Countdown 26-Good place to start?

[the_Tick]

I've never read a single DC comic,would Countdown 26 be a good place to start?

[jv2k]

I've never read a single DC comic,would Countdown 26 be a good place to start?

Countdown in general is a terrible place to start.
Get a trade paper back for 52.

For Batman get the Year one trade the Face the Face and then get Detective.

For superman read Rebirth for the origin and then Up up and Away for an introduction into the current comics.

For Flash they are about to restart Wally West's run this month.

For Wonder Woman stay away from it.

For Green Lantern read the trade for Rebirth and the Green Lantern Corps recharged. From there you can get other trades of the current runs or just jump into the sinestro corps event which is pretty good.

Books that I'd recommend that you may not know about include Checkmate, The Spirit, Justice Society of America, and Brave and the Bold.

[Captain Jim]

I'm not sure Countdown would be the best thing for a new reader, but then neither would 52.

Are there any particular characters you think you might be interested in? Knowing that would help in making a recommendation.

[the_Tick]

Well I had planned to start with Final Crisis.Bad idea?
Countdown #26 turns into Countdown to final crisis,doesn't it?

[Shellhead]

In general, I would advise you to steer clear of everything that ties directly into Countdown, because that whole event is aimed at long-term continuity-obsessed fans. As a new reader, you would probably find DC's non-Countdown efforts more accessible. For classic heroics, try All-Star Superman or The Brave and the Bold. For non-superhero action in the old west, try Jonah Hex. Overall, this isn't a great time for new readers to try DC, because they are really pushing fans to buy a ridiculous number of comics to keep up with the current crossover.

[Pinnacle]

Well I had planned to start with Final Crisis.Bad idea?
Countdown #26 turns into Countdown to final crisis,doesn't it?

The problem with starting with Final Crisis is this:

If it's bad, you'll just be confused or, in worst case, deciding the DCU sucks.

If it's good, you'll be wanting to catch up with years of continuity thus creating another obsessed fan.

Final Crisis in its very essence should be laced with continuity going all the way back to the Silver Age.

[Buried Alien]

If it's good, you'll be wanting to catch up with years of continuity thus creating another obsessed fan.

Which isn't an altogether bad thing, as long as one doesn't stop practicing personal hygiene or neglecting social responsibilities as a result.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[David Atkins]

Which isn't an altogether bad thing, as long as one doesn't stop practicing personal hygiene or neglecting social responsibilities as a result.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)


Now you're just trying to mke me feel bad about myself... :p

[Joe Rice]

No . . .a terrible place to start, really. I'd go for some all-time classic TPBs or All Star Superman. The Seven Soldiers trades will probably be a good lead-in to Final Crisis, too.

[Pinnacle]

Which isn't an altogether bad thing, as long as one doesn't stop practicing personal hygiene or neglecting social responsibilities as a result.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I didn't really mean it as a bad thing, but just that it could be a problem. Big financial commitment and addictive habit that needs to be recognized before plunging into it.:D

[titanfan]

Actually my thought was: "The plot is going so slowly that Countdown <any number> is a good place to start". It's like a soap opera, you can read one issue, and then come back 3 months later and pick up right where you left off.

[David Atkins]

Just thought I would add...

Contrary to popular opinion, All-Star Superman would be a terrible place to break into DCU-based stories. It doesn't take place in the DCU and doesn't feature the 'mainstream' Superman.

Also, it seems geared toward fans of the 'WTF?!' Silver Age incarnation of the character, which doesn't seem to work for just anyone.

[4thHorseman]

I don't know if people are asking the right questions. I think the question is this:

Are you looking to get into books that are mainly one certain character with good stories?

Or are you trying to find a way to be able to understand the DCU as a whole when it comes to the big event books?

