By Daniel Dern: Attention (Wildstorm) PLANETARY fans[2] — good (’nuff) news: DC Comics has been continuing the adventures of (some of) our favorite “archeologists of the impossible,” (now) in DC’s OUTSIDERS series/title.[3]

(Wikipedia’s PLANETARY entry says “The DC series…revived the premise of Planetary in the DC Universe,” which is also try, but there’s (some) character continuity, so I’d argue it’s not just a premise-revival.)

OUTSIDERS (“Unearthing the secrets of the DC Universe”) was/is part of DC’s 2023 “Dawn of DC” era/reboot/event/whatchamacallit, following DC’s ubergrim Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths and Lazarus Planet “events”). As of July 2024, OUTSIDERS is up to Issue #8.

THE SEMI-RETURN OF THE PLANETARYANS, WITHIN THE DCU[4]

Planetary-wise, DC OUTSIDER issues 1-6 are about the Planetary connection (with the focus largely on DC mysteries and secrets in the wakes of (DC’s) (perhaps overly) frequent “events,” reboots, and such. Oy and sigh.

In DC-ville, the core group of O’s consists of Batman/Gotham regulars Kate (Batwoman) Kane[5] and Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox…joined by Planetary’s Jakita Wagner, here going by the name “The Drummer.” (Yes, Planetary-savvy fans, this apparent mismatch gets explained, a few issues in.)

Bits/things I like so far include the explicit multiverse/event/continuity references, e.g., in Issue 7, page 12, seeing binders (or file boxes?) marked “52,” “Convergence,” and “Rebirth,” And elsewhere, the rooms where discontinued/non-“continuity” characters are hanging out… somewhat similar to Grant Morrison’s ANIMAL MAN and MULTIVERSITY, DC’s ZERO HOUR, possibly SANDMAN (I’d have to check). (And some Marvel stuff like Spider-Gwen, Deadpool, and, arguably, some of John Byrne’s early She-Hulk.)

(BTW, a new plot arc just started in Outsiders Issue #7, so far with Kate Kane, Virginia “Jinny” Hex (first seen in and a member of the current (2019, first dozen issues written by Brian Bendis) Young Justice series), and Jinny’s great-great-grandpappy Jonah Hex (or his ghost).

My personal opinion is that the DC re-instantiation/continuation of Planetary isn’t (yet) a match for the original Ellis/Cassady opus. But that’s a higher bar than I’d expect…and leaves a lot of room for “good enough” through “damn good.”

GETTING DC’S OUTSIDERS (TO OWN OR BORROW)

If you’ve read some of my other reviews, you know I like to make it easy to find what I’m recommending, in a mix of (legitimately) free or affordable, to spare you redigging some of the rabbit-holes I’d dug.

If you’re partial to reading comics, as in “those individual, often flimsier-papered, issues, sadly costing far more than a 1950’s dime,” particularly a full “arc” (plotline), you should be able to buy the (physical) issues from your local comic shop (or, if you aren’t near one, online). Or perhaps you have a friend who’s already bought ’em, and will let you read them, after you’ve washed and dried your hands.

If you like to read/own comics collected into a single physical book (“graphic novel”), you’ll have to wait until November 19, 2024, for Outsiders Vol. 1, Planet of the Bat, the 160-page paperback. (Or submit a “buy this” request to your library sooner.)

If you want it sooner (like today!), (legit) ways to get it digitally include via DC’s Universe Infinite digital streaming service (DC offers a one-week free trial, and like Marvel’s streaming comic offering, well worth the price if tis your jam), and Amazon/Kindle (full price). No issues are currently in HooplaDigital or Kindle Unlimited; odds are that Hoopla, at minimum, will have it around when the paperback comes out.

Curious/interested in the Wildstorm Ellis/Cassady PLANETARY? Keep reading (below). (Warning: snake’s-hands and Internet rabbit-holes). (Including where-to-get-it links.) (And feetnotes.)

SOME BACKSTORY ETC. FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T ALREADY PLANETARY-SAVVY

The original Wildstorm PLANETARY series was written by Warren Ellis (author of THE AUTHORITY, GLOBAL FREQUENCY, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, and bunches of Marvel and DC supes titles) and illustrated by John Cassady (my other favorite by him:, the art for Joss Whedon’s ASTONISHING X-MEN, Vol 3 2004 2013 (#1-24 and Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1, if I’ve sussed this out correctly — collected in Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection Books 1 and 2 (Astonishing X-Men (2004-2013)).

PLANETARY takes place within the Wildstorm universe (Wildverse? Wildstormverse?) which also includes/included Wildstorm’s WildC.A.T.s, StormWatch, Henry Bendix (boo!), Apollo and Midnighter, The Authority, the Bleed, and Gen13.

