News

New Delhi, Feb 21 (Ians) Australia’s cricket team landed in India at the start of February 2023 with optimism and confidence of winning their first Test series in the sub-continent. But, as of now, they are headed to the third match in Indore, starting from March 1, with a 2-0 deficit and their chances of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy up in smoke.

Australia’s tour of India has been nothing short of a disaster, with injuries to key players, baffling selection calls and usual batting capitulation in the face of quality spin bowling making headlines back home. All of this comes especially after opting not to play a single tour match.

When Australia were skittled for 91 in the second innings of the first Test in Nagpur, it happened because the batters failed in trying to defend off the trinity of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.

In the second Test in New Delhi,...

Melbourne, Oct 18 (Ians) Australia Test skipper and pace spearhead Pat Cummins has been entrusted the task of leading the One-day International (Odi) side as well following the retirement of Aaron Finch.

Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday endorsed the 29-year-old Cummins, who guided Australia to a 4-0 Ashes triumph earlier this year, to become the country’s 27th Odi captain.

Ben Oliver, CA’s Egm of High Performance and National Teams, said, “We are very fortunate to have a number of high-quality leaders and senior players across all formats. The (CA) Board and selectors agree Pat (Cummins) is the ideal choice to lead the Odi team through the next period including the 2023 World Cup (in India).”

CA’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said, “Pat has done an excellent job since taking on the captaincy of the Test side and we look forward to him leading the one-day team to the 2023 World Cup in India.

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Dave Merrell...

Melbourne, Sep 20 (Ians) Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday announced Shelley Nitschke as head coach of the country’s women’s team for the next four years. The 45-year-old was named interim head coach in May following Matthew Mott’s departure to England, and guided Australia to gold in its Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham in July.

One of the world’s leading all-rounders, Nitschke broke into the Australian team in 2005 as a 28-year-old and went on to play 80 ODIs, 36 T20Is and six Tests. She amassed over 3,000 runs and claimed more than 150 wickets with her left-arm orthodox bowling.

She was named Icc Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2010 and claimed four consecutive Belinda Clark Awards, according to Icc.

Nitschke retired from international cricket in 2011 and went on to hold various coaching roles with South Australia, the Adelaide Strikers — where she also played two seasons from 2015-2017 — and Cricket Australia.

Broadcast news channels will be able to air judges’ sentencing remarks from the U.K. Crown Court for the first time from July 28, following a landmark change in the law by the country’s Ministry of Justice.

The move will allow the public to see and hear judges explain the reasoning behind their sentences, and will open up some of the best-known courts across the U.K., including the Central Criminal Court, which is more commonly known as the Old Bailey.

Only the judge will be filmed during any sentencing that is broadcast, in order to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses and jurors. The sentencing at the Old Bailey on July 28 of Ben Oliver, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandfather in south London, is expected to be the first broadcasted case.

The decision to allow cameras in comes after more than a decade of campaigning by the BBC,...

DC Comics' "Batman: Killing Time" #5 , available July 5, 2022, is written by Tom King and illustrated by David Marquez, with covers by Marquez, Kael Ngu and Ben Oliver:

"...the heist of the century has gone so far sideways that an all-out gang war is imminent, with 'Batman', 'Riddler' and 'Catwoman' caught in the crossfire.

"What is the mysterious object that so many are willing to kill forand how does it connect to 'Bruce Wayne'?..."

Click the images to enlarge... ...

Sydney, May 17 (Ians) Australia opener David Warner's manager has blamed Cricket Australia (CA) for treating his client as well as Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft 'despicably' and not interviewing other players while investigating a 2018 ball-tampering scandal on the tour of South Africa.

CA banned the trio for involvement in ball-tampering during the Cape Town Test against South Africa. The matter is now being revisited after Bancroft, a greenhorn, told The Guardian that the bowlers may also have known about it.

"The report that was done, they didn't interview all the players. The whole thing was so badly handled, it was a joke," manager James Erskine was quoted as saying by The Age.

"But eventually the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, will come out and I know the whole truth. It doesn't serve any purpose because the Australian public over a period of time got to dislike the...

Melbourne, Jan 27 (Ians) Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade has been excluded from Australia Test squad for the South Africa tour and has been replaced by Alex Carey for the three-match series. Wade will, instead, travel with the T20I side to New Zealand for the five-match series with Australia playing two tours at the same time.

