There's a secret at the center of Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 2 that reaches back to affect Scott Snyder's entire Batman run from the beginning all the way to the very end. Whether this was always Snyder's intention isn't clear: either Snyder showed so much foresight as to sow the seeds of a character's secret origin nearly five years back and then sat on it until now, or else Snyder was willing to entirely alter one of his signature characters solely for the purpose of this story. It's astounding either way, and insofar as Batman and Robin Eternal is somewhat removed from Bat-continuity proper (at least until Rebirth), equally it proves itself in the end to be just as integral to Snyder's Bat-saga as the main books themselves.
Review: Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 2 trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Batman
Thursday, March 30, 2017
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Review: Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 1 trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Batman
Monday, March 27, 2017
Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 1 clearly takes place before the events of Robin War, though I'm glad I read Robin War first. The two books involve many of the same characters and there's similarity at least in the character pairings, but Eternal's scope is much larger and its mystery deeper, and it feels in grandeur like Robin War's follow-up even though it's really the predecessor. Moreover Eternal is clearly the forerunner to James Tynion's Rebirth Detective Comics, given the large role of Red Robin Tim Drake and Spoiler Stephanie Brown, among a variety of the other young members of the Bat-family.
In much the same way Rebirth and the new Detective Comics seem to be mining the 1990s and 2000s Bat-universe, so too does Eternal cover some wonderfully nostalgic territory; there's a particular hero/villain match-up here I never thought I'd see again. At the same time Eternal offers a touch of the modern pop irreverence of Batgirl of Burnside (this being squarely in the DC You, of course) and also the Grayson-inspired penchant for not taking itself too seriously; a character joking about "three beefy Robin boys" isn't something we would've seen back in Contagion.
In much the same way Rebirth and the new Detective Comics seem to be mining the 1990s and 2000s Bat-universe, so too does Eternal cover some wonderfully nostalgic territory; there's a particular hero/villain match-up here I never thought I'd see again. At the same time Eternal offers a touch of the modern pop irreverence of Batgirl of Burnside (this being squarely in the DC You, of course) and also the Grayson-inspired penchant for not taking itself too seriously; a character joking about "three beefy Robin boys" isn't something we would've seen back in Contagion.
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Review: Cyborg Vol. 1: The Imitation of Life (Rebirth) trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Cyborg,
Rebirth
Thursday, March 23, 2017
The Rebirth Cyborg Vol. 1: The Imitation of Life spends five of its early pages in a jazz club, and the book is rife with enough little moments like these to mark John Semper Jr.'s Cyborg as worth watching. David Walker's Cyborg series from just a year prior started with an epic, self-contained, planet-in-peril story, and Semper's tale is smaller by comparison, often pulling in many different directions and far from wrapped up by the end. In many respects I like this; Semper's book truly feels like the start of a comics series on a meandering journey rather than a graphic novel written for trade and split into issues, and there's something refreshing about that.
The storytelling is far from perfect, but Semper imbues Cyborg and his supporting characters with a lot of heart. Semper also addresses race and the book's location, Detroit, more directly than Walker had a chance to, aspects that look like they'll grow in importance with the next volume.
The storytelling is far from perfect, but Semper imbues Cyborg and his supporting characters with a lot of heart. Semper also addresses race and the book's location, Detroit, more directly than Walker had a chance to, aspects that look like they'll grow in importance with the next volume.
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DC Trade Solicitations for June 2017 - Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis, Batman: Caped Crusader Post-Crisis, Dixon Nightwing Vol. 6 and Robin Vol. 4, DC Rebirth Omnibus Extended Edition
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solicitations
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Just last week we saw a sneak peek of DC Comics's Fall 2017 collections (links are operational now!), and now here we are with some of those books already showing up in their June 2017 hardcovers and trade paperbacks solicitations. Most notably we see the Justice League International Omnibus now re-named as the Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis Omnibus; there's also the Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus and the DC Universe: Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition, among other big books.
We also see the next volumes in the reprint series of Chuck Dixon's Nightwing and Robin, and also a collection of some immediately-post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Batman stories that I'm pretty excited about. All of this and further indication of how nicely crossovers are being collected in Rebirth, as we see the contents of the next Justice League Rebirth collections.
Let's dip in and take a look.
• Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
What DC's Fall 2017 solicitations had listed as the Justice League International Omnibus is already solicited this month, for September, as Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis Omnibus Vol. 1. The contents now outpace the six hardcover/paperback Justice League International collections by about a dozen issues or so; the end of Giffen and DeMatteis's run is now within about twenty issues from the end of this, times two series, America and Europe.
Contents are said to be Justice League #1-6, Justice League International #7-25, Justice League America #26-46, Justice League Europe #1-21, Suicide Squad #13, Justice League International Annual #1-3, Justice League America Annual #4, Justice League Europe Annual #1, and possibly more. (A number of people have pointed out that these are too many issues for a 1,000-page omnibus, so we'll see how the contents shake out.)
Given that DC is now doubling-down on their Justice League International collections, we can perhaps surmise that interest in the Justice League: Breakdowns book was so great as to warrant this bigger collection, and not as it seemed that there was too little interest for that book to make it.
At this point I think it's generally accepted that Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis's "bwa-ha-ha" era of Justice League is just as intrinsic to the fabric of the DC Universe as the Silver Age incarnation or Grant Morrison's JLA, and a comprehensive volume is welcome if not overdue.
• Absolute Authority Vol. 1 HC
This is new, and maybe a little controversial, re-releasing an Absolute edition with material not included in the original Absolute edition. Adding to the original issues #1-12 now is the Planetary/Authority graphic novel, and also apparently a "new story by Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary." Honestly this would enthuse me more if DC had kept up the Authority franchise; I'm still surprised they went with Stormwatch instead of Authority in the New 52, and unfortunately that title didn't work out so well anyway. All of which leads me to feel that Authority's time has somehow passed (though if the story related to current political events, that'd be interesting) and I'm more likely to browse the new material when it's invariably released in a cheaper edition.
• Planetary Book One TP
This is a "new cut" of the Planetary collection ("cut" and "recut" being the word of the day in DC's Fall 2017 solicitations), including about half of the original series (#1-14), a "sneak peak" story, and the same Planetary/Authority graphic novel that's also in the new Absolute Authority collection.
• Aquaman: Kingdom Lost TP
This collection by John Arcudi and Patrick Gleason finishes out the Aquaman series that ran parallel to the end of JLA, finishing with a tie-in to Infinite Crisis. The contents are said to be issues #32-39 and the last collection ended with Arcudi's issue #29, which I guess keeps the latter half of this collection series all Arcudi, but in the interest of completeness I wish they'd throw in issues #30-31 by Marc Guggenheim and Andy Clarke, too.
• Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1 HC
I'm pleased to see this Batman: The Caped Crusader collection, which appears to collect issues of Batman and Detective Comics that followed Crisis on Infinite Earths and Batman: Year One -- that is, issues that aren't super-duper special, but simply reflect a Batman era that's otherwise mostly uncollected, which for a completist like me is really kind of great.
The contents are Detective Comics #575-584 and Batman #413-420. This does include Batman: Year Two, stories from the recent Jason Todd-centric collection Batman: Second Chances, and Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast, so of about 18 issues, about 12 of them are previously collected, but I'd venture a collection of Ten Nights is pretty hard to find these days, and in all these are some classic, often gritty Batman stories. Stories are by Mike Barr, Jo Duffy, Alan Grant, John Wagner, and Jim Starlin, including two Millennium crossover issues. For those following along at home, the issues around Death in the Family would be coming up in the next volume.
• Daring New Adventures of Supergirl Vol. 2 TP
The second volume of Paul Kupperberg's early 1980s Supergirl series saw the release of the Helen Slater movie, causing the title change from "Daring New Adventures" to just "Supergirl." Indeed the volume includes an Ambush Bug guest-appearance. This is the Supergirl who dies in Crisis on Infinite Earths; indeed she has few appearances after this volume before Crisis.
• Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 2 TP
The big draw in this volume are three graphic novels by Jean-Mac Lofficier and Randy Lofficier, Superman: Metropolis, Batman: Nosferatu, and Wonder Woman: Blue Amazon, connected and based on classic German movies. Also included is Doug Moench's three-part JLA: Act of God, about the heroes losing their powers, and the famously pulped Elseworlds 80-Page Giant.
• Midnighter: The Complete Wildstorm Series TP
This Midnighter collection has been bopping around DC's solicitations for about a year now, so it's good to see it finally solicited. This is Midnighter #1-20 and the Midnighter: Armageddon special. All of these are collected in other trades, but I imagine fans will like to have them in one place; possibly the only thing this lacks is the Grifter & Midnighter miniseries, also collected on its own.
• Nightwing Vol. 6: To Serve and Protect TP
This new collection of Chuck Dixon's Nightwing series collects the contents of the Big Guns and On the Razor's Edge collections, issues #47-60 plus the Nightwing 80-Page Giant special (the Secret Files and Origins, originally in Big Guns, was moved to the new fourth volume). Issues #51 (a profile of the Tad character) and #53 ("Officer Down," part 5) were previously omitted but have been brought back here.
This marks the end of where this Nightwing series has been collected until issue #101. Dixon would write until issue #70 and then Devin Grayson would take over until issue #117, with a variety of writers after that. Which is to say, hopefully there's more reprint Nightwing volumes to follow, and those should begin to collect Nightwing material that's never been collected before.
• Robin Vol. 4: Turning Point TP
The fourth new collection of Chuck Dixon's Robin collects the Robin/Huntress stories from Showcase '94 #5-6 and Robin #0 and #6-13 (issue #6 crossed over with Showcase '94). This is, admittedly, an issue of "Knightquest," two parts of "Knightsend," two Zero Hour tie-in issues, and three parts of Prodigal. That's wonky, to be sure (it smoothes out a little after that but there's plenty other events on the horizon), but Dixon has subplots that move laterally through his issues, so I maintain there's some value in reading the issues this way.
• Wonder Woman 100 Project TP
Via Jason Waters on Facebook: "The 'Wonder Woman 100' project is brought to you by the Hero Initiative, a non-profit that raises money for the veterans of the comic book industry who fall on hard times. I've been a fundraiser for them for over a decade. Visit www.heroinitiative.org for more info. This is the second DC Comics book we've done."
A covers collection wouldn't usually be for me, but I thought it was interesting this solicitation included "NOTE: There will be ONLY ONE PRINTING OF THIS BOOK EVER! Order yours today!" They're upfront about it, at least.
• DC Universe: Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition HC
As we discussed the other day, this is the DC Universe: Rebirth Omnibus all over again, just now with Batwoman: Rebirth, Justice League America: Rebirth and its associated specials, the DC Rebirth Holiday Special, and variably I've heard Super Sons #1 is in there, though the solicitation doesn't say it.
This is fine enough; the manner in which some of these are the first part of stories and some of these are self-contained makes for an uncertain reading experience, and had I bought this omnibus just a year ago only for it to be re-released a year later with just seven more issues in it, I might be annoyed, but good that DC's making it complete-er. But I do wonder why not just a Vol. 2, maybe with Justice League vs. Suicide Squad or some other integral part of the Rebirth story; if DC decides to release more Rebirth specials, how much more can they add to this book before it's time to start a new one?
