DC Comics May 2021 Collection Solicitations

DC’s May 2021 solicitations are out and we’re here to look at the collected editions. This month has a nice variety of content coming, providing a nice range of choices for most fans. There are Future State tie-in books, two original graphic novels, two omnibus editions, one absolute edition, reprints of old material, a few modern collections, and more. Check out the full list right here:

• Batman: Earth One Vol. 3 HC
  • Collects the original graphic novel. 
  • Release Date: June 8, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • Harvey Dent is dead. Or is he?
    • A gang of thieves thrusts Gotham City into a state of fear when they are mysteriously well-armed with military-grade weapons: flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and even tanks. And this gang claims it is funded by none other than former district attorney Harvey Dent.
    • Balancing his two lives, Bruce Wayne must find the truth by tapping his growing network of agents, including Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, Waylon “Killer Croc” Jones, and the savvy new Catwoman.
    • Bruce is distracted by the seemingly impossible return of another figure believed dead: his grandfather Adrian Arkham. He must also comfort his longtime friend, Gotham City mayor Jessica Dent, who is scarred both physically and mentally from her experience with the Riddler, which resulted in the gruesome death of her brother. But is Harvey back, plotting revenge on a city he proclaims to be guilty? When Batman discovers the truth behind these many mysteries, his entire world unravels…
• DCeased: Hope At World’s End HC
  • Collects DCeased: Hope at World’s End Digital Chapters #1-15.
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • In Earth’s darkest hour, heroes will bring hope in this new addition to the DCeased saga, taking place within the timeline of the original epic!
    • DCeased became a smash horror hit in 2019 by offering a twisted version of the DC Universe infected by the Anti-Life Equation, transforming heroes and villains alike into mindless monsters. 
    • DCeased: Hope at World’s End, previously only available digitally, expands the world of that original DCeased series by filling in that story’s time jump and focusing on characters including Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Stephanie Brown, Wally West, and Jimmy Olsen. 
    • In DCeased: Hope at World’s End, the Anti-Life Equation has infected over a billion people on Earth. Heroes and villains have fallen. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Metropolis, Superman and Wonder Woman spearhead an effort to stem the tide of infection, preserve and protect survivors, and plan for what’s next. In the Earth’s darkest hour, heroes will bring hope! The war for Earth has only just begun!
• I Am Not Starfire TP
  • Collects the graphic novel. 
  • Release Date: July 27, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • From New York Times bestselling author Mariko Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass) and artist Yoshi Yoshitani (Zatanna and the House of Secrets) comes a story about Mandy, the daughter of super-famous superhero Starfire.
    • Seventeen-year-old Mandy, daughter of Starfire, is not like her mother. Starfire is gorgeous, tall, sparkly, and a hero. Mandy is not a sparkly superhero. Mandy has no powers. She’s a kid who dyes her hair black and hates everyone but her best friend, Lincoln. To Starfire, who is from another planet, Mandy seems like an alien, like some distant, angry, light-years away moon.
    • And ever since she walked out on her SATs, which her mom doesn’t know about, Mandy has been even more distant. Everyone thinks Mandy needs to go to college and become whoever you become at college, but Mandy has other plans. Or she did until she gets partnered with Claire, the person she intensely denies liking but definitely likes a lot, for a school project. 
    • When someone from Starfire’s past arrives, Mandy must make a choice: give up before the battle has even begun, or step into the unknown and risk everything to save her mom. I am Not Starfire is a story about teenagers and/as aliens; about knowing where you come from and where you are going; and about mothers.
• Future State: Justice League TP
  • Collects Future State: Justice League #1-2, Future State: The Flash #1-2, Future State: Green Lantern #1-2, and Future State: Aquaman #1-2.
  • Release Date: June 22, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The first Future State collections are here! In the far-flung future, an all-new Justice League must investigate the mysterious death of their greatest foes—the Legion of Doom! The Justice League Dark emerges from years of hiding to fight the villainous force stalking supernatural heroes and villains alike! John Stewart and his band of abandoned Green Lanterns must hold the line against an invasion of murderous zealots in an uncharted dark sector after their rings have stopped working! Barry Allen battles for the soul of his former Flash partner, Wally West! And Jackson Hyde and Andy Curry, son of Black Manta and daughter of Aquaman, must find each other again after being torn apart if they hope to escape the mysterious universe-spanning One Great Ocean!
• Future State: The Next Batman TP
  • Collects Future State: The Next Batman #1-4, select stories from Future State: Dark Detective #1-4, and Future State: Nightwing #1-2.
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The first Future State collections are here! Giant, sprawling future Gotham City is under martial law, protected and regulated by a private security force led by the infamous Peacekeepers. Their mandate is to maintain the safety of the citizens of Gotham, regardless of any constitutional rights, and to hunt down, incarcerate, or kill all masked vigilantes, villains, and criminals in the city limits. It’s a dangerous and violent look at a possible future Gotham City and the heroes and villains who live there!
• Future State: Superman TP
  • Collects Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1-2, Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1-2, Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1-3, Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1-2, Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1-2, and Future State: Superman: House of El #1.
  • Release Date: June 29, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The first Future State collections are here! We all know the history of Superman and his family, but what lies ahead for them is just as exciting as what has come before. Peer across centuries as your favorite Kryptonians and their allies and enemies grow and change. Watch Jonathan Kent endeavor to establish himself as the true Superman while his father, Clark, battles in the arenas of Warworld. Peer into a far-flung era where Kara Zor-El, once Supergirl and now Superwoman, creates her own fortress of peace on the Moon. Cheer for Lois Lane as she tries to stop Lex Luthor from wrecking the United Planets.
    • Also featuring stories about the Guardian trying to keep Metropolis from crumbling in the absence of its regular protectors, Midnighter undertaking a secret mission to give Clark a fighting chance, and Shilo Norman, a.k.a. Mister Miracle, bouncing between both worlds, looking for the answer that links them both. Meet a brand-new version of Black Racer, and a transformed Legion of Super-Heroes. And to cap it off, join the millennium where Clark Kent’s descendants protect the universe as the House of El.
• Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn HC
  • Collects Batman: White Knight Presents Harley Quinn #1-6 and a story from Harley Quinn Black + White + Red Digital Chapter 6. 
  • Release Date: June 29, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • Two years after the events of Batman: Curse of the White Knight, Azrael has wiped out criminals in Gotham, Jack Napier (formerly The Joker) is dead, Bruce Wayne (Batman) is in prison, and Harley Quinn is adjusting to life as a single mother, raising the twins she had with Jack. 
    • But as new villains arise, Harley is forced to dance with madness once again and confront her own past with The Joker and Batman while helping the Gotham City police and an eager young FBI agent uncover the truth behind a series of gruesome murders.
    • This collection also features a chapter from Harley Quinn’s newest digital-first series, Harley Quinn Black + White + Red, told in a traditional black-and-white format with the color red uniquely shaping Harley Quinn’s story.
• Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Vol. 3 HC 
  • Collects Swamp Thing #51–64 and DC Comics Presents #85.
  • Release Date: Unclear
  • Solicitation Details:
    • In this new Absolute edition, Swamp Thing returns from Hell only to learn that Abby has fled Gotham City, where he runs afoul of Batman, Lex Luthor, and the Gotham City Police Department. Then, Swamp Thing travels across the galaxy, where his consciousness has been hurled. Trying to find his way back to Earth, he stops over on Thanagar, home of Hawkman; Rann, home of Adam Strange; and encounters the Green Lantern of a world of sentient plants.
• Aquaman: Deep Dives TP
  • Collects stories from Aquaman Giant #1-4 and Aquaman: Deep Dives #4, #6-7, and #9.
  • Release Date: June 8, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • Dive into both the old and new complexities of Aquaman’s legacy in this collection of classic tales and new imaginings from talent like Geoff Johns, Marv Wolfman, Tom Taylor, Steve Orlando, and more! 
    • Discover threads from the Aquaman mythology featuring iconic characters such as Mera, Black Manta, and Aqualad. What personal missions will they embark on, and what showdowns will ensue?

