This first appeared on The Huffington Post…

Last month, we told you that DC Comics was going to let the villains take over the entire DC Universe. The good guys were going to be taking the back seat to the bad guys.

Now that we’re in the midst of that crisis, DC Comics has revealed which villains would be taking over which books and they’re doing it with these brand new 3D covers that really need to be seen to be believed.

That’s why DC Comics sent me a copy of the brand new Flash and Green Lantern books (hitting comic book stores tomorrow) to film and show off to you. In Flash, Reverse Flash is out for revenge. In the pages of Green Lantern, the intergalactic threat Mongul is tearing across the galaxy, razing entire civilizations and setting his sights on the destruction of the Green Lantern Corps.

In order to give you the best look at the covers, there was no real way to just embed an image, and an animated GIF wouldn’t have given you a proper idea either. So here’s the video I made to show you what they look like.

Special thanks to Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection in Salt Lake City, Utah for talking to me and letting me film inside.

Bryan Young is an author, his latest book is A Children’s Illustrated History of Presidential Assassination, and the editor of the geek news and review site Big Shiny Robot! He also co-hosts the Star Wars podcast Full of Sith.

Exciting news for Canadian comic book fans has been unveiled at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto, as DC Comics announced that its Justice League brand is about to take on a distinctly northern feel.

DC announced that the Justice League, which has included superhero members such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter among others, will be moving its headquarters north of the border for a series slated to publish in the spring of 2014.

According to an article published in Friday’s Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2013/08/23/dc_comics_to_launch_justice_league_canada_in_2014.html), the Justice League of America will be renamed and a new Canadian character will be introduced as part of the series.

Canada has some comic roots, of course. While I’m not a comic geek, I am a proud Canuck and I take some geek pride in the fact Marvel’s Wolverine hails from the Great White North. And there has been Captain Canuck and the Alpha Flight.

Canadians have also taken pride in the fact several comic book film franchises shoot north of the border. Vancouver played host to The Fantastic Four. Toronto’s Casa Loma was featured in the X-Men. And Montreal has been home this summer to the cast and crew lensing the highly anticipated X-Men: Days of Future Past movie.

Heck, even the Man of Steel came north to hide out while searching for a scout ship sent by his Kryptonian ancestors in Zack Snyder’s hit film released earlier this year.

But this news is sure to please many Canadian geeks, who no doubt, in true Canadian fashion, will be bracing for some sort of backlash from fans south of the 49^th Parallel. Canada is largely an unknown quantity to many Americans, who think of this great nation as a socialist haven replete with free health care and Vietnam-era draft dodgers, where everyone dines on poutine and playing hockey is a rite of passage.

But take heart, my fellow Canadian geeks, for it seems that DC is being somewhat sensitive to our national psyche. It has hired an actual Hoser, Toronto writer Jeff Lemire, to pen the series. And Lemire, who has written for DC and Vertigo properties such as Green Arrow and Trillium, told The Star’s tech reporter, Raju Mudhar, that he is mindful of not playing up the clichés.

Revealing that the team’s headquarters will be in the remote area of Northern Ontario, situated around James Bay and the small town of Moosonee (yes, American readers, that’s the name of a real Canadian town), Lemire said the Justice League of Canada will not be housed in “a hockey rink.”

“Although, of course, it did cross my mind,” a laughing Lemire told Mudhar.

“This is like my ultimate dream job,” Lemire added. “It sounds like a joke and something like this would never happen, but it is actually happening, and I couldn’t be happier.”

While the JLC HQ will be in remote Northern Ontario, the plots will include a lot of action taking place in Toronto. One can only hope that Lemire will present Canada’s best known and most populous city as something other than an icicle-covered burgh where Mr. Freeze or some other chilly villain would feel most comfortable. Given the fact there’s actual snow on the ground for maybe three to four months of the year in Toronto, Lemire has an opportunity to showcase a side of Canada that many Americans don’t know exists.

Lemire told The Star his Canadian character will be unique: “I’m trying to make a character that reflects a real part of our cultural identity, who could be a real Canadian teenager. That’s what I’m really after with that.”

