When we first started The New 52 one of the  things we were most excited about was the limitless number of possibilities for  new stories as we moved on through  our first year and for years beyond that.  One of the most intriguing elements going forward was the potential to show that even though these were fresh  takes on our  characters, they all share the same  universe.

This May we are taking the opportunity to show that The New 52 is a shared universe in a couple   of different ways.  First of all we have the epic NIGHT OF THE OWLS story across the Bat-Books as the Court of Owls attacks Gotham City. You can follow different parts of the tale in Batman #9, Batman Annual   #1, Detective Comics #9, Batwing #9, Batman and Robin  #9, Birds of Prey  #9, Batgirl #9, Red Hood and the Outlaws #9, Catwoman #9, Nightwing #9  and All-Star  Western #9 (which takes place in 188- but still in the  same universe as the rest of our books).

Next up  we have a game  changing battle royal in THE CULLING which pits the Teen Titans and  Legion Lost teams against  N.O.W.H.E.R.E!  This is a tough fight for our heroes so they’re going to be sharing a lot of pain in addition to their universe.  Follow the action in Teen Titans Annual #1, Teen Titans #9, Legion Lost  #9 and the all-new Ravagers #1!

Ravagers isn’t the only new series launching this month and we’ll have more on  those  titles, NIGHT OF THE OWLS and THE CULLING on The  Source any minute now so  keep a look out.

As a  final bonus for all of you that have wanted to  see exactly  how our characters interact in The New 52 (and because we   love it too) you’ll see quite a few quest stars in May.

We’ll be following up on this too, but you’re gonna love Suicide Squad vs. Resurrection Man, Frankenstein’s hunt for Animal Man, Blue Beetle squaring off against New Guardians and O.M.A.C. beating the tar out of Justice League International in a story that wraps up in The Fury of  Firestorm.

All of this promises to make May a whole bunch of fun and we can’t wait for you to see  it.

(Pencils for the first page of TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1. Art by Brett Booth)

“Her name is Pandora.”

And so 2011 draws to a close.

By any definition, it was an incredibly successful year for us here at DC Comics. It was a year of excitement for anyone who loves comics.

Now, not to sound corny — but the most important thing to us is that all of you who love and read DC Comics responded in such an incredibly positive way to The New 52.

We appreciate it. It’s why we do what we do.

But 2011 was just the beginning. Next year will bring even more changes, more action and more surprises. The evolution of the DC Universe will continue and accelerate as events ripple across titles, impacting characters in unexpected ways.

For instance, check out next month’s STORMWATCH, in which a devastating explosion will echo in upcoming issues of both GRIFTER and SUPERMAN, as a major new (yet somehow familiar) threat will be introduced.

And keep an eye on BIRDS OF PREY in the coming months, where Black Canary’s long-held secrets will start to unravel.

And what exactly is Kid Flash’s story? TEEN TITANS will explore that mystery early next year.

All that and more is coming in 2012.

So, best wishes for a Happy New Year from all of us at DC.

See you next year!

– Bob Harras, Editor-in-Chief

52 Titles. One Universe.

As we keep having more and more success with The New 52 (thanks to you readers!) we find that we’re also having more and more fun. Getting up and running was tricky, but right now I’m reading scripts for issues #6 and 7 of most series and all I can think about is how amazing this is. We’re at the point where we can start adding some new wrinkles for our characters and really drive home the sense that there are no limits with our comics. So far we’ve been talking a lot about 52 different books, but it’s important to remember that all of these stories take place in the same universe. You’re going to be seeing more of that continuity as we go along. But maybe not the way you’d expect. Let me explain …

Jeff Lemire and Scott Snyder dropped by my office the other day. Jeff–in case you didn’t know–writes ANIMAL MAN, a truly awesome series (drawn by the amazingly talented Travel Foreman) that’s taken comics by storm. Scott helms SWAMP THING, an equally awesome series drawn by the equally talented Yanick Paquette. They were in to present a story that involves both characters in an intertwined saga that will change the lives of Buddy Baker and Alec Holland forever. After the pitch, Executive Editor Eddie Berganza and I were quite simply blown away. I advise fans of phenomenal storytelling everywhere to check out these two titles–as seeds for this upcoming epic are already being sown organically throughout these two books from the Dark corner of our world.

Scott and Jeff certainly aren’t the only creators exchanging ideas and cross-pollinating series. Another Scott-Lobdell, this time–and Fabian Nicieza are working on a storyline that will flow between TEEN TITANS, SUPERBOY and LEGION LOST. It explores everything from the mystery of Project N.O.W.H.E.R.E, the organization that developed Superboy as the ultimate weapon, to the tragedy of the mysterious Hypertaxis virus brought to our century from the future by the time-lost Legionnaires, to how both impact our newly formed group of young heroes.

And over in the BATMAN titles, the aforementioned and prolific Mr. Scott Snyder has crafted a tale involving the Court of Owls and its deadly Talon assassins that may soon impact the storylines in NIGHTWING, BATGIRL, BIRDS OF PREY and even RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS.

All these upcoming stories encapsulate the excitement our writers and artists are feeling, as they explore our characters and their natural connections. The key idea here is “natural connections.” All these ideas are being generated by the excitement our talent and editors have for all these amazing characters sharing our universe. In short, we’re building a new mythology with The New 52, and it is a privilege to be a part of it.

Keep reading, folks–I guarantee, you too are going to be blown away!

– Bob Harras, Editor-in-Chief

(Original concept art by Jim Lee)

Deep inside the DC offices is a wall that played a very important part in the launch of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. Actually it’s in Coordinating Editor Liz Gehrlein’s office, conveniently located right next to mine.

