Batman & Robin: Year One – Dynamic Duos #1 Preview

 

When Bruce Wayne decided to become a foster parent, the authorities in Gotham objected. No one took the apparent abuse of power more personally than Laura Lyn from Gotham City Child Protective Services. When Gotham's criminal justice system labeled the "irresponsible" billionaire playboy a criminal, the authorities took Dick Grayson away from Bruce. But after Batman and Robin prevented Clayface and Two-Face from unleashing a devastating attack on the city, Bruce convinced Laura that he had Dick's interests at heart. 

As the Dynamic Duo help the Gotham City Police Department safeguard their city, will Laura Lyn remain satisfied with Bruce's ability to care for the orphan? And will Batman continue to dress his young sidekick like "a basketful of Bell Peppers?"

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

Batman & Robin: Year One – Dynamic Duos #1 Preview

Writers: Mark Waid & Chris Samnee

Artist & Cover Artist: Chris Samnee

Variant Cover Artists: Marc Silvestri, Dustin Nguyen & Hayden Sherman

Dark Knight Returns 40th Anniversary Variant Cover Artist: Greg Capullo

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Series Length: 12 Issues

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 12, 2026

 

 

Mark Waid And Chris Samnee Return

To Their Fan-Favorite Series Exploring

Batman And Robin’s Early Years!

 

 

Batman and Robin are back in action! The Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder have been hard at work cleaning up the streets of Gotham City, and their partnership has only gotten tighter. But when a gang of street kids starts causing mischief, Batman and Robin will need to get to the bottom of where these kids came from and who is in charge! Mark Waid and Chris Samnee return to Gotham to tell another tale of the early days of the Dynamic Duo!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For how the previous series began, see my Batman & Robin: Year One #1 Review. 

Batman #12 Preview

 

Like Lady Ōjō's birds, everything in Gotham seems up-in-the-air. Mr Blake may be dead, but the Shadow Board still needs Wayne Enterprises to secure military contracts. Bruce Wayne wants Dr Annika Zeller to continue developing her Crown of Thorns. But like the evening of their date (that wasn't a date), the Joker's fiercest protector met Bruce's entreaty with silence. The Torus seems displeased with the Minotaur's leadership. But whether they will turn against the leader who maintains their wealth and power in Gotham remains uncertain. 

As police officers and the public squirm under GCPD Commissioner Vandal Savage and Mayor Pamela Isley's leadership, Bruce Wayne wonders who hired Lady Ōjō and why. Is the assassin's target Bruce Wayne, Annika Zeller, Batman, or all three? And will Alfred's grand niece make his life easier or even more complicated?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batman #12 Preview

Writer: Matt Fraction

Art & Cover Artist: Jorge Jiménez

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Jorge Molina & Ryan Sook

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Jiménez

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: David Aja

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 5, 2026

 

 

Six Assassins. 

One City. 

Countless Ways To Die!

 

 

Six of the world’s deadliest killers have descended on Gotham City at once—but who hired them, and who’s the target? Surely, it can’t be the Batman…

 

As the Caped Crusader races to uncover who set this deadly plan in motion, the late Alfred Pennyworth provides a gift from beyond the grave with the arrival of a brilliant new ally to the Bat-Family at a time when it needs one most.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman #11. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Batman #10. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Batman #9. 

For Batman's first battle with the Ôjô, see my review of Batman #5. 

For the Torus' concerns about the Minotaur's leadership, see my review of Batman #4.

For how Vandal Savage is controlling Officer Jim Gordon, see my preview of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1. 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1 Review

 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1 Review

Writers: Mark Russell; Mark Waid & Tyrone Finch

Artists: Clayton Henry & Patrick Boutin

Colorists: Pedro Estouco & Romulo Fajardo Jr

Letterer: Steve Wands

Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Variant Cover Artists: Rahzzah; Clayton Henry & Arif Prianto

Editors: Chris Rosa & Paul Haminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: July 29, 2026

 

When Superman, Batman, and Robin searched for a missing Air Force pilot, they ended up on another world. Batman and Robin befriended Warlord and his savage and beautiful cadre. Then Batman disappeared amid his search for Superman. But no one anticipated that Air Force pilot Randall Kreitzer, transformed into Tyrant Rex, could drain Superman of his powers and bestow them on his trusted lieutenants.

