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Review: Blackest Night

I’m on a roll this week! See what’s buzzing with the Blackest Night GN (hint: more than just flies). Check out my review in OneMetal’s hot ‘n fresh comics section.

Blackest Night devastated the DC Universe, assembling superheroes and villains in a massive showdown against the resurrected. Geoff Johns forefronts the event in which life and death are “overrated” … at least until the good guys pull the punches.

The day that Superman died has changed from one of mourning to remembrance, but as Coast City gathers to honor the heroes and innocents who have fallen, evil forces converge. The first of the Black Lanterns, Black Hand, has risen and stolen the buried skull of Bruce Wayne, whose remains Alfred Pennyworth buried alongside those of his parents. Hungry for flesh, black rings swarm momentarily unnoticed, latching onto deceased victims and their memories. As Black Hand’s army grows in number, the Justice League and the other six Lantern factions take heed, especially when the rings start claiming living hosts.

Tags: Alex Sinclair, Blackest Night, DC, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, John Prado, Julio Ferreira, O'Clair Albert, Rob Hunter
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SDCC09: Batman: New Dynamic panel

The Batman: New Dynamic panel on Friday of Comic-Con featured many strong names: DC Universe senior story editor Ian Sattler, Batman group editor Mike Marts, Chris Rose, Fabian Nicieza, Mark Andreyko, Greg Rucka, Brian Q. Miller, inker Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen, Paul Dini, and Philip Tan (Batman and Robin #4-6 artist).

The panel commenced with the immediate confirmation (which we all knew) that Batman is missing—not dead. Dini, who currently writes Streets of Gotham and Gotham City Sirens, said, “Hush is back, and he’s making trouble in both books.” With a “one-man stimulus plan … Gotham is proclaiming him as their new savior … He’s after Harley right now; pretty soon the Joker’s going to hear about this, and he doesn’t like the sound of Harley stepping out on him.” Bandages aren’t the only thing that’s in, though. “[Mr. Zsasz is] going to get a new look, and he’s going to have a big dream to accomplish.” According to Dini, artist Dustin Nguyen worked on the redesign.

Brian Miller (Smallville), who will be helming the new Batgirl title in the fall, cryptically admitted, “There are waffles in the first issue, and we can eliminate one suspect: It’s not Bet Kane.”

Greg Rucka commented on his gorgeously illustrated Batwoman book (Detective Comics), saying much to everyone’s incredulity, “It actually gets better looking. I think JH is changing the form. I think he’s changing the language of comics with this.” He told the audience that when we open issue #858, we won’t even recognize that it’s Williams’ art.

As far as the recent installment of second features are concerned, writer Mark Andreyko said that the co-feature and the decision to move Kate Spencer (Manhunter) to Gotham City received a “huge vote of confidence from the company.” The features highlight “supporting characters who might not be able to support their own monthly.” Andreyko reported that Jeremy Haun will be the artist for the feature as of issue #4, and as for what we’ve seen before from him, Andreyko raves, “The stuff he’s doing on Manhunter blows that out of the water.

Fabian Nicieza announced the new Azrael series coming in October, stating that it “flows from the Batman and Detective annuals, which I’ll be writing, as well.” The two Batman annuals will feature Batman and Robin as well as the Question; Michael Lane takes over as Azrael. “He’s clearly a character who has some issues and some flaws,” Nicieza stated. “We’re gonna see what direction he goes in and how the other characters in Gotham deal with that … He’s a guy who clearly needs redemption, and we’re trying to figure out a way to help him instead of throwing him into the abyss.”

Chris Yost (Red Robin scribe) talked of Tim Drake, explaining that they’re dealing with “a character who’s in an incredibly dark place.” He added, “Anyone who wasn’t Tim Drake would probably be in an asylum … This book is really examining where he is now.” Yost continued, “He’s on this crazy, delusional quest to find Bruce Wayne, and even Superman says he’s dead … Fairly surprising things are gonna happen.”

To follow up on Battle for the Cowl, Tony Daniel will be coming on Batman for multiple issues in an effort to create a cohesive universe. “There are substantial, long-lasting changes to Gotham, and we’re not gonna let up on that. That’s our promise to you guys.”

In the question and answer portion, the panelists noted one of the unique qualities about the new age of Batman comics: “All of these books can sit within the same sandbox and kind of coexist on their own.” As for the origin issues? “We live in perpetual deadline peril.” Seven issues will be uninterrupted JH Williams III, and then Jock (Mark Simpson) will come on for a three-issue story starting in Detective #861.

Although DC remains tight-lipped on the identity of Batgirl, the panelists revealed that the costume will be familiar at first, but by the end of the third issue a new outfit will be showcased. “[The book] will have the lightest tone while still dealing with serious subject matter.”

Writer Peter Tomasi and artist Adrian Saef will present Batman: Blackest Night, which “really brings the Batman universe, in an interesting way, into Blackest Night.”

What about some of Gotham’s other prominent costumed individuals? Sterling Gates is scribing a World’s Finest issue, focusing on Dick Grayson’s travels. Selina Kyle will be dealing with the new Black Mask soon, and reportedly there will also be quite a bit of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon interaction this year.

Tags: Batman: New Dynamic, Blackest Night, Brian Miller, Chris Rose, DC, Derek Fridolfs, Detective Comics, Dustin Nguyen, Fabian Nicieza, Greg Rucka, Mark Andreyko, Paul Dini, Philip Tan, San Diego Comic-Con 2009
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