It's a good but not totally astounding month otherwise, with (not "Rebirth" any more, so I guess we just say "new") collections of Detective Comics, Flash, Green Lanterns and Hal Jordan, Justice League, and New Super-Man (plus the Super Sons of Tomorrow crossover and Mystik U). On reprints, nothing long-awaited, but this Aquaman: Tempest book remains a nice surprise (hope for Garth in the Aquaman movie or the Teen Titans TV show, or both?), as is Superman: Zero Hour. That the new Final Crisis omnibus includes lesser-regarded tie-in aspects of the story like the "Dark Side Club" books is, for the completist in me, a real thrill, and I'm glad those stories now end up being "canon" in a Final Crisis book.
Guess we should take a look-see ...
• Aquaman: Tempest TP
As I mentioned before, 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. I have enjoyed seeing Tempest back in Titans again but I wish Dan Abnett would fill in his new/old origin either in Titans or Aquaman.
• Batman by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale Omnibus HC
A truly impressive omnibus, and certainly a treat if you've made it this far and haven't read these stories yet. Collects Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, Batman: Madness, Batman: Ghosts, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, Catwoman: When in Rome, and stories from Superman/Batman Secret Files 2003, Superman/Batman #26, and Solo #1.
• Batman: A Lot of Li'l Gotham TP
For those keeping track at home, this is the first full collection of the digital-to-print Li'l Gotham series, previously collected in two separate trades.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 6: Fall of the Batmen TP
Collects just the "Fall of the Batmen" story, issues #969-974 (previous solicitations had this a little longer). We now know James Tynion is leaving this title with issue #981, so probably just one more trade of Tynion's run to go.
• Batman: The Arkham Saga Omnibus HC
At first I thought this was going to be a big collection of those Batman: Arkham villains collections that have continued to impress, but instead these are the video game miniseries (I'd think they might do something like this with Injustice, too): Batman: Arkham Knight #1-12, Arkham Knight Annual #1, Arkham Knight: Batgirl Begins #1, Arkham Knight: The Road to Arkham #1, Batman: Arkham City #1-5, Arkham Unhinged #1-20, Batman: Arkham Knight Robin Special #1, Arkham Knight – Genesis #1-6, Batman: Arkham Knight – Batgirl and Harley Quinn #1, apparently among others.
• Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book Two HC
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.
• DC/Young Animal: Milk Wars TP
Includes Justice League/Doom Patrol, Doom Patrol/Justice League, Shade, the Changing Girl/Wonder Woman, Mother Panic/Batman, and Cave Carson/Swamp Thing.
• Deathstroke by Tony S. Daniel Omnibus HC
The best part about this news is that it gives hope that there might be a Deathstroke by Christopher Priest omnibus to follow. I have read the entirety of this second New 52 Deathstroke series and it is a poor showing. A lot of Deathstroke running around chasing false leads that he ought be smart enough to recognize, a lot of Deathstroke naively fighting a bunch of other DC characters due to misunderstandings, and a cadre of forgettable (and often loosely or inconsistently motivated) antagonists -- plus the pleasure of Red Hood repeatedly calling Slade Wilson "Douchestroke." Co-writer James Bonny comes on early and remains after Tony Daniel leaves, making even the "by Tony Daniel" moniker suspect. It's a good thing that Deathstroke is a hot commodity, but this is by far not the best representation of his exploits.
• Elseworlds: Batman Vol. 3 TP
I'm surprised and impressed we're already at volume 3 of the Elseworlds: Batman collections. Clearly we need dedicated collections of both the 1994 Elseworlds annuals and also the 1996 Legends of a Dead Earth annuals, too. This includes Batman: Brotherhood of the Bat (future set), Batman: Knight Gallery (alternate costumes related to Brotherhood), Batman: Scar of the Bat (1920s gangsters), Batman: Masque (based on Phantom of the Opera), and Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table (King Arthur). I'd think the two-issue League of Batmen would be here, a sequel to Brotherhood.
• Final Crisis: The 10th Anniversary Omnibus HC
What an incredible omnibus (I seem to be saying that a lot this month), which not only includes Final Crisis and its branded tie-in miniseries, but also looser stuff like the "Dark Side Club" stories from Birds of Prey, Flash, Teen Titans, even Terror Titans. That's a deep dive even for Final Crisis, evidence of DC going the extra mile for this edition. Collects Batman #676-683 and #701-702, Birds of Prey #118, DC Universe #0, DC Universe: The Last Will and Testament #1, Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1-5, Final Crisis: Requiem #1, Final Crisis: Resist #1, Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5, Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1-3, Final Crisis Secret Files, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2, Flash #240-241, Teen Titans #59-60, and Terror Titans #1-6. (Lacking unfortunately are the Infinity Inc. issues.)
