DALLAS — DC Entertainment executives at the annual ComicsPRO meeting spoke of wanting to maintain momentum from The New 52 relaunch in 2012, as those products are released in graphic novel format. The publisher also plans for big things in 2012 from the “Watchmen” prequel and graphic novels tied to the release of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

The publisher will release six new titles as part of the “Second Wave” of The New 52, replacing six cancelled titles. Four of those titles will be released on 5/2/2012, which is a tie-in of sorts to the “52″ number.

The Free Comic Book Day 2012 book from DC will include new content tied to the New 52, including a four-page spread by Jim Lee, which was shown briefly onscreen at the meeting.

DC’s Bob Wayne said he expected “Batman, Incorporated” to be the biggest launch of the second wave, but heaped praise on another title, “Dial H,” written by novelist China Miéville.

“What I said was, it was the best proposal I had seen since Neil’s proposal for ‘Sandman,’” Wayne said, referring to the best-selling comic-book series from Neil Gaiman.

DC showed a list of quotes related to the “Before Watchmen” announcement, including Alan Moore’s statement that the idea was “completely shameless.”   DC execs said the announcement was covered across a wide swath of media.

John Cunningham of DC said the publisher had an extensive marketing plan for the “Before Watchmen” titles.

“Our goal is to build the interest in order to get people in the stores on day one,” he said.

“Before Watchmen” will also have tie-in DC Direct merchandise, including 9” resin statues of the Comedian and Rorschach.

“The Dark Knight Rises,” the last film in Christopher Nolan’s Bat-trilogy, is set for summer release, and DC’s Bob Wayne reminded retailers to be sure to have related Batman graphic novels in stock, including the new printing of “The Long Halloween,” which has a Nolan quote on the cover.

Wayne also encouraged retailers to check out the upcoming “Batman vs. Bane” graphic novel and the repackaging of the “Knightfall” trades for readers interested in Bane.  He also suggested the upcoming Chip Kidd “Death by Design” and the Geoff Johns-Gary Frank “Batman: Earth One” as good tie-ins for the summer of “Dark Knight Rises.”

- Matt Price

DC Comics regained the public’s attention — and the lead in market share — with a publicized revamp of its superhero line, but not all of the year’s best comics involved capes and tights.

The following are 2011′s best 10 periodical comic books.

1. “Detective Comics 871-881,” Scott Snyder, Jock and Franco Francavilla.

The new Batman, Dick Grayson, is put to the test as a series of brutal murders puts him up against one of Gotham City’s oldest evils.

In the second story, “Hungry City,” the corpse of a killer whale is found in an upscale Gotham City bank, sparking a deadly new mystery.

Snyder’s opus, which includes the mystery of Commissioner Gordon’s son, is a candidate for best Batman tale of the current decade. DC was suitably impressed with Snyder, tabbing him as the writer of its relaunched “Batman” title.

2. “Criminal: The Last of the Innocent,” Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips.

Brubaker (“Captain America”) is one of comics’ finest writers, and this is among his best books, a mixture of noir and nostalgia that’s part twisted take on “Archie”-style characters, part dark secrets and murder. Artist Phillips creates compelling stories in two completely different styles for “Innocent.” Riley Richards seems as if he had it all, marrying the hottest girl in town and moving on to the big city. But now, he can’t forget his simpler life in Brookview. He’s willing to do anything to roll back the clock — including murder.

3. “The Red Wing,” Jonathan Hickman, Nick Pitarra.

Hickman (“Fantastic Four”) writes a story of fighter pilots in the future who fight their battles not only in the air, but also through time. Art by Pitarra.

4. “Action Comics,” Grant Morrison, Rags Morales

In Morrison’s much-hyped revamp of “Action Comics,” a young, brash Superman goes about his business in work boots and blue jeans, rustling up corporate criminals and raising the ire of everyone from the police and military to Lex Luthor, a brash industrialist who doesn’t much cotton to the idea of a superhuman.

Superman’s a bit arrogant, but very much easy to root for, as he attempts to stand up to bullies of all stripes.

5. “Daredevil,” Mark Waid, Pablo Rivera, Marcos Martin.

Writer Waid and artists Rivera and Martin brought Daredevil back to his swashbuckling past in the 2011 relaunch of “Daredevil.” Waid also shows the keen legal mind of Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer who is Daredevil. Murdock tries to keep his legal and vigilante worlds separate, despite his secret identity being somewhat known.

6. “Who Is Jake Ellis?,” Nathan Edmondson, Tonci Zonjic.

The collection of this 5-issue miniseries features former spy Jon Moore, now a mercenary. He’s able to escape capture in part because of the voice in his head — the voice of Jake Ellis. But who is Jake Ellis? He’s a man only Jon can see, providing information on safe escapes and possible threats. The mystery of Ellis, and Jon’s quest to discover the secrets behind it, are what writer Edmondson and artist Zonjic have laid out in this fast-paced espionage thriller from Image Comics.

7. “The Rocketeer Adventures,” various creators.

Dave Stevens created the Rocketeer in the early 1980s, a tribute to the serials of the 1930s and 1940s as pilot Cliff Secord finds a jet pack that allows him to race through the air. He, his mentor Peavy and girlfriend Betty (modeled after Bettie Page) starred in several adventures by Stevens and a 1991 motion picture. Stevens died in 2008, but IDW brought back his character The Rocketeer in 2011, with an anthology series that in part benefits hairy cell leukemia research.

That would be reason enough to buy “The Rocketeer Adventures,” but the all-star lineup of creators has made a book that’s one of the year’s best. Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Jonathon Ross, Mike Allred, John Cassaday, Darwyn Cooke, Bruce Timm, Kyle Baker, Gene Ha, Michael Wm. Kaluta and Chris Weston contribute to this lovely taste of 1930s-style adventures.

