DC Infinite universe is still ending at US borders

More than a year ago DC Comics had a glorious first Fandome event. They announced there that DC Universe will no longer be a multimedia streaming service but it will be transformed to comics-only site DC Universe Infinite (DCUI) with tons of older and newer DC comic books. Starting date January 2021 was only for US fans, DC promised expansion to other countries in Summer 2021. Summer is technically ending on September 21st but after August everybody feels that we have Autumn. And DCUI is still only for US fans.

DC Digital Mini Reviews March 15th - 19th (Challenge of the Super Sons #8, The Next Batman: Second Son #4, Sensational Wonder Woman #11, Truth & Justice #11)

This week we had the return of Super Sons, another issue of The Next Batman: Second Son, start of a new story in Sensational Wonder Woman and a little scary second part of Jason Todd's story in Truth & Justice. DC also released a new issue of free digital magazine DC Connect where we learned that all already released chapters of anthology Represent! will be printed in 80-page long Issue 1, so there is a chance that this unique anthology will continue.

Decade of DC Digital Comics: 2011

This year have DC digital-firsts 10th year anniversary so I want to write a series of articles about it´s every year since 2011. It will have nine parts as in 2018 DC had only one digital series. I already have one place for presenting old digital series. But in Pearls of Digital Comics I don't want to write all the time about DC, there is plenty of Comixology, Marvel, Archie and other digital series. After every part, I don't want to have in Pearls a DC series older than the presented year. So after this, you will see only DC titles from 2012 and newer there.

DC Digital Mini Reviews March 8th - 12th (Represent! #7, The Next Batman: Second Son #3, Sensational Wonder Woman #10, Truth & Justice #10)

Another week with four issues as RWBY/Justice League crossover didn't start (it's still scheduled for March 30th, as is 2nd chapter). We have maybe the last Represent! chapter, conclusion of Amu Chu´s Wonder Woman storz and start of Jason Todd detective in Truth & Justice. Next week we have some nice return as “Challenge of the Super Sons” is back.

DC Digital Mini Reviews March 1st - 5th (Represent! #6, The Next Batman: Second Son #2, Sensational Wonder Woman #9, Truth & Justice #9)

This was standard week with four issues. Amy Chu started a very good Sensation Wonder Woman story, The Next Batman: Second Son continued with Tim Fox origin, Constantine concluded in Truth & Justice and a little wonder is in Represent! anthology.

Next week we have to have apart from these titles one premiere, RWBY/Justice League crossover and I want to have a mini review on Tuesday when it has to be released. But I can´t find any mention about it anywhere now. Comixology has release date for first and second issue March 30th. So we will see on Mandoay or Tuesday.

Pearls of Digital Comics: Adventures of Superman vol. 2

Year 2011 was the breaking point for digital comics and specifically DC digital comics. First issue of New 52, Justice League #1, was the first DC issue which was released the same day in print and digitally. For 3.99$, which ose one dollar extra from regular price, you had a special bagged issue with redeemable digital code (after a few months Marvel made its first issue with free redeemable digital code). This option had only some titles but it was quite popular at the beginning. And in this year DC started digital first series tied to Batman Arkham games (very first by Paul Dini). In the beginning of 2012 then they started a few digital series and after while there was new digital issue every day (best-selling series was Smallville Season 11, but very strong sales were also Legends of Dark Knight vol. 2 and Injustice: Gods Among Us). One of these titles were Adventures of Superman vol. 2.

DC Digital Mini Reviews February 22th - 26th (Milestone Returns Infinite Edition #0, Represent! #5, Sensational Wonder Woman #8, Truth & Justice #8)

This week was very rich for DC digital firsts. We had the start of a new series, mini The Next Batman: Second Son (review is here). Then we had three installments of ongoings and one-shot Milestone Returns Infinite Edition #0.

Mini Review: The Next Batman: Second Son #1 (9/10)

DC comics just started a digital-first mini-series which is pretty unique even for them as leading digital comics publisher. It is the origin of Tim Fox which is the new Batman in Future State and it is very possible that there will be more of him in other titles. There was only one similar series, “Arrow: The Dark Archer”, but it told the origin of the villain and it was set not in the main DC Universe but in Arrowverse.

It is very good news that for the first chapter you don't need to read Future State nor “Dark Nights: Death Metal” which set basics for the future seen in Future State. You will find Tim Fox straight in action in Vietnam at some stealth operation. As always, it will not be as expected and it will continue to be a big danger. For almost complete issue only one thing known from Future State is Vol, some remote collaborator of Tim. Only on the last page we are meeting persons which Tim apparently knows.

DC Digital Mini Reviews February 15th - 19th (Represent! #3, Sensational Wonder Woman #7, Truth & Justice #7)

This week we had three issues. Irt is standard DC Digital production for last three weeks, since “Challenge of Super Sons”´s break started. Bit next week is mini-serie “The Next Batman: Second Son” and we have also robust start of Milestone Revival, one-shot Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0. But this week we had a nice chapter of Represent!, very good Sensational Wonder Woman half-story and superb start of John Contantine issue in Truth 7 Justice.
 

