The MCU has been very popular for a number of reasons, but one of the things that really worked in Phase One was a handful of characters that appeared in multiple movies in smaller roles at first and helped to bring the bigger world together. Marvel owes a lot to Phil Coulson and Nick Fury. With James Gunn and Peter Safran leading the new (and hopefully improved) DCU, what characters should they bring in to tie the various movies together? We have a few ideas.

JIMMY OLSEN

Who would be better than Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen? He is a beloved character that has been around for more than 80 years. He could give the audience a very human perspective to this larger than life world of superheroes, over the top villains, and fictional cities. His job as a photojournalist could let him travel city to city photographing superheroes for the Daily Planet- and it gives him a unique chance to network with the various heroes (he is Superman’s best friend if you have not heard). I can also picture a docu series with Jimmy talking about different cities, the superheroes in them, and the already established rogues. The DCEU wasted Olsen’s potential, lets hope the DCU doesn’t repeat this mistake!

PHANTOM STRANGER

Okay, maybe a human is not strong enough to hold the DCU together through various movies, how about an omniscience being who already ties together DC Comic’s supernatural, cosmic, and earthbound heroes together? Heck, he even helped usher DC’s crossover with Marvel in the nineties. The Phantom Stranger is the perfect character to lurk in the background, moving heroes and villains around like chess pieces, and preparing for something big and multiverse shattering. And look at that fedora, is there a more stylist immortal character for James Gunn to choose?

VANDAL SAVAGE

Who says we need a good guy to tie together the various movies of the DCU? Thanos became the connective tissue of the MCU movies after Coulson/Fury and the first Avengers movie. And we keep sitting at thej edge of our seats for the mad titan’s next appearance. While I love Lex Luthor and the Joker, both have been kinda overused in past movies and TV shows. Enter Vandal Savage, a 50 thousand year old villain who has faced off with both the Justice Society and the Justice League. He is a master manipulator who can also hold his own against most of the heroes of the DCU. He can tie different time periods of the DCU together (Jonah Hex, Golden Age Heroes, Swamp Thing, Icon),and just maybe, his plan has been boiling for thousands of years…

What characters would you love to see tie the DCU together? Do you want to see movies tie together right away, or wait a while to crossover?

Next week sees the return of the world of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead in the new weekly series Skybound X. And I’m not even talking about the lead story in the series being “Rick Grimes 2000” (pictured above left), which is a sci-fi based re-imagining of the fan favorite zombie killer (as introduced in TWD #75). What I’m talking about is the first comic appearance of Clementine from Telltale’s The Walking Dead video game. She will be introduced in a stand alone story in Skybound X before spinning off into her own ongoing titled Clementine, that will be written and drawn by Tillie Walden. I’m excited that we can return to the world established in The Walking Dead, and while I love Kirkman, I’m also excited to see someone new playing in his sandbox. Check out these awesome variant covers featuring Clementine (I’ll be picking up the cover on the right):

SKYBOUND X #1
Official Description: Celebrate a sensational 10 years of Skybound with a cavalcade of your favorite creators and all-new stories of your favorite series past, present, and future! Each issue of this oversized, weekly series will kick off with a new chapter of a serialized THE WALKING DEAD story – RICK GRIMES 2000 – by ROBERT KIRKMAN & RYAN OTTLEY!

In addition, we’ll be debuting all-new series and characters every issue, starting with the first appearance of the most requested WALKING DEAD character of all-time: Clementine, star of the bestselling Telltale’s The Walking Dead video game series! Did we mention new ULTRAMEGA and MANIFEST DESTINY stories?! If you want to know what to expect in Skybound’s next 10 years, it all starts here!
Writer: Robert Kirkman | Artist: Ryan Ottley

The first issue of Skybound X hits stores on July 7th!