If you are looking at #1, my recommendations are this:

Superman, Action Comics, All-Star Superman
Batman, Detective Comics
Green Lantern (get the Sinestro Corps special also)
Flash (Waid is about to start up a new run)
Wonder Woman (wait till Gail Simone takes over if anything)
Shadowpact is fun IMO
Justice League (new writer, McDuffie I think, bout to take over)
Justice Society

if it's #2, you have a lot of back issues/trades to find:

-Crisis On Infinite Earths (pretty much a must to fully get the whole concept on the future crisis's)
-Infinite Crisis (perhaps the specials as well like Omac/Villains United/Day of Vengeance/Rann Thanagar War)
-52
-Countdown

[Shellhead]

Just thought I would add...

Contrary to popular opinion, All-Star Superman would be a terrible place to break into DCU-based stories. It doesn't take place in the DCU and doesn't feature the 'mainstream' Superman.

Also, it seems geared toward fans of the 'WTF?!' Silver Age incarnation of the character, which doesn't seem to work for just anyone.

Nobody should ever buy a bad comic to keep up with continuity or reject a good comic book for lack of continuity.

[Captain Jim]

Well I had planned to start with Final Crisis.Bad idea?
Countdown #26 turns into Countdown to final crisis,doesn't it?

The problem is, if you'r unfamiliar with the DC characters, I think this storyline would leave you hopelessly confused.

[Joe Rice]

Nobody should ever buy a bad comic to keep up with continuity or reject a good comic book for lack of continuity.

Can we get that on a plaque?

[Captain Jim]

Can we get that on a plaque?

You could always place it in your signature. :D

[David Atkins]

Nobody should ever buy a bad comic to keep up with continuity or reject a good comic book for lack of continuity.

And yet, people do. On a daily basis, thousands of continuity-lacking comic books around the world go un-sold and ignored.

You can make a difference.

For a simple donation of between $2.00 and $5.00 at your Local Comic Book Shop-- *Cue video montage*-- you can give these innocent comics a shelf to sit on. A drawer to rest in. A light to be read under.

Go ahead. Make a difference. Call your Local Comic Book Shop... right now. Paper doesn't last forever. :(

...

Back on topic, my previous post has nothing to do with the quality of 'All Star Superman.' It's a good book and I enjoy it (though I'm nowhere near as big a fan as a lot of people around here). However, the_Tick seems to be (given the material he's been eyeing) more interested in breaking into stories set within the DCU.

Trying to break into DCU-based stories on a variation of a character that has nothing to do with the DCU at large would be as-- if not more-- confusing to a new reader than jumping straight into the middle of a continuity laden event.

[Shellhead]

And yet, people do. On a daily basis, thousands of continuity-lacking comic books around the world go un-sold and ignored.

You can make a difference.

For a simple donation of between $2.00 and $5.00 at your Local Comic Book Shop-- *Cue video montage*-- you can give these innocent comics a shelf to sit on. A drawer to rest in. A light to be read under.

Go ahead. Make a difference. Call your Local Comic Book Shop... right now. Paper doesn't last forever. :(

...

Back on topic, my previous post has nothing to do with the quality of 'All Star Superman.' It's a good book and I enjoy it (though I'm nowhere near as big a fan as a lot of people around here). However, the_Tick seems to be (given the material he's been eyeing) more interested in breaking into stories set within the DCU.

Trying to break into DCU-based stories on a variation of a character that has nothing to do with the DCU at large would be as-- if not more-- confusing to a new reader than jumping straight into the middle of a continuity laden event.

I understand what you're saying, and yet I am specifically warning a potential DC fan that the current continuity-obsessed crossover fest is of poor quality and should be avoided at all costs, especially since those costs will be high. With characters mixed in from 51 alternate realities, "time is broken", and the retroactive inclusion of all prior continuity, this is an unusually confusing time to get into the DCU, especially since the format of Countdown practically requires a new reader to pick up lots of other comics to get the full story. Then include the costs of picking up all the Infinite Crisis tie-ins, plus 52 and some key OYL issues, and we're talking about a hefty sum of cash.

OYL was supposed to be a friendly time for new fans to start reading DC, but it didn't work out. Didio's commitment to a new jumping-on point wasn't strong, and too many of the OYL concepts were weak and quickly fizzled. Far better for a potential DC fan to steer clear of the current crossover and focus on standalone titles of higher quality. When the Final Crisis is done, that will hopefully be a better time for a new fan to follow the main continuity.

