DC Hardcover Collected Editions Part 3

[LordJulius]

LordJulius,

Is this gallery editions just art? It can't be an actual comic series since it doesn't have a lot of pages.
This is rare artistic material from original issues, something like that?
It looks cool.

This is basically DC's verson of the IDW Artist's Edition line. It contains high-resolution scans of the original art boards, i.e. the pencilled and inked pages, at their original size (which is considerably larger than what appears in the printed comics; in this case some of the art boards are 15"x20"). You can see pencil marks, whiteout, notes the artist or inker left in the margins etc and it is the next best thing to owning the original pages. The text is usually included, so you can read it as well.

The Sandman Gallery Edition has the complete art for Sandman #1 (minus several pages they couldn't locate but used other scans for), one page from every issue up to #75 and the complete art for P. Craig Russell's adaptation of Gaiman's Sandman short story "The Dream Hunters", with pencilled in text. Overall, it's 272 pages.

Oh, and while this GE obviously doesn't contain the whole Sandman series, there is already another one collecting all of Frank Miller's Ronin as well as one that collects several complete issues of Kelley Jones' Batman run. There will also be complete collections of the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series (vol. 1), The Killing Joke and Miller's Dark Knight Returns next year.

[krylox]

This is basically DC's verson of the IDW Artist's Edition line. It contains high-resolution scans of the original art boards, i.e. the pencilled and inked pages, at their original size (which is considerably larger than what appears in the printed comics; in this case some of the art boards are 15"x20"). You can see pencil marks, whiteout, notes the artist or inker left in the margins etc and it is the next best thing to owning the original pages. The text is usually included, so you can read it as well.

The Sandman Gallery Edition has the complete art for Sandman #1 (minus several pages they couldn't locate but used other scans for), one page from every issue up to #75 and the complete art for P. Craig Russell's adaptation of Gaiman's Sandman short story "The Dream Hunters", with pencilled in text. Overall, it's 272 pages.

Oh, and while this GE obviously doesn't contain the whole Sandman series, there is already another one collecting all of Frank Miller's Ronin as well as one that collects several complete issues of Kelley Jones' Batman run. There will also be complete collections of the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series (vol. 1), The Killing Joke and Miller's Dark Knight Returns next year.

wow, it's 175$ retail! where did you buy yours from?

[LordJulius]

wow, it's 175$ retail! where did you buy yours from?

One of my LCS's. Had it pre-ordered and their pricing is very fair. Still paid €150 for it, but that is much less than all the other options available to me (cheap-comics.com is asking €219 for it, for example).

[Balakin]

Back when DiDio was EIC, he hated what Waid (and the other writers) did on "52," and thought "Countdown" was a better execution of that concept.

wow...ooookay.....

[krylox]

One of my LCS's. Had it pre-ordered and their pricing is very fair. Still paid €150 for it, but that is much less than all the other options available to me (cheap-comics.com is asking €219 for it, for example).

ok, i see. it's definitely out of my range then. enjoy yours

[TomSlick]

So strange to me. Do you know any details about what he disliked?

I don't but I remember it was highly publicized and at the time everyone thought Didio was crazy, because Countdown sucked.

[kodave]

So strange to me. Do you know any details about what he disliked?

Mark Waid said:

“The biggest challenge [of 52] was actually, wisely, kept from us by [editor] Steve [Wacker]. EIC Dan Didio, who first championed the concept, hated what we were doing. H-A-T-E-D 52. Would storm up and down the halls telling everyone how much he hated it. And Steve, God bless him, kept us out of the loop on that particular drama. [Editor Michael] Siglain, having less seniority, was less able to do so, and there’s one issue of 52 near the end that was written almost totally by Dan and Keith Giffen because none of the writers could plot it to Dan’s satisfaction. Which was and is his prerogative as EIC, but man, there’s little more demoralizing than taking the ball down to the one-yard line and then being benched by the guy who kept referring to COUNTDOWN as ‘52 done right.'”

[Batarang]

really ? wow... Didio is tasteless then.... The 52 was so good.

[The Lucky One]

Also, this happened regarding Waid's return to write Wally West Flash in 2006: “…once I committed to the project and we’d solicited the first issue, before even one script was finished every single promise that had been made to me to get me back aboard was reneged upon, so integrity and backbone demanded I quit on principle before the first issue even came out. The only reason I stayed six was because of my loyalty to my editor, who didn’t deserve to be screwed.” It's not explicit this was DiDio's doing, but when the guy is basically at or near the top, there's probably a good chance he was involved.

This post made me remember the somewhat similar situation where Chuck Dixon came back to write Robin for what ended up only being, IIRC, six or so issues. (Basically just long enough to bring Spoiler back from the dead.) Just based on memory, I'm thinking it would've been around the same time, 2007 or so. It's probably just a coincidence, but kind of funny that they got two of their former mainstay writers to return to their most famous characters, only to leave almost immediately. I don't remember if Dixon has ever spoken about why he left.

