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Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! There are a lot of penultimate issues this week (plus one that was supposed to be penultimate but ended up just being the end). Once more a reminder for the big shakeup at DC coming in a month. If nothing else, it’ll offer a fresh new start for both new readers as well as those who have grown weary of the current lineup. Until then, let’s look at what’s out this week.

Upcoming Comics

Batman and Robin #13

Batman, Robin, and Bane must escape Dinosaur Island. But they are not alone! A dangerous presence has taken over and won’t let anyone leave the island alive! Can the father and son dynamic duo return to Gotham or will this be their last adventure together?!

Written By: Joshua Williamson
Penciled By: Juan E. Ferreyra
Inks By: Juan E. Ferreyra
Colors By: Juan E. Ferreyra
Cover By: Simone Di Meo

Thoughts: I guess if you’re going to end your run, giant dinosaurs aren’t a bad way to do it.

Batman News Critic: Chris

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #4

In its search for ancient relics, the League of Assassins encounters the new bearer of the jade ring of Jong Li: Alan Scott! Meanwhile, in Metropolis, passionate reporter Lois Lane sets out for Kansas to investigate the robber baron looking to buy the Daily Planet…Lex Luthor!

Written By: Andy Diggle
Penciled By: Leandro Fernandez
Inks By: Leandro Fernandez
Colors By: Dave Stewart, Matt Hollingsworth
Cover By: Leandro Fernandez, Dave Stewart, Matt Hollingsworth

Thoughts: Using the setting as an excuse to bring back golden age heroes is a fun idea.

Batman News Critic: Chip

From the DC Vault: Death in the Family: Robin Lives! #3

Over 30 years ago, history was made when fans voted to kill the second Robin, Jason Todd. Now, DC continues the alternate story of what would have happened if he had lived…Jason Todd has escaped from the Dev Institute and is on the hunt for revenge—but when Robin finally finds the Joker, revenge transforms to tragedy…and madness! Meanwhile, Batman’s encounter with Mother Grimm and her army of lost children has the Dark Knight questioning both his past and his purpose: Is he Gotham’s savior or the city’s worst nightmare? Rescuing Jason is the only way to find the answer…and Nightwing is there to help him!

Written By: J.M. DeMatteis
Penciled By: Rick Leonardi
Inks By: Rick Leonardi
Colors By: Rico Renzi
Cover By: Rick Leonardi, Rico Renzi

Thoughts: I trust DeMatteis, but seeing “is Batman actually worse for Gotham?” relitigated for the hundredth time has me a bit apprehensive

Batman News Critic: Chip

Batman ’89 #4: Echoes

Things are heating up around Gotham as Drake struggles to cover the whole city while Dr. Crane and Dr. Quinzel’s methods begin to endanger it even more! Can Batman find his way back, or will he be lost to his fear for good?!

Written By: Sam Hamm
Penciled By: Joe Quinones
Inks By: Joe Quinones
Colors By: Leonardo Ito
Cover By: Joe Quinones

Thoughts: I wonder if it’s not breaking the premise of the series a bit to use the Batman Beyond design that came out almost a decade after the movie world this is supposed to be set in.

Batman News Critic: Akash

DC vs Vampires: World War V #2

The peace between vampires and heroes is wearing thin. Lois Lane will try and negotiate a way to maintain a truce, but with Damian’s relentless attacks on the vampire queen and her armies, the only thing that might be able to bring them together is a…Miracle.

Written By: Matthew Rosenberg, Tyler Boss
Penciled By: Tyler Boss, Otto Schmidt
Inks By: Tyler Boss, Otto Schmidt
Colors By: Pierluigi Casolino, Miquel Muerto
Cover By: Otto Schmidt

Thoughts: Based on Akash’s review from last month, this seems to be a good pick if you want something really over the top this Halloween season

Batman News Critic: Akash

Absolute Power: Task Force VII #6

Amanda Waller comes for the Amazons after they assist the heroes in their battle for survival! Will her weapon with the powers of the beloved champion of the island of Themyscira be able to unlock its secrets? Or will Queen Nubia and her sisters-in-arms send this robot straight to the Underworld?

Written By: Stephanie Williams
Penciled By: Khary Randolph
Inks By: Khary Randolph
Colors By: Alex Guimarães
Cover By: Pete Woods

Thoughts: “And for the Amazons, we’ve constructed a curvy robot with hips and a snatched waist”

Batman News Critic: Aaron

Outsiders #11

REALITY ITSELF HANGS IN THE BALANCE!

It’s the finale you’ve all been waiting for, and our heroes enter the eye of the storm! The pages of reality have become torn and frayed, but will they burn away? Luke, Kate, and Drummer must face the past, present, and future as an unexpected force threatens to erase them all!

Written By: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Penciled By: Robert Carey
Inks By: Robert Carey
Colors By: Valentina Taddeo
Cover By: Roger Cruz

Thoughts: Well it’s finally ending. This title seems to be so forgotten that not only was it cut from 12 issues to 11, but I didn’t even see it listed on Amazon (which is where I usually grab the solicit data from)

Batman News Critic: Aaron

Beyond the Bat

Welcome to Beyond the Bat, where we take a quick look at the rest of DC’s comics coming out this week.

Graphic Novel Watch

Sometimes you need more than floppies. Sometimes you want something that can sit nicely on your shelf that proudly displays your favorite stories. That’s when you turn to graphic novels. Let’s see what bat collections are coming out this week:

Ratings

Most Excited: From the DC Vault: Death in the Family: Robin Lives! #3– This title has been an interesting look at what could have been (even if it handles the hypothetical far differently than 1988 would)

Least Excited: Outsiders #11– Clearly I’m not alone if it wasn’t even able to make it to the 12 issues it was originally solicited for.

Wild Card: Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #4– It’s a unique enough setting that there’s always fertile ground for neat ideas

Well that’s it for this week! Let us know in the comments what comics you’re looking forward to.

“}]] Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! There are a lot of penultimate issues this week (plus one that was supposed to be penultimate but ended…  Read More