Top 10 Comics To Binge-read Before Justice League

This first entry on the list isn't a true blue JLA comic – but it is the best primer to get you deep into the JLA-verse mythology. Mark Waid's contemplative and imaginative writing coupled with Alex Ross's photorealistic art style elevates Kingdom Come into the "masterpiece" category. The comic takes is set in the post-Superhero era – one where Superman and others from his time have retired, unable to find their place in the new world. This is a world that condones a 'reckless yet decisive' philosophy that drives the new generation of superheroes and condemns the old-world values of Superman and heroes of his time.

Seen through the eyes of Pastor who is made witness to the unfolding chain of events by The Spectre – the comic takes a deep, dark look at what makes a superhero, how thin the lines are between righteousness and evil; and how at the end of it, goodness prevails only when we recognize what makes us human – warts and all.

Many ardent comic book readers would find this an unusual entry, but to me Final Crisis is the last great and definitive mega 'crisis' event from the house of DC. Grant Morrison is at his eeriest, trippiest and all-in-or-nothing best in this volume.

In the lead up to Final Crisis we see that the New Gods from New Genesis and Apokolips are now dead. Soon, Orion (Darkseid's son) crashes on Earth having been killed by a "God Bullet" and his death sets off a multiverse spanning chain of events in motion. It is soon revealed that the New Gods may not be all that dead after all.

Final Crisis follows the story of resurrection of Darkseid, DC Universe's big baddy – as he is reborn, enslaves the human populace with the 'anti-life equation' and then makes the entire universe crumble as he tries to shape it to his will.

If one looks at the team-play and dynamics of the DC universe superheroes, Batman would always seem like an odd choice to be a part of an ensemble like JLA. While Superman and Wonder Woman are meant to represent all that is good about humanity – Batman, with his brooding, distrustful 'emo' vibe stands in stark contrast. Also, one might wonder what additional skills could he possibly bring to the table that a Kryptonian, an Amazon and a Space Cop can't.

JLA: Tower of Babel answers that conundrum – as Ra's Al Ghul discovers the files Batman kept on all his teammates and uses it to bring down the JLA in a matter of hours. This leads Batman to run around saving his teammates, take down Ra's and put out the fires that his distrustful nature had caused.

This volume, eventually collected as a trade paperback marked one of the most definitive and successful runs for the JLA comic book franchise. It also marked Grant Morrison's career boosting run at DC and established him as one of the heavyweights of mainstream comic books.

In the New World Order, we see the Justice League overshadowed and side-lined by a new group of God-like beings; pretending to be both superheroes and promising paradise on Earth. When the JLA, suspecting the real intentions of these benevolent beings, counter them; they are quickly taken down.

Without revealing too much, there is a plot twist on the real identities of these beings and then follows the story of how JLA bands together to take them down.

A fair recent storyline, JLA: The Darkseid War was a universe level event that shakes up the status quo considerably in the comic bookverse. The plot rundown is simple: Darkseid has an illegitimate daughter with an Amazonian and the daughter grows up to hate her father. Eventually she sets her schemes in motion to bring her father Darkseid face-to-face with the Anti-Monitor – an arguably more powerful being than him; to kill Darkseid.

In the meanwhile, Batman becomes omni-sentient, Superman is sent to Apokolips and turns evil; and the Flash becomes the Black Racer (an embodiment of Death).

Yes, there's a lot of things happening, packed into pages bursting with action. It's a trend, I guess.