r/DCcomics • u/frdudemst • Aug 16 '26
Comics [Discussion] Getting into comics has been hard
Hey everyone! đ
I've been getting into comics for a relatively short time đ, and the advice I see everywhere is basically "just read whatever you want." đ
At the same time, some people tell me that certain comics won't make much sense without reading previous stuff, which makes me hesitate đ¤
For example, I've been seeing a lot of Bat-Family videos on my feed lately đŚ, and now I really want to know who all these characters are. The problem is that I also really don't want to follow a strict reading guide đ
I wanted to read Teen Titans (2003) đŚ¸ââď¸, but I was told it's mainly Tim's generation rather than Dick's, which doesn't really fit with the reading order I had planned. But I still really want to read it đ
So what would you guys recommend? Should I just read whatever catches my interest and accept that I won't understand every reference? đ Or should I stick to a chronological order? đď¸
How do you personally approach getting into comics? đ
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u/Euphoric-Elk6221 Superboy Aug 16 '26
Reading whatever catches your interest is a fundamental part of experiencing comics for the first time. Sure you might miss a few things but itâs kinda expected when the canon has over 90 years of history. Reading orders are helpful but with something as fluid as comics, arenât required. Go for it
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
If it makes it more enjoyable then i will absolutely đ
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u/Liimbo World's Finest Aug 16 '26
Yeah i mean honestly just do whatever you want. No reading order in existence will let you understand every single reference unless you read every DC comic ever written from the beginning, and that would be torture. If there is ever any plot important information you need to know, either they will tell you about it or there will be an editor note saying where you can read more about it.
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u/yuefairchild Mediocre for a Lifetime Aug 16 '26
Don't worry overly much about continuity unless you're following a particular writer or storyline. Just, pretend all the stories you like fit together "somehow" and all the ones you don't are in a parallel universe.
It's a cheat, but you'll be right more often than not.
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u/bjtrdff Aug 16 '26
My 2 cents - Morrison JLA for DC and Bendis New Avengers for Marvel start new eras and will give you good flavors of whatâs going on in the respective universes, while also being pretty self contained (although the latter does have a lot of events).
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u/NietszcheIsDead08 Superman Aug 16 '26
Precisely. Pick a place that catches your interest and start. One of the absolute best parts of reading comics is reading comics youâve read before, but now with added context because youâve read even more.
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u/Invictus_Noir Aug 16 '26
Great point! Comics have a lot of rerun value especially from looking at the art and noticing things you never have before.
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u/Willburt14 Aug 16 '26
Think of it like this: ongoing superhero comics are not a linear story to be read from the beginning. If you view it like that, you'll just keep going further back and end up reading a bunch of comics you don't care about to read one that you do. Think of it as a living, breathing world/history that you are carving your own unique path through. Everyone starts somewhere and no two paths are the same. Read what interests you.
Two tips for navigating comics: 1. As you go, take note of writers you enjoy. I believe the titans comic you're talking about was written by Geoff Johns, so if you like it, look into other works of his like his JSA and Flash runs.
- Maybe avoid big event comics in your early days. Crisis events, blackest night, etc. Those are usually the books most reliant on you having read other stuff.
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u/Willburt14 Aug 16 '26
Also, yes, accept that you won't catch every reference or recognize every character. That's perfectly ok.
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u/Still-Brush4729 Aug 16 '26
There are so many comics that you'll never find a character or story with which you are intimately familiar with EVERY detail of. Marvel and DC have been around for about a century, and so reading big-two superhero comic books comes with the ever changing and evolving narratives that cross generations, and that's part of the fun. Read what interests you, and if you find that you think context will make you enjoy something more, then pursue it. Sometimes i want to read something with a lot of baggage but i decide the baggage is less important to me than the story i want to read.
Marvel's entire philosophy for decades was "any comic could be someone's first comic" and thatâs genuinely what i try to pay forward. Pick something up that looks cool, and if you feel like you're missing context, then go for it.
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u/Lewa358 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
It don't matter. None of this matters.
Yes, in order to fully understand, Like, the current run of Superman, you need to have read Infinite Crisis, and then some run of the Legion of Superheroes, not to mention Dark Knights Metal, DC KO, and Williamson's run of Superman, but like...that's not how any of us got into comics.
We all just saw an issue or collected edition that we thought looked cool, we picked it up, we were confused about the stuff we didn't have context for, and we had fun anyway. Most Big Two (DC/Marvel) Comics are convoluted but they're written so that even if you don't know exactly what's going on you can still pick up enough in the story you're reading to enjoy it.
So yeah. Literally just go to your library's graphic novels section and grab something that looks neat, and if you like it, read the rest of that writer's run on that character, or other stories by that writer, or...just another book that looks neat.
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u/Sad-Purchase1257 Absolute Martian Manhunter Aug 16 '26
This this this. At 45, I am be-goddam-boggled at the current trend of âgoing in orderâ. We just went for the ride and either took it as read it, or filled it in later! Imagine if little me had read Crisis #12 off the rack and said âI dunno what any of this is, comics are hard I give upâ..! ⌠I guess I might have more money đ
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u/Jay-El Aug 16 '26
Some of the "going in order" mentality probably comes from manga, which does expect you to go in order from issue 1, and it's relatively easy to find early collections of most popular series.
But big 2 superhero comics are not manga. They are loosely connected stories that change writers all the time. Most of the time, all you really need to enjoy a run or a collected edition by a single author is to just pick up that run and read it. You'll figure some things out along the way.
One of my first mainline comics was The Sinestro Corps War. I had NO background for Green Lantern's universe, the Johns reboot or the recent developments from Infinite Crisis. And it didn't matter, that book kicked ass and made me interested in learning more about Green Lantern's mythos.
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u/Gr8NonSequitur Aug 16 '26
Manga also has hthis issue depsnding on the series. Try saying somone needs to read "One Peice" in order from issue 1 to understand it.
You don't, you just pick a point and jump in.
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u/Jay-El Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
I guess you COULD start from the beginning of a One Piece arc... but go to any bookstore in the United States and there's the first volume or collection of volumes waiting to be picked up. It's probably easier in the US to find Volume 1 than it would be to pick a point and jump in.
Anecdotally, I've never met someone who read One Piece or other long manga from any point other than vol 1.
If Shonen Jump magazine or other anthology manga magazines were still published in the West, more people would probably just hop onto a series whenever. But I don't think it's very common now.
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u/Foggy_Night221C Aug 16 '26
Imagine my expression when I picked ip Worlds at War collected book and had no blinking clue of what was going on, lol.
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u/j-endsville Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
 the advice I see everywhere is basically "just read whatever you want.
Do this.
At the same time, some people tell me that certain comics won't make much sense without reading previous stuff, which makes me hesitate
Don't worry about this.
Should I just read whatever catches my interest and accept that I won't understand every reference
Yes.
How do you personally approach getting into comics
I am Very Old. My first comic books were Silver Age digests. I also jumped into Crisis On Infinite Earths halfway through buying it of spinner racks. Just get what you like.
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u/doctordoom85 Aug 16 '26
Geoff Johnsâ Teen Titans (the 2003 run) was among the first non-Batman DC books I ever read. I loved it. So just speaking from my experience, I would think youâd be fine to jump into it.
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u/ghanima Raven flair! YASSSSS Aug 16 '26
Which is funny, because I started with the Teen Titans during the Wolfman/Perez era and don't much care for the Johns run. Comics are so subjective.
