They’re staring you in the face!
Marvel was out of the gate first but as it stands right now, I think DC has the better Facsimile Edition program. One reason is my personal bias, the other, more substantive, reason is that DC has decades more of material from which to choose.
The Golden Age, in particular, is ripe for the picking and DC has been leaning hard into that era of late. (I will say there’s a surprising paucity of Silver Age selections by the pubisher, all things considered.) But while I love the Facsimiles DC does produce, I’m a greedy sort and always think there could be more. Especially when you consider there’s a whole raft of them that you’d reasonably expect would have already been published by now.
To bring you up to speed, December will feature a whopping eight Facsimile Editions — Batman #5; Adventure Comics #260; Batman #404-407, reprinting Batman: Year One; The New Teen Titans #1; and a special Batman #428 “faux-simile edition” in which Jason Todd lives instead of dying at the hands of the Joker.
In January, we’re getting Batman Beyond #1 and another printing of The Flash #123. There’s nothing set for February, so we’ll just have to see what March has to offer.
Anyway, DC, like Marvel, has a tendency to publish Facsimile Editions that connect to a current project, whether comics or other media. With that partially in mind, here are 13 FACSIMILE EDITIONS WE’RE SURPRISED DC COMICS HASN’T PUBLISHED YET — RANKED:
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13. The New Teen Titans #2. The first appearance of Deathstroke the Terminator, who has become one of DC’s A-List villains. There was a Dollar Comics edition but that doesn’t count because it’s just a story reprint, not an issue reprint, with the ads, etc.
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12. All-Star Comics #8. The first appearance of Wonder Woman! A lot of readers forget that she made her debut in a back-up in this issue. (Also waiting on Sensation Comics #1!)
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11. Showcase #22. They gave us Green Lantern #1, which had the first appearance of the Guardians, but we haven’t gotten Hal Jordan’s debut.
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10. Batman Adventures #12. Has DC introduced a bigger character in the last 30 years or so than Harley Quinn? No, they have not. This was her first comic-book appearance. (This was also a Dollar Comics release, but, again, that doesn’t count.)
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9. Aquaman #35. I know Warner Bros./Discovery would like us to forget there’s another Aquaman movie coming, but how can you pass up Black Manta’s first appearance — and his fight with Ocean Master over the Sea King? (Though, to be fair, we are getting Adventure Comics #260, with the Swift and Powerful Monarch of the Ocean’s Silver Age origin.)
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8. Batman #47. The first expanded Batman origin story, including the first time Joe Chill is mentioned. That may not sound like much in a vacuum but it’s a great issue, with a story full of pathos and drama. This is pretty much the first time where we see the psychological toll his parents’ murder had on Bruce Wayne.
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7. Flash Comics #1. DC has jumped back in the JSA pool and Jay Garrick has his own mini. This first appearance is a must-reprint — especially when you consider it was Hawkman’s debut too!
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6. Showcase #4. Barry Allen’s debut and the start of the Silver Age. What else need be said?
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5. Action Comics #252. Thanks to the TV show, Supergirl is more popular now than ever, even though the program has ended its run, so her arrival issue is a no-brainer. And as a kicker, you get Metallo’s first appearance, too.
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4. Brave and Bold #60. The show may be over but DC is trying really hard to make the Titans the preeminent team in its publishing universe. The Justice League will be back someday, sure, but how about the team’s first appearance? You could argue for The Brave and the Bold #54, which featured a team-up between Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad, but Issue #60 was when Wonder Girl and the appellation “Teen Titans” were added to the group.
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3. Detective Comics #168. This one blows my mind. The Joker has become a franchise unto himself. Two actors have won Best Actor Oscars playing him. DC in January is publishing the three-part Joker Year One, inside the confines of the regular Batman title (a la Batman: Year One). I’m absolutely stunned that we haven’t seen this yet, his Red Hood origin. Makes me wonder whether DC doesn’t have a good enough copy of the entire issue to reprint, because this defies logic. Then again, a new Joker movie is coming…
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2-1. Justice League of America #21-22. Not a tie. Two slots for two comics — the two comics that gave us the first meeting between the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America. Comics and movies today are all about the Multiverse and we’ve gotten The Flash #123 — coming again in January — which introduced the concept to DC. But while that one was a kick, this was the start of a whole new era — the era of the Crisis, which in many ways has come to define DC Comics ever since.
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MORE
— REVEALED! New Details of the BATMAN #428: ROBIN LIVES! ‘Faux-simile’ Edition. Click here.