While we are learning a lot about the upcoming The Flash movie thanks to some set leaks and paparazzi photos, there are still a lot of unknowns. Rumor has it that we will be seeing a new version of the universe altering “Flashpoint” storyline that originated in the comic and was adapted into an animated movie and in season 3 of The CW Flash series. In the comic, that storyline ended an era of DC Comics stories, introduced us to an alternate timeline with Wonder Woman & Aquaman at war, and launched “The New 52”. The movie seems to be leaning more into the multiverse and (maybe?) less with changes due to time travel.

We know a lot about heroes that will appear in the upcoming DCEU movie that stars Ezra Miller as the title character, including the return of both Ben Affleck’s and Michael Keaton’s versions of Batman, a new version of Supergirl portrayed by Sasha Calle, and potentially a cameo from The CW’s Flash Grant Gustin. What we do not know a lot about are the villains in the movie. Who will Flash, the Batmen, and Supergirl be fighting? Lets take some guesses…

Mirror Master

Okay, I know he can be silly, but what if the Mirror Master is not the big bad, but an opening villain. The Flash has some of the most colorful and fun villains and we need to see at least one of his classic “rogues” on his first big screen adventure. Also, the mirrors could be used to show Flash a “reverse” version of himself and foreshadow the real threat of the movie…

Professor Eobard Thawne, aka Zoom/The Reverse-Flash

…Professor Eobard Thawne, aka the Reverse-Flash! The villain also known as Zoom is the main villain in the original “Flashpoint” storyline, which makes him a perfect candidate for the movie. But in the same sense, that makes me not want him in the movie. We have had two adaptations of the storyline already and do we need another rehash of it? Having the Michael Keaton version of Batman is already an unexpected twist, maybe the true villain will be another twist? Could that lead us to a different “Thawne”?

Inertia

How about Thaddeus Thawne? Also known as Inertia, he is the evil clone of Barry Allen and Iris West’s grandson. Using Inertia as the main baddie gives us a villain who is mixed in with time travel and alternate realities, but would be a twist with what audiences expect. Thaddeus is younger, and a bit crazier than Eobard Thawne, and could be a good “mirror” to Barry Allen, who is young and at the start of his superhero career after Justice League. I’m also pretty sure that Inertia has not appeared in other media outside of the comic books, unlike Eobard Thawne, who has been in multiple animated movies/shows/video games and in live action. It is time for someone new!

Who would you like to see as a villain in The Flash?

I have a love for avatar/character creators. When I stumble on them, I can’t help but to try them out. Marvel Comics has a free “Create Your Own Web-Warrior”, aka Spider-Man, creator. Now you can design your own version of Spider-Man for the Spiderverse!

Presenting… MHD Spider-Man!

Create your own Web-Warrior here. In addition to Spider-Man, Marvel also has avatar creators for Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy.

This Wednesday Marvel Comics is releasing a pretty epic Women of Marvel special, while DC Comics’ Batman crosses over with one of the most popular video game worlds. Learn more about them and a few other select issues that will be coming out this week!

MARVEL COMICS

WOMEN OF MARVEL #1
Official Description: WHO RUN THE WORLD? YOU ALREADY KNOW. CELEBRATE THE WOMEN OF MARVEL WITH AN EXTRAVAGANZA OF EXTRAORDINARY TALENT! The future is female! Get in on the ground floor with this amazing assembly of writers and artists from all over entertainment. Comics legend Louise Simonson kicks things off with a must-read introduction! Nadia Shammas punches the glass ceiling with the Jade Giantess! Elsa Sjunneson grits her way to the front line with Captain Peggy Carter! Sophie Campbell goes feral with a bone-grinding Marrow story! Video game-and-comics writer Anne Toole makes her Marvel debut in a blaze of glory! Natasha Alterici of Heathen fame charges sword-first into the Marvel Universe! With astonishing art from new and established artists Kei Zama (Transformers, DEATH’S HEAD), Eleonora Carlini (Power Rangers, Batgirl), Skylar Patridge (Resonant, Relics of Youth), Joanna Estep (Fantastic Four, Fraggle Rock) and more, you’re sure to come away powered up and ready to slay – in high heels and boots alike.
Writers: Mariko Tamaki, Elsa Sjunneson, Sophie Campbell, Louise Simonson | Artists: Joanna Estep, Eleonora Carlini, Maria Frohlich, Naomi Franquiz | Cover: Sara Pichelli

