The DC Comics November solicitations are historically slim; we saw this last year too, coming as they do right on the heels of the Fall 2025 catalog solicitations and encompassing the tail end of the Fall 2024 catalog solicitations. Couple of regular series books in the DC Comics November 2024 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations, but not particularly much else.
To wit, I’ve got my eye on the second volumes of the new Birds of Prey and Blue Beetle series (everything old is new again), the DC Power 2024 collection, and Joe Casey’s Kneel Before Zod (what must have the conversation have been like to bring Joe Casey back to DC to do a Zod miniseries?).
Among bigger books, I’d be more into Stormwatch: Road to the Authority Compendium if it had the Aliens issue in it, but maybe still anyway. I was eyeing the Swamp Thing by Mark Millar and Phil Hester omnibus, but it actually looks like paperback versions of the same issues are still pretty available. Hard to believe Batman: Battle for the Cowl was 14 years ago(!); if you missed it then, here it is now.
Let’s take a look at the full list.
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Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations |
• 52 Volume Two (2024 Edition) TP
Collects the end of the 52 saga, issues #27–52. Interesting that this doesn’t include the World War III miniseries; is that normal?
• The Batman and Scooby-Doo Mysteries Vol. 5 TP
By Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela, collecting issues #1–6 of the third iteration of this title. With appearances by Nightwing, Catwoman, and Solomon Grundy.
• Batman Vol. 3: I Am Bane (2024 Edition) TP
Collects Tom King’s Batman #16–20, #23–24 and “stories from” Batman Annual #1 (issues #21–22 were the Button crossover with Flash). I reviewed I Am Bane in 2017.
• Batman: Battle for the Cowl: The Complete Collection TP
The post-Batman RIP event; collects Batman: Battle for the Cowl #1–3, Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum #1, Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon #1, Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Man-Bat #1, Batman: Battle for the Cowl: The Network #1, Batman: Battle for the Cowl: The Underground #1, Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead? #1, Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? #1, Oracle: The Cure #1–3, Azrael: Death’s Dark Knight #1–3, and Secret Six #9.
I forgot how massive this was; also it feels a lot less far away than when I reviewed Batman: Battle for the Cowl and the Battle for the Cowl Companion in 2009 (since that time, both Dick Grayson and Jim Gordon have been Batman!). I’m most impressed by the inclusion of the full Oracle and Azrael miniseries; the former, at least, not wholly related to Battle of the Cowl, but I appreciate bringing together everything from that era.
Second collection, in paperback in January 2025, from Kelly Thompson and artists Javier Pina, Sophie Campbell, and more. Issues #7–13.
Second collection by Josh Trujillo, due in January 2025. Cover image sure shows some significant guest stars.
• DC Finest: Aquaman: The King of Atlantis TP
The Silver Age revamp of Aquaman that informs his modern age depictions. Collect stories from Adventure Comics #229–280, #282, and #284: Action Comics #272; Detective Comics #293–300; World’s Finest Comics #125; Showcase #30–33; Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane #12; and Aquaman #1–3, with Mera, Aqualad, Topo, and more, by creators including Jack Miller, Robert Bernstein, Ramona Fradon, and Nick Cardy. This looks to be about the same as the Showcase Presents: Aquaman book, but here of course in color.
• DC Finest: Supergirl: The Girl of Steel TP
Collects Silver Age appearances including Action Comics #252–288, Adventure Comics #278, Superman #139–140 and #144, Superboy #80, Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane #14 and #20, and Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #40, #46, #51, and #57. Bits and pieces here from early volumes of the previously published Supergirl Archives, Supergirl: The Silver Age Omnibus, and the Supergirl: The Silver Age paperback.
In January 2025, collecting the DC Power 2024 special, with N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell on Jo Mullein and John Stewart, plus Signal Duke Thomas, Spectre Crispus Allen, Nubia, and a few other exciting ones I won’t spoil here. These “collections of a special” usually contain an extra reprint issue; last time it was an issue of Cyborg and this time it’s part of the Absolute Power: Origins miniseries that follows Amanda Waller.
• Kingdom Come: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
The Mark Waid/Alex Ross miniseries, in Compact format.
In paperback in January 2025, the eight-issue miniseries by Joe Casey (down from 12 issues, I’m told). Also includes the lead-in story from Action Comics #1060.
• Stormwatch: The Road to the Authority Compendium TP
Previously solicited under the title Stormwatch Compendium, it seems there’s good movie reasons to rename this with “Authority” in the title. Collects Stormwatch (Vol. 1) #37–50, Stormwatch Preview #1, and Stormwatch (Vol. 2) #1–11, being Warren Ellis' run on the book ahead of Authority. They just can’t seem to maintain the rights to WildC.A.T.s/Aliens, can they?
The covers from the Hero Initiative fundraiser, with bonus content. Said to be limited to one printing.
• Swamp Thing by Mark Millar and Phil Hester Omnibus HC
Collects the final issues of the second Swamp Thing series (the series that included the well-known Alan Moore run), by Mark Millar and Phil Hester. This is issues #140–171 with an introduction by Hester and an afterword by Millar.
Maybe nothing for me this month. I'll have to check to see if the Battle for the Cowl collects anything I don't have already. I'm going to wait and see on Zod since it got truncated - if it leads into the next Superman event, sure, I'm a completionist, but if it's just on its own, I'll keep passing.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe the 52 collections have ever included the WWII mini. I know my original (4 volume) collections don't have it
WWIII hasn't been included in any 52 collections -- not even the omnibus collections. As a completionist, it's a little maddening, but I don't actually remember it being that essential (or good). Mostly checking in with characters that hadn't been in 52.
DeleteI also still have my original four trades for 52, because I adore those behind-the-scenes pages from the writers & Giffen. I haven't seen any of the subsequent reprintings preserve those (also why I haven't upgraded my yellowing "Panic in the Sky!" trade).
Points for being thorough with Battle for the Cowl! Though I might have hoped they'd find a place for Detective #851 / Batman #684, a two-parter by Dennis O'Neil & Guillem March that I don't believe has ever been collected. It's the origin of Millicent Mayne, who's in those Gotham Gazette issues. If you're going to include Azrael and Oracle, you ought to include this one!
The Panic in the Sky trade, with that extra page not included in the original issue printings! (Which was what got me to buy it even when I had the single issues.) Surely among the seeds planted for this nascent trade-waiter.
DeleteWhen are they going to release an omnibus of the Jeremy Adams The Flash run?
ReplyDelete