(Most of these titles I discovered/read belatedly, not-in-orderly, and not all of, making it harder to fit the pieces together…IIRC, I started my IMAGE journey by seeing a large-format collection of THE AUTHORITY, in the Brookline (Mass) library’s Graphics Novels shelves.)

Rather than (for the most part) conventional superheroing, Jakita Wagner, The Drummer, and Elijah Snow (and other Planetary field agents and office staff) are investigating the secret history of the (world/20th century/etc). Many issues end with their possibly-catchphrase, “It’s a strange world, let’s keep it that way.” Each or near-each issue iterates through various sf/fantasy/comic tropes and artistic styles, including Doc Savage, the Baltimore Gun Club, Sherlock Holmes, Wonder Woman, the Fantastic Four, Thor, John Constantine… to name a few. (I haven’t gone looking for a comprehensive web list.) Also, monsters, dinos, supercomputers, alien spaceships, a lost city or two. And possibly robots, I lose track. Perhaps most impressively (to me, at least) is how disparate plot points build and come together. And the artwork. Sorry, words fail me; just read the (comic) book(s) and savor.

PLANETARY #1 debuted in 2009, after a “preview” appearance in IMAGE’s September 1998 issues of Gen13 (#33) and C-23 (#6); the series concluded in #27, thankfully bringing plotlines and character arcs to a definitive, satisfying, albeit open-ended, finale.

There are also three 50-ish page Planetary team-up/cross-over/”Elseworlds-like” one shots (all recommended by me) (and collected into the 160-ish page PLANETARY: CROSSING WORLDS book):

• Planetary/Authority: Ruling the World (2000), with the Authority, and fitting into the Planetary plotline
• Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta is an Elseworlds-class (non-continuity) story, with lots of DC/JLA supes.
• Planetary/The Batman: Night on Earth – I don’t think this is part of the Planetary storyline, but it fits within their continuity/canon. If you’ve read enough Batman over the years/decades (and watched at least a few of the Adam West TV episodes), you’ll get an even better kick out of this, but it’s not essential knowledge.

It also turns out (as in, web-searching for PLANETARY book links for below), there’s (at least?) one book about PLANETARY,  Keeping the World Strange: A Planetary Guide. At three bucks for the PDF (or $2.99 for Kindle, $11.99/paperback via Amazon), I’ve just e-purchased an e-copy.[6] (And the post-purchase process at that side shows a lot of other about-sf/comic-related books!)

FROM IMAGE/WILDSTORM TO DC: THE MIS-RULES OF CONTINUITY ACQUISITION

(Disclaimer: I’m seeing some minor-to-me differences in fact/phrasing on the Wildstorm-to-DC-today reporting and recaps. More informed people are welcome to correct in the comments.)

Wildstorm began as an independent company (or a part of Image, which was one); according to Wildstorm’s Wikipedia entry, with PLANETARY being one of Wildstorm’s titles.

In 2008, DC acquired Wildstorm and, over time, merged/shuffled (some of) that universe, i.e., putting Apollo, Midnighter, the Bleed, etc. into the main DCU with they would interact with, team up with/argue with Justice League and others, and also, IIRC, bringing along bad guy Henry Bendix. I don’t agree with these decisions (and it looks like the fuller story is too complicated and messy to try to summarize — and get right — here), but Nobody Asked Me. (On the other hand, this let us get the Adam Hughes/Lee Bermejo four-issue (also collected Superman/Gen13 crossover miniseries (available as in book form — which I snagged a few years ago, easier to bookshelf-file than my copies of the four individual issues) , which remains one of my favorite comic re-reads. Great art!)

Here’s a short excerpt of the Wildstorm-to-DC twisty path, from Wikipedia’s Wildstorm entry:

DC shut down the Wildstorm imprint in December 2010. In September 2011, the company relaunched its entire superhero line with a rebooted continuity in an initiative known as The New 52, which included Wildstorm characters incorporated into that continuity with its long-standing DC characters.

In February 2017 Wildstorm was revived as a standalone universe with The Wild Storm, by writer Warren Ellis. However, the characters were reintroduced to DC continuity in 2021.

(If you want to simultaneously make your head hurt and eyes glaze over from the, um, crossover of business amateur wrestling and continuity contortion, read the full entry and/or other web-findable info.)

THE PLANETARY BUYER/BORROWER… [7]

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading PLANETARY, here’s some of the obvious places to borrow/buy it (mostly in book/e-book forms).

The good news is that they’re all readily and affordably available (although there are a few tonier choices).

