Am I off track? Pardon me.
Well, anyway, here's how to build that DC knowledge base that will allow you to hold your own in whatever medium of discussion:
1. Become an expert on Alan Moore. Use your local public library, search engines, magazines about comics, your local law library if you have access to one. (That last part was a joke, right? Sure, of course it was.) Especially read Alan Moore's SWAMP THING, and don't say "ewwww, a Vertigo title" because Swampy met everybody who was everybody. Seriously, people in colorful costumes and everything.
2. Read everything Gerard Jones ever wrote for DC. And I mean not just Justice League, but EL DIABLO and GREEN LANTERN MOSAIC and his ELONGATED MAN mini-series. ALL Gerard Jones' work (NOTE: see # 22 below).
3. Regarding the current JLA: here's a handy catchphrase: ANGELS DON'T NEED NO FREAKIN' SPACESHIPS. (On the other hand, the characterization of Kid Green Arrow is pretty good.)
4. Read every issue of SECRET ORIGINS. Read the details of the origins in the back of each issue, especially those written by Mark Waid.
5. In fact, read all of Mark Waid's run on THE FLASH. (Well, stop when you finish the RACE AGAINST TIME storyline).
6. Some people will tell you to read the newsgroups about DC Comics. It's not a bad idea, but if you really want to be obsessed, the Legion newsgroup is probably the only one that will give you the most reward for time expended.
7. In fact, go read every issue of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and LEGIONNAIRES from Giffen onwards, and buy a random sampling of the Levitz era. Five or six of the Levitz issues will give you the idea. Yes, I said Giffen, don't use that tone of voice with me.
8. Oh, and pick up some issues of DC COMICS PRESENTS. It's even more interesting than back issues of ACTION COMICS. You don't have to read every issue, though; it's a mixed bag. You could skip the one where Superman meets He-Man, for example. I did.
9. Also, try to read more than half of Gerry Conway's FIRESTORM. It's Conway's finest hour.
10. Wanna be a real fan? Here's everything you need to know about Milestone: XOMBI. Go buy every issue. You can probably buy every issue for under 30 bucks... not that you'll be able to find them all in one store... Alan Moore said he enjoyed Xombi, so it's good enough for you.
11. Are you reading STARMAN yet? You should.
12. Go read CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. I know it hurts your head, but it's the most important company-wide DC event ever, and we shall never see its like again. Of course, we'll see inferior likes every month from now on, apparently.
13. Also, go read the 4-part AMERICA VS. THE JUSTICE SOCIETY and the 1992 ten-issue Justice Society title by Strazewski/Parobeck. The latter is brilliant, and the former is so true to the feel of the Silver Age appearances of the JSA it's hilarious.
14. Read James Robinson's THE GOLDEN AGE, too. I know it reads like... well, like James Robinson rewrote the continuity of the Golden Age. That's what it is. But Elseworlds or not, it's still great.
15. Oh, and go find every issue of Ambush Bug (and don't forget the issue of DC COMICS PRESENTS where he meets the Legion. Or was that ACTION COMICS? On the other hand, don't bother buying the 1980's issue of SUPERGIRL where he meets her.
Am I starting to get off topic?)
Ahem. Anyway, Ambush Bug's met more people than Swampy, and more obscure, and NO ONE can top that. Well...
16. Okay. Animal Man could challenge him for that title, and if he didn't win, he'd make a darn proud showing. Read every single issue of Grant Morrison's ANIMAL MAN.
17. Also, read every issue of Grant's DOOM PATROL. Unless you're under 18. Actually, that goes for Alan's SWAMP THING, too, now and then. These are recommended for mature readers after all.
18. Oops! Speaking of recommended for mature readers, almost forgot SANDMAN! Read SANDMAN through issue 50.
19. Read all Tim Truman's writing and co-writing on HAWKWORLD. When Truman stops helping to write it, stop reading it.
20. W. Messner-Loebs is not such a bad guy. I rather liked his take on WONDER WOMAN.
21. In fact, there's only one true (post-Silver Age) Dr. Fate, and that's the Messner-Loebs version you'll find in Dr. Fate from issue #25 to its cancellation.
22. So am I saying you must read everything DC has ever done? Not at all!!! Heck, it's not even vital that you read Gerard Jones' GUY GARDNER! (Hey, it's darn amusing, but the potter is only as good as his clay, okay?)
23. Oh, but you really should read a few Wolfman/Perez TEEN TITANS. But stop before you read issue 100... especially if you find yourself getting attached to the title...
24. Also, read all of Mike Grell's GREEN ARROW. You can stop when you get to issue 50 if you must. You can skip THE LONGBOW HUNTERS too... it's not required reading to jump into the monthly title.
25. Oh, and go read IMPULSE whenever Waid and Ramos both worked on it. When they don't... guess what.
26. Finally, pick one character from any point in DC's history and find and read every appearance, ever, of that character. Start writing your own stories about this character and working on getting them published. Buy Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN graphic novel, DREAM COUNTRY; there's a sample script in the back of that. Of course, if your local library has DREAM COUNTRY, just examine it that way... but I've never seen a library that did. I've heard about one in Canada... Wonder what the Library of Congress would have...?
27. Oh, and of course check DC FANZINE's site every day to see if Derek has updated the site that day.
Well, that's enough to get you started, I guess...I'm probably leaving out all sorts of things, but then, I'm not an obsessed fan, you see. What, you thought I was? How could you? I'm insulted. I've got a life to live you know... DC Comics aren't the height of literature after all.
That would be Spiegelman's MAUS, Herge's TINTIN, Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli's adaptation of Paul Auster's CITY OF GLASS, Will Eisner's whole career, and the work of Rumiko Takahashi (translated by Gerard Jones).
Oh, well, and of course GREEN LANTERN MOSAIC.