DC UNIVERSE Month 93, Part 1

ABSOLUTE BATMAN #13 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta.  Bruce, having been visited by Selina in her Catwoman guise, talk and make love. Then the pair head off to meet with the Red Hood gang, now led by Harley Quinn, who likes the idea of a plan involving taking down Ark M. Elsewhere, Bane and his scientists push the amount of venom his boy can take to the maximum. Batman hijacks a city-wide video feed and challenges Bane to a fight in the Veterans Arena to be broadcast live. Before he leaves, he bids goodbye to Alfred and Selena and then leaves a box filled with raw meat for his friend Waylon.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN 2025 ANNUAL #1 by Daniel Warren Johnson and James Warren. In the first story, a young Bruce goes to buy weapons to use when he sees a group attacking a pair of immigrants. But when he intervenes, the weapons merchant knocks him out and Bruce gets saved by a priest, who takes him home to tend to his wounds. He tells Bruce that the guy named Deejay is hell bent on getting rid of the immigrant camp. When Deejay and his gang, aided by the police, attack the camp, Batman arrives and, in violent fashion, ultimately eliminating the threat. In the second tale, a masked gang breaks into a former priest’s church looking for guns. Batman arrives and, after a bloody brawl, the bad guys are defeated and the priest and his son, who he has been estranged from, reunite.

ABSOLUTE EVIL #1 by Al Ewing, Giuseppe Cammuncoli, and Stefano Nesi. In 1951, Hawkman has a meeting with the House Un-American Activities Committee, where they demand he unmask. Ultra Right Wing Carter Hall agrees and then proceeds to tattle on those superheroes he believes to be Communists. In the present, Oliver Queen gets a call from his friend Roy, telling him he is going after billionaire pedophile Jubal Slade. At the same time, Slade calls Hector Hammond, who believes he can pay off Queen. Hammond then goes to a meeting room with Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, Ra’s al Ghul, and The Joker. Cale gives a presentation involving many of the heroes of the past. Wesley Dodds was found dead and his research involving knockout gas was stolen which seemingly resulted in the military developing nerve gas that won World War II. Later, Ted Grant was framed for murder and became a vigilante, eventually taking a payoff and opening a gym. Iron Munro was called before the HUAC but refused to give names and soon found himself blacklisted in Hollywood. He died after being ‘accidentally’ exposed to nerve gas. Cale goes on to explain this was how people who tried to act outside of the “status quo” were dealt with. But, after the “Gateway Event” and the arrival of Wonder Woman, Superman and more, things have changed and they all need to work together. Hammond refuses and Cale calls in Hawkman, who dumps the corpse of Oliver Queen on their table. While Hammond and Thawne still are not on board, The Joker reveals that a particle physics lab he owns made a recent, relevant discovery he refers to as the ‘Omega Particle’ and he proclaims their group should be known as the Justice League. As Brainiac watches all this through Ra’s al Ghul’s sunglasses, he meets with Mirror Master, telling him this group needs another member and suggests a candidate he saw in the Mirror World. In the end, a man and his wife are enjoying some peace on their farm when he receives a phone call. He reveals he is Lex Luthor and asks how he can help the person on the other end.

ABSOLUTE FLASH #8 by Jeff Lemire and Travis Moore. In the past, Barry Allen is lecturing at Keystone University. Elenore Thawne meets with him after class with an offer to continue his research in quantum mechanics. They fly to Fort Fox where she shows him her grandfather’s journals when Eobard Thawne was heading up a government project called Blue Trinity, which was trying to connect with an alternate dimension of pure energy. The government shut him down but he went out to the desert and built his machine. Captain Jay Garrick tries to stop him but Thawne has opened a portal and he throws Garrick into it and he is disintegrated. When the machine exploded, Thawne disappeared and is presumed dead. Barry becomes interested in the equations on the chalkboard here and begins correcting them. Two years later, Barry has rebuilt Eobard’s machine and Thawne brings in Rudy West, who wants to have weapons built for the military. Thawne tells him he needs to play along to continue to receive funding. Later, he opens a portal to what is being called Still Point and sends in a three person team to collect samples of ‘Red Matter’ and they fins a spaceship they bring back to base where alien technology and the bodies of the crew are studied, allowing the creation of Grodd and the Rogues’ equipment. Barry hears the voice of Eobard calling him and when Barry touches this red lightning, he sees himself from the future in the containment suit, telling him to stop and that it must be Wally.

ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #7 by Al Ewing, Jason Howard and Riley Rossmo. In deep space, a Black Star possessed Mogo, led by Killowog, attacks members of the Green Lanterns with devastating results before moving on and destroying J586. Later, Tomar-Re, coupled with Red Lantern energy, attacks and dispatches Killowog. Turned into a cube, the cube flies through space before ending up with someone who possesses the Yellow Light-someone who appears to be a version of Sinestro and then destroys a miniature version of Starro.

ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #12 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval. While Ma kent rambles on and seems to recognize that maybe her son may be back, Sol takes Superman to Kansas, in an effort to keep him safe. But he is still dealing with the effects of Brainiac’s mental torture. Jimmy and Lois take in a meal at a Smallville Diner where they meet Lana Lang and discover there may be some support for Superman and resistance against Lazarus. On their return to the farm, they find Superman enveloped in a fortress that doubles as his cape; constructed by Sol. He introduces himself as Kal-El and warms that Ra’s and Talia are coming-and they have quite the army with them.

ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #13 by Kelly Thompson and Matais Bergara. At the Hieron, Diana hears a news alert abut something destroying a casino in Reno and she heads there. She not only sees the destruction but also senses “pure malice” in the air as she confronts an energy creature that lashes out with a psychic attack before disappearing over the Pacific. Back at the Hieron, Diana, Barbara, Etta, and Gia analyze this and other attacks that seem to have been unleashed at ancient Amazon battle sites. Diana heads to the next location in Delphi, Greece where she realizes the monster is her own magical balance-that she is responsible for all of this.

ACTION COMICS #1091 by Mark Waid and Skylar Partridge. Clark escape from the military and heads back home, telling the Kents what happened. Later, he meets with Captain Comet, who reveals he was responsible for the military showing up as part of a test. He later reveals that he is suffering from an incurable alien infection. Clark insists that Captain Comet needs to go back into space to save his life but Comet declares he must stay here and both help and teach Clark. Ultimately, Clark gets the dying hero into his spaceship and propels him back into space to hopefully save his life.

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: BOOK OF EL #2 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Scott Godlewski. Superman has saved a distant relative named Ronan Kent and learns that he has been transported to the far future and Smallville has become Tropolis Kyne and is run by Luthor. Well…a Luthor that is actually a robotic construct as Lord Ux rules all. Ronan takes Superman into the remnants of the Fortress of Solitude where Clark revisits old memories. Ronan goes off ahead to meet with an old man before bringing him to meet Superman. It is revealed that the old man is in fact Jimmy Olsen. Before he can reveal too much to his old friend, they are attacked by some of Lord Ux’s ‘Summer Men’. In the first backup, from Brandon Kent’s journal, it is revealed the Luthor isn’t being controlled by Brainiac-he IS Brainiac. In the second entry, from the Chronicles of the House of El, it is revealed that the last three Luthors have been an entity sent by Kryl-Ux to watch for Superman’s return.

AQUAMAN #10 by Jeremy Adams and John Timms. The citizens of Atlantis remain trapped behind a magical barrier, even as Mera, Jackson, and Garth try to find away to break out. On the surface, a ghost pirate ship appears and causes havoc. Aquaman and his team work together to defeat the pirates who manage to dig up an artifact that they have been searching for. But they are quickly dispatched by Aquaman’s daughter from a future timeline who takes the artifact and heads off.

BATGIRL #12 by Tate Brombal and Takeshi Miyazawa. Batgirl, Jade Tiger, and Jaya Jayesh fight their way through The Blood, even as Cass is troubled by visions of her dead mother. They eventually make their way into the hidden city of Samsara, where she meets with Nyssa al Ghul. She tells Cassie that there are blue poppies that gives the Unburied their power and those flowers must be destroyed. Before Cass can agree to join Nyssa, Chodak the Unbowed breaks free and attacks Nyssa, leading to Batgirl saving her and defeating him and agreeing to help stop The Unburied.

