Just a quick reminder that due to the Labor Day holiday, Comic Books are released on Thursday this week, but you already knew that. Let’s get on to some links:

• From John Mayo, Comic Book Resources, here are the Sales Estimates for July, 2009. John and I did record a podcast for these figures and is slated to be released September 11.
• Official Press Release – Windy City Comicon Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Center on Halstead. I’ll be there. Will you?
• One more step towards Marvel reprinting that classic Marvelman run – Alan Moore gives his 2 cents via BleedingCool.com. This is good news from Rich, but until I hear something, anything, from Joe Q. it’s all a bunch of guesswork.
• Newsarama has an extended preview of From the Pages of Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Harker (AAM/Markosia). It has an introduction by Ian Holt and Bram Stoker’s great-grandnephew Dacre Stoker, who have both just written the first official Dracula sequel, Dracula: The Undead. And if that’s not enough Leslie S. Klinger, is publishing a New Annotated Dracula book, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman and there is also Vlad the Impaler: The Man Who Was Dracula GN-HC by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon due out in time for Halloween.
• Collected Editions Blog found out via Amazon.com that a Seven Soldiers of Victory HC Volume 1 (of 2) is due out June 2010.
• Via DC Comics: The Source read the Introduction to Batman: Cacophony HC by Kevin Smith.
• DownTheTubes.net interviews David Leach editor of The Misadventures of Jane (Titan Books).
• Take a look at Neil Gaiman’s Bookshelves. Thanks to Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter.
• DVD Review: The New Adventures Of Superman (DC Comics Classics Collection). 36 limited animation cartoons from Filmation with a documentary extra with Mark Waid and Paul Levitz.
• Mock Review: Charles LePage, ComicList, on the fictitious Essential Black Goliath Volume 1. Chuck makes a strong case and even includes cover art.

Comic Con International is over and that gave us a ton of news to ponder over and celebrate. This weekend we hope to get a few more nuggets out of Wizard World Chicago Chicago Comic Con (let’s cross our fingers, anyway). In between time, and in case you missed it, here are a few gems I dug up:

• Dean Mullaney’s Library of American Comics imprint is growing, published by IDW, with new series reprinting the comics strips Blondie, Secret Agent X-9 and King Aroo joining a powerhouse lineup that already includes Dick Tracy and Little Orphan Annie.
• A Criminal Blog reports that Ed Brubaker’s Criminal Deluxe Edition will have 432 pages, not 360 as originally solicited. If it collects the first three trade paperbacks, then that leaves 72 pages for extras. Speculation is that one of the extras may be the Criminal emission from last year’s Liberty Comics #1. Also posted (from A Criminal Blog), as the artwork today, is the Cover for the Incognito TP.
• GalleyCat has a really bizarre blog post on Collecting Literary Tattoos. To each his own, I guess.
• Review: Collected Ediitons Blog on Final Crisis HC and TP (DC Comics)

There’s been a lot of talk on Blogs, Twitter and many message boards, on just how DC Comics will collect Wednesday Comics. Keep in mind that at its core, Wednesday Comics are newspapers and measure 14 x 20 and are 16 pages long. 12 weeks from now, when it’s all said and done, there will be 192 total pages with a retail cost of $48.00.

Myself, and many others, think that DC should try as best as they can to keep the oversized format and do it in the same manner that Sunday Press Books has done with Little Nemo In Slumberland: So Many Splendid Sunday’s or Sundays with Walt & Skeezix. Those books top out at 21 x 16.6. It’s plenty of room to keep the exact same size that DC Comics has going right now. Keep in mind that Little Nemo retails for $120 and is 128 pages while Walt & Skeezix retails for $90 and has 96 pages.

If DC does go with the Little Nemo format, they should offer Wednesday Comics as a 2-Volume (Absolute) Hardcover set with approximately 100 pages each, including introductions, detailed creator credits and a few extras with a price of $150 ($75 per volume).

Let’s wait and see if I’m proven wrong.

It’s been a tough week at the Marshall household, but everything seems to be back on track, including the Collected Comics Library website that crashed (thanks to me) Wednesday morning. I got it back up and running with help from my friend Ian Levenstein (Comics Timing podcast). You’ll notice that I did a few touch-ups and I’m still working on it and probably will be for the foreseeable future (some things you will notice, others you will not).
Heroes Con is going on this weekend and just a reminder that if you come across any Collected Edition news, please pass it my way via e-mail or leave a comment within this post below and we’ll talk about it on the next podcast.
For now, here is some CE news from around the net.

• Tom Spurgeon, Comics Reporter, reports that a Jeremy Mullins Scholarship has been established.
• John Mayo, CBR, has the Sales Estimates for May, 2009. Remember to listen to John and I as we discuss the Collected Edition numbers.
• I’m becoming a big fan of Rich Johnston’s Bleeding Cool. Here’s the cover to the Strangers In Paradise Omnibus and he also compares the original Final Crisis Comic Books to the finished Hardcover – changes indeed.
• In more cover news, how do you like the cover to the Criminal Omnibus Deluxe Edition? Thanks to Ed Brubaker for posting it.
• Alex Segura, DC Universe: The Source, has published the Afterword by James Robinson from the Starman Omnibus Volume 3.
• The Broken Frontier interviews Steve W. Saffel, editor of The Best of Simon and Kirby (Titan Books).

