Dynamic Forces today released images and information announcing their latest signed DC Comics being offered for sale in the month of January!
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Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern… no matter who your main hero is, Infinite Crisis featured them all in one of the greatest comic book events of all time, and The DF Infinite Crisis #1 Set is your chance to receive a matching number set of both the Jim Lee and George Perez covers of Infinite Crisis #1 (1st printing) signed by Phil Jimenez!
INFINITE CRISIS #1 SIGNED 1ST PRINTS – (NOV06 3537) Both the Jim Lee and George Perez Covers with matching #'s signed by Phil Jimenez!
dynamicforces.com/../p-C106077.html
A special set of DC's biggest event of '05 and '06, in celebration of the original Crisis!
The following products are expected to ship to comic book
specialty stores this week. Note that this list is tentative
and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for
availability.
JAN060298 SUPERMAN IN THE EIGHTIES $19.99
FEB062077 FANTASTIC FOUR VISIONARIES GEORGE PEREZ VOL 2 TP $19.99
MAR063189 DF INFINITE CRISIS #1 JIMENEZ SGN (O/A) $29.99
MAR063188 DF INFINITE CRISIS #2 JIMENEZ SGN $29.99
The following products are expected to ship to comic book
specialty stores this week. Note that this list is tentative
and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for
availability.
The following products are expected to ship to comic book
specialty stores this week. Note that this list is tentative
and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for
availability.
The following products are expected to ship to comic book
specialty stores this week. Note that this list is tentative
and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for
availability.
AUG058060 CITY OF HEROES VOL 1 TP (PP #688) $14.99
Reprints: CITY OF HEROES VOL 2 #1-6
Description:
After a devastating invasion from another world the citizens of Paragon City sought to rebuild. However, in the wake of the alien's destruction a long dormant evil from within the city resurfaced and threatened to destroy the peace that many heroes had given their lives to protect.
8 heroes survived.
Those eight made it their mission to protect the city. Their leader, known as Statesman, sent a call to the rest of the world for help against the wave of super-powered gangs, thieves, killers and criminals who threatened to destroy the city where humanity made their last stand against the aliens. His call was answered. Now Paragon City stands as a shining beacon to the rest of the world, and has come to be known as the City of Heroes.
UPDATE 12/17/05: This month, again thanks to our partnership with Comics Buyer’s Guide, Newsarama is now able to bring readers estimates of the number of comics, graphic novels, and now overall market sales sold to the direct market. Click on the following link for the Top 300 Comics, Top 100 Graphic Novels and Overall Market Estimates.
According to the analysis of CBG’s John Jackson Miller, Infinite Crisis, All-Star Superman, and a great month for new trade paperback sales (led by over 10k orders for The OMAC Project helped the direct market to double-digit gains in November. Stable year-over-year sales for comics were complemented by a $4.74 million month for Diamond’s Top 100 trade paperbacks, a 23% increase over the same month in 2004.
”The market continues on pace for a $350 million year in the direct market”, Miller said. “CBG had earlier projected a range between $340 and $350 million, but the market now looks as if it’ll wind up nearer the higher end of that range.”
“As of this past Wednesday, December 14, we have passed the overall dollar sales mark in the direct market set in 2005. From here on out it’s all growth. It’s gravy from here on out.”
Continuing our chat with Crisis Management specialist Dan Didio, Wizard talks monsters, 52* and just what comes next for the DCU.
You made the point about Wonder Woman and how, when she killed the villain Medusa, because Medusa was a monster, nobody cared. But kill a man trying to take over the world who’s human…
Or a character they’re familiar with or liked at one point, which was Max Lord all of a sudden it was a different story. The best part is when people come up to me and complain about the Max Lord killing, they never complain about the Medusa. And Greg specifically went out of his way to make sure there was a parallel between the two. He actually wanted to make sure that was there and be able to have that correlation. So when everyone goes, ”She doesn’t kill, she’s not a killer,” we can go ahead and say, “Well, wait a minute, a year ago she did. So why is that different? What constitutes a monster? Is it a physical make-up or a psychological make-up. So you can argue in some ways that Max Lord as he was being portrayed is much more of a monster than Medusa ever was.
Can you fill us in on the 52* series and just what exactly it’s going to entail?
There's two things that occur towards the end of and following Infinite Crisis. What happens is that we jump all the books [ahead] one year later. Primary reason for that is that I wanted to get to a spot that every story was fresh and change was occurring and you saw the ramifications of Infinite Crisis without a lot of the set-up. Because you know [once] Infinite Crisis ends and we bring the Universe to a cohesive point, every story will be the same coming out of it because they will all be referring to what happened just before. But if you start one year later everything seems like it has a chance to be a lot more fresh jumping into the middle of the story.
