Detective Comics

Why “flagship”? Well, there’s the name thing — “DC” comes from, yes, “Detective Comics” — and the fact that it’s the oldest continuously published comic in the US, with a first-issue cover date of March, 1937, over a year before Action #1 (although, of course, the Caped Crusader himself didn’t show up until issue #27, dated March, 1939). Just looking through the covers is a capsule history of comics trends, from the pulp-influenced ’40s (seen here in the menacing Joker-with-guns pose from issue #69) through the toned-down Comics-Code-influenced silly-sf ’50s (check out the “captive planet” cover for issue #256, which looks like it wandered in from an issue of Strange Adventures) to the “New Look”/back-to-detective-basics ’60s, where the transition from the stupid-aliens cover in #326 to the Infantino mystery in #327 sums up the extreme change in style nicely. The ’70s might be the most fondly-remembered decade for many fans; it starts with the January, 1970 issue, the first Detective with a Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams interior story and winds through a few more years of occasional Adams work, the 100-Page Giants from issues #438-445 (many with the Archie Goodwin/Walt Simonson Manhunter serial, plus lots of Silver and Golden-Age reprints, and lead stories by Adams and, in the pictured #442, Alex Toth), and, from issues #471-476, the Steve Englehart/Marshall Rogers run that some of us would argue is the post-’40s Detective high point. Not only that, but issues #481-495 mark the transition from 1979 to 1980 with a 64-pg. $1 format that sees lead stories featuring Batman, plus Robin/Batgirl stories, plus other, rotating back-ups starring characters like Commissioner Gordon and Steve Ditko’s Odd Man.

None of these are sitting on the discount racks, of course, but many issues from the ’50s up are now restocked and available on the main floor, with the more key issues (like this, this, this and this) also on display. The bulk of the bargains start after issue #500, in the early ’80s, and for 99 cents each there’s a lot of cool Bat-reading; for one thing, at this point Gene Colan comes over from Marvel, fresh from his work on Tomb of Dracula, and settles in for a long Detective run — issues #510, 512, 517 (part of a great Batman-vs.-vampires crossover with Batman), 523, and most of #s 528-567 — although issues #547-552 have art by Pat Broderick instead, which is a considerable step below Gentleman Gene (to make up for it, #549-550 have an Alan Moore-scripted Green Arrow back-up story with art by Klaus Janson). Most of the non-Colan issues from #500-526 have art from Phoenix’s own Don Newton, so they’re worth checking out, too — especially #526, an anniversary issue (Batman’s 500th appearance in Detective, with a 56-page story by Newton). Writer Doug Moench starts on the title with the next issue, #527, and he and Colan provide a well-regarded couple of years on the book, involving the early Jason-Todd-as-Robin issues, love interests Nocturna and Catwoman (who practically becomes a co-star for awhile), a reinvigorated Catman as antagonist, Harvey Bullock as comic relief, and a tight continuity with the Batman comic, as stories frequently cross over, requiring readesr to follow both books. Moench’s last issue is #566, while Colan’s last issue, #567, boasts his art over a script by Harlan Ellison; after that, Mike Barr and Alan Davis are the regular team for a while, through #574, after which Todd McFarlane contributes three issues. Barr stays on through issue #581, and then there’s a fallow period, mostly with Alan Grant scripting and Norm Breyfogle drawing, enlivened by a three-parter in issues #598-600 by Batman movie scriptwriter Sam Hamm and art by Denys Cowan (although, truth be told, that story seemed considerably more worthwhile at the time then it does in retrospect).

The early 600s — and the early ’90s — are similarly flat; a John Ostrander three-parter with covers by legendary Batman artist (and Arizona resident) Dick Sprang in issues #622-624 is fun, and Marv Wolfman and Jim Aparo team up for a while in issues #625-628 (over Michael Golden covers). Then, Peter Milliogan comes on board, and the scripts get both stranger and more intriguing; he and Aparo are in #s 629-632, with Tom Mandrake art in #633, and then after some other creative teams Milligan and Aparo are back in issues #638-640 and #643; Aparo also draws #s 641-642 over Alan Grant scripts. After that, Chuck Dixon, who pretty much defines competent-but-generic, is scripter with a number of artists.

The next story of import occurs in #659, and it’s one getting a lot of interest this year: it’s part two of the “Knightfall” serial, which begins in Batman and crisscrosses through the Bat-titles for almost a year, leading to both the (temporary) end of Bruce Wayne as Batman, and the inspiration for this summer’s much-anticipated Batman movie. Jim Balent (of Catwoman and Tarot fame) does the art chores in #660, part four of the crossover, and Dixon continues as writer (with Kelley Jones supplying most of the covers) through the aptly-numbered issue #666, the last issue of Detective before “Knightfall” and and another character takes over the Batman cape….

…but that’s a good place to stop, since those are all the issues that are on the discount racks for now. That leaves 20 years of Detective to go, though, so buy them while you can, create some rack space, and come back in two weeks to see how the Dark Knight fared in the rest of the ’90s and the ’00s.

Doom Patrol

The original version of DC’s “World’s Strangest Heroes” ran from 1964 to 1968, and featured three characters who were outcasts: race-car driver Cliff Steele, whose body was destroyed in a wreck but whose brain was transferred into a metal body, making him Robotman; Rita Farr, whose stretching powers made her Elasti-Girl; and Larry Trainor, whose radioactive body required that he be wrapped in bandages for the protection  of others, but who had the ability to project a flying, negative-image “energy being” out of his body (but only for a few minutes at a time; otherwise, he’s die). The three were led by the wheelchair-bound Niles Caulder, a brilliant scientist who took the bitter misfits and molded them into a superhero team. In one of those weird coincidences in comics history, the book first appeared about three months before X-Men #1, which also featured outcasts led by a brilliant guy in a wheelchair. The Doom Patrol was cancelled in 1968, in what was then, for comics, an unusual way: the team died in the last issue, blown up by bad guys.

