DC UNIVERSE, Month 19, Part 1

ACTION COMICS #1012 by Brian Michael Bendis and Szymon Kudranski. While the mysterious villains plan, Superman spends quality time at the Fortress of Solitude with Lois. Meanwhile, Robinson Goode has footage of Lois kissing Superman, causing everyone at the Daily Planet to feel bad for Clark Kent, as it appears his wife is stepping out on him. Robinson gets a call and meets with a mysterious woman named Rose. Rose has an evil side know as Thorn, who has been diving into her dark self and taking out the bad guys of Metropolis, apparently with the okay of the Metropolis police. In the end, it looks like Leviathan has an offer for Thorn.

ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER SONS #11 by Peter J. Tomasi and Carlo Barberi. The future versions of Jon and Damian arrive with Joker Jr, Tommy Tomorrow and Space Cabbie, leading to a battle with the Injustice Gang. With the Gang defeated, Rex blasts off and beats our heroes to the portal, where he traps them in the Hypercube and activates it.

AQUAMAN #49 by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Viktor Bogdanovic. Mother Shark fills in the gaps in Aquaman memory when she tells him about Mera. In a flashback, Aquaman meets with Mera, who is currently the Queen of Atlantis. Aquaman is presumed to be dead following recent events in the DC Universe and she is settling into her role as Queen. She then reveals that she is carrying his child and things turn bad, as Aquaman is shocked but decides he needs to clear his head regarding the news. Mera becomes angry and allows her powers to blast Aquaman, apparently “killing” him, which led to him ending up with the old gods. Now he is ready to go back to Atlantis and deal with events. But Mera collapses, leading to her servants racing to save her.

BATMAN #72 by Tom King, Mikel Janin and Jorge Fornes. Batman continues to fight Bane while flashbacks to events during the run of this book are distributed throughout.

BATMAN #73 by Tom King, Mikel Janin and Jordie Bellaire. Batman has been knocked out following his battle with Bane, but awakes to find himself in the desert with his Flashpoint Batman father, Thomas Wayne. Thomas explains that, because of his skill as a doctor, he has repaired Bruce’ spine, which was snapped by Bane’s battle. Thomas reveals they are going to Khadym, which Bruce realizes is where Ra’s keeps a Naia Pit. During this journey, Thomas has been dragging along a coffin. Bruce realizes the coffin contains the remains of Bruce’ mother as Thomas explains it is time for Bruce to end all of his pain.

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #2 by Bryan Hill and Dexter Soy. Kaliber tells Sofia he was a former arms dealer in Markovia and owes a debt to Batman. Later, a depressed Sofia is prepared to kill herself when Ishmael attacks, leading to the Outsiders to battle him. At the end of the battle, both Sofia and Ishmael are gone. Sofia wakes to find she is in the presence of the person who claims to be her teacher now: Ra’s Al Ghul.

BATMAN BEYOND #33 by Dan Jurgens and Rick Leonardi. Batman is battling with The Splitt while False Face Bruce Wayne is causing havoc at the casino. When he calls it a night, with a babe on his arm, he calls Alfred and orders everyone else out of the mansion as he plans on bring his date to the Bat Cave. Terry tries to intervene, but “Bruce” shoots him with a neural shocker. Matt and Melanie head to Arkham to find out what could have caused “Bruce” to act as he has been. They free one of the prisoners and find that this is the real Bruce Wayne.  In the end, False Face could be anywhere and someone gets mugged.

THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #6 by Scott Snyder and Jock. While Batman lets himself be taken over by the toxin to battle the Batman Who Laughs, the Gordons team up to take on the Grim Knight.

CATWOMAN #12 by Joelle Jones and Fernando Blanco. Carlos and Selina are on the run from the police. The caper they had planned involved stealing an artifact which, when combined with another, could reveal a map to a pool which can give one immortality. They enlist help from forger James Thien, who creates an artifact that they can swap out with the real one during the heist. Eventually escaping from the police and getting back home, Carlos discovers his mother is missing. It seems Raina has kidnapped her.

DEATHSTROKE #44 by Christopher Priest and Fernando Pasarin. Villains have gathered to eulogize Deathstroke, who has been placed into what appear to be a funeral pyre. Even the Legion of Doom show up. Jericho arrives with Kid Flash, imploring Superman to intervene, but he is only a construct created by Doctor Light. Brainiac confirms that Slade is dead but sees the future in Jericho and offers him to join the Legion. In the end, Rose looks like she might be taking over her father’s career and contracts.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1005 by Peter J. Tomasi and Brad Walker. Batman and Robin battle the knights, along with Dr. Phosphorous and Arcane. The Day Bomb is set off and blinds everyone in Gotham. Despite all of this, Batman and Robin defeat the Arkham Knight and the Knights of the Sun. In the end, as the Knight is being transported to Arkham, one of her followers kills the guard and frees her.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1006 by Peter J. Tomasi and Kyle Hotz. Detective Detective James Corrigan and his partner Tony Martinez investigate an execution style murder when a group of Spectres arrive, killing Martinez and kidnapping Corrigan. The Spectre, in giant form, attracts Batman’s attention and together they go to the crime scene. Spectre explains that he needs Batman’s help in finding Corrigan. In the end, the Spectre group is chanting “the Host must die…long live the Host” as they prepare to sacrifice him.

