comics

Photos courtesy of WWE

By James Viscardi

Daniel Bryan may not be the largest competitor in WWE, but the heart of a super hero has carried him all the way to the World championship.

On Sunday, January 29 at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, “The American Dragon” faces a seemingly impossible task when he puts his title on the line in a steel cage match against the over seven foot tall Big Show as well as “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry (both Fightin’ Fanboys themselves). Before he heads into that Herculean challenge, we caught up with Daniel to learn about his Marvel comics roots, his connection to artist Jill Thompson, who in the Marvel Universe he could—and couldn’t—get to tap out and more.

Marvel.com: Everyone has a “breaking into comics” story. Whether it was someone they knew read comics or they picked up copies from a drug store, everyone always had first comic. Do you remember yours?

Daniel Bryan: As a kid I would grab any comics I could right from the newsstand. I couldn’t tell you which was my first, but they were definitely Marvel books. Being able to immerse myself into that world was the most fun aspect to me of comics. I had no concept of storylines or arcs other than they were full of plain ol’ super hero fun.

Marvel.com: In wrestling, you’ve got good guys, and bad guys and both have support from their fans. As a comic fan, did you root for the heroes or the villains more?

Daniel Bryan: Have to root for the heroes, man. Be it the Avengers or the X-Men, I always rooted for the heroes because as a kid, you always wanted the good guys to win.

Marvel.com: So diving into the Marvel Universe a bit here, you say you can make anybody tap out—who in the Marvel Universe would you make tap?

Daniel Bryan: Captain America most likely. You know, submissions are all about bringing someone to the point of making a bone in the body break and making them give up before it snaps. With everyone wearing armor or having special abilities, I think I’d be able to take out Captain America. I mean, it wouldn’t be easy, but if you put me in a ring with Cap, I think I’d have the best chance against him.

Marvel.com: Are there any Marvel characters you think you couldn't get to tap?

Daniel Bryan: Well, if the aim of the game was to break a bone, I wouldn’t be able to make Mister Fantastic or Wolverine tap. I mean between the rubbery-ness of Mr. Fantastic and the Adamantium laced bones of Wolverine, it would take a lot to get them to tap.

Marvel.com: Now you’ve got a connection to comics today with artist Jill Thompson. How did you meet her and how did it come about to have her design your ring gear?

Daniel Bryan: Through Twitter and my ex-girlfriend oddly enough! My ex-girlfriend had a blog called “Hot Nerds Reading Comics” and she posted a picture of me reading Beasts of Burden. Through the power of Twitter, and the fact that she was a huge wrestling fan, this caught the eye of Jill Thompson. So she reached out to me on Twitter and the rest was magic. [She is] from Chicago and   friends with [WWE Champion] CM Punk, [so] it was just a great coincidence that worked out for everyone! She’s been doing my stuff ever since.

Marvel.com: You’re one of the smallest guys in WWE and yet you're the World champion. What does that mean to you?

Daniel Bryan: It’s a great feeling. You know, when you’re one of the smaller guys on the roster, you have to do more to stand out. When you’re a bit bigger, people expect you to have power and you can use that to your advantage. It’s a really awesome feeling that fans have latched on to me as an entertainer and want me to still be champion. I’ve got my own style and people really seem to like that. Plus, I’m not the only one my size who has held the title; I have to give a shout out to Rey Mysterio.

Marvel.com: What do you feel has been your best match in WWE?

Daniel Bryan: Actually, if you had asked me this question a few weeks ago, I’d have a different answer for you. I actually wrestled William Regal on an episode of WWE Superstars, and it is without a doubt one of my best matches that I’ve ever wrestled. He was a huge mentor for me during my career, and to be able to have a match with him and have it go over so well was really rewarding.

Marvel.com: If you could defend your World title this year at WrestleMania against anybody, who would it be?

Daniel Bryan: It would have to be Mr. WrestleMania himself, Shawn Michaels. The guy has not had a bad WrestleMania yet and I think we’d have a really entertaining match that fans could get behind. I also spent a lot of time under his wing, training and again, like with Regal, I think we’d put on a great match.

Marvel.com: Now that you're the World champion, what's next for Daniel Bryan?

Daniel Bryan: [Laughs] Keeping the title.

Check out Daniel Bryan every week on Raw Supershow and SmackDown, and watch him defend his title on Sunday, January 29 at the Royal Rumble. For more information, visit WWE.com.

By TJ Dietsch

“And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born—to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand!”

Each Friday Marvel.com will present a different column focusing on the one and only Avengers. From line-ups to costumes to villains to classic stories and beyond, we’ve got you covered on the history of Marvel’s most prolific team of heroes!

So let the call go out: Avengers Assemble!

As writer of the five issue limited series AVENGERS SOLO, Jen Van Meter knows her Earth's Mightiest Heroes. SOLO puts the spotlight on Hawkeye as he tries to clear the Avengers of an increasingly complex murder rap involving the villainous Trapster, but he's not Van Meter's only fave.

Like any longtime Avengers fan, Van Meter jumped at the chance to talk about her five favorite team members, but did mention one caveat: “I can give you five, but I can't rank them, I just can't. Please don't ask me to.”

So, in no particular order, feast your eyes on a list that includes an archer, a spy and the former Sorcerer Supreme.

Hawkeye

“Clint is marvelous; he's like Steve McQueen playing some kind of cowboy Robin Hood. I love his criminal history, his nerve and his dedication to the Avengers who are in so many ways, the family he picked for himself.”

The Wasp

“I love Janet. I always thought she was so vibrant and had a nice, clever dynamic with the rest of the group. Her death really bummed me out, but that's the nice thing about being able to read older issues and collections, right?”

Captain America

“I am a big fan of earnestness and sincerity. I can enjoy gritty stories as well as the next person, but I don't think that means the characters in them all have to be mercenary or smirking pessimists; Steve Rogers is a great example of a character who can be compassionate and principled without being taken for naive, and I like seeing that held up as a good combination in a leader-figure.”

Black Widow

“I love spies, and I just think Natasha's great; super smart, daring and sly. She embodies a really nice combination of personal struggle and professional competence, and is a great voice for a more cynical, calculating perspective.”

