It was a nine-month wait between the DC Comics collections catalog two seasons ago and the last most recent one; I’m very glad that it was only five months between that one and the DC Comics Spring 2023 trade paperback and hardcover catalog solicitations. Hopefully that means we’re back on track.
Big news of course this time around is the Dark Crisis hardcover, coming June 2023; that’ll be accompanied by the Dark Crisis: Young Justice and Tales From Dark Crisis collections. I’ve been purposefully trying to steer clear of Dark Crisis details, so I don’t know if that’s all the event-branded material that needs collecting or not — if they do get it down to three collections, that’s a lot of restraint. And yeah, that’s a long time to wait, especially since I think Dark Crisis wraps early next year; we’ll have to see what happens there.
Another curiosity is that apparently DC will be re-releasing the Batman: One Bad Day single-issue one-shots as hardcovers — so far one a month beginning in February 2023 and kicking off with Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler. That’s weird, and what seems like something of a money grab, taking 64-page comics and simply publishing them again as individual hardcovers — I could only hope some notable story about each of the villains is included to pad these out. At the same time, had DC just started there, and been releasing standalone Batman villain spotlight original graphic novels one a month for 2023, I’d have been all over this as a great idea and a win for trade-waiters. So I’m a bit excited about this nonetheless.
As I mentioned for the DC Fall 2022 catalog, what I notice in these listings is almost no collections of anything older than early post-Crisis on Infinite Earths material with few exceptions; there is nothing specifically branded with Golden or Silver Age. And no, that other collections series is not continuing yet, and not that one either. All of this I know will be quite concerning to some. DC is still pumping out regular series collections, but by and large the plan seems to be selling collections as another way to read the regular series, not collections as particularly archival or bringing uncollected material into the modern light.
Whether that is still a symptom of global supply shortages or DC’s new normal (by choice or necessity), it might be too soon to tell, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it.
Let’s take a look at the full list.
• Absolute Death Metal
Collects issues #1–7 of the Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo event, in Absolute format.
• Adam Strange: Between Two Worlds
I rather wish DC would do more like this for their "minor" characters. As far as the description goes, this seems to be Richard Burning and Andy Kubert's three-issue Adam Strange: The Man of Two Worlds 1990 post-Crisis miniseries, Mark Waid's JLA #20-21 from 1998, and Andy Diggle and Pascal Ferry's eight-issue Adam Strange: Planet Heist from 2004. Three different creative teams separated by years, but picking up from one another to tell a related story. It's not by any stretch the full modern history of Adam Strange, but it's a good overview of his pre-Flashpoint years. Martian Manhunter could use a collection like this, Red Tornado, etc.
• Aquaman & The Flash: Voidsong
Movie star meets movie star in paperback by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing.
• Aquaman: Andromeda
Ram V writing a DC Black Label horror story starring Aquaman feels like about all I could want write now. Glad to see Black Label branching out beyond just Superman, Batman (and Harley Quinn and the Joker), and Wonder Woman. In hardcover in February.
• Batgirls Vol. 2
The second collection by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad, in paperback in March.
[See the latest DC trade solicitations.]
• Batman Vol. 1: Failsafe
In hardcover in March, the first collection by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez. Should start with issue #125.
• Batman Vol. 5: Fear State
Paperback collection of James Tynion’s issues #112–117.
• Batman vs. Robin
In hardcover in July by Mark Waid, spinning out of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest and the latest Robin series.
• The Batman Who Laughs Deluxe Edition
Deluxe-size hardcover collection of the miniseries and specials by Scott Snyder and Jock.
• Batman: Beyond the White Knight
In hardcover in June 2023, collecting Batman: Beyond the White Knight #1–8 and Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood #1–2.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: The Neighborhood
Paperback collection of Mariko Tamaki’s issues #1034–1039.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2: Fear State
Paperback, following the hardcover, of Mariko Tamaki and Dan Mora’s Detective Comics #1040–1046 and Batman: Secret Files: Huntress.
• Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4 Riddle Me This
Issues #1059-1061 by Mariko Tamaki and marking the end of Tamaki’s run on the series, ahead of Ram V.
• Batman: Fear State Saga
Paperback of the comprehensive collection, including Batman #112-117, Batman Secret Files: The Gardener #1, Batman Secret Files: Peacekeeper #1, Batman Secret Files: Miracle Molly #1, Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1, and Batman: Fear State: Omega #1.