Wizard spends the day trailing creators Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez
Every comic book shop from suburban New York to sunny L.A. found itself in the midst of a Crisis on Wednesday and Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez were right in the middle of it. Which is exactly where they should have been since they were responsible for it.
With the debut of the Infinite Crisis mini-series on Wednesday, the creators birthed DC’s most epic and all-encompassing storyline since…well, since 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths from writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez. But a lot has changed at DC and in the world between the Gipper-Era and now.
“13 year-olds in 1985 were playing Pac Man,” explains the Los Angeles-based Johns while en route to his local comic shop, “Kids today are playing Grand Theft Auto—I get my ass kicked in Halo by 11-year-olds all the time!”
CRISIS MANAGEMENT 5 Questions With: Dan Didio (Part One)
November 28, 2005
INFINITE CRISIS #1
(Oct 2005)
When you need some Crisis Management, there's only one man you can go to. DC Comics head honcho Dan Didio, sat down with Wizard recently to talk Infinite Crisis, the need for a cohesive DC Universe and the biggest surprise so far from one of the biggest event of 2005.
I'm a big fan of how you're trying to bring about a cohesive DC Universe with Infinite Crisis. Did you feel the need to create an event that did this?
The hard part for DC and the strength of DC in a lot of ways, was that it was multiple companies. You could look at Fuacett characters, Charlton Characters, DC characters…they didn’t come form the same source so every time we tried to bring them into the same world, they never really clicked and felt like they really belonged with each other.
What we knew we wanted to do was create an event, a story that not only found all these characters interacting in the same world, but to create a backdrop behind that world so it felt like it was all the same. The primary goal behind the four mini-series [leading up to Infinite Crisis] was to show what the DC Universe looked like. That there was something going on that affected everyone.
According to figures released by Diamond Distributors on Friday, DC Comics overtook Marvel Comics for the No. 1 positions in dollar share and unit share.
DC had 36.96 percent of the dollar share to 32.43 percent for Marvel and 39.12 percent of the unit share to 37.64 for Marvel.
Infinite Crisis #1 was far and away the top-selling book, followed in the top 10 by House of M #7, New Avengers #12, Justice #2, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1, Uncanny X-Men #465, Villains United #6, JLA #120, Amazing Spider-Man #525 and JLA #21.
Jim Kingman (4 Bullets)
The artwork is spectacular, so good that it should not be taken for granted. This isn’t hyperbole, this is appreciation. When you think of the artwork on Crisis On Infinite Earths, you think of George Perez and the remarkable job he did, arguably his best work. It makes sense to have Phil Jimenez, who really captures the feel of Perez’s style while having his own distinct linework, illustrate this sequel. Jimenez and inker Lanning truly shine on all levels, from wide-screen battles to personal turmoil conveyed in facial expressions.
John Hays (5 Bullets)
Jimenez’s art is really top notch this time out. I really believe that Phil was the ideal choice to succeed George Perez in Crisis art duties. Their styles are very similar, and it provides a smooth transition from the old Crisis to the new one. Some scenes of particular enjoyment would be the big three’s encounter, the massing of OMACs, the great Spectre splash page, and of course, the last splash page. The coloring was also phenomenal. It’s hard to believe how far that medium has come since the original Crisis.
Shawn Hill (3 Bullets)
Plot: Whooo boy. Omacs. Secret Societies of Super Villains. Rann-Thanagar War. Crazy gods. Take all the disparate Countdown series, stir them into a pot, and then make sure Jimenez is present to compose this gumbo so that every flavor comes through with pungent clarity. With lotsa splash pages and spaceships!
Shaun Manning (5 Bullets)
Phil Jimenez on art... man, he’s earning his place as a new George Pérez. Granted, the original Mr. Pérez is doing a fine job on covers, but Jimenez is working to match him on sheer volume of characters per page, and each hero and villain looks incredible.
James Redington (4 Bullets)
I had a slight problem with Phil Jimenez’s art. It’s almost too close to the art of Pérez, but that aside, it was bloody beautiful. All the action scenes were brutal and looked like they should. What I mean is they looked like super powered fights. This is what I expect, NOT just aimless punches but clever attacks and resolutions.
Infinite Crisis #1
Comic Book Review by Jonathan Baylis
Published: October 12, 2005
I happened to be dropping off my girlfriend this morning by a local comic store, so I went in, and lo and behold, to my surprise, Infinite Crisis #1 came out. (My girlfriend via my conscience popping in: "I can't believe I'm dating a geek! You knew it was coming out today and you were nerdy enough to want to be one of the first to read it!") Thanks, Ophira.
