Welcome to Graphic Policy’s Rebirth Review where we take a look at the comics released under DC‘s Rebirth banner and try to work out just how accessible they are for new readers, because although Rebirth has been positioned as an apology to long time fans, we were curious to see how accessible the publisher’s comics are to new readers now that we’re seeing a large number of first issues hit the racks. So far, for the most part, the comics have been easy for new readers to pick up – minus one or two here and there that rely heavily on previous events.

Last week we took a look at whether the comics released on 8/10  had been new reader friendly, and proceeded to give each a simple rating of Friendly/Unfriendly based on how easy it was for new readers to pick them up; the ratings are based solely on the issues released in the post-Rebirth ongoing series, with more consideration given for the specific issue being read when it comes to the final rating than the series overall.

The comics won’t receive an overall grade out of ten, although some of them may be covered in our weekly Mini Reviews feature (no promises). That said, the quality may be commented on if it directly hampers the ease with which new readers can dive into the story.

Shall we get to this week’s Rebirth comics, then?

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Aquaman #5
The shit has hit the fan, and despite not really remembering last issue for some reason (and also being too lazy to find and reread it) I had no issues following along here. Aquaman #5  has the benefit of being a somewhat Friendly comic to new readers despite having no recap page to catch you up, and it’s also  a hugely entertaining one.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1
It helps greatly for your understanding of the story if you’ve read the Rebirth special, but it’s not a deal breaker; Batgirl and the Birds of Prey is a very Friendly comic that

Batman #5
This is going to be a very tough place for new readers to start, because there is a minimal amount of recapping done in the comic itself; if you’ve read any of the previous four issues then you’ll be absolutely fine, however. As you may have gathered, Batman #5 is an Unfriendly comic for new readers, but those who have been with the series longer can drop the Un part of the rating.

Green Arrow #5
Much like Batman, this is the fifth and final part in an arc, and is an Unfriendly place for new readers to start. The next story arc is set up within the final page, and that’s likely a better place for new readers to start reading.

Green Lanterns #5
I missed last issue, but that doesn’t mean I’m lost with the series events. The intertwining internal monologues are a fantastic narrative device to give the reader enough of a sense as to what is going on, without bogging you down with unnecessary details. A very Friendly comic to new readers, whether this is your first issue of Green Lanterns or not.

Harley Quinn #2
Not only is this issue Friendly, it’s also  step above the first issue in quality and accessibility. There’s a detailed enough recap narration box on the first page that also negates the need to read the first comic, which is a bonus if you’re jumping on with issue #2.

Justice League #3
If you’ve not been reading the series then this will be a fairly Unfriendly place to begin because it’s only just about friendly for me at this point, and I’ve been reading it since issue #1. That being said, I think the nature of the story is such that you’re not meant to know everything that’s happening right now, or why, because the Justice League themselves don’t know. If you want to read this, start from #1.

Nightwing #3
I had to reread the last issue to remember what was going on, and while the globe trotting adventure in’t my favourite, I am enjoying the new character that Nightwing’s working with: Raptor. The comic is Friendly enough regardless of when you jumped into the series, but it’s not that memorable just yet.

Suicide Squad #1
Having not seen the movie or read the comics before, I was curious about this comic, and whether or not I’d be completely lost – I wasn’t. There’s a bare minimum of background info here, but it’s more  than enough to allow you to just enjoy the ride. The characters come across as more than just two dimensional villains (but only just) with a couple one liners and visual jokes giving them distinct voices which is always a good thing in a team book. Certainly a Friendly comic for  new readers.

Supergirl Rebirth #1
If, like me, you really haven’t read much in the way of Supergirl comics, this will be as good a start as you’re likely to get post Rebirth. We don’t delve into her origin too much (but it is mentioned), but instead we get a good idea of who Kara Zor El is, and the direction the book will be heading in. It’ a very Friendly introduction, and also quite a good one.

Superman #5
At this point it is still possible to pick up the series with this issue, but I suspect that won’t be the case with #6. Either way, this is still a Friendly comic, and has the added bonus of being quite entertaining.