DC Comics August 2008 solicitations

DC Comics' listings of books and comics due out this August is out today. Here's what looks interesting to me. Click the title links to order books from Amazon.

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HAWKMAN SPECIAL #1
WRITTEN by Jim Starlin
Art and cover by Jim Starlin & Al Milgrom
Spiraling out of the events of RANN/THANAGAR: HOLY WAR! Hawkman finds himself face to face with a force of unspeakable evil: Synnar. The things Hawkman will learn in the course of their confrontation may lead him to question his very existence!
On sale August 6 • 40 pg, FC, $3.50 US


Starlin and Milgrom--This will at least be fun to look at, even if I don't have the foggiest what's going on with "Holy War," yet another of DC's eternal cross-overing crossovers. In fact, I'm not sure exactly who Hawkman is these days, or how may Hawkmen there might be at the moment.

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ALL STAR SUPERMAN #12
WRITTEN by Grant Morrison
Art by Frank Quitely & Jamie Grant
Cover by Frank Quitely
The Man of Steel has faced twelve super-challenges. Now, as Lex Luthor’s brilliant, criminal machinations come together, what fate awaits the doomed Superman? This is the final, dramatic chapter of the incredible, award-winning 12-issue run of ALL STAR SUPERMAN by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant – don’t miss it!
On sale August 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


Though Quitely's art is a bit stagnant for my tastes, it is nice to look at. And Morrison's take on the Super Mythos has been fun. It's very much a hip update of the Mort Weisinger era, but refreshingly free of post-modern irony and grim'n'grittiness.

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SUPERMAN/BATMAN #51
Written by Michael Green & Mike Johnson
Art by Rafael Albuequerque
Cover by Ryan Sook
The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight are shocked to discover little versions of themselves fighting a threat in Metropolis. But where did these tiny heroes come from? As Superman and Batman search for answers, things get worse with the arrival of the Li’l League!
On sale August 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


I've never read an issue of Superman/Batman. The artwork has always looked hideous to me and the stories didn't seem like much fun. It's certainly not the World's Finest of my youth. But this storyline looks like it might actually be fun in an off-the-wall Silver Age-ish way. I'll give it a skim when it hits the comic shop and pick it up if it looks any good.

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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16

Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Scott Kolins
Superman and Catwoman – together at last?! This team clearly won’t be held together with super-glue!
On sale August 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


What is this? "Comics are fun" month at DC? This another story that looks like it may actually have a sense of humor to it.

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THE SPIRIT #20
Written by Sergio Aragones & Mark Evanier
Art by Paul Smith & Walden Wong
Cover by Paul Smith
The Spirit swims with the dolphins – but murder follows him even among these peaceful creatures!
On sale August 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


I worried, along with everyone else, when Darwyn Cooke left this title. Seeing his art on a monthly basis was a joy. But, you know what? As nice as his Spirit issues were to look at, the scripts of the issues that have followed Cooke's run are better. A lot better.

Cooke provided some great art and cool graphic storytelling techniques and did a wondrous job of updating the problematic Ebony White. But the ongoing storyline he imposed over his issues never gathered steam.

Aragones and Evanier, meanwhile, have produced some excellent done-in-one stories with tight plots and witty dialogue. Smith's pencils--though not as stylish as Cooke's--are excellent. I've always enjoyed his work.

I don't know how long this series will be published, but I intend to keep buying it while it's around.

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DC COMICS GOES APE TP
Written by Otto Binder, John Broome, Gardner Fox and others
Art by Carmine Infantino, Wayne Boring, George Papp, Ross Andru, C.C. Beck, Jim Starlin and others
Cover by Arthur Adams
You’ll go bananas for this new title collecting simian stories from SUPERBOY #76, SUPERMAN #138, THE FLASH (VOL. 1) #127, DETECTIVE COMICS #339 and 482, HAWKMAN #16, WONDER WOMAN #170, STRANGE ADVENTURES #201, SHAZAM #9, SUPER FRIENDS #30 and THE FLASH (VOL. 2) #151!
Advance-solicited; on sale October 1 • 168 pg, FC, $19.99 US


It's taken a long, long time for DC to capitalize on the nostalgic affection we fans all seem to have for the Silver Age gorilla craze but, finally, here it is: a compilation of classic simian stories for us all to enjoy.