It's HERE! It's been hyped for what seems like forEVER and now it's here. Buildup upon buildup since Identity Crisis. The biggest smackdown on the DC universe in 20 years since the last Crisis.
Well? Does it live up to the hype?
But... I'm a sucker for hype. I'm a sucker for big events. I'm a sucker for the World's Finest team (is it just me, or has this whole WW trinity thing been a formulated conspiracy thing in the past couple of years or so. Who really cares about Wonder Woman - with the exception of George Perez's AMAZING run!) (And speaking of George Perez...) I'm a sucker for Phil Jimenez (Invisibles, Tempest, huge fan, huge fan...) And I wanted to read the damn thing.
If you saw one of Dan DiDio’s “Crisis Counseling” panels at any of the various conventions over the past year you know what’s coming. Handling questions about the build-up to the miniseries, the original Crisis, as well as Infinite Crisis itself, DiDio hit questions, concerns, and outright accusations with answers, teases, and quite often, a Cheshire Cat grin.
As previously announced, the DC Vice President and Executive Editor has agreed to handle questions about Infinite Crisis monthly, on the Wednesday during the miniseries run, a continuation of his “Crisis Counseling” sessions. While future installments will take selected questions from readers, for the inaugural session, DiDio handled questions from Newsarama.
One last thing before we start – images included in this article are from issue #1 of Infinite Crisis. The first few have already been seen, though the page with Superboy has not been seen previously. Likewise, and here’s the important part – the full sized cover to Infinite Crisis #2 (linked to via the previously-seen thumbnail below) is the full sized, actual version of Infinite Crisis #2, which can now be shown. Again – a major, major, major spoiler warning – the different cover has a spoiler to Infinite Crisis #1, so, if you don’t want to know about it, don’t click the Power Girl cover. Got it?
Today's New York Times has an article about the darker direction the DCU is heading towards with the Infinite Crisis and other upcoming plans. Dan DiDio, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid were just a few of the people quoted in the piece. The Times said one of DC's goals "is to hold on to a more sophisticated readership."
The article covered most of the key events in the DCU from the past year that have led to the Infinite Crisis, as well as addressed some of the fears people have expressed about the supposed "darker" DCU that is coming after this Crisis. In the piece, Dan DiDio said, "I think people feel it's dark because it's so compelling. They don't know how our heroes are going to get out of the danger."
Rucka commented those thinking the DCU is becoming too grim or dark are "scared."
According to the article,
The one-year gap that results from the "Infinite Crisis" will allow a hard look at every DC title with the question "What works about this character for the 21st century?" Mr. Waid said. Some titles may end up being canceled. Others will get a change of editors or writers.
The first issue of Infinite Crisis is in stores this week. You can read the entire article at the New York Times
Several writers are working to further that evolution. They include Geoff Johns, a fan-favorite creator who helped revitalize "Teen Titans" and "Green Lantern"; Grant Morrison, who pushed the Justice League to new heights of popularity; Mr. Rucka, a novelist whose comics work includes runs on Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman; and Mark Waid, a former editor at DC and an expert on the accumulated histories of DC's heroes. Others involved in the project include Keith Giffen, who will provide page layouts for "52," and George Pérez, an artist held in high regard whose style guides will give DC's heroes a consistent look.
The approach was more like the team model for writing a television series than the traditional solitary one for comics, said Paul Levitz, the president and publisher of DC, a unit of Time Warner.
Revitalizing old characters is not without risk. In 1996, Marvel Entertainment, DC's archrival, made over some of its oldest heroes. The "Heroes Reborn" project included new origin stories that took place in a parallel universe. But the project was not popular with readers; eventually the characters were returned to their original stories. In 2000, Marvel tried again with a much more successful "Ultimate" line of comics.
The mightiest heroes in the DC Universe must stand against their greatest enemies, and each other, in DC Comics' seven-issue epic Infinite Crisis, by the superstar team of Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns and Otherworld artists Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning.
DC has spent much of 2005 laying the groundwork for this shattering event with Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Prelude to Infinite Crisis, Day of Vengeance, The Rann/Thanagar War, Villains United, and The OMAC Project. All of these best sellers have heightened anticipation for Infinite Crisis #1 (AUG050205, $3.99), in which the DCU's greatest heroes -- Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman -- must face their darkest hour alongside Nightwing, Supergirl, Donna Troy, Superboy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Green Lantern, the Flash and others. Friendships, lives and the direction of an entire universe will all be at stake as Infinite Crisis takes its toll, bringing the most dramatic changes that have been seen in the DCU in 20 years.
