A Shocking New Shazam Rises in DC’s Upcoming Releases
The New Champion of Shazam! leads DC’s new releases, handing the title over from Billy Batson to a hero readers may recognize from the Shazam! family.
DC Comics crowns a new Shazam! in this week’s comic releases.
After being announced months ago (originally set to debut in Feb. 2022), The New Champion of Shazam! finally hits store shelves and digital platforms on Tuesday. As of Teen Titans Academy #15, Billy Batson is off guarding the Rock of Eternity and going on adventures with the demon Amoreena. The new, four-issue miniseries now places Mary Bromfield aka Mary Marvel in the role of Shazam’s champion, marking the character’s first solo miniseries. The New Chamption of Shazam! #1 is just one of many new issues though.
On the Bat Family side of the DC Universe, both Red Hood and Azrael are getting the spotlight with their own respective miniseries. The two-part Batman: The White Knight Presents – Red Hood title, another chapter in Sean Murphy’s White Knight universe, explores Jason Todd’s life and his perilous encounter with the Joker as Robin. Meanwhile, Sword of Azrael will be a six-issue miniseries that sees Jean-Paul Valley return to his violent mantle to help a young woman in need. DC is also reprinting the prelude story to Sword of Azrael told across issues of Batman: Urban Legends, collected in this week’s Sword of Azrael: Dark Knight of the Soul #1.
Other notable mentions for Tuesday include the beginning of Harley Quinn‘s «Task Force XX» arc, the one-shot prequel to the Black Adam film focusing on Cyclone and the third issue of the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event. The full list of releases can be found alphabetically below, covers and solicitations included.
AQUAMAN: ANDROMEDA #2
- Written by RAM V
- Art and cover by CHRISTIAN WARD
- Variant cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
- 1:25 variant cover by CASPAR WIJNGAARD
- $6.99 US | 48 pages | 2 of 3 | 8 1/2″ x 10 7/8″ | Prestige Plus
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- When an underwater explosion rocks the crew of the Andromeda, Aquaman comes to their rescue, but the damage has already been done. The explosion has damaged the ship’s core and unleashed a sickness that will threaten everyone on board. But as tensions flare, Black Manta makes his move—it’s information he’s after, but what do ancient aliens have to do with Atlantis?
BATMAN #126
- Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
- Art and cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
- Backup art by BELÉN ORTEGA
- Variant covers by ALEX GARNER and GUILLEM MARCH
- Swimsuit variant cover by MIKEL JANÍN
- 1:25 variant cover by INHYUK LEE
- 1:50 variant cover by JOCK
- 1:100 variant cover by RYAN SOOK
- $4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- Batman has battled all manner of criminals, monsters, and super-villains, but nothing could have prepared him for what’s coming with Failsafe, an unstoppable foe that can outfight and outthink the Dark Knight—but could a dark connection to Batman’s past be the answer?
- In the backup, Catwoman is piecing together the lineage of one of Gotham’s most notorious criminal families…and it’s not for the faint of heart!
BATMAN BEYOND: NEO-YEAR #5
- Written by COLLIN KELLY and JACKSON LANZING
- Art and cover by MAX DUNBAR
- Variant cover by CHRISTIAN WARD
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | 5 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- You can never go home again! Neo-Gotham and its Sword have compromised and gravely injured officer Beam Boonma. To save her life, Terry McGinnis will bring her to what remains of the Batcave, begging one of his newest foes, Gestalt, to help him. Terry has one last chance to save Neo-Gotham from itself. He’ll have to take everything he’s learned in this year without Bruce and redefine the legend of Batman once and for all.
BATMAN: KILLING TIME #6
- Written by TOM KING
- Art and cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
- Variant cover by KAEL NGU
- 1:25 variant cover by BEN OLIVER
- $4.99 US | 40 pages | 6 of 6 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- All hell breaks loose as a gang war in Gotham erupts over the mysterious artifact stolen by Catwoman and the Riddler! Blood will be shed, lives be lost, and a shocking ending will leave your head spinning!
BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT PRESENTS: RED HOOD #1
- Written by SEAN MURPHY and CLAY McCORMACK
- Art by SIMONE DI MEO
- Cover by SEAN MURPHY
- Variant cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
- 1:25 variant cover by SIMONE DI MEO
- 1:50 variant cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
- $4.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 2 | (All covers card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- The world of Batman: White Knight continues to expand in this exciting new miniseries! With things heating up in Neo-Gotham, Jason Todd revisits his post-Robin past to find the one ally he believes will help him turn the tide in the battle against Derek Powers.