8. “Animal Man,” Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, Dan Green.

Writer Lemire joins artists Foreman and Green for DC’s revamp of “Animal Man,” which became one of the breakout hits of the New 52. Lemire is channeling Morrison’s take on the character, so readers of the 1980s Buddy Baker will find much to enjoy. The art’s a little different from the DC norm, but conveys the story’s mix of domesticity and dread.

9. “The Sixth Gun,” Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt.

An Oni Press Western with supernatural horror elements, “The Sixth Gun” follows the path of six cursed guns during the darkest days of the Civil War. Bunn and Hurtt are the creative team.

10. “American Vampire,” Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque

Also written by Snyder, “American Vampire” follows the exploits of a new breed of “American Vampire” that has the ability to feed in the sun. The 1880s outlaw Skinner Sweet and 1920s actress Pearl Jones make their way to Las Vegas circa 1935; later the series follows Pearl and her husband into the World War II era.

- Matt Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Click here for the best graphic novels of 2011.

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s “Batman: Earth One” will be released in 2012, and DC Comics has released preview art from the book at the DC Comics Source blog.

The book is a retelling of the Batman legend in a contemporary setting.

“Gary and I are tackling BATMAN from the beginning, before he knows what he’s doing and with a very different ultimate goal in mind,” said Johns. “He’s never left Gotham. And our Gotham and the people in it are very gray. Our heroes unlikely. Our villains hidden. Our story is only beginning with volume one.”

Also, the best-selling “Superman: Earth One,” by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis, will be getting a second volume in 2012.

“The overwhelming success of volume one of SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE – 37 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list for graphic novels – meant we had to ensure that Volume Two was even better,” said Straczynski.  Preview art for vol. 2 was also released at the Source blog.

- Matt Price
Click past the cut to see the preview art released for the two books.

Have a merry Christmas!   For those who celebrate, whether you are spending the day with family, friends or otherwise, I hope your day is wonderful and filled with joy.

Check out GoldenAgeComics.org for some great Christmas covers!

- Matt Price

Fans get to see more about The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man, and Matt and Kyle reveal some of their favorite comics of 2011.

SPIDEY PICS
The Amazing Spider-Man, Marc Webb’s film reboot of the Spider-Man property, is set to release July 3, 2012. In the meantime, the official site has revealed more photos from the film, which will star Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
Theamazingspiderman.com is the film’s official site.

BATMAN TRAILER, PICS
The second “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer has been officially released online. The third film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises” stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy, and is set to be released July 20, 2012. New pictures also reveal closer looks at Batman and Bane.

FAVORITE COMICS OF THE YEAR
Matt and Kyle talk about some of their favorite comics of the year, including X-Men Schism and Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine for Kyle, and Batman: The Black Mirror and Criminal: Last of the Innocents for Matt.

REVIEW FILE: Activity #1, Near Death #4, Justice League #4
Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1 reviewed here.
For 2011 count: Detective Comics 871-881; Criminal: Last of the Innocent 2-6.

Comics read in 2011: 2009 Still to go: 2.

The second “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer has been officially released online. The third film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises” stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy, and is set to be released July 20, 2012.

- Matt Price

CNN reports that actor Christian Bale was forcibly turned away by Chinese security while attempting to visit activist Chen Guangcheng along with a CNN film crew.

Bale was punched by guards and kept from continuing towards the activist’s home.

“Why can I not visit this free man?” Bale asked, as guards hit Bale and attempted to dislodge his camera.

A gray minivan chased away the crew and pursued for more than 40 minutes.

“What I really wanted to do was to meet the man, shake his hand and say what an inspiration he is,” Bale says in the video.

Chen Guangcheng has protested Chinese government policies that he has called abusive. CNN reports that Chen Guangcheng has been confined to his home along with his wife, mother and daughter since being released from prison in Sept. 2010. He had been sentenced to more than four years in prison for damaging property and disrupting traffic in a protest, charges he denies. He and his family are watched around the clock by dozens of guards, CNN reports.

“I’m not brave doing this,” Bale said. “The local people who are standing up to the authorities, who are visiting Chen and his family and getting beaten or detained, I want to support them.”

- Matt Price

Gary Oldman retires James Gordon’s badge; Fox plans more Marvel films; and reviews of “Action Comics” and more in the Planet 46 Comics Podcast at NewsOK.

GARY OLDMAN DONE AS GORDON
Gary Oldman tells Moviefone that “The Dark Knight Rises” will be the end of his run as Jim Gordon, and talks about using Bane as the villain.

“It’s great. It’s a terrific conclusion to the trilogy,” Oldman tells Moviefone. “Nolan rounds it off: he brings in a bit of the first one, from ‘Batman Begins,’ and he does some really surprising things with it. I thought his choice of villain was very interesting, to use Bane instead of Riddler or Penguin. He’s not gone with the most obvious choice. The challenge for Chris was always really the story and I think he didn’t want to make a third one for the sake of it. I think there was pressure on him, obviously, because the second was so successful. So there’s always going to be some pressure to keep it going. But he’s too smart and classy, really to just make a third just for the sake of making it, because others are demanding or want it from him and I think he felt that, ‘Let me get the story right.’ So the fans won’t be disappointed.”
Read more: http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/12/06/gary-oldman-dark-knight-rises-steve-buscemi-snl/

FOX STILL PLANS MORE X-MEN, FF, DAREDEVIL
Fox’s Tom Rothman tells MTV that he wants another “X-Men: First Class.”
“We’re trying like hell,” he said. “We’re trying as hard as we can. We really want to do it. We’re planning to do it.”
Rothman also commented two other Marvel properties that Fox plans to revive: “Daredevil” and “Fantastic Four.”
David Slade is attached to “Daredevil,” while “FF” is earlier in the development process.
REVIEW FILE: Valen the Outcast #1, Action Comics #4, Hawk & Dove #4, Raphael #1, Defenders #1
Comics read in 2011: 1902. Still to go: 109.