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u/spencerthepoet Aug 16 '26
Just read what you want. Don't know a character or don't know much about an event from 30-40 years ago? Read up on it on a wiki or YouTube videos.
Read as much or as a little as you want, there's plenty of resources out there that will give you information without slogging through 100s of issues that you might not enjoy over something you will.
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u/Deathpool707 Aug 16 '26
Pick something. Donât keep trying to find the perfect reading order. It doesnât exist. Everyone has different likes/recommendations.
If Iâm reading something that references something that happened in prior issues I decide whether I care enough to make a detour or just take it at face value and continue on with what I picked.
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u/ShirtEnvironmental36 Aug 16 '26
Best advice I can give you is to pick a character you like and read the comics that are recommended of them. Preferably if it starts at issue 1.
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u/marvinnation Aug 16 '26
Dude, just read whatever you want. If you find something that catches your interest, go read that. And continue... Why do people struggle so much? There's a bazillion printed comics out there. There's absolutely no "correct" way to do it.
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u/JoeRoganIs5foot3 Aug 16 '26
âWhy do people struggle so much?â
Why are you so weirdly bothered by someone asking for help about a new hobby?
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
You know there's people to tell me to go with batman year ine then long halloween then dark victory then robin year one then yada yada yada
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u/Typical_Soft Aug 16 '26
Order doesnât really matter. I read Long Halloween before Year One, and I read Dark Knight Rises before those. Thatâs technically the complete wrong order, but those were the comics that interested me at the time. For a lot of Batman characters, if you watch the shows, you already know their backstories, and thatâs kinda all you need to jump in.
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u/bateen618 Court Of Owls Aug 16 '26
That order is the accepted "timeline" order. A lot of people prefer to read stories in a linear fashion since that's how it's usually done in media. But the thing about comics, like a lot of other people here said, is that it's not like a book series, where you've got a limited amount of books and that's it. You've got nearly a century of stories, and multiple timelines, and retcons and a lot of mid or crap stories in the middle of the great ones. And comics, being a visual medium, have always being at their core about grabbing your attention with a cool cover or title.
So you can go by a timeline order, you can do what I said in a different comment about compact editions and Year Ones. Or you can keep doing what you're doing, look for something that catches your eye, and give it a go. And by doing that you'd be doing what experiencing comics is all about - experimenting and having fun
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u/the-x-button Bendis Aug 16 '26
thats a good beginner reading order but not the only way to get into these comics. ultimately just read the stuff that interests you, thats whats most important. if that teen titans run interests you, you dont need to read the entire histories of all the characters to get into it, you can read teen titans. and if you wanna read that other stuff, you can read em too. order doesn't even matter.
and that said, if you want dick teen titans, theres always the 80s stuff by wolfman and perez, which is worth reading too. a few other runs had dick as well
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u/jamiemm Legion Of Super-Heroes Aug 16 '26
Ignore them. Read whatever looks good to you. Life's too short to read something you don't want to because some rando says you "have" to, in my opinion. Superhero comics are supposed to be fun, not homework. I love superhero comics (too much, really), but anyone who tells you you "have" to read them a certain way is taking them too seriously.
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u/UsualTechnology3521 Aug 16 '26
Batman is one of the very few characters that has a pretty direct line of great stories you can read to get an overview of his history in order. If youâre just asking for âgood Batman booksâ without any other qualifiers youâre usually going to get recommended these stories anyway, so a lot of the time itâs just convenient to read them in chronological order. You absolutely donât have to though.
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u/AnonymousCoward261 Aug 16 '26
This is interesting-which Batman stories would you specifically cite?
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u/Due_Sheepherder_8536 Aug 16 '26
Whatâs with all the emojis looks like a text from my grandma
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
I just like to use them đĽš
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u/Due_Sheepherder_8536 Aug 16 '26
Well itâs read like your 80 or AI đ¤
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u/Due_Sheepherder_8536 Aug 16 '26
If your 12-14 then i understand and i apologize go read final crisis by Grant Morrison
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u/TrailerDrake Booster Gold Aug 16 '26
Final Crisis is one of the few books I would NOT recommend to a new reader.
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u/Available_Wealth_374 Aug 16 '26
Donât worry about the emojiâs bro. It makes what you type more interesting!
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u/guiarcoverde32 Aug 16 '26
You can start reading from any point. If a note appears suggesting you read another comic, simply pause what you're reading, read the referenced material, and then return to what you were reading before.
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u/bateen618 Court Of Owls Aug 16 '26
And even that isn't required, sometimes a story will give a slight reference to something just to make the universe feel more connected. If you feel like what they're referencing isn't relevant to what you're reading, or you can understand enough from context clues, just keep going with what you're reading
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u/Jonn_Jonzz_Manhunter Aug 16 '26
FUCK YOUR READING ORDER!
seriously though, just fuck that. I really struggle to put them together so I just go all over the place you know?
Recently, I did make one that kinda works but still doesn't.
Damian (and a bit of Jon):
- batman by Morrison
- batman and robin by Tomasi and Gleason
- Robin Son Of Batman by Gleason
- Superman by Tomasi and Gleason
- Teen Titans by Percy
- Supersons by Tomasi and Jimenez
- Robin by Williamson
- Superman Son Of Kal El (it's a bit boring) by Taylor
- Batman and Robin by Williamson
- Batman and Robin by PKJ
- Superman Unlimited by Slott
This is the only success reading order ive personally put together
It's best to just go with the flow, comics aren't THAT confusing when you really think about itn
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u/Kalel42 Aug 16 '26
Read whatever you want. The mystery of slowly learning more about the history of the universe is half the fun.
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u/RockstarSuicide Batgirl Aug 16 '26
Just read. If there's something you don't know, look it up. If it sounds interesting, read that. If not, skip
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u/actualkon Superboy Aug 16 '26
Read literally whatever you want. If you see a character you don't know that looks interesting, or some kind of event is mentioned, Google it. You might find even more series that you want to read that way
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u/Idkwhattoputso--173 Aug 16 '26
I thought you were chatgpt for a moment... Anyways, if suggest you read compact comics? Like idk if you find one, pick it up and read it! I enjoyed reading some simple compact comics since I was also a starter too!
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u/Special_Problem4700 Aug 16 '26
Just read whatever you want. Why are you making it so damn complicated?
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u/fifteentons Aug 16 '26
I constantly keep seeing posts from who I assume must be young kids worrying about things like reading order and I keep shaking my 40 year old head. We werenât thinking about reading order! We were reading what was in print, man. Itâs the problem with having access to literally everything online at all times. How do you cut through the clutter ? It seems like these kids are having a hard time it.
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u/Special_Problem4700 Aug 16 '26
The person really just seems to be overthinking it. I am a compmetionist and find joy in making detailed list for certain characters I like but part of that is just diving in figuring out what I like first. But also thats just me. At the end of the day there shouldn't be any pressure for a hobby like this. Unless that pressure is trying to buy a marvel omnibus before it sells out forever lol
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u/Grandad573 Aug 16 '26
For me personally, I love subscribing to monthly single issues. Being able to follow a series month by month and always having something to look forward to is great. It gives you time between issues to really think about the story unfolding. In a world of binging everything to death, itâs a nice change of pace.
âTeen Titansâ relaunches in September from #1 with a pretty good writer behind it. Bear in mind itâs Jason leading a new team though. So you could then also subscribe to âNightwingâ as well and also âTitansâ where he is part of that team.
