DC Comics is making sure to have a busy summer for themselves. As Infinite Frontier, both the direction and summer event, continues we are starting to see more elements from Future State being brought into play. The biggest one that looks to be coming in July is that Jonathan Kent, son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will be taking over as Earth’s Superman. Along with that we are getting a new DC Comics series by Grant Morrison, Batman facing off against Peacekeeper-01, Static first season series beginning, the launch of a new horror imprint, and much more taking place in July 2021. Let’s take a look at all the big things taking place in July 2021 based on DC Comics latest solicitations
JON KENT BECOMES SUPERMAN
Brian Bendis decision to age up Jonathan Kent has been divisive to say the least. But since the decision was made there was no going back as DC Comics made it clear with Infinite Frontier everything in the company’s history happened. That includes Lois and Clark now having a son in his late teens. Now it Jonathan’s growth continues as he is going to be graduating to become the new Superman as his parents, Lois and Clark, will be focused on furthering the United Planets direction for the DC Universe.
As much as I am in the camp of not liking the whole decision to age up Jonathan, I have to also admit that I’m intrigued by this new Son of Kal-El series. The reason I’m interested in this series is because Tom Taylor will be writing Superman: Son Of Kal-El. Taylor has done a lot of fantastic work at DC Comics, including DCeased and Nightwing. And with DCeased: Dead Planet, Taylor showed he knows how to write Jonathan as he transitions into becoming Superman. Taylor understands what taking up that mantle up means for Jonathan and that alone sells me on this series.
This direction for Jonathan also creates more questions as to where we will be seeing the whole United Planets direction for the DC Universe will take. Both Action Comics and Green Lantern series’ look to be dealing more with what the United Planets means to the DCU. What the overall end goal for this and if the Legion of Super-Heroes will eventually get involved will be interesting to see play out.
GRANT MORRISON RETURNS FOR SUPERMAN AND THE AUTHORITY
Grant Morrison working on a new series for DC Comics is always something to pay attention to. That is exactly what happened when I saw Grant Morrison’s name on the new Superman and the Authority series. This four-part mini-series looks to be taking out of continuity in one of the Elseworlds that is in DC’s new Omniverse given that the Superman on the cover looks more like the Kingdom Come version of the character. That does not mean this will be Kingdom Come Superman but at the very least his design by Mikel Janin speaks to how Morrison developing a Superman that is more grounded in the spy world. Which is definitely a welcome twist on Superman’s character that we haven’t seen before.
STATIC, ICON, AND ROCKET RETURN FOR NEW FIRST SEASONS
Milestone Comics return has long been in development and we are finally getting the first season of comics being released physically in July with the Static and Icon & Rocket series kicking things off. For these new comics DC Comics has lined up fantastic creative teams to lead the way. Vita Ayala has shown through her work on New Mutants, Children Of The Atom, and the back-up story in Future State: The Next Batman that she has a strong handle on writing superhero comics. Having her on the new Static series is a fantastic choice. I’m be interested in seeing how Ayala balance’s out Virgil Hawkins school and superhero lives since she has been mostly writing characters in their superhero identities full-time.
Similarly, I am looking forward to what Reginald Hudlin and Doug Braithwaite will do with developing Icon and Rocket. Pairing the Icon & Rocket series along with Static is a good choice as it will give us different looks at how the Milestone Universe works in the new Omniverse. And like Static, it does look like we are going to be starting with the origin stories for Icon and Rocket. This is a good move as there will be a lot of readers who aren’t familiar or only know them from their brief appearances in the Young Justice cartoons. Diving into their origins to start off will help in the investment of these characters long-term.
DC COMICS HORROR IMPRINT BRINGS THE CONJURING
I’m not a horror fan at all but seeing DC Comics invest in the genre with a whole imprint dedicated to horror comics does catch my attention. The DC Comics’ Horror Imprint shows that the company is not going to simply rely on their superhero comics moving forward. They are going to expanding on their portfolio of what kind of stories they will have different creative teams tackle. And dedicating an entire imprint to the horror genre opens things up so the company isn’t just about superheroes.
Launching the DC Comics’ Horror Imprint with The Conjuring: The Lover makes great use of the fact that DC Comics is part of the Warner Bros. family. It shows that they can do more than just Hanna Barbera comic books. It further expands on how we are seeing DC Comics team up with other Warner Bros. family members as they’ve also been doing things with Rooster Teeth as of late in comic book form. Going into The Conjuring Universe will certainly open things to attract another of fanbase that may not be into superhero content to their comic book business.
JASON TODD JOINS THE SUICIDE SQUAD TO HUNT THE JOKER
If you were not getting enough Joker comic books than DC Comics certainly has what you want as they launch Suicide Squad: Get Joker! as part of their Black Label imprint. This new series will be written by Brian Azzarello and artwork from Alex Maleev. There is no doubt that is a powerhouse team that will add to how Suicide Squad: Get Joker! could very well be one of the top sellers for DC Comics given all the characters involved in this series.
