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.
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Pogo The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips: Volume 9: A Distant Past Yet to Come
Collects the years 1965 and 1966 of the classic comic strip that feels even timelier than ever.
Walt Kelly's newspaper comic strip Pogo was a platform for Kelly to express political satire and commentary via a wildly entertaining, motley group of swamp critters. He tackled many of the sociopolitical issues of his day: the Red Scare, civil rights, the environment, consumerism. But the strip is also a joyous, poignant, beautifully drawn, and occasionally profound work of 20th-century popular culture. It is such an all-time classic it is hard to believe that this series marks the first time that Pogo dailies and Sundays have been published in complete and in chronological order anywhere. Not only does each volume contain two full calendar years of restored black-and-white daily strips, it also includes all 104 Sundays from the same period. For the first time since their original appearance more than 50 years ago, the Sundays are in full, glorious color! Edited by comics legend Mark Evanier and Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds, each volume has a surprise foreword. (Jake Tapper and Sergio Aragonés have contributed.)
On sale date: January 5, 2027
BATMAN: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS Vol. 1:
Batman: The Bronze age Omnibus Vol. 1 has been solicited to ship July 28, 2026. It begins with Detective Comics #393 and Batman #217.
Going from late 1969 to mid 1972, this will contain the bulk of the Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams Batman stories which have reprinted countless times already. But it was the start of a new era, highlighted by the debuts of R'as Al Ghul and Talia (and their greatest story), the debut of Man-Bat (and his greatest story), the return of Two-Face, the Ghost of Enemy Ace, the revival of the Creeper and the arrival of the Ten-Eyed Man!
In that period, there were four 80-Page Giants and one 100-Pager.
There were a lot of interesting backups in those books. Will any of them be included?
I don't know but I doubt it. Past "omnibus" editions have concentrated on the main character.
SWAMP THING: DARK GENESIS OMNIBUS:
Probably the BEST archival collection I have ever seen (in terms of format) is the three slipcased "Absolute" editions of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, from the coloring, to the paperstock to the "moss-encrusted" cover. After all three volumes had been released, DC published a volume dedicated to the Wein/Wrightson era, but I can't speak to the coloring, paperstock or cover because it was shrinkwrapped. As enticing as that package was, I already owned the Bronze Age Swamp Thing Omnibus, which reprinted the Wein/Wrightson as well as the Martin Pasko series in their entirety. For Swampy's other appearances, I bought Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age (tpb) v2 reprints Challengers of the Unknown #81-87, DC Comics Presents #8 and The Brave & the Bold #176, as well as the script and pencils of the unpublished Swamp Thing #25. And I was happy with that. Until...
Fully remastered to original colors by legendary colorist José Villarubia, experience the original Swamp Thing saga in reading order, from his horrifying origin up through all his adventures until Alan Moore’s run.
One of the greatest comics sagas ever told begins here! Presented in a two-volume, prestigious, oversize hardcover set, welcome to the complete story of Swamp Thing before Alan Moore’s run. In this first set (of more to come) experience the stories that changed comics forever and set the precedent for decades of groundbreaking stories and timeless runs.
Collects Swamp Thing #1-25 (the final issue completed for the first time with Joe Rubinstein and José Villarubia); The Saga of the Swamp Thing #1-15; The Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #1; The Brave and the Bold #122, #176; DC Comics Presents #8; Challengers of the Unknown #81-87; and stories from Phantom Stranger #14; House of Secrets #92 and #140; and the unpublished Patchwork Man tale from the lost version of House of Secrets #141. Featuring extensive essays and never-before-seen scripts, art, and more!
Did you notice that? In addition to several other odds-and-ends, in order, this set also includes a finished version of Swamp Thing #25! It will also be printed on "high-end, period appropriate paper" (which I take to mean like the recent Warlord omnibus, but I don't know for sure). Now I am truely torn. If I ask myself the usual question ("The next time I read this material, what format will I read it in?"), the answer is resoundingly, "This one!" But I just don't know. I recently read through ALL this material (and more) about four years ago, so I'm not likely to read it again any time soon, but DAMN! That is one pretty package!
What would you do?
$#&%!!
That is the correct response.
Meanwhile, they also announced Military Comics Vol. 11, which brings us up to Military Comics #38. This series traditionally includes only three or four issues per release, but even so, Military Comics ony ran to isue #43, so they should be done in two more volumes. Military Comics became Modern Comics, still starring Blackhawk, with issue #44, and PS has only release one volume of that. So there's still some Blackhawk to go. Modern Comics ran to issue #102.
Of all the PS Artbooks releases, it was certain characters -- Frankentstein, Ghost Rider, Plastic Man, Blackhawk -- that interested me most from a comprehensive perspective. I wanted to sample a lot of other Golden Age and '50s stuff, like Airboy, Kid Eternity, Captain Triumph, etc. But if they don't reprint the entirety of those characters, I'll weep no bitter tears. But I really want certain characters in their entirety, and it looks like I'm getting my wish!
Of course, what I want the MOST is the Fawcett Captain Marvel material. PS is releasing a lot of it as overpriced facsimiles, which has been going on for a while, so I guess it's lucrative. They're probably in no hurry to release Whiz, Master, Wow or Captain Marvel Adventures collections -- assuming it's legal.
I stopped collecting PS Artbooks when Diamond went kaput. I had six or eight on pre-order, three of which I know were published but never shipped. then I heard that the Trump tariffs would adversley affect all of the publisher's output. I had been considering dropping them for some time, anyway, but the decision to drop them wasn't voluntary.
I had been considering dropping them for some time, anyway, but the decision to drop them wasn't voluntary.
There's good news on that front, assuming you still want any of them. A while back, both Westfield and Instocktrades stopped carrying PS Artbooks, and I only saw them offered at Bud's Art Books. But then they stopped appearing there for a little while, too. I don't know why. Tariffs, maybe, but I thought printed matter was excempt. Or maybe they just paused new production to see how the tariffs played out. Or had cash flow or other issues unrelated to tariffs. Whatever. Anyway, if PS Artbooks was no longer selling in the U.S., I fully expected that the next thing I'd hear is that they were going out of business.
Instead, Captain Triumph Vol. 2 and Classic Science Fiction Vol. 10 suddenly appeared in Westfield's April catalog, and Black Cat Vols. 4-5 appeared in Bud's. TBH I have more PS Artbooks in the Wall of Shame than I am likely to read in my lifetime, but this is welcome news. I am especially eager to finish Forbidden Worlds and Adventures into the Unknown, which are near their respective ends.
The Blackhawk information above was from the PS Artbooks newsletter/press release I regularly get, which regularly announces books months before I see them offered for sale in the U.S. The last couple of newsletters hadn't offered any new books, but instead touted books I already had, or trade paperbacks of books I already had in HC and, of course, the overpriced facsimiles I refuse to buy. It was an evil omen. So I was excited enough by the Blackhawk announcement -- new books! -- to post it here.
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