September 2012 will mark a year since the massive – and generally effective – relaunch of every DC super hero line, an event commonly referred to as the New 52.
To celebrate, we’ll be getting a month of prequels. That’s right – each line in the New 52 will be tagged as Issue #0 in September, instead of whatever number would be next in a specific line (#13 in most cases). In all cases, these issues will be a single-issue, stand-alone story (a one-shot in comics parlance), which will showcase the origin of one of the characters or some aspect of the ongoing line. In October, all lines will return to their regular numbering, and pick up the story where it left off in August.
In addition, DC is introducing four new lines with the #0’s. These new titles will have #0 one-shots along with the rest of the New 52, and then start with #1 in October.
As with previous new introductions to the roster, the same number of titles will be removed from the New 52, keeping the roster at 52 titles. They will be replacing the following poor performers: Voodoo, Captain Atom, Jusitice League International, and Ressurection Man. No big loss with any of those. The four cancelled titles will, however, get their #0 before they go, but that’ll be the end, bringing each of them to a total of 13 issues (0-12).
Each #0 cover will depict a washed-out version of a past cover, with one or more characters leaping through a torn hole in the graphic.
The new series, along with a brief synopsis of each from the DC Blog:
TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March.
Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!
SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.
THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson.
Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.
TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino.
Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.
Surprisingly, these all seem pretty interesting, and I’m looking forward to learning more about each of them.
The #0 issues will be available in September.