And while there are other surprises revealed in the article, one last point stands out. The JLC will not be some B-list of superheroes. Lemire described it as “dream team” of top DC characters.

“It really is just trying to make an honest portrayal of the places and the country and people that I know. That’s why I’m setting it in Toronto and Northern Ontario, because those are the places that I really know well,” he says.

So, how will North American comic geekdom react to the Justice League moving – most likely very temporarily – out of America and setting up shop on the James Bay coast? Let the debate begin …

Remember the good old days when you and your pals debated whose pops was the toughest hombre on the block?

“My dad could beat up your dad.”

That was then.

Now, let’s ponder something a little cooler. Like, maybe, who would win in a battle between Bane and Batman?

Or how about Wonder Woman taking on Harley Quinn?

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment are now allowing comic and video game fans to voice an opinion about who would win some epic battles as part of the lead up to the April release of the new superhero fight game Injustice: Gods Among Us.

For a total of 10 weeks, characters from the DC Comics universe will go head-to-head and you can vote on who you believe will win the bout.

Check out the first match-up video here:

While the first week pitted the Dark Knight against Bane, Week 2’s royal rumble features Wonder Woman against the Joker’s twisted femme fatale, Harley.

Each Monday, the week’s combatants will be revealed in videos that detail the skills, attributes and tech available to each fighter. You can also check out some of the celebrity experts weighing in on the matchup.

All votes and submissions have to be submitted by Thursday night and the results will be announced in a final fight video, showing the all-out battles and ultimate victor.

You can voice your opinion via Facebook and Twitter and enter to win prizes, such as avatar items and skins, by voting at https://injustice.dccomics.com.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is slated to hit store shelves on April 16 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. The game still hasn’t been rated.

Wayne Chamberlain has covered the gaming industry since 2002. He is the co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast, available on iTunes, and a contributing writer with Postmedia News and Canada.com.

A press release from Cartoon Network announced the new and returning shows for 2013. Two shows which were absent from that list were Young Justice and Green Lantern. The show runner for Green Lantern Giancarlo Volpe confirmed via twitter that indeed his show had been canceled. As of the time of this posting there hasn’t been official confirmation from Young Justice’s creator Brandon Vietti. With the press release however we are fairly certain Young Justice will be officially canceled within a day or so. We will update here the moment more information becomes available.

I hadn’t watched much of Green Lantern but I was adamant supporter of Young Justice. It is in my top 5 favorite shows currently airing so I am very disappointed at this news. The news wasn’t too surprising however because on October 14th of last year planned episodes of both shows were suddenly removed without notice and didn’t air again until January 5th. With sudden postponements it seemed Cartoon Network didn’t have faith in these shows.

Are you as devastated as I am with this news? Let us know in the comments.

Later this summer fans of DC’s New 52 relaunch will have the chance to play in that universe with a deck building game that is being released by Cryptozoic. In it you play as one of the seven members of the current Justice League. A deck building game isn’t like a collectible card game like Magic or Pokemon. Everything you need to play will come in the box, which includes 214 cards and 7 oversized super hero cards. 2-5 players can play and each game should take 30-45 minutes to finish.

Each player starts with his own basic 10-card deck and draws a hand of 5 cards each turn. You use Power as money to purchase new cards for your deck. The goal of a deck building game is to make your personal deck into a well-oiled machine that will score you more victory points than your opponent. The types of cards you can get are broken down into five catagories: Villains, Heroes, Equipment, Super Powers, and Locations. You build the power of your deck to defeat super villains, which gains you victory points and the player that has the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

I recently tried a similar game made based on the Uncharted video games and it was quite fun. Those of you going to San Diego Comic Con will be able to demo the game at a special con only store that Cryptozoic will have. Located at 411 Marked St people will be able to not only demo the New 52 game, but Cryptozoics various other games like the Big Bang Theory party game and the World of Warcraft trading card game.

Cryptozoic is also releasing a trading card set, also based off the New 52, which is the first DC trading card set to be released in three years. It will feature a 61 card base set and two chase sets. One chase set is called “The Lanterns” and will feature various iconic lantern characters. The other is called “Work in Progress” which will be lenticular cards showing the process from a sketch to full color art. Also included will be sketch cards where you can get a sketch of various DC characters.

