Curse You And Your DC Universe!!!

[JewishHobbit]

Okay guys, so after years and years of denying it... I've decided to become an official DC Comics fan/reader. I've always been a Marvel Zombie and hated DC, but never really gave it a shot. I was pulled in oddly after reading Identity Crisis (my brother-in-law made me) and I became a fan up until the end of Infinite Crisis. In that time I read a lot of DC and loved it all. However, it just got too expensive and I dropped it all with IC 7 so that I could keep reading Marvel's stuff.

However, since then I've been talking into reading Green Arrow/Black Canary, and I like it alright. Then I started reading Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps and I've gotten those all the way back to the beginning and love them. After quite a bit of convincing I've finally given Final Crisis a shot and am enjoying it and just yesterday bought all the Revelation tie-ins, DC Universe 0, Last Will And Testiment, and Requiem. I loved the last 3 (haven't read Revelations yet).

So here I am thinking about my buy list and how I don't even much care for most of the Marvel stuff I read anymore... but I find myself constantly wondering about the DC characters and their universe. I've even been digging into the history and bought all of Knightfall and the Death of Superman, and I plan on getting the rest of those stories through Troika and Superman's return (and it depresses me that I know abut the Troika arc now). And I got one issue of Emerald Dawn and I plan on getting the rest and just keep going on that title to current times.

So... I'm realizing here, that I'm more excited for DC than I've been for Marvel in years... and I realize.... "Crap... I'm becoming a DC Fan!" So I've just decided to embrase it. So Following Secret Invasion I will be doing a buy list revamping. I plan on dropping all the titles I don't really enjoy, including much of the X-Titles I've collected religiously over the past 17 years. I'm opening up my paycheck for quite a few DC books and I'm just going to follow them and enjoy the ride.

But now here's the question. I'm up to date on the Green Lantern series, and on Green Arrow post his "GA/BC" start. But that's really all I know about DC since the end of Infinite Crisis. If I were to try to go back and pick up where I left off with Infinite Crisis... what would be a good reading order of important and just flat out good titles/series? I figure if I start with "52" and then branch to some "One Year Later" titles, that'd be a good start, but what "One Year Later" titles were good and relevant? I hear JLA and JSA were both great and that Green Arrow was pretty good (and I already have Green Lantern's). Anything else worth getting?

After after that what should I look into getting? I hear a lot of rough things about Countdown and also how everything seems to be ignoring the book now so is it even worth my time looking it up and buying it? That's a lot of money for 52 issues not even necessary.

So just chat with me. Discuss. Help a converty out. What should I do and where should I go from here?

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Hobbit dont! dont throw away your FOOM card!!(that was friends of OL' Marvel card that you sent off for back in the day)Can't you enjoy both like i do and not just give up on Marvel completely. Think about what would Stan and Jack say! Oh the Humanity! The Human Suffering! The Anguish that Ditko must be going thru.....Oh well if you got too.i would pick up Manhunter and JSA.. those are pretty cool.. oh and JLA, but it's been so- so lately. i waiting for the Milestone cats to show up and then it will be on like donkey kong.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Personally, I think Blue Beetle is the best superhero comic DC's publishing. I'd also recommend Manhunter and Booster Gold.

 

[The Eagle Host]

Superman/Batman. The best DC's put out in years.

Blue Beetle took a monumental drop in quality since Rogers left. Sturges' stuff is decent at best. I'll be dropping it soon. Manhunter and Booster Gold both suck.

 

[Manic]

Wow. I never would've thought I'd see the day someone would cite Green Arrow/Black Canary as a reason for switching to DC. Of course, it's still a better read than either of the Avengers books, and adheres to continuity better than Spider-Man's Brand New Betrayal Of Readers Born After 1980. So I guess it makes sense.

 

[WompuM]

OYL Detective Comics was superb. Cooke's run on the Spirit was great (though not tied to the DCU, well maybe). Waid's Legion. umm....

skip Countdown for sure.

Johns' Action Comics have been very enjoyable. I might wait on Morrison's Batman. It's just a lot to take in.

Welcome to Brand Echhhh. Next thing you know, you'll be RomanCatholicHobbit.

 

[Doc Destruction]

Secret Six, both the old and the new series.

Trinity is worth a peek, too. And JSA.

And welcome to a broader sense of comic goodness!

 

[[A]]

Personally, I think Blue Beetle is the best superhero comic DC's publishing. I'd also recommend Manhunter and Booster Gold.

