DC Comics Early 2018 Collections - Hawkworld, Green Lantern Corps, Aquaman by Peter David, Batman: Legacy Vol. 2, DC Meets Looney Tunes

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We've probably got a month or so until DC Comics releases their Spring 2018 catalog, but some exciting collections have popped up online in the meantime. Most notably we've got new collections of John Ostrander and Tom Truman's Hawkworld, the post-Crisis Green Lantern Corps, and Peter David's Aquaman, plus 1980s and 1990s Batman (including a really solid Batman: Legacy Vol. 2), Black Lightning, Marv Wolfman's Deathstroke, David's Young Justice, and more. In all of this I see DC's continuing dedication to releasing "new classic" material from the last 30 years -- I mean, Hawkworld collections?! That's exciting stuff.

Here's what I noticed:

Adam Strange: The Man of Two Worlds Deluxe Edition

As I understand it, this post-Crisis Adam Strange miniseries was controversial for a number of reasons, not in the least that it suggests Adam Strange's wife Alanna's father Sardath assaults her, and much of this story was later smoothed out and retconned in JLA among other places. However, like Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters, Green Lantern: The Road Back, and others, this is another one of those post-Crisis origin books that becomes a fixture of the era and therefore likely deserves collecting; art, in addition, is by Andy Kubert.

Aquaman by Peter David Book One

As we were hoping when DC solicited the long-awaited collection of Peter David's Atlantis Chronicles, here comes a collection series of David's Aquaman run. Whether you agree the hook-handed look was a good one for Aquaman or not, it was certainly recognizable, and David's tenure ran almost 50 issues. This first collection is supposed to collect David's Time and Tide miniseries and issues #1-10, but the Zero Month zero issue following Zero Hour ought also be in there too. With appearances by Superboy, Lobo, and Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, this continues DC's recent spate of 1990s-era collections.

Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 1

We've seen this one pop up a couple times, apparently collecting Detective Comics #575-578, Mike W. Barr's Year Two story, plus the sequel prestige format story Batman: Full Circle. That means no new material collected here, though the hope is that this becomes a collection series of the 1980s immediately-post-Crisis Batman stories.

Batman: Legacy Vol. 2

After delaying their collection of the "Legacy" crossover for a while, DC has delivered well with a Vol. 1 trade that collects a lot of prelude and interstitial material (basically, along with the recent Contagion trade, collecting all Batman material published in this era) and a Vol. 2 that not only collects the rest of "Legacy," but also the related titles Batman: Bane of the Demon #1-4 and Batman: Bane. The issue Catwoman #36 is either missing from these solicitations or was included in Vol. 1 and I just didn't notice it, but I'm sure DC will get that worked out, and in all I am very, very pleased. It was worth the wait, because these are the definitive Legacy collections.

Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 2

A second full-color collection of Mike W. Barr's Batman and the Outsiders series from the 1980s, with art by both Jim Aparo and Alan Davis. The next collection should be able to get through issue #32, after which the book became Adventures of the Outsiders.

Batman: Super Powers

There's not likely much to see here; this reprints Batman Confidential #50-54, a title that seemingly existed mostly to release sub-continuity stories for the trade, but that never much made a very big splash. The selling point is that the story is by Arrow's Marc Guggenheim, but I don't think I'll be picking this up very quickly.

Black Lightning Vol. 2

In time for the new CW television series, this second collection of Tony Isabella's Black Lightning moves from the 1970s series to the 1990s series, collecting issues #1-13. I picked up a lot of this at the time, actually, in part because the Superman Triangle Titles' Gangbuster Jose Delgado was a supporting cast member.

Deathstroke the Terminator Vol. 4

Though not given a title, this collection can't be called anything but "World Tour," since it collects Marv Wolfman's issues #27-34 "World Tour" storyline, plus the Bloodlines Annual #2. This gritty 1990s series was Slade Wilson at his best, and an eight-part story sounds like something to really sink ones teeth into. This title becomes Deathstroke, the Hunted with issue #41-47, so conceivably if the next volume went a little large then it could collect all of "Hunted," and then it might be just one or so volumes after that until the title ends with issue #60, except there's a couple Titans and etc. crossovers here and there that we'll have to see how DC collects.

