Another small month for collections in the DC Comics January 2022 hardcover and trade paperback solicitations. Two — two! — new regular series collections this month — Infinite Frontier and Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s first full Action Comics collection, a new Action Comics (collection) volume one.
Granted, those two are big ones — basically, once again the starting gun for (once again) the new DC Universe. But, y’know, two. And I wish Infinite Frontier was coming out a lot sooner. James Tynion’s Joker hardcover, which spins directly out of Infinite Frontier #0, is due out at the beginning of November, while the Infinite Frontier collection isn’t out for four more months, in February (and the new Superman collection, the new post-Dark Nights: Death Metal Wonder Woman collection, Crime Syndicate, etc., etc.).
Another book I’m interested in is Batman: The Detective, since Tom Taylor really has yet to disappoint. A couple weeks ago I was wishing James Tynion’s Nice House on the Lake had a collection, though now I might pass until there’s a collection of all 12 issues, not just six. Batman: The Imposter and Batman: The Penguin are obviously both movie tie-ins, maybe the first of more? Not for me, though I certainly see the need.
Uh, yeah? Have some poster portfolios? Let’s go ahead and dig in …
In hardcover, collecting the six-issue miniseries by Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert. That’s a powerhouse team — Kubert draws a great Batman, and Taylor’s star is on the rise. I might not usually stop for the Batman miniseries of the week, but I’m eager to see what these two do together. Coming in February.
Elseworlds-type Batman story by writer of the upcoming movie Mattson Tomlin, with art by the inimitable Andrea Sorrentino. In hardcover in February.
Timed, of course, for Colin Farrell's turn as Penguin in the new Batman movie, this is said to be Batman #155, Batman #374, Batman #548, Batman #549, Detective Comics #58 (omitted from previous solicitations), Detective Comics #610, Detective Comics #611, Detective Comics #824, Joker's Asylum: Penguin #1, and Penguin Triumphant #1. Essentially this is Batman Arkham: Penguin reprinted under another name.
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Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations |
The oft-solicited (and cancelled) Batwing Omnibus finds new life as a Batwing: Luke Fox collection. Don’t get me wrong, I love Camrus Johnson on Batwoman and especially his turn in the season finale, but these stories by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (previous solicitations had it as Batwing #19–34 and the Futures End issue) were not the best of the series. That distinction goes to the first dozen or so issues by Judd Winick, starring Congolese police office David Zavimbe as Batwing; I rather wish those were sharing in the spotlight.
It feels a little bit like the late 1990s/early 2000s again (or 2011 — check out the New 52-style spines on these books), but among the many good things about the forthcoming Black Adam movie is a bevy of Black Adam collections materials. This box set — a Black Adam box set, can you even imagine? — collects what’s now called Black Adam/JSA: Black Reign (formerly JSA Vol. 8: Black Reign, being JSA #56–58 and Hawkman #23–25, with the JSA losing the top billing in their own book), Shazam! Vol. 1 (the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank backup from the New 52 Justice League), and Black Adam: Rise and Fall of an Empire, a cut down of relevant pages from the 52 weekly series. That's going to encompass a few different origins for Black Adam? From a few different continuities? I wonder how well these three will read together.
• Catwoman of East End Omnibus
Rather surprised this has never been an omnibus before. Collects the Detective Comics #759-762 backup stories, issues #759–762, plus Ed Brubaker's 37-issue run, plus the Selina's Big Score graphic novel and Catwoman Secret Files.
In paperback, following the hardcover. Collects Generations Shattered, Generations Forged, and a story from Detective Comics #1027.
• DC Poster Portfolio: J.H. Williams III
Williams' covers, including art from Sandman: Overture, Batwoman, Hellblazer: Rise and Fall, and Promethea.
• DC Poster Portfolio: Jenny Frison
Gosh do I like Jenny Frison’s art. Surely the Wonder Woman covers will be in there, but I hope they get Low, Low Woods too.
• DCeased: Hope at World's End
In paperback, following the hardcover. I am eager, one day, for DCeased vs. DC vs. Vampires (and the sequel, Vs. Injustice).
