Have you been reading SECRET SIX? If not, for shame. This issue, #22, marks the finale of the latest Gail Simone/J. Calafiore collabo, and it shows fan-favorite Catman going postal on all those that have made his nine lives difficult. Will the other members of the Six bail just when Catman needs a hand? Is one of the team quitting for good? Anything’s possible.

SECRET SIX #22 hits 6/9, and keep your eyes on The Source for more info on the next SECRET SIX arc, won’t you?

Hey–for those of you who don’t already know–the first issue of our new JOKER’S ASYLUM event hits stands this week. JOKER’S ASYLUM is a group of five one-shoots focusing on Batman’s rogues gallery, each written and drawn by a different creative team. This time around we’re featuring stories on HARLEY QUINN, CLAYFACE, MAD HATTER, KILLER CROC, and of course…

THE RIDDLER. First out of the gate is a tale about Edward Nigma, written by Peter Calloway (a writer from the hit TV show Brothers & Sisters) with amazing artwork by Andres Guinaldo and Raul Fernandez (GOTHAM CITY SIRENS).

With the Riddler taking center stage in this one-shot, I’m sure it will come as no surprise that the story revolves around…well, a riddle. But here’s some free advice, fans…as a reader, I wouldn’t stop at being satisfied with just the surface-level puzzle that Edward Nigma attempts to resolve…

Try to dig a little deeper…maybe there’s an extra layer or two to the story. And I know spring is nearly over, but maybe there’ are a few Easter eggs to discover…

Report back here, let us know what you find…

Later this year, the TITANS ongoing series returns, courtesy of writer Eric Wallace and artist Fabrizio Fiorentino, with a new direction. Fans got a sense of how ruthless Deathstroke’s team of mercenaries could be in the pages of the TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL #1, but who else is on their radar?

We caught up with Mr. Wallace for some info on what’s coming up in TITANS #24 and beyond. Take it away, Eric.

“Osiris’s destiny is closely intertwined with that of Deathstroke and these all-new Titans. As readers will see starting in Titans #24 & #25, the choices Osiris is confronted with and the resulting decisions he ultimately makes will change his destiny forever. It’s the beginning of a very intense journey for the character, one that may shock people. And it will have tremendous implications for the entire Marvel family.”

Looking for something to do this weekend? Well look no longer because the 2010 DC Nation tour pulls into Charlotte, North Carolina for Heroes Convention from June 4th – 6th at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Hi, I’m DCU Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler. You might remember me from other convention posts such as, “The guy who was stoked to get doughnuts in Seattle” or “The guy with the party hats in Baltimore”. I fly to Charlotte tomorrow at dawn (seriously why do they make flights that leave so early?) and I am am thrilled to be attending Heroes again. This is one of the best shows in the country for fans to come and meet their favorite creators and this year’s guest list is pretty stacked. Take a look:

FRANCO AURELIANI, MARK BAGLEY, BRIAN BOLLAND, BERNARD CHANG , CLIFF CHIANG, CULLY HAMNER , SCOTT HAMPTON , TONY HARRIS , JEREMY HAUN , GREG HORN, ADAM HUGHES , JAMAL IGLE , KEVIN MAGUIRE , DUSTIN NGUYEN , MIKE NORTON , STEPHANE
ROUX , BILLY TUCCI , ETHAN VAN SCIVER & BILL WILLINGHAM

As usual we’ll be hosting our industry-leading, not technically but theoretically award-wining panels on Saturday and Sunday. If you can make it to the show please come out and see us. It’ll be fun, I promise.

DC NATION!
Saturday, 12-1pm, room 207BCD
The DC NATION returns to Charlotte! We’re always looking for new recruits, so be sure to come on by as Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler and some of the industry’s top talent give you the inside scoop on all things DC.

SUNDAY CONVERSATION WITH IAN SATTLER
Sunday, 12-1pm, room 209
All are welcome to join Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler for a relaxed Sunday afternoon discussion. Share your thoughts, or be enthralled, as the group share their stories and love for this medium.

Lovely covers by amazing artists. Simple enough, right?

So, here, for your end-of-day clicking are the variant covers for ZATANNA #2 by Brian Bolland, GREEN ARROW #2 by Ethan Van Sciver, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #4 by Tony Harris and THE FLASH #3 by Greg Horn.

On June 18, Warner Bros. Pictures will release the major motion picture JONAH HEX, starring Josh Brolin in the title role, along with Megan Fox and John Malkovich. To celebrate the release of the feature film DC will unveil an original JONAH HEX graphic novel in advance of the film’s opening, by the acclaimed JONAH HEX writing team of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti paired with legendary HEX artist Tony DeZuniga.

