Review: Batwoman Vol. 6: The Unknowns trade paperback (DC Comics)

It pains me to find fault with a book that includes Ragman and Etrigan the Demon, but unfortunately Batwoman Vol. 6: The Unknowns is an ignominious end to this title. What particular pizazz this title had, especially due to artist JH Williams, is gone, and in its place is standard and not particularly nuanced superheroics.

I give writer Marc Andreyko -- whose work on Manhunter, I always want to mention, I adored -- credit for taking this particular Batwoman concept far out of its comfort zone, but it's an experiment than unfortunately fails. A story about Batwoman Kate Kane in space, fighting wizardry, feels no more a Batwoman story than if it starred Aquaman instead.

Further, Andreyko backs himself into a particularly sticky corner with a storyline that ends up involving sex and consent. I don't think Andreyko means ill, but his solution to it is problematic. Layered on top of a low-grade story, this only mars the book further, and the title's cancellation is an unfortunate mercy.

Rebirth collections, Superman Triangle Titles, Flash by Waid Book Two, Justice League: Breakdowns, Zero Hour Legion, Vigilante by Wolfman, 1980s Blue Beetle, more in DC Comics Spring 2017 solicitations

When we looked at a bunch of online solicitations the other day, I mentioned that I thought DC Comics's official catalog solicitations were probably just around the corner. Sorry for some repetition, but sure enough, here they are.

We already know about the paperback-first releases of the Rebirth series starting in 2017, and also some great, unexpected collections including Superman: The Man of Tomorrow, beginning to collect the "Triangle Titles"; Wonder Woman and the Justice League, Dan Vado's "Judgment Day"-era stories; Justice League: Breakdowns, the end of Keith Giffen and company's "Justice League International/bwa-ha-ha" days; and the start of a full-color collection of Mike Barr's Batman and the Outsiders.

This updated list has a couple more good ones -- the first collection of the 1980s post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Ted Kord Blue Beetle series, the second Flash by Mark Waid collection, a post-Zero Hour "Legionnaires" collection, and a collection of Marv Wolfman's Adrian Chase Vigilante series.

More details follow the listings, so let's jump in. Note that all of this information is subject to change before publication. Not all links may yet be functional.

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• Absolute Preacher Vol. 2

• Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang Vol. 1

As I mentioned when this was originally solicited, this includes the first three volumes of the New 52 Wonder Woman series.

• Action Comics Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #957-#962.

• Action Comics Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #963-968.

• All Star Batman Vol. 1

• American Vampire Vol. 9

• Aquaman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

As before, the solicitation says issues #1-6 without the Rebirth special.

• Aquaman Vol. 2: Black Manta Rising

One of the few Rebirth collects solicited so far with a title.

• Aquaman Vol. 8

Paperback reprint.

• Astro City Vol. 13

• Astro City Vol. 14

• Azrael Vol. 2: Requiem

The first volume of the reprint of the Dennis O'Neil collected Batman: Sword of Azrael #1-4 and issues #1-6 of the series; though I'd like to see these collections be as large as possible, issues #7-12 would finish the "Fallen Angel" storyline, cover the Underworld Unleashed tie-in, and end with the two-part "Angel Rising."

• Batgirl & the Birds of Prey Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Batgirl Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #1-6.

• Batgirl: A Celebration of 50 Years

No details, but the temporary cover is the cover of Gail Simone's first New 52 issue.

• Batgirl: An Adult Coloring Book

• Batman '66 Meets John Steed & Emma Peel

• Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

• Batman & Superman in World's Finest: The Silver Age Vol. 1

Collects Superman #76 and World’s Finest Comics #71-94.

• Batman & the Outsiders Vol. 1

As mentioned the other day, collects Brave and the Bold #200, New Teen Titans #37, and issues #1-12 of the regular series.

• Batman Arkham: Mister Freeze

• Batman Beyond Vol. 3

This is said to collect issues #13-18, though the pre-Rebirth series only goes to issue #16; either way this is the series' last collection before Rebirth.

• Batman by Brian K. Vaughan

There's a hardcover scheduled for December and this appears to be hardcover too, but I'm wondering if it's the paperback edition instead.

• Batman in Hush Part 2: An Adult Coloring Book

• Batman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Batman Vol. 10: Epilogue

This listing still has the old contents, Batman #51-52, Annual #4, and a story from Detective Comics #27, rather than the issues, the annual, and the Futures End tie-in and Rebirth special.

• Batman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

This should collect Batman 7-12 and the first annual, including the Batman parts of the "Night of the Monster Men" crossover.

• Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1

Complete Knightquest. Say it with me. We want complete Knighquest.

• Batman: Legacy

Hopefully this will collect the original "Legacy" issues and then some. As Bobby Barrett smartly pointed out on Facebook, making it a Bane-centric book would be pretty cool.