Tom Hardy as Bane is the focus of the newly-released poster for “The Dark Knight Rises,” which will open in the U.S. on July 20.

The new poster features Bane and a torn Batman mask. Bane was introduced in the comics in 1993′s “Vengeance of Bane,” and was the chief villain in the “Knightfall” story arc.

“The Dark Knight Rises” will star Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Also starring are Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Read more at NewsOK.

- Matt Price

In this undated photo released Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 by ComicConnect.com, Jerry Robinson, who created the Joker, stands with the two framed covers, Superman #14 and Detective Comics #69, that were auctioned on ComicConnect.com. (AP Photo/ComicConnect.com)

Batman 3, aka “The Dark Knight Rises,” has wrapped, and Christian Bale is done. Also: Lunch with a Star Wars legend and Hulk TV news.

LUNCH WITH LUKE

Actor Mark Hammill, who brought Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker to life in the original Star Wars Trilogy, is offering to have lunch in Los Angeles with the highest bidder and a guest to raise funds for The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, which provides an ongoing base of support to human rights defenders around the world. Valued at $10,000, the exclusive experience is open for bidding from November 29th through December 15th at:

http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/276455

BAT-FINISHED

The Philippine Daily Inquirer talked with Christian Bale, and he confirmed he was done with Batman.

“I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I’m taking that cowl off,” he said. “I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it’s all done. Everything’s finished. It’s me and Chris – that will be the end of that Batman era.”

He also praised co-star Anne “Catwoman” Hathaway.

“I had plenty of scenes with Anne,” he said. “And I was there when we did the screen test for her. The thing that I said to Chris [Nolan] that day was that there were many very accomplished actresses who had read for the role. I’m terrible at auditions, so I’m very impressed when somebody really seems to acquire an ownership of a character without having worked on it or prepared for some amount of time.”

THE INCREDIBLE HULK NEARS

Guillermo del Toro tells io9 that the screenplay is in for the possible upcoming “Hulk” TV show, and the team is waiting for a green light. Del Toro, serving as producer, says he and his team know the essential stories, including “Hulk: Grey,” written by Jeph Loeb, who is involved with the show.
“We know all the iterations of the Hulk pretty good. We’ve read all the essential stories, and we’re then riffing on that. There are so many incarnations and ideas. Jeph Loeb — who did a good run [on Hulk: Grey] — is involved, and I love Peter David’s Hulk. But there’s really no part in that mythos that we don’t know, so we are trying put our own personal spin on it.”

REVIEW FILE: Green Lantern The Animated Series #0, Wolverine #19, Uncanny X-Men #2, X-Men Legacy #259, Archie #627, Flash Gordon Zeitgeist #1.
Comics read in 2011: 1,853. Still to go: 158

Batman comics from the 2000s made up the largest chunk of my comic-book reading over the past two weeks, primarily the run of Grant Morrison.  I read 122 comics total in the past two weeks of my 2,011 in 2011 comic-book challenge.  I am attempting to read 2,011 comic books in the calendar year.   With 93 percent of the year over, I’ve read 1,847 comics, or almost 92 percent of the total comics I need to read.  I’ve got 164 comics to go.  Click past the cut for the full breakdowns of comics read.

DC Comics, behind “Batman” and “Astro City” were the big winners in the past two weeks, though there was a wide assortment of publishers represented overall.

DC Comics: 79
Marvel Comics: 16
Dark Horse: 10
Boom! Studios: 8
Archie: 3
Pak Man: 3
IDW: 1
SLG: 1
Triumphant: 1

The 2000s were significantly ahead of the 2010s.
1940s: 1
1960s: 1
1970s: 1
1980s: 4
1990s: 9
2000s: 77
2010s: 29

Year to date:

DC cut into Marvel’s still-significant lead.

Marvel Comics: 782
DC Comics: 543
Dark Horse: 151
Image Comics: 65
Boom! Studios: 60
Valiant Comics: 47
Malibu: 39
Eclipse Comics: 23
Dynamite: 20
Sirius: 17
IDW: 14
NOW Comics: 12
Oni Press: 12
Pen and Ink: 7
Prize: 7
Archie: 7
Broadway: 6
Radical: 4
Archaia: 4
NBM: 3
Pak Man: 3
Atlas: 2
Harvey: 2
Triumphant: 2
Abstract: 1
Bluewater: 1
Pacific: 1
SLG: 1

The 2000s extended the lead as most-read decade.

1940-1949: 2
1950-1959: 8
1960-1969: 57
1970-1979: 154
1980-1989: 259
1990-1999: 300
2000-2009: 584
2010-present: 483

- Matt Price

Batman: Noel

Comics fans could have a very Batty Christmas with the cool Bat-themed gifts available this year.

Inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol,” the hardcover graphic novel “Batman: Noel” ($22.99) features different interpretations of the Dark Knight from various eras. Different cast members from “Batman” take on roles from “A Christmas Carol,” including Robin, Superman, Catwoman and the Joker.

The story is written and drawn by Lee Bermejo, who drew the hit “Joker” original graphic novel in 2008.
For fans who want something more interactive, the “Arkham City” video game ($59.99 for Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3; $49.99 for Windows PC; $99.99 collector’s edition) features Batman battling foes in a large slum now used to house the criminally insane. The game is written by Paul Dini, who also wrote the tie-in graphic novel ($22.99).

To fully immerse yourself in the game, check out the cool Batarang Controller for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ($49.99).

For fans who want to dig deep into Batman lore, Mathew K. Manning’s “The Batman Files” ($100) begins with Bruce Wayne’s childhood and continues along a timeline of events, with significant scrapbook-type information included.

