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DC Finest Comics, Your Complete Reading Order

Can you read all of DC Comics? It looks like an impossible task! Should you try to read all of DC Comics? Yes, why not?! If you want to try to explore, read, and collect the DC Universe, the publisher has started to make this mission more attainable with their DC Finest line! 

Launched in 2024, The DC Finest Collection is a line of comic books that comprehensively collects material relating to both characters and genres in chronological order, taking place before the Flashpoint event in 2011. It is, in a way, the DC equivalent of Marvel’s Epic Collection, which has been ongoing since 2013.

Now is the perfect time to go deeper into the DC Universe, explore your favorite character’s history, or discover new corners of the DC Universe thanks to the DC Finest line! 

What is the DC Finest Comics line?

When DC Comics announced the collection, they presented the Finest line as an “affordably priced, large-size paperback collection” providing “a new line of comprehensive collections of the most in-demand periods, genres, and characters from across DC history“.

In practice, what it means is the collection of volumes covering a specific period by characters, genre, or events in chronological order. For example, the Robin collection will feature any Robin, depending on which years are covered. The same can be said about Green Lanterns, going from Alan Scott to Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and more, depending on the era. DC Comics doesn’t release the volumes in order, meaning that in a year, they can release some classic Silver Age Supergirl adventures as well as some more modern ones.

The publisher doesn’t only focus on big names such as Batman and Superman, but also offers some well-deserved volumes for less-known characters and less-available stories such as Plastic Man, Blue Beetle, Sgt. Rock, Metamorpho. It also releases volumes by genre, reprints old western or sci-fi stories, team-up books, and big events! Simply put: DC Comics is on a mission to collect classic stories, from the popular to the more obscure comics of the time!

DC Finest Comics Collection, Your Complete Reading Order

Following is a reading order for the DC Finest Collection. It is not a listing of volumes organized by characters. It is an attempt to deliver a chronological order of all the volumes, because why not? 45 volumes have been released in 2024-2025, and 21 volumes have already been announced for 2026.

As of this date, the listing covers volumes released or announced until July 28, 2026. For discovering more titles to come, check out our DC Finest 2026 release schedule

DC Finest The Pre-Crisis Era

The Pre-Crisis covers the years 1938-1986, from the introduction of Superman to Crisis on Infinite Earths, which serves to relaunch the DC Universe!

DC Finest Volumes in the Golden Age

(re)Discover the origins of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Justice Society, Plastic Man, and the early anthology genres that helped shape the DC Universe.

Superboy Interlude! 

Superboy made his first appearance in More Fun Comics #101 (January–February 1945)! Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superboy was, at the time a teenage or young adult version of Clark Kent. Most of his adventures then are prequels to the Superman/Action Comics titles, relating stories set in Smallville or at Clark’s University. Superboy also lives time-travelled adventures as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

DC Comics

In a Flash: DC Finest in the Silver Age 

DC Comics runs into the Silver Age, thanks to Barry Allen, the second Flash! Leaving behind some magic in favor of sci-fi elements, the publisher reworked several heroes, introduced new ones, and launched a new era of colorful adventures that defined the Silver Age.

DC Comics

DC Finest enters the Bronze Age

The DC Universe keeps growing, mixing darker stories with team-ups, western tales, and new adventures for our classic heroes (and some new ones).

Peacemaker Interlude! 

Christopher Smith made his first appearance in Fightin’ Five #40 (1966)! Created by writer Joe Gill and artist Pat Boyette, Peacemaker was, originally, a pacifist American diplomat. Dressed in red and white tights and a strange helmet, he fights super-criminals and other warlords. He was then reinvented and reintroduced in the eighties as a hero ready to kill for peace. His adventures span decades, but are also mostly self-contained, so they can be read on their own.

  • DC Finest: Peacemaker – Kill for Peace (1966-1993)
    Collects Fightin’ Five #40-41; Suicide Squad #27-30; Checkmate #16-26, #28, #32-33; Eclipso #11-13; Showcase ’93 #6-11; Peacemaker #1-4; The Vigilante #36-38, #41-43; The Peacemaker #1-5.