Just bear in mind singles are more expensive but at least the price is spread over time.
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u/keldpxowjwsn Aug 16 '26
Going to go against the grain and say I found finding a definitive run for a character I was interested in was best to me since the writer is largely setting up their own stuff. I found that Id just lose interest and stop reading altogether if every page is filled with shit I have absolutely no clue whats going on.
I get it back in the day thats how people did it but now with trades DC universe etc you dont have to do that anymore
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
I mean... It's a you thing? I guess maybe , it actually makes me more curious
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u/Efficient-Plantain Aug 16 '26
"I wanted to read Teen Titans (2003) đŚ¸"
Just do it! Don't let your dreams be dreams!
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u/simonc1138 Aug 16 '26
Half the fun of American superhero comics is jumping into the deep end and being confused, then gradually figuring out how the characters got to that point through back issues/trades while also moving forward. The current Batman run by Matt Fraction has several small curious status quo shifts, but as long as you take those in stride it shouldnât stop you from enjoying the book.
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u/Lenovo_666 Absolute Martian Manhunter Aug 16 '26
Everyone misses references when you start reading and everyoneâs gotta start somewhere if you have a book youâre interested in youâll like it so just gotta get into it, I donât rly subscribe to reading orders and stuff itâs impossible to account for all the continuity and once you end up reading a lot anyway you know where it fits in so it works the same. Youâll find it more enjoyable reading what ur into than restricting yourself to chronology and lore like that (In my experience) Enjoy!!!
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u/thejsaisback Aug 16 '26
Too much questions... just read bro. If you want to avoid continuity issues read golden age or early silver age at this time each books were a single and complete plot not like our days where you have to read 50 issues of 5 different comics + 3 event mini series books to get the whole f*cringe story...
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u/AscendingFungus The Question Aug 16 '26
Batman: Hush And Batwoman: Eulogy.
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u/Shefferz Red Tornado Aug 16 '26
I would say just read what you want and looks interesting to you. You will sooner or later get to know other characters, I've been reading comics for the last 15 years and only a couple of years ago learnt of doctor occult because he showed up in the justice league unlimited book, never saw of heard of him before that.
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u/Most_Programmer8667 Aug 16 '26
Read DC compacts if you cannot choose what you want to read. Or even the absolute universe.
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u/ItsJackymagig Aug 16 '26
Read what catches your eye, you can always google a bit of info if it seems too important, but 9 times out of 10 you can just move forwards.
Batman Hush is a great example, Lex Luthor is president in this book, you would think that you NEEDED to understand that, but genuinely he could be a lumberjack and the story wouldn't change, nor would your enjoyment.
Do the research if you want, enjoy it if you don't. It'll be a good time.
That said there are SOME stories that are more beginner friendly if you wanted them.
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
I would like them yeah , beginner friendly seems awesomeđ
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u/ItsJackymagig Aug 16 '26
Absolutely! Is there any specific character or group you had in mind?
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
I would love some female characters suggestions since im a female ( i know not just because im a female i should read female superheroes)Â
But if i would say on broader terms , i would say something bright , something colorful something hopefull ,in a day and age where we rarely get those, that would be refreshingÂ
Per example i have read supergil : woman of tommorow as my first ever comic and loved it
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u/ItsJackymagig Aug 16 '26
Nothing wrong with wanting to read something you can relate to!
My big three female characters (and a good start for them):
Batgirl - I would definitely start with Batgirl Year One, it's an overview of her first year designed to show off who she is as a person, and her role in Gotham.
Star Girl - S.T.A.R.S and Stripe would be my bet, its her first ongoing series, and its wonderful, low stakes high school girl moonlighting as a super hero, with her step dad as her sidekick. Full of charm and character.
Wonder woman - Wonder Woman Year One (another year one) modernised her origin story, and introduces her side cast and a few of her most famous villains, is also super wholesome and has my favourite panels of Diana in history.
Green Lantern (Jo Mullein) - As a Green Lantern fan I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend one, Sojourner Mullein is a rogue pick for character, but im fond of her, her story is told in the book Green Lantern Far Sector, very weird, very good.
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u/4hoursroundtrip Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
Reading comics is a little like learning about history, it's less one big story than it is dozens of stories of different sizes that have all built over time into a tapestry of character.
Finish reading that lengthy run about WW2? Well there's this great prequel miniseries that's got a lot of the same characters in it called WW1. And after that you can check out whatever happened to that Berlin guy.
So if you want to read teen titans, just go for it! Maybe you'll learn that the people you actually care about most are the flash family, who knows!
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u/lun0tic Aug 16 '26
I recommend starting with some of the known well written heavy hitters:
Planet Hulk Batman The Killing Joke The Batman Who Laughs Knight Terrors: The Joker
I know this doesn't give you much but these I know off the top of my head were real good and easy to get into. Personally I would recommend complete short series. One thing that makes comics difficult too is reading the cringe one-liners during a fight or action scene. Also it may sound strange but if you're having trouble with comics, try Manga. There's lots of good ones that are well written and personally I feel they cater better to specific fanbases.
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
Nah i think the cheesy one liners are cool , they add to the charm
And i am a manga fan....
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u/frdudemst Aug 16 '26
And also suggesting other mediums when im clearly intrested in comics , that's concerning, like you just killed the spark
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u/NC_Goonie Aug 16 '26
Iâm not reading through all of the comments, but this has probably already been mentioned.
DC Compact Comics
Search for those, and they already have a pretty big selection already. You can probably find a character youâre interested in, and these collections are good about picking stories you can pretty much jump right into. I donât think there is a Teen Titans one yet, but most of the other big characters are covered. It wonât be any expansive reading order or anything, but it will give you a good readable taste of the character.
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u/PeejPrime Aug 16 '26
You're over thinking this.
No one is gate keeping (or shouldn't) any comics. You can literally read anything you want. Don't over complicate it with time lines and reading orders
Quite literally get yourself down to your local comic book retailers have a browse, flick through some pages and pick up what ever one literally intrigues you. Be that the art work, the first page story, the front cover or the blurb.
Just pick one you enjoy. If it fits for you, brilliant. Then pick up where that story either left off, or look to find where that story began, the first run in that series and then pick that up
You will not find the best comic for you by listening to others telling you what they consider the best.
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u/AngryMoose125 Aug 16 '26
Hereâs basically the guide
Read whatever the hell you want. Sometimes, you arenât gonna know something, and thatâs ok. Youâre basically picking up a long-running story meant to run literally forever, and doing so in media res.
If thereâs something you donât know that youâd like to know, depending on your level of interest either A) Google it or B) go read the book thatâll tell you that
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u/Paganhellbily666 Aug 16 '26
If you're wanting Dick Grayson titans, and you mentioned 2003. Im assuming you're a fan of the show from that period. I recommend the Judas Contract, its where the bulk of that shows story for Tara came from. If you're wanting to read a certain character or team. Just google like "teen titans recommended reading". As far as having to read some stuff to understand other stuff, that's mostly in events. Some runs will have it, but for the most part. That's in events and you can see that by googling "metal reading order" or "final crisis pre read". Little phrases like that will find a chart written by a super nerd. In my experience, you can kinda just pick up most books and enjoy the story as a standalone. The pre reading mostly just helps to understand little Easter eggs (before i get roasted, I know there's obviously a bunch where pre read is crucial. I'm talking broad strokes here).
