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  1. #1
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    Default Your favorite 'history/encyclopedia/overview' type book on DC Comics

    For me, it's the 'DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle

    This book literally goes year by year and showcases all the highlights that took place in DC Comics' history. Almost every significant character introduction or change is covered, spotlighting Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Justice League, Legion of Super Heroes, Justice Society, Teen Titans, Doom Patrol, Sandman, Jonah Hex, and so many others.

    The only omission I saw was the death of the pocket universe Superboy in Legion of Super Heroes, which was a pretty big deal at the time. But every other event I can think of in my years of reading DC Comics is addressed here. It's a great book that brought back a lot of childhood and adult memories for me.

    What about yours?


  2. #2
    Extraordinary Member Güicho's Avatar
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    Not sure if it counts, I thought Wolfman and Perez' History of the DC Universe was pretty neat, for the two seconds it was relevant.






    Last edited by Güicho; 08-01-2018 at 08:16 AM.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member Güicho's Avatar
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    Edit: Double post.






    Similarly DC's 80's
    Who's Who in the DC Universe series.

    Last edited by Güicho; 08-01-2018 at 08:17 AM.

  4. #4
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    My favourite encyclopediae are those by Michael L. Fleisher for Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman. They have a limited scope, but for learning about very obscure characters and stories in those franchises, they have been a handy resource. And I llke the central conceit of these three volumes which treat everything as existing in a coherent continuity, where any contradictions are regarded as "chronicler's errors" and everyone in the book is supposed to be an actual living person. As well, the writing is very good and not boring.

    I have several books that give overviews of DC in general or specific DC franchises, but I think the best book for getting to know DC through the ages is THE DC VAULT. It's great because you can go on a tactile adventure discovering artifacts from each period (or reasonable facsimiles), so it gives one a much better sense of DC as a physical property. While it shows off odd memorabilia for the big icons--it delivers a lot of minutiae for minor characters, too.

    And then there's that huge doorstop, that I have yet to fully read, because it's so heavy to handle: 75 YEARS OF DC.

  5. #5
    Mighty Member Kaijudo's Avatar
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    As a kid I was OBSESSED with Who's Who...I read each issue back to back, dozens of times, to learn about the long-forgotten characters I'd never even heard of until that issue. I'd say that and the original History of the DC Universe were the ones for me...and that I'd pretty much murder a guy for a new History of DC Universe book (maybe post-Legion and JSA return). Get Phil Jimenez to replace Perez, if he's unavailable/unwilling.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kaijudo View Post
    As a kid I was OBSESSED with Who's Who...I read each issue back to back, dozens of times, to learn about the long-forgotten characters I'd never even heard of until that issue.
    I didn't purchase the entire series but I did have about half of them. Those were great books.

    I know that most of the info in those issues are now outdated or don't even exist in current DC Comics 'history' but I still wish they would do an omnibus of those for old times sake.

  7. #7
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    I bought all the WHO'S WHOS and updates, up until I reached the breaking point--at the end, they were doing these binder pages on cardstock, which got pricey. I bought some of the binder pages, but I wasn't willing to buy the complete set, as that was a lot of money.

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