The Superman Chronicles Vol. 1
What is it? The first appearances of the world's first superhero.
Why you should read it: When it comes to historical importance, the origins of an entire genre seems like a kind of big deal, especially when that genre goes on to take over popular culture in all its forms.

The Batman Chronicles Vol. 1
What is it? The first appearances of DC's most popular character.
Why you should read it: Because they're the first appearances of Batman. Weren't you paying attention to what I said above? Also: Hello, historical significance, not to mention the chance to see how the original version of the character differs from his current incarnation(s).

All-Star Comics Archives Vol. 1
What is it? The first superhero team-ups ever published.
Why you should read it: To get a good idea about what superhero comics of the period were like, to see the first super-team in action (Or, sitting around a table telling each other stories, as the case may be), and for the "Oh, old-fashioned people!" amusement value of Wonder Woman being relegated to secretary because she's a woman.

The Spirit Archives Vol. 13
What is it? A collection of the classic newspaper strip that stretched the medium on a weekly basis by taking in influences from movies, pulp prose and anywhere creator Will Eisner could find them.
Why you should read it: Because even now, there's little with the verve and humanity of Eisner's Spirit when it's working well, and the 13th volume in particular features some classic material, including the first appearance of P'Gell, the strip's ultimate femme fatale.

The MAD Archives Vol. 1
What is it? The first six issues of the humor magazine, back when Harvey Kurtzman was running the show and it was more anarchic and wholly unlikely to rely on lazy celeb humor.
Why you should read it: To see how far the mighty have fallen, and because these're some of the greatest humor comics ever made.

Showcase Presents: Strange Adventures Vol. 1
What is it? More than 500 pages of classic 1950s pulp sci-fi anthology.
Why you should read it: In part for the historic value of seeing what comics did between periods of superhero dominance (Not to mention the historic value of seeing creators deal with atomic age paranoia), but also for the crazy plot twists and B-movie presentation that take on a new kitsch quality in this day and age.

Showcase Presents: Bat Lash
What is it? Western adventure from an era when the wild west was still enough for America.
Why you should read it: Never mind Jonah Hex, Bat Lash was a more interesting hero; more a lover than a fighter - although he was pretty good at the latter, when needed, and this strip showed off some interesting attempts to play with the genre conventions without breaking them.

Showcase Presents: Sgt. Rock Vol. 1
What is it? The first appearances of DC's premiere war hero.
Why you should read it: Rock remains one of the strips that transcended its genre, and here's where it all began, complete with some of the finest art to grace any comic, courtesy of Joe Kubert, Russ Heath and other greats.

Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol. 1
What is it? The start of the superhero revival that's kept the genre on top of the industry ever since, as well as one of the first franchise reboots, although that's not how those things were thought of at the time.
Why you should read it: To see the style and substance that made a genre live again... and also how old ideas were made contemporary back in those days (When in doubt, add entirely made-up science!).

Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Vol. 1
What is it? A large slab of the first Justice League stories ever told.
Why you should read it: For the innocence and inventiveness of Gardner Fox's writing and the underrated blocky brilliance of Mike Sekowsky's artwork, as much as the chance to see the comic that directly led to the creation of the Fantastic Four and the entire Marvel Universe.

Showcase Presents: The Doom Patrol Vol. 1
What is it? "The World's Strangest Heroes!" according to the series' own cover. While the rest of DC's superheroes were fine, upstanding and clean members of society, the DP seemed like a dysfunctional family of freaks.
Why you should read it: The weirdness of DC's pulp SF mixed with superheroics, Doom Patrol was a series curiously out of step with everything else that the company was publishing at the time, and also years ahead of itself.

Showcase Presents: House of Mystery Vol. 1
What is it? A comic book horror version of The Twilight Zone, complete with spooky host.
Why you should read it: While lacking the amount of dark humor as the classic EC horror comics of the '50s, DC's 1960s updating of their horror anthology still has enough spark to overcome the perils of censorship and Comic Code Authority-friendly chills.

Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 1
What is it? The beginning of Wonder Woman's "women's lib" makeover, which saw her stripped of her superpowers, dressing in mod outfits and fighting crime and finding adventure in a particularly skewed take on the Swinging '60s.
Why you should read it: Somewhere between kitsch guilty pleasure and interestingly different take on the Wonder Woman idea, these stories are a historical oddity that've aged surprisingly well, in an admittedly Austen Powers way.

Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1
What is it? The beginning of superhero comics' attempts to become socially relevant, starring a space cop and a former millionaire traveling America to find the true heart of the country... and themselves. No, really.
Why you should read it: Overly-earnest politics aside, there's a lot to enjoy in these stories, especially the birth of this particular color-coordinated buddy team and Neal Adams' still-impressive artwork.

Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2
What is it? The second black and white collection of the premiere teen sidekick team as they decide to ditch the superhero outfits and join a cult. But a nice, helpful, cult. Oh, and there's some stuff about space, and race, as well.
Why you should read it: By the time the issues collected in this book were being created, it's clear that the people behind the series were looking for a new direction as its audience began to get older and demand more from their superheroes. Reading all the issues in one sitting, though, you see them trying multiple different directions one after another, which makes for an unusual but fascinating look back at a comic industry in flux and uncertain of itself.

Jack Kirby's Fourth World Vol. 2
What is it? The second collection of Marvel creator Kirby's attempt to start a new mythology of New Gods at the former competition by creating three brand-new series and overhauling Superman's sidekick into something much more interesting.
Why you should read it: Kirby's comics revitalized the superhero genre at Marvel, and by the time he was creating these issues for DC, he was at his peak - Each issue crackles with new ideas and grand themes, with the art leaping off the page. The series didn't last long enough, but what we did see was amazing.

The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga
What is it? Arguably the most popular Legion storyline of all time, written by future DC publisher and president Paul Levitz: Superteens in the 30th Century have to deal with the return of an evil god, as well as some familar faces to longtime comic fans.
Why you should read it: One of the first shortform story arcs in superhero comics, "Great Darkness Saga" is also where the Legion started to really live up to its potential, mixing fanboy Easter Eggs, soap opera and a scale that other superhero comics couldn't compete with (Planets invade other planets!).

The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
What is it? The most famous storyline from the comic that showed fans in the 1980s that DC could be just as daring and innovative as Marvel.
Why you should read it: With double-crosses, big fight sequences and some classic superhero soap opera angst, this feels as much more like a Marvel comic from the 1970s than anything else, but it's a great example of what the cutting edge of comics looked like at the beginning of the decade that would change everything.

Saga of The Swamp Thing Vol. 1
What is it? Alan Moore's first American work, and the one that led to Watchmen as well as a couple of really bad movies of its own.
Why you should read it: Because it's a genuinely groundbreaking (No pun intended, etc.) work that still stands up to today's standards, and a chance to read early Alan Moore before he started to worship an imaginary deity and fall out with everyone. Plus, it's a masterclass in how to reinvent what seemed like a tired old idea and make it something new and unexpected.

Showcase Presents: Ambush Bug
What is it? An almost-complete collection of the series that poked fun at comic fans, comic culture, DC Comics and itself.
Why you should read it: Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming managed to find the right mix of snark and affection for their antennaed creation, making the evisceration of their own publisher all the sweeter, in multiple ways. The latter, Ambush Bug Nothing Special, at the end of the collection is especially fun.

Crisis On Infinite Earths
What is it? "Worlds will live! Worlds will die! And the DC Universe will never be the same!" DC celebrated its 50th birthday by changing all their rules, killing characters, rebooting other ones and it all centered around this epic series full of cosmic drama and fanservice.
Why you should read it: Probably still the benchmark for superhero crossovers, Crisis is a rare example of a series that actually delivered on its promise that nothing would be the same again, as well as a textbook example of superhero comics straining to become more complex while still having each character introduced by name in dialogue for the benefit of the reader.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
What is it? Frank Miller's first recreation of Batman, this time as a cranky old man who's mad as hell and isn't going to take it anymore.
Why you should read it: Because, two decades later, this mix of social satire, gritty superheroics and angry optimism still thrills as much as it gets misinterpreted.

