Batman Day is Swinging Into Stores June 23rd!

As part of the celebrations for 75 Years of the Dark Knight, DC Entertainment announced that this June 23rd will be Batman Day. Working with thousands of comic shops and bookstores, throughout the United States, a special edition of Detective Comics #27 will be distributed freely, re-imagining the original from 1939 in which the character made his debut.

The script will be by Brad Meltzer and all the art is the responsibility of Chip Kidd.

Also, the stores will have all kinds of collectibles available, including a commemorative cape, book marks with the most important graphic novels of the character and four masks created by artist Ryan Sook, who used famous interpretations of The Batman, like the first appearance, the 1960s television series and the graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns.

On the same day, Robin Rises- Omega #1 , by Peter Tomasi and Andy Kubert, and Grayson # 1, by Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin, will both be released.

The publisher plans to release the special edition of Detective Comics #27 for a free download.

(Original Article: DC declara 23 de julho como o Dia do Batman, written by Samir Naliato on May 13, 2014. Republished and translated with permission by UniversoHQ.) 

Culture of Comics already detailed some of DC's Bat-Celebration efforts including commemorative covers and animated shorts on Cartoon Network. Son of Batman came out last week on DVD with Batman: Assault on Arkham arriving in August. Gotham will be on Fox this fall, Mondays at 8.

May is international comic book month!

May is international comic book month!

The 20th Annual FestComix will take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil from May 1st-4th.

Thursday will have panels about Marvel and DC, held by their foreign distributor, Panini Comics. Jheremy Raapack will talk about his work on Injustice for DC Digital. Translated manga and independent comics will also be discussed.

Friday : Joshua Dysart (Harbinger) will talk about reintroducing the Valiant Universe together with Brazilian distributor HQM. Shawn Martinbrough will talk about his work on Thief of Thieves. Cartoonists and editors will discuss the zombie invasion in comics. There will be a special panel preparing Brazilian national comics for international markets.

Saturday: Cartoonists talk about their favorite childhood heroes, Panini announces more Manga titles, and artists and writers talk about their work on Disney Comics. Jim Krueger ( Justice, Project Superheroes, Buffy)  will chat about his acclaimed work with Marvel, DC, and Dynamite.

Sunday, the festival will close with a celebration of Batman and Superman’s 75th, a round table talk with Will Conrad, Joe Bennet, Daniel HDR, and Marcelo Mailo about producing good artwork. Editor Sidney Gusman will talk about Graphics MSP with its creators Vitor Cagaggi, Danio Beyruth, and Gustavo Duarte. Jim Kreuger returns to talk about the Golden Age in the super hero world.

Also this weekend, in the United States, is the twelfth annual Free Comic Book Day. With involvement by practically all the major comic book companies in the business, each provides comic book stores across America with a free sample comic (often new stories). Some libraries also participate in FCBD, encouraging young readers. The program is all about outreach. It is aimed to introduce new readers; they even have a comic book explanation guide for those new to the comic book world. FCBD also strives to invite back readers who may have stopped collecting comics for one reason or another. It is also a thank you to current comic books readers.

The day also coincides with major motion picture releases based on comics. The first Free Comic Book Day followed the release of the first Spider-Man back in 2002. X2, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Iron Man, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers, and Iron Man 3 all invited excited moviegoers to check out their local comic store on opening weekend to experience a piece of the magic that inspired these larger than life films. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens May 2nd.

Click here to see the 57 free comics offered this year. Many shops have limits on the amount of comics you can take. Most shops also have great sales and special offers to commemorate the important weekend. DC Comics made a map to track where their creators will be appearing on Saturday. Don’t know where your nearest comic shop is? Check out Comic Shop Locator.

Not to be left in the dust, France is celebrating their Bande dessinée this month. Why just one day? France is trying out 48 hours (2 days) of the BD. The website have yet divulge what comics will be available but will be offering 100,000 BD. The event will take place May 16 and 17. French publishers Casterman, Dargaud, Dupuis, Fluide Glacial, Wide Angle, Jungle, The Lombard and Urban Comics are all involved. 

The Year of the Bat

If you walk into a comic book shop in July and see all Batman covers…don’t be fooled! DC is honoring Batman’s 75th anniversary in July by printing special edition covers on twenty one publications, Batman centric and otherwise. So far Jim Steranko, Kevin Nowlan, Klaus Janson, Walt Simonson, Graham Nolan, Cliff Chiang, Sean Murphy, Dave Johnson, Dan Jurgens, and Mike Kaluta have been announced, with more announcements on the way. Variant issues are nothing new, Marvel and DC have celebrated with line-wide special covers for various events (Lego versions, anniversaries, and breast cancer awareness).