• Flash Vol. 6: A Cold Day in Hell TP
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. I will say some suggestion of continuity-fixing in the upcoming "Flash War" gives me hope.
• Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard-Traveling Heroes Deluxe Edition HC
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: A World of Our Own TP
Issues #33-39 by Tim Seeley, taking over from Sam Humphries.
• Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 5: Twilight of the Guardians TP
Issues #30-35. Guest-starring Superman; I assume this ties in to recent issues of Peter Tomasi's Superman title? I enjoyed Robert Venditti's DC You Green Lantern issues that I recently read, and I'm glad to see Venditti still chugging along on this title.
• Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
At least another Harley Quinn omnibus or so to go, since this only collects through the end of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti's New 52 run, before Rebirth. Collects Harley Quinn #17-30, Harley Quinn Road Trip Special #1, Harley Quinn: Be Careful What You Wish For Special Edition, Harley Quinn and Her Gang Of Harleys #1-6, and Harley Quinn’s Little Black Book #1-6.
• Justice League Vol. 6: The People vs. The Justice League TP
This still says issues #34-39, but since Christopher Priest is on until issue #43, when the series ends or pauses for "No Justice," I'd bet they'll collect his whole run. Art by Pete Woods and also now apparently Philippe Briones.
• Legion by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Vol. 2 TP
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.
• Mystik U TP
I've not heard hide nor hair of this so far, and it seems to have gone to trade very quickly. The three-issue miniseries will apparently fill a 160-page trade; maybe some other stories will pad this out?
• New Super-Man Vol. 3: Equilibrium TP
Issues #13-18, just before the book becomes New Super-Man and the Justice League of China.
• Super Sons of Tomorrow TP
This is bittersweet now that we know Super Sons is ending. Though, I like the concept and characters but was lukewarm on the first trade, so maybe a relaunch, or re-placement as a DC Zoom or DC Ink series, wouldn't be such a bad thing.
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.
• Superman: Zero Hour TP
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. Collects the Zero Hour tie-in issues Man of Steel #37, Superman #93, Adventures #516, and Action #703, Steel #8 and Superboy #8, and the Zero Month (#0) issues of the same. Among the Zero Hour time-lost elements are a gaggle of alt-Batmen, Jor-El and Lara, the hero Alpha Centurion, and Superboy meets Superboy. 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.
• Wonder Woman/Conan HC
Gail Simone writing Wonder Woman is always notable, and with her Wonder Woman-run artist Aaron Lopresti, too. Simone and Walter Geovani on Red Sonja again with Red Sonja/Tarzan is no slouch either; I loved their Red Sonja books.
Going back in for another edition of Final Crisis? Getting your feet wet with Aquaman: Tempest? Sound off in the comments and tell me what you're buying.
I'll be picking up Justice League, Super Sons, New Super-Man and Superman: Zero Hour for sure. Not a lot of "maybes" this month. Milk Wars might be it, and that's just because I dig Steve Orlando (and because the name is hilarious).
ReplyDeleteThe Final Crisis Omnibus is interesting, but certainly not so much that it'd tempt me into quadruple dipping. I didn't think FC was so popular that an omnibus like this would ever come out. Gives me hope that we'll see some more big event omnibii soon (Armageddon: 2001!!!). Semi-related (since you brought up Legends of the Dead Earth and I mentioned Armageddon), it'd be kind of fun, in an archival sense, to see omnibii of all the 90s annual events - Bloodlines, Eclipso, Elseworlds, etc. (okay, maybe not JLApe)
Milk Wars would be worth getting for the first issue alone. Its Orlando at the top of his game, and ACO's art looks better than ever colored Tamra Bonvillain. Its a surprisingly touching tribute to DC lore as well.
DeleteSold!
DeleteI maintain that Eclipso: The Darkness Within (especially) and also Bloodlines would make fantastic omnibuses -- these are full, long-form start-to-finish stories that would read well in trade but really need an omnibus to be collected (unless they go multi-volume). With Eclipso, they might also collect an issue of Valor and/or the Eclipso series; with Bloodlines, they could also include Blood Pack or maybe a couple of the other New Bloods appearances (the Loose Cannon miniseries from 1995, for instance, by some guy named Jeph Loeb).
DeleteVery excited about The Loeb/Sale Batman Omnibus! It'd be nice but unlikely if this collected Sale's cover work as well. One thing I will note is I am pretty sure the Loeb/Sale story in Solo 1 is a Superman story, with the Batman one being written by Darwyn Cooke.
ReplyDeleteI also find Green Lantern/Green Arrow getting Deluxe interesting. Pre 80's material getting that treatment is a rare thing indeed.
Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga and The Curse being others.
