#comic guides

Batman: Year One (Batman (1940) #404-407): Batman's post-crisis origin story.

Batman: No Man's Land: One of the biggest Batman storylines. It features all of the important Gotham/Batman cast of characters from the 90s and is the introduction of Cassandra Cain/Batgirl. Fantastic story, but I recommend reading it in a collected trade format. They are available on Hoopla (which is how I read it), but you can find the trades pretty easily for free online. Start with Batman: Road to No Man's Land Vol. 1

Batman: Gotham Knights (2000): Character-driven Batman comic centered around the "Batman Family." There are a lot of great character moments in this series.

Batman: Hush (Batman (1940) #608-619): One of the most popular Batman stories of all time, partly because it features every major Batman ally and rogue of the 2000s. People debate whether it's overrated or not, but it is extremely accessible to new readers, which is why I recommend it.

Batman (2011): The New 52 Reboot of the character. Great entry point for modern comics.

James Tynion IV's Detective Comics (2016) run (Detective Comics #934-981): Another good entry point for modern comics. This features a large cast of characters, like Tim and Cass, but also Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, Kate Kane/Batwoman, Luke Fox/Batwing, Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael, and even Clayface (Basil Karlo).

The Boy Wonder (2024): This is not in continuity, but it is, in my opinion, a really good, endearing introduction to the "Bat Family" cast of characters. Very accessible. Fantastic art and story! It's Damian Wayne-centric, but Dick, Jason, and Tim each appear!

2. Tim Drake!!

I love Tim! He's a great starter comic book character because he was intentionally written to be very relatable and to serve as a self-insert for the reader.

If you want to read his stories, here are some good places to start:

"A Lonely Place of Dying" – Tim's origin

"Rite of Passage" (Detective Comics (1937) #618-621) & "Identity Crisis" (Batman (1940) #455-457)

Robin (1991) – his first mini-solo!

Robin II: The Joker's Wild! (1991)

Robin III: Cry of the Huntress (1992)

Robin (1993) – Tim's solo ongoing, ran until 2009.

Young Justice (1998) – Tim's Team Book with his friends.

I do not recommend starting with Red Robin (2009). Yost's run is great, but it is best appreciated when you know his later history.

Many of Tim's early stories are collected in a series of trades, starting with Robin Vol. 1: Reborn. There is also Robin: Tim Drake Compendium One, which is a very large omnibus and collects most of the above. It's not available online though!

Regarding Bruce and Tim's relationship, I would not characterize it as abusive, but it has had its high and low points. Generally, it has actually been pretty positive, but the 2000s were a dark time for Bat comics... Here's a good reading guide (second link) if you want to read some Bruce & Tim comics. Their relationship is very dear to me!!

Tim & Jason's relationship is much more complicated, partly because Jason was dead in the ground for most of Tim's time as Robin, and then he was a full-out villain until the New 52. I'd say that Jason was antagonistic towards Tim during post-crisis (pre-2011 comics), but during the New 52 (post-2011 comics), they partner together a lot! I don't think Jason hates Tim now. But honestly, talking about their dynamic deserves its own post, so please forgive me for not digging into it here.

3. Cassandra Cain!!

CASS IS SO COOL!!! And her stories are incredible. She's also an easy character to get into. She gets introduced in the Batman: No Man's Land event, but I recommend just picking up Batgirl (2000) #1 and starting from there!! She also recently got her own solo comic again, Batgirl (2024), which is good too, but I recommend reading Batgirl (2000) first!!

If you are reading by trades, Cass's first Batgirl (2000) trade is titled Batgirl Vol. 1: Silent Knight. Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott are an incredible creative team!

Slight Reminder: if it is related to Krypton like language, culture, either in canon or head canon are in the #Krypton Tag, if it is related to Metropolis City, it is in the #Metropolis Tag, and finally if it is related to Smallville, it is in the #Smallville Tag

if I like the Civillian design I put it in the #Outfit Tag, and if I like the super suit design, I put it in the #Suit Tag

SECTION ONE - FIRST AND FOREMOST: WHAT SHOULD I ACTUALLY READ?