Crisis on Infinite Earths Icon Reading Order

The multiverse is on the brink of collapse, and only the greatest heroes can stand against the darkness consuming reality. This is Crisis on Infinite Earths, the event that changed the DC Universe forever…

  • DC Finest: Events – Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One (1985)
    Collects stories from Swamp Thing #39; Batman #389-391; Detective Comics #555-558; Justice League of America #244; Green Lantern #194; Wonder Woman #327; DC Comics Presents #78; Infinity, Inc. #18-19; The Fury of Firestorm #41; All-Star Squadron #50-52; Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-4; The Losers Special #1.
  • DC Finest: Events – Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two (1985-86) [2026]
    Collects DC Comics Presents #86 and #95, Infinity, Inc. #20-22, Infinity, Inc. Annual #1, The New Teen Titans #13-14, Swamp Thing #44-46, Wonder Woman #328-329, Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1, Crisis on Infinite Earths #5, All-Star Squadron #53-56, and Superman #413.
  • DC Finest: Events – Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Three (1985-86) [2026]
    Collects Justice League of America #245; Superman #414–415; Green Lantern #195–196; DC Comics Presents #87–88; Legion of Super-Heroes #16, #18; Infinity, Inc. #23-24; Justice League of America Annual #3; Crisis on Infinite Earths #6–9; The Vigilante #22; The Omega Men #31; and Blue Devil #17–18.
  • DC Finest: Events – Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 4 (1985-1986) [2027]
    Collects Crisis on Infinite Earths #10-12; All-Star Squadron #57-60; Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld #13; Blue Devil #19; Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2; DC Comics Presents #94; Green Lantern #197-198; History of the DC Universe #1-2; Infinity, Inc. #25; JLA: Incarnations #5; Secret Origins Annual #2; Starman Annual #1; The Fury of Firestorm #42; The Omega Men #33; and Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #10 and #16-18.

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The Crisis happens during those trades…

  • DC Finest: Wonder Woman – The Legend of Wonder Woman (1983-1986)
    Collects stories from Wonder Woman #306-329; DC Comics Presents #76; Blue Devil #10; The Legend of Wonder Woman #1-4
  • DC Finest: Justice League of America – The Return (1985-1986)
    Collects Justice League of America (1960) #241-261, Infinity, INC. (1984) #19, and Justice League of America (1960) Annual #3.
  • DC Finest: Batman – Red Skies (1985-1986)
    Collects stories from Secret Origins #6, Batman Annual #10, Batman #386-400, and Detective Comics #553-567.
  • DC Finest: Metamorpho – How to Make a Super-Hero (1973-87) [2027]
    Collects Batman and the Outsiders #1-2, #16-19, #24-25; Batman and the Outsiders Annual #2; The Outsiders #4, #6, #13, #18-22, #25, #27; DC Comics Presents #40; World’s Finest Comics #217-220, #224, #226, #228-229; Action Comics #413-418; The Brave and the Bold #123, #154; 1st Issue Special #3; Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #15, #17; Justice League of America #101; Who’s Who #2; and Who’s Who Update 1987 #5.

The Post-Crisis Era: DC Finest Comics in the Modern Age

In the Aftermath of the Crisis, the DC Universe was rebooted and updated to make it more appealing to new readers. Origins were updated, some characters were changed or retired, and new stories and relationships helped define the Modern Age.