I’ve noticed these in last months previews so both of these should be available at your local hobby/comic shop when they are released later this summer!

To mark the first anniversary of “The New 52,” DC Comics will be putting out #0 issues for all of their titles. Some will be origin stories, and in cases where the origin has been told already they will fill in some of the blanks on the characters since their re-introduction last year. DC also announced that four new series will be starting up with these zero issues. They will be Talon, Sword of Sorcery, The Phantom Stranger, and Team 7.  Swankmotron also broke the news today that starting with the zero issue Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort will be taking over the Superman title. You can read his interview with Lobdell here.

TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March.                                                                                                                                                                                                     Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!

SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.

THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson.
Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.

TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino.
Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

But to make way for those four series, four will be departing as DC wants to keep their line at 52 titles. I have now learned that the four books getting the axe are Justice League International, Voodoo, Resurrection Man, and Captain Atom. JLI’s last issue will be #12 which comes out in August and the rest will have their final issues in September with the zero issues.

And here are the solicits for all the zero issues out in September:

JUSTICE LEAGUE #0

Written by GEOFF JOHNS

Art and cover by GARY FRANK

Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

1:100 B&W Variant cover by GARY FRANK

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• Billy Batson takes center stage in this issue as he unleashes the awesome power of Shazam in a special origin story!

• Also featuring the not-to-be-missed origin of Pandora and the next seeds of TRINITY WAR!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

AQUAMAN #0

Written by GEOFF JOHNS

Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

1:25 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• It’s the first appearance of Atlantis – and Aquaman’s first encounter with Atlanteans!

• How will this story of Arthur’s past set the stage for his future? Find out here!

WONDER WOMAN #0

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO

Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG

1:25 B&W Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A facet of the past is revealed – and a foe is introduced!

• How did Wonder Woman become a star pupil of Ares?

THE FLASH #0

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO

Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

1:25 B&W cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• At last, it’s the origin of The Flash!

• The loss of his mother put Barry Allen on the road to becoming a hero, but only when he gains his powers will he understand her most important lesson.

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #0

Plotted by ROB LIEFELD

Scripted by ROB LIEFELD and MARK POULTON

Art and cover by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Discover Hawkman’s connection to Thanagar and why he came to Earth!

GREEN ARROW #0

Written by JUDD WINICK

Art by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II and ROB HUNTER

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Oliver Queen is young, rich and reckless…what could possibly go wrong?

• Discover the events leading up to the birth of Green Arrow, and Ollie’s history with Roy Harper!

EARTH 2 #0

Written by JAMES ROBINSON

Art by TOMAS GIORELLO

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

1:25 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• It’s the tragic origin of Earth 2’s greatest villain!

• Don’t miss Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in action on Earth 2!

WORLDS’ FINEST #0

Written by PAUL LEVITZ

Art and cover by KEVIN MAGUIRE

1:25 B&W Variant cover by KEVIN MAGUIRE

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• It’s the origin of Supergirl and Robin on Earth 2!

• How did their first mission on that world affect their situation as Power Girl and Huntress today?

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #0

Written by TONY BEDARD, JAMES ROBINSON, ROB LIEFELD and DAN DIDIO

Art by CAFU, MARAT MYCHAELS, TOM DERENICK, ERIC BATTLE and others

Cover by RYAN SOOK

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 64 pg, FC, $5.99 US • RATED T

• Five all-new adventures featuring the Blackhawks’ Mother Machine, Hawk and Dove, Mister Terrific and O.M.A.C. in this super-sized issue!

• Featuring the beginning of storylines that will play out across the entire New 52!

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #0

Written by JOE HARRIS

Art and cover by YILDIRAY CINAR and MARLO ALQUIZA

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond try to return to civilian life after losing the power of the Firestorm Protocols…but when danger threatens them, will they be able to survive?

• Is this the end of Firestorm?

CAPTAIN ATOM #0

Written by J.T. KRUL

Art and cover by FREDDIE E. WILLIAMS II

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

• Captain Nathaniel Adam volunteers for a dangerous experiment that will make him one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe!

• How much can man lose before he is no longer human?

