DC Trade Solicitations for April 2020 - Doomsday Clock Part Two, Crisis on Infinite Earths: Arrowverse, Batman: Caped Crusader Vol. 4, Wonder Woman #750 Deluxe and William Messner-Loeb book, Superman Vol. 3: Truth Revealed HC

Well, I admit I'm rather taken by the hype surrounding this week's release of Wonder Woman #750. If — and I have no idea if this is accurate or not — DC was going to publish a series of anniversary issues, each of which would contain a story detailing an aspect of DC Comics history, and then later let's say they might collect those stories into a decently consistent "history of the DC Universe," well that's something I'd be very on board for. Which is to say, for me, the Wonder Woman #750: The Deluxe Edition hardcover listed in this month's DC Comics April 2020 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations can't come soon enough (even though it's scheduled for May).

This is a good list this month, one I feel is more back to form for DC collections releases. There's the "regular series" stuff, of course — Superman: Action Comics Vol. 3 and Superman Vol. 3 (I love that they keep releasing these in the same month), and Nightwing: The Gray Son Legacy. Then also there's "reprint" books I'm genuinely looking forward to — Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 4 and Wonder Woman: The Last True Hero Book One, the latter of which collects a Wonder Woman era I have some fondness for. And that's not to mention another New Teen Titans paperback, Brian Michael Bendis' next Young Justice volume, and the Arrowverse Crisis collection (update: early reports that this is cancelled; update 2: seems to have been canceled and resolicited), among others. So all in all, what looks to me like a good month.

Check it out with me.

• The Adventures of Superman by George Perez HC

This is another one where the contents have changed quite a bit over the various solicitations. We're seeing now DC Comics Presents #61 (Superman and OMAC), Action Comics Annual #2 and #643-652 ("The Brainiac Trilogy" and Maxima), and then the New 52 Superman #1-6.

• Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 4 TP

Collects Batman #455-465 and the Annual #15 (Armageddon 2001), including the first time Tim Drake wears the new Robin suit, Jim Gordon's heart attack, the debut of the post-Crisis Ace the Bat-Hound, and appearances by Joe Potato and Harold Allnut. Lots of material by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle.

• Crisis on Infinite Earths: Arrowverse Deluxe Edition HC

By all accounts the Arrowverse "Crisis" was a rousing success, though the second issue of the Crisis on Infinite Earths Giant seems to have slipped shipping a little. Hopefully it, and this deluxe hardcover, are still coming; this newest solicitation doesn't mention reprints of the original Crisis issues nor DC Universe: Legacies #6, listed previously. (Update: reports are that this collection, and the second Crisis Giant, have been cancelled. Update 2: now seems to have been canceled and resolicited.)

• DC Goes to War HC

Collection of DC war comics, including Sgt. Rock Special #2, Enemy Ace: War in Heaven #1, Enemy Ace: War in Heaven #2, Showcase #57, Our Army at War #67, Our Army at War #83, Our Army at War #233, Our Army at War #235, Boy Commandos #1, Star Spangled War Stories #87, Star Spangled War Stories #183, All-American Comics #48, Weird War Tales #3, G.I. Combat #87, Our Fighting Forces #49, Our Fighting Forces #102, The Losers Special #1, and Military Comics #1.

• DC Poster Portfolio: James Jean TP

Props to a book that, at least temporarily, has Batgirl Cassandra Cain and Robin Stephanie Brown on the cover. (No longer being used as the solicitation cover, alas.)

• Doomsday Clock Part 2 HC

The slipcase is a nice way to make the Volume 1/Volume 2 split seem more intentional, but really, I'd be surprised if we don't see a deluxe combination edition (if not an omnibus) before the end of 2020.

• The Flash by Mark Waid Book Seven TP

Issues #142-150, the lead-in to and six-part "Chain Lightning" story, plus a Flash Secret Files, the Speed Force special, the Flash 80-Page Giant, and the Life Story of the Flash graphic novel. Waid's run continued through issue #159, then issue #162, and then much later, a relaunched issue #231-236, so maybe one more volume, depending.

• Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy HC

Hardcover of the six-issue miniseries by Jody Houser in the aftermath of Heroes in Crisis.

• Joker: The Deluxe Edition HC

Deluxe Black Label hardcover of the graphic novel by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo.

• Justice League Dark Vol. 3: The Witching War TP

Next collection of James Tynion's Justice League Dark, with the Injustice League Dark, issues #14-19.

• Martian Manhunter: Identity TP

The 12-issue miniseries by Steve Orlando and Riley Rossmo. I have faith in Orlando but I'm still hoping the dark origin of J'onn J'onzz alluded to here doesn't turn out to be actually true.

