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Wally West Reading Order (Kid Flash, the Flash III, the Scarlet Speedster)

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Created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Wally West made his debut in The Flash #110 in December 1959, as the original Kid Flash.

Wallace Rudolph “Wally” West is the nephew of Iris West who accidentally gained powers while visiting Barry Allen in his Central city police lab. There, he is splattered with lightning-charged chemicals as the freak accident that gave Barry his powers happened again!

Wally West became Kid Flash, the sidekick to the second Flash, and distinguished himself with a primarily yellow costume. He also was a founding member of the Teen Titans, where he became close friends with Dick Grayson (alias Robin/Nightwing).

He eventually succeeded Barry Allen as the Flash and had to deal with the difficult task of replacing his mentor. At the same time, he became a founding member of Justice League Europe, then moved to the Justice League of America, and had stints with Titans and Justice League Elite.

This Scarlet Speedster has appeared in many animated television series and video games and was played by Keiynan Lonsdale in the Arrowverse.

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David Haller (Legion) Reading Order

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David Haller was the first X-Men character to receive a live-action TV Series. You could then easily imagine that he was a prominent X-Men. Even though he made his debut in the 80s, he doesn’t appear in many Marvel comic books. Despite that, David Haller, also known as Legion, left his marks on the X-Men Universe and the readers.

Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz, David Haller made his first appearance in New Mutants #25 (March 1985). He is the mutant son of Charles Xavier, the famous leader of the X-Men, and Gabrielle Haller, a Holocaust survivor who chooses not to tell Xavier she was pregnant after their amicable breakup. Xavier would learn sometime after founding the New Mutants that David was his son.

David is one of the most powerful mutants who have the ability to create spontaneous mutations with varying attributes and can warp reality. He also suffers from a dissociative identity disorder. David can absorb the psyche of someone upon their death and create new alter egos. Each one of his personalities is associated with a power, like telepathy (Jemail Karami), telekinesis (Jack Wayne) or pyrokinetic (Cyndi).

This reading order was requested by David Agetua, one of our readers! Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or write to us with some other suggestions!

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Witchblade Reading Order

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Marc Silvestri is one of the co-founders of Image Comics where he set up his own studio, Top Cow Productions. There was launched Witchblade in 1995, a comic book series created by Silvestri, editor David Wohl, writers Brian Haberlin and Christina, and the late artist Michael Turner. The success of Witchblade at the time helped Top Cop to expand and add new titles to its line.

And popular Witchblade was: the comic book was adapted into a television series in 2001, as well as an anime, a manga, and a novel in 2006. The comic book series lasted 20 years, coming to an end in 2015. It was relaunched a few years later, and the reboot ran from 2017 to 2020.

But what Witchblade is about? streetwise NY cop Sara Pezzini comes into possession of the mysterious Witchblade, a supernatural gauntlet, a weapon that bonds with a female host and provides her with a variety of power in order to fight supernatural evil. As the artifact’s bearer, Sara goes toe to toe with a Machiavellian industrialist, supernatural serial killers, and far worse, as the supernatural underworld of New York alters the course of her destiny forever.

As part of the Top Cow Universe, Witchblade also crossovers with The Darkness, Tomb Raider, but also Madgaelna, Evo, and more. She has also encountered Vampirella, Red Sonja as well as the JLA.

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Silver Surfer Reading Order

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Making his first appearance in Fantastic Four #48, published in 1966, The Silver Surfer didn’t have a name at first. In fact, even Stan Lee who is credited as its co-creator didn’t have an idea of who he was. It was Jack Kirby who imagined him. Following the “Marvel Method, ” Lee pitched to his collaborator “the Galactus trilogy,” a new ambitious story that included the god-like creature Galactus, but no surfer.

Charged with coming up with the details while plotting and drawing the book, Kirby apparently thought that an entity as powerful as Galactus would certainly require “a herald who could serve as an advance guard.” Kirby simply called him “The Surfer,” and draw him as a gleaming bald man on a surfboard. Stan Lee loved the character and bring him back for more FF stories before giving him his own solo book two years later.

With artist John Buscema, Lee worked at giving a backstory to the surfer–without consulting Jack Kirby. We learned that he was Norrin Radd and he offered Galactus to take him as his herald in exchange for the life of the inhabitants of his home planet, Zenn-La. Lee loved the Surfer so much that he prohibited anyone to use him without his approbation. This stands until the 1980s.

In 1982, John Byrne wrote and draw a Silver Surfer one-shot, then the second ongoing series was launched with Steve Englehart as the writer. But it was when Jim Starlin, then Ron Marz, took over (after #31) that the book really found its success–leading to the Infinity Saga. The series ran 146 issues, through 1998.

At the beginning of the 2000s, the Silver Surfer came back for a short series before appearing in the famous Annihilation event, but he only got multiple miniseries after that for some years. It was only in 2014 that he got another ongoing series, this time in a different style than the previous ones, as writer Dan Slott wrote it as a Doctor Who-inspired adventure–drawn by Mike Allred.