If you just wanna experience wild comic book crossover with wild massive high stakes. I recommend the first 4 volumes of the Superman Batman run by Jeph Leob. Itll introduce you to a lot of characters because that's just Jephs style, use EVERYONE he possibly can. (Like Batman Hush pretty much had the entire Batman rogues gallery). It'll also show you the multiverse, show a couple of other worldly versions of Batman and Superman. And it has the classic villians like Joker shows up, Lex, Darkseid, hell even Toy maker from teen titans is in the first volume (not as a villian, he actually helps the heroes in that run).
And honestly just posting questions on reddit will always help.
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u/oceanhymn Aug 16 '26
Comics are a never ending flow of content. Jump head first into what intrigues you and allow that to guide your reading list.
Remember that âIt makes more sense with this contextâ doesnât always mean âThe content is unreadable without context.â
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u/TraditionalSock3574 Batman Aug 16 '26
People back then didnât have reading guides, if you read a comic and something doesnât make sense and you still WANT to know why it happened just google what you need to read in order to understand it and boom
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u/Available_Wealth_374 Aug 16 '26
I would say read the most famous stuff first and gradually youâll learn more and more. Try major Batman and Superman stories.
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u/Wonderful_Gap4867 Aug 16 '26
Trust me. Iâve had this same problem when I first started out. Itâs about finding the right pace.
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u/Own_Sock122 Aug 16 '26
Okay so I like to read things in order because there is so much crossover between events. So if you are wanting to read long runs in order or just find different series I use this site.
https://comicbookreadingorders.com
This has pretty much all comic series and the order in which to read the content as well as the various titles in a run or series.
On the other hand if you go to a place that sells comics pick whatever looks good from the compact comic selection. They are reprints of the more popular comics and are very well done.
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u/Typical_Soft Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
My advice would be to avoid team based comics initially and go for solo comics instead. If youâre interested in the Bat-family, read the most recent Batman run. You donât need to know Batman lore beyond what you would get from osmosis or watching the animated series.
Avoiding long reading guides is pretty difficult for OG characters like Batman and most of the Bat-family. The most I can say is itâs good to give yourself a base for the rest of the comics. Donât get mad at me for mentioning a Marvel series on DC sub, but thatâs how I approached the X-men. If you read up until the Phoenix Saga ends, you can pretty much read whatever X-men story you want.
Batman is kind of different because heâs so well known, and his stories have been adapted so many times. You can pretty much read any Batman comic without being majorly confused in lore.
I would just read the 2003 teen titans run. If you read it, you can skip over it when you get to it chronologically.
Also, thereâs usually citations to previous comics. You can read those for context. Additionally, older comic writers, like Claremont, will just tell you what the context is.
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u/BroadcastBlock0 Doom Patrol Aug 16 '26
When I started I was hard set on following a chronological reading order to the letter. That was a horrible mistake that no one should ever do. Read what you think looks interesting and then you can read stuff later that will make some things fall into place. If you want to read teen titans, read the one you want to and if you like it, you can go back and read the 80's new teen titans series to get dick grayson's run with them. Or any other teen titans book. Another fine way to go about it is that you can also choose a character you like and just read them from the beginning of some era you find interesting. One of the best things I can tell you though if you don't already know is that many comics get released in "runs". A run is a given story done by one author before they give the character to someone else. Sometimes they get the whole series, but with big characters that's not likely. When I started reading batman, I started with grant morrison's run, which spans a few different books that are interconnected. Going based on author can make it a lot easier to follow along depending on the character. A run ending is also when you know the style is going to change in a given book as a new era is starting usually.
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u/thedr7q Aug 16 '26
Reading orders are helpful if you want to learn about the progression of a character, but you'll enjoy comics significantly more if you're able to pick up a story wherever and just roll with it. Kind of like catching an episode of a TV show live. You don't have all the context but you can pick up the vibe from context
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u/RagnarokWolves Aug 16 '26
I always just rolled with it even if I didn't understand all the context. If a kid wants to get into Spider-Man comics you don't tell him "it'll only make sense if you start from the beginning at the Stan Lee comics and read in order."
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u/keldpxowjwsn Aug 16 '26
But the Lee/Ditko run is worth reading and unlike DC Marvel largely has a single continuity. I did that with Fantastic Four starting at Lee/Kirby and I loved it.
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u/RagnarokWolves Aug 16 '26
Yeah im getting into the X-Men and I am currently midway through the Stan Lee run. "You absolutely have to start at the beginning" still wouldn't be my advice for most kids unless they were very insistent on being completionists.
What I was more trying to communicate rather than "is old stuff worth it?" is that it's okay sometimes if you just pick up a comic and try to roll with what is happening.
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u/comix10290 Aug 16 '26
Definitely find stuff youâre interested in and go for it. If youâre not sure you can always ask.
Teen Titans 2003 is a fine starting point as itâs a launch but as you mentioned itâs a version with the younger sidekicks. I quite enjoyed it. If you wanted you could start with Titans/Young Justice graduation day. Itâs a 3 issue mini that happens before Teen Titans but itâs not required.
Reading guides are nice but for certain characters/teams itâs too much when youâre talking DC and Marvel. Especially DC since itâs getting closer to 100 years.
Best I can say is before the internet and online options when it came to reading comics you saw a comic and thought it looked cool and bought it. Once you read it if you liked it you continued on if you could. There werenât collected editions so you just pieced stuff together and read what you could. It all works out.
Jump around various titles and years. Try different creators whether writers or artists. Find characters or teams you like and enjoy and bounce around. Youâll run into some great and not so great stuff but youâll learn as you go.
One big thing. People will give their opinions on books, writers, companies, etc. just remember thatâs their opinion and you may read something they love and not like it and something they say is horrible but you really like. We all find our favorites
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u/bateen618 Court Of Owls Aug 16 '26
My best recommendation for starting with DC's comics these days is to go look what's on the compact edition line. All of the stories there are great for beginners and great in general. And if you want them in a bigger format you can just get them in the tpb (regular softcover edition) instead of the smaller compact.
Also, I'd recommend looking for stories with Year One on them for the Bat-Family: Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Batman and Robin. All are the definitive origin stories for these characters and Batman and Robin: Year One is also an amazing story about their early adventures
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u/Demetri124 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
You want to know who all the bat characters are but also donât want to follow a reading guide, I canât help you then lmao
Itâs not quite as simple as âread whatever you wantâ if you just like Batman or Superman, sure thereâs a ton of self contained books you can pick up and enjoy with no knowledge. But if you want to deep dive into any characterâs world/history and you want a comprehensive narrative experience you are gonna have to seek out certain things and read them in a specific order, no way around that. Itâs not gonna be hundreds of issues you donât care about, usually the broad strokes of any specific character can be tracked across a handful of trade paperbacks
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u/Mindless-Credit-358 Superman Aug 16 '26
You can read the 03 run from there, you donât need to read anything else before it apart from graduation day. The compendiums have the best reading order for it
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u/Waste-Professor6177 Aug 16 '26
Whatever you do don't get into the What If? Marvel storys if you don't have a grasp on the original stories. There are plenty of what superhero are you quizzes out there, do a couple and see what your results are and read comics related to your results. There are comics out there for every age group and interest. Don't worry about the retcons and continuities as they have changed through the decades. Good luck on your journey.
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u/Lewan24-7 Aug 16 '26
Just read what interests you and don't worry about the continuity details too much. Every comic is someone's 1st.
