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DC has announced a line of trade paperbacks of some of the publisher's most popular comic stories in a new format aimed at readers of manga and paperback novels.
Named 'DC Compact,' the new line measures 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches with a set price of $9.99 per volume. DC Compact will focus on reprinting "new-reader-friendly titles from DC’s evergreen library," with 10 titles already announced.
Despite the small size in comparison to standard North American comic dimensions of 6.625 inches by 10.25 inches, DC senior vice president and general manager Anne DePies promises that there will be "no loss of readability."
"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," DePies says in an official statement.
"This 5.5 inch x 8.5 inch 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," she continues. "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.”
That assurance could be key to the line's potential success, as the adaptation of a story like Watchmen to a smaller size, which is told primarily in 9-panel gridded pages that are full of small details, may live or die based on how well DC can downscale the story's art and lettering without losing any of its intended impact. DC is already publishing trades at this size in some international markets, so it seems the publisher has some experience already in formatting larger comics into smaller collections.
DC has also laid out plans to market its DC Compact line in new ways, including placing their titles among the genre section of paperback books in the bookstore market as well as in specific comic sections. The line will also be available digitally and in direct market retailers.
Here's the current list of titles planned for the DC Compact line, along with their credited creators:
- Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
- Batman: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
- All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
- Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin, Jamal Campbell
- Wonder Woman: Earth One by Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette
- American Vampire Book One by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque
- Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee
- Joker by Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo
- Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens by Paul Dini, Peter Calloway, Tony Bedard, Guillem March, Andres Guinaldo
- Catwoman: Trail of the Catwoman by Darwyn Cooke, Ed Brubaker
And here's a gallery of several announced covers:
The DC Compact line launches in June 2024.
The DC Compact line will likely wind up reprinting many of the best DC stories of all time.