One of the best Batman arcs of recent years has been released in hardcover in time for holiday shopping. Scott Snyder’s entire “Detective Comics” run is collected in the “Black Mirror” hardcover ($29.99) from DC Comics.

In “The Black Mirror,” the new Batman, Dick Grayson, is put to the test as a series of brutal murders puts him up against one of Gotham City’s oldest evils.

A second story, “Hungry City,” is also collected in the hardcover, in which the corpse of a killer whale is found in an upscale Gotham City bank, sparking a deadly new mystery.

The collection, with stories from “Detective Comics” Nos. 871-881, is a candidate for best Batman tale of the current decade.

If you aren’t a Bat-fan, don’t feel like the holidays are passing you by. Here are some other suggestions for comic fans:

“Parker: The Martini Edition”: ($75) This edition collects the two Darwyn Cooke (“The New Frontier”) adaptations of Donald Westlake’s “Parker” novels, which he wrote under the name Richard Stark. The double-crossed small-time hood Parker is out to get revenge on those who did him wrong, and he does so with explosive consequences. Cooke is the perfect artist to adapt this ’60s-era hard-boiled tale. This edition features “The Hunter” and “The Outfit” in and oversized, slipcased hardcover edition with an additional 65 pages of content and a brand-new story.

“MetaMaus”: ($35) Art Spiegelman looks back at his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “Maus” 25 years after its publication. MetaMaus includes a bonus DVD-R with digitized reference copy of “The Complete Maus,” linked to audio interviews, notebooks and historical documents.

“Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes”: ($24.99) Some of the greatest Carl Barks Donald Duck comics are being collected in affordable hardcover editions. This collection contains “Lost in the Andes” and other Barks stories. These all-ages adventures have been fan favorites for more than 50 years.

“Return to Perdition”: ($19.99) Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty provide another chapter in the life of the O’Sullivan crime family.

“Jim Henson’s The Storyteller” ($19.99): The live-action/puppet combination TV show comes to graphic novels with all new stories from a great lineup of comic book creators, including Roger Langridge (“The Muppet Show” comic), Marjorie Liu (“Black Widow”), Ron Marz (“Artifacts”), Jeff Parker (“Thunderbolts”), Francesco Francavilla (“Detective Comics”) and more.

- by Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Archie #30 (1948): If Betty can sew  a patch onto Archie’s pants, she can take him to the dance.  Did people really do things like this in the 1940s?

Betty and Veronica #192 (Dec. 1971) Veronica ditches the gang, who are cleaning up the river in Riverdale, when she has a chance to appear in a fashion shoot.

Star Wars Legacy vol. 2: Shards: This second volume of “Legacy” does a lot to set up the world of the “Star Wars” universe, 125 years after “Return of the Jedi.”  Cade Skywalker, Luke’s grandson, is the series’ main character, though he’s less active in this volume than the first.   Collects issues 8, 4, 9, 10, 13, 11, and 12 of the series, originally published in 2007.

The Unknown 1-4 and The Unknown Devil Made Flesh 1-4: Two supernatural-style mysteries by writer Mark Waid and artist Minck Oosterveer.  Oosterveer sadly died earlier this year.
In “The Unknown,” from Boom! Studios, master detective Catherine Allingham learns she only has months to live.  She chooses to use that remaining time examining seemingly unsolvable mysteries with her ex-bouncer apprentice, James Doyle.

Sanctuary #1: Stephen Coughlin’s digital comic from SLG features a sanctuary for animals with a dark mystery behind it — it reminded me somewhat of “Lost.”

Batman: No Man’s Land Vol. 1: Batman must deal with Gotham City after a terrible earthquake leads to the evacuation of most of the city.  This volume includes Batman: No Man’s Land #1, Batman #563-564, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #83-84, Detective Comics #730-731 and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #116.    While the story is in some ways unbelievable, the storytellers do a good job making this altered Gotham and its residents part of a compelling story of Batman and his allies in a new, difficult circumstance.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,847. Still to go: 164.

Writer Grant Morrison shifts the status quo of the Batman titles from the get-go in his run on “Batman.”   The first collection, “Batman and Son,” collects issues #655-#658 and #663-#666 of the DC series “Batman,” written by Morrison and drawn by Andy Kubert.  8

Batman’s son with Talia Al Ghul, daughter of the villainous Ra’s Al Ghul is introduced as a full-blown character in “Batman and Son.”  (The character was introduced in “Son of the Demon” in 1987, and has been referenced a few times, but the continuity is a bit murky.  Still, this is clearly the same character.)  Damian Wayne has been trained for all of his 10 young years by the league of assassins, and thinks and reacts like an assassin.  Talia has left Damian with Batman, but the reasons are a bit unclear.   The addition of a new, hard-edged character who is only a boy adds a different dynamic to the Batman family.

A sequel of sorts to “Batman and Son” is “The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul.”  This somewhat more straightforward action story involves Batman, his adopted children Tim Drake and Dick Grayson, and his biological son, Damian.  Damian Wayne is sought as a host body for the return of Ra’s Al Ghul. Batman and crew attempt to put a stop to this in this crossover adventure.   The collection contains: Batman #670-671 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel, Robin #168-169 by Peter Milligan and Freddie E. Williams II, Nightwing #138-139 by Fabian Nicieza and Don Kramer, Detective Comics #838-839, written by Paul Dini; and two annuals, Batman Annual #26 and Robin Annual #7. 10 (18)

Writer Grant Morrison gets Batman’s detective hat on in the first storyline in “The Black Glove,” which updates a 1950s concept, the “Club of Heroes,” featuring a group of Batman analogues.   They’ve all been called together to an island for a reunion, when there is a murder.   It’s beautifully drawn by J.H. Williams III and is a high mark of the run.

