Don't Tell Me That Ain't a Celestial

"Don't Tell Me That Ain't a Celestial" from Justice League International vol.3 #2 (DC, 2011) by Dan Jurgens, Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Celestials triptych 3 of 3.

Doctor Doom vs. the Celestials

"Doctor Doom vs. the Celestials" from What If? Secret Wars #1 (Marvel 2009) by Karl Bollers and Jorge Molina

Celestials triptych 2 of 3.

Arishem the Judge

"Arishem the Judge" from Eternals #3 (Marvel, 1976) by Jack Kirby and J. Verpoorten

How about we start the week with a little Celestial action? A triptych, in fact.

Superman Museum

"Superman Museum" from Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1 (DC, 2008) by Geoff Johns, George Perez and Scott Koblish

The Unforgiving Eye

"The Unforgiving Eye" from Bulletproof Coffin #1 (Dark Horse, 2010) by David Hine and Shaky Kane

Pool-By-Numbers

"Pool-By-Numbers" from Baby's First Deadpool Book (Marvel, 1998) by Mark Powers, Pond Scum and Dave Sharpe

Batman and the Swamp Things

"Batman and the Swamp Things" from Batman #522 (DC, 1995) by Doug Moench, Kelley Jones and John Beatty

Elric vs. Jagreen Lern

"Elric vs. Jagreen Lern" from Elric: Stormbringer #7 (Dark Horse/Topps, 1997) by P. Craig Russell

An Awesome Way to Punctuate Everything You Say

"An Awesome Way to Punctuate Everything You Say" from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (Marvel, 1982) by Tom DeFalco and Ron Wilson

One Destroys, the Other Puts Together Again

"One Destroys, the Other Puts Together Again" from Trinity #49 (DC, 2009) by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza, (and left) Mark Bagley and Art Thibert (while right) Mike Norton and John Stanisci

Battle of the New Asgods

"Battle of the New Asgods" from Thorion of the New Asgods #1 (Amalgam, 1997) by Keith Giffen and John Romita Jr.

Raise a Glass to the Golden Suit

"Raise a Glass to the Golden Suit" from Strange Tales II #2 (Marvel, 2011) by Gilbert Hernandez

Hold Me

"Hold Me" from Hellblazer #27 (DC, 1990) by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean

Spock vs. McCoy... in SPACE!

"Spock vs. McCoy... in SPACE!" from Star Trek #1 (Gold Key, 1973) by Alberto Giolitti

Souvenirs of the Crisis

"Souvenirs of the Crisis" from Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #4 (DC, 1994) by Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway

In light of DC's recent announcement that all the Crises have been expunged from the new DC Universe...

Rick Jones Gets Married: Groom's Side/Bride's Side

"Rick Jones Gets Married: Groom's Side/Bride's Side" from Incredible Hulk #418 (Marvel, 1994) by Peter David, Gary Frank and Cam Smith

Silver Star's Big Chair

"Silver Star's Big Chair" from Silver Star #2 (Pacific, 1983) by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer

Map of Astro City

"Map of Astro City" from Astro City: A Visitor's Guide (Wildstorm, 2004) by Kurt Busiek

I, Were-Terrier

"I, Were-Terrier" from I, Zombie #6 (Vertigo, 2010) by Chris Roberson and Mike Allred

You're reading I, Zombie, right?

No Need to Play It Quiet

"No Need to Play It Quiet" from Sin City: That Yellow Bastard #1 (Dark Horse, 1996) by Frank Miller

Batman vs. Daredevil

"Batman vs. Daredevil" from Batman/Daredevil GN (DC/Marvel, 2000) by Alan Grant, Eduardo Barreto and Matt Hollingsworth

The Black Blades

"The Black Blades" from Elric #6 (Pacific, 1984) by Roy Thomas, P. Craig Russell and Michael T. Gilbert

The Death of New Genesis

"The Death of New Genesis" from The Hunger Dogs GN (DC, 1985) by Jack Kirby

Spider-Man vs. Man-Bat

"Spider-Man vs. Man-Bat" from Untold Tales of Spider-Man #24 (Marvel, 1997) by Kurt Busiek, Tom DeFalco and Bob McLeod

Not really, but it looks like a Marvel/DC crossover!

What Kids Dream About

"What Kids Dream About" from Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #3 (Dark Horse, 2011) by Malachi Nicolle (age 6) and Ethan Nicolle (age 30)

Proto-Crossover Event: Contest of Champions

"Proto-Crossover Event: Contest of Champions" from Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1 (Marvel, 1982) by Mark Gruenwald, Bill Mantlo, Steven Grant, John Romita Jr. and Pablo Marcos

Elric the Damned

"Elric the Damned" from Elric: The Vanishing Tower #6 (First, 1988) by Roy Thomas and Jan Duursema

Hey, I just read this scene in the book!

