And here’s that big update I’ve been talking about! It’s mostly hardcovers of existing content, but there’s some upcoming releases as well. Almost everything has an amazon link at its info page if you wanna go check it out. I’m not gonna link each one here though, I’m too tired. Just head on over to Unplaced Books and they start on Page 4 after the Archives and Animated books yet to be placed.

Anyway, here’s the list:

The Shadow: Blood and Judgment
Fallen Angel
Fallen Angel: Down To Earth
Fallen Angel Omnibus Vol. 0 – Apparently this might be one of the only DC characters to ever leave the DCU as opposed to being absorbed into it?
OMAC: One Man Army Corps Book 1: Past Imperfect
OMAC: One Man Army Corps Book 2: Brother, Can You Spare an Eye?
OMAC: One Man Army Corps Book 3: Mein Kampf
OMAC: One Man Army Corps Book 4: The Man Who Made Tomorrow – I’m gonna start doing prestige releases as a page for each book, since they each have different covers and it’s possible to collect one at a time if you’re hunting for deals. I’ll change the old ones later.
Superman: Our Worlds at War Omnibus
Batman: Child Of Dreams
Batman: Death Mask
Sgt. Rock’s Combat Tales (Digest)
DC Animated: Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm Movie Adaptation
Uncle Sam
Teen Titans: The Hunt For Raven
The Flash Vol. 1: The Dastardly Death Of The Rogues
The Question: Pipeline
Doom Patrol: Brotherhood
Batman vs. The Undead
Secret Six: Cats in the Cradle
Justice League: Rise and Fall
Azrael: The Killer of Saints
Suicide Squad: Trial By Fire
Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Vol. 5
Superman: The Last Stand Of New Krypton Vol. 2
Brightest Day Vol. 1
Batman: Era Of The Batman
Batman Beyond: Future Evil
Superman: The Black Ring
Zatanna: The Mistress Of Magic
Titans: Villains for Hire
Justice League of America: The Dark Times
Camelot 3000
Uncle Sam (Deluxe Edition)
Superman: Secret Origin (Deluxe Edition)
Superman: Red Son (Deluxe Edition)
Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali (Deluxe Facsimile Edition)
Batman: Year One (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: The Killing Joke (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: RIP (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader (Deluxe Edition)
Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Batman Reborn (Deluxe Edition)
Batman and Robin Vol. 2: Batman Vs. Robin (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: Hush Unwrapped (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: The Return Of Bruce Wayne (Deluxe Edition)
Batwoman: Elegy (Deluxe Edition)
JLA: Deluxe Edition Vol. 1
JLA: Deluxe Edition Vol. 2
JLA: Deluxe Edition Vol. 3
JLA: Deluxe Edition Vol. 4
Camelot 3000: The Deluxe Edition
Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book 1
Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book 2
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition Book 1
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition Book 2
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition Book 3
Y: The Last Man: The Deluxe Edition Book 1
Y: The Last Man: The Deluxe Edition Book 2
Y: The Last Man: The Deluxe Edition Book 3
Y: The Last Man: The Deluxe Edition Book 4
Y: The Last Man: The Deluxe Edition Book 5
Preacher: The Deluxe Edition Book 1
Preacher: The Deluxe Edition Book 2
Gotham Central Book 1: In The Line of Duty
Gotham Central Book 2: Jokers and Madmen
Gotham Central Book 3: On The Freak Beat
Gotham Central Book 4: Corrigan
Starman Omnibus, Volume 1
Starman Omnibus, Volume 2
Starman Omnibus, Volume 3
Starman Omnibus, Volume 4
Starman Omnibus, Volume 5
Starman Omnibus, Volume 6
The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus
Seven Soldiers of Victory Book 1 (Hardcover)
Seven Soldiers of Victory Book 2 (Hardcover)
Absolute Dark Knight
Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween
Absolute Batman: Hush
Absolute Crisis On Infinite Earths
Absolute DC: The New Frontier
Absolute Death
Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth
Absolute Justice
Absolute Kingdom Come
Absolute Sandman 1
Absolute Sandman 2
Absolute Sandman 3
Absolute Sandman 4
Absolute Superman: For Tomorrow
Absolute All Star Superman
Absolute Watchmen
JLA/Avengers: Collector’s Edition (Oversized Hardcover)
The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes (Oversized Hardcover)
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume I
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Black Dossier
Absolute Promethea Book 1
Absolute Promethea Book 2
Absolute Ronin
Absolute V For Vendetta
Absolute Authority Volume 1
Absolute Authority Volume 2
Absolute Danger Girl
Absolute Planetary 1
Absolute Planetary 2

Hey, with this update we’ve made it past 2000 books in the database! Go us!

