Superman Reading Order after Infinite Crisis

**Crow** · 05-27-2010, 07:27 AM

Hi,

So I am really new to the DC universe, having been a Marvel reader so far. For last 2 months I have been trying to find a proper jumping in point and most of the internet resources have pointed me to One Year Later. So I have basically read both Superman and Batman One Year Later stories. Now my main doubt is since Superman has two series (Action and Superman), how do I read them (after One Year Later) ? Are they both independent of each other? Or do I read them simultaneously, side-by-side? Similarly for Batman (Detective comics and Batman) . Also how do I follow up on important events in the DCU after Infinite Crisis? I don't wish to read all the comics of Wonder-woman/ Flash etc but important ones would be helpful so that I can catch up to the current events.

Thanks a lot in advance
Crow.

**Mat001** · 05-27-2010, 11:35 AM

The Superman and Batman books are independent of each other. On their own, it varies. At the start of OYL, the Superman books were interlinked to each other for an eight part story. After that they were separate until about August or September of 2008, when they and the Supergirl title began connecting to each other through until April of this year. Along with Adventure Comics which started up last year and carried over until this month. The reading order is not easy to establish as there were delays with "Last Son" and "Camelot Falls" that resulted in some fill-in books. The order as it stands is as follows.

"Secret Origin" (hardcover will be out in August)
"Up, Up & Away"
"Back In Action"
"Last Son" (Action Comics #844 and 845, up to the last few pages of the latter.)
"Camelot Falls" volume one.
"Redemption".
"Camelot Falls" volume two.
"3-2-1 Action"
Action Comics #850. It's collected in a Supergirl trade, but you can get it on it's own.
"The Third Kryptonian"
"Shadows Linger"
"Last Son" (picking up where you left off)
"Escape From Bizarro's World"
"Superman & The Legion Of Super-Heroes"
"The Coming Of Atlas"
"Brainiac"
"Final Crisis: Legion Of 3 Worlds"
"New Krypton" volumes one and two.
"Supergirl: Who Is Superwoman?"
"Superman: Mon-El" volume one.
"Nightwing & Flamebird" volume one.
"New Krypton" volume three.
"Codename Patriot"
"Supergirl: Friends & Enemies"
"Worlds Finest" (forthcoming)
"Mon-El: Man Of Valor"
"Superboy: The Boy Of Steel"
"Nightwing & Flamebird" volume two.
"World Of Krypton" volume four.
"Last Stand Of New Krypton" (forthcoming)
"War Of The Supermen" (forthcoming)

For Batman, Batman and Detective did crossover at the start of OYL. They then went separate and have remained as such. They've tied in with Robin, Nightwing and The Outsiders title but most are within actual trades or aren't as important to read.

"Face The Face"
"Detective"
"Death & The City"
"Grotesk"
"Gotham Underground"
"Batman & Son"
"The Black Casebook"
"The Resurrection Of Ra's al Ghul"
"Private Casebook"
"Heart Of Hush"
"R.I.P."
"Final Crisis"
"Final Crisis: Superman Beyond"
"Battle For The Cowl"
"Long Shadows"
"Life After Death"
"Red Robin: The Grail"
"Red Robin: Collision"
"Batman & Robin" volume one.
"The Return Of Bruce Wayne" (forthcoming)

**Damiean Dark** · 05-27-2010, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Crow

Hi,

So I am really new to the DC universe, having been a Marvel reader so far. For last 2 months I have been trying to find a proper jumping in point and most of the internet resources have pointed me to One Year Later. So I have basically read both Superman and Batman One Year Later stories. Now my main doubt is since Superman has two series (Action and Superman), how do I read them (after One Year Later) ? Are they both independent of each other? Or do I read them simultaneously, side-by-side? Similarly for Batman (Detective comics and Batman) . Also how do I follow up on important events in the DCU after Infinite Crisis? I don't wish to read all the comics of Wonder-woman/ Flash etc but important ones would be helpful so that I can catch up to the current events.

Thanks a lot in advance
Crow.

The thing with many superman stories is that many of his best stories a non canon one shots whcih are consistently retconned every few years look at WONK a whole planet of supermen should have been a groundbreaking revelation in the DCU but it became a mediocre story that petered out and was in all intents and purposes reset.