TALON #0

Written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV

Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A new series featuring the Court of Owls’ unstoppable killing machine!

• Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon ever to escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin just wants to live a normal life…but that’s impossible, since he’s being hunted by his former masters!

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #0

Written by GRANT MORRISON and CHRIS BURNHAM

Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

Variant cover by AARON KUDER

1:100 B&W Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $3.99

• Batman, Incorporated wants you!

• Batman has a war to fight, but first he must recruit an army to combat the menace of Leviathan.

• See how The Dark Knight assembled his lieutenants!

BATMAN #0

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Backup story written by SCOTT SNYDER and JAMES TYNION IV

Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION

Backup story art by ANDY CLARKE

Cover by GREG CAPULLO

Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE

1:100 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• Bruce Wayne has returned from his worldwide quest to take the law into his own hands!

• This issue reveals the early steps of building everything that surrounds Batman – the costume, the cave, the car, the gadgets!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

DETECTIVE COMICS #0

Written by GREGG HURWITZ

Art by TONY DANIEL and RICHARD FRIEND

Backup story art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI

Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and RICHARD FRIEND

1:25 B&W Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL and RICHARD FRIEND

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• Discover how young Bruce Wayne learned to wield the martial arts, and how a major villain was introduced into his life.

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #0

Written by GREGG HURWITZ

Art and cover by DAVID FINCH

1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Batman takes on the most important case of his career as a detective – who murdered his parents?

• Meet Joe Chill and explore the epic conspiracy to wipe out the Wayne family!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #0

Written by PETER J. TOMASI

Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Damian’s complicated relationship with his mother, Talia al Ghul, takes center stage.

• Bred to kill and not to care, this is the birth of an assassin!

BATWOMAN #0

Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN

Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III

1:25 B&W Variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• See how Kate Kane shed her life of excess and disgrace to become the costumed vigilante known as Batwoman!

• Has she truly put her demons to rest?

BATGIRL #0

Written by GAIL SIMONE

Art and cover by ED BENES

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• How did Barbara first become Batgirl? What led to her to don the cape and cowl?

• Witness Barbara Gordon’s shocking injury and her inspiring drive to recover and walk again!

NIGHTWING #0

Written by KYLE HIGGINS

Art by EDDY BARROWS, RUY JOSE and EBER FERREIRA

Cover by EDDY BARROWS

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• It’s the origin of Dick Grayson in The New 52!

• From orphan to super hero – it’s all here!

BATWING #0

Written by JUDD WINICK

Art by MARCUS TO and RYAN WINN

Cover by MARCUS TO

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Batwing has been chosen as one of Batman’s main allies…but is he worthy?

• Guest-starring Batman!

BIRDS OF PREY #0

Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI

Art by ROMANO MOLENAAR

Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The first meeting of Black Canary and Batgirl…is not at all what you expect!

• After Team 7, how did the Birds of Prey come to be?

CATWOMAN #0

Written by JUDD WINICK

Art by RAFA SANDOVAL

Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The secret origin of Selina Kyle!

• Major shocks are in store for Catwoman this year – and this is just the beginning!

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #0

Written by SCOTT LOBDELL

Art by DWAYNE TURNER

Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Learn how Jason Todd came back to life after being killed by The Joker.

• Do you really need another reason to check out this issue?

GREEN LANTERN #0

Written by GEOFF JOHNS

Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY

1:25 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $3.99 US

PROLOGUE TO THE THIRD ARMY!

• The introduction and origin of a surprising new Green Lantern!

• Where are Hal Jordan and Sinestro?

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #0

Written by PETER J. TOMASI

Art and cover by FERNANDO PASARIN and SCOTT HANNA

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

PROLOGUE TO THE THIRD ARMY!

• The New 52 origin of Guy Gardner!

• Guy’s past has a way of catching up with him, and this issue is no exception!

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #0

Written by TONY BEDARD

Art by AARON KUDER

Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

1:25 B&W cover by GUILLEM MARCH

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

PROLOGUE TO THE THIRD ARMY!

• A new team forms as Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Star Sapphire Carol Ferris, Saint Walker, Arkillo and Kyle Rayner prepare for war against the Guardians of the Universe!

