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Duke Thomas Reading Order (member of the Batfamily, The Signal)

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This has been less than ten years since Duke Thomas made his debut in the DC Universe. Created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo during their already classic run on Batman, Duke first appeared in Batman (vol. 2) #21, as an unnamed character, then he made his real entry in Batman (vol. 2) #30 as Duke Thomas.

Raised in the Gotham Narrows by his mother Elaine, a social worker, and Doug Thomas, a humble construction worker, Duke had an ordinary childhood. He was then unaware of who his biological father was (a villain named Gnomon) and that he was a metahuman and had powers.

Anyways, no one in Gotham can claim to have an ordinary life too long. Like so many Gothamites, Duke’s life was changed by the Joker during the events of Endgame with the disappearance of his parents. He was placed into the foster system and soon after, became the leader of a youth movement inspired by Robin.

Duke’s parents were later found, but permanently jokerized. Following this discovery, Bruce officially took Duke under his wings to make him his latest ward and partner-in-crime-fighting. He officially became The Signal in Batman and The Signal #1 (March 2018). He also joined the Outsiders, under Black Lightning’s supervision. You can’t miss him in the streets of Gotham with his yellow armor! 

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Sandman (Wesley Dodds), a pulp hero in the DC Universe

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Long before Neil Gaiman introduced his version of the Sandman in the DC Universe, another Sandman haunted the pages of comic books. For a long time, I mean 60 years. The original Sandman was one of the first “superheroes,” a DC Golden Age superhero.

Really, this Sandman was more of a pulp hero. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman for Adventure Comics #40—but he appeared a bit earlier in the New York World’s Fair Comics #1 (April 1939), a book published on the occasion of the 1939 World’s Fair—, The Sandman was one of the one original mystery men, a vigilante wearing a green business suit, a fedora, and a World War I gas mask, who used a gun emitting a sleeping gas to incapacitate criminals.

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Inhumans Reading Order (with Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak, Lockjaw and Maximus)

While they are often compared to the X-Men, the Inhumans occupy a unique, cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe. Created by the legendary duo Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1965 (Fantastic Four #45), these powerful beings aren’t just “born with it,” they are the product of ancient alien engineering and a ritualistic transformation that changes their lives forever.

Inhumans vs. Mutants: What’s the Difference?

The primary difference lies in the source of their power. While Mutants carry the X-Gene that naturally activates during puberty, Inhumans are the result of Kree science experiments. To gain their abilities, an Inhuman must undergo Terrigenesis, a process where they are exposed to the Terrigen Mist (vaporized Terrigen Crystals).

Originally intended as weapons for the Kree-Skrull War, the Inhumans instead formed a secluded, highly advanced society governed by the Royal Family and the Genetic Council.

Read More in The Origins of The Inhumans, Marvel’s Royal Family.

Meet the Inhuman Royal Family

To understand the best Inhumans stories, you have to know the key players living in their lunar kingdom of Attilan:

  • Black Bolt: The King, whose voice is so destructive that a mere whisper can level a city.
  • Medusa: The Queen, with powerful, prehensile hair.
  • Crystal: Mistress of the elements (fire, water, earth, air).
  • Karnak: The philosopher who never underwent Terrigenesis but can see the flaw in all things.
  • Maximus: Black Bolt’s brother, a mad genius.
  • Lockjaw: The fan-favorite giant bulldog with the power of teleportation.

From Classic Lore to the NuHumans

The Inhuman mythos expanded significantly in recent years with the arrival of NuHumans. These are individuals with dormant Inhuman DNA living among humans who were transformed when a Terrigen Cloud drifted across Earth. This era gave us modern icons like Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), Daisy Johnson (Quake), and Moon Girl.

With over 50 years of complex political drama, cosmic wars, and genetic evolution, diving into their history can be daunting. Whether you’re a fan of the classic Kirby era or the modern “Inhumanity” event, here is the definitive Inhumans reading order to guide you through the mists.

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Ghost Rider Reading Order

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Marvel introduced a western character named Ghost Rider in 1967, but he is now known as the Phantom Rider. The Ghost Rider we are talking about here made his burning entrance in 1972 in Marvel Spotlight #5 and was created by Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich, and Mike Ploog.

The original idea behind Ghost Rider came from Gary Friedrich as he developed a villain to be used in the page of Daredevil. Intrigued, Roy Thomas decided that the character should have his own series. He even suggested that the costume should be inspired by one Elvis wore in his comeback special in 1968. Mike Ploog took their concept and designed the biker, introducing the head on fire just because he thought it looked cool.

There is more than one Ghost Rider. The first was Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who gave his soul to Mephisto to save his adopted father’s life. After that, he discovers that he was bonded with the demon Zarathos. Now, he is forced to punish the wicked and evil as the Ghost Rider, a violent biker with a flaming head. Though, he only transformed when he is in the presence of evil.

