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DC New 52 Reading Order

Let’s go back in time, 10 years ago! We are in September 2011 and it’s the beginning of a new era for DC Comics, named The New 52. Following the conclusion of the Flashpoint limited series (see Reading Order), all titles set in the DC Universe were canceled and relaunched with new #1 issues. It’s a partial reboot for most of our DC’s heroes and villains with a new continuity.

Presented as a new entry point (but not always new reader-friendly, to be honest), various changes were made to sort of update the characters and make them more attractive for newcomers. And for the occasion, the Wildstorm and Vertigo imprints were absorbed into the DC Universe.

Following is a reading order for the New 52 era, going from September 2011 to May 2016. The New 52 branding ended with the conclusion of the ‘Convergence‘ storyline (see our full reading order), but the continuity didn’t stop after that and was maintained during what has been called DC You — a period covered here.

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Let’s begin by pointing out that there is no official DC mini-era during New 52, and it is then a personal way to split the period to make it a little easier to apprehend. You’ll find other approaches on the web, some with more Phase/Part and some with less.

  1. The New 52 era in omnibus form
  2. The New 52 Year One, from Justice League: Origin to Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Blood
  3. Zero Month, from Superman: Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof to Earth 2. Vol. 2: The Tower of Fate
  4. Trinity War and Forever Evil, from Wonder Woman Vol. 4: War to Batman/Superman Vol. 2: Game Over
  5. Futures End, from Aquaman and the Others Vol. 1: Legacy of Gold to Constantine Vol. 4: The Apocalypse Road
  6. Convergence, with Earth 2: Society
  7. DC You, ending New 52 and the Road to Rebirth

We also have a few character(s) reading order :

  1. Batman New 52 Reading Order
  2. Superman/Action Comics New 52 Reading Order
  3. Justice League New 52 Reading Order
  4. Earth 2 New 52 Reading Order
  5. Green Lantern New 52 Reading Order
  6. Jason Todd Reading Order
  7. Tim Drake Reading Order
  8. The Flash Reading Order

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The Lazarus Contract Reading Order, a Titans/Teen Titans/Deathstroke crossover

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The Lazarus Contract Reading Order

The Lazarus Contract is a DC Comics mini-crossover event published in 2017 between three series : Titans, Teen Titans and Deahtstroke. The crossover was written by Dan Abnett, Benjamin Percy and Christopher Priest, with interior art from Brett Booth, Khoi Pham, Carlo Pagulayan and Paul Pelletier.

The title, The Lazarus Contract, is a call back to the classic storyline New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. The story picks up here with Slade Wilson’s discovery that the original Wally West has returned.

He sees that return as an opportunity to bring his son Grant back to life, and nothing will stop him from getting what he wants. Standing in his way? Both the Teen Titans and the Titans! But will the Titans and the Teen Titans be fast enough to stop him from changing the world as we know it?

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Justice League Dark Reading Order

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Published by DC Comics and created by Peter Milligan with art by Mikel Janín, Justice League Dark is the Magic equivalent of the regular Justice League, a group of superheroes fighting together against powerful enemies to stop the unusual world-shattering events from happening.

The idea is quite simple, the team consists of the supernatural members of the DC Universe, handling situations deemed outside the scope of the traditional Justice League.

The Justice League Dark originally featured John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade: The Changing Man, and Zatanna. There will be changes. Some of the members will leave or die, some will join the team for a time or for a long time. You know the deal, it’s Justice League business. Except it’s about magic and occult dangers.

Here is the official synopsis: With the Justice League defeated at the hands of the mad sorceress Enchantress, the clairvoyant Madame Xanadu must assemble the world’s most powerful and strange magical heroes to prevent her premonitions of end times from coming to fruition! Bringing together the likes of London’s savviest street sorcerer, John Constantine; stage (and actual) magician Zatanna; the reality-altering alien Shade; and the ghost and body possessor Deadman, this unlikely team will be forced to put aside their differences to stop evil.

