I'm dissatisfied about that, as I'll detail more below, though since I'm already reading the series in single issues and intended to wait for the trade anyway, it doesn't make much difference to me to wait a little longer until the inevitable compendium edition — because we know that's coming one day. I just think this kind of thing is unfortunate because I'm enjoying Doomsday Clock while knowing it has a lot of factors stacked against it, and this kind of uncertain collection schema is just another knock against it unrelated to the story itself.
Another surprise on this list is the Doom Patrol by John Byrne Omnibus, collecting the 2004 series and some extras. Ten years ago I'd have been all over this; now, the moment's passed, but I love when the DC collections team digs deep in this kind of way. Of course, this still begs the question why we didn't see a Power of Shazam by Jerry Ordway omnibus while that iron was hot, but this Doom Patrol collection is nice nonetheless and I hope it makes it to print.
Hard to believe we'll be in a world where three Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion volumes will be out. Batwoman: Haunted Tides is well worth a read if you haven't already. Other books I'll be picking up this month include the first collection of the new Wonder Woman team, Teen Titans, Silencer, and Naomi.
Let's look at the full list.
• Absolute Daytripper HC
This seems to have been solicited and cancelled a couple of times, now back on the schedule for April 2020. The 10-issue Vertigo miniseries by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba from 2010, following an aspiring writer through one moment in his life per chapter.
• American Carnage TP
Collects the nine-issue Vertigo (mini-)series by Bryan Hill and Leandro Fernandez, following an African American FBI agent undercover in a white supremacist group.
• Aquaman: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
Collects Aquaman adventures beginning with Adventure Comics #260 as DC crossed over into the Silver Age, and continuing through early issues of Aquaman's solo series. These are not Aquaman's first appearances, what we might perhaps call "Aquaman: The Golden Age," and curiously I don't see those collected outside the Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years anniversary volume (More Fun Comics #73), for instance. If anyone knows why those issues seem to get the short shrift, I'm curious.
Contents are said to be Showcase #30-33, Aquaman #1-18, Brave and the Bold #51, stories from Adventure Comics #260-280, #282, and #284, Detective Comics #293-300, World’s Finest Comics #125-133, #135, #137, and #139, Superman #138 and #148, Action Comics #272, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #55, and Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane #12 and #29-31.
• Batman and the Justice League Manga Vol. 3 TP
Third volume of the manga story by Mangaka Shiori Teshirogi. This one seems to be Aquaman-heavy, maybe with some kaiju monsters.
• Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 8 HC
Stories from the 1950s with Joker, Catwoman, and Penguin. Collects Detective Comics #174-195, Batman #66-77, and World's Finest Comics #54-63.
• Batwoman: Haunted Tides TP
Collects issues #0-11 of the inaugural New 52 series by J. H. Williams and Haden Blackman, the Batwoman Vol. 1: Hydrology and Batwoman Vol. 2: To Drown the World, likely timed for the Batwoman CW series.
Williams and Blackman played with narrative space and time throughout the series (which has kind of become a Batwoman series' thing) in really interesting ways. The first section, issues #1-5, most closely resembled what came before, with Williams continuing on art from the Greg Rucka Batwoman stories. The second section, issues #6-11, has art by Trevor McCarthy, and while I initially found the change in art styles jarring, ultimately the second part is even more twisty, turn-y, and well-crafted than the first.
• Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 HC
The third and final Crisis companion volume. Collects Amethyst #13, Blue Devil #17-18, Wonder Woman #327-329, Swamp Thing #46, Legion of Super-Heroes #16 and #18, Superman #413 and #415, DC Comics Presents #87, #84, #88 and #95, Justice League of America Annual #3, and The Omega Men #31 and #33. I'd have liked to have seen History of the DC Universe here, since it's in the box set.
