2006 Collected Editions DC Comics Trade Paperbacks Predictions List

Here's the conspiracy theory: Seems to me, DC's been trying in the past two years to get all their titles trade-ready — that is, able able to start doing continual volume trades of their series, like Teen Titans and JSA. Frankly, we hardly have a major new series that doesn't follow this pattern — look at Legion of Super-Heroes, for instance. And what would be better than giving every DC title a new jumping on point, from which to start collecting the issues into trade … like, say, "One Year Later"?

DC's did mostly two trades per high selling titles in 2005. My bet is, in 2006, we'll see two trades again, but this time, the trades will be working to bring the titles even with February 2006, the last month before "One Year Later." Then in 2007, we'll see new trades that carry our favorite titles from March 2006 onward. So now, without further ado, the 2006 Collected Editions DC Comics Trade Paperbacks Predictions List!

All-Star Batman - a trade of the first six issues or so is most likely in 2006. Variables could be whether this goes to hardcover before trade, or whether DC tries the Marvel approach of paperback first, and two-trade hardcover second. I'd also consider this a good bet for an Absolute Edition.

All-Star Superman - it's up in the air whether we'll see the first trade of this in 2006, or in early 2007. Whatever the trade format is for All-Star Batman and Robin, however, you can expect this will do the same.

Aquaman - Forgive the pun, but 2006 will most likely be a sink-or-swim year for Aquaman. DC is not likely to continue to let this title flounder (forgive me) without a trade program, which means we're either going to see a collection of the Arcudi run in 2006, collections beginning after the March "One Year Later" break, or a cancellation of this title.

Batgirl: Destruction's Daughter (#65-73) - There's nine issues between the newest Batgirl trade, Kicking Assasins, and "One Year Later;" I think this is another sink-or-swim. Either DC's going to keep collecting this series (making one or two trades out of the nine issues), starting trading it in earnest after "One Year Later," or cancel it. And here's hoping Batgirl isn't a casualty of Infinite Crisis.

Batman: Origin of Jason Todd, (#645-649) - In addition to the Batman: War Crimes trade paperback (which hopefully collects the War Games epilogues and Batman Allies Secret Files stories, as well as War Crimes), there are five issues until "One Year Later," excluding the guest-written issue #642. Look for War Crimes and the Origin of Jason Todd issues to be the Batman title trades for 2006.

Batman: Gotham Knights - DC has already annouced Batman: Hush Returns, most likely collecting the "Pushback" storyline from Gotham Knights #50-55. Setting aside War Games and a fill-in issue, that leaves fifteen issues before "One Year Later" — #60-65, the Poison Ivy plotline, and #66-74, dealing (presumably) with Alfred's memory loss. It's unlikely that DC with release three trades of Gotham Knights in 2006, but whether they release a second trade, or stick with Hush Returns, will be a good indicator of whether DC will continue to publish Gotham Knights after Infinite Crisis. I vaguely recall hearing that the various Superman and Batman titles would be consolidated after Infinite Crisis, but now I can't find what I read.

Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn (#69-73) - for a title that DC seems to position at the forefront of the DCU, the Birds of Prey trade paperbacks are sorely lacking. We can count on at least one in 2006, collecting at least "Between Dark and Dawn." But there's also "Hero Hunters," "Battle Within," and the OMAC Project tie-ins — in all, eighteen issues of Birds of Prey between the last trade and "One Year Later," too much to hope that Birds of Prey will catch up in 2006. But is two trades in 2006 too much to hope for?

Catwoman - End of the Line (#25-33) - After Catwoman: Wild Ride, there's nine issues until Catwoman's War Games crossover. Possibly we'll see this trade in 2006, but from there, there's sixteen uncollected issues of Catwoman until "One Year Later." Like Birds of Prey, there's no way Catwoman will catch up to "One Year Later" in 2006, but it bears hoping.

DC: The New Frontier - two trade volumes of this always seemed a little suspicious to me. I'd bet on a one-volume hardcover in 2006, and I think this has the potential to appear as an Absolute Edition.

Detective Comics - City of Crime (#801-808, #811-814) - if we count on Detective Comics #800 appearing in the Batman: War Crimes trade, along with #809 and #810, that leaves the twelve issue "City of Crime" storyline (one volume, please), and one Infinite Crisis tie-in issue in February. Chances are we'll see that tie-in issue collected elsewhere, if at all, and "City of Crime" will be the big Detective collection for 2006.

