Following our new reading order of 52, I thought I’d do something similar for rebirth, but I have to admit I’m not very happy with my work. I found it too massive and consequently not easy to tackle. so for the renaissance era, I decided not to do a full order, instead highlighting some of the best this era has to offer (the following does not include the lack of continuity).
You are reading: Best dc rebirth books
but first, what is rebirth? It’s 2016 when dc relaunched its entire lineup of monthly ongoing superhero comic book titles. Using the end of the New 52 initiative in May 2016 as a starting point, DC Rebirth restored the DC Universe to a form much like it predated 2011’s “Flashpoint” storyline, while also incorporating numerous elements of New 52. 52, including its continuity. like the new 52, it was also a new entry point. almost all the characters had their designs revised, some (like wally west) reappeared, others were revised.
it all starts with dc universe: rebirth (2016) #1. DC also aired one-shot rebirth specials for the main characters, which are collected in DC Rebirth Omnibus Vol. 1, for those who want to try and maybe choose the series they want to read. you don’t need to read them, and most of them are also collected in each character’s first trade paperback.
and now… let’s explore a bit the era of dc’s renaissance!
dc rebirth reading order: the best races
superman by peter j. tomasi and patrick gleason
This superman title focuses on the pre-flashpoint superman family and follows the story through the eyes of his son jon kent. This is not an action-packed superman, but more realistic supers, full of heartfelt moments. the run suffers from some interruptions in the narrative in its second part, but it is still one of the best titles of the dc era. And if you’re interested in reading it with action comics, we’ve got a superman reading order for that period!
- superman vol. 1: Son of Superman collects superman (vol. 4) #1-6 and superman: rebirth #1
- superman vol. 2: trials of the super son collects superman (vol. 4) #7-13
- superman vol. 3: multiplicity collects superman (vol. 4) #14-17 and annual superman #1
- superman reborn collects action comics 975-976, superman 18- 19
- superman vol. 4: Black Dawn collects superman (vol. 4) #20-26
- superman vol. 5: hopes and fears collects superman (vol. 4) #27-32
- superman vol. 6: imperius lex collects superman (vol. 4) #33-36 and #39-41
- super sons of tomorrow collects super sons #11-12, superman #37-38 and teen titans #15.
- superman vol. 7: bizarroverse collects superman (vol. 4) #42-45 and material from superman special #1 and an action comic story #1000
You can also find this race in the form of a bus:
- superman by peter j. tomasi & patrick gleason omnibus collects superman #1-25, #27-28, #33-39, #42-45, superman annual #1, superman: revival # 1, superman special #1, action comics #975-976, #1000, super sons #11-12, and teen titans #975-976.
super sons of peter j. tomato
we stayed in the superman family with the best team ever with jon kent and damian wayne. the boys from superman and batman are going to live their own dangerous adventures in this fun title, although you have to keep in mind that the adventures of the super sons is quite optional, and not as good as the rest of this spread. For more information, see our super children’s reading order.
- super sons vol. 1: When I Grow Up collects super sons #1-5.
- super sons vol. 2: planet of the capes brings together super sons #6-10
- super sons of tomorrow brings together super sons #11-12, superman #37-38 and teen titans #15.
- super sons vol. 3: Parent Trap collects supersons #13-16 and annual #1.
- adventures of supersons vol. 1: Action Detective (optional) Collects Adventures of the Super Sons #1-6.
- Adventures of the Super Sons Vol. 2: Intergalactic Showdown (optional) Collects the adventures of Super Sons #7-12.
You can also find this race in the form of a bus:
- super sons omnibus expanded edition collects superman #10-11, superman #37-38, teen titans #15, supersons #1-16 , dc rebirth holiday special #1, super sons annual #1, super sons/dynomutt special #3 and adventures of supersons #1-12
aquaman by dan abnett
dan abnett took over the aquaman title for the last three issues of the new 52 and stayed on for the revival, which began with a focus on aquaman’s role as king and diplomat with arthur trying to strengthen atlantis- surfaced by opening an Atlantean embassy in Amnesty Bay, with Mere appointed as ambassador. The race helps develop Arthur as a man of peace and balance, a revolutionary hero of the people. this race is part of our selection of the best aquaman comics to read.