Barney the Burning Banker

"Barney the Burning Banker" from Fast Forward #1 (Piranha, 1992) by Russell Braun

Jonah Hex Daguerreotype

"Jonah Hex Daguerreotype" from Jonah Hex: Riders of the Worm #1 (Vertigo, 1995) by Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Truman and Sam Glanzman

It's Spider-Herc!

"It's Spider-Herc!" from Herc #7 (Marvel, 2011) by Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, June Brigman and Roy Richardson

Map of Krypton

"Map of Krypton" from Giant Superman Annual #1 (DC, 1960) by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino

Cyberella vs. Barney

"Cyberella vs. Barney" from Cyberella #12 (Helix, 1997) by Howard Chaykin and Don Cameron

Gardens

"Gardens" from Incredible Hercules #113 (Marvel, 2008) by Greg Pak, Fred van Lente, Khoi Pham and Paul Neary

The DC Blimp

"The DC Blimp" from Plastic Man vol.4 #6 (DC, 2004) by Kyle Baker

Helen Killer

"Helen Killer" from Helen Killer #1 (Arcana, 2007) by Andrew Kreisberg and Matthew JLD Rice

Titania vs. She--Jennifer Walters?!

"Titania vs. She--Jennifer Walters?!" from She-Hulk vol.1 #11 (Marvel, 2005) by Dan Slott, Paul Pelletier and Rick Magyar

Where Ideas Come From II: The Giant Head of Jack Kirby

"Where Ideas Come From II: The Giant Head of Jack Kirby" from Supreme: The Return #6 (Image, 2000) by Alan Moore and Rick Veitch

Manhunter, Hunt Thyself

"Manhunter, Hunt Thyself" from Action Comics #596 (DC, 1988) by John Byrne and Keith Williams

Bleak

"Bleak" from ACME Novelty Library #20 (Drawn & Quarterly, 2010) by Chris Ware

The Other JFK Assassination Theory

"The Other JFK Assassination Theory" from 1963 #3 (Image, 1993) by Alan Moore, Rick Veitch and Don Simpson

The Whip

"The Whip" from 7 Soldiers of Victory #0 (DC, 2005) by Grant Morrison and J.H. Williams III

As far as this theme goes, it could have gone on forever if some of those "new direction" issues had had proper splashes. The Anatomy Lesson, for example, or JLA #1.

But tomorrow, we go back to our regularly scheduled, non-nuDCU-commentary, programming...

The Shade Comes Out of Retirement

"The Shade Comes Out of Retirement" from Starman vol.2 #1 (DC, 1994) by James Robinson, Tony Harris and Wade von Grawbadger

Holding Back the Storm

"Holding Back the Storm" from Immortal Iron Fist #1 (Marvel, 2007) by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Tarvel Foreman and Derek Fridolfs

Fractured Borrowed Time

"Fractured Borrowed Time" from Challengers of the Unknown vol.2 #1 (DC, 1991) by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

Daredevil vs. Captain America

"Daredevil vs. Captain America" from Daredevil vol.3 #1 (Marvel, 2011) by Mark Waid, Pablo Rivera and Joe Rivera

In the wake of the underwhelming first issue of the new Justice League, I thought I could continue my theme of "firsts", filling the week with splashes culled from the first issues of various re-imaginings, re-positionings, and re-launches that actually worked!

Obscure Heroes

"Obscure Heroes" from All-Star Squadron #60 (DC, 1986) by Roy Thomas, Arvell Jones and Tony DeZuniga

The post-Crisis DCU showed up DURING an issue of All-Star Squadron, one of the series most affected by the Crisis. So I thought it'd be relevant to the discussion to show TWO splashes, or really, the same splash as seen from two DCUs.

They Can't All Be John Stewart (feat. the Shark)

"They Can't All Be John Stewart (feat. the Shark)" from Green Lantern vol.2 #196 (DC, 1986) by Steve Englehart, Joe Staton and Bruce Patterson

Interesting how Guy Gardner replaced Hal Jordan at the very end of Crisis, and now Sinestro will do the same post-Flashpoint. No universe wants to start with Hal in the role. Discuss.

Aquaman and Mera

"Aquaman and Mera" from Aquaman vol.2 #1 (DC, 1986) by Neal Pozner, Craig Hamilton and Steve Montano

Let's Talk Sequels

"Let's Talk Sequels" from Booster Gold vol.1 #1 (DC, 1986) by Dan Jurgens and Mike DeCarlo

They call him the post-Crisis universe's first new hero, so here's his first splash. It's about a money deal. Of course.