Some have said that three is the magic number. If that’s the case, November should be a fascinating month. Here at THE SOURCE, we’ll spotlighting key third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with an ongoing series of posts titled “3 Things You Didn’t Know About DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.” Expect the unexpected–in threes.

There is a place on the dark side of Ysmault — home of the Red Lanterns — where the air is heavy with the smell of death, and the plants are dark and twisted. Long before Bleez, before Zilius Zox and Dex Starr and Skallox, this is where Atrocitus buried his failed experiments. He’d been trying to create his Red Lantern corps–but the first attempts were failures: too insane, too abysmal, to be allowed to live. More lurks here than Atrocitus ever imagined…

Talking of Skallox, few people are aware that Skallox tried to join the equivalent of a dating agency on his home planet, with truly horrific consequences. The terrible story of this unhappy affair will be revealed soon.

And what of Bleez?  She may have undergone the terrible transformation of the Red Lanterns but in issue three a baptism in  Blood Ocean rekindles her intelligence, and her demons.  But will Bleez will  be satisfied at being Atrocitus’ loyal number two? Or will there come a time when the Red Lanterns of Ysmault will have to make a decision? Bleez or Atrocitus. Youth or experience?

Or will an unholy alliance between an Earth-born Red Lantern and a terrible creature from Atrocitus’s past force Atrocitus and Bleez to put aside their differences for good?

– Peter Milligan (RED LANTERNS)

In the first issue of PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE, you read the beginning of Oswald Cobblepot’s origin story. And if you thought that was dark, just wait until you read issue #2.

PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE #2 lifts the curtain on Oswald’s disturbed childhood even higher, revealing the root of his evil. Through the issue’s fragmented parallel stories, see young Oswald discover his thirst for blood and witness how he sheds it on the streets of contemporary Gotham.

Written by Gregg Hurwitz and illustrated by Szymon Kudranski, PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE #2 is a twisted and fascinating character study of one of Batman’s most iconic nemeses. Look for the issue in stores this Wednesday.

It’s almost the weekend, but that’s not stopping people from writing and talking about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

CNN’s GEEK OUT interviewed ACTION COMICS writer Grant Morrison. “Superman is very much a physical character,” responded Morrison when asked about the differences between writing Superman and Batman. “The confrontations are very direct – he fights giant robots and monsters and things, so the kind of symbolism the two of them work on are very different.”

COMIC BOOK RESOURCES has your exclusive first look at next week’s BATGIRL #3 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes.

Meanwhile, the ASSOCIATED PRESS quotes John Rood, DC Entertainment’s Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for a story about the commercial success of DC Comics-The NEW 52. “We like what ‘DC Comics — The New 52′ is doing to bring new attention to comics and to comic shop retailers. And we like hearing that other publishers are being helped too. . . The market-share battle is not the one we care to win… We are battling to deliver great stories and characters, and to support comic shops so that they’re the ones who win every month.”

Have a great weekend, everyone. We’ll have much, much more next week.

As always, to be continued …

As part of DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour, SWAMP THING artist Yanick Paquette will be appearing at Millenium Comics tomorrow. This event will feature process pieces from SWAMP THING#1, GREEN LANTERN #1, and WONDER WOMAN #1. If you’re in the area stop by to meet him and get your SWAMP THING comic books signed!

Saturday, November 5
Meet SWAMP THING artist Yanick Paquette

1:00-5:00pm
Millenium Comics
451, Marie-Anne East St.
Montreal, Quebec (Canada) H2J-2A2

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY continued their weekly homepage placement of previews from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. This time around? Next week’s SUPERBOY #3 by Scott Lobdell, R.B. Silva and Rob Lean.

