DC Comics Solicitations for August 2018

[Lee Stone]

Titans are too influenced by the Justice League event of which I do not care at all.

I think Titans being influenced by the JL event is to give the team the one thing that most people complained that they didn't have.
It will probably move to the background after the initial story.

[Truman Burbank]

So happy Super Sons is back. Don't see the point in relaunching it though. Maybe they wanted a cut-off or jumping-on point to separate the Rebirth and Bendis eras?

It's happening so that DC can have its cake and eat it too. It's not being said because they want the "mystery" to push sales of Man of Steel, but it's largely expected that Bendis is going to sideline Lois Lane and Jon Kent for the foreseeable future by sending them off Earth. So, since you can't have a "now" series with Jon and Damian if they aren't in the same place, this Super Sons series is a "flashback" series set in a specific moment before Bendis takes Lois and Jon away.

[Fuzzy Barbarian]

Wow, finally. Seriously, why were they late this month? Not too big a month for me; but that's excluding the mountains of trades I'm apparently going to be getting!

Also, wow, CBR sucks at posting these now. Double-posting on one pages, splitting solicitations into two pages, and now also not even capitalising dot points and sometimes splitting a single paragraph. C'mon, guys. you are just copy and pasting.

Definitely:
ACTION COMICS #1002
BATMAN #52
BATMAN #53
DETECTIVE COMICS #986 - Unless it really sucks, because I like Hill and feel like this could lead to an Outsiders ongoing, which I'd love from Hill. Also, jsut realised how close we are to Detective Comics #1000, though a lot of the creators that I think DC will get to work on it, based on their current writers, I'm not a fan of.
DETECTIVE COMICS #987
JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 - Wait... TYNION?! UGH! Can Snyder not even resist pawning his work off onto Tynion, even when it's JUSTICE LEAGUE?! I was willing to give Snyder a chance, even though his overall output has been a VERY mixed bag, but Tynion? If this happens too often, I'm out. No Kendra or MArtian Manhunter can keep me around.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #6
SUPERMAN #2 - Better not be Rogal Zar (or however you spell it). Who else is even in there? Didn't Zod's family get out ages ago? Unless... the GLs put them back in? Maybe it's Cyborg Superman not finding peace like Clark wanted him to? Clark DID put him in there for peace, right? Or was that someone/somwhere else?
THE TERRIFICS #7 - Hey, Dale Eaglesham works well with some more classic-lookign stuff, so hey, let him have a go at Tom Strong. Why not?

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (DC MODERN CLASSICS EDITION) HC - Like the format. Plus, I still don't own a physical copy of The Dark Knight Returns, partly because I've been trying to decide what verison to get, since I want a decent quality one. This will probably do!
BATMAN: PRELUDE TO KNIGHTFALL TP - Haven't ever really read the main Knightfall stuff; was gonna eventually get the omnibi, but one has a misprint. Plus, just kinda not in the mood for more omnibi.
BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL VOL. 1: THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION TP
BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL VOL. 2: THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION TP
BATMAN: KNIGHTQUEST: THE CRUSADE VOL. 1 TP
BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM: THE DELUXE EDITION HC
THE FLASH VOL. 7: PERFECT STORM TP - Relatively good story, and great Wally stuff. Barry... is there. And kind of a dick. But whatever, at least he has a personality in this story.
IMPULSE BY MARK WAID AND HUMBERTO RAMOS OMNIBUS HC - Wow! Who was expecting THIS?! I mean, I thought we were gonna, probably, get thick trades, but an omnibus?! Like, Tim Drake, the first Robin with an ongoing, one that was only caBncelled because he changed his name, doesn't get one, Chuck Dixon's Nightwing (in a similar situation to Tim) doesn't get one, but Bart does?! Not sure how well this will do, but... okay! I'll get it! Not exactly a big Impulse fan, but I like my 90s Flash, so I'll give it a go I've only read up to, like, issue 2 or 3, and the issues that were part of The Flash's crossovers, but I'm kinda excited! I mean, it MUST be good, right? Also, there's no way Bart's return isn't at least given some HEAVY, OUTRIGHT (as in not just statues and his costume) foreshadowing in Flash War or a bit after, right?
SUPER SONS VOL. 3: PARENT TRAP TP
TITANS BOOK ONE: TOGETHER FOREVER TP - Lol, I love that this "Together Forever" is immediately followed up on with "Titans Apart". Also, I know this run started off iffy, but... maybe it improved? Also, why does the solicitation leave out Wally? If you don't wanna call him The Flash for whatever dumb reason, at least call him Wally West and put his name in the solicitation! Unless he bails early in the story? Because he's definitely IN IT to a degree, and I know he shows up in his post-Flash: Rebirth suit before Deathstroke and Eric Wallace screw over the series. Also, why this series of all series to be collected? I GUESS it kinda ties in with Abnett's Titans run's new status quo? But... eh? It's already collected and there's no big demand for a reprint. What about the 90s Titans series? That thing has NEVER been reprinted!


