Overview:
In 2014, DC Comics shook things up with “The New 52: Futures End.” Penned by a creative quartet consisting of Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, and Jeff Lemire, and brought to life visually by a talented art team, this event takes readers on a journey through the dark and mysterious future of the DC Universe.
Reception to this storyline was a mixed bag. While some fans appreciated the ambitious narrative and the exploration of alternate futures, others found the intricate plot a tad overwhelming. The art, a collaborative effort by various artists, added a dynamic visual layer to the tale, but opinions on its consistency varied.
The core storyline involves a mix of iconic heroes, villains, and teams grappling with a dystopian future. Batman Beyond takes center stage, alongside other notable characters like Firestorm, Frankenstein, and Grifter. As these characters navigate a world on the brink, the narrative ripples through the DC Universe, leaving a lasting impact on its continuity.
In the end, “The New 52: Futures End” isn’t just an event; it’s a glimpse into what might be, a canvas where the future is painted with uncertainty and consequences.
Background Reading:
- TBD
Related Guides
- Frankenstein
- Firestorm
- Batman Beyond
Best Way To Read:
Main Story
- The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1
- Collects: The New 52: Future’s End #0-17
- The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2
- Collects: The New 52: Future’s End #18-30
- The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3
- Collects: The New 52: Future’s End #30-48
Tie-Ins
- Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus
- Collects: Action Comics: Futures End #1, Aquaman: Futures End #1, Aquaman and the Others: Futures End #1, Batgirl: Futures End #1, Batman: Futures End #1, Batman and Robin: Futures End #1, Batman/Superman: Futures End #1, Batwing: Futures End #1, Batwoman: Futures End #1, Birds of Prey: Futures End #1, Booster Gold: Futures End #1, Catwoman: Futures End #1, Constantine: Futures End #1, Detective Comics: Futures End #1, Earth 2: Futures End #1, Grayson: Futures End #1, Green Arrow: Futures End #1, Green Lantern: Futures End #1, Green Lantern Corps: Futures End #1, Green Lantern: New Guardians: Futures End #1, Harley Quinn: Futures End #1, Infinity Man and the Forever People: Futures End #1, Justice League: Futures End #1, Justice League Dark: Futures End #1, Justice League United: Futures End #1, New Suicide Squad: Futures End #1, Red Hood and the Outlaws: Futures End #1, Red Lanterns: Futures End #1, Sinestro: Futures End #1, Star Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie: Futures End #1, Superboy: Futures End #1, Supergirl: Futures End #1, Superman: Futures End #1, Superman/Wonder Woman: Futures End #1, Swamp Thing: Futures End #1, Teen Titans: Futures End #1, The Flash: Futures End #1, Trinity of Sin: Pandora: Futures End #1, Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger: Futures End #1, Wonder Woman: Futures End #1, Worlds’ Finest: Futures End #1
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
Main Story
The main story of The New 52: Futures End takes place five years in the future, where Earth is facing a dire, dystopian reality. A group of heroes, including Batman Beyond, is tasked with preventing a catastrophic event that could reshape the entire world. As they battle through complex political and personal struggles, they race against time to stop an apocalyptic force threatening to end everything.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| The New 52: Future’s End #0 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #1 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #2 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #3 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #4 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #5 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #6 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #7 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #8 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #9 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #10 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #11 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #12 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #13 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #14 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #15 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #16 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #17 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 1 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #18 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #19 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #20 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #21 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #22 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #23 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #24 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #25 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #26 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #27 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #28 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #29 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #30 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 2 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #31 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #32 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #33 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #34 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #35 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #36 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #37 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #38 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #39 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #40 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #41 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #42 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #43 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #44 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #45 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #46 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #47 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
| The New 52: Future’s End #48 | Main Story Essential | The New 52: Future’s End Vol. 3 |
September 2014 Tie-in Event
In September 2014, DC Comics released a series of one-shot tie-ins to Futures End, where each ongoing series jumped five years into the future, in line with the event’s setting. These tie-ins provided glimpses into potential futures for various heroes and teams, exploring how their lives and circumstances had drastically changed.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Action Comics: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Aquaman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Aquaman and the Others: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batgirl: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batman and Robin: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batman/Superman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batwing: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Batwoman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Birds of Prey: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Booster Gold: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Catwoman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Constantine: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Detective Comics: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Earth 2:: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Grayson: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Green Arrow: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Green Lantern: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Green Lantern Corps: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Green Lantern: New Guardians: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Harley Quinn: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Infinity Man and the Forever People: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Justice League: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Justice League Dark: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Justice League United: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| New Suicide Squad: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Red Hood and the Outlaws: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Red Lanterns: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Sinestro: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Star Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Superboy: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Supergirl: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Superman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Swamp Thing: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Teen Titans: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| The Flash: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Wonder Woman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Superman/Wonder Woman: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
| Worlds’ Finest:: Future’s End #1 | TBD | Futures End: Five Years Later Omnibus |
References:
Feature image The New 52: Futures End #1 Cover art by Ryan Sook
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