I have an early look at your DC Comics collections for 2014 today, scheduled to be released between March and September. There are a lot of these, so I'm just going to go through them alphabetically, starting with "general collections" first and New 52 books second. To whet your appetite, however, here's some highlights:JSA Omnibus. Brightest Day Omnibus. Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison Omnibus. Batman by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones. A new collection of Spectre by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. JLA Vol. 5, collecting Mark Waid's whole run. Absolute Superman/Batman Vol. 2. Absolute All-Star Batman and Robin. The third Catwoman volume by Ed Brubaker. A new "classic" Animal Man collection. Expanded collections of Batman: Murderer and Fugitive. A deluxe collection of Kevin Smith's Green Arrow stories. Tales of the Batman: Carmen Infantino. Tales of the Batman: JH Williams.
Excited yet? Let's dig in.
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UPDATE:
• Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell
Previously announced graphic novel by Paul Dini and Joe Quinones, now scheduled for May 2014.
• Absolute All-Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder
As I understand it, there's only ten issues of All-Star Batman and Robin out there, of which only nine have been collected in a hardcover and paperback. I don't know for sure, but presumably this Absolute edition collects all ten.
• Absolute Superman/Batman Vol. 2
We now understand these books are out there in the run-up to the new movie. Collects Superman/Batman #14-26, which are the "Absolute Power" and "Vengeance" storylines.
• Animal Man Vol. 6: Flesh and Blood
Collects the "classic" Animal Man (post-Morrison) issues #51-63 by James Delano and Steve Pugh. Previously, I totally overlooked that Animal Man Vol. 5, by Tom Veitch, contains a "War of the Gods" crossover issue.
• Batman ’66 Vol. 1
Collects the digital series based on the TV show.
• Batman Anthology
• Joker Anthology
In the spirit of the Superman and Lois Lane collections from this year, DC's releasing a Batman Anthology and a Joker Anthology to celebrate Batman's 75th birthday (Superman and Lois Lane is to Batman and ... Joker. Draw your own conclusions). I don't know the exact contents of either, but the Batman Anthology includes stories by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Dennis O’Neil, and Frank Miller.
• Batman by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones Vol. 1
This is one fans have been requesting for a while. Doug Moench's stories were wonderfully supernatural, and Kelley Jones's art had creepiness dripping off every page.
Collects Batman #515-525, 527-532 and 535-536, including part of the previously uncollected "Troika" storyline, an "Underworld Unleashed" issue, and piece of the "Contagion" crossover, plus appearances by Black Mask, Killer Croc, Swamp Thing, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and Deadman.
Issue #526, omitted from this book, is by Moench but with art by JH Williams; it's collected in the Tales of the Batman: JH Williams collection, elsewhere in this list. The collection also omits two "Legacy" issues, #533 and #534, but you can find those in the Legacy collection.
This collection ends with the first of a three-part Man-Bat story (also a "Final Night" crossover); it's strange to end a collection like this on a cliffhanger, but maybe that helps promise a Volume 2 to follow.
Later stories would include the Spectre, Joker, Penguin, Clayface, and Ragman, and a "Genesis" crossover.
• Batman: Arkham Asylum Living Hell Deluxe Edition
This Dan Slott/Ryan Sook miniseries ended up in continuity after "One Year Later"; I'm sure a deluxe edition will be an attractive book.
• Batman: Bruce Wayne - Murderer? (New Edition)
• Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive (New Edition)
Following DC's recent expanded collections of Knightfall and No Man's Land, Batman: Murderer and Batman: Fugitive each get new single-volume trades. I don't believe the contents list that I have is accurate, but I'm told each of these will include previously uncollected material; the original collections did have some holes, so this is nice to hear.
• Brightest Day Omnibus
Collects Brightest Day #0-24. On one hand, you've got a story by Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, and artists including Ivan Reis and Patrick Gleason, and staring Aquaman, especially, and about half of this book did lead right in to some New 52 series, Aquaman and Hawk and Dove especially. On the other hand, this is a book significantly out of continuity and that received mixed reviews; my armchair sense is that sales potential on this one is iffy.
• Catwoman Vol. 3: Under Pressure
Yes! This collection contains Catwoman #25-37, which finishes out Ed Brubaker's run and sees Catwoman through the "War Games" crossover. Most of Brubaker's Catwoman run had been collected before these new, larger trades, but these issues have never been collected before.
• Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition
Collects Andy Kubert's Damian, Son of Batman miniseries, plus Batman #666.
• DC Universe Vs. Masters of the Universe
In addition to Keith Giffen's DC Universe vs. Masters of the Universe (Masters of the DC Universe?) miniseries, this collection also includes 1982's DC Comics Presents #47, where He-Man met Superman for the first time.
• Deadman Book Five
This one's for Don Klees. Collects Deadman #1-4, Secret Origins #15, and Challengers of the Unknown #85-87.
• Doom Patrol Omnibus
Another one fans have been requesting for a while. This collects Grant Morrison's entire Doom Patrol run, #19-63, in one volume, plus the Doom Force Special.
