Welcome back to Upcoming Comics! Normally this intro paragraph would be filled with me rambling about whatever is on my mind at that moment (one of the benefits of being given power over this article), but this week we have a special announcement! Batman News is looking for new writers! If you have a passion for Batman comics and want to share that passion with the world, follow these steps to join our review team:
Step #1
Introduce yourself. We want to know who you are, where you’re from, and what kind of schedule you keep. What do you think makes you a decent writer? Have you read any literature on writing such as “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art” by Scott McCloud or “Story” by Robert McKee? What do you know about comic art techniques? Despite there being so many comic reviews online today, very few offer high-quality commentary on the artwork. It would be fantastic to find a reviewer who can devote as much attention to the illustrations as the story and characterization.
Also, during your introduction, we would like to know a little something about your connection to The Dark Knight. We are looking for passionate fans, rather than someone only familiar with the big blockbusters. Move us with a personal story or impress us with how far your obsession has taken you. Tell us about that Bat tattoo or cosplay that you’re proud of. We only want to give this opportunity to the type of people who live and breathe Gotham City (though you don’t need to be crazy enough to want to live there).
Step #2
Give us a rundown of your experience with these characters. The more comics you’ve read, the better. List what comic book eras you’re most familiar and unfamiliar with. What unread classic graphic novels are you most ashamed of never reading? What are your favorite Batman stories of all-time? If you’ve seen every show or played every video game, let us know! The more info you give us, the more seriously you’ll be considered.
Step #3
Review some comics. Is there any better way to know what you’re made of? Write 2 reviews, 500-words minimum each, and make one for an issue that you liked and one for an issue that you did NOT like (they need to be current comics, something published within the past year). Also don’t worry if it’s a book we’ve reviewed already and your score is completely different than what we published. We’re not just looking for people to echo our opinions back to us. Different viewpoints are welcome! Just prove that you’re a capable writer. Write it in the style of one of our reviews, complete with a “Recommended If” and “Overall” section, capped off with a 1-10 rating.
Submit
Send your application to: [email protected] in the form of a PDF or Word document. There is no immediate deadline. We will announce in Upcoming Comics whenever tryouts are closed.
If we like what we see, then we’ll start an email correspondence with you with a few more fun challenges, and if you past the test we’ll assign you a few books to review. And if you’re wondering, yes it’s a paid gig with perks like free comics and interview opportunities with DC talent. Just don’t think you’re going to get rich off writing comic reviews or that you can quit your day job. This is a passion project first and foremost where you’ll get a rare opportunity to bond with some of the biggest Batman fans in the world.
With that out of the way, back to this week’s comics:
Upcoming Comics
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23
The walls are closing in on the World’s Finest duo as Boy Thunder falls fully under the thrall of Gog in the universe of Kingdom Come! Superman and Batman race against the clock not only to keep Boy Thunder from becoming Magog-but to save the Multiverse itself!
- Written By: Mark Waid
- Penciled By: Dan Mora
- Inks By: Dan Mora
- Colors By: Tamra Bonvillain
- Cover By: Dan Mora
Thoughts: Am I a hypocrite for complaining about too much multiverse stuff but still liking it when this book does it? Maybe. Doesn’t change how I feel, though.
Batman News Critic: Casper
Nightwing #110
Nightwing, Batgirl and the Titans are doing all they can to save a world overrun by Beasts. Heroes have become threats, and one of the biggests threats now stalks the streets of Bludhaven. Where once there was a Robin, now there is a cat. Can Jon Kent and Nightwing save the city from Damian Wayne? Or will the Super Sons be torn apart forever?
- Written By: Tom Taylor
- Penciled By: Sami Basri
- Inks By: Sami Basri, Vicente Cifuentes
- Colors By: Adriano Lucas
- Cover By: Bruno Redondo
Thoughts: This is at least the second time this title has done a cover copying internet memes, and it always makes me roll my eyes. Also, are the Super Sons really even still a thing since Jon got aged up?
Batman News Critic: Aaron
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #4
The Justice League’s losses are mounting as they battle to contain the titans from Legendary’s Monsterverse! Aquaman and Atlantis confront an otherworldly leviathan, while in the shadows, the Legion of Doom and Lex Luthor plot their next decisive move to eliminate the League…but the emergence of the League of Shadows could spell doom for the world!
- Written By: Brian Buccellato
- Penciled By: Christian Duce, Tom Derenick
- Inks By: Christian Duce, Tom Derenick
- Colors By: Luis Guerrero
- Cover By: Drew Edward Johnson, Romulo Fajardo
Thoughts: This title keeps finding new ways to get bigger, so it was inevitable that the League of Shadows would show up eventually.
Batman News Critic: Jeremy
Catwoman #61
Selina Kyle goes on her most daring and deadly heist yet-leaping headfirst into the heart of a melted-down nuclear reactor to steal highly valuable corium. But can she escape with only losing just one life…or are all her nine extra lives about to burn away?!
- Written By: Tini Howard
- Penciled By: Stefano Raffaele
- Inks By: Stefano Raffaele
- Colors By: Veronica Gandini
- Cover By: David Nakayama
Thoughts: Jumping into a reactor core is definitely one way to burn off a life or two to speed along this “nine lives” premise.
Batman News Critic: William
Beyond the Bat
Welcome to Beyond the Bat, where we take a quick look at the rest of DC’s comics coming out this week.
Graphic Novel Watch
Sometimes you need more than floppies. Sometimes you want something that can sit nicely on your shelf that proudly displays your favorite stories. That’s when you turn to graphic novels. Let’s see what bat collections are coming out this week:
Ratings
Most Excited: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23– I’m really hoping this can stick the landing by tying into the Kingdom Come story successfully.
Least Excited: Catwoman #61– From what Will has said, this arc is better than Tini’s earlier Catwoman work, but it’s still Tini’s Catwoman.
Wild Card: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #4– It sounds like this will be exactly what people who like big, explosive stories are looking for.
Well that’s it for this week! Let us know in the comments what comics you’re looking forward to.
COMMENTS