The Australia squad is slated to leave for New Zealand on February 7 while the South Africa tour "remains subject to satisfactory bio-security arrangements". Head coach Justin Langer will travel with the Test side to South Africa, while the T20I side will be coached by Andrew McDonald in New Zealand.

The T20Is will be played on February 22, 25, March 3, 5 and 8.

"The Australian men's T20I tour of New Zealand and Australian men's Test tour of South Africa are important to both host boards and we have been working constructively with their respective management teams on the planning for both tours,...

Today’s Legacy of the Bat panel in DC FanDome’s Hall of Heroes contained great

topics and panelists in a celebration of the Dark Knight’s heritage and the impact he’s

had on his allies as they continue to do their part to protect Gotham City.

DC ended months of speculation regarding Batman’s upcoming comic book adventures,

confirming that award-winning screenwriter John Ridley and artist Nick Derington will team up for a four-issue miniseries scheduled for January 2021, featuring

a version of the Caped Crusader different from what many fans know and existing

alongside the current Batman run by James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez.

During his conversation with DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, Ridley

revealed a breathtaking piece of key art for his version of Batman by artist LADRÖNN.

The writer also provided further credence to fan speculation that this Batman definitely

will not...

Decades ago (pandemic time), DC Comics announced that John Ridley, Oscar-winning writer of 12 Years a Slave and creator of the award-winning American Crime, would be writing a series about major events in DC history from the perspective of heroes from traditionally marginalized groups. And now, in the wake of All This *waves at the world*, that series finally has a release date.

The Other History of the DC Universe is coming from DC Comics in November of this year. The book is written by Ridley, with art from Giuseppi Camuncoli (Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith), Andrea Cucchi, and colorist Jose Villarubia. The book will have covers from Camuncoli and Jamal Campbell, the budding superstar currently drawing Far Sector.

“Considering the events of the last few months, I don’t think there has been a more urgent need to see the world through a variety of lenses and perspectives,...

The finale to Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is here and has two sides. We are happy to read the conclusion in issue #12 to this very well-written/illustrated series, but sad to see the Mistress of the Dark's adventures end in this comic's run. Also in today's Comics Corner: the first issue (of two) of Hellboy and the Bprd: The Return of Effie Kolb, as well as Death to the Army of Darkness #1 and Blade Runner 2019 #6.

*Recommended* Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #12: "(W) David Avallone (A) Dave Acosta (CA) Tom Mandrake

The Witch Cult Saga concludes, and a surprise villain returns from Elvira's past! (At least... it's a surprise if you don't look at John Royle's variant cover...) The Mistress of the Dark can deliver you a climax like no other, and here it comes, in the twelfth and final issue of Elvira's ribald romp, brought to you with joy,...

Marvel Comics "Web Of Black Widow" #2, in support of Marvel Studios currently shooting "Black Widow" stand-alone feature is written by Jody Houser and illustrated by Stephen Mooney, with covers by Jung-Geun Yoon and Ben Oliver, available October 9, 2019:

"...'Natasha Romanoff' and 'Bucky Barnes' have a history as long as war, companions since the earliest days of the 'Widow' in the 'Red Room' when both were trapped in service to the wrong side. 

"It's one of the greatest -- and most tragic -- love stories of the 'Marvel Universe'. Now the world will try to get between them once again. 

"And with the Widow missing memories, she may find herself losing the only person who would have forgiven her for what she has to do next..."

Marvel Comics' "Web Of Black Widow" #1, now available, is written by Jody Houser and illustrated by Stephen Mooney, with covers by...

Jim Dandy Jun 24, 2019

What do the criminal organizations of the DC Universe do during something as big as Event Leviathan? Action Comics #1012 has the answer.

You ever wonder what was going on with like, Ox, Montana, and Fancy Dan while Spider-Man was off fighting the Skrull invasion in Secret Invasion? Or what Rupert Thorne was up to as the multiverse was collapsing around Batman in Crisis on Infinite Earths? Action Comics #1012 is pretty much precisely that for the criminal organizations that surround Superman and Metropolis. At least before it crashes all the way into the crossover with Event Leviathan at the end...

One of the best, most entertaining things about Brian Michael Bendis' run on Action Comics so far has been his focus on the little stuff going on in Metropolis. He sometimes gets caught out defining Metropolis in contrast to Gotham City, but that's expected and justifiable in the DC universe,...

