For years, writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have been running a “Get MONOLITH A Trade!” campaign to get their 12-issue maxiseries from 2004 a collection. Although the book had a dedicated following—especially for fans of Phil Winslade’s amazing art—given that its sales were modest, that wasn’t the most likely outcome. However, on Facebook it’s revealed that rights have finally reverted and a collection is in the works from Image. Or rather—two collections, both in an oversized European hardcover album, like The Pro deluxe hardcover. The first will be out in July with the first four-issue storyline, including the double-sized first issue and an introduction by Jim Steranko. The second volume will include the rest of the issues, minus the Batman crossover, for a total of 9 issues reprinted. According to Palmiotti the oversized format was decided on to showcase Winslade’s intricate art.
MONOLITH is one of several former DC properties reverting to their copyright holders in recent years. While DC is definitely being gracious about allowing them to go back to the owners once they go out of print, it’s also an important reminder that with the right contract, you can get your stuff back.
I’m stoked to hear this is being collected. Great news for Jimmy & Justin and thanks to DC for making this happen for them.
Beau Smith
The Flying Fist Ranch
Awesome. Congrats to the creators. I’m glad that there will be an opportunity for a whole new audience to discover this outstanding series.
Geez DC, you ever think this might have been the fresh new take on comics you think you’re publishing today?
I hope they sell a million copies.
Hm, for those of us intrigued, it might due to say a little about what this series was about. Yeah, I can see the pic, but what’s the deal otherwise? Is it kind of a Hulk or Thing story? Is it a Golem kind of thing? What?
glad to help Nate:
the first trade: the reader is introduced to Alice Cohen as she receives her inheritance from her recently deceased grandmother. This inheritance consists of a lone house in an area of Brooklyn. Alice discovers a walled off section in the basement from which a voice calls to her . Behind the wall lives a monster created after the turn of the century and put there for reasons to be revealed.
The depression era portions of the book show how and why The Monolith was created.
We jump back and forth to tell the whole story. This is presented in a full 88 page story in the first trade book.
Hope that helps some.
.
That sounds pretty good, Mr. Palmiotti! I’m in!
Will any of the Battle for Bludhaven stuff appear in the book? Maybe just a reference? I liked that miniseries quite a bit.
awesome! congrats, jimmy and justin! i loved this book. any chance of new monolith stories in the future?
Happy to hear it will be an oversized European collection! I was always on the fence and didn’t read this one. I think they’ve provided the push I needed. Will probably pick it up!
Thanks Jimmy! And, what the … ? Another Nate?!? I was here first!!!
No bludhaven stuff…we are going to use any money we make on these collections to do some new books. Make money in comics, put it back in comics. the wheel keeps spinning…lol.
Thanks for the nice comments. seems a lot of people at bleeding cool are upset at this announcment. lol…
kids.
Jimmy
I loved the series ! It was great. Wouldn’t worry too much about the bleeding cool folks a lot of them are ndcu fans and hate on anyone who does something that they think is wrong to DC, that is in the warped way they think.
I will be picking this one up !
This is great news, this was one of my favorite books when it was out and can’t wait to get the oversized hardcovers! For those upset over on Bleeding Cool, read it first and then form an opinion!
Sweet, can’t wait for these. Great series.
Uh, why is the artist’s name so teeny-tiny at the bottom of the cover? Shouldn’t he be up top with the authors? That cover makes Phil Winslade seem in third place, after the authors and the character.
Kard – the font size, at least, is the same.
What other series are reverting to creator ownership?
This is a book I will buy.
Kard, we wanted to give phil his own spot…it is the same size type face as our names. We thought it stood out more.
phils art IS the entire cover…and the logo needs to be the biggest thing on the cover.
Its also not the final on the cover. This was done for promotion.
Great news. I always really enjoyed this book. Maybe you could pull a Frank Miller on the Batman issue a la Holy Terror!
Keil….hmmmmmm.
Great news. I am curious if Dan Jolley and Leonard Kirk’s BLOODHOUND had a similar contract. That was another unique little DC Comic from 2004-2005 which, to offer a crude tagline, mixed metahumans with “CRIMINAL MINDS” with a dash of urban noir. It ran 10 issues, but one was a crossover with FIRESTORM and could be skipped; in 9 issues I believe it had 3 major arcs. It didn’t get much publication at the time, but I always liked it.
Feh. Ignore the Bleeders. I found the announcement there first, and I can’t understand what they’re worked up about. But then I frequently can’t understand what they get worked up about.
This was a GREAT series (yes, I bought it and read it back when) and deserves another chance. I hope when you say you’re going to use the money to make more comics that at least some of them will be new Monolith comics, Mr. Palmiotti.
Paul asked “What other series are reverting to creator ownership?”
I’d like to know too. I know Outlaw Nation reverted a few years ago and I think Major Bummer reverted late last year.
I bought this book off the stands. It was pretty good. Winslade’s work is superior. Congratulations on getting it back into print.
I guess a single oversized album would have been prohibitively expensive? Anyway, good luck with it.