Doctor Strange

“I know, he [is] a New Avenger, but as far as I'm concerned that totally counts. I have to put him here because he'd be in my top five of all Marvel characters, without a doubt. I love his elegance and dignified intensity, and it's delightful to watch him interact with the other heroes, who are really playing on a completely different field than the one he sees.”

By Tim Stevens

Samuel Wilson is an adult male who presents as being in above average physical condition. He is currently in the employ of S.H.I.E.L.D., specifically as assigned to the Ultimates where he serves under the call sign “Falcon.” Although the client’s focus and interests lie in the area of scientific research and applications, he has extensive military training and is adept at the use of a “wing harness” that grants him the ability of personal flight. 

Wilson was sent to this writer by Director Nick Fury for his yearly analysis, a requirement of all Ultimates operatives. Fury indicated that he has shown no signs of any mental disorders, including trauma related ones, and has found the client’s performance in both the field and as a valuable scientific mind to be beyond reproach. This writer has been cleared to share this information in this session note.

In the session, Wilson presented as thoughtful and cooperative, but only to a point. He admitted little interest in therapy and typically responded only to the questions asked, making no effort to elaborate unless asked and at no time introducing his own thoughts, concerns, and so on into the milieu. When asked if there was anything he would like to discuss or thought would be relevant to his mental health, he claimed that this writer had been thorough and he had nothing to add. 

While individuals like this—low emotion, high responsibility—are often difficult to read entirely accurately, inspection of his file and observation of his body language, micro expressions, and statements would seem to indicate he is being forthright. This writer, in agreement with Fury, sees no signs of trauma or other mental illness.

Disposition wise, the client is not without concerns, however. As noted above, his personality type is historically difficult to read and therefore future signs of problems may be easy to miss. If Wilson does develop any difficulties in the field or in general, the problem may be extensive before anyone is able to notice. 

The client also appears to have high levels of empathy. For instance, the field journal of the incidents involving the alien android labeled “Vision” indicate that Wilson reached out to the creature and offered “her” a place to stay when she lost her ability to return to space. For the population at large, empathy is an excellent quality. For a man in super powered combat situations, it could prove distracting and/or deadly.

Overall, at this time, the writer sees no reason why the client should not be allowed to continue to serves as Falcon with the Ultimates and for S.H.I.E.L.D. at large. As noted there may be some things to watch out for, but they do not provoke a high concern level in this therapist. 

Samuel Wilson will receive a second evaluation from Doctors Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic on January 25 and February 29 in keeping with S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol. Their conclusions will be available on those days in file ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #6 and ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #7, respectively.

Psy D. Candidate Tim Stevens, MA is a Practicum Trainee at a community mental health facility and a Dialectical Behavior Therapy Consultant who has experience working with individuals who have survived war and war-like trauma.

Already plowed through the thousands of comics available in Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited? Fret not, True Believer! We add new books into the collection every week to keep you up to your neck in digitized comics! Check the new issues that hit Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited this week, broken down by day and theme. And below that, you can peep at what new comics to expect next week. Stay abreast of all MDCU releases by checking out the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Calendar!* SPIDER-MAN MONDAY JANUARY 23AVENGERS (2010) #8 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #664 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #665 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #666 HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT (2011) #2
IRON MAN TUESDAY JANUARY 24 ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 3 (2010) #5 HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT (2011) #3 HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT (2011) #4  IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #1 X-MEN WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25DEADPOOL & CABLE (2011) #26 DEADPOOL (2008) #33DEADPOOL CORPS (2010) #12 DEADPOOL MAX (2010) #5  DEADPOOL TEAM-UP (2010) #884 THOR THURSDAY JANUARY 26UNCANNY X-FORCE (2010) #5  UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #533 SECRET AVENGERS (2010) #10
FANTASTIC FOUR FRIDAY JANUARY 27CAPTAIN AMERICA: HAIL HYDRA (2010) #2 CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN OUT OF TIME (2010) #2 DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE (2010) #5 IRON MAN: RAPTURE (2010) #3 HERC (2010) #6.1 Now that you're up to date on what came out this week, stay ahead of the schedule! Stay abreast of all Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited releases by checking out the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Calendar!* SPIDER-MAN MONDAY JANUARY 30
IRON MAN: RAPTURE (2010) #3 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #668 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #669 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #670 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #667 IRON MAN TUESDAY JANUARY 31ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #3 CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN OUT OF TIME (2010) #3 CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN OUT OF TIME (2010) #4 CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN OUT OF TIME (2010) #5 DOCTOR STRANGE: FROM THE MARVEL VAULT (2011) #1
X-MEN WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 1 WOLVERINE (2010) #9 WOLVERINE (2010) #10 WOLVERINE: THE BEST THERE IS (2010) #6 X-MEN (2010) #13 AGE OF X: UNIVERSE (2011) #1 THOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2
THOR (2007) #619 EMMA (2011) #1 THUNDERBOLTS (2006) #163.1 ONSLAUGHT UNLEASHED (2010) #2 THOR (2007) #618 FANTASTIC FOUR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3
SILVER SURFER (2011) #3 SILVER SURFER (2011) #4 HEROES FOR HIRE (2010) #4 OZ PRIMER (2011) FF (2011) #2 * Schedule subject to change

This Spring, Marvel Entertainment takes Austin, Texas by storm in its inaugural appearance at the South By Southwest Interactive Festival with the Marvel: House of Ideas panel at SXSW ScreenBurn! In this historic event on Sunday, March 11 at 1pm on the IGN stage at the Palmer Events Center, Axel Alonso (Marvel Comics Editor in Chief), Jeph Loeb (Head of Marvel Television) and Peter Phillips (SVP & GM, Marvel Digital Media Group) unveil Marvel’s bold new multimedia plans that includes the premiere of Marvel's revolutionary new ways to read comics. Not only does this mark the first major appearance by a comic book publisher in SXSW history, but Marvel is coming armed with the big news—and exclusive animation footage—that can’t be missed by any fan in attendance! Best of all, this event is free and open to the public, so everyone can be on hand to see Marvel’s newest innovations.

“Marvel’s always been the industry leader in graphic fiction & digital media and with the announcements we’ve planned, we couldn’t have picked a more appropriate show than SXSW,” said Dan Buckley. Publisher & President of the Print, Animation & Digital Divisions, Marvel Worldwide, Inc. “We’re big believers that both print and digital can work hand-in-hand to bring more readers to comics than ever before—and if you’re at SXSW Interactive you’ll be the first to see just how we’re going to do that.”