RED LANTERNS #0

Written by PETER MILLIGAN

Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES

Cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

PROLOGUE TO THE THIRD ARMY!

• Don’t miss this secret chapter of the Red Lantern Corps, as the legacy of Atrocitus’s violent past unfolds!

• Witness a prophecy that threatens to change everything!

THE PHANTOM STRANGER #0

Written by DAN DIDIO

Art by BRENT ANDERSON and SCOTT HANNA

Cover by BRENT ANDERSON

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Learn what happened to The Phantom Stranger after the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY story!

• Who has been sacrificed? Who is guilty? Who can save us? And who…is The Phantom Stranger?

• Major players in The New 52 will be introduced in these pages!

SWORD OF SORCERY #0

Written by CHRISTY MARX

Backup story written by TONY BEDARD

Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN

Backup story art by JESUS SAIZ

Cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• In this new series featuring the long-awaited return of AMETHYST, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother. She’s about to learn why it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld — and has powerful enemies hunter her!

• AMETHYST is written by Christy Marx, best known for her work on animated TV series including G.I. Joe, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more, as well as the comics series Sisterhood of Steel.

• And in the backup story set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior BEOWULF is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.

DIAL H #0

Written by CHINA MIEVILLE

Art by RICCARDO BURCHIELLI

Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• One of the first users of the H Dial learns a horrible secret that spells certain doom for the future!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #0

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by MIKEL JANIN

Cover by RYAN SOOK

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Find out what young John Constantine was like in the early days of The New 52, and meet the villain who plans to kill him and the entire team!

ANIMAL MAN #0

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art and cover by STEVE PUGH

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• What is the secret history of Animal Man?

• Learn how Buddy got his powers!

• Plus: A terrible secret is revealed as “Rotworld” draws closer!

SWAMP THING #0

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art by KANO

Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The mysteries of Alec Holland and Anton Arcane revealed!

• Throughout history, Arcane has slaughtered the champions of the Red and the Green, and only Alec has escaped death – but for how much longer?

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #0

Written by MATT KINDT

Art and cover by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and WAYNE FAUCHER

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Frankenstein meets his maker…literally!

• Learn how Frankenstein was recruited by S.H.A.D.E.

• What does the future hold for S.H.A.D.E.?

I, VAMPIRE #0

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by ANDREA SORRENTINO

Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• Witness how Andrew Bennett became a vampire!

• Who was the monster that attacked him? How did his powers develop? And why is he the only vampire able to control his terrible hunger for blood?

DEMON KNIGHTS #0

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art and cover by BERNARD CHANG

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Deep in the past of The New 52, Etrigan the Demon and Jason Blood struggle against Merlin and Lucifer!

• The horrible curse that unite them is revealed!

RESURRECTION MAN #0

Written by DAN ABNETT and ANDY LANNING

Art by JESUS SAIZ

Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ • FINAL ISSUE

• Mitch Shelley discovers the truth of his existence, and even the ability to return from the dead won’t save him!

DEATHSTROKE #0

Written by ROB LIEFELD

Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• What horrors led Slade Wilson to become Deathstroke – the most dangerous killer in the world?

• More on the history of Team 7 and the first appearance of a fan-favorite character in The New 52!

GRIFTER #0

Plotted by ROB LIEFELD

Scripted by ROB LIEFELD and FRANK TIERI

Art by SCOTT CLARK and DAVE BEATY

Cover by ROB LIEFELD

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• What is the dark truth behind Grifter’s powers? Find out in this issue!

• Plus: More on the Daemonite threat, new characters are introduced, and tons of bullets fly!

TEAM 7 #0

Written by JUSTIN JORDAN

Art and cover by JESUS MERINO

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Threads of the entire DC Universe collide in this new series set in the early days of The New 52 from writer Justin Jordan (The Strange Talents of Luther Strode).

• As Superman emerges, so too does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind!

• Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash, Slade Wilson are Team 7 – and their story will change everything you know about The New 52!

STORMWATCH #0

Written by PETER MILLIGAN

Art by IGNACIO CALERO and SEAN PARSONS

Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• The history of Stormwatch’s activities in The New 52 are revealed!

