Absolute

Absolute Authority 1 (Wildstorm; Authority 1-12; contains arcs "The Circle," "Shiftships," and "Outer Dark"). [From DC Comics: The first year of WildStorm Productions' groundbreaking title is collected in THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY Volume One, a massive 320-page slipcased, oversized hardcover edition reprinting THE AUTHORITY #1-12, the complete run by writer and co-creator Warren Ellis and artists Bryan Hitch & Paul Neary. THE AUTHORITY is hard-hitting, high-octane action with dizzying velocity. The story of seven super-powered individuals who vow to make the world a better place, making their own rules, answering to nobody, and taking no prisoners. THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY is brimming with extra behind-the-scenes looks at the book's creative process, including a full script by Warren Ellis, plus design and supplementary material provided by the entire creative team. Experience the Authority in a bold new way.] Old Book of the Week 5/19/04

Absolute Authority 2 (Wildstorm; Authority 13-20, 22, 27-29; contains arcs "The Nativity," "Earth Inferno," and "Brave New World"). [From DC Comics:Now, relive writer Mark Millar’s 12-issue run on THE AUTHORITY in a brand—new way with THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY Volume Two — a massive, 304-page slipcased, oversized (8 1/8" x 12 1/4") hardcover edition that collects THE AUTHORITY #13-20, 22, and 27-29. Featuring art by Frank Quitely, Arthur Adams, Chris Weston, Gary Erskine, and more, plus a cover by Quitely, this handsome volume is a must-have for any fan of THE AUTHORITY! From deposing monarchs to magazine covers…from the heights of popularity to the bottom of the barrel, Millar's THE AUTHORITY reached new levels of entertainment, featuring super-hero iconoclast Jenny Sparks, the Spirit of the 20th Century, along with King of the Cities Jack Hawksmoor, the nanite-infused Engineer, winged Swift, the reality-altering Doctor, and the genetically enhanced duo of Apollo and Midnighter. Plus, this volume also includes an introduction by comics legend Howard Chaykin, several widescreen pin-ups, and more bonus material sure to thrill any fan!.]

Absolute Batman: Hush (Batman 608-619; w Jeph Loeb; a Jim Lee & Scott Williams). [From DC Comics: The complete 12-part saga written by Jeph Loeb (SUPERMAN/BATMAN, Smallville) with art by fan-favorites Jim Lee & Scott Williams (SUPERMAN, Uncanny X-Men) collected together for the first time in the oversized Absolute format! This slipcased edition includes BATMAN #608-619 as well as the the 2-page origin of Batman (originally seen only on dccomics.com) and the special story from Wizard: The Comics Magazine. The year-long "Hush" - an epic tale of friendship, trust, and betrayal that spans a lifetime - reinvigorated the Dark Knight, pitting him against the deadliest members of his Rogue's Gallery and introducing his newest foe! This Absolute edition includes an all-new cover by Lee & Williams, a Jim Lee Sketchbook, and issue-by-issue commentary by the creative team!]

Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween (13-issue mini; w Jeph Loeb; a Tim Sale). [From DC Comics: Don’t miss the latest ABSOLUTE EDITION from DC, collecting the landmark, award-winning 13-issue miniseries written by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: HUSH) with art by Tim Sale (SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS)! As the Dark Knight struggles to find an elusive, mysterious serial killer who strikes only on holidays, he discovers no shortage of suspects in a Gotham City beset by mobsters and freakish costumed criminals, any one of whom could be his prey. This volume includes a host of extras, including an interview with Loeb and Sale, a section on the LONG HALLOWEEN action figure line, and a look at the series proposal, plus sketches by Sale! Also, this edition will feature a 4-page sequence cut from the original miniseries and previously released only in script/breakdown format!]

Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Absolute Edition (12-issue mini, with extras). [From DC Comics: Worlds lived. Worlds died. And the DC Universe was never the same! In 1985, DC Comics dramatically altered comics’ original universe with CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, a 12-issue series that rocked the comics community, tragically dooming some of DC’s most beloved characters and drastically altering others. Written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, with inks by Dick Giordano, Jerry Ordway and Mike DeCarlo, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS finds the alternate worlds that once were a hallmark of the DC Universe under siege by a mysterious force powerful enough to wipe out the lives of billions.Now this landmark series gets the star treatment in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION — an oversized slipcased set containing two hardcover books. The 368-page Book One includes the full 12-issue maxiseries (which was painstakingly restored and meticulously recolored in 1998), with an introduction by Marv Wolfman, afterword by Dick Giordano, and creator bios. George Pérez provides all-new art for the dustjacket. (Please note that the Monitor Tapes section from issue #10 will be shot from the original art for this issue and represented in its original form.) The 96-page Book Two contains a compendium featuring the full behind-the-scenes story on the years-long making of the maxiseries complete with memos, notes, original plots and commentary from Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway; the Official Index to Crisis and Official Index to Crisis Crossovers being reprinted for the very first time, completely updated; a look into post-Crisis events and aftermath stories, how the Superboy/Legion conundrum was solved, and a look at the 20th anniversary of this seminal event. George Pérez provides all-new art for the dustjacket.]

Absolute Danger Girl (Homage; Danger Girl Preview; Danger Girl 1-7; Danger Girl Sketchbook; w J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell; a J. Scott Campbell). [From DC Comics: J. Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell's sexy action-adventure series is collected in this oversized, numbered edition - each set signed by Campbell. Abbey Chase, seasoned adventuress and rare antiquities expert, was recruited by the enigmatic Deuce to join a top-secret covert spy organization. Along with Sydney Savage, Natalia Kassle, and Silicon Valerie, Danger Girl is a super-seductive, super-lethal team of world-class operatives, Hell-bent on saving the world from the nefarious Hammer Syndicate at any cost!]

Absolute Dark Knight (Dark Knight Returns 1-4, Dark Knight Strikes Again 1-3; w & a Frank Miller). [From DC Comics: Hailed as a comics masterpiece, Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS - and its equally provocative sequel THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN - get the oversized Absolute treatment in a giant one-volume, slipcased edition! This Absolute edition features an extended sketch section from THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN with commentary by Miller, a look at the plot and pencils from the legendary finale to THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, a new introduction by Miller, striking new cover and slipcase art by Miller, and more!]

JLA/Avengers: Collector's Edition (Absolute in all but name; DC/Marvel; 4-issue mini; w Kurt Busiek; a George Pérez). [From DC Comics: The landmark crossover event of the decade is collected in a spectacular 2-volume slipcased hardcover set! The first volume presents the 224-page, 4-issue miniseries, including introductions by Stan Lee and Julius Schwartz and a key to the characters featured on the cover. The 64-page Compendium contains the original 21 pages of pencils from the previously unpublished 1980s crossover, an article on the original crossover by K.C. Carlson, the actual miniseries proposal and plot development, a Pérez portfolio of art done to commemorate the project, annotated notes from Kurt Busiek to the characters, and more.]

Absolute Kingdom Come (4-issue mini;w Mark Waid; a Alex Ross.) [From DC Comics: The unforgettable, best-selling miniseries by acclaimed writer Mark Waid and superstar painter Alex Ross returns in a special oversized, feature-packed Absolute Edition — just in time for its 10th anniversary! Set at the dawn of the 21st century in a world spinning inexorably out of control, Waid & Ross weave a tale of youth versus experience, tradition versus change, and what defines a hero. KINGDOM COME is a riveting story pitting the old guard — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their peers — against a new, uncompromising generation of heroes that declare war against each other to determine the future of the planet. This Absolute Edition is a whopping 340-page slipcased hardcover featuring a new wraparound image by Ross. Also included is an extended character sketch section, a peek into Ross's own sketchbook, text pieces by Waid and Ross, annotations of the entire series, rare art (from magazines, trading cards, T-shirts, the novel and more), promotional images, a gallery of DC Direct Kingdom Come product, the evolution of a story page, and much more!]

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 1, Absolute Edition (ABC; LoEG Vol. 1, 1-6; w Alan Moore; a Kevin O'Neill). [2-volume oversized slipcased hardcover, containing the mini in one book and the original scripts in the second.] [From DC Comics: Now the classic miniseries is collected in a truly fitting format in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Absolute Edition Volume One, a massive, two-book, oversized (8 1/4" x 12 1/4") hardcover edition that comes in its own slipcase. The 224-page Book One contains the original 6-issue miniseries, featuring the introduction of the League and its first epic adventure as these 19th century heroes set out to protect Britain in her hour of need. Book Two, checking in at 192 pages, presents - for the first time ever - Moore's complete scripts for the miniseries, which are renowned for their length and detailed descriptions. As an added bonus, a series of previously unpublished spot illustrations by O'Neill accompany the text.]

