DC has introduced what it’s calling a “second wave” of their New 52 in the USA Today, announcing six new series starting up this May, which includes the long-awaited return of the Justice Society of America, as well as a new book giving us some Power Girl. They’ve also announced the cancellation of six other books to make room for the new wave.
Here’s the rundown of the new books, straight from the Source:
BATMAN INCORPORATED – Writer: Grant Morrison. Artist: Chris Burnham. The acclaimed ongoing writer of Action Comics, Grant Morrison, presents a fresh take on Batman Incorporated, in which the Batman brand is franchised globally in preparation for a major international threat. Morrison promises “a big emotional story.” as he’s working towards this series endpoint. “We’ve been setting up this big massive family drama to finish the whole thing with the kid caught in the middle.”
EARTH 2 – Writer: James Robinson. Artist: Nicola Scott. The greatest heroes on a parallel Earth, the Justice Society combats threats that will set them on a collision course with other worlds.
WORLDS’ FINEST – Writer: Paul Levitz. Artists: George Perez and Kevin Maguire. Stranded on our world from a parallel reality, Huntress and Power Girl struggle to find their way back to Earth 2. Perez and Maguire will be the artists on alternating story arcs.
DIAL H – Writer: China Miéville. Artist: Mateus Santoluoco. The first ongoing series from acclaimed novelist China Miéville, this is a bold new take on a cult classic concept about the psychological effects on an everyman who accidentally gains powers to become a hero. “In the original run, he’s turning into a giant spring coil to foil bank robbers, and I’m like, OK, what if you are a 25-year-old guy and you turn into a superpowered spring coil? That’s going to mess with your head,” Miéville says. “I cannot believe that I get to just make up superheroes. It’s what you did as a kid. The whole point of Dial is that the roster of capes is changing every single month, often two or three times.”
G.I. COMBAT – Writer: J.T. Krul. Artist: Ariel Olivetti. Featuring the return of a classic DC Comics series, The War That Time Forgot, along with rotating back-up stories and creative teams – including The Unknown Soldier, with writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Dan Panosian; and The Haunted Tank, with writer John Arcudi and artist Scott Kolins.
THE RAVAGERS – Writer: Howard Mackie. Artist: Ian Churchill. Spinning off from Teen Titans and Superboy, this series finds four superpowered teens on the run and fighting against the organization that wants to turn them into supervillains.
Sounds pretty cool, right? Yes! The JSA is back! Also, Earth 2 Huntress and Power Girl doing a Legion Lost thing in World’s Finest? How does this mix with the Huntress series and Karen Starr trucking around in Mr. Terrific? Well, maybe that won’t matter, because Mr. Terrific is one of the six books getting the axe, along with Static Shock, Men of War, Blackhawks, O.M.A.C. and Hawk and Dove. Despite canceling two of their military-themed titles, DC still seems committed to the genre by rolling them towards G.I. Combat. Static Shock will be missed, though – but maybe not for that long, thankfully.
“Many of the characters from our canceled books will appear in DC Comics-The New 52 titles, and in some very surprising ways,” said Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras. “We’re developing stories that reach from cultures around the globe to parallel worlds. We’re just getting started.”
So what sounds good to you in DCnU: The New Batch?