*takes note of the recommendation*

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

oops I forgot Flash's Rogue's Revenge.
that book is freaking good! i would pick that one up too.i cant believe you're going to turn your back on Cap.man what is the world coming too.

 

[CBG]

VERTIGO line.

'Nuff said.

 

[Keyser Soze]

ONE OF US! ONE OF US! Welcome to DC fandom.

I will repeat the recommendation for "Rogues Revenge". In my opinion, the best of all the "Final Crisis" tie-ins.

WompuM has some solid recommendations too. "Detective Comics" is a great, accessible Batman title, though I've been really enjoying Batman R.I.P. in "Batman" too. "Action Comics" has a really good arc going on right now, just got into that myself. "All-Star Superman" was brilliant stuff, though that's finished now.

But here's a title that no one has recommended here, if you're looking for something different: "Jonah Hex". I've just got into it recently, and I'm glad I did. It's a Western comic, that focuses mostly on self-contained single issue stories. Hex is just a total badass protagonist.

 

[JewishHobbit]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Hobbit dont! dont throw away your FOOM card!!(that was friends of OL' Marvel card that you sent off for back in the day)Can't you enjoy both like i do and not just give up on Marvel completely. Think about what would Stan and Jack say! Oh the Humanity! The Human Suffering! The Anguish that Ditko must be going thru.....Oh well if you got too.i would pick up Manhunter and JSA.. those are pretty cool.. oh and JLA, but it's been so- so lately. i waiting for the Milestone cats to show up and then it will be on like donkey kong.

Take a breath. Now release. Rest assured that I am not dropping Marvel completely, just some of the titles I don't like as much to make room for more DC. So I'll probably be buying 50/50 for now on. Here's how I think I'll break it down.

My Current Buy List
Uncanny X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
X-Men Legacy
Young X-Men
X-Force
X-Factor
Wolverine
Cable
Captain Britain & MI: 13
Deadpool
Nova
Guardians Of The Galaxy
New Avengers
Mighty Avengers
Avengers: The Initiative
New Warriors
Thunderbolts
Immortal Iron Fist
Hulk
Runaways
Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps
Green Arrow/Black Canary

The End League
Echo



Okay, first thing is that "The End League" started strong for me but has grown a bit boring. I'll give it another 2 or 3 issues and see what I think. If I'm still iffy on it, I'll drop it. So that's the non marvel/dc book I plan on probably dropping.

Now as for the Marvel stuff. I'll start with the X-Men corner:

Keep 100%
Uncanny X-Men - Gotta keep the mainstream X-Men Title. I'm curious where Fraction and Brubaker take the title.
X-Men Legacy - This has been good since the Xavier focus began and it's a core X-Title, so I'll stick on it for a while.
Young X-Men - I'm a sucker for student books.
Captain Britain & MI:13 - Not really an X-Book, but it fits. Anyhow... it's great and that's that.
New Warriors - Also not really an X-Book but might as well be. I love the book, but chances are it'll be soon canceled anyway. I don't expect it to last another 6 issues.

Drop
Astonishing X-Men - Whedon's rediculous delays killed the first run of this series for me and I was hoping Ellis would somehow make me feel better about it. However, 2 issues in and I just don't care. The art's nice but the costume designs kinda suck and I just don't care about the story in the slightest. And with Uncanny including so many characters this book just feels pointless, like it's just something extra that I don't really need. If it picks up then I may pick it up again, but for now it's gone. I'll miss Hisako though.

X-Factor - The art is killing me and i've been losing interest for a long time now. Siryn's pregnancy with Madrox's baby and the inclusion of Darwin interest me, but not enough to really keep me going. I might give it a few more issues to see where it goes, but chances are this title will be dropped.

Wolverine - I figure I'll keep reading through "Old Man Logan" as I'm really enjoying it. However, it's the first arc I've enjoyed since "Enemy Of The State". Wolverine just doesn't hold my attention by himself and I always find myself behind on this book. So once "Old Man Logan" is done, I'm done.

Cable - The 1st arc bored me, and the fact that the $5 King Size Cable one shot ties into the 2nd arc turned me off completely. The idea of spending $5 on a comic that is one of my least favorate titles I buy kills me and I just can't bring myself to do it, and once I miss a part of a story it's hard for me to keep going on that book. So unless this really starts tying in with something in Uncanny, I'm done with it as of now.