Here’s the things themselves:

Single-Issues: Planetary #1-27, and Planetary/Authority, Planetary/JLA, and Planetary/Batman are all available in their original single-issue format, in print (local comic shop back-issue stock, maybe, and online, I’m sure), and digitally (DCUniverse, Hoopla, and, cost-ineffectively, Amazon/Kindle).

Book (“graphic novel”) collections:

Issues #1-27 have been collected; first, into four Volumes:

• Planetary Vol. 1: All Over The World And Other Stories (Issues #1-6, and the Gen13/C-23 “preview,” 160 pages)
• Planetary Vol. 2: The Fourth Man (Issues #7-12, 144 pages)
• Planetary Vol. 3: Leaving The 20th Century (Issues #13-18, 144 pages)
• Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology (Issues #19-27, 224 pages)

and then (recollected/aggregated) into two Books:

• Planetary Book One (Issues #1-14, 426 pages)
• Planetary Book Two (Issues 15-27, 436 pages)

and then upscaled into ABSOLUTE editions of Books One and Two (higher quality and sometimes larger than the originals, and with some extras like introductions, alternate covers, preliminary art, script pages, etc)…

…and then all 27 issues and extras neutroniomly combined into an 864-page, five-and-a-half pound OMNIBUS…

…which has been upscaled and added to, into the 880-page, 9.75″x3″x15″, 10.2-pound ABSOLUTE PLANETARY, collecting Gen13 #33, Planetary #1-27, Planetary Vol. 1: All Over the World and Other Stories, Planetary/Batman: Night On Earth #1, Planetary Vol. 2: The Fourth Man, Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories, Planetary: Crossing Worlds, Planetary Vol. 3: Leaving the 20th Century, Absolute Planetary Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology, and (deep inhale!) Wildstorm: A Celebration of 25 Years.

(Feel free to hum or filk the last couplet of Prof. Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements.”)

(Note, a quick check, via my DCUniverse sub, shows that Planetary’s only appearance in Wildstorm/Celebration is a one-page illo.)

One quasi-cautionary note re the 10-pound Absolute edition: I was able to library-borrow a copy, and quickly discovered that (as someone who likes reading comics/iPadding while recumbent, it’s somewhat too heavy for comfort. If I wanted a 10-pound object on my ribcage, I’d have a cat.

Buying/Borrowing Print:

To read but not own, try your local library (and its network). (Mine has dead-tree copies of Vols. 1-4 and the Crossing Worlds collection.)

Wanna buy’n’own? Your local comic shop or bookstore (independent, if possible) either has or should be able to get pretty much everything (except possibly the OMNIBUS or some ABSOLUTE editions). If not, try the usual online suspects.

Consume digitally? (Assuming you have a device suitable for reading comics.) Good options here Hoopla (free — you’ll just need an account with a participating public library), DCUuniverse (you’ll need a paid account, but the price is right), or Amazon/Kindle.  Here’s some links (chosen for “fewest-clicks to read ‘em all):

• HooplaDigital’s got ’em all  (except the Omnibus/Absolutes). You can do it in three “borrows” (reminder, Hoopla has a per-user borrows-per-month limit): Planetary Book One, Planetary Book Two and Crossing Worlds.
• Via DC’s Universe streaming service, Planetary 1-25 and the 3 “Crossing Worlds” one-shots, in your choice of single-issues, omnibus or volume.

Enjoy!

(It’s a strange comic book, let’s keep it that way.)

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Feetnotes:

[1] Yes, that’s a Doc Smith/Lensmen title reference. There’s a Cordwainer Smith reference further down, did you catch it?

[2] I know there’s at least a few fellow Planetary fans among Filers, based on Scroll Items/Comments over the past few years.

[3] Not to be confused with DC’s BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS or THE OUTSIDERS titles/series, although there’s some character and concept overlaps.) Also no relation to S.E. Hinton’s book and now also musical, THE OUTSIDERS.

[4] Not their term for it; mine appears to be its first usage.

[5] As opposed to Kathy Kane, DC’s first Batwoman, which, in some of DC’s hiccupping continuity/reboots, there’s some generational/DNA relations/relationships. My friend Alan Brennert wrote one of the most memorable and moving Kathy Kane/Batwoman stories, “Interlude on Earth-Two,” The Brave and the Bold #182, Jan. 1982, art by Jim Aparo (collected in various anthology books, including DC’s 2016 all-Brennert collection, TALES OF THE BATMAN.

[6] I sprung for the $3 after not finding it on Hoopla, my local library network, or the Massachusetts library network. So of course, then searching OCLC’s WorldCat catalog, I see copies in eight non-Massachusetts libraries, ranging (in distance from me, thanks to one of WorldCat’s more engaging features) from Virginia to Israel.

[7] Cordwainer Smith reference, per [1].