After a couple of slow solicitations-months, DC Comics seems back on track with their June 2020 hardcover and trade paperback solicitations. There's at least seven regular series collections I'm interested in for that month, plus a couple omnibuses, specials, and collections of older material — versus just one or two for the present month.
Shooting to the top of my list is Tom Taylor's DCeased: Unkillables, mainly for the recent announcement of a true DCeased sequel forthcoming that features a significant new Justice League. I'm always interested in (but also sad about) Christopher Priest's Deathstroke: RIP, the sure-to-impress final volume of Priest's Deathstroke run. There's also Brian Michael Bendis' first Legion of Super-Heroes volume and Tom King's final (!) Batman volume. The Flash #750 deluxe, Batman and the Outsiders, Dreaming, and the new Constantine series are also on my list.
I'm glad to see the collection of the less well-known Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories back on DC's schedule after a previous cancellation (now called Space-Traveling Heroes). Saved too from cancellation seems to be Paul Dini's "Hush Saga," now collected in a dedicated Batman by Paul Dini omnibus. And ordinarily Joker: Killer Smile wouldn't be my thing (I'm about at peak Joker right now), but Green Arrow's Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino are a pretty irresistible combination.
Let's take a closer look, shall we?
• Absolute Dark Knight New Edition HC
Collects Dark Knight Returns and Dark Knight Strikes Again, with bonus materials, an introduction by Frank Miller, and so on.
• The Authority Book One TP
Collects issues #1-12, Planetary/Authority: Ruling the World, and the new story from Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years — so, the contents of a recent Absolute edition, now in paperback.
• Batgirl: The Darkest Reflection Omnibus HC
Though it's almost hard to remember at this point, Gail Simone's New 52 Batgirl run really is significant, putting Barbara Gordon back in the cowl for the first time in forever, whereas nowadays Barbara as Batgirl (again) feels pretty natural. Equally longtime Birds of Prey writer Simone also accomplished the transition from Oracle back to Batgirl. All of this makes for a run worth collecting in omnibus; it also bears mentioning that Simone channels the horror genre pretty heavily in this one — arguably too tonally dark for a Batgirl book, but effective nonetheless.
• Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 2: A League of Their Own TP
Issues #8-12 and the Annual #1 of the Bryan Hill series.
• Batman Beyond Vol. 7: First Flight TP
Collecting issues #37-43 (previously to issue #42) by Dan Jurgens, and introducing the Batwoman Beyond.
• Batman by Paul Dini Omnibus HC
No small amount of good stuff here, including Paul Dini's excellent, often done-in-one Detective Comics run and his "Hush Saga" through Detective and into Streets of Gotham (I think there was a "Hush Saga" omnibus scheduled at one point and then cancelled, so this is a nice substitute). Collects Detective Comics #821-824, #826-828, #831, #833-834, #837-841, #843-850, #852, and a story from #1000; Batman #685, Batman: Gotham Knights #14, Batman Black and White #3, Batman Black and White Vol. 2 #1, DCU Holiday Special #1, Batman: Streets of Gotham #1-4, #7, #10-14, #16-21, and a story from Batman Annual #1.
• Batman Vol. 13: City of Bane Part 2 HC
Issues #80-85,and Annual #4, the end of Tom King's run on the main Batman title.
• Batman: The Deluxe Edition Book 5 HC
Says this is issues #58-69, where previous listings had it as #58-63 and #66-69 (skipping the Heroes in Crisis "The Price" issues). This was also supposed to collect the Batman Annual #3, and Batman Secret Files #1, which aren't mentioned in this solicitation. So this is kind of Batman Vol. 9: The Tyrant Wing and Batman Vol. 10: Knightmares, but if those omissions stand, not quite.
• Batman: The Golden Age Ominbus Vol. 8 HC
Collects stories or covers from Batman #67-77 (formerly to issue #75), Detective Comics #174-195 (formerly #175-191), and World’s Finest Comics #54-63 (formerly to #62) including Joker, Two-Face, Catwoman, and Penguin.
• Collapser TP
Collection of the six-issue Young Animal miniseries by Mikey Way and Shaun Simon.
• DCeased: Unkillables HC
Collects Tom Taylor's second, villains-focused three-issue "DCeased" miniseries, in hardcover. I liked the idea of this but wanted to see a more direct sequel with Taylor's new DCeased Justice League; now that I know that's coming, I'm hyped for this and for that (even if it's all a little on the nose right now).
• Deathstroke RIP TP
Following the Teen Titans crossover "Terminus Agenda," this is issues #44-#50, "Year of the Villain"-branded issues and also the end of Christopher Priest's run (sob!).
• The Dreaming Vol. 3: One Magical Movement TP
Issues #13-20 (previously to #18) by Si Spurrier, the end of this series before it switches, apparently, to miniseries.
• The Flash #750 Deluxe Edition HC
Deluxe collection of the story that begins "The Flash Age" by Joshua Williamson, plus stories by Geoff Johns, Marv Wolfman, Francis Manapul, and artists Rafa Sandoval, Scott Kolins, Bryan Hitch, and Riley Rosssmo. It would seem the Flash Forward epilogue that may or may not be in the DC Free Comic Book Day issue is also here.
• The Flash: United They Fall TP
Gail Simone's stories from Flash Giant (first wave) #1-7 and Flash Giant (second wave) #1-5.
• The Forever People by Jack Kirby TP
Collects the 11 issues of Jack Kirby's Forever People. A previous solicitation suggested this might be black and white, but I don't see that now.
• The Green Lantern Vol. 2: The Day the Stars Fell TP
Issues #7-12 and Annual #1 in paperback, following the hardcover, and ending the first "season" of the Grant Morrison/Liam Sharp series.
• Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Space-Traveling Heroes HC
This had been previously solicited back in March of last year and then cancelled (as Green Lantern/Green Arrow by Denny O' Neil & Mike Grell Vol. 1), so I'm glad to see it back again. This is Green Lantern/Green Arrow (formerly Green Lantern) #90-106 from the 1970s, including appearances by Sinestro, Katma Tui, Air Wave, and Black Canary.
• He-Man and The Masters of the Multiverse TP
Collecting the six-issue miniseries by Tim Seeley. That they altered the art style here to present the 1980s Filmation characters "authentically" next to the movie characters and others is hilarious and clever.
• John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 1: Marks of Woe TP
The first six issues (previously five) of the new Sandman Universe series by Si Spurrier, plus the Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer special and Books of Magic #14.
• The Joker: Killer Smile HC
The three-issue miniseries by Green Arrow team Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, plus the Batman: The Smile Killer special. This wouldn't hold much interest for me except that Lemire and Sorrentino were a powerhouse team before.
• Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1: Millennium HC
Collects Brian Michael Bendis' Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1-2 and Legion of Super-Heroes #1-6 in hardcover.
• Lucifer Vol. 3: The Wild Hunt TP
Issues #14-19 of the Sandman Universe series, with an appearance by John Constantine.
• Promethea: The Deluxe Edition Book Three HC
Issues #24-32, the final issues, by Alan Moore and J. H. Williams.
• Superboy: A Celebration of 75 Years HC
An awfully nice cross-section, collecting adventures of the original Superboy (More Fun Comics #101, Superboy #10 and #89, Adventure Comics #210, #247, #271, #369, and #370, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #233 and #259), Superboy Prime (!) (DC Comics Presents #87 and Infinite Crisis #6) Conner Kent (Adventures of Superman #501, Superboy #59, Teen Titans #24, Adventure Comics #2, Young Justice #3), and Jon Kent (Superman [2016] #6, #10, and #11).
• Superman: City of Tomorrow Vol. 2 TP
Following the "Superman Y2K" stories by Jeph Loeb and company, this is Superman #155-159, Adventures of Superman #577-581, Action Comics #764-768, and Superman: The Man of Steel #99-103, the 'Til Death Do Us Part and Critical Condition collections (plus a couple uncollected issues, I think). Next up would be the "Emperor Joker" storyline.
• Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 HC
It seems DC has altered the contents between the first solicitations and now, making this book somewhat shorter than it was before. Hard to say what will stick. Now this is Action Comics #584-587 (previously to #593), Adventures of Superman #424-428 (previously to #435), Superman #1-4 (previously to #11), and The Man of Steel #1-6. Removed entirely (because the book no longer collects up to this point) are Action Comics Annual #1, Adventures of Superman Annual #1, Superman Annual #1, and Legion of Super-Heroes #37-38.
• Teen Titans/Deathstroke: The Terminus Agenda TP
Paperback of the crossover, collecting Deathstroke #41-42 and Teen Titans #28-30, by Christopher Priest and Adam Glass.
I'm in for the Paul Dini Omnibus, Bendis's Legion run and that's about it. I want to read Priest's Deathstroke run at some point, but I've got a pretty deep stack I'm still going through right now (and have a massive order coming soon from CGN).
ReplyDeleteThe Flash by Simone collection does pique my interest a bit. I like her, generally, and have had no interest in anything DC has done with the Flash since Flashpoint (well, Flash Forward might be interesting, but who knows what'll happen w/Wally after 5G gets retooled).
Lots of stuff for me, but really excited about the 1970s GL/GA book. I had wondered about that previous solicit of a Vol 1, because Mike Grell didn't really do that many GL issues although he did a lot of covers. At least half of the stories in this volume were penciled by Alex Saviuk.
ReplyDeleteLegion will be a get as I'm a huge Legion fan and so far have been reading this series digitally, so it will be nice to see it on paper. The New 52 Batgirl is a no because I just bought up all the trades and don't want to double dip.
Deathstroke, Batman GA Omni, Constantine, Dreaming, GL, Collapser, maybe some other books. Great month for collectors/readers.
I'll definitely be getting Green Lantern Green Arrow. In India, as a kid I read a few locally published Green Lantern Green Arrow shorts by Dennis O'Neil. Subsequently I looked for them in the Green Lantern Green Arrow trades by O'Neil Adams and didn't find them. Later looked up to understand that the art was by Grell.
ReplyDeleteAlso the Superman City of Tomorrow V2. I was holding out on getting V1 until V2 sees print. Given that sometimes a second volume might not come out or get cancelled, I didn't want to double dip on the first as I have all six older numbered trades. However, given that they have only recently reprinted Emperor Joker and President Lex in new editions I don't think there will be a V3. I would love, however, to have issues post President Lex collected...this was one of my favourite eras and I want to see collections reach both the end of the Loeb McGuinness run as well as the Joe Kelly Russian Zod story.
This is the first month in a while that I'm not getting any trades/collected editions. There are some that have some appeal (the GL/GA: Space-Traveling Heroes, Batman by Paul Dini Omnibus, and Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 8 volumes), but nothing that is screaming, "Buy me!" at this point.
ReplyDeleteIf only they would put out the fabled edition of Promethea with double-wide pages so all the double-spreads were on single pages. Maybe with a little sea change at DC that may happen eventually...
ReplyDeleteSo they did the Byrne Wonder Woman run as regular-sized hardcovers (not deluxe or omnibus) and now are doing the same with his Superman run? I guess they will match (along with the DC Universe by Byrne volume), but didn't they just do Byrne's Doom Patrol in omnibus size? So it isn't like they are planning to do all DC HC Byrne in one format.
ReplyDelete