Wanted TPB: Adam Strange's Bronze Age Omnibus

Writer: Various

Artist: Various

Publisher: DC Comics (1980-1981)
Printing Order: The Brave and the Bold #90, Justice League of America #120-121, 138-139, Showcase #101-103,The Brave and the Bold #161,DC Comics Presents #3, World's Finest Comics #261-264, Green Lantern #132-147, The Brave and the Bold #190, and DC Comics Presents #82.

Dork Note: Just as the small screen has graced us with Buck Rogers and the big screen Flash Gordon...Adam Strange starred in a variety of guest appearances and backup stories. For all intensive purposes Adam Strange is DC's de facto space cowboy archetype and deserves some respect. The same respect as Buck and Flash! So answer me this DC...

...why do my shelves hold both a Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon DVD, but NO Adam Strange Bronze Age OMNIBUS?!

While I wait for an answer I'll just have to be satisfied with listening to Queen's Flash Gordon soundtrack and my autographed picture of Erin Gray!

Wanted TPB: Pre-Crisis Monitor Appearances Omnibus

 

Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: DC Comics (1982-1985) 
Includes and Roughly in Chronological Order of Appearance:  New Teen Titans #21, The New Teen Titans Annual #2, Green Lantern #173, Green Lantern #176, Green Lantern #178, The Flash #338 and #339, Tales of the Teen Titans #47, Blue Devil #5, The Fury of Firestorm #28, Batman and the Outsiders #14 and 15, Action Comics #560, Justice League of America #232, Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #317, Wonder Woman #321, Infinity Inc. #8, All-Star Squadron #40, DC Comics Presents #76, Superman #403, The Saga of Swamp Thing #30 and #31,  Justice League of America #234, Vigilante #14, Superman #403, World's Finest Comics #311, Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #319 and #320, Amethyst #2, G.I. Combat #274-276, Wonder Woman #323, Action Comics #564, The Warlord #91, Jonah Hex #90, World's Finest Comics #314, Batman #384, Detective Comics #551, Tales of the Teen Titans #58, DC Comics Presents #78, and DC Sampler #3

Monitor created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez:The Monitor is one of the central characters in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The character began appearing, along with his assistant Lyla, in numerous DC Comics titles beginning in 1982, three years before the Crisis began in July 1985. Wolfman used the early appearances of The Monitor as a sort of arms dealer who would provide supervillains with technology. As Crisis approaches the Monitor reveals he did this as his way to test the heroes and villains of Earth and find out which ones might help him in the battle to save the Multiverse. For the longest times his appearances in the DC’s mainstream superhero titles, were of him from behind or in the shadows, the first appearance of the Monitor Pre-Crisis was Teen Titans Vol. 2 #21 (July 1982)  his face was first revealed in one of their few remaining non-superhero titles, the war comic G.I. Combat #274 (Feb. 1985).

Wanted TPB: Shadowline Saga Omnibus

Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Epic (Marvel) Comics (1988-1990)
Includes: Marvel Age #62, Doctor Zero #1-8, , St. George #1-8, Power Line #1-8 and Critical Mass #1-7

Clipped from Wikipedia: The Shadowline Saga is a comic book imprint from Epic Comics that was created and edited by Archie Goodwin. The Shadowline Saga was Marvel's first attempt at creating a mature-themed line of superhero comics. Further, it was the first line produced by Epic Comics utilizing a pre-conceived shared universe concept.

Critical Mass Anthology - Doctor Zero, Power Line, and St. George #9 - 13 were supposed to be part of The Shadowline Saga "Critical Mass" Crossover. Due to poor sales, Epic cancelled the three Shadowline series and published the story in an anthology format as the Critical Mass limited series.

Clipped from Marvel1980's: From Goodwin’s Epic-Grams in May 1988:

“My original vision of Epic didn’t really include doing super hero comics. I felt we were around to break some new and different ground and Marvel had already proven that super hero comics could be done successfully and well. (…) And sometime in the midst of all this, I began to toy with the notion of the Shadow Line Saga. I thought I had it all reasonably well worked out in my head in late summer of ’86. Then I began to write and it was February of ’87 before the bible was done on the series. But I liked what I had. Super heroes I could live with … and enjoy."

Promotional Poster

Dork Note: In Santa Cruz there is a used bookstore called Logos. As far back as I can remember issues of Critical Mass existed in their TPB section. Year after year sitting on the shelf unbought. I bet they are still there...even now.

