FIRST LOOK: Doomsday Clock Covers

At Friday Night's Geoff Johns Panel, the man himself revealed a ton of stuff coming our way in the next year.  He talked about Aquaman and Titans and showed off some new art from his Three Joker's story as well as some awesome stuff from the upcoming Shazam debut.  So, what about Doomsday Clock?  You know, the big event book still going on with the promise of possibly changing the DCU forever.  Well, Johns did show off covers for issues #9 and #10 and here they are for you to check out just like you were in New York City!

FIRST LOOK: Shazam! #1

I have been looking forward to Shazam! since it was announced.  The big reason was that it seemed like the kind of book you can just read with a smile on your face.  Now, with how dark things have gotten in the DCU, I may be looking at it as my only hope for that.  I know that sounds a bit drastic, but...  Here is some Dale Eaglesham art that Geoff Johns showed off at his NYCC panel.  Look for the book to hit shelves on November 12th.

FIRST LOOK: Batman: Three Jokers

Geoff Johns revealed a bunch of artwork for his upcoming projects during his Friday Night Spotlight Panel at New York Comic Con.  While he did talk about the upcoming Aquaman movie as well as the TV Shows, Titans and Stargirl, we here at Weird Science are all about the comics and he didn't disappoint there.  Here is a first look at some Three Jokers art from the story Johns hopes is "the best Joker story, the best Batman story".

FIRST LOOK: THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art and Cover by JOCK
Variant Cover by BEN OLIVER
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: December 12, 2018

“A Batman who laughs is a Batman who always wins.”

Left rattled by the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL, Bruce Wayne must come face to face with the nightmares spawned from the Dark Multiverse. But even though evil devoured evil in the collapse of Challengers Mountain, the Dark Knight still has his doubts. He discovers that the Batman Who Laughs not only survived the fight with The Joker at the end of METAL, but now he is enacting a sinister plan across the Multiverse—something both terrifying and oddly familiar. But when Bruce Wayne realizes the only way to stop this madman is to kill him, he must consider violating the very rule Batman won’t break…the same rule that created this insatiable villain—the Batman Who Laughs!

First Look at Upcoming DC Vertigo Titles from NYCC including Lucifer, Hex Wives and Books of Magic

I know a ton of Vertigo fans and while many of them have been quiet lately, this new relaunch of the Imprint has already gone pretty well.  Border Town many only be a couple of issues in, but it's already turning heads and hopefully, the other books coming out will be just as good.  Here is the press release from today's New York Comic Con panel along with some cover images from the upcoming Vertigo books.

Brian Michael Bendis Announces Wonder Comics Imprint and the Return of Impulse and Conner Kent Superboy

Dan DiDio and Jim Lee hosted a “Meet the Publishers” panel to kick off New York Comic Con and while they spent time talking about all the success DC Comics has been having, they also brought out Brian Michael Bendis to talk about Superman and his Jinxworld books.  If that doesn't get you excited, maybe something else Bendis talked about will...his new Wonder Comics Imprint.

Swamp Thing Halloween Special Hits Walmart this October

SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN HORROR SPECIAL

PUTS THE SCARES INTO COMICS FANS AND WALMART SHOPPERS THIS OCTOBER

Horror-Themed One-Shot Spotlights Original SWAMP THING Story by Brian Azzarello and Greg Capullo, Plus Seven Spooky Tales from the DC Vault, Including Swamp Thing’s First Appearance in HOUSE OF SECRETS #92 and BATMAN #237’s “Night of the Reaper”

Fans of the Walmart 100-Page Giant comics will be treated to an extra dose of fright this Halloween, as DC’s line of successful anthology comics will now include a special horror-themed one-shot, SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN HORROR SPECIAL. This 100-page, $4.99 comic book includes an all-new story featuring the “Protector of the Green,” Swamp Thing.

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 109 - Underworld Unleashed #1 (1995)

Satanic Panic

Greetings, soul-laden mortals! In this episode, naive bargainers Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) kick off 2018's #BestEventEver crossover occurrence, when they read Mark Waid and Howard Porter's Underworld Unleashed #1, published by DC Comics in 1995! After the creators' bios, our misguided dabblers in the occult sift through every moment of this issue. Later, they look at other incarnations of the Dark Lord that have appeared in comics since the very beginning! There's no need to panic about this episode, you have nothing to lose...except for your soul! So if that's the sort of thing that would bother you, then yeah, go ahead and panic.

