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DC Feature Articles - December 2001 |
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| DC Feature Articles |
Batman | Superman |
DC Universe | Beyond
the Universe/Mad Magazine | In 1986, a groundbreaking miniseries took the industry by storm, revolutionizing forever the way people envisioned the comic-book medium. Now, acclaimed writer/artist Frank Miller is set to do it again, with the most anticipated comics sequel of all time…
It's been three years since the events of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and everything is just fine. Perfect, in fact. At least on the surface. What the world at large doesn't know is that it's a total sham. A perfectly choreographed, pretty little world where everything that's ugly, or even potentially disturbing, is all nicely wrapped up with neat little ribbons and swept under the carpet. Only he knows better. He's watched it fester to near-breaking point, and it's time for the only free man left who can effect any real change to bring it all down around their ears, once and for all. It's not gonna be pretty. But at least it'll be honest. The Dark Knight returns once again — trimmer, more streamlined, and with a vitality that hasn't been seen since the first years of his war on crime. Together with his army of Bat-soldiers, including Carrie Kelley — formerly Robin, and now the new Catgirl — the Dark Knight wages a new war on a diseased world that's become completely lost. But to fight this war successfully, he must first return to being the World's Greatest Detective and discover what has become of his former allies who were once the World's Greatest Heroes. THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN features surprising appearances by such DC icons as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, the Atom, the Question, and more. But are they still the World's Greatest Heroes? Frank Miller and Lynn Varley bring their unique and often controversial talents to bear in creating an amazing new tale of the Dark Knight and the finest heroes the world has ever known. The multi-award-winning team of Miller and Varley have delivered — together and separately — some of the finest tales of our time with BATMAN: YEAR ONE, 300, Sin City, Elektra Lives Again, RONIN, Give Me Liberty, and Hard Boiled. Be there to witness what may be their finest work to date, as THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN sets a new standard for comics. Editor Bob Schreck on his relationship with Frank Miller & Lynn Varley: "I have had the extreme pleasure and honor of knowing and working with Frank and Lynn for several years now. From Sin City to Martha Washington to The Big Guy & Rusty the Boy Robot, each project is approached with a wide-eyed enthusiasm that's as infectious as it is exhilarating. This return to Batman is no exception. They are pouring their hearts and souls onto each and every page and it shows! Together, once again, they are turning the world on its ear, and challenging everything we take for granted with these enduring characters that we 'think' we know so well. From concept, to art style, to coloring and packaging, this book benefits from the 15 years of experience these two comic book mavericks have under their belts since they first made headlines with THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. Buckle up, folks!" This project is supported with an extensive promotional campaign. THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN is a 3-issue Prestige Format miniseries edited by Bob Schreck, with each issue 80 pages and released monthly in six-week intervals. Issue #1 arrives in comic-book stores December 5 with a cover price of $7.95 U.S. THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN STATUE
Best of all, you won't have to wait too long to display this handsome, Limited Edition statue in your home, as it is set to arrive in comic-book stores the same day as THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #1! This statue is approximately 13 1/4" tall and 5 3/4" deep overall, on a base that is 7" wide x 5" deep, and it is packaged in a 4-color box. THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN STATUE arrives in comic-book stores December 5, with a retail price of $195.00 U.S. Retailers, please note: This is a Limited Edition statue of only 7,500. Allocations may be necessary. Enemies in their midst They've traveled millions of miles and suffered unimaginable losses. But now the alien-born inhabitants of the city called Haven must face the greatest challenge of all — finding a new home — in the 9-issue HAVEN: THE BROKEN CITY.
The answers begin to unfold in HAVEN: THE BROKEN CITY #1, as the heroes of the JLA learn more about the Havenites and their champions, the Alliance. Fleeing the alien tyrant known as Anathema, the people of Haven made incredible sacrifices and suffered devastating torments as they made their escape. But the war for freedom is far from over, as the city of Haven is home to other villains (all possessing incredible powers) and traitors to the Alliance's noble ideals. And even if those villains are defeated, how will the city of Haven be treated by its new homeland? And how will the United States, headed by Lex Luthor, a man who hates the alien Superman, treat an entire city of super-powered aliens seeking refuge? HAVEN: THE BROKEN CITY is a 9-issue maxiseries edited by Mike Carlin. The 32-page issue #1 arrives in comic-book stores December 19 with a cover price of $2.50 U.S. Boston Brand has survived the rigors of the recent DEAD AGAIN miniseries. And after hanging around the fringes of the DC Universe for over 30 years, everyone's favorite dead acrobat finally gets his own ongoing series: DEADMAN, written by Steve Vance (DEADMAN: DEAD AGAIN, SUPERMAN, INC.) and illustrated by newly discovered artist Josep Maria Beroy.
