4. Batman: Eternal by Scott Snyder et al. (DC)
Scott Snyder, current writer of Batman, announced last year that he would be spearheading a new weekly Batman series called Batman: Eternal. Joining Snyder are writers James Tynion IV (Nightwing), John Layman (Detective Comics), Ray Fawkes (Justice League Dark), and Tim Seeley (Revival) with art primarily from current Detective Comics artist Jason Fabok. The series will go beyond just the Dark Knight and his Bat Family, focusing on new characters and exploring new areas of Gotham, previously unseen in other Batman comics. The stories will focus on Batman staples like Commissioner Gordon and Batwoman with Gotham's citizens thrown into the mix, looking at what life is like for ordinary people in a city where Batman and the Joker are real. DC released a teaser for the series last Thanksgiving, based on Jean Leon Gerome Ferris' classic painting "First Thanksgiving", hinting at characters to feature and possible storylines. Gordon is cuffed by Bullock, Batwoman has a ring on her finger, Joker's Daughter is hidden under the table, and an ominous owl looks over the proceedings. There's also a blonde Nightwing and a pile of bones placed at the forefront of the painting but who do they belong to? And why isn't Batcow in the picture?! The series promises to be heaps of fun for Batman fans everywhere and with the strong roster of talent backing it, it'll likely be an enormous success. Whether they'll be able to keep to the weekly schedule or not is another matter, but DC have a track record of accomplishing this like their post-Infinite Crisis storyline, 52, which ran from 2006 to 2007. No firm release date is set though DC are saying to expect this sometime in the Spring.