(Collected Editions is a listing of the various trade paperbacks, hardcovers, omnibuses, etc. that are in my Superman collection. The goal is to not only inventory my collection of trades, hardcovers, etc. but also to display said collection and produce something resembling a resource for other Superman readers, collectors and fans.)
Nuts and Bolts
- Released on June 7, 2006
- Original Price $19.99
- 416 pages
- Cover by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding
Contents
- Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey Book One – No Title
- Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey Book Two – No Title
- Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey Book Three – No Title
- Communion from Doomsday Annual #1
- Birth from Superman: The Doomsday Wars #1
- Life from Superman: The Doomsday Wars #2
- Death from Superman: The Doomsday Wars #3
- The Doomsday Protocol from Adventures of Superman #594
- Doomsday Rex from Superman (Vol. 2) #175
Notes
- The cover this collection was re-purposed from the house ad for Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey. The promo poster of that ad was double sided. On one side was this image and on the other was the cover to Action Comics #700.
- It’s an awesome image.
- This is a very interesting collection. First, this was put out in 2006 and DC was, at the time, establishing its Post Infinite Crisis world. It seemed odd to me at the time that they would put out all of this material in one omnibus.
- On the other hand collected editions play by different rules. While the collected editions of the new stories were the big focus DC seemed to be willing to put out collections like this that would sell to a different market.
- And to be fair, Doomsday was featured in one of DC’s biggest comics of all time. Bane was cool but the news barely covered, if at all, Batman’s back being broken while Superman’s death made headlines around the world.
- The next curious thing about this omnibus is that it is made up of two other stories that have their own trade paperbacks. Both Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey and Superman: The Doomsday Wars both received their own collected editions. This wasn’t the first or last time DC (or any other publisher for that matter) would do this sort of thing but I think it’s kind of cool that they were willing to include those series in this Doomsday Mix Tape even though you could get the individual stories elsewhere.
- Another curious aspect is that Doomsday Annual #1 was included. I mean it wasn’t curious in terms of it detailing Doomsday’s early “adventures” because those fit right into this omnibus. I was just surprised anyone remembered that this came out.
- Fun note: there was some connective tissue in the form of a text page before this chapter to explain who the characters were and all that jazz.
- Curiosity #4 was including The Doomsday Protocol from Adventures of Superman #594. Again, it makes sense that you would include it if you wanted to cover all of the Post Death Doomsday’s appearances but it was part of the Our Worlds At War event, so there’s some context there that you just wouldn’t get unless you knew what that story was all about. It works well enough on its own but the inclusion is still odd. Sure there was a text page explaining where this story fit in but still…odd.
- Speaking of odd…
- The final curious thing about this omnibus. Doomsday Rex from Superman #175. This issue was part of the Joker’s Last Laugh event While there was a text page explaining all of that it’s still a little strange that they would include this story. On the other hand it makes perfect sense. This was the 100 issue mark from the death of Superman so what better way to commemorate this event than a rematch?
- Well, 102 issue really, counting the zero and one million issues from 1994 and 1998 respectively.
- To be fair this is a fun issue. Loeb dealt with the crossover aspect the best way he could for someone that didn’t want to deal with the whole Joker thing; the Joker appears for a page or two right at the beginning and then is gone.
- This is a great collection. While Doomsday may have had diminishing returns over the years I think this omnibus is a solid look at what happened to him after the Death of Superman and is a good read. Plus for $20 this book is a bargain.