Ivan Reis has been talking to Newsarama‘s Vaneta Rogers about leaving Aquaman and taking over Jim Lee’s pencilling role on Justice League. He describes his own style as “cleaner” than Lee’s and that one deliberate change he has made is to consciously draw a smaller Cyborg, a more human looking figure, as opposed to the constant “battle mode” version favoured by Lee:

I’m going for a more ‘humanized’ type of body for him, instead of making him bulkier and heavy. It’s my idea to make him more human, and make him blend more with mankind. He [still] has control of what his body can look like, so he can choose when to go ‘Battle-Mode on!’”

The transition to the new book has been made easier for Reis by the fact that his first arc is a crossover with hid old Aquaman book. He told Newsarama that:

Right now, I’m wrapping up my first arc, ‘Throne of Atlantis,’ and it’s a direct follow-up from the events on Aquaman, but now dealing with a more expanded universe and cast of characters,[..] It’s a mix between Lord of The Rings and Clone Wars for me.

Go see Newarama for the full chat.

Justice League Dark writer Jeff Lemire and his new co-writer Ray Fawkes have been interviewed by Newsarama’s Vaneta Rogers about their post-Books of Magic plotlines. Lemire started off by explaining how Ray came to be his cowriter,

So when I got the Green Arrow assignment, I knew my schedule was going to tighten up quite a bit. And I had a decision to make. Would I leave Dark, which I didn’t really want to do? Because I really liked the characters in the book and feel like we’ve been getting some momentum going. So it just seemed like a good opportunity for me to ask Ray to come in and co-write with me, and help me schedule this stuff.

To start, when I needed the most help, we would talk the stuff together, and Ray would do the bulk of the scripting, and then we’d go over it together. So it really helped free my time quite a bit. That’s how it started. And now, it’s become, pretty much full collaboration, where we’re both really 50/50, writing the thing. It’s been really fun.

They also described how the format of the book would revolve around Zatanna, Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, and Frankenstein. The latter being added as his own book has just been cancelled and Lemire had developed an affinity for Frankenstein after writing his first New 52 adventures. Zatanna will also be more of a focus over the comics months.

The writers commented finally on their longer term plans,

Lemire: Geoff Johns and Scott [Snyder] and Pete Tomasi and Scott Lobdell and I were all in New York after the Comic Con there, and we had a writers summit with editorial. And we made plans.

Yes, the Justice League Dark team and the members — we have plans for all those guys throughout that, and we have plans to tie closer to what Geoff’s doing.

Geoff and I also want to do something in the future with the Justice League Dark team and what he’s doing with magic in Shazam.

So there are a lot of opportunities to keep this book closely tied with what’s going on in the bigger universe.

Fawkes: During Trinity War, readers are going to want to keep a really close eye on what John Constantine is up to.

I must admit that I had my concerns when it was announced that Ray Fawkes was coming on board. I should stress that its nothing to do with Ray’s abilities, I’m sure he’s a great writer, but I was afraid that Jeff was on his way out. This interview really set those issues to rest. It looks like Justice League Dark will remain one of DC’s better books.

A perplexing thing appears in DC’s solicitations for February. The Young Justice comic, the one that ties with into the Cartoon Network series, has a large “Final Issue” notice stamped on the blurb for issue 25. Yet looking back in the sales charts we see that the title is consistently selling about 7500 units per month and has done so for the last year. The direct market numbers for cartoon tie-in books are always very low — I’m not quite sure how the economics work, but whatever they are they haven’t noticeably change in the last year. So absolute sales numbers in the direct-market cannot be the reason that it’s ending.

Nothing has been said and this is just my speculation, but there is one way that this could be the last issue of Young Justice, but not the last comic book to feature the cartoon continuity. Issue 25 will conclude the storyline that essentially serves as a prequel to the second season continuity. CN rebranded the show as Young Justice: Invasion for that second season.

Logically DC could be rebranding the comic as Young Justice: Invasion and relaunching it with a new first issue – it’s what they did when Justice League changed into Justice League Unlimited. A relaunch might also let they do some sort of digital-first type of release like they are doing with the Arkham City tie-ins. For that matter they could even do an online only tie-in to the Young Justice: Legacy computer game.

