That unofficial Aquaman/Sub-Mariner crossover probably is left out too.
Big news is that Marvel and DC are bringing their intercompany crossovers back into print…well, most of them, anyway, as the one pictured above obviously is out, and JLA/Avengers I suspect will come along eventually. Probably too soon after the last reprinting, maybe, but I suspect the demand for that book goosed Marvel and DC into finally realizing “oh hey we’re leaving money on the table.”
Everything else is being reprinted in two of the Omnibus editions, those large, thick, relatively ungainly hardcovers. One will have all the standalone crossovers, including the O.G. (am I using that right?) Superman/Spider-Man team-ups, Batman/Hulk, and X-Men/Teen Titans, along with all the one-shots that popped up in the 1990s. The second volume will include the Marvel Vs. DC mini-series, the Amalgam one-shots (featuring “merged” versions of Marvel and DC characters, like Wolverine and Batman being combined into “Dark Claw”) and the two Access mini-series (starring the character who can cross between the Marvel and DC universes).
On one hand, from a personal perspective, I wouldn’t mind having these for myself, simply because I gave up nearly all of these to the shop when I opened up lo these many years ago. And having them in this larger format would certainly be easier on the eyes…I do still have my copy of the original trade paperback reprinting the 1970s/1980s crossovers, and having those treasury edition-sized comics squeezed down to regular comic dimensions is not so easy on the peepers any more.
On the other hand, this is a terrible way to rerelease everything. Will the small number of sales at the much higher omnibus price point equal out to selling more copies at a cheaper price point in a more standard comic book format? I could probably sell tons of most of these crossover comics as, say, individual $7.99 facsimile editions. Or even $9.99 ones, versus the tiny handful of omnibus editions that, by the way, generally only sell at discounted prices. Even a series of trade paperbacks gathering all these together would be preferable.
On the third hand, I suppose this is easier on the publishers, not worrying about some trades selling better because they had the choice team-ups, and letting other trades fall out of print right away. Or having to go through the trouble of soliciting for individual reprints. The omnibus lets ’em say “here’s everything in two books, you want that Steve Rude Hulk/Superman, you gotta take that Punisher/Azrael-Batman crossover too.”
I am sort of curious about how they’re going to arrange the comics in the volume with Marvel Vs. DC and Amalgam. The first wave of those Amalgam comics take place, and were released, between a couple of issues of the Marvel Vs. DC mini. I wonder if they’ll keep ’em that way in the book.
Anyway, if you want these, order ’em now. Like the ROM and Micronauts omnibuses, they’ll likely not be in print for very long. Again, they’ll almost certainly be discounted upon release, but once they’re out of print and “collectible” — urgh.
Dang, so much great art in some of those team ups.
Jose Garcia Lopez on the Batman-Hulk, Simonson/Austin on the X-Men-Teen/Titans, the Steve Rude Superman/Hulk.
Some of the Amalgams look great, but reading them is more a game of spot the reference than actual good storytelling.
Glad I have most of the good stuff. Like you said, I’d be happy to pay for the individual books at a reasonable price. If I didn’t pull the trigger on the Byrne FF Omni’s or the Kirby 4th World series, there’s no way in hell I’d buy one of these.
But the good news is that LCE #51 is being reprinted full size.
@ Mike Sterling –grow a fourth hand and your new name will be “Tars Tarkas”!
I definitely think all the stuff that was originally Treasury Edition sized should be getting reprinted in that format…and it would be nice to see the X-Men/New Teen Titans get printed in Treasury Edition size for the first time.
As I said in the last Progressive Ruin topic posting, the question now is what team ups would fans want to see if Marvel and DC decide to create new crossover stories?
@Sean Mageean: I’m kind of shocked Marvel & DC never did a Batman/Wolverine team-up. With Jim Lee working for DC in the late ‘90s, that seemed like a no-brainer. Greg Rucka wrote both characters, he would have done something cool.
As for the team-up I’ve always wanted to see but don’t think the Big 2 will ever do: Green Arrow & Nightcrawler on an Indiana Jones-type globe-trotting adventure. Black Canary and any Silver Sable could get involved, Count Vertigo & Fenris could be the villains, and Jeff Parker/Evan “Doc” Shaner is my first choice creative team.
@ Mike Laughlin
Yeah, it is odd that a Batman/Wolverine crossover never happened. There’s still time to make it happen.
Your Green Arrow/Nightcrawler crossover idea is different, but it sounds like it would be a very enjoyable read.
I would like to see John Byrne–or maybe Steranko–do more Golden Age crossovers set in the ’40s between DC and Timely characters…like GA Wonder Woman and Namor leading the Amazons and warriors of Atlantis to defeat the Axis. GA Superman and Jim Hammond, the android Human Torch could be an interesting crossover, too.
Or how about Ambush Bug and Elf with a Gun? Swing with Scooter and Millie the Model? The Creeper and Omega the Unknown?
The Inferior Five and Howard the Duck? Mr. Mind and M.O.D.A.K.? Shade the Changing Man and Dr. Strange?
“two of the Omnibus editions”
I wouldn’t mind having the FIRST one.
“trade paperbacks”
I’m surprised they’e not doing a trade for the most popular ones. Supes/Spidey, batman/Hulk, & Teen Titans/X-Men.
“Green Arrow/Nightcrawler”
I third that this sounds good!
“I’m surprised they’e not doing a trade for the most popular ones. Supes/Spidey, batman/Hulk, & Teen Titans/X-Men.”
I would probably buy this. I would definitely buy the Teen Titans/X-Men issue reprinted by itself.
And I vote for a Doom Patrol/Fantastic Four team-up. I originally thought Silver Age Doom Patrol, but I’d kind of like to see Reed interact with Jane, so maybe the Morrison-era team would be more fun.
@Thom H.
Every copy I’ve ever come across of New Teen Titans/X-Men –including the copy I own– has a popped center staple, so if they do a facsimile edition of that I hope they make it square bound…. Treasury Edition size would even be better, to see the great Simonson/Austin art in all its glory.
A Doom Patrol/Fantastic Four crossover would be cool if Grant Morrison wrote it.
But it would also be fun to see a Silver Age Doom Patrol/X-Men crossover–especially if written in Arnold Drake’s quirky style. I’d love to see the stand-off (or sit-off?) between The Chief vs. Prof. X, Mento vs. Marvel Girl, Negative Man vs. Cyclops, Beast Boy vs. The Beast, Elasti-Girl vs. The Angel, and Robotman vs. Iceman.