I think one sign of positive growth of trade paperbacks is that we're at the point now where graphic novel solicitations are nearly outpacing the monthly comic solicitations -- that is, we're getting word certainly before monthly storylines finish, and maybe even a bit before they start.
To wit, if you've been watching the time-travelling doings in the Batman titles, note Batman: Era of the Batman, coming in March from Grant Morrison and a host of artists; no doubt this continues the story that begins in Batman #700. (For more era-spanning Batman, see Adam Beechen's Batman Beyond: Future Evil.)
UPDATE: The title of Era of the Batman has now apparently been changed to Batman: Time and the Batman.
If Metropolis is more your speed, and you caught the preview of Paul Cornell's Action Comics over at The Source yesterday, then you may not be surprised to hear that storyline will be called Superman: The Black Ring, with art by Pete Woods.
Paul Dini and Stephanie Roux's new series makes its first magical appearance with Zatanna: The Mistress of Magic. More controversally is Eric Wallace's Titans: Villains for Hire (though I liked Final Crisis: Ink; whereas Superman and Batman are in hardcover, this is paperback.
Equally controversial is James Robinson's next Justice League collection,
Justice League of America: The Dark Times (this may be the new JLA/JSA crossover). I've got Cry for Justice sitting here and I'm just about to read it, and then I'll be very interested to talk it over.
Speaking of James Robinson, from what I understand volume six will be the last Starman Omnibus. Can the rumored Starman graphic novel be far behind?
As for me, with all this future-looking, I'm wondering how long until we see a trade solicitation for Flashpoint ...
Check back later today, when we'll have a new installment of our series "Ask Collected Editions." Don't miss it!
(Tip of the hat to Chris Hilker for his assistance!)
Speaking of JLA: CFJ, I was very happy to see that not only did they include the FOE: Prometheus issue but also the 2-page origins of the related characters from 52.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of other trades, I am behind in my reading since I have been waiting to collect entire storylines before reading them. I have been working my way through the Marvel X-Men and Daredevil collections while waiting for the New Krypton collections to be released in full, which just finished recently.
If anyone else reads Marvel trades and would like to see a Marvel trades reading timeline, I would be happy to start one for this site. Please let me know.
So happy to hear that the Prometheus issue is in Cry for Justice (which now means all the Faces of Evil specials are collected somewhere); I'll be cutting the plastic off mine later now that I know that.
ReplyDeleteBeen working on some Marvel resources lately, actually; why don't you email me and we'll talk?
Dang, I was hoping Batman #700-702 would be collected along with Batman and Robin #13-16 (the end of the book's "first season", according to Morrison), but it seems we're getting two thin hardcovers instead. Boy, do I hate those.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it's good to know that the sixth and final Starman Ombnibus will come out six months after the fifth one. This 8-month wait between volumes 4 and 5 has been tough for me.
I think Batman #700 is lumped in with 701 and 702 primarily so there's enough for a trade there. Batman RIP's already in trade and just hit paperback; 701 and 702 is supposed to be the "lost chapter" of Batman RIP, so where do you put it, since RIP's long since in trade? Put it with extra sized Batman #700 and problem solved, I guess, though it pretty much makes placement of the trade difficult.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if #703 is in there too; it's not written by Morrison, but this is jut very early information that always changes and it fits into the "eras of Batman" thing, since it's solicited as looking back on the legacy of Batman as Bruce returns. I want to hope Superman/Batman Annual #4 would be included, but I doubt it; not a one of the previous three have been collected anywhere either. I keep waiting and hoping for a collection of the prior annuals but one never shows.
On a Marvel trade reading timeline, I can't help thinking that will be a monumental task.
Judd Winick is writing a Superman/Batman issue that supposedly deals in the aftermath of Final Crisis, maybe that's included in the trade as well?(Though I would rather it not be)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as Shagamu, I wanted Morrison's brief return to BATMAN to be collected with Batman and Robin.
Amazon's listing Batan: Era of the Batman as a 128-page book. Assuming it will include all of Batman #700 (32 pages of story plus 12 pages of pin-ups), I think there will only be room for issues #700-703. I wonder if it will be oversized like the more recent hardcover collections of Morrison's Batman work.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't think you could have collected #701 and #702 in with Batman & Robin. The story takes place right after RIP and before Final Crisis. It would be kind of weird to be trucking along the third trade when suddenly TIME WARP straight back to right after RIP. Just doesn't work.
ReplyDelete#700, however... well, maybe. I bought #700 instead of waiting for the trade to read it; figured a special issue warranted going to the shop, which I rarely do. It was awesome, but more importantly it's middle "Present" chapter with Dick and Damian seems to take place between Batman vs Robin and the upcoming arc. It's also a completely standalone issue that finishes within it's pages, so it could have been tossed in with the Batman & Robin issues in trade, I guess. But then that leaves the problem of what do you do with #701 and #702? Adding in #703 still wouldn't make enough for a decent trade, I think. Logistically it causes a problem or two.
So the point I was trying to make in my rambling is that putting those Batman issues in with Batman & Robin wouldn't really work, because they don't exactly fit into continuity right now, #700 aside.