I don’t have a particularly big pull list from the DC Comics September 2021 hardcover and trade paperback solicitations, but there’s a bunch of books here I feel like I’ve been waiting a while for.
Predominant is N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s Far Sector, the Young Animal series that’s gotten rave reviews, and with the added bonus that Green Lantern Jo Mullein is continuing to the main series. In that same “waiting a while” category is, finally, the collection of John Ridley’s The Other History of the DC Universe, and also Joshua Williamson’s Flash takes its bow. You all have been telling me that one’s good, so I’m holding you to it.
Next, everyone needs to put in their preorder for the Milestone Compendium One. First of all, not since the Jack Kirby Fourth World omnibuses have we seen a collection of semi-connected series like this all in one book — one wonders if these will be presented in publication order or series by series. Second of all, this is such a thing that the Milestone line has deserved for so long, and most of what’s collected here are the better known books — for titles like Static’s team Heroes, we need this collections series to run to its finish, hence the pre-orders. (If you need a third, the next volume ought collect the never-collected DC/Milestone crossover “Worlds Collide.”)
Other notable titles on the list, we get James Tynion’s first Joker collection, Keith Giffen and Jeff Lemire’s Inferior Five, and the Sandman Deluxe Editions keep rolling out.
Those are my picks — let’s take a look at the full list:
Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s newest American Vampire miniseries, collecting issues #1-10.
Collects the latter part of Batgirl's New 52 adventures, the "Burnside era" — Batgirl #35-52, Batgirl Annual #3, Secret Origins #10 and DC Sneak Peek: Batgirl #1.
Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations |
• Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Omnibus Vol. 2
In hardcover, collecting Batman #34-52 (being the Joker "Endgame" event through "Superheavy" and the end of Snyder and Capullo's regular run), a story from Detective Comics #27, Batman Annual #3-4, Batman: Futures End #1, DC Sneak Peek: Batman #1, a story from Detective Comics #1000, and Batman: Last Knight on Earth #1-3. That inclusion of Last Knight is pretty key for bringing a lot of the other "flash forwards" in the series to fruition. I'd venture all that's missing for the full reading experience is Dark Knights: Metal given how that book tied together some of the other otherwise-random pieces of this series.
• Batman Vol. 1: Their Dark Designs
Paperback of James Tynion's first arc on Batman, issues #85-94 and Secret Files #3. I tell you what, I liked this one a lot, and Batman Vol. 2: The Joker War was a surprising disappointment afterward. I'm hoping the third volume is a return to form.
• Batman: Last Knight on Earth
Speaking of which, here’s the paperback, following the hardcover, of the three-issue DC Black Label series by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. This is also collected in the solicitations in the Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo Omnibus Vol. 2.
• Batman/Superman Vol. 2: World's Deadliest
Issues #7-15 and the first annual by Joshua Williamson, in paperback following the hardcover. My recent review.
The collection of Far Sector feels like it's been a long time coming and I'm eager to read it, especially since it's been getting such good reviews and that Green Lantern Jo Mullein will be appearing in the main title after Future State. By N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell, arriving finally in October.
• The Flash Vol. 15: Finish Line
Being the final collection of Flash by writer Joshua Williamson, this should be about issues #756-762, ahead of a short run by Kevin Shinick, “Endless Winter,” and Future State. You all are telling me this one is pretty good, so let’s see ...
• Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters Saga Omnibus Vol. 2
The latter half of Mike Grell's Green Arrow run, including Green Arrow #51-80, Green Arrow Annual #4-6, Who's Who #14, Brave and the Bold #1-6, Shado: Song of the Dragon #1-4, and Green Arrow: The Wonder Year #1-4. Yes, the recent Grell paperbacks did not include the Shado or Brave and the Bold miniseries and yes, I am still annoyed and would like one more paperback.
There is a whole lot about an Inferior Five miniseries set in the midst of DC’s 1980s Invasion! crossover and with contributions by Keith Giffen and Jeff Lemire that I’m very interested in. But consider me part of the problem, because low sales (for the niche pitch and also people like me waiting for the trade) caused this to be cut down from 12 to six issues. Obviously, perhaps bizarrely, DC thinks there’s a market for the trade (maybe because of the Peacemaker material); if it comes out, I’ll get it, though I’m myself wary of a plotted miniseries that got cut in half.
In hardcover, collecting issues #1-6 by James Tynion and Guillem March, following Infinite Frontier #0. I'm most excited here to see James Gordon get the spotlight and also for the return of Bluebird Harper Row.
• Man-Bat
Can't get too excited about a five-issue Man-Bat miniseries that either ignores the character's portrayal in Justice League Dark or is out-and-out out of continuity. Wonder what incarnation of apparently Suicide Squad appears here.