• Deathstroke Vol. 2: The Gospel of Slade TP
Collects issues #6-11 of the Christopher Priest series. The next collection was just solicited as issues #12-17, but given that "Lazarus Contract" starts with issue #19, we might expect that'll be #12-18 instead.
• Flash Vol. 3: Rogues Reloaded TP
Collects issues #14-20, ending just before the Batman crossover "The Button."
• Flash: The Rebirth Collection Deluxe Edition Book One HC
The solicitation says this collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-12, but the second paperback collection goes to issue #13, so most likely this will, too.
• Gotham Academy: Second Semester Vol. 1 TP
Collects issues #1-3 and #5-8 of the second series. Issue #4, with guest artist Jon Lam, is scheduled to be in the next collection.
• Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
The solicitation for the first Harley Quinn omnibus basically match what DC released the other day -- Harley Quinn #0-16, , Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn Invades San Diego Comic Con #1, Harley Quinn Annual #1, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn Valentines Day Special #1, and Harley Quinn & Power Girl #1-6 -- except for the Harley Quinn Director's Cut #0 and the story from Secret Origins #4. Complete as this is, I'd be surprised if those weren't in here.
• Injustice Ground Zero Vol. 1 HC
Collects issues #1-6 of the new series. I thought I understood that this was a re-telling of the previous Injustice series from Harley's perspective, but if it's a new story bridging Injustice and Injustice 2, that makes me more interested.
• Justice League by Geoff Johns Box Set Vol. 1
I find these box sets -- previously for Snyder and Capullo's Batman -- pretty attractive, with uniform trade dress for the books. This has the first three Justice League volumes -- Origin, Villain's Journey, and Throne of Atlantis -- collecting Justice League #1-17 and Aquaman #15-16.
• Justice League Vol. 3: Timeless TP
The previous volume collected Justice League #6-11 and this one picks up with issues #14-19, so indeed it skips the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad issues collected elsewhere.
• Justice League: The Rebirth Collection Deluxe Edition Book One HC
Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-11, which matches what we already know.
• Midnighter & Apollo TP
The six issue miniseries by Steve Orlando and Fernando Blanco.
• Mother Panic Vol. 1: A Work in Progress TP
• Shade, The Changing Girl Vol. 1: Earth Girl Made Easy TP
Each collect the first six issues of the Young Animal series.
• Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol. 2 TP
The second of what must now be three Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka volumes collects issues #206-217, which are the former Eyes of the Gorgon and Land of the Dead collections (missing is Flash #219, which should hopefully be included). Plenty of room in the next volume to completely collect the "Sacrifice" crossover with the Superman titles.
A whole bunch of books solicited lately! Pick one -- ONE -- book that you could purchase; what would it be?
We also see the next volumes in the reprint series of Chuck Dixon's Nightwing and Robin, and also a collection of some immediately-post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Batman stories that I'm pretty excited about. All of this and further indication of how nicely crossovers are being collected in Rebirth, as we see the contents of the next Justice League Rebirth collections.
Let's dip in and take a look.
• Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
What DC's Fall 2017 solicitations had listed as the Justice League International Omnibus is already solicited this month, for September, as Justice League by Giffen and DeMatteis Omnibus Vol. 1. The contents now outpace the six hardcover/paperback Justice League International collections by about a dozen issues or so; the end of Giffen and DeMatteis's run is now within about twenty issues from the end of this, times two series, America and Europe.
Contents are said to be Justice League #1-6, Justice League International #7-25, Justice League America #26-46, Justice League Europe #1-21, Suicide Squad #13, Justice League International Annual #1-3, Justice League America Annual #4, Justice League Europe Annual #1, and possibly more. (A number of people have pointed out that these are too many issues for a 1,000-page omnibus, so we'll see how the contents shake out.)
Given that DC is now doubling-down on their Justice League International collections, we can perhaps surmise that interest in the Justice League: Breakdowns book was so great as to warrant this bigger collection, and not as it seemed that there was too little interest for that book to make it.
At this point I think it's generally accepted that Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis's "bwa-ha-ha" era of Justice League is just as intrinsic to the fabric of the DC Universe as the Silver Age incarnation or Grant Morrison's JLA, and a comprehensive volume is welcome if not overdue.
• Absolute Authority Vol. 1 HC
This is new, and maybe a little controversial, re-releasing an Absolute edition with material not included in the original Absolute edition. Adding to the original issues #1-12 now is the Planetary/Authority graphic novel, and also apparently a "new story by Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary." Honestly this would enthuse me more if DC had kept up the Authority franchise; I'm still surprised they went with Stormwatch instead of Authority in the New 52, and unfortunately that title didn't work out so well anyway. All of which leads me to feel that Authority's time has somehow passed (though if the story related to current political events, that'd be interesting) and I'm more likely to browse the new material when it's invariably released in a cheaper edition.
• Planetary Book One TP
This is a "new cut" of the Planetary collection ("cut" and "recut" being the word of the day in DC's Fall 2017 solicitations), including about half of the original series (#1-14), a "sneak peak" story, and the same Planetary/Authority graphic novel that's also in the new Absolute Authority collection.
• Aquaman: Kingdom Lost TP
This collection by John Arcudi and Patrick Gleason finishes out the Aquaman series that ran parallel to the end of JLA, finishing with a tie-in to Infinite Crisis. The contents are said to be issues #32-39 and the last collection ended with Arcudi's issue #29, which I guess keeps the latter half of this collection series all Arcudi, but in the interest of completeness I wish they'd throw in issues #30-31 by Marc Guggenheim and Andy Clarke, too.
• Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1 HC
I'm pleased to see this Batman: The Caped Crusader collection, which appears to collect issues of Batman and Detective Comics that followed Crisis on Infinite Earths and Batman: Year One -- that is, issues that aren't super-duper special, but simply reflect a Batman era that's otherwise mostly uncollected, which for a completist like me is really kind of great.
The contents are Detective Comics #575-584 and Batman #413-420. This does include Batman: Year Two, stories from the recent Jason Todd-centric collection Batman: Second Chances, and Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast, so of about 18 issues, about 12 of them are previously collected, but I'd venture a collection of Ten Nights is pretty hard to find these days, and in all these are some classic, often gritty Batman stories. Stories are by Mike Barr, Jo Duffy, Alan Grant, John Wagner, and Jim Starlin, including two Millennium crossover issues. For those following along at home, the issues around Death in the Family would be coming up in the next volume.
• Daring New Adventures of Supergirl Vol. 2 TP
The second volume of Paul Kupperberg's early 1980s Supergirl series saw the release of the Helen Slater movie, causing the title change from "Daring New Adventures" to just "Supergirl." Indeed the volume includes an Ambush Bug guest-appearance. This is the Supergirl who dies in Crisis on Infinite Earths; indeed she has few appearances after this volume before Crisis.
• Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 2 TP
The big draw in this volume are three graphic novels by Jean-Mac Lofficier and Randy Lofficier, Superman: Metropolis, Batman: Nosferatu, and Wonder Woman: Blue Amazon, connected and based on classic German movies. Also included is Doug Moench's three-part JLA: Act of God, about the heroes losing their powers, and the famously pulped Elseworlds 80-Page Giant.
• Midnighter: The Complete Wildstorm Series TP
This Midnighter collection has been bopping around DC's solicitations for about a year now, so it's good to see it finally solicited. This is Midnighter #1-20 and the Midnighter: Armageddon special. All of these are collected in other trades, but I imagine fans will like to have them in one place; possibly the only thing this lacks is the Grifter & Midnighter miniseries, also collected on its own.
• Nightwing Vol. 6: To Serve and Protect TP
This new collection of Chuck Dixon's Nightwing series collects the contents of the Big Guns and On the Razor's Edge collections, issues #47-60 plus the Nightwing 80-Page Giant special (the Secret Files and Origins, originally in Big Guns, was moved to the new fourth volume). Issues #51 (a profile of the Tad character) and #53 ("Officer Down," part 5) were previously omitted but have been brought back here.
This marks the end of where this Nightwing series has been collected until issue #101. Dixon would write until issue #70 and then Devin Grayson would take over until issue #117, with a variety of writers after that. Which is to say, hopefully there's more reprint Nightwing volumes to follow, and those should begin to collect Nightwing material that's never been collected before.
• Robin Vol. 4: Turning Point TP
The fourth new collection of Chuck Dixon's Robin collects the Robin/Huntress stories from Showcase '94 #5-6 and Robin #0 and #6-13 (issue #6 crossed over with Showcase '94). This is, admittedly, an issue of "Knightquest," two parts of "Knightsend," two Zero Hour tie-in issues, and three parts of Prodigal. That's wonky, to be sure (it smoothes out a little after that but there's plenty other events on the horizon), but Dixon has subplots that move laterally through his issues, so I maintain there's some value in reading the issues this way.
• Wonder Woman 100 Project TP
Via Jason Waters on Facebook: "The 'Wonder Woman 100' project is brought to you by the Hero Initiative, a non-profit that raises money for the veterans of the comic book industry who fall on hard times. I've been a fundraiser for them for over a decade. Visit www.heroinitiative.org for more info. This is the second DC Comics book we've done."
A covers collection wouldn't usually be for me, but I thought it was interesting this solicitation included "NOTE: There will be ONLY ONE PRINTING OF THIS BOOK EVER! Order yours today!" They're upfront about it, at least.
• DC Universe: Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition HC
As we discussed the other day, this is the DC Universe: Rebirth Omnibus all over again, just now with Batwoman: Rebirth, Justice League America: Rebirth and its associated specials, the DC Rebirth Holiday Special, and variably I've heard Super Sons #1 is in there, though the solicitation doesn't say it.
This is fine enough; the manner in which some of these are the first part of stories and some of these are self-contained makes for an uncertain reading experience, and had I bought this omnibus just a year ago only for it to be re-released a year later with just seven more issues in it, I might be annoyed, but good that DC's making it complete-er. But I do wonder why not just a Vol. 2, maybe with Justice League vs. Suicide Squad or some other integral part of the Rebirth story; if DC decides to release more Rebirth specials, how much more can they add to this book before it's time to start a new one?
• Deathstroke Vol. 2: The Gospel of Slade TP
Collects issues #6-11 of the Christopher Priest series. The next collection was just solicited as issues #12-17, but given that "Lazarus Contract" starts with issue #19, we might expect that'll be #12-18 instead.
• Flash Vol. 3: Rogues Reloaded TP
Collects issues #14-20, ending just before the Batman crossover "The Button."
• Flash: The Rebirth Collection Deluxe Edition Book One HC
The solicitation says this collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-12, but the second paperback collection goes to issue #13, so most likely this will, too.
• Gotham Academy: Second Semester Vol. 1 TP
Collects issues #1-3 and #5-8 of the second series. Issue #4, with guest artist Jon Lam, is scheduled to be in the next collection.
