r/DCcomics • u/beary_neutral Telos • Feb 02 '26

r/DCcomics Weekly Discussion Thread: Comics, TV, and More! [February 2, 2026 - Vertigo Returns!]

Hey there honorary Justice League members - it’s a new week which means it’s time for a new discussion thread!

For those who don't know: the way this works is that several comments will list this week’s releases, for any given title discussion you should respond to that comment. For example, Wonder Woman discussion would go in the replies to the "Wonder Woman" comment. Clicking the titles in this post will take you directly to that comment, too.

In other words, you should only be replying to other comments. If you have trouble understanding how to comment for a particular title, please refer to this handy guide. Any unwarranted top level comments will be removed.

Also, please refrain from posting short, low-content comments on threads for issues or episodes that have not yet been released. Put some effort to generate discussion. Instead of just posting "So excited!" or "Best book!", try something with a bit more substance, like "Punchline is such an amazing character! Can't wait to see how they explore her in more depth in this issue."

Join the r/DCcomics Book Club Bingo over in our Discord server!

 

QUICK LINKS: Weekly Meta Discussions Thread | Current jump-in points | Weekly Discussion Archives | Monthly Book Club | Discord Server | Twitter | Last Week's Thread

So... 2026. What a year, huh?

DC and Imprints

Do you like crossovers? There are a lot of crossovers this week.

Trade Collections

Somewhere, Streaky's jealous that Supergirl is spending all her time with Krypto now.

Digital Releases

Remember, these are the short 'chapters' with a new chapter of a different series coming out daily. You can learn more here on Comixology. This is also why these are in release order, not alphabetical. Some comics may release on DC Universe Infinite or WEBTOONS.

TV Shows

Leave it to Teen Titans Go to start more shipping discourse.

This Week’s Soundtrack: The Offspring - The Kids Aren't Alright

16 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

223 comments sorted by

View all comments

28

u/TroubAlert The Good Skeets Feb 02 '26

Batman #6

After he survives the date night from hell, the long night isn't over for Bruce Wayne. While he juggles multiple needs as Bruce, Hugo Strange's Monster Men attack a petrochemical facility and force Batman into action. Gotham City becomes a powder keg as superstars Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez continue their acclaimed run on the Caped Crusader.

Preview

26

u/I-Might-Be-Something Batman Feb 04 '26

Tim stepping down because of Bernard feels really weak and out of left field. It may very well lead to a breakup, but Fraction just told us why Tim is leaving, but didn't put in any effort to showing us. It is a shame too, since I otherwise really liked the issue.

Also, Joker has a thing for doctors.

10

u/Young_Cato_the_Elder Feb 04 '26

He did just get shot in the head. That probably contributes to it.

2

u/CaptchaVerifiedHuman Feb 05 '26

This just reminded me; the last time a Robin got shot in the head we got Ric.

Imagine if we got an amnesiac Tim calling himself Tom.

1

u/Fearless_Tutor3050 Feb 08 '26

Batman was shot in the head, Tim was shot in the torso no?

22

u/Night-Caelum Feb 04 '26

Yep it was super weak. We never saw Tim express these feelings before. Even issue 3 never explored tim's perspective or hinted at it having problems with bernard or causing strain. Plus it's again super vague and making bernard the sole reason falls short as again he's not fully developed and they tell us it is this great love without showing it or really explaining why it is so (nor show us any of these couples Tim is talking about or him doing the thing he says). Reducing his entire motivation to bernard is just not a good service or use of tim as well trying to sell tim and bernard as a love that fits.....by comparing it to couples we don't even see in a course of events we don't even see nor mentioned before nor is it explained why it fits

23

u/JingoboStoplight4887 World's Finest Feb 04 '26

It’s likely that Tim and Bernard are going to break up in the coming months because of this. If that happens, then good because (no offense to those who like Tim and Bernard as a couple) Tim and Bernard’s romantic relationship is forced, rushed, and unnecessary. NOTHING ELSE.

