A Guide To DC All-In’s New Wave of Comics

DC All-In is one of the most promising new initiatives put out by a comic company recently, alongside projects such as Image’s Energon Universe. DC Comics seems to be locking in to provide fans with a stellar experience in the back half of the year, from their newly collected edition formats like Compact Comics and DC Finest to the upcoming Absolute Comics universe. It’s also the perfect jumping-on point for readers of all types, whether new ones curious about DC or older fans waiting to catch up on what’s happening in the DCU.

July was a month chock-full of updates about what All-In would entail, as DC Comics revealed new creative teams on existing series like Detective Comics and Nightwing, entirely new titles like Justice League Unlimited or The New Gods, and Absolute Comics’s official premise after half a year of speculation. DC seems to be keeping the momentum flowing with the latest round of solicits posted on August 16th, containing all the material that would be part of their November lineup of comics. From the second issues of the Absolute Comic series to all new ongoings and miniseries, DC appears to be all-in for a bright new era.

Absolute Comics is DC’s answer to the success of Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe. In this alternate universe, the company’s premier heroes keep their emotional cores intact while being stripped of their most defining external traits— Superman doesn’t have the Kent family or Lois Lane, Batman doesn’t have his wealth and resources, and Wonder Woman doesn’t have her sisterhood and mission of peace. It’s an all-around fascinating setup, and more heroes like Flash and Green Lantern are due to get their titles properly unveiled soon after their very brief announcements at SDCC.

November promises the first issue of Absolute Superman, the details of which are still left vague, and the second issues of Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman. These provide a hint of more information to readers, with fascinating teases of the differences of this new world enticing fans. Alfred Pennyworth, an MI6 agent tracking down the mysterious Batman, will be the POV character for Absolute Batman, allowing readers to witness this new version of Gotham through fresh eyes. Absolute Wonder Woman also seems to be following up on its promise of having Diana be the first proper “superhero” of this world, with the Princess of the Underworld making her public debut fighting a hellish monster in Gateway City.

The Question Returns To DC With Her First Solo In Years

The Question has been in limbo for years, with the character’s most recent series concluding in 2020 and their last ongoing ending in 1990. There’s also the matter of two Questions running amok— Vic Sage and Renee Montoya— and their sharing of the spotlight, with many unsure if the former is even alive or not. Renee is a character who went through a rough patch in recent years, randomly becoming a vigilante-hating police officer and even the Police Commissioner of Gotham City, who swore off her alter ego.

However, it seems Renee is back as the Question once more in November’s The Question: All Along The Watchtower #1. Renee is returning to her previous mantle in an interesting new costume that feels truly distinct and entirely her own. It looks more like a sheriff’s or bounty hunter’s outfit than a classic sort of detective, which is a nice change of pace— especially as Renee may occupy a similar role during the events of All Along The Watchtower.

Perhaps the most enticing aspect of the comic is its pitch, in which The Question will be investigating a murder that occurred on the Watchtower. With the Justice League returning to its iconic base in Justice League Unlimited, it makes sense why the team would want the entire facility to be secure and why someone of Renee’s caliber would be brought to the Watchtower to ensure such a thing.

Writer Alex Segura is just as excited as fans are about this project. He promises that the comic—slated to be an ongoing, surprisingly—will be a healthy mix of noir and detective stories from DC and elsewhere. He cited Greg Rucka and Dennis O’Neil’s previous works on the Question mantle, Sherlock Holmes stories, the Knives Out films, and novels written by greats such as Agatha Christie and Walter Mosley as inspirations, which makes All Along The Watchtower sound all the more engaging.

Despite the mantle of Batgirl originally debuting in 1961 with Bette (originally Betty) Kane in the role, it wasn’t until 2000 that a Batgirl solo series would be published. But this run wouldn’t focus on Barbara Gordon, the most iconic Batgirl, who was Oracle at the time. Instead, it was all about Cassandra Cain, a new character who had joined the Bat Family in the iconic No Man’s Land event.

