Dark Nights: Metal, Electric Superman Red/Superman Blue, Superman: Zero Hour, Batman: Caped Crusader, Wonder Woman by Byrne Vol. 2 and Perez Vol. 3, Batman and Seven Soldiers by Grant Morrison, Impulse Omnibus, Aquaman: Tempest, more in DC Comics Summer 2018 solicitations

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The weather might be getting colder, but DC Comics is already looking forward to summertime with the release of the DC Comics Summer 2018 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations.

Among big headlines for you here are all the Dark Nights: Metal collections arriving in June 2018 -- Dark Nights: Metal and Dark Nights: The Nightmare Batmen in hardcover (plus the Dark Days: The Road to Metal hardcover out in May) and Dark Nights: Bats Out of Hell and Dark Nights: Gotham Resistance in paperback. Hawkman Found is in Bats Out of Hell; Batman Lost is in Gotham Resistance, and Grant Morrison's Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt is in The Nightmare Batmen. The Metal hardcover proper will have a foil-embossed cover.

Update: A tweet from Scott Snyder suggests some of the Metal solicitation listings are incorrect, and that Batman Lost and Wild Hunt will both be in the Metal trade proper.

Update 2:: Things are changing fast. Seems the Dark Nights: Metal: Gotham Resistance trade is now cancelled; the contents for Bats Out of Hell hasn't changed but it's now called Dark Nights: Metal: The Resistance, so possibly these two paperback trades are being combined into one (rescheduled for July).

Plenty of other great, surprising, and just plain weird books on this list. Superman Red/Superman Blue looks to collect some or all of the "Electric Blue Superman" era, while Superman: Zero Hour follows the Batman book to collect the Superman tie-ins. There's an Impulse Omnibus by Mark Waid, and Legion by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning Vol. 2, which collects Legion Lost. I can't believe Batman Arkham: Penguin isn't already published, and the Flash titles seem to be getting on the villain-trade bandwagon with Flash Rogues: Captain Cold. Aquaman: Tempest with Phil Jimenez and Aquaman by Peter David Book Two. Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1 and Seven Soldiers by Grant Morrison Omnibus and Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2. Both Wonder Woman by John Byrne Vol. 2 and Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus Vol. 3 collect previously-uncollected issues, as does the new edition of the New Teen Titans Vol. 3 Omnibus. Maybe, just maybe, the immediate-post-Crisis Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1 will come out. And the Rebirth Super Sons of Tomorrow crossover sees its own collection.

Without further ado ...

[Be among the first to get news like this by following Collected Editions on Facebook and Twitter. And you do know about the DC Comics Trade Paperback Timeline, don't you?]

Note that all of this information is subject to change before publication. Not all links may be functional yet.

Absolute Authority Vol. 2 (New Edition)

Following the recent new edition of Absolute Authority Vol. 1, this is issues #13-29 from the original Absolute Authority Vol. 2, plus the AuthorityAnnual #1 (2000) and a story from the Wildstorm Summer Special.

Absolute Sandman Overture

Neil Gaiman and JH Williams's Sandman Overture has been collected in deluxe format, but not yet in Absolute.

Aquaman by Peter David Book Two

The second collection of Peter David's Aquaman is nicely following quick on the heels of the first -- February and then August. Issues #9-20 include an Underworld Unleashed tie-in and guest appearances by Dolphin, Tempest, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, and that era's Wonder Woman-led Justice League.

Aquaman Vol. 5: The Crown Comes Down

The second collection by Dan Abnett and Stjepan Sejic. Collects issues #31-34.

Aquaman: Tempest

This is an exciting surprise, an unexpected boon of the Aquaman movie. Collects Teen Titans Spotlight #10 and #18 (the latter is also a Millennium tie-in, a story from Aquaman Secret Files #1, and most notably, Phil Jimenez's four-issue Tempest miniseries.

Astro City Vol. 15: Ordinary Heroes

Astro City Vol. 16: Broken Century

Batman - Detective Comics Vol. 6: Fall of the Batmen

Collects issues #969-977 in the aftermath of "Lonely Place of Living," this time seeming to spotlight Clayface.

Batman & Robin Adventures Vol. 3

Batman '66 Omnibus

Batman Arkham: Penguin

It's rather astounding this one didn't come out earlier; I think I hadn't been looking for it because I thought it had (blame Super Friends but I always think of Penguin as Batman's second arch-nemesis right after the Joker). Collects Detective Comics #58 (first appearance), #610-611 ("Snow and Ice" by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle) and #824 ("Night of the Penguin" by Paul Dini and Don Kramer); Batman #155, #374, and 548-549 ("Penguin Returns" by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones); Batman: Penguin Triumphant #1; and Joker’s Asylum: Penguin #1.