Maybe's
X-Force - I hate what Scott's doing with this team. The 1st arc was pretty good and this one is starting decent. I figure I'll give it to the end of this Vanisher arc and see where it goes. I'm on the fence about this title because though it's written well and is entertaining, I hate Cyclops in it and how he's portrayed. It may stay but we'll see.

Deadpool - I never cared enough for the character to buy an ongoing regularly. I wasn't planning on buying this one but the SI tie-ins made me give it a shot. I love the art, and surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed the story. I planned on dropping it after issue 3, but to be fair I think I'll keep it through the next arc or two. I figure another 5 or 6 issues should really tell me if it's worth my money.

Now For Avenger/Mainstream Marvel books

Just FYI... I recently dropped both Thor and Captain America. Both were drawn out and I just found myself not interested in either enough to keep going. Gave a year to each book and still didn't care, so those are both consider dropped books. I know Captain America's joining New Avengers and I hope Thor joins somewhere as well, as I do like the characters.

Also, it's hard to decide what to do with these until Secret Invasion finishes up. But for now here's what I'm thinking to the best of my knowledge.

Keep

Avengers: The Initiatve - This is probably the only 100% definate keeper. I love the book, the characters and everything about it. Slott's leaving but I do like Gage and he's done well helping with the book so far. I'm sticking on board for now.

New Avengers - I prefer the team over the Mighty Avengers 100%. A bonus is that Bucky's Captain America is joining the team and that excites me. A negative is that Iron Fist is leaving, who I loved and hoped would eventually do something productive. Also, I like to be up on the core events of Marvel and this seems to really be the spring boarding title of those events. It's the core team and title of the Marvel Universe, so I'll stick with it for now. It's on a short leash though, as I'm getting tired of Bendis' writing style.

Drop
Immortal Iron Fist - This may still be saved but chances are I'm dropping it soon. I loved it under Brubaker and Fraction, but the new guy just isn't doing as much for me. And I miss Aja's art. I think that really made the title (for when it was actually used). I've given the new guy 2 issues so far and I'll definately finish out the arc, but if it doesn't interest me any more by it's end I'll probably drop the book. The next arc doesn't sound like something I'd be interested in so no point in giving that one a shot as well. I figure I'll drop this one but keep an eye out, and if it seems like it's improving I can always swing back into it.

Thunderbolts - Similarly, I loved this under Ellis, but I just don't care enough about the characters to keep going after he's gone. The SI arc has been alright, but nothing great. I know I'm dropping it, it's just a question of when. I'd like to drop it after SI, but the arc after that seems to be finishing up the plot thread hanging by Ellis of Bullseye's revenge on Songbird, and that leads into the team's falling apart and Norman's gathering a new team. So I'll drop it either after SI or after the Songbird/Bullseye arc. It would have to take an awsome line up for me to keep going on it after they revamp the team. It's possible, but not probable.

Runaways - I dropped this book after Vaughn left it. I hated Whedon's delays and his story wasn't good enough to hold me. The SI Runaways/Young Avengers mini got me missing them so I've picked up the 1st 2 issues of the new series and it just isn't as good as I was hoping. I figure I'll give the first arc a shot to impress me but I'm about 99% sure it won't.

Maybes

Mighty Avengers - I was planning on dropping this 100%, but then suddenly Bendis leaves and Slott comes in. I love Slott. However, he says it's going to be a very Avengery title, and I've never really been into the Avengers until Bendis came on with the new Avengers. So that doesn't appeal to me. I guess I'll wait and see the line up. I'll probably give the first arc a shot. I'll make my official call after that. Slott can save this book for me. He couldn't save Spider-Man post OMD, but Mighty he can still deliver on. I'll actually give this one a shot for him.

Hulk - The mystery of the Red Hulk got my interest at first but now I'm just not caring as much. If they would have revealed who it was at the end of issue 6 then I would have dropped the book then, but since they didn't I figure I'll give it another few issues to keep me guessing. The story's been decent but not enough for me to really want to keep going long term, but it can still pick up. I figure one more arc then I'm done. Chance are it'll be dropped by issue 12.


And Now For The Cosmic Line!

Heh, what am I kidding myself? This is the best stuff Marvel has to offer! Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy are definate keepers as well as anything connected with them.


So that leaves me buying:
Uncanny X-Men
X-Men Legacy
Young X-Men
Avengers: The Initiative
New Avengers
Nova
Guardians Of The Galaxy
Captain Britain & MI:13
New Warriors

Potentially Dropping
X-Force
Deadpool
Mighty Avengers
Hulk
The End League

And Dropping
Astonishing X-Men
Cable
Wolverine
X-Factor
Thunderbolts
Immortal Iron Fist
Runaways


So that leaves me between 5 and 6 free spots for DC titles, potentially more. So in a long, round about way what I'm really saying is... Marvel's still on the map, but now so is DC.

