With the DC New 52, I decided to get back into comics-buying on a regular basis.  For the last few years, I’d been only following a few series, mostly ones put out by my company’s client publishers.  This meant I read Dark Horse, Image, IDW and a few other publishers’ series, but not much more.  I grew up reading comics, though, and I kind of missed it, especially getting to geek out with friends about comics on a regular basis.

So, I took the plunge and subscribed to a handful of New DC comics, as well as nibbling around the edges of a few other series and titles (Marvel’s Generation Hope, X-Men Schism, and now ReGenesis).

My favorite of the new DC series are:

Action Comics:  This is a huge callback to the very first version of Superman, where he was a one-man new deal, taking on robber barons and corrupt officials.  I find this extra-resonant considering the economic climate and the Occupy Wall Street Movement.  It’s nice to have Superman in tune with contemporary political sentiment, and to have him be pro-active and revolutionary rather than a staid defender of the status quo.

Batwoman: This series has gotten less reboot than many others, mostly due to the fact that the character is pretty new.  I highly recommend the first Batwoman trade, Elegy, which seems to be entirely preserved in the New DC.  The new series gives Batwoman a sidekick and puts her in opposition with most everyone else in Gotham, pursuing her own agenda.  The art here (by J.H. Williams III) is phenominal, and pretty much worth buying by itself.

Animal Man: I am really liking this one, though it feels more like a Vertigo title than a straight-up DC title.   The importance of Buddy’s family is pushing this title over the top for me, along with the striking art style.  This is a series you could read pretty well independent of the rest of the DCU and probably be happy.  Special shout-out-recommendation to old Vertigo readers or Sandman fans.

Batgirl:  Barbara Gordon resuming the mantle of Batgirl ruffled a lot of feathers, since as Oracle she was a rare differently-abled/disabled (pick your term) superheroine.  Barbara was crippled in the classic story arc of Batman: The Killing Joke, and in the New DC, she has gone through physical therapy and resumed the mantle of Batgirl.  Simone’s writing here is solid, and the art by Adrian Syaf is well-done, corresponding with the ‘superhero costumers are armor’ paradigm.

Demon Knights:  This is a straight-up action-adventure/sword & sorcery comic starring magic/occult heroes from DC that would have been around in a medieval setting.  Aside from the actual D&D comic, it is the D&D comic.

More to come later.  The problem with reading individual issues again is that it is a lot more expensive than buying trades.  After the first arcs of these DC reboots, I’m likely to subscribe to the trades and back off my weekly purchases to save some $.  But right now, I really enjoy having my weekly pilgrimages to the nerdery.