The New 52′s first full week kicks off today!
With13 new books being released this week, DC Comics’ “The New 52″ kicks off in earnest. The most high-profile release of the week is Grant Morrison’s “Action Comics” #1. Oklahoma-born Sterling Gates joins Rob Liefeld for “Hawk and Dove” No. 1. Reviews to come, but in the meantime, here’s the list of this week’s releases in The New 52!
ACTION COMICS #1
ANIMAL MAN #1
BATGIRL #1
BATWING #1
DETECTIVE COMICS #1
GREEN ARROW #1
HAWK AND DOVE #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1
MEN OF WAR #1
OMAC #1
STATIC SHOCK #1
STORMWATCH #1
SWAMP THING #1
Feel free to share what you thought of the books, what your shopping experience was like, or anything else related to The New 52 in the comments!
- Matt Price
Fans, retailers excited by Justice League relaunch
DC Comics began relaunching its entire line of superhero comics on Wednesday, with the release of “Justice League” No. 1, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee.
Lee drew the best-selling comic book of all time, 1991′s “X-Men” No. 1, as well as three of the best-selling comics of the past decade.
Second printing announced for Justice League #1; reaction to The New 52 digital model
At DC Comics’ Source blog, they’ve unveiled the cover for the second printing of “Justice League” No. 1. The issue, which went on sale today, is already seeing strong sales at comic shops nationwide, and has sold out from the distributor. More than 200,000 copies were ordered by comic-book stores. The release date of the second printing has yet to be announced, but I would expect soon. (Edit: Sept. 14 release.)
“Justice League” #1 will kick off DC Comics’ The New 52
DC Comics will kick off its linewide relaunch, The New 52, on Wednesday, with the last pre-relaunch issue, “Flashpoint” No. 5, and the first issue of the new line, “Justice League” No. 1.
According to DC, “Justice League” will be set at the dawn of the age of superheroes. The first storyline explores the team’s origins as they ultimately become the world’s greatest superheroes, featuring characters including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg. The new Justice League series is written by Geoff Johns (“Blackest Night”) and drawn by Jim Lee (“Batman: Hush”).
Justice League tops 200K; six other DC titles over 100K
The LA Times is reporting that pre-orders for Justice League No. 1, which goes on sale Aug. 31, are over 200,000. That’s the highest-ordered comic since 2009, the Barack Obama issue of “Amazing Spider-Man.”
“Amazing Spider-Man 2″ sets May 2, 2014 date
Scene from "The Amazing Spider-Man."
“The Amazing Spider-Man” won’t be released until next July 3, but Sony has already scheduled a sequel, Entertainment Weekly reports.
The date of May 2, 2014 has been selected for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”
No further information was provided, but it is likely Andrew Garfield would return in the lead role of Spider-Man.
The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day, in which comic book shops and participating locations around the world will give away comics to customers and visitors.
Free Comic Book Day was created by Concord, Calif., comic book retailer Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff.
“I love the way Hollywood has increased the awareness of the First Saturday in May as the international holiday for
Joe Field
comic books with Free Comic Book Day,” Field said. “With the release of The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012, representing a new silver screen take on the wondrous wall-crawler, I know this will give an extra lift the Free Comic Book Day. FCBD: This time it’s AMAZING!”
Field is the president of ComicsPRO, the comic-book retailer trade organization.
The first Free Comic Book Day in 2002 was timed to the release of the first “Spider-Man” movie starring Tobey Maguire. Free Comic Book Day moved in 2004 to time its release with “Spider-Man 2” before returning to the first Saturday in May. “Spider-Man 3” was also released on Free Comic Book Day weekend in May 2007. Other superhero films to be released on the first Saturday in May include “Iron Man” 1 and 2, and this year’s “Thor.” “Avengers” is set for the first weekend in May of 2012, and “Iron Man 3” is penciled in for that weekend of 2013.
- Matt Price
Norman’s Atomik Pop to close
Norman’s Atomik Pop, 918 W Main, closes Saturday after 27 years in business.
The store, previously known as Planet Comics and Southside Comics, reached new heights in popularity during the manga boom of the 2000s. But manager Bart Bush said via facebook that the economy, changes in consumer buying habits and overall rising expenses have led to the need to close the store. The Atomik Pop in Oklahoma City, 7884 S. Western, will remain open.
Full disclosure note: I am one of the owners of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, and so a lot of people would consider me to be in competition with Atomik Pop. I’ve never felt that way. I’ve always felt that Bart and his group were almost like teammates trying to raise the tide of comics in Norman with us. I’ve been deeply saddened by the store’s impending closure. There are few people in the state – heck, probably in the world – with the knowledge of Golden Age comics, early comics retail and comic book history like Bart, who opened the first comic shop in the state back in 1974. Atomik Pop owner Steve Richter also deserves credit for his years of making Atomik Pop a go-to destination store.
I told Bart personally, but I’ll also say publicly – the city will be worse off without Atomik Pop, which provided many fans their first comic-book exposure via its high-traffic location across from Norman High School. I even give Bart credit for my Jim Starlin fandom, as I’m pretty sure it was him who sold me on “Silver Surfer” back in the early 1990s. (I didn’t confirm this with him, so it could be faulty memory talking.)
My best wishes to the employees and customers of Atomik Pop. It’s always sad to see a favorite location close, and I encourage everyone to cherish their memories of it. I know that I will.
- Matt Price
ComicsPRO Annual Membership Meeting dates set
In retailer news from this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, direct-market retailer organization ComicsPRO has announced that its Annual Membership Meeting will be held February 9-11, 2012, in Dallas, Texas.
This is the second year for the meeting to be held in Dallas; previous locations include Las Vegas, Nev. and Memphis, Tenn. This will be the sixth Annual Membership Meeting of the organization.
ComicsPRO is the only trade organization for direct-market comic book retailers. ComicsPRO’s goals are to promote advocacy, education, and opportunity for its members.
ComicsPRO has a full line of retailer programs set for Friday at Comic-Con. Click past the cut for the full schedule.
- Matt Price
Full Q&A with Valiant Comics executive editor Warren Simons
Warren Simons
Warren Simons, the former Marvel Comics editor who is now the executive editor at Valiant Comics, took some time to answer some questions for Nerdage about the company’s upcoming plans. A version of this interview ran in Friday’s Weekend Look; the full Q&A is included here.
DC Comics announces relaunch of Action Comics, Superman
Action Comics #1 (2011)
DC Comics is relaunching the book that introduced Superman back in 1938.
Grant Morrison and Rags Morales create the renumbered “Action Comics” #1, a new issue that, according to DC, “will set in motion the history of the DC Universe as Superman defends a world that doesn’t trust their first Super Hero.”
Superman #1 (2011)
George Perez writes the relaunched “Superman” #1, which will be illustrated by Jesus Merinao.
“What is Superman’s startling new status quo? How does it affect his friends, loved ones and his job at The Daily Planet?” DC asks in describing the series.
Two other characters with Superman ties will also be relaunched: Supergirl and Superboy.
“Supergirl” #1 is by writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson (“Smallville”) with art by Mahmud Asrar.
“Supergirl’s got the unpredictable behavior of a teenager, the same powers as Superman and none of his affection for the people of Earth,” is how DC describes its “new take on the teenager from Krypton.”
“Superboy” #1 will be written by Scott Lobdell with art by R.B. Silva and Rob Lean. DC’s description: “They thought he was just a failed experiment, grown from a combination of Kryptonian and human DNA. But when the scope of his stunning powers was revealed, he became a deadly weapon.”
- Matt Price
