GC52 News: DC Comics Released 02/08/2022

Spoilers for DC Comics released 02/08/2022.

Words in italics signify actions.

If you missed last week’s report, check it out here.

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The GC52 Logo appears on televisions, computers, and all other types of viewing devices at its normally scheduled time. Lead Anchor Dan McMahon sits at his news desk, steam rising off of his mug of tea. The setting sun sparkles off the crown jewel of the City of Tomorrow in the background. The GC52 intro music begins to dim as the actual program begins as Dan turns to the camera with a smile on his face.

Dan: Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Good Evening to all our wonderful viewers from the docks of Coast City to the furthest reaches of Oa, you are watching the multiverse’s best news show that brings you the news that you need to know! As always, I’m your host, Dan McMahon, doing my part to bring you up to the minute updates on the worlds you live in! Our first story tonight will be brought to you by Adam and Grace over in the Hill! 

The camera cuts over to Adam’s apartment in Gotham City.

Adam: Welcome back to the Hill everyone, we’ve been busy! After a rooftop sighting earlier in the week of the Hills latest celebrity/supervillain (although what’s the difference really?), the Tutor, the streets have been buzzing in preparation for his big exhibition in HIll Harbour. Not even reports of a brief Batgirl battle thanks to Tutor’s mysterious homebrew of fear gas could dissuade the people of the Hill from flocking to the harbor for a peek. And thankfully, we have our own Grace O’Halloran on scene reporting live.  Over to you Grace!

The camera quickly cuts to Grace standing at Hill Harbor.

The camera cuts back to Adam, clearly unaware that he’s on-air once more.

Adam: Hey I see some old college buddies in the background there! Charles Dante and Barabara Gordon! There were quite a few sparks between those two I remember, I wonder what that’s all abou- wait what? Oh no. Uh..welcome back, and I keep telling you Grace, MY NAME ISN’T JEFF! While our reporter on the scene seems to have wandered off for a drink, I’m now hearing the Tutor’s mysterious exhibit is made up of all of the Hill’s stolen tech. With the mysterious villain giving quite the “phones bad” monologue, it’s a good thing the Batgirls are on the scene to shut him up. Thanks to his fear gas the two heroes may be fighting against themselves as much as the Tutor. The scary one may be able to hold herself together, but it seems something has shaken the purple one pretty badly and allowed the Tutor to get away. Hopefully, they have a nice Team Batgirl pep talk back at the…Batgirl cave(?) because between the Tutor, Seer, and those villainous “Saints”, The Hill needs its heroes more than ever. Back to you Dan!

The camera returns to Dan, who is holding a water-stained note.

Dan: And now it seems our resident Manta Man has finally figured out how to send emails, so here’s what he had to say:

Dear Diary,

Lots of happy endings on the Manta sub today. After a close call, Doctor Mist was able to save Gallous the Goat from the Devil Rays laser trident, and she seems to have made a full recovery. Torrid and her big gargoyle buddy turned out to be just one being called Charybdis, who is some sort of Greek Gods’ sea monster. She’s still pretty chill though after a brief “mindless evil” phase and her and Gallous seem to be getting pretty friendly. Thanks to a motivational speech from Manta, Devil Ray seems to have seen the error of his ways and stopped his whole “take over Atlantis and kill everyone” plan, flying off into the sunset instead. Manta did something no one expected, saving Atlantis, he got to keep that fancy Orichalcum trident and had a nice little moment with Gallous as a bit of father/daughter-esque bonding. And as for me? Well, I got fired, but NOT brutally murdered by Black Manta for spilling all these stories.  And sometimes that’s enough.  

He also gave me a fancy computer, so I can keep doing my diary in a safer way and stop leaking Manta secrets so much since apparently my new boss, Lex Luthor, won’t take kindly to that.  

Love, 
Mark the Manta Man.

Dan: Still not sure why you’re sending this all to us buddy, but we appreciate it. We now head to Hooper County, Texas where Desirae has a game-changing report about the identity of the individual behind A-day. Desirae.

The camera cuts to Desirae standing outside an airplane hangar. 

Desirae: Thanks, Dan. I am standing here at a small airfield in Hooper County, Texas and it’s hard to believe what we just witnessed and were able to capture footage of. 

The camera then cuts to footage of Cressida, and a large man in a coat, scarf, glasses, and hat carrying Barbara Gordon, and a Talon carrying Julia Pennyworth. Desirae speaks while the footage rolls.

Desirae: As you can see, the mysterious Cressida, rumored to be part of the Court of Owls, is seen here with a very large man dressed quite strangely for Texas. He appears to be carrying Barbara Gordon. Seen with them is a Talon carrying Julia Pennyworth. These individuals came from 2 separate planes to the airfield. I can only surmise that they intend to head to the Sampson cannibal compound, where it is believed The Joker is being held awaiting execution and eventual…consumption.

The camera cuts back to Dan.

Dan: Desirae, there were reports earlier today about a commercial flight experiencing turbulence over Hooper County and reports of something falling from the plane. Have you been able to find out more?

The camera cuts back to Desirae.

