Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2000

DC COMICS FOR JANUARY

Following are DC Comics' solicitations for January, with information provided by the company.

JUSTICE LEAGUES TITLES

JUSTICE LEAGUES #1

Written by Tom Peyer, art by Ethan Van Sciver and Matt Martin, cover by George Perez.

"Justice Leagues" begins. The Advance Man has managed to make the entire world forget there ever was a JLA, including its members. How will the World's Greatest Heroes defeat him without the benefit of team effort?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

JUSTICE LEAGUES: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMAZONS #1

Written by Len Kaminski, art by Aluir Amancio and Claude St. Aubin, cover by George Perez.

"Justice Leagues," Part 2. Wonder Woman gathers Supergirl, The Huntress, Zatanna, Big Barda, Black Orchid, and Power Girl to protect Mother Earth and keep the peace. But their fierce, martial-law approach might do more harm than good.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

JUSTICE LEAGUES: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF ATLANTIS #1

Written by Len Kaminski, art by Javier Saltares and Mark Propst, cover by George Perez.

Part 3 of "Justice Leagues." The King of the Seven Seas also recruits Power Girl along with Tempest, Mera, Arion, and Lori Lemaris to save his watery realm. But will his take-no-prisoners attitude prove Aquaman's own undoing?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

JUSTICE LEAGUES: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF ARKHAM #1

Written by Paul Grist, art by Coy Turnbull and Dan Davis, cover by George Perez.

"Justice Leagues," Part 4. Batman's plan to stop the Advance Man has Nightwing wondering if his old mentor has lost his mind, as he teams up with Catwoman, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Ventriloquist and the Joker.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

JUSTICE LEAGUES: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF ALIENS #1

Written by Judd Winick, art by Mike S. Miller and Armando Durruthy, cover by George Perez.

"Justice Leagues," Part 5. The Martian Manhunter and Superman combine forces with Orion, Starfire, Warrior, Mikaal (the blue alien Starman), and Lobo -- but will their respective cultures clash in the effort to save their adopted planet?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

JUSTICE LEAGUES: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1

Written by Tom Peyer, art by Justiniano, cover by George Perez.

The conclusion to "Justice Leagues!" Plura, the world-consuming threat that hired the Advance Man, is loose upon our world. Can Superman crack the mystery of what "J.L.A." should stand for in time to save billions of innocent souls?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

BATMAN TITLES

BATMAN #587

Written by Greg Rucka, art by Rick Burchett and Rodney Ramos, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

Part 1 of the "Officer Down" storyline. As James Gordon contemplates his many years on the police force, a sinister threat looms nearby. The unsuspecting Gordon leaves a bar and is shot in the back, with Catwoman watching After a violent attack, things in Gotham never will be the same again.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 3.

BATGIRL #12

Written by Chuck Dixon, art by Dale Eaglesham and Andrew Hennessy, cover by Damion Scott and Robert Campanella.

An "Officer Down" tie-in! Batgirl learns that Commissioner Gordon has been shot, and sets out in search of Batman - but the Dark Knight is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, there's a villain who has mistaken Batgirl for Catwoman. Confused? So is Batgirl. Where is everybody? Note: This issue will not feature the "Officer Down" trade dress.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan 3.

ROBIN #86

Written by Ed Brubaker, art by the Pander Bros., painted cover by Durwin Talon.

"Officer Down," Part 2. James Gordon lies at death's door, and the immediate suspect is Catwoman. And while a citywide manhunt begins for the feline felon, Batman takes the news of Gordon's situation hard. Prepare yourself for Batman like you've never seen him before.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 10.

BIRDS OF PREY #27

Written by Chuck Dixon, art by N. Steven Harris and John Nyberg, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

"Officer Down," Part 3. While her father clings to life, Oracle gathers Batman's allies: Nightwing, Robin, Azrael, and Batgirl. Their mission: capture Catwoman before the police find her. But the search for Catwoman leads them into an unexpected trap.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

CATWOMAN #90

Written by Bronwyn Carlton, art by Mike Lilly and Wayne Faucher, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

"Officer Down," Part 4. The hunt for Catwoman reaches its climactic conclusion, but finding Catwoman and capturing her are two very different things. And it may be that Catwoman has information that will change everything the heroes know about the case -- and dramatically reduce their options for achieving justice.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 17.

NIGHTWING #53

Written by Devin Grayson, art by Joyce Chen and John Lowe, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

"Officer Down," Part 5. Oracle and Nightwing take the investigation into a new direction, but finding the answers may unleash in these heroes a darker aspect of themselves then they've ever faced before. When the truth behind Gordon's assailant is revealed, Oracle ponders taking justice into her own hands. Meanwhile Alfred has a fateful confrontation with Batman which could tear their relationship to shreds.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 24.

DETECTIVE COMICS #754

Written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Jordan B. Gorfinkel, art by Michael Collins, Jeff Johnson, Jesse Delperdang, and Dan Panosian, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

"Officer Down," Part 6. The GCPD at last finds the person they're looking for, but time is against them, and not even Batman can bring the would-be killer to justice. As the clock ticks towards zero, several characters make decisions that will change their lives forever. Plus, Chapter 9 of "The Jacobian."

