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.
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.
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.
The second collection by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad, in paperback in March.
[See the latest DC trade solicitations.]
In hardcover in March, the first collection by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez. Should start with issue #125.
Paperback collection of James Tynion’s issues #112–117.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In paperback, surprisingly, by Christopher Priest and Rafa Sandoval, coming in May.
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.
Second volume by Tini Howard, in paperback in May.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #1–7 and a story from Batman: Urban Legends #6.
In paperback in February, the second series collection by Joshua Williamson.
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.
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?
Doesn’t seem to be anything new in this paperback, just reprinting the collection.
In paperback in April, the next Future State: Gotham collection by Dennis Culver.
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.
Issues #13–17 and some/all of the Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special by Stephanie Phillips and Riley Rossmo.
The original and still the best attempt to present DC’s history as a cohesive whole. In hardcover in June.
Paperback, following the hardcover, collecting issues #0–5.
In hardcover in March, the second collection by John Ridley and Christian Duce.
In paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #1–6 by Reginald Hudlin and Doug Braithwaite.
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.
In paperback in July, following the hardcover, this is issues #6–9 and the 2021 annual.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In hardcover, the six-issue Season Two miniseries by Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, and Jamal Campbell.
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.
The third series collection by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, in hardcover in April.
In paperback, following the hardcover, and collecting issues #84–88 and the Nightwing 2021 annual.
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.
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.
Seemingly the final volume of the Joshua Williamson series, in paperback in March. Should collect issues #13–17.
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.
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.
Paperback, following the hardcover, collecting all six issues by Vita Ayala.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Next in the popular YA Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. Dick Grayson and Damian are actual brothers here?
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.
In paperback in July, collecting the six-issue animated-series tie-in comic by Greg Weisman and Christopher Jones.
"Batman Vol. 5: Fear State Paperback collection" – sooo....where are Vol. 3 and Vol. 4? They've released Vol. 2 (Joker War) earlier this year but I haven't seen 3 and 4 listed anywhere as paperback. The hardcovers have been out for a while so the paperbacks should have been due by now.
ReplyDeleteI'm not optimistic, sorry to say. DC has never been consistent on what books get hardcover and what get paperback, and that's even when market conditions were good! Batman Vol. 2 was big because it was Joker War, Batman Vol. 5 is big because it's Fear State. In the middle are two collections by an author who's no longer writing the title (Tynion), when they've already moved on to another big name (Zdarsky). The fact that we haven't seen the paperbacks listed yet makes me think they're not coming.
DeleteIt's a real pity though. If this happens on their best-selling title (Batman still is their best-seller, isn't it?) then what are the chances that other books get regular paperback releases? :(
DeleteAll of this is just my speculation, but I think the Batman issue and other regular paperback releases are unrelated. Batman gets released in hardcover because it's DC's frontline title; then they'd usually follow that with a paperback, but here I think the moment just got away from them. But other titles, not so prominent, don't get hardcover releases at all, just paperback and that's it. That Batman gets a hardcover and maybe sometimes not a paperback is a symptom of Batman's success; other books get paperback only as a matter of course.
DeletePleasantly surprised to see History of the DC Universe getting a hardcover collection. Very underrated series. Arguably Perez's best artwork (and evidence of how versatile Karl Kesel is as an inker and how he doesn't get enough props for being one of the best inkers in the business).
ReplyDeleteThe link to Amazon doesn't work. Do you know if it's a traditional hardcover or a Deluxe Edition? I have the original Graphitti Designs collection from the '80s, so would love to see it in a larger format. Hope they include the extras from the Graphitti edition.
I don't know, but the solicitation doesn't explicitly say "deluxe edition," so I'm guessing it's just a regular-size hardcover. I could've sworn History of the DC Universe got an Absolute edition, but now I can't find any record of it. Would be cool though.
DeleteI could have sworn it was a part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths Absolute but can't find any reference to this. It was included in the 30th and 35th Anniversary deluxe editions of the same, although.