• Final Crisis (New Edition)
No word on whether this newest Final Crisis collection contains the Batman issues or the 3-D, but it's supposed to include "all new additional story pages," which sounds like the recent extra material from the Absolute edition.
• Green Arrow by Kevin Smith Deluxe Edition
Collects in one volume Kevin Smith's "Quiver" and "Sounds of Violence" stories, previously in separate trades.
• Harley Quinn: Welcome to Metropolis
Continuing DC's collections of the Karl Kesel/Terry Dodson series; includes issues #14-25.
• JLA Vol. 5
So far, the first four of these JLA collections have re-collected the Grant Morrison books, first in hardcover and then in paperback. This one is straight to paperback, and collects all of Mark Waid's JLA run, issues #47-60, including the "Tower of Babel," "Queen of Fables," and "Terror Incognita" storylines, plus JLA: Heaven's Ladder. Art on much of this is by Bryan Hitch.
• John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 8: Rake at the Gates of Hell
This Hellblazer collection by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillion was previously released; this is a "re-cut" collection, though I'm not entirely sure what that means.
• Jonah Hex: Shadows West
Collects the Jonah Hex miniseries Two Gun Mojo, Shadows West, and Riders of the Worm and Such, some of which have been collected before, but not together. By Joe Landsale and Tim Truman.
• JSA Omnibus by Geoff Johns Vol. 1
Let's start with the fact that finally, finally, we have a JSA Omnibus. John's Teen Titans and Hawkman, which also received omnibuses, were both good series, and no knock against Johns's Flash run, but for me, JSA is one of his best early works. I'm very happy about this, and I hope you are, too.
Take a moment with it.
OK, now the bad news is that, in addition to a variety of specials and one-shots, the regular JSA issues collected here start with #6 and go to #28.
Yes, this means the omnibus contains the Darkness Falls and Return of Hawkman collections, and part of Fair Play (stopping a little before the superlative "Stealing Thunder" storyline, which'll undoubtedly be in the next volume), but does not contain David Goyer and James Robinson's JSA #1-5, Justice Be Done. Yes, if you're someone looking to get into JSA for the first time, it does mean you're missing the first five issues.
Obviously I wish this wasn't the case. Obviously I wish this was a JSA Omnibus and not specifically a JSA by Geoff Johns Omnibus. But we have been waiting a long time for this book, and I'd rather have something instead of nothing. Go back to your happy moment, as I did when I first heard about this, and stick with your initial excitement. At least the omission isn't from the middle of the book.
Also included are the JSA Annual #1, JSA Secret Files #2, JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice, JSA: Our Worlds at War #1, JLA/JSA Secret Files #1, Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1, and JSA All Stars #1-8. So, not an insubstantial trade altogether.
UPDATE: Early word is that the JSA Omnibus contents have been updated more favorably ...
• Justice League of America Vol. 1 Omnibus
There was a Justice League of America Chronicles that DC solicited a while ago, that was subsequently canceled. I'm pretty sure they've switched those Chronicles all over to Omnibuses now. This one collects Brave and the Bold #28-30, Justice League of America #1-16, and Mystery in Space #75.
• Masters of the Universe Vol. 3
Includes Masters #1-6 plus the digital issue #8.
• Showcase Presents: Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
• Showcase Presents: Jonah Hex Vol. 2
• Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster featuring the Atomic Knights
There was a controversy a little while back where certain solicited Showcase volumes were canceled due to royalty issues, including Captain Carrot, Atomic Knights, and Jonah Hex. All three are back on the schedule now.
• Showcase Presents: Super Friends Vol. 1
Collects Super Friends #1-34. I don't know, will this be the same if you can't see the Wonder Twins' purple outfits?
• Smallville Season 11 Vol. 4: Argo
Collects digital issues #13-15 plus the Smallville Season Eleven Special #2, by Bryan Miller.
• Spectre Vol. 1: Crimes and Judgements
Another I'm very excited about -- the masterful John Ostrander/Tom Mandrake series gets a new collection (following the new collection of Ostrander and Mandrake's Martian Manhunter). This collects issues #1-12; issues #1-6 were previously collected in a Crime and Punishment trade (with glow-in-the-dark cover!). Ostrander and Mandrake paired for almost 62 issues of this series; I'd love to see them all collected.
• Superman/Batman Vol. 1 - Public Enemies
This new edition of Public Enemies in paperback -- again, setting things up for the movie -- includes both the "Public Enemies" and "Supergirl" storylines, issues #1-13.
• Swamp Thing by Brian K. Vaughan Vol. 2
Collecting issues #11-20 of Vaughan's Swamp Thing series.
• Tales of the Batman: Carmine Infantino
Batman, Detective, and Brave and the Bold issues.
• Tales of the Batman: J.H. Williams III
I haven't been much for these Tales of the Batman collections personally, but this one, containing a bevy of modern material, catches my interest. Batman #526 and #550, Legends of the Dark Knight #86-88, and the "Pulp Heroes" Annual #21 are all written by Doug Moench; #667-669 are from the Black Glove collection with Grant Morrison; "Snow" from Legends of the Dark Knight #192-196 is written by Dan Curtis Johnson and Williams with art by Seth Fisher; and Detective Comics #821 is written by Paul Dini. Also includes Chase #7-8, which guest-starred Batman.
