#comics recommendations

[little-flame-prince]

Batman & Robins (mostly post-crisis) comics reading list (Parts 1-3)!

Curated Comics Reading List Parts 1-3

As some of you may know, I've been working on a long project where I curated a comics reading list for my friend, M, who has had almost zero prior exposure to DC comics or other media. Though lengthy, this list is in no way comprehensive: the focus is primarily on the post-crisis era, and primarily follows storylines revolving around characters who have been Robin (as well as some major general Bat stories). After each "part" we get together to record a podcast episode to discuss their thoughts on their comics journey. I'm still in the editing phase for those, but in the meantime I wanted to share the first few sections of the list!

Part One of this list (in terms of in-universe chronology, it jumps around a lot re: publication date) goes from Bruce's early days as Batman until the end of Jason's time as Robin. Part Two picks up right afterwards and deals with the fallout of Jason's death, the introduction of Tim Drake and his early days as Robin, and also introduces a number of other important cast members such as Stephanie Brown, Helena Bertinelli, and Jean-Paul Valley (and of course, the ever-expanding rogues gallery). Part Three is pretty much just all Knightfall.

If you want to go back and read about my descent into madness as I compiled this list, or check out occasional screenshots and reactions from M as they read, I organize that under my blog tag "in which I force M to read Batman."

I know it can be really overwhelming knowing where to start, so while this is a rather bespoke list I made for my friend, I hope this can maybe make it a little easier for other people to jump into reading comics as well. Please always feel free to ask questions about this project or just chat with me about comics in general. I love to blab about my nerdy hobbies. :D

Original notes/commentary (like reasons why I included or left out certain things) from when I posted Part One under the cut:

This list is mostly focused on the Robins (as well as some major overall Batman storylines) and was compiled for a friend of mine who has had zero exposure to DC comics before this. The majority of the comics on this list are from the post-crisis continuity, though I threw in a few pre-crisis ones, as well as a handful of episodes of Batman The Animated Series. In terms of In-universe chronology, this section covers from Bruce's first year operating as Batman through to the end of Jason's time as Robin.

This is in no way a comprehensive guide! I already gave my poor friend 1600+ comics to read so I had to make some cuts. Since the focus on this was specifically on the Robins [+ characters and stories I knew would specifically appeal to the one person I made the list for (there'll be a lot of Azrael and Killer Croc in the future, for example XD)] there's a lot of excellent characters that don't get nearly as much focus as they deserve. Eventually, I want to make a more comprehensive Bats+ reading list that incorporates more of those characters and groups and etc that I ended up cutting from this particular guide. [More early Titans, more Justice League, more Batgirls, and more Huntress among others for sure]. For now though, please enjoy Part One of this guide as a quick start to reading post-crisis Robins.

I will also probably be updating this spreadsheet as I go with some notes and commentary on my choices.

[lukeqatwalker]

By the way, whoever suggested reading the Venom run from 2016 to recover from watching Venom the Last Dance knew what they were talking about. (I think it was multiple people? Thank you!)

It's fantastic, Eddie and Venom have been separated and they're finally back together, and Eddie calls Venom darling and my love and it's great, and it's really clear that they have something going on that other symbiotes don't have with their hosts.

And then I got a few more issues in and Devil Dinosaur and Moon Girl are there and there's a bunch of dinosaur people living in the sewers of New York! Dinosaurs!

[ultratropicalrainforest]

Are there any comics with a similar art style to Floraverse with none of the problems associated with Floraverse?

The creator of Floraverse is a pedophile and a zoophile. I like the comic's art style, but I could never bring myself to read the actual comic.

[tfwstherapist]

if you guys are curious this is a very small, very incomplete, and not at all in order list of my recommended dinah reads.

highly suggest beginning with the black canary archives !!

[ohnoafterlaughs]

Hey, it’s Pride Month! 