  • DC Finest: Events – Legends Part One (1986) [2026]
    Collects Legends #1–3; Infinity Inc. #34-36; Hawkman #5-6; Secret Origins #10, Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, Batman #401; Detective Comics #568; Justice League of America #258; Green Lantern Corps #207-208; The Fury of Firestorm #55–56; Blue Beetle #9; Cosmic Boy #1–2; Booster Gold #13.
  • DC Finest: Batman – Year One and Two (1986-1987)
    Collects Batman (1940) #401-412 & Annual #11 and Detective Comics (1937) #568-579. Set before Crisis on Infinite Earths.
  • DC Finest: Superman – The Man of Steel (1986-87) [2026]
    Collects The Man of Steel #1–6; Superman #1–6; Adventures of Superman #424–429; and Action Comics #584–588.
  • DC Finest: Green Lantern – Setting Up Shop (1986-87) [2026]
    Collects Green Lantern #76-82, The Flash #191, and World’s Finest Comics #201. 
  • DC Finest: Suicide Squad – Trial by Fire (1986-1987) [2026]
    Collects Suicide Squad #1-10; Secret Origins #14; Detective Comics #582; The Fury of Firestorm #62-64; Firestorm: The Nuclear Man Annual #5; Legends #1-6; Millennium #4.
  • DC Finest: Suicide Squad – The Nightshade Odyssey (1987-1988)
    Collects Suicide Squad #11–20, Suicide Squad Annual #1, The Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1, The Flash #12, Manhunter #1 and #6, Justice League International #13, Deadshot #1–4, Checkmate #1 (1997), and Checkmate #8 (1988). 
  • DC Finest: The Question – Zen and Violence (1986-1988) [2026]
    Collects The Question #1-15, Blue Beetle (Charlton) #1-5, Americomics Special #1, Mysterious Suspense #1, Blue Beetle (DC) #4-7, Who’s Who Update ‘87 #4, Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #19, and The Charlton Bullseye #1 and #5.
  • DC Finest: Green Arrow – The Longbow Hunters (1987-1988)
    Collects Detective Comics Annual #1, Green Arrow #1-8, Green Arrow Annual #1, The Question #17-18, The Question Annual #1, Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1-3
  • DC Finest: Batman – The Killing Joke and Other Stories (1987-1988)
    Collects Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman (1940) #413-422, Detective Comics (1937) #580-589 and Batman: Son Of The Demon.
  • DC Finest: Batman – A Death in the Family (1988) [2026]
    Collects Batman #423-429, Batman Annual #12, Batman: The Cult #1-4, Detective Comics #590-595, Detective Comics Annual #1.
  • DC Finest: Green Arrow – The Trial of Oliver Queen (1988-89) [2026]
    Collects Green Arrow #9–20, Green Arrow Annual #2, The Question Annual #2, Secret Origins #38, and key Black Canary material from Action Comics #609–616 and #624–635.
  • DC Finest: Batman – Blind Justice (1989) [2026]
    Collects Batman #430–435, Annual #13, Detective Comics #596–603, Annual #2, Secret Origins #36 & #39
  • DC Finest: Batman – A Lonely Place of Dying (1989) [2027]
    Collects the Arkham Asylum graphic novel, Batman #436-444, Detective Comics #604-609, The New Titans #60-61 and #65, Secret Origins #44, Secret Origins Special #1, and select stories from Batman Villains Secret Files 2005 #1 and Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2.
  • DC Finest: Catwoman – Life Lines (1988-1994)
    Collects stories from Action Comics (1938) #611-614; Batman: Catwoman Defiant #1; Showcase ’93 #1-4; Catwoman (1989) #1-4; Catwoman (1993) #1-12, and Catwoman Annual #1.
  • DC Finest: Superman – Time and Time Again (1990-91) [2026]
    Collects Superman #49–56, Starman #28, Adventures of Superman #472–479, and Action Comics #659–666.
  • DC Finest: Static – Playing With Fire (1993-1994)
    Collects Static #1-15, Superman: The Man Of Steel #36, Superboy #7, and Worlds Collide #1.

Zero Hour DC Event Comic Reading Order

Almost ten years after Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics soft-rebooted its universe with the help of another event: Zero Hour! All of reality comes under attack when a mysterious force of entropy begins slowly erasing time itself—making its way from both the past and future toward the present! As history itself unravels around them, the heroes of the world scramble to fix the broken timestream. But even if they stop the true source of the chaos, the world they save will never be the same!

  • DC Finest: Events – Zero Hour: Part One (1994)
    Collects Superman (1987) #93, The Flash (1987) #94, L.E.G.I.O.N. #70, Green Lantern (1990) #55, Super-Man: The Man Of Steel (1991) #37, Team Titans #24, The Darkstars #24, Valor #23, Batman (1940) #511, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #31, Detective Comics (1939) #678, Legionnaires #18, Hawkman (1994) #13, Showcase ‘94 #8-9, Steel #8, Superboy (1994) #8, Outsiders #11, and Zero Hour: Crisis In Time #3-4.
  • DC Finest: Events – Zero Hour: Part Two (1994)
    Collects The Flash #0; Green Arrow #90; Adventures of Superman #516; Justice League America #92; Action Comics #703; Justice League International #68; Legion of Super-Heroes #61; Green Lantern #0; Superman: The Man of Steel #0; Guy Gardner: Warrior #24; Justice League Task Force #16; Catwoman #14; Robin #10; Showcase ’94 #10; Damage #0, #6; Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #0-2; Anima #7.

