posted February 21, 2003 10:30 PM               

Jan - Aquman 1
Feb - Dynamic Duo 1
Mar - Spectre 3
April - Legion 12
May - JLA 8
June - Challengers 1 Probably

All-Star 9 and Plastic Man 5 are strongly suspected. Either Atom 2 or Hawkman 2 are likely. That leaves at least 3 and potentially 5 since they were shooting for 14 (assuming economic stability).

GA Batman is hinted
My guess is Batman #6

GA Superman is hinted
My guess is Superman in World's Finest #1 as we are short a #1 in the GA category.

That leaves 1-3 Wildcards.

Supergirl #2 could be the weighty version mentioned.
World's Finest #3 is due this year is we stay on a bi-ennial course.
Green Lantern #5 would probably be popular.

Of course, there could be other wildcards that we have overlooked. I tend to doubt more #1's given how front loaded we are on them but you never know.

posted February 21, 2003 11:14 PM            

As for the Hawkman or Atom volume, I agree with DStepp that it will probably be one or the other.

posted February 21, 2003 11:59 PM               

Nice to see another JLA, too...

'course, pity me, waitin' for an initial Metal Men Archive!

posted February 22, 2003 03:52 AM               

I'm also assuming All-Star vol.9 as nearly certain, and Plastic Man vol.5 as likely enough to be worth a provisional assumption. I suppose that there's a chance that Plastic Man is dropping down from annual publication. I don't think so, but if it happens this year, the likely substitute volume, it seems to me, would be Shazam! vol.4

For the GA Batman book, I'll also say Batman vol.6, even though it's been longer since a volume of Dark Knight, mainly because I think it's desirable (and I imagine DC sees it that way too) to get the various Bat-lines collecting as many widely-separated periods as possible.

For GA Superman, Superman in World's Finest vol.1 seems to make the most sense--a vol.1 can be expected to sell better than a vol. 4 or 6. If not that, then Superman vol.6, since it's been longer than the last volume of Action, which in any case sold badly in advance orders.

It seems to me that the Hawkman-Atom question depends at least in part on one other factor: whether we get the first volume of Golden Age Hawkman this year or next (I really don't think we'll have to wait longer than that). If we get GA Hawkman vol. 1 in 2003, then we'll get Atom vol.2; if GA Hawkman vol.1 waits until 2004, we get the Silver Age Hawkman vol.2 this year and Atom vol.2 in 2004.
My guess is that we get GA Hawkman 1 and Atom 2 this year. Yes, that makes two JSA members getting first volumes in one year, but the Hawkman monthly book is hot enough to justify striking now. In market terms, doing Hawkman now makes much more sense than doing Spectre; also, Bob has said that the desire for a GA Hawkman Archives series has been heard--faint encouragement, but it's something.

That leaves one more, perhaps. It ought to be a title that is at least peripherally Superman-related. Supergirl vol.2 would fit the description of the long volume Bob has mentioned. My own preference would be a new volume of World's Finest, but I think Supergirl is at least slightly more likely.

This gives us a 6/6 Silver/Gold balance, with the second half of the year consisting of:
All-Star vol.9
Atom vol.2
Batman vol.6
GA Hawkman vol.1
Plastic Man vol.5
Supergirl vol.2
Superman in World's Finest vol.1

Assuming All-Star and Plastic Man as givens, and alternate list might be:
Dark Knight vol.4
Hawkman vol.2
Shazam! vol.4
Superboy vol.1
World's Finest vol.3, always assuming that Superboy is at last clear to go.

posted February 22, 2003 03:59 AM               

My preference would be to add Flash vol.4, but I think it's more likely that we'll get both Supergirl and World's Finest, instead of just one of them.

posted February 23, 2003 02:20 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Lightning + Chemicals:
...I'm zeroing in on The Question. Even though it was a Charlton book, it now would qualify as a DC Archive since the faceless one is in DC continuity now...

