Well, we're not quite there yet, but I'm thrilled -- as DC's new collection solicitations start rolling out -- to see a single $30 paperback volume collecting the entire Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War saga.
That this book is paperback is a little offputting -- I, for one, am not about to ditch my hardcovers for a paperback -- but it's probably necessary for both size and cost reasons, and to market as an easy buy for Green Lantern movie fans. What pleases me about this is that it shows DC is getting the fans' message that we don't like these multi-volume, flip-around-to-read collections; here's everything all at once, hopefully with the Tales of the Sinestro Corps War interspersed.
And not that it's a big surprise, but the Green Lantern train has most definitely left the station: DC already has a late 2011 release date for collecting the Green Lantern: The Movie prequels.
Trend to watch: The paperback editions of the Gotham Central omnibus volumes seems not to have been a fluke; October sees a paperback of the first deluxe JLA volume, with the other three certainly to follow. Makes one wonder if the Starman omnibuses are coming in paperback, too.
Speaking of hardcovers, early reports show Superman/Batman: Sorcerer Kings in hardcover -- returning that series to hardcover after a paperback deviation for Superman/Batman: Big Noise. I'm going to be annoyed if it turns out some of this series is going back and forth between paperback and hardcover without the equal volumes of each; not so great for the shelves.
Quick shots: The Spy vs. Spy Omnibus seems long overdue; has Warner Brothers ever released a Spy vs. Spy collection before? Also, I'd be pleased if Showcase Presents All Star Comics collects the 1970s series that leads into the new Infinity Inc. collections.
It also looks like JSA All-Stars gets another collection despite the series's cancellation with The Puzzle Men; this gives we Doom Patrol and REBELS fans that we'll see final collections of those as well. Series-wise, there's also Titans: Family Reunion and Zatanna: Shades of the Past in the offing.
Still, the most exciting thing for me remains the complete Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War collection. It's no Legion Lost or Showcase Presents Trial of the Flash, but the season is still early ... stay tuned!
Still no sign of Batman Inc., curiously.
ReplyDeleteUh, yeah. After we've all bought the first TPB (Or HC releases) we get a $30 version.
ReplyDeleteDC got the message- after they got all our money. And it's a collection that's just in time for ComicCon 2012.
And the JLA releases would excite me IF, they included some of the fillers by Waid and Millar. The Gotham Central TPBs are welcome since they're putting in a bunch of issues that never made it to the first TPBs.
I'm glad to see more Showcases.
The Superman/Batman situation means little to me since DC had no idea what they're doing with the collections. Or the title for that matter. They've neglected a number of fine issues leaving the TPB line a hobbled thing.
I'm sure that one's on its way down the pike. And with the first three Morrison Batman & Robin collections in deluxe format, large size wouldn't surprise me either.
ReplyDeleteThe next Green Lantern hardcover seems to be a step in the right direction. It features 10 issues for $22.99, and that's before the Amazon discount!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't get my hopes up for Starman being released in paperback. JLA sells a ton, and it's probably just special treatment because its assured that they'll get their money back with Deluxe paperback volumes which can't be said for Starman.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Tales of SC isn't collected in this TPB. Vol. 1 has 176 pg & vol. 2 has 192 pg, while new TPB 336 (32 pg less than vol. 1&2 together?).
ReplyDeleteI'm going to hold out hope that the page count fluctuates a little bit, either with the lack of introductory pages or something. For DC to release Sinestro Corps War in one volume, it would seem to me really, really silly not to finally integrate the Tales (Superboy-Prime, Cyborg, etc.). Indeed we'd have a conversation here about wasted opportunities.
ReplyDeleteI guess maybe JLA sells more than Starman just due to name recognition, though I thought the Starman books were really burning up the shelves. Is there a market, do you all think, for the Jack Kirby Omnibus editions in paper?
I know I would certainly buy the Jack Kirby Omnibuses in paperback. Probably the Starman ones too, if reasonably priced. As it is, I''m looking forward to the JLA TPBs...$19.99 seems a very fair price.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the JLA paperbacks when they first came out would have been at least $24, if not more. I know we talk about trades getting more expensive, but there's obviously been some progress if you can get one big volume now for less than the price of two before.
ReplyDeleteThere have been a couple of Spy vs Spy collections before; one with all of the S.A. strips and another with a like amount of those of his successors.
ReplyDeleteAll Star Comics is almost certainly the original, golden age JSA stories. The 70's/early 80's series was All Star Squadron.
Wasn't there a short-lived All-Star Comics in the 1970s beginning with the original numbering, that lead in to All-Star Squadron and Infinity Inc.? I'm leaning toward this being the Golden Age stories, too, but it would be nice if it had been a tie-in to the Infinity Inc. books.