DIAL H FOR HERO #4 by Sam Humphries and Joe Quinones.  Miguel and Summer go to the Justice League Detroit Headquarters where they encounter Justice League robots and Snapper Carr. The robots attack the trio, forcing them to use the dial and turn into Chimp Change, Alien Ice Cream Man and Lil’ Miguelito. The Operator shows up and convinces Miguelito to dial S for Sockamagee, which removes the trios’ powers and transforms the Operator into Mister Thunderbolt. As h flees, Miguel jumps into the transporting beam and finds himself inside the phone.

THE FLASH #72 by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter. While Central City has been stopped in time by Turtle and the Speed Force, Barry isn’t and confronts Turtle. During the battle, a wall comes down, knocking Turtle out, allowing the city to be unfrozen again. This allows the police to send Turtle to jail. With the crisis over, Barry and Iris decide to go to dinner. Later, Barry processes evidence which leads him to criminal Clive Yorkin. Iris has already found Yorkin and begins to interview him. Yorkin shoots at her, but Barry/Flash steps in to take the shot himself, leading to him heading back home with a bullet in his chest.

THE FLASH #73 by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter. Barry is bleeding out hen Irtis arrives at his apartment, forcing Barry to vibrate his hand just enough to remove the bullet, before tidying up and greeting Iris. They share a kiss and a night together. Later, he travels to Iron Heights Penitentiary, where he interviews Turtle. Turtle explains he was struck by the Still Force and became immortal. But he needs to suck away life energy to survive and kills his family in the process. He also reveals that he knows Barry is the Flash and that the to are connected through the Forces. Iris meets him at the lab and, just before he reveals his secret to her, the wall explodes and the Turtle from the future arrives with a captured future Barry Allen and his own version of the cosmic treadmill.

THE GREEN LANTERN #8 by Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp. On Hadea-Maxima, Azmomza heads to Earth to kill an alien known as Glorigold. On Earth, Green Arrow and Green Lantern stop a drug deal. They head off to the docks where they find a giant green arrow and a giant green Robin Hood hat created by Xeen Arrow from Dimension Zero, ho has been attacked by Glorigold. They fight with Glorigold and then discover that Azmomza is on the moon and trying to kill Glorigold, so they use Xeen Arrow's giant bow and arrow to shot at Azmomza.  Later, Azmomza returns to Hadea-Maxima, his head blows up and Sinestro is seen drinking some tea.

HARLEY QUINN #62 by Sam Humphries and Otto Schmidt. Harley continues to try and battle her way out of the Dungeons and Dragons style world she is trapped in, eventually getting help from Johni DC Continuity Cop. This breaks the spell and Mirand’R arrives and explains Harley is now one step closer to gaining the powers of the Angel of Retribution. In the end, Harley and mom discover that mom’s cancer has spread and it’s time to prepare for the worst.

HAWKMAN #13 by Robert Venditti and Will Conrad.  Time on a world  is in space, trying to remember his past lives. He settles on called Nebulen where he keeps getting reincarnated during a centuries long war between the H'gris and Malanite. Eventually he decides not to kep fighting and offers food and drink to a soldier named Sherra from the other side, which leads to a permanent truce and peace between the people.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #25 by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez. Superman is still trapped and slowly dying, leading him to reminisce about times with himself and his father. In the Sixth Dimension, the League is battling the older versions of themselves while Batman talks with the World Forager. Batman projects an image of the League holding light, which allows Superman to make a desperate dive towards a distant sun and restores his strength, which allows him to attack the Forager before he can strike the anvil. Superman and the League make peace with the Forager and they all travel to Earth, where they find he results of the Year of the Villain story. Meeting with the rest f the League, they discover that Luthor is dead and the Earth is turning towards Doom and against the heroes. In the end, Brainiac meets with a reborn Luthor.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #26 by James Tynion IV and Javi Fernandez. While most of the League is at the Hall of Heroes and meeting with the heroes of the Multiverse, Martian Manhunter goes in search of Lex Luthor. The Word Forager asks for everyone’s help in finding his brothers: the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor. In the end, Martian Manhunter finds Lionel Luthor.