In the second half of the book, Bruce has a fever dream about his past, which leads into Batman RIP later on, as do the mysterious Batman impostors.   The graphic novel contains “Batman” 667-669 and 672-675.  7 (25)

In “Batman RIP,” a club of master criminals have an elaborate plan to destroy the Batman, by convincing him of betrayal and making him doubt his own memory. Batman, however, has a plan.  Morrison and Tony Daniel are able to highlight much about the Dark Knight’s history as he’s thrown through the gauntlet by the Black Glove.  The collection contains “Batman” 676-683.  8 (33)

Batman RIP is followed, pretty much, by “Final Crisis,” also by Morrison, and though it’s not solely a “Batman” story, it does feature a key “Batman” element that you won’t want to miss.  The basic story is that Darkseid does seem as if he’ll manage to take over the universe and evil will triumph, but Batman makes a sacrifice near the end that has important consequences.   This book needs many, many annotations and is probably not for the uninitiated, but some hardcore Morrison fans love it.   Collection includes Final Crisis 1-7, Superman Beyond and Submit.  9 (42)

Morrison’s run has been analyzed extensively, and I encourage readers to dig more thoroughly into the story than what I have here.  It’s a fascinating piece of modern comics.  Morrison’s “Batman” stories continue in “Batman Incorporated.”

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,799.  Still to go: 212.

Young Justice Season One, Vol. 2 DVD

Superheroic proteges get top billing in “Young Justice,” the Cartoon Network animated series featuring Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Artemis.

The second volume contains episodes 5-8 of season one. “Young Justice” focuses on teen superheroes who are trying to establish themselves to their mentors while at the same time dealing with some typical teen issues. They’re helped by the Justice League heroes, including Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Red Tornado and Black Canary, who often provide insight or training to the young heroes.

In “Schooled,” Superman’s misunderstanding of Superboy (voiced by Nolan North) causes the Boy of Steel to try to take on a powerful villain alone.

Artemis (Stephanie Lemelin), whom Green Arrow introduces as his niece, makes her first appearance in “Infiltrator.”

Green Arrow’s former partner Red Arrow rescues a scientist building a high-tech hacking weapon for a group called the Shadows. He asks Young Justice to protect her so she can develop a virus to defeat her weapon.

Crispin Freeman brings a cool but serious vibe to Red Arrow, who has his suspicions about Artemis.

This episode provides some clever banter when the team is telepathically linked by Miss Martian (Danica McKellar), and each team member can overhear the others’ thoughts.

In “Denial,” the team is sent to rescue Kent Nelson, who in the past was mystic superhero Doctor Fate.

In the Aqualad-heavy episode “Downtime,” Batman (voiced by Bruce Greenwood) senses that Aqualad (Khary Payton) is distracted, and he fears his distraction could harm the team. He asks Aqualad to return to Atlantis, and determine whether he wants to stay there or to remain as the leader of Young Justice. Fans get information about Aqualad’s origins and find out about his reasons for wishing he had remained in Atlantis. Yuri Lowenthal voices Garth, who some will recognize as the original Aqualad in the comics.

The action is well-done, and the characters are developed well. Jason Spisak voices Wally West, aka Kid Flash, and Jesse McCartney provides the voice of Dick Grayson, aka Robin.

The release is bare bones, with the only extras being two trailers for other Warner products.

While you can argue with the release strategy of putting out the episodes on DVD four at a time, the content in “Season One, Vol. 2” is definitely worth watching for superhero fans.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Batman: Year One Two-Disc Special Edition DVD

Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s “Batman: Year One” is a comic-book classic, recounting the early adventures of Batman and police Lt. James Gordon in a corrupt, crime-infested Gotham City. The story was originally serialized in issues 404 through 407 of DC Comics’ “Batman” title in 1987.

“Year One” has been influential in nearly all the Batman adaptations in other media since, including “Mask of the Phantasm” and Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” Miller’s darker takes on Batman in “Year One” and the earlier “Dark Knight Returns” were influential on the 1989 “Batman” film as well.

With so much history hanging on this story, there’s a lot for the direct-to-video animated adaptation to hold up. The extremely faithful adaptation, produced by Bruce Timm and co-directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, succeeds as the best direct-to-video DC Comics movie to date.

The cast includes Ben McKenzie as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Bryan Cranston as James Gordon, Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Katee Sackhoff as Sarah Essen. Cranston, whom many know from “Breaking Bad,” is a fantastic Gordon. “Year One” is Gordon’s story as much as it is Batman’s, and Cranston hits every emotion needed to pull off the complex character. Gordon’s a good man and a good cop; but Gotham City will put both of those characterizations to the test, as corruption and double-dealing test his faith and resolve.

Extras include a “Catwoman” short, written by Paul Dini; two Catwoman-centric episodes of previous “Batman” animated series; and a documentary on the importance of Miller and the “Year One” story to the Batman mythos.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

In 1992, “The Batman Adventures,” inspired by Batman: The Animated Series, began its run at DC Comics.  Originally planned as a six-issue miniseries, the comic went on to run for 36 issues plus three annuals.

I recently re-read issues 1-12 of the series, which provide accessible, enjoyable done-in-one Batman tales (with some continuing plots or subplots).

The first three issues feature various members of Batman’s rogues gallery being convinced to commit small crimes for another key villain.  Dick Grayson as Robin gets a prominent role in issues 4 and 5, featuring Scarecrow.  And issue 6 is a locked-room mystery that puts Bruce Wayne under arrest on a murder complaint.