The book is scheduled to ship on October 12 with two covers -- one by George Pérez and one by Jim Lee & Sandra Hope -- in a 50/50 split.
One intrepid reader heard Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Stephanie Fierman launching into a minor tirade about yours truly ("he's not a journalist!"). Nevertheless my wide and varied web of sources throughout the convention (and not just a couple of willing prostitutes with dictaphones, honest) pulled up this collection of treats. No, not even the recent appointment of a Jeff Trojan as a VP can stop all these leaks.
LITG has mentioned "Superman Confidential" and "Batman Confidential" before - well it looks like they're both confirmed as good to go ongoing series. The contents are, well, confidential, but expect to see Geoff Johns on the former.
There's a new "Blue Beetle" book by Keith Giffen on the slates. That news alone gave me an internal tingle that you really don't want to know anything more about.
"Wonder Woman" will be kicking off again from issue 1, but this isn't your dad's reboot. All the Countdown miniseries will get "Infinite Crisis" specials.
By now comic book readers have become very familiar with Jim Lee's iconic cover to October's Infinite Crisis #1 by Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez, the beginning of DC's seven-issue limited series that promises to change their Universe for years to come.
But regular readers of Newsarama also know that issue #1 (as well as all issues of the series) will feature covers by both Lee and George Pérez in a 50/50 ratio, the latter of which has yet to be seen...
...Until now that is.
Click on the thumbnail on your right to view an early, black & white version of the other Infinite Crisis #1 cover in all its Pérez-glory, courtesy of DC Comics.
And for you hardcore fans of Pérez and detail, click here for a dial-up busting (be warned) 1400x2079 version of the image.
Featuring panelists Dan DiDio, Greg Rucka, VP of Sales Bob Wayne, and editor Joan Hilty, DC’s Saturday evening “Crisis Counseling” panel at WizardWorld: Chicago offered a little in terms of upcoming information, a touch in terms of teases, and more often than not, the phrase, “All will be revealed” to fans’ questions about upcoming stories, endings of stories, fates of characters, and more.
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• Asked about George Perez’s upcoming role with DC, DiDio repeated an earlier announcement that Perez would be drawing the alternate covers to all seven issues of Infinite Crisis (Jim Lee will be drawing the regular covers). Asked later about the status of Teen Titans: Games, the original graphic novel by Perez and Marv Wolfman the two began years ago, and were at one time working to complete, DiDio said that the GN is on hold for now.
• Asked about George Perez’s upcoming role with DC, DiDio repeated an
earlier announcement that Perez would be drawing the alternate covers to all
seven issues of Infinite Crisis (Jim Lee will be drawing the regular
covers). Asked later about the status of Teen Titans: Games, the original
graphic novel by Perez and Marv Wolfman the two began years ago, and were at
one time working to complete, DiDio said that the GN is on hold for now.
Bob Wayne, Greg Rucka, Dan DiDio and Joan Hilty were on the Infinite Crisis panel at Wizard World Chicago. Not a lot of new announcements were made, but the panelists did say that Ted Kord, Max Lord, Sue Dibny, and Barry Allen would not be making a return to the DCU after the Infinite Crisis.
RANDOM NOTES The new 52 weekly series is directly spun out of events occurring in Infinite Crisis #4, which ships in March of 2006. There will be multiple teams on 52 to ensure that it's a continuous event and will come out on time.
DC announced that fan favorite artist George Perez will be drawing all the seven covers of Infinite Crisis.
There was cryptic news that Keith Giffen is working on a new series, but the publisher would not confirm what it was about or who was featured in the comic.
DCU continuity will be sustained after the Infinite Crisis.
These titles are unaffected by Infinite Crisis: Brave and the Bold, Plastic Man, the All Stars line, and Legion of Super-Heroes.
These characters are not coming back to the DCU: Ted Kord, Barry Allen, Maxwell Lord, or Sue Dibny.
When asked about a possible new Blue Beetle, the panelists said, "If there is a new Blue Beetle, it won't be Ted Kord."
Keep checking back with THE PULSE for more from Wizard World Chicago.
Donna Troy was one of the most beloved members of the DC Comics Teen Titans. Fans mourned her death in the "Graduation Day" mini-series and rejoiced when DC announced the four-issue "DC Special: Return of Donna Troy" mini-series by writer Phil Jimenez and artist Jose Garcia Lopez. However, when some readers picked up the first issue of the series they found it wasn't quite what they expected and some were left confused. CBR News chatted with Jimenez by phone last week for some clarification and background on the series and some hints on how it ties into the looming "Infinite Crisis."