While we anxiously await the final trailer for Justice League, a few notable goodies have dropped in the interim. In fact, earlier today, a new promo and freshly revealed magazine cover helped tide us over as we look forward to the first big screen gathering of DC’s premier superhero team.

But what may be even cooler than the other stuff we just mentioned are the slew of variant covers scheduled to arrive in comic shops all throughout November. Synergizing with the major motion picture, each handsome piece of artwork will adorn the covers of some of the publisher’s top titles, all of which are either team-up books themselves or spotlight a member of the League.

Strategically released via major outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, Nerdist, The Hollywood Reporter, JoinTheLeague.com and by DC Comics themselves, we’d say several – if not all – of the books showcased in the...

Batman - Detective Comics Vol. 2: The Victim Syndicate Gallery 1 of 10

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Whether it be in film, animation, comics or gaming, one recurring theme in superhero stories that never seems to die is that of those who don stylized costumes and selflessly defend everyday citizens often get the feeling that they’ve failed to protect everyone. This especially holds true for Batman, who has had to live with the guilt of Jason Todd’s death, the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and other various tragic events.

So, if weighty, contemplative stories starring the Dark Knight are your thing, well, then you should probably give the latest volume of Detective Comics a closer look. In The Victim Syndicate, Batman and his troops – Batwoman, Spoiler, Orphan, Batwing and Clayface – must not only deal with the aforementioned theme, but also those who’ve been caught in the crossfire,...

Spinning out of the legendary Fighting Fantasy series of gamebooks created by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson in 1982, the post-apocalyptic Freeway Fighter distinguished itself by deviating from the usual mix of orcs, goblins and cave-trolls. Celebrating 35 years in 2017, Fighting Fantasy brought together choice driven storytelling with a dice-based role-playing system to create a world in which “You are the hero!” The series sold over 18 million copies worldwide and is translated in over 30 languages.

In the new comics series, written by critically acclaimed writer Andi Ewington (Just Cause 3, The Six) with original creator Ian Livingstone and artist Simon Coleby with Len O’Grady, an unknown virus has wiped out over 85% of the world’s human population. Former I-400 Driver Bella De La Rosa is one of the 15% – living every day as if it were her last. Now, eighteen months after the collapse of civilization, faced with a new world order where...

This review contains some spoilers

James Tynion IV and Marguerite Bennett strike gold! While the previous issue was a minor blip, Detective Comics #949 is a welcome return to form for the series. It’s everything we want from a Bat title, and so much more. Rejoice, Dark Knight fans, for this is the first great Batman book of 2017.

Jumping between current day and two years ago (comic books love flashbacks), we discover what Batwoman was supposed to be. Unlike Batman, she isn’t trained to be a superhero, but a soldier. Her father, Colonel Kane, identifies her obsession with Batman, while Simon Samuels (Colony Prime) declares she doesn’t have the discipline to be part of the Colony. It’s an interesting insight into the psyche of Samuels, in particular, revealing his “I should be the chosen one” attitude. Hopefully, this relationship will be further explored as a major arc...

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Although some of you may already be looking ahead to next month’s milestone issue, none of us should forget about this week’s installment of Detective Comics, which may very well continue the trend of being what’s arguably the best Bat book on shelves today.

Continuing the “Batwoman Begins” two-issue story arc, the latest offering from writing team James Tynion IV and Marguerite Bennett serves as a backdoor pilot of sorts to the upcoming Batwoman series set to launch next month (well, obviously). Not only that, but it seems as though tensions between Kate Kane and her cowled cousin are heightening. We do expect them to put any differences they’ve had aside before long, but you have to admit they’ve had a pretty rough last few months.

Another highlight of this issue...

Comic Books 101: DC Rebirth Review 2017!

DC Comics had an overall week ending to their New 52 run. Many of the series just petered out, with only a few having any significant sendoff (Batman, Jla, Superman. Marvel was killing them in sales, and only the core titles ever broke the top 10. Then it all changed, DC made a bold announcement to once again “rework” their line up and in continuity world. They announced is DC Rebirth (You can see the lead up to DC Rebirth in my article here DC Comics Then And Now) an attempt to “get back to basics” for many of their characters. New creative teams, no visions for their books, and less crossovers! Phase 1 of the relaunch so far has been a huge success, the months of June-August were predominantly DC books in the top sales, and many fans have enjoyed the new stories regarding their favorite characters.