Fans who picked up this week’s ANIMAL MAN #3 already know that the issue revealed a new twist to Buddy Baker’s origin story. NEWSARAMA interviewed writer Jeff Lemire about this revelation and what other surprises are coming up in the series. “The book’s a horror book. It really is,” Lemire told them. “And the scariest thing — and you know this as a parent — the scariest thing you can possibly think of is something terrible happening to your child. If I can tap into that, I think I’ve created a really terrifying book and a book with a lot of emotional stakes.”

Yesterday, we told you about IGN’s Holiday Gift Guide. Well, it looks like it really is that time of year because UGO just published their Holiday Gift Guide as well. Head on over to their specific DC-themed gift guide for their recommendations of both new and classic titles like BATMAN: NOEL and SUPERMAN: THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN.

Still looking for more gift ideas? Released last week in comic book stores and this week in bookstores everywhere, FLASHPOINT is a hardcover collection of all five issues of this summer’s bestselling series by Geoff Johns, Andy Kubert and Sandra Hope that paved the way to DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. “Flashpoint is a necessary read, one that will have to be devoured and studied by anyone who wants to be in-the-know about anything that follows,” wrote AMAZON’s OMNIVORACIOUS BLOG of the collection.

To be continued …

Some have said that three is the magic number. If that’s the case, November should be a fascinating month. Here at THE SOURCE, we’ll spotlighting key third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with an ongoing series of posts titled “3 Things You Didn’t Know About DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.” Expect the unexpected–in threes.

Two new members join the Suicide Squad in issue #3, one from the classic line up (and that’s all I’m saying about that for now), and one brand new character. The newbie is called Yo-Yo, and he can alter his mass and thickness, perfect powers for a thief… or a member of a covert operations squad. We’ll see him in action for the first time, and start to slowly peel back the layers of his personality, who he is, and how he ended up in the Squad.

The other big thing coming up happens a little further down the road. One of the Squad members betrays the team in about the worst way possible, turning their world upside down and threatening to expose them. There’s nothing more worthless than a burned covert operative, so we’ll see what lengths Waller and the Squad will go to maintain their cover. We’ll also learn a lot about our rogue when they go off the reservation, their back story, and what their agenda is. It’s a big, wild two-part story, so buckle up because it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

– Adam Glass (SUICIDE SQUAD)

It may not seem like it, but the holidays are just around the corner. IGN published their annual Holiday Buyer’s Guide which includes DC Direct, THE BLACK MIRROR, BATMAN AND ROBIN, AMERICAN VAMPIRE, SECRET SIX and more in “Comics of 2011,” as well as classics such as WATCHMEN, WE3, A GOD SOMEWHERE, BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN. Start writing Santa now!

One exciting thing to emerge from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 has been the rogues gallery across various titles. Who are these new faces that are giving our heroes a run for their money? Head on over to UGO for a list of their favorite new villains thus far.

Meanwhile, GAWKER’s IO9 previewed next week’s FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #3, COMICVINE has your exclusive first look at DEATHSTROKE #3 and TOR.COM has a sneak peek at LEGION LOST #3.

To be continued …

Some have said that three is the magic number. If that’s the case, November should be a fascinating month. Here at THE SOURCE, we’ll spotlighting key third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with an ongoing series of posts titled “3 Things You Didn’t Know About DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.” Expect the unexpected–in threes.

1) If You Are Too Late to Stop the Release of a Life-Altering Disease, At Least Bring A Cure

So you’re part of a Legion of Superheroes mission team. Your assignment: stop a terrorist trying to use the Time institute to go back in time, save his sister’s life, and release a pathogen that will change all humans into hybrid alien “Hypersapiens.” And you failed to stop him — but, out of control, he went back in time to our present day — and released the disease! Which the Legion field unit, now trapped in our present day, HAVE NO CURE FOR!

2) Do Not Steal Police Cars!

Okay, your flight rings aren’t working and that makes things inconvenient when you have to chase a rabid Hypersapien tearing people apart and sucking the marrow from their bones! But really, in order to get to Fargo, North Dakota, do you REALLY have to steal a car — much less a COP CAR?! We’re looking at you, Timber Wolf.

