We all have to start somewhere. When it comes to comic books, you just pick one up and read. If you like it and want more, that’s when things may get complicated if you are reading published by the “Big Two.”

There are already pretty complete guides available on the web that will help you read more. My ambition with the DC Casebook is to do that and more. As I navigate through hordes of reading orders, I get lost between series and characters. There are so many. What do I really need to read? And why?

It’s positioning yourself to fail to try to answer that, as, even if we would like to believe the contrary, the people behind the comics do not have a master plan, and the way the industry works doesn’t allow for one anyway. So, I can a least try to go to what matters and help readers like me get an understanding of what they are reading and how to move beyond one part of the DC Comics Universe to the other.

Yes, it’s all about DC Comics here. I began reading comics via Marvel superheroes, but DC Comics is where I found a place that felt more in tune with my sensibilities. More mysteries, more adult-themed books (I’m a Vertigo fan), a bigger openness to risk (at least, from time to time), and a place where my favorite authors and artists found their voices.

This blog is envisioned as a long-running project, probably years of work, so don’t forget to bookmark it so you can find it again!