The Penguin Episode 5 “Homecoming” has truly taken things up a notch, by featuring some of the most gruesome death scenes we’ve seen in this show – or any comic book TV show, for that matter. The latest chapter of The Penguin picked up from the big twist of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) killing off her mob family and seizing control as the new don. Sofia’s power grab is just one element of Oz Cobb/Penguin’s (Colin Farrell) master plan that goes wrong: his triple-cross play against the Maronis also blows up in his face. By the time the dust settles, some bodies get dropped, in ways viewers are never going to forget!

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

Getting Rid of the Competition

A big turn in Penguin Episode 5’s story happens when Oz kidnaps Taj Maroni (Aria Shahghasemi), the spoiled influencer son of mob boss Sal Maroni (Clancy Brown). Oz uses Taj as a hostage to negotiate for the return of the psychotropic mushrooms that create the hit new party drug Bliss – product that Sal’s wife Nadia (Shohreh Aghdashloo) stole from him.

The Maronis concede to an exchange of the mushrooms for their son but plan their own double-cross, ambushing Oz and his man with some additional gunmen hidden in the rafters. However, Oz has his own betrayal planned: giving Taj a kerosine shower before the exchange and then lighting the trail of liquid behind him on fire.

Nadia can’t stop the trail of fire from catching up with her son but refuses to let him go, leaving mother and son to burn alive, screaming. The most chilling part about the scene is how director Helen Shaver keeps the camera on Oz’s face the entire time, as we see a gleeful smile spread over his face, watching the horrific event. If we didn’t know who “The Penguin” was before… we do now.

New Don, New Day

Sofia spends most of the episode trying to both get out from under the murders she committed and secure her new place as the queenpin of her own crime family. Early on in the episode, it’s revealed that Sofia is keeping Falcone underboss Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly) prisoner, to locate and secure the nest egg of money she knows her father Carmine Falcone amassed. Instead, Johnny appeals to Sofia on the strength of their family bond, and offers to help her grab the respect of the underworld, so they can lead the Falcone mob into a new era.

Johnny indeed gets the various Gotham mobs and syndicates to come to the table with Sofia. However, he’s blindsided by her sudden announcement that she’s ending the Falcone line and starting a new mob, under her mother’s maiden name, “Gigante.” Johnny dismisses Sofia in the middle of her speech, trying to wrestle control of the meeting – only to catch a bullet to the skull. Sofia dumps a bag of money into the blood pool as the entry fee to her new family. The table of gangsters all snatch up the literal blood money, while Vitis lies slumped on the table with a bullet hole in his head.

The Penguin is now, officially, the most violent and disturbing vision of Gotham City we’ve seen onscreen. It’s actually getting hard to see how fans of The Batman can go back to the almost-certain PG-13 rating of The Batman: Part II when Penguin is giving us R-rated greatness – that also haunts our dreams.

The Penguin is now airing on HBO and streaming on Max.

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Following on the heels of a strong appearance at New York Comic Con, DC released a first look at some of the merchandise they will be releasing to promote the DC Universe’s first installment, December’s Creature Commandos animated series. Hailing from creator James Gunn, the series centers on a group of monsters who are put to work by Amanda Waller, essentially filling the Suicide Squad-shaped hole in her heart after Task Force X gets shut down. With actors who will play the characters across animation and live action, Creature Commandos doesn’t have the same hype behind it as Gunn’s Superman, but it gives fans a first glimpse at how Gunn intends to run his new cinematic universe.

The just-released first look at Creature Commandos merch not only shows off some of the t-shirts and apparel coming to DC’s own shop — where they’re up for preorder now — but also a number of Funko Pops and even a Weasel statue from McFarlane Toys.

The Funko pops, which you can order at the DC store, at Funko.com, or at some of DC’s partner retailers (we haven’t looked, but we’re guessing it’s Amazon and Hot Topic), include figurines based on Eric Frankenstein; The Bride; Weasel; Nina Mazursky; G.I. Robot; and Doctor Phosphorous.

As far as the clothing line goes, DC is double-dipping on things that the fans are excited about in the coming months — and it’s playing out in a kind of fun way. In addition to the first wave of merch for Creature Commandos, DC is leaning hard into a line of t-shirts, hoodies, and hats featuring their classic “bullet” logo, which is being reintroduced this month on comics and as the DC Studios logo.

Some of the t-shirts and mugs and hats just feature the DC bullet, but there’s also a couple of Creature Commandos shirts that feature the characters swarming around the logo itself. Other designs feature “floating heads” around the design of the logo in a way that feels like a retro team-book title page…and floating heads in three columns, not too dissimilar to how it might have appeared in a pre-2000s corner box on a comic book.

Everything listed is in the preorder phase. The Funko pops are $11.99, the Creature Commandos t-shirts are $25, and the DC logo collection ranges from $25-$45.

That Weasel collectable statue from McFarlane, showing off the character in all his hilarious hideousness, will run you $129.99.

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Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Penguin episode 5. The Falcone crime Family is dead. Long live the Gigante-Maroni Family. Sunday’s “Homecoming” episode of The Penguin ended with Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) shooting and killing made man Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly) after gassing Don Luca (Scott Cohen) and the Falcones, then embracing her late mother’s maiden name: Gigante. “As of today, my father’s legacy is dead, and we will never speak his name again,” Sofia said of the late Carmine Falcone. “From this point on, I am a Gigante — and this is a new Family now.”

Having learned that Oz (Colin Farrell) killed her brother Alberto (Michael Zegen) and has been pitting the Falcones and the Maronis against each other to get his new mushroom-based Bliss drug operation going and seize power, Sofia — rechristened as Sofia Gigante, head of the Gigantes — makes Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) an offer he can’t refuse: end the war between the Families that claimed the lives of his son Taj (Aria Shahghasemi) and wife Nadia (Shohreh Aghdashloo).

“The Falcones don’t exist anymore. I am offering you an alliance. We join our Families, the Maronis and Gigantes, as a show of strength. We kill Oz. And then we take over the city,” Sofia says. “Together.”

“Notoriously, the Falcones and the Maronis are always at odds in the comics,” series creator and showrunner Lauren LeFranc explains in this week’s Episode 5 Insider. “I thought it was interesting, and seems right, to have Sofia — knowing that the Falcones have wronged her just as much as the Falcones have wronged the Maronis — to try to team up with Sal Maroni, to align the powers that they have to get Oz.”

It’s a change from Sofia’s comic counterpart, who is introduced in 1997’s Batman: The Long Halloween #6 as Sofia Falcone-Gigante. The issue sees Carmine Falcone’s daughter released from Gotham Penitentiary (rather than Arkham Asylum) as Batman unravels the mystery of the Holiday killer during a war between two rival gangs: the Falcones and the Maronis.

“She wants to own this part of her past that rejects this sort of dark patriarchy of her father,” says series executive producer and The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves. LeFranc notes that “in the comics, it’s Sofia Falcone-Gigante because she marries into a Gigante family. But I thought it was more appropriate to have her take her mother’s maiden name. That’s Sofia’s moment of taking back power and declaring herself to the world.”

“That’s such an excellent last twist of the knife into her father’s legacy,” Milioti adds. “To be like, ‘Your legacy ends with you, and I’m going to honor my mother, and this is going to be a matriarchal mob family.'”

A flashback to ten years earlier revealed Sofia was poised to inherit her father’s crime empire as head of the Family. But when Oz betrayed Sofia to her father (Mark Strong), Carmine framed her for his Hangman murders, faked her mental illness, and had his daughter remanded to Arkham for a decade.

New episodes of The Penguin premiere Sundays on HBO and Max.

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It’s wild looking at the fall 2024 television season and seeing both Marvel and DC shows getting acclaim as they enter their respective back halves. HBO’s The Penguin is getting phrases like “best of the year,” and “Emmy contender” thrown around; meanwhile, Agatha All Along is the dark horse breakout that many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are pleasantly surprised to be enjoying so much. As the discourse about both series flows, there is one thing that is true about both of them, collectively: they are performance-driven shows, built on two very talented lead actors.

And with their respective levels of success and/or acclaim, Agatha All Along and The Penguin are proving that some new-age theories about entertainment are dead wrong, and the old ways are still true: franchises are built primarily on star power, not necessarily just the power of IP.

Let’s just step back and look at this: The Penguin and Agatha All Along were initially met with overwhelming skepticism. The question of why either show needs to exist was asked often and repeatedly, with the only real answer being the strength of the performances of Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb/Penguin in The Batman, and Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in WandaVision. That didn’t seem like enough to justify spinoff series for two minor characters – but both Penguin and Agatha have been wise to take those central performances as foundations, and build on them with entire ensembles of acting talent.

Penguin is giving Sofia Falcone actress Cristin Milioti the breakout she’s long deserved, and all but locking her for the Emmys next year; it’s also earning praise for Rhenzy Feliz, a young actor who has been trying to break through in projects like Marvel’s Runaways. Agatha All Along is both reminding fans that Aubrey Plaza is a top-tier talent while breaking in new Marvel franchise talent like actor Joe Locke – who is just now breaking out with the reveal that he’s Scarlet Witch’s son Billy Maximoff, the magical Young Avenger known as Wiccan. Those standout supporting actors are also bolstered by many talented veteran actors, with a list that includes the likes of Clancy Brown, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mark Strong, and Michael Kelly for Penguin, and Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata and Ali Ahn for Agatha All Along.

The buzz on both shows makes it undeniable that the individual performances and character interactions are taking precedence over any in-universe ties, crossovers, or cameos. Now granted: by the time Penguin and Agatha both come to an end, one or both shows may get the biggest signal boost from some kind of late-game crossover or game-changing reveal for the franchise. Yet it feels like Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc and Agtha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer (no dots to connect there…) are much more interested in focusing on complex and layered characters, created by actors who have the talent to deliver on them.

Marvel Studios and DC Studios are hopefully taking note that the old star-driven franchise model isn’t yet as dead as many declared it to be. Loyalty to an actor and their performance as a character will get audiences to engage with even the most unlikely IP concepts. Farrell and Hahn’s now-proven ability to go from supporting roles to carrying shows also proves that no casting should be taken frivolously, as any breakout performance is potentially a new spinoff project of some kind. For the actors, it should be well-earned validation (and future leverage) that the craft is still a valuable commodity.

The Penguin airs Sunday nights on HBO and streams on Max. Agatha All Along streams on Disney+.

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Batman and Robin won’t make their debut in the new DC Universe until The Brave and the Bold, but the dynamic duo are already filling out their rogues’ gallery. DC Studios dropped the new Creature Commandos trailer during its New York Comic Con panel on Saturday, and in it, fans got their first look at the shape-shifting mud-monster Clayface in the DCU. The footage also revealed a glimpse of a second Batman villain: Gotham City crime boss Rupert Thorne, who is tied to the origin of another member of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, the radioactive Dr. Phosphorus (voiced by Alan Tudyk).

DC Studios co-chief James Gunn announced that Benjamin Byron Davis will be voicing Rupert Thorne in Creature Commandos, the seven-episode Max Original adult animated series written and executive produced by Gunn. The actor, who is best known for his role as the gang leader Dutch van der Linde in the Red Dead Redemption video games, also appeared in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Gunn-produced The Miracle of Phil and The Belko Experiment.

Davis joins just-announced cast members Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), and Linda Cardellini (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) in undisclosed roles. Creature Commandos is the first series set in the new DCU that will continue with Gunn’s live-action Superman movie in 2025.

Thorne first appeared alongside the atomic-powered supervillain in 1977’s Detective Comics #469, which introduced the character as corrupt city council chairman Boss Rupert Thorne — one of the most powerful men in Gotham City. Dr. Phosphorus’ origin story revealed he was once Dr. Alex Sartorius, who was convinced to sink his life savings into Thorne’s power plant and was turned into living phosphorus when he was exposed to the reactor core’s radioactive sand.

Blaming the council for his transformation, he irradiated the Gotham reservoir, and Batman felt Dr. Phosphorus’ burning touch for the first time when the Dark Knight tracked down the combustible culprit who poisoned the city’s water supply. After a run for Mayor of Gotham City, Thorne is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary when Batman saves him from a vengeful Dr. Phosphorus.

Andy Muschietti (The Flash) is attached to direct The Brave and the Bold, described as an “unusual father-son story inspired by Grant Morrison’s comic series” that introduced the Damian Wayne Robin as the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul. The movie, which is separate from The Batman film saga starring Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight, is also set to include other members of the extended Bat-family.

DC Studios’ Creature Commandos — featuring the voices of Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Indira Varma as The Bride, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, and Sean Gunn as Weasel and GI Robot — is streaming December 5 on Max.

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The Penguin Episode 5 features a cameo appearance from a pivotal character we met in The Batman (2022), and a lot of fans may have missed it! Episode 5 of The Penguin “Homecoming” had to deal with the game-changing twist of Episode 4 (SPOILERS!) that saw Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) murder nearly all of her crime family in a bid to seize power. Well, The Penguin treats the death of the Falcone family with the gravitas it deserves – meaning the Gotham City Police Department shows up in force to deal with it.

The Penguin Episode 5 Brings Back The Batman’s Chief Bock

Matt Reeves’ movie made it clear that Batman (Robert Pattinson) has a pretty uneasy relationship with the GCPD. While Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) treated Batman as an ally and fellow detective, his superior Chief Mackenzie Bock (Con O’Neill) was vehemently opposed to the masked vigilante being involved with a police investigation.

Bock only got the spotlight for a couple of scenes in The Batman; he’s primarily featured in the sequence after The Riddler blows up D.A. Gil Colson during Mayor Don Mitchell Jr.’s funeral. Batman is knocked unconscious by the explosion and taken to police headquarters; he wakes up to Bock, Gordon, and a gang of cops surrounding him, and immediately gets into it with Bock, who accuses Batman of having Colson’s blood on his hands. Bock and Gordon get into it a bit when Gordon steps up to defend Batman, but the chief ultimately lets Gordon talk to Batman one-on-one – which sets up Bruce to make a wild escape off the roof with this flight suit. By the end of The Riddler’s attack, Chief Mackenzie is one of the noble city officials left holding together a city that’s literally drowning.

The Penguin Episode 5 conveys a lot of history (and some great onscreen chemistry) with Chief Bock’s cameo. The policeman comes to the Falcone estate to personally supervise the crime scene and investigation – interest that Sofia Falcone weaponized against him. Bock goes fishing for a lead, questioning the “luck” that Sofia wasn’t in the house when the “accident” happened, because she was having a sleepover with her niece Gia in the greenhouse. Sofia easily dodges that hook and throws out her line of inquiry about what Bock is doing there – prying into his motivation to come and survey the demise of her family and the fall of their criminal organization. Sofia gets even darker, suggesting that Bock is secretly so pleased with the deaths that he and his officers will share photos of the crime scene and celebrate at their cop bar – before selling the gruesome images to the press. Bock doesn’t bite the bait either, leaving Sofia with sarcastic condolences before departing.

The Penguin continues to do a precise job of peppering in tie-in elements and unexpected character cameos that remind us the show is set in The Batman Universe and is reacting to events and mythology established in the first film. It manages to achieve that immersive effect without shoehorning heavy-handed name-drops or callback exposition, and (so far) the show has managed to feel relevant and interesting without having an appearance from Batman himself. If the back half of the season keeps that trend intact, Penguin will stand as a shining example of how to do these franchise universe spinoffs right in a TV format.

The Penguin airs Sunday nights on HBO and streams on Max.

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James Gunn is recruiting four more actors into the monster-sized Creature Commandos cast. The DC Studios co-head debuted a new trailer for the Max adult animated series at New York Comic Con on Saturday, revealing an extended look at the first series set in the new DC Universe. In the “hyperbolically violent” footage, Task Force X founder Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) enlists Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) to lead monsters incarcerated in the Non-Human Internment Division: Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), The Bride (Indira Varma) and Frankenstein (David Harbour), Dr. Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), and Weasel and GI Robot (both voiced by Sean Gunn).

In addition to Steve Agee reprising his role from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker as Economos, with Maria Bakalova (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) voicing Princess Ilana and Anya Chalotra (The Witcher) as the Wonder Woman villain Circe, Gunn announced four new additions to the cast: Michael Rooker, Linda Cardellini, Peter Serafinowicz in undisclosed roles, and Benjamin Byron Davis as Gotham City-based criminal Rupert Thorne. (Here’s everything Gunn revealed about the new DCU at NYCC.)

Rooker is a longtime collaborator of Gunn’s, appearing in his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy as Yondu and as short-lived vigilante Savant in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. The actor also featured in the Gunn-directed Slither and Super, as well as Brightburn, which Gunn produced, and The Belko Experiment, written by Gunn.

Cardellini played Velma in 2002’s live-action Scooby-Doo and 2004’s Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, both written by Gunn, and she voiced Lylla the otter in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It was her second role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after playing Laura Barton, wife of Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton, in Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye TV series and Avengers: Endgame.

Serafinowicz, who played the Denarian Garthan Saal of the Nova Corps in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, is also known for his roles in Shaun of the Dead, John Wick: Chapter 2, and the title role as the superhero The Tick in the live-action comic book adaptation.

Davis, best known for his role as the gang leader Dutch van der Linde in the Red Dead Redemption video games, is another Gunn regular who appeared in the Gunn-produced short The Miracle of Phil and The Belko Experiment before portraying OrgoCorp guard Bletelsnort in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. His other live-action roles include Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp, the Borderlands movie, and episodes of Gilmore Girls, Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, How I Met Your Mother, and Parks and Recreation.

Like his comic book counterpart, the Tudyk-voiced Dr. Sartorius is transformed into a radioactive, atomic-powered supervillain by the corrupt Rupert Thorne. He’s the second Batman villain to be revealed for the series after the new trailer showed Flag Sr. battling the shape-shifting Clayface.

“You’re going see where everybody came from, their origins, and it’s terrifying,” Tudyk teased during the DC Studios panel. “There’s moments where you are shocked and horrified and moved, and then, by the same characters, can make you laugh, and then also make you cringe because they’re so violent and screwed up.”

Gunn wrote and executive produces the seven-episode Creature Commandos, about a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. The DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation series is also executive produced by Peter Safran (The Suicide Squad), Dean Lorey (Max’s Harley Quinn), and Sam Register (Batman: Caped Crusader), with Rick Morales (Young Justice) serving as a supervising producer. Creature Commandos is streaming December 5 on Max.

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James Gunn previewed the DC Studios slate at New York Comic Con on Saturday, where the DC Studios Co-Chairman and CEO teased that the new DC Universe is “beyond what any of us expected.” The panel, which marked the first major update since co-heads Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled their plans for Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters in 2023, brought the latest on the projects spanning phase one — including the Max adult animated series Creature Commandos and Gunn’s Superman movie, described as the “true start” of the new DCU.

Read on for all of the announcements and highlights from the DC Studios panel.

Creature Commandos Cast and Trailer

The first series set in the new DCU, Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. “Congress said we can’t use human prisoners,” the Viola Davis-voiced Amanda Waller says in the new Creature Commandos trailer that debuted during the panel. “These a-holes aren’t human.”

Written by Gunn, the new seven-episode series from DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation features the voices of Zoe Chao (The Afterparty) as Nina Mazursky, David Harbour (Marvel’s Thunderbolts*) as Frankenstein, Indira Varma (Game of Thrones) as The Bride, Alan Tudyk (Firefly) as Dr. Phosphorus, Steve Agee (Peacemaker) as Economos, Maria Bakalova (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) as Princess Ilana, Sean Gunn (The Suicide Squad) as GI Robot and Weasel, Frank Grillo (Captain America: Civil War) as Rick Flag Sr., Anya Chalotra (The Witcher) as Wonder Woman villain Circe, and Davis (Suicide Squad) as Amanda Waller.

It was also revealed frequent Gunn collaborators Linda Cardellini (Scooby-Doo, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad) will guest star, and that Congorilla, the Golden Gorilla, and the Batman villain Clayface are among the characters who will appear in the series.

Creature Commandos premieres December 5 on Max.

