This was an article originally published as a user blog post on Game Informer.
Comics are like some television shows. If you start watching them in the middle of a long season, you’ll have no idea what’s going on. You’ve got to find out what happened to the hero, who the bad guy is and what he’s planning, what climatic event they’re talking about in episode 78, and so on. When I encounter something like this, I (personally) don’t get involved in it. I like being a part of the beginning; “jumping in” at a random point isn’t my thing. This includes researching articles and synopses; even sometimes going back to the beginning in the middle of a season (for example: watching all of the past episodes). I mean, it’ll just take so long to get caught up with the current timeline! Maybe this is a dumb knack I have…but hey, maybe you’re like me too. If so, I’m sure this is how you feel about comics. You might be interested in reading them, but don’t want to start at issue 237 or some other ridiculously high number. However, I have some great news for you. Have you heard of DC’s New 52? If you haven’t, or have and brushed it aside as an insignificant change in the comic world, let me tell you that you’re missing out on one of the most drastic events in comic history geared towards someone like you.
Behold the new Justice League!
What is the New 52? It is a launch of 52 comic series going back to #1. Some comics are being told from a completely new perspective, some are retaining events that happened in past comics (that you don’t need to know at all), and some characters are getting their own comics. 1 out of the 52 is Action Comics, which is the first comic series where Superman debuted in the 1930s. Since then, over 900 issues have been created with that title (trust me, that’s a massive number for comics). This continuation ended in November with The New 52 launch…yeah, that’s significant. I’ve already been subscribed to six comic series at my local comic shop since September, so why do I think you should be reading comics as well? I’ve put together 3 compelling reasons.
1. It’s A Rare Chance To Climb Aboard
It’s not often when you see a new comic series or a renumbering of one. And most of the time, it ends up being about a side character in a big series or some sort of spin-off that expects you to know what’s going on. However, The New 52 is unlike anything anyone has ever seen. Every major and obscure comic is being taken back to #1, and you don’t have to know anything to get into them. Have you ever been vaguely interested in comics but were turned off by having to do research? Well, this is your chance. Come one, come all!
2. A Diversified Field For Everyone
A basic definition of a comic plot is a costumed hero saving the day in a city from the bad guy… actually, this isn’t too far off for some comics. From my knowledge, this would lean towards a Superman comic. If you like classic superhero tales, go for it! But are most comics like this? On the contraire, my friends. The New 52 has a lot more to offer than you think.
A female superheroine spec-ops team? An old western-themed Gotham? A demon knight in the medieval ages? If you want it, DC’s got it. Batman, Superman, and the Justice League are all superheroes we’ve heard of, but would Animal Man, Men of War, or Swamp Thing be more interesting to you? There are so many different kinds of comics throughout The New 52 as well as unique artists and writers (like Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder). If you don’t like the “overrated superheroes” like Batman (even though I can’t imagine you would), you could give Birds of Prey or Nightwing a shot! There’s a comic for everyone.
3. It’s Completely Awesome And Not Nerdy
I know this sounds like a personal opinion, but I think it rings true. Whenever I used to think of comics, I associated them with skinny geeks with glasses. This couldn’t be more wrong. There are many kinds of people that read comics because they aren’t focused on a specific target group. Comics can be sprawling epics with vivid storytelling, breathtaking art, and well-developed characters that attract everyone. I was surprised when I started with my New 52 comics because of how entertaining they were (and still are). Think of it this way…are books targeted at certain people? Not exactly, because most people I know (no matter how different) love reading. It’s the same thing with comics. Trust me, you won’t know what comics are really like until you pick up one for yourself.
Where would you find DC’s new comics? You have several options. You can visit a local comic shop (I found one that is 20 minutes away from my house), get them shipped to your house by subscribing online through Dccomics.com or other websites like tfaw.com (however, getting comics this way may result in more damage to your comics), or by buying digital comics through the DC Comics app; super convenient for those on the go. Each comic is $3-4 a pop, but is totally worth the price of admission.
If you have no idea where to start, I could give you some ideas. Some of the popular comics out now are Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Action Comics, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash, and Justice League. However, opinions vastly range from person to person. If you’re not sure what to get, try the first 1-2 issues of a whole bunch of comics and see which ones you like best. In the future, I might post a few reviews of my favorite comic series here and there as suggestions for you all. Other than this, I think you’re set to fly into the DC universe! Oh, and don’t forget that there are plenty of other brands to try out as well. Until next time!
