Recommendations for a DC Superhero newb

[cognitive77]

I've always been more of a Marvel fan myself. DC always seemed to have quite a bit of continuity involved. I've got some of the essentials from DC (Preacher, Fables, Y, Watchmen, Dark Night, etc), but am looking for some good DC superhero trades. I picked up The Flash trades by Johns, and loved em. Been looking at getting into some Green Lantern trades. As long as the writings good, I can dig it.

Can anyone make any recommendations with the info above?

[aut0matic]

i'm in the same boat as you. i've followed marvel for about 2 years, and about a month ago i decided to get into green lantern. i know very little else about the DCU, but i love GL. buy everything written by geoff johns. :smile:

[jackdaw53]

You might well get more fun from your DC reading if you don't feel the need to be "bang up to date" as soon as possible... take a bit of time to explore DC's wonderful 80's/90's/ early 00's back catalogue.

Two exceptional super hero series that fall into this category:-
The James Robinson Starman... felt by many to be DC's best super hero series in last 25 years. Already more or less all in trade (though first set of trades did omit some issues), but being put out now in a top class omnibus series. When DC lavish so much care on a non-Superman/ Batman series there's usually a reason. The reason here is that its very good indeed. Grab the first omnibus.

Sandman Mystery Theatre. Much more off-beat than Starman... its set in the 1930's, and Wesley Dodds does not have any super powers... but is a super hero via technology and guts (a la Batman.) Yes unusual... but very highly rated. Worth trying the first trade.

If you fancy trying an ongoing DC series... I think the Manhunter trades are very good indeed. (Written by Marc Andreyko, who sometimes visits these boards. In spite of that he seems to have time to tell a cracking story. First trade is Street Justice.)

[marc andreyko]

cognitive-

PM me your name and address and i'll send you Manhunter tpb vol. 1---for free! and signed (and personalized, if you so desire)!

reagrds,
marc andreyko
writer,"Manhunter"

[Batgirl]

Well, I know that most people have been hating it lately, but I'm a big fan of the "Teen Titans" comic. Some of the issues after One Year Later are kinda crappy, but besides that, most issues are pretty good. I suggest buying the TPBs, which have every story arc(If not every issue) since the first issue(Of this particular TT series), including the recent "Future Titans" arc. The only arc that hasn't been collected yet is the very recent "Terror Titans" arc, but that's only because it like, JUST ended. Oh, and I aslo suggest "Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day".

[4thHorseman]

This thread really needs to be a sticky. Anyways, books I would suggest:

Green Lantern - First trade of Johns GL arc came out a month or two back, and I think a new one is coming out shortly. Very good read, recommend highly.

Superman/Action Comics - Again, Johns is doing a great job on Action Comics, so you might start with his run. Trades like Last Son, Legion, Escape from Bizarro World, etc. if you're looking for monthly books, his Brainiac arc is only a few issues in. Superman wise, you might start with Up Up and Away and go from there (which comes before the Johns stuff)

Blue Beetle - Three trades are out, and the fourth is about to be out (I think), and it's a very fun read with a very worthwhile conclusion to a two year arc (in the fourth trade). It's a fairly new series, so it wouldn't be too hard to catch up on.

Manhunter - Like Blue Beetle, it will be fairly easy to catch up on. But it's a great series with a fantastic character in Kate. Definately a cast you will love immediately and arcs that will keep you interested up until the end.

[Batgirl]

EDIT: Sorry about that.....My compuetr was acting up, and re-posted my last post.

[aut0matic]

cognitive-

PM me your name and address and i'll send you Manhunter tpb vol. 1---for free! and signed (and personalized, if you so desire)!

reagrds,
marc andreyko
writer,"Manhunter"

what a guy! :biggrin:

[Mat001]

I've always been more of a Marvel fan myself. DC always seemed to have quite a bit of continuity involved. I've got some of the essentials from DC (Preacher, Fables, Y, Watchmen, Dark Night, etc), but am looking for some good DC superhero trades. I picked up The Flash trades by Johns, and loved em. Been looking at getting into some Green Lantern trades. As long as the writings good, I can dig it.

Can anyone make any recommendations with the info above?

Green Lantern is also by Geoff Johns, so that will help you in enjoying GL. If you want to start with the basics of GL, go with the following. "Rebirth", "No Fear", "Revenge Of The Green Lanterns", "Wanted-Hal Jordan", "Sinestro Corps War", "Tales Of The Sinestro Corps" and it'll be in trade next year, "Secret Origin". Later this year, Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Schiver reteam for "The Flash: Rebirth". Also out right now are the first two issues of "Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge" which follows up Johns work with the Rogues from his run on the Flash and reteams with Scott Kolins.

