DC Comics Recommendations Please

[TONNER99]

I am a longtime Marvel Fan and although many of my favorite characters currently have their own titles (Black Panther, Alpha Flight at least appearing in Captain Marvel, Moon Knight & Daredevil) I'm just not hyped about them. I'm sure some has to do with them always restating their titles every year or two. I also feel, at least on the comic book end of things that Disney has helped lessen the quality. And there is also the apparent orders about the handling of certain properties from Evil Ike.

I am going to drop Marvel effective immediately and want to jump head on into DC. Any suggestions (Rebirth or even previous trades)would be very appreciated. I've always been a fan of The Question, Animal Man, Wild Dog, Swamp Thing, Green Arrow and Hitman (I am aware that neither currently have titles).

Was wondering people's thoughts on current titles Cyborg, Suicide Squad, Flash, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Hal Jordan & the Green Lanterns, Cave Carson, Doom Patrol and Aquaman. However please feel free to suggest any additional rebirth books!

Thanks to all in advance that help me out as I hope to go from Make mine Marvel to a proud member of the DC Nation!

[dan12456]

For Green Arrow it depends which version of the character you like (young or old) but I can't recommend Lemire's New 52 run highly enough.

Regarding the current titles you mention I'm loving Flash and Aquaman. Both are amazing. Green Arrow is solid with great art, not the best dialogue though. I've heard amazing things about Deathstroke but haven't picked it up yet. I didn't like the first issue of Cyborg and didn't keep going with it.

[sifighter]

Lets see what I can help with from what I've read.

The Flash: Its been enjoyable, not everyone liked the initial arc(although I did) but overall it's been a lot of fun showing Barry Allen grow his relationship with Iris and train the newest Kid Flash, as well a pretty enjoyable Rogue arc that just finished as well as an interesting Batman crossover

Green Arrow: Good as it's done a lot with Green Arrow and his supporting cast as well as work on him being a man of the lower class people which has been a big part of the current series but it's very on the nose with its political commentary which sometimes has been very jarring.

When it's comes to the Green Lantern titles I personally prefer the Green Lanterns series with Simon and Jessica because it focuses solely on them and their personal states but Hal Jordan and the GLC is a fun cosmic book to read if you want to see the organization as a whole with multiple characters filling out different roles and having their moments. It's especially good if you are a fan of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner

Cyborg has been good, it's not great but it does what it can to expand upon the character more and I find it to have a lot of fun moments.

As for Suicide Squad, I personally stopped reading it but that was more of my problem that I didn't quite feel the stakes and felt it had just become kind of a regular super team made up of villains. However it had good characters and writing from what I remember.

[Assam]

Lifelong DC fan here to help!

For the Rebirth titles you asked about:

Cyborg: Not reading it, and I'm just letting you know now in case you don't know otherwise, the Cyborg of the comics is bland as Hell, and nothing like he is in the animated series.

Suicide Squad: Heavily based off the movie. If you liked that, you'll probably like this.

Flash: Not reading it, but people seem to really be enjoying it. Give it a read!

Green Arrow: By far one of the best Rebirth titles! The Arrow Family has been reassembled, meaning Oliver has an excellent supporting cast, the art has been great, and Oliver has returned to his roots as an SJW. Definitely read it!

HJ&tGL: Don't like it. At all. If you want a good Rebrith Green Lantern book, check out 'Green Lanterns'. It rocks, and is about on the same level of quality as Green Arrow.

Cave Carson and Doom Patrol: Weird and awesome. If you're at all tired of standard superhero stuff, read them.

and lastly

Aquaman: Aquaman is my favorite mainstream superhero, and while the current run isn't as good as Jeff Parker's New52 stuff, Dan Abnett knows how to write Arthur and a good politically driven story. Now if only he could learn how to write women...Regardless, still a pretty solid read, and hey, you're not gonna see Aquaman go blow for blow with Superman anywhere else.

As for trades I'd recommend:

Kelley Puckett's entire run on Batgirl has recently been collected in trade. But this isn't no Barbara Gordon. No, this is the story of my favorite character in fiction, Cassandra Cain. The 38 issues contained in these 3 trades are, IMO, the greatest run in all of comics.

The 2006 Blue Beetle series is entirely collected in trade. It stars the third Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, and while it does tie into a lot of DC lore, it's also a fantastic stand alone series.

Likewise, the 2007 Booster Gold series is heavily lodged in DC lore, but it can still be enjoyed on its own. The whole series was never collected, but I'd at least recommend the first two trades, AKA, the best part of the series.