• Harley Quinn by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
The solicitation for the first Harley Quinn omnibus basically match what DC released the other day -- Harley Quinn #0-16, , Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn Invades San Diego Comic Con #1, Harley Quinn Annual #1, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn Valentines Day Special #1, and Harley Quinn & Power Girl #1-6 -- except for the Harley Quinn Director's Cut #0 and the story from Secret Origins #4. Complete as this is, I'd be surprised if those weren't in here.
• Injustice Ground Zero Vol. 1 HC
Collects issues #1-6 of the new series. I thought I understood that this was a re-telling of the previous Injustice series from Harley's perspective, but if it's a new story bridging Injustice and Injustice 2, that makes me more interested.
• Justice League by Geoff Johns Box Set Vol. 1
I find these box sets -- previously for Snyder and Capullo's Batman -- pretty attractive, with uniform trade dress for the books. This has the first three Justice League volumes -- Origin, Villain's Journey, and Throne of Atlantis -- collecting Justice League #1-17 and Aquaman #15-16.
• Justice League Vol. 3: Timeless TP
The previous volume collected Justice League #6-11 and this one picks up with issues #14-19, so indeed it skips the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad issues collected elsewhere.
• Justice League: The Rebirth Collection Deluxe Edition Book One HC
Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-11, which matches what we already know.
• Midnighter & Apollo TP
The six issue miniseries by Steve Orlando and Fernando Blanco.
• Mother Panic Vol. 1: A Work in Progress TP
• Shade, The Changing Girl Vol. 1: Earth Girl Made Easy TP
Each collect the first six issues of the Young Animal series.
• Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol. 2 TP
The second of what must now be three Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka volumes collects issues #206-217, which are the former Eyes of the Gorgon and Land of the Dead collections (missing is Flash #219, which should hopefully be included). Plenty of room in the next volume to completely collect the "Sacrifice" crossover with the Superman titles.
A whole bunch of books solicited lately! Pick one -- ONE -- book that you could purchase; what would it be?
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solicitations


Review: Grayson Vol. 4: A Ghost in the Tomb trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Nightwing
Monday, March 20, 2017
As I've mentioned, I'm pleased with DC Comics's decision to include Robin War #1 and #2 in Grayson Vol. 4: A Ghost in the Tomb. Their inclusion means one can read the entirety of Robin War across all the affected series' individual collections if one is so inclined. This is a far better case than Superman: Doomed, for instance, for which certain issues could only be found in the Doomed collection itself, meaning those reading the individual series had to double-dip to read all the parts.
The flip side of that, however, is that whereas Grayson Vol. 4 is technically a six-issue trade, the Robin War material is largely separate from the main Grayson proceedings and is even collected out of order in this collection because of it (Robin War #1, Grayson #15, and Robin War #2 preceding Grayson #13, 14, and 16). In terms of moving the main Grayson story along, then, Ghost in the Tomb is another enticingly, frustratingly short Grayson collection, really collecting just three issues proper. I still think DC made the right collecting decision (except perhaps they could have stuck the Robin War issues in the second We Are Robin collection, though the end of the story affects Grayson most of all), but this is another trade with more or less scant few issues of Grayson, regardless of what interesting things Tim Seeley and Tom King accomplish here.
The flip side of that, however, is that whereas Grayson Vol. 4 is technically a six-issue trade, the Robin War material is largely separate from the main Grayson proceedings and is even collected out of order in this collection because of it (Robin War #1, Grayson #15, and Robin War #2 preceding Grayson #13, 14, and 16). In terms of moving the main Grayson story along, then, Ghost in the Tomb is another enticingly, frustratingly short Grayson collection, really collecting just three issues proper. I still think DC made the right collecting decision (except perhaps they could have stuck the Robin War issues in the second We Are Robin collection, though the end of the story affects Grayson most of all), but this is another trade with more or less scant few issues of Grayson, regardless of what interesting things Tim Seeley and Tom King accomplish here.
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Nightwing


Review: Future Quest Vol. 1 trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Doug Glassman,
Hanna-Barbera
Friday, March 17, 2017
[Review by Doug Glassman, who Tumblrs at '80s Marvel Rocks!]
My second reaction to DC's Hanna-Barbera line of comics (with the first being "Wait, what?!") was "They should have done this years ago." IDW already converted the vast majority of Cartoon Network's original cartoons into a clever spoof of crossovers with the Super Secret Crisis War! storyline several years ago. That felt like a major missed opportunity for DC to jump into the youth comic book market. Most of the books in the Hanna-Barbera line hold no interest for me. Some are too needlessly gritty, like Wacky Raceland and Scooby Apocalypse. Others, like the postmodern Flintstones and the upcoming Snagglepuss seem to be trying too hard to make themselves important.
With all that said, Future Quest Vol. 1 is so good that its existence excuses the rest of the line. A lot of the credit goes to the choice of the writer. Jeff Parker greatest talent is his ability to assemble great team stories out of previously-established superheroes, much like Geoff Johns back in his strongest days. If Agents of Atlas was Marvel's version of Johns's JSA, then Future Quest is DC's version of Parker's Kings Watch, with a strong dose of DC: The New Frontier mixed in. Darwyn Cooke's influence is not coincidental: as Parker explains in an epilogue, Cooke helped inspire and plan Future Quest shortly before his death.
My second reaction to DC's Hanna-Barbera line of comics (with the first being "Wait, what?!") was "They should have done this years ago." IDW already converted the vast majority of Cartoon Network's original cartoons into a clever spoof of crossovers with the Super Secret Crisis War! storyline several years ago. That felt like a major missed opportunity for DC to jump into the youth comic book market. Most of the books in the Hanna-Barbera line hold no interest for me. Some are too needlessly gritty, like Wacky Raceland and Scooby Apocalypse. Others, like the postmodern Flintstones and the upcoming Snagglepuss seem to be trying too hard to make themselves important.
With all that said, Future Quest Vol. 1 is so good that its existence excuses the rest of the line. A lot of the credit goes to the choice of the writer. Jeff Parker greatest talent is his ability to assemble great team stories out of previously-established superheroes, much like Geoff Johns back in his strongest days. If Agents of Atlas was Marvel's version of Johns's JSA, then Future Quest is DC's version of Parker's Kings Watch, with a strong dose of DC: The New Frontier mixed in. Darwyn Cooke's influence is not coincidental: as Parker explains in an epilogue, Cooke helped inspire and plan Future Quest shortly before his death.
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Review: Cyborg Vol. 1: Unplugged trade paperback (DC Comics)
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Cyborg
Thursday, March 16, 2017
I admit to being a tad concerned as I started David Walker's Cyborg Vol. 1: Unplugged. I hadn't picked up great things about it by osmosis as the individual issues came out, and also I noted that Walker wasn't continuing with the Cyborg series into Rebirth and even exits this DC You series before the end. But Unplugged is well done, in itself a kind of "Cyborg: Rebirth," and surely a fine basis for an ongoing series if Rebirth writer John Semper keeps up with what Walker has started. Much credit to Geoff Johns, too, for setting up much of this in Justice League; especially with Ivan Reis on the art, Unplugged reads like a natural spin-off of what's been established over there.
[Review contains spoilers]
I might not have always thought the Cyborg Vic Stone character was developed enough apart from the Titans to helm his own series. But again, much credit to Johns, who's been really not-so-subtly writing a Cyborg series within Justice League, throughout but notably in Justice League Vol. 5: Forever Heroes, on which this volume leans heavily. The most important part of this is a supporting cast for Vic all his own, including his father Silas, Sarah Charles, Dr. Thomas Morrow, and Will Magnus and the Metal Men, plus STAR Labs assistant Lori Carmichael. Walker uses them all in this book, and distinctly, continuing to build a unique corner of the DC Universe where Cyborg acts as "agent of" an embattled STAR Labs, not dissimilar to the set-up of the Flash TV series.
[Review contains spoilers]
I might not have always thought the Cyborg Vic Stone character was developed enough apart from the Titans to helm his own series. But again, much credit to Johns, who's been really not-so-subtly writing a Cyborg series within Justice League, throughout but notably in Justice League Vol. 5: Forever Heroes, on which this volume leans heavily. The most important part of this is a supporting cast for Vic all his own, including his father Silas, Sarah Charles, Dr. Thomas Morrow, and Will Magnus and the Metal Men, plus STAR Labs assistant Lori Carmichael. Walker uses them all in this book, and distinctly, continuing to build a unique corner of the DC Universe where Cyborg acts as "agent of" an embattled STAR Labs, not dissimilar to the set-up of the Flash TV series.
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DC Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition, more Rebirth deluxe hardcovers, Justice League International, Detroit Era, Grayson Omnibuses, Aquaman: Atlantis Chronicles, Absolute Justice League: Origin, more in DC Comics Fall 2017 solicitations
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Tuesday, March 14, 2017
The DC Comics Fall 2017 trade paperback and hardcover collection solicitations bring with them a new expanded edition of the DC Rebirth Omnibus, an omnibus collection of the Grayson series, a long-awaited collection of Aquaman: The Atlantis Chronicles, and much, much more!
Among a list filled with lots of legitimately cool stuff, we see omnibus collections of both Justice League International and the Justice League "Detroit Era"; a second Batman: Knightfall omnibus (getting closer and closer to completion); more trades of Mark Waid's Flash and Legion of Super-Heroes, Marv Wolfman's Deathstroke, Chuck Dixon's Robin, Peter David's Supergirl, Mike Grell's Green Arrow, and John Ostrander's Suicide Squad -- plus the first collection of Karl Kesel's Superboy and Jim Balent's Catwoman; and deluxe Rebirth hardcovers of Batman, Detective Comics, Green Arrow, Harley Quinn, Justice League of America, Nightwing, Suicide Squad, Superman, Action Comics (Vol. 2 already!), and Wonder Woman.
A couple quick things I've noticed:
• Whereas the paperback collections of Batman, Nightwing, and Detective all omitted their "Night of the Monster Men" crossover issues, the deluxe hardcovers include them. That's interesting and I think a legitimate way to handle the crossover tie-ins in Rebirth -- pull them out to their own collection alongside the paperbacks, but include them inline for true deluxe edition completists. I'll be curious to see if this pattern continues.
• Case in point, the third Superman and Action Comics Rebirth volumes stop just short of the "Superman Reborn" crossover issues, collected here in their own hardcover; however, we see that the deluxe hardcover Action Comics Vol. 2 collects its own "Superman Reborn" issues sequentially with the rest.
• The word "re-cut" or "recut" shows up 6 times in these solicitations, in regards to Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1, Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner Vol. 1, JSA by Geoff Johns Book One, Invisibles Book Two, Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 4, Superboy Book One. Some of you have already speculated that maybe this means there will be some, but not all, of the tertiary material in these books (like just the Kyle parts of a REBELS issue), which I hope isn't the case; I feel books that DC's done this with, like the ye old Batman: Murderer/Fugitive books, read very choppily. I'm hoping it's just a turn of phrase, or in the case of Invisibles and Sandman Mystery Theatre, it simply means these issues have been previously collected but it's a "re-cut" in terms of where the collections begin and end.