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DC UNIVERSE ILLUSTRATED BY NEAL ADAMS VOL. 1 HC
Written by Robert Kanigher, Bob Haney, Gardner Fox, Neal Adams, Cary Bates, Len Wein and Howard Liss
Art by Neal Adams, Joe Kubert, Nick Cardy, Dick Dillin, Steve Harper and Vince Colletta
Cover by Neal Adams
At last, it’s here – the first of three hardcover volumes collecting nearly every DC Comics story and cover by Neal Adams not already collected in GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW, BATMAN or DEADMAN titles! Featuring rarely seen stories from OUR ARMY AT WAR #182, 183 and 186, STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES #134 and 144, DETECTIVE COMICS #369, TEEN TITANS #20-22, ACTION COMICS #425, SUPERMAN #254, WEIRD WAR TALES #12 and 13 and more!
Advance-solicited; on sale October 22 • 192 pg, FC, $39.99 US


This one's a no-brainer. What's not to be excited about? Except, perhaps, the possibility that Neal insisted on re-coloring these tales as he did with some of the hardcover collections of his Batman stuff. Those gaudy, computer colors overpowered the original artwork. But if this is good old flat color, I can't wait to see it.

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THE NEW TEEN TITANS ARCHIVES VOL. 4 HC
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art and cover by George PĂ©rez & Romeo Tanghal
The 1980s adventures continue in this final Archive edition, collecting NEW TEEN TITANS #21-27 and NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1! Don’t miss the Titans’ struggle against the hordes of Brother Blood, Starfire’s confrontation with her evil sister and more! Retailers: Please see this month’s Order Form for a special Archives ordering incentive.
Advance-solicited; on sale October 29 • 224 pg, FC, $49.99 US


As I recall, this was the era when Wolfman and Perez pretty much peaked on this title, which was a favorite of mine and many other fans at the time. Boring cover on this Archive, though, eh?

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THE PHANTOM STRANGER: THE HEART OF A STRANGER TP

Written by Paul Kupperberg, Mike W. Barr, Paul Levitz, Alan Moore and Dan Mishkin
Art by Mike Mignola, P. Craig Russell, Jim Aparo, Gene Colan, Joe Orlando and others
Cover by Mignola & Russell
The celebrated 1987 miniseries featuring art by Mike Mignola (Hellboy) is the centerpiece of this new collected edition, which also includes tales from SECRET ORIGINS #10!
Advance-solicited; on sale September 17 • 144 pg, FC, $19.99 US


I never read this mini, and don't even remember it being out. Lots of talented creators were involved. Was it a collection of anthology stories or what?

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SHOWCASE PRESENTS: METAL MEN VOL. 2 TP
Written by Robert Kanigher and Bob Haney
Art and cover by Ross Andru, Mike Esposito, Gil Kane, Mike Sekowsky and George Roussos
Cover by Andru & Esposito
The Metal Men return in this SHOWCASE PRESENTS volume collecting their adventures from METAL MEN #16-36 and THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #66.
Advance-solicited; on sale September 17 • 528 pg, B&W, $16.99 US


More good, fun stuff.

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SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BLACKHAWK VOL. 1 TP
Written by Various
Art by Dick Dillin, Charles Cuidera and Sheldon Moldoff
Cover by Dillin
The 1950s adventures of The Blackhawks are collected for the first time in this new volume featuring stories from BLACKHAWK #108-127!
Advance-solicited; on sale October 1 • 512 pg, B&W, $16.99 US


These stories are from way before my comic-reading time and generally aren't held in high regard. But, hey, it's the sort of stuff Showcase was created for, and they may be fun to read. Plus, I'm all in favor of having more Dick Dillin artwork back in print.

Newsarama has DC's complete solicitations here.

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