I’m a day behind in the offering up of the next bunch of first issues for our Comics fans but that’s based on just how much awesome stuff has been happening in our music and geek zones. So here we go just the same with the coolness coming care of DC Comics this month of March. As usual the overview and artwork come from the official DC provided press but not to worry I’ll return at the close to give my two cents. Remember there are numerous concurrently running issues hitting the stands so make sure your collections are staying complete. We only offer up the first issues in these narratives. Here we go.
BATGIRL ANNUAL #1: Batgirl and Supergirl must team up to break into Arkham Asylum! In this all-new Rebirth annual Batgirl must seek Supergirl’s help to solve a mystery that leads them to the heart of the most insane insane asylum there is! But what they discover—and who they discover—in Arkham will lead to a much, much bigger story!
Written by HOPE LARSON; Art by INAKI MIRANDA; Cover by BENGAL
BATWOMAN #1: “The Many Arms Of Death” part one! At last—Batwoman is back in her own ongoing series! On the island nation of Coryana, anything goes for members of the criminal underworld…and during her lost years after being drummed out of the military, Kate Kane found a kind of refuge there. But now, a deadly new bioweapon is available in the markets of Coryana, and Batwoman will have to face up to the things she did in those days…and the people she left behind, some of whom would be happier to see her dead than alive! This epic Batwoman story will alter the course of her life forever! This one’s unmissable!
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT and JAMES TYNION IV; Art and cover by STEVE EPTING; Variant cover by J.G. JONES
TITANS ANNUAL #1: When Dick, Wally, Donna and Garth awaken in an unfamiliar place, they find themselves face-to-face with their mentors: Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman! Allied together against a common foe, the mentors and protégés must race against the clock to unlock the secret of their current predicament and save the planet from an alien invasion!
Written by DAN ABNETT; Art by MINKYU JUNG; Cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
ADAM STRANGE/FUTURE QUEST ANNUAL #1: After the events of the DEATH OF HAWKMAN miniseries, Adam Strange is blasted through multiple dimensions only to land on Earth! There, instead of super-powered beings and legendary crime fighters, he encounters a boy adventurer and his scientist father—and they’re the only ones who can help him return home. Jonny Quest, Hadji, Dr. Quest and Race Bannon have a plan, but it’s going to involve a dangerous trek through Dino Boy’s Lost Valley of prehistoric threats! And in the backup feature starring Top Cat, breaking out of prison is challenging enough for a cat, but sometimes it means stumbling through a cosmic portal to planet Earth…and right into the hands of Batman!
Written by MARC ANDREYKO and JEFF PARKER; Backup story by DAN DIDIO; Art by STEVE LIEBER; Backup story art by PHIL WINSLADE; Cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
BOOSTER GOLD/THE FLINTSTONES ANNUAL #1: Welcome to the twenty-fifth century, where the Earth is a polluted postindustrial nightmare, most animals are extinct and reptilian aliens are invading cities across the planet! In their time of need, the world’s citizens turn to the time-traveling Booster Gold to save the day. To learn why these aliens are seeking revenge, Booster dives deep into the prehistoric past to see what happened the last time they hit the planet. In this bygone era, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble must help Booster learn the truth and return to his own time armed with the information that will bring down the invaders—if Booster can convince them to help him. No problem—we all know how persuasive Booster can be, right? Right?!
And in the backup feature starring The Jetsons, in a new twist on an old twist about our future, The Jetsons live in a world of robotics and gadgetry. But how does dying change when grandma’s brain can be digitally imprinted onto a housecleaning robot?
Written by MARK RUSSELL; Backup story written by AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI; Art by RICK LEONARDI and SCOTT HANNA; Backup story art by PIER BRITO; Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
GREEN LANTERN/SPACE GHOST ANNUAL #1: Trapped in a strange rift in time, Green Lantern and Space Ghost are forced to battle a variety of foes—and each other! And even if they manage to survive, they will be thrown into a world with no concept of interstellar travel—or even what an alien is! Stripped of their weapons by a xenophobic culture, the duo will have to battle to regain them—but what happens when Space Ghost dons the Emerald Ring and Hal Jordan put on the Power Bands? And in the backup feature, Ruff and Reddy were once the toast of nightclubs, variety shows, late night chat fests and Broadway. Learn how they became the comedic duo of yesterday…before they hit rock-bottom today!
Written by JAMES TYNION IV and CHRIS SEBELA; Backup story written by and art by HOWARD CHAYKIN; Art and cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI
SUICIDE SQUAD/BANANA SPLITS ANNUAL #1: “SUICIDE SPLITS”! Mistaken for metahumans, thrown in the bowels of Belle Reve, the animal rock band Banana Splits are recruited by Amanda Waller for a secret mission: to save the Suicide Squad! What follows is the weirdest team-up you never thought you’d see! How can Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snorky stand up to Harley, Deadshot, Katana and Croc? And in the backup feature, Snagglepuss is a Southern gothic playwright working with an ensemble cast of cultural figures, exploring an intensely creative time in the New York City theater scene of the 1950s.
Written by TONY BEDARD; Backup story written by MARK RUSSELL; Art and cover by BEN CALDWELL; Backup story art by DALE EAGLESHAM
Variant cover by BEN CALDWELL
PiercingMetal Thoughts: I’ve got to admit that I have been enjoying SO MUCH of the “DC Universe Rebirth” stuff that I am going to pick up these Annual editions along with the first issue of the new “Batwoman” series. The other thing that has been an odd pleaser to my geek senses are these Hanna Barbera properties and how they worked the time-honored characters into some truly interesting storylines. I never thought I’d find them pairing up with the DC Universe of heroes and villains but I am game for sure and will be snagging a copy of each of these when they hit the stands. Some of the backup stories cited in these special annuals made me shake my head with thoughts of “what the what???”. What about you readers? Are you following any of the DC titles at this point? Let me know in the comments section below.
Official Website: http://www.dccomics.com