DC’s The Source blog revealed today that DC plans to reprint the 1978 72-page All-New Collectors’ Edition: Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. A special oversized comic book based on an original story by Dennis O’Neil which was adapted by Neal Adams, with pencils by Adams, and figure inks by Dick Giordano with background inks by Terry Austin.

The plot of the comic sees the Man of Steel and the heavyweight champion teaming up to defeat an invasion of Earth, when Rat’Lar, the maniacal leader of a species of aliens called the Scrubb, demands that Earth’s greatest champion fight the greatest fighter of their world.

The comic book has become a collectors’ item in recent years, mostly due to the fact that it could not be reprinted, because of changes in intellectual property law that prohibited the use of celebrity faces in media or artwork they do not personally endorse. This was a huge issue, because as well as featuring Ali, the wraparound cover shows a host of late 1970s celebrities and politicians, including Kirk Alyn, Lucille Ball, Sonny Bono, Johnny Carson, Cher, Ron Howard, Jack Larson, Noel Neill, Tony Orlando, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, Christopher Reeve, Wayne Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Wolfman Jack, The Jackson 5, Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, Gerald Ford, Pelé, Don King, Joe Namath, Kurt Vonnegut, and David Keim; as well as several Warner and DC employees, such as Neal Adams, Terry Austin, Cary Bates, William Gaines, Jenette Kahn, Gil Kane, Dennis O’Neil, Joe Orlando, Julius Schwartz, Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel, and Bob Wiacek

Something has obviously changed though, because this latest announcement from DC reveals that the publisher will be reprinting the special in two formats: The first is a deluxe hardcover edition featuring an expanded sketch section and additional content with a new cover by Adams, and the second is a limited edition hardcover in the original trim-size with the complete, original cover of the landmark issue.

Both collections will be released some time in the Autumn of 2010.

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