Batman Beyond Vol. 3: The Long Payback

Collects issues #13-19. I hear nothing about this book. Anyone picking it up? On the chopping block?

Batman by Doug Moench & Kelley Jones Vol. 2

Picks up from the first volume and continues to collect their run with Batman issues #536-552 and #555. Among other things that's Final Night and Genesis tie-in issues, plus the Spectre and Ragman.

Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1

No issues listed by the solicitation mentions Final Crisis. As this is just volume one, I expect this goes through Batman RIP but maybe not Batman and Robin.

Batman Vol. 6 (Rebirth)

Not much to say without spoiling things here either, but this should collect issues #38-43. Hard to believe we're so close to issue #50 already.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Deluxe Edition

With scripts and variant covers. After a book comes out in paperback and does well, deluxe seems fairly ubiquitous these days.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II

Wasting no time, the second book by James Tynion and Freddie Williams throws Bane into the mix.

Batman: Creature of the Night

The new four-issue miniseries by Kurt Busiek and John Paul Leon that just started, out in hardcover in July.

Batman: Death & the Maidens (New Edition)

A paperback release, most likely reflecting the enhanced contents of the recent deluxe hardcover.

Batman: The Brave & the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 2

Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1

This has been on and off the solicitations for a while and I'd be pleased to see it, now scheduled for August. Generally a collection of Jim Starlin's immediate-post-Crisis Batman stories, the listing says it's issues #417-430 plus the Annual #12. That's Ten Nights of the Beast and Death of the Family, a fine run to be sure, and picks right up from where the Batman: Second Chances collection ended. But won't someone ever take pity on the Legends tie-in Batman #401?

Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 5

Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2

Collects issues #16-32 and the Annual #1, so Vol. 3 I Am Bane, parts one and three of The Button, and Vol. 4 War of Jokes and Riddles.

Batman: Thrillkiller (New Edition)

Batwoman Vol. 2: Fear and Loathing

Issues #7-11 of the Marguerite Bennett/James Tynion series.

Blue Beetle Vol. 3: Road to Nowhere

The third and final Rebirth collection of Blue Beetle, with issues #13-18.

Bombshells: United Vol. 1: American Soil

Books of Magic Book Two

Issues #19-25.

Dark Nights: Bats Out of Hell

In paperback, this collects Flash #33, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #32, Justice League #32-33, and Hawkman: Found #1. Five issues isn't a lot, though I'm sure this'll be stuffed with variant covers, and fortunately at least it is paperback. Said to be released June 19, 2018, the week after the Metal hardcover.

Dark Nights: Gotham Resistance

Also in paperback, also just five issues, collects Teen Titans #12, Nightwing #29, Suicide Squad #26, Green Arrow #32, and Batman: Lost #1. Also said to be released June 19, 2018.

Dark Nights: Metal

Said to arrive June 12, 2018, in hardcover with a foil-embossed cover, this collects issues #1-6 of the series.

Dark Nights: The Nightmare Batmen

In hardcover, to be released two weeks after the Metal hardcover (a week after Gotham Resistance and Bats Out of Hell), this collects Batman: The Red Death #1, Batman: The Devastator #1, Batman: The Merciless #1, Batman: The Murder Machine #1, Batman: The Drowned #1, Batman: The Dawnbreaker #1, The Batman Who Laughs #1 and Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1. That's a heck of a creative team on this book, including Grant Morrison, Peter Tomasi, James Tynion, and Francis Manapul.

Update: See updates at the top -- looks like Bats Out of Hell and Gotham Resistance may be combined into a The Resistance trade set for July, and Batman Lost and Wild Hunt will be in the Metal trade proper.

DC Bombshells: The Deluxe Edition Book One

DC Super Hero Girls: Out of the Bottle

DC Universe by Mike Mignola

DC/Young Animal: Milk Wars

Just announced and impressively we already see a paperback solicitation, though it won't be out until June 2018. I hope this exists in some sort of continuity where the Young Animal characters actually are an aspect of the DC Universe proper. Includes Justice League/Doom Patrol, Doom Patrol/Justice League, Shade, the Changing Girl/Wonder Woman, Mother Panic/Batman, and Cave Carson/Swamp Thing. The solicitation, at least, also teases Shade meeting the Green Lantern Corps and Cave Carson racing the Flash.

Deadman

Issues #1-6 of the new Neal Adams miniseries.

Doom Patrol: The Silver Age Vol. 1

Ex Machina: The Complete Series Omnibus

Kind of astounding this hasn't been published already, this collects issues #1-50 of the Brian K. Vaughan political superhero series and the Ex Machina Special #1-4.