Let's take a look at the full list:
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Note that all of this information is subject to change before publication. Not all links may yet be functional.
• Absolute Authority Vol. 1 New Edition
• Absolute Justice League: Origin
Even as we expect some conflating of post-Crisis and New 52 continuities once Rebirth comes to a head, books like this suggest to me that this Justice League origin is going to remain canon, including the fact that the lineup matches the movies.
• Absolute Justice League: The World's Greatest Superheroes by Alex Ross & Paul Dini (New Edition)
• Absolute WildC.A.T.S.
• All-Star Batman Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (Rebirth)
Paperback collection of issues #1-5.
• All-Star Batman Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth (Rebirth)
Hardcover of issues #6-9, Scott Snyder with Jock and Giuseppe Camuncoli, among others.
• Anarky: The Complete Collection
Among a couple of previously-cancelled trades on this list, here's the Anarky collection again, including Detective Comics #608-609, Batman Chronicles #1, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #40-41, Anarky #1-8. This is plenty "complete," though of course all appearances would include a Robin annual, among other things here and there.
• Aquaman Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #23-28. In the first year are we already halfway to issue #50 on some of these titles?
• Aquaman: The Atlantis Chronicles Deluxe Edition
This is literally probably the collection I get asked about most, Peter David's Atlantis Chronicles miniseries that predated David's four-year Aquaman run. Really, really excited to see this see print. My hope is that a new printing of Time and Tide will follow, and from there collections of David's Aquaman series.
• Aquaman: The Waterbearer Vol. 2
It's wild to see "Waterbearer Vol. 2"; the first volume was released in 2004, over ten years ago. Given that DC has started releasing the Will Pfeifer/Patrick Gleason issues with #15 of this series, and Waterbearer Vol. 1 ended with issue #4, let's call this #5-14 (probably best to end it all in one volume, since Rick Veitch's run wasn't super-well-received). Now I want to see new collections of Kurt Busiek's Sword of Atlantis.
• Art of The Dark Knight III: The Master Race Deluxe Edition
• Astro City Vol. 14: Reflections
• Astro City Vol. 15: Everyday Heroes
• Batgirl & the Birds of Prey Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• Batgirl Vol. 2: Son of Penguin (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11 and "stories from" Batgirl Annual #1. I didn't know the annual had multiple stories, but as my sense is that most of the annual leads into something that will take place in the Supergirl series, maybe there's a Batgirl-centric backup.
• Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1
There's a word going around these solicitations; apparently "these hard-to-find 1970s tales featuring Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl, are now re-cut and collected in their entirety," whatever "re-cut" means in this context.
• Batman '66 Meets Steed & Mrs. Peel
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77
• Batman & Robin Adventures Vol. 2
• Batman & Robin by Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason Omnibus
Tony Laplume, this one's for you. Seriously, Tomasi and Gleason are a great team, and their Batman and Robin run deserves it's own whole collection, and will probably read more cohesively that way, too. This is said to be Vol. 1, collecting issues #1-20; if so, that stops in the middle of Requiem for Damian, basically bisecting the series.
• Batman Arkham: Joker's Daughter
Feels a little bit like scraping the barrel for villains with this one, but despite a promo image that shows the New 52 Joker's Daughter, the solicitation talks about her working with the Teen Titans (and being Two-Face's daughter?), so there ought be some classic Duela Dent material here. I wouldn't mind seeing the recent special by Marguerite Bennett included though, just for completeness.
• Batman Beyond Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• Batman in The Brave & the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 1
Brave and the Bold #74-91, teaming Batman with the Metal Men, Spectre, Plastic Man, Atom, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Deadman, Creeper, Flash, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock, Wildcat, Phantom Stranger, Adam Strange, and Black Canary (whew!).
• Batman Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 2: Knightquest
Collects Justice League Task Force #5-6, Detective Comics #667-675, Robin #1, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-28, Batman #501-508, and Catwoman #6-7. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's most of the never-collected "Search" there, short of Legends of the Dark Knight.That Robin issue is probably #7, not #1. (Robin #1 follows from Detective #668.)
• Batman Noir: The Court of Owls
• Batman Unwrapped: Death of the Family
• Batman Vol. 3: I Am Bane (Rebirth)
Said to collect issues #13-18, but "I Am Bane" actually goes to issue #20.
• Batman Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles (Rebirth)
Spoiler alert ... apparently the next Batman story after I Am Bane is a flashback to a battle between the Joker and the Riddler after Zero Year. This is supposed to collect issues #25-32, which leaves a gap from issue #18 or #20 in the previous volume to #24 here. Issues #21-22 are the "Button" crossover with Flash; #23-24 seem to be "I Am Bane" aftermath stories that'll hopefully be collected here or there.
• Batman: A Lot of Li'l Gotham
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: League of Shadows (Rebirth)
Issues #950-956.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #957-961.
• Batman: Detective Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The deluxe collection includes issues #934-949, so as you'll see elsewhere, the "Night of the Monster Men" issues that weren't in the paperback are included sequentially in the hardcover.
• Batman: His Greatest Adventures
Among a couple of $9.99 "starter" graphic novels here. Sounds like something for the year-end holiday list ...
• Batman: Hush 15th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Fifteen years since Hush ... it's kind of hard to believe ...
• Batman: Night of the Monster Men (Rebirth)
Paperback collection of the crossover.
• Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol. 2
Issues #13-24 and the Annual #1, which a little awkwardly are mostly Knightfall tie-in issues, though in a variety of self-contained arcs (starring both Bruce Wayne and Jean-Paul Valley). The annual is a Bloodlines book introducing Joe Public, who also appears in one of the regular issues.
• Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol. 3
This is issue #0, #24-34, and the Annual #2. I appreciate the completeness, but also a bit awkwardly, a lot of this is still parts of Knightsend, a Zero Hour tie-in, and then parts of Prodigal. It's all legitimately by Alan Grant, but I'm not sure how it'll read issue-by-issue in trade.
• Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 4
• Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-12, with the "Night of the Monster Men" crossover issues included.
• Batman: Year One (New Edition)
• Batman: Year One Deluxe Edition
• Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
I unabashedly love the doomed romance of Batman: Year Two and I'm glad to see it get a deluxe edition, though I wish the Full Circle follow-up was included.
• Batwoman Vol. 1: The Many Arms of Death (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and issues #1-6.
• Blue Beetle Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #6-12.
• Books of Magic Book Two
• Captain Atom: The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom
The six-issue miniseries. "Even if you think you know what happened to [Captain Atom] ... you're wrong!"
• Catwoman by Jim Balent Book One
I mean, what kind of wonderful world do we live in where we're even getting collections of as deep a 1990s dive as Jim Balent's Catwoman series, with writing by Jo Duffy, Doug Moench, and Chuck Dixon? Lots of Knightfall material in this first one, plus Zero Hour tie-ins.
• Checkmate By Greg Rucka Book 2
Collects issues #13-25 of the Greg Rucka/Eric Trautmann series, stories that were published previously in Fall of the Wall and Kobra: Resurrection.
• Cyborg Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Issues #12-18.
• Dark Knight III: The Master Race
• DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 5
• DC Horror: House of Mystery Vol. 1
• DC Meets Hanna Barbera
Collects the upcoming crossoverannuals specials.
• DC Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition
Got to say, if I'd already spent $75 on the DC Rebirth Omnibus, only to have another one come out that collected the same stuff plus the Justice League of America Rebirth specials, Batwoman, Super Sons, and the DC Rebirth Holiday Special for $99, I might be a little miffed. Of course, if you held off on the omnibus the first time around, all the more content for you now.
• DC Spotlight: Wonder Girl
Previously solicited and now coming around again. This is Wonder Woman #105 (Wonder Woman as "Wonder Girl"), The Brave and the Bold #60 (first appearance of Donna Troy), Teen Titans #22 (origin of Donna Troy), Adventure Comics #461 (Wonder Woman and Donna Troy team-up), Wonder Woman #105 (the other one) and #113 (Cassandra Sandsmark stories by John Byrne), Wonder Woman: Donna Troy #1 ("GirlFrenzy" one-shot), and Wonder Girl #1 (Cassie special in the midst of J.T. Krul's pre-Flashpoint Teen Titans run.
• DC Super Hero Girls: Out of the Bottle
• DC Super Hero Girls: Past Times at Super Hero High
• DC Universe by John Byrne
An impressive deep dive of material, including Untold Legend of Batman #1 (part one of a 1980 origin miniseries), New Teen Titans Annual #2 (origin of Brother Blood), Outsiders #11 (Halo backup story), Green Lantern Annual #3, Secret Origins Annual #1 (Doom Patrol), World of Smallville #1-4, Superman Annual #2 (Maggie Sawyer backup story), World of Metropolis #1-4, Power of the Atom #6 (Chronos), Christmas with Super Heroes #2, Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale #1 (graphic novel with Larry Niven), The Flash 80-Page Giant #1 (Flash and the Shade), Batman: Gotham Knights #2, DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1 (Julie Schwartz tribute story), DCU Brave New World #1 (All-New Atom), and DCU Infinite Holiday Special #1 (Green Lantern and Hector Hammond).
• Deadman by Kelley Jones: The Complete Collection
Deadman: Love After Death #1-2 and Exorcism #1-2, by Mike Baron and Kelley Jones. That's fine as it goes, but I'm pretty sure Jones did some Batman work with Deadman, with Doug Moench, that might've been nice for this collection too.
• Deathstroke the Terminator Vol. 3: Nuclear Winter
This has been cancelled and resolicited a couple times; I'd really like to see these Marv Wolfman Deathstroke collections continue, and I have a soft spot for "Nuclear Winter," so hopefully it makes it this time. Issues #14-23 and Annual #2.
• Deathstroke Vol. 3: Twilight (Rebirth)
The second Power Girl, Tanya Spears, hasn't been written very well in the DC You Teen Titans, and I'm very eager to see how and why Christopher Priest is using her over in the Rebirth Deathstroke. Collects issues #12-17.
• Doom Patrol Vol. 2
The second Young Animal Doom Patrol collection, which the solicitation says collects issues #1-6, but we can be pretty sure that's not right. Twice the solicitation mentions that Young Animal "bridges the gap between the DC Universe and Vertigo."
• Everafter: From the Pages of Fables Vol. 2
• Fables The Deluxe Edition Book 15
• Flash by Geoff Johns Book Four
Issues #201-212. Collects about half of the third Flash by Geoff Johns omnibus; we're in Ignition/Secret of Barry Allen territory.
• Flash by Mark Waid Book Three
Collects issues #83-94, including the "Reckless Youth" story that introduced Impulse Bart Allen, a Zero Hour tie-in ahead of "Terminal Velocity," and an appearance by Bloodlines's Argus (every character is someone's favorite).
• Flash Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #23-28.
• Flintstones & the Jetsons Vol. 2
• Flintstones Vol. 2: Bedrock Bedlam
• Future Quest Vol. 2
Issues #7-12.
