Okay, man, I got you. First of all, I'd like to direct you to http://comraderecs.tumblr.com/ which is basically tumblr-hosted recommendation lists recommended by /co/ (comic book board on 4chan). They have recommendations for every Marvel and DC character/team you could think of. They have recommendations from other publishers as well. You'll also find plenty of guides and reading order lists, which can really come in handy. Start navigating from that column on the right. You'll find recommended readings for the vast majority of the characters you named.

I'd also like to point you to crisis2crisis.com, which is a list of important tie-ins to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis. The goal is to give readers a list and order of books to read that will give them the whole story and still fit nicely on one shelf. Note that this doesn't include every major event in DC history that happened between the Crises, just those that somehow tie in to the Crises themselves. For example, it has info about 52, but makes no mention of Flashpoint.

Also, for the publication history of all crossovers and major events, the Wikipedia article does a really neat job.

Also, I'd recommend checking out the sidebars of /r/Batman and /r/WonderWoman. Also, even though you're apparently not very interested in them at the moment, you can check out the sidebars for /r/theFlash and /r/Superman when you feel like it. For other characters you can't go wrong with /r/DCcomics' sidebar.

However, I understand that, sometimes, one likes to have some interaction with the recommenders. For that, I'd point you to /r/comicbooksuggest. Unfortunately, the sub has too few recommenders, but each and every one of them is extremely helpful.

Nonetheless, I'm not telling you this as a cop out, and I'll still do my best to provide with recommendations along with their respective Amazon links. With that said...

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> Also theres a group I'm interested in with MMH, Catwoman, Green Latern, Katana, Stargirl, and Hawkman. Not sure what the name of the group is though.

As /u/Aqualac said, that was the Justice League of America of Prime Earth (the main earth in the new 52). Now, they have a slightly different roster, and are called Justice League Canada. They star in the all-new monthly series Justice League United, written by Jeff Lemire. The first volume trade comes out March 10^th. Now, as for the adventures of the Justice League of America, they were collected in 2 trades. The first one, Justice League of America Vol. 1: World's Most Dangerous (The New 52), is written by Geoff Johns. The second one, Justice League of America Vol. 2: Survivors of Evil (The New 52). If I were you, I'd get the first trade (you can never go wrong with Geoff Johns) and get the second one if you find yourself still interested. I haven't read either of them, though, to be completely frank.

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Now, before you try to "get into" any individual character, I'd really recommend reading Kingdom Come by Mark Waid, and also Watchmen by Alan Moore. They are both outstanding graphic novels, written by 2 of the best comic writers in history. They don't follow the "comic book formula" and every character is multi-dimentional and complex. Both graphic novels have superb art as well. You'll most definitely love them.

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There's also the 52 Omnibus, which is unlike anything you'll ever read. If you're willing to splash some cash, don't hesitate; it's absolutely fantastic. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid. Those are, like, 4 of the best comic book writers of all time. The series consists of 52 issues, published weekly for one year, each issue detailing an actual week chronicling the events that took place during the missing year after the end of Infinite Crisis. As you see, after Infinite Crisis, the DC Universe skipped ahead one year, and 52 was the story of what happened in that missing year. The year following Infinite Crisis was a year without Superman, a year without Batman, a year without Wonder Woman, but not a year without heroes, of course. In this unique series, the lives of the inhabitants of the DC universe are chronicled in a weekly "real-time" basis, where each chapter represents one week of these characters' lives. 52 stars nearly the entire cast of the DC Universe, most notably: The Question, Steel, Ralph Dibney, Booster Gold, Renee Montoya, Lobo, Starfire, Animal Man, Lex Luthor, Adam Strange, and Black Adam.

You can read 52 without Infinite Crisis and still understand completely, I wouldn't say it's required reading. But reading Infinite Crisis first would definitely enhance the experience, and it gives you a good idea of where Ralph is coming from during 52. Not to mention that Infinite Crisis is excellent in its own right. Still, the 52 Omnibus costs a lot, so it's understandable if you don't want to buy anything along with it. Which is why I'm letting you know that you don't really need to read Infinite Crisis to understand 52, just by reading the 1-page recap included at the beginning of the 52 Omnibus you will be okay to enjoy this Omnibus. Also, note that this series has nothing to do with the new 52, it ran from May 2006 to May 2007.

I linked you to the Infinite Crisis trade paperback, which collects Infinite Crisis #1-7. Which is the main series, which contains the core story. However, if you really have the money, you'd want to check out Infinite Crisis Omnibus. It collects the main series, and also tons of lead-ups, tie-ins, and spin-offs. It have over 1400 pages in it! And the best part is how is collected. All the content is collected in chronological order. These 2 Amazon reviews were extremely helpful. Here's one, and here's the other.

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I'm not done, by the way. It's just everything I wanted to say won't fit in one comment, so I'll have to split it into 2. Reddit has a 10,000 character limit per comment. To be continued in another comment in reply to this one.

By now you've had millions of "read the graphic novel" responses... but please let me explain why.

Don't get me wrong, I honestly despise this response when I'm trying to have a discussion about a movie. Be it Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or even Twilight, people often start with "OMG the book is sooo much better." This is often true, but their movies are still good representations of the stories and usually capture the essence of the books well.

I honestly don't feel like this is the case with The Watchmen. The movie is fun, and I almost never read, but the original graphic novel is such an incredibly deep story that the movie doesn't even hold a candle to it. If you feel strongly enough about how brilliant the movie is, just wait until you read the source material. I think that's the reason why you aren't getting much actual discussion about the story, everybody that wants to talk about The Watchmen wants to talk about the sheer brilliance of the graphic novel, which in almost every aspect, the movie falls short. Here are some examples:

• The character development (for both the old Watchmen crew and the new one) is vastly superior in the graphic novel. I won't spoil anything or go into detail, but not only did the movie get the characters wrong as other comments have stated, but the ones they do get right don't get anything near the spotlight they deserve.
  
  
• The relationship between Rorschach and the psychologist. Again, I don't want to give spoilers, but this is so shallow in the movie and is possibly one of my favorite stories in the novel. We actually learn about the psychologist's life and marriage, and more importantly, how speaking to Rorschach (over several sessions, not just one) changes his entire life. If you think Rorschach is a well-developed character in the movie, just you wait.
  
  
• The ending, as u/Flamma_Man pretty much said perfectly, is ultimately flawed. The entire point of the plot is basically lost on the movie, and if not lost, definitely cheapened.
  
  
• The scene on Mars between Dr. Manhattan and Laurie. The conversation they have in the novel is so eloquently worded and also shows more of Dr. Manhattan's character, particularly what's left of his humanity. It shows that even a 4th dimensional super-being can be vulnerable, and even more importantly, realize they are incorrect and change their mind. It's done in such a genius way that it made me re-read the section a few times just to truly understand what was going on... but the movie made it as basic as possible to get the point across. It focused more on CG and "ooh look at this cool structure" than the actual conversation between the two of them and what the structure actually symbolized.
  
  
• The backstory between chapters. In the novel, there are several full-page sections that delve into the back story and explain more of the Watchmen universe. It adds an incredible amount of depth to the story that the movie didn't even touch on. In the same vein, Tales of the Black Freighter was almost completely cut from the movie, save for a small reference to it at the newsstand at (what I remember) the end of the film.
  
  I'll stop there. The ridiculous thing is that I could go on. This is why you aren't getting much discussion about the movie, because compared to the novel there isn't much to talk about. Again, I despise people telling me to read the story when I just want to talk about it. However, this story is truly an exception, and at a price of less than $20, you seriously need to read it. Just think about this: My reasoning for why you should read the graphic novel is longer than your original post. I tried to be as concise as possible, but the differences between the novel and the movie go deeper than "oh it was this character that actually said that in the books blah blah blah." The entire narrative is different and brilliantly executed, while the movie feels like the product of a director that didn't truly understand the story and wanted to make a movie that sold tickets. Maybe you won't find the novel as stunning now because it's been over-hyped to you and you'll naturally want to defend your love of the movie, but I implore you to let go of those inhibitions and truly enjoy the novel.
  
  In summation, and I truly feel like a jerk for saying this, read the graphic novel.
  

absolutely. (though my recommendations will probably be pretty cliche/entry level in the world of comics)

If you want to stick to recent marvel, but want an "everyman" story, check out Matt Fraction's run on Hawkeye, where it basically just explores his everyday life. it's comedic and fun and Aja's art is wonderfully simple.

Another current series that is great (and will be constantly recommended) is Saga. Brian K. Vaughan's writing is great and Fiona Staples is one of the best digital artists in comics. The story is like star wars on acid, but with a wholesome focus, at it's core, on family. it's weird, funny, progressive, and quite graphic. interesting, sympathetic characters. Highly recommend it.

