DC to Publish ‘Watchmen,’ Other Classics Under Black Label Imprint

DC announced plans to move classic graphic novel collections such as Watchmen to DC Black Label, a newly launched imprint dedicated to attracting celebrated creators to produce standalone stories based on DC’s iconic characters.

DC will now publish such works as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Watchmen, Moore’s The Killing Joke, Darwyn Cooke’s The New Frontier, Paul Pope’s Batman Year 100 and other classics, under its Black Label imprint. Looking to redefine its superhero storytelling for a new generation of fans, DC launched Black Label earlier this year in an effort to expand the range of its storytelling as well as its reach into the book trade.

Black Label is an effort to encourage a distinguished slate of new creators to produce new standalone, out-of-continuity stories much like the bestselling classic backlist works being added to the line. Black Label will also begin releasing original works this year as well as taking over the publishing of some of DC’s most acclaimed backlist graphic novels.

Other DC classic graphic novels that will be published under Black Label include, Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Geoff Loeb and Tim Sale’s Catwoman: When in Rome, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman, and Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s The Joker: Deluxe Edition, among other works.

“The DC Black Label line will house the best and most evergreen stories from DC,” DC Publisher Dan DiDio said. “The company has a long history that includes some of the most recognizable and renowned storytelling in comics and we want to honor that history by putting them under one banner.”