The First Issue

Greetings, my name is Jordan. Last time, a look was given into this blog and its purpose. This post shall cover which first issue comic volumes should be checked out by everyone following the "Rebirth" series.

To start off, my favorite volume would have to be Blue Beetle 1: The More Things Change, covering issues 1-5. In my opinion, this is one of the best comics "Rebirth" has. Some quick background on the character: Jaime Reyes is the Blue Beetle in this series. He was introduced in 2006, as the Beetle after Ted Kord, who was murdered before Jaime found the Scarab, which gives him his powers. In the "New 52", the "Blue Beetle" series was cancelled after almost two years.
In "Rebirth", Jaime is the Beetle, and Ted Kord is his mentor. The dynamic between the two is very interesting, as Jaime wants nothing more than to have the scarab removed from his back, and Ted wants to keep testing Jaime as a superhero.

Doctor Fate, a sorcerer from numerous other DC stories, is brought into this volume, warning Ted to stop messing with the powers of the scarab, as they represent a threat to the world. Fate told Kord that the scarab was magical, and not of some alien technology, as Ted had believed. I personally cannot wait to see where this goes, as I am used to the scarab being a product of The Reach, a powerful alien force that wishes to enslave the Earth.

The next comic would be Justice League of America: Road to Rebirth, as it establishes origins for numerous characters of interest. The comic introduces The Atom Ryan Choi (taking Ray Palmer's place, as he has gone missing), Vixen, The Ray, Killer Frost (reformed from villainy), Black Canary, and Lobo. Batman brought all of them together to form a team of people, instead of, as he put it, "Gods". Each character was altered in some way, either by accident, as in Killer Frost's case, or through science, as with The Atom, but they all maintain a human aspect which Superman, Martian Manhunter, and other aliens do not have.
This provides a fantastic setup for future conflict that the JLA may have with the regular Justice League of "Rebirth", if super-powered non-humans were taken control of, or had some desire to rule the Earth.

Speaking of the JLA, volume one of Justice League, The Extinction Machines, is the final major recommendation for reading the "Rebirth" series. "Justice League" centers around, of course, the Justice League, as they deal with alien machines destroying major cities, from some source called "The Kindred". Of course, the question is: Who are the Kindred? They seem to be a powerful threat, which could cross over to other "Rebirth" series. We may witness the JLA with the Justice League, or the Teen Titans could assist in containing and destroying the enemy. Time shall tell.

Thank you for reading this post. Tune in next time for a look at Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, and the similarities and differences in this timeline to the previous.