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After the DC Universe settles down from the events of "Infinite Crisis," readers can expect appearances from Donna in a monthly DC book. "I think there's been some talk. The plan had always been that once she was reintroduced she would be placed in either the 'Titans' or 'The Outsiders.' I suspect it will be one of those books."
Jimenez has enjoyed crafting a story that reintroduces one of his favorite characters and places her at the forefront of the big events in the DC Universe. He urges readers who may be confused or have questions to stick with the book. The final two issues of "The Return of Donna Troy" should tie things together for them nicely. "I just hope readers remembers that it is a four-issue series," Jimenez said. "Just because everything wasn't explained in issue one doesn't mean it doesn't pan out over the other three issues."
INFINITE CRISIS #1
Written by Geoff Johns, art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning, covers by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope and George Pérez
It's finally here: the comics event so massive that it built over the first half of 2005, through Countdown, Day of Vengeance, Rann/Thanagar War, Villains United and The OMAC Project. Prepare for the dawn of the DCU's darkest day in Infinite Crisis, a 7-issue miniseries written. Surrounded by their most fearsome enemies, the world's greatest heroes are divided within and without.
DC's icons -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman -- are joined by Nightwing, Supergirl, Donna Troy, Superboy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Green Lantern, the Flash and more as they face their most dire hour. What happens next will destroy friendships and lives, dictating the direction of the universe for the next generation!
Years in the making, the greatest event to hit the DCU in over two decades is about to explode. This issue will ship with covers by Lee and Williams (50 percent) and Pérez (50 percent).
40 pages, $3.99, in stores on Oct. 12.
The changes coming to the DC Universe following Infinite Crisis won’t be limited just to the characters. DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio has confirmed for Newsarama that, following the seven-issue Infinite Crisis miniseries, DC editorial will see a significant change as well.
In a brief chat with Newsarama Friday morning, DiDio initially explained some of the rationale behind the upcoming “One Year Later…” jump all the DCU titles will experience coming out of Infinite Crisis between February and March of 2006.
“We had an editorial meeting to talk through Crisis - how we’re going to handle it, how we’re going to coordinate it, and how we’re going to follow it,” DiDio said. “When the suggestion was made by editorial of maybe doing a leap ahead in storylines, it gave us an interesting hook that would really play nicely, because it would allow you to get back into your characters in their own individual stories again, without being made to feel that they’re all coming from the same place and the same time. With everything running as tightly as it will be in Crisis, the last thing we wanted to do was follow it by having all the series coming from the same exact place, and the same exact time, because that can get a little redundant. This allows for every series to have its own individual identity again, and allows us to get the balls back up in the air as quickly as possible and get right back into the heart of what makes each character special.”
05 SUMMER PREVIEW: THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY written by Chris Ward
printed in WIZARD #165 (Jul 2005)
www.wizarduniverse.com
The former Titan resurfaces with clues to 'Crisis'.
It's a brand-new dawn for Donna!
Originally Wonder Girl Donna Troy, seemingly killed in Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day mini-series but instead transported to a strange world, roars back to life in DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy. written by Phil Jimenez with art by Jose Luis Garcia and George Perez, the four issue mini also serves as the official prologue to October's Infinite Crisis mini-series (drawn by Jimenez and written by Geoff Jones).
"This series sets Donna Troy up as a major player in the Crisis itself," the writer says. "It also connects to the cosmic events of the Rann/Thanagar War and the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. We're using her background and history to explain why she's so pivotal to the DC Universe, and why she, more than anyone else, has to be in the role she's about to take on."
Plus August's issue #3 is girl-on-girl action when Donna tangles with current Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark!
The fall will see a new "Absolute Edition" of "Crisis on Infinite Earths," including a brand new cover by a up-and-coming new talent by the name of George Perez.
Perez will also be doing one of the dual covers that will appear on October's "Infinite Crisis." The other artist will be superstar Jim Lee.
On the Infinite Crisis front, it was announced that each issue of the seven issue miniseries will have two covers, one by Jim Lee, one by George Perez.
The previously announced Crisis on Inifintie Earths: The Aboslute Edition will ship in November. One volume will contain the entire maxiseries, while a second will present behind-the-scenes features. George Pérez will provide new covers for both volumes.
Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:21:51 CST
INFINITE CRISIS #1 (Dynamic Forces)
(Nov 2005)
Dan DiDio, left, and Paul Levitz, DC Comics executives. "This is not just an editorial risk; it's a company risk," Mr. DiDio said.