On that wall, Liz has collected a page from each of the first issues that debuted in September. Although those fifty-two pages are all very different, showcasing the fantastic range of characters and styles in the DCU, they all have one thing in common: the appearance of a lone, mysterious hooded figure. That’s right – if you look carefully through each title from last month, you will spot her … sometimes hovering in the background … other times lurking close by.

One of the coolest things for me about The New 52 was that it gave us the ability to work very far in advance. We knew exactly what we wanted to do in terms of connecting FLASHPOINT to our new universe. Geoff Johns had an amazing backstory for the mysterious woman who appears at the end of FLASHPOINT #5. We had a plan for where we thought she’d go next, but since we had enough time to really think, Jim Lee, Geoff and I figured out that it was possible to expand this character’s next appearance into ALL of the #1 issues – a daunting task to be sure, but a one-time opportunity to do something like this and really drive home how important this character is. To keep track of this plan, we created the wall in Liz’s office and put up each page as it was completed.

You’ll soon see the next step in this character’s evolution in the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE, and in the months to come you will see more events ripple across titles as we continue to weave the DC Universe together and tell even more amazing stories.

In other words, Liz is going to need another wall.

– Bob Harras, Editor-in-Chief

And so we come to Week Four–marking the end of September, the month that ushered in the debut of DC Comics-The New 52 and the unprecedented transformation of the entire DC Universe. It’s hard to believe we’re finally here because for us September started a long time ago. Let me explain:

It’s been quite a ride since the writers conference that initiated this evolution. It’s been a year of pitch meetings, story conferences and design sessions that often went far into the night. It’s been a year of hard work on everyone’s part and truth be told – it’s been a lot of fun.

One of my favorite aspects of this period was our weekly New 52 editorial meeting. Every Friday, all of us in DC Editorial—me, our Executive Editor Eddie Berganza, VP Art Direction & Design Mark Chiarello, Coordinating Editor Liz Gehrlein, Group Editors Matt Idelson and Mike Marts, Senior Editors Bobbie Chase and Joey Cavalieri, Editors Pat McCallum, Brian Cunningham and Rachel Gluckstern, Associate Editors Janelle Asselin, Harvey Richards, Rex Ogle, Wil Moss, Chris Conroy and Assistant Editors Sean Mackiewicz, Katie Kubert, Kate Stewart, Darren Shan and Rickey Purdin—would assemble in our conference room for a two-hour gathering (complete with pizza—any cholesterol concerns temporarily forgotten) not to discuss schedules, or production concerns (these we saved for other meetings)—but to share. Everyone came to that meeting with whatever new material had excited them: whether it was a new script, new art from one of the titles, new designs or new logo concepts. It allowed everybody to see what was being used to build The New 52. Pages would be passed around, discussions would ensue—but most of all, excitement would build.

As that excitement built I was constantly reminded that comics are unique. Unlike movies, or TV, or even video games, comics have no budgetary restraints. A writer and an artist working together as a team can move you from the banality of an office in a major American metropolis to the heart of a dying planet from one page to the next. They can bring characters you care passionately about to places that cannot possibly exist except in the realm of imagination…or in comics.

It is that blend of story and art—that sense of wonder—that you will see in such titles as AQUAMAN by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, or TEEN TITANS by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth or THE FLASH by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato. These are only three examples of the excitement we can finally share with you as part of the New 52.

September may be ending (longest September ever)—but for The New 52 and for DC Comics, trust me, things are only getting started…

See you in October,

Bob Harras – Editor in Chief

John Rozum called me today to tell me that he’s leaving STATIC SHOCK. DC Comics has had a great relationship with John for 15 years, and he and I had a great conversation about new ideas, new concepts and moving forward. We’re all excited to see what comes next.

This has been such a monumental week for DC Comics. What we launched with (the already sold out!) JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 was absolutely amazing. And what’s more exciting still is that it was just a first taste of what’s to come.

Next week marks the release of a slew of incredible series. With ACTION COMICS, writer Grant Morrison and artist Rags Morales’ new interpretation of Superman will seriously blow people away. It really sets the tone for a contemporary Man of Tomorrow. And the dynamic is totally different.

But that’s not all. Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman’s ANIMAL MAN is a remarkable book that I could not be more excited about.

Gail Simone will be reintroducing Barbara Gordon in the role of BATGIRL with her signature dark, twisted, and brilliant storytelling, accompanied by Ardian Syaf’s breathtaking artwork.

Judd Winick and Ben Oliver’s debut collaboration, BATWING, will astound you.

Tony Daniel’s art and story in DETECTIVE COMICS will really surprise people.

GREEN ARROW is a fascinating new take on Oliver Queen and his mission to change the world one arrow at a time.

Rob Liefeld could not be more excited to be returning to HAWK AND DOVE – and his enthusiasm really shows in the final product.

In JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, Dan Jurgens and Aaron Lopresti have created a team of super heroes led by Booster Gold whose adventures will be spanning the globe.

MEN OF WAR is a truly different and fresh take on a war book, especially considering the context of it being set against the backdrop of the DC Universe.

O.M.A.C. is a non-stop action-packed series that I can best describe as big and loud fun.

In STATIC SHOCK, Static comes to Manhattan and his life changes forever in unforeseeable ways.

Paul Cornell’s STORMWATCH is stuffed with surprises and new characters that will take the series into very exciting (and completely unexpected!) places. Not to mention, Miguel Sepulveda’s artwork is beyond stunning.

And in SWAMP THING, the Plant Elemental will finally return to its own series. Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette have created an extraordinary series and have really made Swamp Thing their own. You won’t want to miss it.

And that’s just week one.