40 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #13

Written by Greg Rucka and Harlan Ellison, art by Rick Burchett, Gene Ha and Rodney Ramos, painted cover by Durwin Talon.

The not-to-be-missed conclusion to "Officer Down!" James Gordon faces his final destiny and Batman must accept the possibility of the loss of a valued comrade, and a life which never will be quite the same. Plus, a black-and-white backup feature written by Harlan Ellison and illustrated by Gene Ha.

40 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

AZRAEL: AGENT OF THE BAT #74

Written by Dennis O'Neil, art by Sergio Cariello and James Pascoe, cover by Tony Harris and Ray Snyder.

Batman and two Azraels collide. The new Azrael has come to Gotham City for a showdown with Sister Lilhi, but he's about to face opposition from two unexpected adversaries: Batman and the true Azrael, Jean Paul Valley. But without the costume that gives him his strength, will Jean Paul be of any use at all against his murderous successor?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

BATMAN BEYOND #17

Written by Hilary Bader, art by Craig Rousseau and Rob Leigh, cover by Brian Stelfreeze.

A former classmate comes back looking for revenge after being brushed off by Dana. But Batman Terry McGinnis won't let one hair of Dana's head be harmed, even if it means being swamped by rats.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 31.

BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #34

Written by Scott Peterson, art by Tim Levins and Terry Beatty, cover by Bob Smith and Beatty.

After several citizens of Gotham City mysteriously disappear, Batman's search leads to the maniacal Maxie Zeus! But what would Maxie want with carpenters and stonecutters? Why, to rebuild Rome, of course.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 3.

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #139

Written by Doug Moench, art and cover by Paul Gulacy and Jimmy Palmiotti.

Part 3 of the 5-part "Terror." Hugo Strange has brought the Scarecrow out from the depths of quiet insanity and up to full, murderous speed -- only to become the new and improved Master of Fear's first victim. Now, without a master to hold his psychotic fury in check, the Scarecrow begins hunting down Gotham's finest heroes and villains -- starting with the Catwoman, whom he intends to use to lure Batman into a final, fatal deathtrap.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 10.

BATMAN: SCARFACE -- A PSYCHODRAMA

Written by Alan Grant, art by Charlie Adlard, painted cover by Bill Sienkiewicz.

It's just a block of wood. Carved and dressed to the nines -- but still just a block of wood. It can't be...evil, can it? The answer to that may lie here. For years, Scarface has been one of the most brutal mobsters in the Gotham City underworld and a constant adversary of Batman. But Scarface is just a ventriloquist's dummy -- the mannequin mouthpiece of mild-mannered Arnold Wesker. It's believed that Scarface's savagery and disregard for human life is merely a symptom of Wesker's fractured psyche. But what if that outlet were removed from the Ventriloquist's possession? What if the puppet were burned, buried and left to rot? Would the evil truly disappear? As Wesker attempts a normal life -- with a new dummy assistant, the pretty but smart-mouthed Lola -- his ventriloquist show seems to ruffle the feathers of the Penguin, who's not amused by the new act. When Wesker, the Penguin and Batman collide in the violent conclusion, will an evil be reborn?

48 pages, $5.95, ships on Jan. 17.

HARLEY QUINN #4

Written by Karl Kesel, art and cover by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson.

Introducing...the Quinntettes! They're the baddest, meanest, most dysfunctional henchmen Harley could find, and they're ready for action. But the first mission's not what anyone's expecting, and one of the Quinntettes has something strange going on...in his head.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 10.

NIGHTWING: A DARKER SHADE OF JUSTICE TRADE PAPERBACK

Written by Chuck Dixon, art by Scott McDaniel and Karl Story, cover by McDaniel.

"No Man's Land" brings a flood of refugees to Bludhaven, causing more headaches for Nightwing, in a trade paperback collecting Nightwing #30-39 and the lead story in Nightwing Secret Files #1.

256 pages, $19.95, ships on Jan. 17.

ROBIN: YEAR ONE #4

Written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, art and cover by Javier Pulido and Robert Campanella.

The final chapter in the saga of young Dick Grayson. Robin's healed, but Two-Face remains at large, and a city-wide manhunt is falling woefully short. While Harvey Dent is on the loose, Robin must prepare himself to face the man who nearly killed him during their first encounter. But when Robin takes things too far, a life hangs in the balance and Robin must question the sanctity of his actions.

48 pages, $4.95, ships on Jan. 31.

SUPERMAN TITLES

SUPERMAN #166 -- COLLECTOR'S EDITION

Written by Jeph Loeb, art and cover by Ed McGuinness and Cam Smith.

It's the startling, true origin of the Last Son of Krypton. That's right -- readers only think they know the truth about Superman, but this month the lie is finally revealed and the Man of Steel's real heritage is uncovered. This issue features a special holographic foil background enhancement on the cover (of an exploding Krypton) at no extra cost.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 3 (also available in standard edition).

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #588

Written by Joe Casey, art by Mike S. Miller, Jose Marzan and Walden Wong, Jr., cover by Miller.

Writer Joe Casey joins the Super-team -- just in time to end Satanus's threat over Metropolis. Even if that menace is a soulless Man of Steel. Plus the final fate of the Prankster (hint: it's messy).