Watchmen
What is it? Oh, come on. You know exactly what it is. There was even this small film made of it last year, maybe you heard something about that?
Why you should read it: Love it or hate it, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons changed superheroes forever with this complex, formally-experimental, dense work. And even if you don't care about superheroes, anyone with an interest in comics will find themselves appreciating the execution of the story. A masterpiece, if an overrated one.

Batman: Year One
What is it? Frank Miller's second recreation of Batman (This time with David Mazzuchelli), this time as a cranky young man who's not necessarily the best at what he does yet.
Why you should read it: To my mind, superior to The Dark Knight, Year One remakes Batman into the noir hero fitting against a corrupt city - and winning - that he's always meant to be successfully for the first time. With sparse writing and amazing artwork, Batman may never have been better than he is here.

Superman: Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow
What is it? Alan Moore's send-off to the Superman of his youth, complete with all the goofier trappings of more innocent times, illustrated by the classic Superman artist, Curt Swan.
Why you should read it: Literally the end of an era, Moore and Swan got to provide an imaginary ending to Superman's Never Ending Battle prior to the character's 1986 reboot that celebrated his past with only a slight hint of pessimism and bitterness. As a plus, the new Whatever Happened collection also includes Moore's other Superman stories, which are well worth reading as well.

Batman: The Killing Joke
What is it? The archetypal Batman Vs. Joker story, by Moore and Brian Bolland.
Why you should read it: It's the book that launched a thousand ships, if "ships" were code for "psychological explanations for the duality between Batman and his most famous foe." But even if you don't like the armchair psychology, how can you deny that artwork?

The History Of The DC Universe
What is it? Having destroyed and recreated the DC Universe in Crisis, creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez tried to pull it all together in this look back (and forward) at how everything happened in the revised timeline.
Why you should read it: An odd curio, this piece of continuity repair was already outdated as soon as it was published, but it demonstrates that there was, at one point, a plan behind the rewriting of history, even if that plan - like the cylons' - was quickly abandoned by reality.

Batman: A Death In The Family
What is it? The Joker kills Robin - Or does he? You decide, with the help of a well-made phone call!
Why you should read it: The in-questionable-taste phone-in stunt that killed off Batman's partner may not be of the highest quality, storywise, but for historical value alone, this is one of the more important books in the DC library. Never forget. Brave soldier.

Justice League International Vol. 1
What is it? A reaction to the grimness of Watchmen and the comics it influenced, creators Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire took over DC's premiere superteam and turned it into a sitcom... and it worked.
Why you should read it: The first issues of the series are less comedically-broad than it became later, but that's to its benefit; eager to please and dripping with flop sweat, this is classic JLI at its best before success made them lazy.

Animal Man Vol. 3: Deus Ex Machina
What is it? The final volume in a run that took an obscure, forgotten superhero and made him into one of the most human characters at the company.
Why you should read it: Maybe unrecognized as such as the time, Grant Morrison's first American series is the greatest reaction to Watchmen-inspired doom-and-gloom, celebrating the less-than-serious characters lost in the rush to claim maturity and bringing a humanity and kindness to writing that was already trending towards the cruel.

The Sandman: Fables and Reflections
What is it? A collection of short stories from the run of Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman series.
Why you should read it: Taking the baton of fantasy storytelling champion from Moore, Gaiman's Sandman brought even greater respectability to comics (and DC in particular); this anthology of shorts is probably the best taster of what to expect, as well as a great showcase for the many artists involved.

V For Vendetta
What is it? A particularly British take on revolution and politics, both personal and party, in Alan Moore and David Lloyd's 1980s future dystopia.
Why you should read it: Rescued from the canceled pages of British anthology Warrior, V lacks the reputation and impact of Watchmen, Swamp Thing or even Killing Joke, but it's better than any of them; quieter, more subtle and warmer, with characters more flawed and human.

Why I Hate Saturn
What is it? A tale of life in the big city, love and sisters who think they're from another planet.
Why you should read it: Kyle Baker's second graphic novel (following the equally wonderful The Cowboy Wally Show) is that rare thing: A comic for adults that doesn't feel self-conscious about that fact. It's also another rare thing: A genuinely hilarious comedy comic.

Enigma
What is it? One of the first real "What if there were superheroes in the real world?" comics, as well as one of the first superhero comics to not apologize for, or hide, its gay characters.
Why you should read it: Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo's early-'90s series was rescued by DC from a failed Disney comics line, and placed at the center of their Vertigo launch, deservedly. Smart, funny and surprisingly touching, it's an underrated classic.

Static Shock: Rebirth Of The Cool
What is it? A collection of the first issues of later-to-be-a-Saturday-morning-cartoon Static (along with a more recent revival of the character) from Milestone Media.
Why you should read it: Ignore all the talk of Milestone's racial diversity - as worthy as it may be - and focus on the stories, because Static (co-created by Dwayne McDuffie, who'd later find some fame on the Justice League cartoon) and the other Milestone books were some of the best superhero series of the early-to-mid 1990s, bringing energy to the genre in a way that hadn't been seen in years. Static, an update on the Spider-Man formula, was one of the best of the line.

Batman: Mad Love And Other Stories
What is it? A collection of comics from Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, the men behind the awesome 1990s Batman: The Animated Series.
Why you should read it: As fun as their cartoon counterparts, these stories also showed off some impressive comic storytelling chops, especially from Timm's dynamic artwork.

Understanding Comics
What is it? Scott McCloud's guide to the medium, how it works, and its potential.
Why you should read it: Another book rescued from a defunct publisher by DC, McCloud's textbook explains the medium so well that it should pretty much be required reading for anyone who's interested in comics in the slightest.

The Invisibles Vol. 1: Say You Want A Revolution
What is it? The beginning of Grant Morrison's series about revolution, anarchy, freedom and the 1990s. Later ripped off shamelessly by The Matrix.
Why you should read it: Because it's the starting point for one of the more ambitious (and, at times, successful in fulfilling that ambition) series of the last couple of decades, one that captured a pre-millennial zeitgeist in more ways than even its creators realized. Other volumes may contain more impressive work - the final chapter still feels like one of the most science-fictional comics ever made - but this is where it all began.

Starman Omnibus Vol. 1
What is it? Bucking the trend for gritted-teeth, shoulder pads and heroes that kill, James Robinson and Tony Harris' mid-90s superhero series offered a quieter, more reflective take on the genre at a time when it needed one.
Why you should read it: One of those series that feels like it never quite got the attention is was due at the time, Starman may be the Velvet Underground of comics; you can feel its influence in Geoff Johns', Brian Michael Bendis' and others' writing today.

Preacher Vol. 1
What is it? The beginning of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's blasphemous tale of religion and America. Oh, and vampires, as well. And guys with faces that look like assholes, literally. I think that about covers it.
Why you should read it: This was where Ennis and Dillon, both former 2000AD creators, managed to bring all their influences together and created what's still the closest thing in tone to 2000AD in American comics: Simultaneously funny, heartbreaking and sacreligious, it's a love letter to times and places that never really existed, and faith in things other than God. Plus, of course, there's all the ridiculous toilet humor.

Stuck Rubber Baby
What is it? Devoid of supernatural or superhuman elements, Howard Cuse's story of civil rights, homosexuality and bigotry is nonetheless more compelling than a hundred Crises on Infinite Earths.
Why you should read it: Simply because it's that good.

Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Life In The Big City
What is it? Busiek went from Marvels' man-on-the-street look at well-known superheroes to creating his own heroes, men, street and world in this still-ongoing series as much about the superhero genre itself as its characters.
Why you should read it: At once filled with a nostalgia and entirely its own thing, Astro City shows Busiek's skills as a writer off to a degree that even high-profile gigs like Avengers and Trinity can't, allowing him a freedom to tell whatever stories he wants, ably assisted by artist Brent Anderson and cover artist/designer Alex Ross. Life In The Big City, the first volume, is as good a place to start as any.