See our DC Comics Reading Orders here

• Batman: Damned TP
  • Collects the revised miniseries, plus a sketch gallery and other bonus features.
  • Release Date: July 6, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The Joker is dead. There is no doubt about that. But whether Batman finally snapped his scrawny neck or some other sinister force in Gotham City did the deed is still a mystery.
    • Problem is, Batman can’t remember…and the more he digs into this labyrinthian case, the more his mind starts to doubt everything he’s uncovering. 
    • So who better to set him straight than…John Constantine? The problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people’s heads even more. So with John’s “help,” the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker.
• Batman Vol. 3: Ghost Stories HC
  • Collects Batman #101-105, a story from Detective Comics #1027, and Batman Annual #5.
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • A bold new direction for Batman begins as Bruce Wayne’s circumstances are forever changed. How did The Joker’s rampage affect the citizens of Gotham City? 
    • Bruce Wayne and the city he loves have changed dramatically following the events of “The Joker War,” but Batman and his mission are eternal. The mysterious vigilante known as Ghost-Maker has known Bruce since they were teenagers, and he’s made his decision. It’s time Gotham City had a new hero.
    • Batman and Ghost-Maker go toe-to-toe to decide which of them will remain Gotham City’s hero. Yet the city is changing faster than ever after “The Joker War,” and with this change comes increasing dangers.
• DC Comics: Generations HC 
  • Collects Generations Shattered #1, Generations Forged #1, and the story “Generations Fractured” from Detective Comics #1027.
  • Release Date: June 8, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • In these tales, a threat of cosmic proportions to DC’s newest (and oldest) universe compels one of the most unusual groups of heroes ever assembled to take on the most mysterious foe they have ever encountered. Join the original Batman, Kamandi, Starfire, Sinestro, Booster Gold, Dr. Light, Steel, and Sinestro in their quest to save the universe before time runs out…
• The Flash by Mark Waid Book Eight TP
  • Collects The Flash #151-162, The Flash Annual #12, and pages from The Flash Secret Files #2.
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • As this latest collection of Flash tales written by Mark Waid begins, meet Walter West, a Flash from a parallel reality where his beloved Linda Park died and the speedster doles out brutal justice to criminals as a response. Can the two Flashes co-exist long enough to stop Replicant, a villain with the combined powers of the Rogues Gallery? Better find out fast—the longer Walter West stays on Wally’s Earth, the more he poses a threat to all of reality!

