Friday, 26 June 2020

Epic Collections: Thoughts on what were the December 2020 Epics and What The Schedule Now Looks Like

Back at the start of March I wrote this
We await further entries, and I'll update this page when they come but Near Mint Condition shared this Facebook post giving the following provisional list of Epics arriving in comic shops when:
December:
Avengers Epic Collection: Heavy Metal
Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years Epic Collection Vol. 2
X-Force Epic Collection Vol. 3
X-Men Epic Collection: The Fate Of The Phoenix
Obviously this is subject to alteration and for many of those we're awaiting volume numbers and more importantly contents and exact release dates.
Then the Chaos Bug struck and things went to pieces and when Near Mint Condition did An Advance Look At Marvel Collected Editions Releasing in December of 2020 I din't say anything about the extra and different books released!

Star Wars: Legends The New Republic v5

Diamond/Comic Shop Date: WAS 18 Nov 2020NOW: 24 Feb 2021
Hachette/Book Shop Date: WAS 01 Dec 2020NOW: 09 Mar 2021
Hachette Link: https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/star-wars-legends-epic-collection-the-new-republic-vol-5/9781302926984/
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302926985

Contents:

STAR WARS: DARK EMPIRE (1991) 1-6;
STAR WARS: DARK EMPIRE II (1994) 1-6;
STAR WARS: EMPIRE'S END (1995) 1-2;
STAR WARS HANDBOOK (1998) 1, 3;
MATERIAL FROM STAR WARS TALES (1999) 8, 11, 16-17

We didn't know this book was coming but with New Republic skipping 2019 there was a volume due which we were pretty sure was Dark Empire.

This is the big one for Star Wars fans, as Dark Empire is still seen in many ways as the gold standard for Dark Horse's Star Wars comics line even though it started off as a project at Marvel.

The book also contains both sequels, which I think makes it the first time all three have been printed together as full size paperbacks - there's a Dark Horse hardcover that quickly sold out.

No idea about the Tales stories!

Star Wars Handbook is a three (*technically* FOUR) issue limited series in the style of The Offcial Handbook of the Marvel Universe. (Wouldn't they make a decent series of Epic Collections? Which would also, hopefully, get them available digitally for the first time!) Handbook 1 is Rogue Squadron which there wasn't space for in previous volumes - The New Republic v3 promises it will follow in a later volume. Handbook 3 is Dark Empire, so is apropriately positioned here. The missing Handbook 2 is Crimson Empire which will presumably follow in The New Republic v6 or v7 when Crimson Empire is printed.

Incredible Hulk v5 Who Will Judge The Hulk?
Diamond/Comic Shop Date: WAS 25 Nov NOW: 03 Mar 2021
Hachette/Book Shop Date: WAS 08 Dec 2020NOW: 16 Mar 2021
Hachette Link: https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/incredible-hulk-epic-collection-who-will-judge-the-hulk/9781302922061/
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302922068

Contents:

INCREDIBLE HULK (1968) 138-156,
ANNUAL (1968) 3-4 (COVER ONLY);
AVENGERS (1963) 88

Like New Republic v5, we didn't know this book was coming either but an earlier Hulk volume was technically due - 4 In the Hands of HYDRA was September 2019. The Hulk Annuals are covers only because they reprinted Hulk stories from Tales to Astonish issues 70-77. The crossover between Avengers 88 & Incredible Hulk 140 had 2 planned airings this year also appearing in Avengers Epic 5: This Beachhead Earth.

Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years v2 Hawks from the Sea
Diamond/Comic Shop Date: WAS 02 Dec NOW: 10 Mar 2021
Hachette/Book Shop Date: WAS 15 Dec 2020NOW: 23 Mar 2021
Hachette Link: https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/conan-the-barbarian-epic-collection-the-original-marvel-years-hawks-from-the-sea/9781302926557/
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302926551

Contents:

Conan the Barbarian (1970) 14-26

I previously said

SLIGHLY surprised to see another so soon but there's a LOT of Conan to get through. Won't even make a guess because I think we think the contents of v1 may not be final.

But, In Theory, there should be issues featuring Red Sonja in here, 24 for example..... who Marvel do not own the rights to! Do Marvel's rights for Conan include printing her guest appearances?