Kingdom Come
What is it? An apocalyptic end to DC's superheroic debauchery, set in a future populated with older versions of the familiar heroes, plus new characters full of Easter Eggs for longtime fans.
Why you should read it: Whether you're looking for meta-textual commentary on the state of 1990s comics, injokes about DC continuity and characters (or, in one case, the Monkees) or just a straight-forward tale about the potential end of the world being well told, Alex Ross and Mark Waid's uber-epic delivers.

Road To Perdition
What is it? Depression-era crime drama, courtesy of writer Max Allen Collins and Richard Piers Rayner. Later adapted into a Tom Hanks movie version.
Why you should read it: A more sober take on the manga Lone Wolf and Cub, Perdition's crime comic do-over is, like Stuck Rubber Baby above, a reminder not only of what comics can offer outside of the superhero and SF genres, but also of DC's support of less obvious moneyspinners.

Transmetropolitan: Back On The Street
What is it? Warren Ellis' American breakthrough, an SF series that mixes Hunter S. Thompson, William Gibson and a healthy dislike of any and all politicians. Also, the thing that introduced the term "filthy assistant" to the world. Thanks for that. No, really.
Why you should read it: Part-pastiche of familiar elements, part-distillation of Ellis' personality into pure comic form (with more-than-able assistance from artist Darick Robertson), the 60-issue series builds to something that's much more than the sum of its parts. On the unlikely chance that you haven't already read this, Back On The Street - the first collection - is the place to start.

JLA: Rock Of Ages
What is it? The time-traveling, alternate-reality heart of Grant Morrison's over-the-top version of the Justice League of America.
Why you should read it: The story where the madness of his Invisibles infected his grand-scale take on DC's #1 superteam, Rock of Ages takes two separate large ideas - "What if there was an evil version of the Justice League?" and "What if the bad guys won, and took over the Earth?" - and pushed them together in a different way than you'd expect, linked by a McGuffin with unlimited powers and some time travel. Brimming over with ideas and invention, superhero comics have rarely been better - and Morrison's JLA never was.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
What is it? Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill take the ultimate literary game of What If and make it work as a story.
Why you should read it: Crossing over genres and characters from various public domain stories, what makes LOEG work is that it doesn't always go for the obvious idea, but what makes the first volume work in a way that later volumes didn't is that it doesn't always go for the "Oh, look how smart we are" idea, either. An impressive, but accessible, intelligent story about stories.

Absolute Promethea Vol. 1
What is it? The first year of Alan Moore and JH Williams III's celebration of female power in fiction and comic books, in oversized hardcover format.
Why you should read it: What may, in other hands, have been a Wonder Woman rip-off becomes something much more involving and deep as concepts of magic and gender are explored through the prism of superhero comics. Even if Moore starts to become self-indulgent at times throughout this volume, Williams' stunning art keeps the reader's interest (especially in the larger format) and brings a necessary heart and gravity to the story.

The Golden Age
What is it? An alternate history look at McCarthyism, nuclear paranoia and a country so afraid of itself, it forgets not to demonize those who seek to protect it.
Why you should read it: Starman creator James Robinson brings a stoicness and seriousness to the last days of the WWII-era Justice Society, as well as some fun for alternate history buffs to chew on. Paul Smith's artwork is also suitably strong.

The Absolute Authority Vol. 1
What is it? The complete run of Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's tenure on the increasingly-stakes-raising superhero team to end all superhero teams.
Why you should read it: Arguably the most influential superhero comic - at least in terms of comics that Marvel have taken their cues from over the last decade - in recent memory, Authority is what happened when Ellis and Hitch decided to take the superhero genre as far as they could.

100%
What is it? Paul Pope's (much-discussed-by-me-here) SF story of life and love and art in a post-Philip K. Dick, post-John Cassavetes future.
Why you should read it: Fully-realized and heartfelt, Pope's story avoids SF cliche while seeming more involving and future-facing than most around him.

Absolute Planetary Vol. 1
What is it? The first half of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's genre-exploration mystery series, excavating genres and ideas lain dormant for too long.
Why you should read it: The home to an optimism that occasionally gets hidden in Ellis' other work, Planetary shines with a love of stories and ideas, even if you chose to ignore the metatext and just read it as a straight adventure mystery. Plus, Cassaday's art (with colors by Laura Martin) is amazing.

Hellblazer: Haunted
What is it? Keeping with Ellis, the first half of his tragically short run on Vertigo's flagship title and character, John Constantine.
Why you should read it: Every writer writes a slightly different version of the long-running magical bastard, and Ellis offers up a melancholy, poetic take, haunted by past decisions and the people missing from his life. Just as important, though, the sense of place that he brought to the title made it feel more grounded and real than ever.

Sleeper: Season 1
What is it? Donnie Brasco gone darker, with added superpowers and hopelessness.
Why you should read it: A classic of noir nihilism, Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips' first collaboration set the bar high for everything that followed (Criminal, Incognito) and remains one of the best, and most satisfying, superhero series of the last decade.

Wildcats Version 3.0: Brand Building
What is it? The onetime premiere 1990s superteam tries to save the world by going corporate and selling salvation to everyone.
Why you should read it: Joe Casey and Dustin Nguyen's ballsy corporate rebranding may not have been for everyone - It clearly wasn't, as the series was canceled two years in - but it was smart and stylish, and a new take on some very old ideas. Considering the backroom politics that Marvel's Dark Reign sold itself on for the last year, it may also have been just a few years ahead of its time.

Gotham Central Vol. 2: Jokers and Madmen
What is it? Batman's world turned into a police procedural, as Gotham's police department take center stage during a Joker-led attack on the city.
Why you should read it: All of Gotham Central is highly recommended, as writers Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker brought a tightness and personality to the mix of crime fiction and superheroics (with some great art from Michael Lark and others), but the stories in this volume are particularly strong, and contain more than a few hints that they may have influenced The Dark Knight movie.

100 Bullets Vol. 1: First Shot, Last Call
What is it? Crime noir that spins from high concept to wide-reaching criminal conspiracy.
Why you should read it: The series that brought a new edge to crime comics - and, in the process, proved that there was a market for books like this again - started with a simple idea (What would you do if a stranger offered you the chance for revenge, with no strings attached?) and grew from there into something impressively labyrinthine. Brian Azzarello's scripting is taut and fast, but the star is really Eduardo Risso's art.

Y: The Last Man Vol. 1: Unmanned
What is it? The End Of The World As We Know It, as all males die for mysterious reasons with the exception of one man and his monkey, leaving them alone in a world trying to rebuild itself.
Why you should read it: Containing new spins on old ideas throughout its run, Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's post-apocalyptic road movie was smart enough and pulp enough to win over fans throughout its five-plus year run, including Lost's writing staff, who hired Vaughan midway through the series.

The Filth
What is it? A particularly skewed take on many SF ideas, from parallel universes, miniature Earths, and giant alien sperm that becomes a treatise on the value of the discarded and corrupt.
Why you should read it: A bizarre story that looks beyond shock value to try and redeem ideas others leave behind, Grant Morrison and Chris Weston's Filth may make you feel uneasy along the way, but that's partially the point.

Ex Machina Deluxe Edition Vol. 1
What is it? The West Wing meets Watchmen, to use a high concept analogy.
Why you should read it: Brian K. Vaughan's second high profile DC creation (with Starman artist Tony Harris) mixes pop (culture) and politics with its hero, a former superhero turned New York City mayor. But it's the character interaction - and political naivete of its hero - that makes this series worthwhile.

Fables Deluxe Edition Vol. 1
What is it? What happened after the Happily Ever Afters at the end of all your childhood fairy tales, once everyone involved has grown up a bit.
Why you should read it: Funny, smart and only cynical in the right places, Bill Willingham takes what may not be an original idea and makes the best of it, coming up with unexpected combinations of characters, modern takes on old concepts and managing to make it all seem as effortless and fun as the original fairy tales themselves. If you sign up for the whole series, there's a lot to be said for the evolution of artist Mark Buckingham into a mix of Jack Kirby and Mike Mignola, too.

Bizarro Comics
What is it? Almost a decade before Marvel did the same thing to much acclaim with Strange Tales, some of indie comics' biggest names offer up their take on DC's most well-known superheroes.
Why you should read it: Most respectful than you might expect, some of the stories in this anthology seem to display greater understanding of the characters than their regular counterparts. Also, Kyle Baker's Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter may be the greatest cartoon never made.

