2010 "Minimalist Batman" by Declan Shalvey

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It's BaTuesday, and I'm in the mood for something with a Mazzuchelli beat. Can Declan Shalvey rock it on the Year One tip? I believe so...

2009 Zatanna Barf Bag Sketch by Andy Kuhn

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Maybe she overate thinking about her parents this Thanksgiving. Poor dear. Check out KUHNART, Andy Kuhn's art blog, for more.

2010 Aquaman by Rafael Lam

Motor City Links

BRIGHTEST DAY #17-18
Written by GEOFF JOHNS & PETER J. TOMASI
Art by IVAN REIS, PATRICK GLEASON, ARDIAN SYAF, SCOTT CLARK & JOE PRADO Covers by DAVID FINCH & SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:10 Variant covers by IVAN REIS

The BRIGHTEST DAYS are numbered as this best-selling series heads toward its shocking conclusion, and fans won’t want to miss a single page of the action! “Aquawar” breaks out with Aquaman, Mera, Aqualad and a surprise guest star facing off against the terrorist forces of Black Manta and Siren to keep the vast waters of the world from sinking the United States!
Retailers please note: These issues will ship with two covers each. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

Issue #19 on sale FEBRUARY 2
Issue #20 on sale FEBRUARY 16
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I'm sure we'll have a grand finale involving Hawk, Dove, Deadman and the white lantern, but am I alone in thinking Aquaman was the big winner on this book? The whole thing was like an extended preview for a bad ass new Aquaman ongoing, and I will buy it if this creative team sticks with the character.

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #53
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art and cover by JERRY BINGHAM

Indebted to a super-powered team called The Zhuguan, Bruce Wayne repays the life-altering favor they bestowed upon him by joining their ranks against their most deadly foe! Marc Guggenheim (JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA) and classic Batman artist Jerry Bingham (BATMAN: SON OF THE DEMON) present “Super-Powers” part 4 of 5!

On sale FEBRUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

So this thing is still going on, presumably with the retro JLofA back-ups. The art inside wasn't as bad as the covers, but still a far cry from Bingham's best.

AQUAMAN

AQUAMAN T-Shirt
by Neal Adams
From the deep blue sea comes the new Aquaman T-Shirt. Features classic art by Neal Adams screenprinted in full-color on a stone-washed blue, 100% cotton heavyweight shirt. When things smell fishy you can always count on Aquaman to clear the air!
MSRP: $17.95-20.95

CITIZEN STEEL

JSA ALL-STARS #15
Written by MATTHEW STURGES
Art and cover by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II

The All-Stars race against Arthur Pemberton to gather the scattered pieces of an ancient magical creation! As Citizen Steel confronts the reality of his metallic form and Roxy makes a very dubious ethical choice, one question remains: Who are the Puzzle Men?

On sale FEBRUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

ZATANNA

I was going to move The Mistress of Magic in this listing due to her ever increasing monthly workload, but realized she is already right ahead of spacehog Batman, so it was unnecessary. I guess the next step will be bringing Aquaman down here...

ZATANNA: MISTRESS OF MAGIC TP
Written by PAUL DINI
Art by STEPHANE ROUX, KARL STORY, CHAD HARDIN and WAYNE FAUCHER
Cover by STEPHANE ROUX
Zatanna has long made her home in San Francisco, but right under her nose a sinister threat has developed: a crime boss who dominates the criminal underworld with dark magic. The terrifying Brother Night is making his play for the City by the Bay, and the police force – including hunky detective Dale Colton – turn to Zee for help. But Brother Night is a whole new kind of criminal, and if Zatanna thinks she can backwards-talk him down, then she’s in over her top-hatted head!
Magically collected from ZATANNA #1-6!
On sale MARCH 9 • 160 pg, FC, $17.99 US

ZATANNA #10
Written by PAUL DINI
Art by CLIFF CHIANG
Cover by STEPHANE ROUX
Zatanna’s at the end of her rope – or, more precisely, her strings! Oscar Hempel is free to kill again, and Zee’s been transformed into the thing she hates the most! What will it take to put Hempel back where he belongs, and get Zatanna back to reality?
On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Chang = Pretty.

DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #10
Written by LEN WEIN
Art by JESUS SAIZ & KARL STORY and GARY FRANK with SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by JESUS SAIZ
1:25 Variant cover by GARY FRANK

In this final issue, another Crisis looms before the collected heroes of the DC Universe – with the mood of the people (human and super-human alike) growing more and more bleak! And in the co-feature, all hope seems lost for the DC Universe as the Blue Beetle charges off to confront Max Lord concerning his part in the DCU’s dark future!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 10 of 10 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

It's swell how much Zee's stock has risen at DC in recent years, and I guess this appearance will revisit the Identity Crisis blame game that helped raise that profile.

BATMAN

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #1-2
Written by TONY BEDARD & MARV WOLFMAN
Art by HOWARD PORTER & LIVESAY and ADRIANA MELO & NORMAN LEE
Issue #1 wraparound cover by ED BENES
Issue #1 1:10 Variant cover by RYAN SOOK
Issue #2 cover by ED BENES

The DC event of the year begins, coinciding with the release of the wildly anticipated DCU MMO! Get ready for the ride of a lifetime with this immense, 26-issue biweekly series!

In issue #1, Lex Luthor’s obsession with destroying Superman reaches fever pitch when he cuts the ultimate Devil’s deal with Brainiac...but with the shake of a hand, has Luthor consigned humanity to genocide?

In the startling second issue, The Lex Luthor of a post-apocalyptic future scrambles to escape Brainiac’s invasion of Earth, but he must gather an army to stop the invasion. Who will he recruit? And in the present, Brainiac’s first assault on Earth has begun, which recaps the incredibly rare DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #0!

