DC Preview Review for February 2012 Part 2 of 2

Jim: For Part 1 we touched on the heavy hitters for part 2 I’d like to look at the collected editions offerings. I have recently cut way back on what I’m getting, but I still have orders for stuff coming in. I also plan to sell via Ebay a ton of my trades and hard covers. What was once unique and rare has been overplayed.

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: JIM APARO HC
Written by BOB HANEY • Art and cover by JIM APARO
On sale APRIL 4 • 512 pg, FC, $49.99 US
DC collects Aparo’s classic run on THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD in hardcover for the first time! These stories feature Batman’s team-ups with Robin, Green Arrow, Black Canary, The Teen Titans, Deadman, Wonder Woman, The Demon, The Joker, Aquaman, The Atom and many others, from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #98, 100-102 and 104-122.

Jim: This is a good example. I got the Marshall Rogers book of his Batman art and it is very nice and certainly slick enough, but there are zero extras. No essay on who Marshall Rogers was (as he died a few years book) no commentary on his art, no comments from the writers, nothing but a straight reprint of his work. For $50 retail price tag more work needs to be done. Not getting this book.

Lee:  I'm actually not getting this either but for different reasons.  One comment, a collection like this isn't for today's collector.  It's for you and I.  We know who Aparo is, that's why you picked it and why I was interested.  If you love DC from the 70's, specifically Batman from the 70's then this appeals to you.  I can't stand Haney's writing which is why I will pass.  But I really want to see Aparo's art because it's fantastic.

 

ABSOLUTE FINAL CRISIS HC
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by J.G. JONES, CARLOS PACHECO, DOUG MAHNKE, MATTHEW CLARK, JESUS MERINO, CHRISTIAN ALAMY, MARCO RUDY, TOM NGUYEN and others
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale JULY 18 • 400 pg, FC, 8.25” x 12.5”, $99.99 US
The mind-blowing event from 2008 is collected in this spectacular new hardcover collecting FINAL CRISIS #1-7, FINAL CRISIS: SUBMIT #1, FINAL CRISIS: SUPERMAN BEYOND #1-2 and the FINAL CRISIS SKETCHBOOK, all written by Grant Morrison!
What happens when evil wins? That’s the devastating question Superman, Batman, the Justice League and every other super being in the DC Universe must face when Darkseid and his otherworldly legion of followers actually win the war between light and dark.
This oversized, slipcased hardcover comes with its own pair of 3-D glasses!

Jim: I got the regular issues, I got the deluxe hard cover of this series, why would I pay $100 for the oversized version? Well I won’t. It has a sketchbook as an extra, but where is the wide ranging interview with Grant Morrison, pages of script and other commentary. How about the fact they should have the 3D pages in regular 2D also for $100. I love this material and my focus is towards high end products now, but until you add more bells and whistles I’m not signing up anymore.

Lee:  I never got the original series, I never got the collected hc's, or even the trades.  And I am not going to get this.  It's good to be collected but I find it ironic that the hype calls it "mind blowing" in a good way and every one I ever talked to about the series called it "mind blowing" in a bad way.

BATMAN INCORPORATED VOL. 1 DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by YANICK PAQUETTE, MICHEL LACOMBE, SCOTT CLARK, DAVE BEATY, CHRIS BURNHAM and CAMERON STEWART
Cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
RESOLICIT • On sale APRIL 11 • 264 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $29.99 US
Retailers: This item is resolicited. All previous orders are cancelled.
The first eight issues of the hot new series are collected in this new, deluxe edition hardcover - which now includes new BATMAN INCORPORATED: LEVIATHAN STRIKES #1!
After Bruce Wayne tells the world that he is the financial backer of Batman, he establishes a worldwide franchise of Batmen to protect the entire globe. This is the beginning of a stunning new direction for the world’s greatest detective that will team him with Catwoman, Batwoman and Batman Incorporated representatives on international crimefighting missions against Lord Death Man in Japan, South America and Argentina.
Then, from the pages of the LEVIATHAN STRIKES special, Batman realizes to his horror that he’s been outwitted as the true identity of Leviathan continues to elude him.

