Bruce Wayne is back – but what has he returned to? In his absence, his closest allies and deadliest enemies have blazed a new path, creating a Gotham that’s different and in many ways more menacing than the city he left behind. So, how do his protégés, allies and foes react to the man that stands before them?  

The fine folks at The Harvey Awards have announced their nominees for this year’s awards. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, the awards will be presented August 28 in Baltimore, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.  

Can’t make it to San Diego? Still want to feel like you’re there? Going to the show, but want the full experience? What can you do beyond read this here blog (especially this week, as we roll out a ton of news)? How about picking up an exclusive issue of TV GUIDE MAGAZINE, featuring all the SDCC news you require?  

Before we get into the tidal wave of news hitting this week, let’s take a moment and look at a comic hitting shops this week.  

Best known for his legendary autobiographical AMERICAN SPLENDOR series, which was published independently and also by Vertigo in recent years, Harvey Pekar was a unique and definitive voice in the industry that will never be replicated.  

The comic book industry kicks into high gear next week, as creators, companies, studios and fans converge on San Diego for the biggest pop culture event of the year, San Diego Comic-Con. But why wait?  

The following DC Universe titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in January:  

We shared some nice WONDER WOMAN #600 news with you guys yesterday, but why stop there? It seems like the sellout craze is spreading across the DCU, with ACTION COMICS #890, BATMAN BEYOND #1, BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1-2, BIRDS OF PREY #1, THE FLASH #1, GREEN ARROW #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #1, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1, SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4 and ZATANNA #1 flying off the shelves.  

There are some characters that connect so strongly with readers that they take on a life of their own, becoming more than just ink on a page. Like modern fables and folklore, comics create strange and exciting worlds and landscapes for readers to visit and experience, and they populate these worlds with characters so well-defined, it’s as if we’d known them forever.  

In a gorgeously drawn story by Jordi Bernet, Jonah Hex gets paid a visit by a who’s who of Western heroes – the Trigger Twins, Cinnamon, Nighthawk, Bat Lash, and Scalphunter! Check out this page for a taste, then to see what happens next, hunt down JONAH HEX #57, in stores today!  

It’s almost here. The biggest pop culture event of the year – San Diego Comic-Con. Have you got your tickets? Mapped out your schedule? Figured out your to-buy list? Well, we’re here to help. We’ve got a complete breakdown of all the DCU panels happening at the show. Just click below for the complete list, and don’t forget to visit our sister blogs to get the skinny on Vertigo and WildStorm’s presence at the show.  

  Heroes are a lot like us. They have jobs. Significant others. Bills. And pets. But what if those animals they keep around as loyal companions also fought crime? That’s the questions DC and Capstone imprint Picture Window Books – a children’s publisher of illustrated fiction and nonfiction – hope to answer with DC SUPER-PETS, a new series of leveled chapter books. The project is slated to last through fall 2012 and produce 24 new titles for young readers.