See all our “Upcoming Collection” lists right here

• Fourth World by John Byrne Omnibus HC
  • Collects New Gods #12-15 (1997), Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #1-20, and Genesis #1-4.
  • Release Date: July 13, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • Legendary writer/artist John Byrne brought his unique vision to New Genesis and Apokolips in the 1990s—starting with the destruction of the twin worlds! Only Metron of the New Gods survives to journey to Earth to try to save the New Gods’ future! But in the process, Metron discovers his own part in their destruction! Along the way, the Forever People and Lightray return as the pieces begin falling into place for Metron, but the answers he seeks lie beyond the impenetrable Source Wall. 
    • Then, New Genesis and Apokolips are reborn as a single planet—and Highfather is to blame! With his son, Orion, and Takion, living avatar of the Source, Highfather sets his sights on the ultimate confrontation with Darkseid, master of Apokolips! And in the miniseries Genesis, Earth’s heroes are losing their powers—thanks to the Godwave, a force that created gods and planets across the galaxy eons ago.
• Green Lantern: John Stewart – A Celebration of 50 Years HC
  • Collects Green Lantern Vol. 2 #87, #182, and #185; Green Lantern Vol. 3 #74 and #156; Green Lantern Vol. 4 #49; Green Lantern: Mosaic #18; and Justice League of America #110.
  • Release Date: June 22, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • Fifty years after John Stewart’s debut, this collection highlights the character’s greatest moments over the decades—both spacefaring and earthbound—from his first appearance in the legendary O’Neil/Adams Green Lantern run, to taking over from Hal Jordan as Earth’s Green Lantern, to being rechristened as the first mortal Guardian of the Universe.
• Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 3 HC
  • Collects Justice League of America #147-182, Super-Team Family #11-14, DC Special #27, DC Special Series #6, Secret Society of Super-Villains #15, DC Comics Presents #17, and pages from Amazing World of DC comics #14.
  • Release Date: July 6, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The JLA moves into the second half of the ’70s with tales guest-starring the Justice Society of America, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and heroes from the long-gone past including Jonah Hex, the Viking Prince, Enemy Ace, and more. Plus, the League’s mascot, Snapper Carr, turns against the team, the Phantom Stranger helps the team battle a returning pantheon of ancient gods, the Martian Manhunter faces Despero for the lives of the League, and the Secret Society of Super-Villains swap bodies with the World’s Greatest Superheroes. Plus, Black Lightning is invited to join the JLA—but turns down the invitation for mysterious reasons.
• Suicide Squad: Casualties of War TP
  • Collects Suicide Squad #1-12 (2001).
  • Release Date: June 29, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • In the aftermath of “Our Worlds at War,” Sgt. Rock—now a general—is back in action to lead the Suicide Squad to victory, or to death. But can the new Squad’s leader come up with a plan to take on a biological weapon that’s gone out of control? 
    • Uncover who is really behind this new Suicide Squad in these tales. Can Rock’s hastily formed team of Deadshot, Killer Frost, Major Disaster, Reactron, and Blackstarr stop trying to kill each other long enough to prevent the end of our entire planet as we know it?
• Tales from the DC Dark Multiverse II HC
  • Collects Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Batman: Hush #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War of the Gods #1; Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1; and Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Dark Nights Metal #1, plus the stories that inspired these tales from Batman #619, Flashpoint #1, Wonder Woman: War of the Gods #4, Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, and Dark Nights: Metal #6.
  • Release Date: June 8, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • The gateway into the Dark Multiverse has been opened…what stories will emerge? Follow Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League as our heroes battle their way through these crumbling and shattered worlds!
• Transmetropolitan Book Five TP
  • Collects Transmetropolitan #49-60.
  • Release Date: June 22, 2021
  • Solicitation Details:
    • In a future where consumerism, superficiality, and corruption reign supreme, outlaw journalist Spider Jerusalem has decided to stop sitting idly by and watching the world crumble around him. With Spider back in the saddle, no one in the City is safe.

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