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2002 Comic Book News Archives

November 12, 2002: DC Comics for 2003

DC Comics recently released some information about their plans for 2003. Here's a basic rundown for what they have install for Superman and Superman-related comics...

BATMAN/SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN: TRINITY (W/A) Matt Wagner (E) Bob Schreck
3 issues Prestige, 2Q 03
DC UNIVERSE
Legendary comics creator Matt Wagner defines the relationships among DC's triumvirate of flagship characters in this powerful 3-part miniseries. Set early in the three heroes' careers, this powerful story pits them against villains including Bizarro and Ra's al Ghul - and maybe one another.
SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY (W) Kurt Busiek (A) Stuart Immonen (E) Joey Cavalieri
4 issues Prestige, 1Q 04
DC UNIVERSE
Mixing action, spectacle and characterization, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY looks at Clark Kent at four stages of his life: adolescence, young adulthood, maturity, and retirement. This non-continuity story begins as teenage Clark Kent discovers his super-powers, only to become an object of attention!
FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE (W) Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis (P) Kevin Maguire (I) Joe Rubinstein (E) Dan Raspler
6 issues, 3Q 03
DC UNIVERSE
1980s nostalgia takes on a whole new meaning as the creative team behind JUSTICE LEAGUE reunites for this 6-issue miniseries! Maxwell Lord is back - and he's determined to reassemble the old Justice League, including Fire, Ice, Blue Beetle, and Booster Gold to take on a space-born threat. But will the current JLA allow this to happen? Whose side will Batman take? (Here's a hint: The old Justice League never threw him out!)
SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT (W) Mark Waid (P) Leinil Yu (I) Gerry Alanguilan (E) Dan Raspler
12 issues, 2Q 03
DC UNIVERSE
He's the world's most powerful hero - but where did his amazing abilities come from? This 12-issue maxi-series looks at the dramatic episodes of young Clark Kent's life as he discovers the truth about his home planet Krypton�and about himself!
SUPERMAN/BATMAN (W) Jeph Loeb (P) Ed McGuinness (I) Cam Smith (E) Eddie Berganza
2Q 03
DC UNIVERSE
The Dark Knight and the Man of Tomorrow join forces against their greatest foes - and the greatest, most insidious threats the world has ever seen! This series also features numerous guest stars from both heroes' worlds!
SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS (W) Chuck Austen (A) Danijel Zezelj (E) Eddie Berganza
12 issues, 1Q 03
DC UNIVERSE
SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS looks at the Man of Steel's world through the lens of Jimmy Olsen, the city's best news photographer. But now Jimmy has a rival: Rebecca Hagen, a photojournalist who finds herself drawn to Metropolis� and to the mysterious Tech virus that's slowly taking over the city!
"The B13 virus - which citizens of Metropolis call the Tech - has quietly infested the city since 1999's Superman: Y2K," DC's previous description of the series read. "Now the Tech has begun to assert its power over ordinary people in ways that at times may seem beneficial, but have potentially deadly consequences. "
"The Tech is growing," said editor Eddie Berganza. "It almost seems to have a mind of its own - and I'm not saying whose mind that might be, except that it's not Brainiac's!"
According to the publisher, "The Tech is a continuing menace throughout the run of the maxi-series, one that the creators liken to the presence of Kryptonite on Smallville. Although Superman makes appearances in the series, Jimmy Olsen is the star of Metropolis. The series also focuses on other members of the Superman cast and adds a number of new characters, both good and evil. Among those joining the cast is another photojournalist who may prove to be a competitor for Jimmy Olsen."
"I'm really looking forward to charting out new territory in the Superman mythos and turning Metropolis into as interesting a character as New York City is in the real world," said Austen. "We're looking forward to doing some unusual, off-beat stories. It's going to be exciting and fun, and I can't wait for people to see what we're doing."
DC also promised events in METROPOLIS will tie into the core ongoing Superman titles.

DC DIRECT also have a large quantity of quality Superman offerings due out in 2003...

SUPER FRIENDS!: DELUXE ACTION FIGURE SETS
2Q 03
DC DIRECT
April is SUPER FRIENDS! month - and what better way to celebrate than with the SUPER FRIENDS!: DELUXE ACTION FIGURE SETS. The first of these sets, in stores in April, includes the SUPER FRIENDS!: SUPERMAN AND LEX LUTHOR DELUXE ACTION FIGURE SET and SUPER FRIENDS!: WONDER WOMAN AND CHEETAH DELUXE ACTION FIGURE SET. Both include Super Friends! logo bases and fun accessories, and come in full-color window boxes. Other sets for next year include GREEN LANTERN AND SINESTRO, AQUAMAN AND BLACK MANTA, ROBIN AND RIDDLER, and BATMAN AND SCARECROW.
JLA ACTION FIGURES
4Q 03
DC DIRECT
The modern-day versions of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes come to comics shops everywhere next fall as a line of action figures including Wonder Woman, the Flash, Superman, Aquaman (in his new look), and many more!

Other tid-bits of information to come out of this announcement include...

Carlin said he's going to be working with Monty Pythoner John Cleese on a Superman comic book.
"John and his partner, Kim Howard Johnson, have come up with a Superman Elseworlds called True Brit," said Carlin. "It's 'What if Superman's rocketship lands in England and the tabloids chase him away.' I have an offer out to an artist; I don't have him confirmed yet, but I think it'll happen."
"How do we get a guy like John Cleese to do a comic book?" Carlin asked himself. "We do it because comics are cool, and these guys love our characters. We're not figuring that anyone will say no, necessarily; this is something we're taking advantage of this year."
Next fall, Pantheon Books will publish Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross, art directed by Chip Kidd with an intro by M. Night Shyamalan. The volume will also feature an original eight-page Superman and Batman comic story by Kidd & Ross and a retelling of Robin's origin by Paul Dini & Ross.
Editor Eddie Berganza says a Smallville ongoing series is in the works that will ship bi-monthly. "We'll explore the 'in-betweens' of what happens between episodes," said the editor. "We'll see Clark and Pete go camping, when Pete has Clark demonstrate all of his powers."
Berganza said Smallville along with the announced Birds of Prey adaptation will be used to try to "grab" new comic book readers, and that the comics may be published in a magazine format to better try to attract those readers.
In addition, the Justice League series has been picked up for another season. And Superfriends will begin to be made available on VHS and DVD on 4/22/03.
Finally, DC said a Superman film is in "active pre-production" right now.
Kingdom Come Action Figures are in the works, with figures of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Superman, Shazam, Magog, Batman, and more in the plans�

2002 Comic News

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2002 Comic Book News Archives

November 12, 2002: DC Comics for 2003

2002 Comic News

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