I was a bit soft on the DC Comics February 2026 trade paperback and hardcover solicitations when I started digging into it, but I’ll be darned if I’m not eager for the second volume of Mark Waid’s Justice League Unlimited. I read a book the other day that unexpectedly tied in to the ongoing DC All In saga (“Bad Idea #2894” — if you know, you know) and now I think I’ve got a case of the crossover cravings.

A less lofty crossover, but still welcome, is the first Green Lantern/Green Lantern Corps event of the new Jeremy Adams era. Of course, maybe most anticipated for this month is Dan Watters' Batman: Dark Patterns mystery, which I fervently hope is actually the instant classic it’s been touted to be.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the final volumes of Kelly Thompson’s Birds of Prey and Chris Condon’s Green Arrow. I think DC’s in a good place right now and making good decisions, so I’m less concerned about the implications of these overall. But while I’ve felt Thompson’s Birds was a little slow, I’ve enjoyed the general vibe, and I absolutely adored Condon’s Green Arrow. Why DC only let that one go two volumes, I don’t know.

Two “Gotham by Gaslight” books also come out this month, the paperback of Kryptonian Age and the hardcover of League For Justice. I’ve got a sizable backlog of “one-off” books I’d like to read, from Waller vs. Wildstorm to Jurassic League to Dark Knights of Steel to, indeed, Gotham by Gaslight. I’ve had some periods where I’ve read just non-continuity books (September-October 2022, for instance) and I’ve got a hankering to get back to those too. (Now I’m getting a wonderful, awful idea …) See also Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum.

Animal Man by Tom Veitch and Steve Dillon is a reminder that these post-Grant Morrison Animal Man stories are also available in less-bulky trades, and no reason not to finish that series out. Batman: Sword of Azrael and Tom King’s Omega Men are both worthy of their deluxe editions (Omega Men, for the second time). Let’s take a look at the full list.

• 100 Bullets Book Four (2026 Edition) TP

New printing, collecting issues #59–80 by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso.

• Animal Man by Tom Veitch and Steve Dillon Omnibus HC

In paperback in April, collecting Animal Man #27–50, Suicide Squad #58, and War of the Gods #3 by Tom Veitch, Steve Dillon, and company. That Squad issue was also a “War of the Gods” tie-in; it didn’t feature Animal Man but did include a character who resembled Grant Morrison, echoing Morrison’s previous appearance in the Animal Man title – so, not related to Veitch’s run, but contemporaneous and Animal Man-adjacent. (Plus, y’know, the current thing I won’t spoil.)

• Batman Beyond: Unlimited Compendium TP

This is Adam Beechen’s pre-Flashpoint Batman Beyond revival, being the six-issue Batman Beyond miniseries (collected as Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond, which I reviewed in 2011), the eight-issue “ongoing” series, 18 issues of the digital-first Batman Beyond Unlimited, and then also stories from the Justice League Beyond digital series #21 and #25, Superman/Batman Annual #4, and Superman Beyond #0. Not to be confused with the New 52 era Batman Beyond series post-Futures End, or the DC Rebirth Batman Beyond series.

Curiously, even though Beechen’s book wasn’t “of” the animated series like the Hilary Bader series that ran while Batman Beyond was on television, this collection also includes the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker movie special, which I understand was never collected before.

• Batman by Chip Zdarsky Omnibus Vol. 1 HC

This is a quick turnaround on an omnibus, relatively, and between Titans by Tom Taylor and this (also the Detective Comics by Mariko Tamaki Omnibus, etc.), I’m starting to perceive a pattern among DC’s collections – a writer does a run, those issues are collected in individual volumes, and assuming it holds together well enough, then the whole run goes to omnibus. That’s not a bad thing, and particularly not when it comes to runs like Zdarsky’s, which might even read better all in one.

The contents have changed somewhat since the original solicitation, ending now just before Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War instead of continuing through it. This is now Batman #125–136, stories from Batman: Urban Legends #1–6 (presumably Zdarsky on Red Hood), and, happily, Zdarsky’s ten-issue Batman: The Knight miniseries, which assuredly relates to the rest of his Batman run. Being Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 1, Batman Vol. 1: Failsafe, Batman Vol. 2: The Bat-Man of Gotham, and Batman: The Knight.