I have thought from time to time about trying to pick up all the existing Milestone trades — here DC just made it easy for me. This is said to be Blood Syndicate #1-12, Hardware #1-12, Icon #1-10, Static #1-8, and Xombi #0-11, and Shadow Cabinet #0 (being, among other things, the "Shadow War" inter-title crossover). Hopefully this keeps going through the rest of the Milestone books and minis, through to Milestone’s appearances in the regular DCU and the character appearances from the late 2000s Brave and the Bold series. For reference, the Worlds Collide crossover would coincide with the next book.
• The Other History of the DC Universe
Also a long time coming, John Ridley's five-issue miniseries, coming in hardcover in November.
• The Sandman: The Deluxe Edition Book Four
I would like these all to come out before the Netflix series debuts. Thank you and good night.
Arriving in November, this is issues #51-69 and Vertigo Jam #1, being the "World's End" and "Kindly Ones" collections. (Next and last, I would certainly hope, should be "The Wake," issues #70-75, plus Sandman: Overture, Endless Nights, and the two versions of Dream Hunters.)
• Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 4
Said to collect Superman #16-22, Adventures of Superman #439-444, Action Comics #598-600, the Superman Annual #2, and Doom Patrol #10. The solicitation calls this the “final volume,” so unfortunately it doesn’t look good for a continuing series of the post-Crisis Superman series.
• Wonder Woman by George Perez Vol. 6
The final of the smaller paperback cut-down collections of the Wonder Woman by George Perez omnibuses, collecting Wonder Woman #58–62 and War of the Gods #1–4. This maps exactly to the Wonder Woman: War of the Gods omnibus, but in comparison to the Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus Vol. 3 it leaves out the Wonder Woman issues #168–169 and #600 short story by Perez.
Did you know you can basically read the post-Crisis Wonder Woman (Vol. 2) straight through from #1 to the end of John Byrne’s run with #136? Then it picks up again with the Phil Jimenez run through to Greg Rucka and the end. Shame Eric Luke’s run isn’t collected, for completeness sake.
If I did my math right, it'd be 5 total compendiums to get all the Milestone comics properly archived. I have NO faith in DC to get them all out, but I'll be buying the first one and hoping for a second.
ReplyDeleteThat's my only official September pull (well, Deathstroke's omni was advance solicited). I'll be getting the GA, Batgirl, and Batman omnis, but they all show up in November.
Yeah, Milestone Compendium really is a volume by volume basis. And the Milestone re-do in general, since DC's record with both Milestone revamps and keeping imprints going are both suspect. But I'll vote with my wallet and hope for the best.
DeleteThat Man-Bat mini-series was actually really, really good, and leads directly into his appearances in Justice League Dark
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard much about it and it didn't seem in-continuity to me, so I'm glad to hear this.
DeleteHe is correct , on both counts.....it is a prequel and it is very good
DeleteThe Superman: Exile Omnibus picks up directly after Man of Steel Vol.4, so that series has already been continued.
ReplyDeleteSure, but that has proved itself to be a one-off, whereas this new line of Man of Steel paperback volumes had the potential to continue (Vol. 4 could have begotten a Vol. 5 and so on).
DeleteMaybe they will start a new series since Man of Steel is so connected to John Byrne's run? I remember originally, they were going to do a "Superman: Man of Tomorrow" series that eventually evolved into the Exile omnibus.
DeleteStill bugs me that these Byrne Superman collections skip out on his 3 "World of ......" miniseries
DeleteMan-Bat series takes place before Justice League Dark, and mentions that in a little * box in like the first or 2nd issue. I got all the floppies, I enjoyed it. 🙂 If you liked JLD, I'd recommend it. Looking forward to FarSector. Thanks!
ReplyDeletelots of Good Stuff , that Milestone collection ,wow.....the Inferior 5 , should be fine, as 7 to 12 were going to be a 2nd arc , according to Giffen (also 5 and 6 were never published)
ReplyDelete5 and 6 got a digital release recently but this will be the first physical release of them. I read the first issue and thought it was incomprehensible
Delete"Did you know you can basically read the post-Crisis Wonder Woman (Vol. 2) straight through from #1 to the end of John Byrne’s run with #136?"
ReplyDeleteExcept for issue #65, which inexplicably wasn't included in "Wonder Woman Book 1: The Last True Hero".
Yeah, that is an unfortunate oversight. I'd bet they were trying to keep it to the Loebs issues but agreed, it should have been in there.
DeleteThe weird thing is they included all the non-Loebs issues in Book 2.
Delete