Note: All covers taken from IGN
Written by Scott Snyder
Art & Cover by Greg Capullo
After months of having Batman be a tainted series thanks, in no small part, to the awful writing and artwork of Tony Daniel, the title will certainly be redeemed in September. The new series will be penned by "Detective Comics" scribe, Scott Snyder, a man who seems to understand Batman perfectly; the art will be handled by Greg Capullo, whose style is perfect for Batman. The first arc appears to feature numerous super villains, and it makes me genuinely happy to see this book finally rising back to its former glory.
Potential for Success: 10/10
Detective Comics #1Written by Tony Daniel
Art & Cover by Tony Daniel
To look at the reverse, the excellent Detective Comics will be rebooted into atrocity as Tony Daniel takes over writing and art duties. The fact that Daniel gets the style of Batman is understandable, the fact that his storytelling is atrocious is apparently not a factor in the DC offices. The first arc sounds intriguing, however; Batman is hunting a serial killer called the Gotham Ripper, and the first cover heavily implies the Joker's involvement in the arc, which is always a lot of fun. Maybe this is the moment Tony Daniel stops being awful.
Potential for Success: 6/10
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art & Cover by Patrick Gleason
Following a tease in the original series and constant delays over their actual run, Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason are finally taking over the title of "Batman & Robin." The series, reborn, will focus on the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian; a pairing we've yet to see given Damian's close ties to Dick Grayson over the last few years. Suffice to say, I am immensely excited for this one, too - especially if their recent arc on the original series is anything to go by.
Potential for Success: 10/10
Batman: The Dark Knight #1Written by David Finch
Art by David Finch & Jay Fabok
Cover by David Finch
David Finch's long-delayed Batman series will finally return in September, with a completely new story and a more regular release schedule (placing some doubt over whether the first run will ever see completion). Still leaning towards the supernatural/horror angle of the original premise, the first arc will see Bruce Wayne conducting an investigation within Arkham Asylum. There's a lot of good things that could come from that story, and Finch's art has done nothing but improve, but there's still a nagging feeling that tells me this will be a disaster.
Potential for Success: 6/10
Batwoman #1Written by J H Williams III & W. Haden Blackman
Art by J H Williams III & Amy Reeder
Cover by J H Williams III
The long-awaited Batwoman series finally kicks off in September continuing on from where Greg Rucka's run on Detective Comics left off over a year ago. The series will continue the same vibe and feel, thanks to the consistent artwork of J H Williams III, who will also co-write the series. The character of Kate Kane is quickly becoming one of the most interesting characters in comics, and it'll be great to see her develop further as the series gets going.
Potential for Success: 8/10
Written by Judd Winick
Art & Cover by Guillem March
It's been a long time since Catwoman had her own solo series; but when she did it was one of the best series being published. This new era for the feline fatale comes from Judd Winick, the writer responsible for making Jason Todd bad-ass and the Justice League International cool again, meaning that he's the perfect person to redefine Catwoman for a new generation. The art by Guillem March is a bit disappointing, but given that the two have been working together on "Batman & Robin" recently it's hardly a surprise.
Potential for Success: 8/10
Written by Duane Swiercyznski
Art & Cover by Jesus Saiz
A completely new and original take on the Birds of Prey is perhaps not the worst thing that could have happened to the series, but it is still a bit worrying given the lack of recognizable characters on the cover. Still, Duane Swiercyznski is a decent writer and I've missed Jesus Saiz's artwork so it should be a fairly decent romp. That, and the only person I recognize on the cover is Poison Ivy which should be wonderfully interesting, and also, potentially, signals the end for "Gotham City Sirens."
Potential for Success: 6/10
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Ardian Syaf
Cover by Adam Hughes
This is, arguably, the most controversial announcement so far. Gail Simone, a writer who has prided herself on writing Birds of Prey (with Barbara Gordon as the main character) for years, will take over Batgirl and do the impossible - she will make Barbara Gordon into Batgirl once more. This is controversial because Barbara has been in a wheelchair for 20 years now - a long-lasting victim of the Joker. There are rumours this will tie into Batman Incorporated, which implied Bruce was developing some sort of technology to help her walk again, but until the book hits we'll have to wait and see. Regardless of the retconning that may occur, I am extremely excited to read Barbara Gordon as Batgirl again.
Potential for Success: 10/10
Written by Kyle Higgins
Art & Cover by Eddy Barrows
And this is where, for me, DC jump the shark and do something that wholly offends me. After more than two years of protecting Gotham City as Batman, Dick Grayson is being demoted and returned to his former Nightwing persona. Sure, I'm glad he's not going to end up a casualty of "Flashpoint," but at the same time, unless the book really impresses me, it'll feel like a step backwards. Kyle Higgins hasn't written anything that's blown me away in the past, but hopefully with the great premise he's got - Haley's Circus return to Gotham with some dark secrets - it'll be a lot of fun. And I love Eddy Barrows' artwork; it's just a shame that Nightwing's costume looks an awful lot like Robin's costume in the awful "Batman & Robin" movie.
Potential for Success: 8/10
Red Hood and the Outlaws #1
Written by Scott Lobdell
Art & Cover by Kenneth Rocafort
And this...this just confuses me. Jason Todd has been a great character since his return, but only when written by Judd Winick - even Grant Morrison, the former master of the Batman books, wrote him poorly. Now they're giving him his own series and rather than let Winnick write it, DC have turned to Scott Lobdell, the man who almost destroyed the X-Men in the 1990s. The series sees Red Hood leading a team of anti-hero misfits, including Arsenal and Starfire, on dangerous missions. The premise is okay, but with Lodbell on board it's worrying how this series will turn out. The initial art by Kenneth Rocafort looks fairly decent, but not enough to redeem the feeling of dread I get from Lodbell's name.
Potential for Success: 4/10
Written by Judd Winick
Art & Cover by Ben Oliver
This series comes as a big surprise; it's all that remains of Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated in the wake of "Flashpoint." Focusing on the Batman of Africa, the series is written by Judd Winick with some great looking art from Ben Oliver. It should prove to be fairly entertaining, giving us a new character and letting him build up over time. It's just a shame that, at least in September, this is all that remains of the Batman Incorporated storyline Grant Morrison's been building for years and years. But, not to worry - this should be good enough to fill the void.
Potential for Success: 8/10
And lastly...a look further into the future...
Batman: Leviathan #1
Written by Grant Morrison
Art & Cover by Chris Burnham
The sequel series to Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated will pop up in early 2012 according to the writer, and will feature the artwork of current artist, Chris Burnham. The series will run twelve issues and feature Batman's global team taking down the threat of Leviathan, an enemy currently being built-up in the book. Morrison also promised a shocking finale to Batman Incorporated in August that will keep readers guessing until this new series starts. This will also be the final chapter in Morrison's six year Batman run, and will be preceded by another major project that is still being kept tightly under wraps.
Potential for Success: 10/10
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