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 2, Absolute Edition (ABC; LoEG Vol. 2, 1-6; w Alan Moore; a Kevin O'Neill). [2-volume oversized slipcased hardcover, containing the mini in one book and the original scripts in the second.] [From DC Comics: The second critically acclaimed LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN miniseries by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill is given the Absolute treatment, arriving as a stunning oversized, slipcased two-book hardcover set! The 224-page Book One contains the thrilling 6-issue miniseries, complete with the Almanac of fantastic places, while the 224-page Book Two contains Alan Moore's entire scripts for the graphic novel, a rare and wonderful treat for any fan of sequential storytelling. Included in the script book are a number of pages of Kevin O'Neill art reproduced from the pencils and printed here for the first time. This epic Victorian adventure continues in grand fashion as our intrepid band of heroes — Mina Murray, Allan Quatermain, Captain Nemo, Dr. Thomas Jekyll and the Invisible Man (a.k.a. Hawley Griffin) — once again face a dire threat. Only this time it’s not just the fate of an Empire that hangs in the balance — but that of the entire world! Don’t miss the gorgeous Absolute presentation of an incomparable adventure!]

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier, Absolute Edition (OGN). [From DC Comics: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen returns in this amazing new Absolute Edition! England in the mid 1950s is not the same as it was. The powers that be have instituted...some changes. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen has been disbanded and disavowed, and the country is under the control of an iron-fisted regime. Now, after many years, the still youthful Mina Murray and a rejuvenated Allan Quatermain return and are in search of some answers. Answers that can only be found in a book buried deep in the vaults of their old headquarters, a book that holds the key to the hidden history of the League throughout the ages: The Black Dossier. This Absolute Edition is sure to thrill fans, and includes a 3-D section complete with custom 3-D glasses, plus text pieces, maps, and a stunning cutaway double-page spread of Captain Nemo's Nautilus submarine by Kevin O'Neill. As if this wasn't enough, also included is a new rarity: a 45-rpm vinyl recording of the song "Immortal Love," sung by Alan Moore himself!] 6/11/08

Absolute New Frontier (DC; 6-issue mini). [From DC Comics: Writer/illustrator Darwyn Cooke's critically acclaimed masterpiece DC: THE NEW FRONTIER is celebrated in this oversized Absolute edition featuring new story pages, detailed annotations, alternate sequences and an extensive gallery of sketches, pinups, action figure art and much more! In the 1950s, Cold War paranoia outlawed the Mystery Men of the Golden Age. Stalwarts such as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman continued to fight for truth and justice, but as the world hurtled toward an uncertain future, it would take a new breed of hero to define the American Way. DC: THE NEW FRONTIER takes readers on an epic journey from the end of the Golden Age of heroes to the beginnings of the legendary Justice League of America. Darwyn Cooke's most ambitious project yet features the stunning color art of Dave Stewart, an introduction by DC's President & Publisher Paul Levitz, and an afterword by Cooke.]

Absolute Planetary 1 (Wildstorm; Planetary 1-12; w Warren Ellis; a John Cassaday). [From DC Comics: Since its debut, Planetary has been hailed as a timeless story that turned modern superhero conventions on their heads. Now, for the first time, this groundbreaking series is available in the Absolute format: a whopping oversized slip-cased collection. Witness the stunning adventures of the Archeologists of the Unknown, as they delve into the dark, secret places that most would fear to tread. As an added bonus, this collection includes the full script from Planetary #1.]

Absolute Sandman 1 (DC; Sandman 1-20). [From DC Comics: THE SANDMAN, written by New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman, was the most acclaimed comic book title of the 1990s. A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven, THE SANDMAN is also widely considered one of the most original and artistically ambitious series of the modern age. By the time it concluded in 1996, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. Now, DC Comics is proud to present this comics classic in an all-new Absolute Edition format. The first of four beautifully designed slipcased volumes, THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL. 1 collects issues #1-20 of THE SANDMAN and features completely new coloring, approved by the author on the first 18 issues, as well as a host of never-before-seen extra material including the complete original Sandman proposal, a gallery of character designs from Gaiman and the artists who originated the look of the Sandman, and the original script for the World Fantasy Award-winning THE SANDMAN #19, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," together with reproductions of the issue's original pencils by Charles Vess. Also included are a new introduction by DC President & Publisher Paul Levitz and an afterword by Gaiman. ]