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

Rest assured that I am not dropping Marvel completely, just some of the titles I don't .

ahhhhhhh cool everything is right with the world. Cap would be proud. oh and i also must seconded that you go pick up Vertigo too.Man! looking at your list it just dawn on me no wonder i never have any damn money.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

welcome to dc man...i too came into dc at the identity crisis stage...i am going to echo the others and say yes avoid 52 like the plague ...that was money wasted....also if u read 52 after your done you should defniately read the 6 issues of Black Adam...i thouroughly enjoyed the story and art was great IMO.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Thanks for the suggestions guy. For right now I want to focus on just mainstream stuff. So things like Jonas Hex and the Vertigo Line can maybe come later (though I'm iffy on the Vertigo stuff, as I'm a pretty PG-13 kinda guy).

Now, as someone new coming in... all these shout outs won't do me much good without more info. Titles don't help. So to try to keep things organized, I'll break some things down.

First thing, I'm interested in Batman but this whole R.I.P. thing has me confused. I hear that in order to get it, I need to read all of Morrison's run to understand it. Is this true? Also, is the main story in "Batman" all of it, or do I need to read the tie-ins? The "Detective" tie-in interests me because I did read "Hush" and liked the characters. What's everyone's thoughts on R.I.P. and any essential lead-in's that I may need to read to appreciate it?

Rogue's Revenge and Legion of 3 Worlds interests me because a) they're tie-ins and b) in regard to Lo3W, I like Superboy Prime. However, I know next to nothing about Legion and very little about the going ons of Flash. I know that Wally was lost somewhere and that Bart took over... but I guess Bart died and Wally's back. That's really all I know. Can I read those and get them without reading what's come before?

As for other ongoings... I'm interested in Secret Six, Shadowpact, JLA, and JSA. What's everyone's thoughts on those? Can I just jump into their books or should I go back to a certain point? And I've heard a few recommendations for Manhunter.... what the heck is Manhunter? Is it related to the Manhunters from Green Lantern?


Now... I'm also looking for help immediately post Infinite Crisis. As I said before.... I'll try to get and read "52" first, as it fills the void from Infinite Crisis and One Year Later, but what should I read from One Year Later and Why. Even if it's just an arc or two. Any minis or oneshots that are good? I've read the "Brave New World" oneshot I think it was called and there's some stories in there that interest me. How were their mini's that came out of it (Omac, Creeper, and Uncle Sam specifically)?

If you were to give me a read order starting with "52" what would it be? Anything leading into Final Crisis would also be helpful.


Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it.

 

[WompuM]

avoid 52? are you nuts? avoid countdown.

also, secret six and rogue's revenge were great recommendations.

 

[JewishHobbit]

welcome to dc man...i too came into dc at the identity crisis stage...i am going to echo the others and say yes avoid 52 like the plague ...that was money wasted....also if u read 52 after your done you should defniately read the 6 issues of Black Adam...i thouroughly enjoyed the story and art was great IMO.

Okay, so 52 and then the Black Adam mini. That's more like it. World War III tie's into 52. But I know there's some otherstuff that was suppose to tie-in. Are they worth reading? Are they important to the "52" storyline? etc.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

i feel that they are...WWIII somewhat leads into Black Adam. He's very central to the story

 

[CBG]

All those Marvel titles. . . and no Incredible Hercules? Really?

 

[JewishHobbit]

Just doesn't do it for me. I read the SI tie-in and it was cute, but not enough to keep me coming back. I was tempted, I'll admit, but I just haven't gone that route yet. I may yet though. Maybe on a slow week I'll give it a shot outside of Secret Invasion.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Ruckas' run on the first 25 or 26 (I forget) issues of Checkmate really opened my eyes. The arc after he left...wasn't TERRIBLE...but just when you are used to Ruckas' Checkmate stories...it makes you cry. I'm still waiting for that comic to get awesome again.

JSA has been, from issue 1, my single most favorite title in the comic industry.

Batman & The Outsiders is a title I look forward to anxiously each time I stop by my shop.

You are already reading Green Arrow/Black Canary, so you already know how that is.