The next incarnation of the series (and the first one that matters to us, since they’re the first ones we have discount issues of) appeared in 1987. It was revealed that only Robotman had survived the explosion (although, comics being comics, over the years the other three characters have all turned up, too), and he was paired with new characters Tempest (who could project energy blasts from his hands, one of those visual-but-generic powers that comics creators love), Negative Woman (a Russian astronaut who’d encountered the negative energy being that had been in Larry Trainor, and absorbed it), Celsius (heat and cold blasts, plus she was the wife of the presumed-dead Niles Caulder, and the reason the new team got together), Lodestone (magnetically-enhanced strength), Karma (psychic defensive powers) and Scott Fischer (heat projection from his hands). This team hung around for the first 18 issues of Doom Patrol volume 2, written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn, first, by Steve Lightle and later by a young Erik Larson. The episodes are mostly generic mid-’80s superhero storytelling, and largely forgettable (at least, I forgot most of them; I read the issues when they came out, but needed Wikipedia and a quick flip-through of the comics to recall any of it).

However, with issue #19, in 1988, things suddenly became more memorable: new writer Grant Morrison took over, accompanied by artist Richard Case, and they immediately supercharged the book. Morrison got rid of all the characters except for Cliff (Tempest stuck around as the team doctor, the Negative Being left its host and ended up being Larry Trainor again (sort of — don’t ask), and Lodestone was in a coma; everyone else was either dead or wandered off, never to return), and added two others: Dorothy, a simian-featured little girl with “imaginary friends” whom she could control, and Kay Challis, called “Crazy Jane,” a traumatized woman with 64 multiple personalities, each with a different superpower.

Comics fans are used to the Morrison brand of weirdness now, but 23 years ago it was brand-new, and a revelation after the standard antics of the previous team: there were the Scissormen, who could cut people out of reality; Red Jack, who tortured butterflies to survive and thought he claimed to be the reincarnation of Jack the Ripper; the Brotherhood of Dada, who were led by Mister Nobody, featured The Quiz, who had “every superpower you haven’t thought of yet,” and had a magical painting that led to dimensions based on types of artistic criticism — and that was all in the first year! That year ended with one of the best single issues of the series — Doom Patrol #30, wherein Cliff travels into the mind of Crazy Jane, who’s catatonic, and meets most of her personalities, while discovering what fractured her personality in the first place. It’s a haunting tale, told cleverly and subtly, and with images — Jane’s mind as a subway station and her personalities as different stops; Cliff, told that “no man” can enter a particular stop, standing and spreading his robotic hands and saying “Look at me. I’m not a man” — that linger long after the reader is through with the book.

Morrison stayed on the book through issue #63, mostly accompanied by Case (with a few exceptions — Kelley Jones in #36, for example, and Mike Dringenberg in #42, cover-featuring “Flex Mentallo,” a character based on the strongman in the old Charles Atlas ads that ended up getting DC sued by Atlas himself); special mention should also be made of the painted covers, often by Simon Bisely, starting with issue #26, which gave the book a distinctive identity on the comics racks. Almost every issue’s worth reading — and completists shouldn’t miss 1992′s Doom Force Special, a one-shot by Morrison and a number of artists that’s a satiric, vicious takedown of Image comics in general, and Rob Liefeld in particular — all the way up to the last book of the Morrison era, #63, wherein Crazy Jane is trapped in “our” world, institutionalized and subjected to electroshock therapy, leading to a poignant, perfect ending, half-optimistic and half-despairing (depending on whether you’re Jane or the reader).

Morrison’s departure wasn’t the end of Doom Patrol, though — writer Rachel Pollack took over with issue #64, and managed to keep the weirdeness percolating nicely, if not quite with the spice supplied by Morrison. Case stayed as artist for four issues, replaced by some interesting choices thereafter: Linda Medley (of Castle Waiting) in issues #68-74, and Ted McKeever in #s 75-79, 81, 82 and 84-87 (with the Pander Brothers in #80), which represented the end of the run.

The next version of Doom Patrol came along in 2001; as with the previous version, its only connection with the others was Cliff Steele. The writer was John Arcudi (known for Dark Horse series like The Mask and a number of Mike Mignola-related titles), while the artist was Tan Eng Huat, who brought a quirky, cartoony style that meshed well with Arcudi’s tongue-in-cheek, arch scripts (in this incarnation, Cliff was the mentor to a group of teen and twenty-something outcasts who bicker and bond like an MTV Real Worlds season). Arcudi and Huat stayed for all 22 issues of this volume, with two notable exceptions: #s 13 and 14 are by Seth Fisher (the idiosynchratic artist known for his obsessively-detailed, oddly-appealing manga-esque style (Fantastic Four: Big in Japan; Flash: Time Flies and Vertigo Pop: Tokyo), who died at the age of 33 in 2006 after falling from the rooftop of a nightclub in Tokyo), and issues # 20 and 21 are by Rick Geary, known mostly for his small-press titles focusing on true-life murder stories and on Victorian life.

Volume four of Doom Patrol followed very quickly, in 2004, and was a John Byrne production. It started strongly (it was led into by a vastly-hyped, six-part JLA crossover by Byrne and Chris Claremont), but was a reboot, erasing all the previous history of the team and starting over with the original cast of Robotman, Negative Man and Elasti-Girl. It had the typical Byrne advantages of clean, lively art and plotting, but quickly gradually lost both steam and sales, ending after 18 issues.

