DC

By Todd Allen DC has just announced Carlos D'Anda as the fill-in artist for Justice League #8.  They describe D'Anda as a "fan favorite," but...

You can't accuse Rob Liefeld of shying away from work. While his old Extreme characters are getting relaunched over at Image, Rob's just been announced as taking over no less than three titles at DC.

Although some websites prefer not to use sources, it is our policy at The Beat to link away. Thus we can confirm that it is indeed true that Warners has applied for trademark registry on a new logo, as you can see above. The trademark is in black and white so that any color can be applied. "Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of the letter "D" flipping back to reveal the letter "C" and DC ENTERTAINMENT." To be honest, when we first thought this, we suspected it was a new logo for DC shoes. But no. As others have commented, this "peel back" logo makes the much-mocked swish — introduced in 2005 — look like the Milton Glaser-designed original in terms of readability.

Warner's search for a new superhero that can fill the ache left by the end of Smallville's run has landed on Green Arrow. The CW has ordered a pilot written and executive-produced by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim (GREEN LANTERN) and Andrew Kreisberg Fringe).

Vertigo has confirmed the details of the graphic novel version of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy: as previously leaked, Denise Mina will write the adaptation, with art by Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti. The cover is by Lee Bermejo — definitely in the style of the Vertigo crime line. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO graphic novel will arrive in November. The book has already been adapted into a Swedish film/TV series and a US film. All three existing versions have various story tics, and very different takes on Lisbeth Salander, the enigmatic heroine who loves Billy's pan pizza and computer hacking. Mina's take is worth watching as she's a veteran crime writer on her own as well as a comics reader (and writer). We're curious to see how she tweaks the story.

Some shall stand and some shall fall. Everyone know it was only a matter of time before some adjustments would be made to the New 52 line-up -- and the John Rood/Bob Wayne interviews hinted that it was coming soon -- and boom -- six in and six out. Heading into the big used comics box in the sky are BLACKHAWKS, HAWK AND DOVE, MEN OF WAR, MISTER TERRIFIC, O.M.A.C. and STATIC SHOCK, which will all end with their eighth issue (Meaning two issues of each will be forever uncollected -- see we told you to go to that back issue bin.) Adding to the lineup, a variety of new and long-rumored titles -- and news of more crossovers and more parallel worlds.

For the moment, it looks like the rumor mill was wrong on the Bat-book backups being linked. At least if they are, it in't in an obvious way. DC has announced the backup in Detective Comics will be a 10-page feature about Harvey Dent, A.K.A. Two-Face. Since this is going to highlight Dent's history, I suppose it's possible the Court of Owls (the backup in Batman) will pop up in Dent's past, but that's not the first thing that comes to mind.

Before we get into the Bat-office's announcements, it has come to my attention that Detective Comics #1 has made the December Top 300 List for Diamond. When #4 is coming out, #1 is still charting? With an index of 3.01, that means Detective #1 sold about 3% of Batman #4. Figure Batman #4 is selling roughly 140-150K, then Detective #1 probably had ~4200-4500 copies order THREE MONTHS after it debuted, if my rough math holds up. I know Animal Man is the fashionable pick for surprise title, but it seems like a lot of people are jumping on the Detective band wagon after the fact. Tony Daniel seems to have hit a nerve.

Over at Newsarama, Vaneta Rogers gets some new information out of DC's dynamic press junket duo of John Rood and Bob Wayne. It seems that "holding the line at $2.99" is getting a more politically nuanced definition. Batman and Detective Comics will both be making the jump to $3.99 and getting a few more pages.

After announcing Batman: Earth One, DC follows up by announcing the second volume of the JMS/Shane Davis Superman: Earth One graphic novel series. The first volume of this Superman reboot sold VERY well and made a strong case for original graphic novels in the superhero genre. (As opposed to Vertigo's Sandman and Fables offerings.) While the Batman volume appears to be set for July, no date seems to be released for Superman:Earth One. Volume 1 was released in November 2010, so it would make sense if this were another late fall/holiday gift release.

Our wish for actual sales number released by an actual comics publisher were finally granted! And in The Hollywood Reporter, no less. DC released sales for its top three books of the year:

DC's Earth One line has always been a little mysterious. It was started as a repository for some early trial runs at an Ultimate DC line, but then SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE became a massive hit in bookstores. Stablemate BATMAN: EARTH ONE by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank has been waiting in the wings since the line was announced in 2009. But 2012 will be the year! Although a release date wasn't mentioned, perhaps the book will be marketed in Daily News by comparing it to Hunger Games, just as SEO was compared to Twilight.