Dr. Fate - I could be the only person still waiting on a trade of the Christopher Golden mini-series. If not in 2006, I have doubts we'll ever see it.

Firestorm: Rebirth (#14-22) - There will be twenty-two issues of Firestorm out by the time "One Year Later" rolls around, but only the last nine of them are written by Stuart Moore. Like some others, I believe DC will either start collecting some or all of Firestorm pre- or post-"One Year Later" in 2006, or otherwise its cancel-ville.

Flash: Rogue War (#212, 218, 220-225) - The Rogue War trade is already confirmed for early 2006. If, however, it contains all the issues listed above, that only leaves six issues to "One Year Later;" chances are, that will be our second Flash trade for 2006. Hey, DC! How about a Flash: Wonderland trade, including Flash: Our Worlds at War and Iron Heights?

Gotham Central: Unresolved Targets (#12-15, 19-22) - The chances of Gotham Central catching up from issue #10 to February 2006's issue #40 in 2006 are completely unlikely. But we should see Ed Brubaker's Unresolved Targets in 2006, follwed by Greg Rucka's "Life is Full of Disappointments" (issues #11, 16-18, 23-25). No way we get more than two Gotham Central trades in 2006; I'll be pleasantly surprised if we get more than one.

Green Arrow: New Blood (#40-45) - Given New Blood's tie to Teen Titans, I'm surprised we only saw one Green Arrow trade in 2005. If New Blood goes to #45, then the next trade might be #46-50, and from there, #52-59 would take us to "One Year Later." But three Green Arrow trades is a lot to hope for in 2006; two would be an improvement over 2005.

Green Lantern: No Fear (#1-5) - The new Green Lantern title will hit issue #10 in February 2006. One trade is guaranteed; two would most likely split the ten issues.

Green Lantern: Recharge - a trade of this mini-series is guaranteed in 2006 or 2007.

Hawkman: Earth and Sky (#28-32) - Ignoring fill-in issues #26 and #27, it looks like there's a Hawkman plot that stretches from #28-32; from there, another story goes thirteen issues, from #33-45; and then the Rann-Thanagar War tie in is #46-#49. That's a lot for two trades; it's most likely three or four trades. Chances are that the Hawkman trades, if we see any at all, won't line up with "One Year Later" in 2006.

JLA: Crisis of Conscience (#115-119) - Crisis of Conscience is a lock, and I imagine we'll see it in early 2006. From there, it's just five issues until "One Year Later" — expect to see a second JLA trade in 2006 collecting "World without the JLA," issues #120-124.

JLA: Classified: New Maps of Hell (#10-15) - if JLA: Classified #1 through #3 appears in the Seven Soliders of Victory trades, then we can guess that the first JLA: Classified trade will be the six-part "New Maps of Hell." It's probably a safe bet that five- and six-part storylines will get their own trades, while smaller stories will be collected together. But will this join the JLA volume numbering, or stand on its own?

Justice League Elite: Volume 2 (#5-12) - here's hoping that a volume two is planned, and that DC wouldn't just leave us hanging with volume one. Eight issues for a trade is a lot, but certainly not unheard of.

JSA: Black Vengeance (#68-75) - The "JSA/JSA" story goes from #68-72, but for JSA, that's something of a small trade. If we add "Black Vengeance," issues #73-75, that #76-82 to "One Year Later" — and seven issues makes sense. Two JSA trades are a virtual sure-thing in 2006, so chances are it'll catch up to "One Year Later."

JSA: Classified: Power and Honor (#1-8) - With the Infinite Crisis tie of JSA: Classified, I think we'll see the Power Girl and Injustice Society stories collected in 2006. Alternatively, DC could put the Power Girl story in with The Return of Donna Troy — there's a trade!

Legion of Super-Heroes (#7-12) - issues #7 through #12 finish out the first year's plotline. I think we can expect to see at least one trade of Legion of Super-Heroes in 2006, if not two.

Manhunter: On Trial (#7-12) - the first year's plots wrap up in issue #12 before the OMAC Project tie-ins. From there, Manhunter goes from #13 to #19 before "One Year Later." I think the fate of this title is still up in the air; if we see one trade, I'm not holding my breath for seeing two.