Think the Suicide Squad are DC's only team of villains who have had their own book? THINK AGAIN. Because Secret Six, written by Gail Simone, is miles better than the Suicide Squad. Simone had a long run on the book Pre New52, and returned to the series right before Rebrith. I highly recommend any trade which has the names "Secret Six" and "Gail Simone" on the cover.

Cassandra Cain wasn't your thing? Well guess what, there's another Batgirl in town! In Bryan Q. Miller's 24 issue Batgirl series, Stephanie Brown takes up the cowl in run that's downright fun.

Believe it or not, I base my political and theological beliefs off of those of an anto-hero. His name is Anarky, and his name is his goal! He's made a number of appearances over the years, but the best of them have been collected in the Batman: Anarky trade. It's probably my favorite single trade of all time.

And lastly, if you REALLY want to read something from the New52, I'd recommend Aquaman. The first 6 trades are all filled with excellent stories, and trade 8 isn't half bad. Trade 7 is crap, and is definitely skipable.

I hope I've been of some help, and I hope you end up enjoying some of what are my favorite comics.

[RolandGunner]

Was wondering people's thoughts on current titles Cyborg, Suicide Squad, Flash, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Hal Jordan & the Green Lanterns, Cave Carson, Doom Patrol and Aquaman. However please feel free to suggest any additional rebirth books!

From this list I'd recommend Deathstroke, Green Arrow, Doom Patrol, Cave Carson (guest starring Wild Dog!), and the Flash. That's a mixture of classic superhero books, the best villain book on the shelves in Deathstroke, and a couple of really fun alternative stories.

If you have any interest in Superman get Rebirth Superman by Tomasi, Gleason, and Mahnke. Its a really touching family story that humanizes Supes in a way that no one at DC has managed in years.

[BatmanJones]

Of the titles you mentioned...

Deathstroke by Priest is a modern masterpiece. It may be the best title in all of Rebirth and that's saying a lot.

Green Arrow is okay. It's kept my interest but I'm not among the fans that count this title as a great one even though I've always loved the character.

I gave Cyborg a try and dropped it very quickly. Not much "there" there.

Ditto Suicide Squad. Gave it a try and dropped it. Have never questioned that decision. Just not very good.

The Flash: I feel the same as I do about Green Arrow though it's a bit better. I still buy it and read it but it hasn't really impressed me. It should be so much better.

Hal Jordan and the GLC: I feel as some other posters do in thinking Green Lanterns is the far superior GL title. HJ&GLC is fine. Some people here are blown away by it. I'm not one of them. I still buy it and enjoy it but I highly recommend the other GL title over this one. It's been really great.

Cave Carson: All the Young Animal titles have been GREAT. CC is my third favorite. I'd rank them 1) Doom Patrol, 2) Shade the Changing Girl, 3) Cave Carson, 4) Mother Panic

Doom Patrol: Probably the book I look forward to the most each month. I only wish it published twice monthly like some Rebirth titles do. My only complaint is I wish there were more of it. I love Way's run on DP literally as much as I did Morrison's and that's saying a LOT.

Aquaman: Another title that most fans love a lot more than I do. I like it a lot but I preferred Johns' run. I keep feeling like Abnett is a great writer waiting to happen but his Aquaman and even his Titans (which is much better IMO) feel like they could be a lot better and I keep waiting for Abnett to become the writer he seems to have the potential to be.

--

Apart from Deathstroke and the YA titles (Cave Carson, Doom Patrol), I'd say the best of DC right now is not among your list. Look to the three main Batman books (Batman, Detective, and All-Star Batman have each been extraordinary), the Superman titles (Superman itself might be the best superhero book DC's publishing now and Action and Superwoman are also quite good), Wonder Woman, JLA (the art is astounding though the writing has been a touch slow), Trinity (featuring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) has been pretty great, Titans has been very very good though it got off to a slow start (having a deep and abiding love of the characters and finally seeing them getting a good treatment after so many failed attempts has been very satisfying but if you don't have a love of the characters I'm not sure I'd recommend it). I also highly recommend Shade the Changing Girl.

Hope this helps.

[Lamashtar]

I started with Marvel and the X-men. Read Marv Wolfman's Teen Titans and loved Kid Flash/Wally West (the redhead). My favorite characters are Cyclops (prior to getting involved with the White Queen), Daredevil, and in DC, Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Most things I read in DC were because Hal Jordan was connected to them.

