Upcoming Comics October 9, 2024

Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! It's a short one this week, but what they lack in quantity they make up for in the headliner: Absolute Batman. It feels like they've been talking about this for months now, and it's the flagship title of their big, new Absolute Universe. There's a lot riding on it, and they've been pulling out all the stops. With the crossover event out of the way to kick things off, All In can really begin.

Upcoming Comics

Absolute Batman #1

Without the mansion…without the money…without the butler…what’s left is the Absolute Dark Knight!

Written By: Scott Snyder
Art By: Nick Dragotta

Thoughts: It's been a long time since DC has put so much effort into hyping up a single title. Soon we'll see if they can put their money where their mouths are.

Batman News Critic: Jackson

Batman and Robin #14

Damian Wayne is the son of the Bat, grandson of the Demon, and Robin—but as he nears the age at which his father traveled the world, one question is on his mind: Who is Damian outside of the crusades his family has tasked him with fighting since birth? When he starts to look beyond his life of endless violence, a different way to help the world begins to present itself—but when an enigmatic new murderer begins reenacting traumatic crimes from Gotham’s history, Batman will need Robin more than ever before! It’s a whole new dynamic for the Dynamic Duo as the powerhouse team of Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Superman: Warworld Saga) and Javier Fernandez (King Spawn, Nightwing) bring you the dark and mystifying next chapter in the lives of Bruce and Damian Wayne! You are not ready for what’s in store.

Written By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art By: Javi Fernandez

Thoughts: I loved PKJ on the Warworld saga in Action Comics. I hope that he can bring that same level of quality to Batman and Robin.

Batman News Critic: Chris

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #5

With Luthor’s schemes revealed, he dispatches his Suicide Squad to Smallville, Kansas to further secure the secrets of the ancient Kryptonian Age. But when the ruthless task force challenges the town’s seemingly bumbling sheriff to a deadly duel, they’ll quickly discover that this lawman is far more super than they ever realized!

Written By: Andy Diggle
Art By: Leandro Fernandez

Thoughts: Cowboy Superman. 'Nuff said.

Batman News Critic: Chip

DC vs Vampires: World War V #3

The war between vampires and heroes rages on with bloody casualties on all sides, but Damian Wayne, the vampire with the mind of a human, remains the most desired prize in the fray. Both Green Arrow and the vampire army seek to put him down for good, and it’s starting to look like Damian’s days are numbered…until a Dark Knight emerges from the shadows and offers unexpected salvation! And in a backup story written and illustrated by Tyler Boss, everyone’s favorite interdimensional imp, Bat-Mite, pops into our universe…only to learn the sad fate of his Bat idol. There's other heroes to worship, though, right?…right?

Written By: Matthew Rosenberg, Tyler Boss
Art By: Tyler Boss, Otto Schmidt

Thoughts: Bat-Mite is maybe the last character I expected to show up in this.

Batman News Critic: Akash

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: Absolute Batman #1- Well DC, you've successfully got my attention. Time to see what you do with it.

Least Excited: DC vs Vampires: World War V #3- I think we may be running out of juice for this concept.

Wild Card: Batman and Robin #14- Let's see if PKJ can take his successes from other comics into the world of Batman.

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

11 comments

Sara

October 5, 2024

I wouldn't say I'm excited for Absolute Batman, but the hype's got my attention.

Batman is the only line DC can get people to notice without begging. They need hits and the first issue seems to be a hot seller. I don't see the DC main line recovering, though. I see it becoming a marketing arm and laboratory for external media like movies and games. And most of those are going to be Batman.

Madeleine

October 5, 2024

I read a conversation between some men complaining that the middle grade and young adult graphic novels change the characters to attract new readers, especially children and (horror to end all horrors) teen girls and women. They didn't see why DC couldn't "just create new characters." Don't mind me over here laughing mirthlessly as I look at Snyder's retro edge drenched Batman elseworld that seems to have been designed by a committee of fourteen year old boys.

