#dc guide

[ainxis]

DC Comic Book Guide!

Do you want to get into reading DC comics but it all seems very overwhelming and you have no idea where to start? Or maybe you've already been reading comics for a while but you've been avoiding exploring new characters because you just cannot find a good reading list for them.

If so you've come to a good place!!!

Along with @seratheminx on TikTok (go follow her! she makes really fun edits and other DC related videos, and this whole thing was her idea!) we've been working on a little project that assembles reading lists for different DC characters and teams for easy access! It also contains explanations for newer readers on basic terms and timelines. And gives our recommendations on where to start reading!

So far we have assembled lists for 230+ characters!

And there's a wheel you can spin to randomly choose a character from the list ✨😎.

Anyway here's the link to the docs:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1toKeMJJQRUBVBZmDL4KTTfVEtsVrxm63BYmBUJCjc-M/edit

Unfortunately I don't have a large following and most of my mutuals are already into comics so I would appreciate some help with rebloging so it can reach a wider audience!

If you have any questions or suggestions (we're in no way experts on a whole DC comics universe just two fans doing our best so if you find any mistakes please let us know) there's a suggestion forms at the end or you can send me an ask/dm.

Enjoy ❤️

DISCLAIMER 📢

The lists featured on the docs were not made by us! We just wanted to put them in one place for easier access as sometimes they are way harder to find than just a quick google search (which I did not realise before I started this project 💀). All the credit for those goes to their original creators! Lists are added in the form of links so you can clearly see who the og creators are, please give them some love if you found their hard work helpful!!! Seriously those guides are amazing and so well thought out! But that also means that not every list is up to date, as some were made a few years ago or didn't include certain eras for other reasons. I tried to include disclaimers if I thought that the missing years are important to the character so you can look for the rest on your own but obviously there are 230+ characters and I'm not an expert on every single one of them so 😅. The rest: definitions, recommendations and such were written by me and Sera. I just wanted to make that part clear.

[kelaeri]

DC Continuity Crash Course

Navigating the DC universe can be tricky, even for longtime fans. Knowing what is considered "canon" can be even trickier, especially when the present canon is constantly changing, but there is a main timeline comics generally follow. This guide will take you through the basics as well as define some terms you may frequently come across in the fandom.

The first thing fans should know is The Multiverse exists in DC continuity, meaning there are several different realities that may show up or be referenced in comics. Most of these realities receive an "Earth" designation, such as Earth-1 or Earth-12. The current DC canon takes place on Earth-0.

Now, wouldn't it be nice if we could stop there? Sigh. For better or for worse, DC loves reality altering events, and Earth-0 has experienced its fair share of them with the most critical ones being Crisis on Infinite Earths and Flashpoint.

Crisis on Infinite Earths (1986) was a multiversal event that effectively rebooted the timeline and began an era of Earth-0 called New Earth or Post-Crisis. Unless otherwise re-canonized through comics published in the Post-Crisis era, stories published prior to the event (dubbed Pre-Crisis) were no longer considered canon.

Flashpoint (2011) was an event that ended the New Earth timeline and began the Prime Earth timeline. As of today, this is the timeline Earth-0 is still currently in.

Prime Earth can be broken up into various branding eras or titles, each one fairly recognizable by characteristic logos being printed on the covers of single issues and graphic novels alike, but you can also identify them by publishing date.

The New 52 (2011) marks the beginning of Prime Earth. This was a controversial era of DC wherein several things from New Earth were retconned. Many characters' origin stories were revised, each to varying degrees.

Rebirth (2016) served as a soft "reboot" to the New 52 where several elements from New Earth were re-integrated into the current timeline (restoring many old and beloved origin stories/retconning poorly received New 52 origins) while still keeping many critical plot points from the New 52 canon.

Infinite Frontier (2021) continues directly from Rebirth. Rather than rebooting anything, it integrates some more elements of the New Earth timeline and leads directly into DC's current branding initiative: Dawn of DC.

As a reminder, not everything from Post-Crisis has been re-canonized with Rebirth and Infinite Frontier; this is a common misconception. Some events in these comics happen in a way that make it impossible for certain Post-Crisis stories to have happened. Likewise, not everything from New 52 has been retconned either. The specifics, unfortunately, are unique to each character, and truly the best understanding of them is achieved through reading the comics. The DC Wiki page, however, generally does a good job explaining a character's origins and their current canon. They also typically list retcons and inconsistencies in the character's page notes.

But wait! I hear people say all the time. What about stories that don't fit the branding, like Injustice, DC vs. Vampires, or Wayne Family Adventures? Aren't they still DC?

