Shared some thoughts the other day on DC's announcement of their new Red Hood series, in case you missed it.
Meanwhile, it’s June, these are the the DC Comics September 2025 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations, and the trades listed here won’t arrive until November. It’s an odd perspective, the year’s not quite half over and we’re already looking ahead to the end of 2025.
Fortunately, I’ve already got my eye on some books for reading over Thanksgiving and into the winter holidays — Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween, for one and Human Target: The Deluxe Edition HC for another, not to mention this listing also sees the Justice League Unlimited/World’s Finest: We Are Yesterday crossover. There’s one or two good ones in next month’s October-for-December listings, but honestly, those three are probably the best of the best until next year.
Others on my own list will be Green Lantern Corps, Absolute Martian Manhunter, and Batman: Brave and the Bold. I feel I ought read Jamal Campbell’s Zatanna since it minorly spins off Joshua Williamson’s Superman, but I’ve trouble feeling too enthusiastic about it as a one-and-done.
I was thinking the other day that “writing for the trade” has in some respects given way to “writing for the omnibus” — nowadays I look at a long run on a title and think, this is kind of choppy in trades but it’ll be killer in an omnibus (looking at you, Ram V’s Detective Comics). That’s a long way of saying this month’s got the Superman: Our Worlds at War Vol. 1 omnibus and the Warlord by Mike Grell omnibus — neither of those are recent comics but you get what I mean. Faithful readers should know Gail Simone’s Secret Six is one of my top ten favorite series, and if you’ve not read it before then the Secret Six omnibus is as good a way as any; it concludes “this” month.
I’d be remiss not to mention DC Finest keeps rolling along, here with Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One.
Let’s take a look at the full list.
Recent DC Comics Trade Solicitations
- • Absolute Daytripper (2026 Edition) HC
Re-collecting the 2010 10-issue Vertigo miniseries by brothers Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba.
- • Absolute Martian Manhunter: Martian Vision HC
In hardcover and paperback, first six issues of the Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez miniseries (recently extended from six to 12 issues), coming in mid-November.
- • Batman RIP: Absolute Edition HC
Has this never been an Absolute before? No, seriously?! Collects Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel’s Batman #676–681, plus some or all of DC Universe #0 and Batman #700, #701, and #702. That is mostly the Batman RIP main story, which I reviewed in 2009. Said to also include a new introduction and painting by Tony Daniel.
- • Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Across the Universe TP
Issues #13–16 of the anthology series, with Nightwing and Deadman by Tim Seeley and Kelley Jones; Booster Gold by Mark Russell and Jon Mikel; Batman and Guy Gardner by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Lisandro Estherren; and more. There’s a few Brave and the Bold entries that DC has skipped already, including the Stormwatch stories from earlier in the series, and I hope they ultimately intend to collect everything.
- • Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween HC
Though tempered of course by the loss of Tim Sale, I’m certainly excited for another entry from the “Long Halloween”-verse. Is it weird this is 11 issues and not 12?
Also it’s arriving in both hardcover and paperback on the same day at the end of November. I know that dual release is DC’s thing now, but I’m surprised to see it for a book with more mainstream appeal like this. I’d have expected DC to do hardcover first and then paperback a little while after, followed by the inevitable deluxe and Absolute editions. In 2022 I reviewed the Batman: The Long Halloween Special that kicks this off.
- • DC Finest: Events: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One TP
Said to collect Batman #389–391, Detective Comics #555–558, Justice League of America #244, Green Lantern #194, Wonder Woman #327, DC Comics Presents #78, Infinity, Inc. #18–19, Fury of Firestorm #41, All-Star Squadron #50–52, Crisis on Infinite Earths #1–4, the Losers Special #1, and what is now said to be “pages from” Swamp Thing #39(this had stuck out to me originally in that it was not included in the Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion volumes, though it is a “red skies” issue ahead of the more overt Crisis material in issues #44–46).
- • DC Finest: War: The Big Five Arrive TP
Collects late 1950s stories including Our Army at War #54–57, Star Spangled War Stories #53–56, G.I. Combat #44–47, Blackhawk #108–111, Our Fighting Forces #17–20, and All-American Men of War #41–44, with art by Joe Kubert and more.