The big addition to this version of the Suicide Squad is Jason Todd’s Red Hood. This is the third title we are seeing Jason appear as Red Hood, as he is the star of Future State: Gotham and part of Batman: Urban Legends. So for Jason Todd fans Suicide Squad: Get Joker! is yet another comic book to be excited for.
YARA FLOR OFFICIALLY BECOMES WONDER GIRL
As the new Wonder Girl series progresses, we will be learning more about Yara Flor’s connection to the Amazons. That was something only teased about in Future State: Wonder Woman, where we were more given a general idea of how Yara interacts in the Amazon world. Digging into her specific ties of the Themyscira and South America factions of the Amazons will help strengthen how Yara factors into the future of the Wonder Woman franchise.
It also looks like it won’t be until the third issue released in July that Yara will be officially adopting the Wonder Girl superhero name. Based on what we learn from the Wonder Girl #3 solicitation it is in that issue were Yara will be given the title of Hera’s champion and begin her training. As a fan of manga and anime I’m always enjoy seeing a good training arc that shows how a character gets stronger. So I’m excited to see how Yara grows from this and what the Amazons training is like for someone who didn’t grow up in the culture like Diana Prince did.
BATMAN SECRET FILES FOCUS ON HUNTRESS AND SIGNAL
While we are not short on new Batman comic books in DC’s Infinite Frontier direction the only characters that have been able to break away from the Dark Knight’s shadow is Nightwing and Catwoman. Those are the only Batman Family characters who got an ongoing series of their own when Infinite Frontier launched. Damian Wayne will soon join that exclusive class as he will be the star of the upcoming Robin series.
But that looks like it may start changing more as we are getting one-shots that will be focusing on Huntress and Signal in July 2021. Giving the opportunity to have both these characters get a full spotlight is a nice change of pace. Even though Batman: Urban Legends has done well in giving Red Hood, Grifter, Tim Drake’s Robin, Spoiler, and Orphan their own stories it is all under the name of Batman. Giving more opportunity to have the Batman Family members to break out on their own to have full page count of an standalone comic book would help to further show the strength of these characters. Huntress and Signal getting that opportunity is a good start.
DC ANIMATE UNIVERSE REVISITED WITH JUSTICE LEAGUE INFINITY
The DC Animate Universe is so iconic that it just will never not be a continuity that DC Comics can’t help but constantly revisit. We’ve seen that with how the new Batman: The Adventures Continue has expanded on the history of the DCAU’s Batman Family by filling in gaps between the last animated series and Batman Beyond.
Now we are getting a follow up to the Justice League Unlimited animated series in a new comic book titled Justice League Infinity. This new series will be led by producer of JLU James Tucker and J.M. DeMatteis with Ethen Beavers on art. The roster looks to be the original Justice League team of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, John Stewart’s Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Wally West’s Flash with Elongated Man joining the team as the newbie on the team.
Justice League Infinity also looks like it will deal with the fallout of Darkseid disappearing at the end of Unlimited with Lex Luthor since there is now a war for the throne of Apokolips taking place. As a fan I can’t help but be interested in what the story in Justice League Infinity is. Especially since we don’t really know what happened between the end of Justice League Unlimited and Batman Beyond when it comes to what happened with Darkseid and Lex Luthor. Maybe this new series will provide us with some answers.
INFINITE FRONTIER LEADS TO MORE QUESTIONS
The heroes in the Infinite Frontier event series are sure being kept busy with their own crisis. We learn that Alan Scott is searching for his daughter, Jade, who has been kidnapped. Given that Infinite Frontier is dealing with the Omniverse, Jade’s kidnapping could play a major part in the overall event.
Also, eye catching in the new solicitations for Infinite Frontier is how it is stated the resurrected Roy Harper will be getting some unexpected and unpredictable powers in the event. Roy has never had any superpowers as he has only been highly trained in the use of a wide variety of weapons. This could mean that the way that Roy was brought back to life, which we don’t know any details of, gave him powers when he returned.
Then there is Infinite Frontier #3 that is really emphasizing the history between Barry Allen’s Flash and Psycho-Pirate that goes back to Crisis On Infinite Earths. Tapping further into how everything that has ever taken place DC Comics history all matters this rivalry between Barry’s Flash and Psycho-Pirate can cement all of that. It definitely ups the intrigue into what the endgame of the Infinite Frontier event is.
FLYING GRAYSON TIES TO ZUCCO FAMILY SHOCK NIGHTWING
Things won’t be getting any easier for Dick Grayson, even as he has become a new billionaire, in his life living in Bludhaven. That is made clear with how Nightwing #82 solicitation reveals that Melinda Zucco, the new mayor of Bludhaven who also happens to be Tony Zucco’s daughter, has ties to the Flying Grayons. That certainly could throw a wrench in Dick Grayson’s plans to better protect Bludhaven.
What’ll be interesting to see if how much from the cover actually happens in Nightwing #82. Because in the cover we see that Melinda has Nightwing’s mask while Dick Grayson is running without it in his full costume. Melinda possibly knowing that Dick is Nightwing would be a big twist given that she is also working with Blockbuster, who handed her the title of Mayor of Bludhaven in Nightwing #78.
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