If you came by the site yesterday, Wednesday, then you know that I’ve had a bit of trouble with the site crashing. I’ve been working on some redesigns and some of the code isn’t going through as expected.
I’ll be working on it as much as I can the rest of this week and weekend. I hope to get everything done ASAP.
If you are going to Heroes Con, have a safe and happy time and feel free to send me any Collected Edition news – from any company!

Time for some linky linkage. The podcast for tomorrow will be a doozy as I focus on DC, Marvel and Big Crossover Events and how they are incorrectly collected.

• In the “It’s About Time” category: Disney Brings X-Men Animated Series to DVD.
• I always enjoy reading Graeme McMillan’s (The Savage Critics) blog postings. This time around he gives 10 Thoughts About Showcase Presents: The Brave and Bold Volume 3.
• Friend of the CCL, John Mayo, Comic Book Resources, on Sales Estimates for December, 2008. John and I will be releasing our podcast as usual in the next few days.
• Check out the Absolute Promethea Vol. 1 bookcover from J.H. Williams III. Thanks to Derek Coward (Comic Book Noise for the shared link).
• Scott McCloud To Be Published By :01 First Second. I’m not sure why this is news. I couldn’t tell you who published his other books, nor do I really care.
• Del Rey announces adaptor and artist for graphic novel adaptation of Straub and King’s The Talisman. Adapting the King books to comics seems to be very popular at the moment and will probably continue to be popular for the next 100 years.

During the Holiday’s not a whole lot of news comes out from the various comic book companies. Usually big announcements are made during the summer convention season. This is reason why I haven’t been doing a whole lot of link-blogging these past few weeks. However, there is some news that has trickled down, so in case you missed it here are a few links:

• Chris Ryall, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of IDW, announced on his Blog that IDW will publish at least 2 Omnibus editions of Marvel Star Trek run. the first will be issues 4-18 of their original series (issues 1-3 were the movie adaptation and are being collected in their own Omnibus later), complete with an all-new STAR TREK II adaptation we’re doing. The second edition will collect the entirety of their EARLY VOYAGES series. Zach Howard will be doing covers for both books.
• Valerie D’Orazio, Occasional Superheroine, digs into Batman RIP and Final Crisis and mail regarding the collected editions.
• Timothy Callahan, CBR, on his Best Of 2008: Top 20 Collected Editions. Absolute Ronin at #4? Really, Tim? and I was surprised to see Dark Tower has made any list. Sure the art is fantastic, but the hardcover fails to reprint all the prose pieces that were published in the original monthly run. This book may be my biggest disappointment of the year, not one of the best.
• In his latest column for CBR, Scott, Classic Comics Corner, reviews some must have Classic Collections For Your Bookshelf, including The Complete Classic Adventures of Zorro by Alex Toth and the just sold out Herbie Archives Volume 1 by Richard E. Hughes and Ogden Whitney.
• Going a little ways back to November 5th, Danny, 20th Century Danny Boy, takes a look at the growing number of names in the reprint credit section of new Marvel Essentials compared to the older ones . And also has some cool Iron Man artwork.
• DC Comics Unveils Book Titles For Summer 2009. Aside from Starman, nothing really intrigues me. Thanks to Charlie and ComicList.
• BOOM! hires Tony Shenton as new TPB sales representative Thanks to CBR.
• Josh and the guys from iFanboy do an excellent job on podcast Episode #101 The Gift of Comics. Then Josh goes and writes a great blog post on The Top 5 Most Wanted Out of Print Comics. Damn, guys are stealing all my thunder!
• Heidi MacDonald, The Beat, has Details on (the now delayed) You’ll All Be Sorry! collection – Gail Simone’s epochal humor column.
• Newsarams talks to Dean Mullaney on IDW’s Library of American Comics

Here’s just a few things that caught my attention over the Holiday weekend here in the States:

• The Black & White Premiere HCs of Spider-Man: Blue (OCT08 -2514, $24.99) and Daredevil: Yellow (SEP08 2450, $24.99) have been cancelled. Perhaps Marvel has realized what a silly idea this is.
• Golden Age Starman Archives Vol. 2 HC projected to collect Adventure Comics 77-102 due 2009. Well deserved and long overdue. This book should wrap up all the GA Starman solo appearances.
• Three upcoming DC Deluxe Hardcovers: JLA by George Perez, Flash of Two Worlds, and Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis. More information as it becomes available.

Press Release

In response to questions from retailers, DC Comics offers this guide to the features of the four different WATCHMEN collected editions. All four collect the entire Hugo and Eisner-Award winning epic written by Alan Moore with art and cover by Dave Gibbons.

The WATCHMEN TP (FEB058406) is the original WATCHMEN collection, running 416 pages, featuring the high-quality, recolored artwork found in WATCHMEN: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION, which were restored by WildStorm FX and original series colorist John Higgins. As a reminder, this edition is available to retailers on consignment sale now through December 1.

