What comics do i need to read to be 'prepared for Doomsday Clock?

[Punch Dimension.]

Hey peeps, question in thread title.

I know Detective and Action are essential due to their most recent arcs, and the ongoing Lex story. As well as the Button cross over, Flashpoint, the rebirth one shot and Watchmen itself. Just wondering what else i should read? Any recommendations? Anything essential?

[Denirac]

Nope. That's about it...

I'd maybe add:
Titans: The Return of Wally West
JLA: Panic in the Microverse

[Punch Dimension.]

Ah yeah, i was thinking about Titans as i figured Wally might be an important character in Doomsday Clock. Thanks.

[Denirac]

Ah yeah, i was thinking about Titans as i figured Wally might be an important character in Doomsday Clock. Thanks.

The First Arc will probably be important, and the upcoming Flash War arc in Williamson's Flash title.

[BatmanJones]

Nope. That's about it...

I'd maybe add:
Titans: The Return of Wally West
JLA: Panic in the Microverse

No offense intended but why would anyone need to read JLA: Panic in the Microverse? Literally nothing happened in it. 6 issues so we could see a blue hand again. Total waste of a story arc and even Ivan Reis, who was supposed to be drawing the whole series but left early and came back for this one arc, didn't draw every issue.

I thought the very latest issue of JLA, the one directly after Panic in the Microverse, was pretty much the first decent issue of this incredibly disappointing title.

I'd add Action Vol. 1 (the one that spans #957-966) then Superman Reborn so you can get the beginning of the Mr. Oz mystery and the answer to the "who's this extra Clark Kent without powers" mystery. I'd also include the latest arc in Action, "The Oz Effect," in #987-992 and Detective Comics latest arc, "A Lonely Place of Living."

That should give all needed background on Superman (huge in Doomsday Clock), Mr. Oz, and all ties to the big blue naked guy.

[BatmanJones]

There really should be a Road to Doomsday Clock special with each important pre-Doomsday Clock moment in it. It's just too hard to collect each of the clues along the last 2 years or so. I'd like to recommend any reader of Doomsday Clock prepare partly by reading every Oz appearance, every quote from Oz, even every moment of Detective that focuses on Tim Drake. But I have no idea which issues those are and they would be hard for a new reader to track down.

I'd like to see an 80 or 100 page giant of reprints that focus on "The Story Until Now" but if that were going to happen (or anything like it) we would have seen the solicitations months ago.

Rebirth was a great new jumping on point for readers but Doomsday Clock isn't at all. It requires so much prerequisite reading to get the whole "story until now" stuff and it's scattered throughout arcs in various series and single pages in single issues.

I do think I did a halfway decent job of listing the required reading but I'm sure it can be improved upon.

[AquaLantern]

This should help you out.

[Ascended]

No offense intended but why would anyone need to read JLA: Panic in the Microverse? Literally nothing happened in it. 6 issues so we could see a blue hand again.

Not that I disagree, exactly, but the arc might provide clues to explain how Manhattan has influenced the DCU and how it might be undone and/or dealt with. Plus we may very well see more of Ray Palmer and the villain of the story......who's name I forget. Odds are this arc won't matter much, but the microverse is where the "bullet" into reality was fired, so I figure it's gotta come into play down the line.

I'll also add to the list of things that might tie into Doomsday Clock, the Multiversity arc in Superman by Tomasi. The main connection here is the Prophet; the villain of the tale, who ends up being recruited by Oz.

[DJ1107]

-Watchmen
-DC Universe Rebirth
-Titans: The Return of Wally West
-Superman Reborn
-Batman/The Flash: The Button
-Action Comics: The Oz Effect

Those are what I consider essential chapters to Doomsday Clock anyway. A lot of other crossovers or titles seem to focus on other storylines at the moment which is why I left them off.....for now anyway.

[TheFerg714]

You might try Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan. I didn't think it was great, but I'm really surprised that DC's not rereleasing it as a sort of prelude to Doomsday Clock.

Other than that, you're spot on and I can't really think of anything major that you'd need to read besides that.

[Sam]

According to Geoff Johns at NYCC, all you need to have read is Watchman. Which reminds me...

[jb681131]

Everybody gave good suggestions but if you want the long list:

1. Watchmen
2. Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan
3. Flashpoint - Flashpoint #1-5 + Flash vol.3 #8-12
4. Superman: The Final Days of Superman - Superman vol.3 #51-52 + Batman/Superman #31-32 + Action Comics #51-52 + Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29
5. Titans Hunt - Justice League vol.2 #51 + Titans Hunt #1-8 + Titans: Rebirth #1
6. Superman: Lois and Clark: Raod to Rebirth - Superman: Lois and Clark #1-8
7. DC Univers: Rebirth #1
8. Batman: Rebirth #1
9. Flash: Rebirth #1
10. Titans: The Return of Wally West - Titans: Rebirth #1 + Titans #1-6
11. Superman: Reborn - Action Comics #973-976 + Superman 18-19
12. Batman / Flash: The Button - Batman #21-22 + Flash #21-22
13. Superman: The Oz effect - Action Comics 985-992

Then there are minor references scatered around many arcs of many series.

[TheFerg714]

Everybody gave good suggestions but if you want the long list:

1. Watchmen
2. Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan
3. Flashpoint - Flashpoint #1-5 + Flash vol.3 #8-12
4. Superman: The Final Days of Superman - Superman vol.3 #51-52 + Batman/Superman #31-32 + Action Comics #51-52 + Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29
5. Titans Hunt - Justice League vol.2 #51 + Titans Hunt #1-8 + Titans: Rebirth #1
6. Superman: Lois and Clark: Raod to Rebirth - Superman: Lois and Clark #1-8
7. DC Univers: Rebirth #1
8. Batman: Rebirth #1
9. Flash: Rebirth #1
10. Titans: The Return of Wally West - Titans: Rebirth #1 + Titans #1-6
11. Superman: Reborn - Action Comics #973-976 + Superman 18-19
12. Batman / Flash: The Button - Batman #21-22 + Flash #21-22
13. Superman: The Oz effect - Action Comics 985-992

Then there are minor references scatered around many arcs of many series.

Nice, in-depth list, but don't you think Detective's latest arc should be in there? It deals directly with Oz's prison.

[jb681131]

Nice, in-depth list, but don't you think Detective's latest arc should be in there? It deals directly with Oz's prison.

Thanks and yes about OZ, but I haven't read yet, I don't really know what the full OZ crossover is.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

If you haven't read it yet, Watchmen would likely be a requirement, as would DC Universe: Rebirth #1. Other than that, I think you're good. Johns does a pretty good job of making his stuff very accessible to new readers.

The Button, Superman Reborn and the rest haven't really revealed anything new we didn't already know.