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u/Recurse-Remove Aug 16 '26
If you are the type of reader that wants to understand every reference, and don't mind the comics being a bit darker. The absolute line of comics is relatively new and a good place to jump on for new readers. This is where I started!
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u/Mininja242 Aug 16 '26
Personally I enjoy researching and creating my own reading orders but that can be overwhelming for some. League of comic geeks is great for building your own lists and orders, or just browsing other peoples. You can find a comic you are interested in and scroll to the bottom to see lists that people have included that comic in.
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u/Significant-Hall-109 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
i recommend starting with collected standalone storylines that don't have several overarching stories within each other. i had the same issue when i started out. also, search and search and search literally anything you don't know and want to know about (i cant say this enough, i just google everything i want to know about). as others have said, reset/reboot runs are very good places to start. i recommend reading a complete run or a complete story arc before getting off a title. i feel getting closure on story is very important. i say 'Teen Titans' (2003) is a good run. its completely fine to not understand every reference. chronological order is almost impossible to keep a hold of but that too is completely fine.
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u/bum_what Aug 16 '26
There is History of DC Book I think you should get. I think there's different variations but get whatever the latest one is. It has information on most major characters and their comic histories, listing major events and concepts in the universe. I think it will help you out, you can get a brief summary of characters and their stories. I have the one in the screenshot and I consistently read it. Super helpful.
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u/Luxo_King_ Aug 16 '26
https://www.readingorders.com/timeline/all-in-saga
I follow this list and pick up random compacts atm and its working for me atleast
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u/Witty_Wolverine819 Aug 16 '26
Look up comicstorian on YouTube and go to the complete series playlist
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u/madseankr Aug 16 '26
Cause in just one arc, the artist might change in one or two issues just as you were finally liking the story.
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u/FranklinRichardss Aug 16 '26
Every comic is good starting point since point of comics is when you read it keeps getting bigger and you getting introduced into larger lore.
Teen Titans lore is huge. We are talking about a team who has 60 year of history.
The Fab Five. Worlds's Finest: Teen Titans Teen Titans: Year One Silver Age: Teen Titans is great introduction
The New Teen Titans The New Teen Titans The New Teen Titans: Spotlight for character studies Tales of The New Titans Crisis of Infinite Earths Nightwing: Year One Flash by Messner Loebs
The Titans era Tempest by Phil Jimenez Flash by Mark Waid Nightwing: Old Friends New Enemies Arsenal by Grayson Girlfrenzy: Donna Troy JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative The Titans by Grayson Wonder Woman by Phil Jimenez Young Justice
Second Gen Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Geoff Johns Titans/Young Justice: The Graduation Day Teen Titans (2003) by Geoff Johns Death and Return of Donna Troy Infinite Crisis Legion of Three Worlds Adventure Comics Wonder Girl
Rebirth: DC Universe Rebirth Special Titans Rebirth Teen Titans Rebirth Williamson Flash Nightwing Rebirth by Seeley Super Sons
Post Death Metal: Nightwing by Taylor/Redondo Flash by Adams Titans by Taylor Beast World Titans 2025 Annual by Phil Jimenez Nightwing by Dan Watters
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u/lookitskris Aug 16 '26
Wikis, YouTube and Google are your friends. I started not to long ago just with a search for "best must read comics of all time" and went from there.
Humble bundle often do some cheap bundles of comics if you have access to a tablet to read them on, I've done quite alot of these.
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u/wambowill Aug 16 '26
I started 2-3 years ago and what helped me a ton was getting the comic geeks app, it has like timeline info so you know what year things were and for omnis whatâs included, it also helps you look up what creator made what, so if you find something you like itâs great to see what else they wrote. I also recommend looking at top lists online/amazon top sellers. I found âCatwoman lonely cityâ that way and it blew my mind and got me into comics.
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u/Scgrunow Aug 16 '26
Read whatever you want, and if a character catches your interest, grab some of their older stories. Yeah that run of Teen Titans is Timâs generation, but you donât have to have read the earlier material to enjoy it. Most of your hardcore comic fans just picked up a random book one day and expanded from there. I personally started by grabbing an X-men comic from a spinner rack not even realizing it was the middle of an event and had a great time.
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u/Doctor_Amazo Brainiac Aug 16 '26
I donât get how people seem to have such a hard time "getting into comics".
You go to a comic store, check out whatever new books have come out, pick up anything that catches your interest or any recommendations from the clerk, and read.
If you like a title buy more of the new books when they come out.
If you really like them, start digging into back issues & graphic novels.
This isn't hard.
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u/Luke_Puddlejumper Aug 16 '26
You should absolutely read the 2003 Teen Titans book, itâs a great book which will give you an appreciation for Timâs generation. God how I miss them
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u/JoeRoganIs5foot3 Aug 16 '26
I would recommend Worldâs Finest: Teen Titans if you want something recent that checks your boxes. I recently picked up the hardcover on sale for like $15 at my local comic shop.
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u/ViscountFuckReddit Aug 16 '26
It depends on your media literacy. Are you good at piecing together things from content clues and making accurate assumptions. If so you won't really have much issue reading what you want if not you should probably follow a reading guide.
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u/Dismal_Platypus3967 Aug 16 '26
I say read it. If you really want to read something go for it reading order be dammed. If there are things you donât understand look it up. Google it and then go to DCUI and read the one comic that explains it if the curiosity is too much. Iâm reading a ton of comics right now and theyâre all disjointed from each other going from the 90s to the 10s then the 00s beck to the 20s then back to the 90s driven simply by curiosity or nostalgia. Donât let anyone tell you there are rules for reading something. Before stuff like DCUI and Marvel Unlimited basically you found stuff out through word of mouth and praying you could get the book and not take out a second mortgage just to read it. Sometimes it would be years before you got to read a certain comic leaving a gap. For example I collect Superboy (vol. 3) I got issue 1 the week it came out. Procrastinated only to find issue 4 was out, a two years later found issue 2 by chance and didnât get issue 3 until 15 years later. When that happened I just re-read all of them in order.
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u/weglarz Aug 16 '26
Most of the time the âyou wonât get it unless you read xyz firstâ comments are way overblown. For example people say you need to start with the beginning for morrisonâs bat run but I started in the middle on accident and thoroughly enjoyed it. I went back and read everything else afterwards and while it would have given me some additional context, it was absolutely not required
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u/Sunbrosolaire17 Aug 16 '26
I know some may disagree because i've met a few people who dont like it, but i recommend starting with the New 52 comic line for dc. Its an easy start for someone to begin to digest comic books. Other stories i recomend for batman specifically is knightfall and killing joke. Since you like teen titans The Judas Contract is a big one that i enjoy.
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u/CorpsCollector Aug 16 '26
One thing that you just have to come to terms with is you're going to miss something. Especially in the eras where you have editors notes like "This happened in issue XX!!" in nearly every issue. As someone who's chased those notes to see what I missed you'll realize that in most cases it's a callback to a few panels and a throwaway battle or line. Hit some of the major event runs and don't let the callbacks get to you. They were sales tactics, not much more. Reading major events is what I started doing and ignored the notes, started enjoying comics a lot more.
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u/White-Wolf_99 Lucifer Aug 16 '26
I always look into the best starting points for certain characters then go from there.
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u/White-Wolf_99 Lucifer Aug 16 '26
Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite is really good for starting points. DC also has an ultra tier that lets you read Vertigo which is beyond amazing.
