Where/When to Start

[The Lost Muse]

I'm interested in picking up some comics, but in the light of so many events taking place in both DC and Marvel's respective series, I'm at a loss of where to start. Can anyone make a suggestion of a good series to pick up that won't immediately send me to wikipedia?

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Well do you want to start in particular with DC/Marvel ordinary superhero comics? Since you could pick up some compilation books of some of the shorter-run mini-series, ie: Sandman, Dark Tower, etc.

Vertigo has alot of good mini-series or newly made comic-series that are still early enough to catch up on.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Hrm. Maybe start off with the Marvel Ultimate books? While they're up into the 100s on some of them (Spidey, X-Men), they don't have nearly the continuity pressure as the regular universe does. Also, they are paced for the TPB market, and you can easily stop off at a local bookstore and read one or two at a time to get a feel for it.

Beyond that, pick something up at a # 1. Even if it has continuity behind it, it's still a relative starting point and they do try and have new readers come on. Also, there will be explanations along the way in many books, as they do assume new readers come on. That's why (for example) Psylocke's mind-blade was described every other issue as the sum totality of her psionic might, etc.

Brad

 

[Relique du Madde]

As far as Marvel is concerned.. every X-men series is (except for Astonishing) basically went through several massive purgings and a one hell of a bloody battle which dwindled the entire mutant population down to about 180 - 195 + 1 new born.

As a result, you would probably want to pick up House of M / Decimation books for the back ground of what lead to this event, then pick up Super Novas (since the Children of the Vault most likely will reappear in the future), Blinded by the Light and lastly Messiah Complex (which just ended). I personally don't think Endangered Species is a required to read unless you like Beast, but it does help illustrate how desperate the situation became before the ---- hit the fan.

From there any new X-man issue that is being released between this month and April is fair game since the next several months all deal with the fall out from Messiah Complex. No matter what, you want to pick up Uncanny X-men 500 since thats most likely going to start off the next major storyline.


If you want to start up Spiderman, all I suggest is that if you DO NOT pick up any issue that came out before 2008. You'll regret doing it.

 

[Silver Moon]

Pick up either Marvel Masterworks (if you're rich) or Marvel Essentials of a hero who you enjoy and start with their earliest appearances.

 

[frankthedm]

Start by having a seat in a big chain bookstore with a few trade paperbacks {reprinted comic runs that have the full series in one book}. Read through those to get a feel of what you like.

All the recent shake ups are because the comic industry have used up most ideas already.

 

[Darth Shoju]

Pick up either Marvel Masterworks (if you're rich) or Marvel Essentials of a hero who you enjoy and start with their earliest appearances.

I'd second that suggestion. We're in golden age of Trade Paperbacks, so you can grab a full storyline in one book and just read it. You may miss some continuity stuff, but I've discovered that you can largely work through it. Some suggestion off the top of my head:

The Watchmen
Any of Gaiman's Sandman books.
Preacher
Marvel Civil War
The Infinity Gauntlet
Crisis on Infinite Earths (since it does away with many continuities in DC)
What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Identity Crisis
Daredevil: Yellow
Spiderman: Blue
Hulk: Grey
Kingdom Come
Batman: The Long Halloween
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol I and II
any of the Claremont/Byrne Xmen
Thor: The Surtur Saga

and many, many more...

Also for newer comics, the Hulk has just rebooted with Loeb and McGuiness at the helm, as has Thor with Strazynski as the writer.

Good Luck!