Maybe:
PEARL #1 - Curious what passes for an original idea to Bendis. Plus, who knows, might be good.
CATWOMAN #2 - Depending on the first issue. Not keen on the new costume, which looks like a bad mishmash of the Balent and Cooke costumes... with randomly exposed armpits. I get that maybe some people felt like it was time for a change with Selina, but... um... maybe something else? I don't really like the Balent costume, but overall it at least feels more like a cohesive whole than... this.
THE FLASH #52 - Where's Wally?! He can't be dead, because, well, just no, and it doesn't seem like Barry is emoing out. Unless the cover and solicitation are kinda lying, which wouldn't be a first for The Flash this year. Looking at you, "Iris' condition worsens" line! Surprised Sanctuary hasn't been announced, given that it seems like he'll be there. I don't know, maybe he's in the timestream or future or something until his rumoured ongoing.
THE FLASH #53
HAWKMAN #3 - If it's a light week. Maybe. Possibly. Not really a Venditti or Hawkman fan; only Hawkpeople I really care about are Shayera Thal and pre-Flashpoint Kendra Saunders.
TITANS #24 - If I feel like giving Abnett another chance. Still don't trust him with Donna though. Also, feel like someone else should be leader, not Dick, who probably shouldn't even be on the team. but hey, he's popular and an easy choice.

ACTION COMICS #1000: THE DELUXE EDITION HC - Huh. Um... maybe? For the sake of having it? even though I have all the base covers AND a store exclusive one? But seriously, maybe. Even though the issue was kind of a letdown.
BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOL. 7: BATMEN ETERNAL TP - Haven't read it, but feels kinda important? Kinda? I think this has Brother Eye giving us fanservice by referencing Cass and Steph being Batgirl?
BATMAN: PRELUDES TO THE WEDDING TP - Depends if they're good or not.
NIGHTWING VOL. 6: THE UNTOUCHABLE TP - Okay, I like Jorge Jimenez's art, but Dick's Robin hair... yeah, no. But yeah, haven't really read this run (believe I read the first issue), and I'm craving some non-Seeley Nightwing stuff..
WATCHMEN (DC MODERN CLASSICS EDITION) HC - Still kinda wanna get the slipcase with the individual issues in hardcover, but this could be an alternative... if I knew what it looked like!

[Fuzzy Barbarian]

Random thoughts:

Glad Super Sons gets another series, even if it's just a mini. Though the "past" stories thing... so either this is to further Bendis' whole mystery with Lois and Jon (which I thought was ending with The Man of Steel) or because Johns is gonna reveal taht Dr. Manhattan is Jon. Just... c'mon, DC! You have a good thing with Jon! Don't throw it away! The Superman line was FINALLY in a good place! Ugh!

There's just something wrong about Manga Batman's face.

Every time I see Kelley Jones' art these days... ugh.

Glad Supergirl is finally getting a new writer (though I'm not keen on the costume), but I really don't think The Man of Steel's villain is gonna be interesting. At all.

The Aquaman/Suicide Squad crossover that nobody asked for! And seriously, I question how the Squad can be used against the JL after JL vs. SS, even with the dumb "sometimes we need the Squad" crap.

Jack Ryder's a "total costume Creeper"? Um... he's weird, but I wouldn't go THAT far :P

It made me laugh that we got two straight covers of Bruce being beaten up. I don't know why.

So.... are DC just not doing anything special for issue #52 of their series? Not gonna lie, kinda expected them to, especially with The Flash -- figured this would be where they end it and split it into The Flash: Barry Allen and The Flash: Wally West or something similar.

Wait... why is Bruce vs. Jason 25 years in the making? Jason didn't come back in 1993... he wasn't even created in 1993, pre or post-Crisis... he didn't even die in 1993... Tim wasn't even introduced or take up the Robin mantle in 1993. So is Jason meant to be 25? ARE WE SEEING SOMEONE ACTUALLY SPECIFY THE AGE OF AN ADULT BAT-CHARACTER POST-FLASHPOINT?! This is weird.

Oh hey, is that what the character from The Silencer (is that her name?) looks like now? Defs an improvement, though that might be down to the lack of JRJR art.

Huh. I guess it's nice that Orlando is having Diana interact with Artemis, but... um... Donna should probably appear in the Wonder Woman comic and have her origin cleared up. Actually, Diana's needs clearing up too. Is the New 52 stuff still canon or not?! Thanks, Robinson.

Gates of Gotham in OHC? Really? It's not exactly amazing or anything... but whatever. Snyder's a big seller now.

[Uncanny Mutie]

Two things:

1.) I know Morrison is taking over a GL book, but how the HECK are they cancelling Hal and the GLC and NOT Green Lanterns...?!?

2.) Why was Supergirl basically cancelled at issue #20, only to be revived a few months later and closely tied to what Bendis is doing in MoS, Action, and Superman? Just relaunch her book at #1, if that's the case...

[Sam]

Two things:

1.) I know Morrison is taking over a GL book, but how the HECK are they cancelling Hal and the GLC and NOT Green Lanterns...?!?

Because if the rumors are true, the Morrison Green Lantern book will star Hal Jordan, hence they are cancelling the current Hal Jordan book.