[Batgirl]

Oh yeah, I read that one "No Fear". Go buy it. Like, now. I'm not the biggest GL fan in the world, but that one was awesome.

[Thok]

If you like Johns, you may want to try out the first Booster Gold trade (with the warning that it is a bit continuity heavy, although it tries to provide all of the relevant background information for a given issue.)

(If you're worried about the fact that you don't know who Booster Gold is, that's OK. He's the greatest hero you've never heard of.)

[Lukecash]

Let me be a second voice to encourage you to pick up the Blue Beetle! If you are a newbie then you can get a good grasp of DC universe with this book. Because Jaime is learning aobut the DC universe as well!

I would Highly recommend Geoff Johns Green Lantern Run as well as the Green Lantern Rebirth and Green Lantern Corps recharge. Great stuff.

I would also look for the Paul Dini Detective Comics books. Done in one, classic Batman with classic villians without needing much history behind it.

[HaroldAllnut]

I'd recommend Action Comics, because you can't go wrong with a lil' Superman in your life... especially when Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are in charge.

cognitive-

PM me your name and address and i'll send you Manhunter tpb vol. 1---for free! and signed (and personalized, if you so desire)!

reagrds,
marc andreyko
writer,"Manhunter"

Holy wow. CBR is a great place.

[Batgirl]

If you like Johns, you may want to try out the first Booster Gold trade (with the warning that it is a bit continuity heavy, although it tries to provide all of the relevant background information for a given issue.)

(If you're worried about the fact that you don't know who Booster Gold is, that's OK. He's the greatest hero you've never heard of.)

Let me second that. Ever since I started reading the 52 trades(Just finished a little while ago)-heck, probably even before that-, I've started to become a fan of Booster. I've been thinking about starting to buy his comic. I'm too lazy to check out the DC comics web site, could anyone tell me how many issues there are so far?

[Hel]

I would recommend:
Justice Society of America.
Blue Beetle - The first 3 trades and the fourth one coming out later this month (i think)
Manhunter - A good jumping on point is #31
Green Lantern. - I think this would be most accessible.
I think you'll also like JLA despite the negative reaction ot it. It is very new reader friendly and features the current League.
Green Lantern Corps and Nightwing both solid books by the same writer not much DCU knowledge is needed.

[4thHorseman]

I'm too lazy to check out the DC comics web site, could anyone tell me how many issues there are so far?

The book came out with issue 12 yesterday, but they had that Booster Gold 1,000,000, so I think there has been 13 issues fully.

[Thok]

Let me second that. Ever since I started reading the 52 trades(Just finished a little while ago)-heck, probably even before that-, I've started to become a fan of Booster. I've been thinking about starting to buy his comic. I'm too lazy to check out the DC comics web site, could anyone tell me how many issues there are so far?

Currently there are 14 issues: 1-6, 0, 7-10, 1000000, 11-12, in that order, with 12 coming out this week. The first hardcover covers 1-6.

[the4thpip]

Try the current Brave and the Bold series.

You'll get introduced to lots of DC heroes, the book is great fun, well done and the story arcs are self-contained with no confusing crossovers and events.

[Batgirl]

Thanks, 4thHorseman and Thok!

Also, I suggest Superman/Batman. Oh, and "Teen Titans: Year One" was pretty good, but I suggest not buying/reading the last issue, and just saying that the 5th issue was the last. The 6th took me all of one, two minutes at the most to read, and was really nothing special.

[4thHorseman]

Currently there are 14 issues: 1-6, 0, 7-10, 1000000, 11-12, in that order, with 12 coming out this week. The first hardcover covers 1-6.

Ahhh, totally forgot about issue 0.

[Batgirl]

What exactly WAS #0. Like, a "prequel" to the first issue, or....? (Sad, how clueless I am.)

[Thok]

What exactly WAS #0. Like, a "prequel" to the first issue, or....? (Sad, how clueless I am.)

0 was a Zero Hout tie in. (In particular, the Hal Jordan version of Parallax and Extant make an appearance.)

Basically, there was a gimmick during Zero Hour where every ongoing comic had a 0 issue, which reset the status quo and reexplained the characters origin. Booster Gold 0 did something similar, but it clear fits plotwise between issues 6 and 7.

Similarly, 1000000 was a DC 1000000 tie in and has a brief exploration of Booster Gold's influence will be on the year 8341 (+- a couple hundred years, since I'm too lazy to look it up), which is roughly when the 1000000 issue of Booster Gold would be published if it doesn't ever get cancelled. Really, the 1000000 gimmick was an excuse to break out the DC 1000000 cover template.