This week, March 14th, you can pick up a newly packaged hardcover edition of the DC Universe by Alan Moore. Several years back a paperback collection was put out including Moore’s Batman and Superman stories along with much more. Now there’s a new edition which adds over 150 pages worth of content to the collection including Voodoo and Deathblow stories. 

Top 50 Modern Comic Artists - Frazer Irving

realized my entire page is made up of Irving art. 

Well… sorry that I really love his work. 

Batman Incorporated #7, Frazer Irving Variant

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2, variant cover by Frazer Irving

Batman and Robin #16, interior art by Frazer Irving

Batman and Robin #15, variant cover by Frazer Irving

Batman and Robin #14, variant cover by Frazer Irving

Batman and Robin #13, variant cover by Frazer Irving

I made this as an alternate header. My mom was like “Why is it so scary looking!?”

If I use this I would go back to the other background, or use something else from Frazer Irving’s “Batman and Robin Must Die!” arc.

That’s what it originally looked like. 

It’s time for the third week of October, and it’s another good one. Last week was filled with some great issues, and this week doesn’t seem to slow down much. I’ve got nine issues to pick up, and my total is less than $30, so this to me is a great week. So let me break it down:

Batman and Robin #15 - I don’t think I look forward to a single series more than I look forward to this one every month. Aside from Grant Morrison being my favorite writer, and Frazer Irving (who will finish his three issue story with this issue) lending some fantastic art to the series, it’s just been one of the most consistently great books that DC puts on the shelves. In fact, IGN voted it as their #1 DC book. With this issue all of the events from the past 15 come together as the return of Bruce is set for next issue. Expect a big reveal in the final pages of this issue as we head into next months Cameron Stewart penciled finale. 

Batman Beyond #5 - This mini-series started out pretty good, and really felt like I was reading directly from an episode of the animated series, but the last issue did something that I really didn’t like. The completist in me, however, is forcing me to buy the last two issues anyway, and I have hopes that the reveal at the end of the last issue was just a distasteful red herring. 

Brightest Day #12 - In the past few issues the Aquaman part of this series has been rolling along at a pretty nice pace, and hopefully it continues to do so, as it’s definitely the most interesting story in this series. However, last issue had the return of the Black Lanterns, which could either bring a new focus to the series, or make a big mess of things. Regardless it’s still a fun enough read every issue. 

Deadpool #28 - In the last issue of this series we had Deadpool approached by Steve Rogers to join him and his Secret Avengers on a mission, so in this issue we see that happen. By the preview I’ve already read it seems like this Steve isn’t actually Steve, and that the real Steve is going to be a bit upset about this. Hence the ball-kick on the issues cover.

Fables #99 - With this we have one more issue before the big duel with our new nemesis Mr Dark. The last issue picked up the slight lull in quality that was happening in the middle of the Rose Red arc, so this one should end strong as it goes in to the big anniversary issue. I’m excited because after #100 we are pretty much promised that the series will start movie in another direction from the past 25, which have not been the strongest of the series so far. Still, this is one of the best continuing series on the stands, and it’s one of Vertigo’s best, and their second longest lasting (behind Hellblazer). 

Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall #1 - The sequel to the comic which inspired the critically acclaimed movie is finally here, and I guarantee we will be going through all the delays that the first one did, especially since both Millar and Romita Jr both have several other series on their plates currently. The story is basically that Hit-Girl is attempting to lead a normal life as a school girl, but at the same time is trying to train Kick-Ass as a better hero. In the meantime Red Mist is out there, and more villains are popping up all over the place. If you enjoyed the movie, or the first volume of the comic, then definitely pick this one up. 

Morning Glories #3 - Last month after I picked up the first two issues of this series I raved about how great they were and how I expect this to be one of the next big things on the stands every month. Described as a mix of the Runaways and Lost it’s hard not to be drawn into this new series. I don’t really have much to say except that this series is great, this issue will be great, and everyone should check it out. Now.

Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #4 - Ed Brubaker, Dale Eaglesham, Steve Rogers. That should be enough to make you want in on this mini series, but seeing as this one is the last issue it might be wise just to wait for the collected edition to be released. 

Walking Dead #78 - There’s really not much to say about this series. It’s amazing. There is nothing negative to say about this series, ever. Not a single issue is ever bad, and it’s read even better when collected. This issue marks then end of what will be collected as volume 13, and it leads us closer to the inevitable downfall of our main characters current place of residence, which will bring us back to the tragic story we know and love. If you aren’t reading this book yet, then you need to be. That is all. 

The only issue that I’m questionable about maybe picking up would be the next issue of Green Lantern Corps. I dropped the series with the last issue because the quality had taken a downfall after Tomasi and Gleason left creative duties, but since this issue starts a new arc and a new artist I am slightly intrigued, so I may leave the new issue in my box and pick it up later if quality does indeed rise. So just like with Emerald Warriors, I’m being cautious with this series. More so that with Emerald Warriors, actually. 

