Things never slow down for the DC Universe and September will not be any different. The big announcement for September does center around the Heroes In Crisis event series. Along with the new Crisis event DC Comics is also bring a lot of big and small changes to Batman, Justice League, Flash and more. Let’s see what all the things DC Comics has planned in the near future by taking a look at their September solicitations
HEROES IN CRISIS BEGINS
Heroes In Crisis is a very intriguing and different event for DC Comics to hold. Giving Tom King’s new comic the “Crisis” label is a big deal as only special comics get to use that word. King has built a strong reputation as arguably DC’s best writer since Rebirth began. Now King is getting a chance to delve deeper into the DCU with Heroes In Crisis.
What is interesting about this new event is that it is something that was teased in the recent Batman story arc “Everyone Loves Ivy,” specifically in Batman #43. In the closing moments of that issue Bruce Wayne mentioned that they are getting Poison Ivy help at Sanctuary, which is where Harley Quinn and Booster Gold seem to also be residents of at the beginning of Heroes In Crisis.
How Heroes In Crisis deals with traumas our favorite superheroes face from their day to day adventures will be very interesting. How tackling that issue deals with a bigger mystery King is building will be equaling interesting.
LIFE AFTER JOKER EXPLORED IN DC COMICS’ BLACK LABEL
The Black Label was something that DC Comics announced several months ago. After that announcement DC sort of went dark until now. Now we are finally getting a better idea of what the Black Label will be as we are getting Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s Batman: Damned in September. The concept of what life is like after Joker meets his final demise is something that Batman writers have toyed with in the past. That has always been undone since DC can’t have Batman’s greatest foe permanently dead.
Now with Black Label that can change and we actually see what a Gotham City without Joker is actually like. Given that this will be similar to Marvel MAX, back in the day, gives Azzarello and Bermejo more room to explore the dark psyche of Batman in this time where a bigger mystery has developed out of Joker’s death. Though I will say having a cover price of $6.99 is a big turn off and this may very well be a series that I’ll wait to pick up in hardcover format.
DOOMSDAY CLOCK BUILDING A SUPER-WAR
The events of Dark Nights: Metal lead to a rise in the number of metahumans in the DC Universe. That is something that we’ve already seen the Justice League and Titans comic explore. Now it looks like Geoff Johns will be following a similar plot thread in Doomsday Clock with a teased Super-War. What exact details of the Super-War are is a big question since Doomsday Clock is not connected to the current events in the DCU. This may be more of a teaser of the eventual fight between Superman and Dr. Manhattan, that is what this event is built around.
BATGIRL GETS A NEW COSTUME
The Burnside Era for Batgirl looks to be behind her. To mark the occasion Barbara Gordon is getting a brand new Batgirl costume. The new costume looks to be a merger of her Batgirl costume pre-Flashpoint and the new “first” costume she wore in the current DC Universe continuity. It is a bit sad to see since the Burnside Batgirl costume is such a great version of the costume. Though I’m interested to see why Mairghread Scott has Batgirl go through a costume change since Barbara isn’t the type of character to make such a change for no reason.
BATMAN CHANGES HIS COSTUME DESIGN……AGAIN
Speaking of costume changes, it looks like Batman is going to quietly return to his classic black and grey Batsuit. We see the hints of this in both the Heroes In Crisis and Batman solicitations, both series written by Tom King. After DC made a big deal of Greg Capullo’s redesign of Batman’s costume for DC Rebirth it is surprising we are already seeing the yellow outline and purple cape be ditched. And like Batgirl’s change, Batman going back to his classic costume does seem to indicate that something happened for Bruce Wayne to make the change. Though the bigger question may be what it actually means for the upcoming wedding between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.
CATWOMAN CAN’T ESCAPE BEING ON THE RUN
Speaking of which, the solicitations for Joelle Jones’ Catwoman does seem to indicate that Selina Kyle is not sticking around the Wayne Mansion after the wedding. And once again Catwoman looks to be on the run after she is implicated in another crime she probably did not commit. That is some bad luck for Catwoman as she can’t escape a life of crime that just continues to follow her. At some point Catwoman needs to just sit down to relax because this can’t be good for her relationship with Batman.
LEX LUTHOR TAPS INTO THE DARK MULTIVERSE
Given that the Dark Knights of the Multiverse were not destroyed by the end of Dark Nights: Metal it was only a matter of time before they showed up again. So because of that it is not surprising to learn that Batman Who Laughs will be appearing in Scott Snyder’s Justice League. What is surprising is the fact that Lex Luthor seems to have captured and holding Batman Who Laughs as his prisoner. That is a big power play by Lex given how powerful we know Batman Who Laughs to be. It also puts into question what Joker’s role is in all this since we last saw him and Batman Who Laughs fighting to the death. That said, having Batman Who Laughs on their side makes the Legion of Doom an even bigger threat to the Justice League and the DCU as a whole.
MISTER MIRACLE IS THE NEW HIGHFATHER
Mister Miracle has been a critical darling and fan favorite for DC Comics. Now Tom King and Mitch Gerads series is coming to an end. Though before that happens it looks like King and Gerads are going to end things in a big way as Mister Miracle fully claims the title of Highfather of New Genesis. That is a major role to take given that the New Gods have been integrated more into the DCU, with their most recent appearance being in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #46. The question will be if Mister Miracle as Highfather of New Genesis will stick. If it does you have to wonder what that will mean for all the big things going on in Justice League and other titles involved in the developments with the Source Wall.
NIGHTWING SITS IN THE MOBIUS CHAIR
The Mobius Chair hasn’t been seen since Dr. Manhattan killed its last user, Owlman, at the conclusion of Darkseid War. Since then we have had no idea what happened to the Mobius Chair. Surprisingly we are going to learn its whereabouts in the pages of Nightwing. This is definitely the last place you would expect to find the Mobius Chair show up. It certainly creates a lot of questions, especially with who found it and why are they setting up a race for someone to sit in it. Also you got to wonder what is the question Nightwing will want answered most if he wins a race with such a big prize.
MISS MARTIAN’S TRUE INTENTIONS WITH THE TITANS
In my recent review of Titans Special #1 I questioned heavily the role that Dan Abnett has given Miss Martian. Having her act as the Justice League liaison was an odd choice given the fact she has very little credibility in the comics. Its a role that instantly make you question her real intentions and dangerously paints her in an unfavorable light for her teammates and the readers. All the Titans solicitations from now to September have not help make Miss Martian’s sub-plot feel like it’ll be a good one. Still Abnett has a lot of strong momentum that he can make Miss Martian’s role a compelling one. And now that Titans is shipping twice a month starting in September there will be more issues to develop that along with the Blood Cult story arc.