New To Comics, Recommendations?

[Psycomantis777]

I've always liked the shorter stories in 2000AD. If you're looking for bigger ones like Watchmen then V for Vendetta's always a good shout. Neonomicon is good if not a bit gross, same with Blackgas. I read an issue of a comic called "Ride: Southern Gothic" Which had an interesting art style and cool stories...

 

[Strain42]

I would like to recommend the series Chew by John Layman. Now I must warn you, this series is a little odd, but it's solid and it's funny and it's got a really good sense of overarching story. I'd recommend just buying it in trade rather than trying to find individual issues. Basically each book contains a single 5 issue storyline (except book 6 which contains an extra one shot about Poyo. Oh yeah, you'll like Poyo)

Basically the book takes place in a world where the avian flu had wiped out so many people that the government banned the consumption of poultry, so the FDA have basically become the big guys in terms of law enforcement. Our main character is Tony Chu, a cibopath (pronounced see-bo-path) who can...can...well, the book itself describes it better than I would

(oh, except beets. Beets don't affect him)

So basically this power of his leads him through a lot of interesting cases through the FDA. To paraphrase the back of the book, this is a series about cooks, cannibals, clairvoyants, cops, and crooks.

Lemme give you a brief synopsis of the first issue and you can try to get a feel if this series is something that would interest you. I'll try not to make it sound boring

Spoiler

Tony is basically working as a cop in the first issue. When he and his partner (John Colby) are about to take down a pretty big kingpin in chicken dealing at a local chicken speakeasy, they are stopped by FDA agent, Mason Savoy, who informs them that the kingpin actually works for them, and if they were to arrest him it would make things messy. So to make up for it he allows Tony and Colby to dine at the speakeasy on uncle sam. Tony orders the chicken soup, and upon tasting it, gets flashes of the chef (who had cut himself preparing the soup so some of his blood was in it) being a serial killer who had killed, cut up, and eaten 13 women. Tony and Colby go to confront the chef, who chucks a butcher knife into Colby's face before fleeing. Tony chases him down, saying he will get all the names of the women he's killed one way or another. The chef would rather kill himself than go back to jail so he slits his throat. Tony repeats he will get those names one way or another before starting to eat the chef to get the info he needs through his powers. Cut ahead to him being fired from the police force (you...you can't eat suspects after all) where upon Savoy shows up again to invite him on board at the FDA

I'm not the best at summing things up, but that's basically the first issue. It is a really good series filled with interesting characters and storylines (and later even more crazy food powers)

If you like dark twisted humor and intriguing mysteries, this is a good series for you.

Currently the first 7 trade books are out (basically issues 1-35) and they plan on making it a 60 issue series, so book 6 is basically the halfway point in terms of the overall story.

 

[Antwerp Caveman]

Reccomendations: Preacher, Akira, Blankets, Invincible, many Vertigo titles.

Personal faves: The Boys (and most other titles of Garth Ennis), 100 Bullets, many books by Mark Millar

Stay away from:
- DC Comics (the characters are terrible, they can't do anything but their crimefighting crusades)
- The Walking Dead (after book 8/ issue #50 it's just rinse and repeat)
- Image Comics (except the earlier mentioned Invincible)

 

[KazeAizen]

Dark Knight Returns. Because it's the best Batman story ever, imo.

Which has the worst possible version of Superman ever. I watched the movie and liked it but this is one of those things that I'm in a love hate relationship with. I love the big three and their books and I like good books about them but I don't like it when pot shots are taken at them. I blame this book on most people's modern interpretation of Superman and that is not good. I have yet to see a story about Superman that does the same degrading to Batman. Sorry about the rant. I'm just bitter at this because Supes is my favorite superhero of all time and I really like Batman so yeah this one is a weird one for me.

I saw you talk about this and was going to respond. So I'm glad you responded first!

I understand, Superman does come off as a bad guy. BUT I think you're viewing it from the wrong angle. This is an alternate future where Superheroes have been degraded, made unpopular and shunned by society. Batman thrives on that while Superman's good soul was crushed under all the weight. I think it showed him more as a lost soul, rather than a jackass. I liked this Superman. The way he desperately wanted Bruce to stop shows that he never gave up on him and that he'll always believe in second chances. Even at the end, this was true. I mentioned I'm not a fan of Superman but this book and Birthright are the books that make me want to check out more Superman (so, if you've got any recommendations on that... lol). So, yeah... I saw it from a more positive, optimistic view point. I think Superman was a good guy till the end but he had been ruined by society.

And yeah, there's no chance of seeing a story where Batman is degraded. Can you imagine DC doing something like that, especially now? I would like to see it, though. Batman goes over the edge sort of thing. Although, I think he has done that a couple of times.

