May 2012 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

DC Comics will be the second company we visit as we work our way through the May 2012 Previews Catalog, with product scheduled to ship in July 2012.

         The big event at DC Comics this month continues to be the launch of an additional Before Watchmen mini-series, Ozymandias, with stunning artwork by Jae Lee. I limited myself to two of the mini-series, the Minutemen one and the Silk Spectre, but this might become an impulse buy, and warrants a quick perusal at the rack.

          Justice League is a title I love, mainly for the back-up. Shazam is doing the same thing Wonder Woman did for me. A fresh take that has made me interested in them. These are two characters that I had tried multiple times before but each time I felt the characters to be tired. Not anymore. Even if Justice League isn’t your thing, the wonderfully rich tapestry of characters, and the slow boil to the big reveal makes this both a personal story worth reading but also the beginning of an epic.

          Wonder Woman is a book I cannot heap enough praises on, very minor road bumps have interfered with the current arc at times but nothing they cannot recover from. The acceptance of the old history, and the complete reversal it receives in this series is amazing, placing it on a grander scale, while making you care about Wonder Woman and her compatriots. The artwork is perfect for the sometimes dark style of the writing and the world the characters inhabit. Issue #11 kicks off the next story in Azzarello and Chiang’s amazing story of the new Wonder Woman.

          Up until the past couple of months there were books that I did not buy, but appreciated their style and thought that they were above typical superhero status, namely The Savage Hawkman, and Deathstroke. Rob Liefeld handles cover duties on both, and any attraction I had to these titles is shot. How can someone who has been obviously been knocked out still be clenching their teeth? These titles will hopefully soon be put out of their misery.

          Batman fans should be intrigued to know that Matches Malone makes his first New 52 appearance. Grant Morrison is one of my favorite writers and he has a love of the Batman universe that is evident in his stories. It will be interesting to see what he does with Matches in Batman  Incorporated #3.

          Batman #11 is the closing chapter of the Bat Family crossover, “The Court of Owls”. This promises to change the status quo of the Dark Knight, with ramifications echoing throughout the Bat-verse.

          The Swamp Thing and Animal Man are two titles that are loved by critics and fans alike. The knowledge that these two books are going to be coming together is exciting, the slow build, the tension, building to what is sure to become a classic. These titles would read well in trade or monthly, which is my favorite, I like a regular dose of both characters. The story is multi-layered, and is almost a mirror image of itself. The tapestry of the story is filled with mythology, magic, mystery, and a fair dose of scary. If you want something smart, beautifully drawn, and fun to read under the blanket, with a flashlight, these books are for you. Both titles have their 11th issues out in July.

          If you missed Swamp Thing, July has the first trade paperback, Raise Them Bones. This collects issues #1-7, and is worth the read. If you are a fan of the original, or read Animal Man, or want a really great story with an amazing mythos, this will become one of your favorites.

          DC PICK OF THE MONTH – DC Comics is releasing another anthology – “National Comics Eternity”, and this one is closer to my tastes. It is going to be done in one stories with characters who may not be appearing elsewhere. The first issue is devoted to Kid Eternity, and is written by Jeff Lemire. Consider Lemire’s resume, and his writing in the rest of the New 52, this is going to be an origin unlike any other.

          Fans of the Hitman series have reason to rejoice, Vol.7: Closing Time, the final issues of the critical underdog is being released as a 384 page trade paperback. Hitman fans will probably already have ordered this one.

          Vertigo continues to push the boundaries with their July released Punk Rock Jesus #1 (of 6). It combines reality television series, a clone of Jesus, and an American Idol way to select the mother of the new Messiah. The high concept of this series makes this a for sure on my pull list.

DC COMICS PULL LIST

Animal Man
Before Watchmen: Minutemen
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre
Dial H
Earth 2
Fairest
Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
I, Vampire
Justice League
Justice League Dark
National Comics
Punk Rock Jesus
Swamp Thing
Wonder Woman

SPECIAL ORDERS (Not my regular pull list)

Batman: No Man’s Land Vol.1 TP
Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 3 TP
Thundercats: Enemy’s Pride TP
World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria HC

Flash and Parademon Action Figures