• Batman: Fortress
In hardcover, collecting the eight-issue miniseries by Gary Whitta and Darick Robertson. Can’t say I really understand what this is about, but Batman manning the Fortress of Solitude is enough of a start for me.
• Batman: Gotham Knights – Gilded City
In hardcover in July 2023 by Evan Narcisse and Abel, leading in to the Gotham Knights video game and apparently introducing Runaway, the Batman of the 1800s.
• Batman: One Bad Day: Bane
Another of the One Bad Day one-shots in hardcover, in July 2023, by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter.
• Batman: One Bad Day: Catwoman
In hardcover in June 2023 by G. Willow Wilson and Jamie McKelvie.
• Batman: One Bad Day: Mr. Freeze
Arriving in hardcover in May 2023 by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Scalero.
• Batman: One Bad Day: Penguin
In hardcover in April 2023, Other History of the DC Universe's John Ridley and Giuseppe Camuncoli on Penguin.
• Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler
So it seems like DC intends to take each of the "Batman: One Bad Day" 64-page one-shots and re-release them as individual hardcovers, starting with this one. The page count says 88 pages; not sure if that's simply the title page and variant covers or if DC might include like the character's first appearance or some other definitive story in these books. Not like we haven't seen issues like Action Comics #1000 go straight from single issue to collection, but this seems a little strange; might've been cool to see DC release these as hardcover "trades" right off. This one's by Tom King and Mitch Gerads.
• Batman: One Bad Day: Two-Face
In hardcover in March 2023, by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Fernandez.
• Batman: Reptilian
Paperback of the six-issue miniseries.
• Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 7
Collects Batman #474, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #27, Detective Comics #634-638, #641, and #643, and Detective Comics Annual #4. Batman and Legends are in there as part of the "Destroyer" crossover, which introduced a new-look Gotham in line with the first Tim Burton movie; the annual is an "Armageddon 2001" tie-in. Stories written by Kelley Puckett, Louise Simonson, Peter Milligan, and Alan Grant.
Just for comparison, Detective issues #639-640 that aren’t included here are in the Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 5 collection; issue #642 is in the Caped Crusader Vol. 6 collection. Meanwhile, Batman #474, collected here, would have fallen between Caped Crusader Vols. 5 and 6. Caped Crusader Vol. 6 was, I’m pretty sure, the final volume of that series, ending just before the Prelude to Knightfall collection. I’m guessing Dark Knight Detectivehas one more volume to go to end before "Knightfall" and Detective #654.
• Batman: The Detective
Paperback of Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert’s six-issue miniseries, following the hardcover.
• Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham (New Edition)
New paperback printing of the Lovecraft-ian 2000 Elseworlds miniseries written by Mike Mignola, who also drew covers, with art by Troy Nixey.
• Batman: The Imposter
Paperback, following the hardcover, of the Batman-movie adjacent miniseries by Mattson Tomlin and Andrea Sorrentino. I reviewed Batman: Imposter and thought it was pretty well done.
• Batman: The Knight Vol. 1
Interesting that the hardcover for Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico’s Batman: The Knight is listed as Vol. 1, even though it seems to collect the whole 10-issue miniseries. Coming in July 2023, after Zdarsky’s Batman Vol. 1: Failsafe arrives in March.
• Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 5
Not much in the way of contents listed, but we’re somewhere in the late teens of this title by now, including appearances by fellow movie stars Aquaman, Black Adam, and Flash; possibly also Etrigan the Demon and the newest incarnation of the Outsiders.
• Batman/Superman: World's Finest Vol. 1
In hardcover by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, coming in March.
• Birds of Prey: The End of the Beginning
Following the recent Birds of Prey: Whitewater, this is another larger-page-count collection of the original Birds of Prey series. Said to include issues #113-#127, so the original Birds of Prey: Metropolis or Dust and Platinum Flats, give or take a couple issues from elsewhere. Mostly written by Tony Bedard with a couple issues by Sean McKeever; this was after Gail Simone departed with issue #108 and before Simone returned for the second series.
• Black Adam Vol. 1
In paperback, surprisingly, by Christopher Priest and Rafa Sandoval, coming in May.
• Blood Syndicate: Season One
In hardcover, collects issues #1–6 of the relaunched series by Geoffrey Thorne and ChrisCross.
