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DC Comics Absolute Edition

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This article is about the hardcover collections. For the alternate universe imprint, see Absolute Universe.

DC Comics Absolute Edition is a series of archival quality printings of graphic novels published by DC Comics and its imprints WildStorm Productions and Vertigo. Each is presented in a hardcover and slipcased edition with cloth bookmark consisting of one or more books which include restored, corrected and recolored versions of the original work, reprinted at 8 by 12 inches (200 mm × 300 mm). Also included are supplemental materials regarding the creation of the work, including sketches, comic scripts and memos.

Absolute Sandman Volume 1

Titles

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The following titles in the series have been released or announced.

The Authority

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  • Absolute Authority Vol. 1 – Collects The Authority # 1–12. Released in 2002. ISBN 1-56389-882-9. Currently out of print.
    • Absolute Authority Vol. 1 (New Edition) – Collects The Authority #1–12, Planetary/The Authority: Ruling the World, and a story from Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years. Release date: October 17, 2017. ISBN 978-1401276478
  • Absolute Authority Vol. 2 – Collects The Authority # 13–20, 22, & 27–29. Released in 2003. ISBN 1-4012-0097-4. Currently out of print.
    • Absolute Authority Vol. 2 (New Edition) – Collects The Authority #13–29, Authority Annual 2000 and stories from Wildstorm Summer Special. Introduction by Tim Miller. Release date: July 31, 2018. ISBN 978-1401281151

Batman

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  • Absolute Batman: Hush – Reprinting "Batman: Hush" storyline from Batman #608–619. This absolute volume includes additional sketches and character designs by Jim Lee. Release date: October 1, 2005. ISBN 1-4012-0426-0
  • Absolute Batman: Incorporated – Reprints Batman Incorporated (vol. 1) #1–8, Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Rises, Batman, Incorporated (vol. 2) #1–13, and Batman Incorporated Special. Release date: January 7, 2015. ISBN 978-1-4012-0426-6
  • Absolute Batman: The Court of Owls – Collects Batman #1–11. Includes bonus material. Release date: December 8, 2015. ISBN 978-1401259105
  • Absolute Batman: Year One – Collects Batman #404–407. Includes complete scripts and pencil breakdowns for all four issues and more. Release date: November 8, 2016. ISBN 978-1401243791
  • Absolute Batman: The Killing Joke (30th Anniversary Edition) – Collects Batman: The Killing Joke in both the original coloring by John Higgins and the updated coloring by Brian Bolland, Batman: Black and White #4, the complete script by Alan Moore, and additional Joker artwork by Brian Bolland. Release date: September 11, 2018. ISBN 978-1401284121
  • Absolute Batman: The Black Mirror – Collects Detective Comics #871–881. Includes bonus material. Release date: May 28, 2019. ISBN 978-1401289553
  • Absolute Batman: Arkham Asylum (30th Anniversary Edition) – Reprinting of the graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison with art by Dave McKean. Release date: September 17, 2019. ISBN 978-1401294205
  • Absolute Batman: Three Jokers – Collects Batman: Three Jokers #1–3. Includes bonus material. Release date: June 27, 2023. 978-1779521828[1]
  • Absolute Batman and Son by Grant Morrison - Collects Batman #655-658, #663-669, #672-675, and Batman Incorporated (vol. 2) #5. Includes an introduction from Andy Kubert and other extras. Scheduled release date: July 9, 2024. ISBN 978-1779527363
  • Absolute Batman: Death of the Family - Collects Detective Comics (The New 52) #1, Batman (The New 52) #13-17, and more. Scheduled release date: October 29, 2024. ISBN 978-1779528308
  • Absolute Batman: Zero Year - Collects Batman (The New 52) #0, #21-27, #29-33, and BATMAN: ZERO YEAR DIRECTOR’S CUT #1. Scheduled release date: February 4, 2025. ISBN 978-1799500230