 

Now, Superman, Batman, and Robin have returned from Skartaris. Warlord can live out his Edgar Rice Burroughs dreams without interference from Robin. Where will the World's Finest team travel next? And what trouble will they find? Let's leap into Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2026 Annual #1 and see what happens!

 

The Hero Trap: Story

Bruce and Clark wanted to honor their fathers with a celebratory meal. But Bruce worries that Alfred won't like Clark's choice. When Jonathan and Alfred arrive, Jonathan feels at home in the Middle Ages-themed restaurant. Yet Alfred is ill at ease.

 

When Clark and Bruce receive alerts before Jonathan and Alfred can peruse the menu, Bruce leaves to assess the situation. But while Jonathan remains buoyant in Clark's company, Alfred withdraws further.

 

As Mark Russell splits the narrative between Batman, Superman, and the men who raised them, he also focuses on their dilemmas. Batman and Superman seek to rescue their friend. Yet Jonathan and Alfred, who taught them how to be heroes, must wait to learn their fate. Both fathers wrestle with letting their children live their lives, while worrying about the dangerous road they set their sons upon in Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2026 Annual #1.

 

The Hero Trap: Art

A knight clad in plate armor guards a fortress with his spear. Inside, Bruce and Clark sit side by side. Yet both men look away, as if alert for danger. When the men who raised them arrive, Jonathan waves to his son, while Alfred leans away from the wooden tables where a squire takes dinner orders.

 

As Clayton Henry conveys the action and drama, Pedro Estouco lavishes a richly colored palette on Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2026 Annual #1. While red and blue dominate scenes as both sets of heroes seek to solve a mystery, Alfred's gray vest links him with Bruce Wayne's suit and the Batmobile. Jonathan's red flannel links with the hero in need of rescue, the SUV Bruce climbs into, and the Batmobile’s turbine exhaust. While the heroes play Detective Comics in a blue room, muted colors adorn the memories that flow through their elders’ minds.

 

Date Night: Story

In the Fifth Dimension, Bat-Mite and Mr Mxyzptlk yearn for entertainment. But when Bat-Mite reads a comic asserting that Batman is a better match for Lois Lane, Mr Mxyzptlk attempts to rewrite the story. As Mark Waid and Tyrone Finch switch the action to Earth, Superman has left Lois Lane in danger to address a global threat. But Clark Kent never suspected how Bruce Wayne would stick close to Lois Lane.

 

Both Batman and Superman have egos. Clark may know Bruce is just having fun at his expense. Still, Clark decides to show Bruce just how much fun he can have as Lois’ date. After Jonathan worked tirelessly to lighten Alfred’s spirits in The Hero Trap, Clark and Bruce’s antics further lighten the tone in Date Night.

 

Date Night: Art

When Mr Mxyzptlk spies Bat-Mite eating a sandwich while reading a copy of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1, he zooms over to grab the comic. As it floats between them, opposing waves of energy rush toward the empty pages. Then, the first page of Date Night appears. Superman rises to the forefront while Earth orbits beneath him. But when he returns to Metropolis, Superman flies past the iconic Daily Planet building toward another destination.

 

Romulo Fajardo Jr adorns Patrick Boutin’s manga-style art with a vibrant palette. As Superman hovers above them, red shadows tinge Lois and Bruce's features. When Superman interferes with their evening, Bruce exchanges his black suit for red, yellow, and blue clothes. Yet red proves Bruce's nemesis, even as Lois pulls him close and smiles at him with her red lips.

 

Lettering

Steve Wands fills white balloons and boxes with black uppercase lettering. The words shrink for lowered voices and grow bold with intonation. Large white letters in blue fields locate readers in time and space while Superman’s thoughts appear as white uppercase letters in blue boxes. Sound effects enhance vehicles, gunfire, surprise attacks, and rescue attempts. And after Batman realizes a name on a door spells death, sound effects accompany his attempt to impress the woman Superman adores. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Jonathan and Alfred defended their country. After they left the military, the men advised their sons on their future campaigns. Jonathan and Alfred may not give their sons orders when Superman and Batman leave on their missions. Yet neither man has any intention of gracefully retiring from Fatherhood in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1.