The most recent comic called Doom Patrol, volume five, started in 2009 and ended last July, after 22 issues; it had scripts by Keith Giffen and featured the three original members, although there were callbacks to previous versions of the team too — issues 3 and 4 are Blackest Night tie-ins, and feature the dead, Black Lantern-animated characters of Celsius, Negative Woman and Tempest, while issue #5 has the Negative Spirit reflecting on its previous host bodies, and has cameos from practically everyone who was ever in a Doom Patrol comic. Matthew Clark and Ron Randall supply most of the art for the run, although Giffen himself draws #16. Issue #19 has the second installment of a crossover with the Secret Six comic, and the final issue, #22, has a typically-Giffenesque ending, as Ambush Bug appears, to whisper to the bad guys that the book has been cancelled, pending the DC Flashpoint reboot; that said, everybody strikes the set and walks away, leaving the heroes to wonder what’s going to happen next. That’s where they are today — is there a place in the new DCU for the World’s Strangest Heroes, especially considering that their history is, again, set back to square one, and that they’ve had three failed relaunches in the last ten years? Only time, and reader interest, will tell….

Green Lantern #40 from 1965 So this is one of the first crossovers between Earth 1 and Earth 2. It’s… interesting. This gives an entire origin to the Guardians that involves a character named Krona. They basically punished Krona for trying to figure out where they came from. Basically, they banished him from existence for trying to learn about history. The Guardians have always been a bunch of a-holes, even going all the way back to the 1960′s! I’m not quite sure how the Earth-1/ Earth-2 stuff worked, and I can honestly say I have no idea how Alan Scott got to Hal Jordan’s world. But who cares? This was a fun comic with heroes you can recognize. More info can be found HERE

Green Lantern has four(!) separate titles running right now. The obvious one is Green Lantern, which focuses on Hal Jordan and Sinestro. There’s New Guardians if you’re looking for Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern Corps for John Stewart and Guy Gardner, and Red Lanterns if you like weird stuff. Alan Scott is off the table right now, but a JSA comic is coming down the pipeline, so he’ll be back soon.

Fantastic Four #76 from 1968 Well, the entire first section of this book involves “shrinkage” and since I”m a 10-year-old, I couldn’t stop laughing at that. Silver Surfer is stuck in what is essentially the microverse, but does he really want to leave? At first the answer is no, then the FF get attacked by some weird creature created by the Psycho-Man (love that guy), but the FF manage to stop him. However, Silver Surfer has no intention of leaving that universe, so how are the Fantastic Four going to be able to save the world? Well that’s going to be answered in the next issue! So yeah, as always with the FF, it’s a continuing story in the “Mighty Marvel Manner.” More info can be found HERE

The Fantastic Four are still around, but they replaced a Human Torch with a Spider-Man. There’s the FF title, and Fantastic Four is coming back for the big 600th issue event. Check it out, there will be about 47 different covers to choose from…

G.I. Joe #2 from 1982 Much like Transformers, G.I. Joe is just out of my age group. I know that this is a well made comic from a long running critically acclaimed comic series, but I just find myself not caring. Didn’t Larry Hama write almost every single issue of this title? Because that’s pretty cool. This issue is all about the Joe team trying to stop Cobra in the snow. The Joes are literally in the snow to go after one operative, so to me that feels like a bit of a waste of time, but again, this isn’t my style. To me it’s just a doofy 80′s comic that I’m not even going to remember that I’ve read. More info can be found HERE

G.I. Joe is still being written by Larry Hama, albeit it’s now published by IDW. From what I’ve heard, it’s still the same quality. If you’re looking for the back issues, we have a fair amount, or there are trade collections of at least the first 50. And that’s the week! I’m going back to football! “The” Dan Jacka

Jonah Hex and his comics history got covered back when we were doing the letter “J,” in this post, and the art display case back at the west end of the store has a number of his key books for sale there, including his first appearance, a nice-looking copy of All-Star Western #10 for $250, and copies of the first Jonah Hex series #1, #2, #3, #9 and #10.  Truman, however, was involved with the various Jonah Hex mini-series from Vertigo, in the ’90s. Here’s an abbreviated version of what I said about those comics in that previous post (hey, it isn’t plagiarism if you’re copying yourself…):

These are cool comics: Penciller Tim Truman, of Grimjack and Scout, is paired with Sam Glanzman, a Golden-Age artist known for Charleton work in the late ’50s through the ’70s, and they present a meticulously-detailed, grimy and mostly-historically-accurate American West that writer Joe R. Lansdale fills with evil traveling zombie-making carnivals and Native American children with bear’s heads and, most notably, a race of sentient underground worms that have crossbred with humans, producing two moronic albino brothers who are the spitting images of Johnny and Edgar Winter, the real-life blues guitarists, who, unamused, proceeded to sue DC. This last bit occurs in the second mini, Riders of the Worm and Such, and is probably the ’90s Jonah Hex high point, although the other two series, Two Gun Mojo and Shadows West, offer enough similar pleasures to be  worth seeking out, too.

Here’s one of the two pages on display, from Riders of the Worm and Such #2, page 29: Hex has signed on to protect a ranch that’s been losing stock, and a few headless bodies have turned up. Hedge, the man who hired him, says it’s “worms,” but of course no one believes that. And then… well, look:

One of Truman’s quirks is that he uses the back of the original art page to sketch out his compositions before penciling them on the front. Here’s what the back of that page looks like:

… and here’s what the actual printed and colored page looks like:

The next page is from Shadows West #3, page 15: Hex and his crew are cornered in a shootout, and the bad guys — the little guy with the big hat and his girl accomplice — rig a dead body on a horse to draw Hex out. Here’s the page:

…and here’s what the back looks like — in pencil this time, instead of the red marker used in the earlier page:

…and here’s the printed page:

Pretty cool, huh?  The Truman/Glanzman team has a knack for taking gritty, historically-accurate Western backgrounds, clothing and weapons and mixing them with weird and fantastic protagonists — something the Jonah Hex movie tried and failed to pull off, so it’s not as easy as it looks. They’re perfect for the Vertigo brand, though, and these comics are true underappreciated little gems.

The display case at the west end of the store has these art pages, plus sets of all three of the Vertigo mini-series, plus those issues of the original series we linked to earlier; we also have most of the most-recent Jonah Hex run — the Palmiotti/Gray/lots of great artists one — available in the regular back issue boxes, as well as the new DC 52 Jonah-in-old-Gotham City #1, a book that made a lot of people’s best-new-52 lists. Come in and admire the art, and indulge yourself in some great Western comics!