- • DC Finest: Super Friends: The Fury of the Super Foes TP
Collects issues #1–26 of the Super Friends animated tie-in comic from the 1970s, with work by Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fraddon, plus “additional material” from Limited Collectors' Edition #C-41 (the framing story, maybe) and Limited Collectors' Edition #46 (Alex Toth model sheets?), and the Aquateers Meet the Super Friends mini-comic (anyone?).
- • Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: New World Rising TP
Issues #1–5 by Jeremy Adams and Morgan Hampton, with art by Fernando Pasarin and more, coming in early November in paperback. Very excited for this one, bringing all my favorite Lanterns together.
- • The Human Target by Tom King and Greg Smallwood: The Deluxe Edition HC
Excited for this, collecting all 12 issues, releasing just in hardcover in late November (kind of what I was expecting for Batman: The Last Halloween). It does remind me I’m at least two books behind on my Tom King reading and I’d like to catch up before I start this.
- • Injustice: Gods Among Us Compendium Two TP
Collects Injustice Gods Among Us: Year Four #1–12, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Four Annual #1, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #1–20, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Annual #1, and Injustice: Ground Zero #1–12, being the end of the Brian Buccellato run. I reviewed Year Four and Year Five as part of a big Injustice read last year.
- • Justice League Unlimited/World's Finest: We Are Yesterday HC
In hardcover and paperback in November (impressively soon, relatively), collecting Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #38–39, Justice League Unlimited #6–8, and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2025 Annual #1.
- • The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Deluxe Edition (New Edition) HC
The draw is the deluxe size, but the contents are mostly among the most limited “Judas Contract” collections, just New Teen Titans #39-#40, Tales of the Teen Titans #41–44 and the Annual #3 — plus (ever collected before?), pages from World’s Finest Comics #300, presumably Terra-centric. Coming in November.
- • Robin and Batman: Jason Todd HC
In November, the three-issue sequel miniseries by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen, in hardcover and paperback. I didn’t think much of the the first book, Robin and Batman which I reviewed in 2022, saying, “If you at all suspect you’re already versed in the finer points of Dick Grayson’s origins, chances are this book might not hold much for you.” I wonder if a take on Jason Todd might be better, given more leeway in filling in the details of his origin.
- • Secret Six by Gail Simone Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
I am surprised, I admit, to see that this collects issues from Gail Simone’s second Secret Six series (Friends in Low Places and The Gauntlet), both of which I found less powerful than any of the first series. Still, complete is complete, and so this is complete with Secret Six (2008) #17–36 (ending with Secret Six: The Darkest Hour), Secret Six (2014) #1–14, Suicide Squad #67, Action Comics #897, Doom Patrol #19, and the backup from Convergence: Wonder Woman #2.
- • Super Sons: The Complete Collection Book Two TP
It’s a running gag how DC keeps re-collecting Super Sons and adding more material to it; this time, I rather wish they’d stuck in Peter Tomasi’s yet-uncollected 2022 Superman and Robin special, but it’s not listed. Appears to collect Super Sons #15–16, Adventures of Super Sons #1–12, Challenge of the Super Sons #1–7, and stories from Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 and DC Terrors Through Time #1.
- • Superman: Our Worlds at War Omnibus Volume 1: Prelude to War! HC
A real inflection point for Jeph Loeb and company’s Superman run, this volume – different from two volumes and a single “complete” volume before it – starting much earlier.
This is said to collect Action Comics #763, #777, and #779–780; Adventures of Superman #576 and #592–593; Batman: Our Worlds at War #1; Green Lantern: Our Worlds at War #1; Superboy #89; Supergirl #59; Superman #151–154, #159, and #170–171; Superman: Lex 2000 #1, Superman: Our Words at War Secret Files & Origins #1; Superman: The Man of Steel #98, #109, and #114–115; Superman: Y2K #1; Wonder Woman #171; Young Justice: Our Worlds at War #1; and stories from Adventures of Superman #586, President Luthor Secret Files & Origins #1, Superman #165, and Superman: Metropolis Secret Files & Origins #1.
Differences since this was previously solicited include the addition of the Supergirl issue, Superman #171, and the President Luthor Secret Files, and also a couple books changed to “stories from” — Adventures #586, Superman #165, and the Metropolis Secret Files.