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles

Applause to DC for doubling-down on their Hanna-Barbera revisions, and it's hilarious and wonderful that the main title of this isn't "Snagglepuss" but rather "Exit Stage Left." Because this has something of a historical bent more so than the fictional-but-metaphorical Flinstones, I'm more curious to pick up this than that.

Flash by Geoff Johns Book Five

Issues #214-225, from the middle of the Vol. 7 Secret of Barry Allen through Vol. 8 Rogue War, ending Johns's run. Equally this matches the latter half of the Omnibus Vol. 3. Technically Wonder Woman #219 should be in here, too, and I'd be pretty surprised if it wasn't.

Flash Rogues: Captain Cold

This is a neat idea a la the Batman: Arkham books, and could lead to neat Gorilla Grodd or Reverse Flash books. Contents are Showcase #8 (first appearance by John Broome); Flash #150 (Gardner Fox) and #297 (Cary Bates); Flash #28 (William Messner-Loebs) and #182 (Geoff Johns); Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 (Scott Kolins); Flash #6 and Flash #17 (Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul).

The Flash Vol. 6: Cold Day in Hell

I've been unhappy with the Rebirth Flash series, but obviously a title like "Cold Day in Hell" suggests the inclusion of a certain Rogue who's been among the best parts of this series so far. The mention of "the turmoil of [Barry Allen's] personal life doesn't please me," but here's hoping. Collects issues #34-38.

Flash: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 3

It's funny that the solicitation cover for this is the Justice League: Dawn of Justice variant. This collects the Rebirth Flash Vol. 5 Negative and Vol. 6 Cold Day in Hell, not even released yet, making up issues #28-38.

Flash: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 3

Frank Miller's Ronin (New Edition)

New edition includes promotional art and fold-out pages.

Gotham City Garage Vol. 1

Green Arrow Vol. 6 (Rebirth)

Issues #26-31, the new "Hard Travelin' Hero" storyline guest-starring the Justice League.

Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard Travelin' Heroes Deluxe Edition

Deluxe edition of Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams's Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76-87 and #89, and Flash #217-219 and #226.

Green Lanterns Vol. 6: Our Worlds at War

Issues #33-39 by Tim Seeley, taking over from Sam Humphries.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 5: Twilight of the Guardians

Issues #30-35. Guest-starring Superman; can I assume this ties in to recent issues of Peter Tomasi's Superman title?

Harley Quinn Vol. 6 (Rebirth)

The first Harley collection by Frank Tieri, issues #35-40.

Harley Quinn: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2

Issues #14-27 and the Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special, so the Vol. 3 Red Meat and Vol. 4 Surprise, Surprise collections. The next deluxe, it seems, will combine the end of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti's run with the start of Frank Tieri's.

Harley's Little Black Book

Impulse by Mark Waid & Humberto Ramos Omnibus

If there was ever a really good use for an omnibus, it's 768 pages collecting Mark Waid's whole run on Impulse plus the Flash issues of the "Dead Heat" crossover character's Flash introduction, issues #108-111, and the Secret Origins 80-Page Giant. For those playing along at home, we get an Underworld Unleashed tie-in issue plus the Impulse parts of the Flash "Dead Heat" crossover. Hopefully this sells well enough that DC decides to continue into the other writers' material.

Infinite Crisis Omnibus (New Edition)

This is surely the definitive way to read Infinite Crisis, though I can't discern any difference between this and the previous edition.

Infinite Crisis Unwrapped

Injustice 2 Vol. 2

Injustice 2 Vol. 3

With Tom Taylor continuing as writer. Collects issues #7-13 and #14-20 respectively.

Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 2

The Invisibles Book Three

The Jetsons

Not totally my thing, but if they did a new Jetsons/new Flintstones meet-up, I might have to give that a look.

John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 19: Red Right Hand

Issues #216-229 of the Vertigo series. There's a collection by this name already that only collects issues #223-228. Still 71 issues left to go before this is all collected.

JSA by Geoff Johns Book Two

JSA #6-20 and Secret Origin of Super-Villains #1.

Justice League of America Vol. 4 (Rebirth)

Issues #18-21 and the Annual #1 of the Steve Orlando series; five issues does feel a bit thin to me.

Justice League of America: The Silver Age Vol. 4

Justice League Vol. 6 (Rebirth)

Issues #34-38 by Christopher Priest and Pete Woods, taking over for Bryan Hitch. Priest has been doing a lot of good lately so I expect to like this, but if he's not going to be League's regular writer, I'd like that person to hurry up and arrive. This book needs to be more steady and central to the DC Universe than it is.

Legion by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning Vol. 2

After the last collection of the "Legion of the Damned" storyline, this is Legion Lost #1-12. Those issues have been collected before in hardcover but not, as now, in paperback. It'll be nice if DC can get to a third collection with some of the never-collected Legion Worlds specials.

