FINALLY!
Monday August 15th 2011, 7:00 pm
At last we get to have a trade collection on the full Chase material that I had any involvement in, available for pre-order now. Its going to be pretty comprehensive, featuring the full prematurely cancelled series and some short stories. This is just in time for people to get caught up in the origins of Cameron Chase and the D.E.O., as these ideas will have relevance to other work. This was early work by me (along with other cohorts), and I’m still proud of it today. This was also my first foray into writing my own series, along with co-writer D. Curtis Johnson, who sorely needs to return. His talents were tremendous and comics could use his mind again.
Chase was one of those series that came out at time when almost everything new from DC was getting the axe within a year due to slow sales. Ironically, as we were getting chopped, a groundswell buzz was happening around what we were doing, but unfortunately not in time to save the series. In all the years since then, Chase The Series had garnered a cult status, becoming almost more popular after it’s death than when it was alive. I still hear from fans today about it, wondering if we’ll ever get to bring the series back. Even though this work never saw its full completion, that doesn’t detract from it’s worthiness to be on people’s bookshelves. It’s still a good read (or at least I hope so).
The stories were inventive and entertaining, and brought some new ideas to DC, that others enjoyed enough to keep Chase and the D.E.O. alive through other means. These ideas managed to have strong impacts on other titles as Cameron Chase (or the organization she works for) was featured in many series to follow, some of it short appearances, while in others as major supporting roles. But here in this new collection you’ll find the original stories that lead to some interesting ideas, viewpoints on what it may be like to live in a world of fantastic super-powered heroes and villains, on where the normal human being may fit into the grandiose drama of the DC Universe. Sure this isn’t anything new, as many series have touched on this over the years. But I can say we were one of earliest titles to do so. These stories allow the reader to see the DCU from a different point of view, one that I feel can still be valid today. And ideas that I would love another chance to explore more fully. If you are going to be reading Batwoman, this will be essential reading, as it gives some insights to how I view things, and where Haden Blackman and myself may be headed. The full solicit is below…
CHASE TP
Written by D. CURTIS JOHNSON and J.H. WILLIAMS III
Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III, MICK GRAY, CHARLIE ADLARD, YANICK PAQUETTE, BOB HALL, ERIC CANETE, EDUARDO BARRETO, RICK BURCHETT, GREG SCOTT and others
Cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 352 pg, FC, $29.99 US
Collecting a cult favorite series from the 1990s spotlighting the amazing artwork of J.H. Williams III, CHASE stars Agent Cameron Chase. On field assignment for the Department of Extranormal Operations, a government agency with jurisdiction over superhuman activity, she’s about to encounter some unexpected surprises, as her own mysterious powers come into play – powers she doesn’t fully understand.
This spectacular collection includes appearances by Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Teen Titans, the Justice Society of America and more, in stories from CHASE #1-9 and #1,000,000, BATMAN #550, DC UNIVERSE SECRET FILES #1, SECRET FILES GUIDE TO THE DC UNIVERSE 2000 #31, SUPERMAN: OUR WORLDS AT WAR SECRET FILES #1, JSA SECRET FILES #2, THE FLASH SECRET FILES #3, THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH SECRET FILES #1, BATGIRL SECRET FILES #1 and HAWKMAN SECRET FILES #1.
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Congratulations; this is long overdue and well-deserved. It’ll be on my pre-order list for sure!
Comment by collectededitions 08.16.11 @ 5:54 pmHey there Michael
One suggestion was to eventually do a massive volume of every Batman story I was involved in, in publication order, and with commentary by me in front of each story arc. The commentary I think would make this book idea more interesting and place it into an analysis point of view. So the older material becomes more digestive and synonymous through observation of the art progression and growth.
I’m in awe of how well put together this collection is. Collecting the ten issues is one thing, but to add in all the short stories is fantastic! The only one I’ve ever read was “Rumors and Facts” in the JSA Secret Files, so there will be a lot of this that’s new to me. I can’t wait!
Did including Cameron and the DEO in Batwoman help spur this collection on?
If you need commitments for that Batman volume of your work, I’m ready and waiting!
Comment by Adam Farrar 08.17.11 @ 8:55 amAbout time! Congrats Jim, I know how much you have wanted this. It is a long due and well deserved collection.
Comment by Scott 08.17.11 @ 2:32 pmHello there Adam
I’m glad you like what the Chase collection is going to have. The extras are something I pushed for when the possibility came up of doing this book. Part of the hold up on getting this into book form was definitely the fact that there wasn’t anything for it to coincide with for new material. So yeah, you’re probably right on the Batwoman connection.
Hey there Scott
Thanks very much. I hope new readers will find enjoyment with it as much as the readers who are already familiar with the series’ past.
Hey J3 – Congrats! Any chance you’ll be selling signed copies? Or should I just toddle off the amazon and order my copy?!
Comment by Pam 08.27.11 @ 8:13 amLoved Chase hated when it was canceled. Am the proud owner of an original piece of art featuring Chase and Batman from Batman #550
Will this Tpb have a new cover?
Comment by Alex 10.02.11 @ 2:58 pm[…] But occasionally, there’s something they’ve overlooked that finally makes it back into a print collection. And this December it’s time for Chase. Much to the pleasure of series artist J.H.Williams III in a blog post simply entitled “Finally“. […]
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About Time. And it looks like it will have some material even I wasn’t able to get my hands on yet.
Comment by Michael 08.16.11 @ 5:48 pmNow a comprehensive set that shows the entire arc of your career through comics should be next.