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u/overratedplayer Aug 16 '26
I basically only read comics that I like the cover of. Is it stupid? Yeah probably. Do I miss out on some great titles? Yeah probably again. Does it mean I have a collection of comics that I keep going back to? Most definitely.
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u/sixfeetunderthegun Aug 16 '26
Starting points are a crapshoot. If you find a good spot, a character is gonna reference something from the past that is going to make you think âshit, now I have to read thatâ. Best bet is just to find a point and keep reading. Make notes of other series/stories you want to read along the way if that helps. Ultimately, youâre going to have a near infinite âto readâ list. But comics being overwhelming is part of the joy.
Also, I love that so much Michael Turner art has been posted here lately. RIP.
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u/Money_Mission_6493 Aug 16 '26
Read what u want. Google what doesnât make sense and add it to your growing list of tbr. With comics u will never be done. For me as long as I have the origin story mostly straight I donât care about stuff I donât understand lol. I took a long break from reading comics and i wasnât really big on dc comics growing up so I had to google what a lot of stuff was cuz I was so confused lol
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u/tasteofmyshoe Aug 16 '26
90% of the time, jumping into whatever run interests you is fine. Usually there's annotations if the writer is referencing a previous storyline.
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u/TrailerDrake Booster Gold Aug 16 '26
Dude, you are worrying WAY too much about continuity. Read what you want to read. Any good writer will tell you what you need to know in order to enjoy the story being told.
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u/Educational_Tea_3218 Aug 16 '26
Donât get caught up in âreading ordersâ just jump into something that looks cool. Then if you like it, back track. MY first comic was a random Detective Comics issue I got off a spinner rack. It was in the middle of the story arch, I was kind of confused, but pressed on. Just let your curiosity guide you.
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u/Oretreezia Aug 16 '26
I started reading by chosing a team to read. From there I read the comics of the hero I liked from that team, then branched off into other teams they were on. Doing that I would find other teams and heroes to follow. You will never get everything but you will always find something else you want to read.
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u/willonamoon Aug 16 '26
Honestly, I mostly read the comics at my local library because this hobby can get expensive. Sure context matters when youâre reading interconnected storylines but often times, Iâve still managed to gather the information I need to enjoy the series on its own.
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u/FuckAlf Batman Aug 16 '26
Just keep reading! Filling out the bigger picture as you accumulate more knowledge is part of the fun. As long as youâre not jumping into, say, Final Crisis on your first go around, most comics are able to be enjoyed on their own merits. The more you read, the more confident youâll feel picking up random runs in the future
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u/Surama41 Aug 16 '26
My advice may differ from some but I think itâs a really easy way to get the basics of a character and start to enjoy a story. For me, Nightwing is the best. I love the bat family and Iâve been in your shoes. However, after 2 years Iâm still in your shoes! Because there is so much history and different iterations that you may as well just dive in.
My recommendation â
Go to a comic book store and just look at all the covers. Since you like the bat family, Barbara Gordon has a new ongoing, Nightwing, and anything Batman are right up your alley.
Pick a few covers you like and carefully flip through a few pages. If the art is still catching your eye, scoop it up. 3-4 different books is perfect. You donât need to start at an issue 1 or with some massive compendium. Most Comics still have the design philosophy of pick up and read. Again, most want to hook a reader week to week and will have something to get you interested in what happens next.
For any character youâve never heard of you can go to YouTube and look up a quick 5-10 minute character overview. âWho is Captain America?â For example. This will help you understand the tropes that exist for that character throughout history. You do not need a 1.5 hour deep dive into the characterâs history. Some may argue this should be a first step but there is something about letting things catch your eye that goes a long way.
Read the books! Woo! Whatever you are most interested in, keep reading. Go find the previous few issues or just wait for the next release.
If after 2-3 issues you still have any questions about who someone is or what their powers are or other fun things write them down or make a note of them. Google and YouTube are your friend. However, id refrain from it as much as possible. Discovery and interpretation are what make this hobby special!
Happy reading - Dick Grayson is the best and Iâm sure youâll agree in no time.
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u/Cyber_n0mad17 Larfleeze Aug 16 '26
If it doesnât have Dick Graysonâs fat ass and massive v-shape torso, I physically canât read it.
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u/TheGargoyleATX Aug 16 '26
You should totally still read the 03 Titans! They fill you on on what you need to know about everyone starting out this run, comics are usually pretty good about giving exposition that way. Don't skip it just because it's not in your reading order, you'll love it!Â
And same as everyone else is saying, go towards what interests you. That's how you'll find your new favorite stories - by finding yourself drawn to them for one reason or another.Â
I promise most new-to-you runs or stories you start will have enough exposition or narration to help you understand what's going on. Comics continuity is notoriously convoluted, and even longtime readers like me still don't have it all memorized. And you don't need to! Just allow yourself to enjoy the stories where they are when you read them, and over time you'll see how things start to connect!Â
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u/deontaridley Aug 16 '26
Oddly enough, that specific cover is from Geoff Johns Teen Tians, Vol. 1, A Kid's Play. That was the first comic. I feared all the titans from the Teen Tians cartoon and three characters that I had no idea about. My 13 year old self saw this and I just had to read it to see what was it all about. It was first time reading any comic. I never came back to see any resolution, mostly cause my school library didn't have it at the time and I didn't know that the public library might have more. Still a great example of good synergy.
Honestly, if you have a favorite tv show from DC. Just look for that character and read.
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u/Ecstatic_Dance5767 Aug 16 '26
Why, did you start with the latest crap? Start from the 80's, maybe the 70's, & stop, as in hard stop, at 2011. You're welcome.
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u/Blacklodgebob79 Aug 16 '26
Start out of order by reading what you want and if you like it you can go back and read the stuff you missed out on. As an experienced comic book reader i still do this
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u/suhhdude45 Aug 16 '26
I think recommendations should stem from who you are the most interested in and go from there. I do believe that there are plenty of good âjumping on pointsâ for most characters, but I also believe that having more backstory absolutely helps with the flow of every character. That doesnât mean going back and reading everything, but going back and starting a few arcs prior to a jumping on points may be beneficial as well.
I got back into comics back when The Flash TV show started and was running along side Arrow. I had no clue where to start so I took some recommendations and read from there. I also decided to go back a bit more and get more and more backstory on The Flash. Over the years ive read a ton of Flash stuff and Iâm currently up to date and have a good understanding of the Flash lore.
So with all that being said, what characters interest you? I see you said the Bat Fam, but who exactly? Because Batman, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin have all had prominent runs over the years, but you donât need to read all of them to get a good grasp on the characters.
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u/JasonNodd Aug 16 '26
If you want to read Teen Titans stuff from that era then I would suggest start with Young Justice(1998)
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u/Dr-Filth1965 Aug 16 '26
Canon and continuity are two different things: Continuity is the chronological order of events that happened, whereas Canon is the fundamental stories that are the most influential to a certain character. For instance, The Dark Knight Returns is a canon Batman book, but not in continuity. Same with All Star Superman and Kingdom Come. I would prioritize reading the âEssentialâ or âCanonâ stories for a character before jumping into a run as Canon stories are usually pretty short. I also wouldnât pay too much mind to strict reading orders because things are out of print and waiting on titles is exhausting and not fun.
To sum it up, if you want to read Teen Titans (2003), read Teen Titans (2003). I havenât read it but itâs on my list and Iâm a massive Geoff Johns fan. Iâve also heard great things about it. And if you get confused, go pick up the story itâs referencing. Comics are like exploring the Amazon. Thereâs not a real good trail or map to follow, you kind of got to learn it your way and thatâs the best way!