• Doom Patrol by John Byrne Omnibus HC
This is rather surprising, since John Byrne's continuity-light 2004 Doom Patrol series didn't make much of a splash (it reintroduced the Doom Patrol in medias res of a DC Universe that had already met it), though surely the TV show has something to do with it. That said, I admire big chunks of story, and collecting both the introductory JLA: The Tenth Circle story along with all eighteen issues of Byrne's series is, at least, very complete. Here, too, is an (original-er) Doom Patrol appearance from way back in Byrne's Superman #20, plus a story from Secret Origins Annual #1.
Now let's see about finally collecting all of Keith Giffen's post-52 Doom Patrol series ...
• Doomsday Clock Part One HC
Well now, this is controversial. Hard to know if DC always planned to release Doomsday Clock initially as two hardcovers, or if this is a product of the late shipping of the book and needing to get something out there. That this hardcover was originally solicited as containing all the issues suggests the latter. We all of course know Doomsday Clock will be released, all twelve issues together, as a Deluxe edition and as an Absolute edition and with all twelve issues together in one paperback, so I take a dim view of reading the book this way.
Breaking at issue #6 is ... fine, I guess. That issue is Marionette's origin, kind of a softer issue; issue #5 before that is bigger, with the revelation of a certain DC artifact, but neither quite has the gusto of issue #7, where a major player arrives on the scene, or the explosion in issue #8. And I can't help seeing this as a sign of our times — can you imagine collecting Watchmen itself halfsies? Treating Doomsday Clock like any other comic unfortunately makes it feel like it's just any other comic.
Part Two should be out May 2020.
• Goddess Mode TP
Issues #1-6 of the Vertigo series by Zoe Quinn and Robbi Rodriguez.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 3: The Trials of Harley Quinn TP
Issues #55 and #57-63 by Sam Humphries (formerly #55-60; issue #56 was by Mark Russell). Harley works for the Lords of Chaos and Order and teams up with Batman.
• Hex Wives TP
Issues #1-6 of the Vertigo title by Ben Blacker and Mirka Andolfo.
• House of Mystery: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
Issues #201-226 by Bernie Wrightson, Sergio Aragones, and Jim Starlin, among others.
• IZombie Book One TP
New larger paperbacks of the iZombie series, this one collecting the first two trades, issues #1-12 and stories from the House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1-2. There's only two more trades, through issue #28, so I'd guess this one will be "done in two."
• Jonah Hex: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
1970s stories, including All-Star Western #10-11, Weird Western Tales #12-14 and #16-38, Jonah Hex #1-17, and Justice League of America #159-160 ("Crisis from Yesterday," with the Justice Society, Enemy Ace, and more).
• Justice League Dark Vol. 2: Lords of Order TP
The second collection of the James Tynion series, issues #8-12 and the annual.
• Naomi Season One HC
Issues #1-6 of the Wonder Comics series by David F. Walker, Brian Michael Bendis, and Jamal Campbell. I've no quibble with calling this "Season One" — I think there was some backlash against calling comics iterations "seasons" some time ago, but I thought it was cool, then at least. Moreover it's that Season One only contains six issues, which strikes me as way too short for a "season"; at that rate a book could have four seasons but only gone on for two years.
• Powers Book Seven New Edition TP
Collects Powers: Bureau #1-12 by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.
• The Sandman: Overture 30th Anniversary Edition TP
This had at one point been solicited somewhat awkwardly as "Vol. 0," and I'm glad to see that gone. Collects the six-issue miniseries as part of the overall 30th anniversary celebration of Sandman.
• The Silencer Vol. 3: Up in Smoke TP
Issues #13-18 by Dan Abnett. the final collection of the series.
• Superman Vol. 1: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth TP
Paperback of Brian Michael Bendis' Superman #1-6. Often the paperback comes out the same month as the next hardcover, but we don't yet have the official solicitation for Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El.
• Superman: Red Son New Edition TP
A new printing of the Mark Millar/Dave Johnson miniseries.
• Teen Titans Vol. 2: Turn It Up TP
The second collection of Adam Glass and Bernard Chang's "New Justice" series, issues #25-27 and the Annual #1. I liked the first book better than I thought I would; kind of disappointed to see the second one being so short.