ReplyDeleteThe JSA All-Star (set in present-day) revival shifted over to Adventure Comics (which carried the Death of Batman). That was canceled soon after (switched to digest, then gone). Those were collected a couple of years ago in two volumes. All Star Squadron was independent (and several years after) of that and set in the 1940's. Infinity came out of the All Star Squadron's second year.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused. So should I stop collecting the thinner JLA paperbacks now? I guess I still have to look out for those volumes with Waid and Millar?
ReplyDeleteThe JLA Deluxe volumes are a larger size and hardcover, but they don't include some good fill-in issues between Grant Morrison's issues, so you'd get a more complete story in the original JLA paperbacks. These new paperbacks presumably also just have the Morrison issues.
ReplyDeleteYeah the All Star comics are run from the 70's are the ones written by Levitz with the JSA in a modern Earth-2 setting that ran from All-Star to Adventure Comics and included the debut of the Huntress, and Power Girl and the death of Batman of Earth-2
ReplyDeleteThough these have been put in trade already in 2 volumes of just titled Justice Society (in color no less) and I should know I've got them on my shelf now. So I'd be surprised to see them redone as a B&W Showcase collecting them.
The first two JLA Deluxe Edition volumes are already sold out, and the paperback version of volume 1 will definitely be a better deal than buying the "New World Order" and "American Dreams" TPBs, none of which includes the lead story from JLA Secret Files #1.
ReplyDeleteAnd count me in as one of the people who would buy all Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus volumes in paperback. Now that volume 2 is sold out and selling for ridiculous prices on eBay, I really regret not buying it when it was still available on Amazon.
I'd love it if the single-volume edition of Sinestro Corps War included the "Tales of the Sinestro Corps" specials (or at least the Superman Prime one, which Johns wrote), but I don't think they would fit in 336 pages along with the main chapters.
Silly me; I completely forgot those 1970s All-Star Comics were collected in the Justice Society trades. And I even have those on the DC TPB Timeline (soon to be updated!).
ReplyDeleteThe first JLA Deluxe hardcover is already out of print? They come and go so fast, don't they?
astro city : life in the big city is also getting a hardcover treatment!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Astro-City-Life-Big-New/dp/1401232612/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1298831419&sr=8-3
You know, I know Astro City is really popular, but I have no frame of reference for it whatsoever. Pitch it to me, would you?
ReplyDeleteokay. Imagine a young Kurt Busiek who wasn't allowed to write for DC. So instead of writing superman and batman, he created a whole universe populated by heroes who are very similar to the dc heroes.
ReplyDeleteHowever Busiek put his own spin to all of these characters making them truly unique and exciting. In addition he truly builds living and unique worlds and often tells stories involving normal citizens and explores their point of view considering the actions of the super heroes.
I have read Busiek's dc work and it doesn't compare to his Astro City work. He simply brings his A-game to astro city.
Sorry for the long answer, but I just love Astro City. I have tried to describe it without spoiling anything.
I highly recommend picking Astro City: life in the big city. You won't regret it.
In addition I would love to see a review of the series by you ;-)
oh I forgot to mention the following:
ReplyDeleteif you have read Superman: Secret Identity and liked it then you'll also like Astro City. Both are written by Busiek and have very similar sensibilities.
That they are releasing The Sinestro corps War in one volume it`s a positive move, but I would`ve expected a Absolute edition. I already have the TPB, so to buy this it would have to in an HC format. But in Spain they are going to release it in HC format later in the Year, so I guess I`ll be getting that one ;)
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing collected in hardcover in Spain? Does it include the Tales of the Sinestro Corps, and if so, where are they placed (at the end, or in their proper place in the story)?
ReplyDeleteTales of SC will definably not be included on this edition. Just do the math:
ReplyDeleteSCW Vol. 1 = 176 pages
SCW vol. 2 = 192 pages
Now, by my count that adds 368 pages, however this edition is published to have only 336 pages.
Where ar the other 32 pages???.
Seems like this will only be the story and that´s it. No introduction, no existing extras, no nothing. Just the story.
BS!!
Just a question... the Gotham Central books were supposed to be omnibuses??.
ReplyDeleteI'm really confused about what is and what is not an omnibus nowadays.
Second... If the JLA books are going to be paperback now... shouldn't that take the "Deluxe" out of the name of the edition?.
Let's not forget the Sinestro Corps War Vol. 2 book had an interview with the creative team at the end; they might cut that for the paperback.
ReplyDeleteThe Gotham Central hardcovers are "omnibuses" in the sense that, like the Starman omnibuses, they collect issues previously collected in paperback, but with additional materials and omitted issues. So we consider the Gotham Central books (and also the Justice League International books, frankly) de facto omnibuses.
Whether the JLA paperbacks will still be oversized remains to be seen; indeed they probably shouldn't call them "deluxe" at that point. DC does need to define the terms more formally -- JLA was in essence an "omnibus," even though oversized, while Batman RIP for instance is "deluxe" only.