photo by Brian Walters

Ever since the news hit about WEDNESDAY COMICS, fans have been clamoring and speculating about how the series will be collected.

Well, as most of you should know by now, it’ll happen in May, with the acclaimed weekly series collected in a nifty, oversized harcover with a ton of bonus material.

“But what does it LOOK like, man?” Hey now. Relax! We aim to please here at The Source, so we managed to grab a shot of Art Director and WEDNESDAY COMICS maestro Mark Chiarello giving the book a look-see. Pretty cool, huh?

The collection, which clocks in at 200 pages at 11″x17.5″, and printed on 60 pound matte coated paper similar to that used for the JLA DELUXE EDITION HCs, also boasts a ton of extras. As if stories by Neil Gaiman, Mike Allred, Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo, Mike Allred and Kyle Baker wasn’t enough.

Not only does the collection feature two previously unpublished pages — one starring The Creeper (written by Keith Giffen with art by Eric Canete) and one starring Plastic Man (written by Evan Dorkin with art by Stephen DeStefano) — it also sports a can’t-miss collection includes a 10-page sketchbook section with art from each illustrator, plus an intro by series editor Mark Chiarello.

Excited? I know I am.

BLACKEST NIGHT and GREEN LANTERN writer extraordinaire Geoff Johns kicked off 2010 in a nice way, with THE NEW YORK TIMES naming him to their “Nifty 50,” a list that spotlights America’s up-and-coming people, who are — according to the TIMES — the perfect people to invite to a cocktail party.

It’s easy to say that 2009 and 2010 have been and will be banner years for Geoff, but it’s also easy to overlook the fact that these achievements have come as a byproduct of years of hard work and creative energy.

I have a vivid memory of walking into my Miami comic shop in 2000 to pick up the latest issue of FLASH — one of my must-buys as a reader — only to discover there was a new writer on the series. Believe it or not, there was a time when “Geoff Johns” was an unknown commodity in comics. Weird, right? I picked up the issue, and to this day, I’m glad I did.

Even then, you could see the elements that would help revitalize the Flash and Hal Jordan and catapult Geoff from relatively unknown newbie to the bestselling author he is today: the deft characterization, the ability to skillfully weave continuity to serve the greater story without being constricted by it and — some would argue, most importantly — the care and resonance given to these characters that have become a part of our daily pop culture mythology.

When you read a Geoff Johns comic, you’re not just getting a fun yarn to chew on for 20 minutes — you’re getting something that’s written with care and by someone who’s just as much of a fan as you are. Someone who knows how invested you, as a reader, are in these colorful heroes and the world they reside in. That’s a very special bond that’s not only hard to put into words, but to replicate. And it’s part of what makes reading a Geoff Johns comic unique.

This is only the beginning. If the above GREEN LANTERN #50 variant by Jim Lee doesn’t get you jazzed, I’m not sure what will. But let it serve as a signal that there is much more Geoff Johns goodness coming your way in the DCU, and we’re all the better for it.

So, congrats, Geoff. Here’s to more years of amazing stories.

Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul say goodbye (for now) to Superboy in this epic 30-page issue. What happens? Well, take a peek below. ADVENTURE COMICS #6 hits 1/13.

You know, ever since I started at DC Comics (nearly eight years ago for those of you keeping track), I’ve been asked when are we
going to do a new HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE and a new WHO’S WHO? Over the years I’ve given varying responses to these questions (everything from “waiting to find the right talent” to “not ready to start revising history’); after all, the creative energy that Marv Wolfman and George Perez put into the original HISTORY was hard to top, and the amount of man hours it took to build a new WHO’S WHO was a little daunting. And truth be told, if we ever planned to take on these two monumental projects again, we wanted to make sure we rolled them out at a time we felt that the universe was no longer in flux and the history, as built, and the Who’s Who entries would stay relevant for as long as the original projects (some of the editors, myself included, can be seen still using the original Who’s Who as a reference guide). The last thing we’d want to do is to build these books and have them outdated before their final issues hit the shelves. Well, given the events of BLACKEST NIGHT (you didn’t really think I’d give away the ending, did you?), and the fact that we are approaching DC Comics’ 75th anniversary, I am very happy to announce that the time is now.

