American Comics Spotlight: Return of the DC 100 Page Giants

Back in the early 1970s, DC Comics launched the 100 Page Super-Spectaculars, chunky square bound comics reprinting classic stories (and often with new material at the front). Many of us lapped up those value-for-money comics, priced just 15p each. 

Well, now they're back! After a trial run exclusive to Walmart stores in the USA last year, the 100 Page Giants (as they're now known) have been relaunched and are now also available in comic book stores across the USA and UK. They'll cost you significantly more than 15p all these years later but at $4.99 (less than a fiver) they're still good value compared to the standard $3.99 32 pagers.

The format is similar to their 1970s counterparts; new material at the front, and reprints for the rest of the comic. Back in the 1970s, they reprinted material from the 1960s back to the 1940s. This time we get more contemporary material, but Flash Giant No.1 reprinting a Blue Beetle story from 2006 is pretty much the same as a 1973 Flash Super-Spectaular reprinting a story from 1960. 

Titles available so far are Scooby-Doo and The Flash, which came out over the previous two weeks, with Batman and Villains out today. Batman, Swamp Thing, Wonder Woman and others are to follow over the coming weeks. Some are one-offs, but titles such as Batman and The Flash are ongoing, to be published every other month. A Superman Giant is coming later this year. 

The original 100 Page Super-Spectaculars only lasted a few years. Will these 100 Page Giants have more longevity? Time will tell, but it's interesting that there's a thirst for reprint comics again. As you may know, Marvel and DC are now publishing facsimiles of various key issues, and they also have their cheaper True Believers and Dollar Comics lines of reprints. On the one hand I don't like seeing reprints churned out with the creators receiving nothing, but if they bring in new readers to buy the regular comics then that's a good thing. Will Marvel imitate DC and launch their own 100 pagers? Back in the 1970s, Marvel responded by publishing their Giant-Size editions, which only had 68 pages (but more pages of new material than DC). 

Will British publishers follow suit? Well, we already have our own 100 page giants from Panini UK when their regular 76 page Marvel reprints occasionally give us 100 page special issues for no extra cost. But what about facsimile editions? Could Rebellion perhaps produce facsimile issues of key 2000AD comics or some of the many other titles they now own? Anything is possible! 

For comparison, here's one of the original 100 Page Super-Spectaculars from 1974....

Sharp Art

Liam Sharp is an artist who's been in the business a long time, including work for Marvel UK, Marvel US, his own excellent Madefire company, and much more. This week he's illustrated the cover of 2000AD Prog 1976, in the shops today! 

...and in June, Liam becomes the new artist on Wonder Woman as the comic is relaunched with No.1. 

It's all part of the 'DC Rebirth' that sees all their comics revamped. Again? Yep, but I must admit I'm intrigued by several of the titles, and I'm definitely buying Wonder Woman now Liam's on board. Keep an eye on top comics news blog The Beat for more info about this and other U.S. comics.
http://www.comicsbeat.com/

Liam Sharp's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Liam.R.Sharp

A new beginning for the DC Universe

The internet was split in half yesterday, then shattered into tiny pieces, and then all the bits were ground into dust, scattered into a black hole, and came out the other side all bewildered, wide eyed and curious as DC Comics confirmed long-running rumours that all of their superhero universe titles would be relaunched in September.


Something like this needed to be done. Many of DC's comics had become new reader unfriendly due to all the baggage of continuity, crossovers and drawn out story arcs. The changes will come as a result of the current Flashpoint event running across the DC universe at present.


Have no doubt about it, this is a major relaunch. Every DC title will end this summer and restart with a new No.1 in September, and many characters will be redesigned and some will face a new status quo. (Rumour has it the Clark Kent/Lois Lane marriage will cease to exist.) As can be seen in the image at the top (promoting the new Justice League No.1) costumes have been tweaked (for better or worse), Superman appears younger (if that is indeed Kal-El), Wonder Woman's gained some muscle, and Green Lantern looks really excited about the whole thing in a Freudian way.


Here's the brief details: in September DC Comics will release 52 all-new No.1 issues, approximately 13 issues each week. (Assuming all the superstar creators can meet their deadlines.) On the same day as each comic is released a digital version will also be available for download. This is the first time a major comics publisher has gone day-and-date digtial across their line.


From our perspective, how will this affect international editions? Titan Magazines currently have the licence to produce DC comics in the UK. Their Batman Legends comic has had fluctuating frequency recently (monthly, then every 6 weeks, then monthly again) and the ailing Superman Legends was replaced by DC Universe Presents last year but that's gone to six-weekly now. A Justice League Legends title didn't fare too well a few years ago and was soon canceled. Will this give Titan the incentive and opportunity to try a few new UK DC titles, confident that the comics will be free of the burden of previous continuity? Or do the previous failures indicate that the UK newsstand readership isn't interested in DC characters other than Batman?


Will this bold move by DC actually work? I'm sure we remember things turned out when Marvel tried a similar thing with Heroes Reborn years ago. (The old continuity was restored a year later.) Will most titles stand alone so that new readers (and older readers returning to the fold) can understand (and afford) the storylines? Or will they make the same mistake of bringing in huge crossovers and confusing anyone who starts reading them later?

Time will tell, but if they really are dumping all the old continuity wouldn't that make their vast range of trade paperbacks redundant? Wouldn't it confuse new readers if, for example, they jump on board with Superman No.1, enjoy what they see, and then they pick up a Superman trade which features a completely different setup to the new comics?


This item just scratches the surface of the story. For more information keep your eyes on the regularly updated news sites such as these:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/

http://www.bleedingcool.com/

and of course of DC's own official website:
http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/

(Updated 6/6/2011 with new cover images.)