- aquaman vol.1: the drowning collects aquaman: rebirth #1, aquaman (vol. 8) #1-6
- aquaman vol. 2: black manta rise collects aquaman (vol. 8) #7-15
- aquaman vol.3: crown of atlantis collects aquaman (vol. 8) # 16-24
- aquaman vol.4: underworld compiles aquaman (vol. 8) #25-30
- aquaman vol.5: the crown comes down collects aquaman (vol. 8) #31-33, annual (vol. 2) #1
- mera: queen of atlantis collects collects mera: queen of atlantis #1-6
- aquaman vol.6: kingslayer collects aquaman (vol. 8) #34-38, annual (vol. 2) #2
- aquaman/suicide squad: sink atlantis collects aquaman (vol. 8) #39-40, suicide squad #45-46
- justice league /aquaman : drowned earth collects justice league/aquaman: drowned earth #1, justice league (vol. 4) #10-12, titans (vol. 3) #28, aquaman (vol. 8) #41-4 2, aquaman/justice league: drowned earth #1
See Also: The Four Agreements Summary – Four Minute Books
christopher priest deathblow
Christopher Priest gives us his take on Deathstroke, exploring his exploits as a mercenary and his tumultuous relationship with his ex-wife and children. What follows are some rich and complex stories full of impracticality and very much in the morally gray area suitable for Slade Wilson. To learn more about Slade Wilson, check out our Deathstroke Reading Order.
- deathstroke vol. 1: The Professional Collects Deathstroke: Rebirth #1, Deathstroke Vol. 4 #1-5
- deathstroke vol. 2: The Gospel of Slade Collects Deathstroke Vol. 4 #6-11
- deathstroke vol. 3: twilight collects deathstroke vol. 4 #12-18
- titans: the lazarus contract collects titans #11, teen titans #8, deathstroke #19-20 and teen titans annual #1.
- deathstroke vol. 4: challenge collects deathstroke vol. 4 #21-25
- deathstroke vol. 5: Slade’s Fall Collects Deathstroke Vol. 4 #26-29 and annual #1
- batman vs. deathstroke collects deathstroke vol. 4 #30-35
- deathstroke’ vol. 6: arkham collects deathstroke vol. 4 #36-40
- teen titans/deathstroke: the terminus agenda collects deathstroke vol. 4 #41-43, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #28-30
- deathstroke: r.i.p. collects deathstroke vol. 4 #44-50
You can also find this race in the form of a bus:
- deathstroke by christopher priest omnibus (Oct 2021) collects deathstroke: rebirth #1; titans #11; teen titans #8-29; deathblow #1-50; Titans: The Lazarus Contract Special #1; 2017 DC Holiday Special #1; annual deathstroke (rebirth) #1
wonder woman by greg rucka
greg ruck makes his comeback in wonder woman (see wonder woman reading order) at the beginning of the renaissance era with an ambitious story told with two timelines, jumping from one to the other with each issue, confronting who really is wonder woman.
- Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Lies collects wonder woman #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11, and wonder woman: rebirth one-shot.
- wonder woman vol. 2: Year One collects wonder woman #2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14.
- wonder woman vol. 3: The Truth collects Wonder Woman #13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 25.
- Wonder Woman Vol. 4: godwatch collects wonder woman #16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 and the story written by greg rucka from wonder woman annual #1.
also collected in deluxe editions
- wonder woman rebirth: the deluxe edition book one collects wonder woman #1-14, and wonder woman: rebirth one-shot.
- the Wonder Woman Revival: Book Two Deluxe Edition collects Wonder Woman #15-25, the annual #1 and DC’s 2017 Holiday Special.
hawk man by robert venditti
The real Carter Hall returns as Hawkman to the DC Universe in Dark Days: The Forge. Don’t worry, you don’t have to read Dark Nights: Metal to appreciate Venditti’s run on the character, where he tried to make some sense of Hawkman’s messy origin and also explored his relationship with Hawkgirl. one of those underrated titles from the renaissance era, well worth checking out.