• Batman by Neal Adams: Absolute Edition Vol. 1 HC

Said to be the first of two volumes and collecting the “complete works of Neal Adams on Batman from 1968 to 1970 in the oversize, beautiful, Absolute format,” with stories from World’s Finest Comics #175–176; Brave and the Bold #79–86; Detective Comics #395, #397, #400, and #402; and Batman #219.

• Batman: Dark Patterns TP

In paperback at the end of March, the 12-issue miniseries by Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman — four mysteries, three parts each. Exceptionally excited for this one.

• Batman: Gotham by Gaslight: A League for Justice HC

In hardcover in late April, the six-issue miniseries follow-up to The Kryptonian Age, out a week earlier, by Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernandez.

• Batman: Gotham by Gaslight: The Kryptonian Age TP

In hardcover in mid-April, the book that kicked off the new age of Elseworlds, by Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernandez.

• Batman: Sword of Azrael: Deluxe Edition HC

Sure, if anything deserves a deluxe edition, it’s Dennis O’Neil and Joe Quesada frenetic, compelling introduction to Azrael Jean Paul Valley, a character more nuanced here than his later Azrabats portrayals would suggest. It’s the four-issue miniseries plus the intercompany crossover Azrael/Ash by the same team.

• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: DC Compact Comics Edition TP

Compact Comics printing of the famed Frank Miller miniseries.

• Birds of Prey Vol. 4: On the Run TP

In paperback in April. This had been said to collect issues #21–26 of the Kelly Thompson series, but with the series now cancelled, this collects the final issues, #20-#28 (and indeed Birds of Prey Vol. 3: Bird Undercover did end with issue #19).

• Booster Gold: The Complete 2007 Series Book Three TP

Collects issues #32–47 and the Time Masters: Vanishing Point #1–6 miniseries, by Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis, Chris Batista, and Dan Jurgens. I reviewed Time Masters: Vanishing Point and Booster Gold: Past Imperfect both in 2011, and then the latter Booster issues were in World of Flashpoint Featuring Superman. Issues #39–43 have not been collected before.

• DC Finest: Deadman: How Many Times Can a Guy Die? TP

Collects Silver and Bronze Age Deadman appearances with art by Neal Adams and others. This is Strange Adventures #205–216, Aquaman #50–52, Justice League of America #94, Brave and the Bold #79, #86, #104, and #133, Phantom Stranger #33 and #39–41, World’s Finest #223 and #227, Forever People #9–10, Challengers of the Unknown #74, and Superman Family #183 (does this indeed have Deadman in it?).

• DC Finest: Justice League of America: Starro the Conqueror TP

Being the first Silver Age adventures of the Justice League, from Brave and the Bold #28–30, Justice League of America #1–19, and Mystery in Space #75.

• DC Finest: Western: The Hangman Never Loses TP

In April, said to collect All-Star Western #1–11; Super DC Giant #S-14, #S-15, and #S-22; Tomahawk #130–140; and Weird Western Tales #12–17, from 1970 to 1973, with work by Robert Kanigher, Gil Kane, and Joe Kubert.

• DC Universe Bronze Age Omnibus by Jack Kirby (2026 Edition) HC

New edition of Jack Kirby’s “other” DC stories, including In the Days of the Mob #1–2, Spirit World #1, Weird Mystery Tales #1–3, Demon #1–16, Sandman #1–6, OMAC #1–8, Our Fighting Forces #151–162, Super Powers (Vol. 1) #1–5, Super Powers (Vol. 2) #1–6, and more.

• Elseworlds: Superman Omnibus Vol. 1 HC

Collects Superman: Speeding Bullets #1, Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #3 and #5, Superman Annual #6 and #8, Steel Annual #1, Adventures of Superman Annual #6 and #8, Superboy Annual #1 and #3, Action Comics Annual #6 and #8, Superman: Kal #1, Superman: At Earth’s End #1, Supergirl Annual #1, Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1–4, Superman’s Metropolis #1, Superman: Distant Fires #1, and Superman: The Dark Side #1–3. Where we have two annuals, those are both Elsewords annuals proper and also the “Legends of the Dead Earth” annuals, which were not specifically billed as Elseworlds books at the time (I don’t think) but apparently now they are.

