DC Compact Comics
DC Comics line of graphic novels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DC Compact Comics is a line of full-color paperbacks from DC Comics. Announced in November 2023, ahead of a June 2024 launch, they were described as "perfect for readers of prose and manga looking to pick up a new-reader-friendly storyline in a self-contained full color graphic novel".[1]
At 5.5" x 8.5" (digest size), they are smaller than the traditional 6.6" x 10.2" of a collected trade paperback comic.
The initial 10 titles released in 2024 were: Batman: The Court of Owls, Watchmen, All-Star Superman, Far Sector, Batman: Hush, Wonder Woman: Earth One, Harley Quinn & The Gotham City Sirens, Joker, American Vampire Book One, and Catwoman: Trail of the Catwoman – with a further 15 books announced for 2025.[2]
One of those 15, Death, a spin-off from the Sandman series, was cancelled following sexual assault allegations against its writer, Neil Gaiman.[3]
As well as being dedicated to a specific character or series, each release is also designated by genre via a tag in the top right of the cover. These genres include science fiction, thriller, horror, fantasy, adventure, and mystery.
Reception
The announcement was largely greeted positively in the comics community with SKTCHD's David Harper saying the line was, "...honestly the best thing to come from one of the Big Two in I don't even know how long".[4] Gordon Jackson at Gizmodo noted that "DC's Compact Comics Line Is the Smartest Thing It's Done in Years".[5] In Comicsbeat, Joe Grunenwald stressed that "the size, price and content are all suitable for mass market".[6]
Sales
Four of 2024's overall top-10 bestselling graphic novels came from DC's Compact Comic line. Batman: The Court of Owls ranked fourth, with All-Star Superman fifth, Batman: Hush sixth, and Watchmen seventh.[7] By June 2025, up to a year after release, only Watchmen had dropped out of the monthly top-ten graphic novel chart.[8]
Meanwhile, new releases continued to launch near the top of the chart. In May 2025, Kingdom Come debuted at number two. A month later, DCeased went into the chart at two, with Superman: Birthright in five.[9][8] Superman-Batman Vol. 1 was the biggest seller of July 2025, which coincided with the release of DC Studios' Superman movie. Six of the top-ten best-selling graphic novels were Compact Comics.[10]
Impact
The line launched five months ahead of the DC Finest series, which was aimed at a similar market to the Marvel Epic Collection.
In 2025, Marvel Comics released Premier Collection, a similar line of digest-sized 9in x 6in releases "featuring Marvel's most celebrated and prestigious storylines and creators from its entire comic book legacy".[11]
Later the same year, two more companies indicated they would be launching similar lines of digest-sized comics. First, Vault Comics launched their Vantage line, which are the same print size as Compact Comics. The first three will be released in December 2025, but Vault has confirmed that more will be released in a second wave.[12]
Next, IDW Comics solicited a Classic Collection - with Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth, Locke & Key, The Rocketeer, and D4VE to be released between February and May 2026.[13] These books are the same 9in x 6in size as Marvel's Premier Collection
List of volumes
American Vampire
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book One | 2010–2011 |
|
Scott Snyder, Stephen King |
Rafael Albuquerque | Horror | 320 | 1 Oct 2024 | 978-1779527349 |
The Authority
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relentless | 1999–2000, 2017 |
|
Warren Ellis | Bryan Hitch | Adventure | 360 | 1 Jul 2025 | 978-1799501992 |
Batman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dark Knight Returns | 1986 |
|
Frank Miller | Frank Miller, Klaus Janson | Adventure / Thriller | 200 | 7 Apr 2026 | 978-1799507864 |
| Arkham Asylum | 1989 |
|
Grant Morrison | Dave McKean | Thriller | 144 | 2 Sep 2025 | 978-1799506997 |
| Gotham by Gaslight | 1989 |
|
Brian Augustyn | Mike Mignola | Thriller | 120 | 20 Jan 2026 | 978-1799506652 |
| The Long Halloween | 1996–1997 |
|
Jeph Loeb | Tim Sale | Mystery | 376 | 7 Oct 2025 | 978-1799502883 |
| Hush | 2002–2003 |
|
Jeph Loeb | Jim Lee | Mystery | 312 | 6 Aug 2024 | 978-1779527264 |
| The Court of Owls Saga | 2011–2012 |
|
Scott Snyder | Greg Capullo | Thriller | 304 | 4 Jun 2024 | 978-1779527271 |
| White Knight | 2017–2018 |
|
Sean Murphy | Sean Murphy, Matt Hollingsworth | Adventure | 216 | 3 Feb 2026 | 978-1799507413 |