The DCU Aesthetic

Creature Commandos and “every single project out of DC Studios is going to be its own thing” in terms of aesthetic, Gunn said, adding that tones will differ between Superman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and HBO’s Lanterns series, which Gunn has likened to a True Detective-type mystery. “It’s a connected universe, but we’re not imposing any overall aesthetic.” 

Executive producer Dean Lorey described the aesthetic of Creature Commandos as “Eastern European” in style. “We were looking to do something that was sort of grounded, but with some style to it,” Lorey said. “It’s got a lot of really dark, dark tones. The palettes are really cool. But as you can see, it’s very action-oriented. It sets itself apart from, say, [Max adult animated series] Harley Quinn and those kind of shows. It feels more adult.”

“It is an adult show, and it has all the adult things. One of those things is sex,” Tudyk added. The Creature Commandos tone is in line with Gunn’s R-rated The Suicide Squad and the TV-MA Peacemaker.

“Maybe the one thing that this series has in common with Harley and to some extent, Kite Man, even though those are pretty clearly comedies, we took them seriously dramatically,” Lorey said. “We took the relationships very seriously when there was a death or anything like that, but we wanted people to feel it. So that was a little bit of a crossover because this gave us an opportunity to more fully do that than we could do in a pure comedy.”

The New DCU Canon

While Creature Commandos is an aperitif to the new DCU canon that will officially begin with Superman in 2025, Safran and Gunn’s DC Universe will reference the events of the DC Extended Universe. “There are references to things that happened in the past, and those references then become canon in the DCU because we mention them,” Gunn explained.

One such canonical event is the death of Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, which was referenced in Peacemaker season 1 and will be considered canon in Creature Commandos and Peacemaker season 2. Grillo will reprise his role as Rick Flag Sr. in live-action, first in the Superman movie before the sophomore season of Peacemaker later in 2025.

“He’s a major character in Peacemaker season 2. We wanted to cast people who could play those characters live action — at least for the major characters,” Gunn said. “We have ideas for other things, and a couple of these people may appear in other media as other characters soon.”

Although the new DCU canon will reference things that happened in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker — which were initially set in the DCEU, spanning 2013’s Man of Steel through 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — fans won’t have to be caught up on the old mythology. “This is first and foremost about story. We don’t want anybody to come to Creature Commandos going, ‘You have to watch The Suicide Squad to understand what happened in Creature Commandos,'” Gunn said. “We want people to be able to come in this blind and then be totally excited about it.”

In addition to Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, DCEU characters who will carry over into the DCU include John Cena’s Peacemaker and Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle.

Peacemaker Season 2

The second season of Peacemaker is “a very different season,” Gunn said, describing it as “very magical.” Gunn recently revealed the first look at a mysterious new character, and shared that he has “a way in” to connect the DCEU and the DCU. “It won’t be confusing.”

Gunn, who serves as showrunner, directed the premiere and shot an episode the night before NYCC. Superbad and Nobody Wants This director Greg Mottola “directed two of the best Peacemaker episodes ever,” Gunn said of episodes two and three of season 2. “John Cena has, honestly, I’ve never seen anyone who has gotten so much better [acting] in such a short amount of time. He was great in the first season. This season, he owns it and he’s amazing.”

Superman

Gunn confirmed that “it won’t be too long” before the first Superman movie trailer, “but it also won’t be too soon.” The first film of the new DCU is set to fly into theaters on July 11, 2025, and stars David Corenswet (Twisters) as Kal-El/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Lex Luthor, and an ensemble cast that includes Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind) as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced (Alien: Romulus) as Hawkgirl, Anthony Carrigan (Barry) as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion (The Suicide Squad) as the Guy Gardner Green Lantern, and María Gabriela de Faría (Deadly Class) as The Authority’s Angelica Spica, a.k.a. the Engineer.

Tudyk, who voices the radioactive supervillain Dr. Phosphorus in Creature Commandos, also has a secret role in Superman as a different character. A prolific voice actor who has voiced animal sidekicks in the Disney animated movies Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Encanto, Tudyk may be voicing Krypto the Superdog. Gunn recently revealed the first look at the Kryptonian canine inspired by his rescue dog, Ozu.

“Krypto, that’s been something that’s just been amazing. We’ve been working with him in the edit. He’s an incredible part of the story to me personally,” said Gunn. “When I was writing the screenplay, he came in and kind of changed everything up.”

Gunn’s Superman movie wrapped filming in late July and is now “deep in the process of editing.”

Corenswet is “going to f—ing blow people away,” Gunn added. “He is the movie star that everyone just dreams he could possibly be. I don’t think anyone really understands the depth of this guy’s talent dramatically, comedically. He’s the best physical action star I’ve probably ever worked with… I feel good about it, and I’m really hard on stuff, so it’s been fantastic.”

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

The second movie in the DCU is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which stars Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) as Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, one of the few survivors of the destruction of the planet Krypton. Based on the eight-issue series of the same name by writer Tom King (Batman) and artist Bilquis Evely (Wonder Woman), Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya and Cruella) is directing from a script by Ana Nogueria.

The Supergirl movie is “a completely different, unique take on a superhero,” Gunn said, adding that Nogueria “came in, and she pitched the story to me of Supergirl, and it was just one of the best pitches I’ve ever heard, and she immediately wrote it. She came in with the first draft that was great, and it’s just gotten better and better. Then Craig has been incredibly easy to work with, and I can’t wait for that to come out.”

It was also revealed that the movie, which will begin filming in January 2025 in the UK, is currently screen-testing actors for the role of Ruthye Marye Knoll, the alien girl who puts a bounty on Krem of the Yellow Hills (played by The Old Guard‘s Matthias Schoenaerts), and embarks on a star-spanning adventure across the galaxy with Supergirl and Krypto to avenge her slain father in the comic book.

HBO’s Lanterns

Gunn provided an update on Lanterns, which follows new Green Lantern recruit John Stewart (the recently cast Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. HBO is producing the series in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios.

Pierre, best known for his roles in TV’s Krypton and Netflix’s Rebel Ridge, “is somebody who I’ve wanted to work together with for a long time,” Gunn said. “People don’t know, but he was almost cast as Adam Warlock [in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3]. He’s an amazing actor, and I just really admired him from the beginning of his career. Seeing him read with Kyle was one of those miraculous moments. I don’t care what they’re saying, I just love what they’re saying together.”

The live-action Green Lantern TV series was conceived during a summit with the DCU writers’ room, which includes Gunn, Drew Goddard (Marvel’s Daredevil), Jeremy Slater (Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight), Christina Hodson (The Flash movie), Christal Henry (HBO’s Watchmen), and comic book writer Tom King, who co-wrote Lanterns with Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective) and Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers).

“When we first started the DCU, the first couple of weeks of heading this out, we got together with a group of writers, and Tom King was one of those writers, and we were in this room, and we came up with sort of this concept for Lanterns,” Gunn said. “It’s a much more very grounded series, a very real series, which is a strange thing to say about a Green Lanterns show. But it’s going to be something like nobody’s ever seen before.”

Gunn added that Mundy, Lindelof, and King are overseeing Lanterns, which is preparing to shoot and “it’s been amazing.”

DC Studios’ Creature Commandos premieres Dec. 5 on Max; Superman opens only in theaters July 11, 2025.

The post Everything James Gunn Revealed About the New DCU at NYCC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Buried in the trailer for Creature Commandos is a very brief moment where we get to see Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. in the midst of a fight, one where he appears to be on the losing side of things. Though it appears on screen for just a few seconds, the other combatant in the moment is clearly none other than Clayface, sporting his signature muddy appearance while also transforming his appendages into simple weapons that he can use to attack. Check out a screenshot of the moment below

Clayface, like many comic book villains, has actually been a moniker used by many characters. The original version of Clayface was actually created back in 1940 by Batman co-creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane who unleashed Basil Karlo on the world back in Detective Comics #40. In recent years the character has taken on more of an anti-hero persona in the pages of DC Comics rather than his traditional villain roots, and considering the direction of the Creature Commandos show it’s possible that his appearance in the show will be one where he turns down a spot on the team since he’s technically a human.

The introduction of Clayface in the Creature Commandos trailer does confirm that the character has a place in the DCU since James Gunn has already confirmed that actors will play their roles not only in animation but in live-action. It’s unclear where in the DCU Clayface might get the chance to pop up again, though naturally the announced Batman movie in the DCU, The Brave and the Bold, seems like a potential spot for him, it seems almost more likely that Clayface is getting used in Creature Commandos because there are no other plans for him in the DCU.

Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option. The cast of Creature Commandos includes Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.

Creature Commandos will premiere exclusively on Max on Thursday, December 5th.

The post Creature Commandos Reveals First Look at Batman Villain Clayface in the DCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong is coming back for a new sequel, and the follow up is promising even more characters and kaiju will be wrapped up in the clash between superheroes, supervillains and giant monsters. Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong made its debut last Fall as fans got to see how the Monsterverse and DC Universe would collide with the unexpected crossover. With the final issue of this new collaboration between DC Comics, Legendary Comics, and Toho International releasing earlier this Spring, the team up has proven to be such a hit with comics fans that it’s coming around with a new entry.

Announced during the Jim Lee & Friends panel during the New York Comic Con 2024 convention this weekend, will be an official sequel crossover that will be making its debut on shelves some time in Spring 2025. The sequel will bring back the creative team behind the first series, writer Brian Buccellato and artist Christian Duce, and rather than Godzilla and Kong making their way into the DC Universe as seen in the first series, DC’s heroes and villains will be heading into the Monsterverse this time around instead.

What to Know for Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 will be primarily set within Legendary’s Monsterverse with teased appearances from Titans such as King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra. Skull Island has been teased to be a key location for the upcoming sequel, and Suicide Squad member Killer Croc is being teased to grow to a Titan size in order to face off against the giant monsters in the sequel’s story as well. But as far as how many issues there will be or what other characters will play in the story, it’s still very much a mystery as of the time of this publication.

This is a much different kind of crossover than seen with the first miniseries as well that had the members of the Legion of Doom tap into the Titans in Legendary’s MonsterVerse. Opening a portal to that world, Godzilla, Kong, and a few of the other Titans broke their way into cities like Metropolis as Superman, Batman, and the other DC heroes tried everything they could to take on their massive new foes. It was part of Lex Luthor’s plan to finally find something strong enough to take down the Justice League, but ultimately did work out like they expected.

What’s Next for the Monsterverse?

The Monsterverse has also been growing as well. The follow up to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is currently in the works for a scheduled release on March 26th, 2027. The official title for the sequel has yet to be announced as of the time of this publication, however. The last significant update outside of its release date was that I Am Mother director Grant Sputore has signed on to direct the sequel following Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director Adam Wingard’s exit from the franchise.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings writer Dave Callaham has also been tasked to write the script for the new film, but there has yet to be a big update since the initial staff and date had been set. With so many more Toho monsters in the Godzilla franchise, and even more potential original creations from Legendary’s Monsterverse, there are all sorts of stories that could come from this increasingly massive world filled with even more giant monsters. Coupled with comics, and the sky is the limit for these stories.

The post Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel Announced With DC Sneak Peek appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC has been busy at New York Comic-Con with a number of major announcements across its main universe line, but the Absolute Universe got some love as well, including new up-close looks and details for Absolute Green Lantern and the latest addition to the line Absolute Martian Manhunter. Bringing Absolute Martian Manhunter to life is the creative team of writer Deniz Camp (making his DC debut) and artist Javier Rodriguez and the new series will hit comic stores in March of 2025.

Martian Manhunter will join the Absolute Universe wave two lineup, which also features Absolute Flash and Absolute Green Lantern. Speaking of Green Lantern, we got more details on Absolute Green Lantern from the team of writer Al Ewing and artist Jahnoy Lindsay. Ewing revealed how Scott Snyder convinced him to join the Absolute line, and between the cover and what was said in the panel, we know that Jo, Hal, John, and Guy will all have some sort of role in the series.

“You’ve seen me when I do big stuff, I’m doing big stuff in this one… Part of the thing of this book is, you think you know what Green Lantern is. You do not know what the Green Lantern is in the Absolute Universe. First time anyone sees it, there’s a giant Green Lantern that has crushed a town. The Green Lantern in the book is an object,” Ewing said (via DCU Updates).

A Truly Different Martian Manhunter

As for Martian Manhunter, Camp took to social media and shared some behind-the-scenes details on the series and their approach, and it’s difficult not to get hyped about it. On X Camp wrote, “This is probably the most radical reinvention of the absolute line so far, and I think it’s testament to the atmosphere of creative freedom that the editors and @Ssnyder1835 have fostered on this line. He was also this books greatest champion.”

“Basically, @Ssnyder1835 and I had a 3 hour long phone call where we talked about life, our ambitions, etc. He explained what he was doing with Absolute and basically said pick any character outside of the big 5 (which were taken). The whole DCU was on the table, & I picked MMH,” Camp wrote.

“But a condition of doing the book, from the start, was working with @javiercaster. don’t get me wrong, the opportunity is amazing, the whole absolute team is so supportive, the freedom is incredible and an honor, but I think Javi is one of the great artists in comics today And have wanted to work with him for ages, and wrote him into the pitch, before anyone contacted him, or we had ever talked or met or anything,” Camp wrote. You can check out some new images from both Absolute titles in the gallery below.

Are you excited for Absolute Marian Manhunter and Absolute Green Lantern? You can talk all things comics and DC with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Absolute Martian Manhunter and Absolute Green Lantern Details Announced by DC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The DC Universe is about to get a lot more monstrous. On Saturday, as part of the Creature Commandos panel at New York Comic Con 2024, DC Studios unveiled the second full trailer for the series, ahead of its premiere on December 5th. The series, which is written and executive produced by James Gunn, will be the inaugural project within Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU of movies and television shows, which will also include Superman, Lanterns, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and more. Check it out in the player below

Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option. The cast of Creature Commandos includes Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.

“It was great, and it was really different in the sense that James Gunn had written all of the scripts before we started shooting,” Lorey explained to ComicBook in a recent exclusive interview. “Usually, I’m one of the writers on a show, even if I’m running it. But James had fully written the scripts. They were great scripts. Everybody was really, really excited about them. So the process went into production quicker than normal, because there were scripts that were ready to go. And we were really lucky to get voice cast that [we have]. I think the Harley voice cast is great, and Kite Man, and I think the Creature Commandos voice cast is easily the equal of those. It just was a pure pleasure to be working with James, who had such a very clear vision of what he wanted the show to be. He really knows that world. He knows it backwards and forwards. So just in terms of making the show, it’s been a pleasure, and everybody has been great to work with. I think it’s going to be a significant release. I don’t know if people really know what they’re in for yet, but it’s fantastic. We’re so proud of it.” 

Creature Commandos will premiere exclusively on Max on Thursday, December 5th.

The post Creature Commandos NYCC Trailer Gives New Look at First DCU Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Straight from New York Comic Con today, DC Comics has announced the long-awaited return of their creator-owned comics label Vertigo, this time set to be called DC Vertigo. The imprint was previously home to some of DC’s biggest comic titles of all time including the likes of Sandman, Preacher, Y: The Last Man, and Fables, and has been dormant since January of 2020 when DC began to consolidate its publishing imprints. At the time Vertigo transitioned into the DC Black Label imprint, which became where more mature and adult-oriented stores for the DC heroes were published rather than creator owned comics.

With the news of Vertigo’s return, DC Comics has also confirmed the first title that will kick off the DC Vertigo imprint, and it’s one that is already being published, The Nice House By The Sea by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno. DC will publish upcoming issues of the series under the label, and republish its predecessor, The Nice House on the Lake, as a Vertigo title in the future.

What does DC Vertigo’s return mean for DC Black Label?

“It’s back,” Chris Conroy, an executive editor at DC that oversees the Black Label, Milestone, and Sandman Universe labels, wrote in a post on X referencing the Vertigo announcement. “New books to be announced. Some surprises from the archives coming as well. This is my editorial dream come true.”

Conroy confirmed on Twitter that the return of Vertigo doesn’t mean that DC Black Label is going away. In fact, Conroy revealed that the two will continue, with both publishing their own specific types of comics.

“DC Black Label continues, with some red-hot stories for DC’s superhero characters still on the way for years to come. Vertigo puts us back into the creator-owned business in a very big way. Yes, I’m running both; no, I haven’t lost my mind yet.”

DC did not confirm any other titles that would be released under the new DC Vertigo banner, but fans can almost certainly expect not only new titles but brand new editions of classic stories featuring the brand new DC Vertigo logo.

Why is DC Vertigo returning a big deal?

The original version of the Vertigo imprint was started back in 1993 by editor Karen Berger, kicking off with six titles that were already being published and which transitioned into being Vertigo titles, including: The Sandman, Hellblazer, Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, and Shade, the Changing Man. These titles would become staples of the Vertigo imprint for years despite many of them originating from DC proper.

What Vertigo started as, and developed into further, was a place for weirder and more mature comic ideas to get published by a mainstream publisher. Notable creators got a major break into American comics with their work from Vertigo as well, including Garth Ennis, who penned Hellblazer and later co-created Preacher for the imprint. In addition, it was also where some creators would go to foster their original ideas having previously worked only on superhero titles for Marvel or DC, such as Brian K. Vaughan who would co-create Y: The Last Man under Vertigo and also pen Swamp Thing for the imprint.

The return of Vertigo under DC’s banner of publishing arms is a sign that they’re not only interested in telling stories that don’t immediately feature the characters they already on, but hopefully that they’re eager to foster talent in comics that hasn’t yet gotten their foot in the door at one of the two major publishers.

The post DC Is Bringing Back Vertigo (And Its First Series Is Already Out) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn is already working on the anticipated second season to Peacemaker, but that’s not the only Peacemaker project he’s working on. Today DC announced that Gunn will be a story consultant on the new five-issue series Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature, which is helmed by the creative teams of Tim Seeley and Mitch Gerads (Vigilante) and Rex Ogle and Matteo Lolli (Eagly). The series ties right into the show as well, as it is set between Peacemaker seasons one and two, giving fans an idea of what is in store when the second season hits Max in 2025, though it also deals with the fallout from season one, including the disappearance of Peacemaker.

In the Vigilante story, Adrian heads to Peacemaker’s house to hang out but finds that Chris and Eagly are gone. He assumes the worst, thinking they’ve been taken, so he suits up and starts with his local criminal community to figure out where they are, and there will likely be quite a bit of bloodshed as he looks to find answers. Making this all the more ironic is that Chris and Eagly are not captured at all, but on vacation in Alaska, with Chris simply forgetting to ask Adrian along.
 
“I’m in my Vigilante era,” said artist Mitch Gerads on the Vigilante (without Peacemaker) half of the double feature. “I have 100 Taylor Swift friendship bracelets to trade—they’re in Vigilante colors and say ‘Vigilante S***.’ Come find me at NYCC and join the fun.”
 
“Awkward. Clueless. Possibly psychotic. Obsessed with destroying furniture. That’s Mitch Gerads,” said writer Tim Seeley. “Oh…wait? You mean you want me to describe Adrian Chase, Vigilante? Oh, sure. He’s the coolest dude ever and he smashes so many chicks. Also, he’s a great friend, and definitely not a serial-killing busboy. Peacemaker is lucky to call him “bro,” and Mitch and I are lucky to continue his horrifically violent adventures at DC Comics.”

On the Eagly side of things, we see things from Chris’ point of view as they vacation in Alaska. Unfortunately, things do go sideways when everyone on their plane is gassed and knocked out. When they wake up they are being hunted for sport by a mysterious group of supervillains, which is not at all what this vacation was supposed to be. Thing is, the villains don’t know what they’ve gotten into either, as none of them expected for Peacemaker to be one of the people they were hunting.
 
