It looks like DC Comics are using the Omnibus format as their current way to collect classic material in chronological order. In the past, there have been the Archives series (hardcover, full color), the Showcase Presents series (softcover, black and white, usually twice the page count of an Archive), and the Chronicles series (softcover, full color, smaller page count than an Archive). In the past few years, all of these lines have been quietly shuttered, and now DC is releasing Omnibus collections in both hardcover and softcover formats.
As you would expect, the Omnibus hardcovers are huge. Two Silver Age volumes collected the first 76 issues of JLA (along with Brave and Bold 28-30 and Mystery in Space 75), for example. Earlier this year, DC released JLA: The Bronze Age Omnibus Volume 1, collecting JLA # 77-113. That's almost half of the original series collected in this way, which for a fan like me is great news. The JLA Archives had 10 volumes, collected the first 93 issues, and the first volume and last volume were released twenty-two years apart. The first JLA Omnibus came out in 2014.
DC is also releasing these collections in trade paperbacks with a smaller page count than the hardcovers. The great thing is that these TPBs collect more issues than the Archives did! The material collected in the first JLA Silver Age Omnibus has all been released in 3 TPBs.
I have the first JLA Silver Age TPB, and I loved it! I also have the first JLA Showcase Presents, but I find that without color, I just don't enjoy the stories as much as I could. Actually, I find I enjoy most Silver Age comics more in color versus reading them in Showcase Presents and Essential Marvel.
I wonder how many of the rest of you are buying and reading these Omnibus collections, and what you think of the format.
Replies
One other thing: the Omnibus line collects all of Superman and Batman's appearances chronologically in their Golden Age volumes, like the Chronicles series did. The Archives had separate volumes for Action, Superman, Detective, Batman, and their stories in World's Finest.
In my opinion, everything collected together under one cover is the right way to do it.
GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS HARDCOVERS RELEASED TO DATE:
Batman: 3 Volumes
Superman: 4 Volumes
Wonder Woman: 1 Volume
UPCOMING
Wonder Woman Vol 2 (July)
Batman Vol 4 (Nov)
Green Arrow Vol 1 (Nov)
Superman HC Vol 5 (Fall)
GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS TPBs RELEASED TO DATE:
Batman: 3 volumes
Superman: 3 volumes
UPCOMING
Wonder Woman Vol 1 (Fall)
EDITED AUGUST 31, 2017
NEW INFO BOLDED
SILVER AGE OMNIBUS HARDCOVERS RELEASED TO DATE:
Adam Strange: 1 Volume
Doom Patrol: 1 Volume
Flash: 2 Volumes
Green Lantern: 1 Volume
Justice League of America: 2 Volumes
Legion of Super-Heroes: 1 Volume
Suicide Squad: 1 Volume
Supergirl: 1 Volume
Teen Titans: 1 Volume
World's Finest: 1 Volume
UPCOMING
Supergirl Vol 2 (Fall)
SILVER AGE OMNIBUS TPBs RELEASED TO DATE:
Adam Strange: 1 Volume
Flash: 1 Volume
Green Lantern: 1 Volume
Justice League of America: 3 Volumes
World's Finest: 1 Volume
UPCOMING:
Flash Vol 2 (Sept)
Green Lantern Vol 2 (Fall)
Suicide Squad Vol 1 (Fall)
Teen Titans Vol 1 (Fall)
BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS HARDCOVERS RELEASED TO DATE:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold: 1 Volume
Justice League of America: 1 Volume
UPCOMING
Teen Titans Vol 1 (June)
Batgirl Vol 1 (Fall)
Swamp Thing Vol 1 (Fall)
No Bronze Age Omnibus TPBs released yet, but there will be one in the fall - Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol 1
I have Flash Archives 1-6, which cover up to Flash #150. I have two B&W Showcase volumes covering more issues. Like you, I find that the black and white reprints are less than satisfying. The art was produced intending to be colored and suffers when it isn’t.
I see that Flash Omnibus #2 covers my gap up to #163. I would buy both existing Omnibus volumes if I could sell my six Archive volumes for a decent price, but failing that I can’t see buying Volume #2 just to get thirteen issues that I already have in the Showcase format. I would like to see Omnibus #3 and would probably buy it. So far I don’t think it’s being offered.
So far no Flash Volume 3 yet. DC seems to be pumping out the Golden Age volumes at a brisker pace but they are sticking to the Trinity thus far. The Barry Allen Flash is one of Geoff Johns' favorites so I expect we'll see more Flash volumes before long.
I bought the first Justice League Bronze Age Omnibus from In-Stock Trades. It was 50% off. I haven't read it yet, but I do love the Bronze Age of comics.
The second Golden Age Wonder Woman Omnibus reprints the series right up to where the Archives stopped. I imagine the others do the same -- reprinting Golden Age material that has already been digitized for Archives or Showcases. The acid test is if they progress beyond that. If they did that, I'd probably replace everything with the Omniboo, regardless of whether or not I could sell the old ones. I want '50s Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman!
I haven't bought any of the Omnibuses yet -- they seem pretty unwieldy to me, and I already have a ton of Archives, so there's not a lot of new-to-me material yet. But I'll probably pick up the Flash ones eventually, and possibly some other ones if they begin to delve into unreprinted material.
Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man said:
Ditto for me. I'm tempted to get this one - heck, all of the Bronze Age stuff being offered so far! I would love to see a second JLA Bronze Age Omnibus, which would hopefully include Steve Englehart's run (# 139-146, 149, 150), almost all of which is uncollected in any form.
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