Human Target: Chance Meetings
What is it? Reviving an old, forgotten 1970s creation (Now, of course, a Fox TV show, but that wasn't the case back then), this is a tense psychodrama where there's no guarantee that anyone is who they seem to be - or think they are, either.
Why you should read it: Peter Milligan's subtle writing is matched by Edvin Biukovic and Javier Pulido's art, giving this pulp thriller an energy and grit that the TV version, as fun as it is, is completely lacking so far.

We3
What is it? Cyborg pets versus the world. Really, that's all you should need to know, other than the fact that your heart will be broken by the end of it, or else you are made of stone.
Why you should read it: The Incredible Journey with added SF may not sound like a classic, but somewhere along the way, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's short series about three animals escaping from a military lab became a masterpiece. Whether it's the writing that manages to give each animal personality without seeming gimmicky (Stink Boss, indeed) or Quitely's breathtaking storytelling and design, this is a book that's the definition of "Better Than It Has Any Right To Be."

DC: The New Frontier
What is it? A retelling of the origins of the Silver Age DC Universe, set in the time period during which the stories were originally published.
Why you should read it: Amazingly stylish, Darwyn Cooke's visuals for the book would make it worthwhile even if the story wasn't as good as it is (In this case, "good" can be defined as "Large scale yet intimate, thrilling, and full of optimism and drama"); if there was such a thing as Mad Men for comics, it'd be this.

Green Lantern: Rebirth
What is it? The return from death of Silver Age Green Lantern Hal Jordan, accompanied by all manner of guest-stars (And the beginning of the story that led to the current Blackest Night mega-event).
Why you should read it: Even if you're not interested in Lanterns of Green or any other color, Rebirth has historic value as the beginning of the current era of mainstream DC superheroes; written by Geoff Johns, now DC Entertainment CEO, this series set the tone that has since spread across the entire DC Universe line.

Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 1
What is it? A massive 30-part storyline that both connects and runs independently of all of its individual moving parts, revamping forgotten characters, creating new ones and revitalizing genres along the way.
Why you should read it: As much formalist exercise as story (stories), the Seven Soldiers banner linked eight different series (One for each Soldier, plus a Seven Soldiers two-parter to bring it all together) and multiple storylines that overlapped, crossed over and colored each other to varying degrees. An amazing example of writing from Grant Morrison, backed with equally impressive art from an army of artists including Cameron Stewart, Doug Mahnke and others.

52 Vol. 1
What is it? DC's year-long weekly series that tried to lay the ground rules for how things worked in their rebooted universe.
Why you should read it: For something with no big-name stars and the stated aim to show how politics, religion, magic and other such areas worked in the New DC Universe, 52 could've ended up the most insular, fanservicey comic ever made. That it was, instead, easy-to-understand and exciting-to-follow speaks to the skills of its four-man writing team (Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid and Grant Morrison) and the strength of its core concepts.

Wonder Woman: Who is Wonder Woman?
What is it? The latest attempt to reposition Wonder Woman as something that new readers could enjoy, by recalling the Lynda Carter-era for the first time in decades, and adding some Alias-style spy chic.
Why you should read it: Gail Simone's current WW run may be quantifiably better in terms of quality, but there's something endearing about the way in which it was set up by Allan Heinberg and Terry Dodson's gleeful return of all the classic superheroic elements to the character, including secret identity (and twirling-to-change-outfits!), supervillains and excitable action scenes. It's an oddity for WW, if only to see the character being approached without the warrior gravity that's become her trademark over the last few decades, but it's also an undeniable pleasure... if a bit of a guilty one.

The Winter Men
What is it? The superhero concept is translated to Russia for a political comedic drama that is almost David Simon-esque.
Why you should read it: Brett Lewis' story finds a grim humor in its subject matter unusual for comics, while John Paul Leon's art matches it in blocky brilliance. For a genre so old and, it seems at times, played out, this is something that feels new and worthwhile.

Doctor 13: Architecture and Mortality
What is it? Self-commenting metatext about the nature of continuity reboots and the growing seriousness of comic books wrapped up in a story about a man who may be the ultimate skeptic.
Why you should read it: Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's under-the-radar series (It ran as a second strip in Tales of The Unexpected but gained a fanbase online, leading to its collection) may have its tongue firmly placed in its cheek, but there's something charming nonetheless about seeing forgotten characters like I... Vampire and Genius Jones proclaim their worth to the audience while begging to appear in future comics.

All Star Superman
What is it? I'll go ahead and say it: Probably the only Superman comic you'll ever need.
Why you should read it: Didn't you read that part about it being the only Superman comic you'll ever need? Okay, I'll go on: Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's 12-issue tour of Superman mythology touches on all the core ideas, and introduces new ones along the way, managing to distill everything important about the character, his supporting cast and the appeal of the whole thing into less than 400 pages of material. Recapping his origin story in eight words is only the start of their genius.

Water Baby
What is it? From the short-lived Minx line, a story about a teenage girl who loses a leg from a shark attack while surfing.
Why you should read it: Although deemed unsuccessful by the powers that be, the Minx line offered an alternative to manga for teen girls into comics, and Water Baby may have been one of the strongest of the line, pulling few punches in terms of content and refusing to speak down to its audience.

Bayou Vol. 1
What is it? Magical realist fantasy, set in a depression-era town south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Why you should read it: The first product of DC's online comics line Zuda, Bayou is a sensitive (At times, too much; the censorship of the word "nigger" is oddly intrusive while reading; either use the word or don't - "n*****" is doing neither) series that mixes pop-culture influences like Pogo and Song Of The South into a racially-charged story that plays like Alice In Wonderland in reverse. Unlike anything else DC publish, Bayou's success speaks, perhaps, to the audience who want to read comics but don't trek to the store every Wednesday for that week's new releases.

Blackest Night
What is it? The latest Big Event comic, wherein death itself is redefined, and the birthplace of all life is identified once and for all.
Why you should read it: Perhaps cheating by including it here - The collected edition isn't available until June - but no other selection would more clearly display the state of DC Comics today: Coming from grand ideas and reaching for an epic scale, but filled with moments of smaller, more relatable drama to demonstrate that - hey! - these characters are human, too, Blackest Night successfully straddles the divide between the soap opera popularized by Marvel's superheroes that's become the bread-and-butter of comics fans for decades and the big ideas that made DC's reputation in the 1950s (and even before) - But is that something that other comics can continue to do?

Brightest Day will be a standalone series whose plot tendrils will rope in ancillary DC titles. Unlike the relatively compact eight-issue Blackest Night, however, Brightest Day promises to be a whopping 26-issue biweekly behemoth. Luckily for readers, io9 New Media Master candidate and Blackest Night scribe Geoff Johns will be corralling the new series to friendlier, less-undead-Martian-Manhunter-filled narrative pastures.

In addition to stretching the very definition of the word "miniseries," Brightest Day promises to usher in a new status quo for the DC Universe. Yesterday, DC Executive Editor Dan Didio spoke of roster shake-ups for the Justice League of America, a greater focus on Barry Allen's Flash, and a new Titans team featuring former Titans antagonists Deathstroke the Terminator and Cheshire.

Frankly, I'm pretty sold on this event given the Alan Moore-inspired gonzo thrills of Blackest Night. Not sure about the idea of Deathstroke leading the Titans, though - Johns has tackled this plot before with his "Titans East" arc. And besides, why does DC Editorial even let Deathstroke around the Titans after the statutory ickiness of the Marv Wolfman-era Teen Titans story "The Judas Contract"? Remember, it was the classic 1984 storyline in which pruny ol' Deathstroke shacked up with 16-year-old Teen Titans member Tara Markov.

Yikes. I'm pretty sure they left that out of the Cartoon Network series.

[via Publisher Weekly's The Beat]

All of these album cover remixes are from illustrator and comics god Cliff Chiang, who even went so far as to change up the final letter at the end of The Breakfast Club as a tribute to John Hughes:

"Dear Batman: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in Bat-detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is an archer, and a speedster, and a swimmer, a princess, and an acrobat. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Teen Titans."