That’s my theory anyhow. A bit of wishful thinking and a pinch of reasonable.

DC have announced their marketing strategy New 52′s Justice League of America to MTV Geek. The book hits in 2013 and will be accompanied by two new ongoing titles featuring members of the team, a change of writer on another team-members book, and one of the most over the top variant cover shipments ever.

Justice League of America (vol. 3) #1 ()‘s cover has been designed by David Finch in homage to Joe Rosenthal’s photograph of the “Raising the Flash on Iwo Jima” from World War II. Finch’s version relegates the characters to a small area at the bottom and uses the flag as a large blank canvas into which DC can drop variant logos for each of the variant covers. The “regular” cover will just feature the normal Stars and Stripes in this space (shown above left). Each of variants, however, will feature the flag of a different US State — all 50 of the them — with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico added to bring the number up to 52 complete DC’s favourite meme.

I must admit that I rolled my eyes when DC announced this initiative. It seemed that they’d lost all sense. However, even DC realise that 52 collectible covers is going too far. Comic shops are therefore able to order any of the covers in any quantities they want to. The idea being that an Illinois comic shop could focus their order on the Illinois variant, an Hawaii comic shop could order the Hawaiian variant, etc. DC Sales guru, Bob Wayne explained to Newsarama that :

The idea that was suggested was we highlight that it’s the Justice League of America by taking the flags of the 50 states. And the only thing that might be a stretch to some people is that, because 52 is a number with some resonance for us, we took the 50 states and added the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to get to 52.

So it’s not an incentive. And retailers don’t have to hit any buying threshold to purchase the variants. They can purchase what they want of any of them, or none of them.

You can buy all variants just from your state. But we’re also going to be offering a block set of all 52 variants, plus the standard cover, to make it easy for people to want to buy the whole set so there’s no collectability chase involved with it.

We just thought it was a fun way of pointing out that this is the Justice League of America.

And just as an aside, New York’s State Logo is Excelsior so DC are going to be producing a cover high-lighting Stan Lee’s famous catchphrase.

The release of the new JLA will be accompanied by Jeff Lemire taking over as writer on Green Arrow. He told CBR that his idea is for “a hard-hitting, thriller/action/crime book”. There will also be two new ongoing series featuring Vibe (stop sniggering) and Katanna.

The Katanna series will be written by written by current Green Arrow and Catwoman writer Ann Nocenti and illustrated by Alex Sanchez. Nocenti told MTV Geek that,

KATANA will be a lean, mean, and very visual book. There will always be a spectacular battle in a striking setting. I am inspired by both Japanese Samurai films, in particular the films of Kurosawa, and how they share the spirit of American Westerns, with the influences running in both directions, and including the “Spaghetti Westerns” and films of Sam Peckinpah.

Katanna’s star had been on the rise before this. She had been part in the New 52′s Birds of Prey and is duo to appear as Batman’s partner in a new animated series comic next year.

The Vibe book will be written by Andrew Kreisberg, one of the creators of WB’s Arrow adaptation of Green Arrow, and will be illustrated by Pete Woods (the promo cover above is by JLA’s David Finch). The promo image that DC released shows Vibe fighting Para-Demons with Darkseid’s head appearing ominously in the background. Kreisberg told the premise of the new book to MTV Geek,

And so we [Andrew and Geoff Johns] began the process of reimaging Cisco “Paco” Ramone. Cisco is a normal Hispanic teenager in Detroit… he goes to school, has a job, is ignored by his parents and both loves and loathes his ne’er do well brother, Dante. Normal… except that after being caught in the event horizon of a boomtube when Darkseid invaded Earth 5 years ago, Cisco has acquired the ability to generate vibrational forces. When we meet him, he has no plans to be a superhero. But when his powers become known to A.R.G.U.S. and Amanda Waller, Cisco is recruited by AGENT DALE GUNN. Detroit is an inter-dimensional hot zone. Any number of beings and creatures are able to enter our dimension through the motor city. Cisco is the only one who can sense these incursions… and fight them. And so, to save our dimension from dark forces from beyond our Universe, Cisco becomes the super hero known as Vibe.