• Gotham Academy: Second Semester Vol. 2
Collects issues #9-12 and issue #4, which indeed was held out of the first collection.
• Grayson: The Superspy Omnibus
Totally deserved. Collects Grayson #1-20, the Secret Origins #8 story, the Annuals #1-3, the Futures End story, and Robin War #1-2. I envy those who'll be reading it for the first time in this format; what a great ride.
• Green Arrow Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #12-17.
• Green Arrow Vol. 9 (Backlist)
Fantastic -- this finishes up Mike Grell's Green Arrow run with issues #73-80, plus the origin miniseries The Wonder Year. If this finishes out, then sometimes we do get nice things. I'd like to see DC keep on with this at least through issue #100, with issues by Alan Grant, Kevin Dooley, Doug Moench, and Chuck Dixon, if not continuing on to Dixon's Connor Hawke run.
• Green Arrow: Archer's Quest (New Edition)
• Green Arrow: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Did you all really think they wouldn't do this? Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-12.
• Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner Vol. 1
As with the Karl Kesel Superboy collection below, the solicitation calls this a "a new, re-cut graphic novel series." and I'm wondering what that means. Anyway, this collects Green Lantern #51-60, REBELS #1, New Titans #116, and Guy Gardner: Warrior #27-28, which is the main series plus direct crossover issues. A good part of this has not been collected before, and ties into Zero Hour.
• Green Lantern: The Silver Age Vol. 2
• Green Lanterns Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-14.
• Green Lanterns Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Said to collect issues #22-28, which obviously doesn't match up with the previous solicitation, so there's something still to be worked out here.
• Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 3: Quest for the Blue Lanterns (Rebirth)
Issues #14-21.
• Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #22-27.
• Harley Quinn by Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner Omnibus Vol. 1
The solicitation says "this gigantic compendium series will see Palmiotti and Conner’s run on Harley Quinn collected in full." Contents include Harley Quinn #0-16, Harley Quinn Director's Cut #0, Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn Invades San Diego Comic Con #1, Harley Quinn Annual #1, Secret Origins #4, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn Valentines Day Special #1, and Harley Quinn & Power Girl #1-6 -- essentially the New 52 Harley Quinn material through Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Kiss Kiss Bang Stab. If you were planning to read this series but haven't yet, this seems like the way to do it.
• Harley Quinn by Terry Dodson & Karl Kesel Vol. 1
The Karl Kesel/Terry Dodson Harley Quinn series didn't make as much a splash as the New 52 series, but it has been totally collected. This new collection series starts over, collecting issue #1-9 of 38.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Should be issues #-13-16.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #17-22.
• Harley Quinn: A Celebration of 25 Years
Twenty-five years of Harley Quinn and the character's going stronger than ever. With all the usual suspects -- Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Karl Kesel, Terry Dodson, and so on.
• Harley Quinn: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-13.
• Harley Quinn's Cover Gallery Deluxe Edition
What, you want more Harley? Various depictions on covers from the last 25 years.
• Hellblazer Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• House of Secrets Omnibus Vol. 1
• Injustice 2 Vol. 1
Issues #1-6 of the prequel to the new game.
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Three: The Complete Collection
Collects both volumes of the Year Three series by Tom Taylor.
• Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Vol. 3
The third volume of Year Five; I actually thought DC was done collecting Year Five by now, but apparently it's longer than the previous "seasons."
• Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 1
• Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 2
I do intend to get back to the Injustice books at some point, but I can't say I have much interest in the same story just from Harley Quinn's perspective.
• Invisibles Book Two
• Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus
This looks to be the entire contents of the four previous Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus books, at $150. The original hardcovers were $50 per, so that's a bargain (aside from being a great story and a historical gem).
• JLA: A Midsummer's Nightmare Deluxe Edition
Mark Waid's prelude to Grant Morrison's JLA, now in deluxe format.
• JLA: The Nail/Another Nail Deluxe Edition
• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 17
• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 18: The Gift
Astounding all of the Vertigo Hellblazer isn't collected yet. This gets us into the early #200s, of 300 issues.
• JSA by Geoff Johns Book One
Looks to be a paperback collection series of the previous more-issues JSA collections.
• Justice League by Geoff Johns Box Set Vol. 1
Following the (good looking) Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo box sets, this one contains Justice League Vols. 1-3: Origin, Villain's Journey, and Throne of Atlantis, with slipcase.
• Justice League International Omnibus Vol. 1
All right, so we recently lost the Justice League: Breakdowns collection, but then here's a new JLI omnibus. This collects as much as the first five hardcover/paperback Justice League International collections (the main series through issue #30 and Justice League Europe #1-6, minus an issue of Suicide Squad), so insult to injury over that whole switch to paperback thing, but yay that these are being collected again and here's hoping there's more collections of International and Europe to come.
• Justice League of America Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-13.
• Justice League of America: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Kind of surprised to see this already, but this looks to be the deluxe hardcover collection of the Steve Orlando series, being the Rebirth special and issues #1-12.
• Justice League Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #20-25.
• Justice League vs. Suicide Squad
Paperback collection of the event miniseries and tie-ins, so yes, you are not stuck with hardcovers for Justice League vs. Suicide Squad nor Batman: Night of the Monster Men.
• Justice League: An Adult Coloring Book
• Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus
Collects Justice League #40-50 and all the Darkseid War specials. It'd be nice to have this all in one book; makes me a little sorry I broke down and bought the individual hardcovers.
• Justice League: The Detroit Era Omnibus
Author is listed as Gerry Conway, and the solicitation says "The complete adventures of Aquaman leading the Justice League of America into action are collected here in this oversize omnibus graphic novel!" and "The 'Detroit Era' of the Justice League finally have their adventures collected in their entirety for the first time ever!" No contents listed, but at 800 pages, it would be great if this really was complete, one and done.
• Justice League: Their Greatest Triumphs
No contents, but the creators are listed as Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Grant Morrison, Gardner Fox, and Gerry Conway, among others. The big draw for movie-interested fans is this is 168 pages for just $9.99.
• Justice League/Power Rangers
• Kid Eternity Book Two
• Legend of Wonder Woman
• Legion by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Vol. 1
DC just now cancelled a Legion Lost: The Complete Saga collection (not, I don't think, for the first time), which collected Abnett and Lanning's Legion of Super-Heroes #122-125, Legionnaries #79-81, and Legion Lost #1-12. This is almost the exact same thing minus Legion Lost. Pulling for it to finally make it to publication this time.
• Legionnaires Book Two
Continuing the adventures of the Legion of Super-Heroes rebooted by Mark Waid and company after Zero Hour. If this volume collects as much as the last one was supposed to, it should go into a crossover with Karl Kesel's Superboy and an Underworld Unleashed tie-in.
• Lobo by Keith Giffen & Alan Grant Vol. 1
We're probably overdue, especially in this day and age of Harley Quinn specials, for a comprehensive collection of Lobo material, the Harley Quinn of the 1980s. Starts out with Lobo #1-4, Lobo Paramilitary Special #1, Lobo's Back #1-4, Lobo: Blazing Chain of Love #1, and Lobo: Infanticide #1-4, coming in January 2018(!).
• Looney Tunes: Greatest Hits Vol. 4
• Lucifer Vol. 3: Blood in the Streets
• MAD 2016 Gross Book
• New Super-Man Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• New Teen Titans Vol. 1 Omnibus (New Edition)
We talked about this one the other day; the question is whether the latter volumes will collect this series sequentially when the previous omnibus series didn't.
• New Teen Titans Vol. 8
Collecting New Teen Titans #39-40 and Tales of the New Teen Titans #41-44 and Annual #3, this is still within the contents of the Omnibus Vol. 2.
• Night Force by Marv Wolfman: The Complete Series
This collection of Marv Wolfman's Night Force #1-14 plus the backup story from New Teen Titans #21 was solicited and cancelled back in 2011-2012 when there was a revival series; hopefully it fares better this time.
• Nightwing Vol. 3: Nightwing Must Die (Rebirth)
Collects issues #16-20.
• Nightwing Vol. 4: Blockbuster (Rebirth)
Collects issues #21-25.
• Nightwing: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and Nightwing #1-15, so also the Nightwing chapters of "Night of the Monster Men," reprinted sequential with the other issues.
• Northlanders Book 3
• Odyssey of the Amazons
The six-issue miniseries by Kevin Grevious.
• Orion by Walt Simonson Book One
This collects some of the previously released omnibus; most likely this paperback series is meant to collect the omnibus's material in a couple of volumes.
• Planetary Book One
• Red Hood & the Outlaws Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #7-12.
• Robin Vol. 5
This next collection of the Chuck Dixon series is supposed to reprint issues #19-33, including tie-ins to Underworld Unleashed, Contagion, and Legacy, and appearances by the Bat-family, Spoiler Stephanie Brown, Wildcat Ted Grant, and Green Arrow Connor Hawke.
• Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 4
Issues #37-48, so "The Mist" (tie-in with James Robinson's Starman), "Phantom of the Fair," and "The Blackhawk." We're not quite at Sandman Mystery Theatre material that hasn't been previously collected (issues #53-70), but close.
• Savage Things
• Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 2
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up Vol. 4
• Sebastian O/Mystery Play by Grant Morrison: The Deluxe Edition
• Shazam: A New Beginning 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Collects the four issue miniseries that launched from Legends, plus the stories from Action Comics Weekly #623-626. I've wanted to read these for a while.
• Smallville Vol. 9: Continuity
I'd have thought all the Smallville comics were collected by now, but apparently not. What seemed like a fun idea at the time has more or less fizzled, I think, but I give DC credit for finishing out the collections.
• Suicide Squad Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
• Suicide Squad Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
One of these is supposed to collect issues #16-20, but I believe we've seen that the Suicide Squad collections have been running a little behind their originally-solicited contents.
• Suicide Squad Vol. 7
Issues #49-58 of the John Ostrander series, so this includes a War of the Gods tie-in issue, and the next volume should complete the run.
• Suicide Squad: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects the Rebirth special, the Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools' Special, and issues #1-8, so this runs right up to the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad crossover.
• Suicide Squad: The Silver Age
Brave and the Bold #25-27 and #37-39, being the original non-villain team lead by Rick Flag.
• Super Powers Vol. 1
The Jack Kirby miniseries, solicited and cancelled previously and now back on the list.
• Super Sons Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-6 of the new series.
• Superboy Book One
Couldn't be more excited to finally see the original "Kon-El" Superboy series (aka "The Kid") getting collected. This is issues #0-11, so both the Worlds Collide Milestone crossover and also the Zero Hour tie-in issue, just before Kesel teams Superboy with a proto-Suicide Squad. With Knockout, King Shark, and more. I'm just wondering what the solicitation means by "these now-legendary tales from the 1990s from writer Karl Kesel are recut ..."
• Supergirl Book Four
The solicitation for Book Four of the Peter David series is the same as the solicitation for Book Three, but if we figure about ten-fifteen issues, there's a crossover with Young Justice, a tie-in to Day of Judgment, and appearances by Zauriel and the Parasite.