  • DC Finest: Catwoman – Vengeance and Vindication (1994-1995)
    Collects Catwoman #0, #13-32; and Catwoman Annual #2-3.
  • DC Finest: Catwoman – Creatures of the Night (1996-97) [2026]
    Collects Catwoman #33-53; Catwoman Annual #3-4; DC Universe Holiday Bash #1; and Batman Secret Files #1.
  • DC Finest: Hitman – A Rage in Arkham (1993-97) [2027]
    Collects The Demon Annual #2, The Demon #42-45 and #52-54, Batman Chronicles #4, Hitman #1-14, and pages from JLA #5.
  • DC Finest: Harley Quinn – Birth of the Mirth (1993-2001)
    Collects Action Comics #765; Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #126; The Batman Adventures #12; Azrael: Agent of the Bat #60; Batman #570, #573-574; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #93; Detective Comics #737, #740-741; Catwoman #82-84, #89; The Batman Adventures: Mad Love #1; The Batgirl Adventures #1; Batman: Harley Quinn #1; Batman: Gotham Knights #14; Harley Quinn #1-8.
  • DC Finest: Supergirl – Body & Soul (1996-1998)
    Collects tales from Showcase’96 #8, Supergirl #1-18 & Annual #1-2 and Supergirl PLUS #1.
  • DC Finest: Supergirl – Die and Let Live (1998-99) [2026]
    Collects Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant #1, Resurrection Man #16–17, Supergirl #19–35, Supergirl #1 ML, Supergirl/Prysm Double-Shot #1, Team Superman #1, and Team Superman Secret Files #1.
  • DC Finest: Catwoman – To Catch a Thief (1998-99) [2027]
    Collects Catwoman #54-71, Catwoman/Wildcat #1-4, Catwoman Plus #1, Catwoman #1000000, and a 10-page story from Batman 80-Page Giant #1.
  • DC Finest: Batgirl – Silent Knight (1999-2000) [2027]
    Collects Collects Batgirl #1-6; Batgirl Annual #1; Batman: No Man’s Land #0; Batman #567 and #569, Detective Comics #732 and #734; Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #120; Azrael: Agent of the Bat #56-57 and #60-61; The Batman Chronicles #18; Batman: Gotham Knights #2; and the long-out-of-print crossover series Ghost/Batgirl #1-4.
  • DC Finest: Batgirl – Nobody Dies Tonight (2000-2001)
    Collects stories from Batgirl #7-27, Superboy #85, and Supergirl #63.
  • DC Finest: Harley Quinn – The Ballad of Harley Quinn (2001-03) [2026]
    Collects Harley Quinn #9-25, Harley Quinn: Our Worlds at War, Harley and Ivy: Love on the Lam, and Gotham Girls #1-5.
  • DC Finest: Wonder Woman – Origins and Omens (2007-2009)
    Collects Wonder Woman (2006) #14-35, Outsiders: Five of a Kind—Wonder Woman/Grace #1, and The Brave and the Bold #7.
  • DC Finest: Wonder Woman – Dawn Before Darkness (2009-10) [2026]
    Collects Wonder Woman #36–44 and #600, Secret Six #10–14, Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1–3, and DCU Halloween Special ’09 #1. 

A Volume is missing? 
Check out our DC Finest Release Schedule!

2 thoughts on “DC Finest Comics, Your Complete Reading Order”

  1. Dear GOD can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do this exact same thing with the Marvel Epics Collection.
    Please and thank you very much.
    I’d LOVE an Epics timeline.

    1. Hello Mele,

      Did you know that they celebrated the release of the 500th Epic Collection two months ago? That’s quite a milestone!

      I hear you about the idea of an epic timeline, although It would obviously be quite a task. I won’t pretend that I haven’t thought about it, but I’ve never seriously looked into it. So, no promises, but I will try to take a closer look.

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