Upcoming Comics August 7, 2024

Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! The night is darkest just before the dawn, so last week's pittance of comics is now followed by a veritable deluge of bat books. Let's take a look:

Upcoming Comics

Gotham City Sirens #1

When a violent and highly illegal energy drink-sponsored hunting operation threatens the lives of wildlife and the residents of Gotham City alike, the only ones fit to save the day are the criminal trio of Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. Back together again for the first time in years. Sometimes the only way to fight bad is with even worse! With special appearances by White Rabbit, Punchline, and introducing the himbo cowboy henchmen sensation soon to be sweeping the nation known as “The Nasty Boys!” Get your chaps, spurs, and hats out cause it’s hunting season! By the end of story you’ll be covered in guts, goo, and grit! Featuring the talents of Leah Williams, Matteo Lolli, Daniel Hillyard, and more! If you’re not chanting “Hot tubs and headshots and hotties, oh my!” by the end of this four-week-long series, you’re doing it wrong!

Written By: Leah Williams
Penciled By: Matteo Lolli
Inks By: Matteo Lolli
Colors By: Triona Farrell
Cover By: Rachel Dodson, Terry Dodson

Thoughts: I was a big fan of Dini's original run on this series, and was always surprised they never did anything with such a popular concept for over a decade after the New 52 killed it (aside from the occasional variant cover). I guess the trio's revamped characterizations just didn't lend themselves to a team-up like 2009 did. So on the one hand I'm excited to see it finally come back, but that story premise doesn't fill me with a ton of hope. It feels like it leans more into the "wacky bachelorette party" tone from things like the Harley Quinn show than what we saw from Dini. Hopefully it's just a bad solicit write-up.

Batman News Critic: Jack

Absolute Power #2

In the aftermath of Amanda Waller’s total victory, the metahumans of the DC universe have been depowered, scattered to the wind, and are reeling from critical defeat across the planet. But the resistance lives on. Any heroes not rounded up by the TRINITY OF EVIL have rendezvoused at Superman’s Fortress of Solitude…but even this sanctuary of peace and hope is not safe from Waller’s blitzkrieg. The precog known as Dreamer has pointed Waller’s weapons to the frozen tundra where our heroes lick their wounds…and the shocker general leading Waller’s charge to raze the fortress to the ground will leave you breathless. It’s underdog versus complete global domination in this epic second installment of the ABSOLUTE POWER saga!

Written By: Mark Waid
Penciled By: Dan Mora
Inks By: Dan Mora
Colors By: Alejandro Sanchez
Cover By: Dan Mora

Thoughts: Well we're about a month into this big, climactic event and so far the result has just been "fine". It's a lot of pages of heroes battling evil robots. At least they look great when Dan Mora draws them.

Batman News Critic: William

Batman #151

A device critical to Amanda Waller’s plans is hidden on a remote, highly protected island. Batman can get there, but only one burglar has a chance of stealing the device and getting it off the island safely. But the device isn’t what they expect, and getting off the island turns out to be the least of their problems! Plus: a backup story reveals the chaos unleashed in Gotham City when Arkham is unlocked and the Bat-family are nowhere to be found.

Written By: Chip Zdarsky, Tini Howard
Penciled By: Mike Hawthorne, Marianna Ignazzi
Inks By: Mike Hawthorne, Marianna Ignazzi, Adriano Di Benedetto
Colors By: Romulo Fajardo, Giovanna Niro
Cover By: Salvador Larroca, Matt Herms

Thoughts: Tini Howard might be leaving Harley Quinn in October, but she's apparently going to get as much mileage with the character as she can before then.

Batman News Critic: Jackson

The Boy Wonder #4

Damian Wayne may have been struggling to live up to his father’s legacy…but the last thing he ever wanted was to be returned to the clutches of his grandfather, the Demon King. But when his worst nightmare comes true, can he rely on his mother to defend him? Or has he lost her forever to the same horrific legacy he’s tried to escape?

Written By: Juni Ba
Penciled By: Juni Ba
Inks By: Juni Ba
Colors By: Chris O'Halloran
Cover By: Juni Ba

Thoughts: Last month was a bit of a step down from the first two, but this should get into the most compelling aspects of Damian's story.

