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I don't know if anybody is buying, or even that aware, of the new D.C. reprint tile coming soon to U.K. newsies everywhere so forgive me if you know all this...
For the about three and a half years Panini (nee Marvel U.K.) published Batman Legends, the lone D.C. reprint title amongst their stable of Marvel archive plunderers. Following the lead of the previous books Batman Legends published 66 pages of comic a month.
The lead slot would be something big and flashy (such as Hush), the middle pages would generally be something recent but less high profile (a lengthy run of uncollected Batman issues circa Our World At War) and the back pages would be some older material, usually with swanky digital colouring (such as Neil Adams Brave and the Bold). For 2 and one half pounds it represented good value and even when they decide to publish all of War Games it was worth sticking with the comic because, well, it was easier than bothering with the collected editions.
But then, six months ago, came the announcement that issue 41 was to be the last issue. They'd recently been talking about plans for a bumper sized issue 50 so it looked like sales were good. They were. So good Titan made a play for the rights.
The first four issues of the relaunched Batman Legends reprinted much more recent material than readers were used to. Morrisons Batman and Son, and All Star Batman were published, along with the first four issues of Batman/Superman. Issue 5 sees a new line up with Batman Confidential reprinted and scripts by Andy Diggle, Paul Dini and Bill Willingham.
The Batcave panorama from All Star Batman was printed and the reverse used to publicise the new sister titles. Superman Legends will be reprinting the last two issues of the first Batman/Superman story, just to annoy new readers, the For Tomorrow story, as well as All Star Superman. Apart from B/S and a single issue of A*S I haven't read any of the Superman material so I'll be picking that title up too. 2.60 doesn't seem much when you consider how much a single yankee comic is these days. The first issue is in the shops today, so I'll see if it's turned up anywhere on my way to work.
Similarly most of the material in the upcoming Justice League Legends is unfamiliar to me so I'll be picking that up in a few months time. Going of the credits listed on the mocked up cover it'll be the Alex Ross Justice mini series, as well as the relaunch issues of the current volume, Red-Tornado-a-poppin or whatever it's called.
My main gripe with the newly launched range (and yes, two of them aren't even out yet) is that there doesn't seem to be any space for the older material that Panini always mixed into Batman Legends. As good as I'm sure the recent material is I liked the contrast of the sixties and noughties material and, truth be told, comics just aren't as fun as they were back in the day.
That said, a chance for the general public to read comics of this general calibre is welcomed.
So, anyone else buying these titles, or is it not something that's going to take off around here? From my point of view it looks like a Good Thing as it was newsagent friendly reprints that got me into yankee comics generally with London Edition Magazine (later Fleetway) reprints of Batman and Superman (with the classic Giffen Justice League as back up) and I hope these comics can do similar for comic hungry kids all over the country, despite the general suspicion these titles will appeal to adults who are already collectors first and foremost. |
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