Teen Titans #10 from 1967

So here’s my problem with the Teen Titans in a nutshell. This comic has them fighting a bully. Robin gets invited to participate in a motorcycle race in a ghost town (not kidding), but this one guy is a big jerk and tries to ruin the race. It’s essentially Wacky Races, with the bad dude as Snidley Whiplash and everyone else as Penelope Pitstop (how obscure was that reference?). What bugs me is that the bad buy ACTUALLY defeats the Titans! I know he eventually ends up losing, but a jerk on a motorcycle is able to stop all the Teen Titans, at least temporarily! It’s kinda ridiculous that the team that would eventually take down Deathstroke consistently would be stopped in the 1960′s by a bully with a motorcycle! It doesn’t make any sense. But it is hilarious to have Aqualad get a bunch of dirt dumped on him… More info can be found HERE

The Teen Titans are obviously still around, but the teams are all wonky. Dick Grayson is on his own as Nightwing now. The Teen Titans now consist of Superboy, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl and Red Robin. And Red Hood and the Outlaws is the only place to find Speedy. As for Aqualad? Dead. Bummer.

Thor King-Size Special #2 from 1966

This comic is everything that an annual should be. The first story is completely brand-spanking-new and features essentially a whole bunch of gladiator scenes with Thor and the Warriors Three. The ideal way to write a Thor story is to get as many of the characters involved as possible, add a whole lot of fights, and just enjoy yourself. That’s why the movie worked, and that’s why this comic works. In addition, it features two short stories from past issues. If you, as a kid, couldn’t afford to get back issues, this Special would act as the perfect place to actually catch up on what you missed. This comic is a whole lot of fun wrapped in a big ol’ book. More info can be found HERE

Thor’s still around. He’s one of the main characters in the Fear Itself storyline. It includes the Mighty Thor and Journey Into Mystery. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you should. It’s pretty rad.

Wonder Woman #121 from 1961

So, apparently Wonder Woman has the ability to blow a jet-stream of breath, and I don’t really have any jokes to crack about that. This, like Teen Titans, is a weird comic where Wonder Woman is dealing with really stupid things. This time, it’s saving cheerleaders from a hostage situation on a Ferris Wheel (I’m not kidding). I’m really unfamiliar with the whole Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl and Queen Hippolyta dynamic, but it’s in full force here. I think that at this point in time, Wonder Girl was just a young version of Wonder Woman, but seriously, don’t get me wrong, I honestly have no idea. A mermaid falls in love with Wonder Girl, so there’s that. More info can be found HERE

Wonder Woman is still around in the Justice League and her own comic. Apparently the DCnU gives her a new origin (Zeus is her dad! drama!) but other than that it’s just a damn good comic. Check it out if you actually like spending your money on things you like.

And that’s it! I’ll see you all in a couple weeks!

“The” Dan Jacka

If you are a subscription customer be sure to update your list and add the titles you want to continue on. Better yet, if you can make it in on Wed. we are having a one day SALE in conjunction with the release of the #2′s!

We still have a nice selection of many of the first issue first printings so if you buy any 2 DC 52 #2′s you can get 22% off a first printing #1! (Many Second Printings for sold out first issues arrive on Wed. as well).

If you buy any 2 Trade Paperbacks or Hardbacks you can get a third one for 22% off!

And if you buy BUY 2 or more BACK ISSUE COMICS you can get 22% off ALL OF YOUR BACK ISSUES!

Stop by Wed. 10/5/11 between 10 am and 8 pm to get the special 22% off sale specials.

Something different this week: I’m working on the letter “F” now — specifically, back issues of Flash – but I’ll cover the discount stuff from that in my next posting, once it’s all finished and available on the cover price racks. Instead, since it turned out that we had so many cool (and key) Silver Age issues of the Scarlet Speedster available, they’re now out in the display case back where I work, on the far west side of the store. As a special treat for Flash fanatics, that case also includes three pages of original Flash art from my collection (no, the art isn’t for sale, but what’s the point of having cool original comics pages if you can’t share them?). Let’s look at what’s out there:

Page #1: Flash #184, pg. 11 (1968): Pencils: Ross Andru; Inks: Mike Esposito; Words: Frank Robbins.

The Andru/Esposito team was together for decades: they worked on titles like Wonder Woman and Metal Men for DC in the ’60s, and ended up on a long, fondly-remembered run of Amazing Spider-Man in the ’70s. This page is from their late-’60s stint on Flash (issues #175-194), and is a good example of their dynamic layout and ability to show speed (something that not all Flash artists, sadly, have been able to do, although the gold standard remains original Flash artist Carmine Infantino). This is also a good example of what a great source of original comics art ebay was about ten years ago: I only paid $50 for it, even though it’s from the Silver Age, and has Flash in costume — doing speed stunts — in every panel. *sigh*  Try doing that today; it’d cost five to ten times as much. Ah, the good old days….

Page #2: Flash #304, pg. 18 (1981): Pencils: Carmine Infantino; Inks: Bob Smith; Words: Cary Bates

Speaking of Infantino, the Silver/Bronze Age artist most associated with the Flash… this is a page from late in his career. It’s written by another Bronze Age Flash mainstay, Cary Bates, and involves Barry Allen’s costumed altar ego getting sucked into a video game by the villain “Colonel Computron.” Of course, it’s 1981, so there aren’t any 3-D graphics or even Tron-like effects; instead, it’s old-school Atari 2600-styled pixels at their finest. This makes it part of the grand tradition of absurd Flash transformations (the Fat Flash at the top of this article, the Puppet Flash, the Glass Mirror Flash, the Big-Head Flash… Barry’s elastic molecules went through more transformations than Jimmy “Giant Turtle Man” Olsen), and the classic Bates science-speak makes it even more fun as Barry tries desperately to think his way out of the trap.