Mini review: Truth & Justice #6 (8.5/10)

Conclusion of Superman’s story in Truth & Justice is able to ask deep social questions behind the action story. At the beginning we have one of Superman' s older villains explaining what was his motivation and why all this thing about prisoner’ s teleportation happened. Chapter is ending with Clark’ s article contains some harsh facts.

All these three chapters were very fine and good to read. Brandon Easton shows that it is not so hard to write action stories with huge moral points and even make contributions to Black History Month. First DC story illustrated by Jahnoy Lindsay proves that his sharp lines and over-mimic faces fitts to superhero comics, even to that of the first superhero. I hope that DC will have more work for him.

Mini review: Sensational Wonder Woman #6 (9/10)

Sixth installment of Sensational Wonder Woman brings first Diana´s team-up with DC A list hero. Even the most popular - Bruce Wayne, but only in his “civil” identity. Itś not the only reason why this is for me the best chapter from this title to date.

Bruce is doing one of things for what is he most famous - organizing the gala. Like at almost all his parties we have uninvited guest. It is one of his best villains even if not so famous as he deserves. And Diana is resolving the situation.

News: Digital Justice League by Chip Zdarsky

Chip Zdarsky, author known from various Marvel titles as Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Star Lord and now writing one of best current Marvel comics Daredevil, will write digital first  limited series starring Justice League.

Titled Justice League: Last Ride, the series will include the team's failure, breakup and events after it. It will start on April 14 and will have 16 digital chapters then collected in eight printed issues (first released on May 11). Each digital chapter will have 10 pages, so Zdarsky and artist Miguel Mendonça will use full page format.

Mini Review: Represent! #3 (8/10)

DC Comics is treating Black History Month really seriously. Not only in a lot of Future State issues, in The Other History of DC Universe, but also in digital first comics. anti-racist issues of Thuth & Justice, origin of New Batman in Second Son, but mainly Represent! anthology are strong comic book additions to it. After brilant second issues by Jesse J. Holland we have next installment by Regine L. Sawyer, Afro American author known from few small press comic books, owner of one of small press and writer of one of recent stories in Death Metal tie-ins.

Pearls of Digital Comics: Arrowverse tie-ins

I want to look at the best things from the history of digital comics. I’m starting with Arrowverse tie-ins because this has probably most known trade paperbacks (even in Slovakia we have them, in czech translation). But this series of articles (as all this blog) will be not only about DC, I want to write abot Marvel Infinite comics and Comixology Originals later

First Arrowverse tie-in came even before the first Arrowverse TV show started. Arrow Special Edition #1 was released for guests of San Diego Comic Con in July 2012, then distributed to comics shops. It was preview of first episode plis few pages from New 52’ s Green Arrow (vol.5) #1. It wasn’t digital and you can read digitally in the first TPB of Arrow 2012 series. 

Mini review: Sensational Wonder Woman #5 (7.5/10)

First single-chapter story of Sensational Wonder Woman is very female-ish. Main hero is a journalist who just wants good photos on her phone. And it´s not only Wonder Woman who she meets during her trip to the ocean.

It is not only the first story in one chapter for this series, but it is also the first which is written and drawn by the same person. Colleen Doran is known for her Legion of Superheroes, The Sandman and Amazing Spider-man works. She also wrote the autobiography of Stan Lee and adapted Neil Gaiman's short story Snow, Glass, Apples for which she received the Eisner Award.

Mini review: Truth & Justice #5 (8/10)

Only four days after the first Superman´s chapter of the anthology Truth & Justice we have another one.

This is one of the stories where two sides of his personality have two different quests. Clark Kent is still investigating why prisoners are found at home without memory of how they came there. During this investigation he is questioning common people about their fear of other races. Superman is fighting from troubles which came at the end of the previous chapter and he found who is behind it. So we have a very known villain anti-Superman organisation.

Mini Interview: Jesse J. Holland: This was a really hard story to tell

Jesse J. Holland is awarded journalist and novelist. He wrote novelization of Reginald Hudlin´s comics Who Is the Black Panther? for which he was nominated for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Awards. Now he is editing prose Black Panther anthology. I gave him three questions regarding his yesterday´s digital comics in anthology Represent! #2 (mini review you can find here)

Mini Review: Represent! #2 (9/10)

After more than four months since the free first chapter, DC released another chapter of digital first anthology Represent!. It is centered at common people in their landscapes where their lives are often more interesting than most superheroes. And maybe due to a change of genre, this is for me the best this year’s DC digital chapter to date.

Feature: Three things DC digital comics needs

DC has a whole decade history of digital first comics. But after the recent April DC Digital First initiative, high profile series such as Sensational Wonder Woman or The Next Batman: Second Son, the publisher has to treat digital comics at the same level as printed issues. Three most needed changed for them are:

Mini Review: Truth & Justice #4 (8.5/10)

First Truth & Justice chapter with Superman is totally different from Vixen's previous issue. We have more words and more complicated story.Superman is investigating situations when prisoners are found in their homes without knowledge of how they were getting there. When a villain appears it seems to have something to do with teleportation.