DC Entertainment announced a new way to read their comics with a series of compact editions of seminal stories like All-Star Superman, Watchmen, and the most interesting, Far Sector. These editions will be released at an entry price of $9.99, evoking the size and cost of most manga books. The two books launching the retail program, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, will go on sale June 2024.
In the press release, Anne DePies, SVP & General Manager, DC discussed the program, stating:
“The DC Compact Comics price and sizing is perfect for readers of prose and manga looking to pick up a new-reader-friendly storyline in a self-contained full color graphic novel, This 5.5″ x 8.5″ paper cut is the most widely circulated softcover book size in the US and is popular among graphic novel aficionados in international markets. At $9.99, it’s a great price point for retailers to stock these classic titles. For readers, DC Compact Comics deliver a new graphic novel reading experience that fits in the palm of their hands, with no loss of readability.”
The initial DC Compact Comics launch in 2024 will offer the following titles at $9.99 US:
- Watchmen (9781779527325) by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
- Batman: The Court of Owls (9781779527271) by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
- All-Star Superman (9781779527257) by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
- Far Sector (9781779527295) by N.K. Jemisin, Jamal Campbell
- Wonder Woman: Earth One (9781779527332) by Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette
- American Vampire Book One (9781779527349) by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque
- Batman: Hush (9781779527264) by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee
- Joker (9781779527318) by Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo
- Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens (9781779527301) by Paul Dini, Peter Calloway, Tony Bedard, Guillem March, Andres Guinaldo
- Catwoman: Trail of the Catwoman (9781779527288) by Darwyn Cooke, Ed Brubaker