After a down month in May, June has a bunch of stuff cooking for DC. Let’s dig in.
10. This is my most pedantic pick ever
This omnibus is not new. This omnibus is not of a run I particularly have fond feelings for. So why is it being highlighted? I’m glad you asked.
Comics in general are not great about keeping things that aren’t considered top line, classic titles in print. Try to get the “Starman” omnibuses or “Wednesday Comics,” for instance. The fact that DC is publishing a second edition of this less heralded run of “Swamp Thing” is a good sign for keeping similarly excellent but not universally beloved titles in print.
SWAMP THING BY NANCY A. COLLINS OMNIBUS
(2024 EDITION)
Written by NANCY A. COLLINS
Art by SCOT EATON, KIM DeMULDER, and others
Cover by CHARLES VESS
$125.00 US | 984 pages | 7 1/16″ x 10 7/8″ | Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-77952-947-3
ON SALE 8/20/24Featuring the beautiful pencils of Scot Eaton (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, X-Men: Messiah Complex) and striking inks of Kim DeMulder (Hellblazer, Transmetropolitan), among other celebrated artists, Swamp Thing by Nancy A. Collins Omnibus collects Swamp Thing #110-139, Swamp Thing Annual #6-7, Black Orchid #5 and a story from Vertigo Jam #1, along with behind-the-scenes artwork and the original proposal for “Arcane Blood,” an unpublished Swamp Thing miniseries by Collins.
9. [Title card] 2 Years Later
In May of 2022, DC announced a trio of Young Adult OGNS to debut the following year. 29 months later, “The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley” is finally seeing publication. I’m not sure why the book took so much longer than anticipated, but as a big fan of Jen St-Onge’s work, I’m just happy that it is coming out at all.
THE STRANGE CASE OF HARLEEN AND HARLEY
Written by MELISSA MARR
Drawn by JENN ST-ONGE
$16.99 US | 208 pages | 6″ x 9″ | Softcover | ISBN: 978-1-77950-975-8
ON SALE 9/3/24A new YA take on how Harleen became Harley!
When Harleen signs up to participate in a clinical research trial with her girlfriend, Pamela, her only goals are extra cash and a chance to control her anxiety. But what she gets instead are increasingly larger gaps in her memory and stolen mementos from some guy named Jack. Soon, Harleen discovers she’s sharing her life with Harley—a take-no-prisoners, who-cares-about-attendance, maybe-we-oughtasave- the-bunnies kind of girl. She is the opposite of Harleen in every way. And although she’s throwing Harleen’s life completely off track, maybe she ain’t so bad either…
New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely) and celebrated artist Jenn St-Onge (Bingo Love) explore the twisted transformation from Harleen to Harley in this compelling YA graphic novel!
8. Better late than never
We, as a culture, are always better at honoring the dead than celebrating the living. It would’ve been great to see DC spotlight some of her work before she passed away (aside from the “Doom Patrol” omnibus), but kudos to DC for recognizing her significance and giving her a celebratory one-shot during Pride Month. The comics community now has a number of prominent trans creators, and there is a direct line from Pollack to those creators. It is absolutely right to celebrate not just Coagula, the first trans character, but Pollack as a pionner behind the scenes as well.
Continued belowDC PRIDE: A CELEBRATION OF RACHEL POLLACK #1
Written by RACHEL POLLACK and JOE CORALLO
Art by SCOT EATON, MICHAEL ALLRED, and RYE HICKMAN
Cover by VARIOUS
$9.99 US | 96 pages | One-shot | Prestige Format
ON SALE 6/4/24In the 1990s, writer Rachel Pollack did the impossible: she raised the bar for surprise and strangeness in her beloved run following Grant Morrison’s career-making Doom Patrol! This one-shot reprints the debut of the iconic Coagula, DC’s first transgender superhero, from Doom Patrol #70, along with the long-unavailable one-shot Vertigo Visions: The Geek (with superstar artist Michael Allred)! And in a final, original short story, Rachel’s most beloved creation, Kate Godwin, a.k.a. Coagula, returns to the spotlight in tale of triumph over death itself written by Joe Corallo, Rachel’s longtime friend and collaborator, and drawn by Rye Hickman!
