Figures/Toys
Batgirl of Burnside Black/White Statue: A Batgirl statue would be pretty sweet, but a statue in black and white? Certainly adds more style to her already stylish outfit, no?
Arkham Knight Funko Pop Figure: Sure, the Arkham Knight looks like a scary guy when he’s your height and has a gun to your head. But when he’s the size of a Funko figure, he’s not so intimidating, is he?
The Flash Logo LED Watch: You’d think a speedster wouldn’t need a watch to be on time, and yet Barry’s always late. Best not to follow in his footsteps and pick up this watch so you’re never late. Who knows, maybe you’ll get hit by lightning one day and get super speed of your own, then you can have the watch to remind you to GET MOVING NOW!
Green Lantern
Comics
Green Lantern (writers: Geoff Johns and Robert Venditti/artists: Doug Mahnke and Billy Tan): Hal Jordan’s back in action as a Green Lantern, thanks to his old nemesis, Sinestro. Johns manages to make the relationship between these two enemies work and elevate them both as separate entities before he passes writing duties off to Venditti, who’s been keeping up the pace since he took over last year. For DC’s top space hero, this book is more than worth the time.
Sinestro (writer: Cullen Bunn/various artists): The leader of the Sinestro Corps has his own problems to deal with, from old enemies to his own past. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about what would make one of the greatest Green Lanterns start his own group based around fear, well… Sinestro’s more than willing to let you tag along on his journey.
The Omega Men (writer: Tom King/artist: Barnaby Bagenda) Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern turned White Lantern turned dead. At least, that’s how the story goes. Turns out, the Omega Men have been keeping him hostage so they can use him as a weapon for their own means. Even though it’s currently halfway through its 12 issue run, King’s blend of political subtext with the cosmic group of heroes at his disposal brings a lot of depth to their mission that begs to be read.
TV
Green Lantern: The Animated Series: The two season CG series may have had some trouble early on finding its footing, but from that point on, it was smooth sailing. It managed to cram quite a bit of the Emerald Knight’s continuity into 26 episodes in a manageable manner, in addition to just having great original and established characters. Plus, it did the impossible and made Hal Jordan likable!
Batman
Comics
Batman (writer: Scott Snyder/artist: Greg Capullo): The mainline Batman comic has been one of the most consistently great comics since DC started the New 52. While the current ongoing arc has Jim Gordon taking up the role of the Dark Knight with a robotic suit is just as great, Bruce Wayne’s time is more than worth reading. Now’s the perfect time to read Bruce’s adventures before jumping into Jim’s story.
Grayson (writer: Tom King & Tim Seeley/artist: Mikel Janin): Dick Grayson is officially dead to the world, but to a few, he’s still alive and kicking as a secret agent for a vague spy organization called Spyral. Goofy name for sure, but Grayson manages to make its title character’s adventures consistently entertaining with a fun supporting cast and just letting him run loose.
Batman and Robin (writer: Peter Tomasi/artist: Patrick Gleason): Being Batman’s son is hard enough, but being the son of Batman and a member of the League of Assassins? Yeah, Damian Wayne’s kinda messed up for a 10-year-old kid. Damian’s upbringing changes up the typical Dynamic Duo, well, dynamic, and that (along with a beautifully done silent issue) makes this well worth reading.
Gotham Academy (writers: Becky Cloonan & Cameron Stewart/artist: Karl Kerschl): The most prestigious school in Gotham City is now home to a group of students with endless amounts of curiosity that makes them want to delve into the school’s secrets. It’s a little bit of Harry Potter and manga thrown into Batman’s universe, and it’s a lot of fun, thanks to its core cast of characters. C’mon, Maps is the best.
Batgirl of Burnside (writers: Cameron Stewart & Brenden Fletcher/artist: Babs Tarr): Being a member of the Batfamily doesn’t mean doom and gloom. Barbara Gordon’s decided to move to a new part of town and try to restart her life, but that’s easier than it sounds. If nothing else, this book deserves to be read just for being a fun breather to Bruce’s grim outings and Dick’s globetrotting espionage.
