Pandora's Longbox: A New 52 Podcast

We're off for an odd detour into the strange this week as we look at the absolutely forgotten National Comics one-shots series that maybe sit in the New 52 and maybe don't, who knows. All we can say is that its like a dive into DC comics' own version of TV pilot season and its got us feeling a certain nostalgic way for the good old days of network procedurals in all their charm, and we'll let you find out more on the ride into the National Comics one-shots - Eternity by Jeff Lemire and Cully Hamner with colours by Val Staples, Looker by Ian Edginton and Mike S Miller with colours by Rex Lokus and Antonio Fabela, Rose & Thorn by Tom Taylor and Neil Googe with colours by Jim Charalampidis and Madame X by Rob Williams and Trevor Hairsine with colours by Antonio Fabela.

Next week: we can never get away from the spectre of the teen books or Gotham as we get to Teen Titans v3 for Death of the Family in issues 15-17, 0 and some bonus

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The high highs don't stop rolling along as we return to Gotham yet a-gosh-darn-gain to see how Bruce and Damian Wayne, everyone's favourite buddy-family are doing in a return to Batman & Robin. We get a whopping two arcs in this time along with bonus one-offs, which makes it sound like lots will be happening but who really knows - sometimes a lot can happen while nothing happens, but maybe you get away with that in a good book. Either way, come find out as we read Batman & Robin vol 2, Pearl by Peter Tomasi, Patrick Gleason and Lee Garbett with additional pencils by Andy Clarke and Tomas Giorello and colours by John Kalisz, Allen Passalaqua and Hi-Fi Design.

Next week: an interesting little detour into the unknown as we read the four National Comics one-shots you won't have heard of!

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Its time to finish up the back half of Captain Atom, as we escalate out from a pretty but light first trade about Blue Homer, and start asking some of the big questions. Yep, this book is suddenly making us ponder the idea of power and responsibility with superpowers, especially godlike power, and what it means to take that burden, and other such questions that make it earn every time Doctor Manhattan gets mentioned (don't take a shot for this, you won't make it). Slip away into the timestream with us and Captain Atom vol 2, Genesis by J.T. Krul and Freddie Williams II with colours by José Villarubia.

Next week: that's enough time away from Gotham, back we go for Batman & Robin v2, covering issues 9-14 and 0

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Welcome home to one of our favourite books, Batwoman, returning for another round at maybe its peak powers. And not only do you get all of the usual best Batwoman material, as she makes one final push to rescue the kidnapped kids and hope her entire personal life doesn't fall apart as everyone else is closing their arcs, but a great Wonder Woman side arc as a bonus too. But thats enough giving away how much we loved this one, listen to the rest for yourself as we pour over Batwoman vol 3, World's Finest, by J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman with additional art by Trevor McCarthy and colours by Dave Stewart and Guy Major.

Next week: the good books don't stop coming, as we tie up Captain Atom with vol 2, covering issues 7-12 and 0

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Once again, its back to Gotham for another installment, this time with the birds instead of the bats. The Birds of Prey are here and continuing to be their special dysfunctional selves, crashing through Black Canary's personal life, the Night of the Owls and a whole Poison Ivy arc which noone is quite sure what to make of. Come and see if we have more to say this time than the creative team as we get on with Birds of Prey vol 2, Your Kiss Might Kill by Duane Swiercyznski, Jesus Saiz, Travel Foreman, Cliff Richards and Romano Molenaar with additional pencils by Javier Pina and Timothy Green II and colours by June Chung, Gabe Eltaeb and Chris Sotomayor.

Next time: Gotham ladies' hour continues with Batwoman vol 3, covering issues 12-17 and 0

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Serendipity is a fine mistress, and she has seen fit to let us take on both N.O.W.H.E.R.E. books back to back, truly a treat for the ages. And so here we are with Caitlin Fairchild and the breakout stars of The Culling like Beast Boy, Terra and... Ridge, as they go around trying to figure out "what kind of X-Men book should our back-up Teen Titans book be" while fighting off new and traditional villains and trying to find their own Professor X - busy days indeed. See what our new metahumans are up to in Ravagers vol 1, The Kids From N.O.W.H.E.R.E. by Howard Mackie and Ian Churchill with additional writing by Tom DeFalco, additional pencils by Tom Raney, Daniel Sampere, Stefano Martino, Julius Gopez, Tyler Kirkham, Eduwardo Pansica, Daniel HDR and Geraldo Borges and colours by Alex Sollazzo, Hi-Fi, Peter Steigerwals, Gina Going-Raney and Tony Avina.

Next week: a Gotham-based reprieve, as we go to Birds of Prey vol 2 for issues 8-12 and 0

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Its back to the boy from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. for another week in the teen line with Superboy. Coming fresh out of the Culling, he's ready to learn how to be a real boy with his new friends, and also ponder if he can ever be a real boy, especially with the crimes in his genetics or whatever the hell was going on with him. Come see him hang out with a girl and a lot of gay boys (no comment here on his chemistry with anyone in particular) on his journey of self-discovery in Superboy vol 2, Extraction by Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco, R. B. Silva and Sebastian Fiumara with additional pencils by Iban Coello, Brett Booth, Robson Rocha and Eduardo Pansica and colours by Richard & Tanya Horie, Hi-Fi, Andrew Dalhouse and Blond.

Next week: huge news, Cullingheads, its Ravagers vol 1 for issues 1-7 of that fresh book

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There's a lot of things you might think a superhero team needs, but one that most people forget about is that every single team needs a vibe. And here's the Justice League of America's Vibe, all in his own solo comic and everything. Cisco Ramon is now the centre of the multiverse, and everyone else is trying to make him figure it out so he can become a border cop for the city of Detroit, and other such obvious features of a comic by one of these writers, so without further ado, shake yourself down with Justice League of America's Vibe vol 1, Breach by Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg, Sterling Gates, Pete Woods, Andres Guinaldo and Derlis Santacruz with additional pencils by Fabiano Neves and Manuel Garcia and colours by Brad Anderson, Hi-Fi and Brett Smith.

Next week: back in the teens again for Superboy vol 2, covering 8-12, 0 (and a little bonus 13 for crossover prep)

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Its a bumper episode this time folks, because the content of the trades (and a desire to just hurry up and hit the critically acclaimed part of the run) have given us the bounty crop of TWO Green Arrow trades. We get to see the Emerald Archer get involved with triplets, wage war on a Chinese billionaire, meet up with Hawkman and try to teach a poor dog-fighting kid about archery to escape poverty, and all because we made ourselves read so much! Come along and see if we hit the bullseye with Green Arrow vol 2 Triple Threat and vol 3 Harrow by Ann Nocenti, Judd Winick, Harvey Tolibao, Steve Kurth and Freddie Williams II with colours by Richard & Tanya Horie, Mike Atiyeh and Allen Passalaqua

Next week: its him, its really him, its Justice League of America's Vibe, and his whole book from issue 1 to issue 10

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Another return to Gotham this week, ready to see what's going on in the life of Barbara Gordon, Batgirl. There's Killing Joke callbacks, a new villain, Killing Joke callbacks, a new vigilante group led by a rich woman up to no good, and some more Killing Joke callbacks for the road - plus a little personal life too, if you can believe they squeezed it in. Come on then and take a dive with us into Batgirl vol 2: Knightfall Descends by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf, Ed Benes and Alitha Martinez with additional pencils by Vicente Cifenutes and colours by Ulises Arreola.

Next week: its a bumper one for special episode 33, as we read Green Arrow vol 2 and 3 covering issues 7-16! (and 0 too!)

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