The Long Halloween

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The Dark Knight

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Batman and Robin

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Crisis on Infinite Earths

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  • Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths – Unlike most of the other Absolute Editions which are a single slipcased book, this was a set of two volumes, with the separate 96-page book containing most of the supplementary material. In addition to memos, notes, sketches, and commentary by the creators, it includes some of the information from The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index #1 and The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Index #1, but expanding the number of distinct Earths identified to 114, some of which appeared after Crisis as Elseworlds stories. Also, some Earths that were described in those volumes (such as Alternate Earth-2 and Crossover Earth) were not included. Release date: November 16, 2005. ISBN 1-4012-0712-X

Danger Girl

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  • Absolute Danger Girl – Contains two volumes in a slipcased hardcover set. A 262-page collection of Danger Girl # 1–7 and a separate 64-page sketchbook. Limited to 3,012 copies, each including a signed and numbered tipped-in plate. Release date: December 17, 2003. ISBN 1-4012-0096-6

Dark Nights: Metal

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  • Absolute Dark Nights: Metal – Collects Dark Nights: Metal #1–6, Batman: Lost #1, Dark Nights: Metal Director's Cut #1, and Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1. Release date: June 28, 2022. ISBN 978-1779515278

Daytripper

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DC: The New Frontier

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  • Absolute DC: The New Frontier – Collects DC: The New Frontier #1–6 with 13 all-new pages. It also includes annotations, cover gallery, sketchbook and notes. Release date: October 4, 2006. ISBN 978-1401210809
    • Absolute DC: The New Frontier 15th Anniversary Edition – Collects DC: The New Frontier #1–6 with the 13 additional story pages from the previous edition, Justice League: The New Frontier Special, a "New Frontier" story from Solo #5, and features over 50 pages of designs, sketches and preliminary artwork from Darwyn Cooke. Release date: November 26, 2019. ISBN 978-1779501394

Final Crisis

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  • Absolute Final Crisis – Collects Final Crisis #1–7, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1–2, Batman #682–683, Final Crisis #1 Director's Cut as well as additional JG Jones design pages with commentary by Grant Morrison. Release date: November 6, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4012-3511-6

Flashpoint

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  • Absolute Flashpoint – Collects Flashpoint #1–5. Includes scripts, design sketches and more. Release date: January 15, 2019. ISBN 978-1401286262

Fourth World

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Green Arrow

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Green Lantern

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  • Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth – Collects Green Lantern: Rebirth #1–6. Release date: April 27, 2010. ISBN 978-1401225742
  • Absolute Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War – Collects Green Lantern #21–25, Green Lantern Corps #14–19 and Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1. Released in September 2012. ISBN 978-1401237356

Blackest Night

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  • Absolute Blackest Night – Collects Blackest Night #0, Blackest Night #1–8, Untold Tales of the Blackest Night #1, DC Universe #0, Blackest Night Director's Cut #1, and Green Lantern #43–48 and 50–52. Release date: June 26, 2013. ISBN 978-1401240738

Green Lantern/Green Arrow

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  • Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow – Collects the early 1970s team-up stories written by Dennis O'Neil with art by Neal Adams. Includes scripts, character development pages and character sketches. Release date: December 29, 2015. ISBN 978-1401257965

Identity Crisis

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Infinite Crisis

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Justice League

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Justice

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Kingdom Come

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  • Absolute Kingdom Come – Collects Kingdom Come #1–4 by Alex Ross and Mark Waid. Release date: January 13, 2012. ISBN 978-1401207687. This special edition contains additional history pages showing Superman traveling to Apokolips for help, finding it being ruled by a new tyrant. These pages were not printed in regular edition. At the end of the book some original pages of a showdown between Batmite and Mr. Mxyzptlk are offered as a complement. As well the original "epilogue" not found at the regular editions is printed here, called "One Year Later". Additional and extended "Apocrypha" section (originally shown at TPB editions as "Apocrypha" and "Revelations") where each hero and villain is identified, along with detailed sketches and excerpts by Alex Ross, original art for trading cards, posters, and action figures.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

