View Full Version : Core Books
jon_samuelson
11-08-2007, 02:58 PM
Hey guys. I've got a question for all of you, and hopefully you can make some suggestions for me. I've gotten really disgusted with the habit of the industry to have giant cross-overs that, while perhaps not REQUIRING the reading of piles of books to stay up on continuity, certainly request it strongly. I'm looking for you guys who know more than I to suggest what are some truly core books from both DC and Marvel that will allow me to read 1 or maybe 2 books that will keep me up to date on the general goings on in the respective universe.
Marvel-wise I've pretty much decided that I'm going to roll with 'Captain America' and 'The Mighty Avengers'. I also get the Incredible Hulk, but I don't think that's really a core book other than the whole World War Hulk thing. I realize that The Mighty Avengers has turned out to be a bad choice, but I hold out hope that once Cho is off the book it will catch back up to continuity and I like the cast of characters. What say you guys? Have I made horrible choice? What else might really be more core?
DC-wise I'm really pretty virginal. I'll occasionally buy Superman or Batman, but only in short spurts. For whatever reason I've never really gotten into the DC Universe, perhaps because of a much more daunting level of continuity backlog from my point of view. I recently bought JSA #10 and am curious of of whether or not it has real core status. I got it because Kingdom Come is one of my all time favorite stories. What DC book is really at the heart of the goings on in this Universe? Other than Countdown because I've heard WAY too much bad stuff about it at this point to be able to give it a fair shake.
Anyway, what suggestions do you guys have for me. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Peace,
Jon
P.S. If anybody wanted to give me a quick synopsis of JSA I'd really appreciate that too. I was of the understanding that a number of the people on that team were long dead (Alan Scott, Wally West). Like I said though, my knowledge of actual DC continuity are pretty limited.
In DC, aside from Countdown the most central books are probably JLA and JSA.
In Marvel, it's probably New Avengers more than anything.
davegraham
11-08-2007, 03:35 PM
In DC, aside from Countdown the most central books are probably JLA and JSA.
In Marvel, it's probably New Avengers more than anything.
I second. Anything with "Avengers" in the title and is written by Bendis. And over at DC I think Countdown is going to be enough set up for Final Crisis.
According to Iluminatti it might be worth while to check out Disassembled (ends classic Avengers), Secret War (forces Nick Fury away), House of M (destroys mutants) Civil War (kills Cap), and the recent Submariner series (something in the upcoming last issue decimates Atlantis). Also it might not hurt to check out Silent War for background on what is going on with the Inhumans. However I don't think any of those titles are necessary to be able to follow the story where it is right now. Basically, what you need to know is no one in the Marvel Universe trusts anyone.
diabhol
11-08-2007, 04:03 PM
What say you guys? Have I made horrible choice? What else might really be more core?
New Avengers is probably the #1 book you need to buy if you want to be up on what the heck's going on. Mighty Avengers will tie that once Bagley replaces Cho and the books get caught up.
After that...Captain America's probably the next best choice and you're reading that (it seems more important to the MU now that Rogers' is dead, interestingly enough). Iron Man would also be a good idea since that'll be the place you'll get the most detail on what's going with the Director of SHIELD (and when Stark quits, it'll happen in his book).
Once Messiah Complex is over, I'll probably be able to tell you what qualifies as a core title with the X-Men. :) Hopefully, it'll be Uncanny again, but one can never be sure.
labor_days
11-08-2007, 04:11 PM
New Avengers and JLA are the books you are looking for.
davegraham
11-08-2007, 08:01 PM
After that...Captain America's probably the next best choice and you're reading that (it seems more important to the MU now that Rogers' is dead, interestingly enough).
Is Captain America really essential to knowing what is going on in the greater Marvel Universe? Don't get me wrong it is a great book. And I do reccommend it to anyone who is into superheros, but I don't see anything being planned by Red Skull or Hydra having a big impact in the greater Marvel Universe. Cap's death is certainly weighing on Iron Man, but that is going on in the Avengers more than it is any other book. The new Cap will probably make appearances in other books, but I don't expect him to change the flow of any plot lines going on.
jon_samuelson
11-08-2007, 10:33 PM
JLA is good then? I thought I'd heard Ron/Josh/Conner bash that book pretty good recently. Also it has it's finger better on the pulse of the DCU than does JSA?
I think I may have to give "New Avengers" a whirl, at least until such point as 'Mighty' catches back up. The reason I went with Mighty Avengers in the first place was because I absolutely love Frank Cho's art, but I've come to really enjoy that cast of characters.
And I've picked up an "X" book here and there in my history, but have never really found myself so interested in the team that I was willing to wait the book out through bad stretches. The only book I've ever really been able to do that on was the Incredible Hulk, and even that got dropped by the wayside during the Bruce Jones run. As for X books at the very least I think I'll wait for the dust to settle on the current event.
conorkilpatrick
11-08-2007, 10:52 PM
JLA is good then? I thought I'd heard Ron/Josh/Conner bash that book pretty good recently.
Yes, it's very good. The McDuffie issues. Not the Meltzer issues. Those are not so good.
mikegraham6
11-08-2007, 11:57 PM
Yes, it's very good. The McDuffie issues. Not the Meltzer issues. Those are not so good.
Conor, did you ever decide which books you were going to drop? I remember that the McDuffie JLA was on your list
conorkilpatrick
11-08-2007, 11:58 PM
Conor, did you ever decide which books you were going to drop? I remember that the McDuffie JLA was on your list
You mean Josh (http://www.ifanboy.com/archive/weblog/on_the_block.html).
I think the decision was delayed by his surgery.
mikegraham6
11-09-2007, 12:03 AM
You mean Josh (http://www.ifanboy.com/archive/weblog/on_the_block.html).
I think the decision was delayed by his surgery.
oh my bad, i could have sworn it was you
on second thought, i did think it was kind of wierd you were thinking of dropping a JLA book :)
labor_days
11-09-2007, 12:23 AM
Josh should keep JLA.
jon_samuelson
11-09-2007, 12:48 AM
And McDuffie's been on since issue #13 of JLA correct?
six-gun
11-09-2007, 01:28 AM
Yes, it's very good. The McDuffie issues. Not the Meltzer issues. Those are not so good.
Except #11 which is one of my favorite single issues this year.
six-gun
11-09-2007, 01:30 AM
And McDuffie's been on since issue #13 of JLA correct?
he started with the JLA Wedding Special
conorkilpatrick
11-09-2007, 02:11 AM
Except #11 which is one of my favorite single issues this year.
Correct. That was the exception to the rule.
six-gun
11-09-2007, 02:14 AM
Correct. That was the exception to the rule.
ahhhhh Gene Ha :D
diabhol
11-09-2007, 11:13 AM
Is Captain America really essential to knowing what is going on in the greater Marvel Universe?
Compared to the two Avengers titles? Definitely not. However, beneath those two...I think it's relatively important now.