Starting comics may seem daunting. Take Detective Comics, for example. It began in 1937 and is still ongoing today with 1,102 issues available. It might feel like there’s no way to ever catch up, but the beauty of comics is that you don’t have to start from issue No. 1, and this is all the more so because of recent changes in the industry.
In October 2024, DC began its All In initiative. It’s a jumping off point that can be incredibly helpful for new readers, because it starts a new story arc for all the series that are part of the initiative. The All In issue (issue is the traditional, floppy 20-30 page comic book) for Detective Comics is No. 1090, and any new reader can start there without prior knowledge of Batman or previous story arcs.
Now that a year has passed, I can happily say that this is the best time to get into DC comics. With new on-screen projects coming out, exciting events in the DC universe and efforts to make comics more welcoming and affordable, it has never been more appealing to begin reading comics.
In addition to DC’s All In initiative came the release of the Absolute Universe. It’s part of the All In initiative, but not in the same continuity as the mainline comics. The Absolute Universe is an alternate universe created by Darkseid, one of the most powerful villains in DC.
Because of this, the new Absolute Universe was built on despair rather than hope, which Superman embodies on Earth-Prime. For example, Absolute Batman grew up in a working-class family; Absolute Wonder Woman grew up in Hell, instead of on Themyscira and Absolute Superman arrived on Earth as an adult rather than as a baby. The heroes that fans know and love are missing a core part of their character, but still find ways to be heroic at the end of the day.
Courtesy of DC Comics
The Absolute Universe is great for both new readers and long-time comic book fans.
The Absolute Universe is great for both new readers and long-time comic book fans.The Absolute Universe is spearheaded by comic book writer Scott Snyder, whose approach to these traditions is a breath of fresh air. It’s a great way to switch things up while also being inviting enough for anyone to start reading without prior knowledge. However, if you do have prior knowledge of the characters, it’s fun to compare how different they are from their main-universe counterparts. There are currently Absolute titles for Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter, with more on the way for other characters.
It’s been a year by now and new issues have been coming out every month, meaning if you pick up an Absolute title right now, you’ll only be around 12-13 issues behind. It’s the perfect time to start because there’s already a story to hop onto, and the hype is still high.
Another great new addition to the world of comics has been the Compact Comics, which DC began releasing around the same time the All In initiative began. These are comics that cost only $9.99 and are smaller than the usual trades. Typically, trade paperbacks contain a whole story arc and cost at least $15 because of their high quality paper and printing.
DC has been releasing 1-2 new compacts every month since September 2024, and they are fully completed stories or story arcs collected into one easily transportable paperback where the paper quality is rougher, but still perfectly readable.
My favorites are “Batman: The Court of Owls Saga” by Scott Snyder and “Superman: Birthright” by Mark Waid, which are both great starting points for the two respective characters. “Superman/Batman: Book One” by Jeph Loeb contains the first two story arcs of the Superman/Batman series that ran from 2003 to 2011, and has many great moments of friendship and camaraderie between DC’s two biggest heroes.
“DCeased” by Tom Taylor is also an intense, heart-breaking story that was released as a compact this summer. It’s an Elseworlds, meaning it takes place outside of the canon, and follows the characters of the DC universe in a pseudo-zombie apocalypse (they don’t call them zombies, but they’re basically zombies).
While affordability and a new jumping off point for comics are great, the release of a high-profile “Superman” movie this July is what really brought DC back into the spotlight.
Under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s leadership as co-CEOs, the DCU has been refreshed and it doesn’t seem like it’ll be slowing down anytime soon. “Supergirl” is slated for a June release, and “Man of Tomorrow,” a Lex Luthor and Superman movie, for July 2027. Meanwhile, there have also been TV shows both animated and live-action, including but not limited to “Creature Commandos,” “Peacemaker” and an upcoming “Lanterns.”
The project I’m looking forward to the most is “The Brave and the Bold,” which will follow Batman and his son Damian, known as Robin, with an established Batfamily.
There’s the just right balance of projects that follow big name characters and more niche characters that long-time fans might appreciate, which will introduce new fans to less-touched parts of the DC universe.
If you have just started reading comics, I would recommend picking a character that sounds interesting and starting from the beginning of the most recent run. There are thousands and thousands of issues, and while you could start from the very beginning, there’s nothing to lose by starting at the beginning of a recent story arc.
That being said, here are my personal recommendations for beginner comics that are also some of my favorites.
“Superman Smashes the Klan” by Gene Luen Yang (a Saratoga High grad, by the way) is about a Chinese-American family facing racism in Metropolis in the aftermath of World War II. Superman fights The Ku Klux Klan in a heartfelt story about the acceptance of one’s heritage and community.
“Booster Gold Vol. 1” by Dan Jurgens gives readers a taste of an older-but-not-too-old comic era. The series ran from 1986-1988, following Booster Gold, also known as Micheal Jon Carter, a ex-football player from the 25th century who travels back in time to the present with plans of becoming a hero for fame and profit.
“Batman and Robin: Year One” by Mark Waid is a recently finished 12 issue series. It follows the first year of Batman and his first Robin, Dick Grayson. The art, drawn by Chris Samnee, is absolutely beautiful and the color by Matheus Lopes brings the whole thing together.
“Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” by Waid is an ongoing series that began in 2022. It’s similar to the 2003 Superman/Batman series where Batman and Superman team up, but it takes place in the early years of the two heroes, when Dick Grayson was Robin instead of Tim Drake, who held the mantle in the former series. Dan Mora is one of my favorite comic artists and I think that he and Mark Waid create amazing stories.
There aren’t any comic book shops in Saratoga, so my go-to shop is Heroes & Champions in Sunnyvale. Another local option is Illusive Comics & Games in Santa Clara. It’s easy to just buy the comics online, but I try to support the local shops when I can.
What makes comics so great is the fact that you will never know everything. And if you don’t like a story, there are still hundreds of others to read. All it takes is a willingness to explore a new world.