Kyle drops in Logan-style, bub, in this year’s Planet 46 Halloween Special. Also on the show: Superman fan Herbert Chavez undergoes 10 years of surgery to become resemble his hero; Bryan Harley makes an awesome Avengers trailer “Sweded” parody; Halloween comics are recommended; and Sterling Gates is making a stop in Oklahoma. Plus Wolverine, Superman and more make an appearance in the review file.

SUPER DOPPLEGANGER
Parade reports on a Filipino man, Herbert Chavez, who has undergone multiple surgeries to more closely resemble the Man of Steel. Chavez, a huge Superman fan, has undergone a nose job, chin implants and more.

AVENGERS SWEDED TRAILER IS JUST TOO SWEET
Bryan Harley and friends have created an awesome “Avengers” trailer in the “Sweded” style popularized by Michel Gondry in the film “Be Kind Rewind.” Find out more about the art of sweding and the Swedefest at www.swedefest.com, and find out more about the trailer at www.dumbdrum.com.

STERLING GATES IN OK
Check out Sterling Gates, “Hawk and Dove” writer, at Matt’s store Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave in Norman, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

GET YOUR HALLOWEEN READING ON
Matt recommends Batman: The Long Halloween, B.P.R.D., and Vampirella comics by Archie Goodwin and James Robinson for Halloween reading in 2011.

REVIEW FILE: Avengers #18, Incredible Hulk #1, Wolverine and the X-Men #1, Superman #2, Aquaman #2
Comics read in 2011: 1,613. Still to go: 398.

With Halloween just around the corner, publishers have released new or updated editions of some horror and Halloween-themed comics. Each of these would make fine reading with a flashlight once the sun goes down on All Hallows’ Eve.

‘Batman: The Long Halloween’

“Batman: The Long Halloween” follows the fall of District Attorney Harvey Dent as Batman tracks “Holiday,” a serial killer who strikes on a holiday each month.

Most of Batman’s well-known rogues’ gallery appear, as does the mob boss Falcone, who appears in “Batman Begins.” The stylized art is by Tim Sale.

Set just after the “year one” era of Batman, the book features Dent, police Commissioner James Gordon and Batman beginning a tenuous alliance to root out the mobsters of Gotham City. A killer begins a campaign against men working for The Roman, aka Carmine Falcone, starting with the Halloween slaying of Johnny Viti. More slayings follow on major holidays each month, earning the unknown killer the nickname “Holiday.”

Tim Sale provides a great atmospheric tone for “Long Halloween,” and Loeb crafts a compelling mystery that will have readers talking long after finishing the book.

DC released a new edition of “The Long Halloween” in softcover this month.

The early tales of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Development (following their appearances in “Hellboy” comics) were collected in hardcover editions in 2011 from Dark Horse. The B.P.R.D investigates the supernatural mysteries that are beyond the expertise of regular agents. When Hellboy quits the team, Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman must run the team and protect the world from a growing menace of a strange invasion of frogs.

Mike Mignola teams with co-writers Christopher Golden (“Baltimore”), Geoff Johns (“Blackest Night”), Tom Sniegoski (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and others in this hardcover collection that contains 12 issues of the earliest B.P.R.D. tales.

Artists include Ryan Sook (“X-Factor”), who has a very Mignolaesque style; Cameron Stewart (“Seaguy”), Scott Kolins (“The Flash”) and Guy Davis, who would become the series’ longest-running artist.

The second “Plague of Frogs” hardcover collection contains “The Dead” #1-5; “War on Frogs” #1-5; “The Black Flame” #1-6; and “Born Again” and “Revival.” This hardcover introduces John Arcudi as a co-writer, creating what’s probably the classic B.P.R.D. team of Mignola, Arcudi and Davis.

Vampirella debuted in 1969 in the black-and-white magazine “Vampirella.” The cover of “Vampirella” No. 1 was by famed artist Frank Frazetta.

“Vampirella is one of comics’ greatest female icons, and we’re proud to bring her classic and contemporary tales back to print for fans old and new,” Dynamite President and Publisher Nick Barrucci said in a news release last year.

Dynamite has collected the first 21 issues of the original magazine in three archive editions, featuring work by Oklahoma Cartoonist Hall of Famer Archie Goodwin, Barry Windsor Smith, Steve Englehart, Neal Adams, Richard Corben and more.

- by Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

In comic shops this week, “Vampirella Masters Vol. 6” collects writer James Robinson’s tale “Blood Lust,” in which Vampirella journeys to hell with Adam Van Helsing. The story is fully painted by Joe Jusko. The book also contains a new epilogue and the tale “Vampirella vs. Dracula” by Robinson, with art by Rick Mays and David Mack. Other “Vampirella Masters” collections include tales by Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis and Kurt Busiek.

According to the Comics Reporter, it’s the 63rd birthday of popular horror artist Bernie Wrightson.

He’s known as the co-creator of “Swamp Thing” and for his work on comic book titles from “House of Mystery” to “Batman: The Cult.”

I read “Batman/Aliens” from 1997 last night, a two-part series written by Ron Marz with art by Bernie Wrightson, and Wrightson does as well as anyone in making the alien creatures of the “Aliens” universe truly disturbing.

His work on “Creepy” and as an illustrator of “Frankenstein” have been reprinted in the past year, and are worth seeking out.  Wrightson has recently worked with writer Steve Niles on projects including “The Ghoul” and “Doc Macabre.”

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,608  Still to go: 403.

First look at the Avengers are in Entertainment Weekly; the new Batman cartoon “Beware of the Batman” is set to debut in 2013; and Walking Dead webisodes are online at AMCtv.com this week on the Planet 46 comics show.

