The DC Comics May 2025 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations are relatively small, but so were the solicitations from May 2024, as we are among other things moving from spring to summer and on the cusp of an entirely new catalog.
Among books that catch my eye are the DC All In Action Comics (Mark Waid’s weekly “Phantoms” storyline), Catwoman Vol. 1, and Batman and Robin Vol. 1 with Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Shazam! Vol. 3 (second to last collection, if rumors are to be believed), and Poison Ivy Vol. 5.
I’ve seen a lot of excitement online about the Shade, the Changing Man omnibus, and it seems like that should be a good seller. There’s also the Batman: War Games omnibus, which, y’know, love it, but I never thought I’d see the day. DC Finest: The Legend of Wonder Woman is also a charming use of that series, collecting specifically Wonder Woman’s final pre-Crisis adventures.
Some might call sacrilege in that the Superman Legacy Box Set contains not only All-Star Superman and Kingdom Come like you might expect, but also Tom King’s Up, Up and Away and Joshua Williamson’s Supercorp. For me, thinking about bringing new readers to the fold, I’m just as happy to see them put some good new material in those sets as I am that they also include the perennial classics.
Let’s look at the full list.
Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations
- • 100 Bullets Book Three (New Edition) TP
Issues #37–58 of the 100-issue series.
- • Absolute WildCATs By Jim Lee (2025 Edition) HC
New printing of the (big size, not to be confused) Absolute edition, collecting WildCATs #1–13 and #50; Cyber Force #1–3, WildCATs/X-Men: The Silver Age #1; and Jim Lee and Grant Morrison’s WildCATs #1. (I thought WildCATs Adventures #1 was in there but the solicitation doesn’t list it.)
- • Authority: Relentless: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
No contents listed, but other "Authority Book One"-type volumes collect Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's Authority #1–12, Planetary/The Authority: Ruling the World, and a story from WildStorm: A Celebration of 25 Years.
- • Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Memento TP
I was confused when this popped up some time ago, as it was a Batman and Robin Vol. 1 paperback and yet the Joshua Williamson paperback was about to come out. Well, older and wiser, now we see it’s a new numbering for the collections series with a new writer, Phillip Kennedy Johnson (while the monthly series numbers remain continuous). Said to collect issues #14–19 in July.
- • Batman: War Games Omnibus HC
Like the recent Detective Comics: New 52 Omnibus, this sure is a lot of Batman if you're looking for that kind of thing.
Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182–184 (the new solicitation says #183–184, but since #182 is explicitly a part of War Games, I imagine this is a typo); Batman #631–634, #642–644; Detective Comics #790–800, #809–810; Robin #126–131; Nightwing #96–98; Batman: Gotham Knights #56–58; Batgirl #53, #55–57; Catwoman #34–36; Batman Allies Secret Files 2005 #1; Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1; Batman Villains Secret Files 2005 #1; and a story from Solo #10. (Damion Scott drew that Solo issue and I imagine the story is the Robin Stephanie Brown one, bringing together every piece of her short Robin career).
I reviewed “War Games” in 2005–2006: War Drums and War Games, Act One, War Games, Act Two, War Games, Act Three, and the later epilogue War Crimes.
- • Catwoman Vol. 1: Who Is Selina Kyle? TP
The All In debut for the Catwoman title, this is issues #69–74, in paperback in July, by Torunn Grosbekk, Marianna Ignazzi, and Fabiana Mascolo.
- • DC Finest: Justice Society of America: The Plunder of the Psycho-Pirate TP
Collects the Golden Age All-Star Comics #13–24, coming in July.
- • DC Finest: Science Fiction: The Gorilla World TP
“You'll go ape!” is not something I'll subject you to my saying here. From the 1950s and '60s, a variety of gorilla-themed stories from Action Comics #183–196, Strange Adventures #35–48, and Mystery in Space #16–22.
- • DC Finest: Wonder Woman: The Legend of Wonder Woman TP
Collects the final issues of the original Wonder Woman series, issues #306–329, spanning 1983–1986 and including a Crisis on Infinite Earths tie-in issue, plus related appearances from DC Comics Presents #76 and Blue Devil #10 (a lot of that by Dan Mishkin), and then the four-issue Legend of Wonder Woman miniseries by Kurt Busiek and Trina Robbins from just before Crisis.
- • Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery Deluxe (New Edition) HC
The four-issue miniseries by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, with “all-new coloring.”
- • John Constantine, Hellblazer by Jamie Delano Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
More of Jamie Delano's work with John Constantine, plus extras: Hellblazer #23–40, #84, and stories from #250 and Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer #1; The Horrorist #1–2; Hellblazer: Bad Blood #1–4; and Hellblazer: Pandemonium.
- • Nightwing by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
Collects Nightwing #78–96 (not to #100 as originally solicited), Nightwing 2021 Annual_ #1, and Superman: Son of Kal-El #9. That'd be Leaping Into the Light, the Fear State crossover, Get Grayson, The Battle for Bludhaven's Heart, stopping just before Nightwing Vol. 4: The Leap. Tini Howard’s story from Batman: Urban Legends #10, "Bats of Christmas Past," was listed in previous solicitations but not now.
- • Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany TP
In hardcover and paperback in July, part of the All-In initiative, by G. Willow Wilson and company. An earlier solicitation had this collecting issues #25–30.
- • Shade, the Changing Man by Peter Milligan and Chris Bachalo Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
What seems a rather obvious and welcome omnibus. This collects Shade, The Changing Man #1–50, Who’s Who #7 and #15, a story from Vertigo Jam #1, and Vertigo Gallery: Dreams and Nightmares #1, along with a brand-new introduction by Peter Milligan. I have never read this whole series, but would like to.
- • Shazam! Vol. 3: Where in the World Is Billy Batson? TP
Beginning Josie Campbell's run; issues #13–16 in paperback in July. Also includes Wonder Woman #11 and Absolute Power: Task Force VII #1, with contributions from Tom King and Leah Williams. I believe this has been cancelled, such that the next volume will be the last.
- • Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade (2025 Edition) TP
New collection of the six-issue miniseries by Landry Q. Walker. I could have sworn this was getting a sequel; now I can’t find anything about it. Did I just dream that?
- • Supergirl: The New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
This was previously solicited as the entirety of the New 52 Supergirl run, but now is just the first half, so more Super-family, less Red Lanterns. Collects Supergirl #0–20; Superboy #0, #6, and #14–17; Superboy Annual #1; and Superman #0, #6, and #13–17 (these being various guest appearances and the “H’el on Earth” crossover.)
- • Superman by Kurt Busiek Book Two HC
Various Superman stories by Kurt Busiek, most of it playing second fiddle, let's be honest, to the more prominent stories playing out in Geoff Johns' Action Comics. But there is some epilogue here to the Camelot Falls storyline and minor tie-in to Countdown to Final Crisis. Collects Action Comics #850, #852–854; Superman #659–675, #712; Superman Annual #13; and the Prankster story from New Year's Evil (2020) #1, with art by Dale Eaglesham. This is roundabouts Superman: 3–2–1 Action, Superman: The Third Kryptonian, and Superman: Shadows Linger.
- • Superman: Action Comics: Phantoms TP
“Phantoms” is a 12-part storyline by Mark Waid, finally getting his chance to write a Superman series, which was published weekly. The solicitation doesn’t list contents, but 268 pages is enough for the 12 main stories, Action Comics #1070-1081, at least. In paperback in July.
- • Superman: Birthright: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
The 12-issue miniseries by Mark Waid with Leinil Francis Yu and Gerry Alanguilan, in Compact format. Probably ahead of either Waid’s Action Comics run and/or the Black Label Last Days of Lex Luthor, I should read Birthright again for context.
- • Superman/Batman: Book One: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
Based on the solicitation, this seems the first 13 issues of the Jeph Loeb series, give or take, being the "Public Enemies" and "Supergirl" storylines with Ed McGuinness and Michael Turner respectively, in Compact format.
- • Superman Legacy Box Set
Includes six paperbacks: All-Star Superman, Kingdom Come, Superman for All Seasons, Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, Superman: Up in the Sky, and Superman Vol. 1: Supercorp. Some may quibble, but I think this is a good mix of old and new.
- • Wonder Woman by George Perez Vol. 2 (New Edition) TP
Collects issues #15–24 and the first annual.
The continued absence of Joshua Williamson's second Flash Omnibus from the solicits is driving me crazy.
ReplyDeleteFollowing past Omnibus release schedules, it's been a year since Vol. 1. It should have been solicited by now (and I still haven't picked up Vol. 1 precisely because I don't want to get screwed over).
As high as Williamson's star has risen at DC, I'd really be surprised if they didn't finish that omnibus run of his Flash series. At the same time, I think you're right to be cautious, not wanting to pick up the first volume until the second volume is guaranteed.
DeleteYeah, given he's arguably now the post-Geoff Johns Geoff Johns, heh, you'd figure closing out the Flash omnibuses would be a given.
DeleteBut we've been burned on past collections getting cut short. It's just, again, really strange there's been no word on Vol. 2.
Hey — Supposed to be coming in September and collecting Batman #64-65, Flash #36-69, and Flash Annual #1-2. Yay!
DeleteAh, you're absolutely right. I can see the Amazon listing.
DeleteThat Superman Legacy set has been baffling me since it was first announced.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see that those two newer stories have been added to this set. Several months ago, when this set was first announced, potential buyers were being asked to spend $84.99 for 4 books, for $21.25 a book. Now, potential buyers are being asked to spend $14.16 a book. That's a big improvement.
But even with the addition of those two books, I still can't imagine who this set is FOR.
Is it for Superman fans? Surely Superman fans have these volumes! I'm a Superman fan, and I have them all. I've had them all for years at this point.
