To say anticipation has been high for the launch of the new BATWOMAN series would be an understatement. The character of Kate Kane instantly connected with fans, and her initial solo adventures in DETECTIVE COMICS (which you can read in the BATWOMAN: ELEGY HC – see what I did there?) cemented the character as a lasting part of the DC Universe and the cultural landscape. Not only was she the first major gay DC superhero, she was a compelling and unique character.

A lot of that goes back to the source material, namely the story crafted by ELEGY writer Greg Rucka and the beautiful, lush work of artist J.H. Williams III. And, as we announced in this very space not long ago, Batwoman’s story would continue in the pages of her own series, co-written by Williams and W. Haden Blackman and featuring alternating artistic arcs from Williams and Amy Reeder.

Well, now we’ve got some details to go with that news.

This November, fans will see BATWOMAN #0, a one-shot primer that brings together the new creative team for a special tale that sets the tone for the upcoming ongoing series, which will hit in February 2011. The #0 issue features an artistic collaboration in the truest sense, as both Williams and Reeder will be splitting the work on almost every page, and working off a script from Blackman and Williams. As previously revealed, the ongoing series will kick off with Williams on art duties for the first arc, followed by Reeder.

That image you see above? The variant cover to BATWOMAN #0 by Reeder. Let’s touch base with the creative folk putting the issue together.

“BATWOMAN #0 has been a great experience in that it’s a real combination of everyone’s efforts due to the nature of the story and how it’s constructed. It has been a real pleasure.,” Williams said. “This special ‘bridge’ issue straddles between what came before and what is to come, but manages to be it’s own unique thing. It’s unusual construction allows two threads of content to run simultaneously, building to a greater whole, hopefully creating an interesting reading experience.”

“The element I’m most excited about with our run of BATWOMAN is the way we’re trying to balance the big action with a more personal story. This has been a challenge because we didn’t want to just have one action-oriented plotline for Batwoman and a separate personal story for Kate Kane — we’ve really tried to weave the two together, and show how one impacts the other,” Blackman said. “The first arc is very much a superhero horror story, but we’re hoping the horror elements are made even scarier because it’s all happening to characters the reader cares about.

“The #0 was very rewarding to write because it re-introduces
Batwoman through the eyes of Batman. It gave us a chance to compare and contrast Batwoman with a character everyone knows very well — and I think that it’s all the ways she is different from Batman that make her a really compelling and honest character.”

And Amy does a nice job of summing the whole shebang up:

“BATWOMAN #0 is going to be stellar. J.H. and Haden’s script is very cool and it’s set up in a way that’s truly meant for collaboration. What a great project to be involved in!”

Indeed. Stay tuned for a few more news items this week and next.

It’s Friday already? Whew. And we still have a bunch of news to unveil. It certainly hasn’t been a quiet week for the Bat-books here on The Source, so grab your coffee, because we’ve got another doozy for you.

If you read the headline, you know the gist of it — BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM artist Dustin Nguyen is taking over a new corner of the city as he moves over to be the regular artist on BATGIRL starting in November. The move pairs him with series writer Bryan Q. Miller.

And with a gracious hat tip to artist Lee Garbett, who did a masterful job with the series from its inception (and is moving on to more, top-secret stuff), we turn the mic over to Dustin and Bryan. Guys, what have you got in store?

“This is definitely going to be an exciting venture for me, besides the outline Bryan has for us, i’m just plain excited to be drawing Batgirl,” Nguyen said. “This latest incarnation of her has lots of the aesthetics of the original Babs that i love and some new ones. It’ll take me some getting used to drawing a female in horns, but i’m looking forward to putting away the “mean and moody” for a while and kick in the ‘fun and sexy.’”

Bryan?

“Dustin’s joining the team at JUST the right time, as BATGIRL: THE LESSON begins. Steph’s world is going to get a smidge more gritty, a skosh more chaotic, and LOADS more dangerous – Dustin’s the perfect man to help tell this tale! And, as an added bonus, Dustin’s on the ground floor for the creation of Steph’s very own gallery of rogues (So, there’s that to look forward to, too!) Consider his cover to Batgirl #15 one of the last truly quiet moments our Batgirl is going to have for quite a while. But she’s ready for it – you can tell from the look on her face. That’s Steph for you — always smiling!”

Sounds good – but let’s not forget, we have some art to show. Here’s a first look at the cover to BATGIRL #15, by Dustin.

Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel continue their captivating untold tale of Bruce Wayne and his adventures between BATMAN R.I.P. and FINAL CRISIS. Discover the shocking secrets that point toward THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE that we couldn’t show you until now.

BATMAN #702 hits 8/25.