[TomSlick]

You'd think since Geoff Johns is now co-publisher (something in which he was promoted, which leaves me to believe that in some way Didio would have been "demoted to" since he now shares the title) would have some stroke to at least suggest publishing the Waid stuff.

Maybe he even has. I don't know. It just seems silly that one person could hold up something like that when the whole company is a branch of Time Warner. I mean if I'm at the top of the food chain and some petty ass mother #$#%$# is holding up something that's going to make money because of some petty BS, then he's gone.

Of course, people at the top tend to be pretty useless for the most part, so either they don't know, they're not paying attention or they don't care. Either way, the buyers/clients are the ones who lose out.

Then again, maybe Johns is took busy getting everything he ever wrote put in Absolute and omnibus form.

[Kalitarix]

Here are the HCs from the March solicitations:

ABSOLUTE PREACHER VOL. 1 HC
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Art by STEVE DILLON
Cover by GLENN FABRY
On sale JULY 6 • 736 pg, FC, 8.25” x 12.5”, $150.00 US • MATURE READERS
PREACHER #1-26 are collected in this new Absolute edition! Merging with a bizarre force called Genesis, preacher Jesse Custer possesses the power of “The Word,” an ability to make people do whatever he utters! Joined by his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip and hard-drinking vampire Cassidy, Custer begins a violent and riotous journey across the country to find God.

BATMAN ‘66 VOL. 5 HC
Written by JEFF PARKER, RAY FAWKES and GABRIEL SORIA
Art by TY TEMPLETON, JON BOGDANOVE, BRENT SCHOONOVER and others
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
On sale MAY 11 • 184 pg, FC, $24.99 US In these tales from issues #23-30, when False Face goes looking for a shape-shifting formula, he ends up creating Clayface! Then, it’s a bewitching evening as Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, crashes a gala of Gotham City’s elite. Plus, the Scarecrow and The Harlequin are introduced, and Batman grapples with Bane.

FABLES DELUXE EDITION BOOK 12 HC
Written by BILL WILLINGHAM
Art by MARK BUCKINGHAM, STEVE LEIALOHA and others
Cover by DANIEL DOS SANTOS
On sale MAY 18 • 328 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $29.99 US MATURE READERS
In these stories from issues #101-113, Mister Dark has risen again, more powerful than ever. The Fables are down to their last defenses—looks like it’s time for Super Fables! But what happens when the tights and capes are stored away? Bigby and Snow White’s cubs try to move forward after learning a hard lesson about life and death.

GRAPHIC INK: THE DC COMICS ART OF JIM LEE HC
Written by various
Art by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS and others
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
On sale MAY 25 • 416 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $39.99 US
This new, oversized art book captures some of Jim Lee’s most dynamic artwork from his decades in the comic industry. From his early work with WildStorm Productions to his recent turns drawing the greatest heroes in the DC Universe, GRAPHIC INK collects more than hundreds of pages of cover art as well as little-seen short stories from throughout this artist’s career. See why Jim Lee is considered the greatest comics artist of his generation with this extraordinary collection!

KINGDOM COME 20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by MARK WAID
Art and cover by ALEX ROSS
On sale MAY 11 • 340 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875” • $39.99 US
Winner of five Eisner and Harvey Awards, KINGDOM COME is the best-selling graphic novel from acclaimed writer Mark Waid and superstar painter Alex Ross. This new 20th Anniversary edition features sketch material and more that provides insight into this rich world.
Set in the not-so-distant future, the DC Universe is spinning inexorably out of control. The new generation of heroes has lost their moral compass, becoming as reckless and violent as the villains they fight. The previous regime of heroes—the Justice League—returns under the most dire of circumstances, which sets up a battle of the old guard against these uncompromising protectors in a battle that will define what heroism truly is. Collects KINGDOM COME #1-4.

SCALPED DELUXE EDITION BOOK 4 HC
Written by JASON AARON
Art by R.M. GUERA, DANIJEL ZEZELJ, DAVIDE FURNO and JASON LATOUR Cover by R.M. GUERA
On sale MAY 4 • 352 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875” $29.99 US MATURE READERS
In this collection featuring issues #35-49, those Chief Red Crow trusts most find themselves in difficult positions. His right-hand man is embroiled in a murder investigation, while his mentor challenges him for tribal leadership. And a Vietnam War flashback introduces Dash’s father, who returns to the rez under the shadow of a major scandal.