If you liked Identity Crisis (for me, it is hands down one of my favorite stories) than you will love its "sequel" Crisis of Conscience. It is amazing.

52, WWIII, and the Black Adam mini were all amazing. 52 was supposed to explain the OYL gaps for a lot of characters...but kinda went its own way...but in a really good way. Avoid Countdown. It did the same thing 52 did (go off schedule) but in a terrible, inhumane way.

Also...this isn't DC but I noticed you don't read Daredevil. That is the only Marvel title I buy and it is the only comic where I can say I've loved every issue up from the first issue to the present time. I'd highly recommend that book.

 

[Keyser Soze]

First thing, I'm interested in Batman but this whole R.I.P. thing has me confused. I hear that in order to get it, I need to read all of Morrison's run to understand it. Is this true? Also, is the main story in "Batman" all of it, or do I need to read the tie-ins? The "Detective" tie-in interests me because I did read "Hush" and liked the characters. What's everyone's thoughts on R.I.P. and any essential lead-in's that I may need to read to appreciate it?

Others may tell you different, but from my experience, Batman R.I.P. works well on its own terms. Before R.I.P., I only read "Detective Comics", not "Batman". But I used Batman R.I.P. as my jumping-on point into "Batman", and just got drawn into the story right away. I never felt confused, or like I was missing most of the story. The story is SUPPOSED to be a mystery, so not knowing what's going on is the desired effect, not indicative that you MUST go back and read the rest of Morrison's run.

Having read and loved Batman R.I.P. thus far, I now WANT to go back and get the earlier Morrison Batman stuff. Apparently it enriches the experience of Batman R.I.P. But it is hardly essential for enjoying the arc. As for the tie-ins to R.I.P., I've been getting them all anyway, and I can tell you that - while mostly good stories in their own right - they are IN NO WAY essential, or even directly connected to what's going on in "Batman".

Rogue's Revenge and Legion of 3 Worlds interests me because a) they're tie-ins and b) in regard to Lo3W, I like Superboy Prime. However, I know next to nothing about Legion and very little about the going ons of Flash. I know that Wally was lost somewhere and that Bart took over... but I guess Bart died and Wally's back. That's really all I know. Can I read those and get them without reading what's come before?

Like you, I enjoy Superboy Prime, but know next to nothing about the Legion. I still found "Legion of Three Worlds" to be an entertaining read, though not as good as the best FC tie-ins. "Rogues' Revenge" is just great. You don't really need to be familiar with the world of "The Flash", though it does help. For example, you might not get the same response when Captain Cold's father shows up, without having read the Captain Cold issue covering how he was abused as a child. But it works perfectly well, both as a tie-in to "Final Crisis" and as a standalone revenge thriller. You might not be much into Flash going in, but you'll be a Flash fan coming out. And you'll see that the Rogues (and Captain Cold in particular) are among the most badass villains out there. You should still be able to find both issues in comic stores, do yourself a favor and check them out.

As for other ongoings... I'm interested in Secret Six, Shadowpact, JLA, and JSA. What's everyone's thoughts on those? Can I just jump into their books or should I go back to a certain point? And I've heard a few recommendations for Manhunter.... what the heck is Manhunter? Is it related to the Manhunters from Green Lantern?

Only one there I can help you with is "Secret Six". Issue 2 has just came out. It's a brand new ongoing. So the time to jump onto that, would be... now. Go and get issue 1, pick up issue 2 in the "new issues" section, and you'll be all caught up.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Ruckas' run on the first 25 or 26 (I forget) issues of Checkmate really opened my eyes. The arc after he left...wasn't TERRIBLE...but just when you are used to Ruckas' Checkmate stories...it makes you cry. I'm still waiting for that comic to get awesome again.

You know, I've heard that was good, and I'm familiar with Checkmate through the Omac Project prior to Infinite Crisis, so I may give those a shot at some point.

JSA has been, from issue 1, my single most favorite title in the comic industry.

I read some JSA around the Identity Crisis/Infinite Crisis time and it was good, and I've read the first arc of the new ongoing from a trade at my library, so I know that's a title I'll be getting. Is it safe to start at the current issue or do I need to go back a few to get what's going on?

Batman & The Outsiders is a title I look forward to anxiously each time I stop by my shop.

So who is all in this book. I loved the first 25 issues of the Outsides led by Arsinel but haven't read it since. I don't plan on reading a bunch of Batman books so this will really depend on who else is in it. What issue are they on?

If you liked Identity Crisis (for me, it is hands down one of my favorite stories) than you will love its "sequel" Crisis of Conscience. It is amazing.