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 10.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #110

Written by Mark Schultz, art and cover by Doug Mahnke and Tom Nguyen.

Guest-starring the Star-Spangled Kid and S.T.R.I.P.E. The daughter/step-father duo joins both Superman and Steel to face the after-shocks of the all-new and terrifying metahuman called Earthquake. But before he's done, he's gonna level Washington D.C.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 17.

ACTION COMICS #775

Written by Joe Kelly, art by Doug Mahnke, Lee Bermejo and MarloAlquiza, cover by Tim Bradstreet.

Extra-sized issue. Has Superman become outdated in our modern world? A new aggressive team of metahumans called the Elite certainly thinks so, and they're about to wreck the Man of Steel's truth, justice and American way. And if a lot of innocent bystanders get killed in the process, so be it.

48 pages, $3.75, ships on Jan. 31.

SUPERBOY #84

Written by Joe Kelly, art and cover by Pascual Ferry and Keith Champagne.

When the U.S. Government arrives to tighten its reigns on Cadmus, Superboy is none too happy with the "changes" they're planning to implement. But he's just a cog in the machine, and this squeaky wheel ain't getting no grease. In fact, he's being shipped off to Compton, Los Angeles to deal with a threat so powerful that it has rival L.A. gangs flooding the streets...to play jacks? Surprises, Set-ups, and subplots abound as Superboy sets his sights on Scizmore.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 17.

SUPERGIRL #54

Written by Peter David, art and cover by Leonard Kirk and Robin Riggs.

Guest-starring Green Lantern. Linda Danvers thought she was doing the right thing in helping a kid realize his dreams of being a sculptor. Instead, she inadvertently has helped awaken the nightmarish creature the kid brings to life through his art. Can Supergirl and Green Lantern stop the creature before it destroys everything in its path?

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 31.

SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #53

Written by Mark Evanier, art by Neil Vokes and Terry Austin, cover by Mike Manley and Austin.

There's only one man who's never needed Superman's help to rescue him from a desperate situation, and that's Scott Free ­, the world's greatest escape artist known as Mister Miracle. But when Darkseid gifts Granny Goodness with a weapon that can kill even Superman, will Mister Miracle need to rescue the Man of Steel?

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 17.

SUPERMAN: ENDGAME TRADE PAPERBACK

Written by Joe Kelly, Jeph Loeb, Stuart Immonen, Mark Millar, and Mark Schultz, art by Butch Guice, Ed McGuinness, Immonen, Doug Mahnke, German Garcia, Kano, and various, cover by McGuinness and Cam Smith.

Collecting the "Y2K" storyline that changed the face of Metropolis forever, as Superman takes on the new menace of Braniac 13.

176 pages, $14.95, ships on Jan. 10.

DC UNIVERSE TITLES

BLACK CANARY ARCHIVES VOL. 1 HC

Written by Robert Kanigher, Gardner Fox and Dennis O'Neil, art by Carmine Infantino, Murphy Anderson, Alex Toth, Joe Giella, and Bernard Sachs, coverby Infantino and Giella.

Black Canary gets her very own archive collection, containing nearly all of her Golden Age and Silver Age solo adventures.

228 pages, $49.95, ships on Jan. 24.

100-PAGE SUPER-SPECTACULAR: LOVE STORIES -- REPLICA EDITION

Written by Robert Kanigher and Jack Miller, art by John Romita, Mort Drucker, Mike Sekowsky, Ric Estrada, Tony Abruzzo, Bob Oksner, Win Mortimer, Art Saaf, Wally Wood, and various, cover by Oksner.

A special volume for all those romantics at heart, as well as those who have been spurned by love. Never before reprinted, this new edition of the rarest of DC's Super-Spectaculars (originally published in 1971) will satisfy the frustrations of completists as it brings some of DC's classic romance material to a whole new generation of readers. Featuring timeless stories with such irresistible titles as "My Sister Stole My Man!," "My Shameful Past," "The Wrong Kind of Love" and the 2-part novelette "Made for Love," this Replica Edition of DC's 100-Page Super-Spectacular #5 has advice and stories for the lovelorn.

96 pages, $6.95, ships on Jan. 31.

THE FLASH #170

Written by Geoff Johns, art by Scott Kolins and Doug Hazlewood, cover by Brian Bolland.

New regular penciller Scott Kolins joins as a new chapter in Wally West's life begins. The Flash comes to the horrifying conclusion that many people he's come into contact with and rescued over the years are being systematically murdered. Making matters worse, his ex-girlfriend Frances Kane -- Magenta -- has returned to plague him.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 31.

GREEN LANTERN #134

Written by Judd Winick, art by Darryl Banks and Jordi Ensign, cover by Banks and Rich Faber.

Part 3 of "While Rome Burned." Sentinel has already fallen before Nero, a psychopath with a yellow power ring -- and now it's up to Kyle to put an end to Nero's destruction. It's ring-slingin' mayhem and lots of big battles. Guest starring John Stewart and Guy Gardner.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 3.

HITMAN #59

Written by Garth Ennis, art by John McCrea and Garry Leach, cover by McCrea.