Deathstroke Vol. 4 (Rebirth)

Christopher Priest's fourth volume collects issues #21-26, so immediately following the "Lazarus Contract" crossover with Titans and Teen Titans (the third Rebirth Deathstroke collection stops at issue #18, putting the "Lazarus" issues only in the Lazarus Contract book proper if a deluxe Rebirth Deathstroke hardcover doesn't come around.

Doom Patrol Book Four

Continues the collection of Rachel Pollack's Vertigo run with issues #64-74, Doom Patrol Annual #2, and Vertigo Jam #2. Pollack's run ends with issue #87 so it should be just one more volume to finish this up.

Doom Patrol Vol. 2

We know some issues of Gerard Way's Young Animal Doom Patrol had been delayed, but this collects issues #7-12, scheduled to come out by April 2018.

Green Lantern Corps: Beware Their Power Vol. 1

This new collections series appears to collect Steve Englehart and Joe Staton's post-Crisis Green Lantern Corps series, starting with the Legends tie-in issue #207 through #215 and the Annuals #2-3. It's kind of funny to start with #207 and not #201, when this series changed from Green Lantern to Corps, but issues #201-206 are in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 3, and issues #172 to #200 are in the Sector 2814 trades. So I applaud DC for not making us double-dip even though the collection series name has changed, as has been their custom previously, and I'm eager to see this one play out. The series ends with issue #224, so one more collection should do it (and that one ought include a Millennium tie-in).

Hawkworld Book One: The Byth Saga

Again, no lack of good stuff on this list, as DC finally starts collecting John Ostrander and Tim Truman's 1990s Hawkworld series. As troubled as Hawkman's continuity has become, Thanagarian police officer Katar Hol looks better all the time. Ostrander and Truman's take is gritty and sharp, and I'm excited for this collection and also for it to continue into some later issues where Katar and Shayera interact with more of the DC Universe.

DC Meets Looney Tunes

For those who didn't pick up Batman/Elmer Fudd the first time around, the DC Meets Looney Tunes collection is due out in February 2018. Collects Batman/Elmer Fudd, Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam, Legion of Superheroes/Bugs Bunny, Lobo/Road Runner, Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian, and Wonder Woman/Tasmanian Devil, plus the more animated Superman/Bug Bunny #1-4 from 2000 by Mark Evanier and Joe Staton.

New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Deluxe Edition

A deluxe-size collection of "Judas Contract," though the contents hew to the most barebones of "Judas" collections, Titans issues #39-44 and the Annual #3. Still nice to see the book in this format and retaining popularity after all this time.

New Teen Titans Vol. 2 Omnibus New Edition

Still hard to say whether these new editions of the New Teen Titans omnibuses are mapping to the originals or not. The solicited contents for this are a little short of the original omnibus, omitting a Tale of the New Teen Titans Annual and issues #42-44. Because that's right in the middle of "Judas Contact," I don't think they'd leave those out; the only possibility, we can hope, is DC might collect this second volume differently so as to make the third omnibus an actual sequential book instead of a writer/artist spotlight volume.

Nightwing Vol. 7: Shrike

This seventh volume of Chuck Dixon's Nightwing is still within what's been previously collected, though it does collect the previously-uncollected Nightwing: Our Worlds at War and Nightwing: The Target books. Dixon wrote NIghtwing through issue #70 (and then again from issue #101-106), but this volume, collecting issues #54-60, does finish out what's been previously collected for this series. Eager for the next one!

Superman: Action Comics: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 2

The second deluxe hardcover collection of the Rebirth Action Comics includes issues #967-984, so including the "Superman Reborn" crossover issues that were omitted from the paperback.

Superman: President Luthor

For some reason DC thinks a collection of stories about businessman Lex Luthor becoming president might be of interest right now. A previous collection of these stories came out in 2003 (part of a nice series of collections of the Jeph Loeb et al run); the solicitations for this new edition seem to omit some of that book's issues, which I hope is just an oversight, but the better thing is that this collection includes James D. Hudnall and Eduardo Barreto's prestige format one-shot Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography, which I still think is one of the greatest post-Crisis Lex Luthor stories ever told.

Teen Titans Vol. 2 (Rebirth)

Collects issues #6-7, #9-11, and #13 of Benjamin Percy's Rebirth series, omitting the "Lazarus Contract" issue #8 and the Dark Nights: Metal tie-in issue #12. Granted this is not actually a Dark Nights collection, but it's heartening that books coming out around Metal will be here as soon as January.