I have this actually and consider it a lead-in to Infinite Crisis. Great arc!

Also...this isn't DC but I noticed you don't read Daredevil. That is the only Marvel title I buy and it is the only comic where I can say I've loved every issue up from the first issue to the present time. I'd highly recommend that book.

I've read the first half of Bendis' run and love it. I figure once I get to the point where Brubaker took over I'll just keep going, but I'm not looking to start it up right now.

Thank you for all your insight you've been very helpful.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Others may tell you different, but from my experience, Batman R.I.P. works well on its own terms. Before R.I.P., I only read "Detective Comics", not "Batman". But I used Batman R.I.P. as my jumping-on point into "Batman", and just got drawn into the story right away. I never felt confused, or like I was missing most of the story. The story is SUPPOSED to be a mystery, so not knowing what's going on is the desired effect, not indicative that you MUST go back and read the rest of Morrison's run.

Having read and loved Batman R.I.P. thus far, I now WANT to go back and get the earlier Morrison Batman stuff. Apparently it enriches the experience of Batman R.I.P. But it is hardly essential for enjoying the arc. As for the tie-ins to R.I.P., I've been getting them all anyway, and I can tell you that - while mostly good stories in their own right - they are IN NO WAY essential, or even directly connected to what's going on in "Batman".

Awsome, thank you. So I figure I'll try and go back and get the Batman and Detective Comics issues and go from there. To Ebay!

Like you, I enjoy Superboy Prime, but know next to nothing about the Legion. I still found "Legion of Three Worlds" to be an entertaining read, though not as good as the best FC tie-ins. "Rogues' Revenge" is just great. You don't really need to be familiar with the world of "The Flash", though it does help. For example, you might not get the same response when Captain Cold's father shows up, without having read the Captain Cold issue covering how he was abused as a child. But it works perfectly well, both as a tie-in to "Final Crisis" and as a standalone revenge thriller. You might not be much into Flash going in, but you'll be a Flash fan coming out. And you'll see that the Rogues (and Captain Cold in particular) are among the most badass villains out there. You should still be able to find both issues in comic stores, do yourself a favor and check them out.

I figure I'll at least thumb through Lo3W and decide on that one, but I'll have to pick up Rogues Revenge with how much people are praising that book (including the one DC fan I have outside of the computer). I'll see if I can find it when next I'm at the comic shop.

Only one there I can help you with is "Secret Six". Issue 2 has just came out. It's a brand new ongoing. So the time to jump onto that, would be... now. Go and get issue 1, pick up issue 2 in the "new issues" section, and you'll be all caught up.

Cool. I like Bane and see that he joined the team, so that's a bonus. I read the Infinite Crisis mini and loved it, but see that there's been a few since then prior to the current ongoing. Anything there I need to know or read?

 

[Aristotle]

OK, JewHob, I'm a DC buff. And I'm being as honest as I can be right now, because I want to hold on to new DC readers. Here are my recommendations from DC. WildStorm and Vertigo to come.



Action Comics: I recommend this. It's been kicking ass for awhile now, and the whole Superman world is about to get even funkier. I'm not 100% on board with this current direction, but so far, I can't complain. Pick up everything Johns has done with this title since the Legion of Super-Heroes arc. You'll also need to start reading Superman and Supergirl, and the various tie-in one-shots of the New Krypton arc.


All-Star Batman: I've enjoyed it in a perverse sort of way, but I don't think you need to bother with it.


Ambush Bug: A good time for longtime DC buffs, not so much for new or casual DC readers.


Batgirl: No, it's just not that good, and you don't need to read it at all, so don't.


Batman: I'm loving it. However, I understand how people who haven't been Bat-fans or DC fans as long as I have wouldn't, which I think is a shame. I think it's actually pretty easy to comprehend, it's just that readers aren't used to stories that don't put everything right up front. When a guy like Morrison leaves plot threads dangling INTENTIONALLY, with every intention of wrapping them up by the end, people say it's “confusing,” “continuity porn,” “unnecessarily difficult,” etc., when what it really is, and anyone with a literary studies background will tell you this, is GOOD STORYTELLING. For you, JewHob, I think you're a pretty discriminating and intelligent reader. I think Batman RIP would be great for you. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to go back and pick up all the trades of Morrison's run (excepting Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul), but it isn't necessary either. And keep in mind, when I say Batman RIP would be great for you, I mean the actual Batman issues. The other Batbooks are good, but completely tangential to RIP at this point.


