DC Quietly Bumps Absolute Flash, Bleeding Hearts, and Zatanna Off September's Schedule

DC's September slate just got a little lighter. According to Bleeding Cool's regular late-shipment tracking column, issues of Absolute Flash, Bleeding Hearts, and Zatanna that were solicited to ship this month have slipped off the schedule, with no immediate replacement date confirmed in the publisher's public solicitations.

None of the three are minor line items. Absolute Flash has been one of the steadier sellers in DC's Absolute Universe relaunch, riding the same wave of interest that's made Absolute Batman a breakout hit this year. Bleeding Hearts is part of the newer wave of DC ongoings tied into the publisher's DC GO! push, and had already gone back for a second printing on its debut issue earlier this year. Zatanna rounds out the list as one of the more consistently well-reviewed magic-corner books on DC's current roster.

Shipping slips like this are a routine part of the direct market rather than a sign of anything gone wrong, but they matter at the shop level — a delayed book can throw off preorder cutoffs, reorders, and shelf planning, especially in a month this stacked for DC between Batman Day, the Next Level launches, and the ongoing Absolute Universe rollout. Retailers holding customer pulls on any of the three should keep an eye on DC's updated solicitations for the actual new ship dates rather than assuming a one-month slip.

Original reporting: Bleeding Cool.