Skip to content

DC Comics

The Batman Who Laughs Reading Order (the breakout character of DC Comics’ Dark Nights Metal)

Batman Who Laughs Reading Order

Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in 2017, Batman Who Laughs was the breakout star of Dark Nights: Metal. This evil version of Bruce Wayne comes from Earth-22 of the Dark Multiverse.

Presented as Batman’s worst nightmare, he is a sort of hybrid of Batman and Joker. He is stripped of all sense of ethics, with Bruce Wayne’s intelligence and physical strength and the Joker’s psychopathy and warped, sadistic sense of humor. Without surprise, he has no problem killing people.

When Batman Who Laughs is introduced, he is a member of The Dark Knights, a team he assembled for Barbatos who wants to destroy the regular Multiverse.

This reading order gives you a listing to discover his story.

Read More »The Batman Who Laughs Reading Order (the breakout character of DC Comics’ Dark Nights Metal)

The Best Aquaman Comics to Read, explore the Seven Seas with Arthur Curry

  • by

Created by writer Mort Weisinger and artist Paul Norris, Aquaman debuted in More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941), where he co-starred with Doctor Fate, The Spectre, Johnny Quick, and Green Arrow (who made his first appearance in the same issue as Aquaman). In his first story, Arthur was saving refugees whose ship was torpedoed by a Nazi submarine.

A few years later, he left the pages of More Fun Comics in favor of Adventures Comics, but it was during the 1950s and 1960s that the character took a more important role. New elements to his backstory were introduced, as well as new supporting characters. And he was a founding member of the Justice League!

Still, despite growing popularity in the 1960s thanks to his animated series, and having his own title, Aquaman fails to grab readers the same way the other major DC superheroes did. Launched in 1962, his first solo series was canceled in 1971, before being revived in 1977 for a short time. After that, it would take 8 years for the character to have his own title again, yet again for a brief time.

Aquaman will have to wait for the nineties and Peter David to be redefined for a new generation, but the title will lose in popularity after the writer’s departure and poor Arthur Curry was again without a title.

Aquaman was not considered a bona fide superhero for a long time, and was perceived as a lesser one, even a joke — everybody who watched Entourage will never forget that Aquaman storyline in seasons 2 and 3!

But all of that changed with Geoff Johns, who confronted the public perception and rehabilitated the character. It was the beginning of a new era for Arthur Curry, one that launched the character towards good to great storylines. And of course, the cherry on the cake for his fans was the DC movie, where Jason Momoa plays the famous King of Atlantis, making him as mainstream as he has ever been.

Arthur Curry well deserved some love, and Comic Book Treasury has put together a recommended Reading list to discover the best Aquaman stories.

Read More »The Best Aquaman Comics to Read, explore the Seven Seas with Arthur Curry

DC Infinite Crisis Reading Order

A sequel to DC’s 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths (see the reading order here), Infinite Crisis is a storyline published in 2005–2006 written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway. Like the original “crisis”, it’s about the Multiverse

OMAC robots are rampaging, magic is dying, villains are uniting, and a war is raging in space. And in the middle of it all, a critical moment has divided Earth’s three greatest heroes: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It’s the DCU’s darkest day, and long-lost heroes from the past have returned to make things right in the universe… at any cost. Heroes will live, heroes will die, and the DCU will never be the same again!

What to read before Infinite Crisis?

Everything started with Crisis on Infinite Earths (see reading order), but after the events of the 2004 storyline Identity Crisis (see reading order), DC Comics launched the “Countdown to Infinite Crisis”, multiple miniseries leading to the main Infinite Crisis event:

Read More »DC Infinite Crisis Reading Order

Nightwing Reading Order (Dick Grayson, Titan member, Outsiders leader, hero of Bludhaven and Gotham)

Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, Dick Grayson is one of the most compelling characters from DC Comics. From The Flying Graysons to being Robin (aka Batman’s sidekick), then to becoming Nightwing and finding his own way in life, he’s the friend you need, the leader who listens, the guy who wants to help and does good because it’s the right thing to do. And he’s always working to become a better version of himself and to make the world a better place. What’s not to love here?

Dick Grayson made his first appearance as Robin in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940), and grew up to become a superhero in his own right as Nightwing. Dick also took on the mantle of Batman on different occasions and was known as Agent 37 at one point.

Find out more about Dick Grayson’s story in our Nightwing Reading Order, which covers everything from his transformation into Nightwing in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (July 1984) to the present day. You can read about his solo adventures, his time as Batman, his leadership of the Titans and the Outsiders, and much more!

Read More »Nightwing Reading Order (Dick Grayson, Titan member, Outsiders leader, hero of Bludhaven and Gotham)

Swamp Thing Reading Order

  • by

There is more than one Swamp Thing, the swamp monster/Elemental of the DC Universe (not Marvel’s Man Thing). The first one was created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story.

At first, the Swamp Thing was an anthropomorphic mound of vegetable matter fighting to protect his swamp home, but he eventually broadens his scope to protect the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats, becoming a DC Superhero in his own way. 

During the 1970s, Swamp Thing had his first ongoing series, but it didn’t last. When he became the star of a Wes Craven movie in 1982, a second series was launched. It was almost canceled before Alan Moore became the main writer and made it a real creative success, rewriting the mythology of the character and expanding his powers and reach.

Since then, more writers worked on the titles and Swamp Thing even started fighting alongside other DC heroes.

Read More »Swamp Thing Reading Order

Catwoman Reading Order

  • by

Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Catwoman is the name used by notorious Gotham City’s burglar Selina Kyle who’s known for loving cats and for using a bullwhip as a weapon. Originally, she was an adversary of Batman, but became some kind of antiheroine, and even an ally of the Dark Knight—and more on the romantic side.

