Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jan 9, 2024 | 3 comments

One of the best comics history books of the past decade is getting a new release with new material…

Comic Book Implosion, an essential history of DC Comics in the late ’70s, is set to be re-released this spring — but this time in full color and with fresh bonus material.

Dig the official description from publisher TwoMorrows:

COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION (EXPANDED EDITION)

By Keith Dallas and John Wells

An Oral History of DC Comics Circa 1978 – 144-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperback

In 1978, DC Comics launched a bold initiative to win over fans and retailers with an expanded line-up billed as “The DC Explosion.” But mere weeks after its launch, DC’s parent company pulled the plug, cancelling a slew of titles, and leaving stacks of completed comic book stories unpublished. Now, over 45 years after that “DC Implosion”, TwoMorrows Publishing recalls one of the most notorious events in comics with an exhaustive oral history from Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, Len Wein, Mike Gold, Al Milgrom, and other creators and executives involved! Plus: detailed analysis and commentary by other top pros who were “just fans” in 1978 (Mark Waid, Michael T. Gilbert, Tom Brevoort, and more)—examining how it changed the landscape of comics forever! This new Expanded Edition of the sold-out Eisner Award-nominated book explodes in full cover for the first time, with additional coverage of lost 1970s DC projects like Ninja the Invisible and an adaptation of “The Wiz,” Jim Starlin’s unaltered cover art for Batman Family #21, content meant for cancelled Marvel titles such as Godzilla and Ms. Marvel, and more! By Keith Dallas and John Wells.

2019 Eisner Award Nominee: BEST COMICS-RELATED BOOK!

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A few thoughts:

— Buy this. If you are at all interested in the evolution of DC in the Bronze Age, this is a superb record, thoroughly researched and entertainingly presented. It’s about much more than the DC Implosion itself: It traces the roots of it and explores the aftermath, giving you a substantive look at the comics industry in the ’70s. It was nominated for the Eisner and in my opinion it should have won. Outstanding. One of my favorites.

— The new edition, oversize like the original, is due May 29 and lists for $26.95. Worth every penny, even if you got the first edition, if you ask me. It will be available at comics shops and booksellers but you can already pre-order it directly from TwoMorrows. Click here.

— TwoMorrows has another great addition to its 2024 line-up — Zowie!, a history of the TV superhero explosion of the mid-’60s by Mark Voger. Click here for the details.

— When Comic Book Implosion first came out, we serialized excerpts, so if you want a taste, or a refresher, dig the links below.

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MORE

— BEFORE THE IMPLOSION: The Rise of DC’s Dollar Comics. Click here.

— THE DC IMPLOSION: When the Ax Fell. Click here.

— AFTER THE IMPLOSION: Cancelled Comic Cavalcade. Click here.