Looking for some queer comics series made by queer creators to read?  Here are a few titles @iolanda-zanfardino and I have created:

 ALICE IN LEATHERLAND: https://blackmaskstore.com/collections/alice-in-leatherland/products/alice-in-leatherland-vol-1

A THING CALLED TRUTH:  https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/a-thing-called-truth-tp

THE LEAST WE CAN DO: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-least-we-can-do-vol-1-tpb

[anaviel]

TIM DRAKE PERSONAL READING RECOMMENDATIONS:

🌀 If you wanna see Tim in fun action as Robin, balancing civilian-hero dynamics, friends in the civilian and hero circles, what he regularly deals with, to ease into the more action and emotional and nuanced arcs of his life, start with Robin 1993 #70.

https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Robin-1993/Issue-70?id=32740

🌀 If you want a deep introspection insight on his character, his relationships, and his opinion on his circumstances, how he sees being a vigilante and Batman's partner, take a look at Robin issue #100.

https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Robin-1993/Issue-100?id=32583

~*~

I've stumbled on three different requests for recommendations in one day and I remember once asking and receiving recommendations too once, but it was so overwhelming that even when I really wanted to read Tim, it took me months to get on it. If you're asking for recommendations for Tim specifically then you probably already know a bit about him to be interested, probably at least his origin.

To accompany this, you can read Young Justice 1998 and for other accompany comics, you'll naturally get them when they're mentioned suggested reads within the comics itself.

Reason I choose these specifically is because when I want to re-read, but don't want to start from the very beginning, this is where I'd start. And for writing fics, you can def use a brief review of issue #100.

And I'm also aware that some people may not feel up for the more dated art -as my sister is really picky with her graphic novels, I personally care less but I understand why-, like the Robin miniseries no matter how good it is in regards of the narrative, so these are more palatable to modern tastes.

With these, you can just proceed to the next button. It's like a... kickoff, I guess?

[gement]

Seeking the good Batdad comics

So, preface, I come from early Batman: the Animated Series, movies no less than a decade old (which don’t count for nearly as much but are big background flavor), and a scattershot reading of comics that have thus far not included a huge concentration of Robins. I’ve read the original canon Jason and Tim introductions and Jason’s death.

I am trying, even striving, to get enough canon under my belt to understand the bedrock of the AO3 fandom’s profound adoration of Batfamily. It was news to me, and it was news to some other Batman nerds of my acquaintance when I asked them about it. I don’t have the underlying intuition or sympathy for it that would let me write it well, so I’ve swandived into reading a bunch of recommended pivotal stories focused on the various Batkids. I’ve been looking forward to meeting Batdad.

I, uh, haven’t found any canon examples of that going well yet. Any.

To be fair, there are a lot of bad Batman comics in the world. And I am a big fan of throwing out as much canon as you want in favor of the good bits. I have read mountains of Avengers Clubhouse fic. But I’m still searching for good bits to build from.

What I’m finding instead is, for example, that time that the 17 year old who’s never had an outside life decided not to bother wearing a mask because she didn’t care about having an outside life. And instead of saying “Maybe postpone that decision and try meeting some people,” he said (italics are exact quotes from Batgirl #14), “I’m glad you want to use your identity. It makes you a more effective weapon. Here is a cave to live in all alone starting right now. You’d compromise Oracle’s identity if you stayed with her.” And then she lived there all alone for over a year and Oracle had to fight to stay in her life and Batman actively growled at any non-bat male under 25 years old who tried to spend time with her, like a vengeful father who also encouraged her to live alone. In a cave.

That one was admittedly during the same era as all the Terrible Stephanie Brown Writing Decisions We Do Not Speak Of, but... everywhere I look seems like it’s like that. I’ve been spoken to firmly by fans who say Batman doesn’t raise soldiers or treat people as weapons and, uh. See above. I catch some lovely flashes of siblings+Alfred bonding over their common cause of Working Around Bruce’s Shit, and that’s about it.

Please recommend me some runs or even individual issues where canon Bruce Wayne is actually a supportive parent. TV versions also happily accepted. I care less than zero about main continuity vs AU/one-shots.

Or, failing that, just let me know some fun bits with multiple Batfam bouncing off of each other despite him, I can mine that. I currently have a DC Universe all-you-can-eat pass for this research dive.