Reading ALL of the New 52

EDIT/UPDATE - Click here to go to the post where I re-start this process and read the books in the order they were released

I’ve been reading the entire New 52 in order here on DC Universe and have been using this as my source to know what to read and in what order:

So far I’m loving it. I didn’t really get into comics until about four years ago and my knowledge of DC was pretty limited to the tent pole characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. Reading the New 52 takes me to every corner of the DC Universe and introduces me to characters I never knew before - and in more than just a cameo. These characters get their own books, their own storylines and I’m enjoying absorbing it all.

Characters like:
Voodoo
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E
O.M.A.C.
The Blackhawks
The Demon Knights
Team 7
The Shade

…and I’m not even halfway through the first part! Still over 1,500 books to go!

While I’ve enjoyed a lot of books so far last night I hit upon my favorite so far - Batwoman. The first five books of her 2011 New 52 run were outstanding. The artwork and layout was gorgeous. The characters were fascinating and compelling and this Bones guy from the DEO…I love him already. It was late when I started book #1 but I was hooked and had to finish the storyline before I went to bed. Those are issues I will seek hardcopies of - they were true works of art.

I’m just starting the Green Lantern Corps with characters I’m more familiar with but can’t wait to see where it all goes from here. Reading all of the New 52 would have cost thousands but with DC Universe it’s all possible for just $75 a year thanks to my annual subscription.

I love DC Universe and I’m loving this journey through the entire DC Universe. Back to it!

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Ohh thanks for the link!

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Do you find it disorientating to read part of one series then move to another? Looking at that list, which is really cool, I don’t think I could do that. I’d rather just read through, series by series or else I’d get lost.

But reading through New 52 is actually a cool goal. Nice idea!

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A little bit, yes, but I guess I’m used to it now. I kind of look at it as if I’m picking up issues at my local comic shop each week/month. I wouldn’t wait to get all 12 issues of a story before I read another story so this is similar. There’s also enough overlap in stories and characters to make it worth doing - like O.M.A.C showing up in Justice League International and me already knowing who he was and why he was a badass. O.M.A.C fighting Frankenstein was one of my favorite moments so far as well.

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That is a good way of looking at it. I didn’t think about it like that. When I’m reading a full run I like to just read it, not jump from story to story. But I guess I do that each week with new releases.

I’ve read some New 52 but mostly main story lines. I’ll have to add the ones I haven’t read to my reading list now.

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This list I’m using does a good job of grouping issues together to complete storylines. There are some one offs here and there but for the most part they conclude a storyline before moving on. For example I’m reading Green Lantern Corps #1-6 which tells a story from start to finish and then I’ll move on to another series. Eventually I’ll come back for GLC #7 and it’ll take a moment to remember where they left off but, like a new series, I pick it up pretty quick.

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August General in Iron had a panel in Justice League International that was so rewarding and epic - it is one I wish I could have framed and hung on my wall. I loved that moment and yet had never heard of him before I started this project. Those moments make this whole thing an enjoyable labor of love and keep me reading “just one more issue” before I close the app. Plus I’m racking up rewards points quickly!

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I got more into DC (apart from Green Lantern) with the New 52. It was very good at introducing me to more characters than I knew before.

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This project continues and I’m currently reading ‘Batwing’ issues #1-4. I had never read any of Batwing before this and knew very little about the character - I’m loving the action taking place in Africa and getting to see a whole different version of Batman. He’s made Batwing almost like a Batman franchise for Africa giving him the tech, the suit and the mystique to fight crime and bring justice to a new continent.

Earlier @Row.Harper asked me about these books jumping around and as I’ve gone from ‘I, Vampire’ to ‘Detective Comics’ to ‘Justice League Dark’ within three issues - all dealing with the same topic/battle - I love it. I would never have picked up all of those books back when they were released and probably would have just read Detective Comics or Justice League Dark but to read all of them gives you the full story and a better experience.

It’s also been rewarding to have the payoff of books you read weeks/months ago come back and to already be familiar with the characters - ones you would not have known about otherwise. ‘I, Vampire #0’ was literally the 26th book I read in this endeavor and to have Andrew Bennett and Mary, Queen of Blood come back hundreds of issues later was great. It was like seeing an old friend.

Jumping from one book/series to the next feels like the greatest crossover event I could have ever asked for as this literally takes me to every corner of the DC Universe and let’s me explore each character, hero, villain, location and story in depth. This isn’t just a panel or two where Resurrection Man or Blue Beetle makes an appearance it’s an entire book about him and there’s more than one!

I can’t recommend this enough to those of you that want to make the most of your DC Universe subscription, want a project to do while we’re staying home due to COVID or who just want to learn more about different characters in the DC Universe. I’m not even 1/3 of the way through this yet but I’m already so happy I did this and can’t wait to see where it take me next.

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I’ve made it to ‘The Red Lanterns’ and to see Atrocitus presented as the hero, to see his perspective on why he has rage and why he believes using it to purge the universe of evil, even though it creates more evil, is just is fantastic. I’ve always liked the Red Lanterns as the villains to the Green Lanterns but having them as the focus of their own books is very fun to read.

Oh, and Resurrection Man may be one of my all-time favorite DC characters now. I don’t know what it is about characters that can die but simply come back to live again but I love them - Hawkman and Resurrection Man need to team up at some point and fight evil through the millennia.

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I am doing the same thing but with Rebirth. Also using the comic book reading orders site. I started last year and got almost 200 issues in before having to cancel due to unemployment from the pandemic. But I back at it with a new job. Even thought it had been a while I started remembering what had happened as the writers are good at referencing past events. I’m not going to read everything, probably 85-90%.

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In my opinion Batman by Snyder, Batwoman by JH, and Wonder Woman by Azzerello are the best series that came out of the New 52. It struggled in a few parts, but what it did right really stood out and was a great triumph.

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The New 52 Batwoman is stunning to look at. Extremely creative visual layout and artwork, great story and yes - that’s been a highlight so far for sure. Good call.

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If/When I ever finish The New 52 I will almost assuredly start up on Rebirth (after DC You, of course). This place makes projects like that feasible and affordable and it’s one of the many reasons I am a VERY happy DC Universe Infinite subscriber.

Congrats on the new job and glad to have you back on here. Cheers to Comic Book Reading Orders for giving us easy to follow lists to use!

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Well it’s been a minute but I am back! My interest in reading the entirety of the New 52 has been re-sparked by a YouTube channel that is doing the same thing. “The (Not So) New 52” is a podcast/YouTube show that is reading all of The New 52 in the order they were released in stores. I just saw the debut of Year Two and that got me fired up in a big way so I went back to Year One and am starting over!

I often vacillate between wanting to read the new books and wanting to read the books I missed but I have always been drawn to The New 52. I love the concept, I love the people involved and I love the depth that it goes into throughout DC.

So I’m starting where it started - week one of the New 52 from back on August 31, 2011:

  • Flashpoint #5
  • Justice League #1

Reading Flashpoint #5 was more to wrap up where things were left off than to start The New 52 and it showed me how Barry Allen sacrificed his mother for the rest of the world, how we got back to this timeline and how everything ended from that event. Fantastic book - absolutely jam packed with action, surprises and great moments.

Then it was time to start The New 52 for real with Justice League #1. Geoff Johns and Jim Lee? What a powerhouse combination! The story was great as it goes back five years to a time when superheroes were new, when they didn’t know each other and when they weren’t trusted. Vic Stone is still a highly sought after football recruit, Green Lantern didn’t know Batman was real until he met him (I know they were chasing a Parademon with a Mother Box because I’ve watched/read enough since then to know it but loved seeing it for the first time in the comics) and neither of them had met Superman. Loved seeing the arrogance of Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, the competence of Bruce Wayne/Batman and the badassness of Superman. This was a very quick read and BEAUTIFUL book.

That’s it for week one of my effort. Easy-peasy. Next up is Week 2 from September 7, 2011 and I have a bit more on my plate:

  • Action Comics #1
  • Animal Man #1
  • Batgirl #1
  • Batwing #1
  • Detective Comics #1
  • Green Arrow #1
  • Hawk & Dove #1
  • Justice League International #1
  • Men of War #1
  • OMAC #1
  • Static Shock #1
  • Stormwatch #1
  • Swamp Thing #1

Some of these I’ve read in the past as part of my first attempt at reading all of this and some of them I haven’t. One of the things I’ll enjoy about this process is utilizing the books I’ve bought over the years and this week is one of those weeks as I’ll get to read Animal Man #1 and Action Comics #1 in THE NEW 52 10TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION that I bought last year. When I get to the #0 issues I’ll get to break out THE NEW 52 ZERO OMNIBUS that I bought years ago. (Wish I had thought of this before I read Justice League #1!

If anyone is interested in joining me in this endeavor please drop a line below and let’s go back to 2011 together! Won’t cost a thing because all of these books are already included in the price of your DCUI subscription! @Row.Harper - you in on this? :smiley:

Edit - Adding @dominith.MK11989 in case he wants to join us as well!

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Actually, this does sound like fun. I have no idea how I’m going to keep track of this but I’m in.

The New 52 was what got me into comics but I’ve only read a corner of it, so I guess I should read more of it. And it’ll be nice to re-read the comics I haven’t read since I first read them way back when I first started reading.

Looking back on this thread I still share my concerns from before about reading part of a series and switching back and forth, but I’m willing to try it. Technically, that’s how I read new releases so I’ll just think of it that way.

Geez, what have I gotten myself into? :laughing:

Edit: What list are you using for this read through? I can’t seem to find one that is listed by release date.

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I’m not sure what OP is using, but when I do rereads like this, I use the Mike’s Amazing World site. Here are all of the DC books from September 2011 (the first full week of the New 52) sorted by publication date. (Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1 were released the last week of August).

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This is helpful, thank you!

I’m going to keep looking around for a list though because for something this big I think my brain needs a list to check off or else I will get lost. But it is good to know that sorting comic sites that way is an option. Thank you for sharing!

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Great! Glad you are in on this - will be fun to discuss them with you each week!

Here’s the site I’m using for now until I find a better one:

The New 52 started on August 31, 2011 so to get caught up all you need to do is read one, maybe two books. Tomorrow will start week 2 with 13 releases (listed above) and we can discuss any of those books in here.

We’ll start week 3 on September 14th and I’ll list those titles in here or you can click ahead on the link above to see what’s on the docket.

Again, great to have you in on this and hope more join us!

Edit - I get your concern but as you said, it’s no different than when the event happened in real life. We get new books each week and we read them as DC gives them to us! It’s really like going back in time 11 years and going to the comic shop each week to see what has been released!

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Ok, I’m all caught up on week 1!

I’m impressed on how close Justice League #1 is to the Justice League War animated Movie. I knew it was the same storyline, but I didn’t realize it was almost word for word exact.

Also, I’m not sure how well I will be able to keep up with 13 issues a week. I will try. But I might try to get a slight head start this week. :sweat_smile:

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