- • V For Vendetta: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
The 10-issue miniseries by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, in Compact Comics format.
- • The Wake (New Edition) TP
New collection of the 10-issue aquatic horror tale by Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy. I reviewed The Wake in 2014.
- • Warlord by Mike Grell Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
This is cool; I wish it were coming in a more manageable size but I’m interested nonetheless. I feel like DC uses the Warlord characters a lot but dedicated Warlord series have struggled, so good to see the property getting some love. This is 1st Issue Special #8 and Warlord #1–36 (down from #50 in previous solicitation). Also previously listed as included was Amazing World of DC Comics #12, which had art by Mike Grell but didn’t seem to involve Travis Morgan, so removing it is probably fixing an error. Coming in November, “remastered with original colors” and with an introduction and cover by Grell. He wrote the title into the issue #70s.
- • Y: The Last Man Book One: DC Compact Comics Edition TP
Compact Comics collection of Y: The Last Man. Contents aren’t listed here, but previously this was said to be issues #1–10, being the Y: The Last Man: Unmanned and Y: The Last Man: Cycles collections.
- • Zatanna TP
In hardcover and paperback in early November, the six-issue miniseries by Jamal Campbell.
“Still, complete is complete, and so this is complete with Secret Six (2008) #17–36 (ending with Secret Six: The Darkest Hour), Secret Six (2014) #1–14, Suicide Squad #67, Action Comics #897, Doom Patrol #19, and the backup from Convergence: Wonder Woman #2.”
ReplyDeleteWell, *almost* complete. I think it’s only missing Action Comics #895 and Birds of Prey v2 #11. The former’s absence is understandable (the Six only appear on the last page; maybe just that page, or just the last couple pages, can be included), but the latter should really be in there. It’s by Gail Simone, Catman guest-stars throughout, it resolves his and Huntress’s long-running flirtation, and Deadshot cameos. I can understand leaving out AC #895, but the BoP issue should be included.
(The pre-Flashpoint Secret Six also appear in “Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg” #1, but the story’s not by Gail Simone, presumably explaining its absence.)
Yeah, can't disagree with Birds of Prey #11; that one does feel pretty key. I was shocked — shocked — at that unexpected appearance by the v1 Secret Six in Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg, but yeah, if something's gotta go, that one wasn't written by Simone.
DeleteInteresting that Batman RIP is excluding “Last Rites” (#682-683) in favor of “The Missing Chapter” (#700-702). “Last Rites” has usually been included in collections of RIP and in Final Crisis, but “Missing Chapter” is a bit more readable. It is also drawn by Tony Daniel (where “Last Rites” is Lee Garbett).
ReplyDeleteI hadn’t thought of Last Halloween as being short, but then I’ve been thinking of it as 10 issues plus a #0 issue. But yeah, 11 is off by one.
I was just recently thinking about getting the Morrison run in the Absolutes and did not because RIP didn't have one. It's sort of unfortunate in general because the Morrison run is a pretty disjointed read in trades, I've heard the Omnibus fixes this with the placement of the issues around Return of Bruce Wayne. I believe the new 'By Grant Morrison' big trades are essentially the omnibus split into paperbacks and I'll probably end up buying those.
DeleteThat run in particular I've always found read better in singles at release order than the way the old volumes were presented. They'd never do it with the Morrison written stuff included but with the new compendiums I'd give an arm and a leg for all the 'Batman Reborn' stuff through Flashpoint Batfamily stuff in a few of those. The tail end of Dini, Red Robin, Sirens, the Tony Daniel Batman, Black Mirror and Elgy etc.
It would be a pretty disjointed read most likely but I adored that era at the time and it would be cool to get all of it packaged together in some way.
Hey, never say never with DC. The collection strategies behind the Triangle Era Omnibus and the Milestone Compendium volumes would suggest that someone in editorial is interested in comprehensive publication-order books. And Batman Reborn had some fun inter-title crossover material, like Hush as Bruce Wayne, Detective Riddler at the margins, and the Red Robin/Batgirl ties. And there was a fun moment near the end where Oracle had a cold in every title that month -- just a little continuity frisson for those of us who recognized every sniffle and cough.
DeleteIt was a lively time in Gotham!
That's true, the Milestone volumes originally were what gave me hope we might get more of that nature in the future.
