DC Comics Beginners Guide – Part One

With the release of James Gunn’s well-received Superman movie (and the launch of his DCU), many new fans might be interested in reading comics about its upcoming characters. As a long-time comic fan, I have a few recommendations of my own. For the sake of simplicity, I will name one main storyline for each member of the “trinity” (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman).

BATMAN: COURT OF OWLS ARC

Often considered to be the book that put the “New 52” event on the map, The Court of Owls saga is a great starting point for new Batman fans. This is mainly because The New 52 is a reset of the canon (which basically means that it’s a fresh start for all the characters in the universe). Additionally, the story is generally self-contained, which lets readers jump right into the action. With beautiful art by Greg Capullo and masterful writing by Scott Snyder, the two make a wonderful team, especially for this character. A lot of emphasis is put on Batman’s detective side in this arc, which is integral to his overall character. Readers will also quickly learn that Batman will stop at nothing to learn the truth. This allows readers to watch the mystery unfold as Batman investigates the Owls. Although the issues enter some weird territory later on (especially during those labyrinth scenes), the general mystery of the Court should be understandable and interesting to any fan, new or old. Overall, I highly recommend continuing to read the Snyder/Capullo run if this arc intrigues you, as it remains one of my personal favorite Batman stories.

If you want to read it for yourself, check out this Trade Paperback from Amazon:

SUPERMAN: ALL-STAR SUPERMAN

Having just reread this story a few days ago, I can confirm this is a great entry-level story for new Superman fans. The story follows a Superman who is rapidly dying due to overexposure to solar radiation. Superman dedicates his remaining time to making the world as good and peaceful as possible while he is still alive. The story is written by the legendary writer Grant Morrison, with beautiful art by Frank Quietly. Unlike some of Morrison’s other work (such as Animal Man and New X-Men), All-Star Superman is fairly straightforward and requires practically no prior knowledge. Even if you are unfamiliar with characters like Bizarro and Lex Luthor, the story introduces them well. Additionally, the series is self-contained in its 12-issue run (similarly to Batman’s Court of Owls arc). I also think this series explores the character of Superman well. It is easy to see him as a source of optimism and hope, even in the darkest of times. It also shows that despite his superhuman abilities, he has flaws like any other human.

If you want to read it for yourself, check out this Trade Paperback from Amazon:

WONDER WOMAN: GEORGE PEREZ RUN

To be completely honest, I’ve not read a lot of Wonder Woman comics myself. However, I have read some of the George Pérez run, and it is definitely a good starting point for new fans. This is mainly due to the run being a reboot of the continuity established before Crisis on Infinite Earths. The run clearly explains the origins of Diana and her fellow Amazonians, as well as the island of Themyscira. Readers will quickly notice that Pérez takes advantage of Greek mythology, which is an important aspect of the character. Pérez also characterizes the character well, emphasizing that Diana is a mighty warrior who still has compassion for humanity. Lastly, Perez both wrote and drew the first 24 issues of his run. Although the art duties frequently shifted after this first batch of issues, the art always remains consistently good throughout.

If you want to read it for yourself, check out this Omnibus from Amazon. Just be warned that this run is pretty long (and in turn, more expensive!):

No matter where you decide to start reading, there are many characters in DC Comics to start exploring before seeing them on the big screen. At a later date, I will probably post a part two to this blog with more beginner’s reads!