More "Post-Infinite Crisis" Plans

It officially started with Identity Crisis, a 7-issue mini-series that revealed the JLA’s darkest secret, causing friction between the World’s Greatest Superheroes. It continued with official (Flash, JLA) and unofficial tie-ins over the next year or so.

Then about a year ago, DC released, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, an 80-page $1 book that lead to four separate mini-series – The OMAC Project, Villains United, Day of Vengeance and The Rann-Thanagar War. Each of those mini-series led directly into Infinite Crisis, a 7-issue series currently up to issue 5, not to mention all of the regular series that are tying into the Crisis, and the 4 specials from each of the mini-series that not only continue the mini-series’ story, but also tie into the ongoing events of Infinite Crisis. Beginning last week and continuing over the next 2 months, “One Year Later” begins – new existing titles jump ahead one year after the Infinite Crisis. The story behind that missing year is covered in 52, a year-long weekly series beginning in May. Whew!

Now we’re starting to hear about more post-Infinite Crisis plans. There are two announced Crisis Aftermath specials: The Spectre by Will Pffeifer and Cliff Chiang (3-issue mini, debuting in May) , that spins not only out of infinite Crisis, but also Gotham Central; and The Battle for Bludhaven (6-issue mini, debuting in April), which continues the story after Chemo blew up Bludhaven(formerly Nightwing’s stomping grounds) in the opening pages of Infinite Crisis #4.

In June DC will release Brave New World, which like Countdown, is an 80-page $1 book that will lead into new series. Unlike Countdown, these new series don’t all lead into one big storyline, but each spin out in their own directions. Brave New World will serve as the introduction of six new series:

• The All-New Atom (an ongoing series beginning in July by Gail Simone/Trevor Scott) – this is NOT Ray Palmer, who has not been seen since the end of Identity Crisis, after his wife was revealed as a killer.
  
• Creeper (6-issue mini-series beginning in August by Steve Niles/Justiniano) – this is the Jack Ryder Creeper. Ryder is a TV personality, so there will be a lot of pop culture commentary, mixed with horror that Niles (30 Days of Night) is known for.
  
• Martian Manhunter (8-issue mini-series starting in August by A.J. Lieberman/Al Barrionuevo) – this will redefine J’onn J’onnz as a leading hero in the DCU.
  
• OMAC (eight-issue mini series beginning in July by Bruce Jones/Renato Guedes) – this spins out of events from Infinite Crisis, so a lot can’t be said yet about this series
  
• The Trials of Shazam (12-issue series starting in July by Judd Winick/Howard Porter) – Captain Marvel is the focal point of how magic works in the DC Universe
  
• Uncle Sam & The Freedom Fighters (8-issue miniseries beginning in August by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray/Daniel Acuna) – a new team arises from the ashes of the one that was decimated in the pages of Infinite Crisis.

With every one of these mini-series, i'll wait for the reviews and the trades, but I'm most curious about the new Spectre and Atom.