There’s something special taking place in James Tynion IV’s Detective Comics run. Not only is he writing a mean Batman, but he’s also making stars out of the supporting cast. Before his run, I couldn’t have cared less about Batwoman or Clayface; now, they’re two of my favorite characters. I’m obviously not the only one he’s impressed, either, considering his latest arc (co-written with Marguerite Bennett) is all about Kate Kane. In Detective Comics #948, Tynion and Bennett usher in the start of “Batwoman Begins.”

The issue opens with a flashback of Batwoman keeping tabs on Batman, with the guidance of her father, Colonel Jake Kane. She eventually loses the Dark Knight, bemoaning her own abilities to become a skilled vigilante like him. Consoling her, Colonel Kane says, “the future we build is going to come from our methods, not his.” It’s a...

Dynamite Entertainment's "Control" #3, available August 3, 2016 is written by Andy Diggle, Angela Cruickshank and illustrated by Andrea Mutti, with a cover by Ben Oliver:

"...'Detective-Sergeant Kate Burnham' isn't making any friends in the Washington DC Police Department. That makes her the perfect scapegoat when a routine homicide investigation threatens to blow open a criminal conspiracy that reaches to the upper echelons of the DC power elite.

"Kate makes it go away, or they make her go away. 

"Cop or criminal, power is all about control, applied top-down from the penthouse elite to the hustlers on the street.

"But what happens when the street pushes back...?

Click the images to enlarge...

Cbr debuted our first look at the cover, along with Joker variants for The Flash #41 by Eddy Barrows and Marcelo Maiolo; Gotham Academy #7 by Craig Rousseau; Justice League #41 by David Finch, Jonathan Glapion and Brad Anderson; and Superman. #41 by Karl Kerschl. There's also a full list of the June titles that'll be taken over by the Clown Prince of Crime. "Action Comics" #41 by Darwin Cooke Aquaman" #41 by Walter Simonson and Laura Martin "Batgirl" #41 by Rafael Albuquerque "Batman" #41 by Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth "Batman/Superman" #21 by Jock "Catwoman" #41 by Javier Pulido "Deathstroke" #7 by Lee Weeks and R&T Horie "Detective Comics" #41 by Patrick Gleason and John Kalisz "Gotham Academy" #7 by Craig Rousseau "Gotham By Midnight" by John Van Fleet " Grayson" #9 by Dave Johnson "Green Arrow" #41 by Bill Sienkiewicz "Green Lantern" #41 by Ben Oliver "Harley Quinn" #17 by Eduardo Risso "Justice League" #41 by David Finch & Jonathan Glapion...

Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:   Anyone ready for an Avengers Babies cartoon on Saturday mornings? Artist Ben Oliver is the man to create it, as per the following illustration (via Live for Films):   Here's a five-minute version of Avengers: Age of Ultron compiled from the existing trailers from the movie cut in chronological order (via Geek Tyrant):   The first image of Matthew McConaughey in the Civil War drama The Free State of Jones (3/11/16) has arrived online, and it's already a meme.   Today's cool Star Wars clothing is in the form of a maxi dress with a few iconic spaceships on it (via Geek Alerts):   Watch a Lego Star Wars short film depicting the Battle...

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At Baltimore Comic Con, I got the opportunity to chat with up and coming comics writer Marguerite Bennett about her projects past, present, and future for companies including Marvel, DC, and Boom! We also discussed her mentor Scott Snyder (Batman, The Wake), Batman: The Animated Series, and her time at the University of Mary Washington, which happens to be the college I am currently attending.

SoS: What was the first comic you ever read? How old were you? What was the context?

Marguerite Bennett: This isn’t exactly a comic, but Batman: The Animated Series was my big hook into the Bat-universe. after that, my friend Travis Covey would show me single issues from things like X-Men and Spawn. They were always completely out of the arc they were a part of so I’d be six years old going through these pages with no concept of what was going on.

Illustrations by Ben Oliver Marvel's The Avengers picks up when an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security. And Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. With director Joss Whedon at it's helm, and an ensemble cast including Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Chris Hemsworth (Thor Odinson), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff), Clark Gregg (Agt. Phil Coulson), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), with Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Stellan Skarsgard (Professor Erik Selvig). Avengers: Age of Ultron lands in theaters May 1, 2015.

