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Comics Relief: SECRET HERO SOCIETY Brings DC’s Trinity to Middle School

Welcome to the weekend edition of Comics Relief! Today we’ve got news on some zombie comics being too hot to handle for Hot Topic, some tidbits on Marvel’s big relaunch, and more. But first, news on a big victory won for the heirs of Batman’s long neglected and forgotten co-creator, Bill Finger. Read on for all the details…

Batman’s Co-Creator To Finally Receive Official Credit From DC Entertainment

Sometimes, if you wait long enough, justice is indeed served. DC Entertainment announced today that starting with season two of Gotham and with next year’s Batman v Superman, Batman‘s co-creator, the late Bill Finger, will finally receive official credit from DC Comics. For over 75 years now, every Batman comic book, movie, and TV series has said “Batman created by Bob Kane”, despite the well-known fact that the majority of things about Batman that actually make him Batman came from Bill Finger. What exactly did Finger contribute to Batman? How about the cowl, the black-and-grey suit, the cape, Gotham City, the Batmobile, the Batcave…the list goes on.

Bob Kane’s father was a lawyer, and he made sure his 18-year-old son got a deal that showed him getting all the credit as far as the public is concerned, leaving Finger in the dust. Finger died penniless in 1974, but his heirs, along with writer Marc Tyler Nobleman, who wrote the book Bill the Boy Wonder, have fought hard to give him the recognition he deserves. Although the comics won’t reflect this change yet, it’s only a matter of time before they follow suit. [The Hollywood Reporter]

The Junior Detective JLA Books Have A Name: Secret Hero Society

Last week we told you about a series of illustrated books for younger readers featuring the DC trinity (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman) as young middle school-age kids, solving mysteries together, Scooby-Doo style. We know the name of the first book would be Study Hall of Justice, but now we have official art and a name for the whole series: DC Comics: Secret Hero Society, by the creative team of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs.

In this news series, the three kids will be enrolled in a prep school called Ducard Academy. “Farm boy” Clark Kent, “regal” Diana Prince, and outsider Bruce Wayne will strike up a friendship — and a detective squad — to look into why they and their fellow students were recruited for the mysterious school. Further volumes in the series are going to add Aquaman and Cyborg, and probably other DC heroes. Volume one hits in February, 2016. You can check out the cover for the first issue below: [Newsarama]

Titan Comics To Publish English Language Adaptation of Latest Snowpiercer OGN

A lot of people probably weren’t aware of this when they saw the movie, but last year’s science fiction film Snowpiercer starring Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton was actually based on a series of French graphic novels. Now a brand new third volume from creators Marc Rochette and Jacques Lob. Now Rochette, together with award-winning writer Olivier Bocquet, is set to debut a new volume in France next month, and British publisher Titan is wasting no time in publishing the English language edition in February, then giving us the entire set in a new matching hardcover edition. [Comics Alliance]

All-New Marvel to Make a Big Push For #2 Issues

As you probably know if you’re a regular reader of this column, Marvel is launching their big All-New, All-Different relaunch next month with a metric ton of new #1 issues. This isn’t their first big relaunch, as two years ago they did something very similar with Marvel NOW! (and of course, there’s DC’s New 52, DC You, etc.) What the big two fail to do with these relaunches is continue pushing these books past the first issues when it comes to marketing. As a result, sales often plummet after the first issue. Marvel is learning from this mistake, however, and is planning heavy advertising for Invincible Iron Man #2, as well as other second issues of the relaunch. Which is smart, because the first issue only gets you so far. [Newsarama]

Alpha Flight returns…But Not to Canada…Or Earth.

Speaking of the All-New Marvel relaunch, which is giving new series to practically ever major character and team (unless you’re the Fantastic Four, but that’s a whole other can of worms), there has been one tried and true Marvel concept that has yet to be announced for a series: Alpha Flight, Canada’s #1 superteam. Don’t laugh now; Alpha Flight outsold just about every Marvel team book not called X-Men in the ’80s, including the Avengers.

Although they’re not slated for their own new book just yet, they will be appearing in an unlikely book, one far from Canadian soil: Captain Marvel. At this past weekend’s Long Beach Comic Con, on a panel with creators Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, and artist Kris Anka, it was announced that Alpha Flight will be joining Carol Danvers on her mission to protect the Earth from evil aliens. According to Tara Butters, “One of the things that’s exciting about the space station is Carol is starting to be Earth’s first line of defense — on the station with Alpha Flight.” It’s not certain which members of the team will be used —Northstar has gotten to be too big for them lately—but I image the lineup will be revealed sooner rather than later. [CBR]

New Night of the Living Dead Comics Too Racy for Hot Topic stores

Mall staple and retail chain store Hot Topic, once known for being the one place to buy a goth band T-shirt shirt in Idaho, has always prided itself on being “edgy.” They’re way hipper than Forever 21, thank you very much. However, the new line of Ultimate Night of the Living Dead comics from Bill Jemas’ Double Take imprint, which were slated to be sold at Hot Topic stores, are now seen as a bit too edgy for the retailer.

Double Take shipped the comics (which are currently receiving a lot of publicity in places like the New York Daily News and Nerdist) to Hot Topic stores, but as they started to receive their copies at their distribution centers, someone realized that this bloody zombie comic was inappropriate for their stores. Not because of the gore and killing mind you, but because of sexual references and drug use. Oh, America…where chopping off heads is ok, but references to sex and pot can get you banned. You gotta love it. [Bleeding Cool]

DC Reveals Variant Covers For New York City Comic Con

And finally, New York Comic Con is nearly upon us. Although DC Comics have moved away from their home in Manhattan to Los Angeles, they still plan to have a big presence at the Big Apple’s biggest convention. The publisher has just released images of various books that will have NYCC variant covers, like Dark Knight III and more. You can check out the DC/NYCC covers below in our gallery. [Comics Alliance]

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