Since All In is underway here's my list of new titles I plan to read:
*The Last Halloween
*Batman & Robin: Year One
*Two-Face
*Dark Patterns

Waid's B&R might be a pass. Taylor's Detective Comics depends on worth of mouth. Most everything else is held off for trade reading. Waiting for any Red Hood announcements, any at all...

Sara
October 6, 2024
I'd read a Red Hood book, obviously, but what I'm signed on to read are The Last Halloween and Two-Face. I see these two stories continuing character arcs that have been set up, actually or potentially, for years and need to be written.
Sorry to repeat myself, but the directions for Harvey and Ivy are just about the only two places where any real character development can happen. You can go to some strange, dark places with them and their relationships. Tons of material to develop, especially in Harvey/Gilda's case since for decades Gilda has been neglected. And the infernal lesbian love triangle of Wilson's book has something ships like Bat/Cat/Talia don't and can't.
1. Madeleine
  October 7, 2024
  Speaking of new directions for the villains... Did you see the group photo of Bruce and his childhood friends from Absolute Batman? I hadn't liked one single thing I'd heard before this but I have to admit this change up sparked my interest. We'll see if Snyder does anything good with it.
  https://bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Absolute-Batman-1-by-Scott-Snyder-and-Nick-Dragotta-6.jpg
  1. Sara
    October 7, 2024
    I did see that. I'm not able to whip up much optimism, but I agree that it's a potentially interesting change to the characters' dynamics. It's also potentially a barrelful of cliches about broken promises and friends betrayed. (I always wake up on the wrong side of the bed, as you can see.) Anyway, it's rare to see all these miserable bastards smiling non-sadistically. So that's nice.
    Some of the shorthand to convey personality and status is bugging me, but I'm easily bugged.
    I am suspicious of Harvey's polo shirt.
    Shame about Ed's haircut.
    1. Madeleine
      October 8, 2024
      I wouldn't say the shorthand is more heavyhanded than in other comics. I haven't been impressed with excerpts I've read, full of on the nose dialogue, but I think this is a chance to explore other sides of the rogues and Gotham social strata than in stories that cast them as criminals and pit them against Bruce because that's just the way it is. Batman comics have been stumbling towards a more nuanced view of the rogues' place in Gotham. It seems that Batman is a subtype of rogue in Absolute Batman. I can't call myself a Snyder fan but I want to give this idea a chance. (It would help if I liked the art/designs better...)

Pikashades

October 6, 2024

Oh, Red Rain or those other two stories in the Batman & Dracula Trilogy are getting reprinted. Perfect time to share my video on it again: https://youtu.be/jb73cdySDpE

Andy Lee

October 6, 2024

Wow, now they put Elseworld logo, All In logo for ongoing series. Ready for DCU this December?

Victor Fuentes

October 7, 2024

Sooo... the rumor is that next year Loeb&Lee will take the Batman title after Zdarsky... uffff... I personally think Batmna: Hush is only ok... but it's been a while since loeb wrote batman... uffff

Sara
October 7, 2024
I liked the first issue of The Last Halloween, with some caveats, but I agree that Hush was not great. I wouldn't turn my nose up at a run by Loeb, but Lee is vain and self-serving (and imo, really overrated, and not as good as he used to be). Loeb paired with almost any other artist would sound better to me.

amphiuma33

October 9, 2024

Nothing for me this week... Still can't get over how absolutely (heh) silly Batman looks. I showed the new bat-symbol to so many friends last week from the full page ad in BoP and they all just laughed. (tatted up Absolute Wonder Woman on the other hand looks freaking awesome. Can't wait to give her a whirl.)