- hawkman vol. 1: awakening collects hawkman #1-6
- hawkman vol. 2: deathbringer collects hawkman #7-12
- hawkman vol. 3: darkness within collects hawkman #13-19
- hawkman vol. 4: eternal hawks collects hawkman #20-29
tim seeley night wing
tim seeley definitely loves nightwing and became one of the most iconic writers on the character. so it’s no surprise that most of his career during this era is also worth reading. Seeley shines mainly in the characterization of Dick Grayson and his dynamics with family members and close friends of his.
- nightwing vol.1: better than batman nightwing: rebirth #1 and nightwing vol. 4 #1-4, #7-8
- nightwing vol.2: back to blüdhaven nightwing vol. 4 #9-15 June 2017
- nightwing vol.3: nightwing must die nightwing vol. 4 #16-21
- nightwing vol.4: blockbuster nightwing vol. 4 #22-28
- nightwing vol.5: the raptor’s revenge nightwing vol. 4 #30-34
new superman by gene luen yang
The first two years of dc rebirth were really good for the superman family and clearly the best of this era. It also introduced us to the new Superman, a Chinese teenager named Kong Kenan who gains a piece of Superman’s power. Unfortunately, he hasn’t appeared much since the end of this title.
- new superman vol. 1: made in china collects new superman #1-6
- new superman vol. 2: Coming to America collects new superman #7-12
- new superman vol. 3: balance collect new superman #13-19
- new superman and china justice league collect new superman #20 -24
might be worth checking out 4 other dc renaissance races (and the dark nights event)…
See Also: Romantic Movies Based On Books: 18 Love Stories – Never Enough Novels
To go further into dc rebirth, what follows is a selection of a few runs where you might find something you like.
james tynion iv detective comics revival
if you love your lone batman then james tynion iv detective comics is not for you as this is a bat team title. Batman and Batwoman are the leaders of a group that includes Spoiler, Orphan, Clayface, and Red Robin. To learn more about this run in the Batman Rebirth era, we invite you to check out our Batman Rebirth Reading Order (where you’ll find the very divisive Tom King’s Run).
- batman: detective stories vol. 1: rise of the batmen collects detective comics # 934-940
- batman: night of the monster men collects batman vol. 3 #7-8; detective comics #941-942; night wing vol. 4 #5-6
- batman: detective comics vol. 2: The Victims Syndicate Collects Detective Comics #943-949
- Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: league of shadows collects detective comics #950-956
- batman: detective comics vol. 4: Deus Ex Machina Collects Detective Comics #957-962
- Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 5: A Lonely Place to Live Collects Detective Comics #963-968
- Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 6: Fall of the Batman Collects Detective Comics #969-974 & #1 Annual
- batman: Detective Comics Vol. 7: eternal batmen collects detective comics #975-981
also collected in deluxe hardcover
- batman: hardcover deluxe detective comics vol. 1 Collects Detective Comics #934-949
- Batman: Hardcover Deluxe Detective Comics Vol. 2 collects detective comics #950-962
- batman: hardcover deluxe detective comics vol. 3 Collects Detective Comics #963-973 & Annual #1
- Batman: Hardcover Deluxe Detective Comics Vol. 4 collects detective comics #974-982
james tynion’s dark justice league iv
The magical side of dc is not always well treated and dc showed some love with this title. Creatures beyond reality have arrived to claim magic, and Wonder Woman knows she’ll need the help of the experts to stop it. She led a team consisting of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Man-Bat, and Detective Chimpanzee, with Constantine acting in a consulting capacity. For a more detailed reading order of all the renaissance era justice leagues, go to our dedicated reading order.
- justice league: no justice one-shot that relaunched the entire justice league series.
- justice league vol Dark. 1: the last age of magic collect justice league dark vol. 2, #1-3 and #5-7
- wonder woman & justice league dark: the witching hour collects justice league dark and wonder woman #1, and wonder woman and justice league dark #1, wonder woman #56-57, the league from dark justice vol. 2, #4
- justice league dark vol. 2: Lords of Order Collects Justice League Dark Vol. 2, #8-13 and justice league dark annual #1
- justice league dark vol. 3: The Witch War Collects Justice League Dark Vol. 2, #14-19
Like Abnett, Benjamin Percy was already writing Green Arrow during the New 52, and he remained the head writer for Revival. Percy will be most inspired during this era, in which he restored Green Arrow as a politically aware figure and revised the relationship between Green Arrow and Black Canary.