DeleteAnd still no John Byrne Superman Omnibus...
ReplyDeleteSeconding the hopes for a Byrne Superman Omnibus at some point!
DeleteFriends, we can not go asking for a John Byrne Superman Omnibus before a good amount of the Triangle Titles are collected! :) You've got your nine paperbacks, go enjoy them for a while and we'll start rallying for the Byrne Omnibus once some other things are said and done. (Or maybe it's just me.)
DeleteMy dream list of DC Omnibuses/Deluxe Editions:
DeleteByrne's "Superman"
Byrne's "Fourth World"
Byrne's "Generations Trilogy"
Simonson and Goodwin's "Manhunter"
Grell's "The Longbow Hunters"
Truman's "Hawkworld"
Chaykin's "Blackhawk"
The first arc in Wagner and Davis' "Sandman Mystery Theatre"
After that, DC will have pretty much collected everything that I want in the format that I like best (I was a teenager in the '80s, so 1986 – '90 is my sweet spot for DC work).
Day 1 purchases will be the Final Crisis Omnibus and the Loeb & Sale Batman Omnibus. On the fence about the Arkham Omnibus, but sense I enjoyed the games, I will probably pick it up.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine they included all of "Batman R.I.P." and those superfluous "Dark Side Club" issues in the Final Crisis Omnibus because they wanted it to be as massive as the Infinite Crisis Omnibus. It's almost funny how they're missing the opportunity to finally collect the last two issues of Milligan's Infinity Inc.
ReplyDeleteAlso, with so many series about to end before what appears to be an upcoming wave of relaunches in the summer, I wonder how their respective conclusions will be collected. The last four issues of Priest's Justice League run wouldn't be enough to fill a TPB, and the same goes for the last four issues of Teen Titans after the "Super Sons of Tomorrow" crossover.
While I'm glad there's a deluxe-like edition of Final Crisis, Justice League of America 21 seems to be missing, which is the issue were Libra recruits the Human Flame. Is there any way to give DC a heads up about that kind of thing?
DeleteI also don't get why they are including all of Batman R.I.P., when only issues 682 and 683 have anything to do with Final Crisis. Same goes for Rogue's Revenge... The inclusion of those really feels like it's just an excuse to ramp up the price. Never read the Dark Side issues, but i wouldn't be surprised if those didn't add anything of value either...
>> Is there any way to give DC a heads up about that kind of thing?
DeleteDan DiDio's Facebook page. He reads it, at least.
Y'know, Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds is even less connected than Rogues' Revenge. I think it's a matter of getting everything with "Final Crisis" in the title under one roof.
@shag, my guess is they'll resolicit Priest's Justice League with the additional issues, and stick those Titans issues in that trade. Surely they won't leave them uncollected.
@Rodrigo, you're completely right about Justice League of America #21, which would be a much more relevant inclusion than the superfluous issues I mentioned. It was even drawn by Carlos Pacheco, one of the main mini's artists.
Delete@CE, now that I've read Justice League #39 in digital form and noticed it was titled "Justice Lost Part 1" instead of "The People vs. Justice League Part 6", I'm thinking DC will split Priest's run in two 5-issue trades, even though it would work so much better as a single volume.
I just came across this different content listing for the Final Crisis 10th Anniversary Omnibus:
Deletehttp://prhinternational.com/book/?isbn=9781401285036
As you can see, it includes Justice League of America #21 and even Superman/Batman #76 (an aftermath issue by Winick and Rudy, which was meant to be a prelude to an arc that never materialized), although Terror Titans #1-6 are mistakenly listed as Teen Titans #1-6.
With Booster Gold's recent Action Comics and upcoming Batman appearances, I'd love to see some some Booster Gold by Dan Jurgens or some such type collections in the modern full color format.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed the Showcase Presents: Booster Gold but indeed I wish it had been color. Are we still getting a full-color Blue Beetle collection soon or has it been cancelled? Surely if Beetle, then also Booster.
DeleteDefinitely hyped for that Final Crisis omni. It's been one of my dream omnibi ever since I realized that the Final Crisis tie-in trades were hard to find (and not alltogether that complete). Hopefully this becomes a precedent for DC to release complete omnibi of their bigger events (perhaps next we'll get a Crisis on Infinite Earths Omnibus with the contest of ye olde cancelled companion, completing the "trilogy".
ReplyDeleteI'd love a Crisis Collections book. Also one for Legends, hopefully with Batman #401.
DeleteGiven the treat of all the Aquaman material curently coming out to tie in with the movie, Shazam is a character with under representation in the trade world. How likely is that to change?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there will be a bunch of collections in time for the movie, and I think a Power of Shazam omnibus collecting the whole Ordway run wouldn't be that unlikely.
Delete