2.) Why was Supergirl basically cancelled at issue #20, only to be revived a few months later and closely tied to what Bendis is doing in MoS, Action, and Superman? Just relaunch her book at #1, if that's the case...

I mean, they did the same thing with Titans and Teen Titans. Not sure why, but it is what it is.

[Restingvoice]

I think Titans being influenced by the JL event is to give the team the one thing that most people complained that they didn't have.

What did they not have?

[Digifiend]

Cyborg was also cancelled and brought back a few months later.

[Spiderboy12]

Is that what the actual whole relaunch is? Just Sandman?

The Sandman Universe one-shot is supposed to launch four ongoing titles: The Dreaming, Books of Magic, House of Whispers, and Lucifer. I had hoped one or more titles would also start in August, but evidently they won't start until September at the earliest.

Although the Sandman Universe titles are clearly meant to be part of the Vertigo relaunch, I was never under the impression that it was exclusively the Sandman Universe titles. What I do know is that last October, DC made a lot of noise about relaunching Vertigo come August. Scott Snyder has said the next phase of American Vampire would be part of that. What else may be coming, I have no idea.

I just expected a bit more than one comic for the long-promised "relaunch" of Vertigo this August. I guess we'll see what else is coming down the pike in the months ahead.

[Uncanny Mutie]

Cyborg was also cancelled and brought back a few months later.

...and it clearly should have STAYED cancelled.

[Uncanny Mutie]

Because if the rumors are true, the Morrison Green Lantern book will star Hal Jordan, hence they are cancelling the current Hal Jordan book.

Well, I know that, but that makes it weird that Simon and Jess will continue their already low selling book when John Stewart will clearly be on Earth as a JL member, and a new GLC book without Hal is almost a certainty. That seems weird to me, like Simon are Jess won't really have a unique niche anymore but their book will be editorially mandated to continue, because it ticks a bunch of "diversity boxes." Not there's anything wrong at all with having diverse characters, but I can't think of any other reason to keep them going in their own book and not shake them up or just fold them into a Green Lanterns Corps book (maybe Green Lanterns will turn into more of a GLC book)?

I mean, they did the same thing with Titans and Teen Titans. Not sure why, but it is what it is.

Teen Titans and especially Titans are pretty much keeping the same creative teams, though, even though their rosters are changing some, are they not? I know I saw solicitations for a new Titans issue somewhere after the shakeup where the creative team was STILL Dan Abnett and Paul Pellitier, and I thought to myself, "Well then, what's the POINT?!? Pass..."

[Lee Stone]

What did they not have?

According to some, they needed a 'mission statement'. This should solve that problem.
Then the writers can let it fade to the background so they can focus on the stories again.

[KC]

Some thoughts:

-I am so glad that Barry is going to continue to be the Flash in the main Flash book. Also, no Wally 1 means I might pick this book back-up again. Barry meeting the other Flashes from the multiverse is such a cool idea.
- I am happy that Supergirl is continuing. The plot looks good so far and this is definitely a book that I will be reading.
- Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps has been one of the best books of Rebirth in my opinion, so I am sad to see it end. The next Green Lantern writer needs to be good and they need to have a great pitch to make me buy the book.

[Assam]

Well, I know that, but that makes it weird that Simon and Jess will continue their already low selling book when John Stewart will clearly be on Earth as a JL member, and a new GLC book without Hal is almost a certainty. That seems weird to me, like Simon are Jess won't really have a unique niche anymore but their book will be editorially mandated to continue, because it ticks a bunch of "diversity boxes." Not there's anything wrong at all with having diverse characters, but I can't think of any other reason to keep them going in their own book and not shake them up or just fold them into a Green Lanterns Corps book (maybe Green Lanterns will turn into more of a GLC book)?

Hal N' Pals only sells a few thousand more than GLs and while GLs is inching closer towards being one of DC's lower selling books with all the cancellations that have been going on, it still does better than the likes of Green Arrow and Aquaman.

That said, while it's possible they'll keep the book around for some more time, for the sake of a sales boost and Guy and Kyle needing a home, if Hal does end up getting a solo 'Green Lantern' book, I see GLs being cancelled and replaced with a new 'Green Lantern Corps' book, starring Guy, Kyle, Simon and maybe Jessica and/or John, who both have other comes already confirmed.

[Uncanny Mutie]

Hal N' Pals only sells a few thousand more than GLs and while GLs is inching closer towards being one of DC's lower selling books with all the cancellations that have been going on, it still does better than the likes of Green Arrow and Aquaman.

That said, while it's possible they'll keep the book around for some more time, for the sake of a sales boost and Guy and Kyle needing a home, if Hal does end up getting a solo 'Green Lantern' book, I see GLs being cancelled and replaced with a new 'Green Lantern Corps' book, starring Guy, Kyle, Simon and maybe Jessica and/or John, who both have other comes already confirmed.

That's what I was getting at. It would make more sense to me to just launch the new GLC book at the same time as the new Morrison written Hal Jordan solo, though. So maybe they are just letting Green Lanterns ride out for another handful of issues to tie up lost Green Lantern franchise strings until Grant Morrison's new Hal solo book is ready. Just a guess. If not, though, it makes zero sense to keep Green Lanterns going.