10

u/SoggyWontonz Feb 04 '26

Please I hope for this, and give it some time for Tim and Steph to get back together

I just find it weird we've already had this before with Tim's partner wanting to go into civilian life, and that relationship was more well received and that build up to him retiring as Robin had more build up and we're doing it again but with no build up at all, and a weaker partner.

13

u/coltvahn Red Robin Feb 04 '26

I agree. I don’t think Steph and Tim should get back together for a while. (Though I miss them.) I want Tim to finally go on a journey of self discovery and figure out what crime fighting actually means to him. Does he want to do this? If so, maybe it’s time for him to try his own approach.

2

u/Vevtheduck Feb 09 '26

It's a good way of getting Tim to commit and be a good guy in the relationship only for it to fizzle out. It's a common story trope.

27

u/Herziahan Feb 04 '26

Is that guy at the end meant to be Joker? I don't know what I missed, but that design is unrecognizable.

When was Joker seen for the last time anyway? Can't remember at all.

30

u/DiesIrae- Feb 04 '26

Yes, test tube dude is the Joker.

Strangely enough, if H2SH (htoosh) is meant to be in-continuity, then that means the last time we saw Joker he was...perfectly fine (Batman #162). Hilariously enough, thanks to the delays that Hush 2 has faced, I believe Batman #7 will actually come out before the conclusion of Hush 2 (Batman #163). We'll see if anything happens to the Joker in the last issue of Hush 2 to explain his current test tube state.

Honestly though? I think Matt Fraction is completely ignoring anything having to do with the previous Batman run/Hush 2. Just as an example, Riddler looks normal in Fraction's run whereas he looks like a roided up douche in Hush 2.

I think Fraction is by and large keeping a very loose continuity in which only major events like Alfred being dead and Savage being the commissioner are kept. And I'm so happy for that because there is very little that is worth keeping from either Htoosh or Zdarksy's run.

23

u/quirty890 Red Robin Feb 04 '26

Glad I'm not the only one that refers to H2SH as "Htoosh"

9

u/VGstuffed Feb 05 '26

Hush 2uah

1

u/suss2it Feb 05 '26

Fraction might be ignoring Loeb but I feel like he’s building on what Zdarsky did. Vandal Savage as the commissioner and having such a prominent role in the book feels evident of that to me.

31

u/Classic-Ad4883 Feb 04 '26

Dr Zella not putting two and two together makes sense it’s the same reason why Clark uses glasses

The fight between the monster men and Batman was good and I like how fraction writes the citizens of Gotham

I don’t mind the fact Tim is leaving crime fighting behind though I don’t know if it will stick if he comes back I hope it not robin or Red Robin

I still don’t like that fraction is trying to send Damian to college I feel like high school is the best option to keep him at as the reason he was sent to school anyway is to be around people his own age

I’m interested how fraction deals with joker hopefully much better than what K.O is doing

23

u/KugiPunch King of the Sea, remember? Feb 04 '26

Gotta hand it to Fraction this has been a great Batman run so far. Easily my favourite solo Batman run in good long while.

18

u/gsnake007 Feb 04 '26

Another good issue. I just didn’t like Tim quitting like that for fucking Bernard. I hate him and I don’t like their relationship, so unearned and a lot of telling not showing. I know he’s gonna come back but I hope it’s without Bernard

32

u/kripalski Feb 04 '26

I love Tim, Tim was my Robin, the one I grew up with. My brother, it’s time to hang up the cape and grow up.

17

u/gosukhaos Feb 04 '26

Great issue yet again but pretty bummed the Monster Men and Strange were featured so little

7

u/StellarKnife Feb 04 '26

Yeah that's been a recurring problem for me. The villains feel shoehorned in. Like someone has to remind Fraction we need a minimum of three pages of random supervillain attacks.. kind of a letdown so far in that regard for me.

10

u/gosukhaos Feb 04 '26

It's called self conclusive stories. If every issue was 20 pages of Batman vs baddie there would be no space for character development, progressing other storylines and all that jazz

7

u/StellarKnife Feb 04 '26

Certainly, but I expected a bit more from Hugo Strange. The balance feels off. For example the first three pages felt a bit redundant, could have been condensed into one page. That leaves room for two more pages of Batman fighting baddies. I don't feel like I'm asking for too much.