DeleteWith Geoff Johns returning to the Justice Society with Mikel Janin later this year, I'm not at all surprised DC's finally resuming publication of the JSA Complete Collections (after the pandemic screwed up distribution and releases).
ReplyDeleteAlthough...I do have mixed feelings about Johns coming back to the JSA Brownstone. Obviously, his original run's a favorite of mine and made me fall in love with the Golden Age heroes. And as their first monthly book in a decade, putting one of the men who helped redefine them for the 21st Century (alongside David Goyer and James Robinson) is a smart move.
But...part of me can't help feeling Johns has held onto them too long (much as he held on to Shazam for too long). I kinda feel that as we enter the 2020s, custodianship of the JSA really needs to pass to a new writer of the new generation (much like Hawkman finally passed to Robert Venditti and he did his own updating of the Johns-Morales paradigm).
Except most of the new writers at dc are terrible and show no respect for the characters. Only writers I feel would be good fits for JSA would be Chip or Venditti
DeleteFair enough. And with how much is riding on their relaunch, again, having someone lke Johns at the helm is the right move for the immediate future.
DeleteThat being said, Venditti had a good handle on Carter Hall and the JSA when they showed up late in his run. I'd love to see him have a crack at the book somewhere down the road.
I think the Adam Strange 2004 mini by Diggle and Ferry is Planet Heist, not Planet Hunt.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Batman One Bad Day The Riddler has art by Mitch Gerads, not Mikel Janin.
Nothing very interesting for me, although I thought the Legends of the Dark Knight/Tales of the Batman series was retired. Would love me a pre Crisis Doug Moench run someday.
Made those two fixes; thank you.
DeleteYes, a Doug Moench Tales of the Batman collection could pretty much bridge the gap between the Conway and Wolfman volumes and the Crisis era. It would probably take about four books, though -- but I'd get them all, for sure.
DeleteI’m disappointed that they seem to have ended Superman: The City of Tomorrow collections after the second volume. There’s still a batch of issues that I remember fondly which have never been collected. I’d also like to see either a reissue of the Batman by Moench and Jones v. 1 collection or a Caped Crusader collection with those issues. I missed that one when it came out and it’s not available digitally.
ReplyDeleteYeah, an omnibus of the Loeb years from Y2K through Our Worlds at War and beyond would be great — I'm a fan of those issues, too — but market conditions, how far it all is in the past, etc.
DeleteYeah, a lot of in-releases are still on indefinite hiatus thanks to the pandemic.
DeleteThey still haven't finished off Johns' GL and Flash Complete TPBs yet. Been over 2 years (I don't know need 'em, but I know people who do, LOL).
I am so sick of Batman. We need a Batman hiatus
ReplyDeletethis would pretty much end the comic book industry
DeleteWhy don't they just put out the Sandman Mystery Theater trade paperback volume 3 instead of pulling this nonsense? What is wrong with them? So now I have 1 and 2 for no reason, and the only way to continue the story is to rebuy them in the compendium, in the vague hopes the next one will even be published?
ReplyDeleteAgreed that's a conundrum (a compendium conundrum, even). I've the same dilemma, whether this will finally be the way all of Sandman Mystery Theatre will be collected — or not.
DeleteAside, I really hope Sandman goes all the way on Netflix, warts and all, and I'd like to see them be bold enough to build a "Sandman Cinematic Universe" — both Death miniseries and Sandman Mystery Theatre (or at least a case or two thereof).
I only kind of liked Infinite Frontier, so if Justice Incarnate doesn't wow me, I may pass on all the Dark Crisis stuff.
ReplyDeleteBatman: The Knight for sure, Batman/Superman probably, and a BIG maybe on Batman vs Robin - I'm not a fan of Damian being on the other side of Jason Todd on the Batman approval chart.
I'll get Gotham Academy for sure if it's got everything in it.
Might wait for a review or seven on Sword of Azrael.
I'm definitely waiting for an omnibus or whatever for the One Bad Day collections. I'm not buying 88 page hardcovers.
There's basically no omnibuses in this whole catalog, and only a few archival collections, right? What is going on at DC? Marvel has about 30 omnibuses coming out in the same time frame, and you can't tell me DC doesn't have the material to match the quality of an X-Men: 2099 omnibus.