Another classic Brian K Vaughan series is Y: The Last Man. All men on earth simultaneously die, barring the protagonist, Yorick. Vaughan's writing is great in this as well.

One of my favorite series from all time is Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman. the series is basically stories about storytelling, with the (occasional) main character being Morpheus, "god" of dreams (though he has many other names/titles/definitions). it is often surreal and appropriately dreamlike. Gaimain loves his deities and mythologies and the world of Sandman simultaneously creates its own mythology while including/alluding to all those that humans have created IRL. Sandman's depiction of "reality" changes as drastically and frequently as the constantly shifting roster of illustrators involved.

Around that same time was Grant Morrison's Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth. while this was just a one-shot novel, it was very dark and directly focused on the psychological aspects of batman as a character. the idea that batman is as crazy as his enemies is nothing new, but this book epitomized it. like Sandman, very late 80's/early 90's feel.

another trippy comic i love is Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing. Moore reworked swamp thing as a sympathetic monster with themes focusing on identity and memory, while still being within the horror genre. Alan Moore is probably a literal genius and he's known for his many other famous classics, like Watchmen (probably the most classic/important comic, which is also about comics), V for Vendetta, and From Hell. Anything by Moore is a safe bet and he sets the bar for writing in the comic medium.

If you are more interested in art than story, my biggest reccomendation would be literally anything drawn by Jean Giraud, aka "Mœbius." He is probably a national hero in france and he was one of the most celebrated comic artists of all time. he made masterful linework look easy and he has a genius understanding of simple composition and color.

there are tons of smaller, fun books/series, many of which i have yet to read, but the ones i listed are all pretty standard, accessible recommendations. definitely check out a few! Edit: typos

>What's the difference (if any) between a comic book and a graphic novel?

Comic Book: A "book" that tells a story in comic form. Now the book part varies and can mean a number of things.

It could refer to:

Single Issue: A comic story that is smaller than a graphic novel. Typically ~32 to 48 pages. These are also called floppies and are those books that you see in a Comic Book Store.

Graphic Novel: Usually, refers to a story told in comic form which is contained in a single book. For example, Watchmen or Maus are graphic novels.

Trade Paperbacks: Also called trades are books that have collected several single issues into 1 book. For example, New52 Batman Vol 1: The Court of Owls contains Issues #1 to #7 of New52 Batman.

Trades are different from Graphic Novels in that they don't have the complete story in them. Going back to the Batman example it's only "Volume 1" of 10 Volumes.

Note The words trade and graphic novel are usually interchangeable and people aren't gonna rage at you for using one or the other but the biggest difference is if it's a self contained story in a single book then it's a graphic novel.


>What's an omnibus?

An Omnibus is a larger collection of Single Issues into a single book.

Usually a Trade collects 6 or 7 Issues of a comicbook while an Omnibus would collect ~25 to 30 Issues of a comicbook.

>In DC, what are New 52 and Rebirth (without spoiling anything plot related if that's possible)?

New 52: Was a complete reboot of the DC Universe in an attempt to attract newer readers. It was met with mostly mixed results as it made things simpler for newer readers but in some cases drastically changed elements of certain characters that people liked.

Rebirth: Directly follows the New52 era. It was a, pretty successful, attempt by DC to rectify the mistakes of the New52 and bring back elements that long time readers had missed from their favorite characters. It was basically merging the elements of the pre-New52 and New52 universe. Leaving what works and changing what didn't.

>How do New 52 and Rebirth compare? I believe New 52 is older, but is it still relatively easy to get your hands on? Is there anything even worth going for, or should I just check out Rebirth stuff?

For the most part Rebirth was more well liked by fans than New52 overall. However there are certain New52 story arcs and series that people really enjoyed as well.

For New52 I recommend the following:
Aquaman Vol 1 to Vol 6 + Vol 8 (Skip 7)
Green Arrow Vol. 4 to Vol. 6
Batman and Robin Vol. 1 to Vol. 7
The Flash Vol. 1 to Vol. 4
Batman Vol. 1 to Vol. 10
Batwoman Vol. 1 to Vol. 4
Animal Man Vol. 1 to Vol. 5
Gotham Academy Vol. 1 to Vol. 2

>Who are a few of your favorite modern writers? I see Geoff Johns name coming up on a lot of stuff, is he actually good or just popular?

Geoff Johns is liked and popular. But his claim to fame wasn't writing a groundbreaking and award winning new series. It came from being consistently good over years and years of writing comics. He's reliable and knows what the majority of readers want.

For other writers I'd say that /u/holymoloid provided a really good list.

>My favorite characters are Batman, Flash, and Green Lantern. If you could only have one book or arc for each, what would you get?

Over at /r/DCcomics they have a wiki with a bunch of helpful suggestions I'd reccomend reading that.

But for a quick summary:

Green Lantern: Geoff Johns is the main guy to go to for Green Lantern. He worked on the book for ~9 years and built the foundation for the modern mythos.

The Flash: Mark Waid's run is considered the best read that first. Geoff Johns' run is considered the 2nd best, it follows Waid's run.

Batman: Start with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's run from the New52. It's in the suggestion list I gave you above. (Vol 1 to Vol 10 of the New52)

If this is what you're referring to, that's actually from the current JL arc, set five years ago. The founding members of the League unite for the first time to fight him.

Overall I've had a mixed reaction to the changes. There's some things like Grant Morrison's Action Comics (Super jeans) which despite being extremely from the Superman I'm used to, is really well written and easily one of my favorite books. The change to Wonder Woman's origin as well as Azzarrello's style of story had made Wonder Woman comics interesting to me perhaps for the first time. I'm upset that many classic elements of The Flash have changed, yet Manapul stills spins a good yarn. JLI could've been great, but the current story is just sorta petering out for me. And it doesn't really have anything to do with changes really, just not particularly exciting a tale. With Aquaman nothing really changed yet continuity wise, the new badass-ness is just a shift in writing tone. As for Batman, that whole Catwoman fiasco I totally avoided. I'm only reading Batman, which has Scott Snyder on board. Amazing writer.

There's a few books that the changes have completely turned me off though. I read the first issue of Blue Beetle, and while it seemed good to me, I just couldn't get past how much they completely changed. Unless the Superman book gets a better story going and/or gets Lois and Clark back together again, I probably won't be touching it.

On the plus side there's a number of great books. Batwoman has a great story and even better art (though you'll do well to read Batwoman: Elegy first). This, much like Green Lantern, had absolutely no continuity changes whatsoever. In fact the series was meant to debut a good few months before Flashpoint. Swamp Thing and Animal Man are killer, and ought to be read simultaneously as there's a crossover coming. Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. and I, Vampire I've also heard a lot of good about. Justice League Dark is a pretty fun book, and Stormwatch is an offbeat pleasure of mine. It's somewhat hard to follow, as it throws several Wildstorm characters at you as well as several original Stormwatch characters just invented for the DCU, and barely spends the time to introduce them or give any backstory. The current plot and the kinds of things the team faces are also out there. But I really have been enjoying the wild ride. Demon Knights I dropped after a couple issues after deciding it wasn't really my kind of story, but it is still well written and pretty broadly enjoyed. It's best described as The Magnificent Seven in the Middle Ages, but with magical characters.

The approach I've been taking with most New 52 books is to look at them in a vacuum, not as necessarily a continuation of something (many aren't), or something that's tied into a greater universe wide story or tied to several other books or events. I kind look at it like a whole bunch of out of continuity ongoing series, like All-Star Superman. It allows me to accept whatever changes they've made to old characters, provided the story itself is good enough to warrant it. It's also got me into things I never thought I'd be reading monthly like Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and Stormwatch.

EDIT: I'm guessing the skinny Waller thing is influenced by the Green Lantern movie. With Nightwing I remember in some odd Morrison Batman issue Dick commenting that he never felt totally at home as Batman. I think he might've said this to Dick. In any case though, Batman Inc. still definitely happened as did most if not all of Morrison's Batman. Dick just decided to go back to Nightwing. I couldn't explain to you why he's red instead of blue suddenly though.

Here are the ones I read:

Batman- One of the best creative teams to ever tackle the character. You could start pulling it, but I'd recommend reading it from issue #1 since the entire run has been excellent.

Daredevil - One of the best superhero comics around. Sadly the series is going to be ending soon, but I'd highly recommend getting the hardcovers since the entire run is tons of fun.