• A new villain arrives, and the safety of the team has never been more in doubt!

G.I. COMBAT #0

Written by JUSTIN GRAY, JIMMY PALMIOTTI and J.T. KRUL

Art by STAZ JOHNSON and ARIEL OLIVETTI

Cover by VIKTOR KALVACHEV

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

• What exactly was the Unknown Soldier before the experiments that changed him forever?

• The War that Time Forgot claims another casualty in the strangest origin story of them all!

SUICIDE SQUAD #0

Written by ADAM GLASS

Art by FERNANDO DAGNINO

Cover by KEN LASHLEY

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

• What happened to Amanda Waller after the shocking destruction of Team 7? And how did it lead to the creation of the Suicide Squad?

VOODOO #0

Written by JOSH WILLIAMSON

Art by SAMI BASRI

Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ • FINAL ISSUE

• The truth about Pris is revealed at last as she sets off on a mission for vengeance that can only end in genocide!

ALL-STAR WESTERN #0

Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI

Art by MORITAT

Cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+

• How did Hex get his scar?

• Jonah Hex’s early life is accounted for…and it’s plenty ugly!

BLUE BEETLE #0

Written by TONY BEDARD and KEITH GIFFEN

Art and cover by IG GUARA and J.P. MAYER

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Where was the Scarab before it merged with the current Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes?

THE RAVAGERS #0

Written by HOWARD MACKIE

Art and cover by IAN CHURCHILL and NORM RAPMUND

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Detailing the brutal abduction by N.O.W.H.E.R.E. of Beast Boy and Terra!

• Learn how the paths of these two heroes will affect the entire team!

TEEN TITANS #0

Written by SCOTT LOBDELL

Art by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT

Cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND

1:25 B&W Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Focusing on the origin of Tim Drake; how a would be Olympic star and computer genius went on to become Batman’s third Robin.

• Plus: The beginnings of Skitter and Bunker.

LEGION LOST #0

Written by TOM DeFALCO

Art by PETE WOODS

Cover by ANDRES GUINALDO and MARK IRWIN

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Don’t miss Timber Wolf’s origin in this special issue!

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #0

Written by PAUL LEVITZ

Art by SCOTT KOLINS

Cover by STEVE LIGHTLE

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• A new story entitled “Brainiac’s Original Sin” sheds light on one very important

Coluan child!

ACTION COMICS #0

Written by GRANT MORRISON

Backup story written by SHOLLY FISCH

Art and cover by BEN OLIVER

Backup story art by CAFU

Variant cover by RAGS MORALES

1:100 B&W Variant cover by BEN OLIVER

On sale SEPTEMBER 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• Don’t miss “The Boy Who Stole Superman’s Cape”

• Grant Morrison weaves the history of Clark Kent’s early days in Metropolis!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

SUPERMAN #0

Written by SCOTT LOBDELL

Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT

1:25 B&W Variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT

On sale SEPTEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Welcome the new creative team of Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort as they take us back to the days when Jor-El learned the truth about Krypton’s imminent destruction!

• Plus: More on the introduction of the Eradicators!

SUPERBOY #0

Written by TOM DeFALCO

Art and cover by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Mysteries are revealed as we learn Harvest’s reasons for creating Kryptonian clones!

• This bloody chapter of Superboy’s history ties directly into issue #1 of the series – and the future of the entire DC Universe!

SUPERGIRL #0

Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON

Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR

On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• On the eve of Krypton’s destruction, who sent Supergirl from Krypton to Earth – and why? The answer is not what you think!

• Plus: Learn the answer to a mystery that’s been driving Supergirl mad for months: Who shot her father, Zor-El?!

For me, DC/WB Animation’s direct-to-video series has been incredibly hit or miss. Even the ones I like tend to be compared to the original comic stories they were based on unfavorably. When I heard about Justice League: Doom, I was going in expecting another fair to middling comic adaptation. Boy, was I wrong. Let me just say that if you’re on the fence about grabbing this flick, GET IT! As to why I think this is an insta-buy, read on.

