History
The books span DC's Golden, Silver and Bronze Age as well as titles not originally published by DC such as Will Eisner's The Spirit, Wally Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and the Fawcett and Charlton lines of super heroes as well as Mad magazine and Elfquest. The DC Archives provide a dual service in that they not only preserve DC's history but provide readers with stories that normally would not be available to them at an affordable cost. When the line first started, the cover price for an Archive was $39.95 US. However, from the early 1990s the standard cover price for a DC Archive became $49.99 US (although some books in the line have cost much more, depending on how much content is collected, thus a larger page count & higher cover price). From 2009, new volumes were being released with a cover price of $59.99 US.
Other titles in the series include Superman Archives, Batman Archives, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Black Canary Archives, Plastic Man Archives, Shazam! Archives, World's Finest Archives, The Doom Patrol Archives, Green Lantern Archives, The Flash Archives, Justice League of America Archives, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Archives, Wonder Woman Archives, Teen Titans Archives, and many more.
In the early-mid 2000s, newer printings of previously published DC Archives volumes have been released at the special introductory cover price of $19.95 U.S. In 2001, the remaining excess stock of Batman Archives Vol. 1 (originally released back in 1990) first printing edition were put up for this reduced price, with a new price tag label placed on the book's shrinkwrap. Sales proved successful as the remaining inventory would sell away. DC would try this promotional price again with a second printing of Batman Archives Vol. 1 in 2003 (only pre-ordered copies for this second printing for the direct market were for this lower price, while the remaining overstock for the bookstore market was at the regular $49.99 US price), Superman Archives Vol. 1 (fifth printing) in 2004, and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 1 (third printing) in 2005.
It was widely believed that the DC Archive Editions would cease publication in 2008. However, in an issue of the publication Comic Shop News (issue #1080, February 27, 2008), an update was given regarding the DC Archive Editions during an announcement regarding DC's collected editions schedule: "In spite of earlier reports of their demise, DC Archives will continue in 2008 and 2009, although in reduced numbers, focusing on continuing already-established Archives series." The numbers have since decreased from 14 volumes released in 2007, to 7 released in 2008, 6 in 2009, 4 in 2010, and 2 in 2011. Of the 2 in 2011, both started new lines and with it brought the rebirth of the Archives line. With 2012, the Archives are seeing almost one new volume per month after March with 8 volumes scheduled through November.
Read more about this topic: DC Archive Editions
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