Titans Vol. 3 (Rebirth)

The third of Dan Abnett's Rebirth Titans collections includes issues #13-16, which means both issues #11 and #12 are omitted between the second and third volumes. That's interesting because only issue #11 is a "Lazarus Contract" tie-in, while issue #12 is an aftermath issue. It's not listed for the Lazarus Contract collection either, so possibly there's an adjustment coming to one solicitation or the other.

Young Justice Book Two

Collects issues #8-18 of Peter David's Young Justice series (at last!), plus the Secret Files and the 80-Page Giant. Among other things there's a crossover with David's Supergirl series here (the Supergirl issue doesn't seem to be collected, but I don't recall it being all that essential to the story; also those issues should be along in the fourth Supergirl by Peter David collection). There's also a "Day of Judgment" tie-in issue here; the next collection should also include the Sins of Youth event issues. (Solicitation for this book, curiously, seems to be riffing on issue #10 of the Young Justice cartoon tie-in comic.)

That's just a start -- I think we'll have much, much more in a couple weeks. What's going to be on your pull list?

Comments ( 28 )

  1. No new absolute editions? Oh well, at least Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography is finally getting reprinted.

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    1. Wayne LippaJuly 11, 2017

      Speaking of Absolute editions: Has there been a solicitation for the Absolute Justice League: The World's Greatest Superheroes by Alex Ross & Paul Dini book? According to Amazon it's supposed to come out at the start of November, but I don't remember seeing any solicitations for it in Previews.

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    2. Still scheduled for 11/7, or 11/1 in shops.

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    3. Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography remains a high bar for Lex Luthor stories. Definitely deserves constant reprinting.

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  2. The GL Corps, Batman & Outsiders, and Hawkworld are definite buys

    Adam Strange & President Luthor are strong maybes.

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  3. Wayne LippaJuly 11, 2017

    Batman & the Outsiders Vol. 2 - Yes! I loved the first one so am eagerly awaiting the next one.

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  4. I also saw online book four of Peter David's Supergirl (January release) and Tales of the Batman by Gene Colan vol 2 (March Release)

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  5. Hooray for Legacy Vol. 2! As someone who missed the trade the first time around, I was a little disappointed that Vol. 1 was basically "Prelude to Legacy."

    I'll be surprised if Doom Patrol by Way isn't getting delayed. #7 is only just dropping at the end of this month. Now, if we could get "Doom Patrol: Fire Away" in the meantime...

    Interesting timing on Adam Strange & Hawkworld - I just picked up the prestige issues for $1 a pop. Very of their time - hyper grim-n-gritty. My biggest gripe with Adam Strange is the implication that he's cheating on his wife, which the other characters acknowledge is reprehensible but then nothing comes of it. But the Kubert art was well worth the $3!

    As for Supergirl/YJ, As a completist I do hope the issues are kept together. I don't recall the specifics, but I remember Supergirl's issues clarifying the nature of the chaos river YJ encountered. (It was a four-part crossover, as I recall.)

    And wow, kudos to DC for collecting the Bugs Bunny mini alongside the newer material. They reprinted it in a "DC Comics Presents 100-Page Super Spectacular," a format I hope they resurrect, but the completist in me is tickled.

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    1. The two Legacy books together are a great set. Given how complete the Knightfall Omnibuses are, basically all the Bane material one could want is now in new collection.

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  6. AnonymousJuly 11, 2017

    I think Aquaman by Peter David Book One might collect Aquaman: Time and Tide #1-4 and Aquaman #0-8 instead. Otherwise, they'll have to increase the page count. Issue #8 wouldn't be a bad ending point, since it's the end of a 3-parter featuring the Deep Six.

    Deathstroke Vol. 4 should also collect issues #24-26, since Vol. 3 will end with #23. I'm not sure there will be room for all of "The Hunted" in Vol. 5, since Annual #3 should also be in it.

    In the case of Young Justice Book Two, I think they'll end up rectifying the contents to include Supergirl #36-37, and since Young Justice Secret Files #1 has already been collected in Book One, I'm guessing it's the No Man's Land special that will be included instead.

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    1. Annual 3 is an elseworld's story and therefore not part of the main series in any conceivable way. Yes, for completist sake it would be nice for it to be included. But honestly you can hold off and put it in any future collection that would otherwise be too short. Or not include it at all since its irrelevant.

