52 (2006–2007): DC's Weekly Year-Long Experiment
52 (2006–2007): DC's Weekly Year-Long Experiment
Fifty-two issues, fifty-two weeks and four of DC's biggest writers in one room. Here is what we love about the weekly series that filled in the missing year after Infinite Crisis.
Most comics are monthly, so a series that came out every single week for a year was a big, slightly mad idea. 52, published by DC Comics in 2006 and 2007, did exactly that: one issue per week, 52 weeks, one story that tried to show what the rest of the DC Universe got up to while Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman were away.
We have a lot of the run on the shelf at Siomic Comics, so we went back through it properly. This is our guide to how it was made, who made it, the issues worth knowing and how it still echoes through DC today.
52 at a glance
- Publisher: DC Comics
- Run: 52 weekly issues, cover-dated July 2006 to July 2007 (on sale from 10 May 2006)
- Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid
- Layouts: Keith Giffen
- Cover artist: J.G. Jones on every issue, with colours by Alex Sinclair
- Set between: Infinite Crisis and the One Year Later relaunch
- Notable first appearances: Adrianna Tomaz (#3), Kate Kane (#7), Batwoman's cameo (#9) and first full appearance (#11)
- Format: A weekly book, each issue covering one week of the missing year
A year in which nobody was watching
The first issue went on sale on 10 May 2006, one week after Infinite Crisis finished. The premise was neat: DC had jumped its whole universe forward by a year, and 52 would fill in the gap, one week at a time. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman were taking a break, so the stories fell to everyone else, and that is the real charm of the series.
It was DC's first weekly series since the Action Comics Weekly anthology of 1988 to 1989, and, together with Batman Eternal (2014 to 2015), it is the longest-running weekly serialised comic from a major North American publisher. It is also a remarkable bit of logistics, since a new issue had to be written, drawn and printed every seven days.
How four writers made one story
The four writers on the book were Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, with Keith Giffen doing the layouts for the artists. Waid has talked about how plot threads were passed between them: Rucka handled the Renee Montoya material, Morrison took the storylines set out in space, and Waid created the character Wicker Sue. Johns and Waid shared Booster Gold, partly because they happened to be the two writers who lived in the same town.
On the art side, J.G. Jones drew every cover, colours by Alex Sinclair, which gives the whole run a strong, consistent look on the shelf. The interiors were handled by a rotating cast that included Joe Bennett, Chris Batista, Eddy Barrows, Todd Nauck, Darick Robertson, Phil Jimenez, Dan Jurgens, Mike McKone and Jamal Igle, among others.
The stories running through the year
Rather than one big plot, 52 follows several storylines that cross over now and then:
Renee Montoya and the Question
Rucka's thread follows the former Gotham cop as she trains with the dying Question and eventually takes up the mask.
Black Adam
After a tragedy in his family, Black Adam goes on a rampage, and the character ends up wandering the Earth in search of his lost powers.
Booster Gold and Rip Hunter
Booster begins to find records that don't match his own history, and a surprising villain turns out to be behind the changes.
Ralph Dibny
The Elongated Man goes searching for a way to bring back his wife, with mystical help that turns out to be a trap.
Steel and Luthor
Lex Luthor's Everyman Project gives ordinary people powers, and John Henry Irons and his niece end up in the middle of it.
Animal Man, Starfire and Adam Strange
Marooned on an alien world, the trio fight their way home with an unlikely ally in Lobo.
Kate Kane
The woman who becomes Batwoman is introduced early on and stays one of the most memorable new faces of the series.
Key issues to know
The run is full of first appearances. These are the ones collectors tend to look for:
| Issue | Cover date | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| #3 | 2006 | First appearance of Adrianna Tomaz, later Isis |
| #6 | 2006 | First team appearance of the Great Ten |
| #7 | 2006 | First appearance of Kate Kane |
| #9 | 2006 | First cameo appearance of Batwoman (Kate Kane) |
| #11 | 2006 | First full appearance of Batwoman (Kate Kane) |
| #12 | 2006 | First appearance of Isis II (Adrianna Tomaz) |
| #17 | 2006 | First appearance of Trajectory (Eliza Harmon) |
| #21 | 2006 | First full appearances of Little Barda and Power Boy |
| #23 | 2006 | Origin and first full appearance of Osiris |
| #38 | 2007 | First team appearance of the Four Horsemen of Apokolips |
| #43 | 2007 | The death of Osiris |
| #48 | 2007 | First appearance of The Question (Renee Montoya) |
| #52 | 2007 | First cameo team appearance of the JLAxis |
Batwoman, week by week
The most talked-about debut is Kate Kane. She first appears in #7 as a character in Renee Montoya's story, gets a cameo as Batwoman in #9, and steps out properly in #11, which is titled Batwoman Begins!. For many collectors this is the first stop on the way to Batwoman's long solo career.