• Supergirl Book Three
Collects issues #21-33 of the Peter David series, including the mystery of Comet and appearances by the Matrix Supergirl, the Female Furies, Resurrection Man, and Steel, plus the DC One Million issue.
• Supergirl Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11 and "stories from" Batgirl Annual #1 (see higher in this list).
• Supergirl Vol. 4 (2000s Series)
No contents listed. Curiously, the last collection of the 2000s Supergirl series collected up to issue #33, right before the Sterling Gates issues, which were newly reprinted on their own. Now, I don't mind an "omnibus"-type collection of Gates's work, but I wonder if this'll leap over that and go to issues #60-67 by James Peaty, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and Nick Spencer, which were never before collected.
• Supergirl: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2
• Superman Adventures Vol. 4
• Superman and the Miserable, Horrible, No Fun, Really Bad Day
• Superman Reborn
Collects Action Comics #973-976 and Superman #18-19 of the Rebirth event that a variant cover recently spoiled for me.
• Superman Vol. 4: Black Dawn (Rebirth)
Issues #20-25, following Superman Reborn.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 4: (Rebirth)
Issues #977-984, so also following Superman Reborn.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 5: (Rebirth)
Issues #985-990. That's ten issues from #1000, people -- ten issues! I predict the big doings of Rebirth are coming to a head in Action Comics #1000.
• Superman: Action Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2 (Rebirth)
The first second Rebirth deluxe hardcover, said to collect Action Comics #967-984.
• Superman: American Alien
Paperback of the Max Landis miniseries. I enjoyed Superman: American Alien a lot.
• Superman: An Adult Coloring Book
• Superman: Kryptonite Deluxe Edition
A deluxe edition of the story by Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale that appeared in Superman Confidential #1-5 and #11.
• Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 5
• Superman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-13.
• Superman/Batman Vol. 6
No contents listed, but based on previous collections, I believe we're now into the Night and Day and Big Noise collections, including a little Blackest Night tie-in action.
• Superwoman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #8-12, so issues by both Phil Jimenez and K. Perkins.
• Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1
• Sweet Tooth Book One
• Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert
Looks to be the paperback of the previously-released hardcover, being Brave and the Bold team-ups with Starman Ted Knight, Deadman, Creeper, Hawk and Dove, Black Canary, and more. Art is by Jim Aparo, Joe Staton, and Norm Breyfogle. Also included is the Detective Comics #500 story "To Kill a Legend," and Brennert's alt-history one-shot, the first labeled Elseworlds, Batman: Holy Terror.
• Teen Titans Go! Vol. 4
• Teen Titans Go!: A Kids Coloring Book
• Teen Titans Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11.
• Teen Titans: The Silver Age Vol. 1
• Titans Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-10, the Titans Annual, and stories from DC Rebirth Holiday Special.
• Titans: The Lazarus Contract
Collects Titans #11, Teen Titans #8, Deathstroke #19, and Teen Titans Annual #1. Of course inquiring minds want to know if we'll see these in their individual trades as well (like "Night of the Monster Men," maybe not in the paperbacks but collected in the hardcovers).
• Trillium: The Deluxe Edition
• Trinity Vol. 1: Better Together (Rebirth)
The paperback release, coming November 2017, of the hardcover solicited for June 2017.
• Two Face: A Celebration of 75 Years
• Unfollow Vol. 3
• Unwritten The Deluxe Edition Book Two
• Very DC Rebirth Holiday Collection
Fairly recent material, this is the DC Rebirth Holiday Special, the Rebirth Batman Annual #1, and the Rebirth Harley Quinn #10. I wouldn't mind a collection of the various recent era-themed DC holiday specials, like DCU Infinite Holiday Special and so on.
• Watchmen: The Annotated Edition
• Wild Storm Vol. 1
Collects issue #1-6 of Warren Ellis's new "Wild Storm."
• Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years
No contents listed, but I'll be curious what gets chosen for this.
• Wonder Woman & the Justice League America Vol. 2
No contents here either, but the first volume stopped just short of the "Judgment Day" crossover between the Justice League books, so here's hoping this includes the Justice League America, Task Force, and International issues, too. Of course, if this keeps going, there's not much to collect before this series starts to get in to the Gerard Jones issues.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Godwatch (Rebirth)
Issues #16, #18, #20, #22, and #24. Do we know when the switching back and forth is planned to be over?
• Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Vol. 1
• Wonder Woman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and issues #1-12. I wonder if these will be staggered or sequential in this volume.
• Wonder Woman: The True Amazon
Among a list filled with lots of legitimately cool stuff, we see omnibus collections of both Justice League International and the Justice League "Detroit Era"; a second Batman: Knightfall omnibus (getting closer and closer to completion); more trades of Mark Waid's Flash and Legion of Super-Heroes, Marv Wolfman's Deathstroke, Chuck Dixon's Robin, Peter David's Supergirl, Mike Grell's Green Arrow, and John Ostrander's Suicide Squad -- plus the first collection of Karl Kesel's Superboy and Jim Balent's Catwoman; and deluxe Rebirth hardcovers of Batman, Detective Comics, Green Arrow, Harley Quinn, Justice League of America, Nightwing, Suicide Squad, Superman, Action Comics (Vol. 2 already!), and Wonder Woman.
A couple quick things I've noticed:
• Whereas the paperback collections of Batman, Nightwing, and Detective all omitted their "Night of the Monster Men" crossover issues, the deluxe hardcovers include them. That's interesting and I think a legitimate way to handle the crossover tie-ins in Rebirth -- pull them out to their own collection alongside the paperbacks, but include them inline for true deluxe edition completists. I'll be curious to see if this pattern continues.
• Case in point, the third Superman and Action Comics Rebirth volumes stop just short of the "Superman Reborn" crossover issues, collected here in their own hardcover; however, we see that the deluxe hardcover Action Comics Vol. 2 collects its own "Superman Reborn" issues sequentially with the rest.
• The word "re-cut" or "recut" shows up 6 times in these solicitations, in regards to Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1, Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner Vol. 1, JSA by Geoff Johns Book One, Invisibles Book Two, Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 4, Superboy Book One. Some of you have already speculated that maybe this means there will be some, but not all, of the tertiary material in these books (like just the Kyle parts of a REBELS issue), which I hope isn't the case; I feel books that DC's done this with, like the ye old Batman: Murderer/Fugitive books, read very choppily. I'm hoping it's just a turn of phrase, or in the case of Invisibles and Sandman Mystery Theatre, it simply means these issues have been previously collected but it's a "re-cut" in terms of where the collections begin and end.
Let's take a look at the full list:
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Note that all of this information is subject to change before publication. Not all links may yet be functional.
• Absolute Authority Vol. 1 New Edition
• Absolute Justice League: Origin
Even as we expect some conflating of post-Crisis and New 52 continuities once Rebirth comes to a head, books like this suggest to me that this Justice League origin is going to remain canon, including the fact that the lineup matches the movies.
• Absolute Justice League: The World's Greatest Superheroes by Alex Ross & Paul Dini (New Edition)
• Absolute WildC.A.T.S.
• All-Star Batman Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (Rebirth)
Paperback collection of issues #1-5.
• All-Star Batman Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth (Rebirth)
Hardcover of issues #6-9, Scott Snyder with Jock and Giuseppe Camuncoli, among others.
• Anarky: The Complete Collection
Among a couple of previously-cancelled trades on this list, here's the Anarky collection again, including Detective Comics #608-609, Batman Chronicles #1, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #40-41, Anarky #1-8. This is plenty "complete," though of course all appearances would include a Robin annual, among other things here and there.
• Aquaman Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #23-28. In the first year are we already halfway to issue #50 on some of these titles?
• Aquaman: The Atlantis Chronicles Deluxe Edition
This is literally probably the collection I get asked about most, Peter David's Atlantis Chronicles miniseries that predated David's four-year Aquaman run. Really, really excited to see this see print. My hope is that a new printing of Time and Tide will follow, and from there collections of David's Aquaman series.
• Aquaman: The Waterbearer Vol. 2
It's wild to see "Waterbearer Vol. 2"; the first volume was released in 2004, over ten years ago. Given that DC has started releasing the Will Pfeifer/Patrick Gleason issues with #15 of this series, and Waterbearer Vol. 1 ended with issue #4, let's call this #5-14 (probably best to end it all in one volume, since Rick Veitch's run wasn't super-well-received). Now I want to see new collections of Kurt Busiek's Sword of Atlantis.
• Art of The Dark Knight III: The Master Race Deluxe Edition
• Astro City Vol. 14: Reflections
• Astro City Vol. 15: Everyday Heroes
• Batgirl & the Birds of Prey Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• Batgirl Vol. 2: Son of Penguin (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11 and "stories from" Batgirl Annual #1. I didn't know the annual had multiple stories, but as my sense is that most of the annual leads into something that will take place in the Supergirl series, maybe there's a Batgirl-centric backup.
• Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1
There's a word going around these solicitations; apparently "these hard-to-find 1970s tales featuring Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl, are now re-cut and collected in their entirety," whatever "re-cut" means in this context.
• Batman '66 Meets Steed & Mrs. Peel
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77
• Batman & Robin Adventures Vol. 2
• Batman & Robin by Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason Omnibus
Tony Laplume, this one's for you. Seriously, Tomasi and Gleason are a great team, and their Batman and Robin run deserves it's own whole collection, and will probably read more cohesively that way, too. This is said to be Vol. 1, collecting issues #1-20; if so, that stops in the middle of Requiem for Damian, basically bisecting the series.
• Batman Arkham: Joker's Daughter
Feels a little bit like scraping the barrel for villains with this one, but despite a promo image that shows the New 52 Joker's Daughter, the solicitation talks about her working with the Teen Titans (and being Two-Face's daughter?), so there ought be some classic Duela Dent material here. I wouldn't mind seeing the recent special by Marguerite Bennett included though, just for completeness.
• Batman Beyond Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• Batman in The Brave & the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 1
Brave and the Bold #74-91, teaming Batman with the Metal Men, Spectre, Plastic Man, Atom, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Deadman, Creeper, Flash, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock, Wildcat, Phantom Stranger, Adam Strange, and Black Canary (whew!).
• Batman Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 2: Knightquest
Collects Justice League Task Force #5-6, Detective Comics #667-675, Robin #1, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-28, Batman #501-508, and Catwoman #6-7. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's most of the never-collected "Search" there, short of Legends of the Dark Knight.
• Batman Noir: The Court of Owls
• Batman Unwrapped: Death of the Family
• Batman Vol. 3: I Am Bane (Rebirth)
Said to collect issues #13-18, but "I Am Bane" actually goes to issue #20.
• Batman Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles (Rebirth)
Spoiler alert ... apparently the next Batman story after I Am Bane is a flashback to a battle between the Joker and the Riddler after Zero Year. This is supposed to collect issues #25-32, which leaves a gap from issue #18 or #20 in the previous volume to #24 here. Issues #21-22 are the "Button" crossover with Flash; #23-24 seem to be "I Am Bane" aftermath stories that'll hopefully be collected here or there.