The WATCHMEN INTERNATIONAL EDITION TP (JUL088045) runs 416 pages and features recolored cover art by Gibbons that originally appeared in WHO’S WHO UPDATE ’87 #5 and the high-quality, recolored artwork found in WATCHMEN: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION, which were restored by WildStorm FX and original series colorist John Higgins. It is available in the U.S. and Canada exclusively through Diamond Comic Distributors.

The WATCHMEN HC (JUL080172) runs 436 pages, with newly colored cover art by Gibbons that previously appeared in the WATCHMEN ABSOLUTE EDITION. In addition, this edition includes the two text pieces written by Moore and Gibbons in 1988 for the Graphitti Designs edition, as well as a nine page Gallery section with selected art from the Absolute Edition. It is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on November 12.

The WATCHMEN: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION HC Fourth printing (JUL080174) is an oversized, slipcased hardcover running 464 pages. This edition includes the two text pieces written by Moore and Gibbons in 1988 for the Graphitti Designs edition, as well as a 37-page section with the original WATCHMEN proposal, an expanded selection of rarely seen artwork and a sample of the script for issue #1. It is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on November 12.
Also offered in the October Previews is the WATCHMEN #1 New Printing (OCT080158), a 32-page facscimile edition of the historic issue that began the WATCHMEN phenomenon in 1986, offered for the first time in years at its original cover price of $1.50 U.S. and scheduled to arrive in stores on December 3.

There’s no doubt about it, when you get as many trades, hardcovers comics and collected editions as I do, it can be pretty hard to stay on top of everything and not get behind. That said. I am behind. In fact way behind. I own over 130 DC Archives and 100 Marvel Masterworks just to start, and to be honest, I have not read even half of them. Before you scold me and tell me that it’s all a waste of money, don’t because it isn’t at all. I view it has history on my bookshelf and someday I get through it all and my kids will go through it and maybe my grandkids will too. And through it all, the library will grow.

But I am making progress. I try to read every night. Whether it’s in my favorite chair or in bed. But I don’t look at it as a chore, either. I read (and collect) the books, because I want to. It’s my hobby. Sure I like golf and baseball and other activities, but I’ve come to realize that reading comics, and in particular Collected Editions, is my #1 favorite thing to do by myself.

Of course I’ve known this for years and years, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I’m looking back at things and the choices I’ve made. And for better or worse, collecting comics has been a fun and exciting (and sometimes) frustrating ride. I have no intention of stopping now. The Blog has been a great outlet for me and so has the Forum, which ah been lackluster at times, but there’s been enough chatter to keep it going, for now. But it’s the podcast that I have relished. Once a week I come on and give the news and voice my opinions about the world of comic books as it relates to collected editions and it’s your loyalty for which I’m truly grateful.

Thank you. I don’t say it enough.

Chris Marshall

I hope all of you had a great Memorial Day Weekend. As you can see from my pervious post I was rather busy. But it’s a wonderful sense of accomplishment when you get everything done that needs to get done. Sure, the work never stops when it comes to yard work, but I can look out my window and see the flowers bloom and that makes it all worthwhile.
As for comics, this weekend, things are pretty slow, but I did manage to read the Complete Shmoo (Dark Horse); a fantastic book that I will be reviewing for an upcoming podcast in the next few weeks. I’ll even let you in on a little secret – it’s a front runner for The CCL Collected Edition of the Year!!!
Same old stuff in the Collected Edition Blogosphere. So let’s get to it now:

• Fantagraphics has posted images of the newly released Hank Ketcham’s Complete Dennis the Menace 1951-1952 Softcover
• My pal Joe, FPI Blog, talks with Blank Slate Books
• BOOM! Studios‘ hardcover collections of their critically acclaimed Warhammer 40,000: Damnation Crusade and Warhammer 40,000: Forge Of War can now be purchased exclusively through the BOOM! Studios web store as both signed-and-numbered and signed-and-lettered editions.
• Marc-Oliver Frisch gets right to the point on Brian Wood
• Graeme McMillan tries uncover what is up with the Millar/Hitch Fantastic Four Hardcover
• Red Rocket 7 10th anniversary collection on the way
• Top Shelf will release a collection of Corey Barba’s YAM comics, both new and previously published in Nickelodeon Magazine
• About Comics Collects Gail Simone’s You’ll All Be Sorry. A collection of her hilarious prose pieces. Featuring a mixture of classic entries culled from her popular online column and brand new pieces, this About Comics paperback will delight Simone’s growing legion of fans.
• Marvel Collects Ultimates 3 #1-#3. I really don’t like these “mini-trades” I think it’s just a money grabber. Keep in mind that Ultimates 3 #1 has already received an 2nd Printing and we can expect a trade and/or hardcover by Christmas. Too much of a good thing…
• Not really comics related, but I found this list very interesting: 100 Must-Read Books: The Essential Man’s Library. I’ve read only 10. Which I think is pretty good.
• Eagle Awards 2008 Results. Among the many categories are Favourite Original Graphic Novel The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier and Favourite Reprint Compilation Absolute Sandman Volume 2
• Reviews: Collected Editions Blog on the Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation TPB (DC Comics) and Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter TPB (DC Comics), which also feature the Secret Six
• Getting ready for the Trade: Christopher Butcher reviews Project Superpowers #0-#3 and the 2008 FCBD Special (Dynamite)
• Preview, Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter, on Jules Feiffer’s The Explainers (Fantagraphics) Books. Note: this book is in stores now.