But even better than his decision to cast Elektra in the Flashdance album, is Batgirl posed as Prince on the Purple Rain cover with the title "maybe I'm just like my father, too bold." Amazing.

[World Famous Design Junkies via Laughing Squid]

Criminal Activity

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: Involuntary time travel comes with plenty of disadvantages, not the least of which is finding yourself suddenly and unexpectedly naked without any money. Fortunately, the predestination paradox can be a handy survival tool. Time traveler Henry often finds himself sent to the same points in time and space as his younger self, and teaches him how to find clothing, pick locks, and steal wallets. It's sort of like illicit father-son bonding, just with himself.

The Joy of Sex

The Time Traveler's Wife: Another unexpected side effect of time travel is that a horny, adolescent Henry is every now and then confronted with a nearly equally young, equally horny duplicate of himself. This makes for some rather spectacular instances of masturbation, but it's really awkward when his father walks in on him.

—All You Zombies— by Robert Heinlein: The Unmarried Mother was an intersex, though apparently female, teenager who was seduced by a mysterious older man. Many years and a sex change later, she, now he, is sent back in time, where he meets and makes love to a very familiar girl.

The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold: Daniel Eakins is the sort of time traveler who throws caution to the wind, sampling all that time travel has to offer: foiling assassinations, visiting great moments in history, and using his knowledge of the future to bet on the ponies. So it's no wonder that when he meets up with the same- and opposite-sex versions of himself, he tends to get it on with them.

Futurama: Bender's Big Score: When the alien nudists get a hold of the time travel code tattooed on Fry's rear end, they're mostly interested in stealing artifacts from 20th Century Earth, although they do at one point take a time out for Nudar-on-Nudar nookie.

How to Win a Fight

The Kid: Russel Dritz's dirtbag ways may go back to his childhood, when he was picked on by bullies and lost his mother to illness. When Rusty, his younger self, ambles into Russel's life, he finds there are some subtle ways that he can change the past. First on the agenda: Getting the kid into a boxing ring so he can learn how to throw a punch.

How to Become Rich and Powerful

Back to the Future, Part II: The 2015 version of Biff decides that all of his troubles would be solved his he had been extremely wealthy in the past. So he steals Doc Brown's time-traveling DeLorean and, with a 2015 sports almanac in hand, travels to 1955, when he gives the almanac to his younger self. And it seems to work: Biff is rich beyond his wildest dreams, he's quietly had his rival George McFly murdered, and he's married to George's now artificially-endowed widow Lorraine. Of course, it all goes to hell when that pesky Marty McFly appears on the scene.
Gargoyles "Vows:" In move that revealed the entire series as one big predestination paradox, David Xanatos travels back in time on his wedding day to give his younger self a collection of priceless gold coins, along with instructions on how to invest the proceeds from their sale. Is it cheating? Probably, but in Xanatos's mind, it makes him the very definition of a self-made man.

By His Bootstraps by Robert Heinlein: When Bob is pulled thirty thousand years into the future by a slightly older, though no wiser version of himself, he discovers that humans have become a primitive, compliant people. Diktor, a fellow native of the 20th Century, explains that a technologically advanced person could easily become king of these sheep-like folks, and gives Bob a list of 20th Century items to bring to the future. Bob complies, but travels to a point ten years before he meets Diktor. It takes Bob a shockingly long time to realize that he's in a Heinlein story and that he is himself Diktor.

How to Win the Girl of Your Dreams

Futurama: Bender's Big Score: Fry is distraught when Leela, the love of his life, is won over by an older and more mature stranger named Lars. When Lars is revealed to be Fry's older (and this time wiser) duplicate, Fry should probably recognize that he could woo Leela if only he'd successfully reign in his adolescent nature. But it being Fry, he fails to take the lesson to heart, and quickly moves on to another girl.

How to Travel Through Time

The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter: In Baxter's sequel to H.G. Wells The Time Machine, we learn that the Time Traveller didn't build his device completely unaided. A mysterious benefactor gave the Traveller a sample of a radioactive substance to study, a substance that ultimately makes time travel possible. Of course, like all mysterious strangers in time travel stories, the Time Traveller's benefactor is, in fact, an older version of himself.

How to Save the World

Heroes "Five Years Gone:" One of the great things about the power to travel through time is that if you get that whole "save the world" business wrong the first time, you can just keep trying. And Hiro Nakamura has the added benefit of traveling through time to change events himself, and leaving instructions for his much less bad-ass past self.

Doctor Who "Time Crash:" The Doctor meets up with himself a great deal, if for no other reason than two or three or five Doctors are better than one. But sometimes it's just to ensure a little predestination paradox magic. The Fifth Doctor watches the Tenth Doctor create an artificial supernova that cancels out a giant hole in fabric of reality. Naturally, the Tenth Doctor only knows how to do this because he watched himself do it when he was the Fifth Doctor.

Doctor Who "The Parting of the Ways:" Rose Tyler gets her own predestination paradox going when she looks into the heart of the TARDIS. The TARDIS gives her the power to transcend time and space, letting her leave the message "Bad Wolf" to herself in the past that ultimately lead Rose and the Doctor back to this time and place.

Teen Titans "Titans Tomorrow:" When the Teen Titans travel to the future, they're eager to see what they're like as adult superheroes. But the future is unexpectedly bleak, with many of the Titans turned to violence and destruction, tearing the United States in two and turning the Western half into a police state. Fortunately, the Titans are able to learn from their future selves what set these events in motion, and are able to prevent their dystopic future.

Babylon 5: To add another wrinkle in the predestination paradox, Jeffrey Sinclair finds that his entire life is being guided by his future self from the past. Sinclair eventually learns that he is the great Minbari historical figure Valen, and Sinclair must eventually travel back in time, become Valen, and write the prophesies that will guide Sinclair's life in the future. Fate, or proof that his talents transcend time and space?

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

You, sir, truly are Mr. Incredible! You know, I was right to idolize you. I always knew you were tough, but tricking the probe by hiding under the bones of another super?! Oh, man! I'm still geeking out about it!

Fannish Traits: Fashioning himself as Mr. Incredible's sidekick Incredi-Boy for one, but even the business of making the ultimate superhero-killing machine and luring Mr. Incredible to his island lair to fight it was fannish in its own warped way.
What Drove Him to Evil: A demoralizing rejection at the hands of Mr. Incredible left him with a inferiority complex and bitter grudge against the superpowered community.

Henchman #21 (The Venture Bros.)

Dude I can't believe we didn't get blown up. We're like those guys on TV who never get shot. Yeah we're like main characters.

Fannish Traits: He keeps a closet full of collectible weapons, has a side job with the Atomic Comic Collection Connection, and debates whether the Smurfs are mammals. Fortunately, #21 lives in a comic book world, and his genre savvy is one of the things that keeps him alive.
What Drove Him to Evil: #21 was actually kidnapped and pressed into the Monarch's service at age 15, but he keeps up his henching because he finds it kind of awesome.

The Trio (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Warren: What the hell is that?
Andrew: Death Star, dude! Wicked, huh?
Jonathan: Uh, thermal exhaust port's above the main port, numbnuts.
Andrew: For your information, I'm using the Empire's revised design from Return of the Jedi.
Jonathan: That's a flawed design!

Fannish Traits: In addition the van with the Death Star mural, dialogue amongst the Trio (Andrew and Jonathan in particular) is a constant stream of science fiction and comic book references (notably, Jonathan claims fluency in Klingon). And their attempts at bank robbery and Slayer killing are pretty much straight out of the supervillain handbook.
What Drove Them to Evil: Repeated social, scientific, and mystical missteps, which required the Scooby Gang's constant meddling. That, and they hoped it would get them girls.

Superboy-Prime (DC Comics)

On my Earth, I read all about you, Polar Boy. You were a substitute Legionnaire who was let into the clubhouse because people felt sorry for you. Y'know, I almost feel sorry for you. Almost.