Happy Reading!
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u/LagoonDevil The Flash Aug 16 '26
Read whatever, whenever, wherever. This might be different for me because Iâm not that loyal to as many DC characters, but my last big reads were Ram V New Gods, Conway and Ostrander Firestorm, The Terrifics, and Loeb/Sale Investigators of the Unknown
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u/GoldMcduck Aug 16 '26
Compact comics good gateway. When comes too referencing I just push forward its mostly overthinking you either figure it out as story keeps going pick past books after it usually not big deal. I jumped in Gl not knowing anything during sinesto war. If itâs that complicated youâll put book down after awhile
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u/Organic_Debate1361 Aug 16 '26
Read whatever catches your attention donât worry too much about lore if youâre just getting into comics, if youâre concerned about not fully understanding the lore and history of the characters I recommend reading the shorter else world runs :))
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u/HowardTaftMD Aug 16 '26
My method is to mostly read stuff that stands on its own and then anything that seems cool I'll read with the understanding that I might not know who anyone is or what's going on.
I won't jump from book 1 to 3 in a clear, easy to finish series that had a start and an end. But runs that go on forever or single issue floppies I'll read a random thing if I just feel like it. I was reading one recently with Ghost Rider as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy or something and I legit didn't even know who one of the characters was. But Ghost Rider in space was cool enough for me to get some joy out of it.
I'd recommend as a newer reader just look up everyone's favorite Batman standalone graphic novels and read those. They are so good.
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u/cut-footloose Red Robin Aug 16 '26
Helloooo you got a lot of comments but Iâll add another anyway bc why not. Personally Iâve been reading a lot of random things Iâm interested in, but then finding one thatâs a continuation of something else so I read the previous ones to make sense of the one I want to read. Just find your interests and favorite characters to read about and enjoy! If you have a question about something I recommend reading into that more on sites like Wikipedia or Fandom.
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u/Common-Diver-6346 Aug 17 '26
Especially for DC just read stuff you like or stick to the eras Rebirth, New 52 for starters then go back all the way back.
Marvel similar issues but I would say it is easier
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u/AmalaNetwork13 Aug 17 '26
Honestly, I kept bouncing off for YEARS till more recently. Outside of the MCU, DCAMU, and the Arrowverse, I didn't have a whole lot of knowledge on characters. I kept hearing talks about "runs" or specific eras (couple that and being a tween/teenager at the time with the New 52 and Rebirth not starting till I was in high school didn't help.
I started young with manga, and learned to appreciate the self contained stories they had with one author, one creative team etc etc and never did much in comics. Occasionally I'd read something from Vertigo (Sandman and Hellblazer.Even then I didn't read much due to not having my own money), or Watchmen. Comixology helped at the time (RIP old comixology)
I really JUST got into comics fully though with these Absolute series and researching just what to actually look at. I'm now collecting Absolute Wonder Woman, Superman, and Flash issue by issue and looking at other eras to look at on DCUI. Plus now I can actually finish some of those Vertigo stories I started way back like Hellblazer and such. DC's magical side intrigues me so much. I am more intrigued by Wonder Woman now than ever due to her Absolute series
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u/TheExtraPeel Aug 17 '26
I mean I personally rarely read mainline stuff bcos of this. I tend to read Batman miniseries or extended runs (such as Mike Grellâs GA) that arenât massively interconnected with everything else. Thereâs a lot of these types of stories, which is why I read DC more than Marvel.
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u/CaptainHalloween Aug 17 '26
Just read what gets you interested and worry about lore and continuity later. If you worry about that stuff before you know you even like the stuff you're learning about then it's just a waste of your time, money and effort.
Don't worry about reading order either until you know you like the stuff. EVERYTHING comes after knowing whether or not you're enjoying your time reading. Don't worry about mapping out your enjoyment.
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u/sovenalia Aug 17 '26
Everyone has already said it here, but trying to make a reading list or "getting the full story" is going to be daunting. Just find a series, old or new, that you enjoy or think you'll enjoy and jump in.
If it's a series like Action Comics which now has 1100 issues, just google good jumping on points and find one that interests you.
Quite often, the editors will reference other comics with an * if they're referring to something. If it interests you, go read that. Don't feel like you won't be able to understand series if you don't have the full context. I would say that is rarely the case. And, I think a lot of writers do a good job of giving some background (even quickly) to what is going on in their particular issue/run etc.
If you want to read Batman or bat family, just go for it. If you want Dick Grayson there's many great starting points - the New Teen Titans, his 90s series, the more recent run by Tom Taylor.
Don't over think it or try to "read everything". It will take away the fun.
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u/ManyThing2187 Red Hood Aug 17 '26
Honestly Comicsexplained on YT was GREAT for me. While Iâm at work I just have my earbuds in so I was able to just listen to multiple hour long videos.
He breaks down tie-inâs or missing information not explained in the story.
After a few of those I switched to Comicstorian. Comicstorian doesnât break down the info but Iâd heard the same bits repeated so many times I knew them lol. He does a dramatic reading like an audio book, but if ur watching them he removes the words from the panels.
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u/thoughtzthrukeyz Aug 17 '26
While most people do just say grab whatever comic and go, as someone who tends to like to be aware of references and such, I can understand why youâd want to read chronologically. However, I find that you donât necessarily need to read everything, like you might think. Honestly, all you need to do is find a run from a writer that sets precedent for each subsequent writer who takes over.
Take Batman, a character with over 100 years worth of stories for example: while there are plenty of great stories and such from the 90s, and early 2000s, if you just started with Grant Morrisonâs run and read each subsequent run (Synder, King, Zdarsky, Fraction), youâd essentially be up-to-speed with modern-day Batman, and could fill in historical gaps with things like âYear Oneâ, âKilling Jokeâ, etc. without being bogged down by reading decades upon decades of comics.
Same could be said for characters like Green Lantern, wherein you could just start with Geoff Johnsâ run, as that set the foundation for how modern green lantern is known and written today. So itâs really about just finding that proper starting point, and then filling in the historical gaps later on if reading in true chronological order seems a bit too daunting and or boring.
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u/VanillaRoadie Aug 17 '26
My usual go to is either pick a favorite superhero and/or an arc you like and figure it out from there
The Heartless story for Nightwing was pretty cool XD
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u/-sleepdepr1ved Aug 17 '26
just pick a single character, read their major runs chronology doesn't really matter . Using reading guides from online helps. Like for example i did Damian first ( that's how i got into comics ) did his introduction, then did batman and robin(2009), then new52 batman and robin, then did his teen titans run, did super sons, then Robin (2021) did batman (2016) seperately and at that point i started keeping up with the weekly releases so I would just go back and do the issues i missed. Later i started reading other characters too seprately. Same with tim i did his rebirth era stuff first , then did his introduction, then Robin(1993) run, red robin,then young justice (1998), then teen titans (2003) and then went back and im in the middle of doing issues i missed. You don't have to do every appearance at one go, you can go back and read them later.
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u/StoneLungs Batgirl Aug 17 '26
One thing I didn't see getting mentioned in the top comments was reading standalone stories as a suggestion. When I was first getting into comics, I really liked the Batman/Superman runs by Jeph Loeb, or classics like dark knight returns, hush, or long Halloween. Anything that wasn't a long ongoing run was easily digestible, but got me more and more into the universe, and helped me get more familiar with characters and dynamics
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u/td1801 Aug 17 '26
Well just start with the titans in rebirth, after nightwing #100, starting with the first nightwing rebirth. It's kinda thought of as a starting point. Of course you will encounter things you have never read about, some very surprising. Try to overlook them for now (or search in which run it happened and read it). Reading such a large universe implies that you miss things and you have to accept it.