Since the launch of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited in 2007, the first major digital comics program in comics history, Marvel has been on the forefront of digital comics publishing with innovations such as the landmark Marvel Comics app in 2010. Since then, Marvel has expanded its digital comics offerings to numerous platforms, while also becoming the first comics company to offer free digital copies with select print issues and comic shop coupons with the purchase of a digital comic.

"We are very excited to have Marvel on board for the ScreenBurn portion of the 2012 SXSW Interactive Festival,” said Hugh Forrest, Director of SXSW Interactive. “The presence of this industry leader is another indicator of the growth and maturation of the event. Marvel's addition to the SXSW lineup will add even more flavor to the mix of creative energy that fills Austin in March."

After the Marvel: House of Ideas panel concludes, fans in attendance will receive a limited edition lithograph (while supplies last) and a chance to have it signed by Alonso & Loeb in a special Marvel signing session.

“Marvel’s fans are the best in the world—bar none—and I’m excited to meet more of them at SXSW” said Alonso. “We have exciting new plans that you’ll see implemented with the release of AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1 that’ll take the biggest comics event in history and make it even bigger!”

Stay tuned to www.marvel.com and www.sxswscreenburn.com for more details on the Marvel: House of Ideas panel and Marvel’s plans for SXSW.

Grant Morrison is known to be a master of turning things on their head, particularly when it comes to some of our most beloved characters. For him, the DC Universe and its properties are his giant play pen, and he can do with them virtually what he wants. Or so it seems. So what is Morrison planning to do with Batman next?

About a week ago DC Comics announced that they would begin publishing what they called the "Second Wave" of "The New 52." Essentially, books that were not doing as well in sales would be swapped out for new titles starting May, 2012. The announcement also listed some of the upcoming new books the publisher is planning to release, including the highly anticipated return of Grant Morrison's BATMAN, INC.

Since Morrison's BATMAN, INC. went on hiatus late last year, Bat fans have been waiting for news of when Morrison would return to finish his story. It's no wonder, either, since the man left so many questions about the Bat family and the future of the character unanswered. This May, Morrison will return to BATMAN, INC. So with that in mind, we decided to look at where he last left The Dark Knight.

After reading through BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES I am beginning to think Morrison has more twists and turns up his sleeve than any of us are expecting, and one of those major twists will involve Batman's old flame, Talia al Ghul. If you have not yet read BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES you may want to do so before you read any further.

== TEASER ==

Talia al Ghul is a very unique character. Since we first met her, Talia has struggled to find the balance between the two men in her life: her allegiance to her father and her undying love for Bruce Wayne. Through everything, no matter how often she disagrees with Bruce, she continued to demonstrate her love for him. Which is why her final appearance in BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES seems so out of character for her.

At the end of that story we find out that Talia is "Leviathan," that she is and has been the force in opposition to Bruce and that she has built herself an army that would rival her father's League. Taking on the name "leviathan," which is defined as a one of the seven demons of hell, in Demonology. There are references made to Leviathan in the Torah, in Ancient Middle Eastern lore and in Christianity. The thing is, Talia has never referred to herself as "The Demon Head." So is this really Talia al Ghul?

During Morrison's run on Batman we witnessed the 'Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul' crossover event. During that story a wounded and decrepit Ra's al Ghul captured Damian and plotted to transfer his soul into Damian's body; essentially using Damian as a vessel. Now, Ra's can't transfer into any body, only that of a relative. This is why Damian would have been such a good choice. During this story both Batman and Talia teamed up in order to save Damian from that fate, and Ra's was forced to transfer into his son, The White Ghost. However, Ra's was dissatisfied with the White Ghost as a host. Could it be that this was a temporary solution for Ra's until he found a more suitable host?

Looking at the language in those last few pages of BATMAN: LEVIATHAN one thing is certain, this did not sound like Talia. Bragging about her power and the countless assassins she has under her command certainly does not sound like the Talia al Ghul who had always worked under her father. Based on the language, Talia sounds a lot like Ra's al Ghul. The fact that Talia refers to Batman as "Detective" only serves to reinforce this theory. It would make sense that Ra's would be going after Batman and placing a bounty on Damian's head since Batman did, after all, "take something from" Ra's; namely, Damian. Ra's plans from the start of the resurrection crossover was to use Damian as a vessel.

Could it be that Ra's transferred into Talia, albeit temporarily? If so, this wouldn't be the first time. In an episode of 'Batman Beyond' titled 'Out of the Past,' Ra's transfers his soul into Talia. Kind of creepy, right? Do you think this is plausible? Are you looking forward to BATMAN, INC.?

Grant Morrison is known to be a master of turning things on their head, particularly when it comes to some of our most beloved characters. For him, the DC Universe and its properties are his giant play pen, and he can do with them virtually what he wants. Or so it seems. So what is Morrison planning to do with Batman next?

About a week ago DC Comics announced that they would begin publishing what they called the "Second Wave" of "The New 52." Essentially, books that were not doing as well in sales would be swapped out for new titles starting May, 2012. The announcement also listed some of the upcoming new books the publisher is planning to release, including the highly anticipated return of Grant Morrison's BATMAN, INC.

Since Morrison's BATMAN, INC. went on hiatus late last year, Bat fans have been waiting for news of when Morrison would return to finish his story. It's no wonder, either, since the man left so many questions about the Bat family and the future of the character unanswered. This May, Morrison will return to BATMAN, INC. So with that in mind, we decided to look at where he last left The Dark Knight.

After reading through BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES I am beginning to think Morrison has more twists and turns up his sleeve than any of us are expecting, and one of those major twists will involve Batman's old flame, Talia al Ghul. If you have not yet read BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES you may want to do so before you read any further.

== TEASER ==

Talia al Ghul is a very unique character. Since we first met her, Talia has struggled to find the balance between the two men in her life: her allegiance to her father and her undying love for Bruce Wayne. Through everything, no matter how often she disagrees with Bruce, she continued to demonstrate her love for him. Which is why her final appearance in BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES seems so out of character for her.

At the end of that story we find out that Talia is "Leviathan," that she is and has been the force in opposition to Bruce and that she has built herself an army that would rival her father's League. Taking on the name "leviathan," which is defined as a one of the seven demons of hell, in Demonology. There are references made to Leviathan in the Torah, in Ancient Middle Eastern lore and in Christianity. The thing is, Talia has never referred to herself as "The Demon Head." So is this really Talia al Ghul?