At the beginning of the 1990s, Marvel introduced a new Ghost Rider, the young Danny Ketch. In 2014, it was the turn of Robbie Reyes, a Mexican-American resident of East Los Angeles, who’s not a biker. His ride is a muscle car.

Others became temporarily Ghost Riders, and the mythology behind the characters, as well as its history, evolved through the years. As the host or the ride changed, the Ghost Rider’s abilities also changed. Every rider is different, but the fight against Evil never stops.

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Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) Reading Order

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The Huntress is a DC Character considered part of the Bat-family. But there is also more than one Huntress in the DC Universe, though the one that interests us today is one of the most famous women to bear the name: Helena Bertinelli. She was also the last one to date to become the Huntress…

Way before Helena Bertinelli made her debut, Huntress was a recurring villainess with no name from the Golden Age. Created in the pages of Sensation Comics #68 by artist Mort Meskin and an unnamed writer in 1947, she was retconned in the Bronze Age by writer Roy Thomas.

He gave her the name Paula Brooks and built her a real backstory in Young All-Stars, a title set in DC’s Golden Age. Over the course of the series, Thomas recounted Paula’s transformation, from the superheroine to the villainess named Huntress.

During her short stint, Paula stayed an obscure character. It was a certain Helena Wayne who popularized the name Huntress during the Bronze Age. Created by Paul Levitz and Joe Staton, she made her debut in DC Super Stars #17  (1977).

The daughter of Batman and Catwoman from Earth-2, Helena became a vigilante to avenge her mother’s death and choose the code name The Huntress when she decided to continue to fight crime. Later, Helena found herself fighting against Paula Brooks and winning the right to the name Huntress in All-Star Comics #72.

She bore the name until the destruction of the DC Universe in Crisis of Infinite Earths.

Following the reboot, Helena Wayne died and her family never existed. In this new continuity, Helena Bertinelli is introduced as the Huntress.

Created by Joey Cavalieri and Joe Staton, Bertinelli was conceived at first as a new interpretation of Helena Wayne. Making her debut in The Huntress #1 in 1989, this Helena has no link with Batman/Catwoman, but was born in one of the most powerful mafia families. She became a ruthless vigilante, ready to do justice by any means necessary. It puts her at odds with Batman, and she was for a long time the black sheep in the Bat-family, before Jason Todd/Red Hood was attributed that role. Her origins have been rewritten more than once, and she became the third member of the team Birds of Prey.

She was also recently played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the 2020’s film Birds of Prey.

To avoid confusion with Helena Wayne, what follows is a comprehensive reading order for Helena Bertinelli.

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Thanos Reading Order

The Marvel Comics supervillain Thanos first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man #55 in February 1973. He was created by writer and artist Jim Starlin, who was inspired by Jack Kirby’s work on DC’s New Gods. He was Marvel’s response to Darkseid, following instructions from Roy Thomas, but Starlin also drew inspiration from his college psychology classes when creating Thanos and Drax the Destroyer.

Hailing from Titan, Saturn’s moon, Thanos is the son of the Eternals A’lars and Sui-San. After falling in love with the physical embodiment of Death, Thanos finally became the murderous nihilist monster feared by the universe. He killed millions on Titan, but that was just the beginning. In order to do more, he started seeking universal power in the form of the Cosmic Cube.

This quest led to the creation of his enemy, Drax the Destroyer, and confrontations with Captain Marvel and other superheroes. But his story ended… for a time. He was resurrected in the 1990s, when Jim Starlin launched his Infinity Saga — a classic Marvel tale of epic proportions. Thanos resumed his quest to find the Infinity Gems.

After that, he became a constant menace, concocting evil plans that only made sense to him. Even when defeated, he always came back.

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Mister Miracle Reading Order

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During his brief but influential stint at DC Comics in the 1970s, Jack Kirby introduced revolutionary ideas that continue to affect the DCU to this day. He was the king of comics for a reason.

His most notable work for DC Comics was known as “The Fourth World“, which consists of several interconnected series based on a new mythology surrounding the New Gods. The core titles of the Fourth World saga were New Gods, The Forever People, and Mister Miracle. The latter is the focus of our article today.

Introduced in Mister Miracle #1 (April 1971), Scott Free is the son of the sage Highfather, ruler of New Genesis, the positive counterpart to the hellish planet Apokolips ruled by Darkseid. To stop the war between the two planets, heirs were exchanged. As a result, Scott Free was raised in the brutal “Terror Orphanages” overseen by Granny Goodness on Apokolips, without knowledge of his true origin. Despite his indoctrination, Scott rejected the oppressive regime and eventually escaped.

While part of the underground Resistance movement on Apokolips, Scott encountered Big Barda, a formidable warrior who would later become his wife. He ultimately fled to Earth, where he met Thaddeus Brown, a retired circus performer known by the stage name Mister Miracle. Following Brown’s death, Scott adopted his mentor’s identity and continued the legacy of escape artistry, aided by Brown’s assistant Oberon.