• Blue Beetle: Jaime Reyes Book Two
Second expanded collection of the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle series. Solicitation is talking about issues from the middle of the Rebirth run when the first book didn't even finish the pre-Flashpoint material, letting alone the New 52 run, so probably that's not right. And at this point I think this volume's publication depends a lot on whether the Blue Beetle movie still goes ahead.
• Catwoman Vol. 2
Second volume by Tini Howard, in paperback in May.
• Dark Crisis
In hardcover in June 2023, so we only have to wait … about another year for this one to arrive. Collects the seven-issue event by Joshua Williamson.
• Dark Crisis: Young Justice
In hardcover, currently scheduled for June 13, 2023, the week before the actual Dark Crisis hardcover (so that might change), collecting the six-issue tie-in by Meghan Fitzmartin.
• DC Pride 2022
Said to collect DC Pride 2022, featuring a Teen Justice story by Danny Lore and Ivan Cohen, and also the DC Pride: Tim Drake special, which itself I believe collected the Tim Drake stories from Batman: Urban Legends #4–6 and #10 with a brand-new story. In hardcover in May.
• DC Universe by Dwayne McDuffie
Collects a variety of Dwayne McDuffie's non-Milestone DC work, including Action Comics #847, Demon #26-29, Impulse #60, JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant #1, Batman: Gotham Knights #27, Sins of Youth: Kid Flash/Impulse #1, and Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #33-35.
• DC vs. Vampires Vol. 2
Second hardcover collection by James Tynion, Matthew Rosenberg, and Otto Schmidt; collects issues #7–12.
• DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War
Hardcover collection of the six-issue companion miniseries by Matthew Rosenberg and Neil Googe.
• DC: Mech
In hardcover in July, collecting the six-issue miniseries by Kenny Porter and Baldemar Rivas.
• Deathstroke Inc. Vol. 1
Paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #1–7 and a story from Batman: Urban Legends #6.
• Deathstroke Inc. Vol. 2
In paperback in February, the second series collection by Joshua Williamson.
• Detective Chimp
Well here’s a collection that seems too long in coming. Collects Amazing World of DC Comics #1, DC Comics Presents #35, DC Special #1, Tarzan #231 and #234–235, Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #4 and #6–46, and Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #6. I wouldn’t have balked at something a little more modern in there. Dig the one-line summary, “Bruce isn’t the only sleuth who knows how to swing across Gotham!”
• Doom Patrol by Gerard Way and Nick Derington: The Deluxe Edition
Wouldn't mind seeing one of these for each of the Young Animal series. This is the Young Animal Doom Patrol #1-12 and Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #1-7 by Gerard Way and Nick Derington, like it says on the tin.
• Duo
Hardcover collection of the six-issue Duo Milestone miniseries by Greg Pak and Khoi Pham, reimagining the classic Xombi series as part of the new Milestone's "Earth-M" line.
• The Flash Vol. 18
In paperback in late June. Exact contents aren’t given, but the placeholder cover suggests this will include the Dark Crisis tie-in issues.
• The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive
As time until the Flash movie grows longer, if it’ll ever come out at all, this collects the three-issue miniseries in paperback that bridges the Justice League movie and Flash. Wouldn’t you call this comics' first foray into the Snyderverse?
• Flashpoint (2023 Edition)
Doesn’t seem to be anything new in this paperback, just reprinting the collection.
• Future State: Gotham Vol. 3
In paperback in April, the next Future State: Gotham collection by Dennis Culver.
• Gotham Academy
Scant on details but it sure would be great if this were all the issues of Gotham Academy and Gotham Academy: Second Semester in one volume, plus whatever extras they want to throw in there. I first reviewed Gotham Academy back in 2015.
• Harley Quinn Vol. 3
Issues #13–17 and some/all of the Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special by Stephanie Phillips and Riley Rossmo.
• History of the DC Universe
The original and still the best attempt to present DC’s history as a cohesive whole. In hardcover in June.
• I Am Batman Vol. 1
Paperback, following the hardcover, collecting issues #0–5.
• I Am Batman Vol. 2
In hardcover in March, the second collection by John Ridley and Christian Duce.
• Icon & Rocket: Season One
In paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #1–6 by Reginald Hudlin and Doug Braithwaite.
• Infinite Frontier
Paperback of the six-issue miniseries by Joshua Williamson, following the hardcover.
• The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox
Paperback, following the hardcover, of the mystery series by Matthew Rosenberg and Jesus Merino.