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  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. I: Absolute Edition – Two-book slipcase which collects The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume I #1–6 in the first book and a second book which contains scripts for each of the issues as well as penciled original art and production sketches. Release date: June 18, 2003. ISBN 1-4012-0052-4
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. II: Absolute Edition – Two-book slipcase which collects The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II #1–6 in the first book and a second book which contains scripts for each of the issues as well as penciled original art and production sketches. Release date: August 1, 2005. ISBN 1-4012-0611-5
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Black Dossier: Absolute Edition – Collects the original graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier. Besides the slipcase, no bonus material whatsoever except for two new endpapers (one in 3-D) by series artist Kevin O'Neill. DC solicited the title with an LP that was originally intended by the authors for inclusion in the hardcover release, but reneged on the deal. Release date: August 12, 2008. ISBN 1-4012-0751-0

Mister Miracle

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  • Absolute Mister Miracle – Collects Mister Miracle #1–12 by Tom King and Mitch Gerad, original script pages and concept art, creator commentary, and a newly commissioned cover illustrated by Gerad. Expected release date: November 12, 2024. ISBN: TBD[2]

Multiversity

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  • Absolute Multiversity – Collects The Multiversity #1–2, The Multiversity Guidebook #1, Multiversity: The Society of Super Heroes #1, Multiversity: The Just #1, Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, Multiversity: Thunderworld #1, Multiversity: Mastermen #1 and Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1. Release date: July 19, 2022. ISBN 978-1779515612

Planetary

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  • Absolute Planetary Book One – Collects Planetary #1–12. Release date: January 1, 2005. ISBN 1-4012-0327-2
    • Absolute Planetary Book One (New Edition) – Collects Planetary #1–12. Includes the full script from issue #1. Release date: July 13, 2010. ISBN 978-1401203276
  • Absolute Planetary Book Two – Collects Planetary #13–27. Release date: July 7, 2010. ISBN 1-4012-2701-5
    • Absolute Planetary Book Two (New Edition) – Collects Planetary #13–27. Includes 14 pages of additional content. Release date: July 20, 2010. ISBN 978-1401227012
  • Absolute Planetary – Collects Planetary #1–27, Planetary Vol. 1: All Over the World and Other Stories, Planetary/Batman: Night On Earth #1, Planetary Vol. 2: The Fourth Man, Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories, Planetary: Crossing Worlds, Planetary Vol. 3: Leaving the 20th Century, Absolute Planetary Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology, Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years. Release date: February 9, 2021. ISBN 978-1779509079

Preacher

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  • Absolute Preacher Book One – Collects Preacher #1–26. Release date: July 12, 2016. ISBN 978-1401264413
  • Absolute Preacher Book Two – Collects Preacher #27–40. Release date: May 9, 2017. ISBN 978-1401268091
  • Absolute Preacher Book Three – Collects Preacher #41–66. Release date: April 25, 2018. ISBN 978-1401278489

Promethea

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Ronin

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Sandman

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  • Absolute Sandman Vol. 1 – Collects The Sandman #1–20. Extras include Neil Gaiman's original series pitch, character designs charting the visual development of Dream, script and pencils for The Sandman #19 ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"), and Gaiman's prose summary of the first seven issues from The Sandman #8, which features story beats not in the original comics. Release date: October 11, 2006. ISBN 1-4012-1082-1
  • Absolute Sandman Vol. 2 – Collects The Sandman #21–39. Extras include the Desire story "The Flowers of Romance" from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #1, script and pencils for The Sandman #23 ("Season of Mists: Chapter Two"), humorous biographies of the contributors, a section on DC's official "Sandman Month", a prose story from the box of the first Sandman statue detailing the statue's (fictional) history, and a complete reproduction of A Gallery of Dreams (a one-shot of Sandman-inspired art). Release date: October 11, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4012-1083-0
  • Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 – Collects The Sandman #40–56, "Fear of Falling" from Vertigo Preview #1, and Sandman Special #1. Extras include the Desire story "How They Met Themselves" from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3, script and thumbnails from The Sandman #50 ("Ramadan"), art galleries from The Sandman #50 and Sandman Special #1, a gallery of works inspired by the Endless, a section on Jill Thompson's "Little Endless" series, and a gallery of statues inspired by The Sandman #50. Release date: June 11, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4012-1084-7
  • Absolute Sandman Vol. 4 – Collects The Sandman #57–75 (including three "lost" pages from The Sandman #72, originally published in The Dreaming #8) and "The Castle" from Vertigo Jam #1. Extras include script and developmental art for The Sandman #57 ("The Kindly Ones: Part One") and #75 ("The Tempest"), a timeline of The Sandman's production from Gaiman's initial pitch to the publication of the last issue, and sections on the merchandise inspired by The Sandman. Release date: November 18, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4012-1085-4
  • Absolute Sandman Vol. 5 – Collects "The Last Sandman Story" from Dust Covers: The Collected Sandman Covers, The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (both the prose version, written by Gaiman and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, and the four-issue comics adaptation by P. Craig Russell), The Sandman: Endless Nights, and Sandman Midnight Theatre #1, featuring Wesley Dodds. Extras include script, designs, and layouts for "The Heart of a Star" from Endless Nights, covers and sketches from the comics adaptation of The Dream Hunters, a gallery of Sandman-inspired posters, and a section on the figures and statues inspired by The Sandman. Release date: November 8, 2011. ISBN 978-1-4012-3202-3