In JONAH HEX: NO WAY BACK, readers discover how Jonah’s rough family life transformed him into the justice-thirsty vigilante readers know. Featuring the artwork of DeZuniga on a new epic by Gray and Palmiotti, this heartbreaking, brutal original graphic novel is set against the gritty landscape of the Wild West. Ride along with Hex as he comes to terms with the death of a loved one, long thought lost, battles El Papagayo and his gang of bandits and tries to make peace with his own frightening past to save his present.

And we’ve got a first look at the OGN below. But before we dive into that, let’s revisit what co-writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti had to say about the OGN, not long ago:

“Jonah Hex has a brother,” Gray said. “That’s the idea that came up decades earlier in discussions between writer John Albano and Tony DeZuniga. Tony casually mentioned this to us and that idea has been brought to life in the hardcover. Bold, brazen violent and surprisingly tender, this is the consummate tale of the Wild West’s greatest bounty hunter.”

“Jonah is one of the coolest and most unique characters we have ever had the pleasure to work on,” Palmiotti said. “He’s an icon and his untamed manner appeals, on a visceral gut level, to just about everyone who reads it. In this, Hex’s first original graphic novel, we unleash the beast like you have never seen before.”

It’s quite rare in this day and age for me to get excited about the artwork in a particular comic book story. It happened to me when I saw my first Golden Age Captain America comic as Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s art tore through panel borders and leaped directly at me. I witnessed it in those nine panel cinematic pages by Steve Ditko in the ’60′s. I was shaken up by it when I bought Spectre #2 in the Silver Age and saw the work of some guy named Neal Adams who then continued to push the envelope of graphic story-telling through his every Deadman page. I was captivated by it when Jim Steranko took comic book art to an entirely different level in SHIELD and Captain America.

And right now this very minute, I’m looking at the third issue of THE SPIRIT and am dazzled by some of the best and most contemporary graphic story-telling I have seen in decades. I can’t help but get excited. I believe that I have seen the next super-star in the comic book industry and his name is Justiniano. His design and art in our “Spirit Black & White” story, “Fifteen Minutes of Fame,” (yes, today’s salute to Will’s “Ten Minutes”) shows not simply what he is capable of using black and white to its natural artistic maximum, but that he is my Neal Adams- Jim Steranko break-through artist of 2010.

I discovered how special a talent he was when he illustrated our three issue “Spirit” story arc a year ago and, since then, while he’s been drawing… innovating, actually… this story for SPIRIT #3. The last time I worked with an artist like this was when I did “The Question” with Alex Toth, a story also in black and white that wound up in the hardback DC Archives book, ACTION HEROES ARCHIVES, Volume 2.

Fellow fan-boys, I really want to bring to your attention this man’s work. Fans who vote for the yearly big awards in the comic book industry should not overlook his black and white gem. His name is Justiniano and he’s one damn good artist.

We’ve got a simple good news/bad news situation for you all this morning.

Bad news: Artist Cameron Stewart won’t be handling the art chores on the fourth issue of BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. We’ll have more Cameron news, however, in the coming months, so — as usual — keep it locked here at The Source. So, wait. That’s not bad news at all.

Good news: Stepping in to take on the artistic duties on the issue? Georges Jeanty, who’s done a masterful job on Buffy the Vampire Slayer over at Dark Horse and for the initial installments of the MANHUNTER co-feature with us. So, it’s a win-win, right? We cornered Batman Group Editor Mike Marts about the change. Take it away, Mike:

“We were lucky enough to sign on Georges Jeanty–hot off his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer— to pencil the fourth installment of Grant Morrison’s RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE! In this chapter, Georges gets to illustrate Bruce Wayne in the “Wild West” period from Gotham City’s past.”

And because this is how we roll, we’ve got a few pages from Georges’ issue for your perusal:

This June, writer Judd Winick and artist Pablo Raimondi join forces to reveal the origins of the Red Hood in RED HOOD: LOST DAYS #1, a six-issue mini-series that spotlights an angry young man’s transformation into one of Batman’s deadliest foes.

The series will ship its first two issues in anticipation of the arrival of BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD DVD arriving in stores. The DVD, the next entry in the popular ongoing series of DC UNIVERSE Animated Original PG-13 Movies, hits July 27 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation and showcases Batman confronting new enemies, old foes and painful memories as a powerful vigilante with a penchant for violence comes to Gotham to stake his claim on the city.

We’ve got a first look at #1 right here, so click below to get a primer for the mini-series.

Writer Judd Winick and artist Pablo Raimondi hope to answer that question in June, with the debut of RED HOOD: THE LOST DAYS, a six-issue mini-series revealing the untold story of the man behind the Red Hood. It’s the tale of an angry young man’s transformation into a deadly villain.

New regular writer Fabian Nicieza joins forces with artist Marcus To as a surge of organized mobs begin to spread across Gotham. Who are the Socials and what is their agenda? Plus, an unexpected throwdown between Red Robin and Robin.

RED ROBIN #13 hits tomorrow.