NEW TO COMICS!!!! Having a little trouble getting started

[Nero286]

Like the title says I recently got hooked on comics when a friend of mine told me a little of the backstories of some of the characters in the DC Universe and I decided to start with DC.
Here's where I encountered the problem - there are a tonne of characters and i don't know where to start and added to that, there at least 3 reboots for each and every character that they had started and after a couple of hours of researching I found out that they just recently started a reboot called
"THE NEW 52".
I am a pretty huge manga reader and when I started to look into the DC world, I had no idea where to start.
So, here are my questions -

1. Would I be missing anything massive if I start from "THE NEW 52" instead of the originals, for example, if I start reading Constantine from "THE NEW 52" rather than "HELLBLAZER" from the old series would I be missing anything massive / noteworthy??
OR rather let me rephrase my question, is it worth it to read the original before reading "THE NEW 52??"

2. Could anyone suggest me a couple of interesting characters to start with and where exactly do I start reading them from(chapter)??

3. I saw something called the "INFINITE CRISIS SAGA" online.
SO, my question is, can I start reading these directly and understand the SAGA or should I start from the basics.
If I should start from the basics could someone point me in the right direction?

Thank You For Taking The Time To Read My Huge Post and Answering The Questions.

[MadFacedKid]

The New52 was designed to get new readers in it was a chance to start with an Origin and move forward and from there so no you don't have to read any Pre-Flashpoint stuff to understand anything with New52 labeling unless maybe Green Lantern which im not sure how that works.

I'd suggest to read Justice League starting from 0 or 1 or whatever the first issue numbering is. By issue 14 or 15 it ties into Aquaman same writer so I'd suggest to read both atleast until you get to Throne of Atlantis.

I heard runs like Azzarello on Wonder Woman, Snyder on Batman, Morrison on Action Comics, and Jeff Lemire on Green Arrow, Animal Man and Swampthing were good I've been jumping around most of those titles but they seem highly regarded so id suggest giving them a look I personally want to.

Hitch's JLA, Martian Manhunter and Cyborg also had really strong starts that might get you invested into the character/s if you want to try those out.

If you like Constantine there's JL Dark and his own book you mentioned ofcourse. I've jumped around JL Dark and haven't read Constantine so no opinions there.

Constantine appears in Injustice Year 4 if you want to try out that as well.

My main pick would be JL and Aquaman atleast to Throne of Atlantis, but it depends on what you like

[Carabas]

1. Would I be missing anything massive if I start from "THE NEW 52" instead of the originals, for example, if I start reading Constantine from "THE NEW 52" rather than "HELLBLAZER" from the old series would I be missing anything massive / noteworthy??
OR rather let me rephrase my question, is it worth it to read the original before reading "THE NEW 52??"

It depends what you're looking for.
The old Hellblazer stories aren't relevant to current continuity and didn't happen in the New 2 universe.
On the other hand, practically any old Hellblazer books will get you massively superior stories to the current Constantine book.

3. I saw something called the "INFINITE CRISIS SAGA" online.
SO, my question is, can I start reading these directly and understand the SAGA or should I start from the basics.
If I should start from the basics could someone point me in the right direction?

Almost certainly not.
The problem is that there aren't any real basics. DC's (and Marvel's) superhero universes are like huge oceans. And new readers just have to bite the bullet and dive in somewhere and hope they'll learn to swim at some point.

You come from a manga background... DC and Marvel are what you'd get if series like Naruto, Rurouni Kenshing, Evangeleon, Death Note, Lone Wolf & Cub, Hellsing, Galaxy Express 999, Berserk, and Love Hina would all share the same continuity, their plots would influence each other, they would regularily exchange characters, and have yearly events where every books crosses over.

[batnbreakfast]

It depends what you're looking for.
The old Hellblazer stories aren't relevant to current continuity and didn't happen in the New 2 universe.
On the other hand, practically any old Hellblazer books will get you massively superior stories to the current Constantine book.

I support that opinion but the current Constantine isn't bad. Justice League Dark did nothing for me despite having Felix Faust but the team's name is just so....
Don't worry about continuity. Just start following charcters or writers that appeal to you (and inside the trades you get recommendations with similar stuff), check the reviews online and you won't get disappointed.

[t hedge coke]

I support that opinion but the current Constantine isn't bad. Justice League Dark did nothing for me despite having Felix Faust but the team's name is just so....

I'm enjoying the current Constantine book a lot. The one that came between, though, the just Constantine one... that didn't seem much worth it.

[LP22]

Download this from comixology it's for free:

dc2016.jpg

It has all the DC'S on print graphic novels of the pre-new 52,new-52,and vertigo by reading order,DC created this especially for people like you so download it and enjoy

[batnbreakfast]

I'm enjoying the current Constantine book a lot. The one that came between, though, the just Constantine one... that didn't seem much worth it.

Sorry, should have checked my facts better... I was referring to the Constantine Going Down trade (not the Lemire run). Image has another good take on Constantine with Wolf

[ed2962]

If you're a new reader you really shouldn't worry about "nu52", "pre-crisis" or "post crisis",etc. Every decade DC will change the continuity anyway. And seriously, despite all the hand ringing some fans go thru, it doesn't matter...it's all just fiction. What matters is the quality of the comic you paid yer money for. You should really try to focus on the type of stories you like. DC has many graphic novels that are critically acclaimed and are even taught in college courses...things like Dark Knight Returns, Y The Last Man, Watchmen, etc

If you just want to read about tights and fights, I'd pick a hero or two that appeals to you and dive in. If you find that title doesn't do it for you, look at the artist and writers you like and go from there

[Punjabi_Hitman]

The real question is after REBIRTH, which origin story will be canon?

[GlennSimpson]

The real question is after REBIRTH, which origin story will be canon?

Nobody knows, but I suspect it will still effectively be the new52 version.

[t hedge coke]

If you just want to read about tights and fights, I'd pick a hero or two that appeals to you and dive in. If you find that title doesn't do it for you, look at the artist and writers you like and go from there

Best advice.

The real question is after REBIRTH, which origin story will be canon?

That would be a fairly minor question for most readers, wouldn't it?

Otherwise, Year One would be out of print by now, at the least. The basics of the big ones aren't changing except in the minutia.

[Lightning Rider]

If you want to get to know DC Universe, you should start with the classics. I tell every newb this when they get here. Quality is more important than being current.

These are JLA stories with several characters you can pick up and enjoy without knowing much about the characters:

Justice, by Alex Ross
JLA: Year One by Mark Waid
JLA Volume 1 by Grant Morrison
Identity Crisis
New Frontier

And plenty of other quality JLA trade paperbacks.

If you want to center on individual characters, it's even easier to find classic stand-alone stories that are considered classics.

[SmokeMonster]

Don't limit yourself to one continuity.

Google best dc comics or for the characters you are interested in and go from there.

[tib2d2]

Ok here's what you do. I started with the New 52 after having gone over 15 years without reading DC at all. It was an awesome place to start and you didn't have to know tons of backstory to enjoy it.

THEN, once you start really liking a title or character in the New 52, you'll start to get naturally curious about other pre-New 52 stories that took place. Then you can pick and choose old issues and stories to check out at your leisure.

[Atlanta96]

I'd personally recommend holding off on New 52 stuff until the Rebirth event this summer, since we don't know how much continuity will be relevant after then. Until then, I'd say focus on older stories, get to know classic portrayals of DC characters, so you can form an opinion on their current portrayals.