Hi! I have just started reading DC comics. Should I read new 52 comics first? Or should I read the comics from the beginning? Like The Flash Volume 1 (1940) ?
DC Comics
Originally known as "National Publications", DC is a publisher of comic books featuring iconic characters and teams such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League of America, and the Teen Titans, and is considered the originator of the American superhero genre. DC, along with rival Marvel Comics, is one of the "big two" American comic book publishers. DC Entertainment is a subsidiary of Warner Brothers and its parent company Warner Media.
Which DC comics should I read?
@superflash3124: To answer well you question you can read whay I posted here :
comicvine.gamespot.com/dc-comics/4010-10/forums/marvel-reader-getting-interested-in-dc-1786005/
But to guide you more, tell us what you like most ? What hero (flying, human, no human, monster, vilain) and what type of stories (sci-fy, detective, superpower, horror, fantastic, zombies, fights, adventures, gansters, ... )
Have fun, and I hope it helps !
Like The Flash Volume 1 (1940) ?
I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you are a tremendous fan of the character and are willing to put up with the different style with which comics were written back then. There's a lot of cheese and you have to put yourself in an old-timey, nostalgic mindframe.
That said, if you're a Flash fan I think the Flash Rebirth title by Williamson coming out in a few months has potential.
I think hitting the New 52 trade paperbacks are the way to go. You can get a (generally) excellent story arc from all of the main characters with great art at a reasonably manageable jumping in point. You would have to be pretty keen to start literally from issue 1 from the 1940s. And yes, they are corny as anything. Fun in short bursts, but very corny.
Like someone earlier mentioned, the book to pick up will largely depend on your personal tastes and what you're looking for. For instance, I love the underwater setting and the scope and potential of the ocean in Aquaman and the gothicism of the city in Batman, so those books happen to be my favourites.
If you don't want to wait for Rebirth then start with New 52.
I didn't read New 52 Flash but from what I read I can suggest:
Justice League
Batman
Green Lantern
Red Lanterns
Deathstroke vol. 2 of New 52
Catwoman Valentine's run only
Batman Eternal
No bad idea, start with the 1986 reboot, much better stories up to 2011.
If you'd like to go for the new52 here are my suggestion :
- Jutice league : only "Throne of Atlantis", "Forever Evil", and "Darkseid War"
- Batman: only "Court of Owls" and "The city of Owls"
- Green Lanterns : I heard any green lanterns family titles are good
- Catwoman Valentines's run
- Batman Eternal is not bad but Batman & Robin Eternal is better
- Flash: It is a real true reboot, nice ideas, but the story goes very slow
- Batman and Robin: best Batfamily title, must read "Born to kill", "Pearl", "Death of the Familly", and "Batman:incorporated (all books)"
- Swamp Thing: Charles Soule's run (from tpb 4 "Seeder")
- Martian Manhunter: I heard it very good
- Aquaman: I heard it's the best new52 title
I think hitting the New 52 trade paperbacks are the way to go. You can get a (generally) excellent story arc from all of the main characters with great art at a reasonably manageable jumping in point. You would have to be pretty keen to start literally from issue 1 from the 1940s. And yes, they are corny as anything. Fun in short bursts, but very corny.
Like someone earlier mentioned, the book to pick up will largely depend on your personal tastes and what you're looking for. For instance, I love the underwater setting and the scope and potential of the ocean in Aquaman and the gothicism of the city in Batman, so those books happen to be my favourites.
Like I stated before, exept for Swamp Thing, Aquaman and Batman the Owls arc, everything can be skipped and much better stories are to be found in pre-52 books.
But just follow my link above and you'll know it all.
Thank you all for the suggestions. I am finding them helpful. I am mostly looking to read the origin stories. I would like to read about The Flash, Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Justice league, Superman, Suicide Squad. I know these characters and teams, but I am also interested to read about more popular DC characters. If I go character wise, then I would like to read the complete story of The Flash, like from Jay Garrick to Kid Flash and so on. If I start reading New 52 stories, will I miss something from previous issues?
I am mostly looking to read the origin stories. I would like to read about The Flash, Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Justice league, Superman, Suicide Squad. I know these characters and teams, but I am also interested to read about more popular DC characters. If I go character wise, then I would like to read the complete story of The Flash, like from Jay Garrick to Kid Flash and so on. If I start reading New 52 stories, will I miss something from previous issues?
Origin stories are often interresting to read, but not always a must read. Again depending on each era (gold/silver age, modern age, new52), you have different origin story.
As you might or might not know, in July DC is doing a "Rebirth" event from what I understand, it is to revive all pre-new52 heroes (while keeping some ideas from new52). So bassicaly the New52 reboot is going to die and the modern age will be the current timeline.
For the New 52 in theorie it's a Reboot so no need to have read anything prior to 2011. But with Batman and Green Lantern the DC team decided to keep some pre-new52 things. The 4 robins for exemple. But again, it is not a necessity to have read anything else to understand the New52.
In the New52 timeline, most Trade #1 from each titles are the origin stories. For sure : Justice League, Flash, Aquaman, Swamp Thing, Suicide Squad. For Batman it is the Zero Year arc collected into 2 trades (But it's an awfull story). For the others I couldn't tell you.
In the moder age timeline, I can tell you that Batman's origin story is "Batman: Year one", a must read, and for the Justice League and the Suicide Squand you have to read the "Legends" crossover. For Wonder Woman it is "Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals".
@jb681131: Yes, I do know about the DC Comics Rebirth. I did read The Flash Vol 1 1940, #1, the story was slow and boring plus it has more than 104 issues. I also read Green Arrow vol 1 (1983), it was good. I will start with new 52, because I don't really want to read long issues, I like shorter stories that covers everything. Basically, I would like to go with modern age. And I forgot about Wonder Woman, I want to read that comics too.Thanks for guiding me.
I used the New 52 as my jumping off point as a regular reader, but before I picked up the ongoing stories I did some research and read some of the modern 'classics' like Batman: The Long Helloween, Year One, The Dark Knight Returns etc to get a sense of what's happening and what's important. I also got a collected edition of 1940s Batman stories to get a taster of the golden age material (which is frankly hilarious and awesome if you're into history which I am).
I tried a so called classic of Superman too by reading All Star Superman but just ended up confused and unsatisfied from that wacky book.
But I read a whole heap of New 52 trade paperback #1s to get my head around the problems the OP has mentioned. For the first time ever I read and fell in love with the Aquaman and Wonder Woman books but also made a point of reading Batman, Superman, Justice League, the Flash, Nightwing, Green Lantern (which I continued), so the New 52 was a good introduction for me.
Rebirth will be the real deal as I step it up as a collector of several titles.
It might not be the best if you don't know much about DC comics, but I think my favourite series in the New 52 reboot has been Grayson. The artwork is terrific and there's been a compelling and enjoyable story that has developed with each arc. It probably wouldn't take too much background research if you don't know the characters, all you really need to know is who Dick Grayson is and what has happened to him in the New 52.
It might not be the best if you don't know much about DC comics, but I think my favourite series in the New 52 reboot has been Grayson. The artwork is terrific and there's been a compelling and enjoyable story that has developed with each arc. It probably wouldn't take too much background research if you don't know the characters, all you really need to know is who Dick Grayson is and what has happened to him in the New 52.
I agree, exepte for Aquaman and Wonder Woman, the new52 is a good start.
As for Grayson, it is very good. I would recommand Aquaman and Charles Soule's run on Swamp Thing in the same level of good.
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