This September, DC Comics will release 0 issues for all the New 52 titles it is currently publishing, and launching four new titles as well.
#0s will be stand-alone stories. “Some issues will tell the origins of a character or a team, or in some case where an origin has already been told, they will fill in the blanks in terms of questions readers may have about the New 52 DC Universe,” said Bob Harras, DC Entertainment Editor-in-Chief. “Each of these issues promises to reveal something surprising.”
In addition to the zero issues, DC Comics is announces four new comic book series debuting in September:
TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March.
Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!
SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.
THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson.
Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.
TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino.
Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.
The last time DC Comics announced new titles, it also killed off those titles near the bottom of the sales stack. Will this happen again, or is DC taking the New 52 in a different direction. There’s nothing in the solicitations above that indicate these are limited or on-going series.
12 Comments
this is very exciting, I am most looking forward to Talon. I have loved the Court and Night of Owls, so I am really curious what this rouge Talon will end up being like. It also sort of kills the rumor of a Talon joining
Red Hood and the Outlaws.
I am so stupidly psyched for Amethyst right now. I haven’t felt this happy about a comics release since Kodansha said it was retranslating & re-releasing Sailor Moon last spring.
Biggest thing that has jumped out at me: That zero issue of Batman Inc is labeled as “First Issue” and has a big ol’ #1 on it. That is NOT a good PR move if DC comics is trying to go with the strategy of “not confusing their fans” that they seem to have been.
Otherwise, I’m interested in seeing some of these origins / fleshed out backstories, but I feel that sort of thing would’ve been better left to annuals rather than interrupting the issues’ ongoing stories.
My take on these covers is that the faded black and white covers are the heroes jumping out at you, and the branding for the zero issue will be on top of that.
Don’t you guys bump into each other in the office?
I want them to bring back the Robin title. They’ve just scratched the surface of Damian Wayne, his story potential is huge. What is he like when he’s not rebelling against a Batman? How would he react to the rogues’ gallery on his own (I suspect if the riddler had some big riddle based death trap, he would ignore the whole thing and just punch him in the face).
B&R is mostly about him and his father, but if he had a Batman free title they could further explore his mother, grandfather and the league of assassins not to mention his relationship with Dick Grayson that they jonesed us on with the reboot.
I picture Simone writing it, because she would do that creepy oedipal relationship between Damian and Talia to a t.
Talon, not my thing.
Sword of Sorcery, might give it a check.
Phantom Stranger, would check it out if it were written by someone else.
Team 7, personally a big steaming pile of who cares. (though if you do, more power to you, just ymmv).
Adendum, why publish zero issues when it’s only been a year? Or at all? Is this what comic reading in the early 90s was like?
The #0 issues seems to be highly reminiscent of Marvel’s recent .1 initiative. Let’s hope they do a better job of it.
This comment from Jim Lee jumped out at me:
“We’re looking at the New 52 sort of from a TV model, in that every season, or every wave, we’ll be putting out new books that interject fresh material and new creative teams into the DCU. When we decide what books get canceled, it’s not just a numbers game. We also look at the diversity of the line, what books are critical in terms of continuity or in terms of some of the backstory or some of the larger story elements we want to build up for the world-building of our characters. Sometimes some of the fans become overly focused on what books are being canceled, but they’re kind of losing sight of what the entire New 52 is supposed to represent, which is a new universe that’s continually evolving and growing with exciting storyline.”
DC using a TV network model? What are the implications of that??
forgot to cite that: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-new-52-four-series-didio-phantom-stranger.html
Let’s hope they don’t take the FOX model and cancel series’ when they don’t do well after 1 issue… ;^)