During Morrison's run on Batman we witnessed the 'Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul' crossover event. During that story a wounded and decrepit Ra's al Ghul captured Damian and plotted to transfer his soul into Damian's body; essentially using Damian as a vessel. Now, Ra's can't transfer into any body, only that of a relative. This is why Damian would have been such a good choice. During this story both Batman and Talia teamed up in order to save Damian from that fate, and Ra's was forced to transfer into his son, The White Ghost. However, Ra's was dissatisfied with the White Ghost as a host. Could it be that this was a temporary solution for Ra's until he found a more suitable host?

Looking at the language in those last few pages of BATMAN: LEVIATHAN one thing is certain, this did not sound like Talia. Bragging about her power and the countless assassins she has under her command certainly does not sound like the Talia al Ghul who had always worked under her father. Based on the language, Talia sounds a lot like Ra's al Ghul. The fact that Talia refers to Batman as "Detective" only serves to reinforce this theory. It would make sense that Ra's would be going after Batman and placing a bounty on Damian's head since Batman did, after all, "take something from" Ra's; namely, Damian. Ra's plans from the start of the resurrection crossover was to use Damian as a vessel.

Could it be that Ra's transferred into Talia, albeit temporarily? If so, this wouldn't be the first time. In an episode of 'Batman Beyond' titled 'Out of the Past,' Ra's transfers his soul into Talia. Kind of creepy, right? Do you think this is plausible? Are you looking forward to BATMAN, INC.?

Geoff Johns is doing his best to become one of comics' busiest guys. Not only is he the Chief Creative Officer for DC Comics, he's currently the writer for GREEN LANTERN, JUSTICE LEAGUE and AQUAMAN plus the upcoming "Curse of Shazam!" back up stories in JUSTICE LEAGUE. We had the opportunity to throw some questions at him to find out what we can expect.

Comic Vine: Are we going to see Cyborg going to finally kick some butt in JUSTICE LEAGUE #6?

Geoff Johns: Yes you are...and beyond.

CV: That's great to hear. Many have asked, how come the Bat-emblem peels off Bruce's costume in JUSTICE LEAGUE #5

GJ: Because he gets a new one.

CV: JUSTICE LEAGUE shifts to the present in #7, will that be the case for the foreseeable future?

GJ: Yeah.

CV: Are you going to return to the past and fill in the gaps...?

GJ: Nope. Well, there'll be flashbacks here and there in like issue 8 or 9 but really we're in the present day now.

== TEASER ==

CV: In AQUAMAN. are we going to see villains like Ocean Master, Black Manta, etc pop up?

GJ: Yes...eventually.

CV: Where did you get the idea to go into Atlantis' history? No one's ever touched on that before.

GJ: Because no one's ever touched on that before. [laughs] Because no one's ever asked the question did someone sink Atlantis on purpose. I thought it was an interesting question to pose, an interesting question to explore in the series. The way it ties to Aquaman is probably going to be surprising so that just kind of became a nice spine for us.

CV: Did the 'A' on his belt always stand for Atlantis or is that something you came up with?

GJ: In my mind, I just came up with that. I'd seen the glyph in Atlantis before and it made sense that it stood for Atlantis rather than have the glyph stand for Aquaman all over the place.

CV: Did Aquaman always have super-hearing?

GJ: Not that I know of. I know he has heightened senses, he has to if he's maneuvering underwater. I just figured he'd have these heightened senses outside of water. Some of the stuff we're obviously playing up and amping up, but I just thought it makes sense.

CV: It does. Let's talk GREEN LANTERN. You've been on it for, what, eight years now? How do you keep the book so fresh?

GJ: The characters do it. I think the best thing about the relaunch for me was it gives a chance to, we got so vast and big, it gives a chance to go back down and center it on character. It's really centered on Sinestro and Hal. The arc we have built out, even though it goes into another one of a kind of space opera/Star Wars-style space epic, it really is focused on Hal and Sinestro and that journey. Those characters, by having Sinestro suddenly dealing with this ring and Hal dealing with Sinestro with the ring, losing his ring, having it taken away, given back and being tethered to Sinestro and all the stuff we're going to be unfolding with the Guardians and their corrupt plans. We're really pushing the Guardians to a place that we've been marching them towards this whole time and it's all focused on this journey between Hal and Sinestro. I think that just keeps it feeling new.

We also continue to add new characters. The goal is, if you look at GREEN LANTERN in particular, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, of those seven characters, like five are brand new or a couple years old. In GREEN LANTERN CORPS, Pete [Tomasi] is always introducing new characters and concepts. In RED LANTERNS, they're all new. In GREEN LANTERN we have a lot of new villains and concepts that we're dealing with. We're also going to be touching on villains that we've been using, villains from the past but I think introducing new concepts and characters is key to Green Lantern because it is so big and vast. That keeps it feeling fresh too. We don't have them fight Sonar for the tenth time. We're really exploring new things.

CV: You've been adding a lot of new stuff, especially with Sinestro. Like he broke a ring before...

GJ: Twice!

CV: Yeah, twice! Are you just teasing that stuff? Are we ever going to see flashbacks?

GJ: That actually plays into something else that happens down the line. There's no story lines like that for him.

CV: So no SINESTRO YEAR...SEVEN or whenever it would have happened in his career?

GJ: ...You'll have to keep reading for some of that stuff. I don't want to totally reveal what we're doing with that stuff yet.

CV: We can assume the Guardians will find out Hal is working with Sinestro?

GJ: Eventually, if they did, that would be very bad for Hal and Sinestro.

CV: What about "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" story coming up? Is that going to deal with the glimpse we had of Indigo-1 imprisoned by Abin Sur in the Book of the Black? And the Indigo Oath that mentions Abin?

GJ: Yes. "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" really is about two things. First off, every arc is still about Hal and Sinestro. Secondly, it's about what the Indigo Tribe is all about, what compassion is all about and what the secrets of the Indigo Tribe are (as the title says). Can you learn compassion or is it inherent in everybody?

