Tag: Crime Syndicate

100 Issues Ago September 2013

Teased for months with the Trinity War crossover in the JUSTICE LEAGUE titles, the first big, line-wide crossover event since the launch of the New 52 landed – FOREVER EVIL, where the bad guys would win and take out the League, leaving the handful of apparently honourable bad guys (principally the Flash’s Rogues) to strike back and take over.

Of course, that’s all months down the line – this issue is simply the aftermath of the arrival of Earth-Three’s Crime Syndicate where they take out the world’s communications grid, and assemble Earth’s villains as their Secret Society, their army to take over the world. Oh, and they unmask Nightwing on live TV for . . . reasons, I guess. Maybe showing they can find anyone and everyone connected to the heroes, so telling them not to bother to retaliate.

It’s grim, and dark, and not much fun at all.

Elsewhere, the rest of my DC titles were all about showcasing the villains – each series had issues of x.1 or x.2 this month where the heroes were side-lined and their bad guys got the spotlight because of FOREVER EVIL.

Outside of DC it was still FATALE from Image and THE STAR WARS from Dark Horse, the adaptation of George Lucas’ original rough draft.

DC’s May 2021 Solicitations

STARGIRL SPRING BREAK SPECIAL #1
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art and cover by: Todd Nauck

Legendary comics writer Geoff Johns returns to his breakthrough hero, Stargirl, in this special one-shot illustrated by Todd Nauck!

Courtney Whitmore’s spring break plans aren’t like your average high schooler’s. Instead of hanging out with friends, she’s heading out on an adventure with her stepfather, Pat Dugan, a.k.a. S.T.R.I.P.E., and teaming up with his former team, the Seven Soldiers of Victory! The Soldiers are forced to reunite again to unearth the secret eighth Soldier of Victory, but what other secrets lie buried, and what does it all mean for Courtney’s future as Stargirl?

Geoff Johns back with Stargirl and roping in the Seven Soldiers? I’m there, without question.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: LAST RIDE #1
Written by: Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Miguel Mendonca
Cover by: Darick Robertson

Once the most powerful group in the world, the Justice League was destroyed by tragedy and time, disbanding under a veil of mistrust and anger. Now, on the eve of the universe’s greatest murder trial, the League must come together one last time…but can Superman and Batman bury the past before the cosmos’s greatest villains bury them?

Learn the shocking truth in this new digital-first adventure by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Miguel Mendonça!

If want to see heroes fighting each other, I’ll read Marvel. Or something by Tom King. This is a pass from me, despite me being a League fan.

BATMAN: EARTH ONE VOL. 3 HC
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Gary Frank and Jon Sibal
Cover by: Gary Frank

Harvey Dent is dead. Or is he?

A gang of thieves thrusts Gotham City into a state of fear when they are mysteriously well-armed with military-grade weapons: flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and even tanks. And this gang claims it is funded by none other than former district attorney Harvey Dent.

Balancing his two lives, Bruce Wayne must find the truth by tapping his growing network of agents, including Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, Waylon “Killer Croc” Jones, and the savvy new Catwoman.

Bruce is distracted by the seemingly impossible return of another figure believed dead: his grandfather Adrian Arkham. He must also comfort his longtime friend, Gotham City mayor Jessica Dent, who is scarred both physically and mentally from her experience with the Riddler, which resulted in the gruesome death of her brother. But is Harvey back, plotting revenge on a city he proclaims to be guilty?When Batman discovers the truth behind these many mysteries, his entire world unravels…

I really enjoyed the first two BATMAN: EARTH ONE books and will be picking this up, but will probably wait six months or so until the paperback version is released.

CRIME SYNDICATE #3
written by ANDY SCHMIDT
art by KIERAN McKEOWN
backup story art by BRYAN HITCH
cover by DAVID FINCH

With the Crime Syndicate’s forces combined for the first time, seeds are sown to change the world forever. But before that can happen, Ultraman, Superia, Johnny Quick, Atomica, and Emerald Knight must survive a final battle with the biggest Starro of them all—and each other! Plus: Earth-3’s Alexander Luthor makes his debut!