I’ve got a very busy weekend coming up. Friday kicks off the Motor City Comic Con. I’ll be there when it opens to pick up my Press Credential and I’ll stay for a few hours, but I’ll have to get home to get the kids off the bus and get Patrick ready for his baseball game. Saturday at 9:30am is baseball picture day. The cool thing about this is, former Tiger star Willie Horton will be there signing autographs. I hope to get him to sign my bat (I have it signed by many Tiger greats). Then quickly I have to run the kids over to my moms and head on up to Lansing for my fraternity alumni golf outing for a 2:00 shotgun. Then at about 5:15, I’ll have to skip out of that, change my clothes and drive 20 minutes west to meet Patty at a wedding (she’s going up with her sister), we’ll then drive home together. Sunday I should be at the Con most of the day. Shoot me an e-mail if you will be there and want to meet up. Here are some links:

• In January Dark Horse will publish an omnibus edition collecting all four volumes of the Clamp manga series Clover. It will be 512 pages with 32 pages of color and a cover price of $19.95.
• Web Comics Goodness: Archaia Studio Press will be releasing a 304 page, full color, digest, of Tom Siddell’s webcomic Gunnerkrigg Court for $26.95, sometime this summer. It’s being touted as the next Mouse Guard. That’s a tall order. We’ll see.
• More Web Comics Goodness: In August of 2009 Pantheon will publish a 200-page volume collecting Josh Neufeld’s A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge, which is about Hurricane Katrina.
• Even More Web Comics Goodness: Moonbase Press has announced that it will be releasing the thirteenth collection of cartoonist Bill Holbrook’s webcomic Kevin & Kell on June 26, 2008. The book, which features the strips from 2006.
• Alias Comics has announced that it will be publishing a Deal With the Devil TPB ($14.99) this fall, which will include a six-page prologue in addition to the five issues of the original mini-series. Lionsgate has picked up the option for the film.
• Heidi MacDonald comments on Kramers Ergot #7, the new issue of Sammy Harkham’s epic and influential avant garde comics anthology. Get this: it will cost $125 for 96 pages!!!
  And people think the Masterworks are too pricey!
• The guys over at Collected Editions need your help with the Final Crisis reading order and the also have a nice but very sad list of collected editions we probably won’t see.
• Review: Tom Spurgeon, the Comics Reporter, on Essential Thor, Vol. 3 which collects Thor #137-166.

Patty and I went out Thursday and bought a new car: a Pontiac Vibe. We got a really good deal, although the service wasn’t all that spectacular: it took forever to actually purchase it and even when we thought we were ready to go, the dealer wanted to finalize a few things overnight, so we had to wait until today. So when we got there late this afternoon we expected to simply drive off with it. But not so fast. It seems there was a scratch that appeared by magic overnight that they wanted to take care of. Also, the car did not have an antenna and it only came with ¾ of a tank of gas. I have never, ever driven a new car off a lot without a full tank. Unbelievable. We are writing a letter to the manager and perhaps we’ll get some sort of compensation for our troubles – like 5 free oil changes. OH BOY!!!
OK now on to many links, some of them not so new, but none-the-less news-worthy :

• Villard Books, an imprint of Random House, will publish a graphic novel based on Platinum Studios’ Unique
• Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman’s Toon Books has released additional information, including format and plot summaries, for its fall releases, all of which will be released in October: Spiegelman’s Jack and the Box, Eleanor Davis’ Stinky and Jay Lynch and Dean Haspiel’s Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever.
• Walker Books is launching a series of eight graphic novels based on classic episodes of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone. The first two graphic novels (due in October) adapt two first season episodes, Walking Distance (from October 30th of 1959) and The After Hours (from June 10th of 1960). The 72-page, full color graphic novel adaptations are based on the original, unedited scripts and will retail for $9.99.
• In August Bluewater Productions will release the graphic novel collection of its Flying Saucers vs. The Earth comic book series, adapting the classic 1956 film Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, under its “Ray Harryhausen Presents” banner.
• Milton Griepp of ICV2.com reports that Comics and Graphic Novels sales up 10%
• TwoMorrows’ Batcave Companion has been delayed, by DC, until 2009
• Paul Levitz on Will Eisner and The Spirit Archives
• Entertainment Weekly has a neat article on the summer superhero movies and collected editions that are closely associated with them. I’m surprised that The Killing Joke didn’t make the list.
• Marvel has there own list of Iron Man books you should get.
• Review: Joe, FPI Blog, and my good friend, on Oliver Lambden and Laurence Powell’s excellent Tales From the Flat.
• Review: Richard, FPI Blog, on Gary Spencer Millidge’s Strangehaven
• Review: Kevin P. Johnson, I read Comic Books, on 300 HC by Frank Miller (Dark Horse)
• Review: Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter, on The Complete Peanuts, 1967-1968 (Fantagraphics)
• Review: Brian Hibbs, The Savage Critics, on Showcase Presents: Legion Of Super-Heroes Volume 1 (DC Comics)
• Reviews: Collected Editions Blog on Manhunter: Origins TPB (DC Comics) and Wonder Woman: Who is Wonder Woman? HC (DC Comics)

