paul dini

So you've decided to read about Batman! I would definitely applaud this decision, as I have spent the majority of the past thirty years doing exactly that, but I also know that it can be pretty daunting to figure out where to get started. There have, after all, been thousands of Batman stories published since he first debuted from Bill Finger and Bob Kane in 1939, and despite a few missteps along the way, he probably has more classic and definitive stories in print than any other superhero. But don't worry, ComicsAlliance is here to help with a list of ten essential Batman stories. Read these, and you'll (hopefully) come away with a solid foundation for understanding the Dark Knight and how he works.

Over the past few years, Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti have carved out their own little corner of the DC Universe and filled it with some of its weirdest antics and strangest characters. The writing team has been responsible for shepherding Harley Quinn through her most popular years in pop culture, and will soon take on the duties of re-inventing The Jetsons for a modern age. ComicsAlliance caught up with the team, who are also a married couple, to talk about their approach to Harley, their luck with artistic collaborators, and translating millennial fears to a hopeful post-apocalypse.

Since the start of DC Rebirth last year, one of the biggest mysteries has revolved around the identity of the mystery Clark Kent that appeared following the death of New 52 Superman and re-emergence of his pre-Flashpoint predecessor. However, in the pages of this week's Action Comics #975 by Dan Jurgens, Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Wil Quintana and Rob Leigh, the answer is laid out bare for all to see and while it's someone you'll recognize, it is not someone you'd expect.

Everyone loves trivia about their favorite animated features and series, but with over 100 years of animation history behind us right now, there’s always some new obscure fact to learn. That’s why ComicsAlliance is going deep into the minutiae of your favorite names in cartoons in this continuing video series. You think you know cartoons? Well, here’s a few things you might not know! This week we're taking a look at the WB's cult classic goofball superhero, Freakazoid!

On Tuesday it was announced that Suicide Squad director David Ayer would re-team with Harley Quinn actor Margot Robbie for another DC supervillain movie, this time focused on the female villains of Gotham City, and titled Gotham City Sirens. The film shares a title with a recent DC Comic, but if you're unfamiliar with the run or the concept behind it, we can get you up to speed with a Crash Course.

Harley Quinn is one of the most popular comic book characters around today, and with the release of Suicide Squad, even more people have been exposed to her awesomeness. She's stylish, she's dangerous; she's basically perfect. Harley Quinn fans are awesome people, and if you're lucky enough to know someone devoted to the Clown Queen of Crime, we have some suggestions for awesome gifts to buy them.

Jingle Belle is the creation of Paul Dini, probably best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series, and along with artists like Steph Buscema, J. Bone, Stephen DeStefano, Stephanie Gladden, Jose Garibaldi, and more, he created a world of sugarplums and toy-making elves that was sarcastic without being cynical and cheerful without being cloying. Now, with over 400 pages of Jingle Belle collected in a new book from IDW, ComicsAlliance spoke to Dini about creating Jingle, his approach to Christmas mythology, and why he wanted to get away from just doing stories about Christmas.

Have you ever wondered why Batman can’t be Batman, but also kind of like an angsty, teenage Spider-Man too? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions and have somehow never managed to hear of Batman Beyond, hold onto your bats, because I’m about to blow your freakin' mind. With the recent launch of Batman Beyond Rebirth #1 as part of DC’s Rebirth initiative, this seemed like as good a time as any to take a look at some of the amazing art the show inspired.

When DC Rebirth was announced, it promised to bring back a sense of levity and community that had been missing from the DC Universe since the shift to the New 52 --- and there's nothing like a holiday special to lighten the mood and remind people of the communal relationships between superheroes, so that's what we're getting this holiday season!

Superhero comic books are a great way to get kids of all ages reading, while teaching solid moral lessons and giving them something to aspire to. However, it can be difficult parsing which titles are suitable for kids and teens, and which titles most assuredly are not, so ComicsAlliance has put together a list of some of the best choices. Today we're looking at DC Comics, which has been making increasing attempts to be more inclusive and provide a wider range of comics for all audiences over the past couple of years. Whether it's comics for fans of TV shows, new spins on classic franchises, or a Young Adult take on political satire, there's something for everyone these days at DC.