Justice League: Zero Hour, Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later Vol. 1, Flash/Impulse, Wonder Woman by Rucka Vol. 3, The Green Lantern by Morrison, Aquaman by David and DeConnick, Post-Metal Hawkman, Sandman Universe, more in DC Comics Summer 2019 solicitations

As promised, looking at DC Comics' Summer 2019 catalog hardcover and trade paperback solicitations. As with the Spring 2019 catalog, not many super-big surprises — still hoping in vain to see Titans: The Wildebeest Saga.

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I am glad that the Aquaman by Peter David series is continuing, along with Batman: Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3, and I know a lot of you are glad that DC's finally releasing Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol. 3. The Justice League: Zero Hour book is pretty cool, following from a couple other recently released trades from that era, and maybe the biggest news on the list is the Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later collection. There's also collections of the new Grant Morrison Green Lantern, Kelly Sue Deconnick Aquaman, and Robert Venditti Hawkman series.

Not much more to say this time around — let's dig in. I'm eager to read your comments at the end. All of this information is subject to change before publication. Not all links may be functional yet.

• Absolute Dark Knight (New Edition)

Dark Knight Returns and Dark Knight Strikes Again in absolute (back in print), with an extended Again sketch section.

• Absolute Daytripper

Previously canceled and now resolicited, this is the 10-issue Vertigo miniseries by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba from 2010.

• Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Vol. 1

I don't know if we already know about this, but this is impressive and laudable, Alan Moore's Swamp Thing #20-34 and Annual #2 in Absolute format. Brand new coloring, too — I think that's new coloring exclusive to this edition, but I'm not sure. I saw the new coloring on a recent Sandman reprint and thought it was attractive.

• All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder Vol. 1 (DC Black Label Edition)

Issues #1-9 of the Frank Miller series, with Black Label branding. Don't I understand that this series basically ends unfinished? And people are cool with that in trades?

• American Carnage

Issues #1-6 by Bryan Hill and Leandro Fernandez.

• Aquaman by Peter David Book Three

Issues #21-34 and Annuals #2-3, including a Final Night tie-in, "Legends of the Dead Earth" and "Pulp Heroes" stories, and appearances by Martian Manhunter and Swamp Thing.

• Aquaman Vol. 1: Unspoken Water

The first collection of the new Kelly Sue DeConnick run, issues #43-47 in paperback.

• The Authority Omnibus

Collects The Authority #1-29, Planetary/The Authority: Rule the World #1, Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority #1-5, Authority Annual 2000 #1, and Wildstorm Summer Special #1.

• Batman & Son (DC Essential Edition)

Essential Edition of Grant Morrison's Batman #665-658 and #663-666, originally in paperback almost ten years ago (read my Batman and Son review).

• Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 1

Supposed to be issues #1-6 of the new series by Bryan Hill, but apparently the start of this series has been delayed, so probably this'll be canceled and resolicited. I'm curious to see if we can discern the apparent continuity reasons for the delay.

• Batman Beyond Vol. 5: The Final Joke

Issues #25-29 by Dan Jurgens and Will Conrad.

• Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 2

Collects Batman #700-702, Batman & Robin #1-16, and Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6. I don't know that I found the reading order so confusing, but I believe some of you are interested to see in what order they place these books.

• Batman Vol. 10

Issues #66-69 and the Batman Secret Files #1 by Tom King. I won't spoil it but the solicitation has some salient details if it's to be believed.

• Batman: Arkham Asylum (DC Black Label Edition)

Paperback Black Label edition.

• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1

The new run by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke, collected in paperback; issues #994-999 plus a story from Detective Comics #1000. As with Action Comics, looks like DC is restarting the trade numbering even as the issue numbers keep on.

• Batman: Kings of Fear

The new six-issue miniseries drawn by Kelley Jones and written by Scott Peterson.

• Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3

Includes issues #592-600 in the collection series of immediate post-Crisis Batman stories. Includes appearances by Cornelius Stirk and Joe Potato, plus an Invasion! tie-in and the three-issue "Blind Justice" story by Sam Hamm that introduced Henri Ducard to the Batman mythos.

• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC Black Label Edition)

You can have the paperback Black Label edition of the four-issue miniseries ...

• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC Modern Classics Edition)

... Or you can have the slipcase hardcover edition of the same.

• Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (DC Black Label Edition)

Black Label edition of the three-issue miniseries.

• Batman: The Dark Knight: The Master Race (DC Black Label Edition)

Black Label edition collecting the nine-issue miniseries.

• Batman: The Endgame Saga (DC Essential Edition)

Batman #35-40 and the Annuals #2-3 plus all the tie-in specials, in paperback.

• Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 7

Detective Comics #153-173, Batman #56-66, and stories from World's Finest Comics #43-53 from the 1940s and 1950s.

• Batman: The Long Halloween (DC Modern Classics)

Modern Classics edition, so hardcover with slipcase, and with sketches, introductions by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer, and four previously-cut story pages.

• Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 4

Issues #45-57 and the DC Nation #0 story, being the Wedding and Cold Days collections.

• Batman: Year One (DC Black Label Edition)

Black Label-branded edition.

• Batman/Flash: The Button

The Rebirth story in paperback.

• Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II

Issues #1-7 from DC and IDW.

• Blackest Night Omnibus (10th Anniversary)

Blackest Night ... among books I should go back and read some day, this is one of them. I recall a strange imperialist sentiment to the text, mentioned in my review, and I'm curious if I still see it.

Collects Blackest Night #0-8, Adventure Comics #4, 5 and 7, Blackest Night: Batman #1-3, Blackest Night: The Flash #1-3, Blackest Night: JSA #1-3, Blackest Night: Superman #1-3, Blackest Night: Titans #1-3, Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1-3, Catwoman #83, Green Arrow #40 (pretty sure this is supposed to be issue #30 of Green Arrow/Black Canary), Green Lantern #43-52, Green Lantern Corps #39-47, Phantom Stranger #42, Atom and Hawkman #46, Power of Shazam! #48, Question #37, and Weird Western Tales #71, if not more.

• Books of Magic Vol. 1

First collection of the new Kat Howard Vertigo series, with issues #1-6 and the Sandman Universe Special #1 (wonder if they'll all have this).

• Border Town

Issues #1-6.

• The Curse of Brimstone Vol. 2

Issues #7-12, the end of the Justin Jordan series.

• DC Bombshells: The Deluxe Edition Book Two

Issues #7-12 in deluxe hardcover.

• DC Meets Hanna Barbera Vol. 3

Being Deathstroke/Yogi Bear Special #1, Green Lantern/Huckleberry Hound Special #1, Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla Special #1 and Superman/Top Cat Special #1.

• DC Poster Portfolio: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau

First in a new series. Joshua Middleton's gorgeous variant Aquaman covers would be good for this, and timely, too.

• DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out

Graphic novel by Shea Fontana, introducing Jessica Cruz to the series.

• DC Universe Bronze Age Omnibus by Jack Kirby

Collects In the Days of the Mob #1, Spirit World #1, The Demon #1-16, The Sandman #1-6, OMAC #1-8, Our Fighting Forces #151-162, Super Powers #1-5 (1984), Super Powers #1-6 (1985), 1st Issue Special #1, 5 and 6, DC Comics Presents #84, Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #3, Weird Mystery Tales #1-3, and Forbidden Tales of the Dark Mansion #6.

• Dear Justice League

DC Zoom graphic novel by Michael Northrop.

• Doom Patrol: The Silver Age Vol. 2

Doom Patrol #96-107, Challengers of the Unknown #48, and Brave and the Bold #65. The solicitation says this "completes writer Arnold Drake and artist Bruno Premiani's beloved 1960s series," but I think it ended with #121, no?

• The Dreaming Vol. 1

Collects Dreaming #1-6 and, yes, the Sandman Universe Special #1.

• Electric Warriors

The six-issue miniseries by Steve Orlando. He takes chances, I'll give him that.

• The Flash by Geoff Johns Book Six

This goes farther than the original Flash by Geoff Johns Omnibus hardcovers, being now Johns' Barry instead of his Wally. This is said to contain Flash: Rebirth #1-6, Blackest Night: The Flash #1-3, and Flash #1-6, but the solicitation text very distinctly references Flashpoint, so I'm guessing Flash #8-12 and Flashpoint will also be in there.

• The Flash by Mark Waid Book Six

Issues #119-128 and Green Lantern and the Flash: Faster Friends by Mark Waid, I'm actually guessing it'll end at #129 since that's the final part of a three-parter. There's a "Final Night" tie-in within. Issues #130-141 are by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, and then Waid writes #142 to about #159-ish, and then returns again for a stint in the #200s.

• The Flash Vol. 10: Force Quest

Issues #58-63 by Joshua Williamson. This ends just before the new "Coldest Case" crossover with Batman.

• Flash/Impulse: Runs in the Family

We lost, as you'll recall, the Impulse Omnibus solicited a while back and then canceled, but DC promised they'd release this in another format. This first new volume collects issues #1-12, plus the Flash "Dead Heat" tie-in issues, #108-111. I don't really see a problem with DC continuing to call the book "Flash/Impulse" (or better, "Flash: Impulse") for future volumes.