In a controversial move, DC decided to forego publishing its regular line of books and put out 52 one-shot stories featuring some of its best villains. The one-shots range from extremely popular (Joker, Lex Luthor, Brainiac) to the newer and more obscure (Relic, Shadow Thief). They feature some veteran creators and some who have barely drawn a comic. Each “Villains Month” book will get a decimal point after a regular DC Comic. For example, Joker will feature in Batman 23.1, Riddler will feature in Batman 23.2 etc. The first issue of the new DC event Forever Evil will come out the same month as the villain one-shots. It is a direct follow up to “Trinity War” and will be written by Geoff Johns and drawn by David Finch. There are quite a few “Villains Month” books, but the following comics either have great creative teams, continue a compelling storylines, or are simply intriguing.

"Back when we introduced this “What’s New In The New 52” column, I told you that the most important word in The New 52 is “New.” We’re always striving to keep things exciting, different and surprising. Which is why Justice League #23.2: Lobo (from the creative team of Marguerite Bennett, Ben Oliver, Cliff Richards and Daniel Brown) contains a major surprise – one we’ve had planned for a while. The Lobo you’ve seen so far in the New 52 is not who you think he is. In this one-shot, you’ll be introduced to the real Lobo. A ruthless killer, Lobo is on a quest to kill the man who has taken his name. This Lobo is equal parts strong, vicious, and driven. There’s a darker and more logical idea about what a force of nature like him is capable of. After all, this is someone who can infiltrate high society,...

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

June has been an eventful month for Superman fans with the release of the film, Man Of Steel and the release of the first issues of the comic book titles Superman Unchained and Batman/Superman. Writer Greg Pak along with artists Jae Lee and Ben Oliver are off to a good start with the Batman/Superman comic book. The issue’s title, Cross World, is interesting due to the panels on the page that display the different upbringings of Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. The work done by the creative team in the first few pages creates questions of how these two individuals can coexist.

The difference in the upbringings of Clark and Bruce are the highlight of the title page because their experiences have influenced how they view the world. Clark believes there are explanations for the bad choices people make. From Bruce’s perspective,...

Justice League #23.1: Darkseid Written by Greg Pak Art by Paulo Siqueria 3-D motion cover by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado On sale September 4 Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips, you conform or die. Now born into his realm is an anomaly who looks to challenge that. A trickster, who will go to any length to survive even if it means sacrificing worlds to do it—leading to an Earth shattering confrontation between The Man of Steel and a Dark Lord. Justice League #23.2: Lobo Written by Marguerite Bennett Art by Ben Oliver 3-D motion cover by Aaron Kuder On sale September 11 • 32 pg, Fc, $3.99 Us • Rated T Deep in the dark corridors of space, lives a black-hearted being of unimaginable power. He's witnessed horrors beyond description and committed unparalleled evils. In all of history, no being has ever been capable of as much chaos and terror as this lone individual. This is...

It was recently announced that Clive Barker was working on a brand new original comic book series, titled Next Testament. The first issue is set to be released tomorrow, but we have eight preview pages you can check out right now.

“This May, Boom! Studios is honored to be the home of the first original comic series created and written by Clive Barker himself – Clive Barker’S Next Testament. With interior art by Haemi Jang (Hellraiser: The Road Below) and covers by illustrator Goni Montes, the twelve issue comic event is a bold new exploration of religious themes as only Barker can deliver.

Julian Demond, captain of industry, has left behind everything to begin a walkabout — he believes he’s on a mission from God. While in the wasteland, he comes across a figure unlike any other, who calls himself Wick…and claims to be God. Their journey will span the globe,...

Grant Morrison is one of the greatest writers Superman has ever had – if not the greatest. His book All Star Superman remains the high water-mark of quality for all Superman books and his understanding of the character is so profound that his stories have qualities to them that few other stories possess. So it’s always cause for celebration when a new Superman book comes out with Morrison’s name on the cover – and Bulletproof is no exception.

While the first Action Comics book was a patchy affair in terms of quality, I think the second book is far better – the stories are more ambitious and sophisticated and they all contain many great Superman moments. But given the New 52 label and that this is only the second book in this reboot, I feel Morrison’s advanced storytelling approach and use of pre-New 52 continuity could throw and alienate the new readership...

Word of a new project coming our way from Clive Barker is always cause for celebration, and today we have a look at his Next Testament, set for release in May by Boom! Studios.