Legion of Super-Heroes: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2

Legion of Super-Heroes: The Silver Age Vol. 1

Mystik U

Do I understand this a story of a young Zatanna, present-set? So, in conflict with Zatanna's recent appearances in Detective Comics and essentially out of continuity? That dampens this for me a bit; I'd rather have the Mystik U as an existing place in the DC Universe.

New Gods by Jack Kirby

Another of DC's new Jack Kirby collections; includes New Gods #1-11, "Even Gods Must Die," and Hunger Dogs.

New Super-Man Vol. 3: Equilibrium

Issues #13-18, just before the book becomes New Super-Man and the Justice League of China.

New Teen Titans Vol. 3 Omnibus New Edition

We finally know now that the new editions of the New Teen Titans omnibuses will indeed continue collecting New Teen Titans in order (as opposed to the last time around). This is Tales of the Teen Titans #42-58, both "Judas Contract" and some Crisis on Infinite Earths lead-in stories, and New Teen Titans #1-9. I think Tales #51-58 and Titans #7-9 have never been collected before; the Annual #3 will also need to be in here for "Judas Contract."

New Teen Titans Vol. 9

This is New Teen Titans (second series) #1-9, of which issues #1-6 have been collected before.

Nightwing Vol. 6: The Untouchable

I actually hadn't realized Tim Seeley was leaving Nightwing, but given what I understand to be Sam Humphries' character-driven work on Green Lanterns, hopefully he'll uphold Seeley's level of quality. I'm not so sure about Bernard Chang's sketch-like art on this title, however, though a look back to this continuity's Dick Grayson's (mostly untold) Robin days should be interesting.

Ragman

The new six-issue miniseries by Ray Fawkes. Curious that they're introducing a new Ragman at a time that DC continuity generally seems to be reverting back to earlier days. I'm reminded that Ragman on the Arrow show was a fun character; it's unfortunate he didn't remain as a regular with the rest of the new team.

Ruff and Reddy Show

Scalped Book Three

Seven Soldiers by Grant Morrison Omnibus

The entirety of Seven Soldiers in one book (previously four paperbacks or two hardcovers), though Morrison's tie-in JLA Classified issues are not said to be included.

Suicide Squad Vol. 6: The Secret History of Task Force X

Issues #27-31 by series writer Rob Williams.

Super Sons of Tomorrow

Notably this crossover will be collected outside of any of the individual series, at least in the initial paperback. Collects Super Sons #11-12, Superman #37-38, and Teen Titans #15. Obviously this is the way DC has collected Rebirth-era crossovers so far but I had still thought this would end up a Super Sons collection proper.

Super Sons: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1

Collects issues #1-12, so Super Sons Vol. 1: When I Grow Up and Super Sons Vol. 2: Planet of the Capes, plus the two Super Sons of Tomorrow issues also collected in their own title on this same list.

Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2

Issues #241-258 and DC Comics Presents #13-14

Supergirl: Being Super

Collects the four-issue miniseries by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones. The "Midvale" episode of Supergirl was a good advertisement for the viability of this as an ongoing thing.

Supergirl: The Silver Age Vol. 2

Superman by Mark Millar

Perhaps a bit randomly, this collects Adventures of Superman #573-576 -- so the start of the "new Triangle Titles" era with Jeph Loeb on Superman, and veering in to collecting just one part of the "Y2K" storyline with issue #576 -- and some equally displaced parts of the "Superman: King of the World" storyline with Action Comics #753-755 and #758 (much of this is uncollected, but also it wasn't great), plus Team Superman #1, Superman 80-Page Giant #2, Tangent Comics: Superman #1, and Superman for the Animals.

Superman For All Seasons (New Edition)

Paperback of the recent deluxe edition that includes Superman for All Seasons #1-4 plus stories from Superman/Batman #26 and Solo #1 (though the listing doesn't mention Superman/Batman Secret Files 2003).

Superman Red/Superman Blue

Said to reprint Superman #122-125, Adventures of Superman #545-547, Action Comics #732-734, Superman: Man of Steel #67-69 and Superman Annual #9. I suspect we'll find this is either a Vol. 1 or the contents are to be expanded, because even though this book is called Superman Red/Superman Blue, the contents only contain the early "Blue" issues from the late 1990s "Electric Blue Superman" storyline. The contents listing excludes, among other things, the Superman Red/Superman Blue special (which, despite not being mentioned as included, is essentially described in the solicitation) -- put another way, based on the issues listed, Superman Red actually isn't in this book.