“When [DC editor] Katie Kubert asked me to do a short for DC’s Strange Love Adventures, I was stoked to write a Peacemaker story,” said writer Rex Ogle on the Eagly (and Peacemaker) half of the double feature. “So getting to dive back in and play with this iconic antihero again (and in a miniseries this time!) is a total dream. Part of what makes him so great is that at his core, Peacemaker is a hopeless optimist. He wants the world to be a better place, not just for himself, but for others. He doesn’t always go about achieving peace in the right way, but he brings an incredible levity to the violence that is already ever-present in our world. And sometimes we need to laugh at the bad—so we don’t break down and cry.”
 
“Bringing Peacemaker and Eagly to life in a comic is like unleashing chaos and heart on every page,” said artist Matteo Lolli. “Rex was able to both capture their funny bond and make for a perfect mix of action and humor. Drawing Peacemaker is obviously a blast, but capturing a character that doesn’t speak? Not easy. And what if this character happens to be a bird to whom nature gave by default a stern and angry look? That’s a whole other challenge, and I wasn’t sure I could deliver it without the right kind of script. Luckily for me, Rex did a fantastic job with it. It’s pure fun to see their unpredictable dynamic unleashed in this new adventure.”
 
“I write a ton of books and graphic novels for middle grade and young adult readers, which I love,” continued Ogle, “but there’s nothing quite like returning to my comic book roots to work on something where I can unleash my inner creative beast. Writing Christopher Smith lets me do just that—go buck wild—not just with some good ol’ fashioned violence, but with humor and unnecessary nudity. Peacemaker lets me live the dream of writing stories I wanted to read as a kid.”

Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature! features a Vigilante story by writer Tim Seeley, artist Mitch Gerads, and letterer Pat Brosseau, and an Eagly story by writer Rex Ogle, artist Matteo Lolli, colorist John Kalisz, and letterer Pat Brosseau, with story consulting by James Gunn. The first issue will hit stores in March and will carry DC’s Ages 17+ content descriptor for mature readers. It will also have main covers by Gerads.

Are you excited for the new Peacemaker double feature? You can talk all things DC and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Peacemaker’s James Gunn Working on Vigilante and Eagly Double-Feature at DC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC had several huge announcements to share during New York Comic-Con, though there is one announcement in particular that almost stole the show during the Jim Lee and Friends Panel. That’s partly because no one really thought we’d ever get a sequel to one of DC’s biggest Batman stories over the past few decades, but that’s exactly what’s happening, as Lee announced that Hush 2 is actually happening. The sequel to DC’s smash hit Hush will feature the return of Jeph Loeb, Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, and they even showed off some artwork from the anticipated sequel.

That artwork features a fully colored page featuring Batman gliding in the air towards an unknown objective, which we quickly learn is a group of thugs down on the street. Then we see Hush moving some pieces around a board, and the pieces are of the different Bat family heroes, including Batman and Huntress. On the second page of the artwork we see Batman descending out of the sky to take out those thugs, but as Batman keeps some of the other thugs at bay, the person he’s caught starts to have some sort of chemical reaction around his face, almost looking as if it’s melting off.

While two of the pages don’t feature colors yet, but they already look fantastic, and somehow the news gets even better. In addition to the announcement and the artwork, DC revealed that a Hush 2 prelude will be happening in the pages of the upcoming Justice League Unlimited #1, which will be hitting stores on November 27th. The actual Hush 2 storyline will begin in March 2025 with Batman #158, and the timing works out brilliantly for those who either haven’t read the original story or just want to read it again ahead of the sequel.

That’s because DC is reprinting the original Hush series as Facsimile Editions, and this will roll out starting in January 2025 with Batman #608 and Batman #609. We got more detarils on these in the latest DC Connect, and you can find the official desctipions or both below. Als of note, DC is celebrating the Hush 2 announcement with special shirts, and to get them you’ll need to scan the special DC Shop QR Code.

BATMAN #608 FACSIMILE EDITION
Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by Jim Lee
Cover by Jim Lee
Foil variant cover by
Jim Lee Blank sketch cover available
$3.99 22 pages Variant S4.99 (card stock) ON SALE 1/1/25
Batman attempts to bring an end to the vile kidnapping of an innocent child. But suddenly, all hell breaks loose… The first chapter of “Hush’— the landmark storyline where the superstar talents of Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb ushered in is a bold new adventure in the life of the Dark Knight, that set a new standard for Batman stories for years to come.

BATMAN #609 FACSIMILE EDITION
Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by Jim Lee
Cover by Jim Lee
Foil variant cover by Jim Lee
$3.99 22 pages Variant S4.99 (card stock) ON SALE 1/15/25
Pan 2 fan favourite “Hush”. Storyline by the Batman team of Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb a full facsimile edition. Lying near death, Batman must turn to the least likely person in the Bat family for help, the Huntress! Meanwhile, Catwoman continues to hunt down the mysterious individual responsible for wreaking havoc in their likes — a path that leads her back to Poison Ivy.

Are you excited for a sequel to Batman Hush? You can talk all things DC and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Jim Lee Finally Returns to DC’s Batman for Hush 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Love is about to be in the air for DC’s heroes and villains. On Friday, as part of DC’s January 2025 solicitations, the publisher announced DC’s Lex & the City #1, a new one-shot tied to Valentine’s Day. Released just a few weeks prior to the holiday on Wednesday, January 29th, the 80-page anthology will feature a number of stories involving love in the DCU. Lex & the City follows previous pun-filled Valentine’s Day one-shots Love Is a Battlefield, Harley Quinn Romances, and this year’s How to Lose a Guy Gardner in Ten Days. Exact creative teams and titles for the stories in Lex & the City are unknown at this time.

Lex & the City is just one of several major announcements from DC’s January 2025 solicitations, including a new Aquaman series and The Atom Project, starring both the Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi incarnations of The Atom as well as Captain Atom.

DC’S LEX AND THE CITY #1

Written by BRENDAN HAY, SINA GRACE, DAVE WIELGOSZ, CHARLES SKAGGS, CALLIE C. MILLER, MAGGIE TOKUDA-HALL, and more!

Art by HOWARD PORTER, SERG ACUÑA, STEPHEN BYRNE, LISA STERLE, LESLIE HUNG, and more!

Cover by AMANDA CONNER

Variant covers by SAOWEE and SOZOMAIKA

$9.99 US | 80 pages | Variant $9.99 US (card stock)

ON SALE 1/29/25

It’s Valentine’s Day, which means that love and heartbreak are sweeping every city in the DCU! This anthology collects eight stories of heroes and villains looking for love in the big city (which practically feels like its own character!). Lex Luthor laments over the one that got away—the big, ever-elusive Metropolitan man, Superman! Raven and Beast Boy embark on a romantic scavenger hunt across San Francisco (which just might be a trap)! And Damian Wayne runs a dating-advice gauntlet through Gotham City, organized by none other than the dating master himself, Tim Drake! Gather your gal pals, pour yourself a cosmo, and hit your nearest comic shop—DC’S LEX & THE CITY is coming this January!

DC’s Lex & the City comes just months before Lex’s next live-action cinematic appearance, with Nicholas Hoult set to portray the character in James Gunn’s Superman movie in the summer of 2025. Superman tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Superman, which is written and directed by Gunn, will also star David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen.

“I have been working out,” Hoult revealed in an interview with Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum earlier this year. “There’s that bit in All-Star Superman where he talks about his muscles being real and hard work and all that. I kind of took that as a little bit of a fuel for the fire.”

As mentioned above, DC’s Lex & the City will be released wherever comics are sold on January 29, 2025.

The post DC Announces New Valentine’s Day One-Shot With the Best Title Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC’s Absolute Batman has already been nothing short of a bonafide phenomenon, with its debut issue earning multiple print runs and a lot of conversation from fans online. Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s series sets out to reimagine the lore of Bruce Wayne / Batman in an entirely new context — and pretty soon, we will have even more backstory from that. On Friday, as part of DC’s January 2025 solicitations, the publisher unveiled the first details surrounding that month’s Absolute Batman #4. Written by Snyder with art by guest artist Gabriel Walta, the issue is expected to reveal even more details around Bruce’s origin story, and what ultimately led him to take up his one-man crusade against the crime of Gotham City.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN #4
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GABRIEL WALTA
Cover by NICK DRAGOTTA
Variant covers by YASMINE PUTRI and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
1:25 variant cover by JAMES HARREN
1:50 variant cover by JORGE FORNÉS
$4.99 US | 24 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 1/8/25
Absolute Batman has established himself as an extremely large force to be reck-oned with. But how did he get to this point? How did he push himself? And how did the tragic events of his childhood, and the advice of his father, shape the man who he became…literally? Guest artist Gabriel Walta joins for this essential origin issue of Absolute Batman to explore Bruce Wayne’s past, and his inevitable future to go BIGGER. Don’t miss this pivotal issue!

As Absolute Batman #1 revealed, the inciting incident for Bruce’s career as Batman was a class field trip to the Gotham Zoo alongside his father, schoolteacher Thomas Wayne. The field trip, as it turns out, was a prize that Bruce won as a child in a student engineering competition, in which he created a collapsable bridge resembling a bat wing. When a gunman attacked the zoo, Thomas rushes Bruce and the kids into the bat exhibit, instructing his son not to open the door for any reason. Just like Earth-Prime Bruce’s situation with Joe Chill, we are not able to clearly identify the gunman, and it is implied that Thomas died in the fray.

From there, Bruce grew into a troubled teenager, but attempted to turn his life around by accepting a prestigious football scholarship. After seemingly faking an injury the first week of the season, Bruce then focused his studies on a litany of subjects, so he could return to Gotham prepared to fight for his city. As he does so, the issue also reveals that Bruce’s mother, Martha Wayne, is still very much alive and is a social worker. Given this information, it will be particularly interesting to see what Absolute Batman #4 further adds to the tapestry — whether it is just new details about his relationship with Thomas, or some insight into his self-made crusade in learning the skills necessary to become Batman.

As mentioned above, Absolute Batman #4 will be released wherever comics are sold on Wednesday, January 8th.

The post Absolute Batman’s “Pivotal” Origin Story Teased by DC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The world of Green Lantern has been rather busy as of late thanks to the events of DC’s Green Lantern Civil Corps Special and this week’s Green Lantern #16, but things are only going to get more complicated from here. In the newest DC Connect (#54), fans get the first details on the next big milestone for the Green Lantern franchise, which will take place in January 2025’s Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1. The new one-shot will be written by Green Lantern writer Jeremy Adams and drawn by V Ken Marion, and those who pick it up will meet a new type of Lantern. These new additions are known as Fractal Lanterns, and it seems these new Lanterns are a direct result of Thaaros’ tampering with the Emotional Spectrum.

If you’ve been following along with all the chaos recently, the Green Lanterns have been dealing with the corruption and spy tactics of Thaaros, who was able to install his own people in seats of power and fool much of the cosmic authorities in the process. In his route to power, Thaaros had the Central Power Batteries destroyed, taking the power for himself and for his growing army.

Fractal Lanterns

That seems to be tied to what is being described in the new Fractured Spectrum one-shot. The description says these new Fractal Lanterns are “beings that manifest uncontrolled parts of the emotional spectrum”, and since the Central Power Batteries fulfilled that purpose, it is likely that some of that energy has started to have some rather chaotic effects across the universe.

This is likely not to affect the Green Lanterns though, as it’s been established in the pages of the main series that there was a second Power Battery located on Earth. In recent issues, Hal has worked with Jadestone (the now heroic Amazo Lantern from Absolute Power) to get all the Lanterns new rings from the new Battery, but as of now, that hasn’t happened with the other Corps, and thus we are having issues like this. Granted, that’s just a guess on my part, but it seems pretty likely, right?

You can check out two covers from the new Fractured Spectrum one-shot above and below, and you can find more details on the anticipated special in the official description below.

GREEN LANTERN:
FRACTURED SPECTRUM #1
Written by JEREMY ADAMS
Art by V KEN MARION
Cover by FERNANDO BLANCO
Variant cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
Foil variant cover by FERNANDO BLANCO
$4.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)    
ON SALE 1/8/25    

Following the events of the Civil Corps, a new era in Green Lantern mythology begins! Once again, Oa has become the epicenter of the Green Lantern Corps, bringing justice to the furthest corners of the galaxy. But a new threat has emerged: beings that manifest uncontrolled parts of the emotional spectrum have randomly appeared throughout the universe. Dubbed “Fractal lanterns,”  Hal and a reformed Green Lantern Corps set off to police this strange new phenomenon while uncovering a sinister plot that could eliminate the very essence of sentient life

Are you excited for Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1? You can talk all things DC and Green Lantern with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum Reveals New Type of Lantern appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Aquaman is joining the list of heroes getting a new series during DC All In. The new publishing initiative spins out of Absolute Power, which concluded with several characters getting changes to how their superpowers work. While a lot of the emphasis has been put on the new Absolute Universe, the main DC Universe is also adding to its catalog. The latest issue of the DC Connect magazine revealed a new volume of Aquaman launching in January. Another tidbit that Aquaman fans will want to know is that Arthur Curry will be rocking a new powerset in the comic.

Jeremy Adams (Green Lantern, The Flash) and John Timms (Harley Quinn, Superman: Son of Kal-El) are the creative team on Aquaman. DC hasn’t said exactly what Aquaman’s new powers are, but judging from the cover and solicitation, the former King of Atlantis will be able to manipulate water. The Aquaman #1 cover by Timms shows the hero forming a sword out of water while he rides atop a hungry shark.

DC also revealed character designs for Mera, Aqualad, and “mammoth water-construct Kaijus” that Aquaman and his allies will have to deal with. A new character named Dagon will also be introduced to help Aquaman on his quest.

AQUAMAN #1

• Written by JEREMY ADAMS
• Art and Cover by JOHN TIMMS
• Variant covers by IVAN REIS, BRAD WALKER, and TULA LOTAY 1:25 variant cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
• 1:50 variant cover by CHRISTIAN WARD
• Deep Sea variant (Ultra Gloss) by BRAD WALKER ($9.99) Blank sketch cover
• $5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
• ON SALE 1/8/24
• In the wake of Absolute Power, Arthur Curry’s powers have evolved to  powerful new heights, and this is one king ready to use them to kick some serious butt. Mammoth water-construct Kaijus have emerged from each of the seven seas, and only Aquaman’s water-warping abilities can stop them—but not if they kill the good king in the process! Enter Dagon, Arthur’s guide on the quest to unlock the secrets of the “blue.” But what deadly secret awaits Arthur on his journey? It’s an all-new era for Aquaman by acclaimed creators Jeremy Adams (The Flash, Green Lantern) and John Timms (Action Comics) that will leave you cheering!

The post Aquaman Returns in New DC Series (And He’s Getting New Superpowers) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC is already making great strides to relaunch the Justice League, with the team being the focus of a new Justice League Unlimited ongoing series from Mark Waid and Dan Mora. As it turns out, the team’s new era definitely is not stopping there. On Friday, as part of DC’s January 2025 solicitations and New York Comic Con 2024, the publisher officially announced Justice League: The Atom Project, a new comic from writers John Ridley and Ryan Parrott and artist Mike Perkins. As the clever subtitle suggests, The Atom Project will center on both size-changing superheroes Ray Palmer / The Atom and Ryan Choi / The Atom, as well as atomic superhero Nathaniel Adam / Captain Atom. Outside of their similar naming schemes, the trio of characters will be joined together in an effort to help DC’s various superpowered beings regain their proper powers, after things were scrambled by the destruction of the Amazos at the end of the recent event series Absolute Power.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE ATOM PROJECT #1

Written by JOHN RIDLEY and RYAN PARROTT

Art and cover by MIKE PERKINS

Variant covers by DAN MORA and KEVIN WADA

1:25 variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO

Foil variant cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA

$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)

ON SALE 1/1/25

In the wake of Absolute Power, the superpowers of planet Earth are in chaos… and it’s up to the newly reformed Justice League to restore order to that chaos. Enter Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi, together as the heroes called Atom. These brilliant minds get to work crafting the world’s first superpower reallocation and backup system, code named the Atom Project. But not everyone wants their powers back, and Captain Atom is hell-bent on preventing his missing Atomic abilities from ever being found. Join Oscar-winning writer John Ridley, Rogue Sun co-creator Ryan Parrott and Batman: First Knight artist Mike Perkins down the rabbit hole of an intense atomic-fueled spy thriller that will drop change on the DCU like an atomic bomb!

Justice League: The Atom Project is the latest title to join the DC All In initiative, which offers an ongoing line of core titles, featuring bold new directions and jumping-on points for many characters and teams. The initiative also encompasses a reimagined “Absolute” universe of DC’s characters, which is beginning this month with Absolute Batman from Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, Absolute Superman from Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, and Absolute Wonder Woman from Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman. 

“The creation of the Absolute Universe is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC’s core series lineup,” Snyder said in a statement when the initiative was first announced.

As mentioned above, Justice League: The Atom Project #1 will be released wherever comics are sold on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

The post DC Reveals New Justice League Spinoff Starring Three Fan-Favorite Characters appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The stakes somehow got even bigger in DC’s Green Lantern #16, which is saying something after everything that took place in the Green Lantern Civil Corps Special. The final page of that issue teased a massive cliffhanger, and that’s exactly where Green Lantern #16 begins, though if you thought the incoming planet-sized threat that is a Red Lantern-controlled Mogo would be diffused in some way, you were likely shocked by the outcome. While the Lanterns did save some of the population, Mogo’s collision with Thanagar obliterates the planet and kills billions in the process, and those ripple effects will be felt across the galaxy.

While any planet being destroyed would be significant, Mogo destroying Thanagar raises that bar considerably. Thanagar has long been one of the more important players in DC’s cosmic side of the universe, and having that completely removed from the board (or at least mostly so) will have immediate effects on characters and the world at large, especially for those who managed to survive the attack.

A Raging Planet

In the Civil Corps Special, it was revealed how Thaaros was able to manipulate the emotional spectrum and those attached to it. Thanks to experiments run on Keli Quintela and her special connection to the spectrum, Thaaros and his scientists were able to learn how to steer individuals toward other parts of the spectrum. That is how someone like Kilowog, who is the personification of Willpower, was able to be pushed into the Yellow Spectrum of Fear, leading to that confrontation between Kilowog and John Stewart at the beginning of the Civil Corps Special.

That’s also how Thaaros created his special Lanterns who can switch between the different spectrums, but in others like Kilowog, this is more like mind control, as he pushes away their normal personalities and tendencies. That’s why Kilowog didn’t respond to any sort of reasoning from Stewart, and thus the same is true of Mogo, who Thaaros had pushed into the spectrum of Rage, turning him into a Red Lantern. When he finally collides with Thanagar, it’s devastating, and we soon learn in this issue just how deadly the attack was.

A fleet of Rannian Battle Cruisers can be seen leaving the planet as the collision with Mogo is taking place in the background, and we learn that Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Carol Ferris are aboard the ship helping to gather survivors. Carol asks how many were saved, and Hal says a thousand if they were lucky. Carol then says “A thousand…a thousand people out of how many billion…just gone…”.

John and Hal head outside to help give Carol time to get the ship in good enough shape to head towards Rann. While it takes a minute, they all manage to keep the ship intact and the survivors safe, but as Carol expresses in the issue, Thaaros has left an indelible mark on the galaxy even in his defeat, and it will continue to be a moment the universe will remember from here on out. You can find the official description for Green Lantern #16 below.

“The seeds of war have been sown, and now a massive battle rages across the galaxy! Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner must race to unlock the mystery of the Dark Star resurrection, what it means for their beloved friend Kilowog, and just how to battle an entire planet! The red rage of Mogo rains down on our heroes as the Civil Corps heats up!”

What did you think of the issue? You can talk all things DC and Green Lantern with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post A Green Lantern Just Killed Billions and Destroyed a Planet appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Sebastian Stan is the latest Marvel actor to say he’s open to a DC role down the line — but in his case, he already has his eye on one in particular. The Captain America franchise regular says he would love to turn up as Batman baddie The Riddler in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s upcoming DC Universe. Of course, while Gunn and Safran definitely have plans for a Batman movie, it seems likely Riddler will be on the back burner for a while, considering that the character was just used in The Batman.

