DC in December

DC's December solicits are up. I don't usually have much to say on these, but a few things caught my eye.

GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #3
Written by Frank Tieri
Art by J. Calafiore & Jack Purcell
Cover by Calafiore
This issue has it all: Scarecrow confronts Penguin! The Riddler reveals Nightwing’s secret! A surprise attack on the Iceberg Lounge! Matches Malone vs. Mr. Zsasz — to the death! All this plus guest appearances by Robin, Oracle and the Ventriloquist!
On sale December 26 • 3 of 9 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Um, anyone have any idea if this is going to be good or not? Only, it's got Riddler and Penguin and Matches Malone and Robin and Oracle, so I feel like I have to pick it up, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that Gotham Underground was awful.

Maybe that was Batman: Confidential...

BOOSTER GOLD #5
Written by Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz
Art and cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
"52 Pick-Up" continues! Booster Gold has been tasked with preventing the origins of the world's greatest heroes from unraveling. Next up is his greatest challenge yet: preventing one of the most horrific wrongs that's ever befallen a hero in the DC Universe.
Leaping into the pages of BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, Booster attempts to stop a tragedy that he discovers never should've happened — the Joker shooting and paralyzing Barbara Gordon, Batgirl.
Plus, what dark secret is Rip Hunter keeping from Booster?
On sale December 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Booster Gold has quickly become my favourite title on the shelves. It's just the right mix of fun, adventure, and poignancy.

Which is why I'm a little worried about this issue.

The storyline in which Barbra Gordon is shot and paralyzed is decidedly dark, and I wonder if it might be too dark a subject for this book. I'm not one of those fans who think their comics shouldn't be graphic or serious, but I think it may be too soon in the series to be pulling out the heavy stuff.

There again, Geoff Johns has be at the top of his game recently, so I think I'm just gonna trust him on this one.

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #40
Written by Ben McCool
Art by Dario Brizuela
Cover by Zach Howard
The Justice League’s shadows are missing! Only Zatanna and Dr. Fate know how to fight such terrible magic, but they’re in over their heads!
On sale December 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.25 US

I love this cover. Batman is adorable. And Martian Manhunter looks so scared!

And finally:

BATMAN VS. THE JOKER STATUE
Sculpted by Jonathan Matthews
FIRST IN A SERIES OF STATUES FEATURING BATTLES BETWEEN NOTORIOUS NEMESES!
Featuring work by some of DC Direct’s premiere sculptors, this new line of statues featuring classic confrontations begins with a battle between notorious enemies Batman and The Joker.

Sure to be two of the most talked about characters this year, Batman and The Joker are depicted here in a classic scenario: Batman fights to prevent The Joker from escaping Arkham Asylum!

BATMAN VS. THE JOKER is a limited-edition, hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue measuring approximately 14" tall x 7" wide x 8" deep. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity and is packaged in a 4-color box. This limited edition statue is manufactured to order.
Advance-solicited; on sale May 14, 2008 • Statue• $195.00 US

Okay, I will admit that this statue looks pretty damn cool. However-

One-hundred and ninety-five freakin' dollars!?!

That way lies madness, my friends.

Baby's First Brick

We'll I finally paid for my Heroclix brick this Wednesday. It took me a while to save up the eighty bucks as I've only just started my new job. Luckily, the dudes at my Local Comic Shop were kind enough to hold it for me until I could afford it. Not only that, they also slipped me the exclusive map (a bank!) that you're only supposed to get if you buy TWO bricks. Thanks, guys!

In the Justice League set, I can't even count the number of figures I want to get my hands on, but there were four in particular that I MUST have. Let's see how I did:

• jl001 Batman (pretty decent figure, if not entirely necessary)
• jl002 Aquaman x2 (I've just recently discovered Busiek's run on Aquaman, so I'm thrilled to have this)
• jl003 Creeper
• jl004 Firehawk
• jl005 Mento x2
• jl006 Heat Wave x2 (I need a new Riddler figure so I can make my Anti-Villain team)
• jl008 Lex Luthor
• jl009 The Joker x3 (technically. Two now 'cause I gave one to my brother)
• jl011 Black Canary
• jl012 Crimson Fox x2
• jl013 Dr. Light x2
• jl015 Gypsy
• jl016 Bouncing Boy (finally, the Legion has someone to build a team around)
• jl017 Parasite
• jl018 Firestorm x2
• jl019 Merlyn
• jl020 Black Hand

Bzzzt! What's this? An empty space where my King Shark should be? O calamity!



As I mentioned above, I've only just recently read the first trade of Kurt Busiek's Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis and I loved it.

The stand out character by far is King Shark, the son of the shark god and enemy of the original Aquaman. He's monstrous in every sense of the word. He's seven or eight feet tall, powerfully built, with the head of a shark and razor-sharp claws at the ends of his fingers and toes.

He has a gruff, no-nonsense personality and accepts that nearly everyone he meets will either attack him or run away. His acceptance isn't some namby-pamby "They just don't understand!" philosophy. He treats it as any other fact of nature, like his own place in the food chain.

He doesn't angst over it. He doesn't constantly lament his lack of friends. He's not a  MARVEL  character. And he doesn't kowtow to the social mores of the meat around him. When he finds himself attacked by people who are afraid of him, you know what he does?

From Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #50. Click to see the whole page.
He bites people's heads off until they aren't afraid anymore.

How do you not like someone like that?

• jl022 Professor Ivo
• jl023 Toyman
• jl024 Chronos
• jl025 Dr. Alchemy
• jl026 Captain Boomerang
• jl027 The Flash (no Barry. I was promised Barry)
• jl029 Zariel (the atheist pulls an angel figure. Har har.)
• jl030 Plastic Man
• jl031 Tharok
• jl032 Bronze Tiger (need to make a Suicide Squad team)
• jl033 Vigilante
• jl034 August General in Iron (probably the least interesting of the Great Ten)
• jl036 Granny Goodness
• jl037 Wonder Woman (except not)
• jl038 Batman and Robin (neat, but I still say Tim Drake doesn't need backup)
• jl039 Batzarro
• jl041 Mr. Mxyzptlk

Another of my must-haves. I want to make an Omnipotent Beings team and see how they'd stack up against, say, a single Hulk figure.

Of course, I'd have them play on my Mxyzptlk map.

• jl043 Dr. Polaris

I'm so glad I got this. I want to make a Blog Mascot team, and this one is a vital addition. Besides, if I didn't get it Dr. Polaris would- shh! Here he comes!

• jl045 Aztek
• jl047 Hourman
• jl055 Green Lantern

There we go. Guy Gardner, Jackass of the Green Lantern Corps.



It's hard to describe why Guy's my favourite Lantern. On the surface, Guy's the guy everyone hates. But should you dig deeper (and why would you), you realize Guy is a complicated character and actually the most caring and loyal of the Lanterns. I've wanted a figure of him for a while, and I'm glad I finally got it.

• jl057 The Flash (except not)
• jl059 Wonder Woman (except not)

And that's it. Three out of four ain't bad, I suppose, but King Shark WILL be mine. And I might just get a Dweller in the Depths figure made, as well.