benjamin percy green arrow
- green arrow vol. 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen Collects Green Arrow Vol. 6 #1-5, Green Arrow: Rebirth #1
- Green Arrow Vol. 2: Island of Scars Collect Green Arrow Vol. 6 #6-11
- green arrow vol. 3: Emerald Outlaw Collect Green Arrow Vol. 6 #12-17
- green arrow vol. 4: The Rise of Star City Collects Green Arrow Vol. 6 #18-25
- green arrow vol. 5: the hard traveling hero collects the green arrow vol. 6 #26-31
- green arrow vol. 6: Trial of Two Cities collects Green Arrow Vol. 6 #32-38
the flash of joshua williamson
joshua williamson had a long tenure in the flash, perhaps the longest for any writer during this era. During his time, he created many characters, brought back the old ones and stayed true to the continuity.
- the flash vol. 1: lightning strikes twice pick up the flash: rebirth #1, the flash vol. 5 #1-8
- the flash vol. 2: speed of darkness pick up the flash vol. 5 #9-13
- the flash vol. 3: Rogues Reloaded Collects The Flash Vol. 5 #14-20
- the flash vol. 4: running scared pick up the flash vol. 5 #23-27
- the flash vol. 5: negative collects the flash vol. 5 #28-32
- the flash vol. 6: cold day in hell, collect the flash vol. 5 #34-38, #1 Annual
- the flash vol. 7: Perfect Storm collects the flash vol. 5 #39-45
- the flash vol. 8: flash war pick up the flash vol. 5 #46-51, a story from the annual #1
- the flash vol. 9: the calculation of forces picks up the flash vol. 5 #52-57
- the flash vol. 10: Force Quest Collect The Flash Vol. 5 #58-63
- the flash vol. 11: The Biggest Trick of Them All Collect The Flash Vol. 5 #66-69, annual #2
- the flash year one collects the flash vol. 5 #70-75
- the flash vol. 12: death and the speed force collects the flash vol. 5 #76-81
- the flash vol. 13: rogues kingdom collects the flash vol. 5 #82-87
- the flash vol. 14: The Flash Age Collects The Flash Vol. 5 #88, #750-755, annual #3
hal jordan and the green lanterns by robert venditti
ever since geoff johns ran massively in green lantern, let’s just say it’s been hard for writers to make their mark. venditti was already written in green lantern during the new 52 and, like several authors, seems to have given better stories with the revival. but, you might prefer the green lanterns.
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 1: the law of sinestro collects hal jordan & the green lantern corps #1-7, rebirth
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 2: Bottled Light collects Hal Jordan & the green lantern corps #8-13
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 3: quest for hope collects hal jordan & the green lantern corps #14-21
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 4: Split picks up Hal Jordan & the green lantern corps #22-27
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 5: Twilight of the Guardians Collects Hal Jordan & the green lantern corps #30-31 and #33-36
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 6: The Will of Zod collects Hal Jordan & the green lantern corps #37-41
- hal jordan and the green lantern corps, vol. 7: darkstars rising compiles hal jordan & the green lantern corps #42-50
dark nights: metal and death metal, the two most important dc events of the era
Let me start by saying that I haven’t finished dark knights: metal and haven’t read death metal as I found what I read to be convoluted and didn’t really make sense. but i can’t ignore that it has been a success for dc and the only real big event of this era. For more information, check out our Dark Nights: Metal Reading Order and Dark Nights: Death Metal Reading Order, its sequel.
- dark days: the road to metal compiles dark days: the forge #1 and dark days: the casting #1, as well as classic dc stories that built the foundations of metal, including final crisis #6-7, batman: bruce wayne returns #1, batman #38-39, nightwing #17 and more.
- dark nights: metal collects darkness nights: metal #1-6, and dark knights rise: the wild hunt #1 and lost batman #1.
- dark nights: metal: dark knights rise collects the dark seven nights: batman tie-in one-shots and dark knights rise: the wild hunt #1.
- dark nights: metal: the resistance collects the “gotham resistance” (teen titans #12, nightwing #29, suicide squad #26, green arrow #32) and “bats out of hell” (flash #33, justice league #32-33 , hal jordan and the green lantern corps #32), plus batman lost #1 and hawkman found #1 .
last updated on May 17, 2022.