• The Fourth World by Jack Kirby Box Set
Individual collections of New Gods, Mister Miracle, Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, and Forever People. Not the ideal way to read the saga, but dig the day-glo spine colors.
The next phase of the DC Universe, by Joshua Williamson, in hardcover. Sure with this was out sooner than February, given for instance we'll have the new Joker hardcover out in a couple weeks. Previously this was said to collect Infinite Frontier #0–6 and Infinite Frontier Secret Files #1, though no contents are listed now.
• The Nice House on the Lake Vol. One
It also feels like a long wait for the first collection of James Tynion's Nice House to hit. I'm often disinclined to get a trade of issues #1-6 of a 12-issue miniseries; inevitably there will be a full collection of all the issues. With Detective Comics artist Alvaro Martinez.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 1: Warworld Rising
Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s first full Action Comics collection, coming in February in paperback. Previously said to collect Action Comics #1030–1035.
• 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.
• Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven
In hardcover by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo.
• Teen Titans: Raven, Beast Boy, and Beast Boy Loves Raven Box Set
Box set of hardcovers, apparently, of the three YA graphic novels by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. Given lost memories and etc., I wonder how this will turn out — if indeed Beast Boy and Raven are the Titans we know-ish, just having lost their memories, or if there's a strange "experiments" aspect a la Jeff Lemire's Teen Titans: Earth One.
• Y: The Last Man Compendium Two
Issues #32-60 by Brian Vaughan and Pia Guerra, being the original paperback vols. 6-10 (Girl on Girl, Paper Dolls, Kimono Dragons, Motherland and Whys and Wherefores). Admittedly I have not started watching the TV adaptation yet, so I'm part of the problem, but I was sad to hear it wouldn't be ongoing.
It looks like only PKJ's Action this month, although I suppose I might eventually pick up Infinite Frontier and/or Batman: the Detective, depending on your reviews. Hard to see myself picking up anything else though.
ReplyDeleteReally not Infinite Frontier? You do you, of course, but I feel like that's a pass on a Rebirth-level event there.
DeleteI think I would be more compelled to pick it up if I liked Williamson more as a writer. I don't actively dislike his work, rather I just find it middling, and it's tricky for even good and excellent writers to thread the needle when writing an event comic. Again, I might still do so, but I want to see what you have to say first.
DeleteI'm with you on the Batwing stories. The later stuff starring Fox were forgettable.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know, did David Zavimbe not stick around because he wasn't built in to the Bat-universe like Lucius Fox's children, or because Africa and the African experience is so far removed from what the mainstream DCU features? I'd as soon read about something I haven't read before.
DeleteBatman: The Detective (I've liked Taylor in the past), Catwoman omni, and Infinite Frontier for me - I'll have to judge on my own if IF is sufficiently Morrison-y to stick with Williamson's subsequent books
ReplyDeleteThank you as always for pulling this together!
ReplyDeleteHmmm...some good books there, like Man of Steel Vol 4, Batman the Detective (Tom Taylor is turning out to be one of the better writers out there), Infinite Frontier (I'm a fan of Joshua Williamson as well....going back to his Nailbiter days), Batman Imposter (solely based on the fact that it has artwork by Andrea Sorrentino), and Superman Action comics (because....well....it's Superman).
I am getting tired that mostly every month the majority of titles are Batman or Batman related. DC has taken Detective Comics to another level. It's almost like all the other characters are basically sidelined.....Since Batman is arguably the company's most popular character, it makes business sense for them to focus mainly on him; however, I do miss the days when DC came out with a wider variety of collected editions.
Re: Brubaker's Catwoman omnibus...
ReplyDeleteGiven how lauded and beloved that run is (Brubaker's still my favorite Selina writer), yeah, it's surprising it's taken it this long to get the omnibus treatment.
Then again, it DID take DC a decade just to finally collect and re-print the run in its entirety (which didn't happen with the original TPB releases).
I really hope we get more collected editions of Man of steel. Seriously DC needs to start respecting Superman more
ReplyDeleteIt does, though unfortunately there's a big swath of Superman not collected after that.
ReplyDelete