"Closing Time" races toward its conclusion. Deep within the bowels of the underground center that houses Truman's Bloodlines project, Tommy, Natt and McAllister go up against CIA guards bent on protecting the secrecy of the horrific experiments at all costs.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

HOURMAN #24

Written by Tom Peyer, art by Rags Morales and David Meikis, cover by Morales.

Hourman's road trip through time continues even as his circle of friends is falling apart. The shocking truth about Bethany's future husband hit them all hard, and now Dr. Togg and Torcher are set to betray Hourman. Meanwhile, Hourman's builder, original Hourman Rex Tyler, wages a fight to repossess and destroy the reluctant android hero.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

IMPULSE #70

Written by Todd Dezago, art by Carlo Barberi and Juan Vlasco, cover by Ethan Van Sciver and Wayne Faucher.

New regular penciller Carlo Barberi joins the book -- just in time for Impulse: The (Extremely Fast) Motion Picture!" Rolly and the gang are doing their very own movie about the fastest teen alive ­, but it's not Bart who's playing the lead.

32 pages, $2.50, ship on Jan. 10.

JLA: ACT OF GOD #3

Written by Doug Moench, art and cover by Dave Ross and George Freeman.

Elseworlds. The result of all of Earth's heroes losing their powers signals the start of a new era. From the ashes rises The Phoenix Group, a post-super-powered band that has trained under Batman to carry on the tradition of super-heroes -- only this time, without the powers. Aquaman, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, and the Flash rededicate themselves to being humanity's greatest heroes -- but will they rise to the occasion when confronted with their first great challenge, or fall by the wayside like Earth's other heroes?

48 pages, $4.95, ships on Jan. 17.

JSA #20

Written by David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns, art by Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair, cover by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer.

The grand finale of "Injustice Be Done!" Johnny Sorrow has succeeded in unleashing The King of Tears, and the fate of the entire planet hangs in the balance. The JSA is helpless and must rely on The Spectre. But if The Spectre can't stop the King of Tears, who can?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

LEGENDS OF THE DC UNIVERSE #38

Written by Steven Grant, art by Scott Kolins and Klaus Janson, painted cover by Greg Staples.

It's the final, fatal confrontation as Green Lantern faces Traitor. Kyle Rayner has never battled a foe like the spaceborn nemesis who nearly vanquished Abin Sur and Hal Jordan. Now Kyle's life is on the line, and the epic battle will not end without a body count.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

LEGION LOST #11

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, art and cover by Olivier Coipel and Lanning.

The astonshing maxi-series nears its stunning conclusion. Defeated by the overwhelming numbers that make up the Progeny forces, the Lost Legionnaires are taken to the Progeny homeworld, where they come face to face with the Progenitor, who reveals how the alien race came to be. The team also discovers Element Lad's fate, but unless they can put their own differences aside, they're in no position to do anything about it.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #28

Written by John Ostrander, art and cover by Tom Mandrake.

The Demon Etrigan has gotten free of Jason Blood and is holding out against the Sentinels of Magic at Stonehenge. The only one who can help is...the Martian Manhunter? Find out how his involvement in this mystical adventure will have possible far-reaching repercussions.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

ORION #10

Written by Walter Simonson, art by Simonson and Arthur Adams, cover by Simonson.

As Orion continues as ruler of Apokolips, one enemy remains, his father's most faithful henchman -- Desaad! Wanting to ascend to the throne himself, Desaad formulates his assassination plans. Meanwhile, why is Mother Box no longer responding to Orion? Plus, a backup feature written by Simonson and illustrated by Adams.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

THE SPECTRE #1

Written by J.M. DeMatteis, art and cover by Ryan Sook.

He was one of the greatest super-heroes the world had ever known. As Green Lantern of Sector 2814, fearless Hal Jordan was a bright and shining star, a true hero beyond measure -- until one moment of madness caused his star to fall. In a courageous effort to atone for his sins, he sacrificed his life to save the world. Now Hal has returned, whether he likes it or not, as the Spirit of Vengeance, the Spectre -- and he'll face dark forces that will stop at nothing to usher in global chaos. Spinning out of events from Day of Judgment and the recent arc in Legends of the DC Universe #33-36, the adventure continues in the ongoing monthly. To better learn the true meaning of retribution and to understand the nature of his cruel cosmic duty, the Spectre travels to Hell -- only to find it's not at all what he expected. What effect will the ultimate place of punishment have upon our fallen hero? Thus begins one man's long path to enlightenment, as Hal undergoes some surprising transformations over the course of the series. It's the start of something bigger than the DCU itself.

32 pages, $2.50.

STARMAN #75

Written by James Robinson, art by Peter Snejbjerg, painted cover by Andrew Robinson.

Guest-starring Superman. Jack Knight has a lot on his mind -- like his thoughts and feelings about Starman, and whether he's still the right man for the job. And who better to discuss heroics with than DC's greatest hero? The "man of the stars" meets the Man of Steel as they discuss fathers, sons, and what it means to be a hero.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

THE TITANS #25

Written by Jay Faerber and Marv Wolfman, art by George Perez, Paul Pelletier, Nick Cardy, Phil Jimenez, Tom Grummett, Terry Dodson, Bud LaRosa, Al Vey, Tom Palmer Sr., and Scott Hanna, cover by Jimenez.