Issue #1 updates readers on Deadman's previous adventures while embarking on the first of his new ones: an investigation into the mysterious death of a legless band leader in Cairo — and the discovery that his body itself, being returned to the States for its final rest, holds a secret that threatens to unleash a new kind of horror on the Earth. DEADMAN stars a very different kind of super-hero. While his roots might be in the mystical domain of Dr. Fate and the Phantom Stranger, his nature makes him the sort of down-to-earth character that readers will find both funny and fascinating. It's a change of pace from traditional fare, and with writer Vance and exciting new artist Beroy, DEADMAN will be sure to convince readers that being dead has its advantages... This project is supported with house and trade ads. DEADMAN is an ongoing series edited by Andy Helfer. Issue #1 arrives in comic-book stores December 12 with a cover price of $2.50 U.S. Heroes so cool, they don't
need logos!
Almost all of December's ongoing DCU books showcase a dynamic depiction of the book's stars on the top half of the book, with the title of each book cleverly incorporated within the artwork on the bottom half (the title is also in type in the upper corner, so no matter how a book is racked, readers can identify their favorite titles easily). The end result makes for an arresting display of DC's signature characters. In addition to a bold new artistic representation on the covers, almost every DC FULL COVERAGE issue features a self-contained, standalone story — making December the perfect opportunity for new readers to try DCU titles! Catch the following DC FULL COVERAGE! books in December:
* "Standalone" issues THE SPIRIT ARCHIVES Volume 6
Volume 6 brings back the heady, frantic days of World War II, when Eisner, like so many young Americans, was called upon to serve his country. For the duration of the war, his creation, the Spirit, needed to be passed along to his assistants. But what a Who's Who of assistants it was: Lou Fine, one of the most highly respected draftsmen ever to have worked in comics; Jack Cole, creator of Plastic Man and one of comics' true geniuses; noted novelists Manly Wade Wellman and William Woolfolk; and many others! In their capable hands, with America embroiled in the conflict, the Spirit began to take on Axis foes as well as the usual cast of colorful thugs, crooks and killers. Volume 6 also features an introduction by Eisner describing his work for the Army and his role in the development of comics as an educational tool — including an 8-page gallery of his military comics' work during and after the war years! THE SPIRIT ARCHIVES Volume 6 is a 224-page hardcover, arriving in comic-book stores December 12 with a cover price of $49.95 U.S. [New Release Date: December 19] WORLD'S FINEST ARCHIVES Volume 2 Imagine your two favorite heroes — Superman and Batman — together in one exciting adventure after another! After battling crime separately for over a decade, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight (along with Robin, the Boy Wonder!) joined forces in the pages of WORLD'S FINEST COMICS to become the world’s greatest super-team!
The most powerful being in the universe teamed with a two-fisted costumed detective wasn't the most logical pairing of heroes (unless you considered sales figures!). But if these stories lacked anything in believability, they more than made up for it in sheer fun and excitement! Presented in Volume 2 are sixteen super team-ups from WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #86-101 — including the 1958 classic "The Origin of the Superman/Batman Team." Other tales include: Batman and Robin with super-powers and Superman with none; the mysterious Lightning-Man; Luthor teaming with the Joker to bedevil our heroes; a super-powered Batwoman; Superman dumping his former partners to join up with the enigmatic Powerman; Robin's becoming the boss of Superman and Batman; and much more! WORLD'S FINEST ARCHIVES Volume 2 is a 216-page hardcover, arriving in comic-book stores December 5 with a cover price of $49.95 U.S. Your favorite re-imagined
heroes...together in one adventure! Throughout the second half of 2001, readers have marveled at comics legend Stan Lee's takes on DC's most legendary heroes in the JUST IMAGINE... series of one-shots. Aided by some of the greatest artistic talents in the field today, Stan has introduced all-new characters bearing the names of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern. But beyond Stan, what links these heroes? And what threat could require them to band together for the first time?
As Darrk's plans are revealed for the first time, so too are the connections between the origins of some of Earth's greatest heroes...but which of the JUST IMAGINE... heroes is unlike the others? And even if these very different heroes can survive working together, can they survive the incredible final battle against Darrk? Like all the previous JUST IMAGINE... one-shots, this issue features two covers — one by the interior artist (in this case, Jerry Ordway) and the other by Adam Hughes (WONDER WOMAN). Unlike the others, there is no backup "On the Street" story, as this tale is so big that Stan and Jerry needed every page they could get! This project is supported with house ads. JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE AND JERRY ORDWAY CREATING THE JLA is a 48-page one-shot in the Prestige Format, edited by Mike Carlin. It arrives in comic-book stores December 12 with a cover price of $5.95 U.S. [New Release Date: December 19] SUPERMAN: 'TIL DEATH DO US PART "I always thought only Kryptonite could hurt Superman, not a broken heart."
