DC Comics Absolute Edition is a series of archival quality printings of graphic novels published by DC Comics and its imprints WildStorm Productions and Vertigo. Each is presented in a hardcover, dustjacketed and slipcased edition with cloth bookmark consisting of one or more books which include restored, corrected and recolored versions of the original work, reprinted at 8 inches by 12 inches. Also included are supplemental materials regarding the creation of the work, including sketches, comic scripts and memos.
Contents
- Titles
- Authority
- Batman
- Crisis on Infinite Earths
- Danger Girl
- DC The New Frontier
- Death
- Final Crisis
- Green Arrow
- Green Lantern
- Identity Crisis
- Joker Luthor
- Justice
- Kingdom Come
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- Planetary
- Preacher
- Promethea
- Ronin
- Sandman
- Superman
- Top 10
- Transmetropolitan
- V For Vendetta
- Watchmen
- Y The Last Man
- Unofficial titles
- The Green LanternGreen Arrow Collection
- The Deadman Collection
- JLAAvengers
- The Worlds Greatest Super Heroes
- References
Titles
The following titles in the series have been released or announced.
Authority
Batman
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Unlike most of the other Absolute Editions which are a single slipcased book, this was a set of two volumes, with the separate 96 page book containing most of the supplementary material. In addition to memos, notes, sketches, and commentary by the creators, it includes some of the information from The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index #1 and The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Index #1 but expanding the number of distinct Earths identified to 114, some of which appeared after Crisis as Elseworlds. Also some Earths that were described in those volumes (such as Alternate Earth-2 and Crossover Earth) were not included. Released November 16, 2005. ISBN 1-4012-0712-X.
Danger Girl
Contains 2 volumes in a slipcased hardcover set. A 262-page collection of Danger Girl # 1-7 and a separate 64-page Sketchbook. Limited to 3012 copies, each including a signed and numbered tipped-in plate. Released December 17, 2003. ISBN 1-4012-0096-6. Currently out of print.
DC: The New Frontier
Contains 13 all-new pages, and one modified, which were trimmed from the original printings. Annotations, cover gallery, sketchbook and notes. Released November 8, 2006. ISBN 1-4012-1080-5.
Death
Collects Death: The High Cost of Living #1-3, Death: The Time of Your Life #1-3, Death Talks about Life AIDS pamphlet, Death stories from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #2 and Sandman: Endless Nights, "The Wheel" from the 9-11 tribute book, Sandman #8 and #20 and extras from the Death Gallery. Released on November 10, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4012-2463-9.
Final Crisis
Collects Final Crisis 1-7, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis Superman Beyond 1-2 as well as additional JG Jones design pages with commentary by Grant Morrison. ISBN 978-1-4012-3511-6. Released on November 6, 2012.
Green Arrow
Reprints Green Arrow Vol 3 #1-15 by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester. Released on April 7, 2015. ISBN 978-1-4012-5548-0.
Green Lantern
Identity Crisis
Collects Identity Crisis #1-7 by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales. Released on October 12, 2011.
Joker Luthor
Contains 2 volumes in a slipcase hardcover set by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo (Artist). Released on November 7, 2013. ISBN 978-1401245047
Justice
Released on November 11, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4012-2415-8.
Kingdom Come
Released July 26, 2006. ISBN 1-4012-0768-5.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Planetary
Preacher
Promethea
Ronin
Sandman
978-1-4012-1084-7
978-1-4012-1085-4
Superman
Top 10
TOP 10 #1-12, SMAX #1-5, a selection from AMERICA’S BEST COMICS SPECIAL #1 and the graphic novel TOP 10: THE FORTY-NINERS. Released on April 30, 2013.
Transmetropolitan
V For Vendetta
Reprinting V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Released on September 2, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4012-2361-8.
Watchmen
The supplemental material for this volume is reprinted from the limited edition Watchmen hardcover published by Graphitti Designs in 1987. It includes background on characters, the original creation process as well as brief essays by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Originally released October 5, 2005 (ISBN 1-401-20713-8) it–along with other editions and material–was re-released on November 12, 2008 about six months ahead of the film adaptation.
Y: The Last Man
Unofficial titles
The following titles are not officially part of the Absolute series, but are similar to actual labeled Absolute editions in terms of their contents and size.
The Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection
Released in December 2000. Collects the 1970s run by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams of Green Lantern (vol. 2) #76-87, #89 and The Flash (vol. 2) #217-219, where Green Lantern and Green Arrow travel the United States. Like earlier reprints before and after this hardcover it did not include Flash #226. The book is the first release of what would become the Absolute format, with oversized hardcover comic collections in slipcases. This book, however, is not as oversized as the Absolute books. ISBN 1-5638-9639-7
The Deadman Collection
Released in December 2001. The second in the line of slipcased hardcovers collects: Strange Adventures (1950-1973 1st Series) #205-216, Brave and the Bold (1955-1983 1st Series) #79, 86 and 104, and material from Aquaman (1962-1978 1st Series) #50-52, and Challengers of the Unknown (1958-1978 DC 1st Series) #74. ISBN 1-5638-9849-7.
JLA/Avengers
Released December 1, 2004. Contains 2 volumes (the series and an index) in a slipcased hardcover set. ISBN 1-4012-0207-1.
The World's Greatest Super-Heroes
Released July 6, 2005. Collects the 6 oversized graphic novels by Paul Dini and Alex Ross in a slipcased hardcover. ISBN 1-4012-0254-3.