Question of the month: On Earth-3, are Starros friends or foes? And in the backup story, witness the origin of Superwoman in tale illustrated by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

Looking forward to this series starting, though I’m wondering why it’s “Superia” in the main description, but “Superwoman” in the origin back-up? One of these days, by the way, I’m going to do a series of posts on the various versions of the Crime Syndicate, just you wait . . .

GREEN LANTERN #2
written by GEOFFREY THORNE
art by DEXTER SOY and MARCO SANTUCCI
cover by BERNARD CHANG

A Guardian of the Universe lies dead, and the universe teeters on the brink of war. As the summit of the United Planets and the Green Lantern Corps falls into chaos, an even bigger threat looms. With John Stewart reassigned to the role of an ambassador, a surprise appearance by one of the newest Green Lanterns may be all that stands between the Corps and oblivion. (Spoiler: it’s Far Sector’s Jo Mullein.)

The Corps are back and there’s not a sign of an “Ultrawar” or “Cosmic Grail” in sight. I’m really hoping that this story is back to basics with the Corps dealing with actual villains rather than cool sounding ideas that are thrown at the page to see what sticks.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #61
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
backup story written by RAM V
backup story art by XERMANICO

The new Justice League is trapped on a world devastated by a super-powered war, and Brutus hungers for a new home of his own—our Earth! With their powers gone haywire, the League must fight their way out of a post apocalyptic Thunderdome of depravity and desperation. On the run with Batman, Naomi learns more dark secrets of her birth world’s broken legacy, while Hawkgirl and Black Canary battle through the henchmen trenches. But where are Superman and Black Adam, and what kind of trouble is Aquaman in? (Hint: it’s bad.)

And in the Justice League Dark story, Ragman joins the hunt! Zatanna, Constantine, Etrigan, and Detective Chimp hit the books—literally—in a possessed library, as Merlin’s plan takes shape before them…and spells doom for the universe.

I’m still cautiously optimistic about Bendis taking on the League – I heard good things about his Avengers run so hope he can do the same here, massive amounts of dialogue notwithstanding. And hey, Ragman gets to join the JL Dark! Haven’t seen him in a while.

THE SWAMP THING #3
written by RAM V
art and cover by MIKE PERKINS

Reeling from his battle with the Pale Wanderer, Levi Kamei seeks the true nature of his transformations. And what better place to find his roots than the heart of the Green itself? There, he and Jennifer will encounter the realm’s many denizens, including one known as Holland and…Poison Ivy? Who will aid Levi and who will harm him? If he is to pull Jennifer and himself back to the real world, Levi will need all the help he can get to tame the Swamp Thing running wild within.

Poison Ivy clearly plays a part in this issue – wasn’t she meant to take over the protectorate of the Green role after the dreadful HEROES IN CRISIS? Didn’t she die there but was going to be reborn? I ditched that horrible series after issue #2 so am only going on half-remembered scraps read on the internet at the time.

SUICIDE SQUAD: CASUALTIES OF WAR TP
written by KEITH GIFFEN
art by PACO MEDINA, RUSS HEATH, JOHN SEVERIN, and others
cover by PACO MEDINA and JOE SANCHEZ

In the aftermath of “Our Worlds at War,” Sgt. Rock—now a general—is back in action to lead the Suicide Squad to victory, or to death. But can the new Squad’s leader come up with a plan to take on a biological weapon that’s gone out of control?

Uncover who is really behind this new Suicide Squad in these tales. Can Rock’s hastily formed team of Deadshot, Killer Frost, Major Disaster, Reactron, and Blackstarr stop trying to kill each other long enough to prevent the end of our entire planet as we know it?

Collects Suicide Squad #1-12 (2001).

I remember saying a couple of years ago when the first twelve issues of JUSTICE LEAGUE TASK FORCE were collected, that I couldn’t think of a series less likely to get the trade paperback treatment. And now this . . .

