Showcase Presents
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Showcase 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's Essential volumes, each book includes 500+ pages of reprints, primarily from the Silver Age. Like the Essential line, a Showcase Presents volume carries the suggested retail price of US$16.99 and is usually devoted to one character, "reprint[ing] all of their adventures in sequential order via cover date," or occasionally to a specific title rather than individual.[1] The reprint line started in October 2005 with the releases of Showcase Presents: Green Lantern, Vol. 1 and Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1, both offered at the lower introductory retail price of US$9.99.
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[edit] Overview
[edit] Name
The name "Showcase" comes from a 1956-1970 DC anthology series often used to try out new characters. Showcase featured the first appearances of the Silver Age Flash and Green Lantern, among other characters. That series was revived briefly in 1977-1978 and its name was used again in 1984-1985 and 1993-1996.
[edit] Focus and other collections
The Showcase Presents line is designed primarily to focus on the Silver Age DC stories, specifically - according to then-collected editions editor Bob Greenberger - "the rich era from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s," which is widely regarded as "one of DC's most fertile and creative periods."[1]
| “ | "..while Julie Schwartz was reviving the super-hero genre, his success allowed editors like George Kashdan and Murray Boltinoff [to] try more offbeat approaches to heroics with characters like Metamorpho and the Doom Patrol. It was also during this time that Mort Weisinger really began to explore the entire Superman mythos, adding not only to his family but his rogues gallery as well. Thus, it was the most logical starting point since it offered us a chance to explore a variety of characters and approaches."[1] | ” |
Greenberger noted that DC's collections department had already determined when Superman's Silver Age began for the purposes of the Man of Tomorrow Archive editions. Greenberger further clarified that the Showcase Presents volumes were specifically targeted - in the short term, at least - on the Silver Age, writing:
- "...the Golden Age is not currently in ou[r] plans. The Modern is a fuzzier dividing line and again, should the line be wildly successful, we can figure this out."[1]
DC's Showcase volumes complement their Archive Editions, which reprint in more expensive, color hardback volumes (primarily) Golden Age comics - although some Archives have presented Silver - and Modern - Age comics, as well.[2] Six months prior to the debut of the Showcase volumes, DC also began to reprint Golden Age stories (initially only for Batman and Superman) previously presented in Archive format in more affordable color paperbacks, as the (Batman and Superman) Chronicles titles. While the Archives tend to focus on specific comics titles (e.g. largely separate volumes for stories presented in the pages of Batman and Detective Comics), the Chronicles and Showcase volumes take a more chronological approach, mingling the titles to present the stories in (roughly) the order they were initially printed.
[edit] Production
In contrast to the higher-quality and more expensive paperstock used for both the Archives and Chronicles volumes, the Showcase Presents books are, according to Greenberger, presented on "newsprint to maintain a traditional look and feel as well as to help keep the collections affordable."[1]
The books are assembled largely from DC's extensive film archive (believed largely complete from the mid-1950s onward), with little need for extensive restoration. Occasionally - by virtue of the age of some of the film - Greenberger noted that "sometimes you find scratches that need cleaning," and even "[i]n some cases, you find odd missing pages."[1] Titles (such as the Teen Titans volumes) which had previously seen print in DC's Archives line even have had the preliminary work done, leaving the Showcase columes with "nice, clean film or digital files to work from."[1] Production staff:
| “ | "[scan] in the photostats made from the film and then [scan] in the stats. Then, on screen, [they clean] up scratches or blotches, correcting some punctuation and the usual work required to ready older stories for new readers.[1] | ” |
The book design was by "Louis Prandi, one of our fine art directors," intended to be "faithful to the SHOWCASE titles that have come before this as well as versatile for the wide range of genres [DC] hope to present" in the Showcase format.[1]
[edit] Possible reprint exceptions
Initially, Showcase Presents volumes were limited to a specific time period (roughly 1955-1975), limited not just be the "Silver Age" scope and avilability of film, but by differences in contracts signed between creators and DC between the years 1976 and 1997.[3]
As explained by Greenberger:
| “ | DC pays a royalty based on a percentage of the cover price to writers, pencillers,and inkers to all material published prior to 1976 and after 1997. For the period in between, the vouchers that were in use called for a set reprint fee to be paid. In some cases, the amount of contractually obligated reprint fees makes the budget for a proposed collection unprofitable.[4] | ” |
In effect this meant that the low retail price of the Showcase volumes could not easily cover the contractually-required reprint fee that any republication would require. However, as Greenberger goes on to note, although this procluded some volumes from being produced under such contractually-stipulated guidelines, since not reprinting issues necessarily results in no reprint fee OR royalty payments, in most cases DC will be able to negotiate with "the talent involved to waive the reprint fee in lieu of the standard royalty arrangement," since "[i]f the parties agree, then everyone benefits."[4] Thus, as with pre-1976 comics, royalty payments based on sales, rather than a flat single fee can easily be factored into the cost-structures of the Showcase volumes.