Written by Joe Kelly, Jeph Loeb, Mark Schultz, J.M. DeMatteis, Stuart Immonen, and Jay Faerber, with art by Doug Mahnke & Tom Nguyen (who provide a new cover), Ed McGuinness, Kano, Yanick Paquette, Immonen, Pablo Raimondi, and a host of other top talents, 'TIL DEATH DO US PART collects SUPERMAN #155-157, THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #577-578, SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #99-100, and ACTION COMICS #764-765. Superman's hometown of Smallville has changed a bit in his absence, and he is called back there to defend it against eco-terrorism, lake demons and other threats. But the problems back home at the Kent household are all that the Man of Steel can think of. And no matter how fast and hard Superman tries to catch his ladylove, a chasm widens between him and Lois that may be too wide for the Man of Steel to bridge. Could one of Superman's deadliest foes be the reason for Clark and Lois's marital woes? And as if all that weren't bad enough, could the World's Greatest Hero really be coming down with…a cold? 'TIL DEATH DO US PART delivers a feast of action, mystery and suspense that you can't afford to miss! This project is supported with house ads. SUPERMAN: 'TIL DEATH DO US PART is a 224-page trade paperback arriving in comic-book stores December 26 with a cover price of $17.95 U.S. JLA #61 featuring "A brand-new beginning!" — "A bold new direction!" — "A new era of greatness!"
Fresh from the cataclysm of "Our Worlds at War," the new minds behind the JLA (and the team that brought you The Elite in ACTION COMICS #775) raise the bar on adventure in the DC Universe, by combining the interpersonal dynamics of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes with both new and old adversaries. Kelly, Mahnke & Nguyen push the heroism of the League to its limits! But for the JLA, a new creative team means no time to catch their collective breath — in this standalone tale celebrating DC FULL COVERAGE! month. An emergency arises and the JLA is ready for action, prepared to put their lives on the line for humanity. But what were the League members doing in the two minutes before the alert went out? How do the members of the League juggle their personal time with the demands of duty? To celebrate this issue, JLA #61 includes an extra 16-page preview (at no extra cost!) of the DCU's newest super-team: THE POWER COMPANY. Brought to you by fan-favorite writer Kurt Busiek (Avengers, Marvels, KURT BUSIEK'S ASTRO CITY) and artists Tom Grummett (SUPERBOY, Section Zero) & Wade Von Grawbadger (STARMAN), THE POWER COMPANY explores the business of super-heroing as you've never seen it before. This preview leads into January's 7-issue Power Company event, followed by an ongoing THE POWER COMPANY series in February. A new creative team, two exciting stories, an extra-sized issue, the debut of a new super-team, and the World's Greatest Super-Heroes (all under one great iconic cover) mean that JLA is going to be the book everyone's talking about! JLA #61 is a 48-page issue co-edited by Dan Raspler & Peter Tomasi, arriving in comic-book stores December 26 with a cover price of $2.25 U.S. JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED: WONDER WOMAN MAQUETTE
Throughout 2002, DC DIRECT will produce a range of maquettes from the Justice League Animated series, including Martian Manhunter, Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, the Flash, and Batman…all at an affordable price! Maquettes are statues usually produced exclusively for the artists and animators of a series as the definitive models on which to base their drawings. Now, DC DIRECT makes such maquettes — sculpted by Karen Palinko — available to fans. The JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED: WONDER WOMAN MAQUETTE is a hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue, overall approximately 9 1/8" high x 2 7/8" wide on a 3 1/2" diameter base, and is packaged in a 4-color box. The JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED: WONDER WOMAN MAQUETTE is advance-solicited and arrives in comic-book stores March 13, 2002 with a price of $89.95 U.S. SGT. ROCK ARCHIVES Volume 1 FIGHTING FORCES: SGT. ROCK ACTION FIGURE He was the tough, grizzled, combat happy leader of Easy Company, and the ultimate war hero. And now his recent appearances in "Our Worlds at War" and as the leader of the new SUICIDE SQUAD has brought much demand for his earliest World War II adventures. Immerse yourself in the first nineteen hard-hitting stories featuring quintessential war hero Sgt. Rock, collected in SGT. ROCK ARCHIVES Volume 1 — a 240-page hardcover that’s advance-solicited for arrival in April, 2002, to coincide with the arrival of the FIGHTING FORCES: SGT. ROCK ACTION FIGURE!
Volume 1 includes an early "prototype" version of Rock as well as his actual first appearance. These blistering tales of war bring you right to the forefront of the conflicts in World War II, as Sgt. Frank Rock proves there’s no other fighter quite like him anywhere.
SGT. ROCK ARCHIVES Volume 1 is a 240-page hardcover, advance-solicited and arriving in comic-books stores April 24, 2002, with a cover price of $49.95 U.S. The FIGHTING FORCES: SGT. ROCK ACTION FIGURE is advance-solicited and arrives in comic-books stores April 24, 2002. Please check with your retailer for pricing information. Note: Feature Articles for WildStorm/ABC/Homage and Vertigo comics may be found on their respective pages.
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