I must admit that they sound like they’ve actually found an angle that makes Vibe work. I’m a sucker for series like OMAC, Chase, Manhunter, and the like which really delve into DC’s mythology – the guts of their Universe and it looks like Vibe could be one of those books. Nocenti’s Green Arrow run has been a little uneven, but her style may suit Katanna more. It is Jeff Lemire’s move to Green Arrow that probably interests me the most. He’s a great writer and the New 52′s Green Arrow really needs sorting out.

Upcoming this November, the Justice League continues their breakdown as the Cheetah Superman battles his former friends. Meanwhite, Justice League Dark kicks off a new storyline after the shocking conclusion of October’s Annual. The focus is upon new members Frankenstein, Amethyst, and Black Orchid. In the other Universes, stories are coming to an end as the yet-to-be Justice Society’s first adventure comes to a conclusion in Earth 2 and it’s the final fight against Kobra in Batman Beyond Unlimited.

We may not have any knew Young Justice episodes until January, but the comic book title continues an epic five-part story that bridges the gap between the first and second seasons.

Justice League (vol. 2) #14

• Credits: Writer: Geoff Johns; Cover Penciller: Tony S. Daniel; Penciller: Tony S. Daniel; Inker: Matt Banning and Sandu Florea; Cover Inker: Richard Friend; Colourist: Tomeu Morey; Cover Colourist: Tomeu Morey; Letterer: David Sharpe; Variant Cover Artist: Jason Fabok; Variant Cover Colourist: Alex Sinclair; Assistant Editor: Katie Kubert; Editor: Brian Cunningham
• Solicitation copy:The second chapter of a tale that lights the fuse that will ultimately explode in 2013's TRINITY WAR. The League must fight the mysterious Cheetah… AND a monstrous Superman! The result will radically change the dynamics of the entire team! Amid all this, where is Green Lantern? Plus: The next chapter of the SHAZAM backup epic by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank!
• Published:21 November 2012
• Length:40-pages
• Cost:$3.99

Justice League Dark #14

• Credits: Writer: Jeff Lemire; Artist: Lee Garbett; Cover: Ryan Sook
• Solicitation copy:A major new storyline starts here! In the aftermath of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1, the team picks up the pieces from their devastating losses. Black Orchid, Frankenstein and Amethyst explore the macabre House of Mystery — and what they find positions John Constantine as the most dangerous man in the DC Universe!
• Published:28 November 2012
• Length:32-pages
• Cost:$2.99

Batman Beyond Unlimited #10

• Credits: Writer: Adam Beechen, J.T. Krul, Dustin Nguyen, and Derek Fridolfs; Aritst: Dustin Nguyen, Derek Fridolfs, Howard Porter, Livesay, and Norm Breyfogle; Cover Artist: Dustin Nguyen
• Solicitation copy:The digital-first saga continues in the print debut of these Beyond adventures! Witness the last stand of the Justice League against Kobra in this storyline's cataclysmic conclusion! Superman settles into his new civilian identity as a ghost from his past appears to torment his future! "10,000 Clowns" continues as Batman and his allies desperately try to stop the assault on Gotham City!
• Published:28 November 2012
• Length:48-pages
• Cost:$3.99

Earth 2 #6

• Credits: Writer: James Robinson; Artist: Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott; Cover Artist: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
• Solicitation copy:The Green vs. The Grey! Who will decide the fate of this dying Earth: Green Lantern or Grundy? Will the new wonders of Earth band together to form the first super team since the death of the Trinity? Does super-genius Sloan really know what's best for this world?
• Published:7 November 2012
• Length:32-pages
• Cost:$2.99

Young Justice (vol. 2) #22

• Credits: Writer: Greg Weisman; Artist: Christopher Jones; Cover Artist: Christopher Jones
• Solicitation copy:The Invasion continues! Earth's greatest heroes are kidnapped by Kylstar! Brainiac has Metropolis under glass and Lex Luthor's secret weapon is on the loose!
• Published:21 November 2012
• Length:32-pages
• Cost:$2.99

The Justice League panel at the New York Comic Con included Justice League and Justice League of America writer Geoff Johns, outgoing Justice League artist Jim Lee, and new JLA artist David Finch.