Don’t get me wrong, I own and enjoyed this series despite a lot of fans hating it because it wasn’t John Ostrander’s Squad – but I’m still surprised that this has been collected.

DC’s March 2021 Solicitations

As I’m not getting any of the Future State mini-series, January and February next year are looking to have slim pickings. What does March have for me…?

INFINITE FRONTIER #0
written by SCOTT SNYDER, GEOFF JOHNS, JAMES TYNION IV, JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, GEOFFREY THORNE, PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, BECKY CLOONAN, MICHAEL W. CONRAD, JOËLLE JONES, and TIM SHERIDAN
art by JOHN TIMMS, HOWARD PORTER, JOËLLE JONES, JORGE JIMENEZ, ALITHA MARTINZEZ, DAVID MARQUEZ, STEPHEN BYRNE, JAMAL IGLE, DEXTER SOY, RAFA SANDOVAL, ALEX MALEEV, JOHN ROMITA JR., and others
wraparound cover by DAN JURGENS and MIKEL JANÍN
card stock variant cover by JOHN TIMMS

The next phase of the DC Universe begins here! Dark Knights: Death Metal presented the darkest threats of the Multiverse. DC Future State revealed what may lie ahead. Now it’s time to look into the Infinite Frontier of the current-day DC Universe.
In Gotham City, The Joker jolts citizens awake with an attack even the Dark Knight never expected. In Brazil, a young woman discovers her destiny and her connection to the Amazons. In Belle Reve, Amanda Waller plots an invasion of Arkham Asylum. In the far reaches of space, Mongul dreams of galactic domination, while the Green Lantern Corps hosts a summit of its greatest enemies. At the Hall of Justice, the League joins forces with Black Adam. Beyond the mortal world, Wonder Woman settles into a new role in the godsphere. And somewhere in the DC Universe—it’s the return of Stargirl, in an all-new tale written by Geoff Johns!

Okay, so here we go again – another line-wide reset/reboot/reinvigoration for DC. Anyone taking bets on how long this will last before the next one? The New 52 was 2011; Rebirth was 2016; Infinite Frontier is 2021 – so every five years we’re getting a reset, is that it?

It’s nice to see Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle in the picture, along with Obsidian and Jade, but I feel underwhelmed by this.

CRIME SYNDICATE #1
written by ANDY SCHMIDT
art by KIERAN McKEOWN
backup story art by BRYAN HITCH
cover by JIM CHEUNG
variant cover by SKAN

Spinning out of Dark Nights: Death Metal, the Multiverse is reborn—and Earth-3 with it! In this six-issue miniseries, witness the true origins of the malevolent makers of mayhem known as the Crime Syndicate as a common foe unites them! But how long can alliances last between villains like these?
Also in this issue, it’s the origin of Ultraman in our special backup story drawn by superstar artist Bryan Hitch!

A new multiverse is coming (no surprise there) and we get a new Earth-3 complete with the villains we love to hate in the Crime Syndicate. Sucker as I am for these guys, I will probably get this.

THE SWAMP THING #1
written by RAM V
art and cover by MIKE PERKINS
variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA

Swamp Thing returns in a new 10-issue series that stars Levi Kamei as the next Guardian of the Green. Unable to control his transformation into the monstrous Swamp Thing, Levi is thrust into the harsh, unforgiving mystery of grisly murders committed by a supernatural desert legend. Levi must revisit past events in his homeland of India and face the deadly reality of a ravenous new villain in order to comprehend what he is truly, and horrifyingly, becoming. A new era of global action and horror blossoms here, and Swamp Thing will be at the root of it!