Affected volumes included the solicited Captain Carrot, The Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights, The Secret Society of Super Villains and Jonah Hex, Volume 2, as well as the not-officially-solicited but announced Who's Who in the DC Universe.
In April, 2008, Paul Levitz referred to such contractual issues in a Q & A post on his Newsarama blog, writing (emphasis added):
| “ | ..when we introduced that first talent contract, it had a flat guaranteed reprint fee per page. In the pre-royalty days, that was an important step forward... but in the royalty era, it turned out to be cumbersome and uneconomical for some projects (most talent would rather receive a royalty stream than have a project not get published).[5] | ” |
He goes on to note specifically that:
- "This is the situation that’s limited our ability to [produce] a few SHOWCASE projects we planned last year, and we’ve successfully amended many of the relevant agreements since, so hopefully some of those projects will see the light of day."[5]
[edit] Bibliography
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This article or section contains information regarding scheduled, forthcoming or expected future book(s). The content may change as the book release approaches and more information becomes available. |
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The following collected volumes are either existing or forthcoming Showcase Presents volumes. All titles begin with the words Showcase Presents.
| Title | Volume | Years Covered | Issues collected | Pages | ISBN | Date Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Strange | Vol. 1 | 1958-1963 | Adam Strange stories from Showcase #17-19, Mystery in Space #53-84 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1313-8 | August 2007 |
| Aquaman | Vol. 1 | 1959-1961 | Aquaman stories from Adventure Comics #260 - 280, 282, 284, Aquaman #1-6 | 544 | ISBN 1-4012-1363-4 | February 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1962-1964 | Aquaman stories from Aquaman #7-23, World's Finest Comics #130-133, 135, 137 and 139, The Brave and the Bold #51 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1712-5 | January 2008 | |
| Atom | Vol. 1 | 1961-1965 | Atom stories from Showcase #34-36, The Atom #1-17 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1363-4 | June 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1965-1968 | The Atom #18-38 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1363-4 | Forthcoming: August 2008 | |
| Batgirl | Vol. 1 | 1967-1972 | Batgirl stories from Detective Comics #359, 363, 369, 371, 384, 385, 388, 389, 392, 393, 396, 397, 400, 401, 404, 405-424, Batman #197, Adventure Comics #381, World's Finest Comics #169 and 176, The Brave and the Bold #78, Justice League of America #60, Superman #268 and 279. | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1367-7 | July 2007 |
| Batman | Vol. 1 | 1964-1965 | Batman stories from Detective Comics #327-342, Batman #164-174 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-1086-4 | August 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1965-1966 | Batman stories from Detective Comics #343-358, Batman #175, 177-181, 183-184 and 188. (#176, 182 and 185-187 were left out due to the issues being 80 Page Reprints) | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1362-6 | June 2007 | |
| Vol. 3 | 1966-1967 | Batman stories from Detective Comics #359-375 and Batman #189-192, 194-197 and 199-201 | ISBN 1-4012-1719-2 | Forthcoming: June 2008 | ||
| Batman and the Outsiders | Vol. 1 | 1983-1985 | The Brave and the Bold #200, Batman and the Outsiders #1-19, Annual #1 and New Teen Titans #37 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-1546-7 | September 2007 |
| Blackhawk | Vol. 1 | 1957-1958 | Blackhawk #108-127 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1983-7 | October 2008 |
| Booster Gold | Vol. 1 | 1986-1988 | Booster Gold #1-25 Action Comics #594 |
624 | ISBN 1-4012-1655-2 | March 2008 |
