We know some of the big changes coming for Superman and Batman. But there’s a lot more for the DC Universe than just those two superheroes. It’s all changing next month and now you can get a sense of what that will look like, without paying a cent.
This week marks the second month of DC’s Convergence placeholder event, meant to keep books on the stands while the company’s offices move from the East to West Coast. It’s also when the first eight-page previews of new titles start appearing in Convergence spin-off series. You don’t need to buy those comics—though there are a few good stories amongst them—because the short previews are free on Comixology’s digital storefront. Which ones look most promising? Let’s run ‘em down.
(Click on the titles to go straight to the comics and hover over the top left of each image and click on the magnifying glass icon to expand it.)
Starfire
Written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti—who also do the best-selling Harley Quinn series—Starfire looks like its going to be a sitcom-style comedic take on the lead character’s attempts to fit in among plain folks.
Worth your time? Maybe. This probably won’t be quite as wacky as Harley Quinn but the DC Universe could use more humorous takes on superheroes.
Red Hood/Arsenal
Comes across a buddy-action flick featuring two guys who originated as sidekick characters. Very bro-tastic.
Worth your time? No. This feels a lot like what writer Scott Lobdell was doing in Red Hood and the Outlaws and doesn’t feel as fresh as some of the other previews.
Prez
A re-imagining of an old 1970s DC comic centered on a teenage President of the United States, this time set in a near-future where the U.N. recognizes Anonymous as an independent nation.
Worth your time? Yes. Some of the wannabe teen-ness tries a little bit too hard in this short but the potential for goofy political satire is promising.
Midnighter
The New 52 version of the character who’s basically the “Batman-who-doesn’t-give-a-fuck” goes solo, showing off his ability to predict opponents’ moves, strategize instantaneously and fight in entertainingly violent fashion.
Worth your time? Yes. Midnighter’s a character who’s always fun in an egregious, indulgent way and the art looks like it’s going to be appropriately over-the-top.
Green Lantern
Hal Jordan isn’t the universe’s top cop anymore. He’s its most wanted criminal.
Worth your time? Yes. It’s a big shake-up that looks like it’ll give another view of the cosmic side of the DC Universe.
Green Arrow
Less superhero, more urban hunter in this teaser of Oliver Queen’s next iteration.
Worth your time? Yes. A clear gambit to use a more down-to-earth approach in a Green Arrow comic to hopefully pull in viewers of the Arrow TV show.
Doomed
Yet another DC-centric twist on the Hulk concept, this previews the misadventures of a teenage kid infected with an alien spore—sourced from Doomsday, the bad guy best known for killing Superman— that turns him into an inarticulate monster.
Worth your time? Maybe. The potential for a good blend of action and humor is there but it’ll have to a lot to feel like more than a retread of another concept.
The Omega Men
Another long-dead DC concept gets revived, as a ragtag group of insurgents wage against a huge galactic imperium.
Worth your time? Yes. The cynical take is that this is DC’s attempt to re-surface something that looks like Guardians of the Galaxy, but there’s already enough here to distinguish it as a insightful and gritty take on asymmetrical political warfare.
Section Eight
The weirdest, grossest super-team in DC Comics’ history comes back.
Worth your time? Yes. Writer Garth Ennis loves to make fun of standard superhero tropes in the most disgusting way possible. The original Section Eight stories from the defunct Hitman series were great. Can’t believe this one is happening.
Detective Comics
The first look at how the new Batman is going to work with the police of Gotham City.
Worth your time? Yes. Everything shown here teases a wealth of melodrama straight out the gate for the new Batman. The best teaser of this first week’s offerings.
Contact the author at evan@kotaku.com.