From the Press Release:

This May Boom! Studios is honored to be the home of the first original comic series created and written by Clive Barker himself - Clive Barker'S Next Testament. With interior art by Haemi Jang (Hellraiser: The Road Below) and covers by illustrator Goni Montes, the twelve-issue comic event is a bold new exploration of religious themes as only Barker can deliver.

Julian Demond, captain of industry, has left behind everything to begin a walkabout -- he believes he’s on a mission from God. While in the wasteland, he comes across a figure unlike any other, who calls himself Wick...and claims to be God. Their journey will span the globe,...

Fans of Clive Barker have plenty to look forward to this year. He’s working with Brandon Seifert on the ongoing Hellraiser comic book series, and Boom! Studios just announced that he’ll be writing a brand new original comic book series, titled Next Testament:

“April 22, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA – This May, Boom! Studios is honored to be the home of the first original comic series created and written by Clive Barker himself – Clive Barker’S Next Testament. With interior art by Haemi Jang (Hellraiser: The Road Below) and covers by illustrator Goni Montes, the twelve issue comic event is a bold new exploration of religious themes as only Barker can deliver.

Julian Demond, captain of industry, has left behind everything to begin a walkabout — he believes he’s on a mission from God. While in the wasteland, he comes across a figure unlike any other, who calls himself Wick…and claims to be God.

Production Company Movie Mogul Ltd (the producers of the fab Panic Button), have signed up Us actor Doug Jones for their up-coming production of sci-fi action horror We Are Monsters. Movie Mogul have also released a fantastic piece of concept art (pictured above) for the film which follows:

Lorna Thompson, a lonely suburban schoolgirl, [who] joins a mutant gang of teenagers on a quest to discover their true identities. They uncover a global conspiracy, which they must find the strength to fight before civilization is destroyed.

Jones, a former contortionist, who is perhaps best known for his roles as the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Abe Sapien in the Hellboy films and for his role in Pan’s Labyrinth, will play the part of the ‘monstrously evil’ Sir Daniel Southall. Also attached to the film, which goes into pre-production shortly is monster effects specialist Neill Gorton...

Working under the theory that you can never have too many pre-launch trailers, Square Enix released a new Hitman: Absolution video today that gives us a peek at Agent 47′s International Contract Agency (Ica) file.

The Ica files trailers are a series of videos (featuring exclusive artwork from comic artist Ben Oliver) that provide background information on the main cast in Hitman: Absolution. In the case of Agent 47 this means that we are finally getting some details on the series’ mysterious protagonist.

Agent 47′s Ica file tells us that he came to the Agency needing no additional training, and quickly racked up a 100% mission success rating. At some point the Original Assassin is tasked with killing his long-time handler Diana Burnwood, however, once the deed is done 47 goes rogue and quickly finds himself on the other side of the Agency’s contract hit list.

Check out the Hitman: Absolution Agent 47 Ica File trailer below,...

Square-Enix has released a brand new promo video for Hitman: Absolution, the latest installment in their popular stealth video game series developed by Io Interactive. The most recent video is the latest in a series of promos aimed at highlighting some of the many new features that gamers will see when the title arrives in stores later this month.

While we’ve already been shown snippets of the new weapons, stealth capabilities and advanced targeting systems that the new game will employ, the latest promo provides is with an in-depth look at the background of Agent 47 and his [former] position in the International Contract Agency (Ica).

The promo takes a deviation from showing more gameplay footage from Absolution and instead presents us with some beautiful artwork from comic artist Ben Oliver (Judge Dredd, The Losers, Ultimate X-Men). Gamers will learn a lot more about Agent 47′s shadowy past when the title is released,...

Comic: Action Comics #0

Written By: Grant Morrison

Pencils By: Ben Oliver

Publisher: DC Comics

Release Date: Out Now In Stores & Digital Download (Via Comixology)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

DC’s origin month continues with Action Comics #0 and after a year of changes to the Man of Steel that have largely been eye rollers (Super t-shirts, nano tech suits and the ability to read memory sticks) Superman finally gets a half decent comic story.

Grant Morrison tackles Lois’s first encounter with Superman and it begins when Superman, in his printed t-shirt getting knocked off a building and his super cape is stolen by a little kid. The beauty of this story is Morrison keeps it simple, a trait I wouldn’t say he was all that good at. Clark Kent joins the Daily Star and gets his own place, his best buddy tries to arrange a meet up with Lois...

