Superman: Secret Identity


Kurt Busiek - 2004
    Set in the real world, SECRET IDENTITY examines the life of a young Kansas man with the unfortunate name of Clark Kent. All Clark wants is to be a writer, but his daily life is filled with the taunts and jibes of his peers, comparing him to that other Clark Kent — the one with super-powers. Until one day when Clark awakens to discover that he can fly...that he does in fact have super-strength! But where did these powers come from? And what's he going to do about it?

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 2


Greg RuckaD'Israeli - 1999
    Overcrowded, overbuilt, and overshadowed by a continuous air of menace, this gothic nightmare is a breeding ground for the depraved, the indifferent, and the criminally insane. It's also the object of one man's obsession. Witness to the brutal murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to protecting this city, taking a form to inspire hope in the innocent...and fear in the guilty. He is the masked vigilante known as the Batman. Now the battlefield has changed. Leveled by a massive earthquake that left thousands dead and millions more wounded, Gotham City has been transformed into a lawless wilderness � a No Man's Land � where the survivors are turning against one another, and where the city's protectors are torn by a crisis that may consume them all.Collects:- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #117, #119- Batman: Shadow of the Bat #85-87- Batman #565- Detective Comics #732-733- Batman: Chronicles #16

Harley Quinn, Vol. 1: Hot in the City


Amanda Conner - 2014
    and leaves no one unscathed in her wake! With art by Chad Hardin and a slew of comics' best artists including Darwyn Cooke, Sam Kieth, Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pope, Walter Simonson and Art Baltazar!Collects HARLEY QUINN #0-8.

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 1


Bob Gale - 1999
    (And fans of Rucka--assuming they get around to reading this at all--will still likely hold the opinion that Atticus Kodiak could take Batman in a standup fight any day.) DC shook up Gotham--literally--in its 1999 Batman plot arc: a 7.6 earthquake rocked Gotham City, wreaking enough destruction to bring the broken, crime-ridden, runt kid-brother of Metropolis and New York to its knees. In the story line's most indulgent liberty, those fat cats in Washington decide to write off Gotham, à la Escape from New York, blowing up the connecting bridges, mining the surrounding waterways, and signing into law the Federal Declaration of No Man's Land, which makes it a crime to even set foot in the city. The usual suspects from Arkham Asylum, Two-Face and the Penguin, the Riddler and Dr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Mr. Zsasz, file out to begin running the show, strong-arming and manipulating the block-by-block turf battles that envelop the now-ultraviolent city. A conflicted Batman shows up fashionably late, only to find that these lunatics are the least of his worries: Lex Luthor, Superman's archfoe, has nefarious designs on Gotham too. Could this possibly get any better? Sure, No Man's Land is derivative fiction, but the appeal of Rucka--and, of course, Batman--can make this one worth the read. --Paul HughesCollecting BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND #1, BATMAN #563-564, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #83-84, DETECTIVE COMICS #730-731 and BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #116.

Justice League: Trinity War


Geoff JohnsRenato Guedes - 2014
    When the three Justice Leagues go to war with one another, whose side will everyone be on? Allies will be born, friends will become enemies, and the DC Universe will never be the same.This graphic novel features stunning art from some of the best talents in the industry, including Ivan Reis (AQUMAN VOL. 1: THE TRENCH), David Finch (BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT VOL. 1: KNIGHT TERRORS) and Mikel Janin (JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK VOL. 1: IN THE DARK).Collects: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2012, TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA #1-3, TRINITY OF SIN: PHANTOM STRANGER #11, JUSTICE LEAGUE #22-23, JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #22-23, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #6-7 and CONSTANTINE #5.

Animal Man, Volume 1: The Hunt


Jeff Lemire - 2012
    One of the breakout hits from DC Comics – The New 52!Buddy Baker has gone from "super" man to family man – but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? As these new abilities continue to terrify Buddy and his wife Ellen, things take a turn for the worse as Buddy and Maxine begin a journey into the heart of The Red.Don't miss the amazing series from writer Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth) and artist Travel Foreman (The Immortal Iron Fist)!Collecting: Animal Man 1-6

X-Force, Volume 1: Angels And Demons


Craig KyleMike Choi - 2008
    The members are the best trackers and killers the X-Men have to offer: Wolverine, X-23, Warpath and Wolfsbane. They are X-Force.Collecting: X-Force 1-6