This November, writer/artist Howard Chaykin presents a one-shot tale of the Cavalier. You remember him, right? The Z-lister with the swords? How’d someone like that manage to frame the femme fatale known as Catwoman for a string of burglaries? Doubly impressive? Framing rich playboy Bruce Wayne for cleaning out the Wayne Enterprises vault.

Impressive, indeed. But once Catwoman and Batman are on his tail, the Cavalier will learn that frame-ups like that cut both ways, as both Catwoman and Batman begin to track the rogue in this unique one-shot, written and drawn by the legendary Chaykin.

Bernie Wrightson drawing Batman. What more do you really need, beyond knowing that the master storyteller is putting pen to paper on a tale of the Dark Knight? Well, OK. How about industry legend Kevin Nowlan? All bringing to life a story by veteran writer Ron Marz.

But that’s not all – the issue also includes a newly colored, classic Wrightson/Len Wein Batman story: “Night of the Bat,” which originally appeared in SWAMP THING #7, featuring colors by the masterful Alex Sinclair. This lineup couldn’t get more A-list if we tried. But enough boasting – how about a look at a few pages from the issue?

This November, the comic book version of the much-loved BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD cartoon series gets a new look and creative team – and series.

THE ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, with the creative team of writer Sholly Fisch and artist Rick Burchett hits the ground running, with appearances by Superman and Shazam! in the first two issues, and that’s only the beginning, as the series promises to surround the Caped Crusader with an A-list cast of co-stars and surprise guests, in the same fun, energetic vein as the hit cartoon television program “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” from Warner Bros. Animation, airing Fridays at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network.

And as an added bonus, here’s a look at the first cover. Stay tuned to The Source for more on the new series.

“With Roy back on drugs and haunted by Lian’s death, he’s fallen into an emotional abyss. Broken inside and making all sorts of bad decisions, he’s now a perfect fit for these dark Titans. That’s because these anti-villains are a team of broken, desperate people. Yes, things are going to get worse before they get a lot better. But ironically, it’s Deathstroke’s uber-mission that’s going to help heal them. That is, if they all don’t get killed first in the process.”

…it’s best to leave while the party is still going. And we certainly have quite a party going on as we celebrate SUPERMAN/BATMAN’s 75th issue—in serendipitously enough the same year DC celebrates its own 75th Anniversary.

It’s hard to believe this all started with Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness wanting to expand the SUPERMAN franchise from their run with a new take on a team-up book featuring the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. In the past this was the WORLD’S FINEST, but that name just didn’t seem as fresh anymore. Enter Mike Carlin and his observation of an interesting tattoo he had seen on his commute—in a melding of the S-shield and the Bat-symbol, the book’s logo was born!

Now under that icon, some very impressive talent has made its way through its pages. And this couldn’t be more true of the book that will be coming out soon. Starting with an awesome cover by Frank Quitely, the lead story is by Paul Levitz, who finally gets to team the Legion of Super-Heroes with Batman as well as Superman and Superboy, all lusciously illustrated by Jerry Ordway, no stranger to Strange Visitors. But this is just the beginning. What follows is a special section featuring 2-page strips. My homage to WEDNESDAY COMICS.

It starts with Steve Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen doing the only sequel they ever will to IT’S A BIRD… with “It’s A Bat, ” a story of how an editor tries to get a special section like this going. It continues with Billy Tucci and Peter Tomasi with Gene Ha each playing up the grand adventures of our heroes, while Adam Hughes, David Finch, J.T. Krul, Francis Manapul, Duncan Rouleau, Jill Thompson, Michael Green with Mike Johnson and Rafael Albuquerque and Shane Davis all show us how the Superman and Batman families have been inspired by these two icons. From Supergirls to super-pets, and a wild take on a Lex Luthor and Joker teaming by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, it has it all, but don’t just listen to me. Go check it out!

So let the party rage—keep the music going, Matt Idelson—as I bid you a fond adios, muchachos; las Linterna Verde me llama.
–Eddie B.

It’s been a pretty frenetic and fun week for the Dark Knight so far, but why stop now? So far, we’ve heard a lot about BATMAN INC., the new ongoing series kicking off in November, from writer Grant Morrison. But what of artist Yanick Paquette?

Well, ask no more. Here’s a peek at the first cover to BATMAN INC., and it’s a stunner.

When we unveiled the full roster of BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME books last month, the covers were kept under tight wraps. But we did reveal one thing – it’d be a connected image, featuring a number of the key characters that reside on the Bat-universe, by none other than SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE artist Shane Davis.

That’s a big assignment – literally. Shane sent us a prelim look at what the covers are forming. He also thought a more literal look at the covers would be instructional. Click above and below for both. Brings new meaning to the term “high concept,” huh? Enough puns — check out the art below.