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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

2011 DC Reboot: Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Supernatural Team-ups and Cult Heroes Get Their Own Number 1s

More titles are revealed by The Source, and this time it concerns the popular characters created by arguably, the greatest comic book writer of all time, Alan Moore (who has since distanced himself away from DC since their falling out back in the latter part of the 80s) and some unfamiliar heroes that might be breakout stars in the future.

  • First up, Moore's original creation and the first ever environmental hero - the Swamp Thing - gets a new series in Swamp Thing #1, written by Scott Snyder and  Batman Inc. artist Yannik Paquette.

Cover for Swamp Thing #1:



I bet this new Swamp Thing saga will not have any reference to Moore's original storyline, because that's what DC is aiming right now: get the company rid of all Moore's brillant influence (at least in my estimation), that revolutionized the whole comic book industry back in the 80s, and almost single-handedly created DC's Vertigo line of books.


More of title reveals after the cut, and make sure to vote on my poll on the right side for the title/titles that really gets you excited.



  • Sorcerers and occult heroes namely John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Shade the Changing Man and Deadman unite as Justice League Dark - DCU's own version of the Ghostbusters - fighting other worldly beings that normal superheroes can't. Written by Peter Milligan with art by Mikel Janin.

Cover to Justice League Dark #1:




Now this is another book that I'm surely going to get. I'm a fan of Constantine and seeing him team up with the sexy magicians is never a bad thing. Plus, the idea of having an occult team to fight ghosts, demons, and other immortal evil beings is FANTASTIC.


  • Writer Jeff Lemire and artists Travel Foreman and Dan Green will put their own kind of drama to the life of Buddy Baker, aka Animal Man, when he learns that his daughter also has her own superpowers in Animal Man #1.

Cover to Animal Man #1:



I have been planning to read Moore's previous Animal Man stories but never had the chance to get my hands on them, but maybe this time I will. I need a backgrounder on this critically acclaimed hero.


  • Etrigan The Demon will star in his new series leading a team that will defend the Middle-age civilization and Camelot from forces only he can face. Demon Knights #1 will be written by Paul Cornell with art by Diogenes Neves and Oclair Albert.

Cover for Demon Knights #1:




Definitely interested with this one now that Paul Cornell has Etrigan's destiny literally in his hands. Cornell's superb storytelling in his acclaimed run on Action Comics (issue 890-900) is more than enough for any body to get this book. Not to mention the intrigue created by the new breed of artists coming in to give it their best shot.


Other oddball/horror-inspired characters like Frankenstein, Resurrection Man, vampire-hero Andrew Bennett, and the half-alien hybrid chick Voodoo get their own books as well. Time for the darkness to do some good in the DCU!

  • Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #1 - by Jeff Lemire and artist Alberto Ponticelli.



Wait... what? A sword-wielding Frankie that would probably act as a super-spy for a covert government organization named SHADE? (i'm seriously wanting to know what SHADE means.) Sounds strange and shady (pun-intended) but it has the makings of a [cult] classic if successful. 


  • Resurrection Man #1 - by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning



Never heard of this guy before, but his ability to get back from the dead after a murderous beating and then have new powers each and every time is fucking sweet.


  • I...Vampire #1 - by Josh Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino


So this is DC's own version of Marvel's Son of Satan: Damian Hellstrom - only that this guy would have the "Pattinson effect" on it by being the hero saving the world from his own kind after getting tired of being smacked around by his long time love, the Queen of the Damned. Its "Robert Pattinson meets Aaliyah" - comic book style.


and last but not the least:


  • Voodoo #1 - by Ron Marz with artist Sami Basri


A female who finds out that she is a half-human, half-alien being with no memories of how the hell she got the other DNA. Priscilla Kitaen now has to find the answers by confronting her dark past in order to come in terms with her human side and her other out-of-this world identity. Sounds familiar? Yes folks, this is what happens when you mix Jason Fucking Bourne's Identity with Alien

Thank God the awesome Sami Basri will be doing this book. I'm a big fan of his work in Power Girl and I'm looking forward to see what he has to offer this time with a new character. This could be his chance to finally become a breakout star if he nails this one.


Whew, that's a lot of books coming up with a lot of Vertigo characters in the lead which are really interesting to say the least. Some are familiar ones, and some are the new breed that could certainly make some impact for the new DCU.

As for the title(s) that had me pumped up: I'm currently rooting for Justice League Dark and Voodoo. How about you?

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