Death

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Overture

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  • Absolute Sandman: Overture – Collects The Sandman: Overture #1–6. Extras include the script for The Sandman: Overture #1 ("Chapter 1: A flower burns"), sections on Dave Stewart's coloring process, Todd Klein's lettering process, and Dave McKean's cover art process, interviews with the creative team, and art by J.H. Williams. Release date: June 27, 2018. ISBN 978-1-4012-8047-5

Scarlet

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Superman

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  • Absolute Superman by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank - Reprinting the complete Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman: Brainiac, and Superman: Secret Origin stories from Action Comics #858-863, #866-870, Superman: Secret Origin #1-6, and stories from Action Comics Annual #10, Superman: New Krypton Special #1, and Action Comics #900. Extras include character designs by Gary Frank, the Action Comics #858 script by Geoff Johns, an extensive cover gallery and more. Release date: May 28, 2024. ISBN 978-1779524713

Superman/Batman

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  • Absolute Superman/Batman Vol. 1 – Collects Superman/Batman #1–13. Release date: September 3, 2013. ISBN 978-1401240967
  • Absolute Superman/Batman Vol. 2 – Collects Superman/Batman #14–26. Extras include pencilled pages and character sketches. Release date: May 20, 2014. ISBN 978-1401248178

Luthor/Joker

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Swamp Thing

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Saga of the Swamp Thing

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  • Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Vol. 1 – Collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #20–34 and Swamp Thing Annual #2. Release date: October 22, 2019. ISBN 978-1401284930
  • Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Vol. 2 – Collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #35–49. Release date: October 27, 2020. ISBN 978-1779502827
  • Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Vol. 3 – Collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #51–64 and DC Comics Presents #85. Release date: March 25, 2022. ISBN 978-1779512192

Top 10

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Transmetropolitan

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  • Absolute Transmetropolitan Vol. 1 – Collects Transmetropolitan #1–18, Transmetropolitan: I Hate it Here and Vertigo Winter's Edge #2. Release date: June 16, 2015. ISBN 978-1401254308
  • Absolute Transmetropolitan Vol. 2 – Collects Transmetropolitan #19–39 and Filth of the City. Release date: May 24, 2016. ISBN 978-1401261153
  • Absolute Transmetropolitan Vol. 3 – Collects Transmetropolitan #40–60, a new introduction by series author Warren Ellis and "a host of redacted extras from recently decrypted files". Release date: November 13, 2018. ISBN 978-1401285456

V for Vendetta

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Watchmen

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  • Absolute Watchmen – Reprinting Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The supplemental material for this volume is reprinted from the limited edition Watchmen hardcover published by Graphitti Designs in 1987. It includes background on characters, the original creation process as well as brief essays by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Originally released on October 5, 2005, (ISBN 1-401-20713-8) it (along with other editions and material) was re-released on November 12, 2008 about six months ahead of the film adaptation.