There was talk from Johns about the upcoming “Throne of Atlantis” Aquaman/Justice League crossover and about the cover to Justice League #16 which sees the League battling each other. Before that, Justice League #13 will kick off a story featuring the Cheetah and introducing her to the DCU in a new way. Scripts for Justice League and the other books get shared around the DC offices to make sure everybody is on message. However, we can expect the integration to get a little tighter in the upcoming year. Shazam will join the Justice League where his story will continue.

In a widely reported quote, Johns said that the new [JLA] book would “make Martian Manhunter the most dangerous hero in the DC Universe”. The character has previously been seen in the New 52 as a member of Stormwatch. Johns later described him as “one-man illuminati”. The Injustice Gang were hinted at for JLA #1. Also “Everyone is saying who the hell is Vibe? The other characters will be saying that too” In response to a question Johns joked that “He feels like he’s a Red Shirt, as soon as they meet a villain or another hero he [thinks], ‘I’m gone!’”

Geoff Johns kept Stargirl out of Earth 2 as he wanted to write the character himself (he created her and based her on his late sister). The JLA Stargirl is “like an anti-Paris Hilton, anti-Amanda Bynes character. She’s the one everyone looks up to, she operates out of Hollywood now…she’s kind of the face of America.”

The Flash will feature Gorillas, Orion of the New Gods will become a supporting character in Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern Baz will find a mentor in an existing, but underused Green Lantern character. Booster Gold, who vanished at the end of the JLI Annual, will not “not-exist” for too long. Lee and Johns will be meeting with “people in charge of” the Milestone characters soon.

Newsarama had a video interview with Dan Didio where he described the new JLA book as a “counter point” to the main Justice League book and that the too teams would be at odds from the start. Steve Trevor had a very deliberate reason for picking everybody on the team.

Sources/More Detail:

• CBR: NYCC: Johns, Lee And DC Comics Launch “Justice League Of America”
• Newsarama: NYCC 2012: JUSTICE LEAGUE Panel With Johns, Lee, Finch! and Gallery
• DC Comics: NYCC 2012: DC Comics: Justice League
• The Beat: Justice League Panel –  Pelletier on Aquaman, an Icon Meeting (?), The Question is Back

This upcoming month sees the return of your regular service as the Justice League titles get back on track after September’s zero month issues. Justice League itself is about the only title to kick-off a new storyline as it features the arrival of the new Cheetah and the fallout from issue #12′s Superman/Wonder Woman kiss. Justice League Dark concludes “The War for the Books of Magic” in a regular issue and its first 48-page annual. On Earth 2 the yet-to-be Justice Society continue their fight against Grundy and on Earth 16 Young Justice team-up with their Justice League to fight the power of Brainiac. A set of great stories, but I don’t think I’ll be the only person trying to remember what happened two-months ago in all those separate New 52 titles.

Justice League (vol. 2) #13

• Credits: Writer: Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire; Cover Penciller: Tony S. Daniel; Penciller: Tony S. Daniel and Brad Walker; Inker: Richard Friend, Batt, and Drew Hennessy; Cover Inker: Richard Friend; Cover Colourist: Tomeu Morey; Colourist: Tomeu Morey and Jay David Ramos; Letterer: Patrick Bosseau; Variant Cover Artist: Alex Garner; Assistant Editor: Katie Kubert; Editor: Brian Cunningham
• Solicitation copy:GEOFF JOHNS is joined by TONY DANIEL for a two-part chapter in the Justice League saga marching toward TRINITY WAR. JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 will have the world debating its shocking conclusion – and where it will lead from here! The League takes on a villain destined to be one of the greatest threats to the DC Universe in the year ahead – the mysterious Cheetah! But who is she? What is her connection to Wonder Woman? And how will this fundamentally change the relationships within the team?
• Published:17 October 2012
• Length:40 pages
• Cost:$3.99

