Welcome, everybody, to my read through DC Comic’s next Justice League Event for 2020, Endless Winter. I’m going to take a look at each issue, including tie-ins, and assessing the the extent of this nordic nightmare! I’m adding each review to this master Endless Winter Reading Order and assessing which issues are essential and what tie-ins you can leave out if you like. You can also check out the primer we published a couple weeks back to get familiar with the landscape before diving in!
Background Reading:
Endless Winter is solicited as a self-contained event that doesn’t really rely on any other storylines. That’s actually part of its appeal to me. Having said that, as with all things comics, there are definitely some contextual storylines previous to Endless Winter that will flesh out some minor parts.
The Man of Steel by Brian Michael Bendis (2019): While, you’ll be easily up to speed by the end of Justice League: Endless Winter #1, this short run by Bendis gives important background to the state we find Superman’s Fortress of Solitude in during this event and also where Jon is at the outset. If you want the accelerated route, issue #4 is really all you need.
Justice League Dark (2018) by Ram V: If you want to be up to speed on Swamp Thing’s status at the beginning of this event, you’ll want to read issues #24-28 of this volume of Justice League Dark. It looks like those issues are going to get printed in the Vol 4. paperback, A Costly Trick of Magic in early 2021.
Endless Winter:
Each issue solicited by DC Comics has been assigned a “part” or “chapter” number, so this should be relatively easy to follow. We’ll assess as we go and see if this order holds up in terms of sequence of events.
Justice League: Endless Winter #1 (Part 1) (
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Howard Porter and Marco Santucci.
Available December 1st.
This issue is, of course, essential.
The Flash #767 (Part 2)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Clayton Henry and Marco Santucci.
Available December 8th.
It’s hard to say, but on 12/8/2020, this issue did not feel essential. Maybe in retrospect after reading later issues of this event, this issue will become more important, but right now not so much.
Superman: Endless Winter Special #1 (Part 3)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Phil Hester, Ande Parks, and Marco Santucci.
Available December 8th.
Clark’s day of ice zombie punching and checking in on Lois and his parents is book-ended with Frost King’s origin and a great cliff-hanger. This issue is essential.
Aquaman #66 (Part 4)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Miguel Mendonca and Marco Santucci.
Available December 15th.
Arthur and Mera formulate a steamy plan in this essential issue. Also, Andy is along for the ride.
Justice League #58 (Part 5)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Xermanico and Marco Santucci.
Available December 15th.
Teen Titans: Endless Winter Special #1 (Part 6)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Jesus Merino and Marco Santucci.
Available December 15th.
A potential new Titan, “Black Ice” first appears in this issue.
Justice League Dark #29 (Part 7)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Amancay Nahuelpan and Marco Santucci.
Available December 22nd.
Viking reincarnation and tuberous root growth. I may be a sucker for a decent Swamp Thing story, but this issue is a highlight!
Black Adam: Endless Winter Special #1 (Part 8)
Written by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. Art by Brandon Peterson and Marco Santucci.
Available December 22nd.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: ENDLESS WINTER #2 (Part 9)
written by ANDY LANNING and RON MARZ
art by HOWARD PORTER and CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
backup story art by MARCO SANTUCCI
cover by MIKEL JANÍN
card stock variant cover by DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON
ON SALE 12/29/20
This issue ties everything up in a fairly neat package, ending this self-contained event without sending the entirety of DC continuity spiraling towards a crisis.
Read our full review here!
