Throughout 2017, DC Comics’ Young Animal imprint has been wowing readings with it’s unique brand of strangeness, while also bringing new life into cult-characters and introducing new ones at the same time. This year DC will be taking the Gerard Way headed imprint to the next level by crossing Young Animal with DC’s roster of popular heroes in a month-long event known as Milk Wars.
An inter-dimensional corporation known as RetCo is taking stories of the DC Comics continuity and re-configuring them so that they can be sold to new markets. The only problem is that this effects the lives of everyone around – including the Doom Patrol and the heroes of the DC Universe. To make matters worse, radioactive milk from psychic cows is being used to quell the Justice League, turning them into wholesome versions of themselves, so that RetCo cannot be stopped.
To help make sense of this crossover of imprints, which is structured as a batch of specials, I have put together the Milk Wars Reading Order Checklist. Not only does it contain the reading order for this event, but also the creative teams, release dates and recommended reading around this story.
Soon you’ll be able to embrace the Young Animal weirdness without any confusion.
Enjoy!
Quicklinks: Where Can I Buy Comics? | 6 Best Places To Buy Comics Online | Young Animal Collections on eBay
What Is The Young Animal Imprint?
Curated by comic book writer and My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way, Young Animal is an imprint which breathes new life into some of the weirder DC Comics characters. Strange is the name of the game when it comes to Young Animal, with many of the comics being inspired by DC’s fringe-comics of the late 80s and early Vertigo imprint.
Taking those characters and energy from those the past, a whole new generation of writers and artists have been able to create something that’s fresh and weird in all kinds of wonderful ways.
Background Reading
While there is nothing in particular that you NEED to read leading up to Milk Wars, I can suggest checking out the Young Animal comics if you want to know more about these comics. These include:
- Doom Patrol by Gerard Way and Nick Derington
- Shade, the Changing Girl by Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone
- Mother Panic by Jody Houser and Tommy Lee Edwards
- Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye by Jon Rivera, Gerard Way, and Michael Avon Oeming
Milk Wars Reading Order
JLA/Doom Patrol Special (Part 1)
Written by Steve Orlando and Gerard Way. Art by ACO. Back-up story: written by Magdalene Visaggio and art by Sonny Liew.
Available from January 31st.
Mother Panic/Batman Special (Part 2)
Written by Jody Houser. Art by Ty Templeton. Back-up story: written by Magdalene Visaggio and art by Sonny Liew.
Available from February 7th.
Shade, The Changing Girl/Wonder Woman Special (Part 3)
Written by Cecil Castellucci. Art by Mirka Andolfo. Back-up story: written by Magdalene Visaggio and art by Sonny Liew.
Available from February 14th.
Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye/Swamp Thing Special (Part 4)
Written by Jon Rivera. Art by Langdon Foss. Back-up story: written by Magdalene Visaggio and art by Sonny Liew.
Available from February 21st.
Doom Patrol/JLA Special (Part 5)
Written by Steve Orlando and Gerard Way. Art by Dale Eaglesham. Back-up story: written by Magdalene Visaggio and art by Sonny Liew.
Available from February 28th.
After Milk Wars
After Milk Wars the Young Animal comics will be relaunched with new titles, which establish new situations. Expect each of these to embrace the weirdness of imprint’s mission statement.
Of all of these, the six-part Eternity Girl series spins out of the events of Milk Wars the most.
Eternity Girl
Written by Magdalene Visaggio. Art by Sonny Liew.
Issue #1 available from March 14th.
Shade, The Changing Woman
Written by Cecil Castellucci. Art by Marley Zarcone.
Issue #1 available from March 7th.
Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye
Written by Jon Rivera. Art by Michael Avon Oeming.
Issue #1 available from March 21st.
Mother Panic: Gotham A.D
Written by Jody Houser. Art by Ibrahim Moustafa.
Issue #1 available from March 28th.
Will You Be Reading Milk Wars?
Will you be reading this strange crossover between the Young Animal imprint and the DC Universe? Let me know in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.
I’ve read the first issue of milk wars, and I must say I love it! It’s quirky, original, and Damn right interesting. I especially love the nods to jli and jla issues from the 80s, and Lord manga Kahn!! Can’t wait for part two.