In 1986, Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis launched Justice League International, a series that quickly became popular (see the reading order for details). By the mid-1990s, though, the success had faded, and the titles were canceled. DC Comics tried to revamp the League with Mark Waid and Fabian Nicieza’s miniseries Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare. But it wasn’t until 1997, when Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter launched the new JLA series, that the team found success again.
After years without A-listers, Grant Morrison brought the core team back together—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest—and introduced the idea of JLA as a modern pantheon of gods. To match this larger-than-life vision, the League moved into a new headquarters on the Moon, the Watchtower, and faced villains who threatened the world—or the entire universe. The creative team revisited and rebranded classic threats such as the White Martians, The Injustice Gang, and the Key, while also introducing new foes like Prometheus and Mageddon. Simply put, “JLA has rallied to save humankind from the brink of extinction. These are the adventures that have made them living legends.”
Grant Morrison’s run on JLA lasted four years, from 1997 to 2001. He wrote the series for the first 41 issues, along with a brief crossover during JLA’s “World War III” arc. During that time, the Justice League became one of DC’s best-selling titles and completely redefined the team for decades to come. It’s one of the most important runs in JLA history, and now you can explore it with our reading order!
Some storylines are more complicated than you can think – or they just seemed weirdly confusing for no reason. In the case of Batman R.I.P., the complication (and confusion) comes from the fact that it’s connected to the Final Crisis event. This story concluded the first third of Grant Morrison’s Batman run (full reading order here), leading to a new status quo as the series was renamed Batman and Robin for a time.
Here is the official synopsis: The troubled life of Bruce Wayne seems to spin out of control when his relationship with the mysterious Jezebel Jet deepens. Soon Bruce Wayne drops out completely, having seemingly become the victim of mental illness and abandoning his Batman identity for a life on the streets of Gotham City. Capitalizing on the fall of their greatest foe, the Club of Villains begins a crime spree through the streets of Gotham that threatens to bring the city to its knees.
What to read before Batman R.I.P.?
Batman: The Black Casebook
Collects Batman #65, 86, 112, 113, 134, 156 And 162, Detective Comics #215, 235, 247 And 267, And World’s Finest Comics #89.
Batman and Son (collects previous editions Batman & Son and The Black Glove in one volume)
Collects Batman issues #655-658, #663-669 and #672-675.
Grant Morrison’s run and Batman R.I.P. take place during the Modern Age period. For more Batman’s adventures during this time, check out our Batman reading order, the Modern Age.
Harley Quinn is a rarity in the Comic Book World because she was created on TV by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm in Batman: The Animated Series, in 1992. She became a recurring character on the show and, because of her popularity, she made the transition to paper, joining the Batman comic book canon seven years later.
Here was her story at the beginning, as told in the Mad Love comics: When she was only seven years old, Harleen Quinzel witnessed her father being beaten up by thugs, and then arrested by the police. That night she ran away to the safest place she could think of: Coney Island amusement park. But there, pursued into the Funhouse by the men who brutalized her father, she beheld unimaginable horrors. Years later, Harleen has put her past behind her and used her intelligence and ambition to escape her childhood of poverty with a career in psychiatry. Assigned to her first position at Arkham Hospital, she will discover, deep in the asylum, something dangerous and alluring, something quite unlike anything else she has ever known before: The Joker.
She became Harley Quinn and, after having been injected with a special formula by Poison Ivy, she got new abilities, such as immunity to toxins and enhanced strength and agility. She left Joker behind and became a solo criminal. It was not a hit at first, but Harley came back a few years after the end of her first solo series to team up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy (forming the Gotham City Sirens).
Harley was a criminal, then an anti-heroine. Her backstory was refined, as her relationship with Poison Ivy. She became quite popular on paper (especially during the 2010s), and later on the big screen too.
Since James Tynion IV stopped writing Batman, Joshua Williamson is the main writer of the series. He also writes Robin,Deathstroke, Inc., and everything linked to Infinite Frontier. This summer, he will be in charge of the Dark Crisis event, but before that he organized another crossover event in the Batmanverse called Shadow War—illustrated by Viktor Bogdanovic.
Here is how it starts: When Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice … but do they?
Expect over-the-top fights, action, mystery, and betrayal as this crossover event creates a major impact on the DCU!
What to read before Shadow War?
With this kind of event, it’s always better to be up-to-date, especially with Joshua Williamson’s writing. First, we’ve got Batman, the first story after the Fear State event, then Damian Wayne in Robin (see Damian Wayne Reading Order for more info), and Deathstroke in the new Deathstroke, Inc. series.
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Slade Wilson is Deathstroke the Terminator, the world’s greatest assassin/mercenary and an enemy of the Teen Titans, but also of Batman, the Justice League, and Green Arrow. Introduced as a supervillain, acting sometimes as an anti-hero, always the great strategist and manipulator, Slade Wilson is certainly one of the most emblematic DC’s antagonists.