| The Brave and the Bold - The Batman Team-Ups | Vol. 1 | 1965-1969 | The Brave and the Bold #59, #64, #67, #69-71, #74-87 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1209-3 | January 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1970-1973 | The Brave and the Bold #88-108 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1675-7 | December 2007 | |
| Vol. 3 | 1973-1977 | The Brave and the Bold #109-134 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1985-3 | December 2008 | |
| Captain Carrot | Vol. 1 | 1982-1983 | New Teen Titans #16 and Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #1-20 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1547-5 | Forthcoming: to be resolicited |
| Challengers of the Unknown | Vol. 1 | 1957-1960 | Showcase #6, 7, 11 and 12 and Challengers of the Unknown #1-17 | 540 | ISBN 1-4012-1087-2 | September 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1961-1964 | Challengers of the Unknown #18-37 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1725-7 | Forthcoming: April 2008 | |
| Elongated Man | Vol. 1 | 1960-1968 | Elongated Man stories from The Flash #112, #115, #119, #124, #130, #134, #138 and Detective Comics #327-371 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1042-2 | July 2006 |
| Enemy Ace | Vol. 1 | 1965-1982 | Enemy Ace stories from Our Army at War #151, 153, 155; Showcase #57-58; Star-Spangled War Stories #138-152, 158, 181-183, and 200; Detective Comics #404; Men at War #1-3, 8-10, 12-14, 19-20; The Unknown Soldier #252-253, 260-261, 265-267; DC Special #26. | ISBN 1-4012-1721-4 | February 2008 | |
| The Flash | Vol. 1 | 1949, 1956-1961 | Flash stories from Flash Comics #104, Showcase #4, #8, #13, #14; and The Flash #105-119. | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1327-8 | May 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1961-1963 | The Flash #120-140 | ISBN 1-4012-1805-9 | Forthcoming: June 2008 | ||
| The Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights | Vol. 1 | 1960-1983 | Great Disaster stories from:
Atomic Knights stories from:
Hercules Unbound #1-10
|
576 | ISBN 1-4012-1560-2 | Forthcoming: January 2009 |
| Green Arrow | Vol. 1 | 1958-1969 | Green Arrow stories from Adventure Comics #250-266; The Brave and the Bold #50, #71, #85; Justice League of America #4 and World's Finest Comics #95-140. | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-0785-5 | January 2006 |
| Green Lantern | Vol. 1 | 1959-1962 | Showcase #22-24 Green Lantern #1-17. |
528 | ISBN 1-4012-0759-6 | October 2005 |
| Vol. 2 | 1963-1965 | Green Lantern #18-38 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-1264-6 | February 2007 | |
| Vol. 3 | 1965-1968 | Green Lantern #39-59 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1792-3 | May 2008 | |
| Haunted Tank | Vol. 1 | 1961-1965 | Haunted Tank stories from G.I. Combat #87-119; The Brave and the Bold #52; Our Army at War #155 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-0789-8 | May 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1966-1973 | Haunted Tank stories from G.I. Combat #120-157 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1793-8 | Forthcoming: May 2008 | |
| Hawkman | Vol. 1 | 1961-1965 | The Brave and the Bold # 34-36, 42-44, 51; Atom # 7; Mystery in Space # 87-90; Hawkman 1-11 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1280-8 | March 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1965-1969 | Hawkman 12-27, The Atom #31, The Atom and Hawkman #39-45 and The Brave and the Bold #70 | ISBN 1-4012-1817-1 | Forthcoming: July 2008 | ||
| House of Mystery | Vol. 1 | 1968-1971 | House of Mystery #174-196 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-0786-3 | February 2006 (Out of Print) |
| Vol. 2 | 1971-1973 | House of Mystery #195-211 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-1238-7 | March 2007 | |
| House of Secrets | Vol. 1 | 1969-1972 | House of Secrets #81-98 | ISBN 1-4012-1818-8 | Forthcoming: July 2008 | |