• Batman: Night of the Monster Men

Batman #7-8, Nightwing #5-6, and Detective Comics #941-942.

• Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 3

• Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 2

• Batman/Superman Vol. 5

Paperback reprint of the hardcover.

• Batman/Superman Vol. 6

As discussed the other day, unfortunately this pre-Rebirth collection isn't due out until March 2017.

• Blue Beetle Vol. 1

Finally, a collection of the 1980s Blue Beetle series by Len Wein. Issues #1-13 include team-ups with the Question and the Teen Titans, and Legends crossovers. A second collection could complete the series at issue #24 and would see the original Blue Beetle Dan Garrett appear and a Millennium crossover.

• Blue Beetle Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Books of Magic Book One

• Cosmic Odyssey: The Deluxe Edition

Can't argue with Mike Mignola's art at deluxe size.

• Cyborg (Rebirth) Vol. 1

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 3

• DC Universe by Mike Mignola

Speaking of Mike Mignola, this collects Superman: The World Of Krypton, Action Comics Annual #1, Superman #18 and 23, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #54, Batman: Gotham Knights #36, Swamp Thing Annual #5, Phantom Stranger #1-4, and more.

• Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love

The three-issue Sarah Vaughn miniseries.

• Deathstroke Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects Deathstroke: Rebirth and issues #1-6.

• Deathstroke, the Terminator Vol. 3: Nuclear Winter

This has been on and off the schedule for a while now, the third collection Marv Wolfman's Deathstroke, the Terminator. If we actually see it out, it'll collect issues #14-20, which is the Deathstroke parts of the "Total Chaos" crossover plus "Nuclear Winter" (with Arsenal), this series at its best.

• Detective Comics Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects Detective #934-939.

• Detective Comics Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Collects Detective #940-945.

• DMZ Book Three

• Doom Patrol Book Three

Reprinting Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol #51-63 and Doom Force Special, previously collected in Magic Bus and Planet Love.

• Doom Patrol by Gerard Way Vol. 1

Collects the first six issues of the "Young Animal" series.

• Doom Patrol: The Silver Age Vol. 1

• Earth 2: Society Vol. 3

Collects issues #13-16 and the Annual #1.

• Elseworlds: Batman Vol. 3

Collects Brotherhood of the Bat, Scar of the Bat, Dark Knight Dynasty, and Batman: Man-Bat.

• Everafter: From the Pages of Fables

• Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book 14

• Filth New Edition

• Flash by Mark Waid Book Two

Solicited as issues #71-82, the Annual #6, and Justice League International [sic] Quarterly #10. This is, of course, the fan-favorite "Return of Barry Allen" storyline, followed by the start of Mike Wieringo on pencils. Issue #82 is part three of the four-part "Back on Track" storyline, so I wonder if issue #83 might make its way in here too. The Annual is a "Bloodlines" crossover; Justice League Quarterly has a Waid/Flash story. Next time: Impulse!

• Flash Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Flash Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Issues #7-12.

• Flintstones Vol. 1

• Free Country: A Tale of the Children's Crusade

This collection of the Vertigo crossover event has been knocking around for a while but never quite saw the light of day, but maybe this will do it Correction: Paperback reprint of the deluxe edition. Collects the Children's Crusade two-parter plus annuals from Black Orchid, Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, and Arcana/Books of Magic.

• Future Quest Vol. 1

• Gen 13: The Complete Collection

Collects Gen 13 #1/2, Gen 13 Vol. 1 #1-5, Gen 13 Vol. 2 #0-7 and Gen 13 Rave.

• Grayson Vol. 5

Said to collect issues #19-25, but given that Grayson ends with issue #20, shagmu suggested the other day that this might be issues #17-20, the Annual #3, and maybe Nightwing: Rebirth.

• Green Arrow Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

We don't know for sure but this is most likely issues #1-6 since the next trade collects issues #7-12.

• Green Arrow Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

... issues #7-12.

• Green Arrow Vol. 8

Glad to see the Mike Grell collctions still going strong. This collects issues #54-62 and Grell's run ended with issue #80, so it might be DC can finish it out in two more trades, though I'd be happy to see these continue into the Connor Hawke era.

• Green Lantern: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1

• Green Lanterns Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Green Lanterns: Rebirth and issues #1-6.

• Green Lanterns Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #7-12.

• Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Includes the Rebirth special (also said to be collected in the Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion trade) and issues #1-6.

• Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #7-12

• Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys

• Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing (Rebirth)

• Harley's Little Black Book

The six-issue Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys, the six-issue Harley's Little Black Book, and Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing (another of the few Rebirth collections to get a title), collecting the Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Hawkman & Adam Strange: Out of Time

• He-Man/Thundercats

I'm exceptionally excited about this miniseries; both of these are DC properties, I think, but I can only hope someone's working on a DC/IDW crossover of He-Man/Transformers.