7. Remember when this was a six issue miniseries?
Recently, DC has been announcing books as miniseries and then extending them into ongoings. “Poison Ivy” was the first of these experiments, and now “Green Arrow” is the latest to follow suit. What was first six issues was then twelve and now, here we are with the series continuing yet again. This is a much better system than what we’ve seen so many other times at DC and Marvel, where a series is announced with great fanfare as an ongoing, only to see it disappear six months later.
Plus, peep that Phil Hester cover. Hester on Green Arrow is always excellent.
GREEN ARROW #13
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by AMANCAY NAHUELPAN
Cover by PHIL HESTER
Variant cover by TIRSO CONS
DC Pride variant cover by A.L. KAPLAN
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/25/24Oliver Queen has become an AGENT OF AMANDA WALLER. Roy and the rest of the Green Arrow family want to know why Green Arrow would betray his family and friends and choose to work with Amanda Waller and her deadly plans for the heroes and villains of the DC Universe!
6. The dream of the 90s is alive in reprints
This month sees two fun reprints of work by Chuck Dixon, whose early 90s Batman and Bat-family work make up such an oversized part of my comics life. His “Nightwing” run gets a lot of love, so let’s toss some praise on the early Tim Drake stories by Dixon and Alan Grant, across a couple of different titles. When people shit on 90s comics, the point that they often miss is that it was a time when young readers had a plethora of choices of new characters they could follow and feel like they were ‘theirs.’ Almost every branch of DC had new characters sharing the spotlight, whether it was Tim Drake in the Bat books, Connor Kent in the Superman books, Cassie Sandsmark in “Wonder Woman,” Impulse for the Flash family, Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern, Connor Hawke as Green Arrow, etc. It was the last time that it felt like DC was making a real effort to not just introduce new characters, but put them in the spotlight alongside the big guns.
Anyway, read these comics. They’re fun!
ROBIN: TIM DRAKE COMPENDIUM ONE
Written by CHUCK DIXON, ALAN GRANT, and MORE!
Art by TOM LYLE, NORM BREYFOGLE, and MORE!
Cover by TOM GRUMMETT and SCOTT HANNA
$59.99 | 1128 Pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover | ISBN: 978-1-77952-593-2
ON SALE 7/23/24After discovering Batman’s secret identity, Tim Drake has been accepted by the Dark Knight as his new partner in crime fighting. He must now endure months of intensive training on the path to publicly debuting as the Caped Crusader’s new partner. Presenting Tim Drake’s first adventures, Robin: Tim Drake Compendium One collects Batman #455-457, #465-469, #480, Detective Comics #618-621, Robin (vol. 1) #1-5, Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #1-4, Robin III: Cry of the Huntress #1-6, Robin (vol. 2) #1-5, Robin Annual #1-2, Superman (vol. 2) #70, Superman: The Man of Steel #14, and stories from Batman 80-Page Giant #2 and Showcase ’93 #1-6, #11-12.
5. Elseworlds returns
I’m glad that DC is bringing back the Elseworlds banner, as I think it is one of their better brands that hasn’t been diluted and poisoned over time. I must admit, though, that I’m a little frustrated that the first book out of the chute is a sequel to a classic Elseworlds title with none of the original creators involved. Obviously, Brian Augustyn is dead and Mike Mignola hasn’t done interiors at DC in a very, very long time, but the whole idea of Elseworlds was to give people a (relatively) blank canvas to do a new story with familiar characters however they saw fit.
This isn’t really in that spirit; it’s continuing someone else’s story in a now familiar setting. I’m sure it’ll be good, because Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernández are quality creators, but this feels less like a new Elseworlds book than I wish it did.
Continued belowBATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT—THE KRYPTONIAN AGE #1
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Art and cover by LEANDRO FERNÁNDEZ
Variant cover by KENDRICK “KUNKKA” LIM
Variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
Foil variant cover by JOCK
1:25 variant cover by JOCK
1:50 variant cover by LEANDRO FERNÁNDEZ
$4.99 US | 40 pages | 1 of 12 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
Foil variant $6.99 (card stock)
ON SALE 6/11/24The new era of Elseworlds kicks off with the return of its crown jewel, the mysterious and gothic world originated by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola! When a mysterious meteor falls on the wide-open plains of the Midwest, it will unleash a chain of events that find Gotham’s bizarre Batman contending with not just the twin threats of the Catwoman and a mysterious international assassin but also the emergence of superhuman beings beyond all comprehension! This sequel series expands the 19th-century DC Universe beyond the confines of Gotham City, showcasing bold new visions of once-familiar heroes…Do not miss it!
