Over 25 collections listed in the DC Comics August 2022 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations — after a drought, got to say it feels like things are cooking in the Infinite Frontier era. From Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3 to Robin Vol. 2, Task Force Z Vol. 1 to King Shark to Robins: Being Robin, no small amount of regular series, mainstream books on the horizon (even if some of the ship dates have bumped from September to October or November). And that’s not to mention Justice League Incarnate and both the Trial of the Amazons and War for Earth-3 crossover collections.
I’m also glad to see the Punchline: Trial of Alexis Kaye collection, not because I particularly favor the hubbub over Punchline, but I do find interesting the in-universe hubbub over Punchline that mirrors reality, and I’m happy to see DC seems committed to collecting the various backup stories and specials of the Infinite Frontier era. At the same time, some wrong lessons perhaps being learned from all the success of DC’s recent 12-issue, continuity-adjacent miniseries — volume one collections of Human Target, Dark Knights Of Steel, and DC vs. Vampires, where once upon a time I think DC would’ve waited and released each of these books as full stories.
All that, and will the Phantom Stranger Omnibus make it this time? Let’s take a look …
• American Vampire Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022 Edition)
New printing of the omnibus by Scott Snyder and company (with a short story by Stephen King), collecting American Vampire #1–27, American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #1–5, and American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1–5.
• American Vampire Omnibus Vol. 2
By Scott Snyder and company, collecting American Vampire #28–34, American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell #1, American Vampire: Anthology #1–2, American Vampire: Second Cycle #1–11, and American Vampire 1976 #1–10.
Collects the new series in paperback.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: Arkham Rising
In hardcover in September, the third collection by Mariko Tamaki includes "selections from" Detective Comics #1044–1046 and the 2021 Annual #1, ahead of the "Shadows of the Bat" event.
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Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations |
• Batman: Hush 20th Anniversary Edition
Twenty years. Wow. Collects Batman #608-619 and the story from Wizard #0, as well as "tons of behind-the-scenes material" and a new cover.
• Batman: The Long Halloween: Haunted Knight Deluxe Edition
Once Batman: The Long Halloween made it big, DC released as "Haunted Knight" the three stories Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale did before it that weren't so well known. History repeats itself, as now following the deluxe editions of Long Halloween, Dark Victory, and Catwoman: When in Rome is a deluxe of Haunted Knight, collecting again Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1, Batman: Madness - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1, and Batman: Ghosts, A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1.
• Batman: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Batman #101–116 and Detective Comics #233–257. Said to include "restored versions of iconic tales such as 'The Batwoman,' 'The Bat-Ape,' and 'The Rainbow Batman'"
• Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 3
In paperback, said to collect issues #11–16. Spotlights include Batman and Zatanna and Ace the Bat-Hound. A previously solicitation also mentioned the Wight Witch/Ghost-Maker story.
In paperback, collecting the eight-issue miniseries by Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook in paperback in September. Could you ever have imagined a future where Blue Beetle and Booster Gold were around to navigate "internet influencers"?
• Blue Beetle: Jaime Reyes Book One
Issues #1-12 of the original Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle series by Keith Giffen and Cully Hamner. It'll be interesting to see if DC will continue this through Jaime's various continuities — this, the post-Crisis series, then the New 52 series, then the Rebirth series. Timed, of course, for the new movie, which I'm eager to see.
• DC Dark Knights Of Steel Vol. 1
Collects just issues #1-6 in hardcover. I'm a shoo-in to read this eventually, but depending on timing I might wait until all 12 issues are collected at once.
Issues #1-6 by James Tynion. I might also wait for a full collection of this one but I don't feel as strongly as DC collecting only half of Tom King's Human Target (travesty!). Hardcover in September.
• The Flash by Mark Waid Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Flash #62–91, Flash Annual #4–6, Green Lantern #30–31 and #40, Flash Special #1, and Justice League Quarterly #10, being about the first three Flash by Mark Waid paperbacks and collecting among others the “Return of Barry Allen” storyline and the Zero Hour tie-in that debuted Impulse.
• Future State: Gotham Vol. 2: The Next Joker
Previously said to be issues #8–12 by Dennis Culver and Giannis Milonogiannis.
In hardcover, by Brandon Thomas, Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz, and more, collecting the first six issues of the new series and Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0. Coming in October.
Boo, I say boo, to the hardcover collection of Tom King and Greg Smallwood's The Human Target that only collects issues #1-6. I mean, all best to the creators that maybe the first collection drums up more interest for the end of the series, but I'm holding out for the deluxe collection with all the issues. If it was good enough for Rorschach, it should be good enough for Human Target.
In hardcover in October (previously announced for September), collecting Joshua Williamson’s multiversal follow-up miniseries to Infinite Frontier.
In hardcover in September by Vita Ayala and Stephanie Williams. Said to collect the story from Infinite Frontier #0 and the six-issue miniseries, seemingly including the “Trial of the Amazons” tie-in issues.
• The Phantom Stranger Omnibus
This was previously announced in DC Comics Fall 2020 solicitations in March 2020, so not entirely surprising it never made it to print. Here it is again, due out in November 2022. Contents said to be The Phantom Stranger #1-6 (1952), The Phantom Stranger #1-41 (1969), stories from Saga of the Swamp Thing #1-13, Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #18, Brave and the Bold #89, #98, and #145, Showcase #80, Justice League of America #103, House of Secrets #150, DC Super-Stars #18, Secret Origins #10, and DC Comics Presents #25 and #72.