Moon Knight - The current creative team is doing a great job with the character, but you should also try out the Warren Ellis Moon Knight it's got excellent art by Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire and is a series of amazing Vignettes that introduce a lot of great new elements to the character.

Other great comics:

The Fade Out - An excellent noir story about the corruption of Hollywood and the people involved during the 40's. It's only three issues in, and each issue has an excellent essay in the back about one of the actual events that happened in Hollywood that may or may not have inspired that issue of The Fade Out. Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips are all ready a proven triple -A creative team, with critically acclaimed comics like Sleeper, Criminal, and Incognito under their belts, so it's no surprise this is amazing.

Saga- It's 24 issues in, but you could probably pick up the trades on Amazon, which is completely worth it. It's a great story about a family trying to live in a universe where everyone wants them dead. Be warned, if this comic was a movie it'd be rated X.

Tooth and Claw - An excellent fantasy series that's only one issue in. The premise is that in a world of anthropomorphic animals certain animals can use magic, and others can't. This creates an upper class that treats everyone else like shit, and a lower class that isn't powerful enough to do anything about it. Until the upper class discovers that their magic is running out... The first issue is 48 pages long, ad-free for 3 dollars so what are you waiting for? Give this book a chance!

Wytches - Another excellent new Image title that's only 2 issues in. Scott Snyder, Jock, and Matt Hollingsworth are masters of the medium, and seeing them do one of the scariest comics I've ever read is a treat.

> Is the "All New, All Different" Series still considered a good starting point for beginners? Bisides ANAD theres Marvel NOW! and Marvel Legacy (which confuses me even more)

• 2012—2015 Marvel NOW! is a relaunch initiative for some ongoing titles (not all). There were multiple "waves" with renumbers, new stories, etc.
  
• 2015 Secret Wars (event comic that [SPOILERS?] creates a new universe with parts of Earth-616 "main" universe and parts of Earth-1610 "Ultimate" universe)
  
• 2015—present All-New, All-Different Marvel involved renumbering every ongoing title, but there was still a mix of new stories and continuations.
  
• October 2016—present Marvel NOW! 2.0 is a continuation of most Marvel NOW! stories with some new ones.
  
• September 2017 Marvel Legacy begins with a special 50-page one-shot comic (like DC Universe: Rebirth) after the current Secret Empire event concludes. Instead of annoyingly restarting at #1 again, most titles are reverting to "legacy" numbering (e.g. The Amazing Spider-Man #789). There will likely be a mix of new stories and continuations of ANAD Marvel stories.
  
  IMO, it's all needlessly convoluted, confusing, and, despite having the intention of drawing in new readers, it sometimes does the exact opposite.
  
  > Do I need to read all the past runs/entries of a series to understand whats going on? Or should I just pick the most recent Run for a series. And do newer Runs explain what happend in past Runs?
  
  Good writers will always refresh/recap important events, but the occasional unexplained reference might slip by. Some stories are more self-contained than others, but then you have less connections to the larger shared universe that so many love. The traditional beginning-middle-end story structure is more familiar (i.e. feeling compelled to read every character's origin first), but it's not required to enjoy a story. You've likely seen movies with non-linear narratives or the sequel movie is actually a prequel. We didn't know Darth Vader's origin until WAY AFTER his first appearance.
  
  Unfortunately, not all comics are high-quality productions, but they might contain the important plot points needed to understand other comics. I don't recommend reading a bunch of poor-to-mediocre comics just to "complete" the larger story. It's almost always never worth it considering how many other great comics there are that you could be reading instead. In this case, I'd just Wiki the bad stuff.
  
  > Is Ms. Marvel 2015 a continuation to the 2014 series?
  
  Yes. The renumbers (#19 --> #1) are just annoying publisher practices to draw in new readers.
  
  All that said, here's my usual copy/pasta for new readers:
  
  MARVEL STARTER GUIDE
  --
  ---
  
  How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) | Patrick Willems
  
  Consider your intent/commitment. Think about your favorite stories/characters from TV, movies, games, books, etc. Do you seek quality storytelling or encyclopedic Marvel knowledge? Plan to collect? What time/resources are available i.e. how many comics could/should be read before burning out?
  
  Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about “catching up”, continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Hawkeye until Matt Fractions’ run).
  
  Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Don’t get stuck “preparing”, just start reading. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.
  
  Where to buy (US):
  
  
• Digital: Marvel Unlimited, Comixology, e-library (e.g. Hoopla - free), webcomics (free)
  
• Print (collected editions): instocktrades, ISBNS, library (free)
  
• Print (singles): midtowncomics, mycomicshop, DCBS
  
  Modern Marvel characters/teams:
  
  
• Alias (Jessica Jones) | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Avengers | Kurt Busiek
  
• The Ultimates 1-2 (Avengers) | Mark Millar
  
• New Avengers | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Avengers / New Avengers | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 2
  
• Black Panther | Christopher Priest
  
• Captain America | Ed Brubaker
  
• Captain Marvel | Kelly Sue DeConnick
  
• Daredevil | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Daredevil | Ed Brubaker
  
• Daredevil | Mark Waid
  
• Deadpool | Joe Kelly
  
• Doctor Strange: The Oath | Brian K. Vaughan
  
• Fantastic Four / FF | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 1
  
• Guardians of the Galaxy | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen, et al. | Cosmic
  
• Hawkeye | Matt Fraction
  
• Immortal Iron Fist | Brubaker & Fraction
  
• Inhumans | Paul Jenkins
  
• Iron Man: Extremis | Warren Ellis
  
• Invincible Iron Man | Matt Fraction
  
• Marvels | Kurt Busiek
  
• Moon Knight | Warren Ellis
  
• Ms. Marvel | G. Willow Wilson
  
• Planet Hulk | Greg Pack | Hulk 1
  
• Punisher Max | Garth Ennis
  
• Thor | Jason Aaron
  
• Ultimate Spider-man | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Vision | Tom King
  
• New X-Men | Grant Morrison | X-Men 1
  
• Astonishing X-Men | Joss Whedon | X-Men 2
  
• Uncanny X-Force | Rick Remender | X-Men 6
  
  /r/Marvel sidebar for more info.
  
  Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
  
  Modern Marvel events/crossovers:
  
  
• Avengers Disassembled | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Secret War | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• House of M | Brian Michael Bendis | X-Men 2.5
  
• Annihilation | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen | Cosmic 1
  
• Civil War | Mark Millar
  
• World War Hulk | Greg Pak | Hulk 2
  
• Annihilation: Conquest | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen | Cosmic 2
  
• Messiah Complex | Brubaker, Kyle, Yost, et al. | X-Men 3
  
• Secret Invasion | Brian Michael Bendis | Dark Reign 1
  
• War of Kings | Abnett, Lanning, et al. | Cosmic 3
  
• Messiah War | Kyle, Yost, Swierczynski | X-Men 4
  
• Dark Avengers / Utopia | Bendis, Fraction, et al. | Dark Reign 2
  
• Siege | Brian Michael Bendis | Dark Reign 3
  
• Realm of Kings | Abnett, Lanning, Reed | Cosmic 4
  
• Second Coming | Kyle, Yost, Fraction, et al. | X-Men 5
  
• Fear Itself | Matt Fraction
  
• Schism | Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen | X-Men 7
  
• Avengers vs. X-Men | Bendis, Brubaker, et al. | X-Men 8
  
• Infinity | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 2.5
  
• Secret Wars | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 3
  
  Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like: old/new comics? Specific genres? Literary/natural narratives? Cartoony/realistic art? Familiar/weird concepts? References/self-contained? Social/political commentary? Family-friendly/explicit content? Optimism/pessimism? Have you noticed that a specific artist/writer consistently makes comics you like? Follow these instincts.
  
  Suggestions to improve this guide are welcome.
  
  
  

Howdy there, this is a common question but by no means a shunned one.

u/Daredevil99 recommendations are fantastic, the current book is being written by a die-hard Flash fan and has been knocking it out of the park with every issue. If you can find that I would suggest getting that in tandem with u/Jayesar pointed out with New 52 Vol 1 "Move Forward" that book is a great introduction into Barry Allen as the Flash

You mentioned you're a show fan trying to get into the comics, well I thought I would let you know a little bit about the legacy of the Flash. There have been four Flashes to date: Jay Garrick (Flash I), Barry Allen (Flash II), Wally West (Flash III), and the short lived Bart Allen (Flash IV). There are also members of the Flash family that go by different names like Max Mercury and Jesse Quick; additionally Bart Allen originally went by Impulse.

