Or However Many I Feel Like, And They May Not All Be Facts
Welcome back to By The Numbers, the column where I count things in this week’s new comics from DC! This column will contain spoilers, but I’ll keep them as vague as possible while still amusing myself.
In the previous editions of this column, I’ve only covered ~half of DC’s titles for that week, with Cori McCreery covering the other half in her column. The plan has changed! We’re now each going to cover all the titles, but in different ways. I’ll be flippant about them and make up numbers, while she’ll be honest and thoughtful in her one-paragraph reviews. Or something like that. We’re still figuring out what’s going to work for us.
This week, wow. This week, y’all. There’s a lot of stuff. Some of it is HOT! Some of it is a hot mess. Let’s get into it.
Main Ongoing Titles
Aquaman #27
Number of borderless panels that fade around bordered panels: 7
I don’t know why I love Sejic’s art style so much, but I do.
Batman #29
Number of courses served by Alfred to supervillains: 8, but only because they left before dessert
Number of panels in which it’s really off-putting that Riddler’s drawn “sexy”: 20, and that’s not including the mutton chops
Batwoman #26
NUMBER OF TIMES KATE AND RENEE KISS: 1! I don’t care if it’s an AU thing. I’m excited.
Number of ominous references to the “new Batman”: 11
Green Arrow #29
Number of upskirt panels of Black Canary: 1, ew
Number of lines of petulant bickering between Batman and Green Lantern: 17
Green Lanterns #29
Number of Green Lanterns who go Super Saiyan: 4
Number of pretty cool designs for new old Green Lanterns: 6
Justice League #27
Number of Leaguers who did not expect to find out they’re parents: 6
Nightwing #27
Number of melodramatic lines about what it really means to be a spy: 18
Super Sons #7
Number of bathroom humor jokes: 4
Superman #29
Number of major characters in the first 20 pages of the book: 2, the detective and the villain. It feels like an 80s Batman book.
Trinity #12
Number of trinities appearing in this issue: 3
Wonder Woman #28
Number of uses of the word “peace”: 7
Other Titles
Astro City #46
Number of panels that could’ve been lifted straight out of a classic Shade the Changing Man issue: All of them
Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #11
Number of weird alien wangs: 2
Dark Nights: Metal #1
Number of industry professionals who’ve said they loved this major crossover event issue: Like, everyone
Number of times I angrily shouted “WHAT!?” at it: 7
DC Bombshells #33
Number of lines spoken by male heroes in this very wordy finale issue: 1, if you count Constantine
Future Quest Showcase #1
Number of veiled references to classic comedy show Space Ghost Coast to Coast: 3
Number of jokes: 0
Gotham City Garage #1
Number of books this week with Batman-styled stormtroopers in an AU: 2
Injustice 2 #8
Number of books this week that prominently feature parent/child dynamics: 6
Jack Kirby’s 100 – The Sandman Special #1
Number of features grappling with public fears about “genetics” drawn by a Jewish man who fought in WWII: 5 included in this issue
The American Way #2
Number of hard questions asked about real-world US society: like 8, at least
