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Help Me I'm New To Comics

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Posts

  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Mike Carey made her the leader on the first issues of his X-Men run. The trade/hardcover would be called "Supernova" I believe.

    There is also recent Legacy issues that deal with Rogue. If you were to go to the comic shop you could pick up the last 6 issues of X-Men Legacy and that would be Rogue-centric.

    TexiKen on
  • MisterBibsMisterBibs Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    The One 52 wrote: »
    I just finished Final Crisis and holy hell was it a confusing story. The part where Superman makes a trip to Limbo and the beyond the Multiverses just made me wonder if I had taken drugs before reading this book. Had to re-read three times that whole "Superman Beyond" section to clearly understand it... and I'm still missing a lot of things.

    Completely agree; I skimmed it at my local Borders (they look the other way on people reading-without-paying if you're a regular customer and I spend a lot of money there), and thought the skimming was what confused me. So I sat down, bought an extra large 426042*, and read it.

    Still - confused.

    From what Linkara (the comic book reviewer on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com) has said, the whole Crisis thing was too full of "half of what you need to know happened in tie-in books".

    * You know you spent too much time at a bookstore if you know what numbers to press at the cash register to order an Chai Tea Latte with an Esspresso shot)

    MisterBibs on

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  • The One 52The One 52 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    It kind of sucks that you need to go through so many tie-ins to understand the full story.

    Seven Soldiers alone has four different volumes. I bought Batman R.I.P., but even there there's clearly something missing between Crisis and R.I.P., probably another Batman volume. I don't even know if those one have been collected in a book.

    If someone here does have a coherent "Here's what to read" list leading to Final Crisis, I'm all ears. I don't know, however, if it's worth it, but still...

    I mainly bought Final Crisis based on the suggestion list of what to read by Lucascraft in the Blackest Night thread.

    The One 52 on
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  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Seven Soldiers is not a tie-in

    It just explains who the hell the new Mr. Miracle is

    The Lovely Bastard on
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  • The One 52The One 52 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Oh.

    I thought it was also explaining how the Ned Gods came to Earth in human bodies and that it kind of served as a tie-in in that way... I think I might have been mistaken.

    The One 52 on
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  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Final Crisis can very easily be read alone. If you are an obsessive comic book fan who needs to know everything about everything, you need to read a lot of books. Do you really need to read five or six books, play five or six different computer games, and read 8 miniseries, watch three tv shows and then watch three terrible movies to understand the first Star Wars movie?

    No, you don't.

    You can if you want to, but you can "get" the story just fine. It uses some... unusual methods of story-telling, such as showing the aftermath of awesome battles instead of the awesome battles, but it really isn't that hard to understand.

    Darkseid and the other evil New Gods beat up the good New Gods and want to take over Earth, because Earth is some kind of foundation stone for all of existence. People fight back, and good eventually wins. That's Final Crisis boiled down.

    DouglasDanger on
  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I guess I just want to put it out there that I bought comics again for the first time since about December when I got a ton for Xmas.

    Yesterday, I got:

    -Vol. 1 Ultimate Spider-Man
    -Vol. 9 Ultimate Spider-Man
    -Issue 5 The Crossed
    -Issue 6 The Crossed
    -Vol. 4 Y: The Last Man
    -Vol. 2 The Runaways

    Impressions:

    -Is it me or was Peter Parker drawn different in a few of the issues in Vol. 9? I didn't check who drew in the previous issues/trades, so it very well could be someone different (or my eyes playing tricks on me). I can't wait to pick up the Carnage trade.

    -I am missing Issue 4 of The Crossed I think. 5 & 6 seemed very lacking in "action" if you get my drift. I don't know why I buy the single issues when I prefer trades.

    -I am enjoying Y: The Last Man. I don't have much to say.

    -I read Vol. 1 of The Runaways back in December. Loved it. Can't wait to start this one. I have read all of the stuff I listed here except this. Is it bad that I read so much in like a day or two of buying stuff? Now I just want to go out and get the next few trades of US and Y:TLM.

    And browsing the comic shop, I saw a few single issues I wouldn't have minded purchasing, but like I said, I prefer trades. Hopefully this isn't keeping me from reading the good stuff. Are most things thrown into trades?

    redfield85 on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Is that the USM vol 9 trade or the vol 9 hardcover, because I think the vol 9 hard cover has the start of stuart immonen's run on it, which would explain the change in art.

    Otherwise I have no idea, because the only times during Bagely's time on the book when another artist drew USM was Hairsine in the Ultimate Six mini and Mark Brooks on the first two annuals.

    Balefuego on
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  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Balefuego wrote: »
    Is that the USM vol 9 trade or the vol 9 hardcover, because I think the vol 9 hard cover has the start of stuart immonen's run on it, which would explain the change in art.

    Otherwise I have no idea, because the only times during Bagely's time on the book when another artist drew USM was Hairsine in the Ultimate Six mini and Mark Brooks on the first two annuals.

