Compact comics expand

DC is adding eight more books to its Compact Comics line in late 2026, including *Fables*, *Swamp Thing: The Anatomy Lesson* and *Crisis on Infinite Earths*. (icv2.com) ICv2 reported on April 17 that the new releases run from August 4 through December 1, 2026. The slate includes *Dark Nights: Metal*, *Batman and Son*, *Fables: No More Happily Ever After*, *Batman: Harley and Ivy*, *Swamp Thing: The Anatomy Lesson*, *Crisis on Infinite Earths*, *Mister Miracle* and *Justice League: Origin*. (icv2.com) DC’s own Compact Comics page says the line uses a 5.5-by-8.5 inch trim and sells books at $9.99. The publisher describes the format as a smaller paperback aimed at evergreen, new-reader-friendly stories from its backlist. (dc.com) DC launched the program in June 2024 and said in November 2024 that all 10 Compact Comics released that year had gone back for second printings, with *Watchmen* reaching a third printing in September 2024. DC also said the books were being sold in airports, libraries, bookstores, comic shops and other retail channels. (dc.com) That rollout put the line closer to mass-market paperbacks and manga in both size and price. Anne DePies, DC’s senior vice president and general manager, said in 2024 that the format was built for “new or curious graphic novel readers” and for wider distribution beyond specialty comic stores. (dc.com) The 2026 additions also widen the mix of material inside the line. The new batch pulls from superhero event books, Vertigo-era fantasy, horror and prestige limited series rather than sticking to Batman- and Superman-led staples. (icv2.com) One of the clearest examples is *Swamp Thing: The Anatomy Lesson*, which Penguin Random House lists as a 200-page Compact Comics paperback priced at $9.99 and scheduled for October 6, 2026. The edition collects *The Saga of the Swamp Thing* #20-27, the start of Alan Moore’s best-known run on the character. (penguinrandomhouse.com) Penguin Random House’s series page now lists 36 DC Compact Comics titles across the program. The late-2026 expansion suggests DC is treating the format as a standing bookshelf line, not a short test run. (penguinrandomhouse.com)