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Green Lantern New 52 Reading Order, with the Green Lantern Corps, Red Lanterns, New Guardians and Sinestro

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Green Lantern New 52 Reading Order

A new era started in the DC Universe with the New 52. But the impact on the Green Lantern was quite limited. Geoff Johns took over creative duties on Green Lantern with the limited series Green Lantern: Rebirth in 2004 and was still the main writer for this relaunch with Doug Mahnke as penciler.

Like most DC characters, Green Lantern Hal Jordan was five years younger than his previous incarnations but there was no change in his history — all of Johns’ run on the Green Lantern title was still part of the continuity. During Geoff Johns’ time, Green Lantern Corps vol. 3 was written by Peter Tomasi, and the new Red Lantern series (written by Peter Milligan) was launched, as well as the Green Lantern: New Guardians series (written by Tony Bedard).

After issue #20, all the teams were changed with writer Robert Venditti and artist Billy Tan taking over as the main creative team for Green Lantern Vol. 5. Venditti also co-wrote Green Lantern Corps vol. 3 with Van Jensen before the latter became the sole writer. The Red Lanterns series continued with Charles Soule (#21-37) and Landry Q. Walker (#38-40), and the Green Lantern: New Guardians series was written by Justin Jordan (#21-40). The new Sinestro was launched, written by Cullen Bunn.

What to read before Green Lantern New 52?

First, you can check out our Green Lantern Reading Order which covers the history of the GL characters from start to finish. But it may be a bit too big. After all, we are here for the New 52 era. The DC Universe was rebooted after the Flashpoint event. It is not required reading, but you could take a look at it before reading anything else.

If New 52 was presented as a jumping point for new readers, Geoff Johns was the main writer for Green Lantern for almost 7 years at this stage, and, as said above, his run stayed in continuity. The events in Green Lantern Vol. 5 take place immediately after the last two books, War of the Green Lanterns and Aftermath. Don’t hesitate to check out Geoff Johns’ massive and celebrated run before entering the New 52 era. 

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Amadeus Cho Reading Order, from sidekick to Totally Awesome Hulk and Brawn

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Amadeus Cho is a 19-year-old Korean-American genius, one of the smartest people on earth. Actually, he was credited as the 7th smartest person in the world, a title he obtained after winning the Excello Soap Company’s “Brain Soap” competition (he’s maybe only the 8th or 10th smartest person in the world, but who’s counting?). It’s also where his story begins, as the game’s creator tries to kill Cho to preserve his ranking. His attempt failed but Cho’s parents were killed, and our young man had to flee for his life.

It didn’t take long for him to run across The Hulk who saved his life. As a result, Amadeus became his sidekick, a sort of modern-day Rick Jones before moving on to Hercules. But Amadeus Cho was too smart and too cocky to stay in this sidekick role and was destined to become a hero in his own right. Cho became the Totally Awesome Hulk but lost control at some point. He was somehow depowered when he finally succeeded in destroying the rage monster inside him. Amadeus chose to be called Brawn in this new form. He has also been a member of two superhero teams: The Champions and Agents of Atlas.

This reading order was requested by one of our readers! Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or write to us with some other suggestions!

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Birds of Prey Reading Order

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A force to be reckoned with, the Birds of Prey is traditionally an all-women group of DC vigilantes founded in the late ’90s. Discover all their adventures in Gotham and beyond with our Birds of Prey comics reading list, covering the full history of the team, from their first appearance to Gail Simone’s celebrated run and the recent relaunch by Kelly Thompson.

Birds of Prey Logo

At its core, the Birds of Prey started as a partnership between Black Canary and Oracle, gradually expanding over time to include more superheroines. Their relationship was first established in Showcase ’96 #3, written by Jordan B. Gorfinkel—who also gave the team its name in the first issue of the ongoing series by writer Chuck Dixon and artist Gary Frank.

Chuck Dixon described the dynamic between Oracle and Black Canary as a clash of values, with “Dinah’s more idealistic approach” being at the heart of the book. Dinah Laurel Lance, alias Black Canary, is portrayed as passionate and idealistic, while Barbara Gordon, alias Oracle, has a strong sense of morality but is also less morally conflicted, per Dixon’s words who described her as a woman who knows that, sometimes, you have to kill to save lives–even if she’s not comfortable with that fact.

While Barbara and Dinah formed the heart of the team, other crimefighters joined throughout the series. One of the most prominent additions was Helena Bertinelli, a.k.a. Huntress, who became a key member during Gail Simone’s run.

