Hey, Comic Shop Friends! Are you ready for some Batman!? We are!

Saturday the 19th is Batman Day! There are a few exclusive hardcovers for the day, like the current ongoing Batman Daylight collection, The Dark Knight Returns Deluxe Edition, and Batman ’89!

We’ll be giving out the Batman of Two Worlds one-shot all day! Come in and get one for free! If you’d like more than one copy, they’ll be $2.99 each.

We’ll have three different Batman masks to give out! There’s Absolute, Hush, and Dark Knight!

We’re stocking up on staff favorite Batman titles too!

You can also get 20% off any Batman graphic novels, and 50% off any Batman back issues! John says, “If you can find Batman in it, you get the discount!”

We also just got in the new reusable Absolute Batman/Batman bags! They’re $3 each, and we’ll have them starting Saturday!

This Thursday the 17th is Late Nite Comics! All dollar stock will be 50 cents each! Yes, 50 cents each! Back issues will be 50% off! And it’s the day before John’s birthday, so come to celebrate with him, and he’ll have something to give out to everyone!

John says, “We wanted to do something fun (and stupid) for Late Nite Comics this month, so we put together a postcard set of Dr Doom ‘participating’ in classic Cleveland disasters. (Not to worry, this is not to become a regular thing, we always prefer using actual artists and photography for our ads and projects. Doom’s over the top villainy just seemed particularly aligned with the comedy of AI slop on this one.) These five images will be on 5 x 7 postcards and will be FREE at this Thursday’s Late Nite Comics, September 17th, 8pm to 11pm. After that we’ll hand them out with any purchase in shop until we run out. Friday’s my birthday, so we’ll be celebrating a bit on Thursday, and wanted to add some extra value to the event. I’ve always been a Doom fan, and I’m excited to finally get a look at him on the big screen in December. But till then, here’s a look at Doom muddling his way around the CLE. Doom. Always Doom.”

Local Comic Shop Day is Saturday the 26th! We’ll have a few different LCSD exclusive variants that day, including one for Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer!

MARVEL COMICS

But the big thing from Marvel is the kick-off of the DNX event! Cyclops experienced the future of the Age of Revelation, and was returned to the present with a mission for the X-Men to prevent that future from happening. The Chairman experienced the same future, and now his mission is for 3K to own that future. Revelation unleashed the X-Virus in Philadelphia, so that’s where it must happen when 3K release it themselves. It’s now a battle for the survival of mutantkind as the X-Men infiltrate 3K’s location. While each group’s plans are set in motion, Beast and Ben Liu seek help from the Fantastic Four to save Magneto’s life! Reed Richards has concerns about returning Magneto’s powers to him, but the illness affecting Max may be the result of something sent back from the future, and may hold information the X-Men need to defeat 3K. DNX continues in this five-issue mini-series from Jed MacKay and Federico Vicentini, and in X-Men #37 – #41, and Fantastic Four #17 and #18! Evolution is Contagious!

All the most recent Marvel and DC crossovers, including the digital and web only stories, are collected this week!

First, DC/Marvel: The Cosmic Kiss Caper & Other Stories collects both the DC/Marvel: Batman/Deadpool and DC/Marvel: Superman/Spider-Man, and two digital crossovers in print for the first time, The Flash/Fantastic Four and Supergirl/Blade! It’s worth picking up for those alone, but you’re getting fifteen stories and a cover gallery for only $20!

The trade paperback contains:

