Darth Maul Reading Order, A Star Wars Guide
May the 4th be with you! Today is Star Wars Day, a day to celebrate George Lucas’ epic tale set in a galaxy far, far… Read More »Darth Maul Reading Order, A Star Wars Guide
Reading Order
U.S. Agent (John Walker) Reading Order
Thanks to the MCU, U.S. Agent a.k.a. John Walker seems to be more relevant in 2026 than he may have ever been in the comics since his first appearance as the (second) supervillain Super-Patriot in Captain America #323 in 1986, a comic book by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary. Still, he had a notable role when Steve Rogers stepped down as Captain America; he took over the role and gradually transitioned into the brutal, shield-wielding anti-hero known as U.S.Agent.
John Walker is far more than just a “Dark Captain America.” Since his debut in 1986, he has served as a complex mirror to American idealism, a soldier who follows orders when Steve Rogers follows his conscience. Whether you discovered him through Wyatt Russell’s performance in the MCU or his long history as a mainstay of the West Coast Avengers, navigating his four-decade history can be as volatile as the character himself.
This guide breaks down every era of Walker’s career, from his corporate-sponsored beginnings and his polarizing stint as the Sentinel of Liberty to his modern redemption arcs.
Critical Role Comics Reading Order (Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, Whitestone Chronicles)
Whether you’re a veteran ‘Critter’ or a newcomer who has just finished watching The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime, the world of Exandria is massive and complex. What began in 2015 as a group of voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons in a living room has evolved into a multimedia empire, and this growth is most evident in their comic books.
At its heart, Critical Role is an “actual play” web series where Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer leads a cast of voice actors (including Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Taliesin Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Travis Willingham, and more) through epic, improvised stories. The show is divided into massive “Campaigns,” each following a different adventuring party across the world of Exandria.
Published by Dark Horse Comics, the Critical Role graphic novels aren’t adaptations, but canon stories, mainly prequel tales. They fill in the “missing” years of the campaigns, providing backstories that happened before the cameras ever rolled.
Read More »Critical Role Comics Reading Order (Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, Whitestone Chronicles)
Spider-Man 2099 Reading Order (Miguel O’Hara)
As you are well aware now, not all Spider-Men are Peter Parker under the mask. And one of the coolest versions is Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man 2099, who couldn’t be more different from Peter even if he tried!
Created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi for the Marvel 2099 comic book line, Miguel O’Hara made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #365 in August 1992, as a preview, before headlining his own series, Spider-Man 2099, which launched in November of that year. Readers were introduced to the brilliant Irish-Mexican geneticist Miguel O’Hara, who lives in Nueva York (a renamed New York City) in the year 2099 and works for Alchemax, one of North America’s biggest corporations, which produces everything from everyday products to military weaponry and private space travel.
Miguel was being pressured and manipulated by his boss Tyler Stone for testing a process to imprint genetic codes into human physiology. Miguel had to experiment on himself if he wanted a future, but things didn’t turn out as expected: his DNA was rewritten and became fifty percent spider.
With great power comes great responsibility, and Miguel decided to use his new abilities to take down Tyler Stone and Alchemax. Miguel became Spider-Man 2099, the breakout star of the Marvel 2099 line. He has naturally appeared in numerous media adaptations, including in the animated Across the Spider-Verse movie, voiced by Oscar Isaac – although I think this is a bad version of the character, as his core values are not respected!
Find out everything you need to know about Miguel O’Hara and his complicated timeline in our Complete Spider-Man 2099 reading order!
Planet of the Apes Comics Reading Order
The Planet of the Apes franchise began in 1968 with the landmark film adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s novel “La Planète des singes.” It introduced us to a future in which intelligent apes dominate Earth and humanity has fallen into subjugation. Blending dystopian speculation, political allegory, and social satire, the film series and its associated live-action and animated TV shows, books, and comics have explored endless storytelling possibilities.
Because the franchise spans several distinct timelines and publishing eras, it may be difficult to follow everything. We are going to take a look at the Planet of the Apes comics by continuity and era.
From the early adaptations and original stories published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s to the modern, continuity-driven expansions by BOOM! Studios, the franchise has been reinterpreted across multiple eras. Some series adapt the original Planet of the Apes film cycle, others expand the reboot timeline launched by Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and several create standalone alternate continuities, including crossovers with properties like Green Lantern.
Doom Patrol Reading Order
Created by Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, with artist Bruno Premiani, the Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80 (1963), at a time when the struggling title needed a radical reinvention. Drake’s concept was to write about “freaks who banded together and the man in the wheelchair guiding them” (see American Comic Books Chronicles: The 1960s). The result was a team unlike any other in DC’s Silver Age, and this guide to reading Doom Patrol explores every iteration of that vision.