The character of The Riddler is one of the most popular Batman villains in the comics, and has been for decades, but certainly he has been one who has changed a lot over time. Live action interpretations aren’t always tracked to what’s going on in the comics, either.

“I don’t know if Batman’s for me, but never say never,” Stan told Happy Sad Confused when pressed on the idea of a DC role. “I don’t know. There’s so many characters — I told you, I always had a soft spot for that Riddler, but that one’s been done.”

You can see the full interview below.

The character has previously been played in live action by Frank Gorshin on Batman, Jim Carrey in Batman Forever, and Paul Dano in The Batman.

Riddler has, at times, been reinvented as something of an antihero, so that’s something Stan could obviously lean into. He has spent the last decade or so straddling the line of good and evil as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

It seems he will be straddling that line again as part of Thunderbolts, a team that matches him up with a bunch of previous Marvel movie villains on a Suicide Squad-style team of deeply flawed villains and antiheroes being forced into heroism by a government operative (here, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

In the interview, Stan seems to confirm long-standing rumors that Thunderbolts was pretty radically reworked, but claims that he is happy with the final product and confident the movie will play well for audiences. He also had nothing but good things to say about working with both Louis-Dreyfus and Wyatt Russell, whom he calls one of the funniest people he’s ever met.

Russell is set to reprise his role as John Walker/U.S. Agent in the film, one that he originated in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It isn’t clear whether Walker will recur in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World.

The post Sebastian Stan Reveals the DC Villain He Wants to Play and We Need It Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Batman Ninja gave DC Comics and anime fans a very new take on the Dark Knight and his fellow denizens of Gotham City, hero and villain alike. For its sequel, we’re about to see a brand new villainous interpretation of the Justice League as the Yakuza League will be front and center. While an evil iteration of the likes of Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Lantern is a big enough threat on its own, the latest trailer for Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League shows that there is someone in the background pulling the strings.

The first Batman Ninja featured the Joker as its big bad, which should come as no surprise since the Clown Prince of Crime is regularly featured as the scarred side of the Dark Knight’s coin. While there has been promotional material that has confirmed Joker and Harley Quinn will return to this new sequel with new looks to boot, the clownish pair isn’t responsible for this new evil Justice League. Alongside the new trailer with the major villain reveal, Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League has confirmed that it will be arriving next year. While the sequel isn’t set to hit the silver screen, it will hit home video and continue Warner Bros’ foray into the anime world.

Yakuza League’s Demon Head

In the latest trailer, Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League confirms that Ra’s Al Ghul is apparently working to benefit from the nefarious Justice League’s arrival. Considering the Demon’s Head has always run a league of his own, the League of Assassins, it makes sense that Ghul would be attempting to capitalize on an evil collection of superheroes. While this “big bad” question has been answered, the origins of the Yakuza League remain a mystery and it has yet to be revealed if an evil Superman will be making an appearance in the sequel.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Demon’s Head, Ra’s Al Ghul isn’t quite like many other Gotham villains like Joker, Riddler, Penguin, or Scarecrow. Ghul is an immortal mastermind, using the power of the Lazarus Pits to cheat death. The long-running Batman villain is one who wants to change the world so making him the big villain of this sequel makes sense, especially considering his status as the grandfather to Damien Wayne, aka Robin.

Warner Bros’ Anime Initiatives

It’s no secret that anime is becoming a hot ticket item in the entertainment world and Warner Bros shared the fact earlier this year that they were all-in on the medium. The Suicide Squad Isekai was the first time that Task Force X received their own anime series, finding success in throwing the supervillains into an isekai world. WB collaborated with Wit Studio on this project and the latter has stated that they would love to explore more DC heroes and villains in the future. Certainly, while not confirmed for a second season, Suicide Squad Isekai’s first season finale is one that sets the stage for Harley and company to return.

For Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League, Warner Bros teamed up with studio Kamikaze Douga on the upcoming sequel. If you’re unfamiliar with the production house, the studio has worked on the likes of Pop Team Epic, Sand Land, and Star Wars: Visions. On top of returning following their work on the first Batman Ninja, Kamikaze Douga is also responsible for creating intro scenes for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Gatchaman. As CG animation becomes more prevalent in the anime world, it will be interesting to see how this Dark Knight sequel stacks up to the original years after the fact.

Want to stay updated on the Dark Knight and his fight against the twisted anime version of the Justice League? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League Trailer Reveals The Film’s Big Bad: Watch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC has been teasing big things for Wonder Woman #14, and it certainly delivered, as fans finally got the chance to find out Trinity’s origin story. While the birth has been talked about quite a bit leading up to this point, many weren’t sure exactly what would lead to those events. Now that the issue is out, not only do we have some of those answers, but we also get several teases that will have bigger implications for Trinity and Wonder Woman’s story down the line. We’re going to get into major spoiler territory from here, so you’ve been warned in case you haven’t read the issue.

A Shocking Death

Unfortunately, the origin of Trinity is preceded by the death of Steve Trevor, who is shot in cold blood by The Sovereign. That sets into motion a series of events that leads Wonder Woman to find Trevor in Hades, and she ultimately does, though isn’t able to bring him back. Instead, the two have a tearful but hopeful goodbye, and before Diana departs Trevor tells her about his grandmother, who is named Elizabeth Marston. Trevor says he always wanted to talk to her again, and then adds “I just think…her story’s like ours. It can’t end in death.”

With Trevor not returning to the living, we then move to another scene that shows us The Fates noticing something is missing. As it turns out, the reason why Trevor was still on that boat before his final destination in the previous scene was that Wonder Woman had actually taken some of Trevor’s thread and essence, and some of her thread was missing as well. They then realize this and signal the need for a new thread, saying “We’re going to need a brand new thread! Maybe something gold!”, which leads us to Wonder Woman on the beach.

A Golden Thread

We then see Wonder Woman holding those two threads in the palm of her hand, and she then closes her fist and holds them tightly. When she opens her hand, a singular golden thread appears, and that leads us to a beautiful scene that echoes Wonder Woman’s original origin.

Wonder Woman is then seen looking down at a baby made of clay, and as her mother once did, Diana says a prayer to once again bring that clay to life. As she puts the thread atop the baby’s forehead, she prays “Hippolyta, mother above. I beseech you now as you once beseeched Aphrodite. Grant this clay life. Let her be born into paradise, where she will be loved. Our Elizabeth Marston Prince.”

What It Means for the Future

This now solidifies that Trinity’s name of Elizabeth Marston Prince is due to her father being Steve Trevor, and that does come around full circle to Trinity’s present. In one of the previous backup stories she talks about the consequences to the current quest of trying to find her father, adding that “The Fates tend to seek a rather righteous vengeance” when you “rip through their threads of reality to satisfy your own whatever issues.”

That also seems to tie into Trinity’s three lassos, as in her first appearance Trinity says she is the first holder of the “three lassos of fate.” Two threads became a new golden thread as part of her birth, and since The Fates also knew about all of that happening, this is likely behind the ultimate creation of those three lassos.

There are still obviously some big questions, like how Trinity feels about her father overall. Sure she is looking for him, but why? Is it to bring him back from Hades, or is it to confront him about something? That one backup story does make a quick comment about not needing to find him, and she also makes a point in her introduction to say she is the daughter of Diana, not mentioning Steve at all. There’s also the fact that it seems she hasn’t met him yet in any of those previous backup stories, so that does seem to confirm that he is still dead in that time.

More will follow in subsequent issues, but the pieces are really starting to come together, and Wonder Woman #14 is an obviously huge addition to that mix. Let me know what you thought of Wonder Woman #14 on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Wonder Woman: The Birth of Trinity and What It Means for the Future appeared first on ComicBook.com.

MONSTERS keeps the Halloween spirit alive this month, taking two spots on our list. A rumor from the MCU brings forward a totally awesome Hulk book, and casting news keeps THE BEAUTY trending. Fortnite launches its Halloween event, teasing a lady symbiote skin that brings back a familiar cover. Speaking of familiar covers, a secret Geiger cover makes our list with a great homage. The king of the week goes to the Dark Knight, debuting in the Absolute Universe. Batman takes four spots with amazing artwork from  Nick Dragotta and Jim Lee!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

1: ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 – NICK DRAGOTTA – REGULAR | DC | OCTOBER 2024: This past week was the release of ABSOLUTE BATMAN, and it was an absolute killer debut! ABSOLUTE BATMAN already had a ton of hype behind it before its release. The book takes place in the Absolute Universe, a universe that was created when Darkseid allowed himself to be killed. The Absolute Universe is meant to be a darker, harder dimension for our DC heroes. The universe, created from Darkseid’s energy, is meant to introduce multiple heroes with different designs and origin stories. This book does that, as well as showing the first appearance of the Party Animals, a skull-wearing gang of murderers, and a cameo of this universe’s Joker. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $17.

2: ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 – JIM LEE – B&W (1:100) | DC | OCTOBER 2024: Cover A may take the top spot this week, but the 1:100 retailer incentive is moving on the aftermarket, too! Usually, the higher ratio covers don’t sell as quickly due to the higher entry price… but this is Jim Lee! Lee is a legend in the comic book world, and fans of the superstar artist had no hesitation in purchasing this black-and-white beauty! We tracked it at a high sale of $150 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $121.

3: GEIGER #7 – GARY FRANK – MIDNIGHT NATION HOMAGE – SURPRISE | IMAGE | OCTOBER 2024: If there is one thing that collectors love, it’s a good secret variant cover! Since Ghost Machine launched its universe, GEIGER has been generating interest lately. While this isn’t a big key issue, it is a phenomenal cover by Gary Frank that pays homage to his cover to J. Michael Straczynski’s Midnight Nation. It is important to note that this secret variant cover had a massive outlier high sale of $100. It looks like it was purchased the day before the book debuted, which now averages a current NM raw price of $12. It must have come from a GEIGER mega-fan who wanted to ensure their copy of this awesome homage! We tracked 22 copies sold at a 7-day growth trend of 637%. 

4: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL.1 #375 | MARVEL | MARCH 1993: We’re one week away from the debut of Venom: The Last Dance, and Fortnite is releasing the symbiotes during their annual Fortnitemares event. In a competitive event called the Symbiote Cup, players can win She-Venom and Agony skins. If they are unable to win those skins during the event, they can purchase them at a later date. The Venom: The Last Dance trailer shows a variety of symbiotes, and with this information, many fans think we could see She-Venom appear again. This book is getting tons of attention because of the great cover and also the first appearance of Ann Weying (Eddie Brock’s ex-wife and She-Venom). We tracked it at a high sale of $94 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw price of $11.

5: MARK SPEARS MONSTERS #1 – MARK SPEARS – COVER B – DRIPPING BLOOD | KEENSPOT ENTERTAINMENT | SEPTEMBER 2024: MONSTERS is still trending on the aftermarket! It isn’t just the Halloween month that keeps these classic monsters going; they have been selling strong since September. The artwork on this cover is reminiscent of a different time in the horror genre. Its nostalgic pull could be why we saw this specific cover’s sales jump. After all, Dracula is a classic! We tracked it at a high sale of $41 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $36.

6: ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 – NICK DRAGOTTA – FOIL | DC | OCTOBER 2024: While Cover A takes the top spot, its virgin foil cover is the next best thing to the 1:100 cover. Dragotta has illustrated a great cover, and for a small bump in price, you can add this cover to your collection. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $29.

7: THE BEAUTY #1 | IMAGE | AUGUST 2015: Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, and Ashton Kutcher have been set to star in FX’s new series, The Beauty. The book has received a tremendous amount of interest just based on the sheer star power alone. The casting announcement has shown fans that FX isn’t cutting any corners when it comes to this series. The casting has built up anticipation for the series, which has also translated to a big boost in the first issue’s aftermarket sales! We tracked it at a high sale of $76 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $38.

8: ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 – JIM LEE – FOIL | DC | OCTOBER 2024: ABSOLUTE BATMAN hype plus the legend Jim Lee? Those two factors make for a mind-blowing and highly collectible comic book cover. While Cover A is trending, Jim Lee’s 1:100 cover and this foil cover are also top sellers. Out of all 34 covers released, it looks like Jim Lee covers and the regular covers are the ones to chase! We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM copy and a current NM raw price of $22.

9: MARK SPEARS MONSTERS #1 – MARK SPEARS – COVER A – LOOKING DOWN ON YOU | KEENSPOT ENTERTAINMENT | SEPTEMBER 2024: Cover A books have been the recent trend when books have been hitting shelves. With so many variants to pick from, it seems like the regular covers are getting harder to come by. This book has even more going for it, though. MONSTERS has been doing well on the aftermarket, particularly on the covers featuring classic monsters. So why wouldn’t the cover featuring all the classics not sell well? Some other variants and homages showcase all the classics, but this one is truly terrifying. We are given the perspective of all these monsters looking down upon their victim… us! We tracked it at a high sale of $78 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw price of $28.

10: TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1 | MARVEL | DECEMBER 2015: The rumor mill is at it again! There are a few rumors currently going around about the MCU. The first is related to Captain America: Brave New World. According to a few leakers, the film’s ending and after-credit scene are meant to tease a future World War Hulk project. The second rumor is that Ghostbusters’ Logan Kim has been cast as Amadeus Cho, a successor to Bruce Banner’s Hulk. While he first appears in AMAZING FANTASY #15, this issue marks the first time he transformed into the Hulk. Only time will tell if this issue takes off with any official announcement from the MCU! We tracked it at a high sale of $26 for a CGC 9.4 copy and a current NM raw price of $16.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Absolute Batman, Universal Monsters, and Hulk appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Penguin mid-season trailer has been released by HBO and Max streaming, teasing the epic gang war between Oswald “Oz” Cobb (Colin Farrell) and Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti). As this mid-season trailer arrives, we’ve seen four episodes of The Penguin deliver some of the most highly-acclaimed television that DC and Warner Bros. have produced for the franchise, with Episode 4 sparking major Emmys buzz for the series. Interest in The Penguin is higher than ever – and this kind of trailer will probably ensure the current audience sticks with the show, and get new viewers to believe the hype!

The Penguin mid-season trailer shows the streets of Gotham exploding into a gang war for the new drug trade. (SPOILERS) After Episode 4 ended with Sofia Falcone murdering most of her own crime family, it looks like she will be building a new on its bones, with her seated at the head of the table as the new don. Meanwhile, The Maronis are still on the rampage, looking to finally end the Falcones. At the same time, they’re weak – and squeezed in the middle is Penguin, who is seen looking unusually vulnerable and down, with the women in his life – his mother Francis (Deirdre O’Connell) and main girl Eve (Carmen Ejogo) – pulling away from him as the underworld power struggle takes this ugly new turn.

As always, however, Oz seems to use his twisted, scrappy resourcefulness to wriggle and waddle through to new opportunities. Then again, the footage makes it seem like Sofia is truly committed to ending Penguin and owning the city herself – so much so that we get hints of it coming down to some violent shootouts between the two.

As stated, The Penguin has beat all odds to become the most acclaimed show – not just a comic book show – of the fall 2024 season. Farrell and Milioti’s portrayal of Oz and Sofia are certainly highlights, but the entire cast and crew of the show are cooking with real gas. This series is making big strides for widening The Batman Universe and making fans go back and look at Matt Reeves’ 2022 film in a whole new light. It’s also making viewers and critics alike rethink some of the underlying skepticism that major superhero movie franchises can’t produce prestige-level content.

In fact, HBO is betting heavily that after the Emmy-winning success of HBO’s Watchmen (a DC comic book series) and now Penguin, the fusion of prestige programming and major IP brands will be a potent formula for both ratings and streaming success. So far, it seems to be working: The Penguin is keeping HBO Sunday night appointment TV alive just as much as Game of Thrones, or The Sopranos (a show Penguin is often compared to); it’s also getting viewers to head back into Max streaming to watch The Batman again. HBO is already restructuring its slate with this new strategy in mind: James Gunn’s and John Cena’s Peacemaker Season 2 is set to air on HBO next year, while the Green Lantern TV series Lanterns is currently in production and set for the same kind of HBO release.

The Penguin airs new episodes Sunday nights on HBO and streams on Max.

The post The Penguin Mid-Season Trailer Teases The Batman Universe’s Epic Gang War appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warner Bros. Animation has released the official trailer for the upcoming Watchmen Chapter II animated feature film. The movie, which is set for release on December 3rd, will finish telling the story of Watchmen in the most comics-accurate adaptation to date, using the acclaimed comic book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons as direct inspiration for screenwriter J.M. Straczynski. The first chapter snagged a 93% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes in spite of some harsh criticisms online of the animation style, which tries to hard to be faithful to Gibbons’s art that it can sometimes seem a bit uncanny.

Watchmen Chapter II stars Titus Welliver, Troy Baker, Katee Sackhoff, Matthew Rhys, and Adrienne Barbeau. It’s directed by Brandon Vietti (Superman: Doomsday, Batman: Under the Red Hood).

This isn’t the first adaptation of Watchmen, obviously. In 2009, Zack Snyder brought the story to life as a live-action film, capping about 20 years of non-stop development on a project that some had called impossible to adapt. In order to boil it all down to a 3-hour movie, Snyder had to make some narrative and structural changes.

Around the same time the movie was released, DC put out a “motion comic” — directly adapting the comic book by scanning the comic pages and using limited motion and voice acting. That’s obviously as true as you can possibly be to the comic, but it didn’t feel especially satisfying for most viewers. An animated tie-in movie, Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter adapted the comic-within-a-comic from Moore and Gibbons’s series, and was later inserted into a lengthy “Ultimate Cut” of the Snyder movie. The Ultimate Cut, again, was aimed at being as true to the source material as possible, but there were inherent differences between Snyder’s version and the source material that didn’t go away just because there was more stuff in the movie.

In 2019, Damon Lindelof wrote a live-action sequel series, which aired on HBO and drew critical acclaim. The story picked up years after the end of the original comic book and did not share a continuity with Snyder’s version.

When it came time to make another run at a “true to the source material” animated movie, Warners turned to Before Watchmen scribe Straczynski. This time around, though, he said he didn’t plan on putting his fingerprints on the project. In fact, he urged Warner Bros. to credit him as “adapting” the story rather than “writing” the movie in the credits.

“By ‘adapted’ I mean strictly configuring the structure to work in a movie,” Straczynski said earlier this year. “I saw no need to write more material or change what works in the book. It’s pure Moore.”

The post Watchmen Chapter 2 Trailer Is Full of Iconic, Comics-Accurate Scenes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans of DC Comics received an unexpected surprise a few weeks back when there was a small banner on the lower third of the screen during AEW Dynamite, which was advertising DC’s All In Special #1. That’s obviously a big deal, but tonight DC and AEW took that up several notches, with DC superheroes from the main universe and the recently launched Absolute Universe being featured across all of the barricades around the ring (which you can see right here). Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman from both universes were included, and things got even better when a commercial for DC’s All In initiative and Absolute Universe played during the show as well.

The classic DC blue made the barricades around the ring pop, as did the main universe and absolute character designs for Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. Then during the Mercedes Mone vs Queen Aminata match for the TBS Championship, AEW played a commercial for DC’s All In, though the video really leaned into the Absolute Universe as well.

The commercial featured more detailed looks and full motion graphics for Absolute Batman, and then previewed the upcoming Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Superman. A commercial just showing the DC logo and maybe some covers would have been noteworthy, but the fact that AEW shined a light on All In and several of the highly anticipated Absolute titles really gives this showcase some impact.

Witch Wonder Woman

Part of the fun of the Absolute Universe is that creators can take some big risks with DC’s iconic heroes, and that especially goes for Wonder Woman. Absolute Wonder Woman features writer Kelly Thompson and artist Hayden Sherman at the helm, and they are going for it in a huge way, as this new iteration of Wonder Woman has survived the pits of hell, rides a skeletal Pegasus, and can wield magic. Suffice it to say, this isn’t the Wonder Woman you know. In an interview with Thompson and Sherman, Thompson explained how Wonder Woman’s magic works and how they approached bringing this element into the fold.