EDIT:

I just realized that the Vertigo Resurrected special is coming out. It’s a 96 page single issue special (essentially a four issue TPB) for $7.99. Now, the reason I’m wanting to get into this is because it features a host of older stories from Vertigo, lead by the never published Warren Ellis story “Shoot” which is about schoolyard shootings. Also included are rarely seen stories from Vertigo favorite writers such as: Brian Azzarello, Brian Bolland, Garth Ennis, Grant Morrison, Jim Lee, Peter Milligan, Bill Willingham, Bernie Wrightson and more. I’m going to flip through it tomorrow at the shop, and I’ll probably wind up picking it up, because it does have a Morrison story, and as everyone already knows, he is my favorite writer ever.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the biggest fan of Grant Morrison, and that his work with the Batman has been one of my favorite reads for the past few years. After being presumed dead for almost a year (our time) Morrison has started to show us what Bruce has been going through while Dick and Damian have been protecting his city. 

This issue will be the fifth of the six part mini-series that brings Bruce back to the present, and back under the cowl. We’ve already seen Bruce with the cavemen, as a detective during Puritan times and the witch trials, as a ghostly pirate, and as a black clad cowboy going against Jonah Hex himself. Two issues left, and we will see him here as a hard-boiled detective type, in a noir style story, and then finally he will don the cowl again. 

So far the quality of the series has been right up there with every other Bat-Tale that Morrison has scribed, and we have him joined by a cast of some of the most talented artists in the industry: Chris Sprouse, Frazer Irving, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, Ryan Sook, and Lee Garbett. The series will be collected into an oversized Deluxe Hardcover Edition next February.

2. Grant Morrison’s Batman

WHO? 
Written by Grant Morrison, obviously, and drawn by several different artists. 

WHAT? 
This series has been Morrison pretty much disassembling Batman as we know him little by little, until it culminates in the death of our own Bruce Wayne (you may think that’s a spoiler, but when one of the books is titles RIP you know it’s going to happen). This series has been pretty controversial, and unlike Johns Green Lantern book, there is a definitive split between fans who think Morrison is a hack who is ruining the character as we know him, and those who think he is a genius and that everything he is doing is great. I fall into the latter pile. 
Another note that should be made is that Morrison likes to borrow a lot of material from Batman stories from the Golden and Silver Age comics, plot lines and other things that haven’t been used since then (Zurr en Arrh, Batmite, Batmen of other Nations, the original Batman, etc)

WHEN? 
Morrison started this run on Batman in September of 2006 with the storyline collected in the book “Batman and Son”. He has been worked in the Batman book pretty much straight through from then until Batman issue 683 when he finished his “Last Rites” storyline in late 2008. His story was also continued in Final Crisis and he is now penning his own series “Batman and Robin” which started in mid 2009 and has been continuing since then. Seems kind of complicated, doesn’t it?

WHERE? 
These books, for the most part, you can pick up at your bookstore or on Amazon for cheaper, but once again, if you are looking for the single issues or want to keep up with current issues, you’ll need to go to your LCS, as the Batman and Robin series is still ongoing. Everything before that has been collected, though.

WHY? 
Well… with the drastic rise in popularity Batman has seen due to the 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight” there has been much more attention payed to the caped crusader than there has been in recent years. Second, Morrison is (in my opinion) great. His Batman stories have been great, and even if he is dissecting the character and tearing him apart from what we have known before, isn’t it time for something different? I’m a big fan of him bringing in old story lines and plot devices, and we all know that things will turn out back to normal in the end, so why not go for this crazy ride? 
Basically, if you are a Batman fan, give this a look. I’m not guaranteeing that you will like it, but this is a huge part in the Bats legacy, and will go down as one of the biggest story lines of all time, and honestly, I’m frightened as to what will happen when Morrison leaves the franchise… 
Another point is that it’s cool to actually know what the hell is going on with the franchise when there’s a ton of people walking around who only know what they see on the screen. It’s nice to show off your knowledge. 

HOW? 
So far there are four main books to his run, and three more are on the way, but as I said before, Batman and Robin is still ongoing, so you will have to pick up some issues if you want to be up to date. 
- Batman and Son - $14.99 TPB
- The Black Glove - $14.99 TPB
- Batman R.I.P. - $25.99 Deluxe Edition, Oversized HC
- Final Crisis - $29.99 HC (where Batman actually dies after events of R.I.P)
- Batman and Robin vol. 1: Batman Reborn - $24.99 HC (1-6)

- Batman and Robin vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin - $29.99 HC (7-12)

- Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne - $24.99 HC (Return of Bruce Wayne limited series)

- Batman: Time and the Batman - $19.99 HC (Batman 700-702)

Along with those main books are some others that fill in some spots, or are just fun books, such as ‘Battle for the Cowl’ by Tony Daniel or ‘Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?’ by Neil Gaiman. Obviously, this is much easier to collect than the Green Lantern Series.