The covers will appear on these titles:

ACTION COMICS #33
AQUAMAN #33
BATGIRL #33
BATMAN #33
BATMAN AND ROBIN #33
BATMAN/SUPERMAN #13
BATWOMAN #33
DETECTIVE COMICS #33
EARTH 2 #25
GRAYSON #1
GREEN LANTERN #33
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #33
HARLEY QUINN #8
JUSTICE LEAGUE #33
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #33
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #3
SUPERMAN #33
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #10
TEEN TITANS #1
THE FLASH #33
WONDER WOMAN #33

Comics legend Jim Steranko's cover art to Detective Comics #33 out in July(DC Comics)

The special comics can be found at comic book stores. Find the closest comic book shop near you at Comic Shop Locator!(US and Canada only, sorry!)



DC animation is also celebrating Batman’s 75th. Bruce Timm(creator of the beloved Batman: The Animated Series and spin off series, including Justice League) produced a short in celebration. The short sets batman in the 1930s atmosphere he was created in. Watch the “Batman: Strange Days” below featuring the original voice actor, Kevin Conroy.

Darwyn Cooke, best known for The New Frontier miniseries showing the age of heroes among Kennedy’s administration, got his start storyboarding for the Batman cartoons. He animated the opening title sequence for Batman Beyond. Cooke returned to animation to produce a special Batman Beyond film, seen below, Conroy plays a retired Bruce Wayne and Terry McGinnis, the Batman of the future, is played by Will Friedle. 

If you were looking to celebrate Batman’s 75th, Bleeding Cool News published a feature about the 8 best Batman stories, results may vary.

Batman first appeared in 1939's Detective Comics # 27, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.

Comic Industry Awards: A History of Excellence

This week San Diego Comic Con announced Eisner Award nominees. The Eisner Award is named after comic great Will Eisner(The Spirit, City of God).

The Award had some name and personnel changes. It started by Publisher Fantographic’s Books in 1985 gave out the Kirby Awards at Comic-Con with Jack Kirby himself on hand. In 1987 Fantographics lost Dave Olbrich, their chief organizer of the awards. They created the Harvey Awards named afer Harvey Kurtzman. Olrbich organized the newly named Eisner Awards in 1988. In 1990, Comic Con took over the organization of the awards. Jackie Estrada is the administrator of the awards.

Orrin C. Evan's All-Negro Comics

Traditionally, the judges select two nominations before the awards ceremony at the Convention. This year, they decided to add one more for instant induction in the Hall of Fame. There is still a pool of 14 nominees, 4 of which will enter the Hall of Fame.

Journalist Orrin C. Evans published a single anthology in 1947- All-Negro Comics. It was the first of its kind, solely created by African American talent. Sheldon Moldoff was a DC comic book artist. He helped create Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze and  the brought life to the whimsical era of Batman: Bat-Girl, Batwoman, Bat-Mite and Ace the Bat-Hound.  He also drew Hawkman, golden age Green Lantern(Alan Scott). Irwin Hasen created Citizen Smith, Son of the Unknown Soldier, DC superhero Wildcat(with Bill Finger) and the comic strip Dondi(with Gus Edson) about a war orphan. Hasen also did art for The Flash, The Green Hornet, the Fox and various other golden age heroes.  

Irwin Hasen's Dondi

Sheldon Moldoff's characters Bat-Girl and Batwoman

Fourteen other talents are now being considered in voting. These include  international talents Mexican Gus Arriola(Gordo), Frecnhman Philippe Druillet(La Sloane), Hiyao Miyazaki( Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Japan’s biggest filmmaker(Spirited Away,etc)), Britt Alan Moore(Watchmen, V for Vendetta), Cuban Antonio Prohias(Spy vs Spy), Japanese female creator Rumiko Takahashi(Ranma ½). Super hero creators are well represented with Fred Kida(Ringo Kid, Flash Gorden, Spider-Man) Tarpe Mills(creator of Miss Fury), Dennis O’Neil(Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow,editor), George Tuska(Crime Does Not Pay, Marvel and DC Comics artist), Bernie Wrightson(Swamp Thing).Eisner Awards continues to recognize the Underground/Independent movement with Howard Cruse(Gay Comix editor, Stuck Rubber Baby), Rube Goldberg(Rube Goldberg machine, Mike and Ike), Francoise Mouly(RAW creator).