Collected Comics Library Podcast #152

36,337Kb; 76m 59s

It’s time once again for the 2007 Year in Review show. Unlike past years I decided not to have individual “Best of” categories and instead do a Top 10 list.
As you can see I also broke the podcast down with time stamps.
I urge you all to use this particular CCL episode as a tool and guide. It should be taken in smell doses because it’s just a ton of information to get in just over an hour. Download it and listen to it at you convenience. Also be sure to download the Complete 2007 Collected Editions Release Schedule, so you can read along.

Chris
Full 2007 Collected Editions Release List
Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

Collected Comics Library Podcast #151

34,166Kb; 36m 10s

In the wake of all the DC news of late, I offer to you, in this week of giving, a simple and yet well thought out, dissertation on what exactly my feelings are towards DC Comics this Christmas. To sum up, I’m not very happy about the whole “fall of the Archive” line of books nor am I pleased that DC is playing catch-up to Marvel when it comes to their new Deluxe Editions. I’m also not very pleased as to what I found when I compared the Black Dossier Hardcover to the Absolute Black Dossier which is due out this summer. For the feature this week I breakdown the price, content and page count, to help you understand just what the heck is going on and why Alan Moore and most of us are receiving coal, stamped with a DC bullet, in our stockings this year. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blow a gasket and go off on DC (or anyone in particular) it’s more frustrating then anything else.

As for the rest of the show, there isn’t much else; I do the New Releases of the Week and remind you about the Question of the Month.

For those of you you want to hear more of me, feel free to come by John Mayo’s Comic Book Page podcast. John and I discussed the October 2007 trade numbers. I was also on the Pop Cult Online podcast hosted by Rick Gordon. I’ll post a link when it gets uploaded.
Merry Christmas!
Chris
Links of note:
Best Collected Editions of 2007 – forum thread
Alan Moore: Inside The Black Dossier
Official DC Comics Forum: DC Archives thread
Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

This story originally appeared in PW Comics Week on December 18, 2007
By Douglas Wolk — Publishers Weekly, 12/17/2007 12:58:00 PM

DC Comics’ collected editions have seen annual double-digit sales growth for a number of years, according to George Brewer, DC Comics’ v-p of design and retail product development. Beginning in spring 2008, as DC’s books begin to be distributed to the bookstore market by Random House, the company is introducing a new line of collections: Deluxe Editions, trade hardcovers with a trim size a bit larger than a standard comic book or paperback, but not quite as large as DC’s high-end, oversized Absolute Editions.

The first book in the new format, Jeff Smith’s Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil, was released in October. “We kind of backed into it with Monster Society of Evil,” Brewer said. “It was such a singular work that for its first incarnation as a collected edition, we thought it’d be a great way to test the waters. We can only do so many of the Absolutes a year, and we want to keep them the high-water mark. So we started looking through our short list—things that couldn’t have been Absolutes—but where we wanted to do something more special than a regular collection.”

Upcoming volumes in the format include Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s Batman: The Killing Joke, re-colored by Bolland (the story will also remain in print in the trade paperback DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore); the World’s Finest miniseries by Dave Gibbons and Steve Rude; and the first volumes of Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris’s Ex Machina and Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s JLA. According to DC’s summer 2008 catalogue, the first collection of Frank Miller and Jim Lee’s All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder will also be in the new deluxe format.

The only Absolute collection planned for next summer is the third volume of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed Sandman series; the fourth volume will also be released next year, in time for the 20th anniversary of Sandman. “We’ve also got what we’re calling, for the moment, Omnibus [editions],” Brewer said. The Omnibus editions released so far are Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus and The Death and Return of Superman. “What we’re doing with those is bringing together an entire long-format story in fewer volumes. For a retail environment, larger, fatter collections seem to be in vogue.” James Robinson and Tony Harris’s Starman is next on the docket; the first volume will be a 448-page hardcover, due out in May.

The ongoing Archives series may soon be ending, at least in its current form, Brewer implied. “We’ve looked at some of the series that we could finish up quickly, and we’ve accelerated those—like Seven Soldiers of Victory and Adam Strange. And we’re really trying to look at this format: classic library material in deluxe hardcovers. DC’s had an incredible run on a series of books that’s well over 20 years old. Not many people can say that.”

Brewer said DC will continue to look for new ways to reprint backlist material. “We’re seeing that tastes have changed a little bit, and we’ve also collected a lot of that prime material from the early days. So what we’re going to be doing is announcing some new opportunities for some of that material, and different material, but in a different way—it’s a little early to talk about it yet, but the last season of next year we’ll be seeing the first of those. Clearly, there’s a market for this classic material in a sturdy or archival format, but we’re just not sure that calling it Archives and keeping it the same format and branding is the way to go.” Brewer also noted that The Spirit Archives, volume 25, due in August, will be the first complete reprinting of the daily Spirit strip from the early 1940s.

