I’ve alluded to this before, but truly of late I feel my comics habits changing. Whereas before something like Batman: One Dark Knight might not have been for me — what I might have considered a generic one-off Batman story — now I’m pretty interested to see what Jock offers in a DC Black Label Batman story. There’s a bunch of that in the DC Comics July 2022 hardcover and trade paperback solicitations — the whodunit Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox, Jeff Lemire’s Robin & Batman among them. Give me a good continuity-rich whopper any day, but a good writer’s personal take on a set of characters, no catching up on past events required? I’ll take that too, more readily than before.
Of course, said regular series titles are no slouch this month, either. I just enjoyed James Tynion’s first Joker collection, and here comes Joker Vol. 2. We’ve got “Fear State” tie-ins with Harley Quinn Vol. 2 and I Am Batman Vol. 1. Wonder Woman’s on the road to “Trial of the Amazons” with Wonder Woman Vol. 2 and Wonder Girl: Homecoming; a seemingly major corner of the new DCU arrives with Deathstroke Inc. Vol. 1. Plus more — all in all, a lot I’m looking forward to this month.
Let’s dig in and see.
• Batman vs. Robin: Road to War
In paperback in August, these are the stories by Robbie Thompson, Peter Tomasi, and Joshua Williamson across Teen Titans, Detective Comics, and Batman and Detective respectively that lead in to Williamson’s new Robin series and, by association, the “Shadow War” crossover. On one hand, I love these kinds of “follow a storyline, not a title” collections; on the other hand, on the assumption that the Batman/Detective backup stories get included in Williamson’s first Robin collection, there’s nothing here in this collection for me that I haven’t read elsewhere.
On the third hand(?!), I feel like DC seems to be putting a lot of stock in this storyline running up to “Shadow War” — do people need a collection specifically focused a split between Batman and Robin that’s now presumably resolved? Only thing I can think is that maybe the rumors about “Shadow War” tying in some unforeseen way to DC’s next big event are true and that might spark some interest in where it all began.
Anyway, collecting Teen Titans #43–44 and the Teen Titans Annual #2 (the inciting incidents of the rift between Batman and Robin Damian Wayne), Detective Comics #1032–1033 (follow-up by Tomasi with Damian quitting as Robin), Batman #106 (part one of a Robin backup story), and Detective Comics #1034 (part two of the backup story). A previous solicitation had a story from Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 (by Thompson, prelude to the rest), but that's now omitted from the listing.
• Batman: Curse of the White Knight Deluxe Edition
Deluxe-size edition of the second book in Sean Murphy’s “White Knight” series, eight issues plus the Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze one-shot.
In hardcover in July, collecting the three-issue miniseries written and drawn by Jock. If it says DC Black Label on it, it's worth a look for me.
• Constantine: Distorted Illusions
I was thinking this was a sequel YA Constantine graphic novel, but it’s not — this one, with a teen-ish John Constantine, is by Kami Garcia, whereas the original one I was thinking of was The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher: A Johnny Constantine Graphic Novel, starring a kid-ish Constantine, by Ryan North. Not one but two kids' books starring the Hellblazer himself — who’d ever would have thunk it.
The solicitation calls Garcia’s book a “magical team-up,” though it doesn’t say who Constantine is teaming up with; if I had to guess from the cover, however, I’d venture that’s Black Canary in rock singer mode and maybe Zatanna.
• DC Poster Portfolio: Brian Bolland
Solicitation offers this'll range from Animal Man to the Joker.
• Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales
Just so much creative kids' stuff coming out from DC these days. By Franco and friends.
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Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations |
• Deathstroke Inc. Vol. 1: King of the Super-Villains
In hardcover in August, issues #1-7 by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter and others, plus a story from Batman: Urban Legends #6. This ends just before the "Shadow War" crossover, contemporaneous with Batman Vol. 6: Abyss.
• Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens Omnibus (2022 Edition)
Paul Dini and friends’ Gotham City Sirens #1–26 and the Catwoman #83 special.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 2: Keepsake
The second volume by Stephanie Nicole Phillips and Riley Rossmo. Issues #7-12, including three “Fear State” issues, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and more.
