DC Comics: The Source

This fall, DC Entertainment will be releasing THE JUDAS COIN, an original 94-page hardcover graphic novel written and illustrated by industry legend Walter Simonson.

THE JUDAS COIN features characters from all across the DC Universe. Today, take an exclusive first look at the book’s cover based on a featured showdown between Batman and Two-Face.

“The cover for THE JUDAS COIN was designed and drawn with inspiration provided in part by movie posters from the ‘60s and ‘70s,” Simonson exclusively told THE SOURCE. “In particular, I was thinking of the posters of Bob Peak, who did such beautiful work back then with montage. Peak was a master at creating a strong central image and surrounding it with smaller, often fairly loose images derived from various scenes in the movie.

I make no claims to Peak’s draftsmanship, but for a work like THE JUDAS COIN, comprised as it is of six separate but related stories, I wanted a cover that would provide both a strong visual image at its core, and a series of small drawings that would reflect the structure of the book’s interior. Batman and Two-Face, eternal enemies, provided a good focal point. The vignettes around them echo the individual stories within the book.”

Look for THE JUDAS COIN in bookstores everywhere on September 18th and be sure to keep checking THE SOURCE as more details about the book become available.

When ACTION COMICS #5 came out earlier this month, you got a taste of artist Andy Kubert’s collaboration with writer Grant Morrison. Next month, Kubert’s 2-part arc on the series concludes with ACTION COMICS #6, which finds the present day Superman teaming up with peculiar versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes to save the Superman of five years ago from the pages of ACTION COMICS.

Timed to the week of the issue’s release, Kubert will be doing an in-store appearance and signing at A Timeless Journey in Stamford, Connecticut. Stop by to chat with the prolific artist and get your comic books signed!

“This is the first store appearance I have done in about 15 years,” Kubert exclusively told THE SOURCE. “Usually, my appearances are regulated to the big conventions and even with that, they are on a limited basis due to my schedule. I’m really looking forward to it! To coincide this appearance with the release of my second part of ACTION COMICS, and being that these two issues are my first full issue Superman interiors that I’ve ever pencilled, is very exciting indeed.”

Date: Saturday, February 4th
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 P.M.
Store’s address: 2538 Summer Street, Stamford, CT, 06905
Store’s phone number: 203-353-1720

See you there!

(The cover to ACTION COMICS #6 by Andy Kubert and Brad Anderson)

Friendless and alone, the Dark Knight is currently under attack by the Court of Owls in BATMAN – but the “Night of the Owls” is coming, and Batman will turn the tables on the sinister secret society. Anticipating the epic Bat-family crossover event coming in May, Scott Snyder spoke about the story to come.

Head over to COMIC VINE for an exclusive first look at the cover to BATMAN #9 – a thematic mirror of the distinctive cover to BATMAN #4.

And then check out an exclusive page from BATMAN #6 at IFANBOY.

“I don’t want to give away too much, for a long time now, we’ve seen Batman struggling to disprove the Court of Owls, Batman on the defensive,” Snyder told THE SOURCE. “But with ISSUE 6, that starts to turn – there’s no denying the Court anymore, and Batman is going to come at them with a vengeance. Expect the Court to fight back though, in a big way… It’s all going to escalate into a war for Gotham City, with some big and game-changing surprises coming up along the way very, very soon. And again, thanks so much to all of you from team Batman. Ok, to Gotham!”

In 2011, DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 launched some of the most discussed comic books in recent memory – and in 2012, those talked about issues will be collected into some of the most anticipated books of the year. We shared the initial release plans for the collections back in November, but here’s an updated look at what 2012 will bring.

Coming in May 2012:

JUSTICE LEAGUE VOLUME 1: ORIGIN HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Jim Lee and Scott Williams
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1-6
$24.99 US, 176 pg

ANIMAL MAN VOLUME 1: THE HUNT   TP
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artists: Travel Foreman, Jeff Huet and John Paul Leon
Collects: ANIMAL MAN #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

BATMAN VOLUME 1: THE COURT OF OWLS HC
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion
Collects: BATMAN #1-7
$24.99 US, 176 pg

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 1: THE SIGNAL MASTERS   TP
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan and Marco Castiello
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

GREEN LANTERN VOL. 1: SINESTRO  HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy
Collects: GREEN LANTERN #1-6
$24.99 US, 160 pg

CATWOMAN VOLUME 1: THE GAME  TP
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Guillem March
Collects: CATWOMAN #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

STORMWATCH VOLUME 1: THE DARK SIDE TP
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artists: Miguel Sepulveda and Al Barrionuevo
Collects: STORMWATCH #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

GREEN ARROW VOLUME 1: THE MIDAS TOUCH TP
Writers: J.T. Krul, Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens
Artists: Dan Jurgens, George Pérez, Ignacio Calero and Ray McCarthy
Collects: GREEN ARROW #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