REVIEW FILE: Penguin Pain and Prejudice #1, Huntress #1, Action Comics #2, Supernatural #1, X-Men Schism #5
Comics read in 2011: 1,540 Still to go: 471

Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Robin” provided a solid chunk of the comics I read over the past two weeks, as did the new releases of DC Comics’ “The New 52.”  That put DC Comics at 72 comics read of 108 read total in the past two weeks of my 2,011 in 2011 comic-book challenge.  I am attempting to read 2,011 comic books in the calendar year.   With almost 75.6 percent of the year over, I’ve read 1,535 comics, or almost 76.3 percent of the total comics I need to read.  I’m ahead of pace, but just barely.   Click past the cut for the full breakdowns of comics read.

DC led the way with 72 comics read.  Marvel followed with 18, just ahead of Dark Horse’s 17.

DC Comics: 72
Marvel: 18
Dark Horse Comics: 17
Image Comics: 1

The 2010s were the most-read decade, followed by the 2000s.  Every decade from the 1970s forward increased its total this period.

1970s: 13
1980s: 16
1990s: 3
2000s: 21
2010s: 55

Year to date:

The top four publishers extended their lead on the rest of the field.  DC cut into Marvel’s overall lead.  Marvel becomes the first publisher to hit 700.

Marvel Comics: 700
DC Comics: 412
Dark Horse: 82
Image Comics: 65
Boom! Studios: 51
Valiant Comics: 47
Malibu: 39
Eclipse Comics: 23
Dynamite: 20
Sirius: 17
NOW Comics: 12
Oni Press: 12
IDW: 12
Pen and Ink: 7
Prize: 7
Broadway: 6
Radical: 4
Archie: 4
Archaia: 4
NBM: 3
Atlas: 2
Harvey: 2
Abstract: 1
Bluewater: 1
Triumphant: 1
Pacific: 1

The 2000s remain in the lead for most-read decade, followed by the 2010s, which closed the gap this period.

1940-1949: 1
1950-1959: 8
1960-1969: 25
1970-1979: 121
1980-1989: 255
1990-1999: 277
2000-2009: 446
2010-present: 402

- Matt Price

Here are brief reviews for the final week of #1 issues from DC’s “The New 52.”  The final week was strong, with several titles that are worth adding to your pull list.

ALL-STAR WESTERN #1
Continuing the high quality of “Jonah Hex,” writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray team up Hex with Amadeus Arkham in the tracking of a serial killer in Wild West Gotham.  Art by Moritat.  Podcast review.

AQUAMAN #1
The “Blackest Night” team of Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis launch the King of the Sea into an ongoing series, which attacks the perception of Aquaman head-on.  This team could deliver Aquaman to the top of the charts, and this well-written and well-drawn first issue is a good start.  Podcast review.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1
David Finch writes and draws his second “Dark Knight” #1 of the recent past.  Paul Jenkins comes on as co-writer, and while he provides some punch, this isn’t the strongest of the Batman books, though it’s perfectly acceptable.

BLACKHAWKS #1
Mike Costa writes and Graham Nolan and Ken Lashley draw the military-style adventure of DC’s Blackhawks.   The Blackhawks here are a UN-sponsored covert action team that’s sure to draw comparisons to “GI Joe.”   Unfortunately, it’s not extremely memorable from issue 1 alone.

THE FLASH #1
Though I’ll miss Wally West, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato impressed me with a fresh, intriguing, fast-paced issue.   Barry Allen is a forensic detective who is secretly the fastest man alive.  He believes a former friend of his has been killed while committing a crime, but that leads Barry into a far stranger mystery.  Podcast review.

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #1
Jason Rusch is a brain; Ronnie Raymond is a jock.  They don’t like each other, but are put together as Firestorm.  Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver write the story, Yildiray Cinar provides the dynamic art.  The story starts brutally, which made the tonal shift to teen debate to superhero adventure all a bit much to take.

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1
Kyle Rayner’s origin gets recapped and slightly updated as the multi-color rings and Lanterns are explained more or less in one issue by Tony Bedard, Tyler Kirkham and Batt.  It’s a little clunky but one hopes it will develop.

I, VAMPIRE #1
A creepy vampire war threatens the DC Universe in a new comic series perhaps designed to appeal to Twi-hards.   With moody, macabre art by Andrea Sorrentin, and an epic story of lovers at war across the centuries, this is one of the stronger releases from The New 52.  Podcast review.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1
Peter Milligan and Mikel Janin cover the mystic arm of the Justice League in this introductory issue that’s readable and relatively well-done.  The odd mix of characters adds to the charm.

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1
Tony Daniel writes and draws, and while it exceeded my expectations, this version of Carter Hall didn’t particularly grab me.

SUPERMAN #1
George Perez and Jesus Merino provide a look at the Man of Steel’s “present” as the Daily Planet is bought by a conglomerate and Lois Lane has a boyfriend that isn’t Clark.  Superman, meanwhile, fights a fire monster that threatens Metropolis.  A dense first issue that’s a perfectly good introduction to the hero, though it doesn’t match the quality of “Action.”  Podcast review.

TEEN TITANS #1
Tim Drake is putting together a team of youngster heroes, who are all being targeted by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.  Fast-paced and very kinetic, especially with the art of Brett Booth, who I like a lot.   I miss the old Tim Drake, and that may be tempering my enthusiasm for the new one.  I’m willing to see how it goes.

VOODOO #1
Well, that was… stripperific?  Voodoo is near-naked a lot in this issue.  Given Ron Marz’s success with “Witchblade,” maybe he can turn the preconceptions around after this issue.  Sami Basri is a competent artist, as well.   Something like this makes me wonder if the all-”teen” rated New 52 can work as well as they would like — given the sex and violence in this book, wouldn’t it creatively work better as a mature title?  I guess we’ll have to see, but it seems that commerce is driving the ratings rather than art, which is one of the arguments that was made against the arbitrary rating of comics back in the day.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,535.  Still to go: 476.