    Vol. 9 Trade which has the Ultimate Six. So that explains it I guess.

    redfield85 on
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  • The One 52The One 52 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Final Crisis can very easily be read alone. If you are an obsessive comic book fan who needs to know everything about everything, you need to read a lot of books. Do you really need to read five or six books, play five or six different computer games, and read 8 miniseries, watch three tv shows and then watch three terrible movies to understand the first Star Wars movie?

    No, you don't.

    You can if you want to, but you can "get" the story just fine. It uses some... unusual methods of story-telling, such as showing the aftermath of awesome battles instead of the awesome battles, but it really isn't that hard to understand.

    Darkseid and the other evil New Gods beat up the good New Gods and want to take over Earth, because Earth is some kind of foundation stone for all of existence. People fight back, and good eventually wins. That's Final Crisis boiled down.
    Ok. Thanks. :)

    The One 52 on
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  • Garlic BreadGarlic Bread i'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm a Registered User, Disagreeable regular
    edited July 2009
    MisterBibs wrote: »
    From what Linkara (the comic book reviewer on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com)

    People like that guy are why Legion of 3 Worlds ended how it did

    and also why the internet shouldn't exist

    Garlic Bread on
  • OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    This seemed like the appropriate place to post this and I couldn't find anything specific after reading the first handful of pages, so I'll just ask outright. I'm interested in reading some of the more recent Marvel stuff like House of M and Civil War and I wasn't sure about the best place to start. I'm not new to comics or anything, but I haven't read any Marvel stuff in 15-20 years.

    I've enjoyed 100 Bullets, We3, Watchmen, and V for Vendetta. I've just started reading Ex Machina and my brother-in-law got me started on Red Robin. My all-time favorite (as my avatar might indicate) is The Maxx, though I've had a tough time tracking down issues/trades since I never actually owned any of it. I was contemplating Blackest Night, but I'm not sure if my lack of background in the DC universe will lessen my enjoyment.

    So, I guess, TL;DR version: I'm new to comics, but not really. Where's a good place to jump into a couple of current/recent storylines?

    OSUJumpMan on
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  • spookymuffinspookymuffin ( ° ʖ ° ) Puyallup WA Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Just read New Avengers, starting with #1. It's the best starting point for this current timeline of Marvel. Everything pretty much stems from there anyhow.

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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    or with Avengers Disassembled

    Balefuego on
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  • IdolisideIdoliside Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I just started with Avengers Disassembled then went onto the Civil War, The Initiative, currently on Secret Invasion. Looking forward to Dark Reign.

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  • spookymuffinspookymuffin ( ° ʖ ° ) Puyallup WA Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Balefuego wrote: »
    or with Avengers Disassembled

    I don't know if I'd go that far back. There is so much stuff leading up to AD, you might not get it all if you just read that. The NA books start with a fresh lineup and storyline, and they've been pretty consistently good all the way through.

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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    there was nothing leading to Disassembled what are you talking about.

    and New Avengers #1 launches right out of it

    Balefuego on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Idoliside wrote: »
    I just started with Avengers Disassembled then went onto the Civil War, The Initiative, currently on Secret Invasion. Looking forward to Dark Reign.

    You skipped House of M though which is way better than Civil War

    Balefuego on
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  • spookymuffinspookymuffin ( ° ʖ ° ) Puyallup WA Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Balefuego wrote: »
    there was nothing leading to Disassembled what are you talking about.

    and New Avengers #1 launches right out of it

    Are you kidding? There are years of comics that lead up the AD. You don't absolutely have to read them, but I feel the whole Scarlet Witch being crazy and trying to kill the Avengers is important, and knowing why is equally important. Plus, AD and House of M tie in pretty snugly, and that's a whole separate thing, more on the X-Men side.

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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Avengers Dissasembled can be read easily as a stand alone, and while it refrences and draws from past runs, it is now way the culmination of a long built up story. Those were the very first Avengers issues Bendis wrote.

    Balefuego on
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  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    There was no buildup to AD. That's why everyone was so pissed at Bendis for coming in and just destroying someone else's Lego house in 4 issues, then having no understanding of magic in trying to rationalize Wanda going bonkers.

    TexiKen on
  • Robos A Go GoRobos A Go Go Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    What was happening in Avengers prior to Disassembled? Anything worthwhile?

    Robos A Go Go on
  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Chuck Austen created Lionheart, the Captain Britain chick who chose the sword over the amulet. There was also a story "Once and Invader," tying into the launch of New Invaders (a series which was very good but had no support from Marvel).

    Before that, it was Johns' mediocre Avengers run.

    TexiKen on
  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    the Chuck Austen Lionheart story is the single worst Avengers story I have ever read.

    And yeah, the Avengers book had been floundering ever since Busiek left. Johns run had it's moments, but it was up and down and then he signed exclusive with DC anyway.

    Balefuego on
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  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I want some trades (if there are any) for Venom. Suggestions?

    redfield85 on
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  • Robos A Go GoRobos A Go Go Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Warren Ellis' run on Thunderbolts, which features Venom, is pretty good.