• Grayson by Tom King Omnibus

In the online stories this was called "Grayson Omnibus New Edition," which didn't make a lot of sense with the same contents, but now we see it labeled Grayson by Tom King Omnibus. Sure, whatever sells more books, though poor Tim Seeley.

• Green Arrow Vol. 7: Out of Your Element

This collection of issues #39-42 is still being billed as written by Benjamin Percy, but it's actually Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Mairghread Scott in fill-in stories.

• The Green Lantern Vol. 1: Intergalactic Lawman

Hardcover collection of issues #1-6 by Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp.

• Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard Travelin' Heroes (New Edition)

New collection of Green Lantern #76-87 and #89 and the backups from Flash #217-219 and #226, with an introduction by Dennis O'Neil.

• Green Lanterns Vol. 9: With This Ring ...

The final issues of this series ahead of the new Grant Morrison book, this is issues #50-57 by Dan Jurgens.

• Harley Quinn Vol. 3

Issues #55-60 by Sam Humphries.

• Hawkman Vol. 1: Awakening

In paperback, issues #1-6 by Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch, due out (finally) in August.

• House of Whispers Vol. 1

Issues #1-6 and, you guessed it, the Sandman Universe Special #1.

• Imaginary Fiends

Issues #1-6 of the miniseries by Tim Seeley and Stephen Molnar.

• Infinite Crisis (DC Essential Edition)

The seven-issue miniseries with scripts and sketches in the paperback Essential format.

• Injustice 2 Vol. 5

Issues #25-30.

• Injustice 2 Vol. 6

Issues #31-36 and the Annual #2. Starro and the Red Lanterns vs. the Titans, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Lobo? Good for Tom Taylor.

• JLA: Tower of Babel (DC Essential Edition)

Paperback by Mark Waid and Howard Porter collecting JLA #43-46 and stories from JLA Secret Files #3. I wouldn't be surprised if DC re-titles this so it's "Justice League" and not "JLA."

• JLA: Year One (New Edition)

The 12-issue mini. The solicitation calls this an "often overlooked origin story" and they're not wrong. I'd have suggested this for Black Label; it's smart work by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson.

• John Constantine: Hellblazer Vol. 21: The Laughing Machine

John Constantine: Hellblazer #239-249 and Hellblazer Special: Lady Constantine #1-4 by Mike Carey and Andy Diggle respectively.

• Joker (DC Black Label Edition)

Black Label edition by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo.

• The Joker: Lovers and Madmen

Collects Batman Confidential #7-12 by Michael Green and Denys Cowan, cleverly carrying "Joker" branding instead of "Batman" ahead of the movie.

• The Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus

Includes Batman #251, 260, 286, 291-294, 321, 353, 365-366, and 400; Brave and the Bold #111, 118, 129-130, 141, and 191; Joker #1-10; Detective Comics #475-476, 504, 526, and 532; Wonder Woman #280-283 and DC Comics Presents #41 and 72. Joker #10 has never before been published (the 1970s series was canceled with issue #9), but features Joker versus the Justice League.

• JSA by Geoff Johns Book Three

JSA: All Stars #1-8, JSA Annual #1, JSA Secret Files and Origins #2, and JSA #26-31.

• Justice League Vol. 3

Issues #13-17 and the first annual by Scott Snyder and Jorge Jimenez, just after "Drowned Earth."

• Justice League: Zero Hour

After the Superman and Batman volumes, this was the most likely one if it was going to happen; maybe they could do a Justice League: Zero Hour Vol. 2 that collects various Leaguers' stories (Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Aquaman, Green Arrow), but there's not another franchise all on its own, I don't think, that has enough issues to fill a trade like these do.

Another option is DC could call it, like, Deathstroke: Zero Hour and then collect the story that starts in Deathstroke, the Hunted #0 — like, it wouldn't be as time-travel Zero Hour-y connected as the others, but DC marketing could still make the case across a variety of titles that this "came out" of Zero Hour, so to speak. The Green Arrow title's another candidate for that.

This is Justice League America #92 and #0, Justice League International #67-68, Justice League Task Force #15-16 and #0, Ray #0, Extreme Justice #0, and Guy Gardner, Warrior #0, and fills a couple of interesting gaps — it comes immediately after both Wonder Woman and the Justice League of America Vol. 2 and Justice League Task Force Vol. 1: The Purification Plague. There is within here the three-part Zero Hour tie-in story "Return of the Hero" written by Christopher Priest that introduced time-lost hero Triumph, but also epilogues to "Judgment Day" (from that Wonder Woman trade), up to and including the first-ever collected issue of Extreme Justice. The Ray and Guy Gardner issues are welcome kind of oddball additions, maybe not entirely related to the main story except that the characters appear in the other books.