• The New Teen Titans Vol. 11 TP

Said to collect New Teen Titans #16-23 and Omega Men #34. Features the Omega Men, obviously; Cheshire; and Donna Troy starts an offshoot team including Jason Todd. This is still within the contents of the New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 4 that came out this past November; this paperback collection comes out in May 2020.

• Nightwing: The Gray Son Legacy TP

There's been lots of different issues solicited for this book, but it seems set now, properly, at Nightwing #63-69 and Annual #2, the first volume of the new run solely written by Dan Jurgens. I was pleasantly surprised by Burnback and I'm interested to see the arrival of the Court of Owls here.

• The Sandman Box Set Expanded Edition

So the original ten trade paperbacks, plus Overture, two versions of Dream Hunters, and Endless Nights. The solicitation doesn't say, but from the image of the spines, I wonder if these are specifically the new 30th anniversary trades.

• Six Days: The Incredible Story of D-Day's Lost Chapter TP

Paperback of the World War II graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Kevin Maurer.

• Stargirl by Geoff Johns TP

In anticipation of the DC Universe/CW television series, of course, this collects Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0-14, JSA All-Stars #4, and stories from DCU Heroes Secret Files and DCU Villains Secret Files.

• Superman Vol. 3: The Truth Revealed HC

Brian Michael Bendis' latest headline-making Superman story, coming in May and collecting Superman #16-19, Superman: Heroes #1, and Superman: Villains #1.

• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 2: Leviathan Rising TP

Paperback edition collecting Action Comics #1007-1011 and material from the Superman: Leviathan Rising special. Due out in May, the same day as Action Comics Vol. 3.

• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 3: Leviathan Hunt HC

Issues #1015-1020 in hardcover, due out the same day as the paperback of the previous volume. Guest-starring Naomi and tying in to Event Leviathan and "Year of the Villain."

• The Terrifics Vol. 3: The God Game TP

Issues #15-18 and the Annual #1, with stories by Gene Luen Yang and Mark Russell.

• Wonder Woman #750: The Deluxe Edition HC

Deluxe reprinting of the anniversary issue, including a "Year of the Villain" tie-in and stories by Colleen Doran, Mariko Tamaki, Teen Titans: Raven's Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo, plus Gail Simone and Greg Rucka. The opening chapter of DC's next big event, if rumors are to be believed.

• Wonder Woman and the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour TP

Paperback collection of Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1, Wonder Woman #56-57, Justice League Dark #4 and Justice League Dark and Wonder Woman: The Witching Hour #1. I read this recently and liked it.

• Wonder Woman Through the Years HC

Another anthology in time for the movie.

• Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Just War TP

Paperback of the first volume by G. Willow Wilson, collecting issues #58-65.

• Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me TP

The Walmart-exclusive stories by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti.

• Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor TP

I'm highly in favor of these "supporting cast" collections (see also Batman Allies: Alfred); one for Etta Candy would be as interesting as this, tracking how both characters changed from their original appearances with Wonder Woman to post-Crisis to today.

• Wonder Woman: The Last True Hero Book One TP

Immediately following War of the Gods and the end of George Perez's run, DC launched William Messner-Loeb's tenure with Wonder Woman Special #1 and a team-up with Deathstroke, suggesting (in implication if not in fact) a tougher, more down-to-earth Wonder Woman. Messner-Loebs would write almost 40 issues, including the introduction of Artemis going in to Wonder Woman #100. This is the aforementioned special and Wonder Woman #63, #64, #67-75, and the Annual #3 ("Eclipso: The Darkness Within" tie-in).

• Wonder Woman: The Many Lives of Maxwell Lord TP

If a not-quite-comics-true version of Max Lord in Wonder Woman 1984 gets us new Justice League International collections, I'll take it. This is a weird tail wagging the dog, in that Max was never a Wonder Woman-specific character, until the countdown to Infinite Crisis deemed that he was, and now he's appearing in a Wonder Woman movie and so then we get a Max trade with Wonder Woman branding.

The collects Justice League #1 (1987) (first appearance), Justice League International #12 (secret origin), Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1, The Omac Project #2, Wonder Woman #219, Justice League: Generation Lost #20, and Justice League #12 (2017) (Rebirth Justice League vs. Suicide Squad tie-in).

• Young Justice Vol. 2: Lost in the Multiverse HC

Second hardcover collection by Brian Michael Bendis, collecting issues #7-12. Appearances by Naomi and the Wonder Twins.