Judd Winick has announced his departure from Batwing. The writer will leave DC Comics' Batman spinoff at an unconfirmed date following the end of his run on Catwoman. "It's with a heavy heart that I announce that I'll be leaving the DC monthly Batwing," Winick told Newsarama. "I've had a terrific time on the title and have loved crafting this adventure with some phenomenal people. "Artists Ben Oliver, Marcus To and Brain Reber have made these stories come to life. I will miss telling the tales of David Zavimbe, the (more)...

Batman has the most spin-off books of any of DC Comics' iconic characters. Many of the Dark Knight's sidekicks and villains received their own titles at one point or another over the years. One of the newest characters branching out on his own from the pages of Batman, Incorporated is Batwing. Batwing Volume 1: The Lost Kingdom collects the first six issues of this great series. 

Batman recruits Officer David Zavimbe of the Tinasha Police Department to be his "presence" in Africa as part of his new global initiative. Zavimbe keeps tabs on all the criminal activities during the day and pounces out of the shadows at night to defeat the scheming crooks as Batwing. A new masked villain in town calling himself Massacre is brutally slaying police officers and the members of a retired African crime fighting team called the Kingdom. Who is this mysterious butcher and why...

Square Enix has released a new "Ica Files" video that covers the background of a group of highly skilled assassins called The Saints. The Ica (International Contract Agency) files are a series of videos that provide in-depth background information on the main cast in Hitman: Absolution and features exclusive art from comic artist Ben Oliver. Hitman: Absolution is scheduled for global release on November 20 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

DC Comics' "Batwoman" #9, available May 9, 2012 is written by J.H. Williams III/Haden Blackman and illustrated by Amy Reeder and Rob Hunter, with covers by Ben Oliver and Reeder :

"...the next chapter in 'To Drown the World!' is an unconventional spy thriller of six interweaving lives with only one thing in common: 'Batwoman'..."

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DC Comics have released the very first look May 2012 solicitations for the Batman-themed titles and you can see the cover and issue details below. The month will mark the first major crossover event in DC’s newly rebooted ‘New 52′ universe with many of May’s issues directly relating to big events in their sister titles.

The ultra mysterious Court Owls, a centuries old secret in Gotham City, will make themselves fully known in the gigantic crossover, which will involve Batman, Batwing, Nightwing and Catwoman.

The full list of solicitations and the covers for May 2012′s titles are below. There are no less than thirteen Batman related issues below with the storyline anchored from Greg Capullo and Scott Snyder’s ‘Batman’, the ‘Night of Owls’ storyline will unfold through these weeks worth of issues, affecting the lives of Batman and his related family and crime fighting partners.

Comic geeks… Which issues will you be picking up?...

We hold in our hands the covers for DC Comics this February. As a child of four can plainly see, these comics have been hermetically sealed in a Cgc 9.9 slab, and they’ve been kept in a #2 mayonnaise jar under a giant stack of returned copies of Holy Terror since noon today.

What do we have worth noting? The new look of Darkseid, and we’re far enough into the new 52 books that it’s time for Batman to start crossing over in all of them. Plus Mara Jade, the red-haired assassin who fell in love with her blond-haired man she was sent to kill– oh, I’m sorry, that’s from Star Wars. This is Mera in a jade outfit. Our mistake.

Shall we? Surely!

As usual, spoilers may lurk beyond this point.

Justice League #6

Written by Geoff Johns

Art and cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

1:...

DC Comics has released an extensive checklist of ‘The New 52′ hardcovers, complete with releases dates, that are expected to be released next year. Each hardcover book will contain the first six issues of each ‘New 52′ title and are sure to make an excellent addition for the fans who have been missing out on the single issues.

Coming in May 2012:

Justice League Vol. 1 Hc

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artists: Jim Lee and Scott Williams

Collects: Justice League #1-6

$24.99 Us, 176 pg

Animal Man Vol. 1 Tp

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artists: Travel Foreman, Jeff Huet and John Paul Leon

Collects: Animal Man #1-6

$14.99 Us, 144 pg

Batman Vol. 1 Hc

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artists: Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion

Collects: Batman #1-7

$24.99 Us, 176 pg

Justice League International Vol. 1 Tp

Writer: Dan Jurgens

Artists: Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan and Marco Castiello

Collects: Justice League International #1-6

$14.99 Us, 144 pg

Green Lantern Vol. 1: Sinestro Rebirth Hc

Writer: Geoff Johns...

