Every month when I pore over the new DC solicitations, I feel obliged to look at them as some kind of cohesive whole, like a hint from one book will provide a clue into another. When there are big crossovers afoot, that urge is especially strong. Mostly, though, I’m able to remind myself that there’s not necessarily a master plan, and nobody’s writing these solicitations in a secret code that only the faithful understand.

That said, I wonder if there aren’t some clues to Final Crisis in this, the first month of solicitations for what may be the last Line-Wide Event for a while….

DC UNIVERSE #0

In fact, I count six Final Crisis-related books solicited: DC Universe #0, FC #1, the FC Sketchbook, Justice League of America #21, and the two DC Universe Specials. We’ll get to those Specials in a minute, but first, let’s see if I understand the role of DC Universe #0. Originally, it was supposed to be Countdown #0, Part 52 of 52 in the 2007-08 weekly miniseries, and would clear the decks for Final Crisis. Accordingly, it would have been renamed Countdown to Final Crisis #0, if that plan had held up. Later, however, it was renamed again, to simply Final Crisis #0, and Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns were writing it as Part 1 (or “Part 0,” if you like) of that miniseries. Thus, if this Issue #0 had once been the end of Countdown, it arguably wasn’t anymore; because it had just become the start of Final Crisis.

Now, however, these solicits characterize the issue as “[e]verything leading to Final Crisis and beyond” — all in 32 pages for 50 cents. So it’s not really a part of any one story anymore, because it must set up not only FC, but probably Trinity, the upcoming Events for Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and probably Green Lantern, the mysterious George Perez project which took him away from Brave & Bold, and who knows what else. At 50 cents, it’s not like I’m not going to get it, but it’s another one of these patchwork books that can’t be filed easily with either Countdown or Final Crisis. It’s a sampler, in other words, like the original Countdown To Infinite Crisis or Brave New World. Oh well. I guess one potential benefit is that Countdown will end an issue early, which should tighten up its plot.

REPRINT FOLLIES

Those DC Universe Specials do intrigue me, though. The JLA one reprints the first, and apparently only, appearance of Libra to date, but then it also includes the 3-part Secret Society of Super-Villains tale which became part of Identity Crisis‘ backstory. For those who came in late, in JLA #s 166-68, the Wizard (head of the SSoSV at the time) used a magic gizmo to switch his mind (or body, depending on how you look at it) with Superman’s, and so on for the rest of the Secret Socialites and a corresponding group of Leaguers. In IC, Brad Meltzer postulated that the Socialites would naturally have taken the opportunity to learn the Leaguers’ secret identities. Therefore, I’m not surprised that DC is reprinting that particular story — but I am surprised they’re doing it almost four years later. Wonder if FC will tie into those events, or otherwise into Identity Crisis?

The same applies to the Mongul reprints in the other Special. With Mongul, though, I doubt he’ll be part of FC. For one thing, he’d probably have to share part of it with Darkseid, and that just seems redundant. Mongul is a Thanos ripoff, and Thanos is a Darkseid ripoff, so anything Mongul could do, Darkseid could probably do a lot better. Not that Mongul needs the exposure, considering he and a garden of Black Mercies will be terrorizing the Green Lantern Corps in GLC #24. I suppose, then, that the Mongul Special just offers a sampler of his particular derivative brand of badness. Still, it’s too bad it won’t reprint the character’s introductory arc from DC Comics Presents #s 27-30, which featured (among other things) Superman and Supergirl enduring ridiculous amounts of Warworld firepower. That was a fun story.

Without the toy-premium issue at hand, I’m having trouble figuring out what exactly the Batman Vs. The Scarecrow book reprints. Most likely it’s just Detective Comics #571 (not #371, as the copy indicates), a clever Mike Barr/Alan Davis & Paul Neary story from 1986 — but if that’s so, why does it feature the Sal Amendola/Al Milgrom cover of the 30-year-old Batman #296? The Batman story isn’t particularly memorable, at least not to me, but the ‘Tec story has been reprinted before, like in Batman in the Eighties. Weird.