• Batman: A Lot of Li'l Gotham
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: League of Shadows (Rebirth)
Issues #950-956.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #957-961.
• Batman: Detective Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The deluxe collection includes issues #934-949, so as you'll see elsewhere, the "Night of the Monster Men" issues that weren't in the paperback are included sequentially in the hardcover.
• Batman: His Greatest Adventures
Among a couple of $9.99 "starter" graphic novels here. Sounds like something for the year-end holiday list ...
• Batman: Hush 15th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Fifteen years since Hush ... it's kind of hard to believe ...
• Batman: Night of the Monster Men (Rebirth)
Paperback collection of the crossover.
• Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol. 2
Issues #13-24 and the Annual #1, which a little awkwardly are mostly Knightfall tie-in issues, though in a variety of self-contained arcs (starring both Bruce Wayne and Jean-Paul Valley). The annual is a Bloodlines book introducing Joe Public, who also appears in one of the regular issues.
• Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol. 3
This is issue #0, #24-34, and the Annual #2. I appreciate the completeness, but also a bit awkwardly, a lot of this is still parts of Knightsend, a Zero Hour tie-in, and then parts of Prodigal. It's all legitimately by Alan Grant, but I'm not sure how it'll read issue-by-issue in trade.
• Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 4
• Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-12, with the "Night of the Monster Men" crossover issues included.
• Batman: Year One (New Edition)
• Batman: Year One Deluxe Edition
• Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
I unabashedly love the doomed romance of Batman: Year Two and I'm glad to see it get a deluxe edition, though I wish the Full Circle follow-up was included.
• Batwoman Vol. 1: The Many Arms of Death (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and issues #1-6.
• Blue Beetle Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #6-12.
• Books of Magic Book Two
• Captain Atom: The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom
The six-issue miniseries. "Even if you think you know what happened to [Captain Atom] ... you're wrong!"
• Catwoman by Jim Balent Book One
I mean, what kind of wonderful world do we live in where we're even getting collections of as deep a 1990s dive as Jim Balent's Catwoman series, with writing by Jo Duffy, Doug Moench, and Chuck Dixon? Lots of Knightfall material in this first one, plus Zero Hour tie-ins.
• Checkmate By Greg Rucka Book 2
Collects issues #13-25 of the Greg Rucka/Eric Trautmann series, stories that were published previously in Fall of the Wall and Kobra: Resurrection.
• Cyborg Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Issues #12-18.
• Dark Knight III: The Master Race
• DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 5
• DC Horror: House of Mystery Vol. 1
• DC Meets Hanna Barbera
Collects the upcoming crossover
• DC Rebirth Omnibus Expanded Edition
Got to say, if I'd already spent $75 on the DC Rebirth Omnibus, only to have another one come out that collected the same stuff plus the Justice League of America Rebirth specials, Batwoman, Super Sons, and the DC Rebirth Holiday Special for $99, I might be a little miffed. Of course, if you held off on the omnibus the first time around, all the more content for you now.
• DC Spotlight: Wonder Girl
Previously solicited and now coming around again. This is Wonder Woman #105 (Wonder Woman as "Wonder Girl"), The Brave and the Bold #60 (first appearance of Donna Troy), Teen Titans #22 (origin of Donna Troy), Adventure Comics #461 (Wonder Woman and Donna Troy team-up), Wonder Woman #105 (the other one) and #113 (Cassandra Sandsmark stories by John Byrne), Wonder Woman: Donna Troy #1 ("GirlFrenzy" one-shot), and Wonder Girl #1 (Cassie special in the midst of J.T. Krul's pre-Flashpoint Teen Titans run.
• DC Super Hero Girls: Out of the Bottle
• DC Super Hero Girls: Past Times at Super Hero High
• DC Universe by John Byrne
An impressive deep dive of material, including Untold Legend of Batman #1 (part one of a 1980 origin miniseries), New Teen Titans Annual #2 (origin of Brother Blood), Outsiders #11 (Halo backup story), Green Lantern Annual #3, Secret Origins Annual #1 (Doom Patrol), World of Smallville #1-4, Superman Annual #2 (Maggie Sawyer backup story), World of Metropolis #1-4, Power of the Atom #6 (Chronos), Christmas with Super Heroes #2, Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale #1 (graphic novel with Larry Niven), The Flash 80-Page Giant #1 (Flash and the Shade), Batman: Gotham Knights #2, DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1 (Julie Schwartz tribute story), DCU Brave New World #1 (All-New Atom), and DCU Infinite Holiday Special #1 (Green Lantern and Hector Hammond).
• Deadman by Kelley Jones: The Complete Collection
Deadman: Love After Death #1-2 and Exorcism #1-2, by Mike Baron and Kelley Jones. That's fine as it goes, but I'm pretty sure Jones did some Batman work with Deadman, with Doug Moench, that might've been nice for this collection too.
• Deathstroke the Terminator Vol. 3: Nuclear Winter
This has been cancelled and resolicited a couple times; I'd really like to see these Marv Wolfman Deathstroke collections continue, and I have a soft spot for "Nuclear Winter," so hopefully it makes it this time. Issues #14-23 and Annual #2.
• Deathstroke Vol. 3: Twilight (Rebirth)
The second Power Girl, Tanya Spears, hasn't been written very well in the DC You Teen Titans, and I'm very eager to see how and why Christopher Priest is using her over in the Rebirth Deathstroke. Collects issues #12-17.
• Doom Patrol Vol. 2
The second Young Animal Doom Patrol collection, which the solicitation says collects issues #1-6, but we can be pretty sure that's not right. Twice the solicitation mentions that Young Animal "bridges the gap between the DC Universe and Vertigo."
• Everafter: From the Pages of Fables Vol. 2
• Fables The Deluxe Edition Book 15
• Flash by Geoff Johns Book Four
Issues #201-212. Collects about half of the third Flash by Geoff Johns omnibus; we're in Ignition/Secret of Barry Allen territory.
• Flash by Mark Waid Book Three
Collects issues #83-94, including the "Reckless Youth" story that introduced Impulse Bart Allen, a Zero Hour tie-in ahead of "Terminal Velocity," and an appearance by Bloodlines's Argus (every character is someone's favorite).
• Flash Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #23-28.
• Flintstones & the Jetsons Vol. 2
• Flintstones Vol. 2: Bedrock Bedlam
• Future Quest Vol. 2
Issues #7-12.
• Gotham Academy: Second Semester Vol. 2
Collects issues #9-12 and issue #4, which indeed was held out of the first collection.
• Grayson: The Superspy Omnibus
Totally deserved. Collects Grayson #1-20, the Secret Origins #8 story, the Annuals #1-3, the Futures End story, and Robin War #1-2. I envy those who'll be reading it for the first time in this format; what a great ride.
• Green Arrow Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #12-17.
• Green Arrow Vol. 9 (Backlist)
Fantastic -- this finishes up Mike Grell's Green Arrow run with issues #73-80, plus the origin miniseries The Wonder Year. If this finishes out, then sometimes we do get nice things. I'd like to see DC keep on with this at least through issue #100, with issues by Alan Grant, Kevin Dooley, Doug Moench, and Chuck Dixon, if not continuing on to Dixon's Connor Hawke run.
• Green Arrow: Archer's Quest (New Edition)
• Green Arrow: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Did you all really think they wouldn't do this? Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-12.
• Green Lantern: Kyle Rayner Vol. 1
As with the Karl Kesel Superboy collection below, the solicitation calls this a "a new, re-cut graphic novel series." and I'm wondering what that means. Anyway, this collects Green Lantern #51-60, REBELS #1, New Titans #116, and Guy Gardner: Warrior #27-28, which is the main series plus direct crossover issues. A good part of this has not been collected before, and ties into Zero Hour.
• Green Lantern: The Silver Age Vol. 2
• Green Lanterns Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-14.
• Green Lanterns Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Said to collect issues #22-28, which obviously doesn't match up with the previous solicitation, so there's something still to be worked out here.
• Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 3: Quest for the Blue Lanterns (Rebirth)
Issues #14-21.
• Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Issues #22-27.
• Harley Quinn by Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner Omnibus Vol. 1
The solicitation says "this gigantic compendium series will see Palmiotti and Conner’s run on Harley Quinn collected in full." Contents include Harley Quinn #0-16, Harley Quinn Director's Cut #0, Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn Invades San Diego Comic Con #1, Harley Quinn Annual #1, Secret Origins #4, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn Valentines Day Special #1, and Harley Quinn & Power Girl #1-6 -- essentially the New 52 Harley Quinn material through Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Kiss Kiss Bang Stab. If you were planning to read this series but haven't yet, this seems like the way to do it.
• Harley Quinn by Terry Dodson & Karl Kesel Vol. 1
The Karl Kesel/Terry Dodson Harley Quinn series didn't make as much a splash as the New 52 series, but it has been totally collected. This new collection series starts over, collecting issue #1-9 of 38.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
Should be issues #-13-16.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #17-22.
• Harley Quinn: A Celebration of 25 Years
Twenty-five years of Harley Quinn and the character's going stronger than ever. With all the usual suspects -- Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Karl Kesel, Terry Dodson, and so on.
• Harley Quinn: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-13.
• Harley Quinn's Cover Gallery Deluxe Edition
What, you want more Harley? Various depictions on covers from the last 25 years.
• Hellblazer Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• House of Secrets Omnibus Vol. 1
• Injustice 2 Vol. 1
Issues #1-6 of the prequel to the new game.
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Three: The Complete Collection
Collects both volumes of the Year Three series by Tom Taylor.
• Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Vol. 3
The third volume of Year Five; I actually thought DC was done collecting Year Five by now, but apparently it's longer than the previous "seasons."
• Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 1
• Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 2
I do intend to get back to the Injustice books at some point, but I can't say I have much interest in the same story just from Harley Quinn's perspective.
• Invisibles Book Two
• Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus
This looks to be the entire contents of the four previous Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus books, at $150. The original hardcovers were $50 per, so that's a bargain (aside from being a great story and a historical gem).
• JLA: A Midsummer's Nightmare Deluxe Edition
Mark Waid's prelude to Grant Morrison's JLA, now in deluxe format.
• JLA: The Nail/Another Nail Deluxe Edition
• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 17
• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 18: The Gift
Astounding all of the Vertigo Hellblazer isn't collected yet. This gets us into the early #200s, of 300 issues.
• JSA by Geoff Johns Book One
Looks to be a paperback collection series of the previous more-issues JSA collections.
• Justice League by Geoff Johns Box Set Vol. 1
Following the (good looking) Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo box sets, this one contains Justice League Vols. 1-3: Origin, Villain's Journey, and Throne of Atlantis, with slipcase.
• Justice League International Omnibus Vol. 1
All right, so we recently lost the Justice League: Breakdowns collection, but then here's a new JLI omnibus. This collects as much as the first five hardcover/paperback Justice League International collections (the main series through issue #30 and Justice League Europe #1-6, minus an issue of Suicide Squad), so insult to injury over that whole switch to paperback thing, but yay that these are being collected again and here's hoping there's more collections of International and Europe to come.