Fannish Traits: Raised in our universe reading comic books (and named after Clark Kent), Superboy-Prime is so distraught with the current direction of the DC Universe, that he tries to retcon the universe so it resembles the DC comics of his childhood.
What Drove Him to Evil: Pretty much the entire DC writing staff.

Control Freak (Teen Titans)

All these would've worked on the real Titans. It's just, your powers are... stupid! I don't wanna fight you anymore.

Fannish Traits: It's no surprise that, with his obsession with science fiction and television, Control Freak becomes an accidental fan of the Titans themselves. He's genuinely miffed when he has to face off against the Titans East instead of the main Teen Titans, and he's pissed when he realizes he's not on the list of their most notorious villains — after all, he's a recurring character.
What Drives Him to Evil: Mostly, because villains look cool.

Joe Jackson Stevens (Powers)

Every time they report about her, they ruin her. Every time they say her name, they chip away at her soul. The Indians say that a photograph steals your soul. Imagine if they are right. The world has no rights to her soul. If only I could get her attention.

Fannish Traits: Despite an avowed hatred of capes, Stevens has a profound obsession with Retro Girl, as evidenced by his diary entries and some rather sticky photos found in his apartment.
What Drove Him to Evil: Stevens is just plain unbalanced. He goes Mark David Chapman on Retro Girl because he wants to preserve her unblemished memory for the masses.

Red Mist (Kick-Ass)

Seriously. This whole superhero thing's been bubbling away for years, but you were the first to get out there and have the balls to do it, man. I'm your biggest fan. This is like meeting Elvis or something.

Fannish Traits: Mist claims to be such a huge fan of Kick-Ass (and superhero comics), that he follows Kick-Ass's lead and dons a ridiculous red suit to fight crime.
What Drove Him to Evil: It's not clear that Red Mist was ever on Kick-Ass's side, but whatever the case, he was probably getting paid good money to turn on his fellow vigilante.

Tim the Fanboy (Fans!)

These guys are the president and vice-president of a very cool club! They've fought a vampire, a mind-control conspiracy, and an ancient god! Share in the coolness! Join now!

Fannish Traits: Whereas most members of Bilberg University's Science Fiction Club are fans of science fiction, Tim is a devotee of the Club itself, turning down a spot at Harvard so he could worship at their feet. That, and he dresses like Harry Potter.
What Drove Him to Evil: Tim tends to become utterly devoted to a cause, only to turn on it completely when it lets him down in the slightest. When the Science Fiction Club is overwhelmed by the time traveling warlord General Maximillianna, Tim decides that she must be the superior moral force, and quickly joins her forces.

Ray Thompson (Justice League "Legends")

"Holy hijacking, Catman!"

Fannish Traits: Ray is so nostalgic for the superheroes of his childhood, that after they perished in a nuclear holocaust, he psychically resurrects them so they can continue their adventures.
What Drove Him to Evil: The sole survivor of the nuclear holocaust, Ray just wants to recreate the world of his idealized childhood. But when his illusion is shattered, he goes on a rampage that threatens to destroy reality.

The Mad Hatter (Batman)

As the great Lewis Carroll said: "One, two, one, two, and through and through the vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head, he went galumphing back!"

Fannish Traits: Jarvis Tetch is so obsessed with Lewis Carroll's Alice books that he dresses as the Mad Hatter, only eats hat-themed food, and constantly quotes Carroll.
What Drove Him to Evil: Psychosis. The Hatter has trouble distinguishing between Wonderland and reality, and has developed a frightening obsession with girls named Alice.

Mock Turtle (Astro City)

There was Narnia, with Caer Paravel. And Alice's Wonderland. And more. And children could find them, children like me. If I could find the right wardrobe, go through the right looking glass —

Fannish Traits: Like the Batman villain above, Martin Chefwick was obsessed with fantasy realms, including Wonderland, Narnia, and Oz. And, while he didn't mistake the real world for Wonderland, as a child he often went off in search of a gateway to a fantastical realm all his own.
What Drove Him to Evil: He wanted to impress a girl.

Stewie Griffin (Family Guy "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven")

No way, I'm getting Patrick Stewart to sign it. Picard has it all over Kirk. He's poised and measured and doesn't wear a cheap rug. Rather, he accepts even baldness with a quiet cool that says, "I am in command. You are safe with me. I will cradle you in my arms through any crisis in any galaxy."

Fannish Traits: From our list of convention disasters, Stewie built a working transporter for the sole purpose of kidnapping the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
What Drove Him to Evil: Stewie has always been evil, but in this case, he was simply annoyed he didn't get to ask his question at the convention.

Melllvar (Futurama "Where No Fan Has Gone Before")

Fry: Melllvar's got a spaceship.
Melllvar: Yes, in mint condition... and you made me take it out of the package!

Fannish Traits: Another from our convention disasters list, Melllvar creates a paradise for the cast of the original Star Trek so he can hold his own private convention. Then he makes them battle the Planet Express crew to the death for his fanboy affection.
What Drove Him to Evil: Non-corporeal beings only seem evil until you learn that they're harmless 34 year-olds still living in their parents' basements.

Ben Meyers (Smallville "Action")

I'm sorry, Lana. But there's a hero living among us, and there's only one way he'll accept his calling. You need to die.

Fannish Traits: A fan of the Warrior Angel comic books, Meyers is upset when he learns that the hero's love interest won't die in the film adaptation like she does in the book. To maintain the purity of the movie, Meyers decides to simply kill off the actress playing the love interest himself. And, when he discovers Clark's unusual abilities, he believes Lana must endure the same fate.
What Drove Him to Evil: Hollywood's obsession with happy endings.

Mysterious Fan Boy (X-Statix)

If we're really being honest here, and I hope we are, I'd started to love the new X-Force, even though their high mortality rate did unsettle my bowels. And now they go and change the whole thing. If that was all they'd done I might be able to forgive them. But they have done the unforgivable. They've killed the best of them. I mean, how do those people expect us fans to react?

Fannish Traits: Arnie Lundberg wears his fandom proudly. He is such a huge fan of X-Force in general and U-Go Girl in particular that when his favorite team member gets killed off, he takes an entire town hostage, controlling and disfiguring its citizens, a la the Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life."
What Drove Him to Evil: A combination of childhood taunting, relative omnipotence, and U-Go Girl's death. But it all works out for him since he joins the newly renamed X-Statix team so they can keep an eye on him.

Comic Book Guy (The Simpsons)

Lucite...hardening. Must end life...in classic...Lorne Greene pose...from...Battlestar Galactica. Best...death...ever!

Fannish Traits: There's very little in the Comic Book Guy's life that doesn't center around fandom. And, in the Treehouse of Horror episode "Desperately Xeeking Xena," he becomes a villain known as "The Collector," who steals his favorite celebrities and places them in PET bags for safe keeping.
What Drove Him to Evil: The desire to preserve his favorite actors in mint condition.

The Catgirl Menace (Something Positive)

I'm tired of you comic creators thinking just because you make something you own it! You don't! It's ours the minute we read it! And the fans know better than you do what's right, otherwise we'd be making comics, not reading them!

Fannish Traits: Not precisely scifi, but too powerful to be ignored, the Catgirls walk around in adorable cat ears and will read anything with the word "Neko" in the title.
What Drove Them to Evil: Someone dissed their obsession du jour, Neko Neko Holy-Chan. Fortunately, they lost interest when they realized the comic creators were changing the comic in a way that disagreed with their fan fiction and shattered their little yaoi fantasies. Some creators just like their straw fans to smack you in the face.

Sang-hyun (Thirst): If the path to Hell is paved with good intentions, Sang-hyun sprinted down the road and locked the gate behind him. In attempt to reduce the whole of human suffering, he volunteers to be a guinea pig for the Emmanuel Virus vaccine, but the experiment goes awry, leaving the priest with an unnatural thirst for human blood. And, though he tries to keep himself from killing, the comatose patients in the hospital where he works are almost too delectable to bear.