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4434&page=gallery
So yes, just another 13 issues for volume 2 and at 20 pages an issue taht results in a thin Epic of 288 pages, less pages the Conan Marvel Years 1 and indeed the new shortest Epic beating Ms Marvel Epic 1 This Woman, This Warrior's 312 pages.
X-Force v7 Zero Tolerance
Diamond/Comic Shop Date: WAS 09 Dec NOW: 17 Mar 2021
Hachette/Book Shop Date: WAS 22 Dec 2020NOW: 30 Mar 2021
Hachette Link: https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/x-force-epic-collection-zero-tolerance/9781302927110/
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302927116

Contents:

X-Force (1991) 67-84, -1

This was a surprise because what we expected from Near Mint Condition's Facebook post giving a provisional list of Epics arriving in comic shops was this:

X-Force v3
Expected, ish. The only worry was X-Force's appearances in the Epic schedule have been erratic.

Contents (Guess) X-Force v3 20-33, Annual 2, Nomad 20, New Warriors 44-46

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4128&page=gallery
So if this is 7 the Epics 3-6 cover 20-66, Annuals 2 & 3, X-Force and Cable Annuals '95, '96 & '97. It also leaves 85-129, X-Force/Champions Annual '98, X-Force Annual 1999 X-& X-Force:Rough Cut #1 as the material for the remaining Epics which looks slightly more than 2 books. (96, 98 & 102 have a bonus 8 page Cable Spider-Man reprint, 100 is double sized and 116 is the Milligan revamp that morphs into the 26 issue X-Statix after X-Force ends)
Avengers v18 Heavy Metal
Diamond/Comic Shop Date: WAS 16 Dec NOW: 11 Nov 2020
Hachette/Book Shop Date: WAS 29 Dec 2020NOW: 24 Nov 2020
Hachette Link: https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/avengers-epic-collection-heavy-metal/9781302923150/
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302923153

Contents:

Avengers (1963) 286-303;
Avengers Annual (1967) 17
Here's what I said about the trade when it was announced:
Avengers had been concentrating on Harras and I expected to see his next volume, 25 (368-378, Annual 23, X-Men 26, Avengers West Coast 101 & 102 and Uncanny X-Men 307)

Contents (Guess) Avengers v18 286-300, Annual 17, Thor 390

Let's back that up with some calcs:

286-300 is 15 issues, 16 and a bit as 300 is slightly over double sized.

Annual 17 is between 297 & 298 and is slightly over double sized. All but 19 issues.

301-303 are one story, so they need to stay together, not enough room for all 3, especially as 304 should really be with them.

One issue short. Avengers all together in Thor 390, where Cap lifts the hammer, so that goes in.

This is the Epic volume a friend has been waiting for with the start of the Simonson Time Barrier story and the Cross Time Council of Kangs

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3986&page=gallery

Bye bye to the Old Avengers Heavy Metal trade which finished 3 issues too early!
So the inclusion of 301-3 is something of a surprise as it takes the Epic to 22 x 22 page issues + bonus material, so it'll be a big one. But gaining 3 issues here is a great thing as it takes 3 issues off the next volume which then makes space for West Coast Avengers 53-55, their Acts of Vengeace issues in the next volume. It also makes the next two volumes easy to predict because the 20 issue limit and story breaks fall in the same places:
19 304-318, Annual 18 (Atlantis Attacks), Avengers West Coast 53-33.

20 319-333, Annual 20 (Terminus Factor) plus the main Terminus Factor stories from Captain America Annual #9, Iron Man Annual #11, Thor Annual #15 & Avengers West Coast Annual #5 319-324 is The Crossing Line by Fabian Nicieza and 326-333 are Larry Hama's run