• Batman/Deadpool: “The Cosmic Kiss Caper” by Grant Morrison and Dan Mora.
• John Constantine Hellblazer/Doctor Strange: “A Magician Walks Into a Universe” by James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder, and Hayden Sherman.
• Nightwing/Laura Kinney Wolverine: “Sticks & Snikts” by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo.
• Harley Quinn/Incredible Hulk: “Harley & Hulk’s Amazin’ Saturday!!!!” by Mariko Tamaki and Amanda Conner.
• Static/Ms. Marvel: ”New Friends In Old Places” by G. Willow Wilson and Denys Cowan.
• Flash/Fantastic Four by Jeremy Adams and Adrian Gutierrez.
• Superman/Spider-Man: “Truth, Justice, and Great Responsibility” by Mark Waid and Jorge Jimenez.
• Lois Lane & Mary Jane: “The World’s Finest” by Tom King and Jim Lee.
• Superboy-Prime/Amazing Spider-Man: “Pages” by Christoper Priest and Daniel Sampere.
• Superboy/Spider-Man 2099: “Beyond the Cobwebs of Tomorrow” by Sean Murphy and Simon Gough.
• Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen/Carnage: “Jimmy Con Carnge” by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber.
• Jonathan Kent/Ben Parker: “The Bridge” by Jeff Lemire and Rafa Sandoval.
• Daily Planet/Daily Bugle: “Bias” by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott.
• Power Girl/Punisher: “Blind Date” by Gail Simone and Belen Ortega.
• Supergirl/Blade: by Crc Payne and Mikel Janin.

Second, Marvel/DC: The Dead of Knight & Other Stories collects both the Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman and Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman one-shots, and two digital Infinity comics in print for the first time, Thor & Shazam and Jeff! & Aquaman! The Jeff and Aquaman story is adorable and this paperback is worth the $20 just for that, but you’re getting eighteen stories total!

This one collects:

• Deadpool & Batman: “The Dead of Knight” by Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo.
• Captain America & Wonder Woman: “The Gun & The Sword” by Chip Zdarsky and Terry Dodson.
• Jeff! & Krypto: “Catch” by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru.
• Daredevil & Green Arrow: “The Red and The Green” by Kevin Smith and Adam Kubert.
• Rocket Raccoon & Green Lantern: “Rocket Raccoon Has a Green Lantern Ring Now” by Al Ewing and Dike Ruan.
• Old Man Logan & Batman the Dark Knight Returns: “Showdown” by Frank Miller.
• Logo: “Enter: Logo!” by Ryan North and Ryan Stegman.
• Thor & Shazam!: “The Secret of the Stolen Lightning” by Al Ewing and Jethro Morales.
• Spider-Man & Superman: “Our Kryptonite” by Brad Meltzer and Pepe Larraz.
• Spider-Man Noir & Superman: “Metropolis Marvels” by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin.
• Gwen Stacy & Lana Lang: “Sweethearts” by Joe Kelly and Humberto Ramos.
• Mysterio Vs. Superman featuring The Thing: “Identity War” by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank.
• Hobgoblin Vs Steel: “Ghosting” by Louise Simonson and Todd Nauck.
• Ghost-Spider & Supergirl: “Remarkable” by Stephanie Phillips and Phil Noto.
• Miles Morales Spider-Man & Superman: “The One Thing…” by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli.
• Symbiotes in Metropolis: “The Wondrous & the Worthy” by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman.
• Spider-Man & Superman: “One of Those Days” by Jeph Loeb and Jim Cheung.
• Jeff! & Aquaman: “Big Boys” by Kelly Thompson and Andres Genolet.

DC COMICS

In addition to these DC picks, be sure to read Wonder Woman #37 with the start of the Wonder War part two, and wonderful moments with Trinity and Steve. And also, Absolute Green Arrow #5 with a reveal!

The origin of Absolute Cassandra Cain is revealed! This one-shot spins out of the Absolute Catwoman story, and if you have Absolute Catwoman on your list, we gave you this. Written by Che Grayson with art by Matias Bergara, learn how the League of Assassins fell, and how Lady Shiva and her daughter Cassandra rebuilt it. More secrets of the Arks are revealed, but this is a story of a young woman trying to prove herself worthy, wanting to be seen, and learning that the ways of her mother are not the only ways. Cassandra’s silent struggle leads her to become a version of herself her mother could never imagine, the Shadow’s Hand. Now I need more Absolute Cassandra Cain, because this is an excellent story, and I hope she continues to show up in the Absolute titles!

