Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Batman, flashpoint, super-mega-crossover events, thomas wayne, Tom King

DC's Solicits Tease a Batman Event with Flashpoint Thomas Wayne from Tom King

Published Mon, 18 Feb 2019 09:27:21 -0600

Last updated Mon, 18 Feb 2019 15:34:49 -0600

In a shocking event that is sure to send ripples of envy throughout the world of comics journalism, Bleeding Cool Rumourmonger-in-Chief Rich Johnston has obtained and posted the full DC Comics May solicitations catalog before they've been "officially" released.

"It's gettin' bloody harder to sneak into the DC Comics offices while dressed as a potted plant with all of these budget cuts," Johnston told us when asked for comment, noting that even the publisher's potted plant budget has been slashed by 60%. "Oi used to dress up as a nice sansevieria, but that's a bit too ritzy these days, so now Oi have to infiltrate as a shabby philodendron."

So as other websites scramble to get someone from DC on the phone, complaining of blown EX-X-XCLUSIVES and begging to post the solicits themselves, Bleeding Cool can sit back and mine the solicits for individual articles to spin out of them, all the while reaping the sweet, sweet clicks.

"Pip pip," Johnston said, his eyes glowing with the thought of all the clicks.

Is that article intro starting to feel like Russian Doll yet? Gotta get up, gotta get out, gotta get home before the mor-ning comes…

So we're mining these May solicitations for articles, and we noticed an interesting tidbit from the solicitation for Batman #70. We've already seen rumblings that we're heading for a big story in Batman with 2019 being the Year of the Villain, after all. In Batman #60 back in December, we were all shocked to read the final page spoilers on Bleeding Cool revealing the machinations of Thomas Wayne, the Batman from the Flashpoint universe, and what he's been up to here in our mainstream DC Rebirth reality.

But could we be getting a proper Batman "event" comic? The solicitation for Batman #70, kicking off The Fall and the Fallen storyline, notes:

"The Fall and the Fallen" begins! This is the one you've been waiting for! Now that Batman has escaped the "Knightmares," he's starting to see the forces rallying against him — and that his father from another universe has joined the other side. The Caped Crusader finally digs into the mystery of how Thomas Wayne, a.k.a. the Flashpoint Batman, escaped the collapse of his dimension and ended up in this part of the Multiverse. Get all the answers in this new five-part story paving the way for the next big BATMAN event!

That's not "next big BATMAN story." It's the "next big BATMAN event." There's a big difference between the two. For example, stories aren't typically months late, with extra issues added on, and lots of crossovers and tie-ins.

While this Batman #70 solicit seems to tease Thomas Wayne as the villain, but by the solicit for Batman #71, it seems Batman could be working together with his father?

"The Fall and the Fallen" continues! Will it be father and son working together, or tearing each other apart? When it comes to the Waynes, expect a little of both. In the quest to get Bruce Wayne to hang up the cape and cowl, Thomas Wayne is going to have to use a little tough love. Only, not all the muscle behind it will be his own.

Of course, Year of the Villain teases The Batman Who Laughs as the focus of Batman's ire this year.

It all kicks off this May, as former Archduke of Counter-Terrorism for the CIA Tom King moves on from exploring PTSD to exploring daddy issues in The Fall and the Fallen., alongside artist Mikel Janin with covers by Leinil Yu and Frank Cho. Check out the solicits below.