The reunion of the New Teen Titans creative team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez highlights this extra-sized issue. Nick Cardy, Phil Jimenez, Tom Grummett and Terry Dodson are also on board to illustrate various chapters, as our team of Titans is joined by the Titanic team from The Kingdom -- travelling through different points in Donna's history before the evil Dark Angel can erase them. If they fail, all existence is in jeopardy.

48 pages, $3.95, ships on Jan. 17.

WONDER WOMAN #166

Written by Phil Jimenez and J.M. DeMatteis, art by Jimenez and Andy Lanning, cover by Adam Hughes.

Part 3 of the 4-part "Gods of Gotham!" Wonder Woman's mission to rescue Gotham City from the God of War's evil offspring has turned into the greatest challenge of her life. Even with Batman, Nightwing and Troia by her side, there seems to be no way for the Amazon Princess to match her foes' Olympian omnipotence. But as the hideous partnership that the Godchildren have formed with the Joker, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy begins to unravel, Diana and the Dark Knight see their one slim chance at victory.

32 pages, $2.25, ships on Jan. 31.

YOUNG JUSTICE #29

Written by Peter David, art and cover by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker.

The Forever People guest-star as their super-cycle and YJ's cycle go on a rampage through New Genesis. It's "road rage" Young Justice style. And you don't want to miss what happens when Impulse merges with the Forever People to become a New God with really cool hair.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

BEYOND THE DC UNIVERSE TITLES

DROPSIE AVENUE: THE NEIGHBORHOOD SOFTCOVER

Written and illustrated by Will Eisner, cover by Eisner.

This sweeping historical masterwork charts 500 years in the life of a New York neighborhood, the same neighborhood that served as the setting for Eisner's graphic novel A Contract With God And Other Tenement Stories. This is the first DC edition of Dropsie Avenue.

176 pages, black and white, 8 inches by 11 inches, $14.95, ships on Jan. 24.

STATIC SHOCK!: REBIRTH OF THE COOL #3

Written by Dwayne McDuffie, art and cover by John Paul Leon.

Static's back in costume leading a ragtag team of the surviving Milestone heroes, joined by Iron Butterfly and the all-new Hardware. It's a desperate and costly assault against the villains who easily defeated dozens of their peers'. Plus, Static comes face to face with Dakota's first super-hero, who has now become its deadliest super-villain.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

CARTOON CARTOONS #1

Written by Paul Kupperberg, Frank Strom, Danny Antonucci, Robbie Busch, and Mo Willems, art by Tim Harkins, Anthony Williams, Neal Sternecky, Willems, Jonathan Royce, Scott Underwood and Angus Bungay.

A new anthology series starring favorite Cartoon Network characters, plus debuts of brand-new characters.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 17.

DEXTER'S LABORATORY #19

Written by Bobbi JG Weiss, art by John Delaney, cover by Bill Wray.

How's a kid to keep soup from dribbling down his shirt? If you're a super-genius like Dexter, all you need to do is create a super-spongey spoon. But when Dee-Dee ends up swiping it, Dexter gets himself in a world of trouble.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 31.

LOONEY TUNES #74

Written by Jesse Leon McCann, Frank Strom and Brett Koth, art by David Alvarez, Neal Sternecky, Omar Aranda, Brian Garvey, Alberto Saichann, and Mike DeCarlo, cover by Alvarez and DeCarlo.

March is "Weird Science Month" as Marvin the Martian sets his snooze alarm to blow up the Earth. Meanwhile, Bugs tries to escape the Mad Scientist's clutches, while Claude Cat becomes a lab rat.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 3.

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS #11

Written by Jennifer Moore and Sean Carolan, art by Phil Moy, cover by Moy.

Say "cheese!" And say goodbye to Townsville, citizens. The entire picture-perfect city becomes captured on film, literally, by a crazy camera-happy villain. Are the Girls photo-finished this time?

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 24.

SCOOBY-DOO #44

Written by Rurik Tyler and Joe Edkin, art and cover by Joe Staton = and Dave Hunt.

Scooby and the gang see stars when a one-eyed alien stalks a planetarium! Plus, plunge into the Pine Barrens of New Jersey as the gang goes on a hunt for a legendary devil.

32 pages, $1.99, ships on Jan. 10.

WILDSTORM TITLES

DANGER GIRL: KAMIKAZE! #2

Written and illustrated by Tommy Yune, cover by Yune.

The Danger Girls' adventures across Asia come to an explosive conclusion as they finally meet their new arch-enemy, the cybernetic ShoGunner. After Sydney is lost in a brutal jungle battle in the ruins of the Angkor Empire, Abbey and Val reluctantly accept the support of Mei, a beautiful -- but mysterious -- operative from Hong Kong, in their pursuit of a lost World War II weapon known only by its fearsome code name: Kamikaze.

GEN13 #61

Written by Adam Warren, art by Ed Benes and Vince Russell, cover by Warren.

In "Goin' back to Cali!," the team discovers that its old "safe house" in sunny La Jolla, Calif. -- thought to have been blown to bits years ago -- appears to have been miraculously (and mysteriously) reconstructed. In a bid to solve the mystery, and to escape the midwinter misery of New York, the team travels West and comes face to face with a startling figure from their past.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

GEN13/FANTASTIC FOUR

Written by Kevin Maguire, art and cover by Maguire and Karl Story.