To celebrate what would be Joe Kubert’s 100th birthday, DC presents a collection of cover art by Kubert! Some of his most iconic DC cover work from multiple eras, including some from The Brave and The Bold, House of Mystery, Sgt. Rock, and more are presented here!

Also celebrating Joe Kubert is a facsimile edition of DC Special #5! Four of his own favorite works are presented here! With a look at “The Cartoonist At Home” to start, Kubert has picked stories from Our Army at War #113, Showcase #2, The Brave and The Bold #5 and #18, and Strange Adventures #130!

SMALL PRESS COMICS

From writer Che Grayson and artist Adam Gorham comes the backstory of fan-favorite Exquisite Corpses character, Fox Mask Killer! The second of the character focused mini-series set in the Exquisite Corpses universe, this one follows an assassin working with The Tooth & The Claw, Naomi Yatsurugi, as she recounts what led from her career as the greatest stealth killer in the world, to the events of the first Exquisite Corpses storyline. On a mission in Las Vegas, Fox Mask gets a little too, or a lot too, over the top with her mission, which puts her in a bad position with her bosses. Making a choice for her future, Naomi decides to get out of the assassin business, but will she ever be fully free? Now the only person that can give her an opportunity to finally get away from her old life may be the devil herself! A thrilling and tragic tale, and one of two excellent assassin stories from Che Grayson this week, along with Absolute Cassandra Cain!

The Big One has struck Los Angeles. The city is destroyed, and the President refuses to send aid. Five years later, the city is still in ruins, and those that stayed are reliant on gangs and a massive corporation, Avalon, for shelter and supplies. Former P.I. Ester Blanco has a plan to leave the city, but when the deal she had in place changes, and the cost goes up another two thousand dollars, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make that money. And when a father asks her to track down his missing daughter, she believes this will finally be what gets her out. She’s being paid more than enough, but she has no idea that her search will lead to uncovering the conspiracy and corruption that threatens every Angeleno that stayed. Writers Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley, with artist Scott Koblish take Ester on a noir mystery journey through destruction and murder that leads to a dark web in this four-issue mini-series.

New Guillem March book! To me, half of this book feels like it’s being sexy for sexiness’ sake, and I would like the other half to be the story that the series is following, if you’re a March fan, you’ll get something out of it. On the island of Ofiusa, enigmatic artist Isla catches the eye of Joan, a man who recently moved to the town. Isla’s art explores nature and the cycle of death and rebirth, and Joan wants to see more of it. And of her. She seems to have a secret or an interesting connection to the island and water, and this is the half of the story I’d like the whole issue to be. The other half takes place in Madrid, where Joan meets a financial consultant Mar, who also has secrets of her own, and who Joan also wants to see more of. It’s unclear if one story is taking place before or after the other, or if they are completely separate timelines, but it is intriguing. John Shearer says, as a Guillem March fan, he enjoyed it as a slice of life comic that we don’t normally see, from the creator of one of the best comics of the last ten years, Karmen.

“We’ve been here before… but we forgot.” From local creator Derf Backderf, Dissidents is the true story of a group of real and influential political cartoonists who worked for the magazine The Masses in the early 1900s. Using a fictional young German immigrant from Cleveland, Joe Hertle, as the reader’s guide, we follow him as he moves to New York to follow his dream of working in the same field as Art Young, Boardman Robinson, and Cornelia Barns, among other dominant cartoonists in 1916. Documenting a country heading into darkness, with a President with open contempt for constitutional rights, economic inequality, racial tensions, and a rise of far-right militia. Documenting and commenting on the times they live in causes these cartoonists to be indicted for sedition and put on trial by the U.S. government, with one being scheduled for execution, and others fleeing the country. Derf uses his personal experience as a political cartoonist to delve into the history of the medium, and hold a mirror to how the events of history are reflected back into the world we’re living in now. I only got to flip through this today, but I will be taking my time to read it all, and I do like that scans of the original cartoons and covers for The Masses are used throughout, and that there is a large section of additional histories and key resources with more information. I’m interested to learn more about these artists and their work. As Roxane Gay’s pull quote on the back cover says, “Painfully timely and absolutely necessary.”