— BATMAN: YEAR ONE — All Four Issues to Be Re-Released As Facsimile Editions. Click here.
November 21, 2023
I have wondered about several of these myself. All are great choices.
November 21, 2023
Wonder what ever happened to Green Lantern #76 facsimile that was scheduled in 2020 then cancelled due to COVID-19 ?
November 21, 2023
I would buy them all!
November 22, 2023
Detective #31
All-American Comics #61
More Fun Comics #54
November 21, 2023
Batman Beyond 1 from the 1999 facsimile is suppose to hit in Jan
November 21, 2023
You’re right — and I updated the story. A grounder through the legs!
December 29, 2023
Who d’ya think y’are? Bill Buckner in the World Series?
December 29, 2023
Billy Buck. I once saw him keeping a low profile on a ferry to Nantucket. Poor guy.
November 21, 2023
It frustrates me every time Marvel announces a gazillion facsimiles and we only get crickets from DC but I’m hoping the recent spurt of releases are a sign more are on the way. I’d pick up most of the titles on this list–and JLA 21-22 would be awesome.
November 21, 2023
I don’t think that’s entirely fair. Marvel got the ball rolling pre-pandemic, DC followed suit, then both suspended the programs during COVID. Since both have returned, DC’s been pretty aggressive.
November 21, 2023
ALL-STAR COMICS # 8 did get a Millenium Edition some 20 years ago. The one I’d love to see is BATMAN # 227– classic story, and that iconic Adams cover.
November 21, 2023
Yep, most of these got Millennium Editions, but those aren’t Facsimiles. Besides, that was more than 20 years ago!
November 21, 2023
I’m surprised Showcase #4 and #22 haven’t already been printed for the Facsimile Editions. Weirdly enough Flash #123 (again) and Batman Beyond #1 have snuck in for January 2024. Hopefully we’ll see theses prints and more when solicitations for March come in next month.
November 21, 2023
Actually there are EIGHT facsimiles to be released in December, with Batman #5 and Adventure #260 being released Dec. 5. The Adventure features Aquaman’s Silver Age origin, so that we don’t forget the movie (I for one am looking forward to it… hope I don’t regret it). Plus, there’s a never-before-reprinted Superboy story and Green Arrow rounds out the issue.
Is it too much to hope for facsimiles of All-Star Squadron #1 and Rip Hunter #1?
November 21, 2023
That is true! They were in the November solicitations but are coming out in December. Excellent point! Updated!
November 21, 2023
I can’t argue with a single choice. Every one of them should be in a facsimile edition. I would even pay extra for a foil cover on each.
November 21, 2023
DC released dollar comic versions of BTAS #12 & TT #2 prior to Covid, maybe that’s why they haven’t done them yet? Personally, I really wish they’d do Batman #400 , complete with the metallic gold paint.
November 21, 2023
Yep, I mentioned the Dollar Comics.
November 22, 2023
Two no-brainers:
Batman #171, first Silver Age appearance of The Riddler.
Batman #189, first Silver Age appearance of Scarecrow.
November 23, 2023
A true “two no-brainers” would be two classic issues with Two Face.
November 21, 2023
Personally, I’d like to see more Golden Age DC facsimile editions that otherwise are unobtainable due to cost. The problem is that often the Golden Age issues are such a mixed bag that only 1 or 2 stories are going to appeal to any given reader these days. That said, I’d like to nominate Flash Comics #86, containing the introduction of the Black Canary (in the Johnny Thunder strip) with Infantino artwork. It has been reprinted, as has the Flash story, but this issue also has a never-before-reprinted Joe Kubert Hawkman story, as well as non-reprinted Ghost Patrol story with Infantino artwork, so it should at least look good!
November 21, 2023
I agree with everything mentioned, especially Detective 168. I would also like to see Superman 53 from 1948, Superman’s first expanded origin and also Action 484, Earth2 Superman marries Lois Lane. Also more Superman titles in general. DC facsimiles have been pretty Batman heavy overall. And first appearance of Brainiac I’m watching for? Great choices!!
November 22, 2023
A reprint of Flash #1 was released (Gulp!) about fifty years ago! But I agree with your choices and I’d snap up all of them!
November 24, 2023
These are excellent choices. Weirdly enough a few days after this article came out I found out DC is making facsimile editions for both Green Lantern #87 and Young Romance #125 this February. What’s with DC comics being silent about their Facsimile comics recently
January 9, 2024
How about Adventure comics 210- the first appearance of Krypto the Superdog!
January 9, 2024
Good one!