Just because something is published by DC (or in association with DC) does not mean the story is canon. In fact, DC frequently publishes non-canon stories (often called Elseworlds) to tell a story they otherwise can't in the main timeline. These stories are usually fairly easy to identify, especially if you're familiar with the main comics. They may take the characters to a different setting, change their origin stories, change their personalities, change their relationships, give them a new family or children– really the possibilities are endless. But the bottom line is, because these are non-canon stories, any events or (mis)characterizations you see in these do not apply to their mainstream counterparts. I realize this probably seems intuitive, but I have seen enough people conflate the two to the point I feel I have to clarify.

[momachan]

The DC Encyclopedia, New Edition 2021 [Newly Revised Edition]: This New Edition Of DC's most Comprehensive A-to-Z.

[phantobats]

I like to think that Bruce has a meticulously maintained order of where and how to store all the gadgets in the Batcave. If it's not followed properly, his entire day is ruined and his disappointment is immeasurable - and Dick knows this.

So whenever they fight, Dick will absolutely sneak into the storage and place the slightly larger Batarangs with the smaller ones, switch the flash grenades with the smoke bombs, and maybe even park the Batmobile slightly sideways instead of having it face the exit directly.

It drives Bruce crazy, but he can't react outwardly lest his other children notice and this cursed psychological warfare begins spreading.

[galaxymagitech]

Pre-Crisis Jason Todd, you are an utterly incomprehensible child.

Your compulsive acrobatics are adorable. Your ability to imprint on Bruce and call him your new father within a month is impressive. Your cute child powers are so strong that Man-Bat tried to adopt you. Your ability to phrase things in the weirdest way possible is matched only by Pre-Crisis Dick Grayson, and even then, you have proven yourself his equal in that regard.

You’re insane, and I love that for you.

[breesperez139]

Dc x Dp Prompt #6

“I’m a twin”, Damian said one night. He could feel the narrowed eyes of his family drilling holes on his back in disbelief. Not that he could blame them. Damian had never so much as implied being raised with a companion, much less a sibling.

“I had a brother”. Damian paused to recollect himself. He had not said his brother’s name out loud in over 8 years.

“His name was… Danyal”. Damian hated the way his voice wavered, but he could not help it. Danyal was everything to him, his other half. Their heart beat as one and when one heart stopped beating, the other one died with it. At least until his family put his heart on metaphorical life support without ever realizing.

“Where is he now?” His father asked, voice filled with knowing grief and a hint of betrayal. It had in fact been 6 years since Damian first showed up on his doorstep.

“Up there”. All eyes shifted towards the specific star he was pointing to. “Right before he died, he promised me he’d guide me from the stars. Unfortunately, the stars are not visible in Gotham, so my brother is unable to be of much help unless I leave the city.”

“Your brother is Polaris, the North Star?” Tim questioned warily, most likely in attempts to not offend him. Damian was aware of how stupid it sounded, but Danyal had promised, and his brother never broke his promises.

“Yes. Danyal is with the stars now, just as he always wanted”

[frownyalfred]

Magic Expert: A person's magic shares similarities with the user

Bruce: What does that mean?

Magic Expert: Yours is incredibly unstable, destructive, indecipherable, and possesses great darkness

Bruce: ...

Bruce: So.... I should stay away from magic?

Magic Expert: Yes, you should stay away from magic

19 year-old Bruce, hand hovering above the ancient incantation bowl in the League of Assassins armory, not realizing it had started glowing: "...you know what?"

Ra's, wide-eyed, sweating bullets since the bowl started glowing because he knows what that Means: "ah...what?"

Bruce, removing his hand from above the bowl and grabbing an escrima stick: "I think I want to try this instead."

Ra's, bathed in relief so pure it could power a thousand suns: "....ah, yes. much better....suited, to your temperament."

[jlquarterly]

TIM DRAKE READING ORDER

For those who, like me, when they like a character they need to read every single comic the character appears in, I have compiled a list of all of Tim Drake’s appearances from his debut up to the 2011 Flashpoint reboot (not including New 52 continuity).

If you enjoy my reading guides or find them helpful and would like to support me, you can do so on my Ko-Fi.

[hoodielord]

Green eyes in the fear fog.

For half a second, Steph thought today would be a decent day. But no, not in Gotham.

Steph's current events professor, who was also the head of student affairs, had offered extra credit to help give college tours. Look, she had to take the extra credit she had to, even if it meant that she had to be a tour guide. It wasn't hard, just annoying.

The group was small, only five people, but two of them stuck out. A brother and sister. The brother was the definition of adoption bait blue eyes, black hair, vigilante tendencies withholding. The sister was at least as tall as Jason. She had orange hair just like Babs, you'd think they were related.

