‘Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the industry, the news was quiet…until it wasn’t, with Thursday saving this column from an eight item effort — or less! So, let’s look at the week that was as I write about ten things I liked or didn’t like from the week of comics, including DC’s takeover continuing onwards. I will note, though: two notable items were added at the last second, which is why they are where they are. Keep that in mind when you consider the placement of everything this week!

DC, In Its Expansion Era

It seems as if DC looked at its exemplary 2025 and thought, “We can do better,” as this week’s reveals were quite tasty. It was a robust slate and a welcome turn for the comics journalists of the world struggling with the slow drip of news throughout the holiday season. We’ll split it into two chunks, even if my favorite announcement is in the second bit.

Up first is an expansion of what we know about DC Next Level, the publisher’s endeavor that seems to bring a creator-driven spirit to some typically less successful properties. We already knew two of the announced titles and creative teams, as Lobo from Skottie Young and Jorge Corona and Batwoman from Greg Rucka and DaNi were revealed at New York Comic Con. But the third title is a fun one too, as it finds writer Tony Fleecs bringing his Local Man energy to Deathstroke: The Terminator with a fitting partner in Carmine Di Giandomenico. What’s it about? It’s about Deathstroke doing Deathstroke things, man! What else could you want? Them being ongoings, that’s what. And they are! Huzzah!

Quick note, though: That Deathstroke cover from Tony Fleecs, the one you can see above, rocks. I love everything about it, but in particular, those colors are sharp. Big fan.

Later in the week, more news hit, this time on the new creative teams on existing titles front. DC revealed the folks who are taking over a pair of notable ongoings. One was writer Tate Brombal and artist Sami Basri becoming the new New Titans team starting with issue #33, which strikes me as a savvy casting job given each of their skills. I dig it. The real headliner, though, is who will be working on The Flash starting with issue #31. It’s writer Ryan North and artist Gavin Guidry, a pairing that must have been stolen from my dream journal because I know it’s in there somewhere. I’ve known about this one for a bit and it sounds fantastic, with North’s science and good times brain pairing well with Guidry’s classic, Doc Shaner and Chris Samnee-esque art stylings. Even better? It continues the focus on Wally West, my OTSS (One True Scarlet Speedster). Both teams take over in March, and I am 12 out of 10 in on The Flash. That’s a brilliant casting job right there.

What else is coming from DC next year? A whole lot! There’s plenty on the horizon, with Next Level’s announcement coming with a laundry list of top names working on future books like Mariko Tamaki, James Harren, and a new face entering the mix I believe in Michael Walsh. I am intrigued!

Diamond, Continuing Its Disaster Era

In news that sounds like a big deal but isn’t one functionally unless you’re one of the many, many, many companies trying to get consignment inventory back from them, it seems that Diamond Comic Distributors — the original flavor, not the new one that was acquired in the bankruptcy auction, because business is weird — is converting from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy to the death note one, aka Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. The good news here, as Heidi MacDonald covers in her write-up on the subject, is that this could make it easier for the practically infinite number of comic publishers still involved to get their consignment inventory back, with the goal seemingly being to liquidate that inventory quickly and affordably, much to the delight of those houses.

Is that how it will play out? God only knows. Very little of this ongoing Journey into Misery has made sense, so why would it start now? But I hope it goes smoothly for everyone involved, because I’m sure everyone is tired of this. I know I am, and I only have to write about it on occasion, mostly just to sigh about how stupid it has been. That said, if you can’t get enough of this kind of thing and all the nitty gritty details that go into the slow motion car crash that is Diamond Comic Distributors in 2025, I highly recommend reading Heidi’s synopsis of the whole thing. As per usual, she does excellent work digging into those rather nasty weeds.