Hey, it’s the Dark Knight’s anniversary! PLUS: More Silver Age Doom Patrol!
The first two DC Finest titles of 2026 have been revealed — and guess what: One of them is Batman: The Legend of the Dark Knight, featuring his earliest stories. And today just happens to be the Masked Manhunter’s 86th anniversary.
Not just that, January 2026 will also bring us a second Silver Age Doom Patrol volume.
Dig these descriptions from book-market distributor channels:
DC FINEST: BATMAN — THE LEGEND OF THE DARK KNIGHT
By Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson
Discover the origin of the Dark Knight in his earliest and most defining battles!
Before he became a global icon, Batman began his journey as Gotham City’s most relentless crimefighter. This DC Finest collection brings together Batman’s first adventures, featuring the debut of classic villains like the Joker, Catwoman, and Hugo Strange, along with Robin’s introduction as the Boy Wonder. Follow the Dark Knight as he refines his mission to fight crime, protect the innocent, and strike fear into the hearts of evildoers.
DC Finest continues, a major publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history, spanning genres, characters, and eras! This volume collects stories from Batman #1-5 and Detective Comics #27-52.
On Sale Date: January 27, 2026
Trade Paperback | 600 pages
$39.99 US
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DC FINEST: DOOM PATROL: THE DEATH OF THE DOOM PATROL!
Outcasts unite for one last battle in this unforgettable conclusion to the Doom Patrol’s original saga.
When the world’s strangest heroes face their deadliest enemy yet, only one choice remains: sacrifice themselves to save the world. This volume chronicles the highs and lows of the Doom Patrol’s most iconic adventures, capturing their battles with villains like General Immortus and the Brotherhood of Evil, as well as the moments that define their unbreakable bond as a team.
Culminating in the legendary finale that redefined what it means to be a hero, these stories showcase the action, heartache, and resilience that have made the Doom Patrol a standout in the world of superhero comics.
DC Finest continues, a major publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history, spanning genres, characters, and eras! This volume collects stories from Showcase #94-96, Superman Family #191-193, and Doom Patrol #103-121.
On Sale Date: January 13, 2026
Trade Paperback | 584 pages
$39.99 US
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Several thoughts:
— Detective Comics #27 came out March 30, 1939. We’ve got more anniversary coverage for you here and here.
— Boy, it’s nice seeing Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson’s names on the cover, isn’t it?
— I will definitely be taking the plunge on this one. I know a lot of folks are rolling their eyes because these stories are perpetually available — sort of how I was with the DC Finest: Batman — Year One & Two. But I’m still relying on my library of Archive Editions, which I don’t love. Time to trade up.
— And, hey! More Silver Age Doom Patrol! Groovy!
— Standard caveat: These have not been solicited by DC yet, so nothing is official until it’s official.
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MORE
— Another 10 DC FINEST Titles Added to 2025 Lineup. Click here.
— From the ’60s to the ’80s — More DC FINEST Titles Added to 2025 Lineup. Click here.
March 30, 2025
>> I know a lot of folks are rolling their eyes because these stories are perpetually available….
>>
Not so much eye rolling as at a minimum covered in Omnibus editions. Had these been individually published facsimile editions, I’d buy multiple copies of them each. Now that Doom Patrol edition, I’ll most likely pick this up. I love that classic original lineup.
March 30, 2025
Happy Anniversary Batman!
Any idea if these reprint versions will be edited versions like DC did for several decades with the Batman story in Detective 27 so as to make a pre code book fit the code or will DC publish the actual story (or stories) as published in 1939? If readers are unsure of the difference compare versions of “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” some versions (e.g. Detective 387 &627, Batman from the 30s to 70s, Batman Archives, and several more) have edited out the knife sticking out of “Old” Lambert’s back as he was found lying on the floor dead as well as the knife in “Young” Lambert’s hand as he holds his father’s dying body. The original (and the recent facsimile) shows the bloody murder weapon in two different panels on the story’s second page.