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The World's Greatest Super-Heroes | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Publication date | July 6, 2005 |
Main character(s) | Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Justice League of America |
Creative team | |
Written by | Paul Dini and Alex Ross |
Artist(s) | Alex Ross |
Collected editions | |
Hardcover | ISBN 1401202543 |
Trade Paperback | ISBN 1401202551 |
Absolute Edition | ISBN 140127370X |
The World's Greatest Super-Heroes is a hardcover anthology collection of six oversized graphic novels published by DC Comics and created by artist Alex Ross and writer Paul Dini. The collection was released on July 6, 2005.
Beginning in 1998, DC published special one-shot oversized graphic novels to celebrate the 60th anniversary of some of its main characters: Superman: Peace on Earth was the first of these in 1998, followed by Batman: War on Crime in 1999. These first two works won Harvey and Eisner Awards for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Ross) and Best Graphic Album. [1] In addition, Peace on Earth also won a Reuben Award for best Superman comic. Following these, DC released Shazam!: Power of Hope in 2000 and finally Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth in 2001.
The following year, DC Comics also published one extra book: JLA: Secret Origins. The work presented the origins of the four main characters already published in the previous books as well as the origins of other Justice League members: Green Lantern, Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Plastic Man. Every origin was present in two-pages layout based on Joe Shuster's origin of Superman from Action Comics #1.
The final book, published in 2003, JLA: Liberty and Justice presented a full story featuring the entire group, the first time that Ross was able to use all characters in the current timeline. The artwork is of Ross' very own photorealism, and the books themselves were created after the success of Ross' and writer Mark Waid's famous Kingdom Come .
The World's Greatest Super-Heroes was released on August 1, 2005 on dust-jacket slipcase hardcover edition (9.6" x 13") and got paperback reprint (8.2" x 11") on September 28, 2010. Both collected versions are smaller than the original Treasury Editions (10" x 13.5"). The book was rereleased in 2017 as Absolute Justice League: The World's Greatest Super-Heroes. [2]
The work was critically lauded for its realistic depiction of the heroes as well as Ross' photorealistic art. [2] IGN critic Hilary Goldstein, however, noted that the writing was "dry" and "monotone", especially in the Superman story. [3]
The Justice League is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28. The team was conceived by writer Gardner Fox as a revival of the Justice Society of America, a similar team from DC Comics from the 1940s which had been pulled out of print due to a decline in sales.
Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam and the Captain, is a superhero in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics #2, published by Fawcett Comics. He is the alter ego of Billy Batson, a boy who, by speaking the magic word "Shazam!", is transformed into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities. The character battles an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as the Monster Society of Evil, including primary archenemies Black Adam, Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sister Mary Batson and their best friend/foster brother Freddy Freeman, who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of the Marvel Family, also known as the Shazam Family.
Nelson Alexander Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, on which he collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. He has since done a variety of projects for both Marvel and DC Comics, such as the 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, which Ross co-wrote. Since then he has done covers and character designs for Busiek's series Astro City, and various projects for Dynamite Entertainment. His feature film work includes concept and narrative art for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and DVD packaging art for the M. Night Shyamalan film Unbreakable. He has done covers for TV Guide, promotional artwork for the Academy Awards, posters and packaging design for video games, and his renditions of superheroes have been merchandised as action figures.
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"DC One Million" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled, weekly miniseries and through special issues of almost all of the "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998. It featured a vision of the DC Universe in the 853rd century, chosen because that is the century in which DC Comics would have published issue #1,000,000 of their comics if they had maintained a regular publishing schedule. The miniseries was written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Val Semeiks.
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books. The main miniseries debuted in October 2005, and each issue was released with two variant covers: one by Pérez and one by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope.
Jeremiah Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.
Paul McClaran Dini is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), and the subsequent DC Animated Universe. Dini and Bruce Timm co-created the characters Harley Quinn and Terry McGinnis.
Scott Beatty is an American author, comic book writer, and superhero historian actively published since the late 1990s. He is an alumnus of Juniata College and Iowa State University.
JLA: Pain of the Gods is a trade paperback which compiles issues #101-106 of the American comic book JLA, published by DC Comics. This story arc was written by Chuck Austen and penciled by Ron Garney.
DC Comics Absolute Edition is a series of archival quality printings of graphic novels published by DC Comics and its imprints WildStorm Productions and Vertigo. Each is presented in a hardcover and slipcased edition with cloth bookmark consisting of one or more books which include restored, corrected and recolored versions of the original work, reprinted at 8 by 12 inches. Also included are supplemental materials regarding the creation of the work, including sketches, comic scripts and memos.
The Hall of Justice, or simply the Hall, is a fictional headquarters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The Hall of Justice serves as a headquarters for the Justice League.
Limited Collectors' Edition is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1972 to 1978. It usually featured reprints of previously published stories but a few issues contained new material. The series was published in an oversized 10" x 14" tabloid format.
Superman: Peace on Earth is a treasury giant prestige format 64-page graphic novel published by DC Comics in November 1998. The Man of Steel in an oversized one-shot featuring a cardstock cover with a metallic fifth-color ink. As the holiday season approaches, Clark Kent reflects on the poverty suffered by so many throughout the world and decides to use his vast power to feed the starving and impoverished masses. As Superman sets out to accomplish the impossible, he encounters unexpected resistance to his humanitarian efforts.