by RICCARDO FEDERICI, BILLY TAN, and more
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 1/10/23
CHANGE THE WORLD.
Following the explosive (literally) events of Batman vs. Robin #4, the Lazarus Volcano has erupted, spewing dangerous and transformative chemicals into Earth's atmosphere! As these Lazarus clouds rain down upon the planet, people across the globe begin to develop strange new abilities, watch their already-extraordinary abilities change, and witness a whole host of chaos unlike anything the DCU has experienced before! It's up to Damian Wayne to put out the distress call for whoever can still hear it: come to the ruins of the Hall of Justice and help save the world! Poison Ivy, Power Girl, Cyborg, Batman, and more answer the call…but why could the fate of all life as we know it rest in the hands of…Monkey Prince?
Why this caught my eye:
It does seem like it's event after event with variant cover mountains, but at least the concept of the Lazarus Volcano is somewhat entertaining.
DANGER STREET #1
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by JORGE FORNÉS
Variant cover by STEVE RUDE
$4.99 US | 40 pages | 1 of 12 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 12/13/22
Joining the Justice League is a goal for any superhero, but what happens when a quest for membership takes a sinister turn? Join Starman, Metamorpho, and Warlord as they look to prove themselves worthy by summoning and defeating Darkseid in battle. Soon they'll learn that calling upon a New God never ends well, and their world is headed for a crisis as a result!
The journey to save the day will be a treacherous one filled with princesses, knights, and all kinds of monsters. Each person the heroes encounter plays a crucial role in this sprawling yet gripping narrative that is a little bit silly, a whole lot dark, and completely cool. Expect the unexpected with a supporting cast featuring Manhunter, Lady Cop, the Green Team, and the Creeper!
Inspired by the heroes and villains of 1st Issue Special, Tom King and Jorge Fornés (Rorschach) return for an unforgettable maxiseries that reimagines these characters and their stories. A multi-character, multilayered crime drama starring some of DC's most obscure creations. No one will see it coming, but everyone will want to see where it goes!
Why this caught my eye:
This is a resolicit but I think it's worth highlighting again. A fun mix of characters with a unique focus and it feels like just the right project for Tom King.
That's it for this batch, we'll hit up some indy superhero material on the next round!