As a Marvel character, Silver Surfer is really powerful and moves fast. He wields the Power Cosmic, granting him superhuman strength, endurance, and senses and the ability to absorb and manipulate the universe’s ambient energy. He fought villains like Doctor Doom, Mephisto, Thanos, and more. He teamed up with the Fantastic Four of course, but also with the Hulk, Namor, and Doctor Strange in “The Defenders.” He saved the Universe, found love (more than once), dealt closely with symbiotes, was displaced in time, and more.

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American Vampire Reading Order: A guide to Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s Horror Comics

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In 2010, before becoming very well-known by working on the Batman series at DC Comics, Scott Snyder teamed up with artist Rafael Albuquerque to launch the ongoing American Vampire comics series at Vertigo. A title that gained a lot of attention at first with Stephen King writing a storyline.

King only put his name on the first 5 issues (backstories only), the story went on for a few years after that. In fact, it concluded in October 2021. That said, we didn’t get a decade’s worth of American Vampire comics as it was divided into three cycles published non-continuously. The first series lasted 34 issues, from 2010 to 2013; the second series was called “American Vampire: Second Cycle,” and lasted 11 issues, from 2014–2015; and the third series, called “American Vampire: 1976“, lasted 10 issues, from 2020 to 2021.

But what is the American Vampire comic book about? Vampire in America, of course! In a way, it’s about the story of America. It’s about Skinner Sweet, a violent outlaw who lived in the Wild West. He was going to be killed for his crimes, but an accident led him to be turned into a vampire, the first one to be made in America. He was of a new breed, one that doesn’t suffer from the same limitations as the vampires from the old continent—he is impervious to sunlight, but also faster and stronger.

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Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Reading Order

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During his third stint at Marvel (1975-1978), Jack Kirby — famous for being the co-creator of characters like Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, the X-Men and more — wrote the improbable Devil Dinosaur series. Marvel wanted a similar series to Kirby’s Kamandi published by DC but with a dinosaur, as those reptiles were quite popular at the time among young audiences.

The original series chronicled the adventures of Devil Dinosaur and his ape-like humanoid companion Moon Boy. If Kirby imagined Devil and Moon Boy as a Dinosaur and an early human from Earth’s past, the duo is now considered to originate from the Dinosaur World aka Earth-78411. 

The original series lasted only nine issues but is considered a cult classic now. Most importantly, it was not the end of the road for Devil (or Moon Boy), as other writers at Marvel were attracted to the concept and used the character for other stories, and the duo, or just Dinosaur, has made sporadic appearances in several Marvel titles.

Starting in 2016, Devil Dinosaur co-starred in a new series called Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, conceived as a direct sequel to the Moon-Boy and Devil Dinosaur series. But who is Moon Girl? Created by writers Brandon Montclare and Amy Reader and artist Natacha Bustos, her real name is Lunella Lafayette. She’s a nine-year-old and, apparently, the smartest person in the Marvel universe – smarter than Reed Richards from the FF or Amadeus Cho.

She’s also fearful of the Inhuman genes inside her and wants to get rid of her Inhuman DNA. But her life is turned upside down when a famous red-scaled tyrant is teleported from the prehistoric past to her present-day New York City! And so begins this new Marvel Team-Up!

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur headlined their own series, but appeared also in a few Marvel events and teamed up with other Marvel superheroes since their first meeting. They are also, now, the stars of a Disney+ animated series.

To read all about their adventures, follow our Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Reading Guide!

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Jon Kent Reading Order (Superboy, Superman)

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Almost a decade ago, the Superman Family expanded with the introduction of Jonathan “Jon” Samuel Kent, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, bringing a refreshing change to the Superman legacy. Created by Dan Jurgens—who also created Doomsday, Cyborg Superman, and Booster Gold—Jon Kent made his first appearance as a baby in Convergence: Superman #2 (July 2015).

When your father is Superman, chances are you’re not an ordinary kid. Jon inherited incredible powers, including solar radiation absorption, invulnerability, superhuman strength, speed, hearing, flight, X-ray vision, and more. As Jurgens explained in a ComicBook.com interview, “Lots of people might expect Jon to be something like his dad’s younger self, but it would be a bit of a mistake.” Instead, he described Jon as “looking like Clark but with Lois’ spitfire attitude and inquisitiveness” (Newsarama).

That description of Jon fits him best as a child. Writers Dan Jurgens and Peter Tomasi brought life to the character, making it feel like a normal kid trying to do his best, making mistakes while learning how to be a responsible person and how to use his powers, whether he was with his parents or living some adventure with his best friend, Damian Wayne/Robin!

While it can take decades for some DC Comics characters to grow up, Jon’s childhood was cut short when Brian Michael Bendis aged him up—a controversial decision among readers. Since that event, Jon has joined the Legion of Super-Heroes, taken up the mantle of Superman, and been revealed as bisexual.

Despite being a young character in the DC Universe, Jon Kent has already found his way to the screen and has been played by Jordan Elsass (in seasons 1 & 2) and Michael Bishop (from season 3) in the series Superman & Lois. Jack Dylan Grazer has also voiced the character in the animated film Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons.

Now, let’s explore the many adventures of Jon Kent, Son of Superman, with our Complete Jon Kent Comics Guide!

