These Are The Comic Books You Need To Read Before Watching 2019's MARVEL And DC Superhero Movies
2019 is the busiest year for superhero movies ever and if you're a little lost about where to start, then we have a comprehensive reading list for you which should help you get right up to speed with them.
2019 sees the release of a huge number of Marvel and DC movies, including Captain Marvel, Shazam!, Avengers 4, Dark Phoenix, Spider-Man: Far From Home, The New Mutants, and Joker.
Phew! Best get saving for all those theater tickets, eh? Regardless, with so many different movies on the way, we're sure you're wondering where you should start when it comes to reading up on certain characters and story arcs. Well, below, you'll find an in-depth list touching on that and more and we hope you'll find this extremely helpful in getting up to speed with things.
From Shazam's origin story to clues about Avengers 4 and the best Spider-Man vs. Mysterio stories, simply click on the "View List" button below to take a look at this list of must-read comics.
Captain Marvel Vol. 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More
When Marvel Comics decided to rebrand Ms. Marvel as Captain Marvel, writer Kelly Sue DeConnick was given the reigns to the character and put her on a path which will obviously have a huge impact on what we see on screen next March.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has already confirmed that this run has influenced the movie, and while you'll want to read beyond this first volume for a better idea of what's going to make it into the highly anticipated big screen debut of the character, it's a great starting point for fans.
However, if you're looking for an origin story, we have another absolute must-read for you...
Life Of Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel's origin story has never really undergone any significant changes but the recent Life of Captain Marvel comic has made some big changes, many of which I'm convinced have been made to tie into what Marvel Studios has planned for the hero on screen.
Making it so that Carol Danvers no longer relies on a man to gain her extraordinary abilities, some huge revelations are made about the hero's past and I won't mention them here because they'll almost certainly have an impact on the movie so could be considered spoilers!
This is a must-read, though, and a lot easier to track down that her original origin story too.
Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection
It may not have been confirmed but Jude Law is almost certainly playing Mar-Vell in Captain Marvel and if you're looking to learn more about the character, this is a great place to start.
Widely considered the greatest stories featuring the hero, we get to see him become a truly cosmic hero here before ultimately dying in one of the Marvel Universe's most shocking moments to date. Mar-Vell is in safe hands with Starlin and there's some great Thanos stuff here as well.
On another note, the Kree/Skrull War may also be worth taking a look at because the two alien races will be going head to head in the movie (given the involvement of The Avengers in that tale, though, it may not end up being overly relevant aside from some Kree and Skrull characters).
Shazam! Vol 1: The New 52
There are a lot of very good Shazam! comic books out there but this is the only one you need to read before seeing the movie next April. Originally presented as a backup story in the pages of Justice League, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank delivered a contemporary take on Billy Batson and his supporting cast and delivered a stellar new origin story in the process.
Featuring characters like The Wizard and Doctor Sivana, this comic is the basis for the live-action adaptation and you'll find everything you need to know here about the character and it serves as a nice refresher even if you're a longtime fan.
Infinity Gauntlet
Many of you will have no doubt read this to get ready for Avengers: Infinity War and, well, while it was certainly a good primer, the open-ended nature of the movie meant that we still don't know how the ending is going to play out for the remaining heroes.
There could be some big clues here, though, particularly in regards to how all those dead characters are restored and Nebula's story arc, in particular. Once again, don't expect a direct adaptation by any means but there's bound to be more from this epic tale that the Russo Brothers have used.
Annhiliation
The rumoured title for Avengers 4 is Avengers: Annihilation and while we know from past experience that titles don't necessarily reflect what plays out on screen, this comic is going to be well worth reading when and if Marvel Studios finally makes the sequel's name official.
Featuring Fantastic Four villain Annihilus unleashing his Annihilation Wave on the cosmos, there's a very good chance that he's the "bigger threat" we've heard so much about in Avengers 4 and with characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy and Thanos given key roles, don't be surprised if reading this gives you at least some idea of where the MCU is heading during this movie and beyond.
Avengers Forever
All the signs seem to be pointing to time-travel factoring into Avengers 4, and aside from the terrible Age of Ultron, this is the most noteworthy Avengers time-travel story you'll be able to find.
