A Flashpoint Reading Order

DC Comics are famous for their massive crossover events which can have massive implications for their comics going forward. There is no bigger example of this than Flashpoint which led to a complete reboot of the DC universe known as the New 52. The main story was told in the five issue series Flashpoint but a further 56 comics tied into the event and fleshed out the strange alternate universe of Flashpoint.

The main Flashpoint series was excellent and essential reading for DC comics fans. The rest of the event varied immensely in quality and importance to the main story line. Some comics gave much needed background to the war between the Amazonians and the Atlanteans whilst others were pretty forgettable. I have marked the most important comics with ESSENTIAL and RECOMMENDED for those who don’t want to read all 61 comics.

There are many different reading orders for Flashpoint, but I’ve never found one that I liked. When read in the right order, the story becomes much easier to follow and much more enjoyable. I have placed the comics in order so that most of them serve a purpose. They might provide helpful background prior to reading another comic or they might be read afterwards to explain something that happened in the other comic. I have ordered the comics so that the biggest plot twists are first encountered in the main series so they can be enjoyed to their fullest. Also, most of the tie-in comics are three issues long, and I have tried to keep most of them together where possible as this makes the reading order much easier to follow.

The Road to Flashpoint

The Flash: Rebirth #1-#6
The Flash Secret Files and Origins 2010 #1
The Flash: Volume 3 (2010-2011) #1-#12
Many reading orders include a few comics from before Flashpoint and one of the trade paper backs is literally called The Road to Flashpoint. Personally I feel Flashpoint #1 is an excellent starting point, and if you aren’t familiar with the DC universe from before Flashpoint I wouldn’t bother with any of these comics.

I also think it’s better to read all of the Flash comics or none of them. Most of the story isn’t that relevant to Flashpoint, but you can follow some ideas from The Flash: Rebirth through to Flashpoint. However these first issues are dealing with the fallout from Blackest Night more than building up to Flashpoint so for a complete understanding you need to go further and further back into the history of the DC universe.

My personal favourite out of all of these is The Flash #8 which gives The Reverse Flash his own rebirth story.

Time Masters: Vanishing Point #1-#6
The other comic that leads into Flashpoint is Time Masters: Vanishing Point. The biggest connection is Rip Hunter’s blackboard which is seen at the very end of the last issue and referenced in the Booster Gold Flashpoint issues. Personally I don’t find this a big enough payoff to justify recommending this series.

Flashpoint #1

Flashpoint #1ESSENTIAL
Barry Allen wakes up in a strange new universe where his mom is still alive, the Justice League doesn’t exist and the Amazonians and the Atlanteans are at war.

Wonder Woman and the Furies #1 RECOMMENDED
Wonder Woman and the Furies #2 RECOMMENDED
These issues take place in the past and show the beginning of the War between the Amazonians and the Atlanteans. It shows the destruction of Themyscira and the establishment of New Themyscira by conquering Great Britain.

Lois Lane and the Resistance #1 RECOMMENDED
This comic begins with the sinking of Europe so it follows the previous Wonder Woman comics beautifully. It also provides backstory prior to Lois Lane’s appearance in Flashpoint #2.

Booster Gold #45
Booster Gold is unique because he isn’t a character from the Flashpoint universe, but is trapped there just like the Flash. In issue #45 he discovers the new timeline which mirrors the Flash in Flashpoint #1.

Citizen Cold #1
Citizen Cold #2
Citizen Cold #3
The Citizen Cold comics are pretty disconnected from the rest of Flashpoint. Citizen Cold is talked about and shown in Flashpoint #1 but soon forgotten about. I would therefore read it as a follow up to Flashpoint #1 but it could be read at any time.

Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #1
This is another comic that is generally disconnected from the rest of Flashpoint but the first issue does provide background for the beginning of Flashpoint #2. They overlap with the end of Deathstroke #1 being shown at the start of Flashpoint #2.

Flashpoint #2

Flashpoint #2 ESSENTIAL
Barry tries to convince Batman to help him get his powers back and realises the Reverse Flash must be behind Flashpoint. Meanwhile Aquaman attacks Deathstroke above a submerged Paris and Wonder Woman captures Steve Trevor in London, which is now part of New Themyscira. The issue ends with a world map that shows who controls what and references a number of other Flashpoint characters.

Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #2
Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #3
These two issues don’t intersect with the rest of Flashpoint again so they could be read at any time. I’ve put them here because I’ve tried to keep each series as close together as possible.

Batman Knight of Vengeance #1 RECOMMENDED
Batman Knight of Vengeance #2 RECOMMENDED
Batman Knight of Vengeance #3 RECOMMENDED
This whole series takes place between Flashpoint #2 and #3 because Batman is deciding whether or not to help the Flash. This series is recommended for multiple reasons. Firstly it explains Batman’s motives for the rest of Flashpoint. Secondly Batman: Knight of Vengeance is also one of my favourite comics from Flashpoint. It takes place in a very twisted version of Gotham and is a very fun read.

Booster Gold #45
This follows on from Booster Gold #44 with Booster researching the Flashpoint timeline. This mirrors Flashpoint #2 because he suspects the Reverse Flash is behind everything, just like Barry Allen.

Green Arrow Industries #1
Green Arrow weapons are referenced by several other comics and Green Arrow Industries are shown on the world map at the end of Flashpoint #2. This one-off comic is best read as background for Legion of Doom.

