One thing that’s quickly become apparent about James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU plans is that this new cinematic universe is leaning heavily on the comic book source material. Gunn himself has pointed to a number of DC graphic novels that have directly influenced his plans for upcoming movies and shows.
But which comics should you read to prepare for this ambitious relaunch of DC’s cinematic universe? Which DC books are most likely to influence upcoming films like Superman Legacy and Batman: The Brave and the Bold? We’ve put together a handy reading list so you can start studying up on the DCU right now.
All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman is a standalone series set in a world where Superman confronts his mortality after literally flying too close to the sun. That causes him to embark on his own version of the 12 Labors of Hercules and work to ensure that the world will remain safe and protected after he’s gone. Though, naturally, Lex Luthor has his own ideas on the matter.
Gunn has pointed to All-Star Superman as a major source of inspiration for Superman: Legacy and the DCU as a whole. We doubt Legacy is actually drawing much on the plot of All-Star, as there’s little chance we’re going to see the new Superman face his imminent death in his very first movie. But Gunn has been adamant that Legacy is very much the tonal opposite of Man of Steel and the overall grimness of the current DCEU. That’s where All-Star comes in. It showcases Superman at his best and most inspirational.
The Authority Vol. 1
There’s no Justice League movie on the immediate horizon, but we will see the Authority make their live-action debut in the DCU. There’s really only one place to turn to familiarize yourself with this more militant, post-modern super-team – the original Authority series by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch.
There’s a reason this series coined the term “widescreen action.” Hitch’s art is truly cinematic in scope and detail. These 12 issues deliver a cast of characters who are both larger than life yet more flawed than your average Justice Leaguer. The Authority will save the day by any means necessary, whether the world wants them to or not. The series is full of high-concept battles and gorgeous visuals, and we suspect this book in particular will have a major influence on the Authority movie.
Buy The Authority Vol. 1 here.
Batman and Son
The DCU is clearly opting for a very different take on the Dark Knight than the one we’re seeing in Matt Reeves’ The Batman series. The Brave and the Bold movie will finally end the long Robin drought in DC’s live-action Batman movies by introducing Bruce Wayne’s long-lost son Damian.
To understand Damian and his dysfunctional relationship with the Bat-family, it’s best to turn back to his first modern appearance in Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert’s Batman and Son. The opening graphic novel in Morrison’s yearslong Batman epic, Batman and Son sees Damian enter his father’s life like a whirlwind and leave chaos in his wake. It’s an exciting start to Morrison’s saga, and it’s well worth reading the rest of the run to savor Damian’s evolution from entitled jerk to a hero worthy of the Robin mantle.
Booster Gold: 52 Pick Up
DC’s weekly series 52 revitalized Booster Gold as a character, but it’s a bit much to ask casual audiences to read a 52-issue comic. Perhaps a better gateway to Booster Gold as a character is his follow-up solo series. Booster Gold: 52 Pick Up collects the first leg of that series, and it’s as strong an introduction to the character as any.
52 Pick Up casts Booster as the greatest hero the DCU doesn’t know it has. Master time traveler Rip Hunter recruits Booster to help protect the timeline from a grave new threat. But in order to do so, Booster has to maintain his facade as a worthless, undependable superhero. The series highlights the character’s tragic background even as it also makes the most of his affable personality. 52 Pick Up may help readers understand why Booster Gold is such an early priority for Gunn’s DCU.
Buy Booster Gold: 52 Pick Up here.
Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 1 – War of the Monsters
DC’s version of Frankenstein’s Monster has more in common with Hellboy than he does the tragic creature of Mary Shelley’s novel. That much is made obvious in this graphic novel, which collects the first arc of DC’s Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE series from DC’s New 52 period.
The premise here is pretty simple. Frankenstein leads a team of monster hunters to deal with the supernatural threats too strange for the Justice League to handle. It’s a very wild and entertaining ride, and one that gives readers all they need to know about the title character and organizations like SHADE and the Creature Commandos. It’s a perfect primer for the Creature Commandos animated series, in other words.
Buy Frankenstein: Agent of Shade Vol. 1 here.
Green Lantern: Earth One
DC’s Earth One line of graphic novels is similar to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe imprint in that it’s built around reinventing iconic characters for a contemporary audience, free of those decades of pesky continuity. Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko’s Green Lantern: Earth One is arguably the most successful of those reinventions.
It delivers a relatively more grounded take on the character, at least as grounded as it’s possible to get with a character who wields a ring that channels willpower into energy constructs. This book downplays the superhero trappings of the franchise for a grittier, sci-fi-heavy version of Hal Jordan’s origin story. With the Lanterns TV series being compared to True Detective, Green Lantern: Earth One is undoubtedly the best option for anyone curious as to how a darker, spookier Green Lantern story might play out.
Buy Green Lantern: Earth One here.
Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book 1
Swamp Thing is getting a new live-action movie, another sign that there’s a clear horror and supernatural angle to Gunn’s DCU in its “Gods and Monsters” phase. For Swamp Thing, there’s really only one place for newcomers to start if they want to become acquainted with DC’s most famous monster – Alan Moore and Stephen Bisette’s Saga of the Swamp Thing.
Moore and Bisette truly revolutionized the Swamp Thing mythos with their early issues. Swamp Thing #21’s “Anatomy Lesson” is widely regarded as one of the single best DC comics ever published. These issues place a renewed emphasis on psychological horror and force Swamp Thing to wrestle with an existential dilemma – is he a man transformed into a plant or a plant who merely thinks it was a man? There’s little doubt the movie will lean heavily on this book as it reintroduces audiences to Swamp Thing.
Buy Saga of the Swamp Thing Book One here.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
For the most part, it doesn’t appear that James Gunn’s DCU slate is directly adapting existing DC comics so much as drawing inspiration from a handful of sources. The one exception may be Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a movie that shares its name with the critically acclaimed limited series by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. King himself is one of the writers tapped to help flesh out the DCU, so it’s safe to say this graphic novel is an especially important read.
Woman of Tomorrow is essentially a riff on the iconic Western True Grit, with Supergirl playing the part of Rooster Cogburn. As she reluctantly agrees to accompany an alien girl on her quest for vengeance, Supergirl becomes swept up in a fantastical adventure that forces her to overcome her past trauma and emerge from her cousin’s shadow.
Buy Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow here.
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons
While there don’t appear to be any immediate plans for a new Wonder Woman movie in the DCU, we do know that Gunn is planning a series called Paradise Lost that will focus on the origins of the Amazons’ island home, Themyscira. And when it comes to graphic novels that delve back to the early days of the Amazons, there’s no better place to turn than Kelly Sue DeConnick’s Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons.
Historia reveals the full, tumultuous history of the Amazons, beginning with the gods themselves and focusing a great deal on Diana’s mother, Hippolyta, before finally culminating in the birth of Diana herself. The book is truly epic in scope – a comic worthy of the Greek myths from which it draws inspiration. And with artists like Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha and Nicola Scott handling each issue, this is also one of the most visually stunning DC books in recent memory.
Buy Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons here.
For more recommended reading, check out IGN’s top 27 Batman graphic novels and our guide to how to read the X-Men line in 2023.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