”I think I always try to approach magic as magic has a price. I think this Wonder Woman is a little bit more Batman because of the magic. Like, a lot of magic that she’s doing is stuff she’s got in that pouch that’s pre-prepared. Like, I can use this to do that or the other, so it’s a little bit more she’s got some Batman tricks because of her different bag of tricks she’s playing with, quite literally. We gave her a magical pouch that has infinite space or connects to a portal or, you know, like a pocket dimension that she can reach into or whatever we want to call it,” Thompson said.

Thompson also eased any fears that Wonder Woman’s ability to wield magic will make her overpowered. “I will say that while the magic of Wonder Woman, I haven’t really seen people saying this, so I probably shouldn’t bring it up and raise this issue, but I was worried people would think she was just going to be so dramatically overpowered, but I would say there are limitations to the magic,” Thompson said. “She pays prices for that sometimes. It’s nothing unlimited. She’s also not a master magician. Like, she’s a witch, and she can do a lot of this stuff. She was raised in it, but she’s not, that’s not her primary skill set. Her primary skill set is still more Wonder Woman-based.”

DC did just give AEW stars like Swerve Strickland, Darby Allin, and Britt Baker their own mini-comics, so perhaps we’ll get some Absolute versions at some point down the line. We’ll just have to wait and see, but you can talk all things wrestling and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

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DC’s Wonder Woman comic series is generating some trending buzz this week, following the release of Wonder Woman #14. Writer Tom King’s current run on Wonder Woman has sparked a fair amount of backlash since it began, but issue #14 was (as promised) a major pivotal chapter of the story, which revealed a major death, as well as the origin story that DC fans have been waiting for since King started mapping out the future of DC’s Justice League.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

Wonder Woman #14 tells a story titled “What’s the Point of Steve Trevor?” The title is incredibly on-the-nose, as we learn through non-linear storytelling how Wonder Woman’s current nemesis, America’s “Secret King” The Sovereign, murders Steve Trevor in cold blood just to break Diana’s heart. The other part of the story sees Diana travel to the Underworld to retrieve Steve – only to ultimately fail in her mission, and return back to Earth with Steve gone and truly dead.

Through a series of circumstances that still feel like they need full explanation, Wonder Woman villain Circe and some witches working with the Sovereign spot that portions of Diana and Steve’s souls (represented as threads) have been cut out – threads Diana intertwines into a golden single thread, and uses it to seemingly make a baby fashioned out of clay into a real daughter.

DC Fans Have Very Mixed Reactions to Wonder Woman #14

The reactions to Wonder Woman #14 have been straight down the love/hate divide line. Tom King got a pretty loud earful when he simply posted a promo about the comic’s release today, calling it “a big one”:

The comments section of the post quickly went off, with users making posts like: “You hype this particular issue up so much and it ended up being the most universally hated one out of the entire run.” Or, the more humorous snark aimed at King himself like “I thought that after leaving the CIA you would no longer collaborate with crimes.”

Other fans got even more dramatic, posting things like “Congratulations on doing irreparable damage to Wonder Woman… Go write someone else and leave Diana to someone who loves and respects her Legacy.” The insults only got bigger once memes got involved – and since fans who enjoy and support the issue have jumped in it’s become a hot debate within the DC fandom.

Weirdly enough, there was a fair amount of free promotion for writer Kelly Thompson and her upcoming Absolute Wonder Woman series. That book is part of DC’s new Absolute Universe, a reality created and ruled by god-level Darkseid where the origins of core Justice League heroes like Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman take very different twists and turns:

In some cases, Wonder Woman #14 seems to be acting as a Rorschach test, with fans coming away with big love or hate opinions over the same exact set of panels!

There’s also a single-panel image of Wonder Woman crying on an American flag that has sparked some of the ugliest discourse online (in an election year? Who would’ve thought!).

In full context: the scene is Diana grieving over Steve Trevor’s death while off in seclusion. She steals the service flag laid over his coffin as a memento and wraps herself in it, sobbing in agony on the ground of a cave. King’s Wonder Woman run has been criticized by some as allegedly reframing the character to be an American propaganda tool – so this image with the flag has triggered ire in those circles. Of course, there are just many fans who are proud to see Americana symbolism being emphasized in the current era of Wonder Woman, as it’s arguably been a traditional theme of the character and her iconography, all along. The result: another flame-war debate.

By the time we get to the end of Wonder Woman #14 and the strange mysticism and romanticism that led to Trinity’s “birth,” some fans weren’t just done with the issue – they’re claiming to be done with this entire run:

Wonder Woman #14 Synopsis

STEVE TREVOR’S LAST STAND AND THE BIRTH OF A HERO! With the tide of the war against the Sovereign turning, Wonder Woman’s greatest love takes matters into his own hands with deadly consequences. Could Steve’s end be the beginning of Diana’s greatest adventure yet? Behold the birth of Trinity!

Wonder Woman #14 is on sale at DC.

The post DC’s Latest Wonder Woman Issue Sparks Fan Backlash Over Death & Birth appeared first on ComicBook.com.

New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller is continuing the expansion of Tim Burton‘s original 1989 Batman film with a new novel titled Batman: Revolution. It’s the second book in Miller’s Batman duology following the release of Batman: Resurrection, which went on sale October 15th. While we already knew the prolific author was working on a second Batman novel, we now know its title, the time frame for its release, and who the villain may be. Batman: Revolution from Del Rey Books is scheduled to be released in Fall 2025, and though John Jackson Miller doesn’t directly state it, there are clues the villain is the Riddler.

“BATMAN: RESURRECTION is out TODAY in hardcover, audiobook, and ebook from @DelReyBooks — yet people always ask… what am I doing next?” John Jackson Miller teased in a post to social media. “If it’s a mystery, we’ll need a detective. One with a really neat car. Where can I find one, I wonder? Oh yeah…” He then shared the cover of Batman: Resurrection, with another book sitting beside it. The second book’s cover is blank, save for a white question mark in its center, alluding to Edward Nygma’s Riddler.

Miller ends his post with a title card displaying the Batman: Revolution title and Fall 2025 release window. You can find both posts below.

The Batman: Resurrection prose novel follows the events in Tim Burton’s Batman film from 1989, which helped kickstart the Dark Knight’s successful tenure in movie theaters. Burton directed Batman and its 1992 sequel Batman Returns. Jack Nicholson’s Joker was the antagonist of Batman, with Batman Returns introducing audiences to Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Penguin (Danny DeVito). What will be interesting to see is how John Jackson Miller’s Batman: Revolution weaves Riddler into the story. Riddler didn’t appear on the big screen until Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever in 1995, where he was portrayed by Jim Carrey.

Perhaps Batman: Revolution lays the groundwork for Riddler’s origin story. The reception to Miller’s first novel, Batman: Resurrection, has been overwhelmingly positive, so it’s possible Del Rey Books will look to weave more stories in between other Dark Knight films. What if we get future novels set in the world of Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale’s Batman trilogy? If we do, let’s cross our fingers that we get to follow Joseph Gordon-Levitt as he picks up the cape and cowl.

The post Batman: Revolution To Continue Tim Burton Film’s Story & We May Know the Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC has confirmed the death of a major core character of the DC Universe. Speculation leaked months ago (as per usual with previews) that this character had a death flag over their head – but now the death has been confirmed as about as official as any comic book death can be. Out of that death, however, has come a controversial birth, and DC fans are certainly feeling some kind of way about all of it!

WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS!

Wonder Woman #14 by writer Tom King and artist Daniel Sampere finally answers the big mystery of how Wonder Woman’s daughter Trinity was born, and who her father was. As many fans speculated from the start, Trinity is the daughter of Diana and her longtime beau and ally Col. Stever Trevor. However, not many fans ever guessed the twist that Diana would have to make her daughter out of clay and endow it with the entwined essences of both her parents – because her dad was already dead.

DC Kills Steve Trevor In Wonder Woman #14

The arc of Tom King’s Wonder Woman run has seen Diana taking on The Sovereign, the “secret king of the United States of America.” The Sovereign has manipulated public perception against the Amazons; imprisoned Diana and tortured her mind using his dark “Lasso of Lies”; gathered up a gang of some of Wonder Woman’s most formidable rogues and trapped her with her archnemesis Cheetah – and Diana beat it all. So when Steve Trevor attempts to go undercover and get intel from The Sovereign, he makes the fatal discovery that the villain has lured him to his home to be a sacrifice – a way of deeply hurting Diana by killing the man she loves. Trevor barely gets out a “Hello” before he’s shot point-blank in the chest and dies. The Sovereign has his body thrown into the Potomac River, only to have the corpse float into the waters of the Lincoln Memorial, causing instant public uproar and scrutiny.

The main portion of Wonder Woman #14’s story sees Diana swimming her way to the underworld and coming up in the River Styx, where Steve Trevor has already commandeered the ferryman’s boat and is waiting for her. Diana and Steve get their goodbye – which turns out to be part of some larger plan, as the witch Circe notices that threads of both Steve and Diana’s souls are missing – threads Diana later confesses to knowing they exchanged long ago.

After failing to bring Steve back from the dead, Diana takes a hair from her head and mystically(?) transforms them into the thread of Steve’s soul, and one of her own. She unites the threads which become a golden thread (thanks to the witches’ design), and that golden thread gets placed on a baby Diana fashioned out of clay on the shores of Paradise Island. The issue also provides the origin of Trinity’s alter-ego name, “Elizabeth,” as Steve reveals it’s the name of the grandmother he loved and is eager to see again in the afterlife.

To say that comic book fans have thoughts about Wonder Woman #14 and Trinity’s origin would be an understatement. At this point, we know from Tom King’s non-linear storytelling that Trinity is on some kind of mission to get information from The Sovereign. Could that information be how to bring back Steve Trevor? Or is the character now better served remaining dead, and letting his daughter carry on his legacy?

Wonder Woman #14 is on sale at DC.

The post DC Just Confirmed the Death of a Major Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Joker isn’t clowning around. After the Mark Hamill-voiced Clown Prince of Crime joined the MultiVersus roster earlier this year, DC’s MultiVersus: Collision Detected #3 explains how Batman’s archenemy entered the fray: by having the Joker (resembling his appearance in Batman: The Animated Series) step out of a Looney Tunes-style circle ring. That’s not all, folks: the six-issue DC comic series, which reveals the backstory behind the crossover platform fighting game, name-dropped the multiversal threat that caused worlds to collide: the Nothing.

“Level Three: Save File Corrupted” picks up where last issue left off: with the heroes of the Justice League (resembling their DC Animated Universe counterparts) joining forces with characters from across the Warner-Verse. While Wonder Woman defeats The Wizard of Oz‘s Wicked Witch of the West and her emerald defender, Gorilla Grodd, in Gorilla City, Batman is teleported to the Gallery of Worlds by a Brainiac droid who abducted him from the Batcave in Gotham City.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Superman, Hawkgirl, and the John Stewart Green Lantern fight a Rick Sanchez-shaped space ship barfing Brainiac robots. Genet and Steven Universe help Hawkgirl and Green Lantern defeat the army of drones outside the ship, but inside, Superman is attacked by a legion of robots modeled after beloved cartoon characters: Adventure Time‘s Finn and Jake, and the cat and mouse duo Tom & Jerry.

Brainiac informs the heroes that he’s unable to control his actions because he’s been “infected by a multidimensional narcissist”: Rick and Morty‘s alcoholic, dimension-hopping mad scientist. Batman severs Rick’s control of Brainiac and deduces that the alien artificial intelligence detected the same signal as Avia’s Daughter Box: the video game-like console crackling with interdimensional energies.

At the Fortress of Solitude, a rebooted Brainiac is imprisoned next to the Wicked Witch. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have quarantined the multiversal trespassers who have crossed into this dimension: Steven Universe and Genet, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, and Bugs Bunny.

Their recollection of events before The Change are similar: an unknown entity named Devoid is forcing them to fight each other under threat of an entropic force called the Nothing, which is erasing their respective universes from existence. (It’s suspected this is the Nothing from Warner Bros.’ 1984 adaptation of The NeverEnding Story.)

The trinity is concerned that Devoid will discover the DC Universe if they’re unable to return the trespassers to their universes — and that their homeworlds will fall to the Nothing if this collection of characters aren’t fighters in Devoid’s tournament. Batman plans to send the trespassers back to their universes the way they came: through the Daughter Box. They can then follow them with an army of heroes and save all their universes. But with the Daughter Box damaged by an explosion, it has maybe one more signal output left — meaning the heroes have one chance to send everyone back home at the same time.

Unbeknownst to the heroes, someone is eavesdropping via a bug planted on Scooby’s collar: the Joker, who was posing as Condiment King when he was apprehended by the Mystery Inc. duo in Central City. Joker spies on Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy and learns that Harley has adopted Reindog: the last survivor of the world of Zanifeer, which was first to fall victim to the Nothing during the great dimensional cataclysm, and the final fighter the heroes need to locate.

“Something called the Nothing is going to erase everything unless Batman gets his hands on that thing?” Joker cackles, revealing his plan to end the entire multiverse: “I’m gonna STEAL it!”

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #4 goes on sale October 30.

The post The Joker Is a Multiversal Villain in DC’s MultiVersus Comic appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Happy new comic book day! It’s another major week in comics, and the ComicBook staff have come together to break down and review as many of the big comics releasing this week as possible. Now obviously this isn’t every single comic on stands, but we’re breaking down new releases from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni Press, IDW, Mad Cave Studios, DSTLRY, and more!

We’ve also carved out some additional space for three of this week’s biggest books, including The Exorcism at Penn 1600 #1, Batman and Robin: Year One #1, and Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1, so if our smaller review here piques your interest, make sure to check out the full review for a much more comprehensive analysis of all three issues. As for ratings, we keep things simple with a whole or half number out of five, and you can check out some of our previous reviews right here. With all that said, let’s get to this week’s new comics!

DC

Action Comics #1071
Action Comics #1071 takes Superman to the Phantom Zone and sees him start to investigate whatever is going on there only to get hit with a shocking surprise when he sees who is behind the Phantom King. It’s an action-filled issue that sees Superman fight a giant spider creature while also testing his own limits. It’s not exactly clear what is going on overall, but that twist reveal certainly hints at something exciting going forward and gives the whole thing momentum. The Supergirl story is also interesting and sees a major complication thrown at Supergirl and again, while what is really going on remains a mystery, things get pushed to the next level making this whole issue overall one that just hooks readers even further. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

Batman and Robin: Year One #1
Overall, Batman and Robin: Year One is a solid read. While there is a little bit of an issue with tone at points, specifically in regard to how we are introduced to Dick and then how he actually is presented, the story does a good job of offering a fresh take on the early dynamic of, well, DC’s dynamic duo. By centering things on the idea of Bruce as a parent just as much as a hero, Waid and Samnee have created a story that is interesting and unique, but still offers the promise of a classic Batman and Robin adventure.
– Nicole Drum (Click here for full review)
Rating: 4 out of 5

Catwoman #69
Selina Kyle gets a back-to-basics revamp for the All-In era, with almost all of the positives that that could entail. Torunn Gronbekk’s script takes a familiar enough premise and presents it with an intimate and lyrical quality, one that is matched pretty well by Fabiana Mascolo’s clean art and Patricio Delpeche’s noirish colors. While there’s no telling exactly how this arc will set itself apart from previous Catwoman eras, the work on display from this creative team is already exciting. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4 out of 5

Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter #4
Both the main story from Jay Kristoff and backup story from Tom Taylor balance high-octane action with genuine pathos towards their parent-child relationships. While Tirso’s aesthetic choices on the main story are a bit more visually outstanding, Riccardo Federici’s art also delivers some cleverly conceived moments of action and gore. This spinoff is turning me into a believer of the larger franchise that Dark Knights of Steel has become.”
– Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4 out of 5

Green Lantern #16
The Green Lantern Civil Corps Special put a few big ideas into motion, and those ideas land with massive impact in Green Lantern #16. Things teased in the special have immediate consequences as the next major arc gets underway, and if you thought the Special was big, it’s nothing compared to what goes down in #16. Jeremy Adams will have Lantern fans of all kinds losing their minds at various times in the issue, and Xermanico and Romulo Fajardo Jr. might have created one of my favorite issues of the series to date just based on constructs alone, though that Mogo scene is a sight to behold as well. Adams continues to pull together the threads from Green Lantern and Green Lantern: War Journal, and the way those elements and characters come together is delightful, including one particular first meeting that had me reeling from the reveal but also has so many amazing possibilities. Green Lantern #16 followed up a special issue and might have just managed to run circles around it, and the next issue can’t get here soon enough. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

Jenny Sparks #3
Jenny Sparks #3 doesn’t really seem like it knows exactly what story it is trying to tell. The storyline continues between two timelines, this time with Jenny in the Middle East in 2004 confronting Superman on his non-involvement in matters of war and the present where the issue of Captain Atom at the bar only escalates. While it is obvious that there is supposed to be some parallel between the two storylines, it doesn’t really feel like it comes together. Like the previous issue, it’s very dense and one gets the idea that this is another story that may only make sense once it’s complete but, unfortunately, at this point, it feels like we are no further into the story than when we started. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Titans #16
Titans’ fresh start in the All-In era arrives with some potential, as well as a few flaws. John Layman’s script decently balances the team’s different personality types, but does get periodically bogged down by shortsighted narrative beats. Pete Woods’ art is also somewhat of a mixed bag, delivering gorgeously-rendered action sequences one moment and awkward facial expressions the next. It will remain to be seen if this Titans arc becomes a major jumping-on point for new readers, but at least conceptually, there is promise. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 3 out of 5

Wonder Woman #14
Wonder Woman #14 finally gives us Trinity’s origin story. Overall, it’s a sad and beautiful story of loss and hope that is at times really elegantly written. But it is also stretched a little thin in spots with certain elements — such as the Fates — inserted into things in a way that almost doesn’t feel necessary and somewhat distracts from the core emotional pieces of things. There’s also a bit of the story being told out of order that does, at points, make it a little hard to follow exactly what is going on. Beyond that, however, this issue has some of the most gorgeous Wonder Woman art we’ve seen yet — and that says something considering how stunning this series has been overall. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

World’s Finest #32
Waid is once again given quite the sandbox to play in when it comes to the best superhero book that DC Comics is printing today. In fighting against the villainous Eclipso, not only do we get the chance for the prolific writer to tackle the Justice Society but give Robin his chance to shine. As mentioned in my past review for this latest World’s Finest arc, Dan Mora is taking a break from the series, and while Gutierrez does a serviceable job, its a tough act to follow. Still, the series remains the gold standard for DC, even if its main artist is working on other projects in the DCU at the moment. The fight against Eclipso here is one that shows the best of DC’s heroes and once again proves how World’s Finest remains a must-read book for superhero fans. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4 out of 5

Marvel Comics

Avengers Assemble #2
Avengers Assemble #2 tries to keep the cooks, fun, old-school Avengers vibes going with a story about the new emergency response squad fighting ghost apes but it feels like a book that didn’t get the time and attention it needed, There’s a new penciled and inker team involved in Scott Eaton and Elisabetta D’Amico and the later doesn’t hold back with the blacks. It is, perhaps, an effort to give the ghost ape story some dark horror vibes but ultimately muddies much of the line work and makes the entire visual aesthetic feel cramped and heavy. Writer Steve Orlando tries to lighten the mood with fun character banter and interludes to the new and old team members still at the mansion bonding, though some of these vignettes are marred by confusing lettering placement. While the pitch is fun, it’s ultimately a pretty straightforward plot enlivened by a little extra focus on character, but hamstrung by some fundamental stumbles in most other departments.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3 out of 5