Featuring versions of Earth's Mightiest Heroes from the past, present, and future brought together to form a superteam of sorts, it's doubtful that the movie will have anything in common with the plot of this comic. However, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see time-travel used like this in the MCU, especially as we know for sure that we're visiting various points in the shared world's history.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga
Given Fox's history of adapting beloved comic books for the big screen, don't expect Simon Kinberg's Dark Phoenix to have too much in common with this beloved story arc. There are, however, some minor similarities based on what we know so far about the X-Men: The Last Stand remake and this is worth reading just to see how the story should be done!
It's an epic, sweeping saga with some great twists and turns which is a definite must-read for fans of these characters. Chances are Kinberg will have paid homage to the source material in at least some respects (we hope), so it'll also be worth taking a look at for any possible Easter Eggs which end up on screen.
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Book 2 - Rhino & Mysterio
Mysterio is a great Spider-Man villain but he's not quite up there with the likes of Venom and Mysterio which makes finding a "definitive" story featuring the character pretty difficult.
A twisted new take on Quentin Beck following his death (more on that later), the Master of Illusion's powers were used in some devastating new ways and he pushed Spider-Man to the limit in a memorable battle which we won't spoil for you here. The Rhino obviously won't factor into Spider-Man: Far From Home but if he ever does, then this would be a great basis for a big screen version.
Daredevil: Guardian Devil
This isn't a Spider-Man story and Mysterio doesn't show up until near the end but if you're looking for a taste of just how hateful and evil Beck can be, then this is a must-read! There's one element, in particular, here which I believe could play a role in what Jake Gyllenhaal does with the character as it may go some way in explaining why the special effects whiz ends up turning to villainy.
New Mutants: Demon Bear
Will The New Mutants ever actually be released? As of right now, it seems somewhat doubtful as the reshoots still haven't taken place and it appears to be trapped in production hell while Fox tries to figure out what on Earth they're going to do with what sounds like a total mess of a movie.
However, with various outlets reporting that the reshoots will add more superhero elements and put the focus back on Demon Bear, this classic tale is well worth reading, especially if you're not overly familiar with the roster or what brought them together in the first place for their first adventure.
Joker
The Joker has appeared on screen so many times that you more than likely already feel like an expert on all things Clown Prince of Crime. Written by Brian Azzarello with some stunning artwork from Lee Bermejo, this isn't an origin story for the character but it does provide a very adult and dark take on the character which could influence Todd Phillips' movie.
After all, it's said that Joker - a standalone tale detailing the villain's transformation from Arthur Fleck into The Joker - will be R-Rated and Phillips would be foolish not to look to this story for inspiration in delivering a dark and twisted tale which makes Joaquin Phoenix's version truly memorable.
Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Chances are we won't see Batman in Joker but if you're looking for some insight into the Clown Prince of Crime's psyche during his first fight with the Caped Crusader and attack on Gotham City, then look no further than Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke's The Man Who Laughs.
It may be a relatively brief tale but it's a great update of previous "origin" stories for The Joker and I wouldn't actually be surprised if the big screen version also enacts a plan to poison Gotham's water supply as he tries to bring down the wealthy 1% ruling over the city.
Batman: The Killing Joke
The most widely sourced origin story for The Joker, The Killing Joke sheds some light on the villain's start as a stand up comic before he was forced to turn to crime and became the Red Hood before being dunked in chemicals for a transformation which turned him into Batman's greatest foe.
Everything after the stand up comic stuff probably won't make it into the movie but if you're looking for a place to start when it comes to The Joker's past, then this is as good a place as any and a stellar tale from Alan Moore which has definitely stood the test of time.
Some More Options...
For Captain Marvel, Brian Reed's Ms. Marvel, Civil War II, and Tara Butters' new ongoing series. For Shazam!, Geoff Johns has a new title coming out soon to coincide with the movie. For Avengers 4, anything cosmic is a good place to start but take a look at anything with "Infinity" in the title for clues.
As for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sinister Six stories would be a good start, especially as it appears as if that's something Marvel Studios is building toward. Joker fans, meanwhile, would be smart to read Batman: White Knight for ideas of what a "heroic" Clown Prince of Crime looks like.
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