Get ready folks — the line is almost here…
The DC Finest line of books — the publisher’s kinda-sorta response to Marvel’s Epic Collections — kicks off Nov. 5 with Batman: Year One & Two and Superman: The First Superhero.
That’s all fine and good but those editions — and much of the line’s first wave — are, well, typical. They include stories that are already generally available in a multitude of formats. I get why they’re doing it this way but it just means I’m not an immediate customer.
Been there, done that. Have them in many versions, including in Italian and Japanese.
I’m more interested in what’s coming a little further down the line. DC has announced books well into the summer of 2025 (formally or informally) and a lot of them feature stories and characters that don’t get enough attention. Or, if they do, they tend to only be occasionally in print, or in omnibi that I personally find unwieldy and difficult to read.
So, looking ahead, here’s what’s piqued my interest the most — THE TOP 13 DC FINEST BOOKS WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO:
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13. Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore. Periodically available, this is still something of a deep cut for a lot of Superman fans. It established much of the ’70s foundation for the Man of Steel even if it doesn’t always hold together. Nevertheless, it’s something that should always be in print. I’m waiting for next year’s inevitable Superman #233 Facsimile Edition. (No inside info there. Just a very educated guess.) Due date: June 3, 2025.
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12. Team-Ups: Chase to the End of Time. Putting this out there for education’s sake. This should actually be a split cover because it not only collects the first 14 issues of DC Comics Presents — including Superman team-ups with the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Adam Strange, the Metal Men and Superboy, among others — but The Brave and the Bold #141-155. That was a particularly fertile period for the Batbook, with the Darknight Detective combining forces with Black Canary, the Creeper, the Unknown Soldier, the Flash and the Teen Titans, among others. Due date: March 18, 2025.
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11. Wonder Woman: The Legend of Wonder Woman. I’ve never read Busiek and Robbins’ miniseries and while the issues are easy to get, this also covers Wonder Woman’s final stretch before Crisis on Infinite Earths. A worthy look at an overlooked period. Due date: July 1, 2025.
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10. Superboy: The Super-Dog From Krypton. I’ve never read much Superboy; most of my exposure comes from the 1960s Filmation shorts, which I quite enjoy. If I’m going to explore the Boy of Steel’s history, the 1950s is the place to do it. Due date: May 13, 2025.
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9. Legion of Super-Heroes: Zap Goes the Legion. The Legion forms a big gap in my reading but I know the late-’60s to mid-’70s offered a lot of what fans love. Due date: Dec. 10, 2024.
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8. Justice Society of America: The Plunder of the Psycho-Pirate. See No. 7. Due date: July 8, 2025.
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7. Justice Society of America: For America and Democracy. Seminal comics that should always be available in an affordable, easy-to-read format. DC Finest books are around 40 bucks each and that’s a hella deal for 600 pages of really expensive comic books. Due date: Dec. 3, 2024.
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6. Plastic Man: The Origin of Plastic Man. If you’ve noticed, the theme that runs throughout much of this list is Comics Dan Hasn’t Read Enough Of But Should. That’s what makes this line so attractive. Due date: March 4, 2025.
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5. Peacemaker: Kill for Peace. Big kudos and congratulations to our pal Paul Kupperberg because most of this book is his ’80s work on the former Charlton hero. But you also get the Silver Age stories that inspired him so. Due date: April 1, 2025.
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4. Superman Family: The Giant Turtle Man. Another case where a split cover would have been a better choice, because this isn’t all Jimmy. There’s plenty of Lois in here too. The Jimmy stuff is wacky, as everyone knows, but wildly fun. (Again, I’ve not read enough; shame on me.) The Lois material is from the early-’60s, which is retrograde by today’s standards but a fascinating look at the norms of the time. I’m also hoping this presages a series of “Batman Family” collections. Due date: April 15, 2025.
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3. Aquaman: King of Atlantis. I’ve read a ton of Silver Age Aquaman from the years he had his own title, but this period, dominated by the art of Ramon Fradon, is mostly from the ’50s Adventure Comics era. I’ve barely read any of this. Due date: Jan. 7, 2025.
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2. Science Fiction: The Gorilla World. I gotta tell ya, I’m actually amazed that this will exist — and I love DC for recognizing its rich, simian past. A good section appears to be taken up by Congo Bill, but there also seems to be a broad array of other ’50s sci-fi material, sans gorillas. None of this ever gets gets any attention from the company, so this is a huge win for the line. Due date: July 15, 2025.
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1. Metamorpho: The Element Man. Superhero comics, by their very nature, are implausible. So why is it we can accept some characters and not others? We think Batman is “grounded” but as the aforementioned Paul Kupperberg has said, no one in the history of mankind has ever jumped rooftop to rooftop in a costume fighting crime. It’s all fantasy. And few characters in the DC canon are more fantastical than Metamorpho, which is why I’ve read so little of his original adventures. Because I am, by nature, a Batman guy. But that is really, really, really stupid thinking, and I’m so glad I have a chance to fix that. Due date: June 17, 2025.
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MORE
— DC FINEST: 13 BOOKS We’d Like to See in DC Comics’ New Line. Click here.
— An Idea for DC FINEST: Englehart and Rogers’ DARK DETECTIVE — Including the Unfinished THIRD PART. Click here.