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Scarlet Witch Reading Order, The Wanda Maximoff Story

Also known as Wanda Maximoff, Scarlet Witch first appeared in the comic book The X-Men #4 (March 1964) by legendary Marvel writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Initially, her powers were limited to probability manipulation, but over time, she evolved into one of the most powerful sorceresses in the Marvel Universe—capable of reshaping reality itself. For decades, she was considered a mutant, but her origins were retconned in recent years.

Wanda’s journey has been full of important transformations. She debuted as a reluctant supervillain alongside her twin brother, Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver), as members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. However, disillusioned by Magneto’s ruthlessness, the twins soon abandoned the Brotherhood and switched sides, joining the Avengers and becoming true heroes.

Her personal life has been just as tumultuous. She married her fellow Avenger, the android Vision, in 1975 and later found a way to have children—only for it all to end in tragedy (they would later reappear and are now the heroes called Wiccan and Speed). Over time, Wanda’s story took darker turns, involving brainwashing, newfound abilities, struggles with mental instability, and a reality-altering catastrophe that changed everything.

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Big Nate Comics in Order

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Coming from writer and illustrator Lincoln Peirce, Big Nate is an ongoing American comic strip syndicated since January 7, 1991. It emerged from a comic strip by Peirce that was based on the little neighborhood in New Hampshire where he grew up. Instead of focusing on one character, it had a large cast of characters, including two brothers. After some feedbacks from comics editor Sarah Gillepsie, Peirce made some modifications, creating Nate and renaming his comic strip “Big Nate.”

Big Nate tells us about the colorful life of Nate Wright. This spunky eleven-year-old holds the school record for detentions and is in little chance of losing that distinction, but that doesn’t stop him from dreaming big! He’s a self-described genius, a sixth-grade renaissance man, and a full-fledged believer in his future as a cartoonist. Equipped with a No. 2 pencil and the unshakable belief that he is No. 1, Nate fights a daily battle against overzealous teachers, undercooked cafeteria food, and all-around conventionality.

For many years, Big Nate wasn’t the huge success it is today, although it was selling reasonably well. Its popularity exploded when Big Nate joined Potropica, a website created by Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and when the first Big Nate book was released.

Since then, Big Nate has become a franchise, with more children’s books, activity books, an animated television series (launched on the Paramount+ streaming service in 2022) and a stage musical adaptation (in 2013).

Today, we are taking a closer look at the Big Nate comic collection, which spans strips from 1991 to the present. 

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Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance) Reading Order

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Black Canary is an alias that has been used by two DC superheroines. Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, the original Black Canary (Dinah Drake) was introduced in the pages of Flash Comics #86 (1947) where Dinah was working undercover to infiltrate a criminal gang. At first a supporting character in the Johnny Thunder serial, it took just a couple of months to steal his thunder and to become way more popular than him.

Introduced in Justice League of America #75, the second and more famous Black Canary is Dinah Laurel Lance, Dinah Drake’s daughter and successor of the superhero mantle. Created by Dennis O’Neil and Dick Dillin, she is commonly affiliated with the Justice League of America and the archer superhero Green Arrow, professionally and romantically (she is considered a member of the Arrow family). Most importantly, she has shined as one of the co-founders of the Birds of Prey team, with her friend Barbara Gordon/Oracle.

As one of the major female superheroine in DC Comics, Black Canary has been adapted in various media. She has been played in the past by Alaina Huffman in Smallville and Katie Cassidy in the Arrowverse. Lately, Jurnee Smollett portrays the character in the DC Extended Universe, having made her debut in the 2020 film Birds of Prey, and should reprise the role for a movie centered on the character.

It’s now time to explore her comic book adventures in this Black Canary reading order dedicated to Dinah Laurel Lance.

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The Defenders Reading Order, Marvel’s premier non-team!

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The Defenders are not your typical Marvel team. In fact, they are known as Marvel’s premier non-team! The group consists of powerful Marvel loners who have no interest in being part of a team, but who sometimes ally together to defend Earth. The Defenders don’t have a leader or a particular structure like a classic team; they came together through some successful team-ups!

It all began when the Doctor Strange series was abruptly canceled in the middle of a story due to low sales. Writer Roy Thomas would then tie up loose ends in Sub-Mariner (Vol. 2) #22 and Incredible Hulk #126. After that, Strange would choose to retire, but Namor and the Hulk would be reunited in a two-part story in the Sub-Mariner and allied themselves with the Silver Surfer. The trio became the “Titans Three”.

The combination of these non-conformist characters proved successful, prompting Roy Thomas to bring them together in a team series that he wanted to call The Invaders. As Kurt Busiek explained, “Stan Lee didn’t approve the name at that time and wouldn’t let Roy use the Silver Surfer as a regular member, so he launched the Defenders in Marvel Feature without him. Once the regular Defenders series had begun, Roy and Steve Englehart wanted to feature the Silver Surfer, but Lee would only allow him to appear as a guest star. Consequently, Steve featured him as a guest star as frequently as possible.” Although the Silver Surfer wasn’t an official core member of the Defenders, Roy Thomas and Steve Englehart treated him as such and made him a significant part of the team. Today, readers and writers alike treat the Silver Surfer as a core member.