Anyways, Steph's new mission was to make sure the kid and Dick never met. The kid would not stop making puns. Some of them earned him a laugh but some earned him a smack from his sister.

"Aw, come on, Jazz, it was funny."

"You can do better." she shrugged.

" Sounds like a challenge." A wicked smirk appeared on his face.

" Danny, please don't."

"Challenge accepted."

Yep, I'm definitely keeping him away from Dick.

But something was off about them other than looking at the crime capital's university. They could probably be metahumans. Their eyes seemed to slightly glow blue. They carried themselves as they had already expected danger. I mean, it pays to be prepared, especially in Gotham, but they aren't from here.

If the siblings weren't already on a list B has they should be now. Jazz had been almost ecstatic when we were moving through the psychology department. Danny was practically bouncing off the walls when it was time to go through the engineering and physics departments. Definitely should keep an eye on them.

It was reaching the end of the tour in the cafeteria. Another weird thing about the siblings was their reaction to food. They seemed to have this sort of optimistic curiosity like they were happy to have food to eat, but at the same time, they were poking to make sure it wouldn't attack or something.

Talking with the siblings was interesting too. Danny was buzzing about the engineering department. He went into a great rant about a project that Wayne Enterprises was working on in the aerospace engineering division. Maybe she should keep him away from Tim, too.

The conversation died quickly when a shriek rang out from down the hall. Steph turned quickly to see green fear toxin fill the cafeteria. Swarms of people ran for the exits knocking each over. She quickly dug through her bag and pulled out her gas masks, one for her and her backup.

"Jazz? Jazz, where did you go?" Danny called. They must have gotten separated.

Damn, she needed another one for the siblings. She shoved her spare into Danny's hands.

" Put the mask on and head for the exit."

"But I need to find Jazz."

"I'll find her. Put the mask on and go." Steph yelled as she went further into the fog. Quickly, she sent an alert to Oracle. Signal is on patrol right now, but more bats might show up.

It was dense she could barely see in front of her. There was some noise up ahead. Someone was screaming. The yelling grew louder as she rounded the corner.

"Stop! Get away!"

It was Jazz. She was practically growling. Her fist slammed into the concrete wall, leaving a deep impact. She was clearly affected by the Fear gas. A meta affected with fear gas, not good.

"Stop! Don't hurt him. He's not a monster! He's my little brother!" Jazz had gone from fury to sadness as she practically begged for her hallucination to stop haunting her.

If it wasn’t the meta thing it was whatever she was hallucinating that caught Steph’s attention. Definitely on B's list now.

"Isn't it interesting what fear does to the mind?"

Steph saw Scarecrow emerge from the fog.

"I saw you in the psychology department. Your eyes lit up like a fire. But now they are clouded with fear."

A chill went up Steph's spine. She quickly checked her mask for leaks but didn't have any. Turning her attention back to Jazz and Scarecrow, she saw something. Green eyes shifted inside the fog. They looked like a predator hunting its prey. For a second, they look like Jason's.

From behind Scarecrow, the eyes stopped, and a figure emerged. A baseball bat slammed into Scarecrow's face, knocking him to the floor. The figure came into full view now. It was Danny his eyes were glowing green.

He knelt down to Scarecrow.

"You really don't have any brains. Do you Scarecrow? If you did, you wouldn't have hurt my sister." His voice was downright, frigid.

He turned and rushed over to Jazz who was still trying to convince her hallucinations to stop.

"Jazz, it's okay. Come on, I'm fine. It's okay." His voice was soft and gentle as he helped her up. Jazz mumbled a little as she stumbled down the hall.

Steph quickly caught up to the siblings slinging Jazz's arm over her shoulder.

"Sorry, I couldn't help earlier," Steph spoke quietly.

"It's fine. Not everybody can be a hero."

Steph wanted to laugh at the irony of that statement, but she just nodded.

"Sorry about the tour too."

"It wasn't all bad."

" Oh, the rouge attack and poisoning wasn’t bad?" Steph asked sarcastically.

" Our hometown is haunted and our community college is funded by my godfather. And he is a rich fruit loop.”

‘Ghosts?’

“You know Gotham University is funded by Wayne Enterprises right?”

“Annoying crazy fruit loop or weird himbo? Hmmm. Yeah, I’m going to have to go with the himbo on this one.”

Steph laughed at that one. Bruce is going to want to hear about this but she’ll keep him away from these siblings for a little while.