And some honorable mentions:
• Arrow Vol. 2
• Batman Beyond: Batgirl Beyond
• Batman Unwrapped: The Court of Owls
• Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 2
The New 52
• Batgirl Vol. 4: WantedIncludes the Villains Month Ventriloquist issue.
• Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year-Secret City
Collects Batman #21-24, #0, and Batman Annual #2.
• Birds of Prey Vol. 4
Collects Birds of Prey #18-25 and Talon #9.
• Catwoman Vol. 4
Includes the Catwoman Annual and the Villains Month Joker's Daughter issue.
• Flash Vol. 4: Reverse
This latest Flash volume is said to include issues #20-24, plus the Villains Month Gorilla Grodd and Reverse Flash issues.
• Green Lantern: Lights Out
• Green Lantern Vol. 4
• Green Lantern Corps Vol. 4
• Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 4
• Red Lanterns Vol. 4
Signaling perhaps a change in how DC might be collecting crossovers, all of the new Green Lantern books contain issues #24 of all the other series, the "Lights Out" crossover. For instance, Green Lantern collects issues #21-24 of its own series, the Green Lantern Annual #2, and the Villains Month Relic issue, plus issue #24 of the others; Green Lantern Corps includes issues #21-25 of its own series plus #24 of all the others, etc. This might seem like overkill, but indeed it means you can get a complete story in whatever book you might pick up (useful, perhaps, as readers acclimate to the new Green Lantern creative teams). There's also an individual collection of the "Lights Out" crossover, though everything it includes can also be found elsewhere.
• Justice League Vol. 4
Collects Justice League #18-23, so that bridges the gap between Throne of Atlantis and Trinity War.
• Justice League: Trinity War
Collects Justice League #21-23, Justice League of America #6-7, Justice League Dark #22-23, Constantine #5-6, Trinity of Sin: Pandora #1-3, and Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #11.
• Justice League Dark Vol. 4: Horror City
Collects issues #19-23 plus the Villains Month Eclipso issue.
• Larfleeze Vol. 1
Collects issues #1-5 of the new series.
• Nightwing Vol. 4
Collects issues #19-24 plus the Villains Month Prankster issue. (Zach King points out there's not actually a Villains Month Prankster issue. Not sure what's being referred to here.)
• Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Discipline and Punish
Collects Suicide Squad #20-23 plus the Villains Month Deadshot and Harley Quinn issues.
• Superman - Action Comics Vol. 4: Hybrid
Supposed to contain a selection from Young Romance #1.
• Talon Vol. 2
Collects Talon #8-14 plus Birds of Prey #21.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 4: War
Contains Wonder Woman #19-23 plus the Villains Month First Born issue.
And a "few" additional New 52 collections:
• All Star Western Vol. 4: Gold Standard
• Animal Man Vol. 4: Splinter Species
• Aquaman Vol. 4: Death of a King
• Batman - Detective Comics Vol. 4
• Batman - The Dark Knight Vol. 4
• Batman and Robin Vol. 4
• Batman/Superman Vol. 1
• Batwing Vol. 4
• Batwoman Vol. 4: This Blood is Thick
• Constantine Vol. 2
• Earth 2 Vol. 3: War
• Green Arrow Vol. 4: The Kill Machine
• Justice League of America Vol. 2
• Justice League of America’s Vibe Vol. 2
• Katana Vol. 2
• Movement Vol. 1
• Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 4
• Stormwatch Vol. 4: Reset
• Superboy Vol. 4: Blood and Steel
• Supergirl Vol. 4
• Superman Unchained Vol. 1
• Superman Vol. 4
• Swamp Thing Vol. 4: Seeder
• Teen Titans Vol. 4: Light and Dark
• Trinity of Sin: Pandora Vol. 1
• Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger Vol. 2
• World’s Finest Vol. 3
Whew! Who thought we'd ever see that JSA Omnibus? Or Brubaker's Catwoman Vol. 3? In this whole wide list, what's got you most excited?
ok..wow just skimming through the titles without reading the full descriptions all i can say to some of these is YES! ABOUT TIME!!! doom patrol and jsa omnibuses especially. plus mark waids jla and smiths green arrow as well! awesome nrws...now begins the long wait.
ReplyDeletelol of course it was too good to be true. why they cant just have a straight up jsa omnibus and collect the first five issues is beyond me. and if the jla vol 5 is going straight to paperback i wish they would call it jla by mark waid so it wont look out of place on the shelf next to the hardcovers...oh well at least doom patrol is complete!
DeleteYeah, the JSA Omnibus is two steps forward, one step back. I'm trying to be optimistic about it. I take comfort at least that there is a trade out there that fans can pick up to read those five issues. That's a better situation than with the New Titans Omnibus Vol. 3, where you're just plain out of luck.
Deleteyeah i was reminded of the titans omnibus as well. but that is a good idea: to pick up that first trade and continue forward with the omnibus!
Delete"but you can find those in the Legacy collection."
