For those that don't know, it's today, Saturday, September 19th! DC announced the whole slate on September 2nd, and the rundown is up on DC's own blog. The centerpiece is a one-shot called Batman of Two Worlds, out globally that day for $2.99 at participating comic shops.
It's two stories under one cover, and both of them are by people currently writing the character.
The main DC Universe story is Matt Fraction with Javi Fernandez on art, Tomeu Morey on colors and Clayton Cowles lettering. The Absolute Universe story is Scott Snyder with Nick Derington, Frank Martin on colors and Tom Napolitano lettering.
The cover is a Jorge Jimenez, Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin job.
Snyder described the setup to DC like this: "both stories are about theft, what theft means in one world versus the other, and what Batman's form of justice looks like in each."
Fraction's description is a bit shorter: "One problem, two solutions. Each version of Batman has his own way of working and his own solution to that problem."
DC put its main-line writer and its Absolute-line writer in the same three-dollar comic and handed the cover to all three artists. That's just plain diabolical! It's a no-brainer to pick up if you're out and about today.
Shops are also handing out four paper Batman masks, all illustrated by Ryan Sook in four different house styles: Jorge Jimenez's Batman, Nick Dragotta's Absolute Batman, Jim Lee's Hush Batman, and Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.
The new hardcovers will cost you. Batman Vol. 1: Daylight by Fraction and Jimenez is $29.99 with a new Batman Day cover by Jimenez. Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones' Batman '89 is also $29.99 and packs in a digital code for the 1989 film. Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Batman: H2SH Volume One matches that price. The Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Deluxe Edition is $44.99 and comes with animated movie codes, and Rafael Grampa's Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham Deluxe is $34.99. That Grampa book is gorgeous!
Two of those five bundle in movie codes, one for the 1989 film and one set for the animated movies. Do you like the code bundling, or does it feel like they're double-dipping?
On the free side, DC Universe Infinite is opening up a batch of Batman comics at no cost, including Absolute Batman #1 through #3 and Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, and there's a 30-day free trial running on DCUI Ultra Monthly.
WB Games is in for the celebration too, with free Batcave props dropping in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.
DC has flagged shop activations in San Antonio, Austin, Savannah, Buenos Aires, Italy and Brazil, with signings, cosplay contests, giveaways and charity drives. And H2SH Volume One is rolling out internationally in Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and Finland.
Ask most people and they'll tell you Batman Day is the third Saturday in September. That's mostly true, but it isn't a rule!
The first one, in 2014, was July 23rd, a Wednesday, timed to San Diego Comic-Con and Batman's 75th anniversary. It moved to September the next year, and then September got moved around too: 2015 was the 26th and 2017 was the 23rd, both of which were FOURTH Saturdays. 2016 was a third Saturday, and so is every year from 2018 through 2026. That's nine years running. Wikipedia's Batman Day entry puts it as "either the third or fourth Saturday in September," and DC's own announcements have run only a couple of weeks ahead of the date. It's probably safe to assume that after nine straight third Saturdays, it's locked in now?
Batman himself has two dates too, which most people familiar with the comics probably already know...
Batman debuted in Detective Comics #27, cover-dated May 1939, and went on sale March 30th, 1939. Cover dates ran months ahead so newsstands knew when to pull an issue, which is why the book you could buy in March said May on it.
Bob Kane got the only byline in 1939. Bill Finger didn't get his "created by" credit from DC until 2015.
If DC ever wanted a fixed anniversary instead of a floating Saturday, March 30th looks to be wide open, but I like the idea of it always being on the weekend. I'm sure it's better for comic shops and retailers.
On the movie side, Saturday's the comics party, but Matt Reeves' The Batman - Part II has been feeding us set photos all summer, from the best look yet at the new Batsuit to a possible first glimpse at one of the sequel's villains.
What are you picking up today? Is anyone going for all five hardcovers at $169.95?
Sound off in comments below!
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