• The Joker Vol. 2
In paperback in July, following the hardcover, this is issues #6–9 and the 2021 annual.
• The Joker Vol. 3
Likely collecting the final issues by James Tynion before the series relaunch, coming in February in hardcover.
• JSA by Geoff Johns Book Five
The fifth large-page-count collection of Geoff Johns' JSA, collecting Hawkman #23–25 and JSA #46–58, being the Princes of Darkness and Black Reign collections.
• The Jurassic League
Daniel Warren Johnson and Juan Gedeon’s inspired Justice-League-as-dinosaurs miniseries, in hardcover in April.
• Justice League Vol. 1: Prisms
In paperback in April, following the hardcover, and collecting Brian Michael Bendis' issues #59–63.
• Justice League Vol. 3
Brian Michael Bendis' final Justice League issues. This seems most likely to be issues #72-74 and the Justice League 2022 Annual.
• Legends of the Dark Knight: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez
In hardcover in April and said to collect Batman #272, #311, #313, #314, #318, #321, #336-337, and #353, Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1, Batman Confidental #26-28, Batman: Family #3, Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table #1-2, Batman: Gotham Knights #10, Batman: Reign of Terror #1, DC Comics Presents #31 and #41, DC Special Series #21, Detective Comics #454, #458-459, #483, and #487, Best of the Brave and the Bold #1-6, Brave and the Bold #164 and #171, Joker #4, Untold Legend of the Batman #1-3, and World's Finest Comics #244, #255, and #258.
• Legends of the DC Universe: Carmine Infantino
In hardcover in March and said to collect All-American Comics #95, All-Star Comics #40, Comic Cavalcade #28, Danger Trail #1-4, DC Comics Presents #73, DC Special #1, Detective Comics #327 and #332, Flash Comics #86, #90, and #92, House of Mystery #296, Mystery in Space #3, Secret Hearts #8, Secret Origins #17, Sensation Comics #87, Showcase #4, Strange Adventures #205, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #89, Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #4, Brave and the Bold #49, Flash #112 and #123, and Western Comics #73.
• Multiversity: Teen Justice
It's very fun to see DC using Grant Morrison's "Multiversity" moniker for other stories and letting the concept see light with other creators. Here's Danny Lore's Flash and Teen Justice stories from Multiversity: Teen Justice #1-6 and DC Pride 2022; that last one's also by Ivan Cohen, who wrote the included Teen Justice story from DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1. There's one other Flash Kid Quick story in DC Pride 2021 by Lore that they ought include here too. In paperback in March.
• Naomi Season Two
In hardcover, the six-issue Season Two miniseries by Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, and Jamal Campbell.
• The New Champion of Shazam!
In hardcover in May, collecting the four-issue miniseries by Josie Campbell and Doc Shaner.
• The Nice House on the Lake Vol. 2
Wait, wait. Did this slip? Not coming in December, but rather in March? That is just too cruel. Being the second collection of the horror series by James Tynion and Álvaro Martínez Bueno.
• Nightwing Vol. 3
The third series collection by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, in hardcover in April.
• Nightwing: Fear State
In paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #84–88 and the Nightwing 2021 annual.
• Poison Ivy
In hardcover (how far Poison Ivy has come!) by G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara, collecting the first six-issues of the expanded-to-12 miniseries.
• Power Girl: Power Trip
Not particularly sure what prompted this hereabouts, but due in March is a collection of the first 12 issues of the Power Girl series by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, along with the four-issue arc from JSA Classified with Geoff Johns.
• Robin Vol. 3
Seemingly the final volume of the Joshua Williamson series, in paperback in March. Should collect issues #13–17.
• The Sandman Book Five
Collects the Sandman Mystery Theatre crossover special, Sandman Midnight Theatre, Sandman: Endless Nights, and one or more editions of Sandman: Dream Hunters.
• The Sandman Mystery Theatre Compendium One
All right, now we’re talking. No contents listed, but this is a paperback, coming out in March, and “compendium” usually means lots of issues — like, maybe they could do 35 issues a book and get this out in two. Very hopeful.
• The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country Vol. 1
Glad to see Sandman Universe isn’t dead yet, and you’d think with the new TV show that DC ought find even more to do with it. Yes, I’d read Corinthian written by James Tynion, thank you.
• Shazam and the Seven Magic Lands
In time for the new movie, paperback of the 12-issues by Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham.
