DC Special Series is one of DC's most complicated series. Like some of the company's previous efforts such as DC Special and Super DC Giant, DC created an umbrella title to publish one-shot Giants featuring varied material. DC Special Series is interesting in that the publication format varied from issue-to-issue and the umbrella title and numbering system did not appear on the cover.

When DC Special Series began in 1977, DC had two Giant formats 48-Page Giants and Dollar Comics. DC Special Series #1 was a one-shot Dollar Comic entitled 5-Star Super-Hero Spectacular. It contained 80 pages with no ads for $1. The title "DC Special Series" appeared only on the first page in the indicia.

When DC Special Series #2, featuring reprints of Swamp Thing, arrived just one week later, it was published in the 48-Page Giant format, saddle-stitched for 60¢. Issues 3 and 4 were also in the 48-Page Giant format, but #5 (Superman Spectacular) returned to the Dollar Comic format.

The format of DC Special Series continued to alternate between the 48-Page Giant and Dollar Comic design until the DC Implosion. #16 (Jonah Hex) was the last of the specials, and the series appeared to have been cancelled with the Implosion.

Almost a year later, DC Special Series #17 appeared in Dollar Comic format to continue the Wein/Wrightson run of Swamp Thing reprints. DC was also pioneering the Digest format with Best of DC Digest. Two issues of DC Special Series were published in digest format at 95¢.

Three additional Dollar Comic format issues of DC Special Series were released over the next year at irregular intervals. Six months later DC used DC Special Series to test a slimmer digest format for 75¢. These two digests would be the only ones DC published at that price.