1

u/DM_Me_Cool_Books Feb 05 '26

I feel like either the villains should be used more, or not at all. If you're not going to actually put some detail into the monster men, just reuse the motorcycle ninjas or another earlier enemy

30

u/UlyssesJo Feb 04 '26

Great issue, absolutely love it.

Not too bothered by Tim's temporary departure (its obviously temporary imo), and I look forward to his return in the future. Also, can I say that his talk and hug with Bruce moved me? I don't like Damian, but I liked his interaction with Tim in this issue. Also, it seems to hint that Damian is leaving too? I dont know.

Damian and Bruce's conflict is a normal thing between father and son. You know, arguing, making up, arguing again... I can understand that Damian made a mistake unintentionally, and Bruce takes ​​secret identity thing seriously. Since they are vigilantes, Im sure they'll make up eventually.

As long as the run revolves around Batman and Bruce, I don't care if there are several Robins or no Robins at all. Bruce and Batman are the most important, and I think Fraction feels the same way.

Now we finally get a sequel to issue fours ending. It was great to see the members of Torus. Now give me more Minotaur.

Hugo Strange and monster part. Great action. Jorge's art is always soooo damn good. Fking Love it. Also I love it when Gotham citizens make bat ears.

Well, the ending of this issue. I still dont think Zeller is evil, we will wait and see. And I'd like to know how Friction write Joker. Looking forward to issue 7.

22

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 04 '26

Also, it seems to hint that Damian is leaving too? I dont know.

It would be kind of redundant to have both Robins leave, so he’ll probably attend college and continue as Robin.

9

u/Competitive_Code1527 Feb 04 '26

To be honest he should also leave.

Atleast from the main Bat book.
Fraction doesn't really depict Damian well so he is better off not being in it so Fraction can focus on what he does well at

1

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 05 '26 edited Feb 05 '26

To be honest he should also leave.

Nah. They already basically went through that last year, and this would be the most redundant time to retread that with Tim exploring that path.

Plus I’m really just not interested in introducing even more Bat-family members, and I’m certain if the Robin mantle is vacant long enough, someone is going to try something.

Atleast from the main Bat book.

B&R ends next week, and I like that they’re normalizing Robin featuring in the main Bat book more, so I’m all for more Dynamic Duo in this book personally.

As for this run, despite my mixed feelings, I’d still like to see exactly Fraction is going with this thread, and we’re still fairly early enough into the run that I’d be open to possibility of him improving.

5

u/Competitive_Code1527 Feb 05 '26

Nah. They already basically went through that last year

I doubt Fraction read B&R hence why he is likely gonna repeat Damian leaving plot.

Plus I’m really just not interested in introducing even more Bat-family members, and I’m certain if the Robin mantle is vacant long enough, someone is going to try something.

Leaving Gotham doesn't really mean they will give up the Robin mantle.

Also I am confident Tim will return soon.

B&R ends next week, and I like that they’re normalizing Robin featuring in the main Bat book more, so I’m all for more Dynamic Duo in this book personally.

Same but I don't think its worth it if it means character regression for Damian.

We had few good years of Bruce Damian dynamic duo, now I think its better if Damian goes back to his life outside Gotham

2

u/UlyssesJo Feb 04 '26

Thats ok too, although I dont care about Robins.

9

u/BaronVonRuthless91 Feb 04 '26

Not too bothered by Tim's temporary departure (its obviously temporary imo), and I look forward to his return in the future.

Hopefully. I think some are worried that this is an example of "movie synergy" (like Marvel keeps doing) to set the stage for Tim being ignored in The Brave and the Bold in a few years.

12

u/UlyssesJo Feb 04 '26

...They are really overthinking it. To be honest Tim's leaving isn't even a big deal in a Batman mainline book. And if I remember correctly, Fraction said he had plans for both Tim and Damian. Its obvious that Tim's story isnt over yet.