• Harley Quinn: 30 Years of the Maid of Mischief: The Deluxe Edition
If I’m understanding correctly, there’s going to be a Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special, and this is a deluxe hardcover of a story or stories from that plus the following: Batman Adventures #12, Detective Comics #831, Batman and Robin Adventures #18, Batman: Gotham Adventures #10, Batman: Gotham Knights #14, Harley Quinn #3, Gotham City Sirens #20–21, Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1, Harley Quinn: Be Careful What You Wish For Special Edition #1, Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1, Harley Quinn: Make 'Em Laugh #3, and Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red #14.
• Harley Quinn: The Animated Series Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour
Interesting that the collection of the Tee Franklin miniseries is listed as Vol. 1, since it collects the whole thing, issues #1–6. Does this suggest more to come?
• House of Mystery: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 3
Issues #227–254 of the 1970s series.
In hardcover, collecting issues #0–5 of the new series by John Ridley.
• The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox
In hardcover in August by Matthew Rosenberg, Jesus Merino, and others, collecting the seven-issue whodunit miniseries. I’m excited to read this one and not figure out who did it before the end (I never do!).
The second collection from James Tynion and Guillem March, in hardcover in August, collecting issues #6–9 and the 2021 Annual #1. Seems like kind of a short trade, but what do I know. I would imagine the next collection will go to #15, the end of this “season”.
• Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity
Paperback of Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity (which I reviewed), following the hardcover, by Kami Garcia. Said to include an “all-new story from the Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special.”
• Kamandi by Jack Kirby Vol. 1
Kamandi #1–20 by Jack Kirby.
• New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022 Edition)
Just as this series of New Teen Titans reprints is ending, looks like DC’s going back to print them all over again. Good that they’ll be available, though I wanted to see the series continue on to the New Titans era. Collects the New Teen Titans first appearance in DC Comics Presents #26, plus New Teen Titans #1-20, New Teen Titans Annual #1, Best of DC (Blue Ribbon Digest) #18, and Tales of the New Teen Titans #1-4.
In hardcover in August, collecting the three-issue miniseries by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. DC's struggle with their canonical version of Dick Grayson's costume continues.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 2: The Arena
The second collection by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, collected in paperback, and connecting (after a fashion) with Superman and the Authority. Collects issues #1036-1041.
• The Swamp Thing Volume 2: Conduit
Issues #5–10 by Ram V and Mike Perkins. This finishes the first “season” of the comic, which has recently been extended with a second season of issues #11–16.
Continuing the long-awaited collection series, this is Who’s Who in the DC Universe #1-16 (what I believe is the 1990s "loose-leaf" version), Who’s Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1-7, and Who’s Who Update 1993 #1-2.
Said to collect Joelle Jones' Wonder Girl #1-7, Future State: Wonder Woman #1-2, the vignette from Infinite Frontier #0, and (new to this solicitation) Trial of the Amazons: Wonder Girl #1-2. I'd find it hard to believe if those last two issues aren't also in the Trial of the Amazons collection proper. In hardcover in August.
Collects issues #1–6 of the series.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Through a Glass Darkly
The second collection of Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad's run, collecting Wonder Woman #780-784, the Wonder Woman 2021 Annual #1, and what's said to be just one story from the Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1. “Trial of the Amazons” ties in to this series beginning with issue #785.
I'm putting a hold on my regular DC books for a while as I try and figure out if I'm interested in this Infinite Frontier era or not.
ReplyDeleteBut definitely getting the House of Mystery and Who's Who omnis, and the YA/Kids books. The first Kids book about Constantine was pretty good and these are some of the best material DC is putting out these days.
I mentioned this before, but the main reason I want to buy the Who's Who Omnibus Vol.2 is because what I REALLY want is a Secret Origins Omnibus. And spending money on this seems like the best way of suggesting to DC that there would be some financial benefit in doing so.
ReplyDeleteI am torn over whether to buy the Joker Vol. 2, along with Vol. 1, or do I "wait it out" to see if DC published a single volume collection of the entire series a year from now?
Too much batman as usual
ReplyDeleteIf Superman: Action Comics Vol. 2: The Arena really is 240 pages long as Amazon's listing says, I guess it will also include the Batman/Superman: Authority Special and the 2021 annual, both of which were written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson. The special is particularly important because it bridges the gap between Morrison's Superman and the Authority mini and this arc.
ReplyDeleteI hope so! I've been concerned that I haven't seen the Batman/Superman: Authority Special listed in the contents of any trades yet.
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