I don't really think either of the current Lantern titles are super? They are decent if you like the characters (Jessica is great!). The art on Green Lanterns is horrid but the plotting is okay. Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps is better than the writer's previous run, but suffered because of too much editorial pulling in different directions. Its only just starting to feel like its hitting a groove.

I much prefer previous DC stories. I started with the Marvel/DC crossover Green Lantern/Silver Surfer and from there, Emerald Twilight/Emerald Dawn, and Geoff Johns' run. Parallax is like DC's version of the Phoenix. For a quicker read, try the two-parter Convergence tie-in for Green Lantern. It effectively summarizes the characters of Hal and Kyle and Parallax.

I liked Hal Jordan as the Spectre, but his run was very philosophical and not for everybody. John Ostrander's run on the old school Spectre is worth hunting down but you have to buy the individual issues because its never been traded, I believe.

[Lightning Rider]

I'll comment on the titles you mentioned that I'm following:

Flash has been kind of mediocre but definitely improved in recent issues with the focus on the Rogues. It felt a little bit too generic in terms of a superhero comic at first, but Barry is being written pretty well and Kid Flash, while redundant (imo), isn't exactly hurting the series due to Barry shining as a mentor.

Aquaman was awesome because it was a classic political false flag story in which Aquaman had to balance his duties as King as well as JL member and hero. His supporting cast shines and the adventure is definitely worth the read.

Green Arrow for the most part has been classic adventure. Some of the dialogue is a bit heavy-handed, but for the most part he's going on adventures you'd hope to see him on and tackling issues other heroes probably wouldn't. The latest issues have gotten a bit too CW-esque, but still enjoyable enough to catch my interest.

Deathstroke at the moment is the strongest (or 2nd strongest) title I've been reading and is definitely going to be remembered as a classic memorable run on the character. It's a cleverly written story about a dysfunctional family and the intricacies of assassin work. It's easily my favorite read despite having no particularly strong attachment to Slade prior.

I know it's not in your mentions, but the first Superman Rebirth stories were fantastic and easily topped anything else I was reading. I have also very much enjoyed Nightwing and Death of Hawkman, and would be happy to elaborate on those as well.

[thefiresky]

My ranking of series I've read.

1. Superman
2. Deathstroke
3. HJ&GLC
4. Batman
5. Wonder Woman
6. Flash
7. Green Lanterns
8. Detective Comics
9. Nightwing
10. Teen Titans


Mind you - I think all of those are good, and worth reading. Stuff I TRIED to like and completely dropped are..

Cyborg
Aquaman
Green Arrow
Batgirl
Suicide Squad
Justice League

Edit: also, these weren't like a "one and done", I gave these issues anywhere from 5 to 8 issues before I was like "this is not worth investing into".

Also I think HJ&GLC and Batman are about to switch places for me.

All in all, it's a preference thing. But I'd say a good 85% of DC readers on this forum have a general sense of this order being mildly appropriate give or take bias. Also I realize Action and Red Hood etc. Aren't on here - it's cuz I haven't read them

[TONNER99]

A BIG thanks to all that have offered their assistance!
I was just skimming over Previews and just thought I'd also ask if anyone has any thoughts on The Hellblazer & Blue Bettle books.
THANKS AGAIN!

[Assam]

A BIG thanks to all that have offered their assistance!
I was just skimming over Previews and just thought I'd also ask if anyone has any thoughts on The Hellblazer & Blue Bettle books.
THANKS AGAIN!

I'm not reading Hellblazer, but I've heard from others that Constantine's older stuff is much better.

And Blue Beetle, much as it pains me to say it, isn't very good. It's still better than the New52 stuff by a landslide, but as I said before, you should check out his 2006 series. It's SO MUCH better.

[TONNER99]

I'm not reading Hellblazer, but I've heard from others that Constantine's older stuff is much better.

And Blue Beetle, much as it pains me to say it, isn't very good. It's still better than the New52 stuff by a landslide, but as I said before, you should check out his 2006 series. It's SO MUCH better.

Thanks unclepulky!

[batnbreakfast]

52 Book 1 (for the The Question storyline)
Green Arrow Archer's Quest
Swamp Thing Root of all evil
Jonah Hex by Jimmy Palmiotti (later re-titled All Star Western)

[Assam]

52 Book 1 (for the The Question storyline)
Green Arrow Archer's Quest
Swamp Thing Root of all evil
Jonah Hex by Jimmy Palmiotti (later re-titled All Star Western)

52 is the greatest event DC has ever done, and The Question, Booster Gold, Steel, Ralph Dibney, and Black Adam storylines are all standouts.

