Looking for help developing a reading plan for The Flash (and others)

[Bruce___Wayne]

So, i've never read a Flash comic in my life, but would like to start.

I would like to know a little about how he became, and to cover most of the major events in some way, whilst getting up to speed with recent times.

Also I quite like the villains in DC comics, so touching on the best ones would be beneficial.

All ideas are welcome and I can put together my action list/reading plan.




I have previously done this for Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and The Avengers.

For example, below is the Spider-Man action list I have from weeks of fun and debating on these forums :)

1) Spider-Man's bio on http://comicbooks.about.com/od/chara...idermanbio.htm
2) Read Essential Spider-Man trade paperbacks volumes 1-7 (Effectively ASM #1-160) or Marvel Masterworks (Masterworks look and last better, Essentials are black/white and last and look worse – but cover the same material) But fewer issues per trade in MM.
3) The story of the costumes/Venom - Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (gets black costume), The Birth of Venom (Secret Wars #8; Amazing Spider-Man #252-259, #298-300 & #315-317; Fantastic Four #274 and Web of Spider-Man #1)
4) Maybe read Amazing Spider-Man JMS Ultimate Collection (#1 and #5 probably), depending on whether I have read those issues of ASM.
5) Other key milestones - The Death of Jean DeWolfe, Kraven's Last Hunt, Hobgoblin trade.
6) ASM #296 and ASM Annual 21 - The Wedding (This may need to be read part way through The Birth of Venom)
7) Some Ultimate Spider-Man - Possibly in trade format
8) Possibly read Civil War and Back in Black
9) One More Day summary on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_One_More_Day
10) Brand New Day - #546 to #647. Includes Kraven’s First Hunt, New Ways To Die, Gauntlet, Grim Hunt and more*
11) Big Time - Which starts in #648
12) Through to Spider-Island - Which starts in #666
13) Continue through to new issues
14) Understand the background of Gwen Stacy, Venom, and Dr Octopus
15) Read the following trades: Spider-Man: Season One, Venom: Dark Origin, Spider-Man: Blue, Spider-Man/Dr Octopus: Year One

As you can see, this is greatly detailed, I do not need or wish to cover as much material for The Flash unless it is really necessary, I don't mind reading trades, novels or single issues, I have no preference.


THANK YOU FELLOW READERS

[MajorHoy]

Well, depends on how far back you want to go.

If you really only are interested in current continuity, DC relaunched ALL their book as a part of a new, revised universe back at the end of August 2001 (with Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1). Just about all of DC's New 52 books have had at least one collection (hardcover or tpb) released so far, and the second volumes are coming next year.

If you want to go back even farther, into stuff that probably is no longer a part of the current characters' backstories, that would involve a lot more work.

[Bruce___Wayne]

Well, depends on how far back you want to go.

If you really only are interested in current continuity, DC relaunched ALL their book as a part of a new, revised universe back at the end of August 2001 (with Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1). Just about all of DC's New 52 books have had at least one collection (hardcover or tpb) released so far, and the second volumes are coming next year.

If you want to go back even farther, into stuff that probably is no longer a part of the current characters' backstories, that would involve a lot more work.

Not too far back, so what is this revised book from 2001 called? And after reading this, if I read New 52 Flash, would I understand the character and what I was reading. Or would I keep thinking, who's that? what does that mean? etc.

I'd be more than happy to read just the new stuff, as long as it will make sense alone.

[iduckles]

MajorHoy made a little typo. The relaunch in question occurred in 2011 and this is the New 52. Most people seem to like Geoff Johns work on the Flash, but you should probably specify which Flash you are interested in: Barry Allen, Wally West or both.

[JimmyOlsenMustDie]

Not too far back, so what is this revised book from 2001 called? And after reading this, if I read New 52 Flash, would I understand the character and what I was reading. Or would I keep thinking, who's that? what does that mean? etc.

I'd be more than happy to read just the new stuff, as long as it will make sense alone.

I'd start with The Flash # 1 (September 2011) and just go from there. There have only been 15 issues as of the end of 2012 - those are the only Barry Allen Flash appearances that are (currently) canon (aside from Justice League and the last issue of Flashpoint).

Alternatively, if you're more interested in the Jay Garrick Flash, start with Earth 2 # 1 (May 2012) and go from there. Jay Garrick is the Flash of Earth 2, an Earth that is parallel to but separate from the main DCU Earth's universe.

Since the reboot, neither of these characters has prior history, so you should be good.

If you mean the Wally West Flash, though, you're out of luck. Then I'd start with The Flash Vol. 2 # 1 from 1987. However, that character no longer exists in current continuity (and was forgotten about for years prior to the reboot) so you're not likely to find anything about him for the past few years.

Also, if you want an online bio of The Flash, DC has one here.