That completes our Comics Forecast Friday Night, folks -- sorta!
There's one other title that made the list -- in fact, it topped it -- but we'll tell y'all about it later. For now, we'll just say the issue's become an issue of its own, and causing quite a commotion amongst many. Especially those who take the fictional to be a little more real than maybe they should.
But who am I to talk, right? C'mon, Sherm, let's go fly a kite....
Wonder Woman's place among the titles topping our DC Comics Friday Forecast for July 2011 was assured by a lot more than just Alex Garner's wicked-cool cover on Issue #613. (Although, were the entire 32 pages inside the comic completely blank, Garner's art would probably still get Diana Prince a place on our list!)
New Wonder Woman's journey towards discovering her True Self was initially intended to wrap-up with June's issue, but 'The Odyssey' was even more epic than its creator, J. Michael Straczynski, had planned. The storyline extends an additional TWO issues, and July tackles the first of those. Here's what happens:
WONDER WOMAN #613 Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI and PHIL HESTER Art by DON KRAMER and WAYNE FAUCHER Cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON 1:10 Variant cover by ALEX GARNER The mega-opus “Odyssey” proved too big, it needed two extra issues to tell J. Michael Straczynski and Phil Hester’s full story! It’s classic Wonder Woman versus the new one! Even if she wins, she loses! On sale JULY 27 | 32 pgs | $2.99
Maybe its her mask, or maybe it's because she's been gone so long and we've forgotten what a killer character Cassandra Cain can be. But neither matters much, though, because Cassie is back in Red Robin #25, dropping in July. (And if that ain't enough to put Tim Drake's title on the Friday Forecast, we don't know what is...!)
RED ROBIN #25 Written by FABIAN NICIEZA Art and cover by MARCUS TO and RAY MCCARTHY If he’s going to avoid a fight against a psycho Super-Villain, end the 7 Days of Death, win the Assassination Tournament and discover ancient knowledge over life and death, Red Robin will have to survive a final battle against one of the world’s deadliest assassins. Her name? Cassandra Cain! On sale JULY 13| 32 pgs | $2.99
The merest thought that Gail Simone won't be scripting Birds Of Prey is enough to make me shiver and shake like a Gotham earthquake. The act alone, even, borderlines blasphemy in the extreme, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, because sometimes, the unthinkable happens.
That's plenty of reason to catapult July's Birds Of Prey Issue #14 onto the Friday Forecast -- but it's not the only one. Simone might be gone -- happily, she's just taking a one-ish time-out -- for the month, but the Birds remain in the very capable hands of Mark Andreyko.
If you don't know Andreyko, we're here to tell you that you're missing out. One of the few out-loud and out-proud gay writers at DC Comics, Andreyko created and wrote DC's most recent Manhunter series, the super gay-friendly title about the trials -- both literal and figurative --of Kate Spencer, the LA DA who doles out her own kind of 'criminal justice.'
Andreyko's also the dude who deserves all the credit for outing Obsidian aka Todd Rice, black-and-blue son of Alan Scott, the original Green Latnern. He also gave JSA-member Obsidian a boyfriend (Manhunter character Damon Matthews) and all future writers of DC's Justice Society of America series a character who may just be a little too hot for them to handle.
In July, Andreyko teams up with art partner Billy Tucci for a fill-in issue of Birds of Prey -- and here's the skinny:
BIRDS OF PREY #14 Written by MARC ANDREYKO Art and cover by BILLY TUCCI When the original Phantom Lady returns to Gotham City for a mini-reunion with Lady Blackhawk, a forgotten, decades-old evil wakes from its slumber and plans twisted revenge on our heroines! Can Canary, Huntress, and Oracle unravel the mystery and save their comrades? This special issue by the guest team of Marc Andreyko (MANHUNTER) and Billy Tucci (Shi) also guest-stars Manhunter! On sale JULY 13 | 32 pgs | $2.99
We gotta bounce for tonight, peoples. Hope we helped ya to look forward to July just a little bit more! Be sure to check back with us tomorrow for the second half of Comics Forecast Friday -- and see what else DC's got cookin' as the summer heats up!
... See everyone on the flip-flop flip-side!
Zatanna’s solo series makes it on the Forecast shortlist tonight thanks to Adam Hughes’ black magic.
We had this same art sans logo here on the comicsblog not too long ago, and we know alot of peeps liked Hughes particular take on the lovely magician. He put Zatanna back in black in a big way, and that’s enough for us. Here’s what you can expect when the issue drops in July 2011:
ZATANNA #15 Written by PAUL DINI Art by JAMAL IGLE and JON SIBAL Cover by ADAM HUGHES The long-simmering rivalry between Zatanna and The Spectre ignites in this issue! In an infernal courtroom beneath Alcatraz Prison, the Maid of Magic is on trial for her life, with the vengeful Spectre determined to find her just as guilty as the mystic criminals she fights. Will even Zatanna’s powers be enough to save her from God’s wrath? On sale JULY 20 | 32 pgs | $2.99
Nicola Scott is guilty as charged.
Y'all know Nicola Scott, right? She's the uber-talented artist who rocked some sweet Secret Six not too far back. Scott and Gail Simone made beautiful music together on that title, and now she's doing the same with the Teen Titans.
And girl is GUILTY! Guilty ---- of turning Conner Kent / Superboy into some ridiculously super, super-fucking sexy, sex-god-superhero!
Connor's going to blows with his Evil Brother from Another Mother, Superboy Prime, on July's cover, and that's enough to put Teen Titans #98 right into our Friday Forecast.
TEEN TITANS #98 Written by J.T. KRUL Art by EDUARDO PANSICA and EBER FERREIRA Cover by NICOLA SCOTT and DOUG HAZLEWOD He’s back! Don’t miss the issue where one of the deadliest and most psychotic threats in the DC Universe returns. It’s Superboy Prime! Of all things to hate, he hates The Teen Titans most of all. Now he’s coming for them, and he’s not coming alone. On Sale JULY 27 | 32 pgs | $2.99
We'll footnote that TEEN TITANS ships twice in July, with Issue #97 dropping two weeks before Issue #98. Check 'em both for extra thrills!
When Batman's clocking the fuck outta some Catholic school girl and it makes the cover of a DC comic, you gotta know it's because of Grant Morrison. This one looks awesome -- and like wicked fun.
Batman Incorporated #9 by Morrison and Cameron Stewart makes it into tonight's Friday Forecast. Here's the solicit:
BATMAN INCORPORATED #9 Written by GRANT MORRISON Art and cover by CAMERON STEWART 1:25 Variant cover by CAMERON STEWART Is an exclusive girls’ finishing school a secret training ground for teenaged assassins? Find out the truth as Batgirl undertakes her most dangerous mission yet at the request of Batman. On sale JULY 20 | 32 pg | $2.99 US
On Forecast Fridays, Sherm and I take a peek at the comics our favorite publishers have, as they say in the escort biz, just solicited. Then, we intrepidly report back to you -- our Mealsters -- on, and only on, those books that are lookin' particularly fine, ahead of time.
That's damn good alliteration, yo. C'mon, everybody, you've gotta say that out loud to really appreciate it. All together now:
FINE, AHEAD OF TIME. FINE, AHEAD OF TIME!
Good! Y'all got it down. Ready?
TONIGHT: Sherm and I turn our attention on the DC boys. We're picking the best-lookin' books -- the one's that are lookin' FINE, AHEAD OF TIME -- for July 2011.
Here we go...!