Crypt of Shadows #1
The 2024 edition of this Halloween-centric one-shot is another fun little story from Marvel, but its biggest fault is that frankly the thing is too short. Leaving the readers wanting more is usually a good thing but by the time many of the stories in Crypt of Shadows #1 get started they’re already over. The standouts from this issue include “The Green Tide,” a Man-Thing Namor crossover from Benjamin Percy and Raffaele Ienco, and “Monster Games” a Kraven, Blade, Werewolf by Night story from Jason Loo and Carlos Magno. On the whole a fun read but not one that blows the doors off. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25
Giving Miles a villainous side with these vampire powers could be a really tough sell, but its his inner monologue here that allows it all to work. His internal struggles with power and responsibility are clear, crisp, and sometimes moving. The inner monologue can make or break a lot of Spider-Man stories. Thankfully, this falls into the former category.
– Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1
Marc Spector made his grand return in the pages Blood Hunt, and then he dealt with the Moon Knight imposter who had taken up the mantle during his time away. Now that some of the dust has settled, Jed MacKay, Alessandro Cappuccio, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Cory Petit are getting back to the core of what’s made this run so special, and it all kicks off in Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1. Few teams are able to capture the core concepts of a character, let alone all of them, but this team has never struggled in that regard, and such is the case once again as a new era in the Moon Knight mythos begins. The Midnight Mission is back, and they haven’t lost a step. – Matthew Aguilar (Click here for full review)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Mystique #1
This series starts a little slow, following characters that aren’t necessarily vital to its plot. When Mystique and Nick Fury take over, though, this spy saga sings. Mystique is menacing and intriguing, while Fury acts the part of a foil trying to pull off the impossible with very little at his disposal. There’s a lot to be excited about in this series going forward.
– Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 4 out of 5

Spider-Man: Reign 2 #4
Reign 2 is trying to do entirely too much. There are far too many ideas at play here for any of them to find any solid footing. And this version of Peter just isn’t all that interesting, no matter how many interesting scenarios are thrust upon him. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 2 out of 5

Star Wars: The Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #2
The Star Wars comics have had some success filling in the gaps from the stories in the movies, but Insurgency Rising just isn’t nearly as strong as some of its predecessors. It’s nice to have more time with Leia, and getting some actual Zorii Bliss backstory is nice, but none of it is enough to hold the whole issue on its shoulders. On top of that, a lot of the character art is seriously lacking. There’s little consistency and it makes for a frustrating read. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 2 out of 5

The Spectacular Spider-Men #8
The Arcadium might have been defeated by Peter Parker and Miles Morales but the scars left by Arcade and Mentallo are still fresh. Routinely in superhero fare, readers don’t see much in the way of battles having psychological effects on the heroes themselves so Weismann takes an interesting position when it comes to your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Men. Ramos is replaced by Laiso and Genolet, who both do a fantastic job of sticking to the previous artist’s style and capturing the emotions of the Daily Grind’s patronage. Spectacular Spider-Men remains the best Spider-Man book on the market today and Weisman is leading Miles and Pete on an interesting, introspective journey that has some amazing superheroing along the way. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4.5 out of 5

Ultimate Spider-Man #10
Hickman is joined by guest artist David Messina for this latest issue of the Ultimate Spider-Man and truly highlights one of the best, lesser-discussed parts of this new take on the Wallcrawler. Jonah and Ben Parker are the new dynamic duo of the comic book scene and they are front and center here in a story that is intriguing and jam-packed despite not seeing Peter throw on his special suit once to fight crime. The back-and-forth dialogue between these old friends looking to crack a new case is infectious, and it’s quite the feat that Hickman can weave an issue where you find yourself enraptured by the story without any superheroics whatsoever. Ultimate Spider-Man #10 works as an excellent stand-alone issue that truly demonstrates the strength of the series’ concept and how this new universe is one worth sticking with. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4.5 out of 5

Uncanny X-Men #4
Uncanny X-Men remains the book to beat in the post-Krakoa era of Marvel’s mightiest mutants. To start, Sarah Gaunt is an interesting new villain to the X-mythos, along with her ties to Charles Xavier and what said ties mean for the current state of the X-Men. Writer Gail Simone has a lot of plates spinning at once but she makes the act of juggling said plates appear effortless. On top of Sarah, Rogue’s new team is still dealing with taking in new mutants to their “humble abode” and now that they’re being placed into the line of fire, the storyline is heating up in the best ways. I would be remiss if I also didn’t touch upon David Marquez’s amazing art here, capturing both emotional, quieter moments alongside hard-hitting ones that see Rogue trying to take down Charles’ evil-ex. Uncanny has a lot going for it and I’m anxious to see what else Simone has in store for this team because it’s tough to find many faults here. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4.5 out of 5

Wolverine #2
Wolverine’s new status in the post-Krakoa era is one that sounds good on paper, but in execution, there are more than a few holes in this boat. For a story that relies on Logan stories wherein he is fending off his Berserker rage in the wilds of Canada, the second issue is wildly introspective. Wolverine finds himself monologuing throughout the entirety of the issue, breaking a pivotal rule in “show, don’t tell”. What the creative team does here with the Wendigo, aka taking on a new approach to the hairy albino monster, is serviceable but it almost seems as though this new story abandons the seeds that were planted in the first issue. From this second issue, Wolverine’s story might be dealing with more problems than Department H. – Evan Valentine
Rating 2.5 out of 5

Image Comics

Destro #5
Destro’s mini-series comes to an end, offering an interesting characterization of the “iron monger” and how COBRA is the perfect fit for the world that he wants to forge. The Energon Universe is one that has been able to capitalize on the strongest aspects of its heroes and villains, while also weaving the lines of modernizing the approach of both GI Joe and the Transformers. Destro’s fight against COBRA’s most famous twins and his interactions with Cobra Commander works well here, setting the stage for the antithesis of GI Joe to fully take root. The mini-series conclusion also hints at the future of the comic book run as a whole, planting some interesting seeds for the crossover universe. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4 Out Of 5

Falling In Love On The Path To Hell #5
To put it simply, this issue is stunning — both as a progression of the series’ ambitious plot, and as a rumination on love. Gerry Duggan and Garry Brown’s script traverses realities and points in time with a satisfying ease, which is matched by Chris O’Halloran’s expressve and rustic art. This series continues to impress in so many ways. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Local Man #25
Local Man’s final (for now) issue is exactly the finale it deserves… and so much more. Jack’s status quo as a superhero and a man culminates in a matter that is surprising and heartfelt, both to its cast of characters and to the mere concept of Image’s superhero boom. Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs’ work on this series has been truly unparalleled, and as sad as I am that this chapter is over, I am absolutely looking forward to whatever their combined future holds. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 5 out of 5

Radiant Black #30
The Catalyst War’s thrilling conclusion is finally here, and unlike some of the previous issues, issues 30 and 30. 5 are really part 1 and part 2 of this story as opposed to alternate viewpoints that weave together. This story has been incredibly ambitious, and despite the challenges inherent with the sort of scale and number of layers to all this, Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark have found a way to navigate it relatively smoothly. Once the issue gets past the trials explanation it really hits high gear, bouncing from frenetic chaos on the battlefield to complex conversations about turning away from what you know with ease. Marcelo Costa, Eduardo Ferigato, Raul Angulo, and Rod Fernandes pivot with ease as well, and there’s a sense of scale in this issue and its companion that is absurdly impressive and never gets old. The action is intense and the stakes are high, and while some of the bigger concepts might be a tad difficult to get your head around sometimes, it’s a stellar penultimate issue.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

Radiant Black #30.5
If Radiant Black #30.5 was truly a swan song for the character, it would be one hell of a final note, but as it stands, it’s still one hell of a finale to one of the most ambitious events in comic memory. The Catalyst War has been built in a variety of ways and through multiple points of view along the way, and it all leads to one of the best issues in the series to date. Radiant Black #30. 5 delivers epic action and a wealth of fan service for those who have followed along and invested in the rich and ever-expanding Massive-Verse. Did you want to see a fan favorite? It’s likely they’re here, and even if they don’t get a huge amount of screen time, it’s amazing to see your favorites come together for a common cause, and all of them look fantastic thanks to the talents of Marcelo Costa and Eduardo Ferigato. Meanwhile, Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark bring it all back to Nathan and Marshall, and their story features some welcome twists and turns before coming to a satisfying and rewarding conclusion. This isn’t the end of Radiant Black, but it does feel like the end of an era in that story, and that era landed the plane brilliantly – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

The Department of Truth #26
The Department of Truth #26 takes a detour in the vortex of fiction, rumor, and reality that surrounds Marilyn Monroe. Guest artist Alison Sampson and colorist Jordie Bellaire show stunning skill and versatility in making the reader feel unmoored in Monroe’s presence, as does the agent who visits her. Repeating panels used as background draw on Munroe’s film presence while making her seem to pop out of the page. The facial expressions in the artwork convey a wild swinging between a joyfully innocent woman and one who is entirely capable of seducing a president. Gilded colors drive home the opulence of the persona’s existence. It’s a gorgeous comic that is at times unnerving for its unrestrained beauty.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ultramega #6
There’s no arguing with James Harren’s artwork. The introduction of the Ultramega planet into this series’ mythos has provided him an opportunity to channel more of that big, epic energy that he infused its debut issue while continuing to draw smaller scale but not less effectively kinetic action on Earth and weird little guys like the walking taking giant severed head that is our main character’s father. Unfortunately, the plot still feels scattered and unfocused, leaving little to hang all this wonderful artwork on. There are hints that these varied plot threads may soon coalesce into a tighter narrative. Until then, it’s mostly a fun ride with some incredible scenery. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Witchblade #4
The new Witchblade series remains a surprisingly fun read, one where the reinvention of the character and its mythology has not only taken on a more modern storytelling sensibility but one that seems to actually care about where it’s headed. Scribe Marguerite Bennett is planting seeds in each issue that make picking up the next a necessity and this one is no different while series artist Giuseppe Cafaro delivers amazing panel design that functions as both character work and pushes the story forward. Don’t sleep on the new Witchblade, it’s surprising in many ways. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Other Publishers

Epitaphs From The Abyss #4
Epitaphs from the Abyss #4 might be the most chilling issue yet, this time with three stories that actually deliver unsettling scares. With stories that take on paranormal/monster streamers and their need to exploit lore for content, toxic marriage, and influencer and wellness fads, this trio of stories goes in some very dark directions. The real standout is Amy Roy & Claire Roe’s “The Perfect Pearl” but really, the whole issue is solid.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

Grim #20
A pivotal new issue in Grim arrives with series scribe Stephanie Phillips delivering a story that’s equal parts sexy and mysterious while also totally unique. Flaviano’s artwork manages to channel both of these descriptors throughout its pages while also making some of the dialogue punchlines land even harder with some hilarious panels. Series color artist Rico Renzi elevates the entire piece though, capturing the specific moods of each moment and the bizarre otherworldly lands on each page. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 5 out of 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #3
The Last Ronin II has been a slow burn, focused more on establishing this new generation of turtles as characters, and their superpowers, than on the plot transpiring mostly in the background, and that remains true through most of the series’ third issue. That this story’s villain is still barely present is in stark contrast to the first Last Ronin story, which was laser-focused on Michelangelo’s vendetta against Oroku Hiroto. That said, The Last Ronin II #3 remains an entertaining read. All that focus on the new characters has laid off in giving them distinct personalities to playfully bounce off of one another. There are some other beats here that play with the idea of the TMNT story cycle repeating itself, and seeing Kevin Eastman draw a couple of pages of old-school Turtles but through the filter of what is essentially urban legend is a delight. By the end, the story reaches a point i no return that seems likely to ramp up the tension and pace as the series continues. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Exorcism At 1600 Penn #1
May’s dialogue can be offputting at times (the phrases “chicken tendies,” “trending number one on TikTok,” and “liked by The Rock” appearing in quick succession may have some readers wanting to tap out early on), but weaves an intriguing tale of family drama against a backdrop both political and supernatural. Del Rey’s layouts, particularly over two pages, are sometimes flashy to the point of distracting from the scenes they are meant to frame. However, with Bellaire’s moody colors, her artwork makes the White House seem possessed and conveys the fracturing of a family. Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering drives home key character moments, using irregular speech bubbles conveying crucial changes in voice (though some additional variation may have helped distinguish one vocal alteration from another). While those flaws are present, The Exorcism at Penn 1600 #1 is an impressive debut that draws readers in slowly but will likely have them fully enthralled by the final page-turn. – Jamie Lovett (Click here for full review)
Rating: 4 out of 5

The post Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 10/16/2024 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

On Tuesday, DC announced a new deal with GlobalComix, a digital platform that aims to optimize digital comics for mobile devices. Through use of vertical scroll, a format that makes comics feel more like a social media feed, the platform aims to change the face of digital comics in the United States, bringing them more into line with a webtoon-style presentation. The deal, which launched immediately, currently features around 400 titles from DC’s library. This, along with a just-announced line of all-ages comics and vertically-remastered titles for DC Universe Infinite, suggests a shift in DC’s approach to digital comics.

For years, DC worked exclusively with ComiXology, now owned by Amazon. ComiXology’s de facto monopoly on American digital comics has been in doubt since Amazon folded the ComiXology app into Kindle, drawing backlash from longtime customers. GlobalComix executive Christopher Carter recently appeared at an ICv2 event extolling the virtures of vertical scrolling for comics.

The GlobalComix titles available will include best-sellers and stories featuring A-list names like Batman, The Joker, and Doom Patrol, according to Wired. There will also be a number of free-to-try titles.

The initial crop of original DC GO! titles will include Harley Quinn in Paradise from writer CRC Payne (Batman: Wayne Family Adventures) and artists Siobhan Chiffon and Cathy Le (Archie Comics: Big Ethel Energy), Nothing Butt Nightwing by writer Patrick R. Young (Red Hood: Outlaws) and artist Moy R. Marco (West Coast Avengers), and Renaissance of Raven by writer Sina Grace (Superman: The Harvests of Youth) and artists Nico Bascuñan (Red Hood: Outlaws), Katherine Lobo (The Vampire Slayer), and Carola Borelli (Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic). Sneak peeks of both Harley Quinn in Paradise and Nothing Butt Nightwing are currently available to read on DC Universe.

“The legacy American comic publishers seem to have reached the limits of new customer acquisition through media,” says Milton Griepp, publisher of ICv2. He told Wired that verticals scroll comics “are bringing in tens of millions of new, mostly younger readers worldwide.”

That’s a valuable market, considering how much the American comics audience seems to be aging. Since the full-time transition to direct market comics sales and the death of newsstand comics, it’s a lot harder for casual fans to find comics. You have to be heading into the comic shop already to discover a new title, which makes building

“The mobile reading experience on a phone is just better with vertical scroll,” GlobalComix co-founder and CEO Christopher Carter told Wired.

The post Classic DC Comics Are Coming a New Digital Platform With a Webtoon Twist appeared first on ComicBook.com.

McFarlane Toys is stepping up their game for the week of New York Comic-Con 2024 with a ton of new releases in the DC Multiverse lineup. One of the hottest items will undoubtedly be the Batmobile vehicle from the Batman Beyond animated series. It will be available with and with out the Batman Beyond figure, but if you want the set you’ll need to be ready and waiting starting at 9am PT / 12pm ET here at Walmart where the Gold Label edition will launch as part of their Collector Con event. It will be priced at $99. You’ll find additional McFarlane Toys exclusives for Collector Con right here.

The Batmobile vehicle will feature lights and sound along with adjustable wings. The 7-inch scale Batman Beyond figure will include extra hands and collectible art card. We expect this version to sell out quickly, which will leave you with the standard vehicle-only version that’s exclusive to Amazon.. As noted, McFarlane Toys has a lot of DC Multiverse figures on tap for NYCC week. A breakdown of the hottest items can be found below.

McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Collector Edition Wave 8 Figures:

Pre-orders for DC Multiverse Collector Edition wave will launch on October 17th at 9am PT / 12pm ET here at Entertainment Earth (free US shipping on orders $99+, flat $7.95 shipping on everything else) and here on Amazon. The only exceptions will be the Lightning Lad and Darkseid Throne figures which will be Walmart Exclusives as part of their NYCC 2024-adjacent Collector Con event. We suggest going after the Christopher Reeve Superman figure first.

• DC Muiltiverse McFarlane Collector Edition Green Lantern (Simon Baz) #26
• DC McFarlane Collector Edition Grid (Forever Evil) #29
• DC McFarlane Collector Edition Mr. Terrific (JSA) #27
• DC McFarlane Collector Edition Lightning Lad #28 – Walmart Exclusive
• Darkseid with Armor and Throne Gold Label – Walmart Exclusive
• DC McFarlane Collector Edition Superman (Superman: The Movie) #25

McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Wave Figures:

The Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice wave will be available on October 18th at 9am PT / 12pm ET here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon unless otherwise noted.

• DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Armored Suit Batman
• DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Knightmare Batman
• DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Knightmare Batman and Armored Suit Batman 2-Pack – Walmart Exclusive
• DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Wonder Woman
• DC Multiverse Batman V Superman Doomsday Megafig and Superman 2-Pack

The post McFarlane Toys Batman Beyond Batmobile Pre-Orders Drop October 17th appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every partnership has an origin and that’s especially true for DC’s dynamic duo of Batman and Robin. While the partnership between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson as Batman and Robin has been a core aspect of DC through various stories for decades, it’s an iconic partnership that is more than just crimefighting. It’s a father and son story as well and when it comes to Batman and Robin: Year One #1, that is exactly what we get. Written by Mark Waid with art by Chris Samnee, Batman and Robin: Year One #1 takes readers back to the earliest days of the duo’s collaboration offering a glimpse at not only the challenges the pair face out on the streets of Gotham as they figure out how to work together, but what parenting looks like for Bruce. And while there are a few small matters of tone that might not hit exactly true for every reader, it’s a strong first issue that not only sets up a classic comic adventure but gives a heartfelt look at one of comic’s most iconic team ups.

In Batman and Robin: Year One #1, we enter the story mere weeks after the death of Dick’s parents and his being adopted by Bruce Wayne. Straight out of the gate, however, it’s clear that everyone is in a little bit over their head as Bruce has no experience parenting, Alfred isn’t too sure about the situation, and even Dick isn’t exactly in a stable place with the young aerialist ready to jump straight into crimefighting, potentially with not quite enough preparedness to truly do so. Suiting up, the two soon find themselves dealing with Two Face and the revelation of a larger threat — as well as the dynamics of working together. Straight out of the gate, this is a charming issue. Visually, the book has a vintage, almost retro vibe that not only fits the “Year One” feeling, but also helps to drive home the inexperience of the characters — Dick’s inexperience as a crimefighter and Bruce’s as a parent figure both in and out of the suit. Samnee’s art is crips and makes excellent use of lines, conveying sweeping action even in the smallest panels. Matheus Lopes’ colors are also fantastic, fitting nicely with the vintage feel.

In terms of overall story, Waid also does a great job of things with this adventure. We don’t waste a lot of time digging into how Dick ended up with Bruce or what their earliest weeks were like, but we move swiftly into an actual proof of concept of sorts, when Bruce takes Dick out as Robin, hoping to show him the ropes as the young hero’s training continues. The dynamic Waid gives the characters as Batman and Robin feels authentic and is at times even fun as we see an exuberance from Dick and perhaps a bit of unexpected anxiety from Bruce as the surrogate father watching his child do things without training wheels, as it were. The issue, however, is that some of the tone doesn’t quite fit with some of the words on the page. We’re told in text that Dick “smolders with rage” but what we’re shown doesn’t match that. Instead, Dick is quippy and funny, eager (perhaps too eager) to head into the field and prove himself. It’s an excellent portrayal of a kid playing at vigilante, but it feels wildly out of sync with what we’re being told about the character.

That said, while there is that tonal dissonance, it doesn’t detract from the comic overall. We get a bit more into Batman’s — and really, more Bruce than Batman — head when it comes to bringing Dick into this world. The issue also does a good job of bringing its lighter tone back to reality with the final page introducing the larger, looming threat that is coming for Batman and Robin. It’s a rather grim turn, but it’s effective — and serves as an excellent hook for the next issue. It goes a long way to tying things together and bringing readers back to center by reminding that while we’re dealing with a. young hero just starting out, this is still Gotham and the threats are still very, very real.