DC Comics: Anatomy of a Metahuman Review

For Your Eyes Only

Written by: S.D. Perry and Matthew Manning

Illustrated by: Ming Doyle

Cover Price: $50.00

Release Date: September 18, 2018

Review by: Ray Price

When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman, they didn't ponder how his heat vision would work. Or how would he be able to fly without wings. The fascination that attracts people to comic books are the extraordinary characters. These larger than life characters have amazing abilities that allow them to do incredible things. From X-ray vision, to super strength, to even communicating with the fish, these abilities defy our own natural human abilities. Our human curiosity is always on a quest to understand how things work. This book takes a stab at our thirst for understanding how metahumans would work knowing what we know about science. And what better character to explore this idea than one of humanities' best: Batman.  So does the World's Greatest Detective crack the metahuman genome code? Let's dive in and see.

Adventures of the Super Sons #3 Review

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Art team: Carlo Barberi, Art Thibert, Protobunker, and Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 3, 2018

Reviewed by: Jon Wayne

Here we are back for another issue of the Adventures of Super Sons. Last time we found out a lot about the origins of our new villains. Turns out they’re not DC’s greatest villains’ kids from a different Earth, but rather aliens whose society worships earth – and these kids have chosen to worship the villains. And at the end, we saw the gold/red/synthetic Kryptonite split Jon into Superboy Red (Red) and Superboy Blue (Blue)! What’s up with that? Let’s dive in and find out.

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week: October 3, 2018

Heroes on Buildings

That's pretty much it, huh? If it's not going to be a big fight, or a team of heroes squatting, then you might as well throw 'em up on a building against the night sky, and maybe some pounding rain. Maybe it's just a Bat Family thing, but it does seem to work with other characters as well. This week was sort of slim pickings, but you know my guarantee: if they printed five or more covers, I can make a list for that week!

Throwback Thursday: Action Comics #23.1 Cyborg Superman Review

Super Love Child

Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Mike Hawthorne
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 4, 2013

Cover Price: $3.99

Oh, Villains Month, how did you know I love Cyborg Superman?  Now for all of you who have read Supergirl #23, you know that this new incarnation of Cyborg Superman isn't our beloved Hank Henshaw, but is none other than Zor-El.  Calm down I know, but this could be good too.  Also, calm down if you haven't read Supergirl #23, the header says spoilers for a reason.  Plus it's important to know this for the story.  Moving on.  This issue is an origin story but also plays into Cyborg Superman's need to find another as perfect as himself.  You know prior to said Supergirl issue.

Throwback Thursday: The Flash #23.1 Gorilla Grodd Review

Trouble in Central...I Mean Gorilla City

Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artist: Chris Batista
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 4, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Spoiler alert...Flash is missing, dead or a little of both.  Central City is having a ceremony to establish the peace between humans and the gorillas of Gorilla City.  The centerpiece is a big statue of Flash who is missing, dead or a little of both.  Gorillas and Humans living together in perfect harmony.  What could possibly go wrong?

Throwback Thursday: Detective Comics #23.1 Poison Ivy Review and *SPOILERS*

Poison Ivy's Itching for a Backstory

Writer: Derek Fridolfs
Artist: Javier Pina
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 4, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

For Poison Ivy's Villain's Month issue, we see a Gotham in chaos.  The power is out, the Batman is out, and the criminally insane run the streets.

Throwback Thursday: Superman #23.1 Bizarro Review

How Bizarro

Writer: Sholly Fisch
Artist: Jeff Johnson, Andy Smith
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 4, 2013

Cover Price: $3.99

Superman #23.1 is the story of Bizarro, right?  It makes sense.  Bizarro is on the cover.  Bizarro's name is sprayed across the usual Superman header.  Yet, Bizarro isn't really in the issue.  Is this some trick to fool Bizarro loving fans into picking up the issue only to cry themselves to sleep in despair?  No, actually it's a pretty damn good Bizarro issue after all is said and done, even without him.