Page #3: Life Story of the Flash, pg. (1997): Pencils: Gil Kane; Inks: Tom Palmer

This was from a hardcover graphic novel, purportedly telling the biography of the Flash as written by “Iris Allen,” but it was actually by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn, with art by Gil Kane, Joe Staton, and others. As you can see, it’s more pictures separated by blocks of text than a regular comics page with dialogue, and is from a summary of some of the cases (and key Rogue’s Gallery members) from early in Barry’s career: the Kane/Palmer team recreate the covers of Flash #121 (the Trickster panel) and 124 (The Captain Boomerang), plus an interior splash from an adventure against the Human Top. Let me say that again: this page is by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer, and recreates three classic Flash encounters (you really need to click on the image, and admire it in its larger version — or, better, yet, look at the original in the store). This was one of the first pages I got when I started collecting seriously: AABC’s late, lamented Dave Brown, an art collector himself, was going to the San Diego Comicon in 2000, and talked me into letting him find me a few pages (this was before I discovered ebay). I gave him $200 and said “get me at least two cool pieces of art,” and he returned with this and a Gene Colan Daredevil page; I thought he’d accomplished his mission adroitly, and I was both delighted and hooked.

Silver-Age Flash books

Besides the art, we’ve got a number of key Flash books in the display case — and they are for sale; in addition I’ve restocked the Silver/Bronze Age boxes and regular back issue boxes with issues from that, er, run of the character, so there are a lot of books available, in a number of different price ranges. The case includes copies of Flash 107 ($140) and 109 ($150), from 1959, and numbers 111 ($100), 115 ($75) and 116 ($85) from 1960 (you can click on the issue number and price here to see a closeup of the actual book).  Other significant issues on display include #137 ($100), one of the early team-ups with the Golden Age Flash, from 1963, and #175 ($100), featuring the second Flash/Superman race in 1967 (after you click on the link to this one and get to the sales page, click on the cover itself to get a much larger version, just to admire it;  it’s a VF- copy). Finally, if you’d just like to read and have fun with the early adventures of the Flash, the first two volumes of DC’s Showcase reprint series are available on top of the same case: over 500 pages of black-and-white Silver Age goodness, covering more than 20 issues each, for less than $20.  Barry Allen’s intimately connected with the Silver Age, as the first revived and rebooted Golden Age hero, in 1956; as DC prepares for another revival, this is the perfect opportunity to check out his past.

If you are an All About Subscriber you will automatically get the #1 issue if you are already signed up for that title. Not a subscriber? Now might just be the time to sign up for our subscription service so you don’t miss out on any of these issues. Sign up HERE.

We are offering a SPECIAL SOLICITATION DISCOUNT (20% off) for anyone that wants to purchase all 52 of the #1′s. This package deal includes all 52 of the DC # 1′s, 1 @ $4.99, 3 @ $3.99 and 48 @ $2.99. Total retail = $160.48 + $14.92 tax = $175.40. Prepay at the store no later than 7/18/11, and get the entire package of the entire DC COMICS RELAUNCH for $140.00!

Want to pick and choose? Check out the full listings below (or in the JULY issue of Previews) and let us know which books you want us to hold for you. If you aren’t on subscription we can still hold these books for you if you. Just give us your name, phone number and email address.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1  Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH
RETROSOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 31 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US RATED T • Combo pack edition: $4.99 US.

Comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee make history! In a universe where super heroes are strange and new, Batman has discovered a dark evil that requires him to unite the World Greatest Heroes!  This spectacular debut issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1  Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN  Cover by AARON LOPRESTI
On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

With the growing presence of super beings around the world, the United Nations resolves to create a new group called Justice League International.  Batman, Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Vixen and Rocket Red are charged with promoting unity and trust – but can they reach that goal without killing each other first?

AQUAMAN #1  Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The superstar creators from BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY reunite to take AQUAMAN to amazing new depths!  Aquaman has renounced the throne of Atlantis – but the sea will not release Arthur Curry so easily.  Now, from a forgotten corner of the ocean emerges… The Trench! A broken race of creatures that should not exist, an unspeakable need driving them, The Trench will be the most talked-about new characters in the DC Universe!

WONDER WOMAN #1  Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The Gods walk among us. To them, our lives are playthings. Only one woman would dare to protect humanity from the wrath of such strange and powerful forces. But is she one of us – or one of them?

THE FLASH #1  Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL  Variant cover by IVAN REIS and TIM TOWNSEND  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The Fastest Man Alive returns to his own monthly series from the writer/artist team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato! The Flash knows he can’t be everywhere at once, but what happens when he faces an all-new villain who really can! As if that’s not bad enough, this villain is a close friend!

CAPTAIN ATOM #1  Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II  Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Charged by nuclear energy, possessing vast molecular powers, Captain Atom has the potential to be a literal god among men – a hero without limits. But the question is: Will he lose himself in the process?  Don’t miss the start of a legend from writer J.T. Krul (GREEN ARROW, TEEN TITANS) and artist Freddie Williams II (JSA ALL-STARS)!

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM #1  Written by ETHAN VAN SCIVER and GAIL SIMONE  Art by YILDIRAY CINAR  Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond. These two high school students are worlds apart – and now they’re drawn into a conspiracy of super-science that bonds them forever in a way they can’t explain or control. The dark secrets of the murderous Dog Team and its Firestorm Protocol force them to put aside their differences to confront a threat so terrifying that it may lead to a new Cold War! Welcome to a major new vision of nuclear terror from writers Ethan Van Sciver and Gail Simone with astonishing art by Yildiray Cinar!

GREEN ARROW #1  Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND  Cover by BRETT BOOTH and ROB HUNTER  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Green Arrow is on the hunt. Driven by inner demons, Ollie Queen travels the world and brings outlaws to justice…by breaking every law.  Now, armed with cutting-edge weaponry and illegally gained intel (courtesy of his team at QCore), Green Arrow is shooting first and asking questions later.