[brokeyourbones]

DC PROMPT

Every robin has died once. Except, in this universe, they don't come back. Bruce has already long since hung up the cowl, unable to stand being the Bat after Tim's death, having to bury another child of his own.

When Damian comes along, he thinks he has one last chance, to be an actual dad, to be a good father. When Damian finds his way into the dusty, abandoned Batcave one night, Bruce is horrified.

Because he finds Damian wearing pieces of all the robin suits. Dick's shirt, Jason's gloves, Cass's cape, Barbara's mask, Tim's pants, and Steph's boots. He looks just like all the boy robins, and his hair doesn't help with how he looks like Cassandra.

Damian is only 10, so parts of the suit drape over his body. He looks just like the other robins, Bruce can hardly hold back a choked sob. Damian doesn't understand why Bruce is shaking when looking at him.

"Father? What is wrong?" Damian asks cautiously, head tilted to the side in the same way Dick used to do. Bruce's heart clenches.

"...How did you...find this place? It's sealed off." Bruce answers Damian's question with another, brows furrowing. He made sure any records of this place were destroyed, and that there was no way inside.

Damian looks at Bruce like he's stupid, placing his hands on his hips and looking around.

"They showed me!" Damian says like it's obvious, not explaining who 'they' is. He waves a hand at the empty air around him.

Bruce feels a chill crawl up his spine. "Who's they, Damian?" He regrets asking as soon as it slips from his mouth, the air around them growing even colder.

"The robins!" Damian says with a huff, pouting and crossing his arms over his chest. And suddenly, Bruce is engulfed in warmth. As if he was being hugged from all sides. It's enough to break him.

[bisupergirl]

SUPERGIRL READING GUIDE MASTERPOST

ULTIMATE SUPERGIRL READING GUIDE Includes reading guides for PRE-CRISIS, POST-CRISIS, NEW 52, REBIRTH, and INFINITE FRONTIER (continuously updated for recent appearances!)

SUPERGIRL STORYLINE RECOMMENDATIONS Includes recommendations for my favorite Supergirl stories across all of Kara's different eras.

PRE-CRISIS SUPERGIRL RECOMMENDATIONS Includes recommendations for my favorite PRE-CRISIS Supergirl storylines.

[a2remedy]

Ride or Die and Beyond

Jason Todd, at 15, panicked and tired, didn't know what to make of the situation he was in.

Jason Todd, at 13, was oblivious to his best friend, who was, by all means, just as much of a medical professional as Leslie. That totally wasn't concerning.

Oblivious to how he'd always have a copy of Pride and Prejudice on hand whenever Jason was feeling stressed. Oblivious to dancing shadows and tricks of the light that lead him to hidden clues at crime scenes. But he was aware of the promise to be each other's ride or die when they had to beat up older Gotham Academy students that tried bashing them for not being from rich families.

Jason Todd, at 15, was aware that changed when it was his turn to tend to his friend who got a high fever. He had Alfred rush them to Leslie's and stuck by his side because he knew his friend was afraid of hospitals and needles. He held his friend's hand tight and squeezed to remind him that he was there.

They made jokes about how they couldn't avoid each other even in death. That's when it becomes Ride or Die and Beyond. Then he died. Screaming for his friend and for his dad. Jason Todd, at 15, has never failed to grasp that he couldn't get rid of his friend even if he wanted to. It was fucking annoying... and endearing.

----

Danny Fen Nightingale, at 15, never thought he'd be fighting back an assassin lady with a shovel in front of his best friend's grave. He's been feeling off for months. His grief over his friend felt... wrong? Something was happening. No, something was bound to happen. He couldn't explain it until a green sticky note told him to take a little walk down memory lane within Gotham. He dug up some flowers he was growing and stopped by a tool shop to get a bigger shovel to get the flowers closer to his best friend. As close as they could. But someone beat him there. Someone new? No, he knew this feeling. The unknown, the feeling that someone was watching whenever he visited. He failed to crack her upside the head for attending without flowers. But he felt the shift, somethi- time, time decided to set things right. ---- Talia was caught between a sense of shock and pride that the friend of her beloved's ward nearly got the jump on her. She wouldn't deny that it was within her expectation, though. The boy's steps were so light, she would've been hit if he wielded with less drag, something lighter. With the way the boy dodged and weave from her blows, she was ecstatic to see a dagger in his hands. Is this how the boy felt when he slipped out of here mentioning a 2 for one deal? It was only after her beloved's ward crawled out of his grave that the boy let his guard down so slightly while blocking her off from him. The boy lasted without her training. She was sure he had training of some kind, and yet his form was lax. So nimble, so adaptable.

Of course, she made quick work of the two and covered their tracks before making her escape.

