Comic recommendations?

[Filby]

I'd recommend Batman: Haunted Knight and Batman: The Long Halloween, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.

Also any TPB of JSA by Geoph Johns. I'm totally in love with his stories, having read JSA: Darkness Falls, JSA: Fair Play, and JSA: Stealing Thunder, the last being my favorite. I can't comment on JSA: Return of Hawkman, mentioned above, since I haven't read it; all I can say is that I've heard it praised by some reviewers and panned by others.

Speaking of Hawkman, I'd reccommend either of the TPBs out right now, Hawkman: Endless Flight and Hawkman: Enemies and Allies, as well.

 

[Elodan]

I stopped reading comics in my teens; roughly 15 - 20 years ago. I did pick up a lot of the Batman: No Man's Land comics a few years back but then the bookstore I was grabbing them from stopped carrying comics and I haven't found a local comic store (haven't really tried looking too hard though).

For some reason I've always been partial to the DC superheroes but I just picked up the first TBPs of the Ultimate X-men, Ultimate Spider-man and Ultimate Fantastic Four. I kind of like the fact that these start from scratch.

Can anyone give me a clue as to what stories or characters are the focus of the various Batman (i.e. Batman, Detective, etc), Superman (Adventures of Superman, Action Comics, etc.) and X-men comic series.

Thanks for the recommendations so far and feel free to keep them coming.

 

[Aulayan]

Okay Here are my staple suggestions:

Gotham Central: NYPD Blue meets Gotham City.

Flash.

JSA: I LOVE this title.

Supreme Power: JMS of Babylon 5 fame writes this tale which takes Justice League Members and treats it as if they were in the real world. The characters are really based off the Squadron Supreme mini-series, but those characters were taken from the JLA. Warning, it is mature rated.

 

[DanMcS]

Marvel's 1602 miniseries, by Neil Gaiman, has just recently been released as a hardback. I would imagine it should be in tpb form before too long. It's fantastic.

 

[Alzrius]

After a long absence from comics, I picked up the Death of Superman, World without a Superman, Return of Superman and Batman: Hush trade paperbacks. After reading these, I'm looking for some recommendations.

If you'v just come off the entire "Superman dies" kick (been there myself), you may be interested in the following trade paperbacks that build off of that:

Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey - The second battle between Superman and Doomsday
The Doomsday Wars - The third battle between Superman and Doomsday
Day of Doom - Though Doomsday isn't in this one, this trade examines the repercussions of his attack on Metropolis...and why his original path of destruction is somehow being recreated.

What are some other trades or comics you would suggest? Generally, I prefer the old staples like; Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, X-Men or Spiderman. I’ve been out of touch for a long time so I’m fairly unfamiliar with the latest changes.

You may have a hard time finding it, but grab a copy of Marvel's Earth X if you can. Earth X is one of, IMHO, the best Marvel titles out there. It examines pretty much everything about Marvel Earth in terms of why things are the way they are. It explains the true origins of not only humans, but also mutants, the Deviants, the Eternals, and the Asgardian Gods, as well as the manifest destiny of the Inhumans, and the presence of the Kree and the Skrull on Earth. I can't even begin to explain the incredible story without giving everything away, but its so definately worth the read...if you can only buy one trade this year, I urge you to buy this one. Any subject it deals with, it explains without seeming like its backstory, to boot.

As it stands, I can't wait to get the sequels: Universe X vol. 1 & 2 and Paradise X vol. 1 & 2.

 

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

I highly recommend "Thieves and Kings"

Sheesh, a D&D forum and nobody's mentioned Thieves and Kings yet? It's a fantastic series (currently running up to 4 volumes collected, but with more coming out bimonthly), and worthy of fantasy lovers' attention.

 

[thatdarncat]

I'll second SteelDraco's recommendations of Astonishing X-Men, Y - The Last Man, Fables and Sandman as well as Midnight Nation and Rising Stars. The last couple of issues of Rising Stars should see print starting this month. Finally!

I'd also second Invincible - especially the first 12 issues. I still haven't seen enough of the second arch to tell if the series has jumped the shark yet, but I'm hoping not

Other than those... I pick up Batman, (Birds of Prey, Gotham Central, Detective and Robin) Superman/Batman and Green Lantern. I've read the first 12 or so issues of Ultimate Spiderman and Ultimate Xmen both - back when Marvel was releasing them free online. Both were pretty good.

Oh, forgot Supreme Power I'm liking so far, but we'll see where the story goes.

 

[CSB046]

Mostly, I'll echo a couple of other titles mentioned on this thread:

JSA by Geoff Johns: There are five trades available, with a sixth (Savage Times) due out (I think) next week. That covers the first 45 issues of a series that is now on issue 66.

Flash, at least the Geoff Johns stuff (which is all that I'm familiar with): Johns started on the book with issue 164, but issues 164 through 169 (the Wonderland arc) have not been collected. Everything from 170 to 200 is now out in four trades, and the comic itself is now on issue 214.

Also, I'd recommend Gail Simone's run on Birds of Prey. That covers issues 56 to 77 (which is the current issue). I believe there's a trade of the first few issues, and if they ever get around to collecting the next few (the Sensei and Student arc), grab it immediately! Definitely the high point of her run thus far.

Of the numerous superhero titles on my pull list, those are probably the three I'd most hate to do without.

Edit: Just noticed that Birds of Prey was previously mentioned. So, I guess I'm doing more than mostly echoing other titles on this thread!

 

[Truth Seeker]

Hmmm, not mentioned, Fallen Angel, written by Peter David, a very strange story, in a very strange city, a female 'fallen' angel goes around cracking heads...with a hidden purpose.

Very, very mature book.

Wonder Woman, with current writer Greg Rucka, all hell is about to break loose.(back track on when he started with the book, so that you can get the idea where is he going with it.)

Adam Strange, written by Andy Diggle, bringing the space traveler back into the fold, with some resolution on what happened to his family and planet that was his second home.

Conan, produced by Dark Horse Comics...if you need to have some hack and slash on a evening read.

And now, my favorite, if you want, see if you can get your hands on trades or copies of all the CrossGen titles...the company is in the can, but what they have put out, is great.