These were posted by The Source blog!

Batman #5

Written by Scott Snyder

Art by Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion

Cover by Greg Capullo • Variant cover by Andy Kubert

1:200 B&W variant cover by Greg Capullo

On sale January 18 • 32 pg, Fc, $2.99 Us • Rated T

Combo pack edition: $3.99 Us

Deep beneath Gotham City lies the Court of Owls’ deadliest trap – and Batman has fallen right into it! Can he escape, or will he perish in a maze of nightmare? Enter the labyrinth, Batman – if you dare!

This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

Detective Comics #5

Written by Tony S. Daniel

Art by Tony S. Daniel and Sandu Florea

Cover by Tony S. Daniel

1:25 Variant cover by Tony S. Daniel

On sale January 4 • 32 pg, Fc, $2.99 Us • Rated T

There’s been a seriers of assassinations...

In the latest of our comprehensive series of reviews of DC Comics' 52 relaunched titles, we take a look at Batwing #1. Who's it by?

Batwing #1 is written by Judd Winick (Justice League: Generation Lost, Power Girl) and penciled by Ben Oliver (Ultimate X-Men, Young X-Men). What's the history?

Batwing was created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Chris Burnham, and made his debut in Batman Incorporated #5 earlier this year. The character is notable for being the first Batman-related character based in Africa, where he is currently in training under Batman's tutelage to become the country's premier superhero. While Batman Incorporated is now on a hiatus until 2012, the character is expected to play a role in Morrison's plan for next year's Leviathan event. What's (more)...

Nightwing #3

Written by Kyle Higgins

Art and cover by by Eddy Barrows and Jp Mayer

On sale November 16 • 32 pg, Fc, $2.99 Us

Rated T

The Big Top comes to the Windy City! After the massive events of issue 2, the circus heads to Chicago – and Dick Grayson is along for the

ride! But as Nightwing puts pressure on ex-Haley connections in search for answers about his past, one lead may be far too explosive to handle! Be here as Nightwing takes his quest for the truth to the Second City!

The Huntress #2

Written by Paul Levitz

Art by Marcus To and John Dell

Cover by Guillem March

On sale November 9 • 32 pg, 2 of 6, Fc, $2.99 Us • Rated T

Helena Bertinelli takes a trip to Naples, Italy, but she’s not there on holiday. As her alter ego, the Huntress, she’s uncovered a human trafficking and gun-smuggling ring that only scratches the surface of Mafioso activity!

Here it is. The full 52 titles that DC Will debut at the end of the summer. There are a lot of exciting new beginnings for old favorites like Swamp Thing and Sgt. Rock, and the whole lineup is chock full of some of the greatest names in the business. I’m a little disappointed that DC burned 11 of its new titles on the Bat-family alone. That seems a little bit of a waste. Especially since 4 of those titles actually feature Bruce Wayne/Batman in them. I love Bats as much as the next guy, but 4 titles? Really? I thought the whole renumbering was supposed to fix things like that.

In any event, here are the 52. I’m pretty excited all around. Let me hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Justice League #1

Written by Geoff Johns

Art and cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

1:25 Variant cover by David Finch

On sale August 31 • 40 pg,...

Making it all official, here are all 52 of the #1 solicits from DC Comics for September.

Justice League #1

Written by Geoff Johns

Art and cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

1:25 Variant cover by David Finch

Retrosolicited • On sale August 31 • 40 pg, Fc, $3.99 Us Rated T • Combo pack edition: $4.99 Us

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

Comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee make history! In a universe where super heroes are strange and new, Batman has discovered a dark evil that requires him to unite the World Greatest Heroes!

This spectacular debut issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

Justice League International #1

Written by Dan Jurgens

Art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Cover by Aaron Lopresti

On sale September 7 • 32 pg, Fc, $2.99 Us • Rated T...

Marvel has released a teaser for its 'Point One' title Alpha Flight #0.1. Written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente with artwork from Ben Oliver, the comic marks the return of the eponymous superhero team and ties in with the 'Fear Itself' event. According to the publisher's solicitation, the storyline sees the team attempt to thwart a group of super-powered terrorists, who launch an attack on Election Day. "Alpha Flight fans rejoice! One of comics' greatest teams is back in their own book! Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak have crafted a perfect jumping (more)...