At the opposite end of the price scale, there’s the Showcase Presents line: fat paperbacks that reprint classic DC material with a $16.99 price point. “Showcase has done really well,” Brewer said. “We’re very pleased with that particular series. What’s been a little surprising is how well the off-genre stuff has done. Jonah Hex has done phenomenally well. House of Mystery did well.” The series has also been selling well in bookstores outside the direct market, according to Brewer. “There have been titles that we thought were probably more direct market and geared toward your hardcore comics reader, like Jack Kirby or the Showcases, and seeing the success they’re having beyond that market tells you that the underlying work is really what’s carrying it through.”

Collected Comics Library Podcast #150

24,393Kb; 25m 45s

Damn! 150 shows in the can!

There’s only one way to celebrate a big show and that is with a big book!
Sin City: The Frank Miller Library Set 1 and Set 2 is what I cover in today’s show. Now I know many of you have read the books and seen the movie, but there are some of you who may not be familiar with this super, uber, deluxe, absolute/omnibus, oversized set of books. I have also set up a Sin City Flickr page so you can see what I’m talking about.

Also in the show today, I go over some news from Checker and Marvel, go over the New Releases of the Week and give some show updates – you won’t want to miss that.
And thanks to all of you who come by the CCL every day and make this the best place on the web for ALL your collected edition news, information and reviews.

Chris

Links of note:
Best Collected Editions of 2007 – forum thread
Little Nemo 2 Update
Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

While I was getting the kids ready for school this today, the power went out neighborhood wide. Thank God I have a backup generator installed at the back of my home. My house is nice and warm and lit up like a firecracker.

I’ll have a new Podcast up later today. Now on with some links:

• You’ll need a big glass of Gatorade for this one, because it has to be the most dry, boring article on hardcovers and collected editions ever. Those of you who read my Blog and listen to the Podcast will know where I’m coming from. If you want your news on trades you come here or to other comic news sites — not The New York Times. Sure, the writer, Joseph V. Tirella, is doing his best to scrape together bits and pieces of information, that we elitists know all about. But all the article does is portray that hardcore collected edition comic book collecting is really expensive. What, no mention of a DCBS discount? Read at your own risk.
• Better Late Then Never: I first read that Scorchy Smith was being collected back in October. 30 days later, the buzz is finally picking up.
• Better Late Then Never II: The same goes for the Indiana Jones Omnibus from Dark Horse. First announced at the SDCC last July, then it was solicited last September and now in December we get a Press Release. Damn, what a chronology that is.
• F&W Publications has announced that it will cease publication of the trade magazine Comics & Games Retailer with the February 2008 issue. I never read one issue. Too bad for me, I like Brian Hibbs.
• A bit of news on more Serenity including the Those Left Behind Hardcover and lunch boxes!
• Review: Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter, on Essential Captain America Volume One. Looks like you can’t keep a good superhero dead after all.
• Review: Gavin Ford, Star Gazette (Entertainment) on the Marvel Premier Classic Hardcover X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills. I was planning on reviewing this myself for today’s Podcast, but with the advent of the Heroes finale, I’m going to go over that Hardcover instead. I’ll get to the X-Men book in a few weeks.

OK, first of all these are just my initial impressions. I have not signed on to use the product – yet.

….developing

Occasionally, when I get e-mail, besides all the comic talk that goes on, I get inquiries as to my golf game and why I don’t talk about it on the Podcast much anymore. The truth is, this past season was the least I played since I took up the game over 15 years ago. Reasons being family and cash. It is an expensive game and although I can golf for free at the Country Club (that I used to work at) we moved further away, so it’s not that easy of a drive. I did manage to get out with Patrick on the par-3, 9-hole course that is there and Patrick, who is 7 actually made a birdie on a 95-yard hole. I shot a 4. I still watch the Golf Channel whenever I can (which is almost every night) and I keep up on the industry. Now it’s November and I feel that I really missed out, but on the flip side my son is getting older and better and I soon will have a true partner. While it is fun to golf alone and you can really work on your game, golf is first and foremost a social activity and should be shared.

Speaking of Country Clubs, I can across funny, but all too true article on the increase of seniors and the lack of income that they contribute to their own club due to discounts. Take it for what it is worth. Also, If you are like me you hear a song or see a visual that sticks with you forever. In my case this comes across in the long running Lexus commercial, “Roadtrip”. In it a dedicated golfer searches for the greatest challenge he can find as he tours some of Scotland’s legendary courses, including Ross Priory Golf Club, Longniddry Golf
Course, The Glen Golf Club and Bamburgh Castle Golf Course. The beautiful and haunting music “Yellows and Blues” is by Jimmy Haun. I can only hope that Patrick and I will take a similar walk together someday, drink a pint and go read some old comics.