3) If Two Of Your Teammates Die In Your First Issue And One is a Shapeshifter and one is a Teleporter, Relax, They’re Probably Not Really Dead.

I mean, how long have you been reading comics? C’mon… why one of them might be back already and you just don’t realize it yet…

– Fabian Nicieza (LEGION LOST)

DC Comics

52 Thanksgivings!

Really. Here we are into the third month of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, and you have all helped us turn it into a runaway success we can all be thankful for.

I personally am thankful for having been involved in this history-making venture, and we are not about to let up.

On a recent mini-trip out west, one of the days involved getting up at 5 A.M. Pacific Time to make sure it would be in the right time zone to go over JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK with writer Peter Milligan in England. We talked over how to grow the threat of the evil witch Enchantress and what it would mean to Deadman.

Then Group Editor Ben Abernathy and I reviewed what is happening in the HUNTRESS mini (which I had just expressed to artist Marcus To the week before in Canada how he is kicking butt with Helena) and the big surprises there.

Next, I met up with Mike Johnson, one of the Mikes writing SUPERGIRL (the other is Green). We talked about some of the epic adversaries that Kara will soon face as she begins to understand her origins and place here on Earth. Next, Creative Executive Adam Schlagman and I braved L.A. traffic (a challenge not for the week willed–seriously, anybody who drives out there deserves a GREEN LANTERN ring) to go over with Scott Lobdell what the evil organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E., that we so far have seen only in TEEN TITANS and SUPERBOY, is up to and what it means to the Young Justice of the DC Universe.

Barely scratching the surface of the threats that could be uniting against our heroes, we had to rush back to West Coast DCE offices so Adam Glass and I could talk about some rather nasty things that he is planning for the SUICIDE SQUAD. Some of it is gut wrenching, if not stomach churning. In a good but “eww” way.

Somewhere in there I fit in time to see Kevin Kiniry, Executive Director of Creative Services, who gave me a walk-through of what DC Direct will be putting out in the coming months. Such cool stuff! Good thing the holidays are around the corner!

So yes, a time to give THANKS to all of YOU for supporting all our efforts. Who needs rest when there’s soooo much excitement around here??!!

–Eddie Berganza, Executive Editor

Images: Mahmud Asrar on SUPERGIRL and Mikel Janin on JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK are just 2 of 52 things to be thankful for this year!

With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s time to start decking the halls and looking forward to the winter holidays. And who better to help ring in tidings of comfort and joy than…Batman? Yes, your read it right; the Dark Knight is starring in BATMAN: NOEL – a unique take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol set in Gotham City, with the caped crusader filling Scrooge’s miserly boots. The book debuts in comic book stores today, and writer/artist Lee Bermejo has been making the rounds to talk about his work – and share some exclusive artwork from the book.

Bermejo spoke with USA TODAY, explaining the impetus for this idea and the parallel between Batman and Ebenezer Scrooge. “Very much like the character of Scrooge, as a younger man he was presented as a disturbed but bright fellow — he wasn’t quite that bitter old man. That’s very easily analogous to Batman’s own history,” Bermejo said.

And further discussing parallels between Batman and Scrooge, Bermejo talked to IGN about the characters’ shared place in the cultural heritage. “I’m a pretty firm believer in there being a few characters that, to me, don’t really fall into pop culture anymore, at least in terms of my definition of pop culture. They’ve just been around too long at this point and popular too long. Also what’s important to know is that they’re just able to adapt and evolve. They’re not necessarily indicative of their time. I think that makes them more literary figures than pop culture,” he said.

Check out both sites for the complete interviews, as well as exclusive artwork from BATMAN: NOEL. And if that’s not enough for you, COMPLEX MAGAZINE, WIRED and UGO all have their own exclusive preview pages from the book, as well.

BATMAN: NOEL goes on sale in comic book stores today, and in book stores November 8.