Originally dubbed “The World’s Strangest Heroes,” the group centered on victims of catastrophic accidents: actress Rita “Elasti-Woman” Farr, race car driver Cliff “Robotman” Steele, pilot Larry “Negative Man” Trainor, led by the enigmatic Niles “Chief” Caulder. Later additions such as Garfield “Beast Boy” Logan and Steve “Mento” Dayton expanded the roster but preserved its defining tension: powers born from trauma and alienation. From the start, the Doom Patrol stood apart from conventional superhero teams, with stories that foregrounded psychological strain and existential unease.
From their tragic origins to the mind-bending reality-warping of the Grant Morrison era and the modern “Young Animal” revival, this guide breaks down every era. Below, you will find the Doom Patrol reading order in chronological order, organized by creator runs and key graphic novels.
Psylocke Reading Order (Betsy Braddock, Kwannon)
She became a popular X-Men character in the nineties, known for her psychic abilities and her signature telepathic blade. Today, we’re talking about the mutant Psylocke. Or should I say mutants, as the codename has been used by two closely connected women: Betsy Braddock and Kwannon.
Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe in 1976, Betsy Braddock was first introduced as the sister of Captain Britain and a telepath before eventually joining the X-Men. In the late 1980s, she underwent one of the most infamous transformations in Marvel history, emerging in the body of the Japanese assassin Kwannon.
For decades, Betsy Braddock operated under the name Psylocke — a British woman living in another woman’s body, combining telepathy with formidable fighting skills. She served as an X-Man, a covert operative, and at times an assassin, while forming complicated romantic relationships along the way.
The Boys Reading Order, Your Comic Guide to Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s Satirical series
Who could have guessed in 2006 that The Boys would become a franchise on television? Not DC Comics, which cancelled the title after 6 issues. Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic found a second home at Dynamite Entertainment, where the creative team could pursue their vision for this violent and darkly humorous series that was concluded in 2012, after 72 issues and three six-issue limited series.
But who are the Boys? You may know them from Amazon Prime Video’s television adaptation. They are a team of vigilantes led by Billy Butcher who work for the CIA to keep an eye on the superhero community. Like the superheroes they worked so hard to stop, they are messed-up people. The story begins when Wee Hughie (based on Simon Pegg) watches his girlfriend get killed by a superhero who doesn’t care about collateral damage. Butcher invites Hughie to join his team in the US and teaches him everything he needs to know about the origin of superheroes and how they are propaganda for a failed military consortium.
The Boys is a satirical comic filled with violence, dark humor, Marvel and DC references, and even an Animal House storyline. At its heart, it’s about the evolution of Hughie and Butcher. Like a classic Garth Ennis comic, it’s full of rage, violence, and dark, twisted humor, interesting characters and pure emotion.
With The Boys celebrating its 20th anniversary and the series returning for its final season, now is the perfect time to revisit the comic book. Explore the various editions available with our The Boys Reading Guide and read the story between episodes of the adaptation (or one of its spin-offs!).
Ed Brubaker at Marvel Comics: A Reading Guide
One of the most celebrated writers of crime comics, best known for his creator-owned hits Criminal and Reckless, Ed Brubaker gained mainstream prominence during a legendary decade at the “Big Two.” While he left a permanent mark on DC with titles like Gotham Central and Catwoman, it was his 2004 move to Marvel that changed the industry.
Brubaker began as a cartoonist, writing and drawing the hard-to-find Pajama Chronicles and Purgatory USA, and the semi-autobiographical Lowlife. His first crime comic was for Dark Horse Comics, the Eisner Award-nominated three-part serial “An Accidental Death,” with artist Eric Shanower. Two years later, in 1995, he made his debut at DC Comics with Shanower by working on a Prez story (Vertigo). He eventually signed an exclusive deal with DC in 2000 and went on working on Batman, writing his famous run on Catwoman, some Wildstorm comics, and his influential collaboration with Greg Rucka and Michael Lark, Gotham Central. In 2004, Brubaker (with Lark) made the jump to Marvel.
In this Ed Brubaker Marvel reading guide, we will revisit his influential eight-year run, from the resurrection of the Winter Soldier to his gritty takes on Daredevil and Iron Fist.
DC All In Reading Order, The Complete Guide
Less than two years after the launch of Dawn of DC, a new status quo was established in the DC Universe following Amanda Waller’s failed coup in Absolute Power, launching DC’s latest publishing initiative, DC All In!
And everyone really went all in. Without a doubt, this is DC’s most successful relaunch since Rebirth nearly ten years ago, the most new-reader welcoming and the most engaging for longtime fans.
Led by writers Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder, it began in October 2024 with the DC All In Special (2024) #1, which introduced the new status quo for readers. A new Justice League was formed, featuring the largest roster ever, while the Absolute Universe, a parallel reality shaped by Darkseid that redefines familiar characters and power structures across the DC multiverse, was created.
The first act of DC All In has recently concluded with the end of the first line-wide crossover, DC K.O.. A perfect time to look back and start to really go all in on the DC Universe with our DC All In trade paperback guide.