ReplyDeleteUgh, you mean the one that's like $100 used on Amazon and impossible to find otherwise?
Yay.
Oh, and most excited about: Doom Patrol Omnibus, but also Catwoman Vol 3, that the Harley Quinne series is continuing to be collected too. I guess I should be excited about the JSA Omnibus?? I don't even know if I've read that run or not. I read the Justice Society run around 10 years ago that was kind of like a Kingdom Come sequel...it's not that, right? What years is the JSA Omnibus pulling from?
DeleteRe: Legacy -- Digital?
DeleteThe JSA Omnibus is the JSA series, which came before the Johns/Eaglesham Justice Society of America, which is what you're thinking of and included some Kingdom Come characters. JSA is, in my opinion, far superior, more character driven.
Oh cool, I would love to read JSA!
DeleteI don't do digital comics. I just really don't want to sit in front of my computer and read comics, and I don't want to pay for something I can't hold in my hand, I want the complete story on my bookshelf. I hate that Legacy is so impossible to get.
Why would anyone be surprised by a JSA Omnibus? It's clear that Johns must have a contract with so much of his work reprinted and re-reprinted each year. Johns, Morrison and even Loeb still are top sellers in Absolutes and other deluxe reprints.
DeleteLegacy - Digital?
DeleteOnly Batman 534. Neither Batman 526 and 533 are available in DC's digital shop. Aside for comics from the last few years, official availability of DC's digital issues is very patchy and it is rare these days for older issues to be added.
I totally think we need a mega collection of Contagion and Legacy, with all the tie ins. Besides, I hate that just one part of Troika and Contagion are included. To the best of my memory, issues 533 and 534 have art by Jim Aparo.
DeletePatchy? Rare? So why are there so many issues of STEEL and dozens of other obscure 90s comics?
DeleteWow, pardon my French, but that JSA omnibus is just pure bullshit. That first storyarc was fantastic. Sorry DC, but you just lost a sale from me on that.
ReplyDeleteI also keep hoping we'll see smaller, softcover collections of Johns' work, like The Flash. I love the omnibuses, but cripes, they're huge. If they'd kept each volume around the size of the first, I'd have no problem with it.
VERY happy to see Waid's JLA finally collected, including Heaven's Ladder, which has never been collected before. No doubt because it was always oversized, but I don't think the art will be lost too much for that.
It will be an interesting trick to see the Prankster issue collected in the Nightwing trade, since no such issue has been solicited for September! I'm very interested in all the omnibuses, even though I spent some time a few years back picking up the individual trades (especially Doom Patrol) before they became too scarce... might trade mine in or sell/gift them to friends.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I too JUST bought some of this stuff, like all the Bruce Wayne Murderer/Fugitive trades. But I'd really prefer the complete thing.
DeleteArkham Asylum: Living Hell is one of my all time favorite Batman books, so I'm very curious what the Deluxe edition is and if it's worth re-buying.
@Zach, your point about the Prankster issue is interesting. My information actually refers to a Prankster zero issue; possibly that's just off-base. Will add a note.
DeleteAny word of whether there will be any collections including the issues of batman between death of the family and the start of zero year? Or any of the villains month issues?
ReplyDeleteSome of the New 52 collections above contain Villains Month issues. How many Batman issues are missing between Death of the Family and Zero Year? I have to be believe DC will collect these *somewhere*, rather than leave any Scott Snyder Batman stories uncollected.
Delete3. 18 - 20. I'd expect a trade with them basically called Requiem collecting all them in one book.
DeleteAlso, am I right in thinking there are some issues between Throne of Atlantis and the Trinity war collection listed above? Anyone know if the justice league titles will each get there own volume 4 and what these include?
DeleteI accidentally omitted a Justice League Vol. 4 book that collects issues #18-23. Will add. Does that cover the missing issues?
DeleteYes, Volume 3 finished with #17 if I remember correctly. Thanks guys
DeleteEarlier this year I started buying Batman arcs that I didn't already have and the Murder/Fugitive books were some of them. I haven't even gotten a chance to read them yet. I sold my older copies of Knightfall to buy the new ones. I'm sure I'll do the same with these. Do you think the newer stuff that will be included would be worth buying them again?
ReplyDeleteThe Batman: Murderer/Fugitive books, IIRC, were an early attempt at collecting an event -- they collected issues from a bunch of different Batman series and then inter-cut them together, taking out pieces of the issues that weren't relevant, etc.
DeleteThe result was mixed; it was a nice idea and is interesting to read observationally, but some page transitions don't work -- the characters are talking on one page, and on the next page they're still talking in the same place but you have to intuit that an hour has passed, etc. Also there were a couple issues that were integral to Fugitive but not branded as Fugitive issues that were left out of the collections.
So for all those reasons, if this story still has your interest, I'd go for the new books.
It'll be interesting to see how these end up working. The problem with that particular event is that several of the tie-in issues were only tangentially connected to the event. You'd have maybe 2 pages that were a tie-in and the rest of the issue was going about some other, unrelated storyline. The previous collections included only the pages that were relevant to the M/F plot, which was a little disjointed, but including those entire issues may prove to be a whole different kind of disjointed.