 

Rating: 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #53. 

 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World's Finest #52. 

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51.

For what happened even before that, see my preview of the oversize anniversary issue Batman/Superman: World's Finest #50. 

 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1 Preview

 

When Superman, Batman, and Robin searched for a missing Air Force pilot, they ended up on another world. Batman and Robin befriended Warlord and his savage and beautiful cadre. Then Batman disappeared amid his search for Superman. But no one anticipated that Air Force pilot Randall Kreitzer, transformed into Tyrant Rex, could drain Superman of his powers, and bestow them on his trusted lieutenants. 

Now, Superman, Batman, and Robin have returned from Skartaris. Warlord can fight his battles the way he sees fit, without interference from Robin. Where will the World's Finest team travel next? And what trouble will they find?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2026 Annual #1 Preview

Writers: Mark Waid, Mark Russell & Tyrone Finch.

Artists: Clayton Henry & Patrick Boutin

Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Variant Cover Artists: Rahzzah & Clayton Henry

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 48 Pages

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: July 29, 2026

 

 

An Oversized Summer Special!

 

 

The World’s Finest attempt to have a relaxing night out with Jonathan Kent and Alfred. But after an emergency leads Batman and Superman into a trap, it’s up to the father figures to jump into the fray! Also, with Lois Lane’s current investigation putting her in Intergang’s crosshairs, Batman steps in to provide Lois backup—but as Bruce Wayne and accompanying Lois on a date!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #53. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World's Finest #52. 

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51.

For the story before that, see my preview of the oversize anniversary issue Batman/Superman: World's Finest #50. 

 

Batman: Caped Crusader Chronicles Game

 

I planned out my Thursday at San Diego Comic-Con around DC panels. But when I couldn't get into their first big one featuring Jim Lee, I opted to attend smaller panels instead. Still, the long lines prove that DC stories are connecting with fans, and that their love for DC's superheroes glows more brightly than the Sun Crystal in El Caldero. But how is DC expanding their brand? And how is the company reaching out across all mediums of storytelling?

Here's all the info from DC Comics:

 

Gotham City needs you! Amazon Luna announced Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles, officially licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will launch on July 31 to coincide with the Season Two premiere of the acclaimed Batman: Caped Crusader animated series on Prime Video. Prime members can jump into the game on Luna at no additional cost. Play alongside iconic DC characters, featuring voice performances from some of the series' original cast, in an 11-episode adventure packed with challenging minigames that put your detective skills to the test.

Next week marks an exciting moment for fans of the franchise. Beginning today, Prime members with a Fire TV in the U.S. and U.K. can play Luna games directly on the Prime Video alongside shows, movies, and live sports. That means Batman fans will be able to access the new game and the TV series in one app, making it easier to jump straight into the action after watching the show. Play solo or with friends, using your smartphone as the controller, with no extra hardware and no downloads required. 

 

“PLAY” THE SERIES

One hard-fought truth Batman has revealed over the years, Gotham City's darkest crimes won't solve themselves. In this cooperative party game for 1 to 4 players, you and your crew will step into the noir-drenched Gotham City of Batman: Caped Crusader the animated series, where every alley hides a secret and every case leads deeper into the shadowy depths of the city's criminal underworld.

By playing alongside “Detective Montoya” as part of “Batman's” inner circle and GCPD taskforce, players will decode evidence, chase leads, and confront iconic DC Super-Villains across 11 gripping episodes. Along the way, each episode serves up new sleuthing minigames that will put your detective skills to the test. Investigate, interrogate and deduce your way through the tangled crime webs woven by Gotham City's most devious criminals, including “Scarecrow”, “Babyface”, “Tweedledee and Tweedledum”, “Dollmaker”, “Lynx”, “Music Meister”, and of course, the maniacal “The Joker”.   

 

 

To offer fans the ultimate connection between the show and the game, series stars Hamish Linklater and Michelle C. Bonilla reprise their roles as Batman and Detective Montoya in Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles. And today, Prime Video announced Matthew Needam as the voice of “The Joker” for Season Two of Batman: Caped Crusader, and he will also be voicing the notorious DC Super-Villain in the game. 