Never one to play nice, Constantine and the group will fall apart time and time again only to come together when the world needs them most. Joined by the likes of a centuries-old vampire, the shape-shifter Black Orchid, and Frankenstein among many more, some will live, and many will die, but together, maybe they can save this world!

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Batwoman (Kate Kane) Reading Order

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Batwoman Reading Order (Kate Kane)

Once upon a time, during the early Silver Age of Comics, there was the first Batwoman named Kathy Kane. Created by writer Edmond Hamilton and artist Sheldon Moldoff, she was introduced in 1954 as a female counterpart to Batman, accompanied by her side-kick Bat-Girl, and as a love interest for Batman. She was introduced in response to allegations of Batman’s homosexuality that arose after the publication of “Seduction of the Innocent” in 1954. Kathy Kane never became a significant character and was eventually removed from the comics. She was erased from history during “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” until the events of Infinite Crisis, which established a new Universe, introduced a new incarnation of Kathy Kane.

But this is not the Batwoman that interests us today. The one we are focusing on today is called Kate Kane. Created by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Ken Lashley, she made her first appearance in 52 #7 as a modern reinterpretation of the original Batwoman.

Katherine Rebecca “Kate” Kane is a wealthy heiress, a lesbian, and a cousin of Bruce Wayne. Inspired by the superhero Batman, she decides to take on the role of a masked vigilante to fight crime in her hometown of Gotham City as Batwoman. Her profile grew over time, and she starred in her own ongoing series as well as had a significant role in “Detective Comics.” She even became part of the Arrowverse with her own television series where she was played by Ruby Rose.

Discover now our Batwoman reading order, guiding you through the essential comics and story arcs featuring Bruce Wayne’s cousin!

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Futures End Reading Order, a DC Comics’ universe-wide event from the New 52 era

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Futures End (DC New 52) Reading Order

Welcome to the New 52 Future! In May 2014, DC jumped forward 5 years in time with Futures End, an eleven-month weekly miniseries written by Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, and Jeff Lemire—with art by Patrick Zircher, Ethan Van Sciver, Dan Green, Aaron Lopresti, Art Thibert, Scot Eaton, Drew Geraci, and a lot more.

Here is the official synopsis: Five years from now, the DC Universe is reeling from a war with another Earth, leaving the world unprepared for an approaching evil that threatens to destroy the future. As heroes are turned into mindless villains, the planet as we know it is no more. The only salvation lies in the past, where this future apocalypse must be averted. Can a time-traveling Batman Beyond help a massive cast of the DCU’s finest avert the impending apocalypse? 

What to read before Futures End?

Futures End takes place in an alternate future for the DC Universe, five years after most of the stories in the New 52 era of DC Comics, therefore this event does not require prior reading.

Nevertheless, for the more completists, some plot elements from Earth 2: World’s End are explored. Also, Terry McGinnis being at the center of the story, you may want to take a look at our Batman Beyond Reading Order, to learn more about him.

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Green Lantern: Wrath of the First Lantern Reading Order, the follow-up to Rise of the Third Army

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In the outcome of Rise of the Third Army, the mysterious First Lantern is unleashed against the Green Lantern Corps, still under Geoff Johns’s supervision.

As per the official synopsis, The Wrath of the First Lantern is here as the Green Lanterns battle the Guardians of Oa and the Third Army, but who will win and at what cost?

And as First Lantern moves on the brightest of the Corps for his reality-altering experiments, we learn the shocking fate of Hal and Sinestro in this crossover event!

What to read before Wrath of the First Lantern?

Wrath of the First Lantern is taking place after the Rise of the Third Army event. You’ll need to read it first:

  • Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army
    Green Lantern Vol. 5 #13–16, Green Lantern Corps Vol. 3 #13–16, Green Lantern: New Guardians #13–16, Red Lanterns #13–16, Green Lantern Corps Annual Vol. 3 #1.

Of course, these storylines are set near the end of Geoff Johns’s run on Green Lantern, we invite you to consult our reading order to know more about what came before (a lot!).

