I have it on good authority that the New Teen Titans: Who is Donna Troy trade paperback isn't the only yet-unannounced DC trade paperback coming out in June. We also get ... Superman/Batman: Absolute Power hardcover! Hey DC — THANKS!
And that's being solicited in March, when the "Absolute Power" storyline itself only ends, I believe in April — that is excellent response time on DC's part. (That is, as opposed to JSA: Black Reign, also to be announced tomorrow, which is more than a year after the story itself.) I'm working on a timeline of the trade paperbacks (more info to come), and I'll be keeping an eye on the trade paperback release time as we go.
Apparently, this means we get Batman: War Games Act Two, JSA: Black Reign, New Teen Titans: Who is Donna Troy, and Superman/Batman: Absolute Power HC in June, leaving the Green Lantern: Rebirth HC, Superman: The Healing Touch, and Y - The Last Man: Ring of Truth for July. Looks good!
UPDATED: Looks like Superman/Batman: Absolute Power hardcover isn't coming out until July. Wonder why DC solicited it in June, but not any of the other July trade paperbacks ... weird ...
Why is it that titles like Superman/Batman, which do very well in the monthly format get quick collections while titles that arguably need the TPB format more, like Gotham Central, linger far, far behind?
ReplyDeleteJeffrey, I agree completely. And personally, I think DC is missing a great untapped market out there by not taking some titles to "trade only" -- Gotham Central, for instance, or one in (A) even more danger and (B) less tied to the DCU, like Fallen Angel. Get a writer, an artist, and an inker, commission them to do "six months"--or six times 22 pages--of work, and then release it all at one time as a collection. Personally, I think it would sell through the roof.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I wasn't too concerned when Joe Quesada recently torpedoed original graphic novels. Because, quite frankly, an OGN is usually a very pricey 96-page hardcover -- that's about four comic books, when the recent Superman/Batman: Supergirl hardcover was six comics for about the price of an OGN. So if comics companies are willing to put down the capital to create OGNs, why not, to coin a phrase, original trade paperbacks, or OTPs? I've been told that wouldn't work due to the various royalties paid to all the creators (not to mention, why release a comic as a trade first, when you can release the issues and then the trade and double your money?), but I still think it's an interesting idea.
And by the way, as far back as Gotham Central lingers, Catwoman lingers even farther back, and that's a well-selling title! Also toward the back of the pack is Flash. What gives?