“We are excited to unveil the Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles game for Amazon Luna, launching in tandem with Season two of the hit Prime Video series, Batman: Caped Crusader,” said J.C. Connors, Director of Amazon Game Studios. “And now with Luna’s newly expanded availability through Prime Video, players with a Fire TV will be able to jump straight into the game seconds after watching the show, all within one unified entertainment experience.”  

 

 

How the Iconic Show Got a New Crime Fighting Partner

Season One of Batman: Caped Crusader struck a chord with audiences, climbing as high as #1 on Prime Video's global Top 10 list. With anticipation for Season Two running high, and Batman's following as strong as it's ever been, Amazon Luna and Prime Video created an opportunity for fans to inhabit and play inside Gotham City, as well as watch it.

Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles is a major new addition to GameNight, a growing collection of games only available through Amazon Luna and free for Prime members. Designed to make group play easy, Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles will turn game night into a Gotham City stakeout, all enjoyed on the biggest screen at home. Your phone is your controller. No extra hardware. No downloads. No skill gap. Whether it's family or friends game night, everyone can jump in and play, from first-time players to seasoned detectives.

Launching in Multiple Countries

On July 31, Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles will be available to Prime members and Luna subscribers on the Luna app in the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Grab your crew, put on your detective hat, and get ready — Gotham City's case files are about to open.

BATMAN CAPED CRUSADER and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this announcement with us. 

For more, see the trailer for Batman: Caped Crusader - Chronicles on Youtube. 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #53 Preview

 

 

When Travis Morgan arrived, he took responsibility for this prehistoric land of dinosaurs and magic. But other visitors aren't so noble. Colonel Randall Kreitzer turned the tables on his benefactors. As Tyrant Rex, the former Air Force pilot leads a rampaging army across Skartaris. 

Superman and Batman have fallen prey to his magic. Warlord guesses at the sorcerer's ambitions. Then Tyrant Rex's forces strike again. Can Robin help Warlord, Tara, Mariah and Shakira halt Tyrant Rex's stampede across Skartaris? And can they free Superman and Batman from his control?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #53 Preview

Writer: Mark Waid

Artist: Adrián Gutiérrez

Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Variant Cover Artists: Rachta Lin & Adrián Gutiérrez

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

 

The Finale of 

“Standoff in Skartaris” 

 

 

The brutal battle between Batman and a magically amped Superman threatens the entire realm of Skartaris! How can Robin and Warlord hope to shut down a fight of such magnitude?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World's Finest #52. 

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51.

For what happened before that, see my preview of the oversize anniversary issue Batman/Superman: World's Finest #50. 

 

Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4 Review

 

Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4 Review

Writer: Gabriel Hardman

Artist & Cover Artist: Gabriel Hardman

Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr

Letterer: Simon Bowland

Variant Cover Artist: Tonci Zonjic

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US (All Covers Card Stock)

Release Date: July 1, 2026

 

Bruce Wayne never confused Emil Rotha with the good guys. Still, he wanted to believe that the new owner of Queen Industries could help Humanity survive global warming. But when Captain Billings and his soldiers start killing his exploited workforce, Bruce fights alongside Green Arrow and the Question to help the captured migrants escape.

 

The Question came to the Arctic to find redemption. Green Arrow wanted to discover what Emil Rotha was doing at Queen Industries. Batman agreed to help Emil Rotha because he didn’t want Gotham to become a submerged city. But now, all their lives are on the line. Can the trio help the indentured servants escape from this remote part of the world? Or will Batman, Green Arrow, and the Question lose sight of what's important amid the whiteout conditions? Let’s leap into Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4 and see!

 

Story

After the explosion at the construction site, Emil Rotha thinks his workers are out to get him. So, until his people uncover who was culpable, he tells Captain Billings to judge everyone guilty until proven innocent. The Question and Green Arrow tried to get a third of the workers off Alk. But after the Rotha’s private army shot them down, they set fire to the wrecked C-130.

 

In Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4, the heroes manage to herd the survivors into a Cold War silo. But now they're trapped inside, and Rotha's people know the exits. Ashti, whose people endangered Emil Rotha's life, helps them determine what to do next. And Pinter, who didn’t alert Rotha when Batman searched his Records room, also wants to help. But as the Question remains mission-focused, Oliver Queen envies Bruce Wayne. Oliver fought the good fight and lost everything. But Bruce, who hides behind his mask, has the world by its toes.