• Hellblazer Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6. The solicitation doesn't mention the Rebirth special but I'd be surprised if it wasn't here.

• Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Vol. 1

• Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Vol. 2

Collects issues #1-6 and #7-12 respectively.

• Invisibles Book One

• JLA: The Nail/Another Nail Deluxe Edition

A deluxe edition of the two three-issue Elseworlds miniseries written and drawn by Alan Davis.

• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 16

Collects issues #175-188, in Mike Carey's run. Is this right, that all of Hellblazer hasn't been collected yet?

• Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1

Collects Justice League of America #77-113, including stories previously found in Crisis on Multiple Earths Vols. 2-3.

• Justice League of America: The Silver Age Vol. 3

Collects issues #20-30.

• Justice League United Vol. 3

I'm glad that this is back on the schedule again, just for the completeness of my collection; includes issues #11-16 and the "Divergence" sneak peek.

• Justice League Unwrapped by Jim Lee

Jim Lee's penciled, un-inked Justice League #1-12 (Origin and Villain's Journey).

• Justice League Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Justice League Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Issues #7-12.

• Justice League: Breakdowns

As discussed earlier, this is Justice League America #53-60 and Justice League Europe #29-36, the final stories from Keith Giffen's bwa-ha-ha era, leading directly into the recent Superman and the Justice League collections.

• Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Paperback reprint of the hardcover, which contained Justice League: Gods and Monsters #1-3, Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Superman, Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Batman, and Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Wonder Woman.

• Justice League: Power & Glory

This is a collection of the pre-Rebirth Bryan Hitch Justice League of America series. The solicitation, however, says it collects issues #1-3, #5-12, and the first annual, which doesn't make much sense; at least, issues #4 is part of the "Power and Glory" storyline.

• Kid Eternity Book One

• Legends Companion

This was on the last round of solicitations and I'm glad it hasn't disappeared entirely. Though there's scant Suicide Squad material here, I can understand DC holding this to come out closer to the movie. Contents still listed as Batman #401, Detective Comics #568, Green Lantern Corps #207, Cosmic Boy #1-4, Justice League of America #259-261, Secret Origins #10 and #14, Fury of Firestorm #55-56, Blue Beetle #9-10, Warlord #114-115, Superman #3, Adventures of Superman #426, and Action Comics #586.

• Legionnaires Book One

This is exciting -- a new collection series of the relaunched Legion of Super-Heroes series after Zero Hour. The title says "Legionnaires" and this collects the Legion and Legionnaries titles, but again, this is the "regular" Legion series after Zero Hour by Mark Waid, Tom Peyer, and Tom McCraw. Collects Legion issues #0 and #62-68 and Legionnaires #0 and #19-24, which is the previous Legion of Super-Heroes: The Beginning of Tomorrow collection plus a couple issues. If this keeps going, the next volume should have the "Future Tense" crossover with Karl Kesel's Superboy.

• Lucifer Vol. 2: Father Lucifer

• Midnighter: The Complete WildStorm Series

Said to collect issues #1-13 of the Wildstorm series, which as I mentioned before isn't actually "complete," so we'll see what happens here.

• Nightwing Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

The Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Quarantine Zone

• Raven

• Red Hood & the Outlaws Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Said to collect issues #1-6.

• Robin War

Paperback reprint of the hardcover. Collects Robin War #1-2, Robin: Son of Batman #7, Grayson #15, Detective Comics #47, We Are Robin #7, Gotham Academy #13, Red Hood/Arsenal #7 and Teen Titans #15.

• Robin: Son of Batman Vol. 2

Paperback reprint of hardcover, collecting issues #7-12.

• Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 1

• Scooby-Doo Team-Up Vol. 3

• Sheriff of Babylon Vol. 2: Pow. Pow. Pow.

• Starfire Vol. 2

Collects issues #7-12, the end of the series before Rebirth.

• Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Boomerang/Killer Croc/Amanda Waller

• Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo

• Suicide Squad Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Suicide Squad Vol. 6

Continuing the John Ostrander collections, this collects the "Phoenix Gambit" storyline that jumps one year ahead. This collection also sees Oracle Barbara Gordon become an official member of the Squad.

• Super Pets: The Silver Age

I don't know what's collected here but I'm very excited about it.

• Supergirl Book Two

Collects issues #10-20 and the second annual of the Peter David series, which is past Gary Frank and into Leonard Kirk's work, including Silver Banshee and Despero, a Genesis crossover, and Legion of Super-Heroes in the annual.