• The Flash: The Road to Rebirth Omnibus HC

Collects Flash #26–52 (not #25 as previously solicited, because that’s in the Flash by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato Omnibus), Flash Annual #2–4, a story from Secret Origins #7, Flash: Futures End #1, and DC Universe: Rebirth #1. I keep thinking about this like Flash: Road to Flashpoint, expecting it to be the latter part of the final Geoff Johns run, but instead “Road to Rebirth” really means the latter half of the New 52 Flash series. This collects Flash Vol. 5: History Lessons, Flash Vol. 6: Out of Time, Flash Vol. 7: Savage World, Flash Vol. 8: Zoom, and Flash Vol. 9: Full Stop, with work by Buccellato, Robert Venditti, Van Jensen, and Brett Booth.

• Galaxy: As the World Falls Down TP

Jadzia Axelrod’s Hawkgirl got mixed reviews, but I rather enjoyed it, and especially the mainstream DCU introduction of the hero Galaxy. I’m overdue to read both Galaxy books and also Nicole Maine’s' Dreamer YA graphic novel, which guest stars Galaxy, ahead of Maines and Axelrod’s forthcoming Justice League title. This one is out in early May.

• Green Arrow Vol. 5: Crimson Sands TP

Issues #25–31 of the DC All In run by Chris Condon and Montos, in paperback in March. Gosh I enjoyed Green Arrow Vol. 4: Fresh Water Kills and I’m disappointed Condon’s run has turned out to be so short.

• Green Lantern/Green Lantern Corps: The Starbreaker Supremacy TP

In paperback in April, collecting the crossover between Green Lantern #25–27 and Green Lantern Corps #7–9.

• Justice League Unlimited Vol. 2: The Omega Act TP

Coming in hardcover and paperback in late April. No contents listed in what I’m looking at, but previously this was said to be Justice League Unlimited #9–11, Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1, and Justice League: The Omega Act Special #1.

• Legends Omnibus HC

Quite the comprehensive Legends collection, which is great: Legends #1–6, Batman #401 (finally somewhere!), Detective Comics #568, Green Lantern Corps #207, Cosmic Boy #1–4, Justice League of America #258–261, Secret Origins #10 and #14, The Fury of Firestorm #55–56 and #58–59, Blue Beetle #9–10, The Warlord #114–115, Superman #3, Adventures of Superman #426, and Action Comics #586. Includes an intro by John Ostrander and also “a never-before-seen extensive behind-the-scenes look at DC’s journey to making a sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths,” which I understand Legends was meant to be but kinda wasn’t.

• Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later Omnibus Vol. 2 (2026 Edition) HC

Continuing this collections series, including Legion of Super-Heroes #40–61, Legionnaires #1–18, L.E.G.I.O.N. #69–70, Legionnaires Annual #1 (Elseworlds), and Valor #20–23. In previous solicitations, this also had Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #4–5 (“Bloodlines” and Elseworlds) and Who’s Who Update 1993 #1, but seemingly not any more. For those playing along at home, this is the end of the series, including the Zero Hour tie-ins ahead of the full reboot for Zero Month. Though part of the “Five Years Later” era, I don’t tend to associate it with that since it’s less of the dark “five years later-y” than the early Keith Giffen and company material.

• Omega Men by Tom King: The Deluxe Edition (2026 Edition) TP

Collects all 12 issues of Tom King’s fantastic miniseries; I reviewed Omega Men: The End Is Here in 2016.

• Robin: The Bronze Age Omnibus (2026 Edition) HC

New printing of the 1960s-1970s adventures of the college-age Dick Grayson. No contents listed here, but previously this collected Batman #192, #202, #203, #227, #229–231, #234–236, #239, #240–242, #244, #245, #248, #250, #252, #254, #259, #333, #337–339 and #341–343; Detective Comics #390–391, #394, #395, #398–403, #445, #447, #450, #451 and #481–485; Batman Family #1, #3 and #4–9 and 11–20; World’s Finest Comics #200; and DC Comics Presents #31 and #58.

• Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale TP

In paperback in late March, the first six issues of the new series by Sophie Campbell.

• Supergirl’s Family Vacation TP

Young readers graphic novel by Brandon T. Snider and Sarah Leuver. Looks to involve a younger-leaning Supergirl with Jon Kent and Natasha Irons, and a villain that looks maybe like Despero by way of Orko?

• Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum HC

In April in hardcover, collecting the five-issue Black Label miniseries by W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo.