New Comic Book Reader/Any Suggestion Character Arcs?

Hi everyone!
So I’m very new to the world of comics, I love DC’s theme (and some DCEU movies) but love their animated movies and I wanted to get some help with a few things!

  1. Any characters I should read on first/good first issues I should read on those characters.

  2. Websites y’all may know on how to keep up with current and upcoming issues.

  3. Whatever else you all may recommend or suggest!

Again, I’m very new to comics and I don’t even know like how to keep up with one series (I’m a little embarrassed) but how would I even keep up with a series? Like does all series start at #1?
Plz help!

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Hi Genevieve! Welcome to comics! Let’s get one conception out of the way: there is no one true starting point for getting into reading the DC Universe. It’s a lifelong pursuit of discovery, and there’s absolutely no shame in starting from zero. Where to start is entirely dependent on what your tastes are.

If you like the DCEU, you might want to start with the comics which at least partially inspired them. Here’s a few for each film:

If you liked Man of Steel, try Superman: Birthright and Superman: Secret Origin.

If you liked Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, try Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

If you liked Wonder Woman, try The Legend of Wonder Woman by Renae de Liz.

If you liked Justice League or Shazam, try Justice League (2011).

If you liked Aquaman, try Aquaman (2011).

If you liked Wonder Woman 1984, try Wonder Woman (1987).

If you liked Suicide Squad, try Suicide Squad (1987) or Suicide Squad (2016). All of these comics can be found on DC Universe Infinite!

If you’re trying to keep track of modern release schedules, leagueofcomicgeeks.com is a great resource. You can just pick a character or title that interests you, ask for an ideal starting point from any of us here, and stick with it. In the meantime, DCUI has thousands and thousands of archived comics for you to read!

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As for animated movies, which ones are your favorites? I can provide some good starting points for you based on your tastes.

Some comics to consider:

Batman: Year One
Superman: Brainiac
DC: The New Frontier
Green Lantern: Secret Origin
Superman/Batman (2003)
Batman: Under the Hood
All-Star Superman
JLA (1997)
Action Comics #775, “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?”
Batman by Grant Morrison
Batman (2011)
The New Teen Titans (1980)
Justice League Dark (2011)
Justice League Dark (2018)
Scooby-Doo Team-Up
Villains United
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Batman: Hush
Superman: Red Son
Batman: The Long Halloween

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Here’s a helpful video I recommend

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Welcome @josephhflores21, I have read DC most of my life and I can recommend so many great series for you. Here are a few off the top of my head. Sorry if most of them are Batman related, I’m a big Batman fan

First, I will recommend stuff if you like the movies and animation.

All Star Superman
Aquaman - Most of the film stuff is based off of this run
Gotham by Gaslight
The Killing Joke
The Dark Knight Returns Snyder took huge inspiration from this book, also check out the animated film
Batman: Year One - Christopher Nolan based Batman Begins Heavily off this, and check out the animated film
The Long Halloween - The Dark Knight is based off this and is getting a animated film
Justice League: Origin - Has back up stories re-telling the story of Shazam, Served as a inspiration for Snyder’s Justice League, and has a film adaption called Justice League: War
JLA: The Tower of Babel - Inspired Justice League: Doom
Flashpoint
DC: The New Frontier
Superman: Earth One - Served as much of the inspiration for Man of Steel
Suicide Squad - The re-vamp served as base for the 2016 film
Wonder Woman and WW84 - Many concept are based off the 87 series

Now, I will recommend other stuff worth looking up on here

Batman Reading Order

Batman: Year One
Legends of the Dark Knight #1-23
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Batman: The Gauntlet
Robin: Year One
Batgirl: Year One
Batman: Ego
Second Chances
Batman #416 - 423
The Cult
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth
The Killing Joke
Batman #424 - 430
Detective Comics #583 - 614
A Lonely Place of Dying
Batman #448 - 454
Detective Comics #615 - 621
Batman #455 - 457
Robin
Batman #458 - 471
Detective Comics #625 - 653
Robin 2
Robin 3
The Last Arkham
Vengeance of Bane #1
Batman #483 - 490
Detective Comics #654 - 658
Knightfall
Knightquest
Knightsend
The Black Mirror
Batman New 52
Detective Comics Rebirth

Other series worth checking out
Swamp Thing (Original Series) - If not the biggest fan, skip to #20 of Saga of the Swamp Thing
Saga of the Swamp Thing (Sequel Series)
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Animal Man
Doom Patrol (start at #19)
Starman
The New Teen Titans
Suicide Squad (87 series)
The Question
Harleen
Mister Miracle
Kingdom Come
Superman Rebirth
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Hellblazer
Preacher
Sweet Tooth
Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard Travelin Heroes
Zatanna
The Sandman and Black Orchid - Not on here, but worth finding
The World’s Greatest Superheroes

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@josephhflores21: Welcome to a world of action, adventure, mystery, suspense, romance, and magic. I started 55 years ago with Batman #183 and I was hooked. I hope there is a book on here that grabs you the same way. Good luck and happy reading, and remember half the fun is the journey.

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First
Watch
Secret Origins the Story of DC Comics

In that hour and a half you will get a good overview of most of our comic book library. It was filmed in.2009 so of course can’t talk about newer than that

The DC History Club has this video as the topic for the month of September 2020

This is my complete list for New DC Readers. It is intended to introduce most of the major characters of the universe at a basic level. It is by year.

This is my
Batman for new readers

if you want to learn significant events in super hero genre history. Most significant issues are mentioned here. It is by year

https://community.dcuniverse.com/t/super-hero-genre-history/204746

if you want to learn how Superman Batman.and Wonder Woman were created

https://community.dcuniverse.com/t/the-road-to-the-trinity-superman-barman-an-wonder-woman/225750

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Comic Book Roundup is what I use to determine

What comics I buy each week

Click on New
Then all

If see a comic you like
You can click on ‘series’
To see reviews of every issue in that title

https://comicbookroundup.com/

For new DC Comics

Link is

https://www.dccomics.com/comics

This is animation
In order

Missing latest

Superman Man of Tomorrow

Batman Soul of the Dragon

Justice Society World War II

Also

List of all animation DCAU?

01 Superman: Doomsday (2007)

03 Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)

03 Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

04 Wonder Woman (2009)

05 Green Lantern: First Flight (2009)

06 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

07 Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010)

08.Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)

00.Under the Red Hood (2010)

10 All-Star Superman (2011)

11 Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)

12 Batman: Year One (2011)

13 Justice League: Doom (2012)

14 Superman vs. The Elite (2012)

15 The Dark Knight Returns – Part 1 (2012)

16 The Dark Knight Returns – Part 2 (2013)

17 Superman: Unbound (2013)

NEW DCAU NEW 52

18 01 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

19 02 Justice League: War (2014)

20 03 Son of Batman (2014)

21 04 Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)

22 05 Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)

23 05 Batman vs. Robin (2015)

24 07 Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015)

25 08 Batman: Bad Blood (2016)

26 09 Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)

27 10 Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

28 11 Justice League Dark (2017)

29 12 Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)

30.13 Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)

31 14 Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018)

32 15 Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)

33 16 Constantine: City of Demons (2018)*

34 17 The Death of Superman (2018)

35 18 Reign of the Supermen (2019)

36 19 Justice League vs. the Fatal Five (2019)

37.20 Batman Hush (2019)

38 21 Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019)

39.22 Superman: Red Son (2020)

40 23 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)

NEW DCAU NEW 52

18 01 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

19 02 Justice League: War (2014)

20 03 Son of Batman (2014)

22 04 Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)

23 05 Batman vs. Robin (2015)

25 0y Batman: Bad Blood (2016)

26 07 Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)

28 08 Justice League Dark (2017)

29 09 Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)

32 10.Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)

34 11 The Death of Superman (2018)

35 12 Reign of the Supermen (2019)

37.13 Batman Hush (2019)

38 14 Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019)

40 15 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) Edit
Main article: Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
Barry Allen wakes up in an alternate timeline, later known as Flashpoint, where he isn’t The Flash and meets Thomas Wayne, who is the Batman of the timeline. As he works his way to restore his old timeline, Barry must also contend with Professor Zoom, who appears to be behind everything.

The film was released on DVD and Blu-Ray July 30, 2013 and is based on the comic book series “Flashpoint” by Geoff Johns.

Justice League: War (2014) Edit
Main article: Justice League: War
When the Mad Dark and Demon Titan and New God Darkseid comes to invade Earth, Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Shazam and Cyborg come together to save the Earth.

The film was released on January 21, 2014 and is based on the comic book “Justice League: Origin” by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. It features the voice talents of Jason O’Mara as Batman, Alan Tudyk as Superman, Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman, Christopher Gorham as The Flash, Justin Kirk as Green Lantern, Shemar Moore as Cyborg, Sean Astin as Shazam, Steven Blum as Darkseid, and Rocky Carroll as Dr. Silas Stone.[6] A sequel to the film, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, was released January 13, 2015.

Son of Batman (2014) Edit
Main article: Son of Batman
Gotham City-based vigilante Batman discovers he has a son Damian Wayne trained by the League of Assassins as Slade Wilson vows revenge on Damian for being chosen to be the heir of the League instead of him.

The film was released on April 22, 2014 and is based on the comic book “Batman and Son” by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert. The film introduces Damian Wayne to the universe. A sequel to the film, Batman vs. Robin, was released on April 22, 2015.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015) Edit
Main article: Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
Arthur Curry, the half-Atlantean Prince of Atlantis, teams up with the newly found Justice League to stop his brother Orm from going to war with the surface world after blaming them for the death of his father it was Orm’s lies after he attacked Atlantis killed his mother and Darkseid who killed Orm’s father.

The film was released on January 13, 2015 and is based on comic book “Throne of Atlantis” by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The film introduces Aquaman to the universe. A tie-in film titled Nightwing and Robin was released set during the events of the film.[7]

Batman vs. Robin (2015) Edit
Main article: Batman vs. Robin
Damian Wayne, Bruce’s son and now the current Robin, becomes angered at his father’s moral code. He trains with the mysterious assassin Talon to become a member of the Court of Owls, a secret organisation lurking in the shadows of Gotham.

The film was released on April 7, 2015. The film features the Court of Owls. The film is loosely based on the comic book “Batman: The Court of Owls”,[8] as well as sharing influences from “Batman and Robin: Born to Kill”.[9] A sequel to the film, Batman: Bad Blood, was released in January 2016

Batman: Bad Blood (2016) Edit
Main article: Batman: Bad Blood
With Batman missing, Damian returns from his isolation, Dick Grayson takes up the mantle of Batman and an aspiring Batwoman emerges, while a new enemy called the Heretic and Damian’s mother Talia al Ghul plots to destroy Gotham.

The film was released on January 20, 2016. It features an original story by J.M. DeMatteis. It introduces Batwoman and Batwing to the universe.[10][11] Batgirl (Barbara Gordon in the Burnside costume) also makes a non-speaking cameo appearance at the very end of the movie, right before the end credits.

Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016) Edit
Main article: Justice League vs. Teen Titans
Following a demonic attack on Earth, the demon Trigon re-emerges prompting the Teen Titans to team up with the Justice League.

The film premiered at WonderCon in Los Angeles on March 26, 2016. It introduces the Teen Titans to the universe.[12] It features an original story by Bryan Q. Miller.

Justice League Dark (2017) Edit
Main article: Justice League Dark (film)
Batman is sent to find John Constantine after a supernatural threat occurs in Metropolis, who recruits a group of other magical heroes to fight the being Doctor Destiny, revealed to be behind the threats.

The film was released digitally on January 24, 2017 and on DVD and Blu-ray on February 7, 2017.[13][14][15] It is an adaptation of Peter Milligan’s “Justice League Dark” series and introduces the team of the same name to the universe.[16]

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017) Edit
Main article: Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Cult leader Brother Blood hires Deathstroke to capture the Titans, who have been spied on by a mole revealed to be their new member Terra, to be part of an experiment that will supposedly make Blood a god.

The film was released April 4, 2017 and is based on the comic book “The Judas Contract” by Marv Wolfman and George Perez.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018) Edit
Main article: Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Amanda Waller recruits a group of criminals led by Floyd Lawton to retrieve a magical “Get Out Of Hell Free” card which is also being hunted by immortal being Vandal Savage and speedster Professor Zoom, who survived his death in the alternate timeline Flashpoint.

The film was announced at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 10, 2018. It features an original story by Alan Burnett.

The Death of Superman (2018) Edit
Main article: The Death of Superman (film)
After a monster crash lands on Earth and severly weakens the Justice League, Superman becomes their only hope in defeating it but at a life threatening cost.

Despite the story being previously adapted in the first DC Universe Animated Original Movie (though not in the DCAMU), Superman: Doomsday, this said, the movie greatly altered and condensed the original comic story to fit it within a 75-minute runtime. The Death of Superman was written to be much more faithful to the original story; according to DC’s Tim Beedle, the film is “much less condensed and will include many of the fan-favorite moments from the story that were left out of Doomsday”.[17]

Reign of the Supermen (2019) Edit
Main article: Reign of the Supermen (film)
Six months following the death of Superman, four new Supermen have emerged and become controversial to the world as they battle to become the next Superman. One of the Supermen - Cyborg Superman is being controlled by Darkseid from Apokolips to invade the world.

Reign of the Supermen is the second part of a two-part film that started with The Death of Superman and was released in January 2019. The film is based on the comic storyline of the same name which was a follow up to The Death of Superman comic. The film features Superboy, Steel, the Eradicator and Cyborg Superman.[18] It was released digitally on January 15, 2019 and was released on Blu-ray and DVD January 29.[19]

Batman: Hush (2019) Edit
Main article: Batman: Hush (film)
A mysterious vigilante calling himself “Hush” threatens Batman’s life as he develops a romantic relationship with low life thief Catwoman.

The film was announced at San Diego Comic-Con on July 20, 2018, it was released digitally on July 19, 2019 and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 6, 2019.[20][21][22] It stars Jason O’Mara as Batman, Geoffrey Arend as Hush, Jerry O’Connell as Superman and Jennifer Morrison as Catwoman.[23][24] The film is based on the comic book of the same name.

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019) Edit
Main article: Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
Wonder Woman has become an aspiring superheroine and goes up against a criminal organisation known as Villainy Inc consisting of villains from her past who plot to destroy the island of Themyscira.

The film was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2018. It was released October 5, 2019 on digital platforms and was released October 22, 2019 on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Rosario Dawson reprises her role as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman from previous films.[25]

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) Edit
Main article: Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
After Darkseid sucessfully conquers Earth, the remaining heroes and villains unite to kill Darkseid once and for all.

The film was announced July 2019 during San Diego Comic-Con.[26] Previous DCAMU voice actors are set to reprise their roles from previous films with Hynden Walch replacing Tara Strong as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay.[27] It released on digital platforms on May 5, 2020, and is scheduled to be released on 4k/Blu-Ray DVD on May 19, 2020.[28] Christina Sotta and Ernie Altbacker provided the script while Matt Peters and Sotta directed the film. It is the final film in the DC Animated Movie Universe.[29]

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