DeleteIncluding Batman # 604 in the new volumes would be a welcome improvement, though. # 604 is absolutely a key point in the story and was omitted from the previous collections.
"A whole different kind of disjointed." That's it exactly. I recall the Bat-titles at that time were trying to do a different kind of crossover method (was this when the Bat-titles were advertising they'd have X amount of one-shot stories a year?) where no title would be entirely derailed by the crossover, they'd just have little bits sprinkled in. Which worked, kind of, but it made for an interesting couple of collections.
DeleteI guess in the main they don't write crossovers this way any more? I mean, for example when Red Lanterns and Stormwatch crossed over, each title's issue had their own plot points as well as the crossover plot point. For major crossovers like Night of the Owls, however, I guess the trend now is just to give over the title to the crossover entirely.
Even though the reading process of these new collections might be strange, I much prefer a collection that preserves, for historical interest, the entire issue being collected than one that jumps around, though it was a significant novelty at the time.
Wow, holy f*ck. These are crazy.
ReplyDelete- The contents of the Doug Moench Batman book look disjointed hell. Sorry, but I'm just not getting that.
- The new Final Crisis edition is something I've been waiting for, since I bought the Absolute edition JUST for the extra story pages. I might actually sell my Absolute and get this version... well, maybe.
- New Murderer and Fugitive books, awesome.
- Definitely getting the JLA omnibus.
- Green Lantern collections are fail as usual. I wonder when DC will get the mesage and stop doing these damn crossovers.
The Moench Batman issues are missing the Legacy crossovers which make no sense without the other 12 issues. So it's not that disjointed (it'd be like skipping issues of knightfall)
DeleteIt's strange to end it on a cliffhanger though. And the exclusion of #526 makes sense given that it wasn't drawn by Jones, but the description includes # 520, which also was not drawn by Jones.
Deletewow, so many good things to choose from here. most excited about the Deadman, Catwoman, JLA: Waid, Jonah Hex, the Showcase Presents (especially Super Friends), and a new collection of Ostrander's Spectre. i'll pick up a lot of the New 52 trades, as well as many of the Batman volumes.
ReplyDeleteno archives, though, eh? i preordered the Captain Comet and Superman: Man of Tomorrow Archives, solicited to release this fall, but they have been canceled or put off for a while. argh.
any word on new Archives, or resolicits of these volumes?
No kidding, I have no information on any new Archives whatsoever. Sorry.
Deletethis is what ill be getting
ReplyDeleteJonah Hex: Shadows West
Spectre Vol. 1: Crimes and Judgements
Showcase Presents: Jonah Hex Vol. 2(about time)
glad to see a lot of Jonah love here, too.
DeleteHolding out for a Deluxe version of Batman Inc. Vol.2 Burnham I know was going to re-draw a few pages that fill in's had done. Hopefully we get that sometime next year too.
ReplyDeleteDitto here. DC just HAS to do a collection of the whole Batman Inc vol 2.....err...right? I want to close the Morrison Batman epic with a nice big book.
DeleteI feel doing a Batman RIP deluxe edition takes prominence over a Batman Inc. Vol.2 DE. Having RIP and Time and the Batman together would be much better. And after that, a Batman & Robin Deluxe Edition would be great, since some of us do not want to pay $100 for the Absolute Editions.
DeleteI was expecting there will be some 2014 solicitations for deluxe editions of selected New 52 titles, such as Action and Batman Inc by Grant Morrison. Early days yet, I guess.
DeleteI thought DC would do two New 52 volumes, then one deluxe volume, etc., but with the Vol. 3s starting to be solicited, I decided this was a pipe dream. I don't think I'd want just selected deluxe editions if it wasn't all the titles (which might be a ridiculous prospect anyway) nor would I want to wait that much time to read the stories.
DeleteYeah, but Batman Inc is a different animal than the other New 52 stuff, no? It's Morrison's "epic" and kind of not really "New 52" (as it's a direct continuation of the pre-New 52 series)...I feel like it would get special treatment. In fact, extra special treatment, as it's the big finale.
DeleteI was so happy to see the news about the JSA omnibus but as others have said, ignoring the first storyline has lost them a sale. How utterly ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteOn the positive side, delighted to get the Doom Patrol omnibus and the rest of Brubaker's Catwoman. And love that the Truman Jonah Hex, Ostrander Spectre and Animal Man are getting some love.
Leaving JSA #1-5 out of the omnibus is tremendously stupid, not just because of how important those issues are, but because Johns ghost-wrote most of them according to Robinson himself. Hopefully there's time for DC's collected editions department to change their minds.
ReplyDeleteI'm also baffled by the contents of Justice League vol. 4 (couldn't they just include issues #18-20 in the Trinity War HC?), the omission of the Threshold back-up stories from the first Larfleeze TPB and the fact that Lights Out is getting a separate collection even though it will be entirey collected in the fourth volumes of all Green Lantern series.
On the plus side, I'm looking forward to the Doom Patrol omnibus, the new editions of Bruce Wayne: Fugitive and Murderer, the fifth JLA TPB (I hope they keep releasing new volumes collecting the series at least through the end of Kelly's run, including the uncollected issues #83 and #90) and Catwoman vol. 3.