Looks like Alec Holland doesn’t make it out of DARK NIGHTS: DEATH METAL and we have a new Swamp Thing. Happy to give this a go as I’ve enjoyed Ram V’s work in the past.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #59
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
backup story written by RAM V
backup story art by XERMANICO
wraparound variant cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
variant cover by KAEL NGU

Writer Brian Michael Bendis reunites with artist David Marquez (Miles Morales, Iron Man, Batman/Superman) for a new, star-studded Justice League featuring Superman, Batman, the Flash, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Hippolyta, new DC powerhouse Naomi, and…is that Black Adam?! Superman is leading the charge to reinvent the Justice League—and at the same time, a new, cosmic-powered threat arrives from Naomi’s homeworld to rule the Earth!
And in the backup story, dark days lie ahead for the new Justice League Dark. Zatanna and John Constantine take a road trip, only to discover horror around the bend as a friend—and sometime foe—is reborn in fire! A legend is destroyed, and another takes a terrible turn, as Merlin reveals the beginning of a new, blood-drenched plot for all humankind. So begins writer Ram V’s new journey into the abyss with the Justice League Dark and artist Xermanico!

Brian Michael Bendis takes over JUSTICE LEAGUE – I heard mostly good things about his stint on Superman and I’ve read some of his AVENGERS stories from a few years ago so I’m expecting solid stories with lots and lots of dialogue.

Sad to see that Justice League Dark loses their own book and becomes a back-up in this title, though.

THE GREEN LANTERN SEASON TWO #12
written by GRANT MORRISON
art and cover by LIAM SHARP
variant cover by LADÖNN

It’s Hal Jordan vs. Hector Hammond, and our Emerald Knight will need to summon all of his willpower to face down the psionic madman. Check out Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp’s grand finale more than two years in the making! This tale touches on every plot thread from the entire run, and it’s fully charged with fantasy, sci-fi, and Green Lantern lore. Say it with us now, “In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night…”

GREEN LANTERN: SEASON TWO comes to an end . . . and I sort of hope that’s it for Morrison’s run which has seemed, as I find a lot of his stuff, to be full of ideas but so scattershot in execution that it just seems like a mess.

TRUTH & JUSTICE #2
written by BRANDON EASTON
art by JAHNOY LINDSAY
cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
variant cover by RYAN BENJAMIN and RICHARD FRIEND

As DC’s new anthology series continues, prisoners around Metropolis are waking up in their old homes, unaware of how they got there and being accused of escaping from Stryker’s Island. Superman will need to use all of his powers, and his journalistic skills, if he’s going to save the prisoners and get them properly exonerated!

Last month’s solicitations made a big play of this title starring Vixen and the Global Guardians; while I’m interested in the anthology series, I really hope it’s not going to become another vehicle for Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman. Let’s have a place with the second tier characters can shine, eh?

And that appears to be it – no AQUAMAN so it looks like that’s finishing just before Future State kicks in. This means as of March, I will be collecting two ongoing series from DC – everything else is one-shots or mini-series. I don’t think the number of ongoings from DC has ever been so low for me.

DC’s December Solicitations

Honestly, it’s always baffled me why DC release their solicits in about five or six different posts; thank goodness Newsarama habitually collate them all into one. Here’s December’s; let’s see what we’ve got, eh?

Harley’s Little Black Book #1

Harley’s Little Black Book #1 – not something I’ll be picking up monthly, but will probably grab in the trade; long been a fan of Palmiotti’s writing and Conner’s art is never less than gorgeous.

Justice League #47

Justice League #47 – I’m enjoying the Darkseid War storyline so far and the use of the Anti-Monitor and the Crime Syndicate is always a plus.

Earth 2 Society #7

Earth 2: Society #7 – the solicitation mentions Dr Impossible – is that Jimmy Olsen on the cover and is he Dr Impossible?

Secret Six #9

Secret Six #9 – if I wasn’t already getting (and thoroughly enjoying) this title, the solicit of “The team’s attempt to defend the Earth from invasion by the Elder Gods takes them to a creepy New England town, inhabited by one very nasty creature.” Secret Six vs Elder Gods? Sold!

Green Lantern #47

Green Lantern #47 – Sonar’s back! What do you think, Bito Wladen or the guy from Kyle Rayner’s run with metal sticking out of him? My money’s on Bito.

And conspicuous by its absence is Green Lantern: The Lost Army #7 which should be out in December. Another title biting the dust?

The above isn’t everything I’m getting (there’s Aquaman and Justice League of America for example) but that’s what caught my eye.