MORE BAT-FLASHBACKS

Does anyone else remember the rumor from the mid-90s that Doug Moench and Kelley Jones would produce a 12-part Batman limited series focusing on supernatural villains? That’s the first thing I thought of when reading the solicitation for Batman: Gotham After Midnight. It’s not a bad idea by any means, especially with Jones on art, so I’ll be eager to see what Niles and Jones have cooked up.

I’m also looking forward to the Batgirl arc starting in Batman Confidential #17. Although the title’s stated mission focuses more on the “Year One” era, I’m glad to see more middle-period stories.

After nosing around IvoryMadison.com, I’m also curious to see what Huntress: Year One has to offer. I bet we learn more about Helena’s dreams of becoming a torch singer.

SUPERMAN

Near as I can figure, the Winslow Schott Toyman hadn’t been rehabilitated from the dark, child-abducting modus operandi he’d gained during the Dan Jurgens years of the mid-’90s. (He’s not particularly innocent in the latest Superman Confidential issue, but I’m guessing he’s not that bad.) If Geoff Johns intends to rehabilitate him in Action Comics #865, that’ll be good, albeit somewhat ironic.

Nothing against Keith Champagne, but I’m guessing he’s not the new regular writer of Superman.

I feel obligated to mention the solicitation for All-Star Superman #11, but other than it being the penultimate issue of the first (and only?) arc, and that I’m naturally looking forward to it too, I can only note that it should read “quarterly,” not “monthly.”

I’d think a little harder — which is to say, at all — about getting the Superman cape-and-belt display if the plaque read “NO TUGGING.”

NINE LIVES INDEED

Last month’s solicits had JSA Classified cancelled with the conclusion of a 3-part Wildcat arc in April’s #37. This month, the title apparently gets a reprieve from cancellation for at least another two issues, thanks to another Wildcat arc. Wonder if DC shouldn’t just replace it with a Wildcat series…?

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Aaron Lopresti starts as Wonder Woman penciller with May’s #20. Teen Titans Go! is cancelled with #55. DC offers a new edition of Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan’s Demo, which of course started with AiT/PlanetLar.

The House Of Mystery format — continuing characters who tell stories — sounds a lot like Sandman, at least on a superficial level. Still, since the characters are trying to get out of the bar, there is the possibility that at least some will succeed, so there could be some variety within the continuing cast as well as through the stories.

By the way, Wikipedia suggests “Harry Bailey” refers either to the “controversial Australian psychiatrist” or the host of The Canterbury Tales. I’m guessing HoM‘s Harry is a combination of both. (Yes, in the comments to the ‘Rama article, Matt Brady also mentioned George Bailey’s brother from It’s A Wonderful Life, but that Harry doesn’t seem to have that particular Vertigo vibe.)
What’s Bizarro doing in the Rann/Thanagar: Holy War miniseries? I know, “read it and find out….”

I like the idea of “Batman R.I.P.” referring to the identity, and not necessarily the person. Grant Morrison has been playing pretty obviously with that theme throughout his run, and if this turns out to be another replacement-hero arc, it sounds like a different enough take.

Looks like I can drop Checkmate after #25. On the one hand, it’s good to know the title will continue; but on the other, I’ve never been a fan of Bruce Jones. To me, Checkmate, like Gotham Central before it, isn’t the kind of book just anyone can write. Month in and month out, it’s been an excellent blend of superheroics, espionage, and DC obscura (the Bad Samaritan!). Was John Ostrander unavailable?

It’s always nice to see new Joe Kubert work, and May will bring the first issue of a new Tor miniseries. I am hardly a Tor scholar, but the character apparently has a long history spanning several publishers, including DC’s reprints of all the Tor stories. I read the last Sgt. Rock miniseries, so Tor will fit right into that Checkmate-sized hole.

Finally, I know it was announced a while back, but it’s good to see the second Justice League International collection back in print. Here’s hoping the rest of the book’s heyday gets reprinted eventually. The Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire team made the book’s reputation, but artists Steve Leialoha, Ty Templeton, and Adam Hughes also contributed significantly.

Well, that’s what caught my eye this month. What looks good to you?

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