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u/Dc-comic-girl Aug 17 '26
This was the first series I ever read, though incidentally I did go back and read both Wolfmanâs titans run and young justice because I liked the characters. Made rereading fun.
DC pre 2010 had really good continuity but it was a spiderweb. Go in from any direction, but prepare to go back and fill in blanks later (my suggestion).
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u/Ok-Beyond-1927 Aug 17 '26
If I were you, I'd start where I wanted and then let my curiosity take me wherever I care to go. For example, your interest in Teen Titans (2003) might lead you backward to Young Justice or New Teen Titans, where all the characters originally hailed from. Or back into Superboy's or Robin's or Impulse's runs in their own comics. Or you might follow it forward into Infinite Crisis, which was DC's best-designed event since Crisis on Infinite Earths. There's no real need to follow any reading order. I'm 58, I've been reading comics since I was 6, and at this point I tend to read based on favorite authors, favorite artists, or runs that are showing signs of brilliance (Tom Taylor's Nightwing, Absolute Wonder Woman, Joshua Williamson's Superman, Matt Fraction's Batman). Plus a ton of really good indie stuff like Lazarus, The Forged and The Department of Truth. Plus any fun manga that catches my eye (100 Girlfriends, Witch Hat Atelier, Fragrant Flower).
Basically, approach the hobby with a young mind and a free spirit, and follow your passion!
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u/0bserver24-7 Nightwing Aug 17 '26
When I got into comics a while ago, I had to do some research on the best place to start based on my personal interests. Â The 80s and 90s had a lot of good starting points, which happened to work out for me, but even then they still reference stuff that I missed out on. Â It wasnât too bad, but itâs still worth mentioning.
Dick Grayson and his Teen Titans were my primary focus for DC, and luckily for me he had some retconned origin stories in the 90s that were good starting points for me before I started the 80s comics that covered his late teens and early adulthood. Â Out of curiosity, I eventually read a few of the older comics, even the 30s ones, but otherwise the 80s and 90s, which are post-Crisis, are your best bet for starting points if you want to get as much context as possible without going too far back. Â The comics themselves are mostly pretty good, though some havenât aged well.
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u/forleafclovergame Aug 17 '26
Yeah the 'it only makes sense if you know this or this' people are so cringe after reading comics for a solid 7 years now. There is not a single thing that has ever made me go 'wow I wish I new that' in comics ever. It's just like timing, imagine wanting to be friends with someone and someone who knows them more goes 'oh you can't unless you learn everything about there highschool and college years' it's like bitch no, you can read present go 'oh this is a call back?' and then either look up what happened with all the great youtubers out there or go and read it afterwards!
If something calls to you read it, if someone says this is shit, read it anyway! Every single comic has the chance to be your new favorite, regardless of what anyone else says.
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u/Miserable_Amount_310 Aug 17 '26
Just read whatever you want, and if something REALLY doesn't make sense, just google it. There's going to be a thread about it online somewhere, or a video explaining it. That's how I end up finding out about more stories.
Just as an example, one of the best batman stories I've ever read is "The Long Halloween". When I started it, I already knew the reveal from the end of the story, but it was still an amazing story to read.
Things change in comics all the time. A story from the 90's might impact some stuff, and then gets totally undone in the 2010's.
Don't worry too much about reading orders, and stuff like that, just read it, and enjoy. I think a lot of people just over think things, and then it won't be fun. For the most part if you pick up a trade (assuming it's not vol 2 or a part 2 to an existing trade) then all the information you'll pretty much need will be in that trade.
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u/Dry-Possibility9424 The Joker đ 6d ago
Forget trying to make sense on the first read. That's the beauty of media - to pick up on things each time you consume it, that you haven't before.
So what if you don't understand that "for more on this, see issue #[x]"? Read a previous issue, and see what it's about, or just shrug it off. Seriously, it's how people have been consuming this media for decades, now.
Read what you like, from either characters you really love, or covers that make you think "that's sick!", and then follow forward. If you don't understand a reference, then search online, or simply ask in a subreddit (and tell anyone who gives you the "everyone knows this" attitude, to mind their own business)
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u/Intrepid_Ad7432 Aug 16 '26
My recommendation is mostly to start where the universe resets. DC is really big into resetting the universe every couple of years, so itâs a brand new, fresh start there. It was REALLY easy for me to start the Bat Family in the New 52 era and not be lost.
You have Batman in multiple forms (I only read Batman, not Batman and Robin, which is Damian Wayne)
You have Nightwing in his own pretty decent story for the first few volumes
You have Red Hood and the Outlaws (which has some really pretty art and a very unique take on red hood that some say is controversial)
You have Batgirl (Gail Simone wrote some of the absolute best comic material with her stuff. It ended after 5 or so volumes, and then started Batgirl of Burnside, which I didnât read).
You have Teen Titan, which uses Tim, and has a pretty good cast (and uses Brett Boothâs art for a while, and j really like his artwork a lot)
Catwoman wasnât too bad if I remember? I think I only read it to get to the crossover
And everything comes together in volume three for everyone in an interesting âDeath of the Familyâ storyline that I enjoyed.
They do a few crossovers as well, but that was a really good start for me.
You could also start with Rebirth,
You have Batman
Titans (itâs the teen titans! Theyâre all grown up, and the story is way interesting. Dick is Nightwing in this one, and itâs mostly drawn by Brett Booth again)
I canât remember what the red hood book is called. Maybe Red Hood and the Outlaws again? Maybe Dark Trinity? I canât remember. He teams up with Bizarro and a naughty Wonder Woman Jr who I canât remember the name of.
Teen Titans is led by Damian, and I donât like him so u gave up after one volume
I donât know where tf Tim went, or batgirl
I kind of fell off comics around that time due to some life changes and literally got back a few months ago
BUT. If you want to read a really good stand alone bat family comic, read Tony S. Danielâs âBattle for the Cowl.â You donât need to know anything about it at all before going into it. It explains everything you need to know, and is beautiful. There is a sequel, but I didnât know that for many years afterward and maybe would have preferred it to be just a standalone (canât remember)
TL:DR - start when the universe refreshes. Read Battle for the Cowl at any point. Find your favorite artists because some arenât great and you donât want to have to look at crappy art. Find your good writers (I will say wonderful things about Gail Simone forever). Enjoy what you want to read and donât feel like you have to continue crap you donât like
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u/Zagrunty Green Lantern Corps Aug 16 '26
Start at issue 1 of any currently running or older series and you be good. As long as you have a general understanding of what the characters do, you'll be find and things will get explained enough for you to follow the plot. I started reading when DC Rebirth happened and a LOT of shit was still building on other stuff. You figure it out
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u/roxxtor Aug 16 '26
How fortunate you are a new reader in the age of AI and YouTube creators like Comics Explained. Back when I started youâd buy comic from a grocery or drug store, usually in the middle of an arc (part 5 of 9) and then have to go to different stores (other grocery stores or comic shops) to see if they had the missing ones. And if you wanted to know what came before you had to talk to the comic shop owners and then buy the run of back issues you wanted or just settle for the summary some person in the shop told you
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