Writers here include Priest, Dan Vado, Mark Waid (the main writer credited, though he only does one JLTF issue), and Gerard Jones. As we've discussed before, DC is at a crossroads now where they've collected up to where they could do a Wonder Woman and the Justice League Vol. 3 collection (especially around the new movie), but it'd be totally written by Jones. On the other hand, they're well in place to release another Justice League Task Force trade now, totally written by Priest.

• Justice: The Deluxe Edition

Deluxe-size hardcover of the 12-issue minisers by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithwaite.

• Legends of the Dark Knight: Michael Golden

Admittedly I don't know Golden's work as well as some others. This is mostly 1970s work, including Batman Family #15-20, Batman #295, #303, DC Special Series #15, Detective Comics #482, Batman Special #1, and then Batman: Gotham Knights #22. There's covers, too, from Detective Comics #625-626, 628-631, 633, 644-646, Batman #484-485, Showcase ’93, Nightwing #66-77 and #129-130 and Man-Bat from Who’s Who in the DC Universe #12.

• Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later Vol. 1

The solicitation is way off, talking about post-Zero Hour (which came in the middle of this series), but it seems clear this is finally a hardcover collection of Keith Giffen and Tom and Mary Bierbaum's "five years later" Legion relaunch. One of DC's modern classics, a gritty, lauded take on the Legion, it's about time this was collected. Giffen was on the book until the mid-issue #30s, so if this is #1-12 and an annual, it can probably be done in three books.

• Lucifer Vol. 1

Issues #1-6 of the new series and the Sandman Universe Special #1.

• Luthor (DC Black Label Edition)

Black Label edition by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo.

• The Man of Steel

Paperback of the Brian Michael Bendis miniseries, coming in July.

• Nightwing by Peter Tomasi

This was the end of the original Nightwing series (the one started by Chuck Dixon), issues #140-153, and collected in the books Freefall and The Great Leap (see my 2009 reviews). Obviously this is being collected in paperback in one volume because of Tomasi, but art is no slouch here either, by Rags Morales and Don Kramer. I liked these, saying almost ten years ago that "Peter J. Tomasi offers the most respectful, appropriate rendition of Nightwing that we've seen in a long, long time" and that "The Great Leap cements Peter Tomasi as a writer to watch."

• Nightwing Vol. 8: Knight Terrors

Issues #50-55; the solicitation still says Benjamin Percy but we know Scott Lobdell is taking over.

• Old Lady Harley

Collects the Rebirth Harley Quinn #42 and the five-issue miniseries by Frank Tieri.

• Powers Book Five

Issues #19-30 and Annual #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

• Raven: Daughter of Darkness Vol. 2

Issues #7-12 of the second Marv Wolfman miniseries. I have not been much interested in the Rebirth version of Raven, though tying this into another Wolfman property, Night Force, is a great idea.

• Red Hood & the Outlaws Vol. 5: The Outlaw

New direction for the series by Scott Lobdell, collecting the second annual and issues #26-31.

• Sandman Vol. 10: The Wake 30th Anniversary Edition

Issues #70-75, the end of the regular series.

• Sandman Vol. 11: Endless Nights 30th Anniversary Edition

Newly branded as volume 11, this was one of Neil Gaiman's graphic novel follow-ups to the series.

• Sandman Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones 30th Anniversary Edition

Issues #57-69

• Scooby-Doo Team-Up Vol. 7

Zatanna, Space Ghost, and Harley Quinn. Sholly Fisch is a national treasure.

• Shazam by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank Deluxe Edition

Pushing this pretty hard as DC's definitive Captain Marvel origin du jour, this is a hardcover deluxe-size edition of the New 52 Justice League backup story, due in August, whereas a paperback of the same will be out in February.

• Shazam: The World's Greatest Mortal Vol. 1

The 1970s Shazam! #1-18 by Dennis O'Neil. Paging a Jerry Ordway collection ...

• Sideways Vol. 2

Said to be issues #7-12 and the annual, but with Dan DiDio's Sideways ending with issue #13, surely that'll be in there too. With guest-writing by Grant Morrison and appearances by the Seven Soldiers and other significant multiversal characters.

• Suicide Squad: Black Files: El Diablo

Collects the El Diablo stories by Jai Nitz and Scot Eaton from the recent Suicide Squad: Black Files miniseries.