Jim: Now the new DCU has screwed this up. I thought that Grant had a wonderful long term story in play and then the new DCU came in and stomped all over it. I know they are planning to finish the story, but they should have just let the book continue and then the new DCU could happen after this story ended. Some people (Gwen) are not as big of a fan of Grant’s stuff as I am, but I’m still disappointed that I’m waiting a long time to see how this concludes. Having said all of that I will get this hard cover as I want to have this story around to read again and again.

Lee:  I'm with Gwen on this one.  Morrison has had too many half executed ideas for me in recent years to make the investment.  Not to mention I have enough not finished collections on my shelf (Fell, The Twelve,....) I'm not adding another one.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC
Written by MARV WOLFMAN, GEORGE PEREZ, MIKE W. BARR
Art by GEORGE PEREZ, ROMEO TANGHAL, KEITH POLLARD, JIM APARO, MIKE DECARLO and DICK GIORDANO
Cover by GEORGE PEREZ
On sale APRIL 18 • 736 pg, FC, $75.00 US
The New Teen Titans battle threats large and small in this massive hardcover collecting NEW TEEN TITANS #21-40, TALES OF THE NEW TEEN TITANS #41-44, NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1- 2, TALES OF THE NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3 and BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #5. Betrayal comes from one of their own when it’s revealed that their teammate Terra is secretly working for the Titans’ deadly enemy, Deathstroke the Terminator.

Jim: They starting doing these in archives and now switched to Omnibus versions, so I will pass. The price tag is not too bad, but DC’s Omnibuses are usually light weight paper and any book binding dealing with almost 800 pages is too thick of a book for me.

Lee: I have Archives versions.  That's enough for me.

THE FLASH ARCHIVES VOL. 6 HC
Written by GARDNER FOX and JOHN BROOME • Art by CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE GIELLA and FRANK GIACOIA Cover by CARMINE INFANTINO and MURPHY ANDERSON Advance solicited • On sale JULY 25 • 240 pg, FC, $59.99 US
It’s a Rogues Gallery parade in these tales from THE FLASH #142-150, as the Scarlet Speedster battles The Trickster, Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, Mr. Element, The Reverse Flash, Captain Boomerang and Captain Cold! Plus, a tale guest-starring Green Lantern!

Jim: I really, really want to get this as I was a huge archives fan, but I will pass for now. This is the truly classic material but until I get my hard cover addiction under control I have to pass on some books and hope that down the road I remember to buy this archive.

Lee:  This is another book that is aimed squarely at the older collector and yes I include myself in that.  I am passing because the Superhero material just doesn't hold up that well for me.  The Marvel silverage stuff isn't any better but I accept it because of nostalgia.

100 BULLETS BOOK TWO DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art by EDUARDO RISSO and others
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
On sale APRIL 11 • 416 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $49.99 US • MATURE READERS
In these stories from issues #20-36, Agent Graves presents an attaché case with a gun and 100 untraceable bullets to Milo Garrett, a small-time private dick who’s just out of the hospital after losing an argument with his car’s windshield.

Jim: Now this is another book I’m getting. I made a commitment to get this series in hardcover, which is annoying as I have all of the trades, but Azz and Risso were often brilliant on this series and I liked the series. At this rate it will be a six volume set and that hurts, but still I think this series will be a long term seller for DC.

Lee:  I just finished Vol 1 a couple of weeks ago.  You will love it!  You say it will hurt now but as soon as you start reading you will forget the pain and just love it.

Jim: Until DC starts to get back to a more normalized type of line up the preview review is more of a chore because the entire DCU is always in the same place, very little new or different coming out.

Lee:  This worked well this month.  I like the collections better than the single issues so I have lots to say.  Then again, when don't I have lots to say?