Rotworld Reading Order

Overview

Rotworld is a DC Comics event that deals with a battle between metaphysical entities representing life and death. The Green (representing plant life), the Red (representing animal life), and their respective champions attempt to fend off an invasion from the Rot (representing death) and its champions. The event mostly focuses on Swamp Thing and Animal Man.

As an event, Rotworld is rather unique. Instead of following one, straightforward storyline, it is primarily split into two, separate storylines. One follows Animal Man, Rotworld: The Red Kingdom (Review) and the other follows Swamp Thing, Rotworld: The Green Kingdom (Review). These storylines start together (with issue #12 of both comics), separate for a while (telling completely isolated stories), come back together once more (with issue #17 of both comics), and conclude in a separate epilogue for both storylines.

*Tie-In

The events of Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #13-15 take place in the middle of the Rotworld storyline. They do not have a large impact on the plot but do explain Frankenstein's presence in Animal Man #15.

The tie-in chapters are indicated by a * in the reading order at the top of this page.

Before Reading

This event effectively serves as the climax to storylines that have been developed over the course of the Animal Man and Swamp Thing comic series. To get the full impact of this event, readers should go into it having read Animal Man: The Hunt (Review), Animal Man: Animal vs. Man (Review), Swamp Thing: Raise Them Bones (Review), and Swamp Thing: Family Tree (Review).

After Reading

Rotworld dramatically alters the status quo in the Animal Man and Swamp Thing comics. This has a direct impact on both series, starting with Animal Man: Splinter Series (Review) and Swamp Thing: Seeder (Review).

All DC Comics Event Reading Orders