Avengers Epic 18 Heavy Metal is the only book I can see that has benefitted from the COVID disrution to Marvel's schedules moving from 16th December (Diamond) & 29th December (Hachette) to 11th and 24th November respectively.
Number
Title
Comic Shop
Book Shop
Old Comic Shop Date
Date Difference
Order Difference
184
Iron Man 17 War Machine
17 Jun 2020
OUT
08 Apr 2020
70
0
185
Fantastic Four 5 The Name Is Doom
24 Jun 2020
07 Jul 2020
29 Apr 2020
56
-1
186
Star Wars: Legends 3 Legacy
08 Jul 2020
21 Jul 2020
22 Apr 2020
77
1
187
Avengers 5 This Beachhead Earth
29 Jul 2020
11 Aug 2020
27 May 2020
63
-2
188
Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years 1 The Coming of Conan
05 Aug 2020
18 Aug 2020
10 Jun 2020
56
-5
189
Star Wars: Legends 4 The Rebellion
19 Aug 2020
01 Sep 2020
13 May 2020
98
2
190
Iron Man 4 The Fury of Firebrand
26 Aug 2020
08 Sep 2020
29 Jul 2020
28
-7
191
X-Men 6 Proteus
26 Aug 2020
08 Sep 2020
24 Jun 2020
63
-3
192
Silver Surfer 8 Resurrection
09 Sep 2020
22 Sep 2020
20 May 2020
112
4
193
Star Wars: Legends 6 The Empire
16 Sep 2020
29 Sep 2020
03 Jun 2020
105
1
194
West Coast Avengers 3 Tales To Astonish
23 Sep 2020
06 Oct 2020
05 Aug 2020
0
-4
195
Conan Chronicles 5 Horrors Beneath The Stones
23 Sep 2020
06 Oct 2020
03 Jun 2020
112
5
196
New Mutants 7 Cable
30 Sep 2020
13 Oct 2020
08 Jul 2020
84
1
197
Black Widow 2 The Coldest War
07 Oct 2020
20 Oct 2020
15 Jul 2020
84
1
198
Captain America 10 Monsters And Men
14 Oct 2020
27 Oct 2020
23 Sep 2020
21
-3
199
Master Of Kung Fu 3 Traitors To The Crown
21 Oct 2020
03 Nov 2020
30 Sep 2020
21
-4
200
Fantastic Four 6 At War With Atlantis
28 Oct 2020
10 Nov 2020
26 Aug 2020
63
0
201
Venom 1 Symbiosis
04 Nov 2020
17 Nov 2020
30 Sep 2020
35
-3
202
Avengers 18 Heavy Metal
11 Nov 2020
24 Nov 2020
16 Dec 2020
-35
-13
203
Daredevil 15 Last Rites
18 Nov 2020
01 Dec 2020
03 Jun 2020
168
12
204
Star Wars: Legends 1 Tales of the Jedi
25 Nov 2020
08 Dec 2020
14 Oct 2020
42
-1
205
Incredible Hulk 14 Going Grey
02 Dec 2020
15 Dec 2020
21 Oct 2020
42
-1
206
West Coast Avengers 4 Vision Quest
09 Dec 2020
22 Dec 2020
04 Nov 2020
35
-2
207
Thor 19 The Thor War
09 Dec 2020
22 Dec 2020
26 Aug 2020
105
8
208
Black Panther 3 Panther's Prey
30 Dec 2020
12 Jan 2021
30 Sep 2020
91
6
209
Doctor Strange 4 Alone Against Eternity
27 Jan 2021
09 Feb 2021
28 Oct 2020
91
2
210
Conan Chronicles 6 Song of Belit
10 Feb 2021
23 Feb 2021
04 Nov 2020
98
1
211
X-Factor 3 The Angel of Death
17 Feb 2021
02 Mar 2021
11 Nov 2020
98
1
212
Star Wars: Legends 5 The New Republic
24 Feb 2021
09 Mar 2021
18 Nov 2020
98
1
213
Incredible Hulk 5 Who Will Judge The Hulk?
03 Mar 2021
16 Mar 2021
25 Nov 2020
98
1
214
Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years 2 Hawks from the Sea
10 Mar 2021
23 Mar 2021
02 Dec 2020
98
1
215
X-Force 7 Zero Tolerance
17 Mar 2021
30 Mar 2021
09 Dec 2020
98
1

One thing made clearer by this table is the FF6 *IS* Epic 200: previously it and Thor 19 The Thor War wer out the same day and it was slightly confusing!

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