DC Trade Solicitations for September 2021 — Far Sector, Milestone Compendium One, Other History of the DC Universe, Joker Vol. 1, Flash Vol. 15: Finish Line, Sandman Deluxe Book Four, American Vampire 1976, Batgirl of Burnside Omnibus

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:

• American Vampire 1976

Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s newest American Vampire miniseries, collecting issues #1-10.

• Batgirl of Burnside Omnibus

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

August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 More upcoming collections ...

• 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.

• Far Sector

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.

• Inferior Five

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.

• The Joker Vol. 1

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.

• Milestone Compendium One

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.