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Alright, hot on the heels of the list of DC Deluxe Edition hardcovers, here’s what I’ve got for the Absolute editions:

Absolute Dark Knight
Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween
Absolute Batman: Hush
Absolute Crisis On Infinite Earths
Absolute DC: The New Frontier
Absolute Death
Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth
Absolute Justice
Absolute Kingdom Come
Absolute Sandman 1
Absolute Sandman 2
Absolute Sandman 3
Absolute Sandman 4
Absolute Superman: For Tomorrow
Absolute All Star Superman
Absolute Watchmen
JLA/Avengers: Collector’s Edition (Oversized Hardcover) – Basically an Absolute
The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes (Oversized Hardcover) – Basically an Absolute
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume I
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II
Absolute The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Black Dossier
Absolute Promethea Book 1
Absolute Promethea Book 2
Absolute Ronin
Absolute V For Vendetta
Absolute Authority Volume 1
Absolute Authority Volume 2
Absolute Danger Girl
Absolute Planetary 1
Absolute Planetary 2

Also, there are these other hardcover collections. I’m trying to find any hardcovers that collect anything differently (say two trades worth of material) or in a different format (oversized, etc) from the paperbacks. I don’t think I’ll have separate entries for hardcover and softcover release if the only thing that is different is the literal cover, but these ones are labeled differently and vary a lot from the other collections of similar material:

Starman Omnibus, Volume 1
Starman Omnibus, Volume 2
Starman Omnibus, Volume 3
Starman Omnibus, Volume 4
Starman Omnibus, Volume 5
Starman Omnibus, Volume 6
The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus
Seven Soldiers of Victory Book 1 (Hardcover)
Seven Soldiers of Victory Book 2 (Hardcover)
Gotham Central Book 1: In The Line of Duty
Gotham Central Book 2: Jokers and Madmen
Gotham Central Book 3: On The Freak Beat
Gotham Central Book 4: Corrigan

So that’s what I’ve got so far! Obviously there are some other hardcovers already in the database (all the archives, most pre-crisis hardcover collections like the Kirby stuff  and that Deadman collection.) But if there are any post-crisis hardcover collections you know about not listed on this site already, let me know!

Once I’ve got a nod on this from you guys, I’ll finish up this info and get it onto the site!

Comment!

So, obviously I posted another review, but this one came with a set of challenges. It’s the first actual custom post type content on the site!

First, while creating it I had to fix the custom field information so it shows up correctly. Then I also had to get the thumbnails showing up on all the custom post types, which required a little theme function php file tweaking.

I also had to fix it so it shows up on the blog page, and then another hack so it shows up in the feed, and finally one more change to make it show up in the sidebar widget. Everything should be working correctly now.

Sorry for going a little long with that one, I couldn’t help a little rant about the technical details.

Tonight I’m going to try and start my next database update, probably finishing some time tomorrow. This one will include the Deluxe books, Absolutes, some upcoming releases, and a few other hardcovers and misc books not yet in the database.

Edit: uh oh, one of the fixes I put in seems to be resulting with the menu items ALSO being in the feed. Weird! This may sort itself out on its own, after they’re in there once, but I’m gonna try and see if I can find a fix anyway.

Update: looks like I fixed it, but let me know if anything weird hits your feed reader or email!

Comment!

This review is spoiler free! Skip To The Verdict? »

If you’re starting out as a comic fan, you may not have heard of the Spectre. That’s ok. As is repeatedly mentioned at the start of his issues:

No one knows that Jim Corrigan, hard-fisted detective, is in reality the earthbound SPECTRE, whose mission is to rid this world of crime. . . . .

So you’re forgiven. The DCU has its share of iconic characters and it also has plenty of whats-his-names and also-rans who are generally unknown even to DC comic fans. There’s a third category, though, of characters who might be considered cult classics – they’re too strange or quirky to ever enjoy the kind of mainstream fame of the likes of Batman (yes, too strange compared to the guy dressed like a bat), but historians love them and the dedicated fans (including those who actually work in the industry) know how important they are to the ongoing mythology.

The Spectre is one of these heroes and this Archive collection is a testament to that. At its most basic level, it stands as a published reminder of the long life of the character. He was created by Jerry Siegel – yes, Superman’s Siegel – early on in the Golden Age to fill an increasing demand for stranger heroes with fantastic powers. And powers he had! They were not explicitly stated, but as an otherworldly being he flew, became invisible, changed matter and influenced events at will. He was going through phone lines years before The Atom!

While the Spectre has never had an ongoing that reached startling heights of popularity, he’s been a part of the DC Universe ever since his premier. He was quite possibly the most powerful member of its cast of characters! At least, the most powerful individual that started out as a human being. While this may not be true all through the DC timeline, at this point, here at the very start of the publication history, he was something special – the very first dead super hero.

The stories here, like most Golden Age stories, follow the general format you’d expect. They mostly deal with heists and murders, crooks and thieves. When they don’t, there is still usually a clear definition of evil. The Spectre is the spirit of justice and vengeance, and his actions are those of a force of good. However, there is one big thing worth noting – he killed, and often in quite a grisly fashion. If his actions were illustrated in today’s graphic styles, the blood and gore would be pretty startling. He seemingly rips the skin off people at least once.