Set during Gen13's time in New York, the teen heroes cross paths with the Fantastic Four -- though not on the friendliest of terms. Roxy's pet, the lovable, interdimensional furball known as Qeelocke, has grown one hell of a mean streak, heading into the streets on a monstrous rampage. The Human Torch is able to subdue him (with a little help from a certain web-slinger), and takes him into custody at FF headquarters. When Roxy comes looking for her little friend, a smitten Johnny Storm is all too happy to help. This one small act of friendship brings the two teams together.

48 pages, $5.95, ships on Jan. 10.

JEZEBELLE #1

Written by Ben Raab, art by Steve Ellis and Mark Irwin, cover by Ellis and Armando Durruthy.

Meet Harper Harrison, high-school senior -- smart, pretty, popular. On paper she's got it all, and life is good. But beneath the surface, this homecoming queen is racked with guilt over the suicide of her ex-boyfriend - a tragedy that might have been averted had she not been so selfish and cheated on him so often. Though she never appreciated him while they were together, Harper would give just about anything to have him back now. But would she go so far as to make a deal with the devil? That answer is revealed in this a six-issue mini-series. In October's "Devils Night" annuals, readers were introduced to a new dimension of super-hero horror when the battlemage known as Jezebelle burst onto the scene. The latest in a 300-year-old mystical tradition begun during the Salem Witch Trials, she saved the world by sacrificing her life and preventing her archnemesis -- the demon Ghoulgotha -- from stealing every living soul on the planet. But her sacrifice was not in vain as this sacred tradition lives on in Harper, and the saga of Jezebelle continues - whether Harper wants it to or not.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan 17 (alternate cover by John Cassaday).

RESIDENT EVIL: FIRE & ICE #3

Written by Ted Adams and Kris Oprisko, art by Shawn Crystal and John Nyberg, cover by Lee Bermejo.

The secretive Umbrella organization reveals its plans for the X-Virus -- and how the captured members of the STARS Charlie Team tie into those plans. Hint: our heroes aren't going to be happy. The non-stop action unfolds in Mexico and Alaska, as Charlie Team battles zombies in both places.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

STAR TREK: VOYAGER -- PLANET KILLER #1

Written by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith, art and cover by Robert Teranishi and Claude St. Aubin.

In the classic Star Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine," Captain James T. Kirk faced an enemy more destructive than any he had ever encountered = -- one composed of pure neutronium, miles long, that smashed planets to bits, converting the planetary matter to fuel with which it fed its insatiable hunger. Luckily, Kirk had a crippled starship to throw at the stellar destroyer, ensuring its defeat. But now the "Planet Killer" is back -- or another one just like it has appeared, and Captain Janeway and her Voyager crew have no such weapon. Janeway knows how Kirk managed to beat the mysterious stellar destroyer, but she doesn't have the same resources. With the vast killer poised to consume an entire system of populated planets, Janeway and her crew must act quickly to neutralize the threat of the destructive behemoth.

32 pages, $2.95, ships on Jan. 24.

WILDCATS #19

Written by Joe Casey, art by Sean Phillips, cover by J.G. Jones.

The bloody conclusion of the 6-part "Serial Boxes." Slaughterhouse Smith finally comes face to face with his ultimate target: Spartan. But which one will walk away from the final confrontation? The answer might surprise readers as the darkest chapter in Wildcats history reaches its inevitable, bloody conclusion.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

WILDCATS: VICIOUS CIRCLES TRADE PAPERBACK

Written by Joe Casey, art and cover by Sean Phillips.

A new trade paperback of Joe Casey and Sean Phillip's first six issues of Wildcats contains issues #8-13 -- featuring the "Kenyan" storyline, and the reintroduction of Ladytron and Void.

144 pages, $14.95, ships on Jan. 3.

AMERICA'S BEST COMICS

TOM STRONG #12

Written by Alan Moore, art and cover by Chris Sprouse and Al Gordon.

The two-part galaxy-spanning story concludes. Tom Strong travels to the far side of the Milky Way on a desperate mission to save an old friend -- and an entire world. There he faces a menace so huge it defies description.

HOMAGE COMICS

ZERO GIRL #2

Written and illustrated by Sam Kieth, painted cover by Kieth.

Kieth's new series continues to explore the world of Amy Smooster. She's still in denial about having any telekinetic powers, and she refuses to hide her feelings for Mr. Foster. And, of course, she still refuses to admit she's crazy, even though she's taken to attacking lawn mowers with baseball bats.

32 pages, $2.95, ships on Jan. 10.

VERTIGO TITLES

100 BULLETS #20

Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Eduardo Risso, painted cover by Dave Johnson.

"Hot House (The Mimic)": In a stand-alone issue, Mr. Shepherd, Agent Graves' enigmatic associate, steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight -- right where The Trust wants him. What is Shepherd's relationship with Graves and this mysterious organization? Where does Shepherd's allegiance lie? Do he and Graves share the same agenda?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

100 BULLETS: SPLIT SECOND CHANCE TRADE PAPERBACK

Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Eduardo Risso, painted cover by Dave Johnson.