Throwback Thursday: Justice League of America #7.1 Deadshot Review

This Issue Hits Its Mark

Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 4, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Now here's a Villain's Month issue with some balls.  Not actual balls that would be weird, but who can say that Deadshot isn't a badass?  And if you can I don't want to hear it.  Badass.  Let's get right into this issue.  We are given another origin story shown with flashbacks while being tucked inside a story about what Deadshots doing now that the Suicide Squad has disbanded.  When Deadshot was a boy, he lived in the Narrows of Gotham with his parents and sister.  Now while Floyd laid in bed reading a pulp novel, his parents argued about food, and money, while his sister watched them argue through a key hole.  In the apartment next door, a couple of junkies apparently ripped off a dealer, and two men break in to their apartment to send a message.  Sixty bullets later, the junkies are dead, and so are Deadshot's parents, and sister from the bullets that went through the walls.  Deadshot runs outside to see the two men and vows then and there to avenge his parents.

Throwback Thursday: BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.3 Ra's al Ghul Review

The Demon's Head Comes to a...Head

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Jorge Lucas
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 18, 2013

Cover Price: $3.99

What can one say about Ra's al Ghul?  Well if we take a look at this issue of Batman and Robin, we find that apparently, we can talk about his greatest hits in history.

Throwback Thursday: Batman #23.2 The Riddler Review

What a Card

Written by: Ray Fawkes

Art by: Jeremy Haun

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 11, 2013

Way back in September 2013 we had just started our site and wham! bam! we got Villain's Month.  Well, there is nothing like a big event to show you that maybe you jumped into the deep end of the pool.  Eric and Myself struggled through it and started learning all about the comics review game and all the fame and fortune that comes with it.  I liked this Riddler origin story and I think it plays well this week as we start the War of Jokes and Riddles.  -Jim

The Unexpected #5 Review and Spoilers

Unexploded

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Ronan Cliquet
Colors by: Jeromy Cox
Letters by: Carlos M Mangual
Cover Price: $2.99

Lurching from one stale encounter to another with all the grace of a 65-year-old on their way home from a night on the town two months after a hip replacement operation, The Unexpected has been one of the most sense-bereft comics I've read this century. Featuring admittedly potentially interesting characters Neon and Firebrand and their quest for… something to do with the wildly dangerous and profoundly unstable Nth Metal Isotope that improbably came into existence at the end of issue 1 just when the pair of them needed something to do, this series has become a manic travelogue of the DC universe. We've had Slaughter Swamp and Blackhawk Island. In issue 3 it was Monster Valley; in issue 4 it was Gotham. (No sign of Batman. Mind you, Neon and Firebrand did arrive during the day…) This time around it's the Bavarian Alps and Castle Frankenstein where awaits Hawkman. Who might, to be fair, actually know something about the incredibly dangerous Nth metal isotope which has existed for four issues and still hasn't exploded yet.

One can but hope. Here's a review of issue 5, people!

The Dreaming #2 Review and **SPOILERS**

International Brotherhood of Dream Janitors

Written By: Simon Spurrier 

Illustrated By: Bilquis Evely 

Colors By: Mat Lopes 

Letters By: Simon Bowland 

Cover By: Jae Lee & June Chung 

Edited By: Molly Mahan 

Associate Editor: Amedeo Turturro 

Assistant Editor: Maggie Howell 

Executive Editor: Mark Doyle 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: October 3, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

It’s the second issue of The Dreaming, and I don’t really know all that’s going on. But we’re getting to finding out! Let’s see what we learn in The Dreaming #2, which I’ve reviewed right here!

Harley Quinn #51 Review and **SPOILERS**

The Captain Makes it Happen

Writer: Sam Humphries 

Artist: Sam Basri 

Colors: Alex Sinclair 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Julian Totino Tedesco 

Variant Cover: Frank Cho 

Assistant Editor: Andrea Shea 

Editor: Alex Antone 

Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: October 3, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I was not a fan of the previous celebratory issue, but it looks like that’s all past us now, so what do we have here…what?! We’re dealing with the fallout from that issue?? Sheesh. Well, maybe without making this an “art jam,” the story will be more coherent and interesting in Harley Quinn #51, which I have reviewed for your convenience right here!