**sendingsignal** · 05-28-2010, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by Mat001

The Superman and Batman books are independent of each other. On their own, it varies. At the start of OYL, the Superman books were interlinked to each other for an eight part story. After that they were separate until about August or September of 2008, when they and the Supergirl title began connecting to each other through until April of this year. Along with Adventure Comics which started up last year and carried over until this month. The reading order is not easy to establish as there were delays with "Last Son" and "Camelot Falls" that resulted in some fill-in books. The order as it stands is as follows.

http://www.tradereadingorder.com/cha...perman/page/6/

So you'd put Last Son before Camelot Falls then? It's hard to tell where they go by the dates, as you said. I haven't really finessed this era of my reading order yet.

How does the Superman/Batman stuff fit in?

**Crow** · 05-28-2010, 05:58 AM

Thanks guys. By the way, Sendingsignal, that's an awesome list you got there! But there's one thing that bothers me in your recommended reading order. How is it that a comic ,say Batman and the Mad Monk (released in 2007) is placed before say Batman Venom which was in 1991 ! That is really weird!

**VeesFistOfDeath** · 05-28-2010, 07:31 AM

It's like how Episode I, II, and III came out 20 year after epidoes IV,V, and VI.
Someone wrote a story set in a certain time, then someone else wrote a story that takes place before the one just mentioned....a few years later. Its like how Puppet master III tells the origin of Tulan, but the first two movies go along actling like you already know. hopw it helpa:)

**sendingsignal** · 05-28-2010, 08:04 AM

yeah, Vees hit it on the nose - a lot of batman stories have been written to take place in what I (and a lot of other people) refer to as "Year One Era." This means they take place early in Batman's career - you usually have to place them by the events in the book versus the release date.

The name actually comes from Batman: Year One, which is the start of his adventures in the modern timeline, but was written about 40 years after his premier.

I include it after the golden age stuff, though, because Golden Age batman is kind of a separate character (and they interact!)

**Mat001** · 05-28-2010, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by sendingsignal

http://www.tradereadingorder.com/cha...perman/page/6/

So you'd put Last Son before Camelot Falls then? It's hard to tell where they go by the dates, as you said. I haven't really finessed this era of my reading order yet.

Yes. In Superman #662, Chris Kent is mentioned and the Daily Planet globe is being restored from the fight with Bizarro in Action Comics #845. In Superman Annual #13, Chris makes an appearence with Lois in the lead story. The backup tale takes place after "The Third Kryptonian" arc, which features Chris. The issue reading order is as follows, after "Back In Action".

Action Comics #844-845, up to the last four pages.
Superman #654-659.
Action Comics #848-849.
Superman #660-664, #666, Annual #13. The lead story only.
Action Comics #850.
Action Comics #852-854.
Superman #668-670.
Annual #13, back up story.
Superman #671-675.
Action Comics #845, the last four pages.
Action Comics #846-847, #851, Annual #11.

How does the Superman/Batman stuff fit in?

The Jeph Loeb run is in continuity and takes place before "Infinite Crisis". "Torment" takes place before "3-2-1 Action". The rest of the series up until the recent Joe Casey arc, does not take place in continuity. They're meant to be read for fun and do not affect the books. The Joe Casey arc takes place before "Infinite Crisis" and after "Our Worlds At War". The current arc by Paul Levitz takes place sometime after Grant Morrison's Batman run has ended.

**sendingsignal** · 05-28-2010, 04:47 PM

awesome - super helpful info. I'm adding in a bunch of golden age stuff right now, but when I get back to modern age I'll tweak it a bit. Thanks again!

**Mat001** · 05-28-2010, 05:02 PM

Superman #665 and #676 are flashback tales set during the early years.

**superlantern1987** · 05-30-2010, 12:17 AM

Here's a link, I hope its helpful: http://www.supermantrades.com/

**sendingsignal** · 05-30-2010, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by superlantern1987

Here's a link, I hope its helpful: http://www.supermantrades.com/

that is a really great site - I've come across it a few times since we're obviously interested in similar things. I wish there was some way to talk to the creator!

**superlantern1987** · 05-30-2010, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by sendingsignal

that is a really great site - I've come across it a few times since we're obviously interested in similar things. I wish there was some way to talk to the creator!

I'm pretty sure there should be a link where you can ask a question to the creator.