Ivan Isaacs (Priest): There are bad-ass priests...then there are bad-ass priests who sell their souls to the devil to become even more bad-ass. Fallen priest Ivan Issacs sells his soul to Belial for a second chance at life — and vengeance. Now an undead revenant sustained by only by his rage, Isaacs stalks the midwest with a blade, a sawed-off shotgun, and his superhuman strength.

Jesse Custer (Preacher): Jesse Custer may be one of the good guys, but get him in the wrong mood, and even God Himself shakes in His cowboy boots. He starts fights at the drop of a hat, is best friends with a vampire, and when he's bound to Genesis — granting him the powers of the Word of God — he drives his foes to suicide and even commands a fellow to do unspeakable things with his own genitalia. And he's on an ultraviolent mission to find God and make Him answer for His crimes against the world.

Reverend William Stryker (X-Men): Nothing says "scary" like an imagined genocidal mission from God. As if it weren't bad enough that Stryker is on a personal mission to exterminate all mutantkind, he has to use his televangelism to recruit new hatemongers. In fact, Stryker's power and charisma as a preacher are far more frightening weapons than the Sentinel arm he picks up in his anti-mutant travels.

Bishop Antony Lilliman (V for Vendetta): Certainly the whole notion of a fascist party that constantly spies on the whole of Britain is frightening enough, but party member Bishop Lilliman is particularly creepifying with his participation in the Larkhill experiments and his penchant for ordering up little girls like they're entrees. He's so busy attempting to molest a jailbait-outfitted Evey that he can't even heed her warnings about V.

Reverend Henry Kane (Poltergeist II): Adults might be inclined to give the creepy old reverend who comes traipsing into their front yard the benefit of the doubt, but kids and dogs know when "creepy" crosses the line into "absurdly evil." Listen to your dogs, Mom and Dad, or else you'll never know when Pastor Overly Friendly is a Satanic cultist with a penchant for murdering his followers and stealing their souls.

Brother Justin Crowe (Carnivale): The Methodist answer to radio priest Charles Coughlin, Brother Justin has the added title of Creature of Darkness. He uses his radio program as a mass-scale vehicle for his supernatural powers of manipulation, bringing people's greatest sins and darkest desires to life in horrifying visions. And where manipulation fails, Justin can always draw his strength from violence, mowing innocents down with a not-so-subtle scythe.

Caleb (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): In seven seasons of villains, Caleb may have been the most chill-inducing of the lot. Nathan Fillion gave him sufficient charm to understand how he managed to lure two girls to his death, and his link with the First Evil gives him the power to defeat even the Slayers. But Caleb takes on-screen violence in the Buffyverse to an uncomfortable level when he unflinchingly stabs his thumb into Xander's eye.

Brother Blood (Teen Titans): For centuries, the Church of Blood consisted of two members: a father who held what might be the prayer shawl of Christ (and its powers of invulnerability) and a son who would eventually slay him and take his place. But one of these Brother Bloods eventually realized that religion could be used not only to attain superpowers, but to take over the world. His brainwashing, baby-stealing, no-exit cult even managed to attract powerful government officials, despite the distinctly Satanic-sounding name.

Paladin Alexander Anderson (Helsing): Alucard is the most powerful vampire on Earth, but even he is thrown off guard by the Vatican's top vampire hunter, Father Anderson. Engineered with superhuman abilities and the capacity to regenerate, Anderson himself seems, at times, more monster than man. And he'd be less fearsome if his hatred for vampires didn't extend to all non-Catholics — and if he lost that rictus grin.

Anthony Tipet (The X-Files): After getting out of prison for bludgeoning his wife to death, Tipet begins to preach the "Via Negativa," the notion that the path of darkness is the best way to get close to God. And he gets to put his philosophy into action when a super-amphetamine turns him into Freddy Krueger, granting him the ability to kill folks in their sleep, and — for creepy bonus points — opening his third eye.

The Confessor (Astro City): The Confessor may have been modeled on Batman, but he has something in common with one of the other priests on the list: Thirst's Sang-hyun. This one-time priest wears a cross to immolate his cursed flesh and focus his mind on something other than his relentless hunger for blood. But at least he's not too distracted to use his vampiric powers to fight crime.

Mr. Eko (Lost): Priest was only Mr. Eko's second job title. Earlier in life, he was a warlord and a drug smuggler, the sort of man who would threaten to burn down his own brother's church to get what he wants. And even after taking on the role of village priest to atone for a life of violence, Eko is still a man to be feared. When guerillas threaten his village and attack Eko, he still has, much to his dismay, the strength and killer instincts to take them down.

Father Grigori (Half-Life 2): Father Grigori is quite friendly when it comes to fellow zombie-killer Gordon Freeman, but he comes off as a bit unhinged as he wields his pump-action rifle (nicknamed Annabelle). Of course, if you watched your entire congregation get turned into headcrab zombies, you'd probably develop a few spooky characteristics, too.

Steve Newlin Jr. (True Blood): While not as eager to bloody his hands as the other preachers on this list, here's something creepy and off about televangelist Steve Newlin. It's not just his extreme hatred of vampires or his propensity for wearing t-shirts over button-downs. It's his unquestioning conviction in his moral and spiritual correctness, his ability to attract unfailingly like-minded worshipers, his ends-justify-the-means — and the sense that he's playing Dr. Jekyll to a gleeful (and possibly misogynistic) Mr. Hyde.

The board - a callback to a subplot from DC's successful 52 series - is made up of multiple phrases or, weirdly enough, math problems that tie into already-announced, rumored or completely unknown stories for Superman, Batman and their (super) friends. Some of them are obvious:

Submit and Resist are both titles tied in with the upcoming Final Crisis storyline, as already announced by DC. Same with Evil Won (Final Crisis taking place after evil has apparently beaten good in that traditional never-ending battle), First Boy/Last Boy (Crisis will, according to writer Grant Morrison, start with Anthro, the first boy on Earth, and end with Kamandi, the last boy on Earth), Girlfight (Morrison has promised a fight between Supergirl, the teen girl personification of all things good, and Mary Marvel, newly-appointed pin-up girl for evil) and Loneliness + Alienation + Fear + Despair + Self Worth (etc.), which is one possible version of "the Anti-Life Equation," DC's mythical way to remove free will in people (This version appeared in Morrison's 2006 Mister Miracle series, which has been named multiple times as the key book to read before Final Crisis).

Equally clear are Best Woman For Job - A Man, which ties into this summer's Wonder Woman storyline where it's decided that Wonder Woman has failed in her mission to bring peace to the world and needs to be replaced with a man called The Olympian; 1,000/3 = 1, a reference to Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, which brings three different worlds of 1000 years in the future together; You Can Go Home Again, tying into this summer's Justice Society of America Annual, which takes Power Girl back to a version of her home planet, Earth 2; I Am Batman?/I Am Bruce Wayne?, about Wayne's identity crisis in Batman: R.I.P.; The Dead Shall Rise, the already-announced tagline of next year's The Blackest Night storyline; and Sightings All Around Us, which is a shout-out to DC's new "Sightings" branding for declared-important comics.

Everything else, though, is a little more shaky - 52 - 1 = 0 could be about DC's 52 alternate Earths, or simply pointing to last week's DC Universe Zero. Kings Reborn may be a reference to the potential return of the original Aquaman, who was, after all, King of Atlantis, and Rockin' Robins just might be about which Robin gets to become the new Batman. But the other ones...? Here are our entirely baseless guesses:

100% Alien - Something to do with the rumored death of 1950s alien-amongst-us, the Martian Manhunter.
Who is Wonder Dog? - Well, it used to be Rex, Nazi-fightin' pup, but for some reason, I'm seeing a Wonder Woman tie-in here...
There is No-One... Yet - Probably a Final Crisis mention of some sort, as is He Is The Force (The "astro-force" being a Jack Kirby invention as is Crisis badguy Darkseid) and He Wakes The World Ends.
The Son Rises - I'll be very surprised if this isn't a reference to Damien, Batman's bastard son, in the wake of Batman R.I.P.. Same with Murder/Suicide, Father/Son, although that one could also apply to Final Crisis villain Darkseid and his good guy son Orion.
The Traitor Among Us - Who better to have traitors (and, for that matter, an "us") than a gang of villains? It's either something to do with Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge or Gail Simone's new Secret Six series.
No 2 For You is more than likely another Power Girl/Earth-2/Justice Society of America Annual reference, as PG has to end up back on regular Earth in time to launch her own series this summer, but 1 (JSA) 2 probably has more to do with the team's rumored break-up this summer.
Mercy Ruling and Who Questions the Question are both very likely to have something to do with Greg Rucka's Final Crisis: Revelations series, where God's spirit of retribution, the Spectre, meets lesbian private eye the Question.
TT Have No Reception reminds us all that there isn't a Teen Titans cartoon any more. Or, perhaps, that the Titans comic will be spinning off something called Terror Titans this Summer, about some unpopular teenage badguys... whereas Titans, the other TT-spinoff book is dealing with the eeeevil reborn Trigon, who just may be 4 Times As Red in his new incarnation.
No Glory No Gold seems to be a shout-out to the Booster Gold series in some way, while Paper Not Plastic feels suspiciously like a reference to a revived Plastic Man for some reason... Better than Rocket Vs. Satellite, which suggests that the JLA's spacebound headquarters is soon not going to be alone up there.