• Justice League of America Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-13.
• Justice League of America: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Kind of surprised to see this already, but this looks to be the deluxe hardcover collection of the Steve Orlando series, being the Rebirth special and issues #1-12.
• Justice League Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #20-25.
• Justice League vs. Suicide Squad
Paperback collection of the event miniseries and tie-ins, so yes, you are not stuck with hardcovers for Justice League vs. Suicide Squad nor Batman: Night of the Monster Men.
• Justice League: An Adult Coloring Book
• Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus
Collects Justice League #40-50 and all the Darkseid War specials. It'd be nice to have this all in one book; makes me a little sorry I broke down and bought the individual hardcovers.
• Justice League: The Detroit Era Omnibus
Author is listed as Gerry Conway, and the solicitation says "The complete adventures of Aquaman leading the Justice League of America into action are collected here in this oversize omnibus graphic novel!" and "The 'Detroit Era' of the Justice League finally have their adventures collected in their entirety for the first time ever!" No contents listed, but at 800 pages, it would be great if this really was complete, one and done.
• Justice League: Their Greatest Triumphs
No contents, but the creators are listed as Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Grant Morrison, Gardner Fox, and Gerry Conway, among others. The big draw for movie-interested fans is this is 168 pages for just $9.99.
• Justice League/Power Rangers
• Kid Eternity Book Two
• Legend of Wonder Woman
• Legion by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Vol. 1
DC just now cancelled a Legion Lost: The Complete Saga collection (not, I don't think, for the first time), which collected Abnett and Lanning's Legion of Super-Heroes #122-125, Legionnaries #79-81, and Legion Lost #1-12. This is almost the exact same thing minus Legion Lost. Pulling for it to finally make it to publication this time.
• Legionnaires Book Two
Continuing the adventures of the Legion of Super-Heroes rebooted by Mark Waid and company after Zero Hour. If this volume collects as much as the last one was supposed to, it should go into a crossover with Karl Kesel's Superboy and an Underworld Unleashed tie-in.
• Lobo by Keith Giffen & Alan Grant Vol. 1
We're probably overdue, especially in this day and age of Harley Quinn specials, for a comprehensive collection of Lobo material, the Harley Quinn of the 1980s. Starts out with Lobo #1-4, Lobo Paramilitary Special #1, Lobo's Back #1-4, Lobo: Blazing Chain of Love #1, and Lobo: Infanticide #1-4, coming in January 2018(!).
• Looney Tunes: Greatest Hits Vol. 4
• Lucifer Vol. 3: Blood in the Streets
• MAD 2016 Gross Book
• New Super-Man Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-12.
• New Teen Titans Vol. 1 Omnibus (New Edition)
We talked about this one the other day; the question is whether the latter volumes will collect this series sequentially when the previous omnibus series didn't.
• New Teen Titans Vol. 8
Collecting New Teen Titans #39-40 and Tales of the New Teen Titans #41-44 and Annual #3, this is still within the contents of the Omnibus Vol. 2.
• Night Force by Marv Wolfman: The Complete Series
This collection of Marv Wolfman's Night Force #1-14 plus the backup story from New Teen Titans #21 was solicited and cancelled back in 2011-2012 when there was a revival series; hopefully it fares better this time.
• Nightwing Vol. 3: Nightwing Must Die (Rebirth)
Collects issues #16-20.
• Nightwing Vol. 4: Blockbuster (Rebirth)
Collects issues #21-25.
• Nightwing: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and Nightwing #1-15, so also the Nightwing chapters of "Night of the Monster Men," reprinted sequential with the other issues.
• Northlanders Book 3
• Odyssey of the Amazons
The six-issue miniseries by Kevin Grevious.
• Orion by Walt Simonson Book One
This collects some of the previously released omnibus; most likely this paperback series is meant to collect the omnibus's material in a couple of volumes.
• Planetary Book One
• Red Hood & the Outlaws Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #7-12.
• Robin Vol. 5
This next collection of the Chuck Dixon series is supposed to reprint issues #19-33, including tie-ins to Underworld Unleashed, Contagion, and Legacy, and appearances by the Bat-family, Spoiler Stephanie Brown, Wildcat Ted Grant, and Green Arrow Connor Hawke.
• Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 4
Issues #37-48, so "The Mist" (tie-in with James Robinson's Starman), "Phantom of the Fair," and "The Blackhawk." We're not quite at Sandman Mystery Theatre material that hasn't been previously collected (issues #53-70), but close.
• Savage Things
• Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 2
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up Vol. 4
• Sebastian O/Mystery Play by Grant Morrison: The Deluxe Edition
• Shazam: A New Beginning 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Collects the four issue miniseries that launched from Legends, plus the stories from Action Comics Weekly #623-626. I've wanted to read these for a while.
• Smallville Vol. 9: Continuity
I'd have thought all the Smallville comics were collected by now, but apparently not. What seemed like a fun idea at the time has more or less fizzled, I think, but I give DC credit for finishing out the collections.
• Suicide Squad Vol. 3 (Rebirth)
• Suicide Squad Vol. 4 (Rebirth)
One of these is supposed to collect issues #16-20, but I believe we've seen that the Suicide Squad collections have been running a little behind their originally-solicited contents.
• Suicide Squad Vol. 7
Issues #49-58 of the John Ostrander series, so this includes a War of the Gods tie-in issue, and the next volume should complete the run.
• Suicide Squad: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects the Rebirth special, the Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools' Special, and issues #1-8, so this runs right up to the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad crossover.
• Suicide Squad: The Silver Age
Brave and the Bold #25-27 and #37-39, being the original non-villain team lead by Rick Flag.
• Super Powers Vol. 1
The Jack Kirby miniseries, solicited and cancelled previously and now back on the list.
• Super Sons Vol. 1 (Rebirth)
Collects issues #1-6 of the new series.
• Superboy Book One
Couldn't be more excited to finally see the original "Kon-El" Superboy series (aka "The Kid") getting collected. This is issues #0-11, so both the Worlds Collide Milestone crossover and also the Zero Hour tie-in issue, just before Kesel teams Superboy with a proto-Suicide Squad. With Knockout, King Shark, and more. I'm just wondering what the solicitation means by "these now-legendary tales from the 1990s from writer Karl Kesel are recut ..."
• Supergirl Book Four
The solicitation for Book Four of the Peter David series is the same as the solicitation for Book Three, but if we figure about ten-fifteen issues, there's a crossover with Young Justice, a tie-in to Day of Judgment, and appearances by Zauriel and the Parasite.
• Supergirl Book Three
Collects issues #21-33 of the Peter David series, including the mystery of Comet and appearances by the Matrix Supergirl, the Female Furies, Resurrection Man, and Steel, plus the DC One Million issue.
• Supergirl Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11 and "stories from" Batgirl Annual #1 (see higher in this list).
• Supergirl Vol. 4 (2000s Series)
No contents listed. Curiously, the last collection of the 2000s Supergirl series collected up to issue #33, right before the Sterling Gates issues, which were newly reprinted on their own. Now, I don't mind an "omnibus"-type collection of Gates's work, but I wonder if this'll leap over that and go to issues #60-67 by James Peaty, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and Nick Spencer, which were never before collected.
• Supergirl: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2
• Superman Adventures Vol. 4
• Superman and the Miserable, Horrible, No Fun, Really Bad Day
• Superman Reborn
Collects Action Comics #973-976 and Superman #18-19 of the Rebirth event that a variant cover recently spoiled for me.
• Superman Vol. 4: Black Dawn (Rebirth)
Issues #20-25, following Superman Reborn.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 4: (Rebirth)
Issues #977-984, so also following Superman Reborn.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 5: (Rebirth)
Issues #985-990. That's ten issues from #1000, people -- ten issues! I predict the big doings of Rebirth are coming to a head in Action Comics #1000.
• Superman: Action Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2 (Rebirth)
The first second Rebirth deluxe hardcover, said to collect Action Comics #967-984.
• Superman: American Alien
Paperback of the Max Landis miniseries. I enjoyed Superman: American Alien a lot.
• Superman: An Adult Coloring Book
• Superman: Kryptonite Deluxe Edition
A deluxe edition of the story by Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale that appeared in Superman Confidential #1-5 and #11.
• Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 5
• Superman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
Collects the Rebirth special and issues #1-13.
• Superman/Batman Vol. 6
No contents listed, but based on previous collections, I believe we're now into the Night and Day and Big Noise collections, including a little Blackest Night tie-in action.
• Superwoman Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #8-12, so issues by both Phil Jimenez and K. Perkins.
• Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1
• Sweet Tooth Book One
• Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert
Looks to be the paperback of the previously-released hardcover, being Brave and the Bold team-ups with Starman Ted Knight, Deadman, Creeper, Hawk and Dove, Black Canary, and more. Art is by Jim Aparo, Joe Staton, and Norm Breyfogle. Also included is the Detective Comics #500 story "To Kill a Legend," and Brennert's alt-history one-shot, the first labeled Elseworlds, Batman: Holy Terror.
• Teen Titans Go! Vol. 4
• Teen Titans Go!: A Kids Coloring Book
• Teen Titans Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-11.
• Teen Titans: The Silver Age Vol. 1
• Titans Vol. 2 (Rebirth)
Issues #7-10, the Titans Annual, and stories from DC Rebirth Holiday Special.
• Titans: The Lazarus Contract
Collects Titans #11, Teen Titans #8, Deathstroke #19, and Teen Titans Annual #1. Of course inquiring minds want to know if we'll see these in their individual trades as well (like "Night of the Monster Men," maybe not in the paperbacks but collected in the hardcovers).
• Trillium: The Deluxe Edition
• Trinity Vol. 1: Better Together (Rebirth)
The paperback release, coming November 2017, of the hardcover solicited for June 2017.
• Two Face: A Celebration of 75 Years
• Unfollow Vol. 3
• Unwritten The Deluxe Edition Book Two
• Very DC Rebirth Holiday Collection
Fairly recent material, this is the DC Rebirth Holiday Special, the Rebirth Batman Annual #1, and the Rebirth Harley Quinn #10. I wouldn't mind a collection of the various recent era-themed DC holiday specials, like DCU Infinite Holiday Special and so on.
• Watchmen: The Annotated Edition
• Wild Storm Vol. 1
Collects issue #1-6 of Warren Ellis's new "Wild Storm."
• Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years
No contents listed, but I'll be curious what gets chosen for this.
• Wonder Woman & the Justice League America Vol. 2
No contents here either, but the first volume stopped just short of the "Judgment Day" crossover between the Justice League books, so here's hoping this includes the Justice League America, Task Force, and International issues, too. Of course, if this keeps going, there's not much to collect before this series starts to get in to the Gerard Jones issues.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Godwatch (Rebirth)
Issues #16, #18, #20, #22, and #24. Do we know when the switching back and forth is planned to be over?
• Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Vol. 1
• Wonder Woman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 (Rebirth)
The Rebirth special and issues #1-12. I wonder if these will be staggered or sequential in this volume.
• Wonder Woman: The True Amazon
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