Overall, Batman and Robin: Year One is a solid read. While there is a little bit of an issue with tone at points, the story does a good job of offering a fresh take on the early dynamic of, well, DC’s dynamic duo. By centering things on the idea of Bruce as a parent just as much as a hero, Waid and Samnee have created a story that is interesting and unique, but still offers the promise of a classic Batman and Robin adventure.

Published by DC

On October 16, 2024

Written by Mark Waid

Art by Chris Samnee

Colors by Matheus Lopes

Letters by Clayton Cowles

Cover by Samnee and Lopes

The post Batman and Robin: Year One #1 Review: A Dynamic Take on the Iconic Duo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Like its titular character, DC and HBO’s The Penguin has played on viewers’ initial underestimation of a spinoff TV series centered around The Penguin character. The Batman director Matt Reeves, showrunner Lauren LeFranc, and a talented team of writers, directors, and actors have arguably delivered DC’s first prestige-level live-action TV show – one that’s directly connected to a major movie franchise (The Batman). At the time of writing this, The Penguin has aired four of its eight episodes, and even now, at the halfway point, there’s already talk of the show and its cast being locked for 2025 Emmy Awards.

However, now that Emmys are looking more and more like a realistic possibility for The Penguin, those awards hopes could have a direct influence on another big question looming over the series: will it continue?

The Penguin star Colin Farrell has been hesitant to commit to another whole season playing Oswald “Oz” Cobb/Penguin; the actor is already slated to return for Reeves’ sequel film, The Batman: Part II, but beyond that his future in the franchise is unclear. But as far as HBO, Warner Bros., and DC Studios are concerned, announcing a second season of The Penguin may be a key strategy.

Earlier this year, another breakout hit TV series – Disney and FX’s Shōgun – found itself in almost the same place as The Penguin: not that much hype initially, before exploding into a critical darling and trending consistently, as fans drummed up support for awards acclaim to follow for the actors, crew, and show itself. Like Penguin, Shōgun was first presented as a “limited series”; however, once the show became a big hit, and Emmys entered the discussion, the studios had a pivotal decision to make.

Being a limited series left Shōgun facing the actual limitation of only qualifying in the smaller range of Emmys categories set aside for limited series; Disney and FX were hoping for the series to be a much larger Emmys darling, which could only happen if it was an ongoing series. Despite Shōgun being based on a single novel by author James Clavell, FX announced (before the Emmys) that Shōgun would be returning for Seasons 2 and 3, with series star and executive producer Hiroyuki Sanada already signed on to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. That change in show format worked as masterfully as one of Toranaga political schemes: Shōgun walked away as a big winner at the 2024 Emmy Awards, with 18 nominations, resulting in a win of four Emmys at the Primetime Awards (including the biggest categories of “Oustanding Drama Series,” Outstanding Lead Actor in A Drama Series” (Sanada), “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” (Anna Sawai), and “Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series”), as well as fourteen additional award wins at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (in major production and technical categories).

It seems that the Shōgun just blazed the kind of path that The Penguin should follow. It’s looking like DC Studios and HBO (as well as HBO’s Max streaming platform) finally have their first piece of prestige-level comic book TV content since HBO’s Watchmen. Watchmen stuck to its guns as being a limited series – and cleaned up in both the major categories for limited series and the creative ones, as the 2020 Emmys. HBO knows better than anyone what the gap is between the perception of limited series wins and major category wins; there’s also the fact that Farrell’s Penguin is already part of an ongoing story with The Batman: Part II on the way.

Keeping The Penguin set as a single-season limited series seems like the kind of wasted opportunity for greater glory that Penguin himself would be furious about. There’s still skepticism about whether we’ll see Shōgun push forward into additional seasons, or if the cast and crew fade away into new projects towing their Emmy wins, while those promised new seasons fade into development limbo. DC and Warner Bros. are in an even better position to “tease” another season of Penguin early next year, run an Emmys campaign in all the major categories, and later revise those plans under the excuse of The Batman 2 or larger The Batman Universe changing course. It’s the kind of hustle Oz Cobb would run, and a power move fans would (enthusiastically) support.

The Penguin airs new episodes Sunday nights on HBO and streams on Max.

The post Will The Penguin Get Season 2? Why The Series’ Emmys Hopes May Depend On It appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While the cast and crew of Superman & Lois have started into the final season frustrated by the nature of its conclusion — the series is ending several seasons earlier than producers had hoped — they have been trying to make the best out of a disappointing situation. The shortened, final season will see a number of supporting characters downgraded from recurring to special guest stars, but it also adapts the Death and Return of Superman, one of the most popular DC stories of the last 40 years.

If you’re on Instagram when James Gunn, the DC Studios co-chief and director of the upcoming Superman feature film starring David Corenswet, posts, you’ll probably notice that there aren’t many accounts interacting as enthusiastically with Gunn as Bitsie Tulloch. The Grimm actress plays Lois Lane on Superman & Lois, and it’s obvious that despite the frustration with how things have gone, she’s a fan of Gunn’s, and of Superman and Lois.

“We were literally told it would probably be at least seven seasons,” Tulloch said. “We were all, we’re just kind of getting settled — literally settled into Vancouver; my daughter was in school there! — but life happens, just like it does to Lois and Clark. I sort of know James Gunn and Peter Safran, and they’re both wonderful, and I am grateful that we had a fourth season to wrap things up for the fans.”

“That wasn’t just a given; I don’t take that for granted,” Tulloch added. “I think that the cast and the crew and the writers really came together. There were a lot of obstacles this season, with these big budget cuts and not having as much of the cast available to us as we had in the past, and shooting far fewer days than we had in the past. So having to do really make the show look like what it has looked like the previous three seasons, but in seven or eight days instead of ten or eleven, was very hard. I’m really proud of everybody’s work.”

Even though she’s excited to see what Gunn has in store, and proud of the final season, Tulloch struggled to hide her disappointment, and admitted that she understands why fans are feeling the same way.

“I understand why the fans are disappointed,” Tulloch admitted. “I’m disappointed, too, that we’re not going longer. But I have a lot of respect for Peter Safran and James Gunn, and I trust that whatever vision they have for DC is going to be great. I really do. I think James Gunn is an extraordinary director. I hope to work with him one day. And as a human being, I’ve met him and he’s extremely kind. And the same goes for Peter. I know him too. Very kind, very smart.”

Based on those comments, it sounds like DC Studios was involved with the decision to close down Superman & Lois. That has been a persistent rumor since the show’s end was announced — after all, that’s exactly the kind of thing DC used to do when Arrow and The Flash were using characters or stories that somebody wanted for a movie — but the mass budget cuts and cancellations at CW muddies the waters a little as to exactly who made the final call.

Going back to the fandom, Tulloch said that she’s grateful for the love that the show has received.

“People really have their favorites — their favorite Lois Lane and their favorite Clark Kent — and we were so warmly received,” Tulloch said. “I think part of why is, you could see the love that we had for these characters. I was just asked in an interview what I’m proudest of. I said, probably just the amount of respect I had for the character. I went into it knowing, this is a very beloved, iconic character in the comic books — and also live, live action. People love Margot Kidder or whatnot — so I have to really understand and respect why that love is so intense and bring it.”

New episodes of Superman & Lois air on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CW Network. Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.

The post Superman & Lois Star Praises Superman Director James Gunn appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn and DC’s Creature Commandos animated series are planning a special presentation at New York Comic Con. The pop culture event of the fall takes place this week, and the promotion and marketing machines have started to ramp up. The Max original adult-animated series debuts in December, but Gunn and DC Studios want to give fans a little taste of what to expect from Creature Commandos. Now you may be asking what form will that take? Well, you’ll have to be one of the attendees at New York Comic Con to find out.

“To those attending #NYCC, your assignment is to report to Belle Reve. Your new prison inmates will be there to greet you, and if you step out of line, you’ll have to answer to the #CreatureCommandos. Follow protocol, and you will be rewarded with exclusive gear,” James Gunn wrote on social media. “From DC Studios, the new Max Original Series Creature Commandos premieres December 5th, exclusively on Max.”

Posters featuring the series’ key art will no longer be distributed, with the debut of the key art being withheld for the time being. Instead, the first 100 visitors will receive military-style canteens, along with character-themed dog tas as exclusive swag while supplies last. There will most likely be other products displayed in the Creature Commandos section at NYCC.

Creature Commandos star on DC variant covers

The stars of Creature Commandos are being highlighted on a set of variant covers from DC. As part of DC’s November 2024 solicitations, the publisher revealed that there will be four Creature Commandos variant covers, which will be gracing that month’s issues of Action Comics #1076, Batman and Robin #15, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #33, and Superman #20. This is in addition to the DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos title, which is being written by The Suicide Squad star David Dastmalchian.

This is the latest look at Creature Commandos to be revealed via DC variant covers, with a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive reprint of Creature Commandos #1 featuring a new piece of key art from the series. 

What is Creature Commandos about?

Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option.

The show stars Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.

Creature Commandos is written and executive produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer. The series premieres Thursday, December 5th on Max.

The post DC’s Creature Commandos Belle Reeve Experience Announced for NYCC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

McFarlane Toys just delivered a new wave of action figures inspired by The New Batman Adventures animated series, and this collection has some pretty cool additions with Firefly, Creeper, and Anti-Fire Suit Batman. Each figure comes with a reproduction animation cell and an art frame. Bruce Timm’s art style is iconic part of DC’s animated series and it’s awesome to see that recognized in in the TNBA collection. Take a look below to see the details. 

• DC The New Batman Adventures Wave 3 Batman Anti-Fire Suit 6-Inch Scale Action Figure: Animated Batman is back! This figure includes “a figure base, 6x extra hands, reproduction animation cel, and an art frame.” / $24.99 / See here at Entertainment Earth / See here at Amazon
• DC The New Batman Adventures Wave 3 Creeper 6-Inch Scale Action Figure: Even the Joker was afraid of this guy! Creeper includes the same accessories as above, only with 4x extra hands / $24.99 / See here at Entertainment Earth / See here at Amazon
• DC The New Batman Adventures Wave 3 Firefly 6-Inch Scale Action Figure: The pyrotechnics expert includes the above and 6x extra hands / $24.99 / See here at Entertainment Earth / See here at Amazon 
• DC The New Batman Adventures Wave 3 6-Inch Scale Action Figure Case of 6 / $149.99 / See here at Entertainment Earth 
• Note that U.S. shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders over $99, and there’s a flat $7.95 shipping fee on all orders below that threshold. All orders include a mint condition guarantee.

More Batman Collectibles 

If you’re looking to grow your Batman collection, then we’ve got another item that’s up for pre-order right now! The Batman 1989 5 Points Action Figure Set of 3 from Mezco Toyz is priced at $59.99 and includes three classic figures from the original Tim Burton film. The Batmobile is sold separately here at Entertainment Earth for $49.99. You can check out accessories for Batman, Joker, and Joker Good 5 Points figures below,

• One (1) Batman head portrait
• Four (4) Batman arms: One (1) pair of regular arms (L&R), One (1) pair of arms with weapon holding hands (L&R)
• One (1) batarang
• One (1) speargun
• Two (2) Joker head portraits
• Four (4) Joker arms: One (1) pair of regular arms (L&R), One (1) arm with cane holding hand (L), One (1) arm with megaphone holding hand (R)
• One (1) cane
• One (1) megaphone
• Two (2) Goon head portraits
• Four (4) Goon arms: One (1) pair of regular arms (L&R), One (1) pair of arms with weapon holding hands (L&R)
• Two (2) swords
• One (1) knife
• One (1) camera

The post McFarlane Toys Launches The New Batman Adventures Wave 3 Figures appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The world is a stage, but Joker and Harley are ending their exclusive theatrical run earlier than expected. The Joker 2 digital release date has been set for October after the jukebox musical, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker and Lady Gaga as Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, bombed at the box office following a sub-$40 million opening weekend and an 81 percent plunge in its second weekend — the worst drop ever for a comic book movie. Along with its domestic cume of $52 million, Todd Phillips’ Joker sequel stands at a global gross of $165 million and is projected to end its run with a worldwide total of $210 million.

Below, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about when and where to watch Joker: Folie à Deux at home, and when you might be able to stream Joker 2 on Max.

Joker 2 Digital Release Date

You can buy Joker: Folie à Deux on digital UHD (priced $24.99) on PVOD (premium video on demand) platforms like Amazon’s Prime Video, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), and Apple TV starting October 29 — just 25 days after the movie opened in theaters.

Joker 2 Streaming Date

Warner Bros. hasn’t announced when you can stream Joker 2 on Max, and the movie isn’t listed among the titles that are new on Max in October 2024.

However, two other 2024 movies distributed by Warner Bros. that bombed at the box office — Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Watchers — arrived on Max 84 days after hitting theaters, suggesting Joker 2 could debut on the service on Friday, December 27.

Where Can I Watch Joker 1 Online?

You can stream Joker (2019) on Max (subscription required), TNT, and TBS. You can also rent ($3.99) or buy ($7.99) Joker on digital download via Apple TV+, Prime Video, and the Microsoft Store.

The Joker Movie Bundle

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s digital version will be bundled with 2019’s Joker in the Joker 2-Movie Collection on Fandango at Home ($49.99). That’s not all, folks: the Fandango bundle includes an exclusive collectible poster paying homage to the Looney Tunes-inspired cartoon that opens the sequel. The poster is a limited edition of 5,000 and is sized 27″ x 39″.

When Does Joker 2 Come Out on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD?

You can own Joker 2 on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD starting December 17. Warner Bros. will also release a Joker: Folie à Deux limited edition steelbook, which includes the 4K UHD version of the movie, a Blu-ray disc, and digital code. You can pre-order the Joker 2 Blu-ray here on Amazon and the Joker 2 steelbook here on Amazon.

Is Joker 2 a Musical?

Joker: Folie à Deux is a jukebox musical and features musical sequences performed by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.

How Many Songs Are in Joker 2?

Here’s the official Joker: Folie à Deux soundtrack listing:

"Slap That Bass"/"Get Happy"/"What the World Needs Now Is Love" – Nick Cave (3:16)
"For Once in My Life" – Joaquin Phoenix (2:49)
"If My Friends Could See Me Now" – Lady Gaga & Joaquin Phoenix (3:12)
"Folie à Deux" – Lady Gaga (1:44)
"Bewitched" – Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga (2:59)
"That's Entertainment" – Lady Gaga (1:41)
"When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)" – Joaquin Phoenix (1:46)
"To Love Somebody" – Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga (1:50)
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" – Lady Gaga & Joaquin Phoenix (2:49)
"The Joker" – Joaquin Phoenix (3:41)
"Gonna Build a Mountain" – Lady Gaga & Joaquin Phoenix (3:18)
"I've Got the World on a String" – Lady Gaga (2:06)
"If You Go Away" – Joaquin Phoenix (3:19)
"Gonna Build a Mountain" (Reprise) – Joaquin Phoenix (1:53)
"That's Life" – Lady Gaga (3:03)
"True Love Will Find You in the End" – Joaquin Phoenix (2:02)

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DC Studios co-head James Gunn is making the case clear for the studio’s approach to the DC Universe: namely, that plans for some projects – even ones that have already been announced – may get revised or canceled altogether. In a new post on Threads, Gunn wanted to clarify a report on some of his comments about the DC Universe slate. When one outlet posted a report titled “James Gunn Assures Every Announced DCU Project Is Still Coming Despite Lack of Updates“, Gunn responded by “clarifying” some keywords in that title:

“Just to clarify, I said everything we originally announced was still in development not that it’s still coming,” Gunn wrote in his post, adding, “That all depends on the scripts! We’ll never put a half-assed script in production just because it was announced.”

The current slate of DC Studios projects that are actively in development or production (with firm release date windows) includes:

• Creature Commandos Animated Series (Dec 2024)
• Superman movie (July 2025)
• Peacemaker Season 2 (2025)
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (June 2026)
• The Batman: Part II (October 2026)

For anyone who was around for the initial launch of the DC Studios imprint and the big reveal of its first slate, that list above is probably looking pretty sparse. Some of that is easily explained: we know that the Amanda Waller TV series has a creative team (showrunners/writers Christal Henry and Jeremy Carver), but won’t be released until after the events of Peacemaker Season 2 are revealed; that’s easily a case where plans could shift and change, based on any number of factors (Viola Davis’s availability, fan interest, Peacemaker S2’s performance, etc.). The same can be said of the Swamp Thing movie being developed by James Mangold: Mangold has a DC movie and a Star Wars movie on his plate, with both projects on unclear timelines of development.

Less certain are films like The Authority (which is rumored to be getting a speedy production as a followup to Superman (2025) – or the Batman reboot The Brave and the Bold (which has The Flash director Andy Muschietti attached, but little else). A Teen Titans movie has also been announced; the Wonder Woman prequel Paradise Lost is still in development, HBO’s Lanterns TV series is speeding down the pipeline – but who knows where the Booster Gold TV series is?

In terms of generating massive hype, acclaim, ratings, and box office returns, some of these DCU projects (Superman, Batman, Green Lanterns) will be more crucial to the franchise than others (Paradise Lost, Booster Gold, Swamp Thing, Waller). The fact that priorities and focuses could shift or change with time and (of course) the response to various pieces of content. The fact that Gunn and Peter Safran are already staying somewhat limber, ready to pivot, means they are wisely benefitting from realities of the industry that Marvel Studios had to learn the hard way (see: Phases 2 and 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

The DCU kicks off with Creature Commandos streaming on Max starting on December 5th.

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A dog is a Man of Steel’s best friend. Director James Gunn on Tuesday shared the first official look at Krypto the Superdog in 2025’s Superman movie, showing Kal-El’s canine companion on the moon alongside David Corenswet’s Superman. The Super-Pet — who is inspired by Gunn’s rescued dog, Ozu — appears to be a photo-realistic CGI creation from the Oscar-nominated visual effects team behind Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which brought to life furred friends like Rocket Raccoon and talking dog Cosmo.

See the first look at Superman‘s Krypto in the image below.

“Krypto arrives on screens in Superman this summer,” the DC Studios co-chief and CEO wrote on social media. “Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman. Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs and never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He immediately came in and destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture — he even ate my laptop. It took a long time before he would even let us touch him.”

“I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?’ – and thus Krypto came into the script and changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life,” Gunn continued. “What better time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto than #AdoptAShelterDog Month. Btw, Ozu today, is, fairly often, a very good boy.”

Gunn hinted at Krypto’s role in Superman last year when he tweeted an image of the “S” cape-clad art department mascot dog Nora, along with images of comic books that inspired Gunn’s Superman movie (previously titled Superman: Legacy). They included 2011’s Superman issue #712, titled “Lost Boy: A Tale of Krypto the Superdog,” and Krypto’s first appearance in 1955’s Adventure Comics #210, which introduced “the superdog of Krypton” as Superboy’s super-powered pet dog.

The Kryptonian canine became a recurring character in issues of Adventure Comics and Superboy, and went on to serve as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Pets — the animal branch of the Legion of Super-Heroes — alongside other super-powered animal sidekicks like Supergirl’s Comet the Super-Horse and Beppo the Super-Monkey. Krypto starred in the animated series Krypto the Superdog and the CG-animated feature film DC League of Super-Pets, and made his live-action debut in a second season episode of the DC Universe/HBO Max series Titans.

Superman — starring David Corenswet as Kal-El/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor — flies into theaters July 11, 2025.

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Last night on Superman & Lois, fans got a pretty clear idea of how and when Superman will return from the dead. The methodology, though, raises a few red flags. We’ll hold off on specifics for a couple of paragraphs, but be aware there’s spoilers ahead for the latest episode of Superman & Lois, and those spoilers are interesting not just in the context of the TV show but also in terms of viewing the whole “Death and Return of Superman” storyline on TV as compared to the comics.

Over the course of the first two episodes, fans learned that Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) had instructed Doomsday not only to kill Superman, but to take his heart as well. Whatever he had planned for the heart didn’t amount to much, as he chose to destroy it when Jordan (Alexander Garfin) tried to recover it.