| Jonah Hex | Vol.1 | 1970-1976 | Jonah Hex stories from All-Star Western #10-12; Weird Western Tales #12-14, #16-33; (Billy The Kid) Outlaw stories from All-Star Western #2-8; "The Night Of The Snake" from All-Star Western #7. | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-0760-X | November 2005 |
| Vol.2 | 1976-1979 | Weird Western Tales #34-38 Jonah Hex #1-22 |
528 | ISBN 1-4012-1561-0 | Forthcoming: to be resolicited | |
| Justice League of America | Vol. 1 | 1960-1962 | The Brave and the Bold #28-30; Justice League of America #1-16; Mystery in Space #75 | 544 | ISBN 1-4012-0761-8 | December 2005 |
| Vol. 2 | 1963-1965 | Justice League of America #17-36 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1203-4 | January 2007 | |
| Vol. 3 | 1965-1967 | Justice League of America #37-60 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1718-4 | December 2007 | |
| Legion of Super-Heroes | Vol. 1 | 1958-1964 | Legion of Super-Heroes stories from Adventure Comics #247, 267, 282, 290, 293, 300-321; Action Comics #267, 276, 287 and 289; Superboy #86, 89, 98 and 117; Superman 147, Annual #4; and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #72 and 76. | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1382-0 | April 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1964-1966, 1968 | Legion of Super-Heroes stories from Adventure Comics #316, 322-348, 365; Superboy #117 and 125; and Superman Annual #4 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1724-2 | April 2008 | |
| Martian Manhunter | Vol. 1 | 1955-1962 | Martian Manhunter stories from Detective Comics #225-304 | 522 | ISBN 1-4012-1368-5 | July 2007 |
| Metal Men | Vol. 1 | 1962-1965 | Metal Men stories from Showcase #37-40; Metal Men #1-15; The Brave and the Bold #55. | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1559-9 | September 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1965-1969 | Metal Men stories from Metal Men #16-36 and The Brave and the Bold #66 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012- | Forthcoming: September 2008 | |
| Metamorpho | Vol. 1 | 1965-1967 | The Brave and the Bold #57-58, #66, #68, Metamorpho #1-17, and Justice League of America #42 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-0762-6 | October 2005 |
| Phantom Stranger | Vol. 1 | 1969-1972 | Showcase #80; Phantom Stranger v2, #1-21. | 544 | ISBN 1-4012-1088-0 | October 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1972-1978 | Phantom Stranger v2, #22-41; Justice League of America #103; House of Secrets #150; Brave and the Bold #8 and #98. Includes "Spawn of Frankenstien" stories, but omits "Black Orchid" stories. | ISBN 1-4012-1722-2 | March 2008 | ||
| Robin, the Boy Wonder | Vol. 1 | 1964-1975 | Robin stories from Batman #184, 192, 227, 229-231, 234-236, 239-242, 244-246, 248-250, 252, 254; Detective Comics #386, 390, 394-395, 398-403, 445, 447, 450-451; Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #91 and 111; Justice League of America #50 and 91-92; Teen Titans #14, The Brave and the Bold #83 and 100; World's Finest Comics #195 and 200 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1676-5 | January 2008 |
| Secret Society of Super Villains | Vol. 1 | 1976-1978 | Secret Society of Super Villains #1-17 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1587-3 | Forthcoming: to be resolicited |
| Sgt. Rock | Vol. 1 | 1959-1962 | Sgt. Rock stories from Our Army at War #81-117 | 544 | ISBN 1-4012-1713-6 | November 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1962-1964 | Sgt. Rock stories from Our Army at War #118-148 | 544 | ISBN 1-4012- | Forthcoming: November 2008 | |
| Shazam! | Vol. 1 | 1973-1978 | Shazam! #1-20, 25 (short story), 26-33.[6] | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1089-9 | December 2006 |
| Strange Adventures | Vol. 1 | 1955-1956 | Strange Adventures #54-73 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1544-0 | Forthcoming: December 2008 |
| Suicide Squad | Vol. 1 | 1987-1988 | Suicide Squad #1-18, Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1, Secret Origins #14, Justice League International #13 |
528 | ISBN 1-4012-1491-6 | Forthcoming: to be resolicited |
| Supergirl | Vol. 1 | 1958-1961 | Action Comics #252-282, Adventure Comics #278, Superboy #80, Superman #123, 139, 140, 144, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #14, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #40, 46, 51 |
528 | ISBN 1-4012-1717-6 | November 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1961-1965 | Action Comics #283-321 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1980-2 | Forthcoming: November 2008 | |
| Superman | Vol. 1 | 1958-1959 | Action Comics #241-257 Superman #122-133 |
560 | ISBN 1-4012-0758-8 | October 2005 |
| Vol. 2 | 1959-1961 | Action Comics #258-275 Superman #134 -145 |
576 | ISBN 1-4012-1041-4 | June 2006 | |
| Vol. 3 | 1961-1962 | Action Comics #276-292 Superman #146-156 |
560 | ISBN 1-4012-1271-9 | April 2007 | |
| Vol. 4 | 1962-1964 | Action Comics #293-310 Superman #157-167 |
528 | ISBN 1-4012-1847-4 | Forthcoming: August 2008 | |
| Superman Family | Vol. 1 | 1954-1957 | Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #1-22 and the Lois Lane solo stories from Showcase #9 |
576 | ISBN 1-4012-0787-1 | March 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1957-1959 | Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #23-34, Showcase #10 Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane #1-7 |
ISBN 1-4012-1656-0 | February 2008 | ||
| Teen Titans | Vol. 1 | 1964-1968 | The Brave and the Bold #54 and #60, Showcase #59, and Teen Titans #1-18 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-0788-X | April 2006 |
| Vol. 2 | 1969-1971 | Teen Titans #19 - 36, The Brave and the Bold #83 and 94 and World's Finest Comics #205 | 512 | ISBN 1-4012-1252-2 | October 2007 | |
| The Unknown Soldier | Vol. 1 | 1970-1975 | Unknown Soldier stories from Star Spangled War Stories #151-190 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1090-2 | November 2006 |
| The War That Time Forgot | Vol.1 | 1960-1968 | The War that Time Forgot stories from Star Spangled War Stories #90-137 | 560 | ISBN 1-4012-1253-0 | May 2007 |
| Who's Who | Vol. 1-2 | 1985-1988 | Who's Who in the DC Universe #1-26, Who's Who Update '87 #1-5, Who's Who Update '88 #1-4 | N/A | ISBN 1-4012-1266-2 | Forthcoming: not yet solicited |
| Wonder Woman | Vol. 1 | 1958-1960 | Wonder Woman #98-117 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1373-1 | August 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1960-1963 | Wonder Woman #118-137 | 528 | ISBN 1-4012-1948-9 | Forthcoming: October 2008 | |
| World's Finest Comics | Vol. 1 | 1952, 1954-1960 | Collects Superman-Batman team-up stories from Superman #76, World's Finest Comics #71-111 | 552 | ISBN 1-4012-1697-8 | October 2007 |
| Vol. 2 | 1960-1965 | Collects Superman-Batman team-up stories from World's Finest Comics #112-150 | 520 | ISBN 1-4012-1981-0 | Forthcoming: October 2008 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "DC SHOWCASE PRESENTS Silver Age Comics Collections" by Jennifer M. Contino, June 4, 2005. Accessed April 26, 2008
- ^ This overlap has led to, for example, the Showcase Presents: Teen Titans volumes initially reprinting in black and white issues previously collected in color for the Teen Titans Archives volumes.
- ^ It has been noted that these years coincide with Jenette Kahn's tenure as publisher. Kahn (as well as then-deputy, now-publisher Paul Levitz) was integral in instrumenting fledgling moves towards "Creator's Rights" - prompt payment, return of artwork, limited royalties in the mid-to-late 1970s. "Sh-Sh-Sh-Showcases!"at Earth B, April 25, 2006. Accessed April 26, 2008
- ^ a b "Sh-Sh-Sh-Showcases!"at Earth B, April 25, 2006. Accessed April 26, 2008
- ^ a b "Toasting Will Eisner + questions" by Paul Levitz, April 15, 2008. Accessed April 26, 2008
- ^ The covers for Shazam! #21-24 are reprinted, but the are omitted as are reprints. The lead story and cover to Shazam! #25 is omitted, because it features a crossover with Isis a character that DC doesn't own the rights to.[1]