A small bit of history that may be helpful if you go and read some of the Pre-52 Flash books is that Barry Allen is dead. He sacrificed his life in Crisis on Infinite Earths to save the universe. That's all you need to know from that event, you may even recognize this homage from the finale of season 2. The effect of his death weighs really heavy on Wally for the first part of his time as Flash. However, Wally's time as Flash is the one with the most well regarded stories. Barry does eventually come back in another event 25 years later, those events are detailed in Flash: Rebirth (2010)

The rest I'll let you learn, but we love answering any questions you may have. Moreover, to find the official list of our recommendations check out the subreddit's sidebar. Most of them feature Wally West (It is currently out of chronological order so bare with us. sorry).

Here is a synopsis I love to steal from u/Dredeuced from when I first joined the sub.

Born to Run by Mark Waid: #62 to #65. Modern retelling of Wally's origin. Quintessential retcon and character definition arc.

The Return of Barry Allen by Mark Waid: #73 to #79. Wally deals with the shadow of being the "unworthy" successor to the great Barry Allen.

Impulse's Debut + Terminal Velocity by Mark Waid: #91 to #100 (you might want to read a couple issues prior to understand what the "Speed Formula" is and why Wally has it). Wally gets his own side kick and the Speed Force is introduced to DC.

Dead Heat by Mark Waid (this one is a little weird, order wise): #108, #109, Impulse #10, #110, Impulse #11, #111 for all six parts. Impulse is obviously a spin off of The previous Terminal Velocity arc and a side run to Wally's The Flash run. Speed Force Lore + Sidekick stuff, again, but it's good so read it!

Race Against Time by Mark Waid: #112 to #118. Fun time travel shenanigans.

The Human Race by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar: #136 to #138. Absolutely insane racing and time travel shenanigans.

The Black Flash by Mark Millar: #139 to #141. The nasty side of the Speed Force.

Chain Lightning by Mark Waid: #145 to #150 (Another time I suggest you read the previous 2 issues or so to know what's going on). BEYOND RIDICULOUS INSANE TIME TRAVEL STUFF. Things get really, super crazy in this part.

The Dark Flash Saga by Mark Waid: #152 to #160. Alternate Future Wally comes back in time, but he has a DARK SECRET and blah blah. If you're reading Venditti's current Barry run then this will seem familiar to you.

Johns run starts at #164, and I guess I can break it up into arcs as well.
Basically, from #164 to #191 Johns does a series of loosely connected one shots, usually focusing on either a team up or, more importantly, focusing on all of Wally's individual Rogues -- some of which are new characters Johns makes himself (Johns is MUCH better at making villains than Waid, whereas I think Waid's strength is in writing Wally's demeanor and his supporting cast). There is no arc here, but this is all setup for later arcs involving The Rogues and Wally's own Reverse Flash. It's basically impossible to separate until we get to:

Grodd Returns by Geoff Johns: #192 to #194. It's not actually called that but that's basically what it is. This is pretty important, not just because of Grodd, but because this and some following issues are the origin of Hunter Zolomon, AKA Zoom, who is Wally's Reverse Flash and he gets two of his own arcs later.

Blitz! by Geoff Johns: #197 to #200. Enter Zoom. This is probably the most shocking arc in Wally's entire run for how it upends so many things that have been consistent with Wally in the past Flash runs. In a lot of previous arcs, things do change, but by and large the status quo on major things stays the same -- some things get upgraded (like Wally's abilities or his relationship with Linda going from GF -> Fiancee -> Marriage), but that's about it. At the end of this arc, Wally's life has been...well, it's been pretty drastically altered, in part by his villain and in part by his own decision. Just read it, might be the most impactful arc in Wally's history short of The Return of Barry Allen. You'll note that both of those arc have a Reverse Flash in them, too!

Ignition by Geoff Johns: #201 to #206. Kind of a glue arc, connecting Blitz to Identity Crisis to Rogue War.

Identity Crisis: Flash by Geoff Johns: #207 to #217. Technically, it doesn't start at #207 but those pages are basically the same story and were just released slightly before everyone was getting official "Identity Crisis tie-in!" labels.

The Rogue War by Geoff Johns: #220 to #225. The end of Johns run, and what a heck of an ending -- a little compressed, but pretty great none the less (though I have a specific problem with it, it's not a big one and it's not worth tinting your view when you read it yourself).


Note: these are all about Wally's time as Flash.

Barry's resurrection and takeover of the Flash solo titles begins with

Flash: Rebirth (2010) by Geoff Johns 1-6. This story flings Barry back into the forefront of the Flash Family revealing secrets about the his origin, powers, and the Speed Force. This can be very confusing so its best understood with the knowledge from the previous books.

The Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns. Barry is back! but a group of people from the future calling themselves the Renegades have appeared attempting to arrest Barry for a crime he hasn't even committed yet? It's Rogues vs. Flash vs. Renegades.

Flashpoint (2011) by Geoff Johns 1-5. Following the devastating news revealed in Flash Rebirth, Barry attempts to go back in time only to find out by doing so he has changed the entire world. With no powers Barry must find a way to undo his most desired wish.

The fallout of Flashpoint leads to the creation of The New 52. a line wide reboot, making Barry the only Speedster in the Flash Family.

New 52 Vol 1-4 by Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul. See a young Barry once again have to learn the ropes of being a super hero and the Fastest Man Alive!

Flashing* forward to today, a new event has spawned, and the information revealed explains the absence of members such as Jay and Wally. Wally has been trapped in the Speed Force! and the entire world forgot who he was. His return to the DC landscape was accompanied with certain people recovering their lost memories and discovering a new threat, the one who stole them!

All this is detailed in DC Universe: Rebirth followed by Flash: Rebirth #1 (2016) and the current run with issue 3 coming out this Wednesday.

> "A new storm brews over Central City and disproves the old adage about lightning never, well… you know. Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster debuts—but just where did this amazing new friend come from?"

Meet Godspeed.

A quick little side note. During the New 52 a different Wally West is revealed to be black (I call him Young Wally, others call him Chocolate Wally). In DC Universe: Rebirth he is also revealed to be the white Wally's (as I call him Adult Wally, others Strawberry Wally) cousin! Today the Flash Family is 3 members strong once again!

Happy Reading! Ebay, Amazon and sites like NewKadia are great resources to pick up collected volumes or single issues. I'm personally a single issue kind of guy. Hope this wasn't an information overload! If you need clarification, ask away or you can always consult the ever useful Comicstorian or the humorous Comic Pop on YouTube.

The Flash has had some of the best artist come through his book so don't let those old collected volume covers sway you, the interiors are amazing. Also it may be fun to pick these up as single issues rather than trades. It really feels like a collection that way. If you do buy issues online, be sure to check for their grading. Can save you from buying a book that looks brand new and one that looks like a rag.


NM- Near Mint

VF- Very Fine

FN- Fine

VG- Very Good

GD- Good

FR- Fair

PR- Poor

It's so odd that if you buy comics on amazon FOR comixology, it's cheaper than buying it ON comixolgy.

For me, digi is awesome because I don't have to remember to pack it (if I'm traveling between friends houses it is just a log in away) and for certain crossovers/story arcs, it is easier to flip back and forth (you said you are reading new 52 batman. the night of owls crossover and the death in the family you need to flip back and forth between series in the middle of TPBs, online would make this infinitely easier).

also with your phone or ipad, you can jsut download the comics, so that way you don't need wifi later (you can also easily delete them from your storage) and you can use the amazon kindle app once it's downloaded w/out wifi.

However, I love the feeling of actual print, and I like to support my LCS. With print I enjoy holding it, and just overall feel...more real? I guess when I read it, rather than on an ipad or a computer. Though still Digi tends to be ridiculously cheaper than in print TPB in store.

I've found digi TPB on amazon ~10. print tpb on amazon 12~, digi on comixology 12~ and in store print, 16~.

for reference [Batman new 52 vol 1] (https://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-Court-Owls-New/dp/1401235425/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467687559&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=batman+cout+of+owls) 8 digi, 10 print but closer to 15 in store.

I recently bought [justice league new 52 vol 1] (https://www.amazon.com/Justice-League-Vol-Origin-New/dp/1401237886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467687640&sr=8-1&keywords=justice+league+vol+1) for 10$ on amazon in print, and the label still says 17$. So LCS up charge alot.

All in all, I enjoy getting print in certain issues like GL and Justice League just because I enjoy the artwork SO much. I also like having big story arcs in print because it feels satisfying to just know i collected those big issues (Blackest night, Brightest Day, infinity gauntlet (marvel)]
However the artwork on digi tends to be great as well, Teen titans for example looks awesome. I'm not really sure I have anything to compare (as in the exact issue), but it seems to be just as fine.