A new WHO’s WHO is currently in production with the first issue hitting the stores in May. Like the original series, this is a massive
undertaking: 18 issues, over 800 entries and featuring, literally, a thousand characters. Former DC Editor Bob Greenberger has returned to the fold (Bob worked on the original Who’s Who as well) and is taking on the incredible task of building this series so that it has the same lasting impact of the first one. As for the history of the DC Universe, well, we are coming at that a little differently. Rather than a prose piece, master storyteller Len Wein has crafted a detailed and weaving story of two families whose lives have been impacted by five generations of super-heroes.

DC LEGACIES tells the tale of the history of the DC Universe as experienced by the characters who live in it. Five generations, ten issues and fifteen of comics’ greatest artists will be telling a tale for the ages. And while you will be hearing more about this project as it gets closer, this Nation page just gives you a sample of the first-issue art of the incomparable team of Andy and Joe Kubert as they tackle the first generation and the age of the Mystery Men.

A little special comic book goodness to kick off 2010. Happy New Year, Nation!

To be continued…

DD

Writer/artist Tony Daniel presents the unthinkable, as Batman teams with his arch-foe the Penguin to track down the Black  Mask. Wise move? We’ll see. BATMAN #695 hits 1/13.

Didn’t think so.

The murder mystery engulfing New Krypton deepens in the second part of “Mystery in Space.” SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #11 hits today.

The team has survived its first major battle — but can they find their missing teammate? JSA ALL STARS #2 hits tomorrow.

You didn’t think we’d come into 2010 quietly, did you?

Of course not. Take a few deep breaths. We know the headline’s a doozy. But it’s also true: Mega-popular artist David Finch, who’s made a name for himself working on every title under the sun for Marvel will be calling the DCU his home base for the foreseeable future — and we couldn’t be happier.

Where can you expect to see Finch’s hyperkinetic pencils and expressive linework? Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? Take a moment to bask in the glow of the news. Done? OK. We managed to get a few minutes of David’s time to discuss his decision to come to DC. So take it away, Dave:

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the DC family! It feels too good to be true that I’m going to have the chance to draw some of the most dynamic, iconic, and fun characters in the business. I’ve been a DC comics fan for a very long time, so it’s a very big honor to finally have a part in their creation.”

For more on Finch’s move to DC, swing by COMIC BOOK RESOURCES to read the first interview with the newly-minted DC creator.

Happy New Year, Source readers. As you can imagine, we’ve spent the morning sifting through emails and getting our system used to waking up at a reasonable hour.

But there’s little time for that. Time to shake off the vacation rust and get rolling, as stuff is always happening in the DCU. And by now, you’re well aware of a little thing called BLACKEST NIGHT, right? Having read #6, I’d imagine you’re chomping at the bit for any and all things related to the event. Well, GREEN LANTERN #50 is coming on 1/27. Dubbed by GREEN LANTERN Associate Editor Adam Schlagman as “BLACKEST NIGHT #6.5,” the issue is a perfect bridge between the issues, and full of some major turning points for our heroes.

But enough of my banter. We gave GREEN LANTERN writer Geoff Johns a buzz for more on the issue. Take it away, Geoff:

“Picking up right where BLACKEST NIGHT #6 left off, things get a whole lot brighter in GREEN LANTERN #50 as Hal finds himself side-by-side with the newest Corps recruits.  But not all of them are exactly suited for the job.  And none of them are prepared for the power of the Black Lantern Spectre.  Doug Mahnke has done some of the most amazing work of his career on this issue.”

And, because it’s not a Monday morning post without some cool art, here’s an amazing pair of pages from Mahnke. Nice way to kick off 2010, huh?