[the_Tick]

Thanks for the help,so basically I most likely won't enjoy Final Crisis at all and have no idea what's going on.

So are universe wide DC events almost always so focused on long term continuity?

Let's say I start reading some regular titles,and another huge event comes along in a year or two , will I not be able to understand it because I didn't read Final Crisis?
The same Way I would have had to read Infinite Crisis and crisis on infinite Earths to understand Final Crisis?

Aside form any crisis/countdown related events I'm open to all suggestions as I really have no idea who the DC heroes are aside from Superman,Batman,Flash,Wonder Woman,and Green Lantern.

[4thHorseman]

Thanks for the help,so basically I most likely won't enjoy Final Crisis at all and have no idea what's going on.

Not necessarily, but youll have a better grasp on it if you were to immerse yourself in prior stories that will help you understand what led up to Final Crisis.

So are universe wide DC events almost always so focused on long term continuity?

Supposedly, though sometimes it fails and they change a characters backstory or history 5 times in 10 years. Though with DC, they always try to do something to either revamp a character, or shake up the DCU for a long time.

Let's say I start reading some regular titles,and another huge event comes along in a year or two , will I not be able to understand it because I didn't read Final Crisis?

It depends. Some regular titles tends to have better tie-ins and helps make the event easier to understand (or parts that aren't in the big event). But the events also have miniseries that help elevate the crisis or lead into it (IC had four of these series). Plus, there's still another year before Final Crisis, so you may be able to find time to understand the DCU a bit better. Plus, people here are always willing to help you out understanding certain things.

The same Way I would have had to read Infinite Crisis and crisis on infinite Earths to understand Final Crisis?

It's not that you wouldn't understand it, because IC kind of gave you a previous history of what happened. But to get the full effect, reading previous events and materials would be a big help.

[Pinnacle]

Yeah, there pretty much all tied together. Now, you can go three ways with that. You can not read the DCU at all and miss the good with the bad. You can read the DCU and can criticize it for having huge events that are all related to the previous huge crossovers. Or you can suck it up and dive in full force. You'll be confused for awhile but eventually you'll have been around when a reference occurred and understand it. I've been around DC comcis off and on since I could read (around 1986). I understood COIE and the Multiverse back then (some people gripe that the Multiverse is too complex for new readers but I never had that experience it made perfect sense to me as a young child. You've just got to read the books.). I missed out some when I was a teenager and missed some of the other big crossovers such as Zero Hour and Final Night, but I understand the basics of what occured although I'm not completely up to speed with HyperTime. I've been reading several DC titles since 2000 and the more and longer you read the easier it becomes to understand. Some writers are better than others, and when you find the right creative team with the right character it will be pure gold. You'll find writers that make mistakes (some you'll find more forgiveable than others), but if you're interested in reading about a fantastic world where superheroes, cosmic powers, and mystical beings reside, you'll love the experience. If you like smaller stories apart from a much larger world, then the DCU and probably Marvel are not for you.

None of the three decisions are better than the others. It all depends on whether you want to read DC comics or would rather spend your time with other activities, genres, mediums, or companies. It's a personal decision. Listen to recommendations on this board if you're interested. Many can be very helpful. Also, look at some other threads on this board as well as the Superman, Batman, and DCU forums on this board. Many have already commented on good reads.

[Pinnacle]

If you want a good understanding of continuity up to this point I would reccommend getting the trades of COIE, Zero Hour, Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and 52 then begin reading Countdown. There are also some good trades to pick up depending on what characters you're interested in. Like Superman: Up, Up, and Away (Superman OYL which occurs following 52 in continuity) and Green Lantern: Rebirth (which reestablished Hal Jordan in the DCU and kind of leads to the Sinestro Corps War which is out now and absolutely awesome).

And All-Star Superman is an outstanding read that you should check out, but realize that it has nothing to do with any other title in DC. This Superman is not the same one as in the other DC titles.