Oh God. Now I'm imagining someone with no knowledge of the DCU trying to read Green Arrow: Quiver. It'd probably be the most confusing thing they'd ever read.

YEEEEEEEES!

Haven't read any All Star Western, but I know it has a strong fanbase.

[Blackest Knight]

I am a longtime Marvel Fan and although many of my favorite characters currently have their own titles (Black Panther, Alpha Flight at least appearing in Captain Marvel, Moon Knight & Daredevil) I'm just not hyped about them. I'm sure some has to do with them always restating their titles every year or two. I also feel, at least on the comic book end of things that Disney has helped lessen the quality. And there is also the apparent orders about the handling of certain properties from Evil Ike.

I am going to drop Marvel effective immediately and want to jump head on into DC. Any suggestions (Rebirth or even previous trades)would be very appreciated. I've always been a fan of The Question, Animal Man, Wild Dog, Swamp Thing, Green Arrow and Hitman (I am aware that neither currently have titles).

Was wondering people's thoughts on current titles Cyborg, Suicide Squad, Flash, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Hal Jordan & the Green Lanterns, Cave Carson, Doom Patrol and Aquaman. However please feel free to suggest any additional rebirth books!

Thanks to all in advance that help me out as I hope to go from Make mine Marvel to a proud member of the DC Nation!

Welcome to the DCU.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the upcoming "Make Mine Marvel" initiative (which many are thinking will be a Marvel Rebirth) will get me buying 2 or 3 times as many Marvel books like DC Rebirth has done for me and my pull list.

Here are my thoughts on the books you mentioned that I also read...

• CYBORG - I want to like it more than I do. The art by Conrad and Pelletier has been very good, but Semper's writing has been so-so at best. Only for hardcore Cyborg fans, unfortunately (which I am one of those).
  
• SUICIDE SQUAD - I only bought the first 10 issues because Jim Lee was drawing it. I'm not an SS fan so I'm not a fair judge of this book. It is very action-packed, though.
  
• FLASH - Josh Williamson & Carmine di Giandomenico are turning in a good run that's on the verge of becoming truly great. I liked the Godspeed arc; the Shade issues were...okay at best. But Rogues Reloaded was brilliant. The relationship between Barry and Iris is growing. Wally West's transition to Kid Flash is going smoothly and his character is all the stronger for it. The big DCU Rebirth crossover with Batman, "The Button," comes out next month. Sales are blowing up and Williamson seems to be hitting his stride and only writing bigger and better stories. Don't miss it!
  
• GREEN ARROW - I love Ben Percy's SJW take on Ollie. I love Black Canary and Emiko as Red Arrow and the return of both Diggle and Arsenal. If you're an old school GA fan? You should enjoy this run. The art by Schmidt, Ferreyra, Byrne and Carlini has been good, too. Yeah, the dialogue is stiff at points, but that is a very minor quibble. This is the best run of Green Arrow in the past 3 years.
  
• DEATHSTROKE - Deathstroke is brilliant. Christopher Priest writes a villain book that is true to the character without being overly dark. The dialogue is witty and the humor is smart. He does an equally outstanding job writing the supporting cast. Adeline Kane, Jericho, Rose Wilson and Wintergreen haven't been this well-written in probably a decade. The art is good, not outstanding. But it does its job and the covers are gorgeous. In the years ahead, I think this book will be widely recognized as a classic run that fans and critics will look back on very fondly.
  
• HAL JORDAN & THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS - I know GLs has its fans and they are a passionate bunch. But for my money, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps is definitely the better book. You have all the classic GLs fans know and love--Hal, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, Kilowog, Salaak--and more. Classic Geoff Johns creations like the Sinestro Corps, Saint Walker and Larfleeze have all had significant roles to play. The art by Rafa Sandoval and Ethan Van Sciver is fantastic! The stories are cosmic. The characterization of each character is classic and rewarding. The plots are fun. I love this book!!
  
• AQUAMAN - I do like Dan Abnett's stories and characterization. But he has been recycling a lot of old Aquaman story ideas. I'm seriously over the whole "Surface world hates & fears Atlantis"--and we're on the verge of another storyline where the Atlanteans are trying to dethrone Arthur. Heavy sigh. The art team is very strong with Brad Walker (excellent!), Phillippe Briones (good and getting greater) and Scot Eaton (nice work, but goes up and down in quality). I'm a big Aquaman fan and I like the book, but its quality goes up and down with each arc. Generally, I think it's worth buying. I just can't promise it will blow you away.

Hope this helps!