Ultimate beginners guide to Comics

[eezzeee]

Hello all,

I am fairly new to comics and to be honest at first I was quiete overwhelmed by the huge amount of comics that are out there ( I mean there are like Uncanny X-Men, astonishing X-Men, Ultimate X Men) so that I did not know where to begin.
So I started with some more self contained stories like Watchmen and some younger ones like Powers where it was not too hard to get in. But now I want to get into the longer running superhero stuff.
I like characters like X-Men, Captain America, Avengers, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and The Hulk. I am not superinterested in the DC stuff like Superman or Batman or the Ultimate stuff from Marvel but when someone wants to suggest anything that might be interesting I will check it out.
Continuity is quiete important for me so I don't want to start just anywhere I want to do it "right".

So my question is where should I start to get into running series with the characters mentioned above?

I saw that Marvel has this Essential books are those any good?

Thanks for your answers


PS.: I love the show... although I don't know what you are talking about - story wise - most of the time...

[Luthor]

Welcome to the world of comics!

Essentials are an excellent, and affordable option to gain some knowledge about older characters.

Check around online for what different people say are essential storylines(like the Dark Phoenix Sega for the X-men) or who are essential creators for any character(like Mark Waid and Ron Garney on Captain America).


Hulk is a personal favorite so here are my recommendations(although you shouldn't limit yourself to being a Marvel guy, every major publisher has something of merit:cool: ):

Hulk - If Peter David's name is on the book, then you must own it. He added more to that character then anyone ever has(and most likely ever will). A good starting point would be about Hulk #300(PAD takes over at around 330, but the stuff leading up to this establishes his run, which lasts for 12 years...12 YEARS!).

I'd avoid anything after that right up until Bruce Jones took over the book, but whatever you do, don't miss Planet Hulk(which is kick ass).

Milestones include: Hulk: Future Imperfect(By Peter David and George Perez), Incredible Hulk #340(Wolverine Vs The Hulk written by Peter David and drawn by some guy named Todd Macfarlane), Incredible Hulk #369-380(Peter David and Dale Keown, The Start of the Merged Hulk storyline), Incredible Hulk #417(Peter David and Gary Frank, Rick Jones' Bachelor Party), Incredible Hulk #420(David and Frank again, the Death of Jim Wilson), BANNER!(By Brian Azzarello and Ricard Corben), and Hulk:GREY(by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale).

Hulk is a really easy character to start with. Marvel reprints the hell out of all the major storylines and those that aren't reprinted can usually be found at a decent price.

There are some hiccups in quality(around the time Heroes Reborn happens, John Byrne's last run and Paul Jenkins run come to mind) but the book is pretty consistent.

In my mind Marvel has always used The Hulk as something of a tester for upcoming artists(Dale Keown, Gary Frank and Todd Macfarlane all made their names while doing Hulk), so it's a good place to see the next big thing.

Hope this was helpful,

Luthor

[fred]

Hey
I'd like to say welcome as well to comics. I prefer Marvel to DC as well. There are some DC characters I'm into. OK so it's just Batman really but hey let's pretend. Many of the big name comic book characters have been around for decades so it's hard to say go back and read everything they've been in. I'll try to break down some of the important stuff for some characters in the Marvel 616(regular) universe. I'll forget people and probably repost more later. It's just how I am. You should really concentrate on either Ultimate or 616 to begin with so as to avoid even more confusion than you invite by just entertaining the thought of superhero comics in the first place.

Captain America- I would say start with the first trade of the most recent relaunch and read up to current. I don't know that much before that is really that important. I haven't read much of it and I love reading Cap and don't really get lost.

X-Men (Uncanny and otherwise) - I would say that the most important things are Essential vol 1(1-24 of uncanny), the uncanny Omnibus(Giant Size X-Men #1 and 94-133), the dark Phoenix saga, and the Grant Morrison New X-Men run(which also recently went into an Omnibus). There is so much X-Content out there; it really is the most continuity heavy title out there.

Hulk- the suggestions above are good. I would add Hulk Gray though by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. It's great. Also, you could probably pretty much jump onto Hulk at the beginning of Planet Hulk as everybody pretty much knows the background anyway. Big green guy breaks stuff and kicks ass - it's not that intricate.

Daredevil - There is a lot of great Daredevil but I would say start with Frank Miller's Man Without Fear and then move to Daredevil Yellow(again by Loeb and Sale). After that, if you can find Daredevil Born Again you should read that. Then I would say the latest relaunch of the title. They have trades and hardcovers out for everything(more or less) from #1 to the end of the Bendis run. I think that Bendis has only been off of it for about 10-12 issues. Possibly also read Daredevil Father but it should probably be towards the end of you Daredevil experience.

Spider-Man- He's pretty easy. If you want to you could read the first Essential but basically the story is quite well known. Teenager, radioactive spider, bad guys, aunt may, mary jane. You could pick up on Amazing Spider-Man at 529 very easily. I think 537 just came out.

Batman- you should start with Year One and then move to The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. After that there are a lot of great stories to read such as Arkham Asylum, The Killing Joke, Dark Knight, Dark Knight Returns, Hush etc.

that's all I've got right now for the basics
more to follow I'm sure

[fred]

see back already

Wolverine - you're going to get a lot of Wolverine backstory in the X-Men stuff but I'd also recommend the Best of Wolverine Vol 1. It has the Frank Miller Wolverine mini as well as some other stuff in it. Also, the current relaunch - you could start it at 42 and kind of know where you are now when 50 comes out next week but there really is some good stuff going all the way back to #1. Greg Rucka wrote the first 18 and they are magnificient. After that Mark Millar did a 12 part story called Enemy of the State that is also quite good(especially if you're into heavy action).