Wanted TPB: Atari Force Omnibus

Writer: Gerry Conway and Various
Artist: José Luis García-López and Ross Andru and Various
Publisher: DC Comics (1984-1986)
Includes: Atari Force Volume 1 #1-5, Atari Force Volume 2 #1-20, Atari Force Special #1, Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #1, 2, 6, 14, 16, 17, 23, and DC Sampler #2 and 3.

Clipped from Wikipedia: The first Atari Force comics, which only counted 5 issues, were published in 1982 and were created mainly to illustrate story lines for home console games being released by fellow Warner Communications subsidiary Atari, Inc. The comics were packed in with the games Defender, Berzerk, Star Raiders, Phoenix, and Galaxian. The comics were written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas and the artists included Ross Andru, Gil Kane, Dick Giordano, and Mike DeCarlo.

The second series was released monthly, in conventional comic-book format, and lasted for 20 issues.Gerry Conway returned as writer while José Luis García-López became the main pencil artist. However, original series concept artist Ross Andru did draw issues 4-5. In issue #13, Eduardo Barreto took over as penciler and, in #14, Mike Baron became the regular writer through the final issue, #20. In 1986, a "Special" issue was released with work by different creators.

Plot: The original Atari Force was a team of humans from different nations using the multi-dimensional starship Scanner One to search for a new planet for humanity to inhabit as the Earth was facing ecological devastation. The team was handpicked by A.T.A.R.I. (Advanced Technology And Research Institute), and consisted of Martin Champion as mission commander, Lydia Perez as pilot and executive officer, Li-San O'Rourke as security officer, Mohandas Singh as flight engineer, and Dr. Lucas Orion as medical officer. A semi-sentient alien creature named Hukka because of the noise he made later joined as team mascot.

The second team, formed approximately 25 years after the first, was also led by Martin Champion. He was convinced that the original team's nemesis, the Dark Destroyer, still existed. Although he was correct, most of the rest of humanity did not believe it, but humored him due to his heroic status in successfully leading the original Atari Force to find New Earth. Other team members included Christopher "Tempest" Champion, son of Martin Champion and Lydia Perez; Erin "Dart" Bia O'Rourke-Singh, daughter of Mohandas Singh and Li-San O'Rourke; Hukka; Morphea, an insectoid empath; Babe, an alien toddler of immense size and strength; and Pakrat, a humanoid rodent thief. Later additions to the team were Blackjak, Dart's human lover; Taz, a short alien warrior; and Kargg, the Dark Destroyer's former chief underling.

Dork Note: I remember liking this series when I originally collected it. It felt very Star Wars-like.

Wanted TPB: 1980's DC Who's Who Omnibus

Writer:Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: DC Comics (1984-1988)
Includes: Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, Who's Who Update '87, Who's Who Update '88, Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Who's Who Annual entries - Action Comics Annual #2, Batman Annual #13, Blackhawk Annual #1, Detective Comics Annual #2, Dr. Fate Annual #1, Flash Annual #3, Green Arrow Annual #2, Justice League International Annual #3, New Titans Annual #5, Question Annual #2, Secret Origins Annual #3, Swamp Thing Annual #5, and Wonder Woman Annual #2

Dork Note: I know this book was suppose to come out as a Showcase. Then it got canceled over royalty issues, but can't you work it all out? Marvel did it! Why can't you? Please! Please! PLLLLEEEEEEAAAASSSSEEE!

Update: I finally gave up that DC would release these, bought a cheap set on Ebay and had them bound - so I now have a hardcover three volme set!

Fun Fact Clipped from Wikipedia: In the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode Emperor Joker, during a battle with the Ten-Eyed Man and Batman, Bat-Mite, who breaks the fourth wall, was seen reading about the Ten-Eyed Man in an issue of Who's Who in the DC Universe.