Batwoman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegy | 2009–2010 |
|
Greg Rucka | J. H. Williams III | Adventure | 240 | 17 Jun 2025 | 978-1799501824 |
Catwoman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail Of The Catwoman | 2001–2002 |
|
Darwyn Cooke, Ed Brubaker | Darwyn Cooke | Adventure | 336 | 1 Oct 2024 | 978-1779527288 |
DCeased
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCeased | 2019 |
|
Tom Taylor | Trevor Hairsine | Horror | 216 | 3 Jun 2025 | 978-1799501633 |
The Flash
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebirth | 2009–2011 |
|
Geoff Johns | Ethan Van Sciver | Adventure | 352 | 17 Mar 2026 | 978-1799507697 |
Green Arrow
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Arrow: Year One | 2007 | Andy Diggle | Jock | Adventure | 152 | 5 May 2026 | 978-1799508083 |
Harley Quinn
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harley Quinn and the Gotham City Sirens | 2009–2010 |
|
Paul Dini, Guillem March | Guillem March | Adventure | 320 | 3 Sep 2024 | 978-1779527301 |
| Wild at Heart | 2013–2014 |
|
Amanda Conner | Jimmy Palmiotti | Adventure | 392 | 16 Sep 2025 | 978-1799503033 |
Joker
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joker | 2008 |
|
Brian Azzarello | Lee Bermejo | Thriller | 136 | 3 Sep 2024 | 978-1779527318 |
Nightwing
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaping into the Light | 2021–2022 | Nightwing (vol. 4) #78–88 | Tom Taylor | Bruno Redondo | Adventure | 296 | 3 Mar 2026 | 978-1799507703 |
Static
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season One | 2021–2022 |
|
Vita Ayala, Reginald Hudlin | Adventure | 184 | 27 May 2025 | 978-1799501541 |
Supergirl
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman of Tomorrow | 2021–2022 |
|
Tom King | Bilquis Evely | Adventure | 216 | 6 Jan 2026 | 978-1799506904 |
Superman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Star Superman | 2005–2008 |
|
Grant Morrison | Frank Quitely | Fantasy | 296 | 2 Jul 2024 | 978-1779527257 |
| Birthright | 2003–2004 |
|
Mark Waid | Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan | Adventure | 312 | 24 Jun 2025 | 978-1799501916 |
| Red Son | 2003 |
|
Mark Millar | Dave Johnson, Killian Plunkett | Adventure / Thriller | 152 | 2 June 2026 | 978-1799508281 |
Superman/Batman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book One[14] | 2003–2004 |
|
Jeph Loeb | Ed McGuinness, Michael Turner | Adventure | 304 | 15 Jul 2025 | 978-1799502135 |
Wonder Woman
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood And Guts | 2011–2012 |
|
Brian Azzarello | Cliff Chiang, Tony Akins | Adventure | 280 | 19 Aug 2025 | 978-1799502494 |
| Earth One | 2016–2021 |
|
Grant Morrison | Yanick Paquette | Fantasy | 376 | 6 Aug 2024 | 978-1779527332 |
Y: The Last Man
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unmanned | 2002–2003 |
|
Brian K. Vaughan | Pia Guerra, José Marzan Jr. | Science fiction | 248 | 21 Oct 2025 | 978-1799502890 |
Miniseries
This section includes books that have self-contained miniseries and are unlikely to have a sequel.
| Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Writers | Artists | Genre | Pages | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC: The New Frontier | 2004–2005 |
|
Darwyn Cooke | Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stewart | Science fiction | 416 | 5 Aug 2025 | 978-1799502340 |
| Far Sector | 2019–2021 |
|
Nora Keita Jemisin | Jamal Campbell | Science fiction | 296 | 2 Jul 2024 | 978-1779527295 |
| Kingdom Come | 1996 |
|
Mark Waid | Alex Ross | Fantasy | 208 | 6 May 2025 | 978-1799501299 |
| V For Vendetta | 1982–1989 |
|
Alan Moore | David Lloyd | Thriller | 368 | 4 Nov 2025 | 978-1799503132 |
| Watchmen | 1986–1987 |
|
Alan Moore | Dave Gibbons | Thriller | 416 | 4 Jun 2024 | 978-1779527325 |
| We3 | 2004 |
|
Grant Morrison | Frank Quitely | Science fiction / Adventure | 144 | 18 Nov 2025 | 978-1799503255 |
Upcoming releases
| Title | Pub. date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| The Flash: Rebirth | 17 Mar 2026 | 978-1799507697 |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns | 7 Apr 2026 | 978-1799507864 |
| Green Arrow: Year One | 5 May 2026 | 978-1799508083 |
| Gotham Central | 19 May 2026 | 978-1799508076 |
| Superman: Red Son | 2 Jun 2026 | 978-1799508281 |
| Batman: Under the Red Hood | 16 Jun 2026 | 978-1799508212 |
| Batgirl of Burnside | 7 Jul 2026 | 978-1799508557 |
| Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One | 21 Jul 2026 | 978-1799508564 |
Cancelled
| Title | ISBN |
|---|---|
| Death | 978-1799502647 |