How do you make compassion real? In sociopaths and psychopaths, compassion is actually present, it's just not always triggered. They're very close in personality. They can feel compassion but when something is in their way, compassion kind of dissolves. That's what Sinestro is. They can feel compassion for somebody but if that person stands in the way of anything they want, there's no sympathy for them. It's a really interesting conceit, compassion is not devoid, it's just absent. We're going to be exploring that.

CV: What can you tell us about "The Curse of Shazam!"? Will Billy be Captain Marvel again?

GJ: I will tell you Billy Batson definitely is the main character. It's a very different tone than anything else we're doing right now. Gary [Frank] and I are trying to do something that's a little more magical. It's less a superhero tale and more of a magical tale. It's about a kid who's alone and how he survives being alone.

CV: What about Black Adam? Mary Marvel?

GJ: I can't say much more about "The Curse of Shazam!"

CV: Guess we'll have to wait and see.

By Ben Morse

Every week we'll pick a handful of awesome comics from the thousands available through Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. From creator spotlights to editor's picks and more, this'll be your spot to find something new and cool. 

Next week, on Wednesday February 1, writer Ed Brubaker and artist Butch Guice kick off the latest chapter in the life of Bucky Barnes with WINTER SOLDIER #1. From his days as the sidekick to Captain America to decades under mental compulsion, his rise as the new Star-Spangled Avenger and back again, there’s little this proud patriot hasn’t seen. Check out just a few of his varied adventures.

CAPTAIN AMERICA 65^TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1

An untold tale of the Golden Age’s most patriotic duo, Captain America and Bucky! Alongside Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, the Sentinel of Liberty and his young partner battle their way behind enemy lines to face the evil of The Red Skull! But how will this adventure impact the present and what do Doctor Doom and General Lukin have to do with it? Find out in this extra-sized epic from writer Ed Brubaker and artist Eric Wight! 

WOLVERINE (2003) #39

What horrible secret binds the former Bucky with the X-Man called Wolverine? His full memories restored after years of mental turmoil, Logan has journeyed to Russia determined to confront The Winter Soldier. Does he seek further answers or retribution? Two of the Marvel Universe’s most dangerous men collide in a no holds barred brawl that will rock Wolverine’s world and change the way you look at Captain America’s one-time protégé forever!

WINTER SOLDIER: WINTER KILLS #1

While Captain America faces his friends in the heat of Civil War, The Winter Soldier must make it through his first Christmas in the 21^st century since regaining his free will. Does Bucky Barnes still have what it takes to be a hero? The hordes of HYDRA plan to put that to the test, as guest stars the Young Avengers need an old soldier’s help to survive the holidays! Also featuring Namor and the Invaders. 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: FOREVER ALLIES #1

In modern day as Captain America, Bucky Barnes faces the specter or an unresolved adventure from World War II alongside his friends and comrades the Young Allies! How has a menace that bedeviled Bucky, Toro and friends in the 1940’s survived to threaten America’s freedom once more? The new Cap must use all the tools and skills at his disposal as well as reunite with some old acquaintances if he hopes to prevail in this tale from classic creator Roger Stern!

CAPTAIN AMERICA (2004) #50

Reminiscing through the years, Bucky recalls the most pivotal birthdays of his life, from the very first, through the war that would shape his young adulthood, on into the present where he serves as Captain America. The Invaders and more guest star in a time-spanning celebration of the man who would be Cap courtesy of writer Ed Brubaker and an all-star team of creative contributors!

Marjorie Liu continues to blow us away with her writing. From taking on the kids in NYX: NO WAY HOME to the dark and mischievous DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE to the lovable (but deadly) X-23, Liu always manages to add a little something extra to her issues.

In an unfortunate announcement, X-23 was revealed to be ending with issue #21. The good news is Liu and Mike Perkins are the new creative team for ASTONISHING X-MEN beginning with issue #48. That issue won't be on sale until March but we couldn't wait to ask Marjorie some questions on what she has planned.

Comic Vine: You first wrote the X-Men in your X-Men: Dark Mirror novel (2005). How has the team changed in your eyes since?

Marjorie Liu: The team of Dark Mirror existed in its own universe. It was part of the Marvel U, but that story was written for fans who might not be familiar with the X-Men, and so I can't really compare them to the official team of then -- and now.

CV: Your team consists of Wolverine, Warbird, Gambit, Iceman, Northstar, Cecilia Reyes and Karma. Did you get to pick the roster or were the characters chosen by editorial?

ML: The roster was almost entirely my choice.

== TEASER ==

CV: Will the series deal with school issues from WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN or will the characters be away from the school on missions/adventures or both?

ML: There will be some references to the school, but for the most part the characters of Astonishing will be on their own, having adventures that have nothing to do with those crazy, wild students!

CV: With Northstar living with his boyfriend and Gambit getting his own apartment, how will your team be assembled when needed? Will this be an official 'squad' Wolverine will call on for specific missions?

ML: It's going to evolve into an official squad, but what we'll see in this first arc or two is a team full of men and women trying to live their own lives away from the X-Men. Not because they're sick of being X-Men, but just because that's what people do: they have a job, and then they go home from that job.

CV: Hooray for the return of Cecilia Reyes! Has her attitude on 'costumed adventuring' changed? Will you explore any feelings/past relationship with Beast?

ML: No, her attitude hasn't changed all that much. Costumed adventuring really hasn't benefited her life in any measurable way. Just the opposite, actually. As for Beast...we'll see, won't we?

CV: Will you continue your knack for capturing the friendships/relationships between characters? (Your Gambit/X-23 and X-23/Jubilee portrayals were what set the book apart from other x-titles).

ML: You're very kind. I don't know if I've got a knack for it, but I am definitely focused on deepening the bonds between these characters, and exploring their relationships to one another.

CV: I know we should look forward and X-23 is currently on the West Coast but is there a chance she might pop up? Will Gambit check up on her or at least call her?

ML: You'll see a reference to X-23 in the first issue, though I can't say that she'll pop up in the book. Never say never, though. She's definitely part of Gambit's life.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #48 is on sale March 28, 2012.

Friendless and alone, the Dark Knight is currently under attack by the Court of Owls in BATMAN – but the “Night of the Owls” is coming, and Batman will turn the tables on the sinister secret society. Anticipating the epic Bat-family crossover event coming in May, Scott Snyder spoke about the story to come. Head [...]