The Flash (1987)

This series is where the bulk of the Flash Mythos resides. The Flash (1987) features some of the most memorable arcs of the franchise, with a cast of well-beloved characters making frequent appearances and a mishmash of different writers working on it over the years. The main focus is on Wally West—the Third Flash—and is packed with all of the action, romance, and epic friendship that you would expect from a superhero title. 

Due to both its length and varying degrees of quality, I'll be going over the exact contents of this book in later sections of this guide. For now, just know that this is the book I recommend you start out with. I promise that it lives up to the hype. 

The Flash 80-Page Giant

The Flash 80-Page Giant is an anthology of short stories, ranging anywhere from the golden days of Barry Allen’s Flash to the far-off and distant future of the 31st century. Generally speaking, this oneshot is a consice look at these characters and their motivations, and is very good at simplifying their personalities. However, it’s sort of a mixed bag on whether the story is good, bad, or simply outdated, but I can guarentee that where it is good, it’s great. 

The Life Story of the Flash

Written from the perspective of Iris West, The Life Story of the Flash is a memoir chronicling the life and times of her husband, Barry Allen, starting from his very early childhood all the way up to his tragic death. This comic heavily features the romance between Iris and Barry, but even if that’s something that doesn’t interest you, it remains a great (and emotional) recap over the most important Silver Age arcs in Flash comics. Honestly, if you end up reading anything on this list, it should be this comic—it’s just that good.

SECTION TWO - THE FLASH (1987); DIFFERENT WRITERS, DIFFERENT STYLES

Let’s talk about The Flash (1987). Over the course of its almost two decade run, there has been five main writers, each with their own spin on the series. Below, I’ll be summarizing the direction that they took the comic, and hopefully, allowing you to get a sense on whether or not their runs are for you. Though, please be aware that this section is clouded with personal bias and should be taken with a grain of salt. 

Mike Baron (#1-14)

Here’s a recommendation: do not read this book chronologically. Although Mike Baron succeeds in whittling down the bare bones of Wally’s character, reading these beginning chapters is an acquired taste, and terrible for anyone just starting out. If the wonky writing won’t tune you off, then Wally’s brattish and self-interested portrayal will. 

To best describe this run, it’s a little bit like being repeatedly hit over the head by a whack-a-mole. Baron has an almost perverse interest with capitalism and luxury, but is incapable of writing any deep commentary about it. His writing really only succeeds in solidifying Wally as a childish, reckless individual with no real clue of who he is, or who he wants to be. Save this run for last, if you read Baron’s work at all. 

William Messner-Lobes (#15-61)

There is a noticeable jump of improvement as you start reading Messner-Lobes’ run, with the story developing coherency, recurring characters, and an actual plotline. But as you flip through issue after issue, you sort of get the sense that the writer himself wasn’t quite sure which way the plot was turning, or what he even wanted to do with the story. The writing can be clunky and unnecessarily anectdotal, not to mention difficult to read at times, but ultimately rewarding for those who stuck it out all the way to the end. 

Like his predecessor, Messner-Lobes’ frequently ties his conflicts together with socioeconomic status, albeit to much greater effect. Furthermore, characters like Linda Park and Hartley Rathaway are cemented into the mythos, and it is this run that rewrote Wally from a naive, often unsympathetic braggadocio, to a commendable, well-loved superhero. I consider this run to be the defining backbone of Wally’s character and essential to understanding who he is, but in the end, it is not necessary for you to read if you decide you can’t stomach the writing.

Mark Waid (#0, 62-129, 142-159, 162, 231-236)

Waid is the most commended writer for this series, and for good reason. Under his direction, the characters became lifelike, with genuine conflict and evocative descriptions securing his run as a timeless classic. Here is where the majority of the recurring lore and characters make their appearances, most famously with the introductions of both the Speedforce and Bart Allen. This is a must-read. 