Legion of Doom #1
Legion of Doom #2
Legion of Doom #3
This series features Mick Rory a.k.a. Heatwave trying to get revenge on Cyborg. Cyborg is an important character in the main Flashpoint comic but he doesn’t have a tie-in series of his own. The Legion of Doom comics provide some extra background for Cyborg before he returns in Flashpoint #3.

Emperor Aquaman #1 RECOMMENDED
This issue gives more background on the metahuman that powered the weapon which sank Europe. Much of the issue is flashbacks but it also shows important moments from the present day as Aquaman plans a new attack on New Themyscira. This plan is referenced in Flashpoint #3

Flashpoint #3

Flashpoint #3 ESSENTIAL
The Flash, Batman and Cyborg agree to work together. They learn from Lois Lane that the Atlanteans plan to attack New Themyscira tomorrow. Lois Lane meets the Resistance and we meet Superman for the first time.

The Canterbury Cricket #1
This comic shows the Canterbury Cricket joining the resistance. This takes place before Lois Lane meets the resistance in Flashpoint #3 and introduces some of the characters seen in that comic.

Deadman and the Flying Grasons #1
Deadman and the Flying Grasons #2
Deadman and the Flying Grasons #3
This series is pretty disconnected from the rest of Flashpoint and could be read at any time. It can be read now to give Britannia a brief introduction before Lois Lane and the Resistance #2. The first issue also contains a nice map of Europe after the Atlanteans flooded it.

Lois Lane and the Resistance #2 RECOMMENDED
Lois Lane and the Resistance #3 RECOMMENDED
These comics follows directly from Lois Lane meeting the Resistance in Flashpoint #3.

Emperor Aquaman #2 RECOMMENDED
This issue gives Aquaman’s back story but also shows an Atlantean kill team sent into New Themyscira. This starts the final conflict between the Atlanteans and the Amazonians which will feature in many of the remaining Flashpoint comics.

Wonder Woman and the Furies #3 RECOMMENDED
Emperor Aquaman #3 RECOMMENDED
These follow immediately after both Emperor Aquaman #2 and Lois Lane and the Resistance #3. Read both of them first, then Wonder Woman and the Furies #3 and then Emperor Aquaman #3. Both of these advance the story of the War between the Atlanteans and the Amazonians but also give more details about how the war started.

Abin Sur: The Green Lantern #1
Abin Sur: The Green Lantern #2
The fact that Hal Jordan didn’t become the Green Lantern in this universe is brought up in Flashpoint #3. Hal Jordan’s encounter with Abin Sur is covered in the first two issues of Abin Sur: The Green Lantern.

Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1
Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #2
Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #3
This series must be read after Flashpoint #3 but is otherwise disconnected from the rest of Flashpoint and can be read at any time.

Flashpoint #4

Flashpoint #4 ESSENTIAL
Our Heroes head to New Themyscira to try and stop the Atlanteans and the Amazonians from destroying the world.

Secret Seven #1 RECOMMENDED
Secret Seven #2 RECOMMENDED
Secret Seven #3 RECOMMENDED
This series explains the backstory to one of the plot twists in Flashpoint #4.

The Outsider #1
The Outsider #2
The Outsider #3
This series gives the background to the Outsider joining the team as shown in Flashpoint #4.

Hal Jordan #1
Hal Jordan #2
Hal Jordan #3
This series covers the story of Hal Jordan who was referenced in Flashpoint #4. The events of Abin Sur #1 and #2 are referenced in this series.

Grodd of War #1
This comic is pretty separate from the rest of Flashpoint and could be read at anytime. It explains Grodd’s backstory in the Flashpoint timeline. I recommend reading it before The World of Flashpoint and Flashpoint #5 where Grodd makes brief appearances.

The World of Flashpoint #1
The World of Flashpoint #2
The World of Flashpoint #3
This might sound like a comic that gives more background to the Flashpoint universe but instead it follows Traci Thirteen trying to stop H.I.V.E. firing a superweapon. It is almost completely separate from everything else in Flashpoint but takes place at the same time as the battle shown in Flashpoint #4.

Booster Gold #46
Booster Gold #47
These aren’t just the final two issues of the Booster Gold Flashpoint story but also the final two issues of the Booster Gold comic. Whilst mostly separate from the rest of Flashpoint, the battle in New Themyscira is featured briefly so read this between Flashpoint #4 and Flashpoint #5.

Project Superman #1
Project Superman #2
Project Superman #3
The first two issues could be read after Superman’s first appearance in Flashpoint #3. However I suggest saving them to read with the third issue which takes place after both Booster Gold #47 and Lois Lane and the Resistance #3. This series gives the conclusion to Lois Lane’s story and builds up to Flashpoint #5.

Reverse Flash #1 RECOMMENDED
The perfect appetiser before reading the final issue of the main flashpoint series. One of my favourite tie-in comics from Flashpoint.

Flashpoint #5

Flashpoint #5 ESSENTIAL
This is an epic finale that ended one era of DC comics and began the New 52 era.

Abin Sur #3
The final Abin Sur comic overlaps with the events of Flashpoint #5.

Kid Flash Lost #1
Kid Flash Lost #2
Kid Flash Lost #3
The Kid Flash Lost series stands very separate from the rest of the Flashpoint timeline but does eventually overlap with the events of Flashpoint #5. It connects the events of Flashpoint to the other speedsters in the DCU universe and I recommend reading it as an epilogue to the entire Flashpoint saga for those reading every single comic.

Congratulations you made it through every single comic in the Flashpoint crossover event! I’ve just started re-reading the New 52 era, so in a year or so look out for some New 52 reading orders.