Though residing on Earth, Scott remained engaged in the broader struggle against Darkseid and the forces of Apokolips. Alongside Big Barda, he continued to oppose their tyrannical influence and later aligned himself with the Justice League. Like the other New Gods, he died at some point and was later resurrected.

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Spider-Man Reading Order, The Complete and Amazing Adventures of Peter Parker

With issue #15 (May 1962), the anthology comic book Amazing Adult Fantasy was renamed Amazing Fantasy after Marvel realized teenagers were uncomfortable buying a title with “Adult” in its name. The issue introduced “The Spiderman,” a teenage superhero created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who was meant to headline the series, but Amazing Fantasy was canceled shortly after. The character, soon renamed Spider-Man, became an instant success and quickly earned his own ongoing comic book series.

Spider-Man’s story begins with Peter Parker, a geeky orphaned high school student from Queens, New York, living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. After being bitten by a radioactive spider during a science exhibit, Peter gains spider-like agility and strength. At first, he uses his powers for fame and money, but after refusing to stop a thief who later causes Uncle Ben’s death, Peter learns the lesson that defines his life: “With great power there must also come great responsibility!”

From then on, Peter Parker balances fighting criminals with everyday struggles like helping Aunt May pay the bills, studying, and working as a photographer for the Daily Bugle, where publisher J. Jonah Jameson constantly attacks Spider-Man in print. Over the years, Peter meets Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson while facing enemies like the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and the Sinister Six. His life is marked by tragedy, personal loss, and constant challenges as the Marvel Universe expands around him.

Spider-Man eventually teams up with heroes like the Fantastic Four and The Avengers, becoming one of Marvel Comics’ most important characters. Loved by readers but often hated within his own world, Spider-Man grew into one of the most recognizable fictional characters ever created, starring in movies, television shows, video games, and more.

This article focuses entirely on the comic books, returning to the beginning of Spider-Man’s long publishing history to explore his reading order from the very start.

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Thunderbolts Reading Order

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Following the events of 1996’s Onslaught, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four were declared dead. A new group of ‘superheroes’ decided to step in to help protect the world: The Thunderbolts!

Considered the equivalent of DC’s Suicide Squad, The Thunderbolts was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley and they made their first appearance in The Incredible Hulk #449 (January 1997) before the launch of their ongoing series the following month.

What seemed to be a basic superhero team then changed on the last page, when it was revealed that The Thunderbolts, led by Baron Zemo, were actually the Masters of Evil in disguise! This is known as one of the most famous twists in Marvel history.

With themes of redemption and heroism, The Thunderbolts will walk away from their evil nature, choosing to reject Baron Zemo and try to become heroes in their own right. Throughout the years, this team of anti-heroes has worked to do good things when led by Hawkeye, Luke Cage, and the Winter Soldier, but has also been used as a dangerous and malevolent force by leaders like Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk. As you can imagine, between changes in leadership and direction, the roster of the team has changed a lot over the years.

A new version of Thunderbolts will soon be on the big screen, as a movie featuring the team will be released in 2024. Before that, you can start reading The Thunderbolts, and exploring their past (and present) history with this reading order!

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Supergirl Reading Order (Kara Zor-El, Matrix, Cir-El)

It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Supergirl! One of Superman’s happiest moments in life was discovering he had a long-lost living relative when Supergirl made her first appearance in Action Comics #252 (May 1959). This was also one of the most important events in the development of the Superman Universe. Sent to Earth in a rocket by her father, Zor-El, Supergirl is Superman’s cousin from Krypton and she was chosen to star in the backup story of Action Comics even before making her debut.

The first adventures of the Girl of Steel were conceived with the idea of appealing to female readers who “were thought to be more interested in seeing a girl use super powers closer to home.” (American Comic Book Chronicles, The 1950s). While her earlier stories were clearly not as thrilling as the adventures of her more famous cousin, this was only the start for Supergirl, as the character would grow in popularity and complexity.

Since her creation, Supergirl has been killed off, replaced, rebooted, retconned and much much more. The Last Daughter of Krypton has used several names and been part of various teams, including the Legion of Super-Heroes, the Justice League, the Red Lantern Corps, and the DEO. Her history is not simple, complicated by the fact that Kara-Zor-El isn’t the only person to have taken on the mantle of Supergirl!

There’s also no doubt that the Girl of Steel gained popularity thanks to the several iterations of the character on the big and small screen. She first appeared in the film Supergirl (1984), played by Helen Slater. On TV, She has been played by Laura Vandervoort in Smallville and Melissa Benoist in the Arrowverse. Sasha Calle recently portrayed the character in The Flash (2023) while a new version of the character has been announced with Milly Alcock playing the character in Superman: Legacy (2025) and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026). Naturally, she has also appeared in several animated movies and television series!

Let’s now explore the comic book history of Supergirl, from her first appearance in Action Comics as the Supergirl from Krypton to her recent adventures in space and beyond! Check out our Supergirl Comics Order for a guide to the many stories featuring the Maid of Might!

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