SUPERGIRL: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS HC
Written by OTTO BINDER, LEO DORFMAN and JERRY SIEGEL
Art by JIM MOONEY and AL PLASTINO
Cover by DARWYN COOKE
On sale MAY 18 • 688 pg, FC, $75.00 US
Collecting the Girl of Steel’s adventures from ACTION COMICS #252-307! As Superman’s secret weapon, Supergirl must adjust to life in the Midvale Orphange. The stories alternate between tales about friends and school, Supergirl’s efforts to master her new powers, and time-travel jaunts into the far future and distant past.

WONDER WOMAN VOL. 8: A TWIST OF FATE HC
Written by MEREDITH FINCH
Art by DAVID FINCH, JONATHAN GLAPION, IAN CHURCHILL and others
Cover by DAVID FINCH and JONATHAN GLAPION
On sale MAY 18 • 168 pg, FC, $22.99 US
A daring new direction begins with the arrival of a brand new villain in these stories from WONDER WOMAN #41-47! But while he may be new to us, he’s not new to the world he seeks to tame. And speaking of villains, Donna Troy’s quest to destroy Wonder Woman ratchets up another gear (if that’s even possible!), while Wonder Woman is learning how to replace Ares as God of War. Plus, Donna Troy’s fate becomes clear as she embarks on a journey that will either end her life or begin a new one, while Wonder Woman draws closer to the Amazon who tried to depose Diana as queen!

[Drz]

Hopefully Peter David's Supergirl will have an Omni treatment sooner or later.

[Kalitarix]

And these are the big TPBs:

BATMAN ADVENTURES VOL. 4 TP
Written by KELLEY PUCKETT, PAUL DINI and others
Art by BRUCE TIMM, MIKE PAROBECK, RICK BURCHETT and others
Cover by RICK BURCHETT
On sale APRIL 6 • 320 pg, FC, $24.99 US
In these stories from BATMAN ADVENTURES #28-36, BATMAN ADVENTURES HOLIDAY SPECIAL #1 and BATMAN ADVENTURES ANNUAL #2, the Dynamic Duo face their greatest foes, including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Ra’s al Ghul, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze and more!

BLACK LIGHTNING TP
Written by TONY ISABELLA
Art by TREVOR VON EEDEN, FRANK SPRINGER and VINCE COLLETTA Cover by RICH BUCKLER and FRANK SPRINGER
On sale APRIL 6 • 224 pg, FC, $19.99 US
With the power to generate electricity from within, Jefferson Pierce adopts the secret identity of Black Lightning! But it will take all of his abilities to protect his Metropolis neighborhood of Suicide Slum from those that seek to destroy it. With guest appearances from Superman and more, this new title collects issues #1-11 from the 1970s series, plus a story from CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE.

DC COMICS/DARK HORSE: ALIENS TP
Written by RON MAR and IAN EDGINTON
Art by BERNIE WRIGHTSON, STAZ JOHNSON, JAMES HODGKINS, CHRIS SPROUSE and KEVIN NOWLAN
Cover by STAZ JOHNSON and JAMES HODGKINS
On sale APRIL 27 • 400 pg, FC • $24.99 US
The stories that brought the dread Aliens into the DC Universe are collected in this new title! First, Batman follows the trail from his home turf to the Amazon jungle to discover the horror of the Aliens—but how can even the Dark Knight stop them? Then, an Alien is discovered in a Gotham City construction site—and it’s going to wreak havoc on Arkham Asylum! Plus, the 1998 tale that pitted the WildC.A.T.s against the might of the Aliens is back. Can even the WildC.A.T.s survive a battle with the Aliens—when StormWatch has already fallen?

ELSEWORLDS: BATMAN VOL. 1 TP
Written by DOUG MOENCH, MIKE W. BARR, ELLIOT S. MAGGIN, HOWARD CHAYKIN and others
Art by NORM BREYFOGLE, HOWARD CHAYKIN, KELLEY JONES, P. CRAIG RUSSELL and others
On sale APRIL 20 • 536 pg, FC, $34.99 US
Some of the best Elseworlds tales starring the Dark Knight are collected for the first time, including BATMAN: HOLY TERROR #1, BATMAN: DARK ALLEGIANCES #1, BATMAN: DARK JOKER – THE WILD #1, BATMAN: IN DARKEST KNIGHT #1, ROBIN 3000 #1-2 and more.

THE FLASH BY GRANT MORRISON AND MARK MILLAR TP
Written by GRANT MORRISON and MARK MILLAR
Art by PAUL RYAN, JOHN NYBERG and RON WAGNER
Cover by STEVE LIGHTLE
On sale APRIL 13 • 336 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Writers Grant Morrison and Mark Millar put their distinctive mark on the Scarlet Speedster in this run on THE FLASH from issues #130-141, plus the crossover issues GREEN ARROW #130 and GREEN LANTERN #96! Confined to a wheelchair after a run-in with the mystery villain known only as The Suit, how can The Flash protect Keystone City from evil run amok? Plus, The Flash is forced to represent Earth in an cosmos-spanning race against an alien being called Krakkl!