• Vamps: The Complete Collection TP
Collects Vamps #1-6 and the never-collected Vamps: Hollywood and Vein #1-6 and Vamps: Pumpkin Time #1-3 by Elaine Lee and Will Simpson.
• A Very DC Halloween TP
Stories from 2017's DC House of Horror #1 and 2018's Cursed Comics Cavalcade #1, with Tim Seeley, Bryan Hill, and James Tynion, among others.
• The Wild Storm Vol. 4 TP
Issues #19-24, the final collection of (this iteration of) the series. Warren Ellis moves over now to the new Wildcats series.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Just War HC
The first collection of G. Willow Wilson's Wonder Woman run, issues #58-65 (down from #58-68 in previous solicitations),with art by Cary Nord and others, in hardcover.
• Young Justice: The Animated Series Book One: The Early Missions TP
There was once some major solicitation confusion in regards to whether "Young Justice" collections were the Peter David series or collections of the animated tie-in, so I'm glad to see "The Animated Series" appended here. Collects issues #0-13.
So, Doomsday Clock Part One or Doomsday Clock complete? Chime in on the comments and let me know, and also what else looks good to you this month.
Very disappointed that Doomsday Clock is split. I honestly feel it devalues the story.
ReplyDeleteBUT my partner and I LOVED Vamps back in the day so looking forward to that immensely!
I hope JLD #7 will also be collected.
ReplyDeleteJustice League Dark #7 was collected in Vol. 1, although the product description at Amazon still says in only collects issues #1-3 and #5-6.
DeleteOops, you are right. Thanks.
DeleteWeak month for me. Maybe I pick up Batwoman? I think I'll wait for tpbs on Naomi (and the rest of the YJ line) and G Willow Wilson on WW.
ReplyDeleteThe Doomsday Clock thing is pretty dumb. I'm not reading the issues singly, so no comment on the break point, but I cannot imagine wanting to read half *this* story and then wait 8 months to read the other half.
After the latest Bookscan report revealed DC dropped below both Image and Marvel in bookstore sales of new material, I can see why they'd rush out a Doomsday Clock collection when the series isn't even finished yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd that Doom Patrol by John Byrne Omnibus just makes me chuckle. I mean, I know Byrne's name sells and the Doom Patrol just got an excellent TV show, but out of all super-hero runs he's had at DC, that's the last one I'd expect to get that treatment.
I'm really excited about the two bronze age omnis, especially the Jonah Hex one. I read the two Showcase Presents Jonah Hex volumes a few years ago and still found them very enjoyable. Still, these two books make me question why we're not getting the third JLA BA Omni, and what all that brouhaha a couple months ago even meant.
ReplyDeleteI'll get the Doom Patrol book, the YJ volume, and a scattering of the others.
That Jonah Hex omnibus is a pleasant surprise. Glad to see there's still enough interest in the character at DC to warrant something like this. Other than this, though, nothing else there particularly interests me...
ReplyDeleteAmazon hasn't cancelled my 12 issue version of Doomsday Clock yet, but the release date now shows as a year and a half in the past and the shipping date 1-3 months from now.
ReplyDeletehttps://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1401294812/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm not buying that six issue version, when they kill my old order I will just wait until the Absolute. I have DC Universe but there is only a digital copy of the first issue so far I think.
Very disappointed that there's no new volumes of Superman: Blue. I feel like an idiot for buying the first one.
ReplyDeleteI feel that way about anything with a Vol One label that's not a current continuing series...
DeleteAfter what they did with Sleeper, I'm done with supporting pipe dreams. I'll only buy iZombie vol. 1 with vol. 2.
DeleteWon't buy Doomsday Clock till it's one volume.
ReplyDeleteI do a Doom Patrol Podcast and I wouldn't buy that Byrne omnibus unless it was discounted 90%, maybe not even then. It is an absolute slog and shows the most blatant continuity contempt I've ever read at DC.
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ReplyDelete