WONDER WOMAN VOLUME 1: BLOOD   HC
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artists: Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins
Collects: WONDER WOMAN #1-6
$24.99 US, 160 pg

Coming in June 2012:

BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS VOLUME 1: FACES OF DEATH HC
Writer: Tony S. Daniel
Artists: Tony S. Daniel, Ryan Winn and Sandu Florea
Collects: DETECTIVE COMICS #1-7
$24.99 US, 176 pg

RED LANTERNS VOLUME 1: BLOOD AND RAGE  TP
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Ed Benes, Rob Hunter and Diego Bernard
Collects: RED LANTERNS #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

BATWOMAN VOL. 1: HYDROLOGY HC
Writers: J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman
Artist: J.H. Williams III and Amy Reeder
Collects: BATWOMAN #0-5
$22.99 US, 144 pg

MISTER TERRIFIC VOL. 1: MIND GAMES TP
Writer: Eric Wallace
Artists: Giancarlo Gugliotta, Wayne Faucher, Scott Clark, Dave Beaty and Oliver Nome
Collects: MISTER TERRIFIC #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE VOLUME 1: WAR OF THE MONSTERS  TP
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
Collects: FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

STATIC SHOCK VOL. 1: SUPERCHARGED TP
Writer: Scott McDaniel and John Rozum
Artists: Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens
Collects: STATIC SHOCK #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

LEGION OF SUPERHEROES VOLUME 1: HOSTILE WORLD TP
Writer: Paul Levitz
Artists: Francis Portela, Walter Simonson and Dan Green
Collects: LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Coming in July 2012:

BATMAN AND ROBIN VOLUME 1: BORN TO KILL  HC
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray
Collects: BATMAN AND ROBIN #1-8
$22.99 US, 192 pg

SUICIDE SQUAD VOLUME 1: KICKED IN THE TEETH TP
Writer: Adam Glass
Artists: Federico Dallocchio, Tom Raney and Clayton Henry
Collects: SUICIDE SQUAD #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

BATGIRL VOLUME 1: THE DARKEST REFLECTION  HC
Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: Ardian Syaf and Vicente Sifuentes
Collects: BATGIRL #1-6
$22.99 US, 144 pg

DEMON KNIGHTS VOLUME 1: SEVEN AGAINST THE DARK  TP
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artists: Diogenes Neves, Oclair Albert and Mike Choi
Collects: DEMON KNIGHTS #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

BATWING VOLUME 1: THE LOST KINGDOM  TP
Writer: Judd Winick
Artists: Ben Oliver and ChrisCross
Collects: BATWING #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

MEN OF WAR VOL. 1: UNEASY COMPANY TP
Writers: Ivan Brandon, Jonathan Vankin, B. Clay Moore, Matt Kindt and John Arcudi
Artists: Tom Derenick, Phil Winslade, Paul McCaffrey, Patrick Scherbeger, Dan Green and Richard Corben
Collects: MEN OF WAR #1-8
$19.99 US, 256 pg

GRIFTER VOLUME 1: MOST WANTED TP
Writer: Nathan Edmondson
Artists: Cafu, Jason Gorder, Scott Clark and Dave Beaty
Collects: GRIFTER #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Coming in August 2012:

SUPERMAN: ACTION COMICS VOLUME 1: SUPERMAN AND THE MEN OF STEEL HC
Writers: Grant Morrison, Sholly Fisch
Artists: Rags Morales, Rick Bryant, Brent Anderson, Gene Ha, Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang
Collects: ACTION COMICS #1-8
$24.99 US, 200 pg

SUPERBOY VOLUME 1: INCUBATION TP
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artists: R.B. Silva and Rob Lean
Collects: SUPERBOY #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

DEATHSTROKE VOLUME 1: LEGACY  TP
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artists: Joe Bennett and Art Thibert
Collects: DEATHSTROKE #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

O.M.A.C. VOL. 1: OMACTIVATE! TP
Writers: Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen
Artists: Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish
Collects: O.M.A.C. #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

HAWK AND DOVE VOL. 1: FIRST STRIKES TP
Writers: Sterling Gates and Rob Liefeld
Artist: Rob Liefeld
Collects: HAWK AND DOVE #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

SWAMP THING VOLUME 1: RAISE THEM BONES  TP
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Yanick Paquette, Victor Ibanez and Marco Rudy
Collects: SWAMP THING #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

RESURRECTION MAN VOLUME 1: DEAD AGAIN  TP
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artists: Fernando Dagnino and Fernando Blanco
Collects: RESURRECTION MAN #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

Coming in September 2012:

AQUAMAN VOLUME 1: THE TRENCH  HC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
Collects: AQUAMAN #1-6
$22.99 US, 144 pg