[the_Tick]

Thanks Pinnacle.
I'm really not looking into diving into a ton of back issues,just wanted to broaden the scope of what I read,just Marvel and a few Image right now.

I suppose I'll check out DC again after Final Crisis is over and see if it is any more new reader friendly.

[Rattlehead]

Thanks Pinnacle.
I'm really not looking into diving into a ton of back issues,just wanted to broaden the scope of what I read,just Marvel and a few Image right now.

I suppose I'll check out DC again after Final Crisis is over and see if it is any more new reader friendly.

Ah see, you guys scared him off! I just started reading comics again after a long hiatus (about 10 years) but I've been picking up books again and I'm having no trouble understanding what's going on. You can pick up a whole slew of ongoing books right now and ignore the whole Countdown mess. I haven't read a page of that or 52, nor do I plan to. I'm getting along just fine. The Countdown thing isn't really as big of a deal as some of the posters here are making it out to be.

Are there any DC characters you at least know and would be interested in reading?

[G. Wayne]

...
Aside form any crisis/countdown related events I'm open to all suggestions as I really have no idea who the DC heroes are aside from Superman,Batman,Flash,Wonder Woman,and Green Lantern.

Shadowpact is a nice introduction to the magical aspect of DC, focusing on lesser known characters.

JSA Classified usually features solo stories of the modern JSA members, Power Girl, Doctor Mid-nite, Jakeem Thunder, Wildcat, etc.

If you get Green Lantern: Rebirth, (which reintroduces the classic Green Lantern Hal Jordon) Green Lantern Corps: Recharge is a decent primer to the rest of the Green Lantern Corps members.

The Up, Up, and Away trade is also a great introduction for the current Superman.


So are universe wide DC events almost always so focused on long term continuity?

Recently, yeah. Personally, I've only been following DC "hardcore" for like 5 years, but I enjoy it, so I do think it's worth it if you can crack the continuity barrier. I'm still trying to catch up too, though, for as much as I like to think I've been following DC pretty heavily, I'm pretty much lost on the finer points of JSA, the recent JLA arc The Lightning Saga, and anything relating to the Legion of Superheroes.

[David Atkins]

Aside form any crisis/countdown related events I'm open to all suggestions as I really have no idea who the DC heroes are aside from Superman,Batman,Flash,Wonder Woman,and Green Lantern.

Blue Beetle is a fun book! It quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list when I started picking it up about two issues ago (I've burned through a lot of the back issues since then as well). :D

Justice Society of America is another favorite, but I believe they're going to get pretty involved with the Countdown stuff in the near-ish future.

[EZMOHR]

I would say the current Justice League incarnation #0 is the best place to start as a new DC reader. It sets up the past sort of , the present sort of, and possibly the future of the DCU.

[Shellhead]

I would say the current Justice League incarnation #0 is the best place to start as a new DC reader. It sets up the past sort of , the present sort of, and possibly the future of the DCU.

And several issues later, that same comic gave us (part of) the horribly convoluted Lightning Saga, a near-perfect trainwreck of continuity problems.

[Matt K]

Blue Beetle is a fun book! It quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list when I started picking it up about two issues ago (I've burned through a lot of the back issues since then as well). :D


Blue Beetle is probably the best place to start in my opinion. The main character is new to the whole super hero thing and so a lot of things get explained that other books would not get into. Plus, it is a great book in and of itself and as a person who was relatively new to DC, I was not lost at all.

[Rich L]

Tick, try picking up the Green Lantern Sinestro Special that came out last month - its on its third printing right now so it should be around. The GL/Sinestro Corps war seems pretty self contained and might be a good place to ease into the DCU.

Plus it's great.

[drwho]

Well I had planned to start with Final Crisis.Bad idea?
Countdown #26 turns into Countdown to final crisis,doesn't it?

Dcs marketing machine seems to be trying to do all kinds of stunts to try and hype this up again. I just think people are burnt out and adding final crisis to the title aint gonna do a thing.