Were her maternal instincts activating again? ----

She wasn't sure how to define her relationship with Danyal. The boy has finally seen the effort to correct her and Damien as pointless after months of being here. Yet, he's displayed a strength she hasn't seen in knocking down her father and dragging him through a brighter glowing Lazarus pit for "paperwork". She may not be sure of what or where her father was, but Danyal has ensured his good health with a devilish grin and that he never laid another hand on him. She was positive he was being tortured in a way the soft-hearted boy deemed fitting. But was he another son? He didn't seem opposed to the idea after her insistence to be trained and grimaced at being in a room with them for too long as he said they stink. He visits 3-4 times a week to ensure her beloved's war- Jason was good in his recovery.

She found herself agreeing with Jason less and less as the boy began turning red after they shared the night he was first back in his right mind crying and holding the other close. But Jason assures her that he's just his best friend... Maybe Danyal couldn't be her son. But he could be her son-in-law.

She wasn't against that.

She also wasn't against the glances she shared more often with Damien as two interacted. They grew closer in discussion of how Danyal fell first, but Jason was falling harder. Then there was this Roy character she's been hearing about more. She couldn't wait to take pleasure in Jason's reaction of his love interests assassinating the so-called Prince of Crime. It warmed her heart that they involved her in strategizing and cleaning up. They also seemed to be reaching a similar affection.

Now she and Damien just need to get Jason to realize he has two boyfriends. Oh, the struggle of motherhood.

[kelaeri]

Favorite DC Resources

I'm keeping this updated on my blog as well. Welcoming any and all suggestions in the comments, but these are some websites I use for my own personal collection and comic book reading.

Collection Trackers

League of Comic Geeks (All Comics/Manga + Discord)

Google Sheets / Excel

Timelines & Chronology

Comic Book Wire (Personal Favorite! Prime Earth)

DCU Guide (Personal Favorite! New + Prime Earth)

Reading Orders

Comic Book Reading Orders (DC + Marvel)

Comic Book Treasury (DC + Marvel)

Comic Book Wire (Prime Earth, Sorted by Character)

League of Comic Geeks (Community Lists + Events)

[nelkcats]

Spite

Danny made himself known to the world by hacking into the Justice League's communications line. Amity was safe but he was so tired of being ignored that the moment he figured out how to isolate his small town from the rest of the world he decided to let the heroes know they had failed.

He posted all the ignored calls, the GIW legal documents, the experiments, everything that would let them know that they had failed. Because he had saved himself and the others but never got help.

In a very short time Amity declared itself independent, similar to Atlantis or Themyscira; they didn't need anything from the rest of the world anyway.

At first the League thought it was the attack of a villain or some new organization.

It became very obvious that this was not the case the more they confirmed the information presented, from a law passed under their noses to the threat of exterminating an entire race of beings that were much stronger than them but decided to chose a peaceful route instead of just destroying everything.

For the first time in years, the League felt useless. The weight only increased when the last piece of "evidence" turned out to be the death certificate of Daniel Fenton, the first victim of the whole mess.

[bet-on-me-13]

Danny is there for every Hero Death

Ever heard of SCP-4999, a man who appears at the deathbed of anybody who dies alone to offer them some final comfort? That's Danny for all Hero Deaths.

He's there for Superman when he is killed by Doomsday, leading him to the Afterlife with a kind smile

He's there for Barry Allen when he dies, letting him know that he can finally stop running.

He's there for Stephanie Brown when she dies of her Wounds in Dr Leslie's office, holding her hand as she passes

And he's there with Jason Todd when he is betrayed by his mother and killed by the Joker, offering a shoulder to cry on as the building explodes

He is the comforting presence there to sooth all Heroes in their final moments, because he never had one in his own.

[galaxymagitech]

As I’ve been reading old Jason comics, I’ve sometimes kept a running commentary in my Notes app. Here are some of the funniest/strangest/most out-of-context notes:

Dick canonically says “Good Gosh” at 19.

Upon meeting Robin…Jason immediately asks about Wonder Girl. Dick’s response? “You’ve got taste.”

Okay what the heck is this page it weirds me out so much.

Guess I’m subtracting a parenting point.

Jason says Batman is like a father to him. He has known Batman for one (1) month.

Jason kicks Alfred in the shin really hard.

Jason wants to see a 3D science fiction movie. Nerd.

Vicki and Jason should fistfight each other in a Wendy’s parking lot.

Okay wow that is pretty creepy.

Bruce is apparently not officially Jason’s legal guardian yet. So he plans to retrieve Jason without contacting the authorities. Does this count as kidnapping?