{"id":27526,"date":"2023-02-08T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T09:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=27526"},"modified":"2023-02-08T17:54:54","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T17:54:54","slug":"very-dc-valentines-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2023\/02\/08\/very-dc-valentines-day\/","title":{"rendered":"A Very DC Valentine\u2019s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" \"\"
\nBy Cecil Castellucci<\/strong>, Amanda Conner<\/strong>, Andy Diggle<\/strong>, Paul Dini<\/strong>, Ray Fawkes<\/strong>, Phil Hester<\/strong>, Kyle Higgins<\/strong>, Collin Kelly<\/strong>, Alisa Quitney<\/strong>, Jackson Lanzing<\/strong>, Peter Milligan<\/strong>, Ann Nocenti<\/strong>, Steve Orlando<\/strong>, Jimmy Palmiotti<\/strong>, James Robinson<\/strong>, Mark Russell<\/strong>, Mairghread Scott<\/strong>, Tim Seeley<\/strong>, Simon Bisley<\/strong>, Ben Caldwell<\/strong>, Aaron Campbell<\/strong>, Giuseppe Camuncoli<\/strong>, Mirko Colak<\/strong>, Andrew Currie<\/strong>, Javier Fernandez<\/strong>, Julio Ferreira<\/strong>, Julius Gopez<\/strong>, Sanford Greene<\/strong>, Stephanie Hans<\/strong>, Bryan Hitch<\/strong>, Frazer Irving<\/strong>, Kelley Jones<\/strong>, Nic Klein<\/strong>, Emanuela Lupacchino<\/strong>, Guillem March<\/strong>, John McCrea<\/strong>, Jaime Mendoza<\/strong>, Inaki Miranda<\/strong>, Robson Rocha<\/strong>, Thony Silas<\/strong>, Cam Smith<\/strong>, John Timms<\/strong> & various (DC Comics)
\nISBN: 978-1401287665 (TPB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

After generations of incorporating seasonal occasions, milestones and themes into their regular chronology, in recent years comics publishers have started releasing special issues and compilations to single out those sale-enhancing moments. For DC, that process really began during their New 52<\/strong> reboot\u2026<\/p>\n

Regrettably eschewing their own vast back catalogue of magnificently-limned genre romance material (still\u2026 maybe one day, hey?) the home of Batman<\/strong>, Superman<\/strong> and Wonder Woman<\/strong> released all-new anthologies exploring the many roads to and ways of loving.<\/p>\n

In 2018, three one-shots – Young Monsters in Love<\/strong> #1, Young Romance: The New 52 Valentine\u2019s Day Special<\/strong> #1 and Harley Quinn Valentine\u2019s Day Special<\/strong> #1 – were tangled together as a celebratory tome which might entice less traditional fans\u2026<\/p>\n

We begin with Young Monsters in Love<\/strong> #1, which hit stores on February 7th<\/sup> 2018 carrying an April cover-date. It opens with a tale of Man-Bat<\/strong> wherein Kyle Higgins, Kelley Jones & colourist Michelle Madsen expose the bestial inner monologue of Kirk Langstrom<\/em>\u2019s \u2018<\/em>\u201cNocturnal Animal\u201d\u2019<\/em> as the self-mutated science renegade seeks to rekindle his romantic relationship with ex-wife Francine<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Tim Seeley, Giuseppe Camuncoli & Cam Smith also explore that theme of stability lost as Frankenstein<\/strong>, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.<\/strong> reviews his centuries-long relationship with \u201cThe Bride<\/em>\u201d in \u2018Pieces of Me\u2019<\/em> whilst Clark Kent<\/em> and his son Jon <\/em>learn a few hard truths about love and loss in \u2018Buried on Sunday\u2019<\/em>. It\u2019s a potentially shattering lesson for the Man of Steel and Superboy<\/strong> who seek to ensure that Solomon Grundy<\/strong> does not wallow in the eternal despair of bereavement as sensitively detailed by Mairghread Scott, Bryan Hitch & Andrew Currie\u2026<\/p>\n

Disgruntled Teen Titan<\/strong>\/peripatetic ghost buster Raven<\/strong> discovers \u2018The Dead Can Dance\u2019<\/em> on a long-deferred Prom Night(mare) by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing & Javier Fernandez, after which Paul Dini & Guillem March expose the cruel traumas of elementary school bullying when Deadman<\/strong> saves a lonely boy crushed and nearly killed by the annual purgatory of card-giving in \u2018Be My Valentine\u2019<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Swamp Thing<\/strong> loves and loses another frail and fragile human contact in the beautifully eerie \u2018Heart-Shaped Box\u2019<\/em> by Mark Russell & Frazer Irving, before Steve Orlando & Nic Klein push the parameters of amour and self-sacrifice when queer cop Maggie Sawyer seeks to stop a potential bloodbath as Monsieur Mallah<\/em> & The Brain<\/em> (of the Brotherhood of Evil<\/strong>) seek a way to further their impossibly complex relationship by looking backwards in \u2018Visibility\u2019<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Andrew Bennet<\/em> (I, Vampire<\/strong>, by Alisa Quitney & Stephanie Hans) then experiences painful revelation when forced to accept a new role for his ever-maturing disciple in \u2018The Turning of Deborah Dancer\u2019<\/em>, whereas Etrigan<\/em> – The Demon<\/strong> – brutally challenges the entire infernal host to reach Jason Blood<\/em>\u2019s lost love in \u2018To Hell and Gone\u2019<\/em> by Phil Hester &Mirko Colak.<\/p>\n