Nightwing: Lethal Force (#61-70) - Issues #61 through #70 would finish out the Chuck Dixon run on Nightwing. Even then, however, the Nightwing trades would still be twenty issues away from the War Games crossover, let alone "One Year Later." I'm hoping DC keeps steadily trading this series, and no one chooses to jump the gun as with Batgirl. Chances are we'll see one Nightwing trade in 2006, if any.

Outsiders: Tick Tock (#26-33) - After their appearance in Teen Titans: The Insiders, the Outsiders have the fortunate position of only having nine issues before "One Year Later." We may only see one Outsiders trade in 2006, but at least it'll be up to date.

Return of Donna Troy - expect a trade in early 2006, either by itself or in conjunction with Teen Titans.

Robin (#134-138) - After Fresh Blood, there's five issues until the new Scott McDaniel art team starts at issue #139. Then, there's nine issues between #139 and #147, the February 2006 issue. Two Robin trades in 2006 is a lot to hope for, but if there are, this might be the way they do it.

Rose and Thorn - it's absolutely criminal that this Gail Simone mini-series hasn't been collected yet.

Superman/Batman: With a Vengeance (#20-25) - No question we'll see a hardcover of "With a Vengeance" in 2006. From there, only six issues until "One Year Later," including Sam Loeb's issue with tribute artists — chances are we'll see issues #26 through #31 as a collection, too.

Seven Soldiers of Victory - We'll see volume one of this undoubtedly multi-volume set in early 2006. Question is, will this trade contain JLA: Classified #1-3, too?

Supergirl: From Krypton (#0-7) - there's only seven issues of this title before "One Year Later;" I bet DC will be as faithful collecting this series as with Teen Titans. Look for this trade to include Superman/Batman #19, as well, the Supergirl #0 issue.

Superman/Adventures of Superman/Action Comics - After the issue of each of these titles that will appear in the Day of Vengeance trade, there's only ten issues of each Superman title before "One Year Later." Two trades of each, perhaps? Superman: The Journey, collecting Mark Verheiden, is already solicited, and if that contains five issues, chances are the rest of them will as well. But what about "Sacrifice"? Will each part of this story end up in it's title's trade, or will we see an Adventures of Superman: Sacrifice trade collecting all of those issues? Time will tell.

Superman/Shazam: First Thunder - a trade is likely in 2006 or 2007 — will it be padded with anything else?

Teen Titans - At least two Teen Titans trades in 2006 is almost guaranteed, and we already know that the first will be Teen Titans: Insiders in January or February. What we don't know is what that trade will contain beyond Teen Titans and Outsiders issues #24-25. If, as Hovy predicted, it has #26 and #29, that only leaves #30-33 before "One Year Later" — which would be something of a small trade, unless it includes The Return of Donna Troy. And then there's also issues #27-28, the Gail Simone/Rob Liefield issues, which the completist in me hopes will be collected as well. That brings Teen Titans up to "One Year Later," and again, I think it's a pretty safe bet.

The Question - It remains up in the air if DC will collect this trade, or given the absent Super-storm that this was supposed to join, whether Question will remain permanently uncollected.

Vigilante - As with The Question, when Vigilante's Super-storm disappeared, so did many of it's chances. I think a trade here will largely depend on how fan's accept this series.

Wonder Woman: Checkmate (#215-218, 220-226) - After the Eye of the Gorgon trade, and issue #214 of Wonder Woman appearing in Prelude to Infinite Crisis, there's eleven issues of Wonder Woman before "One Year Later." I actually don't think we'll see these in one trade, but I'm not sure how they'll split them up, either — not to mention whether issue #219 will appear solely in the OMAC Project or also in a Superman: Sacrifice trade, and/or whether the "Sacrifice" epilogue issues will appear in Wonder Woman or Superman trades. So this one's a puzzle, but with increased attention on Wonder Woman in the DCU, I think it's safe to say we'll see two Wonder Woman trades in 2006.

What's right? What's wrong? Which trades are you most looking forward to? Leave a comment here with your two cents, and we'll recheck this list every month in 2006 to see how it stands up.

Link to the 2006 Collected Editions DC Comics Trade Paperbacks Predictions List: http://collectededitions.blogspot.com/2005/10/2006-collected-editions-dc-comics.html