Overall, digi almost always cheaper, always have on you, (you can download ahead of time) can delete later for room, can flip between easier, some artwork might not be as good. also never have to worry about damage.
Print, something satisfying about feeling it in your hands, sometimes makes it seems more real than on a computer.

Hello and I'm glad to see you're showing interest in comics. Let me be the first to say that I'm not some seasoned veteran with limitless knowledge of the "ins" and "outs" regarding to comics. The first time I picked up a DC Comic and read it was a 2 years ago, I picked up Batman Under The Red Hood. Why? I had seen the animated movie and LOVED it. I wanted to see what the graphic novel had to offer. At the time I didn't have access to comics and that was the only DC Comic I read. A year ago, I was on vacation in NYC and I picked up Justice League Vol. 1 Origins. Why? I was browsing through the store for something to jump out at me. I had no idea who Geoff Johns or Jim Lee was. At the time I didn't care, I just wanted to pick up a book, read it, and enjoy it. When I picked up Justice League Vol. 1, I was like "OH SHIIIIIIII", I felt like I had been transported into another reality. Reading about Green Lantern meeting Batman for the first time, it was great.

Then this past year I went to my first Comic Con. DC was pushing a lot of comics and they had all these artists and writers and panels, but I had no idea who these people were or why they were important. I remember sitting there at the Batman panel and they showed a slide of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, as they were describing the story behind and what Bruce was going through, I was thinking, "I need to read this."
After NYCC was over I went to my local comic book store and picked up TDKR, and fucking LOVED it. It's not New 52. It's not new, it's older. But here's the thing. It's fucking awesome. Go buy it and read it and you'll see.


I'm just going to cut this short and say, there isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to read comics. Just go to the store, and see what jumps out at you. I mean, who cares if you happen to like the current Batgirl, while I may hate it. You are paying for the comic and if you enjoy it, why does it matter if it's "right" or "wrong"?

If you're lost, I'm sure you can find some help from everyone on here, the staff at your local comic store, can surely help if you just take the mindset of, "Hey I'm new can you at least point in me in some sort of direction for starting out?"
That's all I have to say about that. Good luck and hope you enjoy your time in comics (whether it be DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, etc)

If I had to supply a "here's a good place to start list", I'd say start with the following.

-Batman [Court of Owls] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-Court-Owls-New/dp/1401235425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342173&sr=8-1&keywords=batman+court+of+owls)

-Batgirl [Darkest Reflection] (http://www.amazon.com/Batgirl-Vol-Darkest-Reflection-New/dp/1401238149/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342206&sr=8-1&keywords=batgirl+vol+1)

-The Flash [Move Forward] (http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Vol-Move-Forward-New/dp/1401235549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342234&sr=8-1&keywords=flash+move+forward)
This isn't New 52 but it's still good [The Dark Knight Returns] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-Returns-Frank-Miller/dp/1563893428/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342259&sr=8-1&keywords=frank+miller+the+dark+knight+returns&pebp=1422342259313&peasin=1563893428)

Woah. Did not see this. Sort of late comment.

Okay. I am a huge comic book fan. I am not sure what you would be in to, but my strong point is superheros so I will recommend you some.


Batman Vol. 1 of the New 52 series (DC's remake on 52 comic series) is a great one, mostly because the story line is pretty amazing and batman is one of the most popular series.

Another good starter is Nightwing Vol. 1. This story follows Dick Grayson, a former robin who is now a solo hero (nightwing.) Batman Vol. 1 and Nightwing Vol. 1 are sort of tied together so if you get this, although it would be optional and you would still understand the storyline, I highly recommend you also get Batman.

Other batman issues I recommend picking up are the new 52 issues 21-29 (Zero Year) and also batman #30 (Zero Year - Ravage City) I picked up #30 yesterday and it was superb. One of my favorite issues ever. I was also recently recommended Batman Death of the Family, which is inbetween the Court of Owls (1-12) and Zero Year (21-29)

Other than that, you could try starting on another New 52, such as the Flash, Aquaman, Batman & Robin, Action Comics, Detective Comics, or Green Arrow, just to name a few.


Have fun :)



Edit: Just noticed you like dark and intense storylines, which makes this even better because thats basically all batman is (lol).


Edit 2: I would also recommend looking into some comic book subreddits, such as /r/comicbooks /r/batman /r/marvel /r/DCcomics

Edit 3: Saw this below, but The Walking Dead would be great if you like zombies, although it would be quite hard to catch up to.

Edit 4 (SO MANY EDITS): If you would like to know some other NEW 52s, I have some on my wishlist here (shameless plug)

These are all the modern Barry Allen Books in the order they occur. If you want to read the best of the best Flash stories The Flash by Mark Waid volume 1 is out and The Flash by Geoff Johns volumes 1-3 but these feature Wally West as the Flash who (in most people on this sub's opinion) is the best Flash. Wally is also my personal favorite comics character. So here's my Barry Allen reading order with brief explanations:

•Flash Rebirth brings Bary up to speed with the world and shows him dealing with being a man out of time. This story kind of demeans Wally as character in my opinion, it makes him seem incapable of doing much and shows Barry doing things Wally can't do in this story despite Wally showing he's convincingly surpassed his mentor. I'd talk more about this but this isn't he post for that.

•The Flash Dastardly Death of The Rogues is the best Barry Allen story, it is a must read

•Flash: Road to Flashpoint. This story is pretty alright, the collected version has a lot of interesting one shots and such and it directly leads into Flashpoint. This doesn't get recommended often, but I enjoyed it and I think it should be at least mentioned

•Flashpoint kicks off the New 52 and is a very well written Barry Allen story. This leads into the New 52 series

•The Flash New 52 Vol 1-4 Collected in this omnibus. This has absolutely stunning art and it's the same art team that did Dastardly Death of the Rogues, the artists also double as the writers and they capture a good Barry Allen in my opinion. This run is great but everything after is pretty mediocre. This easily my favorite run on the character and it's very beginner friendly. If you want to just get one thing on this list, get this.

•DC Universe Rebirth is a great story and Barry and a certain other speedster are very relevant to the story

•The Flash Rebirth (2016) is the current ongoing, you can digitally purchase it or buy the issues individually from Midtown Comics (The website) or your LCBS. I'm linking the first volume of this run.

Ok, I think I should be able to help. For the most part, it is the same story within, it just depends on your preference of how you wish to keep and store your comics for longevity purposes.

This is the standard trade paperback, it contains the standard four chapters (which is the complete story) featuring I believe the modern recolouring, plus a few extras like word from author or else glimpses of art as it was in development. Trade paper backs are probably the most convenient way to read a comic, as they collect all the single issues needed into one self contained book. Some people though feel that trade paper backs do not keep well over time due e.g. the way the pages are bound together. I still I have my versions I bought in 2016, and it appears to have kept well.

There is the recent Deluxe edition, which again contains the same story, which is similarly recoloured, though it appears there are a few extra material pages from other artist commentaries, more behind the scenes arts and the like (mostly trivial unless your really keen on knowing the behind the scenes process). The big difference though comes from it being hardback, and being a higher quality product i.e. binding is better. It will probably keep better over time. There are many fans who prefer to buy Deluxe editions for their favourite stories to preserve them better for longer, but it does make collecting more expensive. It really is up to you on how much you are willing to pay for, how you store your comics (i.e. keep them standing up right on a bookshelf rather than stacked lying down on the floor), how long you intend to keep your comics around, how many other comics you are considering getting. Trade paper backs are the easiest ways to start for newbies, Deluxe are usually for more serious investments and collectors.

There is another version available that I'm not sure whether you had seen, but I will explain for clarity, too. That would be the Absolute Edition. The Absolute edition is the most expensive, and hence most fancy-pants way of collecting comics. It comes with anything you could imagine wanting to collect. For example, this version of Year One collects the modern recolour, scans of the original in original colour, full artist break down of each chapter, etc. I believe it would even be a larger size (to take in more detail), it is obviously hard cover, probably comes with it's own box, and is a serious luxury item.

Why would they make three different versions of the same story? Because they know some fans will buy it first in single issue, might collect it later in trade (either paper back for casual fans, or Deluxe for more long term keeping), and again there will be some fans whose love for the comic is so great that on a significant anniversary they can release a luxury item like this and some fans again will buy it all over, to pour over all the details and more again, and to show how much they love particular stories. Not every comic story will get an Absolute (just really notable ones, like Watchmen, The Killing Joke, etc.), but the ones that do will most likely have a largely dedicated fan base that will surely buy it all over again (and it's not as if they aren't gaining something from it too, if they do love it, and want more from it. You know, I'm not trying to be too cynical or anything, because I do understand wanting to get more from what you like, just like how movies might come with Director's cut, Director's commentary, etc, Absolute's are like that).

