DC Archive Editions
Encyclopedia
DC Archive Editions, collect early, sometimes rare, comic books published by DC and other publishers into a permanent hardcover series. With more than 100 titles, this series began in 1989 with Superman
Archives Vol. 1. Most of the restoration work to make the pages suitable for quality printing has been done by Rick Keene who has restored more than 2500 pages.
The books span DC's Golden, Silver and Bronze Age as well as titles not originally published by DC such as Will Eisner
's The Spirit
, Wally Wood
's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
, and the Fawcett
and Charlton
lines of super heroes as well as Mad magazine and Elfquest
. The DC Archives provide a dual service in that they not only preserve DC's history but provide readers with stories that normally would not be available to them at an affordable cost. When the line first started, the cover price for an Archive was $39.95 US. However, from the early 1990s up to the present, the standard cover price for a DC Archive is $49.99 US (although some books in the line have cost much more, depending on how much content is collected, thus a larger page count & higher cover price). , new volumes released have a cover price of $59.99 US.
Other titles in the series include Superman Archives, Batman
Archives, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives , Black Canary
Archives, Plastic Man
Archives, Shazam!
Archives, World's Finest
Archives, The Doom Patrol
Archives, Green Lantern
Archives, The Flash
Archives, Justice League of America Archives, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Archives, Wonder Woman
Archives, Teen Titans Archives, and many more.
In recent years, newer printings of previously published DC Archives volumes have been released at the special introductory cover price of $19.95 U.S. In 2001, the remaining excess stock of Batman Archives Vol. 1 first printing edition were put up for this reduced price, with a new price tag label placed on the book's shrinkwrap. Sales proved successful as the remaining inventory would sell away. DC would try this promotional price again with a second printing of Batman Archives Vol. 1 in 2003, Superman Archives Vol. 1 (fifth printing) in 2004, and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 1 (third printing) in 2005.
It was widely believed that the DC Archive Editions would cease publication in 2008. However, in an issue of the publication Comic Shop News
(issue #1080, February 27, 2008), an update was given regarding the DC Archive Editions during an announcement regarding DC's collected editions schedule: "In spite of earlier reports of their demise, DC Archives will continue in 2008 and 2009, although in reduced numbers, focusing on continuing already-established Archives series." The numbers have since decreased from 14 volumes released in 2007, to 7 released in 2008, 6 in 2009, 4 in 2010, and at least 1 in 2011.
Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Album for 2001.
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
Archives Vol. 1. Most of the restoration work to make the pages suitable for quality printing has been done by Rick Keene who has restored more than 2500 pages.
The books span DC's Golden, Silver and Bronze Age as well as titles not originally published by DC such as Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
's The Spirit
The Spirit
The Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million...
, Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is a fictional team of superheroes that appeared in comic books originally published by Tower Comics in the 1960s. They were an arm of the United Nations and were notable for their depiction of the heroes as everyday people whose heroic careers were merely their day jobs...
, and the Fawcett
Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s...
and Charlton
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
lines of super heroes as well as Mad magazine and Elfquest
Elfquest
Elfquest is a cult hit comic book property created by Wendy and Richard Pini in 1978. It is a fantasy story about a community of elves and other fictional species who struggle to survive and coexist on a primitive Earth-like planet with two moons. Several published volumes of prose fiction also...
. The DC Archives provide a dual service in that they not only preserve DC's history but provide readers with stories that normally would not be available to them at an affordable cost. When the line first started, the cover price for an Archive was $39.95 US. However, from the early 1990s up to the present, the standard cover price for a DC Archive is $49.99 US (although some books in the line have cost much more, depending on how much content is collected, thus a larger page count & higher cover price). , new volumes released have a cover price of $59.99 US.
Other titles in the series include Superman Archives, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
Archives, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives , Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
Archives, Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
Archives, Shazam!
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
Archives, World's Finest
World's Finest Comics
World's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled World's Best Comics for its first issue; issue #2 switched to the more familiar name...
Archives, The Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
Archives, Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
Archives, The Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
Archives, Justice League of America Archives, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Archives, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
Archives, Teen Titans Archives, and many more.
In recent years, newer printings of previously published DC Archives volumes have been released at the special introductory cover price of $19.95 U.S. In 2001, the remaining excess stock of Batman Archives Vol. 1 first printing edition were put up for this reduced price, with a new price tag label placed on the book's shrinkwrap. Sales proved successful as the remaining inventory would sell away. DC would try this promotional price again with a second printing of Batman Archives Vol. 1 in 2003, Superman Archives Vol. 1 (fifth printing) in 2004, and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 1 (third printing) in 2005.
It was widely believed that the DC Archive Editions would cease publication in 2008. However, in an issue of the publication Comic Shop News
Comic Shop News
Comic Shop News is a free weekly newspaper distributed throughout comic book specialty stores. It was launched in 1987 by Cliff Biggers and Ward Batty, both of whom continue to edit it today.- History :...
(issue #1080, February 27, 2008), an update was given regarding the DC Archive Editions during an announcement regarding DC's collected editions schedule: "In spite of earlier reports of their demise, DC Archives will continue in 2008 and 2009, although in reduced numbers, focusing on continuing already-established Archives series." The numbers have since decreased from 14 volumes released in 2007, to 7 released in 2008, 6 in 2009, 4 in 2010, and at least 1 in 2011.
See also
- List of DC Archive Editions
- List of comic books on CD/DVD
- Showcase PresentsShowcase presentsShowcase Presents is a line of black-and-white paperback books published by DC Comics at an average rate of two per month. Created to effectively be DC's version of Marvel Comics' Essential Marvel volumes, each book includes over 500 pages of reprints, primarily from the Silver Age...
Awards & recognition
The first volume of the "Plastic Man Archives" won the Comics Buyer's GuideComics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Album for 2001.