DC Comics December 2024 comic book solicitations are here! To end 2024 DC Comics shows even greater commitment to their DC All In direction. That includes going even more into what it means for the DC Universe that there is such a big power vacuum after the death of Darkseid. With that in mind let’s take a look at the biggest takeaways from DC Comics December 2024 comic book solicitations.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED EXPANSION PLAN
DC Comics December solicitation for Justice League Unlimited #2 gives us a better understanding of how the team will be operating moving forward. Based on what we learned in the first issue solicitation the core team is going to be Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Wally West’s Flash, Martian Manhunter, Black Lightning, Atom, Carol Ferris’ Star Sapphire, and Captain Atom. Outside of that we only got hints that the Justice League Unlimited would see other heroes joining the core team.
Now Justice League Unlimited #2 expands on things by talking about how we won’t simply be seeing the core team working together all the time. It is specifically said that an “elite Justice League strike force” would be tackling the crisis going on in South America. The phrases further pushes the idea that Mark Waid and Dan Mora are going a route similar to the Justice League Unlimited cartoon. The core Justice League members will likely select different heroes that are best to tackle specific crisis as a team.
This expansion of members also appears to play an even bigger part in the greater plot going on with who will be Darkseid’s heir. We know that Darkseid’s upcoming death in DC All In Special will trigger a massive power vacuum. There are characters like Darkseid’s daughter Grail that could fill that role. Though with that Batman is the one focusing on who is filling the power vacuum left by Darkseid the answer won’t be that simple. There appears to be a focus within the ranks of the superhero community in the investigation if the solicitation for Justice League Unlimited #2 is to be believed.
NEW GODS RISE AGAIN
Further showing the alignment with building up the status quo of DC All In is the launch of a New Gods ongoing series being launched. The New Gods series will be handled by the creative team of Ram V and Evan Cagle. Ram V has a large catalogue of comic books that include titles like Justice League Dark. So he is no stranger to the cosmic or magical side of the DC Universe. Evan Cagle art style should fit with the New Gods setting, something they’ve shown with their work on Dark Horse’s Dawnrunner series.
Ram V and Cagle will also have a strong launching point for this New Gods series. As previously mentioned, the death of Darkseid in the DC All In Special will send shockwaves throughout the DC Universe. It will not be felt more than with the New Gods. Their greatest enemy dying creates a lot of questions as to how New Genesis and Apokolips will operate moving forward. Which makes the “cosmos-shattering prediction” Metron is teased to make be even more important to the DC Universe.
This makes the mention of Scott Free and Barda dealing with parenthood on Earth stick out even more. With their being such a power vacuum any New God being born brings up questions of their role in the current cosmic chaos. Afterall, while Darkseid wasn’t Mister Miracle’s stepfather he was raised on Apokolips like Big Barda was. As they’ve been consistently developed even when the New Gods haven’t been much of a focus the last few years Mister Miracle, Big Barda, and their kid could have all have a big role in the future of the DCU.
CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN GO ALL IN
With DC All In there is a renewed commitment to superhero teams. They sort of went away with that post-Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths with the Titans being the only consistently active team. They are slowly adding to that throughout 2024 like the Birds of Prey. Now with DC All In showing an even bigger commitment to that as we have titles like Justice League Unlimited and JSA seeing big spotlights.
Adding to the superhero team publishing line-up is the return of the Challengers of the Unknown. While they aren’t on the same level as the Justice League or JSA, it says a lot that DC identified them as important in putting over their All In direction. This furthers the idea that the results of the upcoming DC All In Special are going to be pushing the DCU heroes to think on a grander cosmic scale.
The Challengers of the Unknown are give greater importance with the presence of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman on the cover and solicitation information. That should give the Challengers of the Unknown a boost. Though how big that boost will be is unknown but certainly needed as Christopher Cantwell is still hasn’t hit with a breakout success. Maybe Challengers of the Unknown can be that series.