Cassandra was a fan-favorite member of the Bat Family due to her tragic past, compelling inner conflict, and striking design, leading to her original run lasting over 70 issues. Since then, she’s sporadically appeared as a side character in many runs and shared the spotlight of the Batgirl mantle with Stephanie Brown in 2021’s Batgirls. However, November seems to be an exciting time for the character, as a new ongoing all about her is slated for release.

Its first arc appears to be starting off with a bang, with Cassandra being targeted by assassins and saved by an unlikely ally: her mother, Lady Shiva. From then on, the estranged mother/daughter duo will embark on an adventure filled with mystery and martial arts. The main reason why this series seems so fascinating is because the two have an incredibly complex relationship, so the move to have them work together so soon into a new series was an ingenious one.

This is especially true when one considers that Takeshi Miyazawa’s style, the artist for the new Batgirl title, is generally warm and eclectic, perfect for the dynamic combat and emotions promised in the book. Overall, the series seems to be a promising return to form for Cassandra Cain and will hopefully run for as longas possible.

Black Canary Is Out To Prove Who’s The Best Of The Best

Tom King has been on a roll with his recent titles with DC, with Wonder Woman and The Human Target as critically acclaimed books with Eisner buzz for each. Recently, the award-winning author teased the announcement of a passion project that had been in development for a few years, with fans initially assuming it was a Wonder Woman spin-off about the character Trinity. However, it was revealed to be a miniseries about none other than Black Canary, with Ryan Sook on art. The choice was interesting, as Canary is typically associated with Birds of Prey and hasn’t had a solo series since the end of the New 52.

But King seems to be ready to serve with Black Canary: Best of the Best, a new mini all about Dinah Lance with a premise that pays homage to the character’s roots as a fighter. Within the comic pages, Dinah is preparing for the fight of her life against the fearsome Lady Shiva. It’s currently a mystery as to why the two will be coming to blows— though if readers keep their past in mind from Gail Simone’s legendary run on Birds of Prey, they have long-lasting respect for one another that may be contested in Best of the Best.

Whatever the motives behind this daunting fight, Dinah will seek training from some of DC’s best fighters, such as Wildcat, Batman, and the original Black Canary— her mother, Dinah Drake. Sook’s art will also likely provide a brutal experience, with the ability to make readers feel the impact of whatever punch or kick is thrown in the comic.

Black Lightning And His Family Are Returning To The Spotlight

Despite having a four-season TV show on the CW and a leading role in series like The Outsiders, Black Lightning is a character who’s woefully underappreciated today. This also applies to the character’s family and general supporting cast, despite many of them being superpowered individuals themselves.

All that is due to change in November, though, with the start of the first Black Lightning series in over six years. While it is, unfortunately, a five-issue miniseries— something that could be changed with good sales, as was the case with the recent Poison Ivy and Green Arrow series when they got upgraded from miniseries to ongoings with no signs of cancellation— it feels like a step in the right direction for those who are fans of Jefferson Pierce and his family.

The series’ story also seems to have a gripping hook: a self-proclaimed “culture war” between ordinary people and metahumans breaking out in the Southside Heights (formerly known as the Suicide Slums) of Metropolis as more and more people appear to become “infected” with new powers. Black Lightning seems to be addressing the fallout of the Absolute Power event and the public’s feelings towards metahumans after Amanda Waller’s constant insistence that those with superpowers could not be trusted in any way. Combining this premise with Jefferson’s abilities as a teacher assisting him in dealing with the newly superpowered and his family’s presence, Black Lightning seems to have the makings of a great series if it can grow past its initial five issues.

DC All-In’s second wave of solicits continues to showcase the jumping-on-point focus of the company’s latest initiative, and the new series seems primed to reward long-time fans of the characters while also giving new readers a chance to start enjoying characters they might have only briefly seen in other media or comics.