10 comics or graphic novels every DC fan should read -.

With about 90 years of experience in storytelling, it can be overwhelming to look at the world of DC and the many comics and graphic novels available to read and decide where to start. With countless heroes, universes, authors, and so on, you may not know where best to start. Therefore, I have compiled this list of 10 comics that are great places to start your DC journey, some of which may become very popular as the DC Universe continues to take shape. Let’s start, in no particular order.

All-Star Superman

We’ll start with this one, because next summer everyone will be talking about the Man of Steel again, when the James Gunn-directed, David Corenswet-headlined Superman hits theaters. While it will no doubt have a few creative liberties, that film is based on the All-Star Superman story, a fantastic tale of a veteran Superman coming to terms with his own mortality after an awkward encounter with Lex Luthor. This story is all about Superman performing breathtaking acts of heroism, while also bracing himself and preparing humanity for a world without its strongest and most admirable protector. Since Grant Morrison is part of the creative force behind this story, you can be sure it will not disappoint.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

We also selected this story in part because of its apparent future connection to the DC Universe. After Superman in July, the next big DC movie will be Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and yes, that is also the name of this relatively new and wonderful cosmic adventure starring Kara Zor-El. This is a fantastic introduction to Supergirl, a comic that follows the famed heroine as she travels across the stars hunting down a vicious criminal in hopes of helping an alien girl in her quest for revenge. It is a colorful, beautifully drawn and exciting story that shows that some of the best comics are brand new and not just timeless staples from the 1990s or earlier.

Batman: The Dark Knight returns

Bats will feature prominently here, especially since the Caped Crusader is the subject of many of DC’s greatest and most compelling works. One of these, in fact one of the most influential comics of all time, is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, a story in which an aging Bruce Wayne puts the hood back on and does not retire after a new wave of criminals begins to seize Gotham City without any concern for police and law enforcement officials. This is a rather brutal story that portrays an older Batman who has lost his already questionable moral compass, and shows him doling out shockingly cruel violence to the scum of Gotham.

Watchmen

This may be the best DC graphic novel of all time, and also a major contender for best graphic novel ever, period. Alan Moore’s story takes us into a twisted and dark world where vigilantes have been exiled and relegated to the past, and then follows a collection of former heroes as they try to unravel a series of shocking events and hunt down whoever brutally murdered them. This is an example that will make you realize how complex and brilliant graphic novels can be, as the story is truly unparalleled and keeps you guessing throughout the journey, while being supported by rich and conflicted characters operating in a detailed world. It is honestly not to be missed.

The Sandman

Perhaps Neil Gaiman’s magnus opus, the conflicted author’s series of graphic novels seeks to delve into a world beyond gods and explore the existence of the ethereal beings known as the Endless. The Sandman documents how the physical embodiment of Dream fits into the world and commands responsibility and respect from gods, demons, monsters and, of course, ignorant humanity. It is a long-running story with numerous twists and turns and takes the reader to places he would never have imagined, while responding to his perception of reality and how we judge the supernatural and the divine. It is also a very creatively drawn series that will keep you engaged as you play the 10+ chapters and additional spin-offs.

Batman: year one

Once again, we return to Bats. Many have attributed this story to the one from which Matt Reeves’ The Batman took inspiration. While there is much that separates the film and the comic, one thing is certain: this story gives us perhaps the best and most entertaining look at Batman’s origin story. There is a reason this is called Year One, and that is because it delves into the hard and demanding first year of the Caped Crusader, and how he had to become more than he ever expected to become in order to help protect the people of Gotham City from its rising and increasingly vicious criminal inhabitants.

Kingdom Come

Although anti-heroes are very common today, they were not always so. In the 1990s, they began their actual rise to stardom and this led many of the established writers to want to take a stand and show that there should be some degree of clear right and wrong between heroes and villains. Kingdom Come is a direct shot at anti-heroes because it is set in a future after the Justice League have retired and left their duties to a new wave of increasingly violent replacements. After a series of incidents, the Justice League -members return to the fold by forming different factions in an attempt to restore order to the world, only to plunge into a major conflict in which the existence of metahumans is brought all the way into the equation. This is a heavy story with far-reaching consequences, and it is also fantastically entertaining to read.

Saga of the Swamp

Remember Alan Moore, the man who wrote the amazing Watchmen? Well, one of Moore’s other brilliant efforts hones in on one of DC’s more unusual characters, Swamp Thing. This story set the precedent for how we know and regard this conflicted monster, delivering a story that combined contemporary environmental, social and political issues with adult horror. It is an origin story that paints this strange character in a new light and shows the many trials and tribulations he had to endure on the path to determining who and what he is. This was a story that came before Moore for Watchmen, and showed a glimpse of how the legendary author has always had a knack for rich and unforgettable comic book stories.

V for Vendetta

Speaking of Alan Moore, why not mention another of his greatest works: V for Vendetta. You may have seen the movie starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, but it was based on the graphic novel by Moore and illustrator David Lloyd. It centers on a totalitarian United Kingdom, a country that disintegrated into a fascist police state after a brutal nuclear war. It then turns its attention to the revolutionary V, an anarchist who wants to destroy this established order and instead return the country to its roots, all by killing the powerful, inspiring the many and eventually sculpting a young woman to be his protégé and take over when his efforts result in a serious outcome. V for Vendetta is a fantastic sci-fi story perfect for those interested in 1984-style alternate worlds and instantly memorable heroes.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

When we think of comics and graphic novels, we think of their box format and the structure they take on. Grant Morrison’s (also known for All-Star Superman ) Batman: Arkham Asylum seems to throw that out the window, instead providing a look at a unique night of hell for Bats in the form of harrowing yet striking artwork with minimal overlapping text. This is without a doubt one of the most unique comic book stories you’ll ever experience, and while it won’t be for everyone, it certainly leaves a mark on the reader, one in which you begin to see the Batman in the same way as the tormented criminals of Gotham City, as a conflicted and terrifying creature with no warmth in his heart.