 

Oliver Queen may have a chip on his shoulder. But like Emil Rotha, he and Bruce belong to the social elite. While their social and financial status sets them apart from others, Vic Sage had to borrow money for airline tickets to investigate why Queen Industries is exploiting the worsening conditions in Hub City. The reporter, who has gone by several names and covers his face with a featureless mask, dismisses Emil Rotha's intelligence. But the names Rotha gave his project, the subsidiary tasked with building it, and the terrorist group frustrating his operation illuminate Rotha’s views on the future he is trying to build, and his place in it, in Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4.

 

Art

As Rotha's soldiers fire on the fleeing workers and set fire to the downed plane, they also unload their rifles on the canopy of Batman's Batwing. While Green Arrow lays down cover fire, the Question urges workers into the surface hatch, and Batman shields two people with his armored cape. After Gabriel Hardman devotes the biggest panel to this act of sacrifice, Batman owns a full-page spread. Batman also suffers perhaps his greatest trial amid the issue’s sole two-page horizontal layout. But while thin, wide panels provide a cinematic feel, and insets offer close-ups of the action, fraught scenes featuring Oliver Queen feature diagonal layouts.

 

As Romulo Fajardo Jr adorns Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4 with a nuanced palette, soldiers attempt to break into the orange and yellow Batwing cockpit while setting fire to the C-130. While the fires rage on this small island off the coast of Greenland, the surface hatch glows sapphire as Batman helps Ashti inside. As the two study a yellow map, Batman and Ashti glow yellow, while the green workers clutch weapons and make Molotov cocktails. Oliver Queen gets his view on Bruce off his chest before a red spot of light in the darkness. Yet despite how he treats his workers as he has struggled to complete his project, Emil Rotha still tries to build a better future amid the blue ice and snow.

 

Bold black uppercase letters reveal the Question's thoughts, while red letters in beige boxes convey responses from the Batwing's control system. The uppercase dialogue in white balloons occasionally shrinks, grows bold with intonation, and swells for raised voices. Simon Bowland's sound effects enhance the brutal fighting, as autocannon rounds burn into Batman's armor, helicopters thunder over the snowfields, soldiers employ heavy equipment to reach harried workers, and explosions rock the former military facility. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

As Bruce Wayne told Oliver Queen, sometimes villains can accomplish good. Bruce was considering how best to safeguard Gotham and the world when he supported Emil Rotha. Yet as people fight and die while trying to build a better future, and heroes argue the merits of full disclosure, a masked reporter strives to give his readers the unscripted truth in Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #4.

 

Rating 10/10

 

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman/GreenArrow/The Question: Arcadia #4. 

 

For what happened last time see my preview of Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #3.

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #2. 

For how this series started, see my preview of Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1. 

 

Batman #11 Preview

 

The Minotaur believes that he always wins. So, after putting his house in order, he attacks the enemy of a member of his family. But he doesn't realize that even villains value some things over money.

Batman believes that he always wins. So, after putting his house to the flames, he attacks Vandal Savage's credibility. But when he previously confronted the Ôjô, their battle ended in a draw. Why is the woman who can transform into a flock of birds returning to Gotham? And can Bruce draw on Damian's experiences in the League of Assassins to survive her second attack?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batman #11 Preview

Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist & Cover Artist: Jorge Jiménez

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Jorge Molina & Ryan Sook

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Jiménez

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: David Aja

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $7.99 (Foil)

Release Date: July 1, 2026

 

 

The Ôjô returns to Gotham City 

with her deadly sights set on unfinished business!

 

 

The deadliest woman in the world, wielding two blades, is back, and her quest for blood puts her on a collision course with the Caped Crusader—and as chaos ensues, Vandal Savage’s corrupt GCPD won’t be far behind! If that weren’t enough, the sinister Minotaur, squeezing Gotham’s underworld, finds himself on a path to reckoning, courtesy of the Penguin!

 

Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez deliver an action-packed chapter of their smash-hit series that critics are calling “a blockbuster reinvention” and “a perfect comic book.”

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Batman #10. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batman #9. 

For Batman's first battle with the Ôjô, see my review of Batman #5.