The story behind Agent Graves deepens in a new collection reprinting issues #6-14 of the Vertigo book 100 Bullets.

224 pages, $14.95, ships on Jan. 3.

DEADENDERS #13

Written by Ed Brubaker, art by Warren Pleece and Cameron Stewart, cover by Philip Bond.

The day of the big scooter race at Blue Lake has finally arrived, as kids from the outer sectors pour into the utopian inner sectors. Beezer and Anna are united with his old gang from Sector 5 for fun and games, but the race takes a dangerous turn as the jack-booted legions of the City Corp decide that playtime is over.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

THE DREAMING #58

Written by Caitlen R. Kiernan, art by Christian Hojgaard and Ron Randall, painted cover by Dave McKean.

Part 2 of the 4-part "Rise," the final story arc for The Dreaming. Believing herself to be Dread, the twin of Dream, the bloodthirsty Echo continues unhindered in her misguided attempt to overthrow The Dreaming. With the aid of Brute and Glob, Echo leads an army of Nightmares in a gory rampage that ends at Eve's cave, where the mother of mankind must stand alone against the revolt. Daniel (the new Dream) waits on the sidelines in silence as the one chance to restore order appears to rest in the hands of Abel's always-unpredictable brother, Cain.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 17.

EL DIABLO #1

Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Danijel Zezelj, painted cover by Tim Sale.

Small-town sheriff Moses Stone is running from his past, and from something even worse -- a brutal and relentless gunman who has unearthed the skeletons in Sheriff Stone's closet and has every intention of making the Sheriff face them. That relentless gunman is a killer of legend, known only as...El Diablo. Resurrecting the popular frontier phantom from the pages of the Weird Western Tales, El Diablo hits all the touchstones of the American Western Myth but digs deeper to uncover the sinister secrets and cold-blooded brutality of that unforgiving time and place. Is El Diablo a man on a mission? Is he a spirit of atonement avenging the ghosts who know no justice? Or is he the devil himself, impatiently collecting the souls of men whose actions have damned them? Sheriff Stone and his ragtag posse are about to find out -- the hard way.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

HELLBLAZER #158

Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Marcelo Frusin, painted cover by Tim Bradstreet.

Part 1 of the 4-part "Freezes Over." A tiny roadside diner finds itself home to a variety of travelers forced off the road by a cataclysmic snowstorm. Families, drifters, truckers, vacationers are joined by a legendary serial killer...and a certain Englishman who has a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 31.

LUCIFER #10

Written by Mike Carey, art by Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly, cover by Duncan Fegredo.

Part one of the four-part "Children & Monsters" -- a great starting point for new readers. Lucifer has his wings back, and he's one step closer to his mysterious goal. But now the Host of Heaven are gathering for an all-out assault against the city of Los Angeles, and everything's up for grabs. In London, the schoolgirl Elaine Belloc is offered a teasing glimpse of her own true nature, while the Morningstar makes the first move in his long-awaited endgame.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 3.

THE NAMES OF MAGIC #2

Written by Dylan Horrocks, Richard Case, painted cover by John Bolton.

The new mini-series featuring Tim Hunter continues. Tim's attempt to enter the White School is thwarted and he and the Walker must flee both the Lotus and a renegade war party from Faerie as more mysteries unfold. Who is the Walker? Who is behind the Faerie attack? And what is Tim's true name?

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

OUTLAW NATION #5

Written by Jamie Delano, art by Goran Sudzuka and Sebastijan Camagajevac, painted cover by Glenn Fabry.

With the road flying by, Story's memory begins to return, giving a glimpse at both the sordid and festive early times of "The Place." Ruth, on her search for Sonny, learns a little more than she bargained for about Johnson history from John Law while, unbeknownst to all, the nefarious Kid Gloves has ordered the Regulators to start closing in on everyone.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 24.

SWAMP THING #11

Written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Roger Petersen and Rick Magyar, painted cover by Glenn Fabry.

As Tef's obsession with Heather Strand grows, she and her crew begin their first mission: rescuing Heather from the Secret Service agents who are guarding her. Meanwhile, Agent Romero is set on erasing everyone who ever has met Tef, and the trail of bodies grows.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

TRANSMETROPOLITAN #42

Written by Warren Ellis, art by Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos, cover by Matt Wagner.

"Streets at Night," Part 3. Tag along for an episode of real-time writing as Spider thrashes the pavement on his walkabout, reciting his latest column. Through seedy downtown alleys, and at every junction, corner and churchyard, he maps the human topography of the City -- the lives upon which it's built.

32 pages, $2.50, ships on Jan. 10.

USER #1

Written by Devin Grayson, painted art by John Bolton and Sean Phillips, painted cover by Bolton.