Deathstroke #36 Review

One Flew Over Arkham Asylum

Written By: Christopher Priest

Art By: Ed Benes, Fernando Pasarin, Richard Friend, Jason Paz, Wade Von Grawbadger, Jeremy Cox, Willie Schubert

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 3, 2018

In case you don't remember, way back before we had the Deathstroke Vs. Batman arc we had Slade Wilson tossing the superhero motif aside and going back to basics, which sadly put him on the threat list of all of his old allies.  If that wasn't enough, it turns out at the end that Slade may actually be crazy and all the times he's seen his A.I. version of Wintergreen, it's all been in his head.  Let's jump into this issue and continue where our story previously left off and see if Slade is crazy and what he's going to do about it now that he's locked up in the worst nuthouse in the world.  Let's check it out.

Green Arrow #45 Review

Fly True

Written By: Julie Benson, Shawna Benson

Art By: Javier Fernandez, John Kalisz, Deron Bennett

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 3, 2018

After the massacre at the Sanctuary, it's time to witness the first of the fallout.  In the previous issue we saw that Superman had come to Oliver for the cliffhanger and we find out this issue that it was because Clark came to tell Oliver that Roy had died.  It's time to go to Roy's funeral now and see how our heroes react and how they plan on saying goodbye to a friend and a partner.  Let's check it out.

Green Lanterns #56 Review

Total and Complete Victory

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Mike Perkins, Hi-Fi, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 3, 2018

It's our penultimate issue of Green Lanterns and we have a lot to do in a short amount of time and really hope that it all just doesn't come off forced to get us there.  Well...... it will be, but with that, hopefully, it's enjoyable as well.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Simon Baz can turn the tides against Cyborg Superman, the Ravagers and Eon........ or if we get any kind of back story on Eon for that matter.  Let's check it out.

Nightwing #50 Review

The First Rule of Nightwing...... You Don't Talk About Nightwing

Written By: Ben Percy

Art By: Travis Moore, Chris Mooneyham, Klaus Janson, Tamra Bonvillain, Nick Filardi, John Kalisz, Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 3, 2018

In the aftermath of Nightwing catching a bullet with his brain, we will now see the new status quo for the character and how he'll act going forward......... So far, he's a bit of douchebag, but that's to be expected when your memories, personality and so on and so forth have been completely altered by a flying piece of lead.  Let's jump into this over-sized issue and see what Dick Grayson is up to and how his friends and family are dealing with this new Dick.  Let's check it out.

Wonder Woman/Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

Crack Open a Cold Hecate

Writer: James Tynion IV 

Artist: Jesus Merino 

Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr. 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Merino & Fajardo Jr. 

Variant Cover: Ricardo Federici 

Assistant Editor: Dave Wielgosz 

Editor: Chris Conroy 

Group Editor: Jamie S. Rich 

Cover Price: $4.99 

On Sale Date: October 3, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Whoo-wee! If you’ve been reading Justice League Dark’s last three issues…which are the first three issues, then you’re probably excited to see what this crossover thing is all about. If you haven’t been reading Justice League Dark…well, maybe you’re just a fan of Wonder Woman or something. I’m personally interested to see what this is all about, so let’s roll right into my review of Wonder Woman/Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1, commencing now!

Justice League #9 Review

Brunch Bunch

Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 3, 2018

After the last Legion of Doom interlude, I can't wait to get back into the meat and cheese of this series.  A whole lot has gone down and I still feel like we are waiting for some more answers to get us on solid ground as we go forward.  So, does Scott Snyder jump back in and give us what we want?  Let's find out...

Batman #56 Review

Daddy?

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Tony Daniel
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 3, 2018

Well, something big certainly happened at the end of the last issue, huh?  If you don't know what that was, I would suggest going and reading it now because, after the page break, I will talk about it.  Going into this issue, the big question on my mind was "what will Batman do?"  Well...what does he do?  Let's find out...

PREVIEW: Batman #56

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Tony Daniel
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: October 3, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

The Dark Knight's looking to drop both the hammer and sickle on the KGBeast, whose rampage across Gotham City takes a toll on Nightwing when he's injured in the fray. Blaming himself for his ward's fate, Batman gets grimmer than usual-and vows to take the Russian assassin down like the Berlin Wall. Is even Gotham City ready for that much violence? The streets will run red like borscht if the Dark Knight gets his way against this Soviet scourge.