LOIS LANE SUPERWOMAN BALANCING ACT
One of the more character specific things to watch during the DC All In direction is how much Lois Lane’s new role as Superwoman will play out. It is a big game changer to the Superman status quo that Lois won’t just be on the sidelines while her family is out doing their superhero thing. Lois joining in on the superheroing puts into question how much “regular life” will still be part of the franchise.
Joshua Williamson appears to be addressing that with both Superman #21 and Superwoman Special #1. Lois being new to being Superwoman can give the Superman Family a fresh perspective on their role in he universe. At the same time, with Lois having so many personal responsibilities from family to career will she be able to balance that all out. We’ve seen with Clark that has become tougher as he’s gotten more involved in cosmic threats. How Superman #21 and Superwoman Special #1 address all this will be interesting to see.
This focus on Lois as Superwoman also will give us an early idea of how much fans are buying into this new direction. Lois is a beloved character on top of being one of DCU’s most well-known characters. How that investment can translate to sales for comics with Lois as Superwoman is something to keep an eye on as the one-shot special could set the table for bigger publishing plans in 2025.
KYLE RAYNER DISCOVERY LEADS TO NEW STATUS QUO
Absolute Power has been the distraction that Lord Premier Thaaros needed to further distract the Green Lanterns. Even before Absolute Power started Thaaros power proved overwhelming with how he’s consolidated the Emotional Spectrum to power his United Planets Lantern Corps. So for Green Lantern #18 to state that Thaaros is looking to destroy Oa and the remaining Green Lanterns in his way is frightening for our heroes.
That’s where the discovery that Kyle Rayner is teased to be making in Green Lantern #18 be even more important. The Green Lantern Corps need all the god news they can get and that is the hope with this discovery. The way things are phrased, if Kyle’s discovery is good news is something we don’t know. Though this seems to be tied to Kyle being affected by all the chaos going on within the Emotional Spectrum and his connection as a White Lantern.
How all of this will play into the Green Lantern Corps status quo in DC All In will be interesting to see. With DC All In having such a cosmic focus whatever status quo the Green Lantern Corps have will be important to the DCU. Especially with Darkseid leaving such a big power vacuum villains like Thaaros could pounce on the opportunity for greater power in the DCU.
BATMAN AND ROBIN DYNAMIC TESTED
It is a testament to the time and effort that DC Comics has put into making Bruce and Damian Wayne as the Dynamic Duo is working that they are appearing in multiple titles together. It has been long in the making as throughout DC Rebirth up to Infinite Frontier DC was keeping the father-son duo on their own paths. But we’ve seen in the last two years that the Batman creative team have used that time apart to make their Batma and Robin: Dynamic Duo work even better than it ever has.
With that in mind it does stick out that while their Batma and Robin dynamic is going strong what Bruce is still learning to be is a father. That has never been a strong part of his character. Though now without Alfred Pennyworth to lean on, Bruce must really learn to be a father.
That is hinted at as part of the story in Batman and Robin #16. Bruce is going to be get first hand experience with what it means to raise a teenager. Even though Damian has always acted more like an adult even he is not immune to teenage angst. Both Bruce and Damian will have to learn to deal with that. Which adds to how we could see their dynamic as Batman and Robin evolve.
AL EWING & STEVE LIEBER NEW METAMOPHO SERIES
Metamorpho has never been a character that I’ve gotten into. The character hasn’t worked for what I look for from superhero comic books. That said, DC Comics may have found the creative team to make me a Metamorpho fan. The creative team for Metamorpho: The Element Man being Al Ewing and Steve Lieber is an A-list creative team to give to the series.
Al Ewing in particular has shown to not just deliver quality comic books but also some that are consistent top sellers. His work on Immortal Hulk, Venom, X-Men: Red, and Immortal Thor have shown he is one of the top creators. For DC Comics to be able to get him on Metamorpho: The Element Man is a big get for them. Add in Lieber great artwork and Metamorpho looks to have a series going into 2025 that fans won’t want to sleep on.
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