Doomsday Clock

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  • Absolute Doomsday Clock – Collects Doomsday Clock #1–12. Also includes bonus material including a cover gallery, sketchbook, notes and selected commentary from creators Geoff Johns, Gary Frank and Brad Anderson. Release date: October 4, 2022. ISBN 9781779515605

WildC.A.T.s

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Wonder Woman

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The New 52

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  • Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang Vol. 1 – Collects Wonder Woman (vol. 4) #0–18 from The New 52 by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang. Release date: February 1, 2017. ISBN 9781401268480
  • Absolute Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang Vol. 2 – Collects Wonder Woman (vol. 4) #19–35, Azzarello's and Chiang's story from Secret Origins (vol. 2) #6 and more. Release date: February 13, 2018. ISBN 9781401277499

Y: The Last Man

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Cancelled titles

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The following titles in the series were previously solicited by DC, but later cancelled.

Adam Hughes

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  • Absolute Art of Adam Hughes – Originally solicited to feature the best of Eisner Award-winning artist Adam Hughes' covers for DC Comics plus commentary from the artist, rarely seen preliminary material and more. Includes everything from Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes and more than 100 additional covers with new commentary and set to be released on November 13, 2019. Cancelled.[3] ISBN 978-1401294915

Batman

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  • Absolute Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – Originally solicited to contain the Gotham by Gaslight graphic novel, Countdown Special: The Search for Ray Palmer: Gotham by Gaslight #1 and Convergence: Shazam! #1–2 and set to be released on September 09, 2020. Cancelled.[4] ISBN 978-1401299828

Fables

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  • Absolute Fables Vol. 1 – Originally solicited to contain Fables #1–29, Fables: The Last Castle and the 7-page story collected in Fables: Legends in Exile and set to be released on June 30, 2020. Cancelled.[5] ISBN 978-1779500205

Flash

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Unofficial titles

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The following titles are not officially part of the Absolute series, but are similar to actual labeled Absolute editions in terms of their contents and size.

Deadman

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  • The Deadman Collection – Collects Strange Adventures #205–216 (1950–1973), The Brave and the Bold #79, 86 and 104 (1955–1983), and material from Aquaman #50–52 (1962–1978), and Challengers of the Unknown #74 (1958–1978). This was the second book in the line of oversized DC slipcased hardcovers after The Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection, though again not as oversized as an Absolute edition. Release date: December 2001. ISBN 1-5638-9849-7

Green Lantern/Green Arrow

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  • The Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection – Collects the 1970s run by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams of Green Lantern (vol. 2) #76–87, #89 and The Flash (vol. 2) #217–219, where Green Lantern and Green Arrow travelled through the United States. Like earlier reprints of this run before and after this hardcover, it did not include The Flash (vol. 2) #226. The book is the first release of what would become the Absolute format, with oversized hardcover comic collections in slipcases, but was not as oversized as the Absolute books. Release date: December 2000. ISBN 1-5638-9639-7. The Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection was later re-released as an official Absolute title, Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow, on December 29, 2015. ISBN 978-1401257965

JLA/Avengers

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  • JLA/Avengers: The Collector's Edition – Collects JLA/Avengers #1, 3 and Avengers/JLA #2, 4 in a two-volume (the series and an index, which included the original 1983 JLA/Avengers George Pérez-penciled pages for the first time ever) slipcased hardcover set. Release date: December 1, 2004. ISBN 1-4012-0207-1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "DC to Publish 'Absolute Batman: Three Jokers'".
  2. ^ "DC is reviving Mister Miracle by Tom King & Mitch Gerads for an all new hardcover Absolute edition". February 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "DC Comics Cancels Challengers of the Unknown, Hard Traveling Heroes, and Engines of Chaos Batman Statue". May 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "DC Comics Cancels Absolute Gotham by Gaslight". January 2, 2020.
  5. ^ "DC Cancelled Collections – Absolute Fables, John Byrne's Man of Steel Omnibus, Golden Age Batman and Road to Legion". December 15, 2019.
  6. ^ "DC Comics Rebirth: What Got Cancelled, What Got Merged, What Got Saved – and Who Are in Silhouette?". February 18, 2016.
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