Absolute Sandman 2 (DC; Sandman 21-39). [From DC Comics: DC Comics is proud to present the second volume of the comics classic THE SANDMAN in Absolute format! The second of four beautifully designed slipcased volumes, THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL. 2 collects issues 21-39 of THE SANDMAN and features remastered coloring on all 19 issues as well as brand-new inks on THE SANDMAN #34 by the issue’s original penciller, Colleen Doran, and a host of bonus material, including two never-before-reprinted stories by Gaiman (one prose and one illustrated), a complete reproduction of the never-before-reprinted one-shot THE SANDMAN: A GALLERY OF DREAMS, and the complete script and pencils by Gaiman and Kelley Jones for Chapter Two of "Season of Mists" from THE SANDMAN #23.]

Absolute Sandman 3 (DC; Sandman 40-56, Special 1, Endless Gallery 1, stories from Vertigo Preview 1, Winter's Edge 3; a Dave McKean, Jill Thompson, Bryan Talbot, P. Craig Russell, Michael Zulli, John Watkiss, Michael Allred, Shea Anton Pensa, Alec Stevens, Gary Amaro, Kent Williams, Vince Lock, Mark Buckingham, Dick Giordano, Tony Harris, Steve Leialoha). [From DC Comics: The third volume collecting Neil Gaiman's seminal, award-winning series starring the Dream King in deluxe format. Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 presents several key Sandman tales in a slipcased hardcover edition, including "Brief Lives," in which the Sandman's sister Delirium prevails upon her older brother to help her find their missing sibling, Destruction. But their journey through the Waking World has dramatic repercussions for their family and also for the relationship between the Sandman and his wayward son, Orpheus. Also included is the spectacular short story "Ramadan," a tale of a young king of ancient Baghdad and the deal he strikes with The Sandman to grant his city immortality, with spectacular illustrations by P. Craig Russell (Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, The Jungle Book). Never-before-collected bonus features include pin-up pages from galleries in The Sandman #50 and Sandman Special #1, the Desire story from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3, The Endless Gallery #1, script and thumbnails from THE Sandman #50, and a section on the Endless retail products (poster, statues, t-shirts, Little Endless and more)! Plus, an introduction by artist Jill Thompson.] 5/28/08

Absolute Watchmen (12-issue mini, plus extras; w Alan Moore; a Dave Gibbons). [From DC Comics: Celebrate the 20th anniversary of WATCHMEN - the classic 12-issue miniseries by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - with Watchmen: The Absolute Edition, the first hardcover of this classic work in more than a decade! This oversized (8.25" x 12.5") hardcover collection, packaged inside a beautifully designed slipcase, will be the cornerstone of any serious comic book collection. Each page of art has been restored and recolored by WildStorm FX and original series colorist John Higgins and approved by Gibbons to appear as originally intended. Additionally, this grand tome will include 48 pages of supplemental material produced exclusively for the Graphitti Designs Watchmen hardcover edition and not seen since their original publication. Included therein is a cornucopia of rare and historically valuable treasures, including samples of Moore's WATCHMEN scripts, the original WATCHMEN proposal, Gibbons's conceptual art, cover roughs, and much, much more!]

World's Greatest Super-Heroes (Absolute in all but name; see Dini-Ross page for full contents). [From DC Comics: A massive slipcased hardcover, featuring the stunning art of the Eisner Award-winning team of the incomparable Alex Ross and writer Paul Dini! Between 1998 and 2003, Paul Dini, the Emmy Award-winning producer of Batman Beyond and The New Batman/Superman Adventures, joined forces with superstar illustrator Alex Ross to create six oversized tabloid editions of stories featuring the World's Greatest Super-Heroes: Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam!: Power of Hope, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, JLA: Secret Origins, and JLA: Liberty & Justice. These classic works for all ages feature the iconic DC characters in a unique storytelling format that combines aspects of both comics and picture books. Also included are several pages of promotional art, preliminary art and thumbnails, art done for DC Direct product, model-to-finished-painting comparisons, reflections by the book's creators, and much more! This landmark volume also features an introduction by noted book designer and author Chip Kidd, a new painted cover by Alex Ross, and an 8-page foldout of the JLA: Liberty & Justice poster featuring every member of the JLA by Ross.]