• Shazam: The Power of Hope
Also in time for the movie, new hardcover printing of the illustrated prose story by Paul Dini and Alex Ross.
• Shazam!: The Monster Society Of Evil
Also also in time for the movie, in hardcover, collecting the four-issue miniseries by Jeff Smith.
• Static: Season One
Paperback, following the hardcover, collecting all six issues by Vita Ayala.
• Static: Shadows of Dakota
The next six issues of Vita Ayala’s Static series (“Season Two”), in hardcover in June. I wonder what the internal conversation is where DC finds serial “season” miniseries do better than, say, ye olde Robin, Robin II: Joker’s Wild, Robin III: Cry of the Huntress, etc.
• Steel: A Celebration of 30 Years
This seems a highly worthy collection for a great character with a lot of staying power. Now, what’d really be great would be if we could get some new collections of the Steel run by Christopher Priest or even a new Christopher Priest series, but hey, it’s a start. Collects Action Comics #4 (Grant Morrison’s New 52 Steel), Adventures of Superman #500 (if not the whole book then John Henry Irons' pre-“Reign of the Supermen” debut), Convergence: Superman: Man of Steel #1–2, JLA #17, Justice League Unlimited #35, Steel_ #1, Steel #34, Suicide Squad #24, and Superman: The Man of Steel #22, #100, and #122.
• Suicide Squad: Get Joker!
Paperback, following the hardcover, of the Black Label miniseries by Brian Azzarello and Alex Maleev.
• Superman: Action Comics Vol. 3
The next collection by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Daniel Sampere, in paperback in February.
• Superman: Son of Kal-El Vol. 1: The Truth
Paperback collection of the first six issues by Tom Taylor and John Timms, following the hardcover.
• Superman: Son of Kal-El Vol. 3
Hardcover by Tom Taylor, coming in May. Anecdotally, looking at this list, it seems like DC’s hardcover-to-paperback rates have slipped a bit — the paperback of the previous volume used to arrive with the hardcover of the next volume, and now it’s more like the paperback from two volumes back arrives with the next hardcover.
• Superman: Space Age
I don't know what this is, except it's Mark Russell and Mike Allred, it takes place during Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it seems to follow Superman through U.S. history. I'm in. In hardcover collecting the three-issue miniseries.
• Superman: The 85th Anniversary Collection
Seemingly a reprint volume, maybe in lieu of a collection of new stories.
• The Swamp Thing Volume 3: The Parliament of Gears
Likely the final collection of the limited series by Ram V and Mike Perkins, in paperback in February.
• Sword of Azrael
Wow, who’d have thought we’d ever have a new Sword of Azrael miniseries? And not even Batman branded. Collects the miniseries by Dan Watters and Nikola Cizmesija, in paperback in July.
• Tales From Dark Crisis
In hardcover on June 20 (same day as the Dark Crisis collection itself). No word on contents, but possibly this is the “World Without” specials or some other of the various regular-title tie-ins.
• Task Force Z Vol. 2: What's Eating You?
Second hardcover collection by Matthew Rosenberg and Eddy Barrows, most likely finishing out the miniseries.
• Teen Titans Academy Vol. 2: Exit Wounds
Paperback, following the hardcover, due in June and said to collect issues #6–12. There’s only 15 issues total, so I wonder if we’ll come to find that the hardcover (due in October) contains a little more than solicited.
• Teen Titans: Robin
Next in the popular YA Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. Dick Grayson and Damian are actual brothers here?
• Top 10 Compendium
Collects America's Best Comics Special, Smax #1-5, Top Ten #1-12, Top Ten: 49'ers, Top Ten: Beyond the Farthest Precinct #1-5, and Top Ten: Season 2 #1-4 by Alan Moore, Zander Cannon, and Gene Ha.
• Wonder Woman Vol. 3: The Villainy Of Our Fears
In paperback in February by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad.
• Wonder Woman: Who Is Wonder Woman? The Deluxe Edition
This is far enough outside the mainstream that I don't quite understand DC's constant reprinting it, but neither is there anything particularly wrong with it, written by Allan Heinberg and drawn by Terry and Rachel Dodson. I reviewed Who Is Wonder Woman? back in 2008.
• Young Justice: Targets
In paperback in July, collecting the six-issue animated-series tie-in comic by Greg Weisman and Christopher Jones.