TEEN TITANS VOLUME 1: IT’S OUR RIGHT TO FIGHT  TP
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artists: Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
Collects: TEEN TITANS #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

BIRDS OF PREY VOLUME 1: TROUBLE IN MIND  TP
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artists: Jesus Saiz and Javier Pina
Collects: BIRDS OF PREY #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN VOLUME 1: GOD PARTICLE  TP
Writers: Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver
Artist: Yildiray Cinar and Norm Rapmund
Collects: THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

GREEN LANTERN CORPS VOLUME 1: FEARSOME HC
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Fernando Pasarin, Scott Hanna and Geraldo Borges
Collects: GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1-7
$22.99 US, 160 pg

LEGION LOST VOLUME 1: RUN FROM TOMORROW  TP
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Pete Woods
Collects: LEGION LOST #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

VOODOO VOLUME 1: WHAT LIES BENEATH  TP
Writers: Ron Marz and Josh Williamson
Artists: Sami Basri and Hendry Prasetya
Collects: VOODOO #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

Coming in October 2012:

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT VOL. 1: KNIGHT TERRORS HC
Writer: Paul Jenkins and David Finch
Artists: David Finch and Richard Friend
Collects: BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1-9
$24.99 US, 208 pg

I, VAMPIRE VOLUME 1: TAINTED LOVE  TP
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Collects: I, VAMPIRE #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK VOL. 1: IN THE DARK TP
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Mikel Janin
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

NIGHTWING VOLUME 1: TRAPS AND TRAPEZES   TP
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artists: Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer, Paulo Siqueria and Trevor McCarthy
Collects: NIGHTWING #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS VOLUME 1: THE RING BEARER HC
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Tyler Kirkham, Harvey Talibao and Batt
Collects: GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1-7
$22.99 US, 160 pg

SUPERGIRL VOL. 1: THE LAST DAUGHTER OF KRYPTON TP
Writer: Michael Green and Mike Johnson
Artist: Mahmud Asrar
Collects: SUPERGIRL #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN VOLUME 1: DARKNESS RISING   TP
Writer: Tony S. Daniel and James Bonny
Artist: Philip Tan
Collects: THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1-8
$14.99 US, 192 pg

ALL-STAR WESTERN VOLUME 1: GUNS AND GOTHAM   TP
Writers: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Moritat, Jordi Bernet and Phil Winslade
Collects: ALL-STAR WESTERN #1-6
$16.99 US, 192 pg

Coming in November 2012:

THE FLASH VOLUME 1: MOVE FORWARD  HC
Writers: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Artist: Francis Manapul
Collects: THE FLASH #1-8
$22.99 US, 192 pg

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS VOLUME 1: REDemption TP
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
Collects: RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

SUPERMAN VOLUME 1: WHAT PRICE TOMORROW? HC
Writer: George Perez
Artists: George Perez, Jesus Merino, Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott
Collects: SUPERMAN #1-6
$22.99 US, 144 pg

BLUE BEETLE VOLUME 1: METAMORPHOSIS  TP
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Ig Guara and J.P. Mayer
Collects: BLUE BEETLE #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pg

BLACKHAWKS VOLUME 1: THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD  TP
Writer: Mike Costa
Artists: Ken Lashley, Graham Nolan, Norm Rapmund, Cafu and Bit
Collects: BLACKHAWKS #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

CAPTAIN ATOM VOLUME 1: EVOLUTION  TP
Writer: J.T. Krul
Artist: Freddie Williams II
Collects: CAPTAIN ATOM #1-7
$14.99 US, 160 pg

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS VOLUME 1 featuring DEADMAN & CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN  TP
Writers: Paul Jenkins, Dan DiDio and Jerry Ordway
Artists: Bernard Chang and Jerry Ordway
Collects: DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #1-8
$16.99 US, 192 pg

We recently announced DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 “Second Wave,” featuring six new series coming in May. With an entire parallel world to explore in EARTH 2, writer James Robinson expands the scope of the storytelling potential in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. There are new characters, new enemies and new conflicts – but for now, Robinson’s keeping the details under wraps.

“I’m excited and eager to let people know all the facts about the new EARTH 2 comic, but for now I have to remain vague,” teased Robinson. “Earth 2 is a world that’s very like our own, but at the same time vastly different. It has known great conflict and danger…a dark menace defeated but at a great cost both to the Earth and to its superheroes of that time. Now, in the present as new menaces emerge to attack the Earth, so new heroes must emerge too, learning to work as a team (or perhaps Society is a better word) while facing these new threats head-on. Who are these heroes?  Will their powers include speed, bestial fury, and maybe even green light? Wait and see.”

