DC

Yesterday's release of BATMANn & ROBIN #16 -- the final issue leading into the new BATMAN, INC, book by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette -- included a shocking ending. It was also the first time DC's new Editor-in-chief Bob Harras had made the press rounds with a bunch of interviews at various sites, including a chat with Kiel Phegley at CBR. Nothing too shocking or revelatory. Harras shows himself to be a smart publishing professional who likes Grant Morrison and thinks comics are a visual medium. He's also getting a handle on a wide-ranging job:

Via The Source a study of the Great Rian Hughes's various logos for Batman and Robin. All so similar in the strong shape (derived from the 60 year old original) and yet differing in tiny details in the readability of the lettering and even Batman's eyes.

By Torsten Adair The following is a selection of new comics titles due to be published in November 2010. This list is not comprehensive, as...

Via DC's the Source, a preview of the new SUPERBOY #1, which goes on sale next Wednesday. The story is by Jeff Lemire and art by Pier Gallo, with cover by Rafael Albuquerque. Avoiding any issues with the still pending Superboy lawsuit, this is NOT young Clark Kent but a new clone named Connor Kent.

August 2010 wasn't a great month for the direct market as a whole, and DC Comics was no exception. The current tent-pole title Brightest Day and its tie-in books kept performing solidly overall, but a number of other high-profile books, including Green Lantern, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Batman and Robin and The Flash missed their August shipping dates, putting a bit of a dent in DC's periodical performance: Overall dollar sales for new comic books were the lowest since June 2009, and average unit sales dropped to their second-lowest point of the last 12 months. For the publisher's Vertigo brand, August was particularly tough, with estimated average unit sales dropping to a new all-time low of 9,094. Again, though, the schedule is the culprit: With American Vampire, Joe the Barbarian and Jack of Fables, some of Vertigo's best-selling comic-book titles didn't come out in August. At the WildStorm imprint, average unit sales crashed back to just above 6K, and in this case, the schedule had little to do with it. At this stage, it's not hard to see why DC is pulling the plug on WildStorm.

It's called "Batman and the Giant Pile of Box Office Receipts". Okay, it's really called THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Everyone has surely made a Viagra joke by now, and there was ours.

Ever since the announcement of the "Earth One" line of graphic novels just over a year ago, it's been a little unclear just who the line was aimed at, or how it fit into DC's various lines of books. Subsequent statements just muddied the waters. Although obviously an Ultimates-type revamp for new readers, with just one book on the schedule -- the just released JMS/Shane Davis SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE -- it was just a toe in those same muddy waters.

Even the Justice League is getting into the spirit of Halloween with this year's DCU Halloween Special, now on sale. Contents include stories by Billy Tucci, Lee Garbett, Bryan Q. Miller and Joe Harris. More in link.

A letter of early costume design notes is found. Found via Comics Alliance, where it is pointed out that artist H.G. Peter was 61 years old when tasked with designing this iconic character.

Bits and pieces of scrimshaw from the Green Lantern movie are leaking out, and here are a few nice pieces of concept art, as seen at Splash Page.

Armie Hammer is a giant, beautiful human. Now that we have that out of the way, it's very obvious -- after his scene-stealing turn as the rowing Winklevoss twins in THE SOCIAL NETWORK -- that he would make a swell giant, beautiful Kryptonian. However, as he blabs in an interview with Vulture, at 24 he's too young for the upcoming Zack Snyder Superman movie which will deal with a more mature 35-40 year old Man of Steel. Given that we've seen the original of Superman told so well in the Christopher Reeve versions, an older I-know-what-I'm-doing Man of Steel might be a good change-up. It's also more in line with the age of Christian Bale's Batman. And, it just feels more Curt Swan, y'know.

There is a small, snivelling and flinching part of me that would rather not have his name inextricably linked with The Last Comic Book Movie Flop Of 2010. But, you know, I am today pretty much at peace with the whole thing. I’ve met fine people and I’ve learned many useful things, and that is the most you can ask of any walk.