Justice League Dark #13

• Credits: Writer: Jeff Lemire; Layout: Mikel Janin; Finishes: Victor Drujiniu; Colourist: Ulises Arreola; Letterer: Rob Leigh; Cover Artist: Ryan Sook; Assistant Editor: Katie Kubert; Editor: Brian Cunningham
• Solicitation copy:House of Mystery vs. House of Secrets! The team is so badly defeated that even Constantine is out of tricks. Uh-oh… To be concluded in this month’s JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1.
• Published:24 October 2012
• Length:32 pages
• Cost:$2.99

Justice League Dark Annual #1

• Credits: Writer: Jeff Lemire; Artist: Mikel Janin; Colourist: Ulises Arreola; Letterer: Rob Leigh; Cover Artist: Ryan Sook; Assistant Editor: Katie Kubert; Editor: Brian Cunningham
• Solicitation copy:Continued from JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #13, it’s the big finale to Jeff Lemire’s first epic story! Guest-starring Frankenstein and, from the new series SWORD OF SORCERY, Amethyst!
• Published:31 October 2012
• Length:48 pages
• Cost:$4.99

Batman Beyond Unlimited #9

• Credits: Writer: Adam Beechen, J.T. Krul, Dustin Nguyen, and Derek Fridolfs; Artist: Dustin Nguyen, Derek Fridolfs, Howard Porter, Livesay, and Norm Breyfogle; Cover Artist: Howard Porter and Livesay
• Solicitation copy:The first time in print for these digital-first adventures! Catwoman battles The Jokerz as a shocking new ally joins the fight! It’s open warfare over Metropolis as KOBRA’s attempt to destroy the Earth begins! The cataclysmic conflict between Superman and Lex Luthor’s heir comes to a head!
• Published:31 October 2012
• Length:48 pages
• Cost:$3.99

Earth 2 #5

• Credits: Writer: James Robinson; Artist: Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott; Cover Artist: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
• Solicitation copy: It’s the final showdown with GRUNDY! The Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and The Flash take on Grundy and the military’s hero, The Atom! The Green Lantern makes a choice that will change the course of Earth 2 forever!
• Published:3 October 2012
• Length:32 pages
• Cost:$2.99

Young Justice (vol. 2) #21

• Credits: Writer: Greg Weisman; Artist: Christopher Jones; Cover Artist: Min Sung Ku
• Solicitation copy:Aliens have arrived on Earth-16! Superboy and five Justice Leaguers have been abducted! Metropolis is in danger! Enter: BRAINIAC!
• Published:17 October 2012
• Length:32 pages
• Cost:$2.99

In a move that will surely pain fans of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado’s run on Aquaman, DC Comics have announced that they are moving across to Justice League. Buzzfeed carried the announcement with exclusive covers to Justice League #15 and #16 and quoted JL writer Geoff Johns, that:

The second year of JUSTICE LEAGUE will begin an adventurous, mysterious and heroic storyline focusing on our members as their greatest secrets are revealed…and the repercussions change the world. Ivan and Joe begin with a story they were born to draw — THRONE OF ATLANTIS — a story between JUSTICE LEAGUE and AQUAMAN that will have the League experiencing what Aquaman does — they’ll be caught between land and sea. With new relationships developing – like Wonder Woman and Superman – new members coming on – like Shazam! and the all-new Atom — and new threats rising — like Ocean Master & Atlantis — the Justice League will grow and change as we march towards the impending TRINITY WAR.

The move then appears to be a logical continuation of the work that Reis and Prado had done on Aquaman with Johns. The conflict with Aquaman had been trailed in JL #12. Ivan and Joe are a great art team and are possibly the only regular team that can top Jim Lee and Scott Williams’s work.

As to the absence of Jim Lee, DC Comics’s Source teased:

And for you Jim Lee fans out there, don’t worry. We’ve got some major news coming soon.

The move had been rumoured by Bleeding Cool sometime ago. They have also been reporting that Jim Lee is drawing a new Superman Man of Steel book.