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    2. An Elseworlds, though written by Marv Wolfman, and with art from back in 1991 by ... Ed Benes.

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  7. I'm surprised that they print Doom Patrol Book 4. They didn't print the Pre-Morrison issues so I didn't expect these.

    I'm looking forward to the Green Lantern Corps book and of course the Batman Legacy Vol.2 book.

    Hawkworld has been placed on my to buy list for later. Hopefully DC prints some more of their older space series.

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    1. I know Vertigo has collected Animal Man and Swamp Thing past their well-known runs (Morrison, Moore), and I wonder if those did well enough to justify extending the recent Doom Patrol reprints. I also wonder how much of the Doom Patrol push comes from its ostensible centrality to the Young Animal line. Either way, as a fan, I couldn't be happier!

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  8. So is the Peter David Aquaman run the run immediately before Gleason and Arcudi's?

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    1. Yes. As Mike said, there were other writers on the David series and Veitch on the next series, but series-to-series, yes these were the subsequent Aquaman series.

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  9. It's not immediately before. After PAD's run was followed by Erik Larson and then Dan Jurgens before the series was canceled. Then Aquaman "died" in Our Worlds at War (actually revealed to be thrown into the distant past).

    A new series cam out written by Veitch and when it was poorly received that's when Gleason and Arcudi took over.

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    1. AnonymousJuly 11, 2017

      Between PAD and Larsen, there was a short stint by DnA (issues #47-49 and #1,000,000) that I'd like to see collected one day, along with the story they wrote for Annual #3. They were the ones who brought Mera back for good.

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  10. Lots of good stuff here, but I'm hoping we'll get some more 70s material in the complete list. Particularly some more Legion material, and a second JLA Bronze Age omni that will FINALLY collect in print Steve Engelhart's JLA run.

    Probably most interested in the Engelhart/Staton GL book.

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  11. I have mixed feelings on the Rebirth Deluxe titles. On one hand, it is great to get larger collections of the titles in a nice format. On the other, as in the case with the Superman one above, it sucks that when it is part of a crossover, the other parts are ommited as they are part of a different series.

    It would have been great if they literally followed the path of what the paperbacks are doing by stopping before the crossover, have a separate crossover collection, and then continuing on. So each Deluxe would be collecting two paperbacks.

    Maybe it is the economics of it that DC is doing it this way.

    It would have been great if they literally followed the path of what the paperbacks are doing by stopping before the crossover, have a separate crossover collection, and then continuing on. So each Deluxe would be collecting two paperbacks.

    Maybe it is the economics of it that DC is doing it this way.

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    1. And.....for some reason, the bottom portion of my post was duplicated....

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    2. I rather like that, given that the paperbacks omit the crossover issues, the hardcovers include them. If you are skipping the normal-size paperbacks altogether and going for the hardcovers, then you can get your crossovers without having to double-dip. Granted if you prefer your crossover issues "inline" then you have to buy hardcovers, but at least DC's offering both options.

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  12. The cover to the Dark knight Detective is from an Alan Davis issue that isn't part of Year Two. I did buy the Alan Davis Batman Hardcover but I'm basically looking for any sign that even the non Breyfogle books written by Alan Grant will be collected. And an excuse not to pick up the Norm Breyfogle Hardcover. Nothing against Breyfogle...I'd just have wished that it was a 'Batman by Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle' series which should have started. Love both creators equally.

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  13. Green Lantern: Earth One coming soon...

    http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/07/12/green-lantern-earth-one-makes-a-drastic-change-to-hal-jordans-tale-exclusive

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    1. Wayne LippaJuly 12, 2017

      Sweet! I thought the Earth One line was dead.

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  14. There's a lot of great stuff coming out here. I also hop that Dark Knight Detective has the non previously reprinted issues also. But buying the Norm Breyfogle collections are not just a way to get some amazing books but to help out Breyfogle who had a debilitating stroke a while back & can't draw anymore. We should all try to help our favorite creators since the companies like DC & Marvel don't give them health insurance.

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    1. Wouldn't Norm get royalties from the Dark Knight Detective series too, if they reprint his issues?

      I agree. But I'm just trying to avoid double dipping.

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  15. I want to get Black Lighting volume 1 before I buy volume 2. I've herd nothing but great things about volume 1 and I hope to buy it one day.

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