Action Comics and Detective Comics join November's "Zero Year" tie-ins

Earlier today, I wrote a post rounding up all of the titles we knew would be tying into Zero Year this November, we now know two more! Both "Batman: Detective Comics" and "Superman: Action Comics" will be involved in the event, here are the covers for the issues and some information about them:

Superman: Action Comics #25 will be the first issue by new creative team, Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder, it's a return to the T-shirt and Jeans version of Superman who starred in the series towards the start of the New 52, and the one currently in Pak's Batman/Superman series. I'm pretty much certain that this issue is set in Metropolis, rather than Gotham, but it will take place around the same time as the other Zero-Year tie-ins. I'm quite looking forward to Pak and Kuder's run on this series ( just look at that cover! ), this issue is also said to debut a female character that DC say readers will recognise from before the New 52 was launched.                                                                            Action Comics #25 will be released on November 6th.

 

  Detective Comics #25 will be focusing on Jim Gordon six years before the New 52 started. It's Gordon before his first meeting with Batman and this issue has been described as "the warm-up to their meeting and the prelude to their inevitable partnership." by writer, John Layman.                                                                              This issue is written and drawn by series regulars, the aforementioned John Layman and Jason Fabok. I'm glad this issue isn't going to be another just focused on what Batman's doing ( as the series was in previous crossovers, "The Night of the Owls" and "Death of the Family"), and that it's surrounding another major Gotham character. Batman: Detective Comics will also be released on November 6th.

 

So far, we've been told of nine books taking part in the crossover, and I remember reading that there'll be eleven in total, I'm also pretty sure that The Flash will be one of the remaining books still to have it's cover revealed.

 

I also remember reading that the crossovers take place during a pivotal moment of the main Zero-Year story, and I'm still trying to guess what it might be...

 

(Source: Comic Book Resources)

 

Review: Batman, Incorporated #13

There will be some major spoilers for the conclusion of Batman, inc. below.

Well, we've finally reached the end. This is the finale of Grant Morrison's Batman story. A lot has happened in this run; Dick Grayson becoming the Batman; the founding of Batman, inc.; The arrival and death of Batman's son, Damian Wayne and much more, but was this a fitting ending? I guess that's what I have to say here...

This was another fast-paced, exciting issue of Batman, inc. and it showed me how much I'm going to miss this series now that it's over. The writing of the issue is brilliant ( as you would expect from Morrison ). What Morrison does to Batman in this issue is very clever, that after years and years of building him up to his peak, he knocks him straight back down.

 I feel like you have to read this issue again to spot some of the interesting symbolic things that happen in the issue, one that I'll point out is that despite all of the travelling around the world, building up an empire, advancing his resources, Batman's final battle against Talia takes place in the Batcave, the home of Batman. Another is that one of the people he couldn't get to in time to save their life, rescues Batman. There are a few more, and I think you'll probably have to read it more than once to get them, but I find them really interesting.

I do have a bit of a problem with how the issue is set out, though, at the start you see Bruce Wayne sitting in the police station, talking to Jim Gordon, after his final fight with Talia, and he tells the story to the Commissioner. I feel like this takes away from the suspense of the issue, and even though I knew from the moment I picked up the issue, that Batman wouldn't die; When you're engrossed in a story you don't really remember that, and it puts a bit of a downer on that excitement to see what's happening after the battle as the first thing in the issue.

My answer to the question in the first paragraph is yes. In my eyes, this was a fitting ending, it leaves a bit of a cliffhanger and I wonder if we'll ever get to see that followed up on. I really hope we do get a chance to see what happens next sometime in the future, but knowing it most likely will not be written be Grant if it even happens is a bit of a shame...

Now onto the art: Chris Burnham never fails to impress with the art on this book. He does all of the weird layouts perfectly, and we definitely get a few of those in this issue. The colours by Nathan Fairbairn compliment Burnham's pencils brilliantly, and they both are perfect for this story. I'm going to miss seeing the two of them work together on this book.

Another brilliant issue and a good conclusion to the story, even if it does take away some of it's own suspense, Grant leaves you wondering after the final scene which is exactly what I was hoping for and Burnham and Fairbairn do a great job on the artwork. I think you do need to have read Grant's entire run to appreciate this issue fully, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

Rating: 9/10