However, the illustration style (by Bernard Baily, himself already pretty experienced in the industry) keeps it feeling light weight. I’m sure it was startling and titillating to the young 40s audience it was aimed at, but we’ve become a bit more jaded. Baily’s work is worth talking about a bit more. You can tell that comics as we knew them were still finding their feet. Proportions and musculature are sometimes very off, and it’s often hard to tell what the actual action is while inspecting a panel. However, his expressions are usually excellent and full of vigor – while not technically correct anatomically, they’re probably more enjoyable this way. I really got into it as I read.

The writing style is similar to Siegel’s work on Superman – lots of explanation for the build up and a healthy amount of “But Then…!” before a wordless action panel. To those entirely unacquainted with the Golden Age, it might seem a little stiff, but once you get into it, this book flows rather well. I found myself reading in my head as if the text was the script of an old radio drama. If you use that announcer voice, it might be easier to understand the context of the writing style. It’s easy to see how there was so much interbreeding between the comic stories of the time and pulp radio.

Some of the stories, though, surprised me in their weirdness. Not in the format of set up/confusion-who-dun-it/starter-brawl/find-the-mastermind/final-epic-brawl kind of plot structure, but in the actual ideas presented within it. The Spectre investigates other worldly invaders from within paintings, plants bred to kill, and all kinds of spirits. I couldn’t help feeling that his adventures are ripe for a modern revisit, much like the Golden Age Sandman or the current Madame Xanadu ongoing. Along with Dr. Fate, probably, the Spectre’s Golden Age stories could be considered a very early precursor of the Vertigo Universe.

The format of the book is worth commenting on. This is the first DC Archive I’ve read all the way through. I was impressed with some things and concerned about others. First of all, the binding and construction is excellent – it feels solid and durable like any “archive” should. I’ve always had a bit of an odd thing against slip covers, but the book looks good with it on or off. The issues are included with full covers (even though many of them feature Dr. Fate more than our Spectre), a detailed table of contents, and an excellent introduction by Jerry Bails.

The reprints are in full vibrant color on high quality paper stock. This sounds great (and feels great in your hands) but actually has some small downsides. The coloring and linework has all had significant work done to it (in fact, the coloring is all entirely new!) This makes it pop and easy to read, but the linework sometimes seems like it was cleaned up a little too much – seeming thin in areas and overly sharpened in others. I do a lot of work digitally myself, so I may notice this more than most readers, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

The coloring, in particular, was something I kept coming back to as I read through. When there are flat colors, it is generally ok – it might be a little too vibrant to me because I’m used to old comics having that nostalgia inducing fade, but maybe that was how they looked when they were fresh off the presses. However, the gradient effects or shading is terrible! It looks like the colorist just set his brush on 80% softness and made a couple quick lines. It looks extremely digital, and often kind of amateurish as well. I can’t help feeling like it must have looked a lot different in the original publications. I really wish I could see that!

I wish there was a little feature in the back showing an original page next to the restored one – if I at least satisfied my curiosity, it might be easier to deal with the way it was done, but since I can’t easily find pictures of Golden Age Spectre material, I can’t help feeling that the original coloring job fit the work much better. My imagination just kicks in.

Take a look at these two pictures I’m including – see the way the orange lines are clustered in the background of the first one? Or how the green lines are kind of haphazardly plopped across the second? If this was a webcomic or a community effort I might forgive it, but considering the high price tag and production values of the rest of the book, the coloring job seems pretty sloppy. I’m nitpicking here, but it took me out of the reading experience more than a few times so it’s worth noting.

Verdict:
Good! I think that if you’re interested in the Golden Age or the mystical side of the DCU, you should give it a shot. I paid 35 for it, making it one of the more expensive comic collections I own. However, I’m a pretty big Spectre fan, so I’m not sure if everyone will find it worth that price. It was originally more expensive.  You may be able to find it for around 25 dollars, which I’d consider a steal.

Essential Continuity:
Not really – like most Golden Age collections, a lot of the material isn’t really essential for understanding ongoings, though it is fun to know the roots of your favorite characters. The fact that Spectre came into existence IS important. But you don’t need to read this book in particular to understand that.

What Should You Read First:
This book serves as a pretty good introduction to the Golden Age, but you might enjoy reading some Golden Age Superman or Batman first.

What Should You Read Next:
The Spectre shows up next in the All Star volumes, so if you want more of his early action, try there. You may also be interested in Madame Xanadu Vol. 1, which retells some of this period. In addition, any of the main Spectre books on his reading order should be good. The Wrath Of The Spectre trade from the 70s is of particular note for Pre-Crisis goodness. Finally, I feel like I should mention Deadman, another dead super hero that I’ve got a spot for in my heart.

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Fixed a couple small things I noticed on my way to do a little database work. The thumbnails were only showing up on the default post type – now they are universally enabled so you can add book covers etc.

Second, I just fixed a little formatting on the Recent Forum Posts sidebar widget – now they are spaced out a little more and don’t get jumbled when a shorter post title is on top.

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