Wanted TPB: Super Powers Omnibus

Writer: Joey Cavalieri, Jack Kirby, Paul Kupperberg, and various.
Artist: Adrian Gonzales, Jack Kirby, Carmine Infantino, and various.
Publisher: DC Comics (1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986)
Includes:  Super Powers Mini-Comic Collection, Super Powers #1-5, Super Powers #1-6, and Super Powers #1-4

Description of each mini-comic can be found at these links: 1-8, 9-16, and 17-23

Clipped from Wikipedia 
History: In 1984, DC Comics awarded the master toy license of their characters to Kenner Products, hot on the heels of Mattel's "action feature" heavy He-Man toy line. The initial pitch seemed to be heavily influenced by Kenner's popular Star Wars toyline with multiple playsets with individual franchises for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Teen Titans, Lois Lane, and the Super Jrs. Winning the license away from Mego Corporation and Mattel with their emphasis on action and art, Kenner devised hidden mechanisms within the figures that would trigger an action when the figure's legs or arms were squeezed. This emphasis on each figure's "super power" led to the naming of the line - The Super Powers Collection. Each figure in the first two series were also packaged with a mini-comic featuring that character's adventures.

DC Comics produced three comic book mini-series featuring characters from the toyline, one during each year of the toyline's existence. The first series of comics in 1984 was plotted by Jack Kirby, who also provided covers, who went on to pencil the second series. The third and final series was penciled by the legendary Carmine Infantino.

These comics were separate from the continuity of the regular comics featuring the characters. Hanna Barbera also produced two animated series (a refreshing of the venerable Super Friends concept), called Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.

Fun Fact: With his Apokolipsian New Gods characters like Darkseid judged ideal antagonists for the line, comic creator Jack Kirby received some of the only royalties of his long career for redesigning his characters for Kenner. Artist George Pérez also received royalties for his design of Cyborg and redesign of Lex Luthor. Ed Hannigan had already redesigned Brainiac in Action Comics the previous year (June 1983). Most other designs (and much of the packaging artwork) were based on José Luis García-López' classic DC Style Guides (other artwork used appears to be the work of Dick Giordano, who was known to ink Garcia-Lopez' art for the publications, and Mike DeCarlo). 

Dork Note: The Jack Kirby Omnibus Vol. 2 does include - Super Powers #1 - 5 (Vol. 1) and Super Powers #1 - 6 (Vol. 2), but not the third volume or the mini-comics!

Wanted TPB: Courtney Crumrin Omnibus by Ted Naifeh

Omnibus Why (besides the obvious): Courtney Crumrin has been published with the most inconsistent sizing per volume I have ever seen in a series.

For dorks like me - who like to keep all our TPB nice and organized (same size TPB for the same shelf) different sizing and formats causes a massive kink in our OCD shelving. A Courtney Crumrin Omnibus would allow me to dump all the other Frankenstein TPBs onto Ebay.

Courtney Crumrin Omnibus Should Contain:
Courtney Crumrin & the Night Things (2002) #1 - 4 (5.5 x 8 inches)
Courtney Crumrin & The Coven of Mystics (2002) #1 - 4 (5.5 x 8 inches)
Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom (2003) #1 - 4 (5.5 x 8 inches)
Courtney Crumrin Tales (2005) - vol. #1 (10 x 6.6 inches)
Courtney Crumrin Tales (2005) - vol. #2 (10 x 6.6 inches)
Courtney Crumrin & the Fire Thief's Tale (2007) (9.9 x 6.4 inches)
Courtney Crumrin and The Prince of Nowhere (2008) (9.9 x 6.4 inches)
Courtney Crumrin Tales, Courtney Crumrin Tales - (10 x 6.6 inches)

Dork Note: There is a  7 Volume Hardcover Courtney Crumb series; which includes...The Night Thing, The Coven of Mystics, The Twilight Kingdom, Monstrous Holiday, The Witch Next Door, The Final Spell, and Tales of a Warlock, but I would rather have an Omnibus!

Wanted TPB: Wake Omnibus

Writer: Jean-David Morvan 
Artist: Philippe Buchet  
Publisher: NBM Publishing (1998+)
Includes: Wake #1-16

Dork Note: NBM translated into English 6 of the 16 volumes of Wake. However, they failed to publish all the volumes at the same size; which is amazingly annoying! 

Also they choose to print the stories with a black censor bar across the main characters breast because they were bare.

Navee in the censored American version compared to the original art.

I felt this was unnecessary and destructive to the visual flow of the narrative. NBM has a history of censoring nudity in the French comics they publish in America. So if someone ever does reprint these books in the US I hope they leave the artwork unmarked.