Amidst the madness of WWII, the warped wooing closes with a distressing brush-off letter to the Creature Commandos<\/strong>\u2019 man-made vampire in \u2018Dear Velcoro\u2019<\/em>, by James Robinson & John McCrea.<\/p>\n

Heralding a shift from dark dilemmas to costumed courting – courtesy of the contents of Young Romance: The New 52 Valentine\u2019s Day Special<\/strong> #1 (originally cover-dated April 2013) – our soap-opera sagas start with Catwoman<\/strong> reminiscing over her first meeting and troubled history with Batman in Ann Nocenti, Emanuela Lupacchino & Jaime Mendoza\u2019s \u2018Think it Through\u2019<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Aquaman & Mera <\/strong>uncover unrequited love and reunite unquiet separated spirits in \u2018The Lighthouse\u2019<\/em> (by Cecil Castellucci & Inaki Miranda) before Batgirl <\/strong>Babs Gordon<\/em> lets her guard down with a certified bad boy in Ray Fawkes & Julius Gopez\u2019s \u2018Dreamer\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Superhero teammates Apollo & Midnighter<\/strong> revisit their first \u201c mad moment\u201d mid-mission in \u2018Seoul Brothers\u2019<\/em> by Peter Milligan & Simon Bisley, whilst paragon legacy hero Nightwing<\/strong> makes all his old mistakes again with new foe\/ally\/love interest Ursa in \u2018Another Saturday Night\u2019<\/em> by Kyle Higgins & Sanford Greene\u2026<\/p>\n

One of the biggest and most touted draws of the New 52 was the sidelining of Lois Lane<\/strong> and shocking romantic entanglement of Superman<\/strong> and Wonder Woman<\/strong>. Here, Andy Diggle, Robson Rocha & Julio Ferreira depict the ultimate power couple in the early, exploratory stages of that relationship and learning via a shocking game of \u2018Truth or Dare\u2019 <\/em>\u2026until spiteful sirens and a possessed god of love violently object\u2026<\/p>\n

The final third of this torrid tome sees lunatic love bandit Harleen Quinzel<\/em> hog the limelight and steal the show with an extended epic from the Harley Quinn Valentine\u2019s Day Special<\/strong> #1: released on February 11th<\/sup> 2015 and once again cover-dated for the month of All Fools\u2026<\/p>\n

Written by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, and collaboratively illustrated by John Timms, Ben Caldwell, Aaron Campbell, Thony Silas and colourists Paul Mounts & Hi-Fi, \u2018Just Batty Over You\u2019<\/em> offers an hallucinogenic rollercoaster ride of passions and perplexing playfulness as The Joker<\/strong>\u2019s former main squeeze espies and is enthralled by super-sexy Bruce Wayne<\/em> who is a prize in a charity dating auction\u2026<\/p>\n

She determines to make him hers and the abduction part goes off pretty much as required. However, complicating the scheme is Harley\u2019s own meandering grip on reality, Bruce\u2019s many jobs and secrets, so very much over-applied and shared narcotic inducement, hench-folk who can only see the billionaire\u2019s vast dollar-value and the perpetual interference of briny costumes activists The Carp<\/em> and Sea Robin<\/em>, who really want everybody to heed their message of marine environmental crisis\u2026<\/p>\n

Daft, delightful and delivered with perfect timing and elan, this lustful lark caps a supremely frothy and inconsequential diversion to charm casual and fully committed thrill seekers in equal amounts.
\n\u00a9 2013, 2015, 2018 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cecil Castellucci, Amanda Conner, Andy Diggle, Paul Dini, Ray Fawkes, Phil Hester, Kyle Higgins, Collin Kelly, Alisa Quitney, Jackson Lanzing, Peter Milligan, Ann Nocenti, Steve Orlando, Jimmy Palmiotti, James Robinson, Mark Russell, Mairghread Scott, Tim Seeley, Simon Bisley, Ben Caldwell, Aaron Campbell, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Mirko Colak, Andrew Currie, Javier Fernandez, Julio Ferreira, Julius Gopez, … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “A Very DC Valentine\u2019s Day”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[133,92,10,33,305,76,286,148,9,26,11,48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aquaman","category-batgirl","category-batman","category-catwomman","category-dc-horror","category-dc-superhero","category-harley-quinn","category-romance","category-superman","category-swamp-thing","category-teen-titans","category-wonder-woman"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-79Y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27526"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27534,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27526\/revisions\/27534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}