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Alan Scott, the comic origins of DC’s first Green Lantern

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If Hal Jordan can be considered the most famous Green Lantern, he was not the first human to bear the name. That title belongs to Alan Scott, the Green Lantern of the Golden Age.

A selfless and dedicated man, Alan Scott could only become a role model for others and inspired other men to take up the fight. Even though he serves as an inspiration for many Green Lanterns, Alan Scott always holds himself to a higher standard than anyone else.

Though Alan Scott has never been a member of the Green Lantern Corps, he was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. With or without other superheroes, Alan Scott always fought to protect others and choose to make his emerald glow a sign of hope and a source of inspiration for decades…

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Punisher Reading Order

Created by Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr., and Ross Andru, The Punisher is a Marvel anti-hero who made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 in February 1974. Initially, he was portrayed as a bloodthirsty vigilante hired to make Spider-Man’s life miserable. The Punisher set himself apart from other Marvel characters by having no objection to killing people, something superheroes don’t do. And he was determined to kill Spidey, who was wanted for the alleged murder of Norman Osborn.

But the Punisher is no ordinary killer. Also known as Francis ‘Frank’ Castle, he is an Italian-American vigilante and war veteran. Like many Marvel characters, he is driven by tragedy, and in his case, by the deaths of his wife and two children, murdered by the mob for witnessing a killing in Central Park. However, Frank is driven by more than vengeance, the man follows a moral code: in his view, he kills only those who deserve to die.

Originally destined to be a second-tier character, The Punisher was a hit among readers and went on to make regular appearances in the Spider-Man comics and a famous arc on Daredevil before headlining his own miniseries, and his multiple ongoing comic series since then. Easily recognizable by the skull motif on his chest (a motif that has recently changed), the character reached the height of his popularity by the late 1980s-beginning of the 1990s with four monthly publications.

The Punisher has become a mainstream character, known today for several adaptations. He has been portrayed by Dolph Lundgren in 1989, Thomas Jane in 2004, Ray Stevenson in 2008, and more recently by Jon Bernthal in the second season of Daredevil (2016), his own spin-off series from 2017 to 2019, and soon in Daredevil: Born Again (2025)!

Where to start reading The Punisher comics?

If you are unfamiliar with The Punisher or would like to come back to the basics before diving into more stories, you can check out the following Marvel comic books:

  • Punisher: Year One – This origin tale by Dan Abnett and Dale Eaglesham covers the days and weeks following the murder of his family.
  • Punisher Vol. 1: Welcome Back, Frank – Garth Ennis’s run on The Punisher under the Marvel Knight imprint began with this limited series, illustrated by Steve Dillon, that shows us how Frank operates among the superheroes.
  • Punisher: Circle of Blood – For those interested in classic Punisher comics from the 1980s, “Circle of Blood” was the first miniseries featuring Frank Castle. Written by Steven Grant and illustrated by Mike Zeck and Mike Vosburg, this story revolves around Castle escaping from prison to join a group of vigilantes. It did many things that Marvel had never tried before, effectively establishing the violent world of the Punisher.
  • Punisher: Born – This four-issue comic book limited series written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Darick Robertson is not officially part of the main continuity as the story was released through Marvel’s MAX imprint. Despite that, it seems those events can be regarded as canon to the main Marvel Universe. In all cases, this acclaimed tale gives us another origin story for the character, following Frank Castle during four days of his life as the war draws to an end but will change him forever. See also Punisher: The Platoon by the same team taking place before Born and about Frank’s first tour in Vietnam.

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Justice League Reading Order, DC Comics’ Greatest Team of Superheroes

Almost nine years after the end of the original JSA comic book run, DC Comics introduced another team of Super Heroes in The Brave and the Bold #28 (dated March 1960) by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky. It was viewed as a modernization of the Justice Society but with a new name chosen by editor Julius Schwartz who thought that a “‘Society’ meant something you found on Park Avenue”. He went with “League” instead–because of the popularity of the baseball leagues.

The first Justice League team was composed of Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, but also of Superman and Batman, even if they were mostly absent from the League’s early adventures (it was thought that they would quickly become overused if they appeared in too many titles). Soon, the team would welcome Green Arrow, the Atom, and Hawkman.

The Justice League comics became a hit. As the years passed, the roaster of superheroes changed a little, the DC Universe became more connected and events were organized like the famous annual crossovers with the Justice Society.

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