Sara
October 5, 2024
I wouldn't say I'm excited for Absolute Batman, but the hype's got my attention.
Batman is the only line DC can get people to notice without begging. They need hits and the first issue seems to be a hot seller. I don't see the DC main line recovering, though. I see it becoming a marketing arm and laboratory for external media like movies and games. And most of those are going to be Batman.
Madeleine
October 5, 2024
I read a conversation between some men complaining that the middle grade and young adult graphic novels change the characters to attract new readers, especially children and (horror to end all horrors) teen girls and women. They didn't see why DC couldn't "just create new characters." Don't mind me over here laughing mirthlessly as I look at Snyder's retro edge drenched Batman elseworld that seems to have been designed by a committee of fourteen year old boys.
Since All In is underway here's my list of new titles I plan to read:
*The Last Halloween
*Batman & Robin: Year One
*Two-Face
*Dark Patterns
Waid's B&R might be a pass. Taylor's Detective Comics depends on worth of mouth. Most everything else is held off for trade reading. Waiting for any Red Hood announcements, any at all...
1. Sara
  October 6, 2024
  I'd read a Red Hood book, obviously, but what I'm signed on to read are The Last Halloween and Two-Face. I see these two stories continuing character arcs that have been set up, actually or potentially, for years and need to be written.
  Sorry to repeat myself, but the directions for Harvey and Ivy are just about the only two places where any real character development can happen. You can go to some strange, dark places with them and their relationships. Tons of material to develop, especially in Harvey/Gilda's case since for decades Gilda has been neglected. And the infernal lesbian love triangle of Wilson's book has something ships like Bat/Cat/Talia don't and can't.
  1. Madeleine
    October 7, 2024
    Speaking of new directions for the villains... Did you see the group photo of Bruce and his childhood friends from Absolute Batman? I hadn't liked one single thing I'd heard before this but I have to admit this change up sparked my interest. We'll see if Snyder does anything good with it.
    https://bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Absolute-Batman-1-by-Scott-Snyder-and-Nick-Dragotta-6.jpg
    1. Sara
      October 7, 2024
      I did see that. I'm not able to whip up much optimism, but I agree that it's a potentially interesting change to the characters' dynamics. It's also potentially a barrelful of cliches about broken promises and friends betrayed. (I always wake up on the wrong side of the bed, as you can see.) Anyway, it's rare to see all these miserable bastards smiling non-sadistically. So that's nice.
      Some of the shorthand to convey personality and status is bugging me, but I'm easily bugged.
      I am suspicious of Harvey's polo shirt.
      Shame about Ed's haircut.
      1. Madeleine
        October 8, 2024
        I wouldn't say the shorthand is more heavyhanded than in other comics. I haven't been impressed with excerpts I've read, full of on the nose dialogue, but I think this is a chance to explore other sides of the rogues and Gotham social strata than in stories that cast them as criminals and pit them against Bruce because that's just the way it is. Batman comics have been stumbling towards a more nuanced view of the rogues' place in Gotham. It seems that Batman is a subtype of rogue in Absolute Batman. I can't call myself a Snyder fan but I want to give this idea a chance. (It would help if I liked the art/designs better...)
Pikashades
October 6, 2024
Oh, Red Rain or those other two stories in the Batman & Dracula Trilogy are getting reprinted. Perfect time to share my video on it again: https://youtu.be/jb73cdySDpE
Andy Lee
October 6, 2024
Wow, now they put Elseworld logo, All In logo for ongoing series. Ready for DCU this December?
Victor Fuentes
October 7, 2024
Sooo... the rumor is that next year Loeb&Lee will take the Batman title after Zdarsky... uffff... I personally think Batmna: Hush is only ok... but it's been a while since loeb wrote batman... uffff
1. Sara
  October 7, 2024
  I liked the first issue of The Last Halloween, with some caveats, but I agree that Hush was not great. I wouldn't turn my nose up at a run by Loeb, but Lee is vain and self-serving (and imo, really overrated, and not as good as he used to be). Loeb paired with almost any other artist would sound better to me.
amphiuma33
October 9, 2024
Nothing for me this week... Still can't get over how absolutely (heh) silly Batman looks. I showed the new bat-symbol to so many friends last week from the full page ad in BoP and they all just laughed. (tatted up Absolute Wonder Woman on the other hand looks freaking awesome. Can't wait to give her a whirl.)

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