And finally, if the Moench/Jones Batman run is getting its own series of TPBs, I wonder if other classic creative teams like Grant/Breyfogle and Dixon/Nolan could get the same treatment.
Moench/Jones is a hardcover, as I understand it.
DeleteInteresting. Given how thick this HC will be, they could have simply solicited an omnibus collecting the entire run instead.
DeleteInteresting. It's so thick for a first hardcover volume, I wonder why they didn't just make it an omnibus collecting the whole run, plus maybe their elseword minis.
DeleteIt's possible DC plans a Threshold book with the Larfleeze stories there, but yes, it makes much more sense to collect them in the Larfleeze volume, especially since the creative team is exactly the same. At the very least, DC should put out a reprint comic book of just the Larfleeze back-ups as a #0 for the current series.
DeleteAs to the Hellblazer trade: Previously hellblazer had only been spotily collected up until the beginning of Azarello's run when every issue was collected. They have been putting out new trades collecting things in chronological order with every issue. When trades existed for that stuff they reused the title. For instance the new edition of the first trade includes 2 more issues and a swamp thing crossover. The thing i am really looking forward to is the trade after Rake which will take us into the previously uncollected 46 issue Paul Jenkins run
ReplyDeleteWas going to mention this, but also:
DeleteThe new trade coming out in September (vol 6: Bloodlines) has conflicting descriptions. Vertigo's website says it's issues 47-61, which would be fantastic. But Amazon lists it as only collecting certain issues from that run, and skipping others.
I've got it on pre-order so I'd really like to know what I'm getting.
It contains #47-61. I talked to Hank Kanalz on Twitter about it. Amazon messed up. I have it on pre-order too. Plus, the new covers are cool. They're gonna collect the entire series in chrono order in these new trades along with extras stories included in anthologies etc.
DeleteEh, I already sought out the uncollected JSA stuff (the Annual, OWAW and so forth) during my quest to collect all of "Stars and STRIPE", which ended a few months before the trades of that title were announced. (The OWAW issue may have been collected in that book's trades, but I wasn't going to shell out for them.)
ReplyDeleteThe biggest character and disappointment to come out of the annual was Nemesis, a character which Johns proceeded to do almost nothing with until Black Reign. There was an entire subplot with her controllers at the Council... who were killed off-panel by Black Adam to to get her to join up with him. Vandal Savage may or may not have had something to do with them; I honestly don't remember.
Hey, C.E.
ReplyDeleteYou know, with a little luck, the "JSA Omnibus" will be just that and not a "by Geoff Johns" title. Check Dan Didio's post on Facebook about it:
https://www.facebook.com/dan.didio/posts/10201781619842788?comment_id=6995015&offset=0&total_comments=2¬if_t=feed_comment
I would love to get that, but it must be done right. Otherwise I'll go with some other big Marvel collections coming up in 2014.
Good on you asking about it, X. Let me know what you hear.
DeleteAny idea if the JLA Waid book includes his fill-in issues as well? # 18-21, 32, 33?
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that these were included in the paperback edition maybe of JLA Vol. 3, though they were omitted from the hardcover edition of Vol. 3. Yes, this was controversial. That's why I'm not so surprised to see this JLA Vol. 5 in paperback; I think paperback is the "definitive" format for these expanded JLA collections.
DeleteJLA #18-21 were collected in the new JLA vol. 3 TPB, and #32-33 will be in volume 4.
DeleteBy the way, JLA vol. 5 will not collect Waid's entire run as the series' regular writer. His first arc, Tower of Babel (JLA #43-46), will actually be in volume 4 along with Morrison's World War III arc and the aforementioned fill-in issues. Hopefully it will also collect JLA Secret Files #3, which includes a short Tower of Babel epilogue by Waid.
I'm looking at the reviews for JLA Vol 4 Deluxe, and it doesnt mention Tower of Babel. Are you saying that Tower of Babel will only be in the paperback version out next year? Sounds like a big middle finger to the people who bought the HC
DeleteYes, I'm only talking about the softcover version of vol. 4 that will come out in February. So far, the new JLA TPBs have been making me very glad I passed on the deluxe HCs, except for the terrible decision to omit the last two pages of JLA #23 from vol. 3.
DeleteWell in that case.... Big middle finger to the guys who bought the HC
DeleteBut TPB doesn't have JLA Classified 1-3(Ultramarine Corps) & JLA: Earth II that were collected in HC.
DeleteThis will be the first time that JSA Our Worlds at War will have been collected, no? I believe it was inexplicably left out of both the JSA and OWAW trades first time around...
ReplyDeleteI believe that is correct. And I recall this issue was significant among other reasons because it was the first time Damage had been seen with this JSA; he later became a member of the second iteration, Justice Society.
DeletePraise be DC for the releases coming next year. I guess someone at DC has taken notice of it's bareness factor at collecting various comic series over the years.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing now is if DC reprints 52 volumes 1-4. I have them all already, but volumes 3 and 4 are out-of-print and pricey. Nothing wrong with bringing back those trades.