In last night’s episode, after injecting himself with a serum derived from Superman’s blood, General Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh) died at Doomsday’s hand and instructed John Henry Irons to make sure his heart was donated to Superman, so that the hero could be revived at the Fortress of Solitude.

“I think the way he comes back is really interesting because all of the sudden he has a 60-something-year-old man’s heart — and a human heart — that he’s working with,” series star Bitsie Tulloch told ComicBook. “So, it is a different person whose powers are…we don’t know what it’s going to look like [yet].”

That sounds a bit ominous — and could hint at a bigger issue for the character…like maybe that his powers are either not working, or depleted.

In the original comic book story, Superman had no powers after he returned from the dead. His body had been referred to as something of a solar battery, which stored up energy that he could use over time, allowing the sun-powered hero to function in space, or during extended periods without sunlight. The hours-long, brutal battle with Doomsday depleted the “battery,” leaving him drained.

In the comics, the revived Superman spent some time in a black “regeneration suit” — first at the Fortress, and later in North America — that helped him process solar energy and healed his injuries. He was restored to full power after being blasted by a powerful bolt of Kryptonite, which had been filtered through the powers of the Eradicator.

Don’t expect that to happen this time around, though; executive producers Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher have admitted they didn’t have the time or budget to do the whole Reign of the Supermen! storyline.

“We did talk about that,” Helbing told ComicBook. “That came up a lot and, and clearly everybody saw what was being built [over the course of the series]. It was just so tricky this year, with schedules, and money, and blah, blah, blah. There was no way we were going to be able to, to do that, but we think we have a worthy substitute.”

Tulloch did promise that Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Jonathan Kent (Michael Bishop), and Jordan would get at least one big fight together — something that suggests not only will Clark have at least some powers in the back half of the season, but also, she said, fulfills something the writers have been waiting for all along.

Superman & Lois airs on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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Spoilers ahead for tonight’s episode of Superman & Lois.

The final season of Superman & Lois kicked off last week and, as almost everyone had expected, it began with the death of Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) in his battle with Doomsday. There were a handful of unexpected twists, including the fact that Doomsday survived the battle (in other adaptations, as in the comics, the two die at the same moment), and the fact that Doomsday, more sentient in the show than he usually is, had been instructed to rip out Superman’s heart after the Man of Steel was dead.

In the second episode of the season, Superman’s son Jordan (Alexander Garfin) tried to recover the heart, but instead Luthor destroyed it. That leaves us off in a pretty bleak place at the start of this week’s episode.

With Superman’s body in stasis at the Fortress of Solitude, the question became how to get him a heart — especially given that Kryptonian hearts aren’t the same physiologically as human hearts. That’s where things get a little dicey.

Without Superman, the world has been left without its protector, and so has Lois and her family. Nobody is feeling it more acutely than General Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh), whose job it is to hold down the fort at the Department of Defense while also worrying about his daughter and grandkids.

In the spirit of that, Lane acquired a serum — the same one used to revive Bizarro last season, before Lex turned the latter into Doomsday. It wasn’t clear at first what his plans were for the serum, but when one of Luthor’s goons shot Sam and he was about to bleed out. That’s when he confided in John Henry Irons (Wole Parks) about his plan.

Not long after, Lane — still bleeding — emerged from the DOD building as Lex Luthor sent Doomsday after him. Lane willingly walked right up to Doomsday and allowed himself to die. Why? Well, the serum — laced with a little of Superman’s blood — had been running through Sam’s veins at the time, and the hope was that his heart could be used to give Clark a transplant.

That kind of heroism among the everyday people — from Lois and Lana to John Henry and Nat — is a key focus of the episode, culminating in General Lane’s sacrifice in the final moments.

“You have Superman in the show, and nobody’s going to be able to compete with him on that level,” explained showrunner Todd Helbing. “In order to make everybody else become their own version of a hero, you have to put them through the wringer. There’s a couple of things that we’re trying to do is to show the audience that all of our characters are going through their own journey. They all have their own hurdles they had to jump, and it’s how they respond to those challenges that makes somebody heroic or not.”

He added, “I think in the last season, the death of Superman really is going to highlight all those characteristics from the rest of our characters.”

Tonight’s episode, “Always My Hero,” opens with Lois giving a eulogy that the audience is meant to assume is for Clark. After the episode ends, it cuts back, and the eulogy is actually for her father. It’s a powerful moment, and yet another emotionally taxing episode for series star Bitsie Tulloch, who seems to have spent the first three episodes crying her body weight out.

“When they outlined a little bit of what was going to happen — because season three was incredibly emotionally intense with the cancer stuff — and then when they said, ‘Superman’s going to die in one, and your dad dies in three,’ I was like, ‘Guys! Again?'” Tulloch joked. “And it was crazy intense because they had said, ‘You’re going to be there when your dad dies.’ And that scene in particular…for me, as an actor, that scene int he parking lot at the DoD with Doomsday and my father was just pure anguish, truly.”

Luckily, the episode was directed by David Giuntoli, Tulloch’s husband, who could work with her to capture the best performance and minimize the trauma she has been putting herself through.

“David could tell that I was ready to go, and he was like, ‘Do you want me to start close and just see what happens and what you do naturally?'” Tulloch explained. “It wasn’t so much that we had to block and I had to hit the mark. We had a certain amount of blocking at the beginning, and then once she sees him die, I was given freedom to react. I almost threw up the first time. I actually gagged while I was crying and screaming, i was gagging, and I was thinking, ‘I’m going to puke.’ As an actor, you really pray for those moments that you’re so in character, you have no idea what’s going on.”

She said she had a similar experience on the the 2013 movie Parkland (which also starred Smallville‘s Tom Welling), when she played a John F. Kennedy superfan who was yards away from the President when he was shot, saying that the scene is still with her more than a decade later.

“That scene int he parking lot with Dylan was really trying,” Tulloch said. “And then of course, it’s film, you do it over and over and over again, and I try to be a generous actor, so when they turn around and they’re getting Dylan’s stuff, it’s like, keep it up. By the time you go home, you’re just so depleted, and you feel like a shell of a human being, but my job is to bring it as much as I’m capable, and so that’s what I was trying to do.”

New episodes of Superman & Lois air on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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Betelgeuse just won’t die. After six weeks in theaters, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice beat out Warner Bros.’ own Joker: Folie á Deux for third place at the weekend box office. Tim Burton’s supernatural sequel eked past the $7 million second weekend of Joker 2 with $7.3 million, per The Numbers. While Todd Phillips’ musical Joker sequel suffered the worst drop ever for a comic book movie to the tune of 81.4 percent, newcomer Terrifier 3 — another R-rated movie about a killer clown — won the weekend with $18.8 million. The DreamWorks Animation movie The Wild Robot, which is new on digital this week, finished in second place with $14 million.

Since Warners summoned Michael Keaton’s Ghost with the Most into theaters on Sept. 6, Beetlejuice 2 spent its first three weeks at No. 1 until it was dethroned by The Wild Robot. It then fell to third place during Joker 2‘s opening weekend, but both Beetlejuice and Wild Robot rebounded while the Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga-fronted flop plunged to 4th place in its second weekend. Rounding out the top 5 is the new LEGO-animated Pharrell Williams biopic Piece by Piece, which put together $3.8 million from 1,865 theaters.

Beetlejuice 2 added another $7.3 million for a domestic cume of $275.8 million ($421 million globally). The movie scored the second biggest September opening (behind 2017’s R-rated It) with $111 million domestically and the second-best second weekend for the month ($51.3 million, behind It‘s $60.1 million), proving there’s a lot of life in the 36-years-later sequel that Warners nearly sent straight to streaming on Max.

The Beetlejuice sequel cost just $99 million to produce, while Joker 2 cost a reported $190 million — nearly triple the $70 million budget of the first film, which went on to earn over $1 billion at the global box office. Joker 2 is looking to finish its theatrical run with $65 million domestically and around $210 million globally, far below the $500 million it would need to earn to begin to break even. A Joker 3 is officially dead, but say his name three times, and a Beetlejuice 3 could appear.

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We’re almost halfway through the first season of The Penguin, HBO’s buzzy new series inspired by the lore of the DC Universe. The live-action series continues the story of Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), who made his debut as a standout villain during 2022’s The Batman. The series’ role as a bridge between The Batman and 2026’s The Batman Part II has allowed for some fascinating franchise connections, ranging from massive plot points to smaller ties. The latest episode of the season was no exception, delivering plenty of surprises — including the live-action introduction of a character best known for playing a prominent role in the beloved Batman: The Animated Series. Spoilers for Episode 4 of The Penguin, “Cent’anni”, lurk below! Only look if you want to know!

The majority of “Cent’anni” consists of a flashback sequence to the origin story of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), explaining the tragic and unexpected circumstances that led to her being institutionalized in Arkham Asylum. More specifically, Sofia was framed for the string of murders committed by a serial killer known as “The Hangman”, who strangled a seemingly-random array of single women across Gotham City. Prior to Sofia being framed and incarcerated, she was actually approached by a Gotham Gazette journalist with evidence that the murders were being carried out by her father, Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong). The journalist in question was named Summer Gleeson (Nadine Malouf) — who very quickly becomes the next victim of “The Hangman.” While Summer’s role in the episode is relatively brief, it does continue a unique history for the DC character.

Who Is DC’s Summer Gleeson?

Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, Summer Gleeson first made her debut in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode “Heart of Ice.” Voiced by Mari Devon, Summer is initially introduced as a high-profile journalist who is set to give a humanitarian award to businessman Ferris Boyle. After a fight between Batman and Mister Freeze interrupted the event, Batman presented Summer with evidence of Boyle’s corruption. Summer then played a significant role in a number of Batman: The Animated Series episodes, regularly being targeted and kidnapped by members of Batman’s rogues gallery.

Summer subsequently carried over into the pages of DC’s comics, making her debut in 2002’s Batman: The Animated Series tie-in series Batman: Gotham Knights #33. While she has yet to make her debut in the main DC continuity, she most recently had minor roles in the Black Label series Harleen, and in Batman ’89, which spins off the lore of Tim Burton’s Batman moves.

What Is The Penguin About?

The Penguin is the next chapter in The Batman saga from Matt Reeves.The series stars Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni, Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, James Madio as Milos Grapa, Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone, Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo, and Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush.

New episodes of The Penguin premiere on both HBO and Max every Sunday night.

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DC is home to some of the most popular heroes and villains in all of superhero comics — and soon, readers will have a whole new way to experience them. On Monday, the publisher formally announced DC GO!, a new collection of webcomics that will be especially formatted for mobile devices. The imprint, which will officially launch on November 20th, will offer both a mix of original webcomic content plus vertically reformatted DC and MAD Magazine classics exclusively on the DC Universe Infinite app.

The initial crop of original DC GO! titles will include Harley Quinn in Paradise from writer CRC Payne (Batman: Wayne Family Adventures) and artists Siobhan Chiffon and Cathy Le (Archie Comics: Big Ethel Energy), Nothing Butt Nightwing by writer Patrick R. Young (Red Hood: Outlaws) and artist Moy R. Marco (West Coast Avengers), and Renaissance of Raven by writer Sina Grace (Superman: The Harvests of Youth) and artists Nico Bascuñan (Red Hood: Outlaws), Katherine Lobo (The Vampire Slayer), and Carola Borelli (Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic). Sneak peeks of both Harley Quinn in Paradise and Nothing Butt Nightwing are currently available to read on DC Universe.

Additionally, the DC GO! line will include reformatted versions of several beloved existing titles in DC’s library, beginning with Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s Batman: Hush on October 17th, and followed by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman and Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow at later dates.

“DC has the largest library of comics on the planet, going back nearly 90 years, and with the addition of DC GO! to DC UNIVERSE INFINITE there’s now a new collection of webcomics for fans to read,” said DC general manager Anne DePies. “Our goal with the DC GO! collection is to create fun, compelling, reader-friendly, mobile DC stories that readers will enjoy on the go. Like DC Compact Comics and DC Finest, this is another example of our commitment to finding new ways to engage with fans and readers.”

“The DC GO! original comics are brand-new, weekly stories for mobile readers, with the launch titles told by seasoned, fan-favorite creators,” said Katie Kubert, Global Publishing Innovation group editor. “The first three DC GO! launch stories can only be found on DCUI on November 20th, starring Nightwing, Raven, and Harley Quinn, and will feature fun DC cameos and new characters. We know fans love webcomics like Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, so the titles launching in the new DC GO! collection were created to appeal to readers of specific genres—drama, fantasy, comedy, mystery, action, romance, slice-of-life, and more—so that there’s a type of story for everyone to enjoy.”

What Are DC’s DC GO! Comics?

In Harley Quinn in Paradise, Harley Quinn is rarely lucky in love—and after her recent breakup with The Joker, has been feeling particularly chaotic. Ivy advises Harley to lay low for a while—maybe a little R&R (recklessness and robbery) would be good for her! Good advice, right? True to character, Harley decides the best way to lay low is to plaster her face across every television in America and find true love on TV’s hottest reality dating show. Harley heads for the show’s island setting, ready to be the best contestant the program has ever seen…because she’s playing to win by any means necessary! And can she help it if she accidentally falls in love along the way?

In Nothing Butt Nightwing, Dick Grayson, the first Robin, has made a name for himself as the hero Nightwing. But after several failed civilian-identity career attempts (a bar, a gym, etc.), he lands his biggest deep-cover operation yet—as an international supermodel! He’s got the eyes of the audience, the other models, and even a few agents. But he only has eyes for one thing…the Poison Ivy protégé on the hunt to steal the expensive (and environmentally harmful) jewels around the models’ necks…and perhaps the models themselves! But can he serve justice, and serve lewks, while traveling the globe? The spotlight is on Dick Grayson in Nothing Butt Nightwing…because his first gig is an underwear print campaign!

In Renaissance of Raven, Raven needs an escape. Her fellow Titans won’t leave her alone, she just had a fight with Beast Boy, and to top it off, it’s the anniversary of her mom’s death. We find her trying to live life beyond the curse of her father. She’s over it! Raven is more than her trauma! When a strange girl in a graveyard proclaims that Raven is some kind of destined hero, she’s ready to walk away…until suddenly, she’s pulled through an enchanted portal…to the kingdom of Galonia. Raven is sent hundreds of years into the past, where she must contend with a cabal of witches and the difficult choice of helping those in need or returning home!

As mentioned above, DC GO! will officially launch on November 20th exclusively on the DC Universe Infinite app.

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For decades now, DC Comics has overseen some of the world’s top heroes, and those stars are are ready to expand their horizon. From Hollywood blockbusters to television crossovers, we have seen DC do it all. These days, the house is starting to wade deep into the world of anime, and a new report suggests Warner Bros. Discovery is eyeing a new title for its DC icons.

The update comes from Warner Bros. Discovery itself as a new job posting just went up for the media conglomerate. According to the company, it is looking for production assistance on a project called SuperMutant Magic Academy, and the title is being billed as an action comedy anime. So if you want to see what Warner Bros. Discovery can do with anime, well – you are not the only one curious there.

WHAT IS THE NEXT BIG DC ANIME?

According to the new job posting, Warner Bros. Discovery is eyeing a new “DC anime-style action series” for kids. SuperMutant Magic Academy is the current title for this project, and it is expected to launch under Cartoon Network. The post suggests work on the series will begin in early 2025 sometime between January and February. Beyond its intern application, SuperMutant Magic Academy is looking for directors and story artists who “understand anime action beats” though experience working in anime is not required.

Beyond these new job postings, little else is known about this anime title. SuperMutant Magic Academy is just entering development, but the order as a whole is hardly shocking. Earlier this year, executives at Warner Bros. Discovery stressed its interest in “significantly” expanding its anime titles. It makes sense for the company to pair its powerful IPs with an anime production, and we have seen this very combo rather recently.

Given the latest recruitment posting, Cartoon Network is eager to dive into its DC anime, but this project might not be tied to superheroes. The team at Warner Bros. Discovery wants to make a DC anime style title, so that doesn’t mean it will be an actual DC IP. SuperMutant Magic Academy is an actual comic in its own right outside of DC, so as you can imagine, netizens are split. Some believe this project will adapt the popular comic while others are convinced this title is a codename. But either way, this anime push proves Warner Bros. Discovery is all-in on the medium.

THE RECENT RISE OF SUPERHERO ANIME SERIES

After all, DC has had some major success with anime as of late. Its work with Teen Titans years ago laid a solid foundation for the industry’s recent (and long overdue) rise. From Batman Ninja to Suicide Squad Isekai, a number of hit anime titles have gone live for DC as of late. My Adventures with Superman marked another recent win for Warner Bros. Discovery as the anime-inspired series earned rave reviews. And before long, Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League will go live with a different kind of Justice League in tow.

Clearly, DC is investing heavily in anime these days, and this move is hardly surprising. The company goes way back with anime and manga, after all. In the 1960s, artist Jiro Kuwata created a hit Batman manga that made its way to America in 2008. From Batman: Child of Dreams to Batman: Gotham Knight and DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon, DC is no stranger to the anime industry. And with this new job posting live, it seems Warner Bros. Discovery is eager to continue the investment.

What do you think about this latest DC report? What kind of anime does the company need to invest in ASAP? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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The Penguin Episode 4 “Cent’Anni” put a major spotlight on Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) and the backstory of why she ended up being committed to Arkham Asylum for ten years. All eyes were definitely on Sofia during the episode – which was a perfect opportunity to continue setting up another big Batman villain who may be hiding in plain sight.

Twisted Medicine

The Penguin Episode 4 framed the flashback to Sofia’s time in Arkham around a concussive head wound she received during her scuffle with Penguin (Colin Farrell) and the goons with Nadia Maroni (Shohreh Aghdashloo). An unconscious Sofia is reduced and cared for by Dr. Julian Rush (Theo Rossi), whom she formed an unusually intimate bond with while at Arkham.

In Penguin Episode 2 we saw Rush using a red-light therapy on Sofia to trigger horrific trauma fantasies of being locked in Arkham and her brother Alberto Falcone dying. This led to fan theories that “Julian Rush” is just another name-change for The Batman Universe, and that we’re seeing a new origin for classic Batman villain Dr. Hugo Strange – possibly Dr. Jonathan Crane (aka The Scarecrow). The Penguin Episode 4 only fuels that theory further: When she’s back on her feet, Sofia calls out Julian’s true nature: his curiosity at watching someone’s mind get broken; having complete control over that individual, and missing that level of control. It solidifies a dark bond between Sofia and Julian – as the mob princess’s next act is to go out and slaughter almost her entire crime family, based on Julian’s unwitting advice.

At the moment, however, both fan theories about Julian Rush’s villainous future in The Batman Universe seem equally plausible. The kind of psychological blueprint we’re getting for the character certainly makes him seem like the mind-manipulating sadist that is Hugo Strange – and truthfully, the more grounded versions of Strange seem like a villain much more suited for Matt Reeves’ take on Batman lore.

On the other hand: The Penguin Episode 3 introduced a new drug called “Bliss” to the streets of Gotham, manufactured by Sofia Falcone and distributed by Penguin. Many fans saw the psychotropic mushroom Bliss is made from as a calling card that Poison Ivy (or rather Dr. Pamela Isley) is lurking in the shadows of Arkham; however, there have been conflicting theories that the engineering of Bliss – a drug that creates an unparalleled level of euphoria in users – would inevitably lead to the creation of an opposing drug, which sparks unparalleled levels of fear in users.

Hearing about Julian Rush’s obsession with playing god with the minds of others – and knowing that he was partially in control of using Bliss to pacify Arkham’s inmates – it seems increasingly plausible that he could take a turn into using Gotham as his lab, watching human minds unravel in the dystopian world left after the Riddler’s attack. It would be an interesting new take on The Scarecrow – not to mention a strong way to tie the events of The Penguin to The Batman 2.

The Penguin airs new episodes on HBO and streams on Max.

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