Incarnate's very much a tribute to Multiversity and I like it more than Infinite Frontier.
DeleteBut it's still ultimately just the middle Act of the Infinite Frontier Trilogy and not a complete story.
All in all, I'm still not feeling Dark Crisis. It just feels like a retread of DC's greatest hits -- and we've ALREADY just come off a multiversal saga during Snyder's own Justice League saga.
Being like Multiversity is always a way to pique my interest. Dark Crisis does seem like a hodge podge, which Death Metal already did (although not very well, imho, so maybe a different flavor of retread will work for me?). Honestly, the most important Crisis-adjacent news to me was that the Metal Omnibus is complete
DeleteYow, you all being down on Dark Crisis is a surprise. I hadn't heard much yet either way. Curiouser and curiouser ...
DeleteI think Death Metal, and how recent it was, really broke me a little. DM wasn't horrible, but all the lead up to it just didn't matter. All the Lex stuff and the human/Martian Apex Predator stuff - didn't matter. The graveyard of the gods - didn't matter. Literally any of the Monitor mythology laid out in Metal - didn't matter. Whatever was supposed to be going on in JLO that quickly got tossed aside - didn't matter. I'm not super down on Dark Crisis, but I am cautious that everything is fluff and DC can't put together an event worth diving deep into.
DeleteI think I've been trying to chase the high of the run-up to Infinite Crisis for awhile now, and it's pretty clear DC is never going to deliver that again, so I'm being a bit more judicious in how much I buy automatically versus waiting for reviews, seeing if I like early parts of the epic, etc. Infinite Frontier was decent but incredibly disjointed. I liked the Superman of Earth 23 story enough to give Justice Incarnate a chance, but that's as far as I'm going right now. I see that Flash ties into DCoIE a bit, so I'm giving the new Flash writer a try - if I like his first tpb I'll continue.
"Yow, you all being down on Dark Crisis is a surprise. I hadn't heard much yet either way. Curiouser and curiouser ..."
DeleteI mean, even before the confirmation that it was a sequel, it's was already Crisis on Infinite Earths redux. There's nothing new here.
The only interesting stuff is seeing the League off the table and letting the legacy characters take the spotlight. That's been good, at least.
"I see that Flash ties into DCoIE a bit, so I'm giving the new Flash writer a try - if I like his first tpb I'll continue."
I felt Jeremy Adams struck a nice balance between tying into Dark Crisis (as Barry's status obviously was going to affect the Speedsters) while also using it to advance his ongoing arcs for the Flash Family.
His Wally run has definitely been one of the highlights of the Infinite Frontier era. It's the Wally run we've been waiting for since Final Crisis and it also feels like a spiritual successor to Tomasi's Superman.
"I think I've been trying to chase the high of the run-up to Infinite Crisis for awhile now, and it's pretty clear DC is never going to deliver that again..."
DeleteThe irony is that James Tynion's stated Infinite Crisis and its build-up was a major influence on his and Snyder's League run and Year of the Villain. He loves that period as much as the rest of us.
But I agree. The road to Infinite Crisis really hasn't been matched by modern DC in almost 20 years. Of, sure, there have been event buildups that have made me excited (ex.Blackest Night).
But Infinite Crisis was something special. It really gave the sense that every corner was building to something grand and epic and that the DCU was really, truly going to hell and experiencing its darkest day.
Even almost 20 years later, I still don't think it quite stuck the landing, but the build and some of the core moments of the event (the Trinity's argument in the Watchtower, "The perfect Earth doesn't need a Superman", etc.) remains some of Johns' best writing.
I was really hoping to see a third volume of the Justice League International paperback trades or even an omnibus (but I’m not holding my breath for that). Also would have loved to have seen another 90’s era Superman omnibus. The Absolute edition doesn’t really blow my socks off, but at least we’re getting something.
ReplyDeleteAlready an omnibus, yeah? But maybe out of print. But I'd like to see more JLI paperbacks too.