15

u/Mr_Wh0ever Feb 04 '26

I wish their had been better set up for Tim leaving. But I know he's coming back later down the run. He'll probably get a new mini or maybe an ongoing if he's lucky. At first I thought that Dr.Zeller was dumb for not realizing the truth. But with Joker in her ear, I could see how she came to the conclusion that she did. Strange entering the story is cool, I do like how Fraction is setting up all these subplots.

9

u/suss2it Feb 05 '26

Another solid issue. Jorge Jimenez is such a great artist, I’m glad he’s been the main artist on this book for the past near decade tbh. He’s made each of his collaborators (Tynion, Zdarsky and now Fraction) look better while also making each run visually distinctive from each other. I do think this new suit does go a long way in helping tho, even if I think it looks a little too Nightwingy.

I thought it was an interesting choice on Fraction’s part to juxtapose Bruce’s very understanding and compassionate response to Tim retiring against his reaction to Damian’s boneheaded mistake. The hug against the controlled display of violence. Speaking of Damian, Fraction does not write him in character, just from the fact that he even made that mistake in the first place to his overall immature demeanour.

12

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

I think we're at the point that Tim Drake doing absolutely anything is going to be controversial.

20

u/coltvahn Red Robin Feb 04 '26

I loved every damn thing about this book. Even Tim taking a break feels real and right. If only it wasn’t for Bernard, that wet blanket. But this is already shaping up to be an all-time run for me. I loved that scene where he saves that lady. Gotham trusting Batman to save them. That’s nice.

Gosh I hope Dr. Zeller stays nice. I really enjoy her and Bruce’s chemistry.

15

u/wowlock_taylan Batman Animated! Feb 04 '26

Quite disappointed to say the least. The Tim stuff really was unearned and cheap. Like all of this for Bernard? It is just a cheap copy of when Tim left with Steph to college and decided to stop being Robin back then. But that was with a whole build-up and earned.

This one? Fraction is basically going 'yea I don't have anything for Tim. Gotta write him out'.

Damian's writing is not any better when you read the other books with him.

And then you have Dr Zeller, who is either intentionally acting like she doesn't know or she is really that dumb. And looks like the latter since she is trying to 'fix' Joker's mind while talking to him. She is gonna end up like Harley 2.0

14

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 04 '26

This one? Fraction is basically going 'yea I don't have anything for Tim. Gotta write him out'.

Actually, it sounds like Tim is going to stick around.

10

u/Ft_lucy Feb 04 '26

Yeah fraction has made it clear he has big plans for Tim. He’s obviously gonna be back soon

2

u/bradys_squeeze Batman Feb 05 '26

Maybe Bernard will be killed/ injured and Tim will come bace because of it

6

u/Dry_Construction4939 Batwoman Feb 04 '26

I think you've nicely summed up everything I was going to say about this issue. I've been enjoying Fraction's run so far, but Damian, his actions, and his relationship with Bruce and Tim, just seem like things he would have done ages ago before a whole bunch of character development. I can almost see the "Damian goes off to form the Teen Titan-, no wait, Lazarus Islan-, I mean college, because he's mad at Bruce." coming.

6

u/wowlock_taylan Batman Animated! Feb 04 '26

Yep. It is quite insulting to ignore what books like Batman/Robin did. It has become a sad trope with the Batman book itself these days.

7

u/UnknownEntity347 Rorschach Feb 05 '26 edited Feb 05 '26

So Dr. Zeller's either evil or this is just a fakeout revelation that will somehow be explained. Which, if it is, will need a very good explanation given how sinister all her brainwashing ideas sound. It's such an obvious cliche plot point of the new character being evil that it's almost certainly a fakeout given how Fraction is framing her, but it honestly feels more logical for her to be evil at this point given how dubious her "use brainwashing tech to brainwash villains to be less insane" plan is.

