Absolute Catwoman, Beyond Ark-M and Several DC Collections Move to New Dates

Readers planning their autumn DC Comics pickups may need to adjust their lists. A run of single issues has moved from mid-October or early November to later dates, while several high-profile hardcover collections have also shifted. The changes include Absolute Catwoman #4, Absolute Batman: Beyond Ark-M #1, Action Comics #1103, and new editions of Kingdom Come, Batman: Gotham Adventures, and Swamp Thing.

The revised schedule does not indicate why each item moved, so the practical takeaway is straightforward: treat the new dates as the current targets rather than assume a delay reflects any particular creative, printing, or distribution issue. In comics publishing, a listed on-sale date is the planned point at which a periodical issue or collected volume reaches retailers. When that date changes, it can affect pull lists, preorders, reading plans, and the timing of connected releases—but a schedule revision alone does not establish a cause.

The affected single issues

Absolute Catwoman #4 has the largest move among the named October single issues. It was previously dated for October 14 and is now set for November 4, a three-week shift. The change means readers following the series issue by issue will have a longer gap before its fourth installment arrives.

Absolute Batman: Beyond Ark-M #1 is now scheduled for November 25 instead of November 11. As a first issue, its timing matters beyond an existing audience: debut releases are often when readers decide whether to start a new limited or ongoing reading commitment. The two-week delay does not alter the issue’s position as the opening chapter, but it does push that entry point deeper into the month.

Other changes are shorter, generally moving books from October 14 to October 21:

• The Fury of Firestorm #7 moves to October 21 from October 14.
• Emperor Aquaman #22 moves to October 21 from October 14.
• Action Comics #1103 moves to October 21 from October 14.
• New Titans #38 2nd Printing Variant moves to October 21 from October 14.

100 Bullets: The US of ANGER #5 has moved one week, from November 4 to November 11. Together, these shifts show that the movement is spread across several characters, formats, and points in a series rather than being limited to one title.

There is one notable non-change in the listed Batman schedule. Absolute Batman #25 remains dated for October 28. That is useful for readers mapping out the month: despite the delay to Absolute Batman: Beyond Ark-M #1, the separately listed Absolute Batman issue has not moved in this update.

What “second printing variant” means here

The New Titans #38 2nd Printing Variant listing is distinct from a new numbered issue. A second printing is an additional production run of an issue after its initial printing. A variant is an alternate edition, commonly differentiated by its cover. The revised October 21 date therefore applies to that specifically identified second-printing variant, not automatically to every edition of New Titans #38.

That distinction is important for collectors and readers alike. Someone seeking a particular cover should check that the retailer’s listing identifies the second-printing variant rather than merely the issue number. Conversely, someone reading for story sequence may want to verify whether they already have, or can access, another printing of the same installment. The schedule update provides a date for one named edition; it does not make broader claims about other versions.

Collected editions see larger calendar changes

The schedule revisions extend beyond comic-shop periodicals. Four hardcover collected editions have new dates, including two books now set for 2027. Collected editions package previously published material into formats designed for a shelf, a library, a long-form reread, or a first encounter with a complete run. The supplied listings use HC, shorthand for hardcover, and omnibus, a term generally used for a larger collection bringing together a substantial body of work.

• Kingdom Come: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition HC shifts from October 6 to November 24.
• Batman: Gotham Adventures Omnibus Vol. 1 HC shifts from November 10 to December 1.
• Superman by Phillip Kennedy Johnson Omnibus Vol. 2 HC shifts from February 16, 2027 to March 16, 2027.
• Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Omnibus HC shifts from July 6, 2027 to September 21, 2027.

The Kingdom Come move is especially substantial within the near-term slate, relocating a 30th-anniversary deluxe hardcover from early October to late November. The Batman: Gotham Adventures omnibus moves three weeks, crossing from November into December. Readers reserving budget or shelf space for either book should use the revised dates rather than the previous listings.

The two 2027 omnibus moves are longer-range changes. Superman by Phillip Kennedy Johnson Omnibus Vol. 2 is delayed by one month. Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Omnibus moves from early July to late September, a considerably larger adjustment. For editions scheduled that far ahead, there is naturally more time for plans to change again; the only confirmed point here is the updated date presently listed.

Practical implications for readers and collectors

A cluster of delays can look more disruptive than it is. In this case, several single issues move by one week, one moves by two weeks, and Absolute Catwoman #4 moves by three. Those changes may matter most to people who buy weekly and expect a particular sequence of releases, but they do not by themselves say anything about a comic’s contents or long-term availability.

For readers with retailer pull lists, the most useful action is to make sure each delayed issue remains on the list under its corrected date. A pull list is simply a standing request for a shop to set aside selected comics for a customer. A title remaining on a list can be particularly helpful when a book shifts weeks, because it reduces the chance that an old release-date reminder becomes the only plan for picking it up.

For collectors seeking a specific format, precision matters. “Deluxe Edition,” “Omnibus,” “Vol. 1,” “Vol. 2,” and “2nd Printing Variant” are not interchangeable labels. They identify different kinds of products or editions, even where the material may overlap. Match the complete name in a preorder or retailer listing to the book desired, especially for the Kingdom Come anniversary hardcover, the first Batman: Gotham Adventures omnibus volume, and the two future omnibuses.

The update also reinforces the value of separating series with similar names. Absolute Batman #25 is still set for October 28, while Absolute Batman: Beyond Ark-M #1 has moved to November 25. They share a major name but are presented as separate numbered releases with different schedules. Readers tracking the broader DC line can also follow related DC coverage, including the ongoing Zatanna series.

Updated DC release-date checklist

For quick reference, the newly listed dates are:

• October 21: The Fury of Firestorm #7, Emperor Aquaman #22, Action Comics #1103, and New Titans #38 2nd Printing Variant.
• October 28: Absolute Batman #25, unchanged in this schedule update.
• November 4: Absolute Catwoman #4.
• November 11: 100 Bullets: The US of ANGER #5.
• November 24: Kingdom Come: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition HC.
• November 25: Absolute Batman: Beyond Ark-M #1.
• December 1: Batman: Gotham Adventures Omnibus Vol. 1 HC.
• March 16, 2027: Superman by Phillip Kennedy Johnson Omnibus Vol. 2 HC.
• September 21, 2027: Swamp Thing by Alan Moore Omnibus HC.

Release dates remain planning information rather than guarantees until a book reaches stores, and no reason has been provided for these specific adjustments. For now, the key facts are the revised calendar, the continued October 28 date for Absolute Batman #25, and the need to distinguish individual issues from the several hardcover and alternate-printing editions also affected.