The premise of JL: Doom is that Batman, being the über-prepared guy he is, has a series of countermeasures to be used if his fellow Justice Leaguers ever go rogue just sitting on the Bat-Computer. Now, what do you think would happen if someone without the Dark Knight’s altruism got their hands on them? If you’re thinking a bad day for the JLA, you don’t know the half of it! JL: Doom is adapted from writer Mark Waid’s  JLA #43-46 Tower of Babel arc, originally published in the year 2000. Adapting the story for the screen is the late Dwayne McDuffie. The man knows how to bring superheroes to the screen, based on previous experience on the JLU animated show as well as past DC DTV’s. In fact, the biggest strengths JL: Doom has going for it is that while it takes the major story beats from Tower of Babel, it isn’t a slave to it. McDuffie throws stuff out that works on the printed page, but wouldn’t translate to the screen. Simultaneously even if you know nothing about the League, the film’s opening scene gives you a basic understanding of all of the characters.

The opening fight introduces you to the JLA nicely.

One of the most refreshing, yet possibly controversial changes in JL: Doom is that the villains are completely different from the source material. In the movie this works because each villain is the opposite number of a hero. It’s a kind of storytelling shorthand that lets the movie jump straight to the action in the limited time it has, rather than the months long story the original told. For those who remember the original story, Ra’s Al Ghul has been replaced by the immortal Vandal Savage. The motivation behind the plot remains the same, which is slightly irksome as it’s definitely a Ra’s plan. I forgave this, as it is changed enough to fit Savage as well.

Of course when you have a cast so large, it is a bit difficult to focus on all of the personalities present. McDuffie does manage to give everyone a shining moment, including the unexpected appearance of Cyborg, but since this is essentially a Batman story guest-starring the JLA, your mileage may vary in regards to if your favorite character gets enough screen time. That being said, besides Batman, the character I actually connected to the most in the film was Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, which surprised the heck out of me. In most incarnations, Hal is presented as a cocky jerk who has overconfidence that’s only matched my his willpower. In JL: Doom however, Hal’s attitude is clearly shown to be due to his absolute lack of fear. That makes his bat-planned takedown all the more poignant when he shows his nobility. I won’t go into spoilers, as it needs to be experienced first hand. I will say that it is just another reason why it’s so sad we lost McDuffie and his vast talents. This is a Green Lantern that I would gladly read/watch/pay 10 bucks at the theater for. It doesn’t hurt that this Hal actually uses his ring to make things other than guns.

"The cat's in its cradle, Star Sapphire!"

In the film, the JLA is of course triumphant, but it’s the journey here that is important, not the destination. In JL: Doom, the League feels like a team of true equals that play to each other’s strengths. It’s hard to explain in words, but the action just flows. One aspect that brings this story to legendary status is that once the threat is over, there are still things to resolve. Namely, Batman’s paranoia getting the League into this mess to begin with. Again, no spoilers here, but it’s handled very well, with the Leaguers and especially Batman discussing their viewpoints in a manner that doesn’t come off as preachy or forced at all. It may not sound very compelling, but trust me it’s one of the strongest moments in the film when Batman refuses to back down when faced by his accusers.

Don't look now, but I think Bats just got hit on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.

When it comes to the production side of things, the voice direction by Andrea Romano is top-notch as always. It helps that most of the cast have played these characters before. It was nice to hear Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy reprise their roles as the World’s Finest team. Michael Rosenbaum as the Flash is a nice touch as well, though it is a little jarring once you realize he’s playing Barry Allen rather than Wally West, but he adjusts his performance accordingly. Nathan Fillion is my favorite Green Lantern voice actor and his acting made the aforementioned scenes what they were. If he can bring half of the game he brings in this movie to the CGI GL animated series, it’ll be the best show on TV.

Animation wise, JL: Doom uses the same character designs as the previous Justice League film, Crisis on Two Earths. The villains are completely new designs however, and they work very well, although Star Sapphire has a softness to her at times that is very anime-esque. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but I felt her in-costume look didn’t match up as well as the other baddies. Otheer than that, the visuals are beautiful, the color palette seems toned down a bit from the previous film. The tell-tale sign is the baby blue of Superman’s uniform. I think it’s works much better than the darker hues WB animation has used for Supes up to this point. The opening credits are an inspired sequence of the contingency files on the Bat-Computer and sets up the premise of the film without the aid of dialogue.

