r/graphicnovels • u/WriterDirector93 • 3d ago
Recommendations/Requests Just finished 52. Where to next?
The second volume was all payoff to the first volume’s set-ups, so a thoroughly enjoyable read in the end.
Now what do I read next?
I am trying to get to Final Crisis in the most efficient way. Not a completist in any sense, just trying to understand the main through line. But I did like Booster Gold so would be keen to read whatever comes for him next.
Otherwise I have read Superman: Up, Up and Away, all of Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern, and a fair amount of Grant Morrison’s Batman (I got to the Final Crisis event which prompted me to go back and read from Identity Crisis onwards) which I presume comes directly after 52.
Any advice appreciated!
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u/bloodyzombies1 3d ago
Depends what you're interested in.
Rucka Batwoman/Question and then the New 52 run to follow those characters, followed by Convergence Question and then the current All in series.
Superman by Johns is great but designed to be accessible stand alone stories. New Krypton follows it but is pretty divisive so YMMV.
Johns Booster Gold is a clear 52 sequel and an excellent read overall.
Morrison Batman really only ties into Final Crisis for RIP, but you could probably ignore Final Crisis if you'd like.
Final Crisis does deal w/the 52 concept, but it's Morrisons own zany take. If you go into it expecting a direct sequel to 52 you'll be disappointed, but it's excellent on it's own. And if you want more of the 52 worlds Multiversity is the next thing to read after Final Crisis. Even though it's New 52 it's basically the same multiverse, and was planned from the start to be a Final Crisis sequel.
The Elongated Man plotline was never picked up by another creator.
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u/WriterDirector93 3d ago
Thank you! Keen on Booster and Final Crisis.
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u/jonascarrynthewheel 3d ago
I own booster up until the second trade, which kinda ends in a nice way
There is more that i havent read but im happy
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u/bloodyzombies1 3d ago
Yeah Johns 12 issue story is completely stand alone and satisfying on its own.
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u/Jay-El 3d ago
Nowhere left to go, you've read the greatest event DC ever put to print.
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u/WriterDirector93 3d ago
Really?? Is that the consensus? I thought it was good but no trinity…
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u/xyz_rick 2d ago
I have never heard 52 referred to that way. I would assume that there’s some sarcasm involved.
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u/cdaffron 3d ago
Don’t skip Morrison’s Seven Soldiers! Probably one of the more important things you can read before Final Crisis and also just an all around excellent read
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u/SweatyStation7699 2d ago
For final crisis I would suggest to ignore anything "countdown to final crisis" related.
I would rather just read a bunch of morrison as preparation for it so their JLA run, their 7 soldiers and then their batman run
Other than that you can just pick based on which 52 storyline you enjoyed. Booster golds solo if you liked his 52 story, "crime bible: five lessons of blood" if you want to see renee's journey continuing or the black Adam the dark age mini to see a conclusion to his character
Also I would definitely recommend rucka's checkmate which is just a super fun spy series continuing Sasha Bordeaux journey after the events of OMAC project
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u/OllieGio 2d ago edited 2d ago
The 2007 Booster Gold series by Geoff Johns and later by Dan Jurgens is great. It’s available in three thickish trades.
It’d also recommend the two Kurt Busiek Superman hardcovers and a he Johns Superman run as well. They both spin out of 52/Up, Up, and Away.
EDIT I can’t type…
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u/Medium-Science9526 2d ago
Johns' Booster Gold
The rest of Busiek & Johns' Superman
For Final Crisis Morrison's Seven Soldiers, some of the concepts brought up in it too are shown in Animal Man & Doom Patrol too.
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u/the_spongmonkey 3d ago
Man i love 52. One of my top 3 series for sure.
Avoid countdown to final crisis. It definitely tried to cash in on the same format, failed spectacularly, and messed up Morrison’s plans for Final Crisis. I like that event quite a lot.
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u/medhop 3d ago
I THOUGHT that the next stop would be Futures End but BOY was I wrong. So was DC for publishing that. Don’t read Futures End. Or do if you want but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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u/WriterDirector93 3d ago
Haha well now I’m curious! What is it?
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u/medhop 3d ago
So 52 was a weekly series and it was diverse and amazing and had lasting effects for the characters in it.
Spoilers for Futures End follow
Futures end was a weekly series where nothing changed and the ending that was supposed to be avoided happened any way so it was not worth the story in the first place.
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u/AdLow5682 3d ago
Black Adam Dark Age Grant Morrison’s Batman
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u/WriterDirector93 2d ago
Reading Morrison, not sure I like Black Adam enough to read any more about him
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u/Drink_Blatz_Beer 3d ago edited 3d ago
For 52/Final Crisis purposes…
Seven Soldiers stuff, Batman and Final Crisis. All great, and what could have been had they really just let Grant run with it.
Final Crisis itself is one of my favorite events…his Multiversity picks up on it a bit and is fun as well.
For pure enjoyment, Starman from James Robinson…just a beast of a story. One very long narrative that’s filled with an appreciation of everything that got us to the point in the comics…and in life…while also showing it’s ok to move on.
For its acclaim, still very underrated and a true classic of the medium.
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u/WriterDirector93 2d ago
Yeah Starman has been on the list forever! Does it tie into continuity at all?
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u/Drink_Blatz_Beer 2d ago
DCU?
Yes. At the time, and tying into its rich past…not sure if/how it’s been retconned.Just an amazing arc over the full run. I’ve read a lot of comics, I don’t recommend a lot of full 80+ issue runs.
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