So, I hope I have been able to help, or at least clarify what it is you are looking at there. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like extra information on!

Regarding Superman, don't worry about him, I hated him when I started reading comics (started with Batman) because to me it also seemed too OP for his stories to make sense, maybe I stayed too much with my vision of him instead of giving him a shot. He did grow on me, and is now one of my favourite characters. The stories that really helped for me to love him are Superman American Alien, All Star Superman and Superman Peace on Earth among many others. Don't worry if you still dislike him, it won't diminish your fondness of the rest of the vast DCU nor will it spoil you stories, just don't go into every story with a "ugh I hate him" and give him a few tries. Being such an important figure in the DCU you will cross paths with him several times, like him or not, better to make the most of it and not be too stubborn.

Regarding Watchmen, Watchmen is a story that deconstructs a lot of superhero tropes and cliches, so the best way to take the most of it would be to have read a lot of comics and really understand what this story is trying to break. So yes, you could read it now and like it, or you could read it in a few months worth of comics and really love it. At least I know that I love it a little bit more on every re-read, having read lots of comics in the interim.

---
And now the important stuff, where to start:

Yes, both New 52 and Rebirth are two completely perfect starting points, one being 5 years older than the other. Rebirth serves as a continuation of the N52, but starting on it right away won't diminish anything, it's a perfectly valid starting point and I recommend you to start there. The reason being that you have much less to catch up (no more than a year and a half). So what I would recommend is:

• Start with Rebirth, with DCU Rebirth #1 and then read every character's rebirth series that you are interested in. Lets say Batman? Currently there's been only two volumes of Batman Rebirth released (vol 1 and vol 2 with the third one on september). Just pick his volumes, and after you have read this "Trade paperbacks" (collection of single issues), you can read the series on a weekly basis, buying the 2.99 single issues (or 'floppies'), which are currently in between the #10th and #25th issue.
  
  
• After you have cought up with Rebirth as much as you like (you don't need nor have to read every character, just read whatever you like) you can both retroactively read the New 52 series and go on with the Rebirth ones. So let's say you finished every Rebirth volume you were interested in and crave for more, you can read, with Batman as an example, his 10 New52 volumes.
  
  ---
  As for where to read stuff, that's completely up to you. If you have a cool Local Comicbook Shop (LCS) near you, you should go and check it out, they have really cool people that can guide you in a much humane way than an internet stranger. If you don't, don't worry, I read most of my stuff online, so check out Comixology with all of their weekly sales! And the third option is to order everything online and get it delivered, some good sites are Amazon, InStockTrades and Bookdepository. Check out all of your options!
  
  If you are in the US go to your local library and check out Hoopla a really great way for you to read a lot of stuff for free!
  
  ---
  

  TLDR
  

  
  You want to start with the New 52?
  
  

• Flashpoint (completely optional) -> pick a character -> read his volumes
  
  Here is a list of the first half of the New 52 (couldn't find a complete one)
  
  You want to start with Rebirth?
  
  
• DCU Rebirth 1 -> pick a character -> read his volumes
  
  Here is a list of them all. Check out the "Road to Rebirth" tab, which has optional, stuff for you to read
  
  What would I do?
  
  Pick Rebirth, after finishing, read the New52 stuff while continuing with Rebirth

Congratulations on the weight loss! I've been working on that myself, but in an incredibly long and altogether fruitless way. As for Catwoman books:

I agree that the New 52 series is not good. It's honestly so horrible that I would rather Catwoman be cancelled than have these be her stories. Frustrates me to no end. I'll go ahead and give you my list, based solely on what is available in trades.

First, have you read Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory? If so, I'd highly suggest Catwoman: When in Rome. It's set during Dark Victory, in the period where Catwoman has gone. And it's done by the same writer and artist. It's a pretty solid book on it's own, but I just think it reads better if you've read the other two. Long Halloween features some great moments with Selina.

I'd suggest Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale, but it seems like it may be out of print. I still see it in comic stores sometimes, so check your local stores. This is a solid collection of Catwoman stories from many different eras, basically focusing on one story per costume.

DC released a couple new edition trade collections of Catwoman (2002)'s early issues. Volume 01: Trail of the Catwoman features the entire Selina's Big Score OGN, the backup stories from Detective Comics 759-762, and Catwoman (2002) issues 01-09. This was the Darwyn Cooke and Ed Brubaker era of Catwoman, and it really ushered in a renaissance of her character. She was awesome before this run, but this is the run that really made her an incredible, well-rounded, interesting character.

Volume 02: No Easy Way Down features Catwoman (2002) issues 10-24 and Catwoman Secret Files and Origins #1. Volume 03: Under Pressure is set to be released in just a week or two and will collect issues 25-37. I really hope they continue releasing the rest of Catwoman (2002) in these new larger trade collections. Most of the previous trades are out of print these days.

If you can find copies of The Replacements, It's Only a Movie, Catwoman Dies, Crime Pays, and The Long Road Home for cheap, they're a great read as well. But these are mostly out of print right now (though sometimes still easily available). These are the issues that I am hoping DC decides to reprint.

Batman: Heart of Hush is also a phenomenal read. Though Selina is... incapacitated for much of the book, it's still a fantastic Catwoman story. It leads into Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 01 - Hush Money, which only has a little bit of Catwoman in it, but set up what would have been an awesome rivalry if DC hadn't reset the universe. Heart of Hush also leads into Gotham City Sirens. Many people really loved this series; I thought it was only okay. It's starring Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman, but Catwoman absolutely takes a huge back-seat to the other two. It's unfortunate, but not a bad read. It's coming back in print in October. I suggest waiting until then to get it.

Unfortunately, beyond that, there is not a huge selection of Catwoman trades available. At that point, you may have to be willing to dive into individual issues.

Advice from a woman in her mid-thirties who has worked in a comic book store:

Whiteout - not much romance, but great crime/mystery
http://www.amazon.com/Whiteout-Definitive-Oni-Press-v/dp/193266470X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313775790&sr=1-4

Strangers in Paradise - so awesome (6 volumes I think)
http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Paradise-Pocket-Book-Collection/dp/1892597268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313775719&sr=8-1

Fables - if she likes fantasy (many volumes, ongoing)
http://www.amazon.com/Fables-Vol-1-Legends-Exile/dp/1563899426/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313775940&sr=1-1

Excellent comic writers your mother might like:
Greg Rucka
Darwyn Cooke
Neil Gaiman
Bryan K Vaughan
Brian Michael Bendis

Vertigo and Oni, along with other independents and smaller publishers, are great places to look for stuff. Watchmen, Dark Knight, etc are all comic classics, but not good for those not already familiar with the genre.

There is lots of great fantasy out there like Bone, and many comic book stories in tv (Doctor Who, Buffy, etc) or novel universes (Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Lauren K Hamilton, etc).

I would stay away from anything superhero to start, if she isn't into that genre already. When/if she is interested, try easing her into it with something like:

Any Astro City graphic novel by Kurt Busiek
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Big-City-Astro-Vol/dp/156389551X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776496&sr=1-2

Superman For All Seasons (Superman)
http://www.amazon.com/Superman-All-Seasons-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1563895293/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313776360&sr=8-1

Batman: Year One
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Year-One-Frank-Miller/dp/1401207529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776472&sr=1-1

Top Ten - superhero police procedural
(there's also Powers by BM Bendis or Gotham Central)
http://www.amazon.com/Top-Ten-Book-Alan-Moore/dp/1563896680/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776536&sr=1-1

Daredevil: Yellow
http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Yellow-Unnumbered-Jeph-Loeb/dp/0785134441/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776756&sr=1-2


Many of these you can order online, but consider supporting your local comic shop by buying through them.

Well, the thing about getting into Big 2 comics is that it's really easier than it sounds, especially since both companies have gone through major "reboots" a few years ago, with DC launching The New 52 (which reset or compressed several decades of continuity) and Marvel launching Marvel NOW!, both of which reset several titles to #1. You can pick up trades (or collected volumes of issues) from Amazon or read digitally on Comixology. Many local libraries may also have trades and graphic novels available to check out.

