DC’s Compact Comics Line Is The Smartest Thing It’s Done In Years

DC has released an ad for its new line of Compact Comics, a range of some of the company’s most popular titles, which measure in at a portable 5.5″ x 8.5″ and cost just $9.99 each. Check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yklMO_mPROI

See, what is that? I love how the ad suggests spending a cool learning camping trip Batman: Shut up by the light of a lamp. Check out how much fun they have together, reading and laughing about Bruce Wayne’s jealous childhood friend who became a vengeful serial killer. “Relationship goals,” indeed!

But seriously, this is a great idea. Just one inch longer than the average manga volume, the new line avoids the unwieldyness of traditional graphic novels, which are usually printed around magazine-size paper that you can’t wrap. Even better, these little books contain completely of their story arcs, instead of the multi-volume format of trade paperbacks or the average manga series. And unlike most manga, each volume will remain in full color, but printed on paper stock that is less glossy than the average $20+ graphic novel.

With a reduced size, you can easily manage all 12 stories of Alan Moore They don’t wait with you wherever you go, giving you the ability to reference Rorschach and the misanthropic monologues of Dr. Manhattan in any state of society you request. A day at the beach? “I abandoned my disguise and became myself, without fear or weakness or lust!” A weekend with the family? “They say their job is to build heaven, but their heaven is full of horrible things!” You will be very famous.

These are the four titles currently available, followed by the line’s upcoming slate:

• They don’t wait by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
• Batman: Court of Owls by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
• All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
• Remote Sector by NK Jemisin, Jamal Campbell

Coming soon:

• Wonder Woman: World One by Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette – August 6
• Batman: Shut up by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee – August 6
• The Joker by Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo – September 3
• Harley Quinn and the Gotham City Sirens by Paul Dini, Peter Calloway, Tony Bedard, Guillem March, Andres Guinaldo – September 3
• American Vampire Book One by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque – October 1
• Catwoman: The Catwoman route by Darwyn Cooke, Ed Brubaker – October 1
• Kingdom Come – by Mark Waid, Alex Ross – May 6, 2025
• Static: The first season – May 27, 2025
• You are cool – June 3, 2025
• Batwoman: An Elegy – June 17, 2025
• Superman: Birthright – June 24, 2025
• Superman/Batman: Book One – July 15, 2025

If the volumes sell well, maybe DC won’t hold back about reviving its many backlogs of out-of-print titles, or finally publishing story arcs it didn’t see fit to collect before. Or how about print-on-demand versions of its less crowd-pleasing arcs? Whatever the company decides, something needs to change in the distribution and publishing of comics and this looks like a step in the right direction.

Looking for more io9 news? Check out when you can expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.