4. You, too, can have adventures with Superman!
I don’t have too much to say about this aside from being happy that a) Josie Campbell is getting more work at DC and b) that DC is capitalizing on a very good TV show and trying to turn it into something else. My one note is that this, perhaps, would’ve been better as a WebToon series, where viewers of the series are more likely to encounter it than if they happen to stumble into a comic shop.
MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN #1
Written by JOSIE CAMPBELL
Art by PABLO M. COLLAR
Cover by CARLI SQUITIERI
Variant cover by GAVIN GUIDRY
Variant cover by RILEY ROSSMO
Blank sketch variant
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 6/4/24
Flying from the screen to the page, it’s Superman! Picking up from the explosive end of season one, Clark’s about to spend Christmas alone in Metropolis. Though he’s feeling a bit down and out, a tip about a monster in the sewers sends Superman, Lois, and Jimmy into action! But what is this monster that can absorb anything it touches, and why is it here in Metropolis?Written by the head writer of My Adventures with Superman, Josie Campbell, and drawn by Pablo M. Collar, this series brings the hit show to your hands with an all-new adventure!
3. The dream of the 90s is…oh wait, I already did this joke
No matter how good they actually are, all DC/Marvel collaborations will fall somewhat short of the expectations set by these two titanic companies working together. The Amalgam series was such a crazy idea, the series was hard to come by for so long, and the creators involved so iconic that there’s a mystique around them that I’m afraid revisiting them will never quite live up.
But perhaps these can also be a cautionary tale against putting too much hope/stock in an idea before actually seeing the results. And I’m not trying to unduly shit on these comics…but read the omnibus and get back to me.
Continued belowDC VERSUS MARVEL: THE AMALGAM AGE OMNIBUS
Written by RON MARZ, PETER DAVID, KARL KESEL, and others
Art by DAN JURGENS, CLAUDIO CASTELLINI, and others
Cover by DAVE GIBBONS
Direct Market Exclusive Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
$150.00 US | 1120 Pages | 7 1/16″ x 10 7/8″ | Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-77952-326-6 | Direct Market Exclusivet ISBN: 978-1-77952-883-4
ON SALE 8/6/24Pitting their world’s greatest superheroes against each other, only the winning universe will be allowed to live! And the loser…will cease to exist. Superman versus the Hulk! Batman versus Captain America! Wolverine versus Lobo!
Fighting against the clock, Access, a new hero traversing both worlds, will attempt victory through another means: The combination of DC and Marvel into one universe! The Amalgam age of comics is born! Batman and Wolverine become Dark Claw! Captain America and Superman become Super Soldier! Wonder Woman and Storm become Amazon! But will the existence of Amalgam prolong the inevitable demise of DC or Marvel? Will the Amalgam Universe fight back when Access attempts to return the universes to their former glory?
This once-in-a-lifetime event is finally collected in a once-in-a-lifetime Omnibus! Featuring DC Versus Marvel #1-4, the DC/Marvel: All-Access #1-4, Unlimited Access #1-4, Amazon #1, Assassins #1, Bat-Thing #1, Bruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, Bullets and Bracelets #1, Challengers of the Fantastic #1, Dark Claw Adventures #1, Doctor Strangefate #1, Exciting X-Patrol #1, Generation Hex #1, Iron Lantern #1, JLX Unleashed #1, Legend of the Dark Claw #1, Lobo the Duck #1, The Magnetic Men Featuring Magneto #1, Speed Demon #1, Spider-Boy #1, Spider-Boy Team-Up #1, Super Soldier #1, Super Soldier: Man of War #1, Thorion of the New Asgods #1, X-Patrol #1, and a story from Green Lantern #87. Includes introductions by Ron Marz and Karl Kesel, new afterwords by Mike Carlin and Tom Breevort, the trading cards, and a tome of never-before-seen material!