Batman News Critic: Andru

Birds of Prey #12

Their attempt to control the portal dimension has backfired in a hilarious but violent way, and the Birds of Prey find themselves dealing with some… unexpectedly cute results. Meanwhile Oracle’s escape plan nears completion despite some over-enthusiastic assistance. Cassandra Cain has a big idea.

Written By: Kelly Thompson
Penciled By: Gavin Guidry, Sophie Campbell, Javier Pina
Inks By: Gavin Guidry, Sophie Campbell, Javier Pina
Colors By: Jordie Bellaire
Cover By: Leonardo Bastos Romero, Jordie Bellaire

Thoughts: "What if the Birds of Prey turned into chibi versions of themselves" is a ridiculous premise, but it's also very cute and fun.

Batman News Critic: Jeremy

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #8

Gotham’s Finger Memorial Museum, home of giant appliances, giant games, and giant sports equipment, has been robbed…by giants! Are Batman and Scooby up to the challenge of tracking down the mythical robbers, and solving the (quite literally) biggest crime of their careers?

Written By: Sholly Fisch
Penciled By: Erich Owen
Inks By: Erich Owen
Colors By: Erich Owen
Cover By: Erich Owen

Thoughts: Giant prop set pieces will always remain a Batman classic.

Batman News Critic: Chip

Batman and Robin and Howard: Summer Breakdown #2

With Talia al Ghul in town, Damian and Bruce both find themselves a little distracted…and his mom’s determination that Damian join the League of Assassins isn’t helping allay Damian’s suspicions that she might be part of ReComplexTech’s plot. So it’s up to Howard to continue investigating the company and their plans for the recycling center with the help of the Hero Club! But does their involvement mean Damian has been sidelined from the mission?

Written By: Jeffrey Brown
Penciled By: Jeffrey Brown
Inks By: Jeffrey Brown
Colors By: Silvana Brys
Cover By: Jeffrey Brown, Silvana Brys

Thoughts: Dang they did Talia dirty with that art. She looks like a tired woman in her mid 40s, which I guess is more accurate to someone with a 10 year old son, but a little unfair when Bruce gets to be drawn as a peak-fitness 30-something forever.

Batman News Critic: None

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.

Gallery

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:

Gallery

Ratings

Most Excited: The Boy Wonder #4- Juni Ba has proven he understands Damian in a way that not many writers do.

Least Excited: Batman #151- It's an obligatory tie-in paired with a Tini Howard backup. I'd say no thanks, but I guess it's my job.

Wild Card: Gotham City Sirens #1- Leah Williams has some big shoes to fill.

