DC Trade Solicitations for April/May/June 2016 - Wonder Woman by Deodato, Grell Green Arrow Vol. 5, Supergirl by Peter David

Not a whole lot on DC Comics's first hardcover and trade paperback collection releases of the year, for April/May/June of 2016 (posted January 2016), but I did note a couple of collections I'd like to pick up. Larger collections of some notable 1990s-2000s Wonder Woman and Supergirl stories are always welcome, and also I'm thrilled the Mike Grell Green Arrow collections have continued (and the more there are, the more tempted I am to pick them up).

At the writing of this, no idea what "Rebirth" is supposed to be, but I'm reminded of something I wrote the last time this happened ...

Let's take a look at the solicits:

• Batman: War Games Vol. 2 TP

Said to be a new edition of Batman: War Games Vol. 2 -- and these new printings of the 1990s-2000s Batman crossovers have relatively faithfully added or expanded new material -- but for the most the contents of this as solicited seem to match the original War Games Vol. 2 pretty much exactly.

• Catwoman Vol. 5: Backward Masking TP

Continuing the reprint of the 2000s Catwoman series, this is a smidgen of the Will Pfeifer run that's never been collected before (issues #50-52), and then the Replacements and It's Only a Movie collections. The sexual politics in this run are a little troubling though it's enjoyable overall; however, I recall it reaches its peak about here or the next volume and the end is more generic Catwoman heist stories.

• Grayson Vol. 3: Nemesis TP

Collects Grayson #9-12, the first annual, and the story from Convergence: Hawkman. Three trades in and only 12 issues feels a bit slow; I'd have liked to see up to issue #12 by the second trade perhaps.

• Green Arrow Vol. 5: The Black Arrow TP

Continuing the Mike Grell collections. This one has some interesting callbacks to Longbow Hunters and also appearances by prominent Arrow characters (in original form). So glad these collections are proceeding; one of these days I'm just going to do a read-through of this whole thing.

• Harley Quinn Vol. 4: A Call to Arms HC

I've liked the irreverent Harley Quinn series more and more with each volume, though the third volume was just three regular issues, albeit with a very good annual and two holiday specials. I was eager for the fourth volume, said to collect eight regular issues and a special. As solicited now, however, it's just five issues and a special; that's not bad but it's less than I'd hoped.

• Supergirl Book One TP

As a couple people have pointed out to me online, the fact that this says "Book One" now is a good sign that maybe DC will collect more of this beyond Peter David's initial issues with Gary Frank and into Leonard Kirk and etc. Which only makes sense given Supergirl's current prominence. This basically follows the original collection of this material -- issues #1-9 and Showcase '98 -- but now also includes a "Legends of the Dead Earth" annual with stories by Chuck Dixon, Barbara and Karl Kesel, and others, and the Supergirl Plus team-up with Mary Marvel by David.

More than the "earth angel" material that would come later, these first nine issues are an interesting set-up for a Supergirl series, essentially a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/"evil things going on in town" kind of story that would probably appeal to today's audiences. At the same time, what DC is waiting on to release a big omnibus edition of Sterling Gates's Supergirl, I don't know, given it's about as close to the TV series as anything in DC's arsenal right now.

• Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Dark Truth HC

Includes issues #18-24 and the sneak peek story from Convergence: The Flash.

• Wonder Woman by Mike Deodato TP

I still find this an oddly-titled collection, being essentially a combination of Wonder Woman: The Contest and Challenge of Artemis with one other issue thrown in, being so much more than just an artist showcase book, but whatever gets people in the door.

The #100 issue of Wonder Woman's post-Crisis series collected here, by the way, fell at the same time as a number of other new post-Crisis series, including Superman, Flash, and Green Arrow, at least, if I remember correctly, and DC did a special cover dress for them all (maybe Justice League, too?). The Wonder Woman story, though Deodato's art is heavily of the 1990s era, was enjoyable with some twists to it; the Flash story of the time was "Terminal Velocity," one of Mark Waid's many good ones from that era.

What are you thinking of buying? What is a "Rebirth," anyway?