"Animal Man Annual" #1 and "Teen Titans Annual" #1 hit stores in May.

Today, DC Comics announced the first annual issues of the New 52. Via its blog, The Source, the publisher pulled back the curtain on details for both "Animal Man Annual" #1 by Jeff Lemire with art by Timothy Green II and "Teen Titans Annual" #1 by Scott Lobdell and Tom DeFalco with art by regular "Teen Titans" artist Brett Booth. Both issues hit stands in May, coinciding with the "Second Wave" of the New 52.

"Teen Titans Annual" #1 is part of a crossover between Lobdell's "Teen Titans" #9 and "Superboy" #9 and DeFalco's "Legion Lost" #9 in an all-out brawl between heroes in an Antarctic subterranean chamber of horrors. According to Lobdell, the Annual will also provide some context for the "Second Wave" book "The Ravagers" by Howard Mackie with art by Ian Churchill.

"You know how comics used to have cover copy that read 'This issue has it all!'... then you'd read the issue and, well, it had some but not all?Well this Annual really does have it all!" Lobdell told The Source. "We finally get to see the oft-mentioned Colony -- where the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. leader named Harvest has been keeping the hundred or so teenagers (did I say hundred?!) for who-knows-how-long.We get to see the Teen Titans in pitched battle against the Legion Lost (You can understand why Red Robin is skeptical about a team of teenagers claiming to come from the 30th Century, and why Tyroc is scratching his head over the existence of a team that -- according to the history progs -- is still some eight years away from being formed!).Then there's the introduction of half the roster of the new 'Ravagers' series!It has been eight issues since Red Robin threw down the gauntlet to Harvest, and now we're going to see if the Teen Titans have what it takes to shut down N.O.W.H.E.R.E. once and for all!Yes, there's a reason why this story could only take place in an annual -- because there is just too much story to be contained in one of the monthly books!"

Similarly, Lemire's "Animal Man Annual" #1 continues the crossover theme by focusing on the history and mythology of The Red, The Green and The Rot in a prequel to the crossover between Lemire's "Animal Man" and Scott Snyder's "Swamp Thing." While there's no lead-in to a "Second Wave" book, Lemire did mention his excitement at working with up-and-coming artist Timothy Green II.

"In many ways this Annual is like a prequel to the crossover storyline that Scott Snyder and I have planned for 'Animal Man' and 'Swamp Thing,'" Lemire told The Source. "But the best part is that I get to work with Timothy Green II. I've been a fan of Timothy's since I first saw his work a few years back and I was really excited when Joey told me he would be drawing the Annual. I've seen the first few pages of art and man, is it gorgeous. He draws a great Swamp Thing and an even better Maxine!"

Stay tuned to CBR News for more info on the New 52 Annuals.