JLA-the Grant Morrison stuff is pretty cool

Also another great DC title is Darwyn Cooke's New Frontier. It came out recently as an Absolute edition and it's beautiful.

[ConorKilpatrick]

I am not superinterested in the DC stuff like Superman or Batman or the Ultimate stuff from Marvel but when someone wants to suggest anything that might be interesting I will check it out.
Continuity is quiete important for me so I don't want to start just anywhere I want to do it "right".

I'm curious as to why you are not into the Ultimate books. Seems like the perfect place to start, to me.

[JAFlanagan]

I'm not sure why you say you're not interested in the Ultimate books or DC. TO be completely honest with you, the best Spider-Man being done today is in Ultimate Spider-Man, and those are also the easiest books to get into.

Honestly, regular Marvel is pretty convoluted right now, but if I had to recommend some good places to start, I'd go check out the first 2 trades of Captain America - Winter Soldier, or Bendis' first 2 New Avengers trades.

My best advice is not to limit yourself. Find the writers and artists you like, and follow the work they do, and you'll find the stuff you really like. It takes a little while.

[eezzeee]

First of all thanks for the answers guys... I will definetly check out the things you recommended.

And in regards to the Ultimate books and limiting myself to certain characters... I just thought I had to narrow it down a bit. I know nearly nothing in detail about the 616 ( I actually never heard or read that term before today for that matter) and the Ultimate universe and I thought beginning with the regular universe was a good choice.

[fred]

Some of the Ultimate stuff is really cool. I've found it limiting though. For instance, your choices are Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Power(:mad:), Ultimate FF(OK if you aren't particular about art), and Ultimate Vision(:eek:)

christ I hate smilies. why are they in my post? words can't describe Ultimate Power or Vision

It can be confusing to read both (especially at first) because the characters, for instance Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man, are actually different people from different dimensions of the same world. This, combined with the fact that there are approximately 50 (maybe) 616 Marvel montly titles, made me suggest 616. 616 is more weighed down in continuity than Ultimate(by design of course), but there are so many more monthly options and things from the past to go back to.

[shane1337]

I'm curious as to why you are not into the Ultimate books. Seems like the perfect place to start, to me.

I am new to comics as well (I read comics in the late 80's early 90's as a young teenager, but haven't gotten back into them until recently), and I got into reading with ultimate spider-man. Also, I have found that the Civil War has given a great starting point get into from, as it effects things more or less across the board. Also, I started reading newer comics like X23.

Lastly, I don't know how people feel about this here, but if you need a ton of back-issues, you can find most comics online. I found this is a good way to get back into reading, as it would be way to expensive to buy a bunch of trade paper backs to get up to speed on some things. And I live in a small town with one comic store, so if they don't have it I would be out of luck.

[Spiffy]

I know nearly nothing in detail about the 616 ( I actually never heard or read that term before today for that matter)

And I'm sure Conor and Josh would have prefered you never heard that term. I think Ron just uses it now to get under their skin.

[fred]

I use 616 because it's easier than 'Regular Marvel Universe' and it's generally accepted

[shane1337]

Another great resource I use for getting up to speed is wikipedia. It has everything summed up and is right up to date.

[Derek]

And in regards to the Ultimate books and limiting myself to certain characters... I just thought I had to narrow it down a bit. I know nearly nothing in detail about the 616 ( I actually never heard or read that term before today for that matter) and the Ultimate universe and I thought beginning with the regular universe was a good choice.

I know where you're coming from but I would definitely recommend picking up Vol 1 of The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. You can find a HC of the entire first series for fairly cheap online. Great story, beautiful art, and you don't need to know any Avengers continuity. One of the best books of the last few years.

Vol 2 is almost complete. One more issue to go (but who knows when that's coming). But when it comes out I would recommend that one as well.

[fred]

I forgot the Ultimates when I listed the Ultimate titles. I guess that's because it never friggin comes out

[fred]

Another great resource I use for getting up to speed is wikipedia. It has everything summed up and is right up to date.

Wikipedia is great and crazy at the same time. I was just looking at their page on Beast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_Beast) and they had the obscure fact that the Beast loves Twinkies because in X-Men 73 he makes a New Year's Resolution to 'Eat Less Twinkies'. Just when I thought that I'd crammed by head with insignificant facts somebody else comes along to tell me that Hank McCoy likes a good Twinkie.

Wow

[jadedhalo]

I'm going to agree with shane1337 here and say Civil War is a good place to "jump in". You'll be able to get in on a starting story arc that effects alot of titles and really the whole universe. From then on you are current and can go back and read trades of important story lines and even wikipedia up stuff when you don't know.

[bentcorner]

Another great resource I use for getting up to speed is wikipedia. It has everything summed up and is right up to date.

I agree. That's great advice! Wikipedia has helped me lots and lots when it comes to comics. I wouldn't be able to read the new Justice League of America series if it wasn't for Wikipedia.

[acomicbookgirl]

And I'm sure Conor and Josh would have prefered you never heard that term. I think Ron just uses it now to get under their skin.
616? Sorry but I never heard that term until now. :confused:

Um..

Marvel - "The Dark Phoenix Saga", "God Loves Man Kills", New X-men the Grant Morrison run (I fell in love with Emma Frost here), Marvels, Civil War,

DC - Crisis of Infinite Earths, Phil Jimenez' run and George Perez' run of Wonder Woman, Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, my friends have told me Kingdom Come but I can't vouch for that one yet.

Neil Gaiman's Sandman

Alan Moore's V for Vendetta, Watchmen, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell

You don't have to but when I lend my friends Pedro and Me they've never been disappointed.

Some people look for the art more than the story, some people look for story more than art and some go for both when it comes to collecting/reading. You'll eventually find what you prefer.

I hope that helps.