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Format Spotlight

DC Compact Comics: The Affordable Way Into DC's Best Stories

In June 2024, DC launched a line of full-color paperbacks at 5.5"×8.5" — closer to a manga or mass-market novel than a traditional comic trade — priced at just $9.99. The idea was simple: make DC's best stories as easy to pick up as any paperback on a bookstore shelf. It worked far better than anyone expected. Four of 2024's ten best-selling graphic novels, period, came from this one line, and by mid-2025 six of the top ten monthly bestsellers were Compact Comics editions.

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Already Covered on Codex Briefs

Cover of Watchmen

Watchmen

Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons

The launch title of the entire line in June 2024 — DC's bestselling graphic novel of all time, still charting in the Compact format years later.

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Cover of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller

One of the two books (with Year One) usually credited with defining modern Batman — releasing in Compact format April 2026.

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Cover of Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween

Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale

A year-long murder mystery that directly influenced Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

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Cover of Batman: White Knight

Batman: White Knight

Sean Murphy

The Joker gets cured and turns public opinion against Batman — released in Compact format February 2026.

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Cover of Batman: Hush

Batman: Hush

Jeph Loeb & Jim Lee

A mystery villain manipulates nearly every member of Batman's rogues gallery in one of the best-selling Batman stories ever told.

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Cover of Batman: The Court of Owls

Batman: The Court of Owls

Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo

A secret society that has secretly ruled Gotham for centuries launched one of the most acclaimed Batman runs in decades.

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More Titles in the Collection

2024

All-Star Superman Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely Widely considered the definitive Superman story, told across his final months.
Far Sector N.K. Jemisin & Jamal Campbell A Green Lantern sci-fi murder mystery set on the far side of the universe.
Wonder Woman: Earth One Grant Morrison & Yanick Paquette A standalone reimagining of Diana's origin, outside main DC continuity.
Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens Various Harley, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman team up on the wrong side of Gotham.
Joker Brian Azzarello & Lee Bermejo A street-level crime story following the Joker's release from Arkham.
American Vampire: Book One Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque A vampire horror saga spanning the American frontier to 1920s Hollywood.
Catwoman: Trail of the Catwoman Ed Brubaker, Darwyn Cooke & Cameron Stewart A detective is hired to find Catwoman after she vanishes.
DCeased Tom Taylor & Trevor Hairsine A techno-organic virus turns Earth's heroes into monsters.

2025

Kingdom Come Mark Waid & Alex Ross A painted, near-future epic about an aging generation of superheroes.
Static: Season One Vita Ayala, Reginald Hudlin & Nikolas Draper-Ivey A teenager with electromagnetic powers becomes a hero in Milestone's Dakota City.
Batwoman: Elegy Greg Rucka & J.H. Williams III Kate Kane's origin as Batwoman, visually one of the most acclaimed Batman-family books ever drawn.
Superman: Birthright Mark Waid & Leinil Francis Yu A modern retelling of Superman's origin and first year in Metropolis.
The Authority: Relentless Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch A team of god-level heroes takes a far more aggressive approach to global threats.
Superman/Batman, Vol. 1 Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuinness DC's two flagship heroes team up — 2025's biggest-selling month, timed to the Superman film.

2026

Nightwing: Leaping into the Light Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo Dick Grayson takes on a new mission and a new villain in Blüdhaven.
The Flash: Rebirth Geoff Johns & Francis Manapul Barry Allen returns to the DC Universe after decades trapped in the Speed Force.
Green Arrow: Year One Andy Diggle & Jock Oliver Queen's transformation from playboy to archer, stranded on a deserted island.
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Brian Augustyn & Mike Mignola A Victorian-era Batman hunts Jack the Ripper through gaslit Gotham.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Tom King & Bilquis Evely Kara Zor-El escorts a young girl across the galaxy to avenge her father.
Batgirl of Burnside Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher & Babs Tarr Barbara Gordon relocates to a hip new Gotham neighborhood in a lighter, younger take.
Gotham Central Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka & Michael Lark A police-procedural look at the GCPD detectives working in Batman's shadow.
Superman: Red Son Mark Millar & Dave Johnson An alternate history where Superman's rocket lands in Soviet Ukraine instead of Kansas.

DC continues to add titles to this line regularly — this list reflects what's been announced as of August 2026.