Earlier this week, DC Entertainment announced “We Can Be Heroes,” an unprecedented giving campaign to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

“As the famine and drought in Africa continue to rage, DC Entertainment is turning to its strongest superheroes to help the 13 million people in need of lifesaving aid,” wrote THE HUFFINGTON POST.

We’ve already shown you a gallery of images from the press conference announcing “We Can Be Heroes” and linked to some of the coverage of this announcement. To read more about “We Can Be Heroes,” check out the coverage that has ran in USA TODAY’s POP CANDY, THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES, CNET and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.

If you haven’t already, be sure to visit www.WeCanBeHeroes.org to find out how you can contribute to this important campaign. And don’t forget to watch the video on the site to learn more about “We Can Be Heroes.”

Gimme a second, I’ll be with you in just a little bit. The next issue of ANIMAL MAN is about to off to the printer, and I need to make sure that it’s got everything it should. Sheer, stark terror at overwhelming forces beyond human comprehension, depicted in ways that would give Caligula nightmares? Check. The requisite amount of complete and utter strangeness that leaves even the most jaded comic book readers slackjawed? Check. Enough domestic squabbling among the Bakers to make our fans feel like the time they spent with their own families during the holidays was totally kumbaya by comparison? Check. Yep, thumbs up. This one’s ready to go!

Now I can get on the phone with Jeff Lemire and we can talk about the year ahead for the benighted Baker clan. Spoiler alert: it’s looking too good. For them, that is. You, on the other hand, are in for the thrill-ride of your lives.

Moritat has put the finishing touches on his inspired art for the latest issue of ALL STAR WESTERN, and it’s a gem, a beauty, a joy to behold. Just to tease: beyond the usual deft characterizations and architectural delights, the particular issue all boils down to location, location, location. Two words: “Bat Cave.” If you’ve been avoiding this title because of the word “Western” in it, let me tell you, I used to feel the same way. Then I grew up. Take it from a guy who never starts a sentence with the word “seriously.” Seriously, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Moritat have broadened the horizons of what you can expect from a comic book Western. It would be a shame if you missed this because of some unfortunate predisposition toward people in Stetsons. The frontier symbolized freedom for generations, and in our small way it represents a creative freedom that has made the book a trailblazer.

Kevin Maguire dropped by yesterday, and I promised him that I’d try to get everybody here to learn to count to 53. The unofficial fifty-third book, at least from my standpoint, is MY GREATEST ADVENTURE, strong accent on the word “GREATEST.” Kev showed me the pages for the “Tanga” feature in the latest issue, and they’re just as wild and uninhibited and imaginative as anything he’s ever done. Have you noticed how he’s become the master of facial expression? Have you been laughing at Kevin’s way of giving Tanga just the right smart remark? Have you been checking out the amazing coloring by Rosemary Cheetham? She made me say that. Actually, no, she didn’t at all, but I think you should see it, if you like looking at things that are amazing. The stuff just doesn’t look like anything else out there, and that gladdens me. Other amazing things in the book are Matt Kindt and Scott Kolins’ Robotman feature, and Aaron Lopresti’s Garbage Man. They really shine. When you’re at the comic book rack, flip through MY GREATEST ADVENTURE and see for yourself. It’s “one louder.”

Your pal,
Joey Cavalieri

We recently announced DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 “Second Wave,” featuring six new series coming in May. In BATMAN, INCORPORATED, critically acclaimed writer Grant Morrison returns to the world he helped populate with a global Bat-presence, all in preparation for a major international threat. Already re-imagining the early history of Superman in ACTION COMICS, Morrison brings a fresh take on Batman to DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. BATMAN series editor Mike Marts offers some editorial insight as to what readers can expect from the highly-anticipated series.

“Grant Morrison’s new BATMAN, INCORPORATED series is the final, unbelievable act of a saga six years in the making,” said Marts. “Along with his artistic partner-in-crime Chris Burnham, Grant delivers twists, turns, punches and reveals no reader will see coming. Things pick up directly after the shocking cliffhanger of last year’s LEVIATHAN STRIKES one-shot—and only get crazier from there!”

In the meantime, check out these sneak peeks at BATMAN, INCORPORATED.

Earlier today, we linked to all of the exclusive previews of the fifth issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 that are going on sale tomorrow.

Below, take a look at all the previews that ran (sorted alphabetically and separated by cover), compiled here in one easy location for your convenience.

BATMAN #4 has sold out, and will be going back to press for its second printing. Deepening the mystery of the Court of Owls, the issue looks at Bruce Wayne’s own past with the sinister secret society – but the more he explores the shadows, the darker they become. If you missed the first run of this issue, now’s your chance to catch up. It’ all prelude to the “Night of the Owls” crossover event coming in May.

The second printing will be on sale in comic book stores on February 22, 2012.