Even if Catwoman made her first appearance in Batman #1 (1940) under the name “The Cat,” she had to go away for a time between September 1954 to November 1966 after losing the battle against the Comics Code Authority. She came back to commit more crimes in the pages of the DC Comics titles. But those stories are not part of the current continuity, so we will focus on what is called the “Modern Era” of DC Comics.

Like others like her, her origins are not clear, multiple authors revised them, but it is firmly established that Selina Kyle grew up on the streets of Gotham, and spent some time in an orphanage and a juvenile detention center. She was working as a dominatrix at some point (in Batman: Year One) before becoming a successful thief who likes to rob the rich and powerful men of Gotham.

Catwoman had her first solo ongoing series in 1993 and took part in the major events of that era. At one point, she fought with the Justice League and later completely reformed, but it was more complicated than a crisis of conscience. Talking about a Crisis, after Infinite Crisis (see reading order), Selina is no longer Catwoman. Holly Robinson took over for a short period of time. Later, Catwoman formed the Gotham City Sirens with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. At one point during the New 52 era, Eiko Hasigawa became Catwoman (and Selina was one of the Gotham City crime bosses). With Rebirth, Catwoman occupied a prominent role in the third volume of Batman, her relationship with Batman played a major role in the story.

Read More »Catwoman Reading Order

Darkseid War Reading Order, a Justice League Event (New 52)

  • by

The end of New 52 is around the corner, as Justice League: The Darkseid War is the penultimate story of this era, leading into DC Rebirth. Written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Jason Fabok, the story shows the return of Darkseid, ruler of Apokolips, but this time he’s set his sights on the world-shattering Anti-Monitor.

The Justice League is caught in a war between those two gods, and are they enough to protect Earth from becoming collateral damage in this fight?

What to read before Justice League: Darkseid War?

Darkseid War takes place at the end of the New 52 Justice League, written by Geoff Johns. There are hints and setup for the event throughout the series. That said, if you haven’t read his Justice League (you can find a full reading order here), you’ll find the most essential background in the first volume (with the introduction of Darkseid) and the sixth volume. Then, Forever Evil leads into the event…

Read More »Darkseid War Reading Order, a Justice League Event (New 52)

Batman Fear State Reading Order

DC Batman Fear State Reading Order

To conclude his run on Batman (see reading order), James Tynion IV planned an event named Fear State that will get us through the end of 2021. All of the Bat-Series are involved, so here is the guide.

Gotham City is on the brink of martial law as Batman fights a two-front battle! The Scarecrow is unleashing a devasting attack on the city while the Magistrate has made their move to invade! Gotham City is on the brink of a violent evolutionary path and the danger level to Batman and his allies reaching a fever pitch!

The Magistrate now has full support from the mayor to handle high-level law enforcement in Gotham and has branded the Dark Knight as Public Enemy #1. Batman must also contend with the return of the Scarecrow who pursues his own terrifying agenda as he takes this chaotic moment to launch his Fear State.

What to read before Batman Fear State?

Read More »Batman Fear State Reading Order

Batman No Man’s Land Reading Order

Batman No Man's Land Reading Order

During the Post-crisis era, the end of the 1990s was full of disasters for Batman and Gotham City. We got Batman Knightfall (full reading order here), then Batman: Contagion, and its follow-up Batman: Legacy. After that, there was the Batman: Cataclysm crossover event that lead right to Batman No Man’s Land. The title alone is full of promises.

If you are unfamiliar with the story, here is the official synopsis: After suffering a cataclysmic earthquake, the U.S. government has deemed Gotham City uninhabitable and ordered all citizens to leave. It is now months later and those who have refused to vacate “No Man’s Land” live amidst a citywide turf war in which the strongest prey on the weak. Batman and his allies including the enigmatic new Batgirl, Nightwing, Oracle, and Robin must fight to save Gotham during its darkest hour and return Justice to the destroyed city.

Note: Cassandra Cain was introduced during this event. She became the official Batgirl after that. For more about her, go to Cassandra Cain Reading Order.

What to read before Batman No Man’s Land?

As I wrote at the beginning of this article, there was one disaster after the other—the one you need to read before Batman No Man’s Land is Batman: Cataclysm. You can find it in a dedicated TPB. But reading Cataclysm is not imperative (even if it’s recommended), most of the stories leading to (and explaining) the event are collected in what DC Comics called Batman: Road to No Man’s Land, as you’ll see below in the full reading order.

Read More »Batman No Man’s Land Reading Order

Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern Saga Reading Order

Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps, Poozers! A ring has determined that you have strong willpower and a sense of justice. Now, it’s time to begin training to protect the universe as a member of the famous intergalactic peacekeeping force created by the Guardians of the Universe.

First, know that Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern but not a member of the Corps. The Green Lantern Corps first appeared in Showcase #22 (September 1959), alongside the famous Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. You don’t need to go back that far in time, though, to learn more about the Corps, the Guardians, and all the Lanterns. The Green Lantern universe was completely redefined and expanded in the 2000s during Geoff Johns’s run on the title.

Johns’ seven-year epic saga on Green Lantern is known today as the start of the modern age of Green Lantern, one of the most celebrated eras for the Lanterns in DC Comics. It is also the recommended entry point for anyone interested in the space cops. Johns famously brought Hal Jordan back into the Corps and introduced new Corps members, as well as new concepts, such as the Emotional Spectrum, expanding the Green Lantern mythology in a big way, in technicolor!

Read More »Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern Saga Reading Order