At 16, young Slade Wilson enlisted in the United States Army and, at some point, was chosen to be part of an experimental super-soldier project where he gained enhanced strength, agility, and intelligence. Father of three children (Joe, Rose and Grant), Wilson’s vendetta against the Titans began when he swore revenge for the death of his oldest son Grant. A real professional who never lost time, Deathstroke has been a member of Secret Society of Super-Villains, Suicide Squad, Titans East, H.I.V.E., Checkmate, League of Assassins, Defiance, Injustice League, Team 7, and T.R.U.S.T.
Deathstroke had also quite a decent career in other media and has been portrayed, among others, by Manu Bennett on The CW’s Arrow and by Esai Morales on the DC Universe series Titans. He also appears as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced by J. G. Hertzler, and in the Batman: Arkham franchise.
Today, we explore Slade Wilson’s history with a Deathstroke/Slade Wilson Reading Order, from his villain role in New Teen Titans to his own titles and much more…
This year, DC Comics planned multiple short events like War For Earth-3 and now Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons. Introduced as the first Wonder Woman crossover of its kind, it was developed by the teams behind Wonder Woman, Nubia & the Amazons, and Wonder Girl—written by Stephanie Williams, Vita Ayala, Joëlle Jones, Michael Conrad, and Becky Cloonan, with art by Skylar Patridge, Laura Braga, Elena Casagrande, Joëlle Jones.
Here is the official synopsis: After the events of Nubia & the Amazons, the dangers of Doom’s Doorway have found their way to Man’s World and garnered the attention of not one, but all three Amazonian tribes. The Bana-Mighdall consider it to be a weakness in the current regime and have decided to return to the shores of Themyscira to stake their claim over the island. Little do they know, the Esquecida are not far behind, but instead looking for help to combat the evil unleashed. Tempers rise and swords are brandished as the women argue about the best course of action. Now Queen Nubia must show them all the way to peace by calling for one of the most famous Amazon traditions … the Contest. Who among them is worthy of leading them into the future? Find out as the bravest, wisest, and fiercest warriors compete to be the champion of all the Amazons!
What to Read before Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons?
First, the story takes place after the events of Nubia & the Amazons, you’ll need to read:
Nubia & the Amazons
Collects Infinite Frontier #0 and Nubia & the Amazons #1-6
Don’t know who is Wonder Girl? (she’s pretty new) Take a look at her first series:
Wonder Girl: Homecoming
Collects Wonder Girl #1-7, Future State: Wonder Woman #1-2, and a selection from Infinite Frontier #0.
What’s up with Wonder Woman lately? See her last adventures in:
The original Starman debuted in Adventure Comics #61 (April 1941) and was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley. Ted Knight, a brilliant scientist, developed the Gravity Rod—later upgraded to the Cosmic Rod—which allowed him to manipulate energy, fly, and generate force fields. As Starman, he became a key Golden Age superhero and a founding member of the Justice Society of America.
Decades later, in 1994, DC Comics introduced a new take on the Starman legacy with the Starman series, written by British writer James Robinson and illustrated by Tony Harris. The series, which ran from 1994 to 2001, focused on Jack Knight, Ted’s younger son, who reluctantly inherited the Starman mantle after his older brother, David, was murdered. Unlike traditional superheroes, Jack refused to wear a costume or conceal his identity. He was more interested in running his antique and collectibles store in Opal City than fighting crime.
The story begins when Ted Knight’s longtime enemy, The Mist, resurfaces, launching an attack that forces Jack into action. Despite his reluctance, he wields the Cosmic Rod and, over time, grows into the role of Starman, though on his own terms. The series explored themes of legacy, family, and personal growth, making it one of the most critically acclaimed superhero comics of the 1990s.
Robinson’s Starman is notable for its rich world-building, incorporating past Starmen from DC history and revamping the villain Shade, a morally complex former villain who becomes Jack’s unlikely ally. The series concluded in 2001 with Jack ultimately stepping away from superhero life—a rare instance of a major DC hero being allowed to retire voluntarily. He passed the mantle to the young Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl.
What to read before James Robinson’s Starman?
Before writing the ongoing Starman comics, James Robinson collaborated with Paul Smith on The Golden Age miniseries in which they revisited the Golden Age Justice Society. This comic book is part of the Elseworlds collection, but he still used elements of that story in his work. It’s not obligatory reading, but it gives a good insight into the old-school characters.
Written by Robbie Thompson and Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum, with art by Steve Pugh (War for Earth-3), Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Dexter Soy (Suicide Squad), Fernando Pasarin (The Flash), and Mike Norton (Teen Titans Academy), War for Earth-3 is a 2022 crossover storyline composed of a 2-part limited series and issues from Suicide Squad, The Flash, and Teen Titans Academy.
Here is the official synopsis: The Teen Titans, the Flash and the Suicide Squad all collide on Earth-3—home of the evil Crime Syndicate—on the hunt for former Task Force X mastermind Amanda Waller.
As Waller tries to take over the alternate Earth and dethrone evil versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and other heroes that rule it, her former partner—Rick Flag—arrives on E-3 bent on making Waller pay for her crimes, while the Titans and Flash hunt for a missing academy student they believe was kidnapped by Waller to form her mysterious Justice Squad.