As a historical record I'm eager to see this book make it to print, but as a Superman fan these stories are part of a real nadir in the Superman titles, about the time the once great "Death of Superman" team was hitting rock bottom before Jeph Loeb and company would come in to turn things around. On the face of it the creative teams don't seem that bad -- Stuart Immonen on Action Comics, Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett on Adventures of Superman, and Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove on Man of Steel. But Ron Frenz had taken over pencils from Dan Jurgens on Superman and that anchor title had lost a lot of pep, and the Red/Blue story was a muddled mess.

Despite some lasting imagery (and good use by Grant Morrison in JLA), I don't think readers ever loved the Electric Blue Superman even as a temporary measure. His power-set, whys, and wherefores were all over the place even before the writers then introduced the Red Superman. It ended in the truly abhorrent "Millennium Giants" crossover with a variety of DC titles, and things were bad enough off by that point that Superman was written back to normal with barely any explanation for what had happened.

Not to mention that there were a variety of silly storylines in the Superman titles at that time -- including one with the blind daughter of a conservative Daily Planet columnist being in love with a blue Kandorian monster and another with one of the Fourth World "Hairies" dating Jimmy Olsen -- that often distracted and bumped Superman out of his own titles. It was in some respects the worst realization of the really good plot- and character-juggling that the Triangle Titles team had once been famous for.

I had speculated, in thinking about Triangle Title omnibuses, that DC would never collect "Millennium Giants." I'd be happy to be wrong, of course. We'll see what this looks like in July. The "Electric Superman Red/Superman Blue" story ends with "Millennium Giants," so either this collection won't actually see Superman restored or it'll collect those issues.

Update: See comments from reader Paul Fletcher below for some further thoughts on how this story has been collected before. I'll follow up later with another post.

Superman Vol. 6: Imperius Lex (Rebirth)

The next volume of Peter Tomasi's Rebirth series. With Doug Mahnke and the Kents on Apokolips, this seems like a winner. The missing issues #37-38 are part of the "Super Sons of Tomorrow" crossover. Issues #40-41 are by James Robinson; DC's February 2018 solicitations repeat the contents of #38 for #39 so I'm not sure what that one will be.

Superman: Action Comics Vol. 6 (Rebirth)

This collects issues #1001-1006, with the solicitation just referring to Oz Effect. Guess we'll know next month what Action Comics #1000 is and how it might lead in here.

Superman: Action Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 3

Said to collect issues #993-999 and #1001-1006, the Vol. 5 Booster Shot and Vol. 6 books.

Superman: Zero Hour

This is a fun series that DC is now apparently releasing, following the previous Batman: Zero Hour collection. There's unfortunately not a lot of other series that had multi-part Zero Hour tie-in stories that would also make good collections, though the Justice League titles are certainly one. This only says it collects the Zero Month (#0) issues of Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, Superman, and Man of Steel, but if it's anything like the Batman book, we should also see Man of Steel #37, Superman #93, Adventures #516, and Action #703. Among the Zero Hour time-lost elements are a gaggle of alt-Batmen, Jor-El and Lara, and the hero Alpha Centurion; the Zero Month issues introduce Conduit Kenny Braverman, an interesting-enough villain that I'm surprised no one ever used him again after the "Death of Clark Kent" story that followed.

Sweet Tooth Book Two

Tales of the Batman: Gerry Conway Vol. 2

Teen Titans GO!: Their Greatest Hijinks

Titans: The Lazarus Contract

Trinity Vol. 2: Dead Space (Rebirth)

Paperback collection of issues #7-11.

Trinity Vol. 3: Dark Destiny

The newest hardcover Trinity collection, issues #12-15, with guest appearances by Red Hood and the Outlaws and Rob Williams writing instead of Francis Manapul.

Vertigo: A Celebration of 25 Years

Supposed to be out August 14, 2018, the solicitation describes this as "a luxurious hybrid of oral history and retrospective art book." With a timeline of Vertigo projects, behind-the-scenes features, interviews, and all-new stories.

The Wild Storm: Michael Cray Vol. 1

Spin-off of Warren Ellis's new Wild Storm, re-imagining Deathblow by Bryan Hill. Issues #1-6

Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus Vol. 3

It's great to see DC finishing out the mostly-never-collected George Perez Wonder Woman run with this final omnibus, collecting issues #46-62. Nicely DC is also including the Wonder Woman crossover War of the Gods even though it saw its own collection not too long ago, and also Perez's guest shots issues #168-169 and the Gail Simone story that Perez drew in the #600 issue (though some creative renumbering).