Wanted Omnibus: Marvel's Battlestar Galactica

Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Marvel Comics (1978-1980)
Includes: Battlestar Galactica #1-23

Dork Note: Issues #16 thru #18 were by far my favorite (see the above three I sliced out from the rest). I would buy the Omnibus for those alone. Unfortunately, this Omnibus will never happen, because (lets face it) if it hasn't happen already with the massive popularity of the reboot - it surly won't happen now.

Clipped from Wikipedia: The comic book Battlestar Galactica, based on the ABC television series of the same name, was published monthly by Marvel Comics from 1978 through 1980, and lasted 23 issues. Roger McKenzie was most often the writer, and Walt Simonson the most regular artist, but the book also had a heavy rotation of guest writers and artists.

Marvel Comics’ began its adaptation of Battlestar Galactica with Super Special #8, a magazine format comic released as a tie-in to the start of the series. Based on an early script of the three hour series premiere "Saga of a Star World", this adaptation, which gave a relatively short treatment to the third hour, was also released in a tabloid format and then later as a paperback as well. Its success led Marvel to print a regular monthly comic depicting the adventures of the ragtag fleet.

When the regular run of Marvel's Battlestar Galactica comic book began some months later, the Super Special adaptation was expanded by several pages, and provided the material for the first five issues of the comic. With issue #6, the TV adaptations ceased, and Marvel's team began to create new stories about the characters of the Battlestar Galactica universe, picking up from where issue #5 left off. 

From this point, both in terms of story content and the narrative arc, Marvel's Battlestar Galactica does deviate somewhat from the televised adventures. Marvel's contract with Universal Studios specifically did not allow them to use anything from the television series that followed "Lost Planet of the Gods". Despite this, Marvel made a conscious decision to continue the story with their own vision of how the series would progress, and so presents an interesting interpretation of Galactica – through a Marvel paradigm. 

In addition, much of the comic's run took place in the magnetic void which the rag tag fleet encountered in the TV episode "Lost Planet of the Gods". In the end of the TV episode, the fleet moves back into normal space, leaving the void behind, but in the comics the ragtag fleet remains in the void beginning in issue #4, with the fleet finally returning to regular space in issue #14. This makes placing the episodes within the span of the TV series difficult, since much of the action could be surmised to have taken place between "Lost Planet of the Gods" and "Lost Warrior".

Unlike both television series, the Galactica comic actually had a planned ending, with a series of plot devices being wound up in the final two part story of issues #22 and #23. Presumedly, the final events of the Marvel Comic series presents the Battlestar Galactica along with rag tag fleet leaping toward the Milky Way Galaxy, where it will resume events in the tv series, in search of the lost 13th Colony known as Earth. This is the first time anywhere that the Galactica - until the new Re-Imagined Series on the Sci-Fi Channel - and the Colonial Fleet is shown leaping into hyperspace.

Fun Fact: Some panels depicted a likeness of Lt. Starbuck for scenes presenting Captain Apollo. These were corrected in the re-print version.

Wanted TPB: Nocturnals Omnibus

Nocturnals Omnibus Should Contain:

The Nocturnals: Black Planet  #1-6 (Bravura/Malibu Comics) (1995)

The Nocturnals: Witching Hour - DH Presents #125 -127 (Dark Horse Comics) (1998)

The Nocturnals: Troll Bridge (Oni Press) (2000)

The Nocturnals: The Dark Forever #1-3 (Oni Press) (2001)
The Gunwitch: Outskirts of Doom #1-3 (Oni Press) (2001)  

The Nocturnals: Carnival of Beasts (Image Comics) (2008)
Dan Brereton: The Goddess & The Monster (Image Comics) (2010)

Dork Note: If this Omnibus was ever published it should include all the supplemental materials create for the Nocturnals-verse over the years - from sketches to posters to pinups to interviews.

Role Playing Game: Nocturnals: A Midnight Companion is a sourcebook to integrate the characters with Mutants & Masterminds (Green Ronin Publishing, May 2004)

Publication History: The eponymous original limited series ran in 1995 and was published under Malibu Comics' Bravura imprint. This was followed by story that ran in Dark Horse Presents #125–127 (October–November, 1997) that was collected by Dark Horse Comics into a 48-page comic book as The Nocturnals: Witching Hour (May 1998). Moving to Oni Press the next outing was in a giant-sized one-shot "The Nocturnals: Troll Bridge" (October 2000). Still at Oni The Nocturnals: The Dark Forever was a three-issue mini-series that started in 2001 (July 2001 – February 2002). A spin-off mini-series from Oni Press called The Gunwitch: Outskirts of Doom (June–August, 2001). After leaving Oni Press, Image Comics later published The Nocturnals: Carnival of Beasts (July 2008), a prestige format 64-page comic book, published by Image Comics, containing three stories. "Nocturnals: Legend " was released by BigWowArt (October 2014), a hardcover coffee-table style art book , described as a 20-year " introspective".