Episode #13 of the This Week in Marvel (TWiM) podcast is here and it's jam-packed with Mighty Marvel goodness! Join Ryan and Ben as they look at exciting new comics like DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #20, DEADPOOL #49.1, FANTASTIC FOUR #602, SECRET AVENGERS #21.1, and more! Learn all the new print and digital releases! Find out about the "Blade anime" series plus the latest Marvel movie news! They even answer your questions! Ever want to know the difference between the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Marvel Universe? Download the podcast and find out! Download episode #13 of This Week in Marvel from Marvel.com, check out Marvel Podcast Central, grab the TWiM RSS feed and subscribe to This Week in Marvel on iTunes, so you never miss an episode!  This Week in Marvel will focus on delivering all the Marvel info on news and new releases--from comics to video games to toys to TV to film and beyond! New episodes will be released every Thursday (or so) and TWiM is co-hosted by Marvel.com Editorial Director Ryan "Agent M" Penagos and Marvel.com Associate Editor Ben Morse.  We also want your feedback, as well as questions for us to answer on future episodes! Tweet your questions, comments and thoughts about TWiM to @Agent_M, @BenJMorse or @Marvel with the hashtag #ThisWeekinMarvel! And if your message is longer than 140 characters, send it through fans.marvel.com!

This Week in Marvel Podcast, Episode #13

Want more info on what's in this episode? Here you go: Marvel print comics and collections on sale January 25, 2012 New Marvel digital comics and collections  available on the Marvel Comics app for the week of January 25, 2012 Digital comics added to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited during the week of January 25, 2012 Empire Magazine debuts new covers featuring "Marvel's The Avengers" Learn about two new all-ages titles coming soon WWE legend Mick Foley becomes the latest Fightin' Fanboy The first look at Asgardia GLAAD honors Avengers: The Children's Crusade and X-Factor Examine Secret Avengers: The Father Files Marvel stickers on GetGlueMarvel Comics news Marvel Movie & TV news Marvel Games newsMarvel Toys news

By Jim Beard

Marvel Comics would like to congratulate the creative teams of AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE and X-FACTOR for their GLAAD Media Awards nominations. Both books fall under the “Outstanding Comic Book” category. 

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, “amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively,” as the organization says. “By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality.”

Known as the “most visible LGBT gala in the nation,” the GLAAD Media Awards will be held in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco and will be attended by celebrities, corporations, and media professionals in support of GLAAD’s mission to “amplify the voice of the LGBT community and achieve full equality.” 

“We try very hard at Marvel to be inclusive of people of all backgrounds, all races, all religions and all orientations,” notes Tom Brevoort, Marvel’s Senior Vice-President of Publishing and editor of AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE. “And to make sure that a reader of any stripe can find a character that reflects their experiences within our stories.”

“Usually when you say, ‘It's an honor just to be nominated,’ that's code for prepping yourself for disappointment,” says X-FACTOR writer Peter David. “But in this instance, it genuinely is an honor considering that X-FACTOR was nominated and won last year. Not a convention goes by where a fan or fans comes up to me to tell me how much Rictor and Shatterstar's relationship means to them, and that always fills me with a sense of pride; and also a feeling of—to borrow a page from Spidey—great responsibility. I'm just glad that Marvel has consistently allowed me the latitude to explore these kinds of topics.”

What happens when HAWK AND DOVE goes from crime-fighting in Washington, D.C. to Gotham city? DC Comics has given us an exclusive look at the upcoming sixth issue of HAWK AND DOVE where the duo takes it to Gotham and teams up with Batman, himself. Well, at least one of them will.

Written by ROB LIEFELD

Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD

Hawk and Dove arrive in Gotham City hot on the trail of a villain who has stolen a deadly weapon from their home turf in Washington D.C.! The trail leads from the nation's capitol all the way to the doorstep of the Dynamic Duo. Get ready for Batman and...Dove?

Legendary creator Rob Liefeld flies solo in this issue with a story that'll change the way you see Gotham forever!

Hank Hall is on the run from Blockbuster across Gotham City's rooftops while Dove is keeping herself busy teaming up with Batman. What are the two crime-fighters doing in Gotham? Will they be able to stand the Gotham heat? Will Hawk be able to take on Blockbuster? If all else fails, "hit him in the jewels -- full force," right? Check out the four-page preview of the upcoming book written and penciled by Rob Liefeld, below.

== TEASER ==

HAWK AND DOVE #6 hits store shelves on February 1st, 2012.

Blowing up your enemies is as easy as 1, 2, 3...

By Chris Arrant

Writer David Lapham has taken on the likes of Wolverine, Daredevil and The Punisher, and ventured into the violent territory of Marvel’s MAX line on more than one occasion, but his new assignment takes him to a whole new universe. Set to debut on March 7, the all-new AGE OF APOCALYPSE series sees Lapham and artist Roberto De La Torre return to a world where the last remnants of humanity struggle against the oppressive mutant race. 

Originally introduced in an epic crossover event, the Age of Apocalypse returned recently as one of the key battlegrounds in UNCANNY X-FORCE during the Dark Angel Saga. UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1 gave us an update on recent events in the mutant-dominated world, with humans at the brink of extinction. In AGE OF APOCALYPSE, William Stryker, going by the call sign Prophet, leads a gallery of mutant enemies who stand as this world’s heroes, fighting off against a dark version of Wolverine imbued with the powers of Apocalypse and calling himself Weapon Omega.

Marvel.com spoke with Lapham about this skewed take on the Marvel Universe, its heroes, villains and those who skirt the lines of good and evil. 

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 cover by Humberto Ramos

Marvel.com: AGE OF APOCALYPSE spins out of UNCANNY X-FORCE, with #19.1 of that title acting as a prequel of sorts to the new series. Describe how you worked with Rick Remender to plan this new series?

David Lapham: Rick and editor Jody LeHeup had worked in the Age of Apocalypse Universe [into] UNCANNY X-FORCE, so they brought the whole issue back up. Rick shaped how the world translated into the now, without all the big super hero wars. Out of that Jody came up with the brilliant concept to do a book where the script was flipped. Where the humans are hated and hunted and a team of humans must fight against a world of mutants. Around this time I had called Jody because I had heard he really knew not just the mainstream comics but the indie world as well and how to marry those two worlds into great books. In other words, he was a guy I knew would get me. 