BATMAN #2 by Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez. Tim Drake Robin breaks up a gang of crooks who are stealing baby formula. When the police arrive, one of them shoots a fleeing suspect in the back. When Tim attempts to flee, he is shot by a police officer and captured and place in a police van with other criminals. Tim fights for his life, dispatching them and freeing himself from his bonds in the process. The van gets stopped by well-deployed Bat Spikes and Tim is freed. The police officers threaten to shoot batman and fire, hitting each other in the process, although Batman takes a glancing shotgun blast off his head in the process. In the aftermath, one officer is dead and the other is wounded and Vandal Savage declares war on Batman and Robin.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #26 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Fico Ossio. Batman and Robin interrogate The Penguin following the attack at The Iceberg Lounge. Penguin insists he does not know who was responsible even as Batman reveals that the assailant puts coins on the eyes of the dead. When the heroes leave, Cobblepot has one of his men make arrangements to have a meet with Harvey Dent. Because Batman left a microphone in the Iceberg Lounge, he knows that a meet is happening at Asher Estate and he sends Robin to stake it out. While waiting, Damian gets a visit from the Gotham Irregulars, who want to help out. The killer arrives to the meeting and demands Harvey gives up The Penguin, declaring he is the person responsible for killing his boy. Batman intervenes and disarms him. That is when Batman recalls a cold case he never solved and realizes the man is really after The Ventriloquist.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #44 by Mark Waid, Mark Russell and Lucas Meyer. While Batman and Superman deal with Toyman and Mad Hatter in Bolivia, Batman reveals he has sent Robin to scope out Ardora Industries: a subsidiary of Lexcorp. Superman calls in his cousin to back up Robin. He makes his way into Adora but his disguise his subterfuge soon fails and Supergirl arrives to help. But they have Kryptonite and that results in them being captured. They distract their captor, who is going through a crisis of a personal nature, leading to them insisting that they are not dating. Using her super-breath, Supergirl manages to get the access card to freedom, which Robin tosses with his mouth to get the door to open. Escaping but still trapped in a chair, a stray bullet from the thugs breaks the Kryptonite chains, defeating the bad guys and hitting the self-destruct button, with the pair flying away and her delivering a kiss as they do. In the end, Batman and Robin find them in Robin’s car in something resembling a romantic embrace when they are actually looking for the shutoff for the proximity button in the car.

BIRDS OF PREY #26 by Kelly Thompson and Sami Basri. Batgirl and Black Canary make their way into the server room and install a piggyback into the system, even while Canary thinks there is a missing piece. Back at their temporary headquarters, they discuss their plan, where they will get placed directly into the game’s finale. After making their way through the game by answering a bunch of riddles, Barda and canary are stop by police who open fire on them with Barda taking wounds protecting Canary. Reuniting with Sin and Cass, Cass says she has solved the game. Leading them to a solid wall, she says that Vivi is looking for entrance to the Seam and is very close. 

CATWOMAN #80 by Torunn Gronbekk and Danilo Beyruth. Selina continues her search for Palmero Pearl. In the process, she rescues a reporter named David Moran who has been caught photographing Zervas and the Falcones. That night, she attends the ball but, even disguised, someone knows who she is.

CHEETAH & CHESHIRE ROB THE JUSTICE LEAGUE #3 by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott. Cheshire and Cheetah have assembled their team, consisting of Hazard, Klarion and Teekl, and Featherweight, whose mother once tried to kill Superman. They are told of the mission to steal the Power bank, but also of the hoops they will need to jump through, including finding a way onto the Watchtower and making it past the security there. Cheshire and Hazard make their way into Ferris, allowing Hazard to download the schematics for the Watchtower and also leave an executable that will give them a back door to it. As part of their plan, Featherweight and Lian manage to steal a Justice League membership card from a distracted Sideways. But Klarion, who has taken an immediate liking to Featherweight, has his own plan and meets with a group looking for the Power Bank-a group led by…Black Adam.