Desirae: Yes, Dan. I spoke to Harlan Ford from Hooper County General Hospital. He suffered multiple broken bones and blunt force trauma when he was pulled from his vehicle and thrown about 100 feet into the air. The individual he described can only be Vengeance. 

Desirae walks away from the hangar so that the airfield and the two private planes can be seen in the background.

Desirae: Unfortunately, our cameras weren’t able to capture this footage, but about an hour after Cressida and her crew arrived another private plane landed containing former Commissioner Jim Gordon and Private Investigator Harvey Bullock. After a brief exchange, Bullock got back on the plane that brought him along with Barbara Gordon, Julia Pennyworth, and the Talon. Once the plane took off it was then that Gordon addressed Cressida and the mystery giant. It was difficult to hear what was being said from our vantage point, but I was able to make out two words. One was Joker. The other was the identity of the unknown individual confirmed once he removed his hat, scarf, and coat. The mastermind behind A-day. The person responsible for all of the events that have led to these disparate and desperate individuals converging on Hooper County, Texas for a violent and bloody showdown. The one-man with the resources and the deviousness to fake their death and set these events in motion. That man is…

The sound of a plane flying low overhead causes Desirae’s last word to be obscured. She stops reporting and waits for the plane to land behind her and the nose to die down.

Desirae: Amazing, isn’t it, Dan? I did not see that coming!!! This is Desirae Porter, Intrepid Reporter reporting live from Hooper County, Texas. I will be back with more as the story develops. 

The camera returns to the studio, where Dan is busy talking to someone on the phone.

Dan: Yep, just about to cut over to you. Okay folks, we’re going live to New York, where Terrence has an update on the new Batman.

The camera cuts to show Terrance standing in front of the Rockefeller Plaza. In the background, Empire State of Mind plays as Terrence begins his report.

Terrence: I got a hot tip that Lucius Fox and the rest of the Fox Clan packed their bags and went to New York some time ago. Naturally, I had to follow because the people once in charge of Wayne Industries moving to, what some would call, basically Gotham City but with more leg room, is something anyone would be interested in. The Batman? Black Bat (That’s taken)? The Next Batman? Our new guy has already been spotted all over the place, making his presence known to the crime of New York City. The guy needs a name or own distinct logo or something, but New York has its own Superhero now, and he’s Black! That counts, that matters, and it’s pretty cool. As I’m interviewing officers and citizens that happen to get a view of him or a reply, they’re saying he’s more toned down or at least approachable. “He waved at me on his Batcycle!” One kid told me and after stopping some petty crime actually stopped, stuck around, and broke down what happened with the police. He’s creating an open line of communication with the citizens and police. 

Since Gotham City isn’t a real place (It feels like with all of the nonsense we report about the place), I’m also hearing that the Mayor and the City Council at large are taking action about NYC Batman. They’re having a meeting to possibly….work with or alongside their new Batman? The NYPD and a Vigilante working together, dear viewers I’m asking you…what could possibly go wrong there?    

The camera returns to Dan in the studio.

Dan: For our last story tonight we head back to Gotham for an update on the ongoing Arkham Tower situation. Ethan?

The camera cuts to the GC52 mobile studio in Gotham City (actually Ethan’s apartment). Outside the window stands Arkham Tower, lit up by the spotlights of GCPD choppers circling the tower, and the flashing lights of police cars can be seen bathing the plaza outside in a red-blue hue. Ethan steps into the frame.

Ethan: Evening Dan. As you can see behind me the hostage crisis within Arkham Tower is still going on and updates have been hard to come by. What I do have however is some info from my source about a raid in underground Gotham a few days ago. It looks as if some of the heroes of the city; namely Batwoman, and the two Batgirls, located the base of operations for the Party Crashers and put a stop to their plans to unleash a new drug on the city.

But that’s not the most interesting piece of news to come out of the latest triumph for our heroes. No, that would be where these drugs have come from. If you’ve been paying attention these last few updates I’ve given, it should come as no surprise to find out they are from Arkham Tower. This is further proof that whatever Dr. Wear has been up to is of a criminal nature and another failing on Mayor Nakano’s behalf for placing his trust in yet another bad actor… Anyway, I’ll keep digging into this ever-growing web of intrigue here and get back to you soon.

Ethan takes a look out the window as the camera feed cuts back to Dan in the studio.

Dan: Thanks for that update, Ethan. As if the Mayor could be any less competent…That brings us to the end of our show tonight. So as always; be it the Bat-Symbol in Gotham, a red streak through Central City, or a golden lasso on Themyscira… GC52 has you covered with the news you need to know. ‘Till next week, I’m your host Dan McMahon. Be strong in all your convictions.

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Books Covered this Week

• Batgirls #1 by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern, and Ivan Plascencia.
• Black Manta #6 by Chuck Brown, Matthew Dow Smith, Marissa Louise, and Clayton Cowles.
• The Joker #12 by James Tynion IV, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Arif Prianto, Romulo Fajardo Jr, and Tom Napolitano.
• I Am Batman #6 by John Ridley, Ken Lashley, Rex Lokus, and Troy Peteri.
• Detective Comics #1052 by Mariko Tamaki, Max Raynor, Luis Guerrero, and Ariana Maher.