DeleteThe Teen Justice mini is also co-written by Ivan Cohen. He and Danny Lore co-wrote it AND the pride story leading into it.
ReplyDeleteHopefully a smattering of stories across a couple of specials all end up with the main mini collection.
DeleteThis has to be the most underwhelming, depressing DC catalog yet. The Sandman Mystery Theatre Compendium is pretty much the only thing I'm excited about. By the way, PRH's website just added the second volume of The Power of Shazam, which is slated for May 30, and now a paperback. Hopefully they won't cancel it again.
ReplyDeleteAs for the other books, some thoughts:
- The Way/Derington Doom Patrol Deluxe Edition should also include the two Milk Wars specials that Way co-wrote with Orlando. They're very relevant to the run.
- I really wasn't expecting a second Deathstroke Inc. volume by Williamson, since his run ended with issue #9, which is part of Shadow War. My guess is that this second volume will combine his last two issues (which I'm not sure will work without the rest of the crossover) with the current Year One arc by Brisson. The third and final Robin volume at least looks like it will include the Shadow War bookends, going by the page count.
- The page count indicates the Gotham Academy thick trade will only collect the first series, which ran for 18 issues and an annual. Maybe there will be another trade collecting the 12-issue Second Semester series.
- The third Action Comics volume by Johnson is looking too thin, considering it's supposed to include 5 issues, the 2022 annual and the Warworld Apocalypse special by my estimation. On the other hand, the third Justice League volume by Bendis is looking too thick, so maybe it will include issue #75 after all, but it's weird that the content description mentions stuff from Ram V's Justice League Dark backups, which already got their own separate collection.
Not so sure I have a need for a collection of the first Gotham Academy series without the second. I'll be waiting to see what they do.
Delete"The Way/Derington Doom Patrol Deluxe Edition should also include the two Milk Wars specials that Way co-wrote with Orlando. They're very relevant to the run."
ReplyDeleteYeah, good point. That was the climax of the first volume's narrative, so it's weird they're missing.
"I’m guessing Dark Knight Detectivehas one more volume to go to end before "Knightfall" and Detective #654."
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not mistaken, Detective #644-653 are the very first Chuck Dixon issues of the 'tec - nothing fiery, but very solid character work, as usual for him. I'd love to have them collected, but I'm not yet getting my hopes up - it's a Batman title so maybe we'll eventually see it in trade form but the last few months were truly dispiriting when it comes to collecting stuff older than few last years.
For the same reason, I'm not yet celebrating Sandman Mystery Theater - I'd love it but I won't believe they'll actually going through with this until I'll have it in my hands (that goes also for the second Starman compendium, now postponed until December).
Apart fom Dark Crisis & the Young Justice mini there is also the Worlds without a Justice league mini, (Which, I would assume, would have it's own trade), The four Flash tie-in issues, The Deadly Green, Dark Army & War Zone one-shots...Plus an issue of I Am Batman. There's also the three Prelude issues, Justice League #75, The FCBD Special & Road to Dark Crisis.
ReplyDeleteAll up that's 16 issues to be collected. I would have thought WWTJL & The Flash issues would have made one trade...All the rest could classify as "Tales" I guess.
Alternatively the 5 WWTJL issues could be included in the Dark Crisis, taking that up to 12 issues, with the 11 various in "Tales".
Hopefully the other Dark Crisis collections, if any, won't be too far behind.
DeleteI guess DC Universe by Dwayne McDuffie is finally coming out, after originally being solicited for December 2021. Or who knows, maybe it’ll get cancelled again
ReplyDeleteAny word on whether we will get those missing issues between Fighting by Trade and White Water - that's basically the One Year Later stuff. Be nice to see that collected as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd I guess 1 more after that for Birds of prey v.2 when Simone returned.
Not yet in the new expanded editions, no. For January 2023, they're going ahead with Birds of Prey: The End of the Beginning, issues #113-127. My guess at the time was they jumped ahead to Whitewater because it had Harley Quinn with the Birds of Prey (sounds like a movie title ...), but I agree they should go back and fill that in now.
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