View Full Version : Starting a new series...recommendations?
kwok_talk
01-24-2007, 03:29 PM
One of my frivolous new year's resolutions was to start reading a new series (new = one I haven't read before) via trade paperback. I pretty much already currently read Marvel mainstays (daredevil, xmen, various ultimate titles), so I definitely want to try something new (either on DC, Vertigo, or one of the Marvel offshoot labels). Last year I picked Runaways and really enjoyed it.
While I've heard everyone recommending various titles from Bendis, BKV, Brubaker, which all sound great, I want to just stick to picking ONE new title just for $ reasons. I picked up 1001 nights of snowfall thinking of trying out Fables, which was ok, but I have a feeling that wasn't a great reflection of the series.
Soooo...long story short, if you had to recommend just ONE series for me to pick up, which one would it be? (I know it's probably like a parent being forced to pick which child is their favorite.)
Few recommendations:
Fables is really great. I like the whole of the series much more than 1001 Nights but that was OK too. This was a book I never wanted to like, you know because I'm so cool and all, but I love it.
DMZ is also very good. There are 2 trades out now I think and #15 comes out today. It's written by Brian Wood. It's basically the story of life in nyc during a civil war in which the two sides have declared Manhattan the DMZ as both armies sit on each side of it. It's much better than I made it sound
Y The Last Man is great. It's written by Brian K Vaughn. The premise is that every male human and animal all die simultaneously except Yorick Brown(the last man) and his pet monkey. The story follows him trying to stay hidden, trying to stay alive, and trying to find his girlfriend while a scientist studies him to see what is so special about him that he lived so that they can try to see if it's possible that life can continue.
The Walking Dead. This book is probably one of the coolest out there right now. There are 5 trades and I believe 5 issues beyond the end of the last trade. It's Kirkman at his finest.
Invincible - really good too. It's Kirkman doing the teenage hero thing.
Strange Girl by Rick Remender. There are 2 trades out right now and I believe 4 issues past the end of the second. The concept of the story basically is that in the beginning the Rapture(from the Bible) happens and Earth is left to demons, sinners, and Bethany. The story follows Bethany and her pet demon as they try to find a way into Heaven. It's very irreverent, funny, and beautiful. Rick Remender is a talented guy.
I'll post anymore that I think of later
If you're looking for a graphic novel rather than a series I'd recommend:
The Complete Maus
Lost Girls
V For Vendetta
Pride of Baghdad
I'm starting to think that I actually like a lot of stuff
kwok_talk
01-24-2007, 03:54 PM
I'm starting to think that I actually like a lot of stuff
haha. no doubt, from the size of your pull list. but that's awesome.
I think I would probably prefer an ongoing series, and not one that would be a single graphic novel.
thought I'd throw those out there too because a few of the series I recommend have 5-7 trades
Luthor
01-24-2007, 04:31 PM
You said you were big on the Marvel main stays...have you ever tried Exiles? It's a monthly what if title featuring a recurring cast of offshoots and throw aways, it ranges from fantastic to silly but I think its about the only title I enjoy on no matter what. Plus it's really easy to jump into(although a new creative team is coming in so that might change). Marvel is really good about printing trades and if you don't want to follow that route the storylines never go beyond 2 or 3 issues. It's heavy on continuity but I've never found it to be burdensome. I really really like this book.
isn't the writer from the new creative team Chris Claremont?
He lost his mind somewhere around Uncanny 155 and it has only returned in brief stints since
Luthor
01-24-2007, 04:43 PM
isn't the writer from the new creative team Chris Claremont?
He lost his mind somewhere around Uncanny 155 and it has only returned in brief stints since
Yeah and that is a big concern of mine, but all the trades leading up to this are really good. Plus he's bringing Psylocke and I'm concerned about all the backstory that that character brings and it turning into the Pyslocke show.
kwok_talk
01-24-2007, 04:48 PM
You said you were big on the Marvel main stays...have you ever tried Exiles?
Hm..I've thought about that one since I heard Claremont was going to be writing that. Yet b/c I'm naturally inclined to marvel (and to some degree x-men realted titles), I think I'd try branching out to something outside of that. You're the first person I've heard recommending this series (not that I've heard bad, I've just never heard anyone talk about it), so maybe I'll just thumb through it next time I'm at the store, even though I may not make it my pick.
JAFlanagan
01-24-2007, 04:53 PM
Captain America.
If you can, and you SO won't be sorry, pick up the 2 Winter Soldier trades, and you'll be good to go to read the series ongoing.
That is all.
I would recommend Walking Dead, as there is something universal about the story - it's just people in a tough situation, humans being humans, and all the brutal truths and extremes that can go along with it. The zombies are really just the MacGuffin - albeit one of the most deftly deployed MacGufins in my recent memory - and a fun excuse for gore and headsplodes (!)
mister s
01-24-2007, 06:43 PM
I'm with Josh on the Cap.
Fred made a lot of good suggestions as well.
For an ongoing I'm going to rec The Lone Ranger. THey are only on issue 4 and the other issues should be easy to find.
I'm going to third the Cap recommendation
It's great
also for a non-superhero ongoing - Criminal(another Brubaker book). They are up to #4. #1 may be hard to find but my lcs still has 2, 3, and 4. I was just talking to my cbg about it, and how it's selling, last week so that's how I know
kwok_talk
01-24-2007, 09:53 PM
Captain America.
If you can, and you SO won't be sorry, pick up the 2 Winter Soldier trades, and you'll be good to go to read the series ongoing.
That is all.
hm. i was hoping to start at the beginning of a series, but since everyone's highly pushing this one, i might have to make an extra effort to also check this out. does anyone know if the trades are now in paperback? last time i saw (which was a while ago), they were only in hardcover.
ConorKilpatrick
01-24-2007, 10:42 PM
hm. i was hoping to start at the beginning of a series, but since everyone's highly pushing this one, i might have to make an extra effort to also check this out. does anyone know if the trades are now in paperback? last time i saw (which was a while ago), they were only in hardcover.
Indeed they are in paperback. They were my Christmas gift to Josh.
Baxter
01-24-2007, 11:40 PM
Indeed they are in paperback. They were my Christmas gift to Josh.
I third the Captain America recommendation. I never had an interest in Cap until now. Its a damn fine book. Now if only they'd do the trade releases right. Winter Soldier V1&2, Red Menace V1&2, why not just Captain America V1-4 Marvel? Why?
kwok_talk
01-25-2007, 04:09 PM
Thanks to everyone for your awesome input. Here's the conclusion to the story. Last night, I decided to go with Y: the Last Man (and I'm even more excited after finally watching the BKV video). As an extra bonus, I even found cheap copies of the CA: Winter soldier trades online and got those. Looking forward to some good reads this weekend!
ConorKilpatrick
01-25-2007, 04:20 PM
Thanks to everyone for your awesome input. Here's the conclusion to the story. Last night, I decided to go with Y: the Last Man (and I'm even more excited after finally watching the BKV video). As an extra bonus, I even found cheap copies of the CA: Winter soldier trades online and got those. Looking forward to some good reads this weekend!
Awesome! You're in for some really, really good reading.