Despite the massive web of characters Waid juggles, you never get the sense that any relationship is forced, be it romantic, platonic, or familial. Waid is truly fantastic at navigating interactions between these characters, in such a way that you can genuinely believe that they love each other. Perhaps my only relevant criticism of this run is how, near the end of it, the quality dips in terms of progressively more cliche and nonsensical plots. However, it’s nothing unbearable. 

Mark Millar + Grant Morrison (#130-141)

Millar and Morrison focus was on the more mystical aspects of a speedster’s abilities. Although this is a relatively short run, this era is known for its otherwordly, visionary concepts, with the writing maintaining an almost childlike reverence for the unexplainable and the overwhelming. It’s absolutely worth reading and, like Waid, introduces some of the more important recurring lore into the mythos. 

Yet in spite of my praise for it, this run can come off as detached, especially since most Flash comics are known for street-level crime rather than the pseudo-spirituality that these writers seem to delight in. In general, it’s obsessed with making you feel, for better or for worse. But with that being said, I have no true complaints about this run and would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested. 

Geoff Johns (#164-225)

I’ll admit it: I’m biased. Geoff Johns’ work on the Flash degraded the quality of writing to an almost laughable degree, and while there are some rare few sections of his writing that can be held to the standard of the previous two runs, the majority of his work is completely disingenuous to the characters, their motivations, and their relationships with one another. I can definitely understand why it endears itself to readers, but personally, it was incredibly aggravating to read through. My advice would be to try out the first ten issues or so and see how you like it: if you enjoy it, good for you, but if you don’t, you shouldn’t expect the story to get any better. 

Johns’ main focus is on crime. Where before, writers focused on character development, Johns’ is nigh fanatical with his need to cram in overly dramatic fight sequences and dastardly villain schemes into every plot, and characters fall to the wayside because of it. This has the added effect of converting the Rogues—previously lawless if inoffensive criminals—into callous outlaws scrubbed clean of any previous personality. Similarly, Wally is now largely detached from his friends and family, and made into an isolationary force whose main recurring relationship seems to be the Keystone City police force. Joy.

SECTION THREE - THE FLASH (1987); OKAY, BUT WHICH ARCS EXACTLY?

Now, this is a lot of issues to get through. Maybe you just want to read a few arcs and dip your toes in before deciding to go any further. In that case, here are my three favorite arcs from The Flash (1987)—sorted chronologically—and a brief synopsis of each. 

Born to Run (#62-65)

Born to Run is a four-part flashback to the very early days of Wally’s superhero career. As Kid Flash, Wally recounts his time at Barry’s side, the tumultuous relationship he has with his immediate family, and the dangerous consequences his powers have on his body. This is Waid’s first arc of the series and truly, one of the most iconic. 

The Return of Barry Allen (#74-79)

My all time favorite, The Return of Barry Allen is a tense, action-packed story that is exactly as the title suggests: the return of Barry Allen. This arc fully cements Wally’s growth into the Flash, dealing with his lingering grief of his Uncle’s death, his feelings of inadequacy from taking up the cowl, and the conquering of both. Is it any wonder that it’s a classic?

The Human Race (#136-138)

To save the world, Wally must win a galaxy-spanning race. The odds are against him, Earth is a second away from combusting, and most baffling of all, Wally’s long-forgotten imaginary friend is the being he’s competing against. This is a compelling story of hope, awe, and the human condition, and absolutely worth suspending your disbelief for. 

SECTION FOUR - THE CONCLUSION AND WHAT TO READ NEXT

This is not the end all, be all, to Flash comics. There’s plently I didn’t mention for the sake of simplification, some of which I personally adore, and many more that just require context that a beginner won’t have. So if you’ve read what you wanted and you’re looking for more, here is a short list of Pre-52 comics worth your attention:

Impulse (1995)

The Flash Secret Files (1997) #1

Green Lantern / Flash: Faster Friends + Flash / Green Lantern: Faster Friends

Speed Force

Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold

All Flash