• Supergirl Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Supergirl: The Bronze Age Vol. 1

Collects Adventure Comics #397-402 and #404-424, Supergirl #1-11, and Superman Family #165.

• Superman & Batman: Generations

Collects the two John Byrne Elseworlds miniseries as if Superman and Batman's histories had unfolded in real-time, Superman and Batman: Generations and Generations II.

• Superman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Superman Vol. 2

Paperback reprint of the second pre-Rebirth Gene Luen Yang hardcover collection.

• Superman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

• Superman: The Final Days of Superman

Paperback reprint of the hardcover, collecting the crossover: Superman #51-52, Batman/Superman #31-32, Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29, and Action Comics #51-52.

• Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Book One

As discussed earlier, this looks to be the first collection of what would become the Superman "Triangle Titles." Unfortunately this listing is also cut off, so we know it will be Adventures of Superman #445-450 and Superman #23, but not where the trade will end. My guess is it's to Superman #27, collecting the run-up to Superman: Exile.

• Superman/Batman: Saga of the Super Sons New Edition

Collects World's Finest Comics #215-216, #221-222, #224, #228, #230, #231, #233, #238, #242, #263 and the infamous Elseworlds 80-Page Giant. Like Generations, all of this is obviously to tie in with the new Super Sons series.

• Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 5: A Savage End

The solicitation for the hardcover of this book had it at issues #25-29, omitting the unpublished issues #30-31 that would be included in the Superman: Savage Dawn crossover collection. This paperback listing has issues #25-31, which would be better for those that don't want to buy the full-crossover collection; I hope this is the correct listing.

• Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Omnibus

House of Secrets #92 and Swamp Thing #1-25, many of which are previously uncollected. Issue #25 wasn't published at all, so if this is correct it'll be the very first appearance of that.

• Teen Titans by Geoff Johns Book One

Collects issues #1-12, the Wizard #1/2 issue, and the Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files. Breaking down the omnibus, essentially, into paperback volumes.

• Teen Titans Go!: Ready for Action

• Teen Titans Vol. 4

Collects Teen Titans #20-24 and the second annual ahead of Rebirth.

• Titans Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Issues #1-6 and the Rebirth special.

• Vigilante

This is the collection of the Vigilante: Southland miniseries by Gary Phillips.

• Vigilante by Marv Wolfman Vol. 1

This, on the other hand, is a collection of the first appearances of Marv Wolfman's Vigilante Adrian Chase. The solicit says New Teen Titans Annual #1, but Vigilante was actually in Annual #2, plus the Vigilante series issues #1-6. This was an exceptionally complex series in which Wolfman explored the morality of being a violent costumed vigilante (Chase was a district attorney by day); this is well worth a collection and I'm hopeful we see additional volumes.

• Wacky Raceland

• Wonder Woman '77 Vol. 2

• Wonder Woman & the Justice League America Vol. 1

Go read my impassioned plea for pre-orders of this book. How can you pass up a collection of Justice League stories than span from Death of Superman to Zero Hour and star the proto-Extreme Justice? Classic 1990s material here needs your support!

• Wonder Woman by George Perez Book Two

This ends at George Perez's issue #24, so we're still not past what the original paperbacks or the omnibus collected. This era's Wonder Woman #25-57 remains uncollected, and then also #63 to roundabouts #89.

• Wonder Woman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

The Rebirth special and issues #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, the half of Greg Rucka's run set in the present.

• Wonder Woman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Issues #2, #4, #6, #8 and #10, the half set in the past.

• Wonder Woman Vol. 9

The paperback listing, reprinting the hardcover, says only issue #47-52 and not the Rebirth special, though I can't imagine paperback and hardcover would have different contents.

• Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 1

• Wonder Woman: Her Greatest Battles

• Zatanna by Paul Dini

Said to be "all of Paul Dini's acclaimed Zatanna stories," so that's at least Bloodspell, Everyday Magic, and the thirteen-issue 2010 series.

All right, one more time -- what's on your must-buy list from what's coming up from DC Comics?

DC Comics Early 2017 Collections - Rebirth, Wonder Woman and the JLA, JLI: Breakdowns, Superman Triangle Titles

It's getting to be catalogs time, and so some new DC Comics 2017 collections listings have now slipped out online. Among these, more new details about how DC will collect their initial Rebirth titles, and some unexpected surprises including collections of the Superman proto-Triangle Titles, the 1990s "Judgment Day"-era Justice League (lead by Wonder Woman), and Keith Giffen's Justice League: Breakdowns!

One headline here is that some of the Rebirth collections seem to collect their Rebirth specials, some don't, and some seem to collect it when it's also collected in their previous trade. All of this information is preliminary and subject to change; make of it what you will.

