Justice League Recommendations from r/DCcomics
Starting Points: The New Frontier - The World's Greatest Superheroes
Greatest Hits: JLA - Kingdom Come
Further Reading: International - /Power Rangers
Shazam!
Black Lightning
Hawkman
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"One of the greatest comics ever written, The New Frontier takes a look the political climate of 1950s America, and examines how these larger-than-life superheroes would react. The old guard makes way for the new, and heroes are born out of the conflicts, foreign and domestic, that ravaged America. It's especially great for fans of Hal Jordan and Martian Manhunter, as they receive substantial character arcs."
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"This is one of the widely loved stories of how the Justice League of America came together, one that noticeably doesn't focus on the Trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. This makes for an excellent introduction to the JLA run from Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and Joe Kelly (see below) that defined the Justice League for ages to come."
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(2018) #1-39
"Scott Snyder rebuilds the Justice League as an expansive organization that responds to both worldwide and cosmic threats. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor plots against them with his Legion of Doom, a collection of rogues seeking to exploit the forces that bind the world together. The League roster begins with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (John Stewart), Aquaman, Cyborg, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter.
For background reading, look up Dark Days: The Road to Metal, Dark Nights: Metal, and Justice League: No Justice."
Collected in three deluxe editions, or:
- Volume 1: The Totality (#1-7)
- Volume 2: Graveyard of Gods (#8-12)
- Volume 3: Hawkworld (#13-18)
- Volume 4: The Sixth Dimension (#19-28)
- Volume 5: Justice/Doom War (#29-39)
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"This is an anthology of one-shot graphic novels that see how the heroes of the Justice League would combat not supervillains, but the problems of the real world. Sometimes, superpowers aren't enough, and heroes must embrace their own humanity to make a difference in the world. This anthology series gives readers a powerful impression of who these heroes are underneath the masks, and what they truly stand for."
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"Beginning with Grant Morrison, JLA paved the way for continuity-driving Justice League stories by incorporating as many heroes as possible, creating a cohesive superhero community. Morrison is followed up by another comic legend in Mark Waid, who wrote the famous "Tower of Babel" story arc, and then later Joe Kelly, who demonstrated how wide the League network goes with "The Obsidian Age". Fair warning: JLA is tied closely to the events of its time, so don't be shocked if you see a blue electric Superman. The core roster consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter."
Collected in 9 volumes.
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"From the all-star creative team of Morrison and Quitely comes a Justice League story about the Crime Syndicate, the evil counterpart of the Justice League from an antimatter universe."
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"A Justice League story set in its own continuity, Justice is a modernized Justice League story starring characters as they were portrayed back in the 60s (known fondly as the Silver Age). In this story, the League faces off with the Legion of Doom, a team-up of the heroes' most iconic villains."
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"52 details the year-long aftermath of Infinite Crisis, a huge continuity-shattering event that left heroes grieving. 52 isn't a traditional superhero story, but rather series that follows several B- and C-list characters as they cope and recover from loss, while the Trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman take a year-long sabbatical. Several storylines are at play here. Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, struggles to cope with the death of his wife. The Question Vic Sage pulls disgraced cop Renee Montoya out of alcoholism. Booster Gold solves a time-traveling mystery. Black Adam reforms Kahndaq with some help. And a new hero Batwoman arrives on the scene."
Collected in two deluxe volumes, or four regular ones.
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"Beginning with Kong Kenan, a young delinquent given the powers of Superman from the secretive Ministry of Self-Reliance, New Super-Man chronicles the formation of a Chinese Justice League, built from the stones of Asian culture, mythology, and politics."
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Made in China
- Volume 2: Coming to America
- Volume 3: Equilibrium
+ New Super-Man and the Justice League of China
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"Kingdom Come asks the question of what happens when the old generation loses hope, and the new generation loses their way. An aged and cynical Superman reforms a new league with familiar friends to confront a group of younger, immoral superheroes."
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(1987-1996) #1-60
Collected in two omnibuses, or Born Again and six volumes.
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Followed up with I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League!
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(2006-2011) #0-12
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By Geoff Johns
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Origin
- Volume 2: The Villain's Journey
- Volume 3: Throne of Atlantis
- Volume 4: The Grid
- Trinity War
- Forever Evil
- Volume 5: Forever Heroes
- Volume 6: Injustice League
- Darkseid War Essential Edition
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Collected in:
- Volume 1: Yesterday Lives
- Volume 2: The Camelot War
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"From comic legends Paul Dini and Alex Ross, Power of Hope is, as it says on the tin, an inspirational story about Captain Marvel putting his massive heart on display."
Collected in The World's Greatest Super-Heroes
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By Geoff Johns
"This origin, written for the rebooted New 52 timeline, retells the story of Billy's encounter with the Wizard. It's notable for giving Billy somewhat more of an abrasive personality with a hidden kindness underneath, and for officially changing the name of Billy's alter-ego from Captain Marvel to Shazam. It also serves as the basis for the WB live action film starring Zachary Levi."
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"The Monster Society of Evil is an all-ages origin story in an alternate continuity that harkens back to the Golden Age, in which Captain Marvel was a separate personality from Billy Batson. Additional kids stories were written for this continuity under the title Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! (see below)."
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Partially collected in Book 1: In the Beginning
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Partially collected
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“Captain Marvel and The Day That NEVER Was!”
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“Return of the Thunder”
Collected in Infinite Earths Book 2
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"This is the original series that introduced Jefferson Pierce as Black Lightning. Tony Isabella would return to write the character multiple times (see below)."
Collected in two volumes.
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"Black Lightning's origin story has been modernized and explored more in-depth. This should be a good starting point if you're not into 70s art."
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(1983-1987) #1-32
"This is the classic run of the Outsiders, a multinational team formed by Batman after a successful operation in Markovia. It stars Batman, Black Lightning, Katana, Halo, Geo-Force, and Metamorpho."
Collected in three volumes.
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By Timothy Truman
"An excellent introduction to formed Wingman cop Katar Hol, it features an intriguing and complex look at a man who wants to make up for his own past mistakes and the darkness and cruelty ingrained in his culture."
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(2002-2006) #1-25
"Geoff Johns resurrects Carter Hall after a long absence. The DCU isn't the same place he left it in and there are mysteries about his own past to look into. Also features a lot of Kendra Saunders, Hawkgirl!"
Collected in two books.
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By Robert Venditti
"Hawkman finds himself with a new ongoing coming out of hit event Dark Knights: Metal! Writer Robert Venditti manages to elegantly work all of Hawkman's past lives together and puts him in new Indiana Jones-esque adventures spanning time and space."
Collected in:
- Volume 1: Awakening
- Volume 2: Deathbringer
- Volume 3: Darkness Within
- Volume 4: Hawks Eternal
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By John Ostrander
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Collected.
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Hawkman (2002-2006) #27
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