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1  Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art and cover by PHILIP TAN  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Carter Hall’s skill at deciphering lost languages has led him to a job with an archaeologist who specializes in alien ruins – but will the doctor’s latest discovery spread an alien plague through New York City? No matter the personal cost, Carter Hall must don his wings and become the new, savage Hawkman to survive! Witness the start of a new action series from writer Tony S. Daniel and artist Philip Tan that will take Hawkman where no hero has flown before!

MISTER TERRIFIC #1  Written by ERIC WALLACE
Art by ROGER ROBINSON  Cover by J.G. JONES  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The world’s third-smartest man – and one of its most eligible bachelors – uses his brains and fists against science gone mad in this new series from Eric Wallace (TITANS) and Roger Robinson!  Michael Holt is the head of a successful high-tech corporation and an institute that recruits and encourages the finest minds of the next generation to excel. As Mister Terrific he inhabits a world of amazement few others know exists, let alone can comprehend.

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #1  Written by PAUL JENKINS
Art by BERNARD CHANG  Cover by RYAN SOOK  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s the start of a new series spotlighting some of the DC Universes’s most exciting super heroes! First up is Deadman, straight from the pages of BRIGHTEST DAY, in a five-issue epic where the body-hopping hero meets his match in a new foe who wants to make sure the souls that Deadman helps out go straight to Hell!

ACTION COMICS #1  Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT  Cover by RAGS MORALES  Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

The one and only Grant Morrison (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN) returns to Superman, joined by sensational artist Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS), to bring you tales of The Man of Steel unlike any you’ve ever read! This extra-sized debut issue is the cornerstone of the entire DC Universe!

SUPERMAN #1  Written by GEORGE PEREZ  Breakdowns and cover by GEORGE PEREZ   Art by JESUS MERINO  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The new adventures of Superman begin here! What is The Man of Steel’s startling new status quo? How does it affect Lois Lane and The Daily Planet? There’s no time for answers now, because Superman must stop a monstrous threat to Metropolis – one that he somehow is the cause of!

SUPERBOY #1  Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by RB SILVA and ROB LEAN  Cover by ERIC CANETE  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

They thought he was just an experiment – and a failed one at that! Grown from a combination of Kryptonian and human DNA, the Clone was no more than a set of data to the scientists of Project N.O.W.H.E.R.E. But when the scope of his stunning powers was revealed, he became a deadly weapon! Now the question is: Can a clone develop a conscience?

SUPERGIRL #1  Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON
Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Meet Supergirl. She’s got the unpredictable behavior of a teenager, the same powers as Superman – and none of his affection for the people of Earth. So don’t piss her off!

BATMAN #1  Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION  Cover by GREG CAPULLO  Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Be here for the start of a new era for The Dark Knight from writer Scott Snyder (AMERICAN VAMPIRE, BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM) and artist Greg Capullo (Spawn)! A series of brutal killings hints at an ancient conspiracy, and Batman learns that Gotham City is deadlier than he knew.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1  Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN  Cover by TONY S. DANIEL  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

DC’s flagship title is relaunched for the first time ever, with new Batman adventures from acclaimed writer/ artist Tony S. Daniel!  A killer called The Gotham Ripper is on the loose on Batman’s home turf – leading The Dark Knight on a deadly game of cat and mouse.

BATWING #1  Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by BEN OLIVER  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Africa, a land of beauty – and of great horror. A land of creation and conflict. It is in desperate need of a defender, and from the ranks of Batman Incorporated comes a soldier to carry on the legacy of The Dark Knight in the most tumultuous region on Earth. Meet Batwing, the Batman of Africa!

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1  Written by DAVID FINCH
Art by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND  Cover by DAVID FINCH  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The Dark Knight struggles against a deadly – yet strangely familiar – foe in this phenomenal debut issue from superstar writer/artist David Finch (BRIGHTEST DAY, ACTION COMICS)!  As a mysterious figure slinks through the halls of Arkham Asylum, Batman must fight his way through a gauntlet of psychos, and Bruce Wayne faces the unexpected legal ramifications of Batman Incorporated!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #1  Written by PETER J. TOMASI  Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Battling evil with his son, Damian, at his side, Batman now realizes that the hardest part of the job may be trying to work together!  As Batman and Robin try to adjust to their new partnership, a figure emerges from Bruce Wayne’s past: His name is NoBody, and he’s not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil…

BATGIRL #1  Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES  Cover by ADAM HUGHES  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Yes, it’s really happening!  Barbara Gordon is back as Batgirl – and she’s going to have to face the city’s most horrifying new villains as well as the dark secrets from her past. You won’t want to miss this stunning debut issue from fan-favorite BIRDS OF PREY writer Gail Simone!

BATWOMAN #1  Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

At last! Batwoman’s new series begins, from the multiple award-winning creative team of J.H. Williams III and Haden Blackman!  In “Hydrology,” part 1 of 5, Batwoman faces deadly new challenges in her war against Gotham City’s underworld – and new trials in her life as Kate Kane.  Who or what is stealing children from the barrio, and for what vile purpose? Will Kate train her cousin, Bette Kane (a.k.a. Flamebird), as her new sidekick? How will she handle unsettling revelations about her father, Colonel Jacob Kane? And why is a certain government

NIGHTWING #1  Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art and cover by EDDY BARROWS and JP MAYER  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Dick Grayson flies high once more as Nightwing in a new series from hot new writer Kyle Higgins (BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM)! And as he embraces his destiny, Haley’s Circus, the big top where Dick once performed, returns to Gotham City – bringing with it murder, mystery and superhuman evil. Nightwing must confront his past, among former friends and enemies from his circus days, while uncovering a much greater evil!

CATWOMAN #1  Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Meet Catwoman. She’s addicted to the night. Addicted to shiny objects. Addicted to Batman. Most of all, Catwoman is addicted to danger. She can’t help herself, and the truth is – she doesn’t want to. She’s good at being bad, and very bad at being good. Find out more about what makes Catwoman tick in this new series from writer Judd Winick (BATMAN: UNDER THE HOOD) and artist Guillem March (GOTHAM CITY SIRENS)!