- “Bruce Wayne is Batman.” Four words that saved Jason’s life and destroyed his future forever. Banished by his mentor and damaged by The Joker, the former Robin is left to become something different, something stronger, a relentless force for justice in the city…Red Hood! With nobody to answer to, he walks the dangerous line between hero and villain. That is until he meets Gan, a local girl from East Backport who needs his help to save her neighborhood from a super-criminal terrorizing its citizens. And she’s willing to fight alongside him, whatever it takes!
BLACK ADAM – THE JUSTICE SOCIETY FILES: CYCLONE #1
- Written by CAVAN SCOTT and BRYAN Q. MILLER
- Art by MARIA LAURA SANAPO and MARCO SANTUCCI
- Cover by KAARE ANDREWS
- Photo variant cover
- $5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- When she was young, Maxine Hunkel dreamed of flying with the Justice Society. Now she finally has the powers and the opportunity…but will she say yes? Guest starring Hawkman on the road to Black Adam! Plus, continuing the Teth-Adam backup story: trouble hits home for Adrianna Tomaz as Intergang mercenaries invade the hallowed halls of her university, on the hunt for the sacred totem she “liberated”—but what strange metal is the idol made from, and why does Intergang need it so badly?
- Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
- Art and cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
- Variant cover by LEE WEEKS
- 1:25 variant cover by JOHN GIANG
- 1:50 variant cover by ETHAN YOUNG
- 1:100 foil variant cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
- Homage variant cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
- $4.99 | 32 pages | 3 of 7 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- THE BATTLE OF THE EMERALD ARMY HAS BEGUN!
- Hal Jordan has launched all-out war on Pariah and the Dark Army to avenge his fallen Justice League teammates—but how can one man stand in the way of the Great Darkness? Meanwhile back on Earth, Titans Tower has burned and Deathstroke’s army has continued its scorched-earth march across the planet. To stop Slade Wilson, the young heroes of the DCU might have no other choice than to turn to the brutal tactics of Black Adam…
- Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG and JAMES TYNION IV
- Art by OTTO SCHMIDT
- Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
- Variant cover by NATHAN SZERDY
- 1:25 variant cover by JOHN GIANG
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | 8 of 12 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- The battle for Earth continues in this bloodthirsty series! The surviving heroes put their various plans in motion in their last attempt to save humanity! The Birds of Prey are out for blood and head back into the heart of the vampire kingdom: Gotham City! Supergirl must cross a vampire-infested ocean and Green Arrow’s mission is…just too horrifying to mention!
- Written by GEOFF JOHNS, JEREMY ADAMS, and TIM SHERIDAN
- Art by XERMÁNICO
- Cover by MITCH GERADS
- Variant cover by XERMÁNICO
- 1:25 variant cover by JIM CHEUNG
- 1:50 variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | 4 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- Thomas Wayne is quickly closing in on the Clockwork Killer, but his investigation might be impeded by young Dexter Dent and his own vigilante agenda: breaking his mother out of Arkham!
- Written by STEPHANIE PHILLIPS
- Art by GEORGES DUARTE
- Cover by JONBOY MEYERS
- Variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
- 1:25 variant cover by ROSE BESCH
- Homage variant cover by RYAN SOOK
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- One small step for the Gotham villains, one giant leap for clown-kind! That’s right…this fashionably vocal clown is headed to space. Turns out there’s some old experiment left in the JLA moon base, and Luke Fox has put together a team of former villains to help clean up the mess. Sendin’ a buncha villains to the moon…? What could go right? Join me, Killer Frost, Bronze Tiger, Solomon Grundy, and more as we learn to moonwalk and put the X in Task Force XX!
MAD MAGAZINE #27
- Written by THE USUAL GANG OF IDIOTS
- Art by THE USUAL GANG OF IDIOTS WITH CRAYONS
- Cover by A YET-TO-BE-DETERMINED IDIOT
- $5.99 US | 56 pages
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- Celebrate 70 years of America’s longest-running humor magazine! MAD continues to skewer everything pop culture! The October issue features a spooktacular variety of horrific classic parodies plus monstrous MAD favorites like Spy vs. Spy, “A MAD Look at…” by Sergio Aragonés, and more from the Usual Gang of Idiots. MAD will surely make the whole family shudder with laughter and shiver with silliness.