WAY OF X #1
Official Description: THE WAY TO THE FUTURE OF X! Mutantkind has built a new Eden… but there are serpents in this garden. Some mutants struggle to fit in. Some mutants turn to violence and death. And the children whisper of the Patchwork Man, singing in their hearts…Only one mutant senses the looming shadows. Snared by questions of death, law and love, only NIGHTCRAWLER can fight for the soul of Krakoa. Only he – and the curious crew he assembles – can help mutants defeat their inner-darkness and find a new way to live. The WAY OF X.
Writer: Si Spurrier | Artist: Robert Quinn | Cover: Giuseppe Camuncoli

DC COMICS

BATMAN/FORTNITE: ZERO POINT #1
Official Description: A crack splits the sky above Gotham City…a tear in reality itself. This rift pulls the Dark Knight into a bizarre and unfamiliar world, with no memory of who he is or where he came from. Batman has been drawn into Fortnite! As our hero fights to recall his past and escape an endless loop of chaos and struggle, he’ll come face to face with the likes of Renegade Raider, Fishstick, Bandolier and more. While the World’s Greatest Detective strives to make sense of this strange new world, he’ll uncover the shocking truth about the Island, what lies beyond the Loop and how everything is connected to the mysterious Zero Point. Uncover secrets never before revealed in the game or anywhere else! Every fan of Batman, Fortnite, stunning art and edge-of-your-seat excitement won’t want to miss the Caped Crusader facing off against Fortnite champions on the Island in a desperate attempt to save not only himself, but other familiar faces from the DCU…and perhaps the Multiverse itself!
Writer: Gage | Artist: Reilly Brown

JUSTICE LEAGUE #60
Official Description: Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman and Hawkgirl join forces with Black Adam to fight an all-new world conqueror! But how do they stop the unstoppable power known as Brutus? Enter new mega-power sensation Naomi, who comes face to face with the League and brings along Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons for a blockbuster battle for the ages—with a last-page cliffhanger that will leave everyone guessing what’s next! And in the backup tale, the new Justice League meets the new Justice League Dark, and the demon Etrigan calls the team to action—but Batman has other plans. This team needs a leader, but what twisted secret prevents Zatanna from stepping forward? Plus, Ragman makes a startling discovery—one that may cost his life!
Writers: Ram V, Brian Michael Bendis | Artists: Xermanico, David Marquez

DARK HORSE COMICS

COJACARU THE SKINNER #1
Official Description: Cojacaru the Skinner, the strange and enigmatic bane of Eastern European witches, has been dead many years. But from a bloodied French town in the throes of World War II, a plea for help carries across the winds of time. A desperate band of resistance soldiers and their white witch allies rest their fate in the hands of Cojacaru’s ghost. And when she answers their call, it will be heard near and far.
Writers: Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden | Artist: Peter Bergting

ORPHAN AND THE FIVE BEASTS #2
Official Description: A brave warrior, following her master’s final wish, finds the dreaded bandit leader that used to be a hero–but is now a force of destruction that threatens all life in the valley with his indestructible legs and ”Two Trees Bearing Heaven” fighting style.
Writer/Artist: James Stokoe

Welcome back to New Comics Spotlight where we take a look at 6 new issues this week! We spotlight 2 issues from both Marvel Comics and DC Comics and the third slot changes from week to week depending on what looks interesting. This week, Image Comics take the slot with a new title and a limited series with some fantastic art!