We talked for a while about some concepts and a few days later he sent me his initial one sheet for the AGE OF APOCALYPSE concept. I loved it, and immediately started creating characters, set ups, etc. And we were off like a rocket. The concept is such a fertile ground for creating. When we had some basis, Jody, Rick, and I got on the phone to make it all come together and plan the kick off event in issue UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1. It was Rick’s concept what happens there and he gave us Jean Grey and Sabretooth out of that to add to our book. Rick amazed me with what he was able to pull off in a single issue. Several major events happen in there. For my part, I just made sure he had the histories and personalities of the Age of Apocalypse characters that fans were going to get their first taste of. The way Rick ends UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1 was perfect for what we wanted to do and AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 literally takes place minutes after the end. It could be the next page.

Marvel.com: In the final pages of UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1 we saw Weapon Omega wipe out the last major human city, so what's left to fight for if you're on the side of humanity? 

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 preview art by Roberto De La Torre

David Lapham: Yeah, that’s what I was talking about. We pick up right after that event with our very few survivors escaping. Humanity is now virtually extinct but for scattered pockets and individuals the world over. Prophet and Bolivar Trask—two of our main characters—have pulled together a few hundred people in a secret base called Humanities Last Stand while they try and figure out what’s left and where they go from here. But humanity is still around and there to fight for. They’re aided by the change in the world itself that happens when humanity is believed gone, and that is that mutants are going to begin their struggle to reshape their world. Things cease to be as black and white as before. Prophet plans to use that chaos to figure a way to carve out a place for humanity. Still that process would be awfully sped up if Weapon Omega weren’t there as the big overlord to constantly be putting the boot down. So the first order of business might be the tallest order of all. How do you kill a virtual god?

Marvel.com: You mentioned Prophet and Bolivar Trask, but who else makes up on the team. 

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 preview art by Roberto De La Torre

David Lapham: The lead characters are a five man group of human agents called The X-Terminated. All of them are human and have no powers beyond their supreme, skill, smarts, and weapons. They’re led by William Stryker, aka Prophet, who is, besides being an unparalleled hand to hand combatant, also a one man C.I.A. Prophet knows more than anyone that the only way to combat an entire race of beings more powerful than yourself, is to be smarter, more prepared, and more informed. Prophet is that guy who knows what’s going to happen before it happens because he’s that sharp and makes himself that informed. His team consists of Donald Pierce, aka Goodnight, who is a bit of an outsider and the team’s inside man at the Hellfire Club, which plays a major part in the back door dealings and political machinations of the Age of Apocalypse world. Graydon Creed, aka Horror Show, is the team’s heavy and weapons expert. He is the most mentally messed-up character and struggles with a lot being the human son of two mutants, Sabretooth and Mystique. Still, when it’s show time he’s got the team’s back and can kick major ass. Zora Risman, aka Deadeye, is the sister of regular Marvel Universe villain Matthew Risman, a sniper and leader of the Purity Brigade. Zora is also an uncanny shot. She’s sexy, hard edged, and completely committed. Lastly we have Franny Trask, aka Fiend, knife expert and illegitimate daughter of Bolivar Trask. Rob’s designs of these guys are amazing, by the way; they look and feel like a team that’s been around for decades. I think readers will just fall right in to this bunch. At least I hope so. I love writing them and would hate to be just doing it alone in my basement…

To this group, as I mentioned earlier, we’re picking up Jean Grey and Sabretooth, two mutants who are left in uniquely bad shape by events born out of UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1. 

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 preview art by Roberto De La Torre

Marvel.com: Although born as mutants, the events of UNCANNY X-FORCE have put those two just as powerless as the humans. Can you talk about that?

David Lapham: As we saw in UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1, most of the X-Men have been wiped out and Jean and Sabretooth survived but are depowered. In other words they’re human along with out X-Terminated characters. The advantage of our human characters though is they’ve always been what they are. They’ve spent their lives honing and shaping themselves into perfect fighting machines. Jean and Sabretooth have to relearn everything from the ground up as they realize just how much they’ve relied on their powers. In some ways we’ll learn about just how our humans came to be through the process Jean goes through to fit in with this group. Basically, she’s going from being potentially the most powerful being in the universe to relearning basic self-defense. At the same time these are lynchpin characters. Again, especially Jean, who, remember is Weapon Omega’s wife, and the one character he can’t ignore, which may prove beneficial to Prophet and his plans. 

Marvel.com: As you said, the AGE OF APOCALYPSE version of Wolverine calls himself Weapon Omega and sits as the main villain of this piece. What does he bring to the table?

David Lapham: This is a character Rick Remender really developed and created from what he was doing in UNCANNY X-FORCE. The Apocalypse Force has taken him over and he’s the overlord of this world. At this point, with humanity extinct or near extinct, he’s moved beyond just being a destroyer of humanity. His whole purpose was following the perceived directive of the Celestials to move beyond humanity and allow mutants to continue the evolutionary process, to weed out the weak and grow stronger and stronger as a race of beings. His main concern now is shaping mutantkind and to that end he still lives by Apocalypse’s old standard of the strong surviving. 

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #2 cover by Humberto Ramos

Marvel.com: One of the themes of this book becomes how the heroes in this universe work as mirror versions of some of the most well known mutant-hating villains of the standard Marvel Universe. Can you tell us about this conceit and how it developed?

David Lapham: This was in the original pitch/outline from editor Jody LeHeup. He came up with the concept of flipping the script on the regular Marvel Universe dynamic. Initially we thought they might be the sons and daughters of those guys, but then, why not let it actually be those guys. The thought being this is a new world where history has developed differently. The Age of Apocalypse Universe exists solely because Professor X was killed and that changed the way countless people, mutants, and events developed. These human villains had the same thing happen to them. Many were unique individuals with qualities that made them destined to be leaders, or skilled scientists, or killers. But their environment was different, their experiences were different. So they became different people. They have their crosses to bear for sure, but it’s not a case of them being monsters we’re forced to root for just because they’re the underdog. 

Marvel.com: With villains becoming heroes, can readers expect the inverse of that be true as well? Will we see many characters we traditionally know as heroes as villains in the AGE OF APOCALYPSE title?

