Do you have any idea what it’s like attempting to distinguish a new costumed hero comic in a field overrun with costumed hero comics?
It keeps putting me in the mind of those painful auditions they used to hold in the pages of “Legion of Super Heroes.” Remember?
“Sorry, making plants grow incredibly fast really isn’t much of a useful super power.”
“You’ll see how useful it is when you forget Saturn Girl’s birthday and you need a dozen long-stemmed American Beauty roses in a hurry.”
“She’ll know where I got them. Rejected.”
Nobody likes rejection. So what’s the answer? How about super hero comics that are, how can I put this?… tweaked just a little bit?
I’ve wrapped up two series that take everything that’s common and customary in this genre and upends it.
Gerry Conway – who’s had his name on plenty of episodes of “Law & Order” as well as comic books — thought it might be compelling to see what would happen if a character really could age and confront his mortality. Gerry put Buddy Baker through a lot in THE LAST DAYS OF ANIMAL MAN. In fact, Buddy’s travails follow the model of psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining,…uh, sleepy… grumpy. Yeah, Buddy spends a great deal of the miniseries being justifiably grumpy, when he realizes that being a hero has forced him to neglect much of what was really important, in particular, his wife and kids.
(Also, if it’s not uncool to geek out in this context, can I mention here that the miniseries has a whale who’s a Green Lantern? Whale with a Power Ring. Chris Batista was a happy man when he got to draw that.)
In THE MIGHTY, Pete Tomasi and Keith Champagne present a skewed take on what the Superman/Jimmy Olsen friendship might be like if it went horribly wrong. What if that signal watch were little more than a tether, a leash to keep constant 24-hour tabs on your “pal”? What if everybody’s number one hero had a series of other “pals” who died under mysterious circumstances? What if you’re a “pal” who doesn’t want to become the latest victim, especially after you discover your hero’s “secret origin” isn’t at all what you were led to believe. (Chris Samnee draws this revelation in issue #10.)
Like I say, I’ve wrapped these up. But they’ll be collected soon, so if you’re one of those “wait for the trades” types, you’ll find that these are worth seeking out.

Welcome back to the working week, Source readers. Hopefully, you’re still feasting on Thanksgiving leftovers and well-rested from a few days of fun, family, food and football. Not in that order.

Not too long ago, we gave you a first look at writer Matthew Sturges and artist Freddie E. Williams II’s new series, JSA ALL STARS, but with the book hitting shortly, why not give you a chance to check out Ryan Sook’s lovely variant cover and two more pages from the new series? Glad you agree.

And not just for a few days off. Thanks to all you guys out there taking the time to not only read these posts, but for commenting and becoming involved in this evolving piece of Internet real estate. It’s always a pleasure to bring you your daily dose of DCU news.

As you can probably imagine, “posting will be light” around these parts until Monday morning, when we’ll resume our regular schedule. Until then, enjoy your holiday. Here’s wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving from The Source.

We realize you’re probably scrambling to get everything done in time to jet out of work early and get on with your Thanksgiving, but why not take a moment to look at some lovely BLACKEST NIGHT: WONDER WOMAN #1 artwork from Nicola Scott, who’s pairing with writer Greg Rucka on the three-issue mini-series. See? We knew you’d come around.

Now that Mr. J’s secret is out in the open, will the girls’ reaction take them to the point of no return? And will Harley Quinn ever be the same? Only writer Paul Dini and artist Guillem March know for sure, but a few pages never hurt, right? Especially right before a holiday weekend.

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #6 hits today.

Jeremiah Arkham’s dream for a new asylum is rapidly turning into a nightmare as he is forced to call in Batman to put down a riot. But who or what is behind the sabotage? Is it possible that the asylum itself is inflicting its own retribution on the inmates? Find out in this 3-issue miniseries from the BATTLE FOR THE COWL: ARKHAM ASYLUM creative team of writer David Hine and artist Jeremy Haun.

ARKHAM REBORN #2 hits 11/25.

The traitor stands revealed, and his part in the destruction of the Justice Society of America is complete. While the team’s headquarters lies in ruin, the same fate has befallen the team itself! Hold on to your seats, because the JSA as we’ve known it is in pieces. Can you handle it? Courtesy of Willingham, Sturges and Merino.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #33 hits 11/25.

Yesterday, we showed some pages from the Batwoman feature in DETECTIVE COMICS #859 — but let’s not forget about The Question second feature, from Greg Rucka and artist Cully Hamner. The case may be closed closed, but Renee won’t stop until she has the answers! When a new lead points to the Sicilian mafia, The Question turns to an expert for assistance. But can she trust the Huntress to be professional when family rears its ugly head?

DETECTIVE COMICS #859 hits 11/25.

Writer Greg Rucka and artist J.H. Williams III continue unveiling the origin of Batwoman, as Kate Kane lands in Gotham, meets officer Renee Montoya and crosses paths with Batman — a meeting that will change her life forever. Don’t miss a chapter of this groundbreaking run, folks. You’ll regret it. Scroll down for a few pages from the issue, which hits 11/25. People that know me will understand how difficult it was for me to post pages involving any kind of werewolf, so there you go. Also, check back tomorrow for a peek at The Question second feature, from Rucka and artist Cully Hamner.

Following a trail of experimental equipment that was stolen from WayneTech, the new Robin finds himself in Metropolis and face-to-face with the straight-laced Guardian. But when Parasite and Mr. Freeze appear, the two heroes will have to band together to capture the villains and retrieve the missing tech. What are the villains really after, though, and who is pulling their strings? No clue, readers. But these pages should help answer some of your questions.

WORLD’S FINEST #2 hits 11/25.