Comic book legend Marv Wolfman joins fan-favorite writer Tony Bedard and artist Howard Porter to tell the ultimate DC Universe Super Hero tale of good versus evil!

Retailers please note: Issue #1 will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
Issue #1 on sale FEBRUARY 2
Issue #2 on sale FEBRUARY 16
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

DETECTIVE COMICS CLASSICS
Written by GARDNER FOX, MIKE FRIEDRICH and ELLIOT S. MAGGIN
Art by FRANK SPRINGER, SID GREENE, GIL KANE, MURPHY ANDERSON and MIKE GRELL
Cover by JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ
Previously available only in the DETECTIVE COMICS ACTION FIGURES BOX SET from DC Direct, this collection features classic tales from DETECTIVE COMICS #377 and #384-385 and BATMAN FAMILY #1! Features an appearance by The Riddler, plus a team-up tale starring Robin and Batgirl!
On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 50 pg, FC, $5.99 US

Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome: A BBC Full-Cast Radio Drama
Michael Gough, Garrick Hagon and Bob Sessions star in this thrilling radio drama featuring the Batman! The Batman is dead. Police Commissioner Gordon has received a recording by the Batman that reveals his real identity. But who is the occupant of Wayne Manor? It soon becomes a desperate journey into the background of Gotham City’s famous vigilante to find out who killed the Dark Knight.

On CD for the first time, this fantastic full-cast adventure stars Michael Gough as Alfred, Garrick Hagon as Bruce Wayne, Kerry Shale as Dick Grayson, Lorelei King as Selina Kyle, and Bob Sessions as The Batman, and it comes from renowned producer Dirk Maggs. This stunning audio production was first broadcast on BBC Radio, and this all-action adventure can now be heard remastered—complete with dazzling sound effects.
MSRP: $14.95

DC Comics Final Crisis [Audio CD]
The novelization of the superhero event starring Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the heroes and villains of the DC Comics Universe Victorious at long last against his enemies on the world of New Genesis, Darkseid has unleashed the forces of Apokolips on Earth. With the secret of the Anti- Life Equation at his command, Darkseid now possesses the ability to eradicate all free will from humanity-and usher in an end to the age of super heroes. Facing an ever growing army of mindless slaves and corrupted heroes, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the remnants of the Justice League of America find themselves consumed by the ever spreading darkness. They remain humanity's only hope-the only light that will not be extinguished in the world's darkest hour. Copyright (p) & © 2010 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved. All characters, their distinctive likenesses, and related elements are trademarks of DC Comics.
MSRP: $19.99

Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics
Behind the amazing tales of legendary super heroes is the equally amazing story of the company that told them. So many heroes, so many stories to tell--stories of DC Comics' 75 years of challenges, creativity and triumph. This DC Comics Original Documentary is both a compelling insider's tale and a celebration seen through the inkwell of those who created and lived it, balanced with insights from key historians and filled with interviews, archival footage and a dazzling parade of riveting and splashy DC covers. From the bans to the breakthroughs, from humble pulp beginnings to the literary rise of the graphic novel, the story holds a mirror to an ever-evolving enterprise and the society reflected in its comic book pages. It's an American story.

"A Monster Walks Wayne Manor!" from Detective Comics #438 (September 1973)

Batman #307 (January 1979)

Gorgeous never-before-seen photos of the original Catwoman

In Defense of the Riddler

Batman: Brave and the Bold #22 - Dec. 2010

Daily Batman: Sk8 or die edition

Grant Morrison Discusses 'Batman Inc,' Lord Death Man, and the Alan Moore Interview

Massive Aerial Batman Symbol Strikes Fear Into the Heart of Google Maps

Double Entry Review- Batman XXX: A Porn Parody Vs BatFXXX: Dark Knight Parody

Read: The Brave And The Bold #186

Batman: Brave and the Bold Marathon

WTF? Wednesday: Fab Foolishness

Superhero Cake [Geeky Cake]

Tim Drake was Batman's partner for a longer period of time than Dick Grayson??

BATFXXX: Batman Porn Comes for 'The Dark Knight'

2010 "Minimalist Batman" by Andy Kuhn

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I haven't managed to pull off a "BaTuesday" in a while, so here's another stripped down aesthetic applied to a Detroit alum, this time by Firebreather co-creator Andy Kuhn. A nice if somewhat odd fellow, Kuhn did me up a Doctor Trap commission earlier this year for my Martian Manhunter blog.

2010 Aquaman - Minimalismo by Rafael Lam

2008 Zatanna by Rafael Lam

1993 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Third Edition Batman Entry

Visit my other blogs to get details about these ratings, as it's easier to compare other people to Batman than vice versa. Really nice art here, but I'm not sure who to credit. Stan Woch or Don Newton, maybe? Batman and the Joker were also on the foil-enhanced cover by Kevin Maguire (along with Wonder Woman and Doomsday.)

More Mayfair 3rd Edition for Today:

• Aquaman @The Aquaman Shrine
• Martian Manhunter at The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• John Henry Irons: Steel at DC Bloodlines
• Deathstroke the Terminator at Power of the Atom
• Wonder Woman at Diana Prince

2008 DC Direct Ame-Comi Zatanna Vinyl Figure

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Introducing the Ame Comi Zatanna Vinyl Statue, designed by Udon Studios' Ekoms Raeppa! DC's mystical magician casts a spell on the world of Ame Comi, as she becomes the latest vinyl statue in this stellar line! The Zatanna PVC statue is a limited-edition, hand-painted piece that is 9" tall. This non-articulated plastic display figure comes with a base, is packaged in a four-color window box with J-hook, and is manufactured to order.
Release Date: October 2008
MSRP: $49.99

Read More here.