The end is near ...No, of course I don't mean the end of the world (that was last September). I'm talking about how collections from DC's final month of DC New 52 are already showing up in the DC Comics September 2012 solicitations. We waited so long for the DC New 52 collections to arrive, and even though we're just a month-or-so into them, the end of the first round of volumes is already in sight. It might be as soon as next month that we start to see solicitations for the volume twos ... Batman Vol. 2: Night of the Owls, anyone?
We also see what seems like a slight increase in the number of "old" DC Universe collections in these new trade solicitations -- my pet theory is that a number of these were held, not in the least James Robinson's final Justice League collection, so as not to confuse or conflict with the DC New 52 collection releases; now that we come to the end of that, we see things like Justice League and Birds of Prey paperbacks. Fingers crossed that none of these suddenly disappear before publication.
Zero Month Redux
Those of us who actually bought all the zero issues that followed the original Zero Hour are feeling severe whiplash about now.
I don't usually comment on the single issues, but a couple of 'em caught my eye as I was looking over DC's September zero issue offerings. First, I know Judd Winick faced a lot of ire lately with his DC New 52 Catwoman, but I adored his early Green Arrow run and I'd be happy to see him back on the character. Four different writers for the DC New 52 Green Arrow in the span of thirteen issues is a bad sign (as it is, too, for Superman), but if Winick's on board that makes me more hopeful.
Two to watch will be Nightwing #0 and Teen Titans #0. Between the origins of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, you'll basically know everything you need to know about what's lost and found in the DC New 52 universe. Though I have to say it seems to give the concept of an origin short shrift to do it in a single issue -- Tim Drake's journey from meeting Batman to donning the Robin costume took months if not years, and now they're going to do it in one issue? I don't want to say it can't stack up, but ...
It's been a bit since I read Batwoman: Elegy, but I don't remember Kate Kane needing to turn away from a "life of excess" as Batwoman #0 promises. One would hope DC won't remove her military service and discharge from her origins.
And as for Smallville Season 11 #5 -- I don't understand the licensing issues involved such that what's not OK onscreen is OK in the comic, but good on you, Bryan Miller; I don't know if there will be a "season 12," but way to leave it all on the field.
Next to the last DC New 52 Vol. 1 collections
* All-Star Western Vol. 1: Guns and Gotham
* Flash Vol. 1: Move Forward
* I, Vampire Vol. 1: Tainted Love
* Justice League Dark Vol. 1: In the Dark
* Nightwing Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes
* Savage Hawkman Vol. 1: Darkness Rising
* Supergirl Vol. 1: Last Daughter of Krypton
* Superman Vol. 1: What Price Tomorrow?
The Nightwing volume I'm eager for, given it's ties to Batman: Court of the Owls; also Supergirl and Superman, titles I followed previously, though it seems almost besides the point to read Superman (and Hawkman, for that matter) knowing brand-new teams are along in the next volume. Six issues, I think, is too short a run for any writer not on a "short story" book like Superman/Batman; if one can't stay at least twelve issues/two volumes, a book seems almost skip-able.
* Huntress: Crossbow at the Crossroads
* Legion: Secret Origin
I think of these two as DC New 52 runners-up; I have no interest in the Penguin miniseries that also ran alongside the DC New 52 premieres, but these two series are both directly relevant. I'm surprised DC didn't market these stronger as DC New 52 titles, maybe to preserve the surprise on Huntress and because Legion: Secret Origin, I'm almost certain, started out as an "old" DC Universe title.
Various and Sundry
* Dc Comics: The Sequential Art of Amanda Conner
Amanda Conner's art deserves its own collection anyway, but kind of like the Showcase Presents: Amethyst collection, we know a little better now why DC might have a sudden interest in having a Conner collection out there than we did months ago when this was first solicited.
* 52 Omnibus
I adored 52, as did we all, and if you missed it the first time around, this will probably be the most cohesive reading experience of any of the recent omnibus collections DC has released lately -- an immediate, compressed, well-imagined story. My hope is that someone takes all the notes pages from between the chapters of the paperbacks and shunts them all to the end of the omnibus -- let the story speak for itself and then offer the explanatory material afterward.
* Justice League Of America: The Rise of Eclipso
Below are a handful of paperback reprints of previous "old" DC Universe hardcovers as the last of these reach the pipeline -- the last Batman collection, the last Birds of Prey collection, and so on. Most notable, however, is Justice League Of America: The Rise Of Eclipso, which was cancelled in hardcover probably so as not to be confused with Justice League: Origin. If I don't miss my guess, that makes James Robinson's Justice League: Eclipso the last-released mainstream collection of the "old" DC Universe, with the Dick Grayson Batman capping off that thirty-year period of comics. Really looking forward to this one; hope it arrives.