DC K.O. #1 by Scott Snyder, Javi Fernandez, and Xermanico. We begin with Game Night at the Kents when a god-like Darkseid appears, soundly defeating and killing the heroes. This is revealed to those on the Watchtower by the Quantum Quorum, who says this has already happened but they have rewound time seven days. They reveal that Darkseid will trigger a cosmic crisis with the Heart of Apokolips reshaping the Earth. They propose a tournament where heroes and villains will compete to become the new King Omega, who could challenge Darkseid and remake the universe. For the next seven days, the heroes make their preparations. At last, on the seventh day, the battles begin with surprise villains entering the fray. Immediately, some of the combatants, such as Adam Strange, Damage, and even Batman are eliminated. The final result leaves 32 champions, heroes and villains, to face off against each other. In the end, it is revealed the Darkseid himself as the master manipulator of the Quantum Quorum and that he has taken the form of one of the 32.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1102 by Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin. Batman has only two days to solve this mystery of the virus that will result in his death. Clues point to a company called King Chemicals: run by a man who made his fortune at poker. He makes his way to Kasnia to engage in a high-stakes poker game with Louis King. Oracle learns that everything in King’s past has been created or altered through AI. Batman makes his way into King Chemicals and discovers there is no real labs there and he faces off against The Lion: the person responsible for everything. Batman is brutally beaten and escapes but may be in worse shape than he originally believed as he passes out in the Batplane.

THE FLASH #26 by Mark Waid, Christopher Cantwell and Vasco Georgiev. A DC K.O. tie-in. Wally is pursuing Alchemist in Arizona; capturing him near the Grand Canyon. Later, Wally is on the Watchtower where Time Trapper and World Forger are devising a tournament to select King Omega. Bart vibrates into the Time Stream where Omega energy is tainting everything. The two speedsters experience altered memories as they come face to face with Darkseid in a slowed down past. Bart ends up in Tunguska, Russia in 1908 where a blast of Omega Energy has left mass destruction(NOTE: 6/8/08 in Tunguska is the site of the Tunguska asteroid impact in our world, not the fictional one). He encounters Max Mercury who has joined the Legion of Darkseid.

GOTHAM ACADEMY: FIRST YEAR #1 by Brendan Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, Karl Kerschl, and Marco Ferrari. Following previous events and pre-dating the first GOTHAM ACADEMY series, Olive Silverlock moves into Gotham Academy where she meets her roommate Lucy Hunt. Later, even as he deals with her traumatic past, she meets Kyle Mizoguchi and develops a friendship. Later, she goes to visit her mother in Arkham Asylum and meets Jonathan Crane, who gives her some of the same pills her mother takes, saying that madness is often hereditary.

GREEN ARROW #29 by Chris Condon and Montos. Ollie continues to follow the trail of the Crimson Archer, discovering a series of passports; one of which belongs to Herb Vraney. Ollie recalls Vraney from a mission in Cambodia. Digging further, he finds a secret space where the drug is being stored and he destroys the vials. He makes his way to Advance Pharmaceuticals, where he finds workers making the drug. That brings him into conflict with Vraney: the man he thought he killed in Cambodia.

GREEN LANTERN #28 by Jeremy Adams and V. Ken Marion. Guy and Jo explore the Castle of Desolate Stone, finding the stolen Book of Oa, where they find a page declares ‘Hal Jordan’. Hal is handling a dangerous criminal in Coast City when he is called back to Oa, where he sees the Book of Oa, specifically his name, and he is hit with an energy blast. While he is rushed to the medical bay, the Guardians see the book and believe that Hal has received certain information, just as they did when they exited the Source Lantern and make the decision to leave Oa. Meanwhile, Krona wanted to take the Corps apart and has put his consciousness into a body like Hal’s, but that body is breaking down. He needs to fix this and retrieve the information that the Guardians now possess. Hal heads back to Earth where he is hit with visions of a black tower and his fighting with the Guardians. He gets a message from the Justice League and he heads to Star City, where it seems he will reunite with Oliver Queen.