Robin: Year One


Chuck Dixon - 2000
    Against all manner of foe he braved inconceivable odds, ever skirting the line between heroism and death. His name is Dick Grayson. Before he became Nightwing he was the first to don the mantle of Robin. When his parents fell victim to the machinations of a mobster, millionaire Bruce Wayne, known to a precious few as the Batman, took the young orphan under his wing. For months Grayson trained in the ways of crime fighting, until at last he was ready to patrol the night with his mentor. But the training ground and the threats of the real world are two very different things. For the newly anointed Robin, it would be a baptism of fire.Batman gave Robin his Direction. The evil of the world would shape his destiny. This is his story.

Avengers: The Children's Crusade


Allan Heinberg - 2011
    When Wiccan's reality-altering powers begin to rival those of the Scarlet Witch, the young hero sets out on a quest to find her that spans the Marvel Universe and pits Wiccan against both the Avengers and the Young Avengers. But will Wiccan's desire to solve the mystery of his parentage be his salvation or his undoing? With three words, the Scarlet Witch changed the world forever...and now with her return, nothing will ever be the same for the Marvel Universe. This self-contained Marvel event reintroduces and redefines the Young Avengers and the Scarlet Witch for the Heroic Age, and is essential reading for any Avengers fan.Collecting: material from Uncanny X-Men 526; Avengers: The Children's Crusade 1-9, Avengers: The Children's Crusade – Young Avengers #1

Batman: Noël


Lee Bermejo - 2011
    Members of Batman's supporting cast enact roles analogous to those from A Christmas Carol, with Robin, Catwoman, Superman, The Joker and more playing roles that will be familiar to anyone who knows Dickens' original holiday tale.

Batman: A Death in the Family


Jim Starlin - 1988
    Rash and prone to ignore Batman's instructions, Jason was always quick to act without regard to consequences. In this fatal instance, Robin ignores his mentor's warnings when he attempts to take on the Joker by himself and pays the ultimate price. Driven by anger with Superman by his side, Batman seeks his vengeance as he looks to end the Joker's threat forever.

Dark Nights: Metal - Dark Knights Rising


Peter J. TomasiFrank Tieri - 2018
    The Devastator. The Merciless. The Murder Machine. The Drowned. The Dawnbreaker. And the Man Who Laughs. These seven Batmen—seven twisted mirror images of the Dark Knight himself—have been unleashed upon Earth-0 and the Justice League with only one thing on their minds: total devastation. How can the World’s Greatest Heroes stop a horde of deadly beings that appear to be powerful nightmare versions of familiar figures?Written and illustrated by some of the best creators in the industry, this tie-in graphic novel is a must-have for every fan of DARK NIGHTS: METAL and any BATMAN reader! Collects the following special one-shots: BATMAN: THE RED DEATH #1, BATMAN: THE DEVASTATOR #1, BATMAN: THE MERCILESS #1, BATMAN: THE MURDER MACHINE #1, BATMAN: THE DROWNED #1, BATMAN: THE DAWNBREAKER #1, THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1 andDARK KNIGHTS RISING: THE WILD HUNT #1.

Superman: Red Son


Mark Millar - 2003
    and who, as the champion of the common worker, fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, Socialism, and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.In this Elseworlds tale, a familiar rocketship crash-lands on Earth carrying an infant who will one day become the most powerful being on the planet. But his ship doesn't land in America. He is not raised in Smallville, Kansas. Instead, he makes his new home on a collective in the Soviet Union!Collecting SUPERMAN: RED SON #1-3.

Batman – Detective Comics, Volume 1: Faces of Death


Tony S. Daniel - 2011
    Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne explores a budding romance with television journalist Charlotte Rivers, who's visiting Gotham City to cover the gruesome slayings–while also trying to uncover Bruce's own mystery. But time is running out as both Commissioner Gordon and Batman work to uncover the true identity of this new serial killer.Collecting: Batman – Detective Comics #1-7.

Batgirl, Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection


Gail Simone - 2012
    Will Barbara be able to survive her explosive confrontation with this new villain, as well as facing dark secrets from her past? A new chapter in the riveting adventures of Batgirl continue in stunning fashion, with script by fan-favorite Gail Simone and stellar art by superstar Ardian Syaf!This volume collects issues 1-6 of Batgirl, part of the DC Comics—The New 52 event.