DC TPB question

[fudgekp]

Hey guys, wondering if you can help.

I'd love to start collecting the TPBs of the 'main' DC story line - From The beginning of the infinate crisis storyline to present.

Can someone provide me with a sort of product timeline? just so I can buy enough TPBs to know the majority of the main storyline.

[Samy]

I don't think there really is a "main" storyline. There are 50+ different series each telling their own stories. It all comes down to which ones you want to follow. Those are the "main" -- the ones you like best.

It's like going to a restaurant and asking what's the "main" food. Some people like pasta, some like salads, some like meat and some like fish. There's no one food everyone has to eat.

[dancj]

What Samy says is true, but all the same there are big superhero crossovers that have a big effect on the general status quo (well usually not that big, but all the same...) - The major ones to keep you up with the current status would be:

Crisis on Infinite Earths
The Death of Superman
A World Without a Superman
The Return of Superman
-- Probably some important Green Lantern book goes here, but I don't know which one
Zero Hour - Crisis in Time
Identity Crisis
The OMAC Project
The Rann-Thanagar War
Villains United
Day of Vengeance
Infinite Crisis
52
Countdown to Infinite Crisis
Final Crisis

I've put this more important ones in bold. The ones in-between are good if you need a more major understanding

[fudgekp]

Brilliant, Thanks!

[JohnShil]

Crisis on Infinite Earths
Identity Crisis
Rann-Thanagar War
The OMAC Project
Superman: Sacrifice
Villains United
Day of Vengeance
Infinite Crisis Companion
Infinite Crisis
52
52: World War III
Countdown (to Final Crisis)
Final Crisis

Notes: Superman: Sacrifice is to be read somewhere in the middle of OMAC Project. OMAC Project collects a one-shot called COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS, which set up the four mini-series, but focused mainly on the OMAC story. Infinite Crisis Companion collects four one-shots that were follow-ups to the four mini-series (TOP, VU, DOV, RTW) leading up to Infinite Crisis.

There will probably be a paperback or two of Final Crisis tie-ins (Resist, Submit, Superman Beyond, etc.), which I'm sure will just be Final Crisis Companion, but that's too far into the future to call.

On a side-note, if you enjoy the OMAC Project, there was a spin-off ongoing called Checkmate. If you enjoy Villains United, there was a spin-off mini (which is now an ongoing) called Secret Six.

[dancj]

Oops - yeah I forgot about Superman: Sacrifice - That's pretty much essential if you want to read The OMAC Project (which was about the best of the Infinite Crisis lead-in minis IMO)

[mata-leao]

i was wondering...

i picked up the 52 vol. 1 TPB the other weekend....do i need to read Infinite Crisis before reading 52?

does it tie into the current Final Crisis story as well?

thanks!

[JohnShil]

With 52, you can probably get by with just 52. They recap what they have to in the context of the story. Reading INFINITE CRISIS would certainly help, but it is by no means necessary. I read 52 before IC. I did fine.

52 doesn't really play into FC, except maybe with the (re)creation of a character. 52 is fairly self-contained.

[mata-leao]

With 52, you can probably get by with just 52. They recap what they have to in the context of the story. Reading INFINITE CRISIS would certainly help, but it is by no means necessary. I read 52 before IC. I did fine.

52 doesn't really play into FC, except maybe with the (re)creation of a character. 52 is fairly self-contained.

awesome, thank you!

let me ask you this, is Infinite Crisis even worth reading? i've read mixed reviews...who are the starring characters in the story?

[Kevin Vetter]

I think it's worth reading. As for the main characters I'd say the hero side would be superman, earth 2 superman, batman, nightwing, superboy and there are some green lanterns and teen titans thrown in once in a while. The villian side is pretty much alexander luthor from earth 3 and superboy prime with the secret society working for them. If you want to know why superboy prime is around for countdown and final crisis then check out the sinestro corps war. You should check that out anyway though since its great.