Maybe I did view it from the wrong angle but I do know that DC denied Frank Miller a Superman story or something along those lines. It was a bunch of intercompany politics and then when he wrote this book he decided to just take gigantic pot shots at DC's mascot as payback. I know its a Batman centric story and thus the focus shouldn't be on Superman but for me anyway it didn't do anything to show that he was a lost soul. As for recommendations I am aware of stories that are great stories but I have not read them yet personally because well funds are a bit short these days for me Superman: Red Son and All-Star Superman are among the best I hear. All-Star embraces the idea that he is the man that can do anything and how he can change the world. Pretty much the purest form of the character since the golden age it sounds like. The movie was good but apparently a bad cliff notes version of it. Also Red Son shows the kind of things you can do with this character. Instead of Kansas Kal-El lands in the Soviet Union and his symbol is that of the communist party on his chest. Also the Death of Superman book. The one where he fights Doomsday.

Still if you want the best version of Superman out there just watch the Bruce Timm cartoons. Superman: The animated series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. Personally I think he made the best version of the DC universe ever with Young Justice being on par with it.

As a last note I know DC won't degrade Batman. Especially not when Nolan not only gave his live action version a revival but a complete upgrade. The kind of thing I think would shock audiences would be if they gave Batman his gun back. Only the really die hard comic fans know that at one point very early on in his career he actually did use a gun. To me that seems to be the only truly interesting route left if they keep wanting to make Batman interesting in the hypo gritty versions of him. Other then that they'd have to make a more fun Batman and lord knows people don't want that because they keep wanting to forget Adam West as Batman. I've rambled long enough. Hope those recommendations help you out on getting into Superman.

 

[ninjaRiv]

Maybe I did view it from the wrong angle but I do know that DC denied Frank Miller a Superman story or something along those lines. It was a bunch of intercompany politics and then when he wrote this book he decided to just take gigantic pot shots at DC's mascot as payback. I know its a Batman centric story and thus the focus shouldn't be on Superman but for me anyway it didn't do anything to show that he was a lost soul. As for recommendations I am aware of stories that are great stories but I have not read them yet personally because well funds are a bit short these days for me Superman: Red Son and All-Star Superman are among the best I hear. All-Star embraces the idea that he is the man that can do anything and how he can change the world. Pretty much the purest form of the character since the golden age it sounds like. The movie was good but apparently a bad cliff notes version of it. Also Red Son shows the kind of things you can do with this character. Instead of Kansas Kal-El lands in the Soviet Union and his symbol is that of the communist party on his chest. Also the Death of Superman book. The one where he fights Doomsday.

Still if you want the best version of Superman out there just watch the Bruce Timm cartoons. Superman: The animated series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. Personally I think he made the best version of the DC universe ever with Young Justice being on par with it.

As a last note I know DC won't degrade Batman. Especially not when Nolan not only gave his live action version a revival but a complete upgrade. The kind of thing I think would shock audiences would be if they gave Batman his gun back. Only the really die hard comic fans know that at one point very early on in his career he actually did use a gun. To me that seems to be the only truly interesting route left if they keep wanting to make Batman interesting in the hypo gritty versions of him. Other then that they'd have to make a more fun Batman and lord knows people don't want that because they keep wanting to forget Adam West as Batman. I've rambled long enough. Hope those recommendations help you out on getting into Superman.

I have no idea what Millar says on the book... But yeah, that does look pretty bad lol. But I judged it purely from what I read, rather than how the author felt. I'm probably completely wrong, anyway! It's very possible! But I liked it and I liked Superman in it. I understand how you feel, though. I'm a Punisher fan and that guy gets some shit in some books. Same with Gambit.

I keep going to check out Red Son but I'm not a fan of Millar. But there's another story like that written by John Cleese, where he lands in Britain. That's supposed to be a lot of fun. Birthright and the Bruce Timm cartoons are the only Superman I've ever enjoyed (actually kind of enjoyed the original movie, though). I like how, in the cartoons, he's not this big, invincible monster which is how he often appears to me. In the cartoons, and Birthright, he's just a nice guy.

There is an Adam West style comic out now. But I've never liked that style... Brave and the Bold also did very well. So I think fun Batman is always a possibility.

 

[acillies45]

Sin City is always fun.

 

[ninjaRiv]

Stay away from:
- DC Comics (the characters are terrible, they can't do anything but their crimefighting crusades)
- The Walking Dead (after book 8/ issue #50 it's just rinse and repeat)
- Image Comics (except the earlier mentioned Invincible)

Do you mean DC now or just DC in general? Because if you mean all DC, you crazy. You so crazy. Crazy.

