So I’m going to be That Guy and cop to it right from the start: I never watched Batman Beyond.

Like any geek of a certain age, I was absolutely rabid for the immortal Batman: The Animated Series. For me, and for many of you, I’m sure, a lifelong love for the DC Universe started there, cross-legged in front of the television every weekday afternoon. It always felt so sophisticated, miles ahead of every other cartoon, with its achingly gorgeous art-deco Gotham and surprisingly dark, twisty plots. And hey, the fact that Batman was voiced by a guy with my last name didn’t hurt. (For the record, there’s no relation, but you can probably get me to trot out my Batman voice anyway. It is not very good.) We all get older, though, and the series’ sequel, Batman Beyond, started airing in 1999, when I was in the home stretch of high school and I considered myself a little too old and a little too cool for cartoons. There were many things I was wrong about in high school, of course, and being “too cool” for anything would definitely qualify. Nonetheless, I never gave the show a second glance until Dan came to me with the Batman Beyond assignment. When he did, I grabbed all three seasons on DVD and set aside a weekend to do my homework.

And now I know exactly why all of you have been begging for this book for so long.

There’s that amazing character design, maybe the single sharpest iteration of the Batsuit ever. There’s the remarkable opening title sequence, instantly recognizable now as the work of the phenomenal Darwyn Cooke – WB Animation really is a murderer’s row of talent, isn’t it? There are those rogues – Inque, Blight, Mad Stan, Shriek; each one a totally new, but totally classic, creation.

And there’s Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne, two fantastic characters that totally invert the old “Batman and his sidekick” formulation, creating a new and surprisingly emotional relationship from which decades of story could spring. And now, at last, their whole story will be told. It’s no secret that comics fans have always had a special love for the stories set in the future, the classic “What Ifs?” like Kingdom Come, where the whole universe is our playground and the stakes are through the roof, because anything could happen. With Batman Beyond, you get to enjoy that feeling every month.

Every single member of this creative team is hungry to knock your socks off; they’re the Beyond fans who’ve been wanting this book to happen just as badly as you have. You can feel that excitement in Ryan’s insane action sequences, where fists and figures fly in every direction, and in the palpable feeling of grit and glamour that John Stanisci and colorist David Baron give to Neo-Gotham. Dustin Nguyen gives us the covers that let you know before you turn a page that this is like no other book on the stands. And Adam Beechen is determined to keep the twists coming. He’ll be checking in here on The Source sometime soon to tease what’s in store himself, but I will say our first arc forces Terry to contend with the most personal threat he’s seen yet, and will lead to him standing his ground against no less an unstoppable force than the Justice League. And Adam’s pitched me on an idea for a certain undersea kingdom – and its monarch — that I simply cannot wait to see brought to life.

So mea culpa, everyone; mea culpa. Maybe once, I thought I was too cool for Batman Beyond; but now every time a new script or page of art comes in, I wonder if Batman Beyond is too cool for me. That ten-year-old kid in front of the TV would lose his mind if he only knew the sort of comics he’d get to ride shotgun on one day – after all, we never can predict what our futures will hold…

Wait. I am. I should be there – or well on my way – by the time you read this post.

What am I doing in SF? Resting. Eating. Going to BoucherCon and APE. Apparently, I go to conventions even while on vacation.

But fear not – The Source will chug along, with a bunch of cool content that’ll keep you entertained, engaged and excited (see what I did there?). I’ll be back on Tuesday morning. See you then.

I interrupt my usual DC Nation-ness to bring you, the DC Comics reader, a very important announcement: The comics shipping this month are freaking awesome! I know you’re thinking “But Ian, the comics are awesome every month!” and you’re totally right – they are – but this month features so many special items I wanted to make sure that you were perfectly clear on the degree of amazing we’ve got going on. Throughout October we are bringing you specials, new projects, new formats, new beginnings, and much more. I’ll be dedicating this space to more specific coverage of some of these projects later on, but for now let’s review some of what you can expect to see:

- Bruce Wayne – The Road Home Specials
These specials include Batman & Robin, Red Robin, Batgirl, Outsiders, Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, Oracle and Ra’s al Ghul and set the status quo for the hotly anticipated…

- Action Comics #894
Paul Cornell welcomes Death from Sandman to the DCU in monumental issue that also features the debut of the Jimmy Olsen co-feature by Nick Spencer. Mr. Cornell also delivers Knight & Squire #1 this month so be sure to say thank you when you see him, OK?

- Untold Tales of Blackest Night #1
Check out these missing scenes from Blackest Night by Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi and JT Krul.