    Robos A Go Go on
  • Folken FanelFolken Fanel anime af When's KoFRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    redfield85 wrote: »
    I want some trades (if there are any) for Venom. Suggestions?

    ..and why is that now? :P

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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    the original McFarlane Venom stories are actually pretty decent.. it wasn't until he started showing up in every Spider-Man story that he became really irritating

    Balefuego on
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  • weather man bobweather man bob El Heffer Assholeville USARegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    i know i just recently got into comics, and i would like to recommend some comics that helped me fall in love with comics, and first and foremost i want to start with Frank Miller's batman. wether it be year one, or dark knight returns, either or are simply amazing pieces of art

    weather man bob on
  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Venom actually was funny in the beginning.

    People forget this.

    Also another great Eddie Brock story was The Last Temptation of Eddie Brock

    it's in this trade:

    http://www.amazon.com/Sensational-Spider-Man-Black-Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa/dp/0785129979/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249021018&sr=8-2

    it also has bonus sean mckeever and matt fraction spider-man stories!

    The Lovely Bastard on
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  • AriviaArivia I Like A Challenge Earth-1Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    I have to admit I have a love/hate relationship with comics. While I appreciate Lucascraft's attempts to turn us on to Murdoch, I have to ask anyway: anything interesting going on right now with strong female characters?

    Arivia on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    are you talking about female superheroes specifically or

    Balefuego on
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  • AriviaArivia I Like A Challenge Earth-1Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Mostly, although I'm open-minded.

    Arivia on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    sadly thats not really a strong point in superhero comics.

    I'm thinking. Along the lines of popular female heroes with their own solo book, I've read some but not all of Gail Simone's [URL="ttp://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Woman-Circle-Graphic-Novels/dp/1401220118/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250794077&sr=1-4"]Wonder Woman[/URL] and Brian Reed's Ms. Marvel books. I enjoyed what I read of both but neither one is particularly must-read stuff if you know what I mean.

    A good bet might be Whedon's Astonishing X-Men which while a team book, does feature some very well written female characters, none more so than Kitty Pride, who is basically the main character of the series.

    Brian Bendis' Alias series was about a former female superhero turned private investigator and is pretty universally loved. Although I guess a warning that the series starts with her in a very bad place and is sort of the story of her finding her way again might be in order.

    Finally, the reason I asked if you were asking specifically about superheroes is Brian K Vaughn's Y: The Last Man. Which, while admittedly the main character is male, features primarily a female cast and is a pretty fascniating subversion of traditional gender roles and is in my opinion the finest comic book series of the last decade to boot.

    Balefuego on
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  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    My wife loved Birds of Prey. It's got a primarily female cast and some damn good writing. It's still about spandexed up superladies, though, if that's a problem.

    OptimusZed on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Early Birds of Prey is good... the Dixon stuff and most of the Simone stuff.. the book went to shit after Black Canary left the cast though.

    Balefuego on
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  • Robos A Go GoRobos A Go Go Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Don't forget Manhunter, who is a woman who hunts men, not a man who is a hunter.

    Robos A Go Go on
  • AriviaArivia I Like A Challenge Earth-1Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Balefuego wrote: »
    A good bet might be Whedon's Astonishing X-Men which while a team book, does feature some very well written female characters, none more so than Kitty Pride, who is basically the main character of the series.

    I have read that as a passing fangirl for both author and series. I'm guessing it's not doing so well with Ellis?
    Finally, the reason I asked if you were asking specifically about superheroes is Brian K Vaughn's Y: The Last Man. Which, while admittedly the main character is male, features primarily a female cast and is a pretty fascniating subversion of traditional gender roles and is in my opinion the finest comic book series of the last decade to boot.

    I've read a few issues of Y and while it was entertaining it didn't quite click. Which is odd, as I loved Vaughn's take on Mystique through Judith Butler enough to write a paper about it last year. Maybe I'll give it another go.
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    My wife loved Birds of Prey. It's got a primarily female cast and some damn good writing. It's still about spandexed up superladies, though, if that's a problem.

    While I think there's definitely grit and merit to discursive issues of women's socioeconomic portrayal (and the economies of power) in superhero comics, I think the Superman echo (to put it obliquely) is an understandable base for physical portrayals and that eroticism and fetishization would be more relevant issues. That said, you're right, I should have checked out Simone's work a long time ago.

    What I was really asking for though were ongoing titles at the moment, not the best of historically.

    Arivia on
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  • BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Well I'm hoping for great things from Bendis' new Spider-Woman series, but the first issue won't be out until next month so too soon to tell there.

    and I've only read the first handfull of the Ellis issues of Astonishing (I tend to wait for the trade rather than buy monthlies these days) and it was okay. But Kitty is gone and Storm is boring and Fraction writes Emma better in the main Uncanny title so eh.

    I'm also not what you would call an Ellis fan.

    Balefuego on
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  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited August 2009
    Fables is a good series that has lots of women being strong characters. It has a lot of strong characters in general, and has lots of trades for you to check out.

    TexiKen on
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