As for image: What about Saga? Chew?S Skull Kickers? Witch Doctor? Revival? I don't think you should steer clear of any publisher with such a rich back catalogue as DC and Image. There's something for everyone there.

As for Walking Dead, I think that lost it a couple of volumes before 8...

 

[COMaestro]

I second (or third or more) pretty much everything I've read so far in this thread. One thing I didn't see (but I mostly skimmed the thread) is Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. It's an excellent series and is almost finished, so if you start it, you won't have to wait long for the ending.

As for where to buy graphic novels, go to www.comicshoplocator.com and input your zip code into the search field. It'll return all the comic book stores near you, I believe out to a 10 mile radius. Some stores are better than others, but they all should have a good selection of graphic novels. Plus, occasionally they will have sales so you can get things a bit cheaper than cover price, but those can be few and far between. Amazon, as someone posted above, might be the cheaper option, or B&N like you mentioned, as you can get coupons for up to 20% off. Selection is somewhat limited at B&N though.

 

[wyldchyld337]

I've always enjoyed the hellboy franchise.

The Marvel Civil War series was fun to read, if somewhat confusing if you didn't start from the first issue.

Civil War, and most of Marvel's newer collections, are a bit heavy and hard to read if you're a new reader of their work. Yes, the stories are damn good, but not a great place to start from.

That being said, I will always push people toward the Age of Apocalypse (mid/late 90s) and the Avengers Disassembled/House of M ('04/'05)stories. AoA can be picked up and read as a stand-alone, but then you'll want to read about the real version of the characters. AD/HoM are great for a newer version of the AoA, I feel, and also make great stand-alones with giving you tidbits on the characters if you're not familiar with the current characters.

Then again, I got big into comics right after Amazing Spider Man 300 when Venom (Eddie Brock) was given his own series, so that caught me on Marvel's bandwagon.

For what it's worth, though, most commenters in this thread will have their favorites and none of them are incorrect. Pick and choose, really. Many people will say Batman Year One/Dark Knight Returns, my fave of Batman's is "Hush."

 

[Silvanus]

How has no one mentioned Sandman yet? Far and away the most obvious next step for you if you're getting into the classic rise of the literary comic, and it's a pure joy from start to finish. I've recently introduced my daughter to it and it's been great to see someone else experience it for the first time.

From the same era, there's also V for Vendetta (already mentioned), Swamp Thing and Hellblazer.

This guy's right on every count. I haven't read any Swamp Thing, but from the OP's description, he'd greatly enjoy Sandman, Hellblazer, and V for Vendetta.


I have the most experience with Batman (and some more general DC), though. The arc composed of Long Halloween, Dark Victory, & Catwoman: When In Rome would be my highest recommendations, as well as the oft-overlooked No Man's Land arc. Honestly, No Man's Land rivals Knightfall, imo.

 

[metal eslaved]

Spiderman: Kraven last hunt.
Superman: for the man who has everything(Alan Moore).
Superman: Whatever happened to the men of tomorrow(Alan Moore).
Superman: Red Son(Mark Millar).
Universal war one.
The lifes and times of Scrooge Mcduck(Don Rosa).
Godzilla: Half century war.
The Goon.
100 bullets(Brian Azzarello).
Wonder Woman(Brian Azzarello).
Criminal(Ed Brubaker).
Transmetropolitan(Warren Ellis).
Conan the Barbarian(Kurt Busiek).
invincible.
Hitman(Garth Ennis).
Punisher MAX(Garth Ennis).
Fury MAX(Garth Ennis).
Judge Dreed: America.
Zombo.

 

[Raikas]

It depends what you like - which genres, which styles (art and writing), which tone, and so on. That said, I'll make some general recommendations:

Plenty of people have already recommend Preacher, but I'd add Garth Ennis' war comics War Stories and Battlefields to the list. Sticking to historical books, I'd also recommend Eric Shanower's Age of Bronze and Jason Lutes' Berlin.

On the weird/genre front, I'd add Warren Ellis' Gravel (and the earlier connected books Strange Kisses and Strange Killings) and Grant Morrison's The Invisibles.

If I were going to suggest a mainstream superhero book, I'd go with Paul Cornel's Rudiments of Wisdom (1 volume) and the connected Captain Britain and MI:13 (3 volumes) - surprisely good stuff for the normally continuity-heavy Marvel universe.

many Vertigo titles.

Stay away from:
- DC Comics (the characters are terrible, they can't do anything but their crimefighting crusades)

Heh, Vertigo is DC, so aren't you contradicting yourself here? I joke, but I actually can't stand the DCU books either.