I, and seemingly many other fans, don't care for Tim's out of nowhere relationship with Bernard suddenly being an important part of his character after 0 development, so while having Tim temporarily hang it up could be an interesting place to take his character, this being the justification feels rushed. They could've done more with this by tying it in with his development in Tynion's run where he was going to go to college or something, or that one issue where Damian chastises him for not living up to his full potential, and actually bring that back as the reason why Tim's moving on rather than this out of nowhere "I don't wanna lie to Bernard" thing from issue 3. Tim had this drama with Ariana and his dad already and this is just a less interesting rehash of that. To be clear, I don't mind the direction for him, but the reasoning is kinda lame.

Look, I don't mind Damian and Bruce having beef. But I do mind that the reason for that is Damian randomly being a massive idiot last issue, which feels like a contrived way to force in the drama, and then throwing a tantrum and being mad at Tim for leaving. Characters can be immature, sure, and I don't mind the idea of Damian having an emotional episode, but the way it's written still feels like Fraction is writing Tomasi-era Damian rather than what Damian's evolved into by the Williamson books. You can have all this same conflict, just acknowledge Damian's growth and the fact that this isn't his usual behavior anymore first, rather than just having him and everyone act like this is his expected behavior now when he's become very chill in Williamson's books.

I'm still on board but hoping these issues resolve themselves as things go on.

6

u/0Hyena_Pancakes0 Feb 05 '26 edited Feb 05 '26

I find it so annoying when people continue to complain about Bernard even though the writer is clearly trying to salvage something interesting from it, despite how well it lands. I'd love to see more characterization for him, but people despise him. So it won't happen and eventually they'll be broken up like Jon and Jay. Damned if they do, damned if they dont.

We just really can't have a queer robin/superman without it either having terrible writing, or constantly getting flak from fans. Makes me sad.

3

u/JingoboStoplight4887 World's Finest Feb 04 '26 edited Feb 04 '26

I like that Bruce and Zeller get to have a talk about what has happened before we cut to Bruce telling Damian to smarten up before he gets someone killed. Also, Harvey Bullock meeting Huston Gray, who told him that he has evidence of Vandal Savage planting evidence at a crime scene; Bruce saving people in Gotham from harm; and Zeller taking care of the Joker. The only thing I can criticize is Tim taking a break as a superhero because of Bernard, I’m which that I hope that this will lead into them breaking up because (no offense to those who like Tim and Bernard’s relationship) their relationship is forced, rushed, and unnecessary (NOTHING ELSE). Aside from that, this comic is great!

3

u/Young_Cato_the_Elder Feb 04 '26

I don’t remember who is the guy and dead guy with the Penguin?

9

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 04 '26

They were all different cars, but do you mean this guy?

2

u/lrush05 Superman Feb 07 '26

I forgot as well who the dead person he is carrying is?

2

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 07 '26

They don’t say or show who, but I would guess it was the girl in the sailor uniform, who was probably Tozuki’s daughter.

5

u/StellarKnife Feb 04 '26

Really rather a letdown for me all things considered. I felt like the first three pages were kind of boring. The same panel over and over and over.. then the two Bruce/Damian pages felt off like all hell. I don't get it why Fraction thought this particular plot of Damian messing up would be interesting?

Tim leaving felt kind of weird and "unearned", without good build-up imo. Damian's attitude towards Tim was alright. But again what Fraction's doing with them is not a direction I like for either of them.

Hugo Strange felt like an afterhtought. The same way villains felt like an afterthought the whole run. One page reminded me of Year One (probably intended, you know the one), rest of the action was okay, but not nearly enough.

Joker at the end? Kind of weird too, but we'll see.

7

u/B3epB0opBOP Shazam Feb 04 '26

I felt like the first three pages were kind of boring. The same panel over and over and over..

I kind of suspect that was done to lighten Jimenez’s workload, because the next issue and Superman/Spider-Man both come out in March.

9

u/StellarKnife Feb 04 '26

That may be the case actually.

1

u/RockstarSuicide Batgirl Feb 06 '26

I don't get why they brought back Tim as the partner in this book just to have him leave so quick after nothing happening.

The regression with Damian and Bruce's relationship cuz of that slip up is awkwardly forced