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posted February 23, 2003 10:39 AM               

I tend to think GA Hawkman #1 would be unlikely since they should save it for a rainy day. They need the periodic #1 coming out it seems and they don't have that many GA #1's left. Sandman, Hawkman and Dr. Fate are the only reasonable ones that are DC's and would not involve duplicate line (i.e. All-Flash Archives #1). Quality material appears offlimits for the nonce.

Perhaps a good strategy for Gold would be one unique #1 per year and one duplicate #1 a year. Example:

2003

Spectre #1
GA Superman in World's Finest #1

2004

GA Hawkman #1
All-Flash #1

2005

GA Green Arrow #1
Wonder Woman in Comic Cavalcade #1

etc etc etc

My druthers would be that only 1 third of Archives be new lines be #1's and that they not blow the load up front and then be faced with ever shrinking percentages.

But that's me.

posted February 23, 2003 12:03 PM            

I've read this a couple of times, and curious exactly what issues were meant. Was it a certain creators run?

posted February 23, 2003 12:27 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Drumore01:
<<Supergirl #2 could be the weighty version mentioned. >>

I've read this a couple of times, and curious exactly what issues were meant. Was it a certain creators run?

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I believe it has to do with figuring out when the multi-part story where Supergirl was introduced to the world would end, Archives-wise. It was a huge (8?) multi-part story which would only be about half-way over if DC ended Supergirl Archives vol. 2 at the usual page count.

posted February 23, 2003 01:27 PM               

Supergirl 2
Superman in World Finest 1
All Star 9
Dark Knight 4
Hawkman 2
Flash 4
Shazam 4
New Teen Titans 2

posted February 23, 2003 02:13 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by DStepp:
What is your evidence that Action #3 did poorly? Looking at the Pre-Orders, it did better than Legion #11 and Plas #3 that year and both of those has been extended.

I tend to think GA Hawkman #1 would be unlikely...they don't have that many GA #1's left. Sandman, Hawkman and Dr. Fate are the only reasonable ones that are DC's and would not involve duplicate line ...

Perhaps a good strategy for Gold would be one unique #1 per year and one duplicate #1 a year. Example:
2003
Spectre #1
GA Superman in World's Finest #1

2004
GA Hawkman #1
All-Flash #1

2005
GA Green Arrow #1
Wonder Woman in Comic Cavalcade #1

etc etc etc

D.

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Your first point shows that I should take the time to check my information before posting rather than try to rely on memory. Still, Action was pretty low on the totem pole that year (to my dismay, since I'm enjoying it), and the restoration cost for what is still early Golden Age material must be pretty hefty. Legion, on the other hand, is now in a period where there ought to be at least good stats, if not film, so costs should be low, giving each volume a lower breakeven point. I think of Plastic Man as a special case, with both snob appeal to a certain extent and wide out-of-direct-market appeal as well (this last also obviously would apply to Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman too, though). Nevertheless, your point is well taken. And I think it's more likely to be Superman in World's Finest anyway.

You may well be right about Hawkman--husbanding their resources is something DC seems to be conscious of. Still, this year (or last) would be a good time for it to ride the popularity of the monthly book, so although I like your plan of one-and-one, I'd make an exception this year.

I think there are more resonable GA choices available than the three you mention. Green Arrow (which you listed as hypothetical for 2005), Seven Soldiers, Marvel Family, Mary Marvel, Robin, Newsboy Legion and possibly Boy Commandos seem to me potentially strong candidates as brand new archive features; and All-Flash, Comic Cavalcade in whatever form they choose to use it, and the proposed one-shot Golden Age Archives (collecting Big All-American and All-Star #1 and #2) should keep the schedule full until the more difficult material can be broken loose. Presumably Superboy will be along soon, too.
If other Golden Age characters with modern counterparts become more viable in the meantime because of the current version of the character becoming popular, we might conceivably see, for instance, Hourman, Wildcat, Vigilante, GA Aquaman, Dr. Mid-Nite or others as well. But that's a big "if", and not to be relied on.
Technological progress is hard to predict, but I have a hard time believing that we won't see Fine and Raboy archives before 2008-2010.