This week, DC Comics and Vertigo Comics are giving you exclusive first looks at BATMAN AND ROBIN #36 and ASTRO CITY #17!

First, in BATMAN AND ROBIN #36, the chaos in “Robin Rises” continues as Batman and his allies make their push toward the heart of Apokolips! Kalibak, Darkseid’s son, has turned the Chaos Shard (with help from the corpse of Damian Wayne) into a weapon that can consume life force on a planetary level! Can Bruce bring his son’s body home before more damage can be done? Written by Peter J. Tomasi and illustrated by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray, BATMAN AND ROBIN #36 is on sale this Wednesday.

Then, it’s “Sorrowsday” in ASTRO CITY #17. Who is Krigari Ironhand? Is he an emperor and a hero, or a tyrant and an interdimensional scourge? The Honor Guard believes he’s their greatest enemy. He was defeated once, but there’s more to the tale. This is the secret story behind it all. Look for ASTRO CITY #17, written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by guest penciller Tom Grummett in a very human tale of obsession, cosmic battle and interstellar conquest, when it hits shelves on Wednesday.