Slaying dragons is the easy part... Meet a jaded Gen X'er, a knight in shining armor, a role-playing gamer-freak, a damsel in distress, a loser, and a hero. Her name is Meg Chancellor. Meg is looking for the ESC key to life. Her mother's gone, her father's emotionally catatonic, and her kid sister might be the victim of sexual abuse. Searching desperately for a hero, Meg finds one in the most unlikely place: an online chat room. "Guilliame de la Coeur" is a gallant, strapping young knight in shining armor. He's also a fictional role-playing character Meg's created. And he's about to get Meg into more real-life drama than she ever dreamed was possible. Exploring the powerful ways stories unleash the impulse to reveal our secret selves, User moves back and forth between the sterile cubicles of the modern workplace and the rowdy, anachronistic inns of gamer-usurped online chatrooms. The astonishing visuals likewise oscillate between evocative, fully-painted artwork by Bolton and innovative computer-rendered illustration by Phillips. When Meg's online and real-life existences start to collide, she must decide where her true self really lies. Will she learn what it truly means to be a hero? Part swashbuckling fairy tale and part gender-bending techno-drama, User explores the seductive escapism of the world online, in which the border between fantasy and reality runs razor-thin.

48 pages, $5.95, ships on Jan. 3.

UPCOMING DC DIRECT

Following are upcoming products from DC Direct, with information provided by DC Comics.

AQUAMAN PEWTER FIGURE

The King of the Seas becomes the sixth hero to be showcased in DC Direct's line of pewter figures modeled on the heroes of the JLA. Measuring 4" tall, Aquaman stands heroically atop a circular base emblazoned with the JLA logo.

$24.95, ships on May 2.

BATGIRL MEDIUM STATUE

Sculpted by Barsom; based on designs by Ty Templeton.

2001. Inspired by the animated-style cover to Batman & Robin Adventures #21 by Ty Templeton, this statue of Batgirl (animated-style) Barbara Gordon sits atop a Bat-Signal and measures 7" tall and 3.5" deep. Designed as a companion piece to DC Direct's Harley Quinn statue.

$99.95, ships on April 25.

BAT-MITE STATUE

Sculpted by William Paquet.

The Silver Age's most troublesome imp comes to life in this fully painted statue standing 5" tall on a Bat-emblem base. Comes in a 4-color box packaging.

$49.95, ships on May 9.

GOLDIE SOFT TOY

Abel's little gargoyle friend from The Dreaming is now the latest in DC Direct's line of adorable soft plush toys. Featuring a shiny metallic fabric, Goldie stands 7" tall. Packaged in a 4-color window box.

$14.95, ships on May 23.

LOBO SOFT TOY

He's the baddest, toughest bastich in the universe. But awww, isn't he cute? Standing 7.5" tall with rooted black hair, the last Czarnian is another in DC Direct's line of soft plush toys. Packaged in a 4-color window box.

$14.95, ships on May 23.

GREEN LANTERN PVC SET 2

As a companion to DC's first successful Green Lantern PVC set, this new set features even more members from the Green Lantern Corps ranging from 3.125" to 4.25" tall - including Abin Sur, Jade, Killowog, Tomar-Re, Salakk, Katma Tui, and Chaselon. Packaged in a 4-color window box.

$39.95, ships on May 2.

SUPERMAN/SUPERGIRL STATUE

Sculpted by Tim Bruckner.

DC Direct continues its line of full-size statues capturing classic moments in DC history. Supergirl's first appearance in comics is reproduced in a fully-painted cold-cast porcelain statue (measuring 15" wide x 8.5" deep x 13" high), based on the cover to Action Comics #252 -- where the Maiden of Steel emerges from a rocket to surprise Superman. Comes in a 4-color box packaging.

$195, ships on May 30.

GATECRASHER TV UPDATE

Greg Johnson, the story editor for the X-Men: Evolution animated series, told The Continuum he is also story editing the Gatecrasher animated series.

Gatecrasher, based on the Black Bull comic book, is being produced by Mainframe Entertainment. It has not been announced yet, but it is expected the series will wind up at Fox Kids.

"Right now we're keeping Alec Wagner in high school - and we're giving him a couple of buddies who remain clueless about what he's up to," Johnson said.

"The other characters are all in place -- the grandparents, cousin Natalie, girlfriend Mia, hot-shot and hot-tempered Trystan, and of course the ball-busting Hazard."

The pilot episode will be "Ring of Fire."

"It's based on the first story in the book, where Thinktank is stolen, then destroyed -- its liquid contents splashing all over Alec, imbuing him with its mysterious powers," Johnson said. "That makes Alec an important -- if reluctant -- member to the Gatecrasher squad, since he becomes the only one who knows when gates open and close.

"I'm making an effort to really play up the comedic aspects of having a high-school kid always 'on call to save the world' but can't keep a date with his girlfriend. I think it's going to be a fun series."

CARTOON BOOKS FOR FEBRUARY

Following is Cartoon Books solicitation for February, with information from the company.

CASTLE WAITING #4

By Linda Medley, lettering by Todd Klein.

Abbess Clarice reminisces about her sideshow days with her friends Meg the Giantess and Emelia the Two-Headed Girl, and how she went on to become a Fortune Teller... and how that led to becoming a nun. Meanwhile, Peace and Nessie wonder if they should join the convent... or not. Back at the castle, the roof still leaks.

24 pages, black and white, $2.95.

BRIEFLY

Marvel Comics has provided The Continuum with covers from Ultimate X-Men #2 and X-Men: Magik #4. Look for complete January solicitations after midnight.

GIVE'EM A CLICK