Wonder Woman by John Byrne Vol. 2

The second Wonder Woman by John Byrne collection includes issues #115-124 and the Annuals #5-6, ending just before the Genesis crossver, which Byrne would write and which would be the most Wonder Woman-centric DC Universe crossover since War of the Gods. These issues include Cave Carson, Jason Blood and Etrigan the Demon, Cheetah, Hippolyta, Donna Troy and then-new Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark, Neron, and notably Artemis, fresh from William Messner-Loeb's Artemis: Requiem miniseries of the time -- not included here, but maybe it should be. Annual #5 is a "Legends of the Dead Earth" Elseworlds-type story; Annual #6 is a "Pulp Heroes" story by Byrne with an Artemis backup.

Wonder Woman/Conan

By Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti, collecting issues #1-6.

Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2

The next book by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette is supposed to be out August 21, 2018. Seems at least at the outset that Wonder Woman's mission of peace goes up against political realities, as only Morrison can do ...

Wonder Woman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2

Issues #15-25 and a story from the Annual #1, this is Greg Rucka's Rebirth Vol. 3 The Truth and Vol. 4 Godwatch. Like the first deluxe volume, the issues should be interspersed, which I agree is the best way to read it.

Happy new year and to all a good night. What will you be waiting for next summer?

Comments ( 33 )

  1. Oh so many thoughts!

    1. Batman by Morrison - I doubt the page count is exact (1000 is a pretty generic placeholder), but one would imagine it'd be somewhere in that range. All Morrison's Batman series issues (and Son, Black Glove, RIP) plus the issue of 52 (#29, maybe?) and we're near 650 pages. That all seems pretty likely. After that, you could have all of Final Crisis OR Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul + Final Crisis snippets (Batman only appears on about 20 pages in the series, right?) OR Arkham Asylum/Gothic/RIP: The Missing Chapters (or some combination thereof) to hit around 1000 pages.

    2. Superman: Zero Hour - One would imagine Superboy 0 and 8 and Steel 0 and 8 would also be included (the Batman trade included Robin and Catwoman ZH tie-ins). I never read the JL-related ZH issues, but a quick glance suggests I'd probably enjoy that collection, too.

    3. Wonder Woman by Byrne - I would guess Genesis + issues 125-136 would make up a future third and final volume, right?

    4. Flash: The Rogues - totally makes sense to have more of these villain-centric collections. Kind of surprised we aren't getting Superman or Wonder Woman villain collections, too.

    5. Flash by Johns - Well, that's that. It'll be interesting to see if they decide to give this a bit of a break or jump into his second run (Rogue's Revenge/Rebirth/Flashpoint) in 2019 for Flash by Johns v6, etc.

    6. Metal - that's a pretty reasonable way to collect things. Probably would have been better to just put The Casting and The Forge in the Metal collection and skip the "Road to" collection, but that's a minor point.

    7. Minutiae - kind of surprised not to see a Robin v6 (it's right on the edge of being due between Summer and Fall if they keep apace) (separate parenthetical to note that I think Amazon has an updated/different title and contents for Robin v5). Very surprised not to see a Wonder Woman by Rucka v3 - I know it's just Mission's End that's missing, technically, but add in the other three parts of Sacrifice and/or relevant OMAC Project stuff and it'd be a pretty solid collection (I'd also like to see the Blackest Night issues in there, but I'm a dreamer).

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    Replies
    1. On Superman: Zero Hour, maybe Superboy #8, since it had the Kid meeting the pre-Crisis Superboy Clark Kent. But Steel #8 wasn't a Zero Hour tie-in, I don't think, and I'm not sure the Superboy and Steel origins factor in or were quite as lasting as what was in the Zero Month Robin or Catwoman books (Robin leading into Prodigal, etc.)

      I'd love for that third Wonder Woman by Byrne collection to include Genesis. Terribly crossover, but as with Superman Red/Superman Blue, at some point it's fun to have these things collected just for the historical value.

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    2. Amazon's initial listing for the Morrison Omnibus are . ..underwhelming.
      Collects BATMAN #655-658 and #663-683, stories from 52 #30 and#47 and DC Universe #0. Still has a page count of 1000, which is not consistent w/that contents, so hopefully we'll see something more included.

      Delete
    3. If the page count is correct, there are about 450 pages left to fill, but the possibilities are many. Arkham Asylum and Gothic, plus extras? All of Final Crisis? The rest of Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul?

      It's good that they're including 52 #30 and #47, though. I was afraid those issues would slip thorugh the cracks.

      Delete
    4. It could just be 300 pages of Morrison's notes/scripts . . .

      More seriously, I'd much prefer Resurrection over the others - RIP: Missing Chapters more or less covers the Final Crisis story in a coherent way (side note - volume 2 should start w/the missing chapters if they don't include FC anywhere else - it's far too confusing a story if you don't have some kind of explanation for why Bruce isn't Batman), Gothic is thematically duplicative of RIP, and we need to save Arkham to pair with the semi-recently announced sequel starring Future Damian.