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

16 comments

Folly
August 3, 2024
Ra's the Demon KING? Uhh, ok.
A Bat/Cat Cat-astrophe is something I never wanted to read on a cover.
I agree it's a shame that Gotham City Sirens seems like another wacky Harley Quinn-esque series. Don't see much more than fanservice coming from four issues with Punchline and White Rabbit also being there. Coolest thing coming out of this are probably the fashion Variant Covers.
1. Raphael Howard
  August 4, 2024
  I find it pretty odd that the GCS variant cover shown here is Ivy and Harley pointing weapons at Catwoman in a way similar to how they pointed weapons at Batgirl in the cover of the BTAS comic spin-of story that marked Harley's first comic appearance. After all, Catwoman ends up being the "Twist Villain" in that story, humiliating and subduing Harley and Ivy. Revenge is sweet....
amphiuma33
August 3, 2024
I also loved Dini's Sirens and I'm down to give this one a shot, although I also agree that they were all stronger characters pre-New 52... but we got new Birds of Prey and their first new TPB so I can loan it to my friends, so I'm happy! <3 (And Blue Beetle and Shazam! It's convenient that all my favorites come out on the same week. XD)
Madeleine
August 3, 2024
I wouldn't call Bruce's look on that Batman and Robin and Howard cover peak fitness...
Caped Crusader was another kick in the teeth for me, the latest in a series. Yesterday I was sick with anger, now I'm numb. I came here to see if Robin Lives releases this week and realized I don't care anymore. If everything predictably goes badly then why keep trying. Defintion of insanity.
1. Mingthemerciless
  August 4, 2024
  I was expecting Caped Crusader to be a forgettable, unsatisfying mess for a myriad of reasons leading up to it and primarily because the most over paid/hyped purveyor of fan fiction - JJ Abrams - is overseer of it. Thats why I havent wasted my time seeing it.
  But is it THAT bad?
  1. Madeleine
    August 4, 2024
    It was that bad for me. My reaction is very much tied to my personal feelings about the characters involved and the show being the latest in a series of bitter disappointments from DC. I thought this would be an alternate universe I could turn to, away from the comics. It won't be. That was ensured by the way it ended and the reason it ended that way, flattering a character I detested. I can't explain it without major spoilers...
    It's not that the show is devoid of good qualities. Many people like it. I loved a few episodes, liked some others, and think the story line binding Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent is all considered very strong. It could have been stronger if the series hadn't wasted its energy on Miss Goody Two-Shoes Stuck Up B~ Barbara Gordon. (So Harvey dubbed her and he spoke my mind.)
    1. Mingthemerciless
      August 4, 2024
      Yes Ive read that the shows idea of Barbara Gordon has grated on a lot of fans who have tuned in to the show.
      Like you Ive wanted something "Batman" that I can get excited about and on paper the inclusion of Dini and Brubaker should be have been able to privide that but again after I saw how the show was positioning itself and how bland and unsatisfying I find JJ Abrams fan fiction product turns out to be for me I knew they wouldnt be enough to lift it.
      They havent seemed to have captured what a Batman audience wants to see. Id have preferred a Denny ONeill period aesthetic rather than aping the 40s noir of BTAS. But again Abrams gloms onto beloved efforts of better creators and gives us shallow facsimiles of them as hes done here.
      Sounds like another misfire.
      1. Mingthemerciless
        August 4, 2024
        Meant Timm instead of Dini.
      2. ItzSilentStorm
        August 6, 2024
        lmao jesus christ JJ Abrams barely had anything to do with that show. Timm is the leading it and it was written by Greg Rucka and Ed Brucker.
        This site has really gone to shit
      3. Sara
        August 6, 2024
        If you actually want to reveal your thoughts on the series, and not just insult people, there is some more conversation about it here:
        https://batman-news.com/2024/08/01/batman-caped-crusader-releases-penguin-clip/#disqus_thread
        Be the change you want to see etc etc. Your own comment didn't exactly make the site less shitty.
      4. ItzSilentStorm
        August 14, 2024
        lol. I don't have time to debate with a bunch of people who wrote this series off all because of one gender swapped character. Im sure they are all bitching about how "woke" the rest of the show is too though if they managed to get past the first episode, which admittedly, is the weakest part of the series. Has a real "pilotitis" feel to it frankly. The rest is pretty good though imo.
      5. Sara
        August 14, 2024
        Aside from one sub-thread about CC's Harley, there's nothing about wokeness in the comments I linked. It's cute that you assumed that's what it was all about, though, without checking it, when you're dismissing other people for making assumptions.
        But the conversation has been dead for a week, so there's no point in posting there now.
      6. ItzSilentStorm
        August 15, 2024
        Considering this website's history with such matters, including not long ago when female Penguin was first announced, you'll excuse me for not giving people here the benefit of the doubt. I have seen it devolve into weird shenanigans quite a few times over the years. One of the reasons I don't come here much anymore. I remember all the complaints when Jeffrey Wright was cast as Gordon, or my personal favorite, that one guy complaining about Zoe Kravitz not having large enough breasts
      7. Mingthemerciless
        August 6, 2024
        Abrams is executive producer. If you believe that means he "barely had anything to do with that show" you have my sympathy.
      8. ItzSilentStorm
        August 14, 2024
        Executive producer could mean almost anything. Usually it's just something that their production companies helped fund or something. Its really not definitively indicative of exactly how creatively involved either him or even Matt Reeves for that matter were with it. Is it also all Matt Reeves' fault for what is perceived as this show's shortcomings?
      9. Madeleine
        August 7, 2024
        Rucka and Brubaker together account for only half the episodes.
        Episode 1: Jase Ricci
        Episode 2: Greg Rucka
        Episode 3: Ed Brubaker
        Episode 4: Ed Brubaker
        Episode 5: Halley Wegryn Gross
        Episode 6: Marc Bernardin
        Episode 7: Adamma Ebo
        Episode 8: Halley Wegryn Gross
        Episode 9: Ed Brubaker
        Episode 10: Ed Brubaker
        Brubaker was the best writer. Rucka's episode was mediocre, inferior to both of Gross' episodes and in my opinion to Bernardin's.

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