With DC, you can start off with #1 of almost any New 52 series. However, you don't always have to start with #1. Some series don't get good until a new creative team takes over and establishes a new status quo. In which case, you can start reading from where the new writers began, and not worry about what happened in the previous issues. Here is a list of DC New 52 recommendations I've made before:

> For Batman and Batman-related books, I recommend the following:
Batman (#1 - ongoing) Batman, Vol. 1: The Court of Owls - The flagship title, by Scott Snyder.
Batman: The Black Mirror - This is actually just before The New 52, but I recommend this mainly because it's a very well-loved modern story that turned Scott Snyder (the current Batman writer) into DC's golden boy. It's also fairly accessible to new readers.
Grayson (#1 - ongoing) - Launched this year, and one of DC's best books in quite some time. Dick Grayson is an undercover spy. Very fun and character-driven.
Batman and Robin (#1 - ongoing) Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill - Character-driven title that focuses on the Bat family.
Catwoman (#35 - ongoing) - Selina Kyle as a mob boss. Very intricate plot.
Detective Comics (#30 - ongoing) - Manapul/Buccellato run. Fantastic art.
Nightwing (#1 - 30) Nightwing, Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes - Makes a good complement to the Batman and Batman & Robin titles.
 

>For other characters, I would recommend:
Wonder Woman (#1 - 35) Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood - Brian Azzarello's 35-part epic of gods and mortals. Great story, great art.
Green Arrow (#17 - 34) Green Arrow, Vol. 4: The Kill Machine
The Flash (#1 - 29) The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward
Earth 2 (#1 - 26) Earth 2, Vol. 1: The Gathering - The James Robinson run (#1-16) is quite good, though Tom Taylor's run (#17-26) is still decent.
Red Lanterns (#21 - 37) Red Lanterns, Vol 4: Blood Brothers - A general understanding of the Green Lantern universe might be needed to fully appreciate this.
 

Marvel tends to reset a series whenever a new creative team takes over, or when a new status quo is put into place, so it's even easier to find a jump-in point. Just start with #1 of any series. Marvel also has a subscription service that allows you to digitally read any comic older than six months. Here are some recent series that I would recommend:

Matt Fraction's Hawkeye
Mark Waid's Daredevil
Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Nathan Edmondson's Black Widow
Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man
Cullen Bunn's Magneto
Tom Taylor's Superior Iron Man

You can look up these titles on Comixology and see previews for each issue. Just pick whatever sounds interesting to you, and start reading.

>As the new 52 has given way to the rebirth, are the story lines in 52 still worth going through?

Yes, definitely. While the New 52 as a whole wasn't very well-received by a lot of fans because of it "starting over" and removing the old continuity, it is a great jumping on point for new readers: so I think it's a good idea to start there.

I don't read Batman, but as far as I know, New 52 Batman was the one series that was consistently well-received by fans, so I think you will enjoy New 52 Batman.

As for The Flash, he has a great New 52 run over the course of 4 volumes: "Move Forward," "Rogues Revolution," "Gorilla Warfare," and "Reverse." These four books serve as a great introduction to the character and his adventures, and I'm told Volume 5 is okay to read too - however, don't continue it after Volume 5, because it drops off in quality there. These stories focus on Barry Allen in a manner that's a bit reminiscent of the TV show, so if you enjoy the show you should enjoy these.

> if they end up unfinished somehow or really underwhelming, I'll just jump to rebirth.

Rebirth is an excellent jumping-on point, just like the New 52. It's of course still ongoing at the moment, so if you want to read it right now, you read it through single issues! If you want to catch up with the stories that are happening right now, these are the issues that are out.

THE FLASH:

• DC Universe: Rebirth #1 (This is a one-off issue that is the basis of the Rebirth story for every character)
  
• The Flash: Rebirth #1 (Another one-off just meant to introduce the basics of Barry Allen and set you up for reading the main series)
  
• The Flash #1
  
• The Flash #2
  
• The Flash #3
  
  BATMAN:
  
  
• DC Universe: Rebirth #1
  
• Batman: Rebirth #1
  
• Batman #1
  
• Batman #2
  
• Batman #3
  
  A new issue comes out every 2 weeks for Flash and for Batman. It's been awesome so far!
  
  If you want to follow Wally West instead of Barry, you can follow Titans, which comes out every month:
  
  
• DC Universe: Rebirth #1
  
• Titans: Rebirth #1
  
• Titans #1
  
  If you can't/don't want to go through the hassle of buying single issues of comics, wait it out until January! Then you can just get a trade paperback that will have all the comics you need to read the whole story all at once. You can preorder the paperbacks at Amazon: Flash, Batman, Titans.

I’m assuming you probably heard or read a lot of these already but their worth repeating on the chance that you haven’t.

• The first four volumes of Superman/Batman are probably the best stand alone team up stories those two characters probably ever had. Between the four they deal with the kind of stories that only superhero books have done well. Things like multiple universe, massive crossovers, time travel, and introductions of legacy characters. They are also just damn good reads.
  
  
• Kingdom Come is another story that really could only be done well in a superhero book. If you haven’t read it then you really need too.
  
  
• Volume One and Volume Two of DC: The new Frontier are timeless superhero stories that really exhibits what makes them so special.
  
  
• All Star Superman shows what a modern version of a Silver Age story would like. This has the special sauce that made comics good back in the 60s and 70s and its one of the best Superman stories ever told.
  
  
• Superman: Red Son best example of an Elseword or Alternate universe story. Really good.
  
  
• Marvel’s Secret Wars should be required reading. Kind of like how Catcher in the Rye or To Kill a Mockingbird is in public schools. It’s a corner stone for comics.
  
  
• Crisis On Infinite Earths: If Secret Wars is Catcher in the Rye then Crisis is War and Peace. It is a tuff read for a new reader but it is masterpiece in terms of craft, storytelling, and the weaving of continuity.
  
  
• Identity Crisis was mentioned before but I’ll repeat it because it is the superhero story the deals with issues typically never addressed in superhero books. It is controversial for some of the things that happen but ultimately very good book.
  
  
• Superman: Our Worlds at War is probably a bit difficult to find at the point but it is a massive phone book size trade that show what a good multi author/artist collaborative crossover event can be like.
  
  
• The Long Halloween and Dark Victory are two timeless Batman stories. I don’t care for Batman comics but these books are so good that even I like them.
  
  
• Astro City just started back up again so a new printing of the first story should be just around the corner. It is a celebration of everything that make superhero comics great. Keep an eye out for this one.
  

I understand why you are weary to ask for specific books, but there are some books that are important to the marvel universe or comics in general which would be pretty safe bets.

For Instance:

• Marvels, which is the history of the marvel universe through the eyes of a reporter for the Daily Bugel. Shows events from the Namor and the original Human Torch, to Captain America, to the X-Men, to Spiderman, to Galactus. Really cool depiction of the marvel universe.
  
• The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos tries to take over the universe. Very well recieved event that the 3rd and 4th Avengers movies will be "based" on.
  
• Secret Wars, much older than the other books so much campier style, but it was (I believe) the first big crossover book from any publisher. Its also where spiderman gets the black suit that turns into venom and great moments throughout.
  
• Annihilation (All three books), Was a relaunch of Marvel's Cosmic line and sets up for all of the cosmic books for many years to come. Very cool book. Can read with no prior knowledge whatsoever.
  
• Watchmen, Good book, very important to the comic medium itself. Published by DC but not set in that universe.
  
• The Dark Knight Returns, Again published by DC but very important to Batman and comics in general. And who doesn't love Batman.
  
• Any charcter has at least one trade that is good standalone and is important to the character, but without knowing your preferences I can't recommend specifics
  
  Even if these arn't your absolute favorite books, they are relevant to the history and there is a pretty high chance that you will want to read them at some point.

There's good and bad. As you can see above, I'm really liking Snyder's new take on the first year of Batmannery, but IMO, the new Robin origin sucks the balls of a million and one feral donkeys. Or something a normal person might say.

So with that in mind, my pre new 52 recommendations...

Batman: Year One Wouldn't be too surprised if you'd read this already. A gritty, 4-issue take on Batman's formative Batmanning, this has long been regarded as the gold standard. Highly recommended.

Teen Titans by Geoff Johns, Vol1 This features wildly different characterisations than New 52, however, I think it's solid work, and just fun comics. Features Tim Drake Robin. If this interests you, also consider Young Justice by Peter David, based around Tim Drake, Superboy, Bart Allen(Kid Flash,basically) and Wonder Girl. It's lighthearted and pretty accessible if you like teen drama/comedy.

If you're looking at Batman's early years, there's The Man who Laughs for the first Joker encounter, or Batman and the Mad Monk.

Batgirl: Year Oneis super fun, and Robin: Year One is also pretty good, this is Dick Grayson Robin.

Also, if we're talking about essential Joker stories and Batgirl, I can't avoid talking about the seminal The Killing Joke.

The whole Damien thing really requires reading all of Grant Morrison's trippy, sci-fi Batman run, a guide to which can be found here. This might be what you call intermediate Batman.