BIRDS OF PREY #1  Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art and cover by JESUS SAIZ  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

One is wanted for a murder she didn’t commit. The other is on the run because she knows too much. They are Dinah Laurel Lance and Ev Crawford – a.k.a. Black Canary and Starling – and together, as Gotham City’s covert ops team, they’re taking down the villains other heroes can’t touch. But now they’ve attracted the attention of a grizzled newspaper reporter who wants to expose them, as well as a creepy, chameleon-like strike team that’s out to kill them.  Don’t miss the start of this hard-hitting new series from mystery novelist/comics writer Duane Swierczynski (Expiration Date, Cable).

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #1  Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

No sooner has Batman’s former sidekick, Jason Todd, put his past as the Red Hood behind him than he finds himself cornered by a pair of modern day outlaws: Green Arrow’s rejected sidekick Arsenal, the damaged soldier of fortune, and the alien Starfire, a former prisoner of intergalactic war who won’t be chained again.  As a loner, Jason has absolutely no interest in this motley crew of outlaws. So what’s he going to do when they choose the Red Hood as their leader? Find out in this hot new series from writer Scott Lobdell (WILDC.A.T.S, Uncanny X-Men), featuring art by rising star Kenneth Rocafort (ACTION COMICS)!

GREEN LANTERN #1  Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY  Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADOVariant cover by GREG CAPULLO  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The red-hot GREEN LANTERN team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Doug Mahnke introduce an unexpected new Lantern.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1  Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN and SCOTT HANNA  Cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

When deadly conflicts emerge across the universe, it’s up to Guy Gardner, John Stewart and an elite Green Lantern strike force to keep the peace – or else.

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1  Written by TONY BEDARD  Art and cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Kyle Rayner has assembled the most powerful team in all the universe, selected from the full spectrum of corps. But can he even keep this volatile group together?

RED LANTERNS #1  Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art and cover by ED BENES and ROB HUNTER  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps return in their own series, battling against injustice in the most bloody ways imaginable!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1  Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by MIKEL JANIN  Cover by RYAN SOOK  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The witch known as The Enchantress has gone mad, unleashing forces that not even the combined powers of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg can stop. And if those heroes can’t handle the job, who will stand against this mystical madness?  Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna and John Constantine may be our only hope – but how can we put our trust in beings whose very presence makes ordinary people break out in a cold sweat?

SWAMP THING #1  Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

One of the world’s most iconic characters has returned to the heart of the DC Universe, and every step he takes will shake the foundations of the Earth!  Alec Holland has his life back…but the Green has plans for it. A monstrous evil is rising in the desert, and it’ll take a monster of another kind to defend life as we know it!

ANIMAL MAN #1  Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by TRAVEL FOREMAN and DAN GREEN  Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Buddy Baker has gone from “super” man to family man – but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? Find out in this dramatic new series from writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Travel Foreman (The Immortal Iron Fist).

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #1Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI  Cover by J.G. JONES  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s Frankenstein as you’ve never seen him before, in a dark new series from acclaimed writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Alberto Ponticelli (UNKNOWN SOLDIER)!  Frankenstein is part of a network of strange beings who work for an even stranger government organization: The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive! But can he protect the world from threats even more horrifying than himself? And since he’s vilified for who and what he is, will he even want to take on this mission?

I, VAMPIRE #1  Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
Art by ANDREA SORRENTINO  Cover by JENNY FRISON  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

For hundreds of years, vampire Andrew Stanton kept mankind safe from the horrors of the supernatural world, thanks to a truce he made with his ex-lover Mary, the Queen of the Damned. But now that truce has reached a bloody end and Andrew must do everything in his power to stop Mary and her dark forces from going on a killing spree – and she plans to start with the heroes of the DCU!

RESURRECTION MAN #1  Written by DAN ABNETT and ANDY LANNING
Art by FERNANDO DAGNINO  Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

It’s the return of Mitch Shelly – and he’s still dead.  Resurrection Man can’t stay dead for long, though – and with each rebirth comes new and unexpected powers. But his many returns have not gone unnoticed, and forces are gathering to learn what’s so special about him – and to see which of them will finally stop Resurrection Man dead.

DEMON KNIGHTS #1  Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT  Cover by TONY S. DANIELOn sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Set in the Dark Ages of the DC Universe, a barbarian horde is massing to crush civilization. It’s fallen to Madame Xanadu and Jason Blood, the man with a monster inside him, to stand in their way – though the demon Etrigan has no interest in protecting anyone or anything other than himself! It’ll take more than their own power to stop an army fueled by bloodlust and dark sorcery, and some very surprising heroes – and villains – will have no choice but to join the fray!

STORMWATCH #1  Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

They are Stormwatch, a dangerous super human police force whose existence is kept secret from the world Directly following the ominous events of SUPERMAN #1, Adam One leads half the Stormwatch team to recover the [INFORMATION REDACTED] from deep in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, Jack Hawksmoor and the rest of the Stormwatch crew look to recruit two of the deadliest super humans on the planet: Midnighter and Apollo! And if they say no? Perhaps the Martian Manhunter can change their minds…

VOODOO #1  Written by RON MARZ
Art and cover by SAMI BASRI  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Who is Voodoo? Is she hero, villain – or both? Learn the truth about Priscilla Kitaen as she leaves a trail of violence across America. Discover the new DCU through her eyes, because the things she sees are not always what they seem…

GRIFTER #1  Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON
Art by CAFU  Cover by CAFU and BIT On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The DCU’s most wanted man stars in his own series! Cole Cash is a charming grifter few can resist. And yet he’s about to be branded a serial killer when he begins hunting and exterminating inhuman creatures hidden in human form – creatures only he can see!  Can the biggest sweet talker of all time talk his way out of this one when even his brother thinks he’s gone over the edge?