      Even though Morrison doesn't really address the Resurrection arc again (even when Ra's shows up in later stories), it's still a meaningful part of Damian's story in terms of turning against his training/indoctrination and becoming the best Robin ever (at least when paired with Dick).

      Delete
  2. About the Impulse by Mark Waid and Humberto Ramos Omnibus (hell yeah!), The Flash #108-111 are actually the remaining chapters of "Dead Heat". It looks like the "Reckless Youth" arc (The Flash #92-94) that introduced Bart Allen won't be included, but I don't mind because it's already been collected in The Flash by Mark Waid Book Three.

    And you're probably right about the Superman Red/Superman Blue TPB being actually the first volume of a series of TPBs collecting the whole electric powers era up to "The Millenium Giants". Personally, I'd have much preferred a series of TPBs collecting the post-Return stories called "Superman: The Mullet Years" or "Superman: Party in the Back".

    Also, this Superman by Mark Millar TPB is quite misleading, with most issues in it being plotted by Stuart Immonen and only dialogued by Millar. It won't even make for a particularly coherent collection, since those issues were all part of the triangle era.

    Lastly, like Bob, I'm a bit worried about the lack of a third and final Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka TPB. I was expecting it for July 2018, just like the first two came out in July 2016 and 2017.

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  3. Looking at the Superman Red/Superman Blue collection:

    Solicitations seem to suggest the new trade kicks off from when Superman actually receives his new electric powers, totally skipping the lead up to this.
    To explain, Superman was rendered powerless after the Final Night crossover. The story arc published across the triangle titles after this was "Power Struggle" (Action Comics 729, Adventures of Superman 542, Superman 119, Man of Steel 64). These issues were included in the contemporary Superman Transformed trade, so it is strange to see them omitted here. Hopefully the solicitation will change.

    To confuse things further, the next arc focussed on the new Post-Crisis Revenge Squad for a few issues, before moving back to Superman's power problems, resulting in the electric blue, and then back to another Revenge Squad incarnation in Action Comics 736. The "Superman and the Revenge Squad" trade that came out at the time jumped around to the point where he had electric powers and old powers all in the same TPB collection, with none of the explanation that was required to understand what was going on. It will be interesting to see if these issues are collected again separately if at all.

    Back to the new collection, the bulk of it makes up the rest of the previous Transformed trade, with Electric Blue Superman stories rounding out 1997. The potential volume 2 should head into uncollected territory and include the split into Red and Blue. It would be nice to see "Superman Forever" included here, a one-shot that concluded the whole affair with a return to the Superman status quo.




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    1. I'd rather see an expanded Wedding collection with all the post-Final Night issues with a powerless Superman. It would have Action Comics #728-731, Adventures of Superman #541-544, Man of Steel #63-66, Man of Tomorrow #8, Superman #118-121 and The Wedding Album Special.

      I have also listed the Superman plus Legion of Super-heroes one-shot, though that one is completely skippable--I'm only including it because it was released at the time and doesn't seem to tie into anything else.

      This collection would take about 550 pages (if you include the Legion one-shot). Perfectly doable as a tpb.

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    2. Thanks Paul -- he's absolutely right that some of this has been collected before. And as Said says, to really do this right, DC could start with the Final Night tie-in issues. I question whether they'd do it as one TPB, though. (You know the Wedding Album has never been collected in hardcover?)

      I'm going to look at this in more detail in another post.

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  4. With the exception of (I believe) issue 229, all of Hellblazer has been collected before. Though admittedly not in those handsome sequential trades.

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  5. Nice to see DC Universe by continue, with Mignola. (It just occurred to me that Phil Foglio should be a candidate for the next in this series; have wanted those minis collected forever...)

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  6. Very glad to see a new volume of Superboy and the Legion. I was afraid we'd only get the balance of Paul Levitz's run (EarthWar and the two issues penciled by Steve (Jim Starlin) Apollo, but looks like we're getting some of those Gerry Conway/Joe Staton issues. As a Legion fan, I'll admit these stories were not the best between Levitz's two runs, but a good bit of what happens is important later on. I believe the only tales from this period collected previously were the Steve Ditko pencilled issues in one of his omnibus editions.

    I'll skip the second DNA Legion if it's what was in the previous hardcover, though.

    My question is: What's the next sequential volume for collecting Superman past the last Man of Steel book (Vol 9)? Any help here? I don't really want to get too far ahead of myself with some of these other books unless I have to do so.

    Hoping to see (eventually) some other Silver Age omnibi: Hawkman, Atom, Green Arrow, J'onn J'onzz, etc. And still hoping we see more Bronze Age omnibi that collect the minor heroes and their adventures as back up strips. Elongated Man deserves his own volume, and I think we're overdue for a Warlord by Mike Grell omnibus, too.

