For those scared off by the idea of dropping many clams on collected editions, I'd like to steer you in the direction of the first issues of The Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh (Mark Waid's supernatural super-science mystery series comes back for a second go-around). Also, there's Spider-Man: The Clone Saga (in which one of the 1990s' worst mistakes gets a second chance as original architects of the storyline Howard Mackie and Tom DeFalco do it over and try to do it right, this time.) And finally, the GI Joe: Cobra Special, which - as unlikely as it sounds - is a thriller that plays with the comic format surprisingly effectively as it fills in the background of the public face of the Cobra organization... But I'll tell you more about that in another post later today.

That said, this really is a week for collections. Dark Horse has the much-anticipated second volume of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's incredible Umbrella Academy (The Umbrella Academy: Dallas). Dynamite offers the obscure but ahead-of-its-time Power & Glory (by American Flagg's Howard Chaykin).

Meanwhile, from the opposite end of the superhero spectrum (which is to say, sound and fury signifying lack of critical approval) comes from Marvel's Ultimatum hardcover. (Marvel also has an accompanying epilogue collection, Ultimatum Requiem, as well as the Golden Age revival book Avengers/Invaders, hitting stores tomorrow).

The week, however, really belongs to DC Comics. DC offers the first collection of the Zuda strip High Moon (Vampires and werewolves in the old west, and if there's any justice, soon to be a major motion picture.) Also, two "deluxe" editions of classic comics are making a comeback with Absolute Promethea Vol. 1 and Fables: The Deluxe Edition Vol. 1. Promethea collects the first year of Alan Moore's post-feminist, post-deconstructionist take on the female superhero archetype, while Fables brings together the first two paperbacks for a suitable introduction to Bill Willingham's addictive updating of fairytales, myths and legends. Both are highly recommended in any format, but it has to be said... they do look great in these new oversized hardcovers.

As usual, the complete list of comics reaching your local comic store can be found here, and said local comic stores can be found here. Even if you're not looking for a massive slab of classic comics, you should take a look, anyway.

Academy - created by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Ba - follows the adult lives of former child superheroes following the death of their adoptive father and mentor, as they try to reunite to carry out his plan to save the world. Mixing deconstruction with affectionate parody and influences from things like Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol and even Mike Mignola's Hellboy, the comic reads at times like Watchmen as written by the Monty Python team, which may be a tall order for screenwriter Mark Bomback (Race to Witch Mountain) to replicate onscreen (Then again, he also wrote the absurd Live Free Or Die Hard...).

The movie will be co-produced by Universal and Academy publisher Dark Horse, and is the first project from the three year deal between the two signed as a result of the success of last year's Hellboy II (also a Universal/Dark Horse co-production).

Universal to make 'Academy' film [Variety]

If you think that your family gathering this Thursday - well, if you're in the US, that is - is looking as if it'll be awkward, take heart; you could be in The Umbrella Academy. Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's superhero family returns in this week's much-anticipated Umbrella Academy: Dallas, a new six-part series that shows what happens after you've saved the world - and why it's always worth remembering that JFK did more than just get shot forty-five years ago (You can view a trailer for the series here). Also, if you've never picked up an Umbrella Academy comic before and have $79.95 to spare, the first series, Apocalypse Suite, is re-released in a limited edition hardcover this week for your education and enjoyment.

(Fans of less outre superheroes aren't left unsatisfied this week; as well as the much-delayed final part of Batman RIP - in Batman #681 - there is also Green Lantern Corps: Ringquest, Captain America: The Death Of Captain America Vol. 3, the first of the New Avengers hardcover collections of their "Secret Invasion" issues, and the Wonder Woman issue that we previewed yesterday.)
Two of the most interesting books this week have nothing to do with superheroes, however; 2000AD: The Best Of Tharg's Future Shocks collects some of the best five-page short stories that've appeared in the last 30+ years of Britain's legendary sci-fi comic, with work from Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman, Peter Milligan and many, many others who cut their teeth on the Galaxy's self-proclaimed Greatest Comic, and is highly recommended. Even more recommended, however, is Sloth, Gilbert Hernandez' spooky suburban dread of a graphic novel, about the boy who fell into a coma because of the boredom of life... and what happened after he woke up (There's a preview here).

I know, I know; you're wondering if there is even more to be grateful for, and the answer is: check out the complete list of this week's new comic releases and smile. And then use the Comic Shop Locator Service to find out where the closest place to go is, just to go and smile in person. That's right; share the love. Make other people thankful.

A source close to the project, co-produced by Dark Horse Entertainment, insists that “there is a movie deal on the table… but the option hasn’t actually been signed." According to Way, Universal wants Juno scribe Diablo Cody for the unfilled scripting gig, and adds that Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men) sits atop his wish list of directors—though, according to the source, there is no solid commitment yet from Cuarón. Meanwhile, not one to waste time, Way has already approached wardrobe consultant Colleen Atwood (Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd) about outfitting the still-uncast Umbrella characters. "I think the costume designer already said yes," says Umbrella artist Gabriel Bá (who previously drew Casanova). As for his role in the feature film? “Gerard said he would want me to get involved with the production art, approval, etc.… [But] they’re trying to get a director before going forward with this."

Gerard Way photo courtesy of CassieWay

Perhaps it’s something to do with the amount of big name recent launches everyone has been doing recently, or otherwise a sign of impending San Diego Comic-Con (Publishers are already working on the timing of their big announcements, even though it’s more than a month away), but this is an astonishingly quiet week for new releases – DC Comics pretty much skip the week altogether, although you should probably be looking at picking up the second (and concluding) volume of Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War as well as the tenth and final collection of Y: The Last Man, called Whys and Wherefores (“Y”s and wherefores? Get it? Oh, it’ll make sense when you get to the last chapter). Otherwise, their big release of the week is probably a “deluxe” hardcover reissue of World’s Finest, a beautifully-illustrated (by Steve Rude) Superman/Batman story from the 1990s, as written by Watchmen’s Dave Gibbons.

Marvel, too, is taking this week relatively easy. Sure, there’s the fourth and final volume of Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men, a paperback release for Neil Gaiman’s revival of Jack Kirby’s Eternals, and even a “director’s cut” rerelease of the first issue of Mark Millar’s increasingly-racist Kick Ass, but nothing really jumps out as particularly worthy of your time or attention. You may be interested by the sound of something calling itself Jack Kirby’s Galactic Bounty Hunters, but trust me when I tell you that you would never forgive yourself if you spent any money whatsoever on that particular book.

No, this Wednesday, the message from your local comic store should be loud and clear: Kill All Parents. That’s the title of a new series by Aqua Leung’s Mark Andrew Smith and Marcelo Dichiara that shows you the darker side of superheroics… which happens to include the murder of any and all parents said superheroes may happen to have. What is behind such a plan, and who is doing the murdering? You’ll have to pick up the book to find out, but there may be a machine that can predict the world that’s coming, and a terrible possible future to avoid, involved. You have been warned.

If that’s not your cup of supertea, then why not try The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, the first collection of Gerard Way’s superhero story that no less than Grant Morrison called “[a]n ultraviolet psychedelic sherbert bomb of wit and ideas.” I think that’s supposed to be a good thing; just don’t hold Way’s My Chemical Romance past against him (And if you’re just in it for the prettiness, this book is worth picking up just for its visuals from Gabriel Ba with covers by Prada-favorite James Jean).

As usual, the week’s new releases can be viewed in full here, and you can find where to shop for the origin stories of new generations of superheroes over here. And, although I’m sure there’s nothing to be worried about, I’d check on how your parents are, just in case you have latent superpowers that you aren’t aware of. You never can tell, after all.