Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

DC Comics

Clayface Reading Order

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As we all predicted, the third feature-length movie in the James Gunn led reboot of the DC Universe, following Superman and Supergirl, will of course be… uh… Clayface! And I’m excited about it! (If you’re reading this from the future and I should not have been excited about it, please reply in the comments marked as “from the future”!)

Like a few of Gotham’s most wanted – Mister Freeze and Harley Quinn chief among them – Clayface’s most memorable story may well come from Batman the Animated series in season one’s Feat of Clay. Personally, I’m partial to Alan Tudyk’s hammy portrayal in the Harley Quinn animated series. Appropriately, both renditions have shown how malleable the villain can be.

Fitting for a character who can change their shape and take on the appearance of another, there have been a surprising amount of different individuals to occupy the role of Clayface since the character’s introduction in the pages of Detective Comics in 1940. Below you’ll find a guide through all these variations, with a focus on key essential Clayface comics over the past 85 years! [Read more…] about Clayface Reading Order

Peacemaker Reading Order

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I resisted making a Peacemaker reading order for the entire first season of James Gunn and John Cena’s HBO Peacemaker, even though I committed to learning the full choreography of Wig Wam’s “Do You Wanna Taste It”. It just seemed like there wasn’t enough meat on the bone for Peacemaker’s actual comic book history to justify a full guide.

Well, turns out a role as one of the most celebrated and shockingly critical players in the new DC film universe leads to more printed comic books for our boy Peace. So sure, it doesn’t have the history and depth of the Superman reading order, but let’s give Peace a chance!

Below you’ll find a complete guide for Peacemaker comics, from his 60s origins with Charlton Comics to his 80s reinvention with DC after DC purchased the rights to the Charlton characters in 1983. [Read more…] about Peacemaker Reading Order

DC Compact Comics Edition Reading List (2025)!

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Does the world need a DC Compact Classics reading order? Some would say no. Many would say absolutely not. And yet… here I am! Welcome to the world’s only guide to read all the DC Compact Comics editions chronologically!

What are Compact Classics? These savvy collected editions, measuring a convenient 5.5″ x 8.5″, pack major storylines into a more manageable, reader-friendly format, making them a uniquely popular draw for new fans looking for clear entry points or seasoned veterans wanting to revisit classics without breaking the bank (in America, the books go for $9.99). For years, superhero comics audiences have wondered how DC and Marvel could mirror the success of manga. Turns out affordable wee collections of famous stories was the answer!

For reasons I can’t fully explain, I pulled together a comprehensive reading order for all the DC Compact Comics, laid out chronologically so you can journey through decades of incredible storytelling. From the gritty streets of Gotham to the cosmic reaches of the DC Multiverse, this list is your streamlined guide to experiencing some of the best of DC Comics history, all presented in an order that takes you from 1986 to present day. The books certainly won’t need to be read in order to be enjoyed (for that, there’s Comic Book Herald’s full DC Comics Reading Order), but it’s kind of interesting to see the progression of the publisher and characters like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman over the decades. [Read more…] about DC Compact Comics Edition Reading List (2025)!

Blue Beetle Reading Order!

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From the classic tales of Ted Kord to the modern exploits of Jaime Reyes, Blue Beetle has undergone an incredible evolution over the years, offering one of the more intriguing examples of legacy in the DC Universe. The mantle is deeply rooted in comics history with Golden Age origins, transformation by Steve Ditko, seeds of what would become Watchmen, and ties to the best to come out of post Crisis on Infinite Earths DC Comics. [Read more…] about Blue Beetle Reading Order!

Who Watched the Watchmen? Watchmen and The Darkness Within

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There is a great lie about Watchmen.

They repeat the lie over and over again, pretending it says a lot, when it says very little. It is not a lie of malice, but a lie of ignorance. It is a lie predicated on omission of truth. It is a lie that only emerges when one understands history. It is a meaningless statement presented as meaningful to those who don’t know better.

It is the first lie of American comics that every new reader is confronted with, when surveying the scene of the superhero.

And it is a lie that holds, despite everything else.

The lie is this: [Read more…] about Who Watched the Watchmen? Watchmen and The Darkness Within