Another headline is that the earliest these books are solicited for is January, going as late as April. That's Superman Vol. 1, for instance, scheduled for January 10, 2017, and Batman Vol. 1 scheduled for January 17, 2017 (both of these listed as paperback, but again, subject to change). This seems like a long time for these books to arrive given that the last issue included in each, issue #6, arrives in September; however, the second Batman collection comes out in April, so three months between the first and second is quicker than before (same is true for Green Arrow, among others).

Go ahead and dip into the listings and let me know what you think on the other side.

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DC Rebirth Collections

• Action Comics Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #957-926 (the first six issues). Obviously no Rebirth special here since the Superman: Rebirth special by Peter Tomasi would more properly be with his work, not Dan Jurgens's. The solicitation says paperback, but that's subject to change.

• Aquaman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #1-6. Now, again, all of this is preliminary, but the solicitation doesn't show the Rebirth collection included here, whereas it is supposed to be included in the Aquaman Vol. 8 collection that precedes this one. That's not a guarantee that Dan Abnett's Rebirth special won't be collected with his first issues, but it looks unlikely.

• Batgirl Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects Batgirl #1-6 (title does not have a Rebirth special).

• Batman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-6. Here's an instance of apparent double-dipping; the Rebirth special is also said to be included in Batman Vol. 10.

• Batman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

This should collect Batman 7-12 and the first annual, which means, first, there's going to be annuals, and second, that the Batman chapters of the "Night of the Monster Men" crossover will be collected individually in the Batman trade as well as in the crossover book.

• Batman: Night of the Monster Men

Batman #7-8, Nightwing #5-6, and Detective Comics #941-942; as we see above, it looks like these issues will also be collected in their own trades.

• Cyborg (Rebirth) Vol. 1

Said to collect Cyborg #1-6 and Cyborg: Rebirth, so another where Cyborg Vol. 2: Enemy of the State (pre-Rebirth) is supposed to collect the special and then also this collection.

• Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love

Just surprised to see this so quickly; the collection should be out in April.

• Deathstroke Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects Deathstroke: Rebirth and issues #1-6.

• Detective Comics Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Collects issues issues #934-939. So far most of the books seem to be sticking to six issues in the first collection, whereas the New 52 collections were more variable (the new Wonder Woman collection seems to be one exception).

• Flash Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

Flash: Rebirth and issues #1-6.

• Green Arrow Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Green Arrow Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

No official issue listing for Vol. 1 but we assume issues #1-6 since the second is #7-12.

• Green Lanterns Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Green Lanterns Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

First volume is Green Lanterns: Rebirth and issues #1-6; second volume is #7-12.

• Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

The Rebirth special (also said to be collected in the Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion trade) and issues #1-6.

• Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys
• Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing (Rebirth)
• Harley's Little Black Book

More Harley Quinn than you can shake a stick at, with the six-issue Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys, the six-issue Harley's Little Black Book, and Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing (one of the few Rebirth collections to get a title), collecting the Rebirth special and issues #1-6.

• Hawkman & Adam Strange: Out of Time

Collects the miniseries. I'd hope this would turn into something for Hawkman and/or Adam Strange, but sight unseen I think "super-cosmic" really isn't what audiences want these days, and I would give this better odds if the story were more earthbound a la John Ostrander's Hawkworld.

• Justice League Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Nightwing Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Suicide Squad Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Supergirl Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Superman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
• Titans Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

All of these include the Rebirth special and issues #1-6. Again, the consistency is actually nice, versus the varying collection sizes of the New 52 books, though it remains to be seen how long that lasts.

• Wonder Woman Vol. 1 (Rebirth)

One collection that, at least as far as these solicitations, only collects five regular issues. It's issues #1, #3, #5, #7, and #9, plus the Rebirth special, collecting the "modern day" half of Greg Rucka's story. Seems a shame we'll have to wait longer for the "modern part" to continue, but that's no different for the trade-waiters than it is for the twice-monthly readers.

Pre-Rebirth Reprints

• Batman/Superman Vol. 6

There's a handful of troublesome "late" books in this list. This should collect the final issues of Batman/Superman, but it's said to come out in March 2017, well after the Rebirth books have started and about seven months after its previous collection. I guess that's about normal but I could see reason to speed this one up to December, even.

• Earth 2: Society Vol. 3

Said to collect issues #13-16 and the Annual #1. The second volume is out in August, so again February seems a long time to wait, though at least this one isn't as continuity-tied as other early/late books.

• Grayson Vol. 5

Should collect issues #19-25. The fourth Grayson volume is out in September, so March isn't an usual wait for Vol. 5, it's just strange when the Rebirth Nightwing Vol. 1 collection comes out the previous month.

• Teen Titans Vol. 4

Said to collect issues #20-24 and the Annual #2, closing out the series before Rebirth.