The last two, however, are just weird: Superman: Red or Blue? is, I hope, hints that we'll finally investigate Superman's political preference (Let's face it; he's an Obama man. You know it, I know it, it's pretty obvious) instead of rehash the old Superman-gets-split-in-two storyline we've seen at least twice before, and I am convinced that Post No Bills is there purely to fuck with us.

But now that we've put ourselves out there, why don't you tell us what you think the board is all about? We shouldn't be the only ones embarrassed about how off-base our suggestions are this time next year, after all.

Dan DiDio on DC Universe #0 [Newsarama]

Justice League's greatest strength — the fact that it has Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and four other pretty well-known heroes — could also be its greatest weakness, since it's hard to tell a compelling story that gives all seven of them enough screen time.

Titans, meanwhile, is the story of a bunch of teen sidekicks without their mentors, including Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Aqualad and Green Arrow's sidekick (who has as many codenames as trackmarks on his arm.) The comics have thrown a number of other characters into the mix, including Cyborg (who's just what he sounds like), Starfire (an alien princess) and Beast Boy (a bright green shapeshifter.)

But the star of the Titans movie, from the hints Verheiden dropped, would definitely be Batman's sidekick, Robin. It sounds, reading between the lines, as if the film would be a coming-of-age story, in which Robin strikes off on his own, away from the shadow of Batman's massive swoopy cape, and goes on an adventure with his teenage friends. Both Robin and his grown-up identity, Nightwing, will be in the film. (This could also mean that two different Robins are in the film, but I doubt it somehow.) Verheiden explains:

We'll also be dealing with a transitional period in the lives of the Teen Titans. It will be a huge, fun, action movie but it's the characters first... It also won't be the Titans as young adults or anything. ... It's no secret Robin is in this movie, so what if you were him, after living in the shadow of Bruce Wayne and Batman, and now you wanted to go off on your own and become your own man, your own superhero? That's got to be a huge thing to overcome.

Verheiden says he turned in a draft of the Titans script to Warner Bros. before the writers' strike happened, and they sent some feedback. And now he's working on another pass. His goal is to make the Titans "as real as possible," and make them believable in our world, as much as teenagers with superpowers can be, with "heightened realism." And there will be "strong adversaries, or antagonists," but the main focus of the movie will be on the characters, who are at "the cusp of adulthood." [ComicMix]

First up is Amazing Spider-Man #546, which is the first issue of the new rebooted version of the character - Now, he's single, living with his immortal aunt again, and - if the MySpace previews are anything to go by - getting some girlie action from women who're happy that his marriage was retconned out of existence by the devil himself. With art by Steve McNiven, the man who drew one of the most popular comics of 2007 (That'd be Civil War, the political allegory that involved heroes punching each other in the name of liberty, for those who didn't know), and curiosity driven by the highly negative buzz for the new status quo, expect this to be sell out quickly and for Marvel's embattled editor in chief to boast that he knew he was right all along.

Marvel's second high-profile book is Hulk #1, another relaunch of a major character in the wake of a popular storyline. With Bruce Banner having apparently died at the end of last summer's "World War Hulk", it's been left purposefully vague just who is the bright red Hulk that stars in this new series by Heroes's Jeph Loeb (illustrated by Ed McGuinness). Loeb's reputation in comic critical circles isn't the greatest, but he consistently manages to hit the general public's sweet spot of dumb but pretty action, which is pretty much all you should want from a Hulk book. Cautiously worth a look, at least.

If you're jonesing for more monster action, you might want to pick up Dark Horse's Evil Dead #1, an adaptation of the monster movie that made Sam Raimi into a household name in houses that watch cheap horror flicks, or Friday The 13th: Badland #1 from DC/Wildstorm, which attempts to resuscitate the hockey mask horror franchise with added hacking and slashing. Horror of a different kind can be found via Virgin Comics, which launches Jenna Jameson's Shadow Hunter on an unsuspecting world with a special preview "issue zero". Yes, not content with making headlines for a failed vaginoplasty, Jameson comes to comics in the guise of a daughter of demons who gets to save the world while showing a lot of cleavage. One for the bathroom readers amongst you, most likely.

If you're looking for something to buy to hide Jenna's comic behind, you could do worse than my pick of the week: Teen Titans: The Lost Annual. Written by creator of the super teen team Bob Haney, the plot of this previously-cancelled special issue involves JFK sending the teenagers into space to bring peace, love and 60s-esque good vibes to alien races the world over. Admittedly, it's may not be as violent as Evil Dead or as scarlet as the Hulk, but there's little doubt that this 64-page, $4.99, oneshot will give you the best value for money at your store this week.

And let's face it: you'd rather have Wonder Girl in those ginchy hotpants rather than Jenna's bleach blondeness any day, right? Well, aside from that whole "fictional teenager" thing, at least...

The easiest - and maybe less productive - way to get rid of your money would be to pick up the rush-released second printing to DC Comics' Heroes hardcover, collecting all the webcomic tie-ins to the NBC show for those who missed the first printing, just in time to miss that Christmas rush. Be warned, though - It'd be fair to say that the highpoint of the book is the design, with the actual content making you long for the start of the new season of the TV show. If you're obsessed with giving your dollars to the Time-Warner corporation, then a much better bet would be the first issue of the uncomfortably-named Teen Titans Year One, which doesn't actually show the first year of the adolescent crimefighters' lives but instead the first year of their adventures together. Amy Wolfram, who wrote for the ginchy Titans cartoon that used to be on Cartoon Network, handles the script while Canadian wunderkind Karl Kerschl provides some beautifully cartoony artwork. If you're undecided, you can see a preview here.

While Marvel Comics' most interesting release this week really has nothing to do with scifi and therefore probably shouldn't be mentioned here (but it's Essential Power Man and Iron Fist Volume 1, collecting the first twenty-or-so issues of mash-up between Marvel's 1970s blaxploitation and kung-fusploitation superheroes), the publisher does see fit to launch the first of its summer movie tie-in titles this week with the first issue of Ultimate Human by Transmetropolitan writer and honorary Suicide Girl Warren Ellis and former Conan artist Cary Nord. You can't tell from the title, but Ultimate Human is actually four issues of "Who's harder? Iron Man, soon to be a major motion picture starring Robert Downey Jr., or the Hulk, also soon to be a major motion picture starring Ed Norton?" so potential fan fun to be had there, as well as potential drinking game fun from awkward mentions of new technology.

In terms of more indie books, it's all about old faithfuls, with the picks being Joss Whedon's Buffy book reaching its tenth issue and celebrates by bringing in Daniel Craig (No, really) and AiT/PlanetLar's The Black Diamond reaching the end of its cross-country road trip/chase movie/colorful exploration of the comic form. Otherwise, it's a pretty slow week; Image Comics are relaunching a book called Shark-Man, and there's something about the sheer "Sci-Fi Channel TV Movie" quality of that title that tells you all you need to know about why you might want to avoid comic stores until next week and keep drinking, instead.