• Punchline: The Trial of Alexis Kaye
Various Punchline spotlight and backup stories, including from Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, The Joker #1–15. Mentioned also in a previous solicitation were Punchline #1 and a story/stories from Batman: Urban Legends. In hardcover in September.
In paperback in September, collects Robin #7-12 and Robin 2021 Annual #1 by Joshua Williamson. As with Batman Vol. 6: Abyss and Deathstroke, Inc. Vol. 1, this ends just before the "Shadow War" crossover.
In paperback in September, collecting the six-issue miniseries by Tim Seeley and Baldemar Rivas.
I’m not sure I would have run to this one, despite a writer and an artist I both like, Tim Seeley and Scott Kolins, but Seeley also brings back one of his Nightwing characters, too, and I’m curious how that all works together. The six-issue miniseries, in paperback in September.
• Task Force Z Vol. 1: Death's Door
I’m in to reading the Infinite Frontier era of books now and I’ve been very impressed to see the seemingly random seeds sprinkled early on that have come to fruition later — namely, that DC killing off one of its most well-known villains ultimately results in the Suicide-Squad-with-zombies series Task Force Z. What an insane concept. I’m excited; issues #1–6 by Matthew Rosenberg with Eddy Barrows arrive in hardcover in November; a previous solicitation, for September, also mentioned the backup stories from Detective Comics #1041–1043. One more volume to follow to finish up this miniseries.
On one hand I’m wary of an obvious TV-aligned Titans miniseries that might try to shoehorn TV continuity into the comics Titans; on the other hand, if this brings some sort of classic Hawk and Dove back to continuity, I’m all for it. And the HBO Max show is a guilty pleasure after all. Collects the seven-issue miniseries by Cavan Scott and Jose Luis, in paperback in September.
In hardcover in October, collecting Trial of the Amazons #1-2, Nubia and the Amazons #6, Wonder Woman #785- 786, and Trial of the Amazons: Wonder Girl #1-2 by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Stephanie Williams, and Vita Ayala.
In paperback in September, collecting the crossover issues Flash #780, Suicide Squad #13, and Teen Titans Academy #13 with War for Earth-3 #1–2.
• Wonder Woman by George Pérez Omnibus (2022 Edition)
A new printing of the omnibus collection of Wonder Woman #1-24 and Wonder Woman Annual #1 by the late, great George Pérez.
• Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 5
Collects Action Comics #142, Wonder Woman #35-47, and Sensation Comics #90-104.
While I am normally with you about collecting a whole maxi series in one book, I kind of understand why they are collecting Human Target the way they are. Because the art is taking a lot of time they are taking a sizable chunk of time off after issue 6. I am assuming they are hoping that this book will keep people interested. Either way I probably also will wait until a Deluxe edition comes out.
ReplyDeleteSame here......but it's hard not to get it as it's a story I really want to read......I am going to have to resist and wait for the inevitable Deluxe Edition that will come out in a few years.
DeleteI hadn't heard about Human Target taking a break ... well, I do want what's best for the title ultimately. Just impatient to finally read it!
DeleteThank you for this! This time around, I am looking forward to more DC books than I have in the past few months. American Vampire Vol 2 to complete that series, Blue and Gold (because it's Beetle and Booster together again), Dark Knights of Steel (Tom Taylor's always great with alternate reality tales).
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'll wait for the complete collection of the Human Target....don't like when they split it up into 6 issue collections. I remember them doing that with Doomsday Clock....which for some strange reason went to a complete collection only in paperback.....with no Deluxe Hardcover....and soon an Absolute....
Task Force Z looks interesting as does War for Earth 3....but I've heard that Trial of the Amazons isn't that great.
I wonder, does the Haunted Knight Deluxe edition contain the new one shot that was released last year?
I do not believe the Haunted Knight deluxe contains that new one-shot. Hard to know when that might be collected ... probably not never, but if I understand correctly, they intend to make it an annual event again, so maybe once there's a couple more released? That might take a few years.
DeleteI'd really love it if Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 5 also collected Sensation Comics 105-106 (and, accordingly, Wonder Woman:48-49, so as to keep the chronological order). Those were the last two issues of Sensation Comics starring Wonder Woman. It'd be a nice ending for this series just in case there's not enough interest to keep these beautiful omnibuses coming all the way to the last story of Wonder Woman drawn by the great Harry G. Peter, in Wonder Woman #97 (which would take about two more volumes).
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to get my hand on the Beetle book. After watching Brave and the Bold cartoon Jamie became one of my favourite heroes.
ReplyDeleteIt's really good! I have the paperbacks that came out way back when.....and remember really enjoying the series.
DeleteAgreed. I can also tell you this first iteration of the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle series (the pre-Flashpoint series, as opposed to the New 52 or Rebirth series) was the best of them.
DeleteDecent month for me: Justice Incarnate, War for Earth 3, and Trial of the Amazon event books, then Nubia, Robin, and Robins. I might grab King Shark and/or Batman: Urban Legends at some point, but I'm not sold on the B:UL books being worth it for me yet.
ReplyDelete