• Robin: Son of Batman Vol. 2
• Superman Vol. 2
• Wonder Woman Vol. 9

Paperback reprints of hardcovers released in 2016 (nothing to complain about here).

Bronze Age and Beyond

• Batgirl: A Celebration of 50 Years

No word on the contents but I'm rooting for at least a cameo by the Bryan Q. Miller material (maybe the last issue of Miller's run).

• Batman & the Outsiders Vol. 1

Fewer contents than the Showcase Presents Batman and the Outsiders (to issue #12 vs. issue #19). I'm glad to see these reprinted in color but I'm skeptical as to the wide popularity; I hope for a second volume but I'd be surprised if there was one.

• Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1

I've been chatting with some of you about this; we don't know what the exact contents will be yet, but of course we're all hoping this is really it, a Knightfall collection with all of "Knightsquest" and etc., everything not collected before.

• Batman: Legacy

In the ongoing saga, for a while we thought we might get a combination Contagion/Legacy collection, which became a Contagion collection, sans Legacy but with more interstitial Batman material than had been collected before. Well, it looks like another Legacy collection is solicited for April; the solicitation text is all wrong (refers to Contagion, wouldn't you know), but following the recent model maybe it will have more uncollected material (what's left in this era, actually?).

• Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle Vol. 2 (Batman)

Another collection of Norm Breyfogle (and one assumes, Alan Grant) material, though the current listings for the contents are the same as Vol. 1.

• Gen 13: The Complete Collection

Said to contain Gen 13 #1/2, Gen 13 Vol. 1 #1-5, Gen 13 Vol. 2 #0-7 and Gen 13 Rave. As one of the commenters mentioned, it does seem like we're gearing up for "Wildstorm: Rebirth."

• Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1

Collects Justice League of America #77-113; from my point of view, stories previously found in Crisis on Multiple Earths Vols. 2-3.

• Justice League Unwrapped by Jim Lee

Jim Lee's penciled, un-inked Justice League #1-12 (Origin and Villain's Journey, excluding I'm sure the issues not by Lee).

• Justice League: Breakdowns

Collects Justice League America #53-60 and Justice League Europe #29-36 (the solicitation incorrectly calls it Justice League International), the fifteen-part story that ended Keith Giffen and company's bwa-ha-ha-era Justice League. For those of you playing at home, this book ends where the recent Superman and the Justice League collection picks up, and this leaves JLA #36-52 and JLE #11-28 uncollected.

• Last Days of the Justice Society of America

This was the Roy Thomas special that sent the Justice Society off to Ragnarok (and out of day-to-day continuity) after Crisis on Infinite Earths. As a commenter mentions below, it's just a 68-page special, so not a lot for a collection. At just $20, it might be just this special and some filler, but it'd make my year if this contained the four-part Armageddon Inferno, the story that brought the JSA back from Ragnarok. I recall that story being a tad rough, but it is written by John Ostrander with a variety of artists including Walt Simonson, Tom Mandrake, and Art Adams.

• Midnighter: The Complete WildStorm Series

The name calls it "complete," but the solicitation says it only contains issues #1-13, whereas that Wildstorm series actually ran to issue #20. Most of these issues are already collected in three individual volumes. There's a miniseries or two that could have been collected here to really be complete-complete.

• Supergirl: The Bronze Age Vol. 1

Collects Adventure Comics #397-402 and #404-424, Supergirl #1-11, and Superman Family #165. Someone more in the know than me can tell more about these issues, but these see Supergirl go off to college and try a variety of costumes. At first I wondered if this was re-collecting the Daring Adventures of Supergirl issues we just got, but indeed those are two different series (1970s and 1980s).

• Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Book One

This is very exciting. Though the actual triangles wouldn't appear on the covers of the connected Superman titles for a couple years, this looks to be the first hardcover collection of the issues, largely by the Triangle team, that would eventually encompass the Triangle era. The solicitation for this is woefully cut off, but we know this collects at least Adventures of Superman #445-450 and Superman #23 (Action Comics was weekly and somewhat unrelated at this time), which follows immediately from the end of John Byrne's run, the end of which was collected in Superman: Man of Steel Vol. 9. I'd guess it's Superman #23-27, which goes through the Invasion tie-ins; the next volume ought to collect the same issues as found in the Superman: Exile trade, including the return of Action Comics.

Here's hoping this series continues to collect at least through what's not collected by the Death of Superman books, if not beyond. Again, very exciting -- some of the best Superman work of the modern era.

• Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Omnibus

Said to collects House of Secrets #92 and Swamp Thing #1-25. My records show this 1970s Swamp Thing series only goes up to #24, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, I believe only about 10 issues of this have been collected, so that's a nice take if I'm thinking of the right thing.

• Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang Vol. 1

• Wonder Woman & the Justice League America Vol. 1

People -- run to pre-order this book. There are stories that I think are great that I've wanted collected for a while (still waiting on the classic Titans Hunt collection), there are stories that I think would make great trades that are being collected (Aquaman: Sub-Diego), and then there are issues I haven't thought of in years, that aren't even particularly good, but that are such a part of the fabric of certain eras of comics that the sudden thought of encapsulating them in a trade is just too good to pass up.

As such we find ourselves with a proposed collection of Justice League America #78-93 and the Annual #7, which stretches from just after "Death of Superman" up to Zero Hour. The issues are, again, not particularly good, they're very much a product of the 1990s, there's a lot of Guy Gardner mouthing off and Booster Gold in a tin suit and Wonder Woman and Captain Atom snarking at one another. These are the comics, lemme tell you, that lead into Extreme Justice. But on the other hand, they're the comics that lead into Extreme Justice. You cannot say no to this collection.

Included here as well are parts of the "Judgment Day" crossover with Justice League Task Force and Justice League Europe, and I'm hopeful those issues end up here, too.

And it's only Vol. 1! Could we actually see a collection of the Gerard Jones-lead Justice League America with Nuklon, Obsidian, and Blue Devil? Pre-order, pre-order, pre-order, people!

• Wonder Woman: Her Greatest Battles

No word on what this contains but I'm pleased by the variety of Wonder Woman material coming out ahead of the movie.

Whew! And this is just the beginning; I expect a larger batch of solicitations in the next couple weeks. Some of you have already chimed in; what's got you most excited here?

Review: Aquaman and the Others Vol. 2: Alignment Earth trade paperback (DC Comics)

Again, the near-blank slate of the characters in Aquaman and the Others Vol. 2: Alignment Earth lends itself to a dynamic plot; Dan Jurgens bends and weaves these characters lives together in fascinating fashion, something DC's cadre of established heroes wouldn't allow. At the same time, whenever Aquaman and the Others wins, it loses. Jurgens fashions a complex and largely non-traditional plot, but its impact is lessened by plain art and flat colors. The characters are strong and their interactions interesting, but the dialogue is sometimes tone-deaf and the villains uninspiring. We'll never see the Others again, which is a shame, because in other hands I think they had lots of potential.

[Review contains spoilers]

In the twisty paths of Alignment Earth, it comes out that the Others' Operative once killed one of teammate Prisoner's fellow soldiers, who became one of the Prisoner's ghosts; that solider was actually working for KGBeast, who's returned to threaten the Others, and who once trained with the newly-resurrected Other Vostok-X. This is a lot of coincidence, but it works in the story because it unfolds so unexpectedly: at first it seems Operative is a murderer, until we learn the truth about Prisoner's ghost; Prisoner's body is taken over by the ghost, so there's an aspect of uncertain identity; and much of it is teased out by new Other Sayeh's visions of the future. It's complicated stuff, more I'll admit than I necessarily gave Jurgens credit for.

DC Trade Solicitations for October 2016 - DC Rebirth Deluxe Hardcover, Batman Vol. 10, DC/Dark Horse: Justice League, Absolute Wonder Woman by Azzarello, Sugar and Spike

The DC Comics October 2016 hardcover and trade paperback solicitations bring us some insight on a couple of "question mark" collections, with new details about the contents of the Batman Vol. 10 collection and also how the Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 5 and Action Comics Vol. 9 will overlap with a couple Superman crossovers. We also see the strange hardcover edition of the single-issue DC Universe: Rebirth, a couple more New 52/DC You collections with Rebirth specials, plus a new edition of a book I reviewed ten years ago.

All that and Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. Let's take a look.

• DC Universe: Rebirth #1 Deluxe Edition HC

I feel we've jumped the shark a bit to release a hardcover edition of one single issue that clocks in at about 60 pages without advertisements; at the same time, now I can put the DC Universe: Rebirth special on the DC Trade Paperback Timeline all on its own, so win-win. You've got to be a pretty big you-know-who fan (are we allowed to say it yet?) to put down $20 on this though, no?

• Batman Vol. 10: Epilogue HC

This one has been controversial, previously said to have been collecting Batman #51-52, Batman Annual #4, and a story from Detective Comics #27, the latter of which was already collected in Detective Comics Vol. 5: Gothtopia. This new listing is improved, or at least as improved as you're going to get -- the Batman issues and annual, plus the Futures End tie-in issue and the Rebirth special. That's five issues, sufficient for a small trade, and all of them previously uncollected (though my guess is the Rebirth special will also end up at the beginning of the next trade).

I'm not totally convinced everything short of the special couldn't have been included in Vol. 9, but this is better than it was.

• Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang Vol. 1 HC

This collects the first three volumes of Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's Wonder Woman (namely Blood, Guts, and Iron). The series assuredly deserves this, though again I wonder at the upper limits of an Absolute edition; I'd as soon see two books collected in one slipcase than have to buy one Absolute and then another to get the complete run.

• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 9: Last Rites HC
• Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 5: A Savage End HC

Another controversy: Apparently the full collection of Superman: Savage Dawn will contain the previously-unpublished Superman/Wonder Woman #30-31. The question was whether those two isses would also be in the Superman/Wonder Woman collection proper. These solicitations, at least, say Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 5 only contain issues #25-29, so it looks like anyone wanting to read those issues will either have to go digital or double-dip. It's curious that Savage Dawn has Superman/Wonder Woman issues #25-27 and then #30-31; you'd think at least they would go in the Final Days of Superman collection, which includes Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29.

The Action Comics collection has issues #48-52, so those can either be read on their own or with the larger collections.

• DC/Dark Horse: Justice League Vol. 1 TP

We were just discussing the new line of DC/Dark Horse crossover trades, and here's confirmation of the next. This one looks to collect Superman vs. Predator, Superman vs. the Terminator: Death to the Future, Batman/Hellboy/Starman, and Ghost/Batgirl.

• Black Canary Vol. 2: New Killer Star TP
• Gotham Academy Vol. 3: Yearbook TP

Gotham Academy collects issues #13-18 and the first annual, ending before the Rebirth relaunch; Black Canary collects issues #8-12 and some or all of Gotham Academy #17 (I'd guess it's just the parts by the Black Canary team specifically).

• Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion TP

I haven't read Green Lantern Corps: Lost Army or Edge of Oblivion, admittedly, but what I saw in a preview didn't thrill me and I'll admit to skepticism about these off-model miniseries not written by any regular Green Lantern creative team. That said, the presence of the Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps: Rebirth special in this collection is a curious bit of doubling-down, and certainly lends legitimacy to this collection.

• New Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Kill Anything TP

Collects the final issues of New Suicide Squad, #18-22, before Rebirth.

• Sinestro Vol. 4: The Fall of Sinestro TP

Final collection of Sinestro before Rebirth, issues #16-23. I haven't found this series as strong as I'd like, but a certain guest star and some significant "DC You" material piques my interest.

• Space Ghost TP New Edition

I reviewed this book almost ten years ago. It was not the take on Space Ghost I was hoping for (I had wanted more of an origin of the cartoon Space Ghost), but I have always wondered about a follow-up. With the current resurgence of Hanna-Barbera comics at DC, I wonder if another Space Ghost solo outing, spinning out of Future Quest, might be in the works.

• Sugar & Spike: Metahuman Investigations TP

This is the Legends of Tomorrow story I'm most interested in, but I'm not sure if it's actually set in the New 52 or more of an non-continuity space like the recent Bizarro; for my tastes I'd prefer the former over the latter.

• Adam Strange: The Silver Age Vol. 1 TP

Collects Showcase #17-19 and Mystery in Space #53-74, Adam Strange's first 1958 appearances through just before his first team-up with the Justice League.

• Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five Vol. 1 HC

I'm exceptionally behind on my Injustice reading and need to catch up. Clever, and perhaps intentional, that it looks like this series is coming to an end just before the release of the Injustice video game sequel.

What're you buying this month?

DC Comics post-Rebirth trade collection details (Green Arrow)

It's only a brief mention with the online retailers today, but the Rebirth Green Arrow Vol. 2 has been solicited for April 2017. The format listing is paperback, but all of this is so preliminary that it could certainly change. It looks like some vendors have this conflated with Green Arrow #2, though the solicitation text is certainly for the post-Rebirth collection; this does at least suggest that the numbering of DC's collections volumes will start over with Rebirth.

Here's the solicitation text:

A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

In a tale from happier but no less dangerous times, Green Arrow labors to train a new apprentice who's every bit as deadly as his fiercest villains: a teenage girl, that happens to be his half-sister! But before Emiko and Ollie can embrace as family, they have to save Seattle from a foe that can see the future of anyone he chooses--anyone, that is, except for Emiko Queen...

DC Universe: Rebirth continues with this fresh take on GREEN ARROW from horror novelist Benjamin Percy and rising star artist Otto Schmidt! Collects GREEN ARROW #7-12.

Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world's greatest superheroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business.

Honoring the past, protecting our present, and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.

Plenty of interesting language there, including that this is "a tale from happier but no less dangerous times"; I'll be curious to see if that's an ongoing thread in the descriptions for other Rebirth-era trades.

Not a lot to go on yet, but an indication that it won't be too long until more Rebirth trade details emerge. What are your hopes for the DC Rebirth collections?