DC Trade Solicitations for May 2014 - Damian: Son of Batman, Larfleeze, Starlin's Stormwatch, Soule's Swamp Thing, JH Williams's Batman, Showcase Presents the Great Disaster

Again, I didn't think there was a lot that's notable in DC Comics's May 2014 trade paperback and collections solicitations, though there's some interesting comings and goings here -- Stormwatch and Batman: The Dark Knight bow out, while Charles Soule takes over Swamp Thing and Keith Giffen's Larfleeze gets a more complete collection than I might have expected. Let's take a look.

• Batman – The Dark Knight Vol. 4: Clay HC

Inasmuch as I felt lukewarm about Gregg Hurwitz's first Dark Knight Scarecrow story, I'm inclined to give this one a chance since I feel I've read fewer Clayface origin stories over the years than I have Scarecrow stories. This hardcover collects the final issues of the series.

• Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition HC

I can't really argue with a deluxe collection of Andy Kubert's art, but I feel I'd have been more enthusiastic about this series at the height of Grant Morrison's Batman run, and maybe before Damian's death in Batman, Inc. Vol. 2. I still find that a little tawdry, and so a new series starring Damian feels like more of a tease than a rebirth.

• Larfleeze Vol. 1: Revolt of the Orange Lanterns TP

For completists, the good news is that the first Larfleeze collection is solicited to include not only issues #1-5 of the series, but also the backup stories from Threshold. Between Sinestro, Larfleeze, Corps, New Guardians, Red Lanterns, and the Green Lantern book, I think DC's Green Lantern line is too franchised out for its own good, and I'd bet Larfleeze would be the first on the chopping block.

• Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 4: League of Assassins TP

Collects issues #19-24 plus the first annual, which details Arsenal's history with Green Arrow.

• Stormwatch Vol. 4: Reset TP

I didn't favor a reboot of the New 52 Stormwatch, and with characters like the Weird it seemed too much to me like Jim Starlin was doing his own thing (and some of the villains, it seemed, were hopelessly 1990s inspired); all of this made me hesitant to keep following Stormwatch for volume after volume. However, what turns out to be the final Stormwatch collection includes twelve issues, #19-30, and takes care of Starlin's run in one shot; given this, and Stormwatch's presence in Futures End, I'll probably stick around.

• Superman – Action Comics Vol. 4: Hybrid HC

The solicitations says this hardcover collects Action Comics #19-24 and the backup from Superman Annual #2, though if I don't miss my guess I think it's the main story from the annual, tying in to "Psi War," and not the "World of Krypton" backup. As you know, Andy Diggle was supposed to take over Action Comics with the beginning of this trade, but Scott Lobdell and others ended up writing it instead.

This collection also includes the Superman/Wonder Woman story from Young Romance. At this point, the only story from Young Romance that hasn't been collected is the Aquaman story.

• Swamp Thing Vol. 4: Seeder TP

Begins Charles Soule's run on Swamp Thing, and includes the Villains Month issue #23.1: Arcane.

• Worlds’ Finest Vol. 3: Control Issues TP

I thought I had read that Paul Levitz was leaving Worlds' Finest, but in looking at this collection's contents, #13-18, I see Levitz is still on the title as of issue #19. The next trade crosses over with Batman/Superman.

• Batman: Black and White Vol. 4 HC

Collects the 2013 Batman: Black and White six-issue miniseries.

• DC Comics Presents: The Demon – Driven Out #1

It really is enough to make you think DC is planning a new Demon series, with the collection of the four-issue Demon miniseries by Matt Wagner earlier this year, and now this DC Comics Presents edition of Joshua Dysart's six-issue "Driven Out" miniseries. Odd that this is DC Comics Presents and not just a collection, though maybe DC's hedging its bets by keeping the price down.

• JLA Vol. 5 TP

As we discussed when this volume was first solicited, it includes JLA issues #47-60 and the originally-oversized JLA: Heaven's Ladder. These JLA paperbacks, you might know, don't correspond to the JLA hardcovers; this book collects the end of Mark Waid's run, though the beginning, "Tower of Babel," is found in the paperback JLA Vol. 4.

• Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights TP

Some years back there were a couple of Showcase Presents volumes that were subsequently canceled because of rights issues, but we're now beginning to see them emerge; among them was this Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights. I had more interest in this at the time, circa Final Crisis, than I do now.

• Tales of Batman: J.H. Williams III HC

We talked about this one earlier, too; if the contents hold up, it contains Batman #526 and #550, Legends of the Dark Knight #86-88, and the "Pulp Heroes" Annual #21, all written by Doug Moench; #667-669 by Grant Morrison; "Snow" from Legends of the Dark Knight #192-196 by Dan Curtis Johnson and Williams with art by Seth Fisher; Detective Comics #821, by Paul Dini, and Chase #7-8, which guest-starred Batman.

Those are my picks. What are you looking forward to reading this May?