I’m not sure if the All In Saga collection in the DC Comics March 2025 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations is much of anything. Maybe I’m wrong, I haven’t read any of the issues collected, but it seems like basically a DC All In “sampler,” and that fits with the “Saga” moniker, collections of tie-in issues and indicative of not being the thing itself (see Joker War Saga and Batman: Fear State Saga).
But, seeing an All In Saga collection — and also noting that Absolute Batman hits its sixth issue in these solicitations and the end of its first story arc — tells me that in no time at all, we’re going to start seeing Absolute titles being collected; the new DC catalog arrives in March, but it wouldn’t surprise me if some of these are rush-solicited, given their popularity. And you know that Absolute (big) collections will inevitably follow; I vote Absolute Batman: The Absolute Edition, and not Absolute Absolute Batman.
I’m in for the regular series collections this month, which — as opposed to the February 2025 solicitations, there are a few — Batman Vol. 5, Outsiders Vol. 2, Batman: Brave and the Bold Vol. 2, and Superman: Action Comics: Superstars Vol. 1, plus DC Pride: To the Farthest Reaches and Trinity: Generation S.
As I’ve mentioned, I’m trying to get a lot of “essential” titles read between now and February such to read the Absolute Power collections day and date, essentially. At that point I’ll still have a heck of a lot of non-Absolute Power-related regular series collections to read, but that’s also in part so I can read some of the many, many Elseworlds and DC Black Labels being published, i.e., this month’s Batman: Full Moon.
Finally, if omnibuses are your bag, this month’s got Injustice 2, Knight Terrors, and the “shockingly complete” Suicide Squad by John Ostrander hardcovers.
One last time for 2024, let’s look at the full list.
Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations
- • 100 Bullets Book Two (New Edition) TP
Collects issues #20–36 plus Brian Azzarello’s script for issue #20, “The Mimic.”
- • Absolute Batman: Dark Victory HC
New printing of the Absolute Edition, collecting the miniseries plus two extra pages that lead in to Catwoman: When In Rome.
- • All In Saga TP
In paperback at the end of April. I’m trying to keep myself relatively spoiler-free so I couldn’t tell you if this is one whole related story or if it’s just a sampler of DC titles in their new era. Collects Absolute Power #4, DC All In Special #1, Justice League Unlimited #1, Batman #153, Wonder Woman #14, and Superman #19. I would imagine most of these will also be collected elsewhere; hopefully we can indeed say that for the DC All In special.
- • Batman & Robin Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin (New Edition) TP
Collects issues #7–12 of the Grant Morrison series.
- • Batman Vol. 5: The Dying City HC
Issues #153–157 by Chip Zdarsky and, apparently, the lead story from Batman #150.
- • Batman: Beyond the White Knight: The Deluxe Edition HC
Collects issues #1–8 and Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood #1–2. I reviewed Batman: Beyond the White Knight earlier this year.
- • Batman: Full Moon HC
Collects the four-issue Black Label horror miniseries by Rodney Barnes and Stevan Subic, in hardcover in May. Still no word about a glow-in-the-dark collection cover.
- • Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 TP
In paperback in April, and marking the first collection of this series to include a variety of the short stories instead of just one multi-parter. The solicitations don’t really help with the contents, but based on writer/artist list, this should have Christopher Cantwell’s Superman story, Ed Brisson and Jeff Spokes on Stormwatch, and so on.
- • Birds of Prey: Hero Hunters (New Edition) TP
Collects issues #68–80, Batgirl #57, and Batman #633. This is more or less the Between Dark and Dawn and The Battle Within collections by Gail Simone. The Batgirl and Batman issues from the “War Games” crossover have to do with events at Oracle’s clock tower.
- • DC Finest Events: Zero Hour Part Two TP
Collects the latter half of Zero Hour (which I retro-reviewed in 2010), plus tie-ins and relevant Zero Month issues: Green Arrow #90, Adventures of Superman #516, Justice League America #92, Action Comics #703, Justice League International #68, Legion of Super-Heroes #61, Guy Gardner: Warrior #24, Justice League Task Force #16, Catwoman #14, Robin #10, Showcase '94 #10, Anima #7, Damage #0 and #6, Flash #0, Green Lantern #0, Superman: The Man of Steel #0, and Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #0–2. The only head-scratcher for me is the Man of Steel issue, which does reference Zero Hour but not so much that I’d have expected it to be included.