- Teen Titans #88
And speaking of Mr. Krul, we are pleased to welcome him and artist Nicola Scott as the new creative team behind Teen Titans. This is the start of a new era for the team, so be sure to check this out!

- DC Comics Presents
Presenting an all-new format aimed at collecting rare stories or stories never seen before. These 100-page spectaculars will be coming at you every month with material from both the DCU and Vertigo. This month you can check out volumes focusing on Brightest Day, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Young Justice. Trust me – you’re gonna love these.

So that’s some list of comic-y goodness, huh?

I haven’t even had time to mention the JSA 80-Page Giant, JLA/The 99, DCU Halloween Special, Batman: Hidden Treasures or the return of the Black Lanterns in Brightest Day. Be sure to check back here and on The Source (dcublog.com) for more info all month long. Now get out there and start reading!

Be seeing you,

— Ian Sattler Senior Story Editor, DCU

Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Eddy Barrows continue to chronicle Superman’s story as he walks across America – bringing the Man of Steel closer to the people of his adopted planet than ever before. In this issue, Superman visits Cincinnati and its surrounding areas, while also featuring a special cameo from a certain Dark Knight, which we’ve spotlighted for you here.

SUPERMAN #703 is out today.

BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME kicks off here as Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne rush to quash a damaging news item that could threaten the secret identities of the entire Bat-family. And as if that weren’t enough to occupy their time, their father figure, Bruce Wayne, has returned.

BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: BATMAN AND ROBIN also hits today.

We’ve got a duo of BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME previews for you today. Kicking off the pair is BATGIRL, from regular writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Pere Perez. With the return of Bruce Wayne, could Stephanie Brown’s short tenure as Batgirl be over? Or will his homecoming bode well for her?

BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: BATGIRL hits today.

The Blackest Night is over, but the shockwaves are still being felt. And not every story has been told.

From the ashes of the dark, universe-spanning tale by superstars Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis comes BRIGHTEST DAY – but what stories remain hidden from the most horrific story to affect the DCU’s heroes? Well, glad you asked.

Here’s a collection of snapshots from the one-shot, which hits tomorrow, courtesy of an all-star creative cast. In addition to the aforementioned Johns and Reis, the issue features the talents of writers Peter Tomasi, J.T. Krul, Adam Schlagman and artists Ethan Van Sciver, Ed Benes, Patrick Gleason, Brett Booth and many more. Nothing to scoff at folks. Just look at the panels below.

UNTOLD TALES OF BLACKEST NIGHT #1 hits today.

Adara, the Hope Entity finds a host in the latest issue of GREEN LANTERN from writer Geoff Johns and artist Doug Mahnke. Talk about a huge responsibility. The young girl – who may be a great savior in the future – is tasked with containing one of the most powerful forces in the galaxy. But can she handle it?

Plus, Hal Jordan takes a spiritual journey and the Spectre sets his sights on the Rage Entity. Not a quiet issue, and we doubt you’d have it any other way. GREEN LANTERN #58 hits today.

(October 18, 2010) Bob Wayne has been named Senior Vice President, Sales of DC Comics, it was announced at New York ComicCon by John Rood, EVP Sales, Marketing, and Business Development, DC Entertainment. Wayne will continue to oversee sales distribution for DC Comics in the direct market and bookstores, and in his new role will and will now oversee digital sales and all international distribution. He will be based in New York and report directly to John Rood.

“Bob Wayne’s dedication to the direct market is boundless and he’s been an instrumental, guiding force in DC Comics’ growth in traditional bookstores,” said Rood. “Bob has a stellar reputation with our partners in the retail community and I look forward to watching his—and the company’s– expanded influence internationally on all platforms.”

Bob Wayne joined DC Comics as Retail Promotions Manager in 1987. He was promoted to Vice President, Direct Sales in 1998. He was honored with an Inkpot Award in 2009 at Comic-Con International: San Diego.

Prior to joining DC, Wayne operated a chain of comics and science fiction stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

He is the co-author of the DC comic book series Time Masters.

New cover images by Ivan Reis, Neal Adams and Ethan Van Sciver? Hard to say no, huh? This week, we’ve got the latest black and white version of legendary Batman artist’ Neal Adams’ BATMAN: ODYSSEY series, superstar Ivan Reis’ take on BRIGHTEST DAY #13 and an iconic shot of the Dynamic Duo courtesy of Mr. Ethan Van Sciver. Hard to beat that on a Tuesday, huh? Click below to enjoy the images in their full glory.