INVASION TP NEW EDITION
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and BILL MANTLO
Art by TODD McFARLANE, BART SEARS, P. CRAIG RUSSELL, JOE RUBINSTEIN and others
Cover by BART SEARS and JOE RUBINSTEIN
On sale APRIL 13 • 256 pg, FC, $19.99 US
The massive 3-issue miniseries from 1988 is available again in this new edition! In this universe-spanning saga, the deadly but emotionless Dominators have come to Earth to wipe out the threat posed by metahumans. But what is the real reason for their attack?

NIGHTWING VOL. 4: LOVE AND BULLETS TP
Written by CHUCK DIXON
Art and cover by SCOTT McDANIEL and KARL STORY
On sale APRIL 20 • 304 pg, FC, $19.99 US
In these action-packed tales from issues #26-34, #1,000,000 and a story from NIGHTWING SECRET FILES #1, Nightwing is joined by the Huntress, his former love interest, to put an end to Blüdhaven’s mob boss, Blockbuster, and his cartel that’s destroying the city from within. And the amateur crimefighter called Nite-Wing makes life difficult for the real Nightwing.

SECRET SIX VOL. 4: CAUTION TO THE WIND TP
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by J. CALAFIORE and R.B. SILVA
Cover by DANIEL LUVISI
On sale APRIL 20 • 320 pg, FC, $19.99 US
In the “Reptile Brain” arc, the Secret Six are enlisted to prevent an imposing group of their counterparts from conquering an extra-dimensional jungle and unleashing nuclear armageddon on the U.S. This new title collects SECRET SIX #25-36, ACTION COMICS #897 and DOOM PATROL #19.

SUICIDE SQUAD VOL. 3: ROGUES TP
Written by JOHN OSTRANDER
Art by LUKE McDONNELL, GRAHAM NOLAN, KEITH GIFFEN and others
Cover by KARL KESEL
On sale APRIL 6 • 280 pg, FC, $19.99 US
The Suicide Squad is back in stories from issues #17-25 and ANNUAL #1! First, the team stumbles into the Meta-Zone, where they encounter Shade, the Changing Man. Then, the Jihad is back—and there are scores to settle! And Captain Boomerang is about to pay for masquerading as Mirror Master!

SUPERMAN: EMPEROR JOKER TP
Written by JEPH LOEB and others
Art by ED McGUINNESS and others
Cover by ED McGUINNESS and DEXTER VINES
RESOLICIT • On sale APRIL 6 • 264 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Collecting the unforgettable, twisted story originally from SUPERMAN #160-161, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #582-583, SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #104-105, ACTION COMICS #769-770 and SUPERMAN: EMPEROR JOKER #1. In this tale of a reality gone wrong, Superman must struggle against The Joker, Emperor of the universe!
Retailers: This title is resolicited. All previous orders are cancelled.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL VOL. 9 TP
Written by JOHN BYRNE, ROGER STERN and JERRY ORDWAY
Art by JOHN BYRNE, JERRY ORDWAY, RON FRENZ and others
Cover by JOHN BYRNE
On sale APRIL 27 • 232 pg, FC, $17.99 US
In these tales from SUPERMAN #19-22, SUPERMAN ANNUAL #2 and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #441-444, the mysterious Supergirl meets Superman for the first time! Plus, the Man of Steel faces Mr. Mxyzptlk, runs into the Doom Patrol and battles Metallo! And Lex Luthor is tricked into releasing criminals from the Phantom Zone—and it’s up to Superman to clean up his mess.

SUPERMAN: THE MEN OF TOMORROW TP
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
On sale APRIL 13 • 256 pg, FC, $16.99 US
A new era for SUPERMAN begins as writer Geoff Johns takes the reins—and he’s joined by legendary artist John Romita, Jr. in his first-ever work for DC Comics! These stories from issues #32-39 introduce Ulysses, the Man of Tomorrow, into the Man of Steel’s life. This strange visitor shares many of Kal-El’s experiences, including having been rocketed from a world with no future. New and exciting mysteries and adventures await.

[Balakin]

cheers Kalitarix!
Wait, isn't the Flash by Millar and Morrison supposed to be a hc?

[Tony]

Happily surprised by Supergirl the Silver Age Omnibus. Looks like DC is really looking to mine the defunct archive line of restored comics. Hoping the quality on these stays high and we add Silver Age Superman and Batman, also hoping the omnibus line marches past what was collected in the Archives. It's not like they don't have a need to clean up these old comics for digital sales.

Waiting on the GA Plastic Man and Wonder Woman omni's as well