…And if you play golf, you’re my friend – Harvey Penick
Now on to my other passion:

• Tom Brevoort, Marvel Comics, on the good and the really bad of collected editions
• Sad, but true: Scott King, Executive Editor of Th3rd World Studios vs TSA. I’m going to keep this story in mind when I fly next.
• Even the Associated Press picked up Marvel: Digital Comics Unlimited whirlwind. I’ll have more on this and my experience on next weeks Podcast, but my very first impressions is this: what a crappy title. Marvel: DCU. Seriously, this is uncalled for
• PW Comics Week talked to IDW’s Chris Ryall. Don’t fret, Chris is slated to be on my show soon
• Take a look at the new Queen & Country Definitive Editions. Queen & Country is already available in Hardcover and softcover form. so I have no idea what is “Definitive” about them, but I do know that these are a bit smaller, think Dark Horse Omnibus size. There are four volumes, $19.95 and will be available December 12, 2007
• Review: Troy Brownfield, Newsarama The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
• Review: Allan Holtz, Stripper’s Guide on Blondie – The Bumstead Family History
• Review: Mark Allen, Comic Book Bin on The Spirit: The Origin Years

Collected Comics Library Podcast #146

40,572Kb; 43m 00s

Six months ago I talked with Joe Rybandt, Director of Marketing at Dynamite Entertainment. Today, Joe checks back in with us to give us an update on many of the cool projects coming out in 2008 including the Alex Ross Superpowers book (the monthly comic and a future collected edition), a classic Lone Ranger collection, and what may become of the Battle Star Galactica comic book now that it is coming to an end on the Sci-Fi Channel. Joe also talks a bit on being the sole Podcaster himself at Dynamite “and much, much more”. It’s a nice follow-up to our last conversation and I hope to being doing it again in another sixth months.

There is also a small sale at Top Shelf that you should take advantage of (I know I will) and Marvel has announced a SIXTH Printing to its’ Marvel Zombies HC. This time with an homage to Iron Man #128, Demon in a Bottle.

All this, including the New Releases of the Week and the winner of my Thor #1, (Michael Turner, variant cover) giveaway: Brad Schwartz, Romeoville, IL. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Chris

Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

Lot’s on my plate this weekend. Patty and I are going to try to take the kids ice skating Saturday and then we have to drop them off at the grand parents home so we can go to some sort of neighborhood bowling/ beer league. On Sunday, I’m sure we have something going on and in between it all I have to get some football in and try to read half of the Fourth World Omnibus Volume 2. Did I mention today, Friday, I’m updating the entire site?; from Books, Checklists and the Release Schedule (including the DVDs). Next weeks I plan on being even more busy with projects that will benefit everyone that comes to the CCL. On to today’s links:

• A couple of new Star Wars books are coming out in 2008: Star Wars Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection (Fall) and Master of Deception, book nine of the Last of the Jedi series (February)
• Random House has acquired world English rights to four Iron Man book titles; two of which will tie in directly with the Iron Man movie, the other two will be original Iron Man novels, which will release after the movie
• On the heels of yesterdays Masterwork news, Marvel by way of their Marvel Masterworks website, has announced Atlas Era – Heroes Volume 2 Featuring Human Torch, Captain America and Sub-Mariner (Variant Volume 92). It will collect Men’s Adventures #27-28, Captain America #76-78 and Human Torch #36-38 and be released February 28, 2008. Looks like Cap lives after all
• Collected Editions Blog speculates about the newly announced Starman: The Complete Saga. I agree with everything, but I’d like to see an eight volume set and not four (or two!)
• What’s Bob Greenberger up to?
• Heidi MacDonald blogs about the many hardcovers and collected editions to make this week’s comics bestsellers on Amazon
• Review: Dave Wallace, Silver Bullet Comics on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume One: The Long Way Home (Dark Horse)
• Review: Rack Raids on Heroes HC (DC/Wildstorm)
• Review: Tom Spurgeon on Popeye Vol. Two: “Well Blow Me Down!” (Fantagraphics)
• Review: Joe “Jog” McCulloch on Tarzan: The Joe Kubert Years Volumes 1-2 (Dark Horse Archives). Look for my comment at the end

Collected Comics Library Podcast #145

28,735Kb; 30m 23s

On today’s show I review, the must read, Avengers/Defenders War Premiere Classic Hardcover (it’s volume 6, if you are keeping track of the variant numbering). Overall, I liked the story very much. It had all the classic characters like Dr. Strange, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Namor, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye and others. It also features the villains Loki and Dormammu, and has a surprise cameo appearance by Sunfire. I have to admit, it did find the setup of the story a bit confusing, but it seems to all be streamlined and explained throughout.

Also there is news from Fantagraphics on a new Steve Ditko retrospective by Blake Bell, I have a little info on the Lone Ranger radio program and more thoughts on the DC collected edition news from Rich Johnston’s Lying in the Gutters column from a few days back.
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As usual, I go over the New Releases of the Week and I have a brand new contest that you don’t want to miss.

