As I’ve reported over the past two weeks, the September DC Comics initiative is known as VILLAINS MONTH and if you’ve not been paying attention, you’ll want to see what’s come out already by clicking on THIS LINK. In a nutshell, there are numerous One-Shots being released this month in place of the regularly running titles and each of them feature the most sinister villains that the DC Universe has. The press copy and images come from their publicity resources but I will close out with some editorial. Let’s take a look.
ACTION COMICS #23.3: LEX LUTHOR – Evil genius, sadistic businessman, sociopathic inmate—Lex Luthor is all this and more. Now released from prison, there is nothing to stop Luthor from getting his way…not even Superman!
Written by CHARLES SOULE; Art by RAYMUND BERMUDEZ; 3-D motion cover by AARON KUDER
BATMAN #23.3: THE PENGUIN – Follow The Penguin’s latest quest for power as he prepares to undermine one of Gotham City’s most powerful politicians. What does the criminal mastermind stand to gain?
Written by FRANK TIERI; Art by CHRISTIAN DUCE; 3-D motion cover by JASON FABOK
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.3: RA’S AL GHUL AND THE LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS – The origin of Ra’s al Ghul in The New 52! For centuries Ra’s has had a plan for this world, and now he is faced with an offer from the Secret Society that could help him achieve what he wants…or undo everything he has worked for. Which path will the Demon’s Head choose?
Written by JAMES TYNION IV; Art by JORGE LUCAS; 3-D motion cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.3: CLAYFACE – It’s the biggest audition of Clayface’s life as he attempts to impress the Secret Society and join their ranks. Desperate to prove himself more than a monster, Clayface sets a scheme into motion that quickly unravels! Will he make his mark—or dig his own grave?
Written by JOHN LAYMAN; Art by CLIFF RICHARDS; 3-D motion cover by GUILLEM MARCH
DETECTIVE COMICS #23.3: THE SCARECROW – See the new Gotham City through the eyes of the Scarecrow! It’s Arkham Asylum unleashed on humanity—and it’s all the Scarecrow has ever wanted!
Written by PETER J. TOMASI; Art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI; 3-D motion cover by JASON FABOK
THE FLASH #23.3: THE ROGUES – The Rogues have their rules and their ways of doing business—so what do they think of the Secret Society’s claims that the Justice League is dead, and that the world’s villains need to unite? It’s a culture clash that won’t end quietly!
Written by BRIAN BUCCELLATO; Art by PATRICK ZIRCHER; 3-D motion cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
GREEN LANTERN #23.3: BLACK HAND – In a world with no heroes, death lies behind every turn! Black Hand arrives to take advantage of Forever Evil, and he may be the most dangerous player yet! And when last we saw him, Black Hand was a pile of dust in the Dead Zone! How did he manage to return?
Written by CHARLES SOULE; Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI; 3-D motion cover by BILLY TAN
JUSTICE LEAGUE #23.3: DIAL E – You can’t stop dialing! In a special VILLAINS MONTH coda to the fan-favorite DIAL H series, a lost E-dial is discovered by four young criminals on the run in Littleville. But who is chasing them? And will they figure out how to control this nefarious dial before it’s too late? Hindsight is twenty-twenty when you’re sprinting through dark alleys! This issue features 20 new villains, 20 pages of creative insanity—and 20 top artists, each drawing a page of the action!
Written by CHINA MIEVILLE; Art by MATEUS SANTOLUOCO, JEFF LEMIRE, JOCK, ALBERTO PONTICELLI, DAVID LAPHAM, RICCARDO BURCHIELLO and others; 3-D motion cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.3: SHADOW THIEF – Where is the line between duty and villainy? For the new Shadow Thief, there is no question: Her mission to eradicate all alien life on Earth is above questions of morality. Armed with technology that allows her to become a living shadow, the Shadow Thief wages a covert war across the globe, but how long can she stay in the shadows before they consume her soul?
Written by TOM DeFALCO; Art by CHAD HARDIN; 3-D motion cover by TONY S. DANIEL and MATT BANNING
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23.2: ECLIPSO – The powerful Black Diamond has been seen causing trouble in different corners of The New 52. Now you will learn its secrets as it lands in the hands of the host it was always meant for…and the full power of Eclipso is unleashed!
Written by DAN DIDIO; Art by PHILIP TAN; 3-D motion cover by MIKEL JANIN
SUPERMAN #23.3: H’EL – After his last battle with Superman, H’el wakes up on Krypton years before it is destroyed! Can H’el manipulate the Science Counsel, soldiers and countless others including Jor-El, to save the planet? And what does it mean for the birth of Superman if he succeeds?
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL; Art by DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND; 3-D motion cover by GENE HA
SWAMP THING #23.1: ARCANE – Behold a being so vile and deadly that even the Parliament of Decay could not control him! Now take a journey to a place beyond hell—the personal prison of Anton Arcane! Plus: the return of The Rot’s new avatar, Abigail Arcane!
Written by CHARLES SOULE; Art by JESUS SAIZ; 3-D motion cover by JESUS SAIZ
TEEN TITANS #23.2: DEATHSTROKE – One of the deadliest men in the world has a secret: his family. Slade Wilson lives to kill, but can even Deathstroke the Terminator balance his home life with a complicated hit? Don’t miss this amazing issue written by Corey Mays and Dooma Wendschuh, writers of the video games Assassin’s Creed and Batman: Arkham Origins.
Written by COREY MAYS and DOOMA WENDSCHUH; Art by ANGEL UNZUETA and MORITAT; 3-D motion cover by EDDY BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
WONDER WOMAN #23.1: THE CHEETAH – The Cheetah has clawed her way out of Belle Reve, and is hungry for blood—but before she steps up as one of the Secret Society’s most powerful generals, she has a personal score to settle! Learn the truth about the cult of Hippolyta, her vendetta against Wonder Woman, and just how far she’ll go to prove that she’s the most dangerous predator on Earth!
Written by JOHN OSTRANDER; Art by VICTOR IBANEZ; 3-D motion cover by VICTOR IBANEZ;
PiercingMetal Thoughts: These particular one-shots will all hit the stands tomorrow for New Comic Book day so make a call now to your retailer to catch him while he is preparing to stock the shelves for tomorrow’s customers. If you know your store well, I am sure that they will put any of the ones you desire aside. I know my place works like that and I thank them for it. I’ve got most of the ones that I want but even I’ve missed a few based on their selling out so quickly. One-shots such as these are on a high appeal list for me so to say my batch is incomplete is maddening beyond belief. Hey we all have our “thing” right? So what do you think of the Villains Month so far? Are you enjoying it? Have you been able to get all of the issues so far? Which are your favorites from this weeks group? Chime in down below. I’ll be back next week with the final four of the villainous issues. See you then.
Official Website: http://www.dccomics.com