This was, in essence, a part sequel to the Suicide Squad: Secret Files anthology miniseries from a couple years ago, with Jai Nitz writing the "Suicide Squad Black" story (after his El Diablo story in the previous) and Mike W. Barr writing another Katana story (also after the previous). While I appreciate Barr and Nitz writing the (version of the) characters they created, both previous stories were relatively troubled, such not to make me run out to get these two new trades.

It's interesting that DC labeled this one "El Diablo" when it's supposedly a Suicide Squad Black story proper (which includes El Diablo); I'm surprised they think El Diablo's name carries that much cache, I'm guessing after the movie, but good if it does.

• Suicide Squad: Black Files: Katana

The Katana half of the recent Suicide Squad: Black Files miniseries, by Mike W. Barr. Solicitations suggest Barr is writing within his own continuity (or major elements of former Outsiders history have been grafted on Rebirth).

• Superman - Action Comics: The Oz Effect

Issues #985-992.

• Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 6

Action Comics #106-124, Superman #44-54, and World's Finest Comics #26-36.

• Swamp Thing: Roots of Terror

Collects stories from Swamp Thing Winter Special 2018 and Swamp Thing Halloween Horror Giant. Tom King and Brian Azzarello are here, plus Len Wein's final Swamp Thing story with art by Kelley Jones. I think this'll mark the first collection of a story from the Walmart-exclusive books.

• Teen Titans: Raven

The DC Ink graphic novel by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo.

• The Terrifics Vol. 2: Tom Strong and the Terrifics

The sizzle's right up there in the name, isn't it? Said to collect issues #7-12 of the Jeff Lemire series, but if he's leaving with issue #14, maybe they'll up the count.

• Titans Book Two: Deathtrap

Continuing DC's new collections of the 2008 Titans series (not my favorite but maybe most like the new TV series?), this is issues #12-23 by Sean McKeever (also JT Krul), the Deathtrap and Fractured trades, with crossover to Vigilante #4-6 and the Teen Titans Annual #1. That issue #23 is by Eddie Berganza; with issue #24, Titans became a villains-focused team book by Eric Wallace; hard to say if the collections are going to continue beyond this one.

• Titans Vol. 6

Issues #28-32 by Dan Abnett in the wake of Justice League: Drowned Earth.

• The Trials of Shazam: The Complete Series

Judd Winick's twelve-issue miniseries, following in some respects his Superman/Shazam: First Thunder mini, plus the Brave New World story in the wake of Infinite Crisis. This is when Freddy Freeman was "Shazam" and Billy Batson took on the Wizard's role, with a painterly style by Howard Porter. Not a bad miniseries necessarily, but at this point DC is collecting so much Captain Marvel minutia that they really need to do something special with Jerry Ordway's Power of Shazam.

• United States vs. Murder, Inc. Vol. 1

By Brian Michael Bendis.

• The Wild Storm Vol. 4

Solicitations for this collection of #19-24 suggest it's the final trade of the series.

• Wonder Woman by George Perez Vol. 4

Paperback cutdown finishes out the second omnibus, collecting issues #36-45 and the second annual. At this rate they'll need two more volumes to finish the third omnibus material.

• Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol. 3

Your patience has paid off, because here's Wonder Woman #218-226, completing this re-collection series, plus Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1-3.

• Wonder Woman by John Byrne Vol. 3

This does not, as I'd hoped, include John Byrne's Wonder Woman-connected Genesis event miniseries, though it does include the Wonder Woman tie-in issue, plus significant JSA and Donna Troy material. Issues #125-136, finishing this collection set. Hey, who knew Christopher Priest did two issues right after Byrne?

• Wonder Woman Vol. 9: The Enemy of Both Sides

Collects issues #51-55. This is advertised as being written by James Robinson, but it's actually all of Steve Orlando's stories between Robinson and G. Willow Wilson.

• Wonder Woman: Goddess of War (DC Essential Edition)

Just the first 12 issues of the Brian Azzarello/Cliff Chiang run, the Blood and Guts trades. It is a good introduction to the Azzrello run, though far from complete and it ends on a cliffhanger; maybe that's right for these introductory Essential Editions.

• Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Vol. 3

Sensation Comics #49-71 and Wonder Woman #16-23.

• Wonder Woman: Year One Deluxe Edition

This is interesting, a deluxe edition of just the past-set issues of Greg Rucka's Rebirth Wonder Woman run, with art by Nicola Scott in deluxe hardcover format. They should follow this with a collection of the sequentially ordered parts of the other half of the story in the same format.