Chris

Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

Collected Comics Library Podcast #144
25,046Kb; 26m 26s

Whether you call him Rahz or Raish, Ra’s al Ghul is one of the most evil and coolest villains in all of comicdom. And now he’s back, in full force, in the Batman rouges gallery. This week the CCL takes a look at not only one of the best Batman collected editions, but one of the best that feature a villain as the protagonist “Tales of the Demon” – both the 1991 and 2005 versions.
I also go over the news that involves Marvel, Image, Daredevil and the upcoming DVD-ROM collections – Civil War, House of M and EC anyone?
I have new Question of the Month – Thanksgiving style don’t forget that you can find me every Monday on Around Comics and every month with John Mayo.
Chris

Discuss this topic on the CCL forum

Just catching up on a few links that I inadvertently passed over:

It’s not often that I comment on the weather, because time is all relative in the Internet universe. But, WOW, was it just fantastic!. No clouds what-so-ever and a nice 77 degrees with a slight breeze all weekend. Nigh time was calm and cool. It was nice to sit on the deck and drink down a gin and tonic, my libation of choice for the summertime. It may be until next year when I crack open a new bottle of Tanqueray. Good bye Michigan summer, on to today’s links:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #138
38,644Kb; 40m 57s

I had a very nice weekend, here in the Mid-West. It was my wife’s birthday and we had a wonderful day filled with food and family. The kids also had their soccer games and the weather couldn’t have been nicer. It was also good that the Wolverines, Spartans, Lions and Tigers (who swept the Twins) all won!
As for me? I had a chance to read Outsiders #50. I think I’m going to like this series. I wasn’t really looking to add anything to my pull list, but this one may well be worth it. I also had a chance to catch up on Burn Notice and watch an advance screening of The Sarah Conner Chronicles, which looks promising. Odd that it has nothing to do with Terminator 3. In fact, it discounts that movie completely, by becoming “the true sequel” to T2. I plan on watching the new Bionic Woman, later on today.
Now on to today’s links:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #137
34,715Kb; 36m 45s

ICv2.com is reporting that Marvel will release two World War Hulk collections in January Spring 2008
Hulk: World War Hulk will collect World War Hulk Prologue, World War Hulk #1-#5, and Incredible Hulk #109 in a 336-page hardcover at $24.99, streeting January 23rd Spring 2008.

World War Hulk: Gamma Corps will collect World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1-#4 in a 96-page trade paperback at $10.99, streeting January 16th Spring 2008.

The Harvey Awards were given out at the past weekends’ Baltimore Comic Con. You can find the full list on Newsarama, but for now, here is a short list that pertains to Collected Editions and this Website:

The Baltimore Comic Con was this past weekend. Among all the news and features, both DC and Image had some very cool stuff to announce and talk about. I’ll go over them in the next podcast, due out later this week.(My thanks to Aziz)

Ahhh, back from vacation. Looks like I didn’t miss too much. Come this week’s podcast I go over what I read a bit of the solicitations form DC and Marvel.
There is also a nasty rumor that DC is abandoning their Archive line. I find it a bit laughable myself and I’m doing may part to find out the truth in this manner.
Now, to a few links:

I’m off to the beach for a few days, but before I go I wanted to give you some updates:

News from the Windy City as is happens (or perhaps just a few minutes late)

Collected Comics Library Podcast #133
35,604Kb; 37m 42s

Collected Comics Library Podcast #132
29,246Kb; 30m 55s

News from The Con as is happens (or perhaps just a few minutes late)
DAY 4 and other missed info

Dear Friends of the Collected Comics Library,

Sorry, friends, I meant to do this over the weekend, but we had some unexpected guests and, to be honest, I couldn’t take my eyes off of The Open all weekend. Damn you Sergio!!!
For all of you who are going to the SDCC this weekend, have fun and spread the good word about The CCL! For the rest of you (and me), be happy you don’t have to deal with any crowds while going to you kitchen. Now with some links:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #130
33,811Kb; 36m 03s

Dear Lord, it is sooooo hot in Detroit right now! Let’s cool down with some links:

It’s rare when I get the whole house to myself on a Saturday. I was able to get all caught up on my comics reading which included Countdown, Flash, Wonder Woman and Amazons Attack. All of which I’m enjoying very much.
For those of you who want to listen to more of me, first check out the SuperNot Podcast #18. Mike and Rob were kind enough to invite me to sit in on their show and discuss various things. After that you can hear John Mayo and I talk May 2007 trade statistics over at his Comic Book Page Podcast. Now on with a few links:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #127
50,953Kb; 54m 20s

This week’s podcast will be up on Thursday, but for now, here’s a few links for you:

School may be out for my kids, but they still have baseball, day camp, swimming lessons and a myriad of there things to do. I can’t wait for school to start so things can slow down. In the meantime, here are some links that I should have gotten to sooner:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #126
66,968Kb; 71m 25s

First up today, there seems to be a major complaint about the Jack Kirby Fouth World Omnibus. The problem? The poor paper quality. Some are saying that it is just a step up from a Showcase using low quality newsprint, instead of using the high quality paper that is used in the Archive series. At a $50 price tag, many, included me, figured this would be the case. For the record, I have not seen the book, and I probably won’t until my copy arrives from DCBS in early July. You can discuss it more on the CCL Forum.
Now on with a few links:

Collected Comics Library Podcast #124
34,715Kb; 35m 45s

Collected Comics Library Podcast #123
40,036Kb; 42m 42s

Trade Secrets 12 Joe Rybandt
31,077Kb; 33m 08s