David Lapham: Absolutely. Much of that is drawn from the original Age of Apocalypse though. There we saw many heroes working for Apocalypse. Another aspect though that we’re going to bring in is that grey area between good and evil. In creating this world where mutants have taken over, we’re not just concentrating on the big war like the original series. In a war you can draw that line of good guys and bad guys. Here the mutants have won; the humans are rebels, sure, but the world is dominated by the mutants who have to go about creating their world in whatever image they want. And they don’t all want the same things. Apocalypse’s creed of the strong surviving begins anew for them as there are many different viewpoints from different mutants on how the future should be approached, and some might be more beneficial to the plight of the humans than others...or not. 

The X-Terminated by Roberto De La Torre

Marvel.com: As an artist yourself, what's it like working with someone like Roberto De La Torre to bring your scripts to life?

David Lapham: Being an artist really helps my writing more than it is part of the art process. I can see what I want on the page and the sequence of shots I call for. The great thing about working with another artist is that you know they see things differently, so I already know that the sequence is going to look different than I pictured when I wrote it. That’s always exciting and the only problem I ever have is if somehow the story isn’t being told. Some artists, though, send you back pages that are so good, you look at them and wonder if you really wrote them. David Aja is like that, and Rob’s one of those guys, too. His art is just crazy. He adds so much to the story with the way he brings a page to life. He’s added so much detail and mood and reality to the series. I don’t know many other artists who could pull off what he’s done, which is create a credible and real world right from the start. Add to that his wicked character designs and the action sequences have such an incredible flow. I get pages in and my jaw just drops at some of the dynamic angles he pulls off. He’s a superstar for sure. So what’s it like working with him: Gratitude. Lots and lots of gratitude.

In 2011, DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 launched some of the most discussed comic books in recent memory – and in 2012, those talked about issues will be collected into some of the most anticipated books of the year. We shared the initial release plans for the collections back in November, but here’s an updated look [...]

We recently announced DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 “Second Wave,” featuring six new series coming in May. With an entire parallel world to explore in EARTH 2, writer James Robinson expands the scope of the storytelling potential in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. There are new characters, new enemies and new conflicts – but for now, Robinson’s [...]

Hopefully by now you've read the amazing and insane BATMAN #5 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. While facing the Court of Owls, Batman was put through the ringer and the issue ended with things not looking too great for the Caped Crusader.

Today we are proud to reveal an exclusive first look at the cover to BATMAN #9 by Greg Capullo.

Look at that image carefully. What does it remind you of? If you haven't figured it out or looked down below, here are some words from Mr. Snyder.

First of all, huge thanks to Comic Vine - great site, great people. As for the cover, this is the big one, the issue in BATMAN that parallels the Night of the Owls crossover event. I can't say too much about it, but I can say that for a long time you've seen Bruce on the defensive, with the Court making its (deadly) case. Well, just like the cover to #4 was all about the Owls claiming Gotham, this cover is almost the reverse image - this is Bruce's time to win the city back, with everything at his disposal. Really, this issue is the biggest of the bunch - the battle for the soul of Gotham. Be there! And thanks again to Comic Vine and to all of you from team Batman. S

In case you've somehow forgotten, here's the cover to issue #4.

The "New 52" has been a strange place these past five months. Many things have remained the same yet there are so many others that are completely different. Part of the fun has been witnessing what elements of who the characters are has remained untouched and how they have evolved to fit into this new comic universe.

The idea of how the Justice League originally formed was a simple one. In fact, it was told months after their first appearance in a flashback issue. Back then, the heroes had no problem accepting each other and working together. The climate in today's DCU is different as most heroes are being hunted by the authorities.

Each month, JUSTICE LEAGUE continues to reveal new details about the characters and their early days. Some are big changes while others are more subtle and could have repercussions later. There will be some minor spoilers for JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 below so be sure to read the issue first.

== TEASER ==

The Omega Effect

It's refreshing to see a "villain" that doesn't feel the need to spout off a line of dialogue in order to justify who they are or what their plan is. Darkseid's response when staring at the Flash is to simply unleash the Omega Beams. Flash immediately grabs Superman and it's a race against the beams. The idea has always been that it's virtually impossible to avoid the beams and that still pretty much is the case. What might be different this time is the effects.

The Omega Beams had the ability to vaporize or transmute matter. Here, Superman is hit by the blast and apparently is only knocked unconscious. A Parademon then takes Superman's body away for Darkseid's purposes but it's unclear why Darkseid didn't vaporize or transport Superman elsewhere.

The Flash is an Unknown Hero?

We've already seen some of this in the previous issues but we know that Flash and Green Lantern have teamed up and have a friendship. Flash isn't the type to operate in the shadows. That's more Batman's style. Yet we know that the police in Gotham are aware of Batman's existence.

When the Flash recovers after an explosion, some police officers on the scene have no idea who he is. In a world where there isn't an abundance of superheroes, you would think that the existence of the Flash would be known. We don't know much about Barry Allen's early days in Central City but apparently his heroic actions haven't made the news just yet.

Batman Reveals His identity to Hal Jordan

The members of the Justice League eventually will learn each other's secret identities. Out of all of them, you would expect Batman to guard his identity the most. Yet in the heat of the battle, while giving Green Lantern a bit of a pep talk, Batman surprises Hal (and readers) by removing his cowl and telling him who he is and why he became Batman. It was part of his bigger plan (that he formed on the fly, of course) but it shows that he now has some respect for Hal and is willing to trust him with this bit of information. Either that or he wasn't sure if he was going to survive his crazy plan.

Batman's Costume

Originally Batman's early costume was simple. It appeared to be cloth or spandex and didn't offer much in terms of protection. In the "New 52," many heroes have been wearing more of an armored-type costume. This makes sense for someone like Batman who doesn't have invulnerability. His costume has a more high-tech feel to it...except for how the Bat-emblem is attached.

In trying to create some anonymity, Batman removes his cowl and emblem. The emblem is a piece of material that can be easily peeled off the costume. The emblem was supposed to be fortified with kevlar and served as a target for armed enemies. That wasn't the case in Batman's early days now and seems to have only the purpose of being there for appearance's sake.

The big question is why would his emblem be so easily removed? It fits in perfectly for what he does next but even though he's known for always having a plan, knowing he would have to do this would be a bit much. Batman indeed always is prepared.

With the final battle between the Justice League and Darkseid about to take place, we'll have to check out the next issue to see what Geoff Johns and Jim Lee have planned and what else they will reveal.