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Ant-Man Reading Order, From Hank Pym to Scott Lang

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Like Captain Marvel, there are several characters known as Ant-Man. As you may know, Scott Lang is Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (where he is played by Paul Rudd and has actually published a memoir). No doubt about it, he is Ant-Man for a lot of people out there. But Scott Lang wasn’t the first Ant-Man to grace the pages of a Marvel Comic book.

Created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Larry Lieber in Tales to Astonish #27 (January 1962), the first Ant-Man was Hank Pym, one of Marvel’s first Silver Age superheroes and a founding member of the Avengers. Despite his initial success, Hank Pym never became a top seller or had his own book. Soon, Pym began to assume other superhero identities, including Giant-Man, leaving his Ant-Man persona behind him.

Scott Lang is introduced as the second Ant-Man at the end of the seventies. Created by David Michelinie, Bob Layton and John Byrne in the pages of The Avangers #181 (1979), he was not your classic Marvel superhero. He was neither a rich guy nor a scientific guy, but an ex-convict, electronics expert, and a divorced single parent. He stole the Ant-Man suit to help his sick daughter and became the second Ant-Man after Pym discovered it and allowed him to wear the suit.

Following Scott Lang’s death, The name and costume were used by Eric O’Grady (until his own death). Created by Robert Kirkman and Phil Hester, O’Grady made his first appearance in The Irredeemable Ant-Man #1 (Dec. 2006). As the title suggested, the character had an immoral attitude and behavior.

Finally, Scott Lang, after being returned to life, took back the persona (in  2011) and is our official Ant-Man.

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Who is Black Manta? The Origins of Aquaman’s iconic villain

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Black Manta is one of the most fearless supervillains in the DC Universe, and one of the pettiest there is – next to Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash. He just hates Aquaman, pure and simple, and wants to destroy the Atlantean world.

Why Black Manta is so fixated on making Arthur Curry’s life hell? That’s the question you could ask yourself. And one that didn’t find an answer for a long time in the comic book pages of the DC Universe.

Black Manta was created by Bob Harney and Nick Cardy and made his debut in Aquaman #35 in September 1967. Though Aquaman’s nemesis made his first appearance here, it was not the first time the two characters fought, as the story made it clear they clashed before – in untold stories. But Manta was not given clear motivation at all.

The readers would have to wait more than 25 years to discover Black Manta’s first proper origin story and more so to discover his real name. His complete name, David Milton Hyde, was given only in 2020 in Aquaman Vol. 8 #62. Proof that you don’t need a (solid) backstory to ruin the life of a superhero and become an iconic villain!

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Batman Infinite Frontier Reading Order


In the middle of James Tynion IV’s run on Batman, the DC Universe was once more softly relaunched. Following the events of Dark Nights: Death Metal, Generations, and Future State, the DC Multiverse has in fact expanded into a larger Omniverse (and everything became canon). This was how the Infinite Frontier era was introduced—and launched in March 2021. It concluded with the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event, in December 2022.

It was less than two years, but a lot has happened in Batman’s life with events like Fear State and Shadow War, and a new costume at one point. As usual, the Dark Knight’s adventures were published in Batman and Detective Comics, but also in the anthology Batman: Urban Legends, the team books Batman/Superman and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, and more!

There’s also a new Batman Incorporated series and a new and different Batman in I Am Batman—Jace Fox is first introduced as the new Batman during Future State, but soon got his own series, written by John Ridley—, and a lot of miniseries, most being out-of-continuity.

Of course, this is mostly about Batman, but the BatFamily is also featured. Nevertheless, their books are not necessarily included. Though, you can find them on their dedicated pages: Nightwing, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Batwoman, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Terry McGinnis (The Batman Beyond).

What to Read Before Batman Infinite Frontier?

As this new era started during James Tynion IV’s run, it is recommended to be up-to-date with his work.

  • Batman Vol. 1: Their Dark Designs
    Collects stories from Batman (vol. 3) #85-94 and Batman Secret Files #3
  • The Joker War Saga
    Collects Batman (vol. 3) #95–100; Batgirl (vol. 5) #47; Detective Comics #1025; Red Hood: Outlaw #48; Nightwing (vol. 4) #74; The Joker War Zone #1; material from Harley Quinn (vol. 3) #75 and Catwoman (vol. 5) #25
  • Batman Vol. 3: Ghost Stories
    Collects Batman (vol. 3) #101–105, Annual (vol. 3) #5; Detective Comics #1027

Following Dark Nights: Death Metal, the DC Universe went to the future with Future State. It may be skipped, but it is better to be familiar with some elements of this story to fully apprehend what is at stake, especially during the Fear State event. You can learn more about Future State in the dedicated reading order.

  • Future State: Dark Detective
    Collects Future State: Dark Detective #1-4 (main story), Future State: Catwoman #1-2, Future State: Harley Quinn #1-2, Future State: Robin Eternal #1-2, Future State: Batman/Superman #1-2.
  • Future State: The Next Batman
    Collects Future State: The Next Batman #1-4, Future State: Nightwing #1-2, Future State: Dark Detective #1 & 3 (select stories), and backup stories.

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