DeleteThat particular era of DC was real special to me and could really use some clean ups (hell, at least reprints) in the collected edition departments. a set of Superman New Krypton through flashpoint compendiums are high on my wishlist. probably starting somewhere around Last Son and stretching to whatever the last stories were Grounded/Black Ring/Return of Doomsday?
I was a teenager at the time and reading pretty much everything and although there were highs and lows it was a good period to love Superman and Batman, because there was tons of interconnectivity and felt like truly MAJOR shake-ups in those lines for the first time in a long while that seemed to stick even if in retrospect it was only a couple of years.
I really like the way they've been collecting the post crisis Batman in the DC Finest line but I'd also like maybe them to use compendiums to do something slightly more comprehensive when it comes to the surrounding families in particular periods.
With Batman there's maybe too much ancillary titles but I think going back to might be a good format to recollect some of the new 52 Superman titles.
I think the intention with the Absolute Editions (not universe) is not to have any double dips - Batman 682-683 are in the Final Crisis Absolute Edition. It's helpful that these issues serve to retell the Batman portions of FC as well as have almost everything by Tony Daniel, so that's cool. The real question is what will they do about the Return of Bruce Wayne? We've got Absolute Editions of everything else, I believe . . .
DeleteRegarding Batman Reborn, I did suggest that to Omar for the DC Omnibus Poll - my idea was everything from Battle of the Cowl through Flashpoint that is not in the Dini or Morrison omnibuses (because I'm a selfish person that doesn't like double dipping) - Gates of Gotham, Snyder's run on 'Tec, the rest of Batman, Tomasi's first run on B&R, heck, backdate it a bit and include the Gotham Underworld mini.
I would really like a Robin/Red Robin Compendium or Omnibus that includes Dixon's last run on Robin plus the whole Red Robin (original recipe) book. If it's not obvious, I want some more giant books to put next to my Morrison and Dini omnis . . .
I suspect you're probably right on the Absolutes. They're my favorite books DC puts out but I do end up finding them frustrating in some cases with what they include. On a similar note to why I didn't buy the Morrison ones I also didn't get the recent Superman one by Johns and Frank because I'd have rather had some of the non Frank in-between material too.
DeleteI totally understand not wanting to double dip, but for me I didn't buy the Dini omni because I would have rather got them reprinted in trades or something then jumping around. Not that I missed much by them not having by the Huntress/Man Bat story by someone else from Streets of Gotham but I'd personally rather have some larger trades of Dinis Detective and Streets of Gotham I could stagger on my shelf with the other concurrent batbooks, and a few Batman Reborn era Omnis or compendiums would be a must buy for me over just the Morrison and Dini volumes which I think both names are evergreen enough they'll still sell regardless, but I wouldn't begrudge anyone for being upset about a double dip if those existed.
I may have spoke too soon though because going back through the solicitations from the last few months I didn't notice that at somepoint exactly the type of thing I'm talking about was announced in compendium form for the Johns era Green Lantern which I just pre-ordered. That was alongside Batman Reborn and New Krypton my other wishlist item to get something like that with the whole GL line of the period included, I'm hoping it sells well enough that they do more and consider doing it with some of their other franchise titles.
At least with the DC finest line and the triangle years omnibuses some of the best post crisis material is getting comprehensive releases now. It's a great time for my shelf, a terrible one for my wallet.
These days it feels like DC Finest is the best bet for anything approaching like Caped Crusader/Dark Knight Detective — "era" collections, as it were. And both a Batman Reborn that takes a big swath of the Bat-titles from that time and a Superman: New Krypton also with all the respective tie-in series would each be very cool. Soft spot for Sterling Gates' World's Finest, which brought together both of those franchise storylines.
DeleteJLU, GLC, Absolute Martian Man hunter, Last Halloween, maybe Zatanna, and Human Target for me. I'm morally opposed to the OWAW omnibus (because of the way it steps on a second City of Tomorrow Compendium). I have no connection to Warlord, but everyone raves about it, so maybe if it hits a steep discount?
ReplyDeleteI really hope DC Finest is sufficiently successful that they can rank up to the 6-8 releases a month Marvel does with the Epic Collections. I'm really craving more Supergirl by Peter David's and the next Batgirl (Cass) collection sooner rather than later