* Batman: Eye of the Beholder
* Birds Of Prey Vol. 2: The Death of Oracle
* Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer
* Superman/Batman: Sorcerer Kings
* Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol. 4
Speed Force has intelligent things to say about the contents of this one.
So ... definite to pick up the 52 Omnibus? Fingers crossed for Justice League: Eclipso? What's your next most anticipated DC New 52 collection? What will you be buying for September?
You know I'm old school and I am sooooo happy to see the Silver Age Wonder Woman in full color hardcover. Long overdue.
ReplyDeleteI saw this but wasn't very familiar with the material. Tell me more about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to see what DC's "new Archives" look like.
So no one at DC thought it would be weird for Batwoman to get a second #0 issue? Go figure...
ReplyDeleteJudging by Ann Nocenti's latest CBR interview, I don't think Winick is permanently replacing her, but I'm glad that he's the one who will get to make sense of Oliver Queen's revised backstory, including his relationship with Roy Harper. He wrote the last Green Arrow run I genuinely enjoyed.
Shagamu, I also found it very odd that Batwoman was getting a SECOND #0 issue in the same series. I don't know if DC considers it official, but comicbookdb.com lists the other #0 with the current New 52 series:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=31306
It'll be interesting to see how ComicBookDB will resolve that!
My original plans were to finish reading James Robinson's Justice League series, but his writing style really turned me off around the time of The Dark Things (as I mentioned in CE's review of that book). Prior to that, I had strong interest in the Rise of Eclipso story, as I fondly remember the big Eclipso crossover event of the early 90's.
I will say that I read Robinson's Earth 2 #1 last night, and while some of his dialogue/inner monologue things that bugged me in JLA were still there, overall I found the story really good and am considering maybe buying the first story arc, just to see the JSA heroes introduced in the New 52.
I agree with CE about having too many writer changes in the first year of a book; it's a big turn-off for me, as it makes it seem like the early stuff doesn't really matter, and then you wonder if it's worth getting into because that writer could leave again after a few months. I remember that the new Firestorm book was on my "maybe" list for the New 52, prior to reading the first issue (which I still haven't done - waiting to finish Brightest Day first), mostly because of my 80's fondness of the character, and because Gail Simone was co-writer. I really enjoy Ethan Van Sciver's art (pinched noses notwithstanding), but knew nothing about his writing abilities. But after Simone left, it went from the "maybe" list to the "wait and see" list. As in, I'll wait and see what CE says about the first trade, and then maybe buy it! :-)
I'm also interested in how DC is going to collect the Volume 2 (and/or Volume 3) of these books that have both Annuals and 0 issues. Will the annuals end the second volume, with the 0-issue starting off the 3rd? Will the 0-issues interrupt an ongoing story arc, or signify an end or beginning or just an interlude between arcs? I guess it'll depend on the series.
CE, don't count out the Penguin mini-series. That series is awesome to a T. It's probably the best Penguin story ever told. It's Penguins own Killing Joke. I'm not even a fan of the character and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteSo give it a whirl when it's collected.
Just a small note, anyone else notice Deathstroke was listed under The Dark? Weird. Unless Deathstroke is now Supernatural.
ReplyDeleteThere probably just wasn't a way around giving Batwoman a second #0 issue. Also @Liang, I noticed too that Deathstroke and Grifter were listed under Dark, not Edge; it was probably just an oversight. It's rare DC does stuff like that without announcing it, at least within a few days.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a couple recommendations for the Penguin miniseries, which just *shocks* me; I haven't felt any writer's done anything impressive with this character for a while (stock character for a snitch or luring the heroes into a trap) and I basically wrote the miniseries off as publishing for publishing's sake -- throwing it at the wall and seeing if anyone bought it. I take your recommendation seriously, though, Lion -- I'll flip through it, at least, on your say-so.
I personally don't care that there's going to be 2 #0 issues for Batwoman, but I wonder how ComicBookDB and also Comixology will handle it. Comixology doesn't have the first #0 issue, but it may add it in the future, and it could certainly lead to some confusion from digital buyers. For trade-waiters, it's really not a big deal, as the first #0 is in Vol 1 and the second will be in either Vol 2 or Vol 3, in its natural order.
ReplyDeleteI'm even more awaiting for the ol' DCU's TPB such as the BOP one and GL's The Weaponer.
ReplyDeleteAnother Amanda Conner artbook? Well I love her art and bought the previous recent one, but when's Kevin Maguire, for example, getting one??