Batman and the Outsiders: Dixon's run was good, and Tieri's been doing fine so far. I recommend it, but not super-highly. You need to be pretty excited about Batman and team-books to want to read this one.


Batman Cacophony: Looks good. It's Kevin Smith, but according to sources that claim to know, the first two scripts are in the can. I think we can count on it being on time, and I think Smith is generally pretty good with the writing, so I'd say it'll be good. Pick up the first issue and see if it's for you.


Batman Confidential: Although I recommend the Wrath Child trade, whenever that comes out, the rest of the series has been pretty bad, and I think it's getting ****-canned. First, however, we're getting what looks to be an interesting Joker arc from Andrew Kreisberg. I can't say as this is any kind of an important book, but if it catches your fancy, I'd say it's worth at least a first-issue pickup.


Batman Gotham After Midnight: Good, but not good enough for you to pick up as a new DC reader. Don't bother with it.


Birds of Prey: This whole series has been excellent. I really can't think of an arc I didn't like since the first issue, and even before that with the old minis and specials.


Blue Beetle: Definitely pick up the trades of the Rogers run. I think Sturges is doing fine on it. He could turn the corner into not-so-good, though. For now, stay on this boat, but be ready to jump it.


Booster Gold: Get the full Johns run, and keep reading it now.


Brave and the Bold: I've been happy with it, mostly, but new DC readers probably couldn't give a ****.


Checkmate: Get all the Rucka trades, don't bother with the last arc.


Cyborg: It's about to conclude, and while I liked it a lot, it wasn't heavy-duty awesome. You don't need it.


DCU Decisions: If you've always wondered what some of our favorite superheroes believed in, this is a book for you. I admit, it's a guilty pleasure for me, but it's not bad. It's solid. I guess what I'm saying is, for you, don't pick this up. It's not going to be what you want in a good superhero book, and it's half-done already. It's fluff, filler, don't worry about it.


Detective Comics: Paul Dini's been doing really well on this title, and he's currently working on the best Hush story since Hush (which you should pick up.) I'd say pick up the first Dini trade, and check out the first few issues of the current arc, and if you like them, get the rest of the run and keep following the new issues.


El Diablo: This book is really kicking ass. I'm very impressed with Jai Nitz on this book. Like the new Blue Beetle book has been doing for over thirty years, it celebrates history and continuity and the DC Universe without *********ing to them, all the while creating a very new, very fresh, very interesting take on the title character. I highly recommend this miniseries.


Final Crisis: I can't recommend this enough. I know we're all tired of event comics, but this one is being done so correctly. The mainline book is awesome. Rogues' Revenge is phenomenal, and a great introduction of sorts to the Rogues. Revelations is mostly the conclusion to the story that ran through Gotham Central, into 52, and then into Tales of the Unexpected and Crime Bible. But on its own, it's also quite good, and doesn't need to stand on what came before at all. Requiem was the coda on the life of a JLA member. Rage of the Red Lanterns, you're probably already planning to pick up. Submit and Resist promise to be quite interesting as well. And Legion of Three Worlds will serve as an introduction to all three versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and if you dig it, you should pick up whatever you can from the previous runs.


Flash: Quite good. Pick it up starting with Peyer's arc and keep reading on Burnett's arc. But it's all about to start over with freaking Barry Allen soon, so don't get too attached.


Green Arrow/Black Canary: Honestly, dude, you could probably have a better book on that list than this. However, I hope you picked up all the trades of the previous series.


Green Lantern books: Keep reading them.


Joker: Brian Azz has a new GN coming out about the Joker. You should buy it.


Jonah Hex: You don't need my recommendation. Take the recommendation of every comic-book critic and fan with a brain. This might be the most consistently good book that DC is putting out. For almost 40 issues, this has been phenomenal. Don't wait around for this book to be cancelled, start reading now.


Justice League of America: The haters will tell you that it's sucked constantly since #0. I'll tell you that the truth is more complex. Meltzer's run was completely forgettable, it's true, and a lot of McDuffie's run has been marred by editorial constraints. But he's being cut loose again now, and I can honestly recommend what he's currently doing. Still, you've got a restricted budget, so maybe you don't want to pick this one up just yet.


Justice Society of America: I would say wait on this until after the Gog arc is over. So January.


Legion of Super-Heroes: Wait and see if you like Legion of Three Worlds before buying any Legion. However, if you do want some Legion goodness, get the trades of the Waid run.