DEATHSTROKE #1  Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT  Cover by SIMON BISLEY  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

“Friends die, family disappoints, but a legacy… That lives forever.”  Slade Wilson is the best mercenary in the DCU, and he’s been doing this a long time. Some might say too long. But they’ll learn: Never turn your back on Deathstroke the Terminator. He won’t quit, no matter how high the stakes. Kyle Higgins (BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM) and Joe Bennett (TEEN TITANS) team up to bring you the finest in mayhem and gore.

SUICIDE SQUAD #1Written by ADAM GLASS
Art by MARCO RUDY Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

They’re a team of death-row super villains recruited by the government to take on missions so dangerous – they’re sheer suicide!  Harley Quinn! Deadshot! King Shark! Defeated and imprisoned, they’re being interrogated about their mission – and about who’s pulling the strings behind this illegal operation. Who will be the first to crack under the pressure?

O.M.A.C. #1  Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN
Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The all-seeing Brother Eye satellite has unleashed a new beast upon the DC Universe in this smashing new series! Kevin Kho has become an unwilling participant in a war between Checkmate and Brother Eye as he is transformed into the One Machine Army Corp known only as O.M.A.C.!

BLACKHAWKS #1  Written by MIKE COSTA
Art and cover by KEN LASHLEY  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Welcome to a world waging a new kind of war that’s faster and more brutal than ever before. It’s fought by those who would make the innocent their targets, using computers, smart weapons and laser-guided missiles. The new enemy is hard to find – and closer to home than we think.  Between us and them stand the Blackhawks, an elite force of military specialists equipped with the latest in cutting-edge hardware and vehicles. Their mission: Kill the bad guys before they kill us.

MEN OF WAR #1  Written by IVAN BRANDON
Art by TOM DERENICK  Cover by VIKTOR KALVACHEV  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

On the ground and on the front lines, a young, headstrong soldier known as Joe Rock assumes command of Easy Company – a team of ex-military men turned contractors. Will they survive the battle-scarred landscape carved by the DCU’s Super-Villains? Find out in this explosive new series from Ivan Brandon (Viking, DOC SAVAGE) and Tom Derenick (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA)!

ALL-STAR WESTERN #1  Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art and cover by MORITAT  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

Even when Gotham City was just a one-horse town, crime was rampant – and things only get worse when bounty hunter Jonah Hex comes to town. Can Amadeus Arkham, a pioneer in criminal psychology, enlist Hex’s special brand of justice to help the Gotham Police Department track down a vicious serial killer? Find out in this new series from HEX writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, with lush artwork by Moritat (THE SPIRIT)!

TEEN TITANS #1  Written by SCOTT LOBDELL  Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND  On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Tim Drake, Batman’s former sidekick, is back in action when an international organization seeks to capture, kill or co-opt super-powered teenagers.  As Red Robin, he’s going to have to team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and the hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash to stand any chance at all against a living, breathing weapon with roots in another world! They – along with a few other tortured teen heroes – will be the Teen Titans in this new series from writer Scott Lobdell (WILDC.A.T.S, Uncanny X-Men) and artist Brett Booth (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA)!

STATIC SHOCK #1  Written by SCOTT McDANIEL and JOHN ROZUM
Art and cover by SCOTT McDANIEL and  JONATHAN GLAPION  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The brilliant, slightly awkward high school student Virgil Hawkins transforms into the cocky electromagnetic hero Static!  A mysterious tragedy forces the Hawkins family to relocate from Dakota to New York City! Virgil embarks upon new adventures in a new high school and a new internship at S.T.A.R. Labs!  As Static, he dons a new uniform and establishes a new secret headquarters! But is he ready to take on the new villains who lurk in New York City’s underworld?

HAWK AND DOVE #1  Written by STERLING GATES
Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD  On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Hank Hall is not happy. He’s not happy to have Dawn Granger as a new partner in his war on crime. He’s not happy that she’s dating the ghostly Super Hero, Deadman. He’s not happy to learn that someone is trying to plunge the United States into a new civil war! Now it’s up to Hawk and Dove to root out the forces behind this conflict and stop them before they turn the U.S. into a wasteland!  And who is the monster lurking in the shadows, watching Hawk and Dove from afar? Find out in this new series from Sterling Gates (FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST) and artist Rob Liefeld (X-Force, Youngblood)!

BLUE BEETLE #1  Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by IG GUARA and RUY JOSE  Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and SAL REGLA  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s not easy being Jaime Reyes. He has to deal with high school, family and all the drama that comes with being a teenager. Also, he’s linked to a powerful scarab created by an alien race known as the Reach who seek to subjugate planets – or annihilate them. It’s up to one teen hero to turn this instrument of destruction into a force for good.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1  Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by FRANCIS PORTELA  Cover by KARL KERSCHL  On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The Legion of Super-Heroes has been decimated by the worst disaster in its history. Now, the students of the Legion Academy must rise to the challenge of helping the team rebuild – but a threat of almost unstoppable power is rising at the edge of Dominator space, and if the new recruits fail, the Legion Espionage Squad may be the first casualties in a war that could split worlds in half!

LEGION LOST #1  Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art and cover by PETE WOODS  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Seven heroes from the 31st century have traveled back to the present day. Their mission: Save their future from annihilation. But when the future tech they brought with them fails, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish world that, for them, is the ultimate struggle to survive!  Don’t miss the start of this all-new LEGION series illustrated by Pete Woods – fresh off his spectacular run on ACTION COMICS – who is joined by writer Fabian Nicieza (RED ROBIN)!

LEGION LOST #1  Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art and cover by PETE WOODS  On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Seven heroes from the 31st century have traveled back to the present day. Their mission: Save their future from annihilation. But when the future tech they brought with them fails, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish world that, for them, is the ultimate struggle to survive!  Don’t miss the start of this all-new LEGION series illustrated by Pete Woods – fresh off his spectacular run on ACTION COMICS – who is joined by writer Fabian Nicieza (RED ROBIN)!