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    1. Hi Joseph.
      The upcoming Superman Exile and Other Stories Omnibus picks up right where Man Of Steel volume 9 finished. Exile itself has been collected before but many of the issues solicited in the omnibus are previously uncollected,
      I'm guessing it'll be broken down into smaller trades at some point as seems to be the strategy these days.
      Thanks

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    2. The Superman: Exile omnibus that has been solicited should continue right after Man of Steel Vol 9.

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    3. Thanks, Paul & Vincent! Going to get that ordered asap.

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  7. I'm a little worried that we're not seeing that last collection of John Ostrander's Suicide Squad...

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    1. I don't want to curse it but I'd be surprised if DC stopped that close to the end. There is supposedly another movie coming ...

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  8. I think I saw Scott Snyder post on Twitter, when a fan asked him, that Batman Lost will indeed be included with the main Metal issues in the trade.

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    1. Interestingly, the new catalog is now listing the Dark Nights: Gotham Resistance TPB as cancelled. Batman Lost was going to be collected in it, but if that one-shot will be included in the Dark Nighs: Metal HC instead, then i guess the "Gotham Resistance" crossover might get collected along with "Bats Out of Hell".

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    2. Updated above. Seems what was Bats Out of Hell is now called The Resistance, so indeed maybe we're seeing those two paperbacks combined.

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    3. I hope they cancel the "Road to Metal" collection too, and move 'The Forge' and 'The Casting' to the Metal hc.

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    4. No news like that so far, but Gotham Resistance and Bats Out of Hell have now officially become one book, The Resistance.

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  9. Batman by Grant Morrison. I think it will be my First Omnibus that I pre order. Superman Blue/Red kinda makes me confused. I would prefer to round up stories post his death, like Wedding Stories, or even some of The early 2000's. I'm dissapointed with Metal Trades. Batman Lost, Hawkman Found, and Wild Hunt are kinda essential, add also Casting and Forge. Maybe they release it as Complete Edition? And Gotham Resistance and Bats out of Hell, could be connected into one trade. Legion by DnA, cool.

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    1. This day and age, I think a Metal Omnibus is almost a certainty. And see updates above; some of the Metal collection contents have shifted around.

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  10. Finally! Penguin's best stories are being collected in trade, and Tempest is getting some attention. Here's hoping he appears in the current aquaman comic. ALos cool to see dc collect the Impulse run, and the best stories of Captain Cold. Here's hoping they do the same for Grodd and Mirror Master.

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    1. Is there a Penguin issue in there you particularly favor? Not sure any jumped out at me.

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    2. The Penguin Returns Two-Parter (Batman 548 and 549). Best Penguin story, next to Joker's Asylum One-Shot.

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    3. That is a good Penguin two-parter - it's now being collected in TWO trades apparently, as it'll also be in the Batman by Moench/Jones Vol. 2 book.

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  11. A lot of must-buy stuff for me in here. I long promised myself I'd hold off on buying any Grant Morrison Batman stuff until DC did an omnibus... so here I am at last I guess!

    Excited to see Superboy and the Legion vol. 2 and Wonder Woman Omnibus by Perez vol. 3. Though I guess I messed up when I bought War of the Gods, since it looks like its contents are duplicated here!

    I am torn about Legion by Abnett & Lanning vol. 2. I have the Legion Lost hardcover, but sales send a message and I want there to be a vol. 3... and if there is a vol. 3, I don't want a gap in my collection! But $30 for content I already have?

    Somehow I missed that there was a Books of Magic bk. 1 collection. I'm curious about this series, so I'll probably get it from the library someday.

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    1. Sell and rebuy. It's what I did to swap three volumes of Batman Chronicles for an Omnibus

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  12. that jsa by geoff johns solicit must be wrong as vol 1 has 1-15 in it

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    1. Assuming the TPBs will collect everything in proper order (unlike the omnibi, which misplaced JSA Annual #1 and JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice), I believe Book Two should include JSA Annual #1, JSA #16-25, JSA: Our Worlds at War and JSA Secret Files #2.

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  13. I like Electric Superman, on the basis of Stuart Immonen's Superman being my all-time favorite Superman. The ridicule of the idea that existed at the time and was never replaced doesn't really negate the strength of the idea, which was a vast improvement over the Parasite saga from a few years earlier, where Superman became a giant brute (cue awful memories of the similar Wolverine era). Changing the status quo has become a routinely ridiculed phenomenon (*cough* Marvel) these days, but it was a custom of '90s DC storytelling, even before Doomsday and Bane. You had a new Supergirl and "new" Lex Luthor running around. Transformation, really, was the Superman theme that decade.

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