I rather doubt DC is going to reprint the individual 52 trades, with the omnibus out. My guess.
DeleteI bet they cycle back the way they are doing more Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (and potentially later arcs) after doing the Absolute. Any way to infinitely repackage names that sell like Loeb and Johns.
DeleteAm surprise they make Absolute All-Star Batman and Robin after all I thought the series was unfinished.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing they're hoping people will be buying this for the Lee artwork rather than to get a complete story.
DeleteHopefully this means that 6-part mini-series that was going to finish up the series (announced when? 2011?) is going to finally happen in 2014.
The release of an Absolute edition would seem to provide even further evidence that the series will remain forever unfinished. There has been no indication that DC considers it a priority for Lee to finish anytime soon, with him being assigned first to a year of Justice League and now Superman Unchained.
DeleteHmm... no Green Team TP
ReplyDeleteGreen Team is scheduled for April -- accidentally left it off. I'll add it back in.
DeleteGeoff Johns himself has said he did uncredited work on JSA before he officially joined the book:
ReplyDelete"GJ: Actually, I unofficially started on issue #4. Goyer had done most of issue #3. And I came in and co-wrote issue #4. Then Goyer wrote most of issue #5, and we officially started on issue #6 together."
http://www.newsarama.com/2853-looking-back-at-jsa-with-geoff-johns.html
What...? No new Astro City TPB? Now I'm sad.
ReplyDeleteYes, actually, two Astro City books. I'll add them in. This is not a comprehensive list of what's coming out, by any means; just the books that struck me personally (your results may vary).
DeleteAny word on whether Dial H Vol 2 will collect the Villains Month issue (Dial E)? The Amazon listings seem to be leaving it off. http://www.amazon.ca/Dial-Vol-Exchange-The-New/dp/1401243835
ReplyDeleteI'd be optimistic about that prospect. Issue #7-15 aren't enough to fill a 240-page TPB, even if you account for the fact that #15 is double-sized.
DeleteNo insights on that, sorry.
DeleteLots of good stuff here. I'm most excited about the third TPB of Brubaker's Catwoman and also the Tales of the Batman: JH Williams hardcover.
ReplyDeleteI'll also be getting the Batman by Doug Moench & Kelley Jones HC, Arkham Asylum: Living Hell Deluxe HC, Batman/Superman HC by Greg Pak and Jae Lee, Black Canary/Zatanna: Bloodspell (I remember when this announced back around 2006 with Amanda Conner as artist and thought it would never see the light of day), and Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe HC.
I'm also thinking about the JSA omnibus, but it may not make the cut with my budget, especially if it only contains part of a story and is not very new reader friendly.
Hmmm...I must have missed the solicit for black canary/zatanna. When is this coming out?
DeleteAllegedly, May 2014.
DeleteAwesome! Can you also list the issues for those other New 52 collections? Especially Aquaman? Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI probably won't go back and list the issues for the other New 52 collections (if I didn't list them, there wasn't anything remarkable), but the Aquaman book is said to be #17-23.
DeleteUnderstood. It is helpful because I'm trying to jump off some series and wait for trade. I''m trying to figure out what my last issue will be. Looks like it will be 23 for Aquaman! Again, thanks so much!
DeleteA convert! Welcome to the fold.
Delete@ Collected Editions: So Aquaman vol.4 has issues #17-23? That means the solicitations for vol.3 Throne of Atlantis is wrong then. DC website finally updated it as "AQUAMAN #0 and 14-16 and JUSTICE LEAGUE #15-17. So now we know not only #0 will be the only issue left out, but #14 of Aquaman. So Aquaman readers get 2 issues NOT included from JL vol.3.
DeleteThis is still hell for trade waiters on both series. And still most are better off getting JL vol.3 for the page count.
I do wish #17 does get included for Aquaman vol.3 though. It's the Throne of Atlantis epilogue afterall! At ends perfectly as setup for volume 4 and add more content to offset itself from JL. vol.3.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, but I don't see how the Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis solicitation is wrong necessarily. You're right that if someone buys just the Justice League book, they miss Aquaman #0 and #14, and if they buy just the Aquaman book, they miss Justice League #13-14. But either way, if Aquaman Vol. 3 ends with issue #16, and Aquaman Vol. 4 begins with issue #17, doesn't that make sense?
DeleteOh I hope that Doom Patrol omnibus isn't a leg-breaker like The Invisibles one was, much rather have two or three nice deluxe hardcovers. Holding out hope that DC will eventually release deluxe hardcovers of Morrison's The Filth and maybe a combo of Kill Your Boyfriend and Vimanarama to collect his work with Phillip Bond.
ReplyDeleteThose Moench and Jones Batmans are a must for me. Like a lot of people, I hope DC starts putting out Norm Breyfogle collections soon.
A nice hardcover of Alan Davis' original Batman and The Outsiders would compliment his recent Legends of the Dark Knight HC.
Maybe one day DC will collect Ostrander's original Suicide Squad in it's entirety.
I have long hoped for an odds n ends Grant Morrison collection. Off the bat, it could include Kill Your Boyfriend, Vimanarama, Seaguy (both series), Sebastian O, and the Mystery Play. Maybe Joe the Barbarian as well.