Is it for people who are going to come out of that theater and want to buy some Superman comics? Surely bookstores and comic shops aren't going to order many of these sets for the potential impulse buyers coming out of a theater that happens to be next to a story that happens to carries those! And even if a movie-goer was ready to make such an impulsive purchase, how many people aren't going to bristle at the $84.99 price tag?
I can only figure that DC has figured — correctly, in many cases, I believe — that it can release an $85 slipcase to its completionist customer segment and enough of them will buy it. Even as I'm scratching my head trying to imagine what THEY were imaginging when they put this set together, I have to admit that I'm also thinking, "Well, I'll buy it, I'll keep the slipcase, and I'll use the books inside as loaner copies to all my friends who will come to me and want to read more about Superman after that movie." It's a sickness that I'm sure many of us suffer from.
The best thing coming out of DC in quite some time is that Compact Comics line. If DC/WB were smart, they'd put a rack of Superman-related DC Compact Comics in the lobby of every movie theater playing Superman this summer. $10 per book? That's an EASY impulse purchase. At that price, I can imagine some people impulse buying two or three — depending on how good the movie is.
$85 is steep, no doubt, and especially since DC has shown us they can produce paperbacks of varying lengths at $10 a pop. But I'll posit for you one other potential sales site: the front table at Barnes & Noble that's going to have a Superman display for a couple weeks. That's a good place to have this box set — also Costco, do they sell graphic novels at Costco — where the grandparents might see it and figure six books in a box is a nice one-and-done for the grandkids. That's who I think this might be for.
Delete(Though, I popped into a B&N the other day, and unless I just couldn't find 'em, it seemed like they had absolutely no superhero graphic novels, just a manga section. Could it be? Are we in trouble?)
NO superhero graphic novels at your B&N? Yikes!
DeleteThe manga section at my B&N in Durham, NC, is larger than the superhero graphic novel section, and it's far enough away from the superhero section that I could see one section and come away not believing there was another. The manga section — and this could be my bias and my false sense of persecution, having loved comics for many years before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, when comics were considered deeply uncool — seems to have more care put into its arrangement and more specialty items put on display within it. But at least the superhero section still exists at my store. Did
As far as your guess that this box set is a one-and-done for the grandkids, well, that's as good a guess as I've seen suggested. I'm trying to picture my own mother picking up a comparable set for my Spider-Man–obsessed daughter, looking at that $85 price tag, and buying it anyway — but I just can't picture it! "For that price," I can hear my mom saying, "I could get her ONE book and some nice sweaters!" But I think you're onto something: It's a set for people who don't QUITE know what they're buying
Not too terribly much for me in this list, but I'm glad to see some perennials getting the big-book treatment.
ReplyDeleteI'm heartened to see "WildCATs/X-Men: The Silver Age" in that WildCATS volume. There's a part of me that doesn't believe they'll reprint this DC/Marvel crossover, but between recent omnibi and the ComicPro announcement I sense a major thaw in the DC/Marvel schism. Perhaps Doomsday Clock was predictive after all??
On the "all-new coloring" for Flex Mentallo, I think this is the same solicitation text from the last hardcover printing, which (in)famously recolored over the original. It would be nice to have "same old, same old" coloring in a new edition, but I'd just as soon a Killing Joke-style omnibus with both versions.
Ain't that ComicsPRO announcement a kick? Marie Javins keeps a lower profile than Dan DiDio did, but this is a sure sign of getting things done. It would be interesting if that new series floated some other collections boats.
DeleteSuperman by Waid and B&R by PKJ for sure. Debating a few bigger options (Supergirl or Nightwing omnis, Superman by Busiek) that are pretty iffy.
ReplyDeleteI am really itching for the Fall catalog and (hopefully) an announcement that we're getting a Superman omnibus on one side or the other of Triangle v1
C'mon for that Triangle v0 volume ...
DeleteStill no Sandman Mystery Theatre Compendium 2. Just going on the assumption that this has been cancelled unfortunately. Sucks because this is a super underrated and under-appreciated book
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much of that is Gaiman's self-destruction and DC being leery of promoting any of the Sandman IP.
DeleteMaybe? I would hope not though, it is pretty distinct from his Sandman. I guess time will tell but I’m not confident
DeleteThere is a third option here -- the first one just didn't sell enough. The original set of trades never finished, either. Perhaps DC should have released the first compendium AFTER Knight Terrors, not two months before.
DeleteBut nevertheless, I'm inclined to think DC is a little gun-shy of using the word "Sandman" at all for the moment.
Yeah I wouldn’t be surprised if the sales weren’t what they were expecting but when you’ve essentially released the same story arcs 3 times now, and never finished the series previously, I wonder how many people were waiting for confirmation that the entire run would be published. This is my second time being burned on this title being incomplete, there won’t be a third
DeleteIf it sold well enough, and if there was a second volume planned, I'm with Zach that "Sandman" in the title has probably delayed it for a while. ("Wesley Dodds Mystery Theatre" is yours for the using, DC.) Notably, this week's Hellblazer: Dead in America trade lacks the "Sandman Universe" branding, if my eyes didn't deceive me — extrapolate from that what you might.
Delete