DC Comics is having a monster sale for the next three weeks starting today. As tempting as it is to buy all 1,200 comic books DC is placing on sale for $0.99 per issue not all comics are home runs. Here is a breakdown of the comics you should be on the look out to spend your money on during this huge sale.
The New DC Universe Sale: Week 1 (6/2 – 6/8)
- Action Comics (2011-) #1-18 – This specific 18 issues collects the entirety of Grant Morrison’s Superman run. During the course of his stint with Superman’s character Morrison was able to establish all of the key aspects that defined the New 52 version of the character. While this version of Clark Kent was updated to be better placed within a modern setting it did not stop Morrison’s crazy brilliance to seep its way into the story.
- Batman (2011-) #1-38 – Anytime someone has to follow-up Grant Morrison’s run on a comic book franchise they are faced with a tough wall to overcome. Thankfully DC Comics tapped the right man for the job in Scott Snyder. Having had some Batman experience already under his belt with his brief stint on Detective Comics, Snyder was able to establish world all his own. From Court of Owls to Endgame, Snyder has found a way to continuously top each story with an even better one. Greg Capullo’s strong artwork that has only improved over time is only adds value to how great this series is.
- The Flash (2011-) #1-25 – While the story in The Flash is good what really makes these 25 issues something worth checking out is Francis Manipul’s artwork. Manipul’s provides the entire comic an energy that is just right at home for a comic featuring the Fastest Man Alive. There is a fluid motion to everything you see on page when Barry Allen is on the move. While some may find the tweaks to Flash’s Rogues Gallery odd at first, they are changes that gave a much more menacing look to all of the villains in this franchise.
- Green Arrow (2011-) #17-34 – Like The Flash, these issues of Green Arrow are worth buying for the artwork alone. Andrea Sorrentino work on this series is absolutely stunning. There is something truly special about Sorrentino’s artwork that makes the world of Green Arrow feel like a living, breathing world. Jeff Lemire’s story is also not to be overlooked as he is able to give Green Arrow his own League of Assassins type organization that perfectly fits the character and doesn’t just make him look like Batman-lite.
- Justice League (2011-) #1-38 – Geoff Johns’ Justice League series is what started and has shaped the New 52 version of the DC Universe. While not all of the stories are winners Johns’ knowledge of the DCU gives this series a consistency that isn’t seen in other comics. The only thing to watch out for is the fact that Justice League does feature multiple crossovers with other comics that you will want to get the issues of to get a complete story, specifically Aquaman and JLA.
- Wonder Woman (2011-) #1-35 – I would not hesitate to say that Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chang’s run on Wonder Woman is the best amongst all New 52 comics. With a closer tie to the Greek mythology the character has always been a part of the world around Wonder Woman became an even more intriguing one. Wonder Woman’s interaction with the various Greek Gods was just as intriguing as the epic action seen in every arc. By the time this creative team’s run was over they were able to leave a lasting mark that has elevated the characters own standing within the DCU’s greater lore.
The New DC Universe Sale: Week 2 (6/9 – 6/15)
- Batman & Robin (2011) #1-40, Robin Rises Omega #1 and Robin Rises Alpha #1 – Probably the most overlooked talent that DC has is Peter Tomasi. Even as he has had to work in the shadows of Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder’s own work on sister series Tomasi has been able to leave his own mark on whatever comic book he works on. Tomasi’s work on Batman and Robin, alongside long-time partner Patrick Gleason, is one of the few places you can still find adventures involving the iconic Dynamic Duo. Tomasi was even able to incorporate the death of Damian Wayne to further investigate the lasting effect Damian had in Bruce’s world and the importance of the Dynamic Duo within the DCU.
The New DC Universe Sale: Week 3 (6/16 – 6/22)
- Batman Eternal #1-52 – If you were a fan of the Batman: Hush story arc than this combined effort of all the talent currently working on a Batman title should be on your radar. This big storyline not only introduced Bluebird and Spoiler to the New 52 but it also elevated Jim Gordon, giving us our first clue that he would be the next Batman. While Batman Eternal had some questionable story choices, specifically with Jason Todd’s portrayal, the good greatly outweighed any problems there may have been. By the end we got a strong story involving the entire Batman Family that easily stands on its own.
- Power Girl #1-27 – This is one of the few comics that’s part of this sale that is not a comic from the New 52. Having been published before the new DCU was created, Power Girl is here to give readers an idea of how the Harley Quinn and Power Girl ongoing will be. Power Girl is one of those comics that emphasized fun over anything else. And in a world where everyone wants to tell a serious grounded superhero tale it is refreshing to buy a comic that has fun with the DCU. Amanda Connor’s artwork is a major plus as to why you should have this in your library of digital comics.
The New DC Universe Sale: Special Mentions
While all of the comics above can be easily be bought without any prior knowledge of the franchise not all comics are as easily accessible. If you are willing to take the time and money to dig further into the DC’s back-issue catalogue these are other comics you should consider picking up
- Batman #672-674, 678-680 (Week 3) – These 6 comics may be the oddest choice to be part of this sale by DC. While they do feature Bat-Mite in the story they are not the easiest comics to digest for readers that did not read Grant Morrison’s artwork. It’s especially hard to get into Batman #678-680 since they are directly a part of the Batman RIP storyline. If you are interested in picking up these comics you better be willing to buy the other Batman RIP comics that are not part of this sale.
- Batman, Incorporated (2012) #1-13 (Week 3) – Like the Batman comics above these are not the best entry point for new readers. These 13 issues are actually the end of Grant Morrison epic run on the Batman franchise. While they do give you context into the death of Damian Wayne don’t expect these comics to hold your hand. These comics will only be appreciated and fully understood if you have read all the Morrison comics leading into this series.
- Green Lantern (2011-) #1-20 (Week 1) – Green Lantern was in an interesting spot when the New 52 began since it was one of the franchises that did not get rebooted in some way. Even with a new universe DC allowed Geoff Johns to finish off his franchise defining run with these 20 issues. That is a great thing for long time fans of Johns work but not so great for those not willing to do their homework with everything that happens in the final issue. Still this is still worth buying if you are willing to do your homework beforehand.
What comics are you most excited to buy during this massive DC Comics sale? Let us know by commenting below.