To gain a bit of context for why Wally is the Flash for these runs, Barry is dead. He died saving the Universe in the pages of Crisis on Infinite on Earths which you can pick up, but it's dense in terms of material. Mark Waid’s run is currently being reprinted. There are currently 2 total volumes with a third on the way. The first book is a bit slow but is important because it has Born to Run which is an origin story for Wally. Morrison/Millar’s run is a bit ridiculous in terms of feats of power and features the Black Flash. Johns run is a bit more grounded, and takes less of a focus on world threatening issues and more focuses on the backstories of villains and stuff like that. Mainly character driven stuff. These 3 runs are also responsible for modern Flash canon. They introduce the Speed Force and almost every evil speedster.
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty fun, but a bit disappointing at the start, but it's gotten a lot better. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order. This section of the list is by FAR the best Flash stories and they hooked me instantly.
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty ok, but a bit disappointing. You can still read it though, it's not terrible, it didn't instantly hook me however.
Other stories that hooked me instantly are:
The Omega Men by Tom King
All Star Superman by Grant Morrison
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Kingdom Come by Mark Waid
Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison
Aquaman by Geoff Johns
Hellblazer by Garth Ennis
John Constantine The Hellblazer by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV
Superman Birthright by Mark Waid
Superman American Alien by Max Landis
Batman The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder
Gotham Central by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker
Marvel
Daredevil by Frank Miller
Daredevil by Bendis
Vision by Tom King
Hawkeye by Matt Fraction
Moon Knight by Warren Ellis
by xkjeku 2017-08-19
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 1 book out (With a second coming out soon) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty ok, but a bit disappointing. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty fun, but a bit disappointing at the start, but it's gotten a lot better. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) by Patrick Willems
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about stories/characters from TV, movies, games, etc. that you already like. Do you seek “good” storytelling or encyclopedic DC knowledge? Are you here to collect or read? How much time/resources are available?
Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Aquaman until Geoff Johns’ run).
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.
Comixology for digital. instocktrades for physical (US). ISBNS for price aggregate.
Alternatively, you can skip directly to the new Rebirth re-launch by reading the Rebirth event (2016) and any Rebirth #1. Check out the /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers already well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Flash reading list v3
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
To gain a bit of context for why Wally is the Flash for these runs, Barry is dead. He died saving the Universe in the pages of Crisis on Infinite on Earths which you can pick up, but it's dense in terms of material. Mark Waid’s run is currently being reprinted. There are currently 2 total volumes with a third on the way. The first book is a bit slow but is important because it has Born to Run which is an origin story for Wally. Morrison/Millar’s run is a bit ridiculous in terms of feats of power and features the Black Flash. Johns run is a bit more grounded, and takes less of a focus on world threatening issues and more focuses on the backstories of villains and stuff like that. Mainly character driven stuff. These 3 runs are also responsible for modern Flash canon. They introduce the Speed Force and almost every evil speedster.
For Barry Allen
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty fun, but a bit disappointing at the start, but it's gotten a lot better. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
This whole series is a team book that features Wally as the Flash
The current Titans by Dan Abnett heavily features Wally. Especially this first trade.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
Both Young Justice by Peter David and Teen Titans by Geoff Johns feature Bart in a main role
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order. This section of the list is by FAR the best Flash stories and they hooked me instantly.
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
For Barry Allen all I can recommend is
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty ok, but a bit disappointing. You can still read it though, it's not terrible, it didn't instantly hook me however.
Other stories that hooked me instantly are:
The Omega Men by Tom King All Star Superman by Grant Morrison Watchmen by Alan Moore Kingdom Come by Mark Waid Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison Aquaman by Geoff Johns Hellblazer by Garth Ennis John Constantine The Hellblazer by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV Superman Birthright by Mark Waid Superman American Alien by Max Landis Batman The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder Gotham Central by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker
Marvel
Daredevil by Frank Miller Daredevil by Bendis Vision by Tom King Hawkeye by Matt Fraction Moon Knight by Warren Ellis
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 1 book out (With a second coming out soon) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
For Barry Allen all I can recommend is
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty ok, but a bit disappointing.
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
For Barry Allen all I can recommend is
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty ok, but a bit disappointing. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
Flash:
Recommended "best/good" DC & DC-imprint:
Recommended DC & DC-imprint Grant Morrison (not already recommended, in order of most-to-least coherent/understandable):
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Superman:
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
For Barry Allen all I can recommend is
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato
The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty fun, but a bit disappointing at the start, but it's gotten a lot better. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
This whole series is a team book that features Wally as the Flash
The current Titans by Dan Abnett heavily features Wally. Especially this first trade.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
Both Young Justice by Peter David and Teen Titans by Geoff Johns feature Bart in a main role
If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:
The Flash by Mark Waid The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run) The Flash by Geoff Johns
These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.
For Barry Allen all I can recommend is
Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns
Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns
Flashpoint by Geoff Johns
Bart Allen
Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.
A few miscellaneous stories include
The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.
This whole series is a team book that features Wally as the Flash
The current Titans by Dan Abnett heavily features Wally. Especially this first trade.
Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.
All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.
The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.
Both Young Justice by Peter David and Teen Titans by Geoff Johns feature Bart in a main role
How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) by Patrick Willems
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about stories/characters from TV, movies, games, etc. that you already like. Do you seek “good” storytelling or encyclopedic DC knowledge? Are you here to collect or read? How much time/resources are available?
Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Aquaman until Geoff Johns’ run).
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.
Comixology for digital. instocktrades for physical (US). ISBNS for price aggregate.
Recommendations:
Flash
Green Arrow
More if you're interested:
Alternatively, you can skip directly to the new Rebirth re-launch by reading the Rebirth event (2016) and any Rebirth #1. Check out the /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers already well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Suggestions to improve the guide are welcome.