And I think that's a good primer for the Batman universe. Anything in particular you're interested in, i.e Batman and other heroes, Batman as detective, Batman as superhero? There are tons of paper devoted to whatever you're into.

P.S While it seems I haven't shut up in ages, this is just important stories of the last 20 or so years. I've got nothing if you want anything on Batman from 1939-1987. If you need some more Adam West-ish Batman in you're life you'll have to ask someone smarter :(

Ninja Edit: Singing Batman

First off, I think this is the most elaborate contest I've ever participated in, so congratulations for that :P Fear cuts deeper than swords. I hope some of my items are awesome enough for some extra credit ;) Also I wasn't sure if duplicates are allowed. I will revise if necessary.

1.) Something grey and it's been on my wishlist.

2.) Rain, well not technically rain, she is a water bender :P Previously on my wishlist.

3.) Unusual, I think this is something I would use like twice a year. With ice cream or cereal.

4.) Someone else My sister and I want to start playing tabletop games. Previously on my wishlist.

5.) "Book" I took a little bit of liberty with this one because it's a graphic novel. But it's Batman, so...(Previously on my wishlist).

6.) Under a dollar.

7.) Cats There's a catbus in it, which is pretty much the best part of the movie. Previously on my wishlist.

8.) Beautiful As a Star Wars fan having the original trilogy on Blu Ray would be beautiful to me. I love high definition movies, especially ones that are aesthetically pleasing. Previously on my wishlist.

9.) Movie As a Browncoat, I would encourage anyone who has a remote interest in Sci-Fi to give this a chance. Previously on my wishlist.

10.) Zombie tool I don't think this needs explanation.

11.) (Updated) Useful for future. I have a desire to create meaningful video games. Previously on wish list.

12.) Add on I actually had this on my wishlist but removed it because add-on items are lame.

13.) Most expensive As previously stated, I want to be a game developer/designer so not only would it be fun to play with, I could create with it too. Previously on list.

14.) Bigger than breadbox Total in the box it is bigger than a breadbox. Previously on wishlist.

15.) Bigger than a golf ball It's a large book. Previously on wishlist.

16.) Smells good As a guy...I enjoy the scent of lavender.

17.) Safe for children toy I don't think this needs any introduction of why it's awesome.

18.) Back to school drawing helps keep me sane. Previously on my list.

19.) Current obsession I'm a noob to tabletop games. But have been wanting to get into it obsessively within the past month or so. And this also takes my love of A Song of Ice and Fire into the mix. Previously on list.

20.) [Amazing] (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XBR-65X900A-65-Inch-120Hz-Ultra/dp/B00BSREQI6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376281533&sr=8-4&keywords=4k+tv) I've seen one of these in person at the mall and it literally made me stop walking the resolution was so incredible. I know it's as expensive as dicks...but man...when these are affordable...

Bonus 2) Made in Oregon I would have put Tillamook Ice Cream, since it's pretty awesome...but alas not on Amazon.

Edit: Changed an item because I saw it won't count because it's a duplicate.

Since it seems like you're mostly interested in DC characters I'd recommend checking out the current Rebirth Series. Now I'm only familiar with Batman and Flash, so I can't speak to the quality of the other series but I've enjoyed both of them so far.

Here's some links to the first volume of the Rebirth Series of all the characters (plus the Flash) you mentioned:

Aquaman

Batman

Green Arrow

Flash

Superman

As for the best place to buy comics I recommend Amazon and Barnes & Noble as they are generally pretty cheap and run good sales fairly often (especially Barnes & Noble).

Now for some of my personal recommendations:

Batman New 52 Vol. 1 Court of Owls, it's Batman at his best investigating an old Gotham conspiracy.

Hawkeye Vol. 1 My Life as a Weapon, it's about what Hawkeye does when he's not an Avenger. It has some really amazing art.

Hope this was helpful! Feel free to message me with any questions you might have!

Sadly, I can't speak for DC Rebirth. I haven't read any of it. I can say that I loved the New52.

Batman list, in order of what I would read first.

• Batman, Year One is a great story of Bruce's first year as the Batman. I loved seeing the way Batman evolved & the lessons he learned. I highly suggest this as your first read.
  
  
• The Long Holloween was also a fantastic story. It reads a lot like a mystery novel. The ending is surprising and all around, this book is satisfying.
  
  
• Batman New52 is a great storyline. It is a "reboot" aka a nice starting point for a series. If you love this story, read on with the New 52 & slowly get the "iconic" other stuff later.
  
  
• The Dark Knight Returns is an interesting spin on things. Bruce is old and has hung up his mantle. But for reasons mentioned in the book, he dons the cape yet again. This, in my opinion, is a really great read after Year One & The Long Halloween. Those three just flow nicely IMO.
  
  
• The Knightfall series (Vol1 Vol2 & Vol3) explain why Bane is one of the greatest villains Batman has ever had. If you're looking for a complete story arc, this is where you want to start.
  
  Staples for Batman
  
  
• The Killing Joke is an iconic storyline that I would put on a must read list for Batman.
  
  
• Hush is also a very great mystery story.
  
  
• A Death in the Family is a pivotal story for the Bruce Wayne Batman.
  
  
• Arkham Asylum is a really cool & unique story about Batman going into Arkham Asylum after it is taken over (sounds a lot like the first batman game of the recent trilogy). It is a really cool perspective & you should read it at some point.
  
  Flash list (I don't know as much about the Flash)
  
  
• The Flash: Rebirth is a really great place to start. The world is established but this is a nice way to jump into the comics.
  
  
• Flash New52 is where I would go after reading Rebirth. They flow nicely. I would read Vol 2 & Vol3.
  
  
• Flashpoint, as you know if you watch the CW series, is a big moment for Barry. It's a similar story but done in a very different way. Reading this will feel fresh, even if you know the tv show.
  
  Batman/Flash related things
  
  
• Catwoman New52 is amazing. I'm not sure if you're a huge Catwoman fan or if you hate her (seems most Batman fans go one of those directions) but if you are, her series is one of my favorite New52.
  
  
• Justice League New52 was pretty cool.

I started a couple of years ago and Ill just tell you what I did and what I found usefull
(apologize for lenght, didnt know i could write this much)

Now is a good time to start spiderman if you are willing to read some back story first. [Superior Spiderman] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Superior_Spider-Man)
Is a pretty interesting take on the character and I went into it knowing only what I read from that link. Basically Doc Oc puts his mind in Spidermans body and vise versa just before he dies (after his body is wrecked from years of fighting) and Octavius vows to be a better spiderman than Peter Parker (but with a little twist in his methods). Its also good because it ended recently and the new Amazing Spiderman starts off right after and its still early enough where you can catch up and read them as they come out in a short amount of time. If you watched the recent movies, or the TV shows (from the 90s at least, dunno bout the new ones) then you will know whats going on, and if you dont, a simple google of an event will usually catch you up in seconds.

I seriously reccoment some of DC Comic's Veritgo lines. These are basically not usually superhero themed and it (started off at least) as a darker more mature set of stories. My personal favorite: Y-The Last Man. In the comic, everything with a Y-chromosome (so basically all male mammals) dies off in an instant and the world is left to be run by women exceept for one guy named Yorrick and his monkey ampersand. The writting is consistently funny and its a really cool world idea they have going. A lot of these Vertigo series ended a while back and dont require any previous reading to get into them as they are usually self contained stories. A google search or browsing in a comic shop can show you some variety (side note: google if you are curious about something you see! lots of reviews and stuff out there)

If you wanna get into DC, they pretty much reset their universe in 2012 (calling it the New 52). I also really recommend the New 52 Batman run since it starts off with a new villain so you wont be left behind there ( at least with Batman, not the other batman titles like Batman Inc, Detective Comics, and Batman and Robin - though that last one is pretty great!) You can pick up the last 2 years of comics in volume form so you dont have to buy a bunch of the issues individually at once.

I didnt grow up with comic book shops so I bought most of mine online and didnt have employees at these shops to ask about but now that I do, they can often suggest stuff they are reading!

TL DR here are some thing I read and enjoyed:
1. New 52 Batman series (new and still going!)
2. the recent Amazing Spiderman (its a great time to hop on, just google anything you dont understand and you will notice you will stop doing it soon!)
3.. Y-The Last Man (funny and easy to follow)
4. Fables (same guy that wrote Y)
5. Justice League New 52 (easy to follow since it starts at their origin as a team)
6. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (funny with lots of pop culture)
7. American Vampire (reeeeally good vampire comic book that makes recent vampire shows/movies look like shit)