- • DC Finest: Superboy: The Super-Dog From Krypton TP
If I wondered previously why Krypton was getting such high billing in this DC Finest volume, I’m not wondering that any more. Said to collect stories including “Superboy Meets Superlad,” “The Super Brat of Smallville,” and Krypto’s first appearance in “The Super-Dog from Krypton,” being Adventure Comics #199–216 and Superboy #33–43.
- • DC Pride: To the Farthest Reaches HC
Collects DC Pride 2024, in hardcover in May. The solicitation mentions stories in locales including the Fourth World, Naltor, the Phantom Zone, and the Oblivion Bar, written by Phil Jimenez, Nicole Maines, and more.
- • Death: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
Not so far from Absolute Death and its reprints, this includes the Death: The High Cost of Living and Death: The Time of Your Life miniseries, Sandman #8 (“The Sound of Her Wings”) and #20 (“Façade”), “Death and Venice” from Sandman: Endless Nights (which I read in Sandman: The Deluxe Edition Book Five as part of my grand Sandman reading), and stories from Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #2 ("A Winter’s Tale”), 9–11: The World’s Finest … (“The Wheel”), and the “Death Talks About Life” AIDS pamphlet.
- • Injustice 2 Omnibus HC
Omnibus in May, collecting the entirety of the Tom Taylor series, issues #1–36 and the two annuals.
- • JLA Book Two TP
Grant Morrison, Howard Porter, and company’s JLA #10–23 (“Rock of Ages” and a guest stint by Mark Waid), JLA Annual #2, JLA Secret Files and Origins #2, New Year’s Evil Prometheus #1, and JLA: World Without Grown-Ups #1–2. This ends just before the DC One Million crossover.
- • Kanga-U: Tests and Tournaments TP
Young readers graphic novel by Sholly Fisch and Yancey Labat.
- • Knight Terrors Omnibus HC
In hardcover in May. In the final tally I think the Knight Terrors miniseries was better than any of its tie-ins, but it is heartening to see DC collecting an event series in omnibus so soon after publication. Includes Dawn of DC Knight Terrors 2023 FCBD Special Edition #1, Knight Terrors: First Blood #1, Knight Terrors: Night’s End #1, Knight Terrors #1–4, Knight Terrors: Action Comics #1–2, Knight Terrors: Batman #1–2, Knight Terrors: Black Adam #1–2, Knight Terrors: Catwoman #1–2, Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1–2, Knight Terrors: Green Lantern #1–2, Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #1–2, Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1–2, Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1–2, Knight Terrors: Robin #1–2, Knight Terrors: Shazam! #1–2, Knight Terrors: Superman #1–2, Knight Terrors: The Flash #1–2, Knight Terrors: The Joker #1–2, Knight Terrors: Titans #1–2, Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman #1–2, Knight Terrors: Ravager #1–2, Knight Terrors: Zatanna #1–2, Knight Terrors: Punchline #1–2, and Knight Terrors: Angel Breaker #1–2.
- • Legion of Super-Heroes - The Curse Deluxe Edition (New Edition) HC
Collects Legion of Super-Heroes (Vol. 2) #297–313 and the annuals #2–3, following after “Great Darkness Saga.” I reviewed Legion: The Curse in 2012.
- • Nightwing Vol. 1: Bludhaven (New Edition) TP
Collects the Dennis O’Neil miniseries and the first eight issues of the Chuck Dixon series.
- • Nightwing: The Prince of Gotham Omnibus (New Edition) HC
They’re not apparently going to call this one the “Nightwing: The New 52 Omnibus,” but that’s essentially what it is, the whole of the run mostly by Kyle Higgins and beginning with art by Eddy Barrows. Collects Nightwing #0–30, Nightwing Annual #1, Batman #17 (“Death of the Family”), and stories from Young Romance: A New 52 Valentine’s Day Special #1 and Secret Origins #1. In trades, this was Nightwing Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes, Vol. 2: Night of the Owls, Vol. 3: Death of the Family, Vol. 4: Second City, and Vol. 5: Setting Son.
- • Outsiders Vol. 2: Never the End TP
Should be issues #7–11, in paperback in May, by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, the end of that series.