 

[Bla914ck]

As for web-comics I can recommend:

Unlife: The most interesting take on the zombie apocalypse i have read in a web comic. Its about a guy who tries to live in normal society after he is bitten and turned by a zombie. The art may be a little to take in first but its incredibly well written. (http://unlifecomic.com/)

Between Failures: Its about a bunch of directionless 20 year old's who work in a wal-mart esque store. simple art but supported by great writing and character development. (http://betweenfailures.com/)

and Paranatural: Described as the author as "X-men meets ghost-busters except everyone's 12". Its just great (http://paranatural.net/)

Also It's Walky: because its awesome (http://www.itswalky.com/d/19991225.html)

 

[Ticklefist]

I recommend you read whatever interests you. Once you spend a few years and a few hundred dollars on them you realize they're all pretty similar anyways. Starting with Alan Moore's best means you've got nowhere to go but down.

 

[Milanezi]

Watchmen?! That's a heavy start, congratulations hahaha

Ok, I'd say...

- The Dark Knight Returns (from Frank Miller)
- Sin City (any of them)
- Fable (it's ongoing, and I can only attest for what I've read, only the first few comics)
- Akira (hard to come by, sadly... IF you can't find the manga, go for the anime, it's a classic nonetheless)
- Marvels
- Kingdom Come
- Justice
- Saga
- Lone Wolf & Cub
- Sandman
- Preacher (if you're too religious, stay away from this one lol)

 

[Amgeo]

Well if you enjoyed Watchmen, Alan Moore has plenty of other great stories. "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow," "Tom Strong", and "Promethea" are all solid books. If you're the type who likes a long series, Moore's run on "Swamp Thing" is a must-read. Plus those comics were essentially the foundation for what I consider the gold standard of comics, Neil Gaiman's "Sandman".

If you really liked "The Killing Joke" but aren't super excited about going through Alan Moore's whole collected works, then try Gail Simone's run on Batgirl. It's one of the best comics to come out of the 2011 reboot. Similarly, "Batwoman" gives us one of the best superhero origins I've seen in years.

But if you want an honest opinion, the DC Animated Universe is the way to go if you want consistently good stories about their characters. The animated series for Batman, Superman, and the Justice League, all of them take the best of the comics and use it to create cartoons entertaining enough for kids but substantial enough for adults.

I;'m sorry that I can't offer too much on the Marvel side. Deadpool is usually a lot of fun, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is everything that the DCAU was and more, but that's all I got.

 

[Vausch]

I also feel dumb not mentioning this one. Nextwave: Agents of HATE.

It's a hilarious and fun story where they throw everything at you that used to be normal in comics until people started thinking "dark and killing and blood is the only thing readers like". It's got aristocratic dinosaurs, cloned broccoli henchmen, giant pants wearing monsters, and my favourite character of all time: Aaron Stack, AKA Machine Man.

 

[Launcelot111]

Fables is amazing, it's all about if all the characters of fairy tales and myths and stuff get exiled into our modern world and have to hide themselves and start a new society. It declines in quality after the first main baddie gets addressed about 80 issues in, but everything before that is just about perfect.

Runaways is an offbeat Marvel title about a bunch of kids who discover they're the kids of super villains and thus start their own team of sorts in order to defeat their parents.

She-Hulk is an underappreciated character, and her 12 issue run concerning superhero law back in 2005 or so is so much fun.

Beyond that, Transmetropolitan, Y: the Last Man, and Scott Pilgrim are fantastic places to start

 

[SquidVicious]

I've been enjoying two DC titles as of late

First up is Gotham Central which is a police procedural set in Gotham City but with writing more on par with Homicide: Life on the Street or The Wire. Batman shows up occasionally, but this is MCU's show and it really gives you some more appreciation for what they do in a city like Gotham.

Secondly is Chase which only ran for 12 or 13 issues and follows Agent Chase, who is kind of like Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. It's a very well done series that really should have gone on longer, but I can understand why DC pulled the plug on it. It shares similar themes with Gotham Central like the feelings of inadequacy and in some instances hatred towards superheroes from others who have to do the same job, but without the freedom to do whatever they want.

OH I can't believe I forgot this one, pretty much one of the only decent comics Image put out in the early '90's, The Maxx. You'll almost definitely have to go online for this one, but it's well worth the read.

 

[Queen Michael]

Finally, a classic: Popeye! No, none of that mass-produced drivel - the ORIGINAL Popeye strips, from 1929 - 1938! Recently made available from Fantagraphics, these are considered among the finest comics of all time - right up there with Calvin and Hobbes! Series creator Elzie Segar was justly famed for his unique comedic style, and every strip is richly peppered with pure genius - Elzie's gags are not just in the punchlines!

Agreed. This is absolutely great.