Games
Arkham Knight: The Dark Knight’s had a great run of video games over the past couple of years, and now it’s time to close it out with a bang. Rocksteady’s action stealth title manages to feel like a DC event for its title character, bringing in the biggest villains (and Arkham Knight) for Batman to punch and stealth his way through. Even if you don’t care for the Batmobile and think the ending is a bit too long, Arkham Knight is a game that deserves to be played.
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham: Even though the Caped Crusader has top billing and this is his series, all the DC heroes and villains are out and about in this cosmic, galaxy spanning romp. Despite being mostly for kids, this is a game for all fans of Batman and DC comics, regardless of age.
Superman
Comics
Action Comics (writer: Greg Pak/artist: Aaron Kuder): Action Comics has been a long running piece of the Man of Steel’s history, and in Pak and Kuder’s hands, it’s been given new life. The two give the alien from Krypton a dose of humanity that hasn’t been around up until they took reign of the series. If you want to see Superman be a super man, Pak and Kuder will do you justice.
Batman/Superman (writer: Greg Pak/Jae Lee, Brett Booth, and ): This book may star both of the World’s Finest, but Superman is the one who benefits the most from Pak’s writing. The bond between these two men is cemented through the crazy adventures they go through, from alternate timelines to being controlled by gamers.
Wonder Woman
Comics
Sensation Comics (various writers/various artists): A rotating list of writers and artists take a stab at DC’s leading lady, and it’s certainly a commendable effort. The art style and tone may change every few issues, but make no mistake: Diana’s still Diana in each of them, and it’s definitely well worth your time.
Wonder Woman (writer: Brian Azzarello/artist: Cliff Chiang): The New 52 reboot from 2011 brought a lot of changes with it, and one of them is that Diana is the daughter of Zeus. Don’t let that deter you away from this book, though; despite a change in origin, her capacity for love is always going to be what defines her, and Azzarello and Chiang continue to make that clear through their three year run on the character.
Justice League
Comics
The Flash (writers: Francis Manapul, Robert Venditti & Van Jensen/artists: Brian Buccatello & Brett Booth): Barry Allen is the fastest man alive, and Manapul and Buccatello make him one of the most entertaining as well. Whether he’s going up against his own, his Rogues, talking gorillas, or an evil counterpart, the art and writing match Barry’s speed perfectly.
Justice League (writer: Geoff Johns/various artists): The greatest heroes of the DC universe are formidable on their own, but together, they’re amazing. The action movie pace and writing keeps things from getting dull, and even though things can sometimes things can get convoluted, this book is consistently entertaining and packed with adventure.
Injustice (writer: Tom Taylor/various artists): The superhero punchfest from Netherrealm may have came out way back in 2013, but the comic that details the five years of Superman’s rule is still going strong. Just like in the game, Taylor manages to fill each year with an rising sense of dread and foreboding that makes you want to stop reading, just after one. More. Issue. The art fits the action perfectly, and the ever growing body count and twists make the wait for each new issue killer.
DC Bombshells (writer: Marguerite Bennett/various artists): Originally based off a series of pinup superheroes designs, Bombshells turns the various female characters of the comic brand into WWII-defining characters, from Batwoman being a baseball player in her off time to Stargirl and Supergirl being pilots that fly with the Russian Night Witches. The weekly webcomic gets a lot of mileage out of imagining how these characters would act in the war setting, and the rotating art ensures that this retro concept will be fun for quite a while.
TV
The Flash: Arrow’s spinoff TV show had a lot of expectations to live up to when it first premiered and met nearly all of them. The cast is fun, the action is continuously inventive, and it’s never afraid to embrace its comic heritage and get weird. If you somehow haven’t seen the outstanding first season, the Christmas break is great time to do so.
Young Justice (Seasons 1 & 2): Sadly ended before its time, the short lived TV series has sidekicks like Superboy, Robin, and Aqualad travel around the world as a stealth team for the Justice League. The concept alone is worth a watch, but the series itself succeeds in how it treats its characters and streamlines decades of convoluted continuity into a digestible package.
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