The list of Eisner Award Hall of Fame members is long and varied. Batman’s creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger(Batman’s creators), Neal Adams(Batman artist who created the dark and brooding Dark Knight), Joe Simon(Captain America), Superman’s makers Joe Schuster and Jerry Siegel, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Gardner Fox(Justice Society), Steve Ditko(Co-creator of Spider-Man, The Creeper, The Question) are all well represented. Classic comic artists like John Romita(Marvel), Marv Wolfman(Blade, DC and Marvel), and Joe Kubert(DC) among others also hold membership.

The Eisner Awards does a great job representing pillars of the comic book medium. From the first remnants of the budding art like : R. F. Outcault(The Yellow Kid), Rudolph Dirks( The Katzenjammer Kids), Winsor McKay(Little Nemo) and George Herriman(Krazy Kat). And others, like Lee Falk (The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician) and Carl Banks(Disney Comics) who helped propel comics to international popularity and recognition. William Gaines the EC Comics publisher who almost single handedly caused the Comics Code Authority  even gets a spot  with his coulegue Harvey Kurtzman(MAD Magazine). The Hall of Fame features non mainstream,underground movers and shakers like Art Spiegelman(Maus, RAW), Trina Robbins(Wimmin’s Comix)  and Robert Crumb(Fritz the Cat).

Comic strip creators had a huge part on the popularity and notability of the medium. Charles M. Schulz(Peanuts and Snoopy), E.C. Segar(Popeye), Ernie Bushmiller(Fritzi Ritz and Nancy), Harold Gray (Little Orphan Annie), John Stanely(Little Lulu), Walt Kelly(Pogo), Harold R. Foster(Prince Valiant),  and Chester Gould(Dick Tracy) all won membership.

International inductees include Italian Huge Pratt(Corto Maltese), Katsunhiro Otomo(Akira), Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima(Lone Wolf and Cub), Rene Goscinny and Alberto Uderzo(Asterix), Herge(Tintin), and Osamu Tezuka(Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Princess Knight and Black Jack).

Attendees of the awards ceremony are given a copy of a Will Eisner graphic novel. He has been known as the “father of the graphic novel”. 

Grant Morrison's Robin returns in new animated feature

In 2006, DC Comics made waves contracting Grant Morrison to take the reigns of Batman.  The  world renowned Scottish author, scribe of such works as All Star Superman, JLA, The Invisibles, We3, New X-Men, The Authority and countless other works started his Dark Knight tenure by introducing an illegitimate son,  Damian, the lovechild of Bruce Wayne and a terrorist’s daughter, Talia al Ghul.

Much of Morrison’s off and on story line involves Damian coming to terms with who he is as a human as well as who he is within the Batman family, forming strong bonds with Bruce and the original Robin, Dick Grayson. Damian assumes the role of the fifth in continuity Robin. The Bat-family saw many changes over the years, but Grant Morrison welcomed and referenced the changes, culminating in his two volume, Batman Incorporated- a celebration of the varied cast that Batman has met over his 70+ years as the caped crusader.

In 2011, DC editorial decided to revamp their whole universe, relaunching fifty two new series with unstable ties to the past. Grant Morrison (promoted to Action Comics(Superman) writer), was given mostly free reign when he restarted his Batman Incorporated series, picking up almost seamlessly from the past continuity. His 7 year tenure ended this past  July with Inc.’s issue 13, effectively taking his toys and going home. For now, Damian Wayne is out of service (save for the four issue miniseries taking place in an uncertain future…comics are complicated).

 Damian was a breath of fresh air in the sidekick position. More cunning, rebellious and dangerous than his wide eyed teen counterparts, the child quickly grew on readers. It came as no surprise when DC Animation announced an animated adaptation of Morrison’s first Bat-tale, Batman and Son- featuring the introduction of Damian. This Direct to DVD movie will be available this Spring. The cast has been announced but the production crew is still unknown.

If this movie is anything like the two-part The Dark Knight Returns adaptation of Frank Miller’s  1986 classic reinventing the art of the graphic novel…it will do well. But, I have a feeling most of the public will buy this while asking the question, “Batman has a son?”

In the meantime, I recommend checking out “Batman and Son” available at bookstores, comic book stores or on Amazon. I am waiting for an omnibus that will collect the whole Batman, Inc series; no doubt DC will release it this year in the absence of new Morrison Batman stories.

Check out the trailer for the movie here!
Update 1/22/2014
Warner Bros Animation has confirmed that the DVD is to be released on  Tuesday May 6, 2014. This will be following Free Comic Book Day weekend and the opening of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Seems to be a great time to be a comic book fan! Check out the cover art!

Warner Bros Animation/DC Entertainment