Dave Gibbons

Superman is the most iconic superhero in the world, and he's loved by millions --- but he's not necessarily the easiest character to get to grips with if you haven't been exposed to the right material. Even as a massive Superman fan, I'll admit that it can be a bit hard for some readers to wrap their heads around exactly why he's so great and why he matters so much. We've put together a list of the ten essential Superman stories for any reader looking to dive into Superman fandom.

It's always a big deal when a comic hits a round number, but when that number is in the thousands --- and when it's also a number that's been a part of the comic's title since its debut in 1977 --- it feels a whole lot bigger. On September 28, 2000 AD is finally hitting its 2000th weekly issue, and it's celebrating with an all-star cast of creators to give readers a concentrated dose of thrillpower.

Stories set in an alternate history or reality are built from a "point of divergence," a moment at which the fictional reality veers off from our own. Germany wins World War II, Kennedy survives the assassination attempt, etc. In Watchmen that point comes in 1938. Shortly after the publication of Action Comics #1, costumed heroes begin appearing in the real world, the "factual black and white of the headlines," as Hollis Mason puts it, and history changes course. In our reality, comics books experienced their own point of divergence on June 5, 1986, with the debut of the first issue of Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins. Ever since then, the entire medium has been permanently altered by its startling vision and precise execution.

DC Comics’ big summer event one-shot DC Universe: Rebirth #1 goes on sale this week, and the internet is abuzz with news, reveals and spoilers concerning one of the biggest comics of the year. The one-shot by Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver, Gary Frank and Ivan Reis sees the return of familiar faces from inside and outside the DC Universe, and DC is already publicizing those revelations in the press, so we’ve rounded up the biggest developments from this blockbuster story from DC-approved sources like USA Today, IGN and CBR, for those readers who want the full rundown. If you don't want to be spoiled for any of the events of DC Universe: Rebirth #1 before the book comes out on Wednesday, go learn about some other comics you could be reading instead. Spoilers for the future of the DC Universe follow.

Dave Gibbons, born on this day in 1949, has spent over forty-five years in the comics industry and crafted a career without equal. Known for his masterful layouts and exceptional character acting, Gibbons has been an ambassador for the UK comics scene around the world, and is truly a living legend in the industry.

From humble beginnings in the UK small press scene, to his work on one of the most iconic Batman and Joker stories of all time, and his instantly recognizable covers on a range of titles, legendary artist Brian Bolland has blazed a trail through the last forty years of comics history.

Welcome back to Supergirl Guys, our regular feature breaking down the highs and lows of CBS’s Supergirl TV show starring Melissa Benoist. Your travelling companions on this journey are Superman super-fan Chris Haley, and Flash recap veteran Dylan Todd. This week, Kara heads back to Krypton, but is it all a dream? Well, yes, obviously it's all a dream. Krypton got blowed up pretty good. "For the Girl Who Has Everything" was directed by Dermott Downs, with a story by Andrew Kreisberg and a teleplay by Ted Sullivan & Derek Simon, adapted from a story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Taron Egerton has become quite popular since his breakout role earlier this year in Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, and while that’s great news for the actor and his fans, it’s a bit tricky for his scheduling, which has gotten a little complicated. And it’s Egerton’s popularity that’s causing a slight issue for Kingsman 2 as it prepares to head into production in the spring.

Somewhere, Alan Moore’s beard is tingling. Zack Snyder’s cinematic adaptation of the iconic Watchmen comics by Moore and Dave Gibbons divided fans, some sticking with assertions of the source material as “unfilmable,” others acknowledging the film’s effort. That conflict may end up sparked anew, now that Snyder has reportedly met with HBO for a Watchmen TV series.

We are quickly approaching the November 25 release date for Dark Knight III: The Master Race, Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson's eight-issue miniseries chronicling the final adventure of an older Batman. And, as is the way of things, there are going to be plenty of variant covers for collectors to get their hands on. In addition to the usual variants --- including the 1:5000 sketch variant by Jim Lee that was announced back in August --- there are also going to be retailer-specific covers.