DC comic books come to Dollar Tree

In mid-December, a trip to the local discount store Dollar Tree revealed a new fixture—a blue, cardboard standup rack emblazoned with DC Comics’ new/old bullet logo and packed with a bunch of DC back catalog comics.

The comics are all reprints mostly from the last decade or so. Each is a No. 1 issue featuring a character or team that is important to DC’s comics strategy. Sadly, very little Tim Drake or Connor Kent rep here. That aside, it is a very good selection of new material that lets new comics readers sample the material or old-time readers to pick up a few old favorites.

The comics come as a single issue in a clear plastic sleeve for $1.25. They contain mostly no ads, save for Heroic Deals (likely part of the distribution partner for this initiative) and DC's own graphic novels and DC Universe Infinite subscription service.

It has been reported that there are two initial waves of comics planned, the other happening in January. After visiting four Dollar Trees, three of them carried the comics. Two had just recently been put in place and the third was nearly wiped out.

The concept is very good as it makes comics available to kids and adults alike that would never have access to comics. In our midwest location, the nearest comic book shop is nearly 100 miles away, one way. Since stores like Barnes & Noble and Vintage Stock ceased selling new comics, that leaves only local, mom and pop comic book stores to sell weekly floppies. For people like me, that means I have to use a mail order system or go digital. I’m very in tune to comics, but most people aren’t—and without these attempts to get back into stores regular people visit (Walmart, Dollar Tree, etc.) the general masses will forget the comic book even still exists.

There appears to be 38 different comics represented in the first wave. Those are listed below based on what we've been able to locate (and in some cases pick up) at our Dollar Trees. There was some confusion about the "Rebirth" issues. These are not alternate covers, rather they are different books with similar titles. The confusion centers around the one-shot "Rebirth" issues at the launch of that initiative that was then followed by the launch of a regular series with the same title.

• DC Universe Rebirth Aquaman

• Aquaman Rebirth

• Batman '89

• The New 52 Batman & Robin

• DC Universe Rebirth Batman

• Batman Adventures

• Batman Rebirth

• The New 52 Batman: Eternal

• Batman: The Brave & The Bold

• Batman: The Joker War

• Green Arrow Rebirth

• Dawn of DC Green Arrow

• DC Universe Rebirth Green Arrow

• Green Lantern Corps Rebirth

• Green Lantern: War Journal

• Dawn of DC Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps

• DC Universe Rebirth Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps

• Harley Quinn Rebirth

• DC Universe Rebirth Harley Quinn

• Justice League Rebirth

• Nightwing Rebirth

• DC Universe Rebirth Nightwing

• The New 52 Nightwing

• DC Universe Rebirth Suicide Squad

• Suicide Squad Rebirth

• The New 52 Suicide Squad

• DC Universe Rebirth Super Sons

• Superman Rebirth

• DC Universe Rebirth Superman

• Teen Titans Rebirth

• DC Universe Rebirth Teen Titans Rebirth

• The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries “Racing Back into Action” cover

• The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries (Batman, Shaggy, Scooby against wall” cover)

• The Flash

• DC Universe Rebirth The Flash

• The New 52 The Flash Rebirth

• DC Universe Rebirth Wonder Woman

• Wonder Woman Rebirth