News: Newly revealed DC “Essential Editions” indicate a shift in focus
When we initially reported on DC’s new line of “Essential Edition” collections, we were excited to see creative repackagings of previously collected material. Now, additional information seems to indicate a shifting focus for this new line.
See ComicBookWire’s list of all upcoming Essential Editions right here
The first couple entries in DC’s line of Essential Editions indicated that the books would collect material that was previously collected across multiple volumes. For example, the Justice League Darkseid War (Essential Edition) is set to collect all of the material from three separate volumes: Justice League Vol. 7: Darkseid War Part 1 (Review), Justice League Vol. 8: Darkseid War Part 2 (Review), and Justice League: Power of the Gods (Review). This allows fans to buy one nice collection rather than spending around 20% more for three separate books. The other initially announced Essential Editions are set to accomplish a similar feat for other series, such as Batman and The Flash. All in all, the Essential Edition line seemed to be focused on collecting a decent number of comics in an affordable package.
However, most of the newly announced Essential Editions do not seem to share this focus. Instead, they appear to be reprints of material that is already widely available. Stories like Blackest Night, Final Crisis, Batman: Faces of Death, and Batman: Death of the Family are simply being repackaged and rebranded as Essential Editions. Some of these new volumes actually contain less comic issues than the currently available collection, which is the case for the JLA: New World Order (DC Essential Edition). Only one out of six freshly revealed Essential Editions collects material in a way it has not been collected before.
Obviously, reprinting old volumes is not a bad thing, especially if some go out of print. However, fans hoping for more comprehensive collections at an affordable price (like Marvel’s “Epic Collection” line) might be a bit disappointed. Hopefully, DC will announce some bonus material for these collections in order to make them a bit more worthwhile.
What are your thoughts on the shift in focus for the Essential Editions? Are there any stories you hope receive an Essential Edition? Let us know was you think on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
For those interested in the contents of these comic collections, check out ComicBookWire’s list of upcoming Essential Editions right here.