Back in August of 2004, DC Comics released the first volume of DC ACTION HEROES Archives. It reprinted Ditko's Captain Atom stories from the very early 1960s, as well as his return to the title in the mid 1960s. The volume reprinted up to Issue #82 (the book restarted at #78), leaving the remaining issues (up to #89), Ditko's Charlton work on his Blue Beetle character, and his creation The Question, unavailable in the Archives format.

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This has all changed as of May 23rd, 2007. Volume 2 - a massive 388 page tome - brings to a close DC's reprinting of those Ditko-driven characters from the 1960s Charlton material. I was commissioned by DC Comics to assist in providing materials for the book. Click HERE to see an enlarged version of the front cover.

Below is a list of the complete contents. One note: the Nightshade stories that appeared as back ups in Captain Atom will not be appearing in this volume. These are Ditko driven volumes (Jim Aparo drew those stories) and the page count is already very high. It will also include an introduction by famed artist and 1960s Charlton editor extraordinaire, Dick Giordano.

CAPTAIN ATOM
#83 : Nov '66
Cover (Mastroserio inks)
''Finally Falls The Mighty'' (18 pages) : Mastroserio inks.
''The Blue Beetle'' (7 pages - 1st app.)

#84 : Jan '67
Cover (Mastroserio inks)
''After The Fall A New Beginning'' (18 pages) : Mastroserio inks.
''The Blue Beetle'' (7 pages)

#85 : Mar '67
Cover (Mastroserio inks)
''Strings Of Punch And Jewelee'' (18 pages) : Mastroserio inks.
''The Blue Beetle'' (7 pages)

#86 : Jun '67
Cover (Mastroserio inks)
''The Fury Of The Faceless Foe'' (18 pages) : Mastroserio inks.
''The Blue Beetle'' (7 pages)

#87 : Aug '67
Cover (Mastroserio inks)
''The Menace Of The Fiery-Icer'' (18 pages) : Mastroserio inks.

#88 : Oct '67
Cover (McLaughlin inks)
''Ravage Of Ronthor'' (18 pages) : McLaughlin inks.

#89 : Dec '67
Cover (McLaughlin inks)
''Thirteen'' (18 pages) : McLaughlin inks. [Cover - McLaughlin inks]

BLUE BEETLE
#1 : Jun '67
Cover
''Blue Beetle Bugs The Squids'' (18 pages).
''The Question'' (7 pages)

#2 : Aug '67
Cover
''The End Is A Beginning'' (18 pages)
''The Question'' (7 pages)

#3 : Oct '67
Cover
''The Madmen'' (18 pages)
''The Question'' (7 pages)

#4 : Dec '67
Cover
''The Men Of The Mask'' (18 pages)
''The Question'' (8 pages)

#5 : Nov '68
Cover
''Destroyer Of Heroes'' (18 pages)
''The Question'' (8 pages)

MYSTERIOUS SUSPENSE
#1 : Oct '68
- ''The Question'' (25 pages)
Note: intro page, signed as Rocke Mastroserio, will be reprinted as well.

CHARLTON PORTFOLIO
#nn : 1974
''A Specter Is Haunting Hub City'' (18 pages)
Note: entire story (for cancelled Blue Beetle #6) will remain in B&W. Indicia on inside indicates this is issue #9 and 10 combined. Published by CPL/Gang Publications (a fan group) with consent of Charlton.

CHARLTON BULLSEYE
#1 : 1975
''Showdown in Sunuria'' (10 pages) : Byrne inks (for cancelled Captain Atom #90)
Note: also reprinted will be cover to this issue by Al Milgrom.

#2 : 1975
''Two Against Sunuria'' (11 pages) : Byrne inks (for cancelled Captain Atom #90)
Note: entire story will remain in B&W

#5 : Jul-Sep '76
Cover by Alex Toth only
"The Question" (8 pages) with art by Alex Toth only (no Ditko art on cover or story).
Note: entire story will remain in B&W. Published by CPL/Gang Publications (a fan group) with consent of Charlton.

It is unknown if DC Comics will ever reprint the other Action Heroes material. Demand is questionable, as the characters (unlike the Ditko driven ones) don't have high visibility in the current DC Universe. Their artistic creators also lack the pedigree of a Steve Ditko, making those works difficult to market. Please check back as we get more updates on this volume!
- Blake Bell