DeleteJoe the Barbarian had its own deluxe HC and I imagine Seaguy will get the same when the last mini series is complete. KYB & Vimanarama would make a great Bond-centric collection (both titles would add up to the standard 150 page collection).
DeleteWith Morrison said he would not be doing much more work for DC soon, the chances of a third volume are spotty. I mean, I'd love to see it, but it will probably go into oblivion like his Stormwatch series. I know Joe has it's own volume, but big names sell decently well, and I would not be surprised for umpteen reprints. Besides, I think Morrison would be a bigger name seller than Bond. What I would really like to see, in addition to Kill your boyfriend and Vimanarama is a reprint of Sebastian O.
DeleteI would love to see some Mike W. Barr "BATO" collections.... and put me down for a LOT more of Ostrander's Suicide Squad. DC is neglecting some great series from back then. Like how about some more GP/MW Titans? Giffen/Levitz Legion? OR more Infinity Inc. (to go with the Vol. One HC already released).... ?
DeleteThey clearly just need to do a James Robinson JSA Omnibus with Golden Age 1-4, JSA Returns and JSA 1-5.
ReplyDeleteOH, and the JSA Secret Files #1.
DeleteRobinson didn't do all the JSA Returns books. Johns even did one (Star Spangled). Maybe a JSA Omnibus Vol 0 in the tradition of the All Star Archives?
Deletei can totally dig a james robinson jsa collection with a long overdue reprint of golden age
DeleteThat earlier Spectre trade you mentioned only contained #s 1-4, not 1-6 as you stated.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It had just 1-4, under a glow in the dark cover.
DeleteIs the Jonah Hex an HC?
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you what that Mark Waid JLA vol 5 has me the most excited.
ReplyDeleteAny chance for reprint of 100 bullets deluxe edition book 1?
ReplyDeleteAbout the Spectre by Ostrander/Mandrake...I wish they would cover 15 issues at least. If we can't have an omnibus, give us a nice thick trade.
ReplyDeleteI already have the glow in the dark collection and more issues would more easily justify a double dip.
The first 12 issues are one really long Story line, the next break is around issue 18 (clean break) which might be a little too long.
DeleteAlso, the Kelly Jones book should include the covers he did for issues that were illustrated by others!
ReplyDeletePossibly, but a lot of the links above are 404 (Doom Patrol Omnibus) due to how far away they are. Others, like the JSA Omnibus link, will work. I was surprised the Forever Evil: Rogues wasn't in the fourth Flash volume, but maybe that gets its own trade.
ReplyDeleteDarn, the Jonah Hex is a paperback. Give us a Deluxe HC of that DC!
ReplyDeleteDoes Batman & Robin Vol. 4 have the Villains' Month Two-Face issue? And how many issues does the first Superman Unchained volume contain? I want to switch to reading that one in trade...$3.99 is way too much for a 20-page comic book...
ReplyDeleteThe Two-Face issue isn't listed for Batman and Robin's contents, though that could always change. Unchained is said to collect issues #1-7.
DeleteSince the Two-Face arc doesn't start until issue #24, it would make more sense to collect the Villains Month issue in Batman and Robin vol. 5.
DeleteNo love for Cinder and Ashe or Hawkworld?
ReplyDeleteMuch love for Hawkworld -- see my review of it some years ago. I'm pretty sure I already mentioned somewhere here that a new printing of Hawkworld was coming, so this time around I considered it "old news."
DeleteNo frame of reference for Cinder and Ashe. What is it?
It was an almost non continuity romp by Gerry Conway, although I suspect the title gets a reprint due to the art by Garcia Lopez.
DeleteThere seem to be some consequences now that Williams has left Batwoman.
ReplyDeleteThey changed volume 4 from HC to TP. It also now inlcudes only issues #18-24 (previously #18-#25) and is 160 pages instead of 192. The date remains the same, though.
I think this is the first time, that a New52 series switches from HC first to TP first.
Interesting; where'd you find this, Spooky?
DeleteI just followed your Batwoman-Link to Amazon. The information there changed.
DeleteUPDATE! Check the Amazon listings for the JSA Omnibus, it's 1-25 now!
ReplyDeleteGood news indeed! Thanks for the tip, David; I have bumped this up to a post.
DeleteJLA By Mark Waid is missing Tower Of Babel. TB is 43-46. Trade solicits are from 47-on. Are the solicits wrong...? It's not the complete run without Tower Of Babel!
ReplyDeleteAs I said before in a previous comment on this very post, the JLA vol. 5 TPB is not supposed to be a collection of Waid's entire JLA run. It's a continuation of vol. 4, which will include Tower of Babel.
DeleteJust wondering if there is any word on a release date for the Brightest Day omnibus? Just bought blackest night and when finished will either wait for the omnibus or buy the current three volumes. Since it's supposedly a so-so story, I'd rather purchase an omnibus if the price is right.
ReplyDeleteDue out in August of next year, so it hasn't been officially solicited yet, though DC has mentioned on their website that it's coming.
Delete