MARVEL COMICS

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #63
Official Description: We all the know the romantic story of R&J! Star-crossed lovers, deep-seeded family enmity, tragic ending…Wait, who are Romeo and Juliet? We’re talking about Randy and Janice! Yep, Peter Parker’s roommate and The Beetle have been dating and that information finally gets out to their fathers… The Tombstone/Robbie Robertson beef has been brewing since 1988 and is back, big time!
Writer: Nick Spencer | Artist: Federico Vicentini | Cover: Mark Bagley

EXCALIBUR #20
Official Description: THE PHANTOM MENACE! An invisible threat is loose on the island of Krakoa — unseen, unheard, undetectable by any… except Excalibur.
Writer: Tini Howard | Artist: Marcus to | Cover: Mahmud Asrar

DC COMICS

SUICIDE SQUAD #2
Official Description: With the power of Superboy now under her control, Task Force X mastermind Amanda Waller sends the hero into Arkham Asylum to rescue Peacemaker and bring Talon — the famed Court of Owls assassin —back to join the new Suicide Squad. With lives hanging in the balance, the teen clone must decide if he’s going to assist Waller, even if it means getting his hands a little bloody along the way.
Writer: Robbie Thompson | Artist: Eduardo Pansica

MAN-BAT #3
Official Description: Kirk Langstrom’s mental state has been deteriorating for years, but in the wake of his violent altercation with the Suicide Squad, he’s found himself on the verge of a complete emotional collapse. Luckily (or unluckily) for Kirk, Dr. Harleen Quinzel is offering pro bono-and entirely unsolicited-psychological counseling. As Harley delves deep into his damaged mind, she uncovers tragic events that set the stage for his transformation into Man-Bat in the first place. Will her psychotic brand of psychology help Kirk make peace with his inner demons or leave his mind even more fractured than it was?
Writer: Dave Wielgosz | Artist: Sumit Kumar

IMAGE COMICS

THE SILVER COIN #1
Official Description: Eisner-winning artist MICHAEL WALSH (Star Wars, Black Hammer/Justice League) teams with an all-star lineup of collaborators—CHIP ZDARSKY (STILLWATER), KELLY THOMPSON (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), ED BRISSON (Old Man Logan), and JEFF LEMIRE (GIDEON FALLS)—on a new horror anthology miniseries for mature readers. Each issue will tell a tale of terror in a shared supernatural world. The story starts in 1978 with a failing rock band whose fortune suddenly changes when they find the mysterious Silver Coin. Little do they know that fame comes with a cost, and a curse is always hungry.
Writer: Chip Zdarsky | Artist: Michael Walsh

BLISS #6
Official Description: Whatever happened to Perry’s mother, Mabel? For issues, the question has floated, and now we discover the fate of our heroine. As Benton relives his path from monster to reconciliation and Perry desperately tries to return with the one thing he believes can save his father, the goddess Lethe probes deep into both men’s pasts to bring back the one pain neither of them can live with.
Writer: Sean Lewis | Artist: Caitlin Yarsky

What is in your pull list today? Do you prefer physical issues or digital?

After the craziness of “Dark Knights: Death Metal” & “DC Future State”, the Man of Tomorrow is back to form with the return of his two ongoing titles Superman and Action Comics, now with an all new creative team. 

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is taking over writing duties on both titles with Phil Hester providing pencils for his first two part story that opens in Superman #29. 

Description: “The Golden Age” features both Kal-El and his son, Jonathan Kent, in a story that looks at the legacy of one of the world’s greatest heroes and asks a difficult question—as Superman ages, could we lose him once again? Facing an otherworldly threat powerful enough to truly hurt, or even kill, the Man of Steel, Jon must sort through his feelings towards Superman, both as a beloved and needed superhero and as his dad as they face a battle that will change both of their lives forever.

Preview images cropped from the new issue:

Superman #29 hits stands, shops, and digital on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from DC Comics.