- • Red Hood & the Outlaws The New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1 (New Edition) HC
Collects Red Hood and the Outlaws #0–27, the Annual #1, Teen Titans (Vol. 4) #16, and Batman (Vol. 2) #17 (“Death of the Family”). I’m not sure there’s ever been a second volume of this, so maybe this is an indication it might be coming. Collects Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 1: Redemption, Vol. 2: The Starfire, Vol. 3: Death of the Family, Vol. 4: League of Assassins, and at least some of Vol. 5: Big Picture. Sometimes ridiculous, sometimes strikingly emotional — if history tells the tale, this one is still going with a Webtoons version.
- • Suicide Squad by John Ostrander Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
A well-deserved and shockingly complete omnibus, collecting from the John Ostrander/Kim Yale era Suicide Squad #1–18; Checkmate #1, #8; Manhunter #1; Justice League International #13; Secret Origins #14, #28; Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1; Fury of Firestorm #62–64; Firestorm: The Nuclear Man Annual #5; Legends #1–6; and pages from Millennium #4. Note we’re not even into “Janus Directive” yet, but rather some of the other titles collected here are Squad appearances that are not even collected in the individual Ostrander collections. Issues that were mentioned in a previous solicitation but have dropped from this one include Detective Comics #582, New Teen Titans #31, and entries from Who’s Who #14;
- • Superman - Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds: The Deluxe Edition HC
Collects the five-issue miniseries by Geoff Johns and the late George Perez, a rather impressive multi-Legion crossover (if not much of a Final Crisis tie-in), now with “Superman” appended to the title. I reviewed Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds in 2009. This volume is said to include a new introduction by Johns.
- • Superman: Action Comics: Superstars Vol. 1 TP
In paperback in May. This was previously solicited as Action Comics #1061–1063, the start of the Action anthology run, by Jason Aaron and John Timms, and called Superman: Action Comics: I, Bizarro. Now, the solicitation also lists Gail Simone and Eddy Barrows as creators, suggesting this also includes #1067–1069. Adding to the confusion, the solicited cover says “Superstars Vol. 2,” not Vol. 1. Who knows what it is? Don’t ask, just buy it!
- • Superman: Up in the Sky: The Deluxe Edition HC
Deluxe printing of the Tom King/Andy Kubert six-issue miniseries. I reviewed Up in the Sky in 2020 and quite liked it.
- • Trinity: Generation S TP
In paperback in May by Tom King and various artists, and collecting stories from Wonder Woman #800, Wonder Woman #3–6 and #8–13, Trinity Special #1, and Trinity: World’s Finest Special #1.
- • Wednesday Comics (2025 Edition) HC
In hardcover in June. I’ve never read this and I realize that’s something I should do one day.
- • Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
This first volume would seem to collect all of Greg Rucka’s original Wonder Woman run — Wonder Woman #195–226, The Flash #219, and Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia #1, plus Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1–3 and the “Superman: Sacrifice” storyline (Action Comics #829, Adventures of Superman #642, Superman #219). That’s also all of the Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka paperbacks, so one imagines that if there’s a Vol. 2 omnibus, it’ll be totally Rucka’s Rebirth-era work. (Again, I can’t tell you how regular people make sense of all this.) Rucka’s first Wonder Woman run is also among my favorite comics, being Wonder Woman: Down to Earth, Bitter Rivals, Eyes of the Gorgon, Land of the Dead, and Mission’s End.
Without spoiling things — the All-In Saga looks like a sampler, checking in with the Trinity and the new Justice League status quo. Hopefully this draws in readers — though a Compact Edition might do better.
ReplyDeleteIt’s about time for an “Up in the Sky” reprint! Not that I think I’ll be upgrading to the deluxe edition, but it’s good to have in circulation.
On Rucka’s Wonder Woman — I Imagine “regular people” don’t see the continuity changes that you and I take for granted. The multiple renumberings of trade sequences (as well as the past/present juggling of Rucka’s Rebirth run) are, I grant you, impenetrable. In two omnibus volumes, though, it should read pretty well; Rucka mostly ignored any continuity changes between his runs, as should be his prerogative, and starting Vol. 2 with a retelling of Diana’s origin feels oddly appropriate. “And so we return and begin again,” &c.