Former Robin (and Nightwing) Dick Grayson took over for his mentor in “Batman and Robin” 1-16 by Grant Morrison.   The dynamic of the Batman and Robin team is flipped from the traditional: Batman is the more upbeat hero, while young Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne, is a grim and determined (if bratty) avenger.
It makes for great Batman-Robin interplay in a way we haven’t seen before.  Add a new flying Batmobile, a new Batcave and some new, creepy villains, and you have the makings of a classic run.

Morrison teams up with his “All-Star Superman” and “New X-Men” collaborator, artist Frank Quitely, for the first three issues of “Batman and Robin.”   Other artists on the run included Philip Tan, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke and Frazer Irving.

Other recently read Batman issues.
Batman Adventures 1-2 (1992)
The Joker manipulates the Penguin and Catwoman into being his pawns in these two issues, based on the award-winning animated series.

Tales of the Batman: Gene Colan Vol. 1
DC Comics recently collected the atmospheric art of Gene Colan’s Batman into this volume.  It’s not comprehensive, but it does provide a good snapshot of Colan’s work in the early 1980s.   This volume contains Batman 340, 343-345 and 348-351 and Detective Comics 517, 520, 528 and 529.  The storylines bounce around from book to book, and occasionally some story beats are resolved in uncollected issues, but it still makes for a nice, readable volume with amazing artwork.  Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway and Doug Moench are among the writers in this volume — the Moench stories are probably the standouts.

Batman: Year Two
Notable for the Todd McFarlane pencils on three of the four parts (Alan Davis drew the other), “Batman: Year Two” was a four-part storyline in Detective Comics #575-578.   Batman faces off against Gotham’s first vigilante, The Reaper.  The later one-shot, Batman: Full Circle, is collected in the tpb Batman Year Two: Fear the Reaper.   Full Circle, released in 1991, was drawn by Alan Davis.   Mike W. Barr is the writer.  The storyline, which is probably no longer canonical, was part of the inspiration for the movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011:  1,527.  Still to go: 484.

Batman Year One trailer shown in advance of Oct. 18 release; X-Men Destiny hits shelves; and DC Comics’ sexy superheroines cross the border in the Planet 46 Comics Podcast.

BATGIRL, WONDER WOMAN, CATWOMAN IN COMMERCIAL

Comics Alliance has found a commercial featuring Batgirl, Wonder Woman and Catwoman, unfortunately it’s not airing in the U.S.
The commercial is a TV spot for El Palacio de Hierro, a Mexico City clothing store. Apparently her new comic-book series isn’t the only place where Catwoman is acting sexy.
Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/21/mexican-superhero-commercial/#ixzz1YcjZlrUH

BATMAN YEAR ONE CLIP

Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. unveiled a clip of their upcoming adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One as shown at THR.

The movie features Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff in an adaptation of the Frank Miller four-issue story from 1987.

The movie will be released Oct. 18.

X-MEN DESTINY VIDEO GAME

X-Men: Destiny” is a third-person action/role-playing game where the gamer takes the role of one of three mutants and develops powers as the game progresses. It’s out in stores today.

REVIEW FILE: Near Death #1, Batman #1, X-Men Schism #4
Comics read in 2011: 1,453. Still to go: 558.

I’ll get to a more in-depth review when I can, but I thought I’d remind everyone that Batman #1 is out today as part of The New 52 from DC Comics.  It’s by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, and I highly recommend checking it out!

Also out this week as part of The New 52:

* BIRDS OF PREY #1

* BLUE BEETLE #1

* CAPTAIN ATOM #1

* CATWOMAN #1

* DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #1

* GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1

* LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1

* NIGHTWING #1

* RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #1

* SUPERGIRL #1

* WONDER WOMAN #1

And, if you’re a Marv Wolfman or George Perez fan, today is the release date for the LONG awaited New Teen Titans: Games!

- Matt Price

Happy birthday to Batman himself, Adam West.   I was in Austin last year when the mayor declared it “Batman and Robin Day” in honor of Adam West and Burt Ward, and these guys remain great ambassadors.

Canada’s Xtra has a new interview with West, where he talks about his career and his how he never cared for the term “camp.”  He says in the interview he has devoted, and sometimes strange, fans.

“People come up and play entire scenes from Batman for me,” West said. “That’s a little strange. But it’s wonderful. In airports they start yelling, “It’s the mayor!” because of Family Guy.”

- Matt Price

Tony Isabella points out on his facebook page that today is the birthday of the late Jim Aparo, one of the finest Batman artists of the 20th century.   Aparo died in 2005.

Aparo worked under editor Dick Giordano at Charlton, then followed Giordano to DC Comics.  Aparo worked on Aquaman, Brave and Bold, Batman and the Outsiders, Detective Comics, and many more.   In the 1980s, he was the artist responsible for the “Death in the Family” storyline in which the second Robin, Jason Todd, was killed.  In the 1990s, he pencilled “Batman” #497, the part of the “Knightfall” storyline in which Batman’s back was broken by the villain Bane.

Aparo was one of a very few artists who would pencil, ink and letter his own work.

Two Morrows has an interview on its web site from the magazine Comic Book Artist with Aparo from 2000.

A hardcover collection of some of Jim Aparo’s Batman comics is set for release in April, 2012.   According to the blog “The Brave and the Old,” a collection of “Phantom” comics featuring Aparo’s work is set for November of this year.

- Matt Price
Click past the cut for more Jim Aparo comics.

Action Comics #1 variant by Jim Lee

Robot 6 has unveiled the variant covers to “Action Comics” No. 1 and “Batman” No. 1, part of DC Comics September relaunch, The New 52.

The Superman cover is by Jim Lee; the Batman cover is by Ethan Van Sciver.  Click past the cut for the Batman cover.

- Matt Price

Batman #1 variant by Ethan Van Sciver