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Damian Wayne Reading Order, Fifth Robin and Son of Batman

Damain Wayne Reading Order, son of Batman and Fifth Robin

Everybody knows that Batman’s sidekick is Robin. Of course, readers are familiar with the fact that there’s more than one Robin. That said, there’s only one son of Bruce Wayne, the best Robin of all (if you ask him), Damian.

So, Damian Wayne is the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul. Grown in a laboratory, Damian was raised by his mother and the League of Assassins to make him a great warrior. It also makes him arrogant and violent.

Batman ignores his existence until Talia left his pre-adolescent son in the care of his father. Talia hasn’t grown a conscience but just uses Damian in an effort to disrupt Batman’s work. For Damian, two choices are offered to him: follow his grandfather and mother’s footsteps to become the future head of the League or embrace his father’s lifestyle and choose to be a superhero.

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Convergence Reading Order, When Worlds Collide in the DC Universe

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Convergence Reading Order (DC New 52)

Where do worlds go when they die? It’s a question DC wants to answer in Convergence, a limited series that ran from April 2015 to May 2015, replacing DC Comics’ regular line of comics while the publisher moves their offices from New York City to Burbank California.

In the story, Brainiac collects cities and inhabitants from various timelines that have ended and trap them in domes on a planet outside of time and space. He then exposes the domes to one another to see how the characters interact. This event will lead to the end of the New 52 era – See the New 52 Reading Order.

Here is the official synopsis: Once, there were infinite Earths. Untold timelines. Innumerable Elseworlds. Then there came a Crisis…a Zero Hour…a Flashpoint. Worlds lived. Worlds died. Now they all must fight for their future! The evil alien intelligence known as Brainiac has stolen 50 doomed cities from throughout time and space and brought them to a place beyond the Multiverse—a sentient planet of his own design, a world with the power of a god.
As heroes and villains from dozens of worlds battle each other for their very existence, it’s up to a ragtag band of warriors from a slain Earth to put an end to this threat that bends the Multiverse to its will. Reality itself hangs in the balance…

What to read before Convergence?

If you want more background information on Brainiac, Booster Gold, Superman, and the Citizens of Earth-2 before diving into Convergence, you can read:

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Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Reading Order

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One of the most famous superheroes in the DC Comics Universe, Wonder Woman was created by American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, making her debut in All Star Comics #8 in 1941. Alongside Batman and Superman, Princess Diana of Themyscira quickly became a true pop culture icon, representing strength, compassion, and justice.

Following the landmark 1985–86 crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths, which reset much of DC Comics continuity, Wonder Woman was rebooted in 1987 by the legendary George Pérez. His critically acclaimed run redefined her mythos, deepening her ties to Greek mythology and reestablishing her as a warrior and diplomat. This era revitalized her popularity and shaped much of the modern interpretation of the character.

While Pérez remains one of the most celebrated comic book creators associated with Wonder Woman, Greg Rucka is another name that stands out. His contributions to the character span multiple runs, and he has reinvented Diana not just once, but twice—first in the early 2000s and again in 2016 with Wonder Woman: Rebirth. Both runs are regarded as some of the best in the character’s history.

This guide explores Greg Rucka’s defining work on the character and how his storytelling has shaped the legacy of Wonder Woman.

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Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army Reading Order

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With Geoff Johns as an architect, and written with Tony Bedard, Peter Milligan, Peter J. Tomasi, Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army is a crossover event between The Green Lantern titles—Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Red Lanterns—like Batman: Death of The Family (Reading Order) was for the Batman family.

Here is the official synopsis: “The Guardians of the Universe have gone mad! To preserve order, they have decided that all free will must be eradicated by their new Third Army – emotionless drones whose sole purpose is to convert living creatures into soulless beings like themselves.

How can the Green Lanterns stand against them? Hal Jordan is dead, Guy Gardner has been stripped of his ring and his powers, and John Stewart and Kyle Rayner have been called into deep space on seemingly impossible missions. The remaining ring-wielders – along with a most unexpected new human Green Lantern – will unite to take on the mad Guardians. But will their desperate assault unleash an even greater evil…?”

The beginning of the end of the Green Lantern universe starts here!

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