The weekly back-up stories
Each issue also carried a back-up feature. For the first stretch, in #2 to #11, it was a History of the DC Universe written and drawn by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert, a quick tour through DC's past. From #12 to #51 the back-up became a series of Secret Origins written by Mark Waid, with a different artist on each chapter. The origins covered include Wonder Woman, Lobo, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Red Tornado, Plastic Man and the Birds of Prey, to name only some, and the issue titles show it clearly.
The creators behind the comic
Geoff Johns
One of the four lead writers, and the co-writer on Booster Gold's storyline.
Grant Morrison
Took the storylines set out in space, including Animal Man, Starfire and Adam Strange.
Greg Rucka
Wrote the Renee Montoya and Question material, which became the emotional spine of the series.
Mark Waid
Created Wicker Sue and wrote the weekly Secret Origins back-ups from #12 to #51.
Keith Giffen
Provided the layouts that kept the weekly artists consistent.
J.G. Jones
Drew every cover of the run, with colours by Alex Sinclair.
Curiosities collectors should know
A dated schedule
Each issue is set in a specific week of the missing year, and the story really does pass in real time.
A weekly rarity
Weekly series are rare at the big publishers, which is why 52 is so often named when people talk about experiments in comics.
Two cover versions
Many issues also exist in a newsstand version with a barcode on the cover, in addition to the regular direct edition.
The collected editions
DC collected the run in four paperbacks of 13 issues each in 2007, a 1,216-page omnibus in 2012, and two larger volumes in 2015 and 2017.
Spin-offs
The series led to Booster Gold, Black Adam: The Dark Age, Infinity, Inc., Metal Men, The Great Ten and other titles.
Action figures
DC Direct released a first wave of figures in May 2007, including Batwoman, Isis, Booster Gold and Animal Man.
52 beyond the comics
- The novel: Greg Cox wrote a novelisation published by Ace Books, which adapts the weekly series and the World War III miniseries.
- The audiobook: GraphicAudio released a full-cast adaptation in two volumes, the first in December 2007 and the second in February 2008.
- The Flash on TV: the show has used the number as an Easter egg, including an episode featuring "Area 52" and a second season with 52 interdimensional portals.
Why this run still matters
A lot of today's DC can be traced to this one year: Batwoman, Renee Montoya's version of the Question, Booster Gold and Rip Hunter as time-travelling troubleshooters, the Black Adam saga and the Four Horsemen all grew from here. It is also a lovely demonstration that a big-event comic can be about the supporting cast rather than the biggest heroes.
Where to start reading 52
The best way is to start at the beginning with #1 and read straight through, since the weekly structure rewards it. If you only want a taste, try #7 to #11 for the Montoya and Batwoman debuts, #12 for the first Secret Origins back-up, and #43 for one of the book's biggest turns. The final issue, #52, ties the year together.
The four paperback volumes, and the later omnibus, collect the whole story, which is handy if you want to read it in one go.
52 covers through the years
A look at some of the covers from the run, all drawn by J.G. Jones. Tap a cover to see our copy if it's in stock.
#1
#11
#17
#21
#26
#38
#50
#52Browse our 52 back issues
These are some of the issues we currently have on the shelf. Every copy is photographed so you can check its condition before buying.
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#3
52 #3: New World Order
The debut of the character who becomes Isis, a key figure in the Black Adam storyline.
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#6
52 #6: China Syndrome
China's official superhero team arrives, and later gets a series of its own.
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#7
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#9
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#12
52 #12: Mighty / The Origin of Wonder Woman
The first of Mark Waid's Secret Origins back-ups also marks the debut of Isis as a hero.
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#23
52 #23: The Island of Professor Morrow
A pivotal issue for the Black Adam family and for the Egyptian-themed side of the series.
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#43
52 #43: Family Matters / The Origin of Plastic Man
One of the most dramatic turning points in the weekly run.
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#48
52 #48: Asked and Answered / The Origin of the Birds of Prey
Renee Montoya becomes The Question, the conclusion of Rucka's storyline.
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We also have these issues of the series in stock:
You can also search all our DC 52 comics.
Frequently asked questions about 52
When was 52 published?
52 ran weekly from May 2006 (first on sale 10 May 2006) to May 2007, with cover dates from July 2006 to July 2007, and 52 issues in total.
Who wrote 52?
The four lead writers were Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, with Keith Giffen providing layouts.
Who drew the covers of 52?
J.G. Jones drew the covers for the whole run, with colours by Alex Sinclair.
What is the first appearance of Batwoman in 52?
Kate Kane first appears in 52 #7, has a cameo as Batwoman in #9 and a full appearance in #11.
What happens in 52?
The series follows the DC Universe during the year when Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman were away, with plots about Renee Montoya, Black Adam, Booster Gold, Steel and others.
Is 52 a weekly comic?
Yes. One issue was released every week for a year, which is rare for a major North American publisher.
Where should I start reading 52?
Start with #1 and read through, or sample #7 to #11 for Renee Montoya and the Batwoman debuts.
Condition grades on our listings follow our comic & book condition guide. Have DC 52 comics of your own? See how to sell your comics to Siomic Comics. 52 and all related characters are trademarks of DC Comics. Cover images are shown for reference.