Currently: "Nocturnals: The Sinister Path" is a new graphic novel in production (after being successfully crowd-funded in January 2015 via Kickstarter) with plans to release through BigWowArt in the near future.

Wanted TPB: Mage by Matt Wagner Omnibus

Omnibus Why (besides the obvious): Both Volumes #1 (Hero Discovered) and #2 (Hero Defined) have been released in TPBs. When Volume #2 was released in 2000 - they re-released Volume #1 in the same format; which was great. However, its now been over a decade since this series has seen print - Its time for an Omnibus release.

The Mage Omnibus Should Contain: Volumes #1 (Hero Discovered) Issues #1-15, Grendal (Backup Story) #16 -19, and Volume #2 (Hero Defined) Issues #1-15.

Dork Note: This property should be developed as a HBO/SHOWTIME/AMC series.

Wanted TPB: Leave It To Chance Omnibus

Omnibus Why (besides the obvious): There were three Oversized Hardcovers produced; which included issue #1-11 and two softcover TPB; which included #1-8.

The last Softcover/Hardback was produced in 2002 - its now been over a decade since this series has seen print - Its time for an Omnibus release.

Leave It To Chance Omnibus Should Contain: Issues #1-13

Leave It To Chance Won this Awards

• 1997 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Winner - Best New Series: (by James Robinson and Paul Smith )
• 1998 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Continuing Series
• 1997 Harvey Award Winner for Best New Series

Dork Note: I love James Robinson writing and even more Paul Smiths artwork. Why this series did not continue or evolve into a different medium is anyone's guess.

Wanted TPB: Boneyard by Richard Moore Omnibus

Omnibus Why (besides the obvious): The Volume 1 was an Oversize (Black & White). Volumes 2 thru 7 were Regular Size (Black & White). So the Black & White volumes were not consistent. Then...

...colored versions of Boneyard were released as TPB and the sizes were consistent, BUT only 4 Volumes of the 7 were ever released - URGH!

For a Dork like me - stuff like this - is PAINFUL!

The Boneyard Omnibus Should Contain: All #28 issued in Black and White and the Swimsuit Special. Should they ever finish the coloring of the series then they could release a colored Boneyard Omnibus as well. 

Dork Note: As the years have passed and I have had to become more and more selective in what I buy on my weekly pilgrimage - Boneyard was an "ALWAYS BUY". I was sad to see it cease publication. 

Wanted TPB : Young Heroes in Love Omnibus

Writer: Dan Raspler
Artist: Dev Madan
Publisher: DC Comics (1997)
Includes: Young Heroes in Love #1-17 plus issue 1000000

Ryan McLelland (a reviewer for Ain't It Cool News) writes: I loved Young Heroes when this series first was released back in 1997. I always think of series like this that start of strong only to be canceled some eighteen issues later a bit a head of its time. It was about a superhero team but more about the relationships between team members, which sometimes got a little hotter then your average New Mutants issue. Why? Because that’s how young people would act if they were thrust together: fight crime and hookup with each other!

Wanted TPB: Midnight Mass Omnibus

Writer: John Rozum

Artist: Jesus Saiz (Vol. #1) and Paul Lee (Vol. #2)

Publisher: Vertigo (DC Comics) (2002 and 2004)
Includes: Midnight Mass Vol.#1 Issues #1-8 and Vol. #2 "Here There Be Monsters" Issues #1-6Fun Fact Clipped from Wikipedia: In a 2011 interview concerning the relaunch of his Xombi series, Rozum revealed that Adam and Julia were conceived as the lead characters for a potential Xombi spin-off back when the series was still being published by Milestone Comics.

Fun Fact Clipped from Wikipedia: A television series based on Midnight, Mass was put into development by NBC in 2009 for the 2010-2011 Television Season. The show received a script order and was developed by Aaron Harberts, Gretchen J. Berg and Warner Brothers Television[2] but was not developed any further than the scripting stage.