MULTIVERSITY: TEEN JUSTICE #3
- Written by IVAN COHEN and DANNY LORE
- Art by MARCO FAILLA
- Cover by ROBBI RODRIGUEZ
- Variant cover by STEPHANIE HANS
- 3.99 US | 32 pages | 3 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- The miniseries that goes to 11 (Earth-11, that is) gets even wilder, as the mysteries of a gender-flipped universe become clearer…and more shocking! From the depths of space to Superwoman’s island fortress to the heart of the Church of Blood, Kid Quick and the rest of Teen Justice discover the threat they face is even greater than they imagined! What secret does a stranded Aquagirl learn from Green Lantern Hal Ferris? Why has Raven lost so much of his power? And what does Sister Blood have planned for Troy?
THE NEW CHAMPION OF SHAZAM! #1
- Written by JOSIE CAMPBELL
- Art and cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
- Variant cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON
- 1:25 variant cover by GARY FRANK
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 4 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- Mary Bromfield has always struggled to determine who she is outside her family…kinda hard to do when you’re all superheroes! Now, after Billy Batson’s heroic sacrifice, the power of Shazam has vanished, and she’s been left powerless. Most heroes would be distraught, but not Mary. It’s finally time for a voyage of self-discovery as she prepares for her freshman year of college and a civilian life. But nothing is ever truly normal for this young hero, because she’s just been chosen as the new champion of Shazam! (At least according to a talking rabbit sent by her estranged brother Billy.) Will she embrace the power? Or will it die along with this world’s hope of survival against the mysterious magical forces waiting to take control? Find out in Mary’s first solo miniseries, brought to you by up-and-coming comics writer Josie Campbell (Future State: Green Lantern) and fan-favorite Shazam artist Evan “Doc” Shaner (Strange Adventures, Convergence: Shazam!)!
POISON IVY #3
- Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
- Art by MARCIO TAKARA
- Cover by JESSICA FONG
- Variant covers by JOSHUA MIDDLETON and STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
- 1:25 variant cover by JUSTINE FRANY
- 1:50 variant cover by SEB McKINNON
- Swimsuit variant cover by JOELLE JONES with JORDIE BELLAIRE
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- Fixing the world isn’t easy work, and Ivy’s all hot and sweaty because of it! Getting her hands dirty was never an issue, but when plant assassins come after her, Ivy must be willing to play dirty as well. Featuring variants from some of comics’ most prestigious creators Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Josh Middleton, Justine Frany, and Seb McKinnon!
SWORD OF AZRAEL #1
- Written by DAN WATTERS
- Art and cover by NIKOLA ČIŽMEŠIJA
- Variant cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON
- 1:25 variant cover by CLAIRE ROE
- 1:50 variant cover by JOE QUESADA and TOMEU MOREY
- $3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- The warrior angel of St. Dumas returns! Jean-Paul Valley does not want to be Azrael ever again. All it has brought him is pain, violence, and misery. He has sequestered himself away at a monastery in Europe to find peace. But when a young woman who claims to have the same System programming that made Jean-Paul into Azrael arrives at the monastery, he won’t have a choice but to don his violent mantle of Azrael once more to protect her from the deadly assassins who wish her harm. From the rising star creative team of Dan Watters (Arkham City: The Order of the World, Lucifer) and Nikola Čižmešija (Batman: Urban Legends, Future State: Gotham) this miniseries will redefine one of the Batman world’s most iconic and fierce characters.
SWORD OF AZRAEL: DARK KNIGHT OF THE SOUL #1
- Written by DAN WATTERS
- Art and cover by NIKOLA ČIŽMEŠIJA
- Variant cover by JUNI BA
- $3.99 US | 40 pages | One-shot | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
- ON SALE 8/2/22
- The Angel of St. Dumas’s faith is challenged! This issue collects the critically acclaimed three part story that ran in the pages of Batman: Urban Legends ahead of the August debut of the new Sword of Azrael miniseries. Azrael has returned to Gotham City after a long time away, unsure of his purpose and having his faith constantly challenged by demonic developments in the city. The arrival of the new antagonist the Poor Fellow will change Azrael’s future forever. Reprints the Azrael stories from Batman: Urban Legends #8-10 that lead into Sword of Azrael #1!
All of these issues go on sale Aug. 2 from DC Comics.
Source: DC Comics