My bottom line is Justice League: Doom is a day one purchase. Whereas I was content to wait for the older DC DTV’s to hit the discount bins, I was happy to pay full price for this one, and I suggest you do so as well, be it on Blu-Ray, DVD, or Digital Download.

Here’s a clip from JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM, the highly anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Warner Home Video will distribute the film on Blu-Ray, DVD and for Download on February 28, 2012.

I have to admit, I love hearing Nathan Fillion as The Green Lantern.

And The Royal Flush Gang has always been one of my favorites. I can’t wait to see this cartoon.

You can preorder it on Amazon here.

Yesterday on their blog, The Source, DC announced they would be rolling out a new logo for all of their entertainment brands. Here is the accompanying press release and photos that came with the big announcement. I’d be interested to hear peoples thoughts or opinions on the new logo. I myself don’t think I care for it, but I’m sure over time that’ll just go away as I just get used to it.

BURBANK, CA, January 19, 2012 – DC Entertainment, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company and home to iconic brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD, revealed today a new brand identity.  The new identity is reflective of the company’s mission to fully realize the value of a rich portfolio of brands, stories and characters, distinguished by incredible breadth and depth across publishing, media and merchandise.  A new logo for DC Comics was also introduced, closely aligning with DC Entertainment’s new mark.

“It’s a new era at DC Entertainment and the new look reflects a dynamic, bold approach while at the same time celebrates the company’s rich heritage and robust portfolio of characters,” stated John Rood, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for DC Entertainment. “It was just a few months ago that Superman, Batman and many of our other Super Heroes were updated when we launched DC Comics – The New 52 and now it’s time to do the same for the company’s identity while remaining true to the power of storytelling which is still at the heart of DC Entertainment.”

DC Entertainment worked with Landor Associates, one of the world’s leading brand consulting and design firms, to develop an identity that creates a visual connection among the company, its three brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD and its vast array of properties as well as celebrates the power of the company’s stories and characters.  The design of the new DC Entertainment identity uses a “peel” effect – the D is strategically placed over the C with the upper right-hand portion of the D peeling back to unveil the hidden C – symbolizing the duality of the iconic characters that are present within DC Entertainment’s portfolio.

“It was our goal to capture DC Entertainment in a dynamic and provocative identity.  Our solution is a living expression which changes and adapts to the characters, story lines and the ways fans are consuming content,” explains Nicolas Aparicio, Executive Creative Director at Landor’s San Francisco office.  “The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.”

The new brand identity will come to life across all consumer touch points in order to create a clear and consistent message in support of DC Entertainment.  The new identity will begin to appear on comic books and graphic novels as well as new websites in March.  Consumers will also see the new identity rolled out over time on other DC Entertainment products from Warner Bros. including film, television, interactive games and merchandise.

“We believe our new brand identity will strongly resonate with our loyal fans who will want to proudly express their affinity for DC Entertainment and their passion for their favorite stories and characters, this new look allows them to easily do this. In addition we were excited to update our identity, it’s not often a company gets to revisit something as important as its brand and we took the opportunity to make sure it represented the multi-media business we set out to build with the formation of DC Entertainment,” said Amit Desai, SVP of Franchise Management for DC Entertainment.

The trailer for Justice League: Doom, officially premiered this past weekend at NYCC 2011. Since a lot of the Justice League animated series voice cast is back to reprise their classic roles, this is sure to be an awesome film! (I don’t know about you, but I definitely miss the days of Batman: the Animated Series, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. I’m pscyhed to have this voice cast back!)

From the Press Release:

“Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green
Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a
team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s
“contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The
story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion (Castle) and Tim Daly
(Private Practice), the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman,
respectively, join a group of eight actors reprising their famed
cartoon roles, including Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as
Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan
Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl
Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Also returning to
their Justice League animated series roles are the villainous voices
of Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo
(The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as
Mirror Master. David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice
League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and
directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited
as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series).
Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie
(All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and
dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano
(Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).”

We got the chance to participate in round-table interviews with Kevin Conroy, Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano this past weekend at NYCC 2011. Check back later this week to see the posts!