Manhunter: Buy every trade and read every issue. This is one of the best superhero books that has ever been published. It's easily right up there with Jonah Hex.


Nightwing: This book is back in action, after some very lackluster months under various writers. I recommend it if you like Batman, but you also like Robin.


Rann/Thanagar Holy War: Utterly forgettable to my tastes, but perhaps you'll like it. I always thought Rann/Thanagar War was the weakest of the Infinite Crisis subplots, but if you liked it, maybe you'll enjoy this mini and it's tie-in one-shots (Adam Strange and Hawkman each got one, I think.)


Reign in Hell: I've enjoyed the **** out of this book. Some people haven't. To me, it combines a lot of what makes some old-school Vertigo stories cool with what makes DC mysticism cool.


Robin: Robin's book is really good right now. Dixon got it right back where it needed to be, and Nicieza is rocking it hard. I'm still not sure I'd recommend it to you, but it wouldn't be a terrible pickup at all.


Secret Six: Totally ****ing solid. You should read Villains United, and then you should read the first Secret Six mini, and then you should read the current one.


Sgt. Rock: Sgt. Rock has been blessed with some very good creators and stories. I'm looking forward to his new mini. If war comics excite you, sign on for this one. Otherwise, leave it alone, because it will be completely unrelated to the present-day DCU.


Simon Dark: Worst DC book on the stands. Don't ever touch it.


The Spirit: Untouchably great since the first issue. But it's not in the DCU.


Supergirl: This month's issue is actually a great jumping-on point to a book that's supposed to become more important to the DCU and to Superman, and it's been getting better and better for months. If you're going to start reading Superman and Action Comics, you should probably start picking up Supergirl, too.


Superman: And you should start reading Superman, because it's been kicking ass for awhile now. James Robinson is back in a major way. Also, pick up the Jimmy Olsen special.


Superman/Batman: It's been getting a lot better. Pick up the first trade of the series, and read the stuff Green's been doing. I've certainly had some misgivings, but I'm willing to forgive them since he's doing a pretty good job in general.


Superman/Supergirl: Probably not worth your time as a new DC reader.


Tangent Superman's Reign: Good, and I think you should check it out in the future, but for now, leave it on the stands. It's based on an old imprint, Tangent Comics, from like 1998, which you should also check out someday.


Teen Titans: I feel like last month, this book started getting good again. In the meantime, get all the trades up until Titans Around the World. Don't get that one. Before that story, it was fine. Since then, it's been kinda lackluster. But I think it's picking up again starting last month.


Terra: You might pick up the first issue and see how you like it. I have no idea what it will be like.


Terror Titans: It isn't bad, but I'm pretty sure you're not gonna care to read it. Skip this.


Titans: Not worth your time as of now.


Trinity: This week's issue SUCKED hard. Other than that, it's been pretty damn good. It started out at a slightly-better-than-the-first-few-issues-of-Countdown level, and has risen to about-as-good-as-the-first-few-issues-of-52 level.


Two-Face Year One: The first issue hit in July, the second one hits at the end of this month. The first issue was good, so I guess the second one will probably be good as well. It's an easy two-issue pickup for you.


Vixen: I haven't read the first issue yet, so I really don't know much about it.


The War That Time Forgot: Just not worth your time and dollar as a new DC reader.


Wonder Woman: Everything's been golden since Gail Simone took over.




BACK ISSUES AND TRADES:


JLA: Read the entire run of the Morrison JLA. Every issue, every story was good. I even liked Pain of the Gods. What I'm saying is, pick up every trade of JLA.


Crisis on Infinite Earths: This book will distill for you the first 50 years or so of DCU history.


Green Lantern: Pick up Emerald Twilight, Zero Hour, Final Night, Day of Judgment, the DeMatteis Spectre series, Green Lantern Rebirth, any trades of post-Rebirth GL or GLC stories, and any trades you can find from the Kyle years, because Kyle is the greatest GL of them all.


Flash: Any trades from the Waid or Johns eras. Also, Iron Heights.


Batman: The Killing Joke, A Death in the Family, Year One, Robin Year One, Nightwing Year One, any of the Dixon Nightwing trades, A Lonely Place of Dying, Knightfall, Knightsend, any Azrael trades that are out there, any of the Dixon Robin trades, Blind Justice trade, Arkham Asylum, War Games, War Crimes, Robin/Spoiler Special.


Teen Titans: Get all the Wolfman trades you can find.


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