2. Remember Black Label?
Zatanna is, perhaps, the least used of DC’s ‘classic’ heroes from the Silver Age. That makes no sense to me, and forgive me if I’ve gone on this rant before, but the magical side of the DC Universe is such a rich one, and Zatanna is such a well defined character. There is no reason to not have an ongoing from her all the time.
But I digress. Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodríguez are doing a five issue Black Label series about Zatanna, and the preview art looks absolutely incredible. I’m not sure as of yet why this is getting the Black Label treatment – will it be gory? will it have sex in it? do they just want to drop F-bombs everywhere? – but hey, beggars can’t be choosers, and this series is long overdue.
ZATANNA: BRING DOWN THE HOUSE #1
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art and cover by JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ
Variant cover by ARTGERM
Variant cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
Foil variant cover by ARTGERM
Blank variant cover
1:25 variant cover by ÁLVARO MARTÍNEZ BUENO
1:50 variant cover by MIKEL JANÍN
$5.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 5 | (all covers are card stock)
Foil variant $7.99 US
ON SALE 6/25/24And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…please put your hands together for Zatanna Zatara! The greatest entertainer in the crappiest hotel and casino of Las Vegas!
Not that the ritzier spots on the Strip haven’t come calling, of course. But since a devastating instance of magic gone wrong that forever changed the course of her childhood, Zatanna would much rather live out her days as a top-hat-and-fishnets-wearing sleight-of-hand stage act than bother with real magic. These days, she doesn’t think much of the past at all.
That is, until an interdimensional vortex cracks open during Zatanna’s act, and a terrifying demon crawls out to kill her. If she hopes to survive the horrors that follow it, she’ll need to take herself and her power seriously for the first time in a long time—and fast. Because when it comes to your past, you can run…but you can’t hide forever!
1. The best anthology every year
DC’s Pride anthology has become the crown jewel of their seasonal/holiday anthologies, and 2024 looks to be no different. The biggest pieces that excite me about this year’s edition are the Phil Jimenez autobiographical story, similar to Kevin Conroy’s from a past anthology, and Al Ewing’s DC debut. The fact that DC got Ewing for this anthology shows how seriously they take their Pride offerings.
But even without those two stories, I love how this anthology also acts as a de facto youth anthology at points, because so many of DC’s young/new creations are LGBTQIA+. We are not there yet in terms of accurate representation on the page, but when you read this anthology, there are far more diverse characters on the page than would’ve been imaginable when I was reading comics as a kid. That progress is undoubtedly a good thing.
DC PRIDE 2024 #1
Written by AL EWING, NGOZI UKAZU, NICOLE MAINES,
PHIL JIMENEZ, and others
Art by NGOZI UKAZU, CLAIRE ROE, O’NEILL JONES, and others
Cover by KEVIN WADA
Wraparound variant cover by DAVID TALASKI
Variant cover by BABS TARR
Foil variant cover by BABS TARR
1:25 variant cover by KEVIN WADA
$9.99 US | 104 pages | One-shot | (all covers are card stock)
ON SALE 5/28/24DC’s Eisner and Ringo award-winning Pride anthology returns in the form of a universe-spanning travelogue like you’ve never seen! In its pages, Dreamer makes a first-time pilgrimage to her ancestral planet, Naltor! Poison Ivy and Janet from HR go spore-hunting on Portworld! Superman (Jon Kent) gets the boys together for a night out in A-Town, but things go sideways when The Ray vanishes into thin air! Steel (Natasha Irons) works up the courage to face Traci 13 at the Oblivion Bar’s Pride party for the first time since they broke up! Aquaman (Jackson Hyde) catches an unexpected ride to the Fourth World just in time for their annual Love Festival! All this and more in a volume celebrating how the LGBTQIA+ community is everywhere and belongs anywhere—even the very furthest reaches of the universe.
Plus, this year’s anthology features a special preview of the upcoming YA OGN The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley, as well as an unmissable autobiographical story written by industry legend Phil Jimenez about the fantastical worlds that shaped him, brought to life by Giulio Macaione!
You can find the full solicits by using the internet.
