From the "Why should Batman have all the fun?" department comes news that Geoff Johns and Gary's Frank's Superman: Secret Origin will be collected in DC Comics' deluxe oversized format.
Previous deluxe books include Batman RIP, Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, and the JLA hardcover collections.
As a weigh-station between Absolute format and a regular hardcover or trade paperback, I like the deluxe editions a lot. I've always envisioned comics collections as needing to be more than just a bunch of issues bound together, but rather something that builds on the original comic -- this large-format collection showcases the story and art that appeared in monthly form. I don't mind paying more for a hardcover if it's "special" in this way.
More deluxe Superman volumes on the way?
Also newly solicited from DC: Batwoman: Elegy in hardcover (hopefully more than just the first few issues of the Greg Rucka/J H Williams Detective run) and Sam Keith's Arkham Asylum (newly mentioned on DC's The Source blog; that this shares the name of a popular video game doesn't hurt).
More to come!
At 176 pages and $25, there's almost no doubt in my mind that this first Batwoman Hardcover will contain the elegy storyline (1-4) plus the Batwoman Origin story following in the 2-3 issues afterward.
ReplyDeleteAfter those 6 or 7 issues, Batwoman and The Question will be trading places, and The Question will become the main feature. From that point on, it will be interesting to see how they work out the collected editions for the Backups.
Also, I LOVE the deluxe books. I have the JLA Hardcovers, and RIP, and they're all absolutely beautiful. I wish we could get some of JH William's work in Deluxe Editions; whether it be the Club of Heroes story in Batman, his current Detective Comics run, or even Promethea (getting an absolute release that I absolutely cannot afford, as Tom Strong simultaneously gets the Deluxe Treatment for a slightly above-average price).
I was just thinking the same thing about the Batwoman/Question backup switch. But, as I understand it the switch is just for one issue, and after that it goes back as it was, so I think we'll still see a separate Question collection.
ReplyDeleteNow, if the two series cross over, I'd guess the Question collection would end early and Batwoman would contain the most significant issues.
I´ve got to say that Frank´s art is AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don´t like about Johns´ Superman is the return of mumbling Clark Kent and all the "Donnerzitation" (yea! that´s my word) of the Superman Universe.
Still, mumblign Clark Kent worked fine in All Star Superman.
I knew that Secret Origin would get a deluxe HC
ReplyDeleteCant wait for it or the Batwoman Hardcover
Lucho - agreed on Frank, disagreed on the Donnerization.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, thank the good lord DC is moving towards a larger and more mythical view of Superman. As opposed to the more literal, sterile version we endured for the past 20 years.
No personal offense intended, but I can't wrap my head around one element of Superman that wasn't shaved down, over-simplified and sterilized so they could shill Superman to Marvel readers.
(To be fair it did feature several changes I liked, such as getting rid of Superboy, Supergirl, the Legion, etc.)
But truly, it makes sense to look at the Donner films just like Miller's Batman Year One: The definitive take.