Hope everyone who celebrates a winter holiday had or is having a happy one, here we are at the end of another year, and another 638 comics covered by this here pubwatch. 2022 was full of great DC Comics, but really the two biggest winners of the year were Catwoman and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest.
The News
After the last couple of months this month was slower for news. Mostly just the news that Henry Cavill won’t be returning as Superman after all.
Highlights
First let’s cover this month’s books in brief. For my thoughts on Action Comics #1050, I send you over to ComicsBeat.
Catwoman #50
Deron Bennett (letters), Veronica Gandini (colors), Juan Ferreyra (artist), Lucas Gattoni (letters), Tini Howard (writer), Nico Leon (artist), Lee Loughridge (colors), Inaki Miranda (artist), David Nakayama (cover)
December 20, 2022
The Tini Howard era of Catwoman has been an absolute slam dunk for the character, making even the book’s tie-ins to the Punchline comic worth reading. This series has been a thrill ride since Howard took over, culminating with an explosive anniversary issue this month. While the front 2/3 of the book was filled with action and the climax of Catwoman’s war against Punchline it’s the back 1/3 that most captured my enthusiasm. The climax of the issue lands Selina back in prison, while Punchline gets away, and the short coda story by Howard, Miranda, and Ferreyra sets the stage for the next chapter in Selina Kyle’s story, one that is going to have her trying to dig her way back up from rock bottom.
Grade: A+
Batman: Beyond the White Knight #7
Andworld Design (letters), Sean Murphy (art, cover, writer), Dave Stewart (colors)
December 27, 2022
Are people tired of the White Knightverse yet? I mean I was never not tired of it, but I’m hoping that just maybe other people are getting sick of the same one-trick pony it’s been from day one. “Haha here’s good guy Joker isn’t he a blast?” Don’t worry, even though this version of the Joker is dead, he’s still somehow hanging around as some sort of psychic projection latched onto Bruce’s brain. It would have been a lot better if it was actual hallucinations, but no, it’s an actual possession of sorts, because as of this issue other people can see him now thanks to him possessing the hardware in Terry’s suit and operating a holoprojector from it. This is so stupid.
Grade: F
Grades
A+
Catwoman #50
A
Action Comics #1050
Batgirls #13
Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2
Batman #130
Batman vs. Robin #4
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
G.C.P.D.: The Blue Wall #3
I Am Batman #16
Monkey Prince #9
Nightwing #99
Superman: Son of Kal-El #18
The Riddler: Year One #2
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons: Book Three
B
Batman: Urban Legends #22
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #10
Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #2
Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1
Dark Crisis: War Zone #1
DC vs. Vampires #12
Detective Comics #1067
Poison Ivy #7
Tales from Earth-6: A Celebration of Stan Lee #1
The Flash #789
The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #1
Tim Drake: Robin #4
WildC.A.T.s #2
Wonder Woman #794
C
Batman Incorporated #3
Batman/Spawn #1
Danger Street #1
DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. the Army of the Dead #4
DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War #6
DC: Mech #6
DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #5
Gotham City: Year One #3
Harley Quinn #25
John Stewart: The Emerald Knight #1
Punchline: The Gotham Game #3
Stargirl: The Lost Children #2
Sword of Azrael #5
The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #3
F
Batman: Beyond the White Knight #7
Supermanlatives for 2022
Before the actual superlatives, some stats. DC published 640 books that were covered by this column this year (things like media tie-ins are generally skipped as are Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo books). That’s an average of 53 books a month, with the most being 61 in August, and the least being 43 in December. Of these books, 24% were given A or A+ grades by me, 45% a B grade, 25% a C, and 6% did not pass muster and got D or below.
Best Title
This one was tough, as two books consistently took home the top spots all year long, but I think my vote goes to the previously mentioned Catwoman over Batman/Superman: World’s Finest. Catwoman was a weeeeee bit more consistent, and really shined this year.
Best Writer
Tini Howard blew away all expectations I had for her in her move to DC. She made me care about PUNCHLINE. She took over an already stellar Catwoman book from Ram V and made it better. Hands down my favorite writer of the year, and I’m excited to see what she does with Harley next year.
Best Artist
Hands down this goes to Dan Mora. There was no other option. From his work on Batman/Superman: World’s Finest to his various variant covers throughout the year, he’s at the top of the game and very few are even close to him.
Solicitation Situation
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS
- Written by JEPH LOEB
- Art and cover by TIM SALE
- $100.00 US | 368 pages | 8 1/8″ x 12 1/4″ | Hardcover
- ISBN: 978-1-77952-288-7
- ON SALE 8/29/23
Before Superman became a living legend and icon, he was just a farm boy in Kansas named Clark who was coming to terms with the enormous power that he was blessed with. Driven by the desire to do more with his abilities, Clark moves from Smallville to Metropolis, makes new friends and enemies, and embarks on a legacy that will change the world.
Written and illustrated by the Eisner Award-winning team of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, Superman for All Seasons is an imaginative and beautifully illustrated tale of the Man of Steel’s formative years. Featuring the stunning colors of artist Bjarne Hansen over Sale’s bold linework, this edition is a tribute to both the Man of Tomorrow and the incomparable Tim Sale.
This oversize Absolute edition collects Superman for All Seasons #1-4 plus stories from Superman #226, Superman/Batman #26, Solo #1, and Superman/Batman Secret Files 2003 #1. Also included are two new forewords by Sale’s frequent collaborators Jeph Loeb and Richard Starkings.
I’m very very excited to have an Absolute Edition of this beautifully illustrated comic to go alongside my Long Halloween and Dark Victory editions. I’m just sad that it came after Tim Sale passed so he can’t appreciate it with us.
That’s a wrap on 2022 for DC Comics and me, see you all in the New Year!