What to read before War For Earth-3?
First, to know more about the evil Crime Syndicate of Earth-3, you have to read the miniseries spinning out of Dark Nights: Death Metal written by Andy Schmidt with art by Bryan Hitch and Keiron McKeown:
After The War For Earth-3 crossover event, the ongoing series of Suicide Squad and Teen Titans Academy will soon be concluded, you may want to be up-to-date with this two at least (especially with Suicide Squad).
Do you really need an introduction? Created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger in Detective Comics #27 (1939), Batman is a vigilante who fights crime in the streets of Gotham City. Under the costume of the Bat is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist whose parents, Thomas and Martha, were murdered in front of him when he was a kid. That traumatic existence led him to train himself physically and intellectually to be able to fight for justice.
Introduced as a generic ruthless and murderous vigilante, Batman quickly evolved and acquired a strong moral code (he is against murder!) and a kid sidekick, the famous Robin (Dick Grayson at first in Detective Comics #38). He never got superpowers though. But that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most iconic characters in popular culture.
As years went by, Batman’s comic book stories evolved. After the war, they became bright and colorful. During the 1950s, they became more science fiction-oriented, but they went back to more detective stories in the 1960s (and got redesigned) to avoid cancellation. The campy TV Show also influenced the book for a while, but soon after it ended, it became necessary to return to something grimmer.
The sales dropped anyway through the 1970s and 1980s. Then came the Modern Age. With the post-Crisis in Infinite Earths relaunch of the DC books came new instant-classic comic book stories–also, a popular movie helped.
This article does not cover all of Batman comics’ publication history. We are starting with what is called the Modern Age (aka Post Crisis). The Golden Age Years are collected in Omnibus editions and DC Comics is now doing the same with the Silver Age Years (and also the Batman & Superman: World’s Finest comics), the Batman: The Brave & the Bold comics (Bronze Age) — see our guide for the Batman Comics from the Golden Age through the Bronze Age to explore the Pre-Crisis Batman era.
DC Comics’ Modern Age started after the 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths (see reading order). The event was used to retconned the histories of most of the characters. The idea was to clean up the timelines (something DC Comics is still trying to do, in vain) and to update the superheroes to appeal to a contemporary audience. With the help of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, Batman got a new origin story. The relaunch didn’t erase all of Batman’s past, but some significant alterations became canon (like the fact that Alfred Pennyworth raised Bruce Wayne).
ABC launched the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1993, where the marriage of Lois and Clarke was discussed during the production. Even if the comics and the show didn’t take place in the same continuity, Warner Bros wanted the Superman brand to stay consistent across all media. They wanted the wedding of the couple to happen at the same time on screen and paper.
What did it mean for the Superman comics? After all, the creative team was planning the wedding of Lois and Clark, and they had to stop and build a whole new storyline. Writer Jerry Ordway made the joke to just kill Superman, and it became the most attractive scenario for the creative team. If they couldn’t marry the Man of Steel, they could kill him… and make comic history!
That’s how the now-classic storyline The Death of Superman was born. It is divided into a trilogy of story arcs: “Doomsday!” (or Death of the Superman) leads to Superman’s Death; “Funeral for a Friend” is focused on the aftermath; and “Reign of the Supermen!” introduced the Supermen. For Lois Lane fans, it’s also an important period, as the death of Superman puts her on the front line, and she was used as the glue between all the titles. After this trilogy, the inevitable happens, titled “The Return of Superman”.
Launched at the end of 1992, The Death (and Return) of Superman was published almost all the year 1993. The creative team consisted of Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, Karl Kesel, William Messner-Loebs, and Gerard Jones on the writer front. Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Jackson Guice, Dan Jurgens, Dennis Janke, Denis Rodier, Walt Simonson, Curt Swan, and M. D. Bright on the artist front.
One of the biggest best-sellers at DC, The Death (and Return) of Superman had a major impact on the company, as a similar event happened shortly after with Batman: Knightfall(reading order), followed by the deaths of numerous superheroes. Also, some characters established during the arc became recurring characters afterward.
No doubt about it, The Death (and Return) of Superman occupy a special place in Superman and DC history, and today, we revisit it with a reading order, and the different ways to read this iconic story.
What to read before The Death of Superman?
Like a lot of readers at the time of publication, you can just go straight ahead without any required reading before. A few issues teased Doomsday breaking free from his prison, and we have listed them in the issue-by-issue reading order for the occasion.
I just told you no background reading was necessary, but for those out there who like to know a little more, here are a few things to know:
The Justice League’s incarnation at the time of this storyline was Justice League International, with Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, and more. It was written by Dan Jurgens.
Not long ago, Luthor faked his own death and transplanted his brain into a clone of himself, which he passed off as his unknown son, Lex Luthor II, raised by foster parents in Australia to protect him from Luthor’s enemy. The charade is completed by an Australian accent, a full head of red hair, and a beard. Luthor uses this opportunity to seduce Supergirl (Matrix at the time). Those issues where those events take place are not really well collected (between Action Comics #660 and #678).
