Help Me I'm New To Comics

Solar

JMS has done the best run on Thor, and both the first two trades have got great stories and som kick-ass action sequences. Ragnarok is in the Initiative, I think, and while I haven't read the latest ones the first few trades are really, really good. Ragnarok does turn up later on, but that's after Thor has appeared I think.

Just start with Thor vol 1 to be honest.

Wildcat

Then buy him Thor: Blood Oath.

Faynor

I wasn't referring to that dumb clone when I was Ragnarok, I meant the story that actually depicted the event.

BigDes

So is Agents of Atlas going to be a backup in Herc or is it just cancelled?

TexiKen

It will be a backup in Herc, but they are also going to have another two-shot series, Avengers vs. Atlas.

The Lovely Bastard

if you want to read Thor get any Thor Visionaries: Walt Simonson trade

you will thank me

DouglasDanger

Man, this conversation reminded me of Fraction's Thor work. Adding that to wish list.

BigDes

TexiKen wrote: »

It will be a backup in Herc, but they are also going to have another two-shot series, Avengers vs. Atlas.

Oh, excellent thank you.

MisterBibs

If I want to start reading Deadpool, which should I start with? Since I'm short on cash right now, direct me towards his main comic series (rather than a trade or something).

The Lovely Bastard

Go with Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth

it is the best of the three deadpool ongoings right now

Servo

Faynor wrote: »

I wasn't referring to that dumb clone when I was Ragnarok, I meant the story that actually depicted the event.

ragnarok (AKA thor: disassembled) was awesome. its biggest flaw is probably that it deserved more time to unspool properly, but as it is, it's still pretty damn entertaining.

Dryghten

okay so i am going to the comic book shop later today, and am about to pick up either New X-Men (not omnibus, but probably a few trades) or Astonishing X-Men. thoughts?

I am also going to grab a few trades of ultimate spiderman.

Faynor

I enjoyed Astonishing X-Men a lot more, and it has a lot more of a broad appeal. And, I may get lambasted for this, but I preferred the art in it as well. Plus, it has tons of awesome character moments.

Morrison's run is Morrison-y, if that makes sense. If you've read something by him before and liked it, you will probably like New X-Men as well, maybe? I don't know, it's hard for me to recommend it because I'm not the biggest fan.

Dryghten

Thanks. I ended up picking up Astonishing and it's been pretty awesome so far. And yeah the Morrison comment certainly makes sense, but being a fan I will have to look into it in the future.

Servo

astonishing is actually the direct follow-up to morrison's new x-men. unlike faynor, new x-men is my favorite x-men series ever, and i say that as a big fan of all periods in x-men history. it's the most interesting, has really terrifically amazing ideas spread throughout, sometimes the art is amazing (sometimes, admittedly, less amazing), and manages to make some really significant changes that have stuck for several years (primarily the emma/scott relationship, of which i am a big fan). the biggest sticking point for a lot of people, which we have had many an argument about here, is morrison's treatment of magneto.

TexiKen

I agree with Servo. Although I like Kordey's art, even at its roughest (and the only people to blame are Quitley and Van Sciver, especially Van Sciver).

MisterBibs

The Lovely Bastard wrote: »

Go with Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth

it is the best of the three deadpool ongoings right now

So I went to the comic book store and there were a lot of Deadpool comics. Which one is Merc With A Mouth? I don't recall seeing that one.

I picked up Deadpool #16 and #17 involving him joining the X-Men, but from what I understand that MWaM. Am I right or wrong?

TexiKen

You are wrong. "Deadpool" is the main title. "Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth" is the other ongoing. One way to remember is that Daniel Way writes and Paco Medina draws "Deadpool," and that Bong Dazo is the artist for "Merc With A Mouth"

ED!

I haven't purchased a comic since 2004; I'm pretty much set on not being able to get into anything mainstream (used to enjoy JSA though), but what is going on in the Vertigo/indy set. I know Y! finished up so I'll have to catch up on that, and that big things went down with Fable I'm assuming (is it the new flagship for Vertigo?) -

TexiKen

Fables is still good, as is Jack of Fables.

Unwritten is a really good series that just started by Mike Carey, and is only 7 issues in.

Greek Street is a decent book that also came out about modern Greek storylines in London. It's written by Peter Milligan.

Robos A Go Go

We3 came out in 2005, so obviously you need to read that. It's by Morrison and it's about a group of housepets with limited intelligence that were outfitted in mecha armor as part of a military experiment. After they're targeted for termination, they escape their facility.



Also, get Seaguy if you like weird things.

ED!

I should say I haven't purchased a comic, but through friends I have read pretty much everything Grant Morrison has produced (that wasn't like a serious time commitment).

Dryghten

So I want to get into Green Lantern and Fantastic Four (as comics, but preferably collected into TPBs as opposed to Graphic Novels). Recomendations?

Also, is New X-Men worth is past Grant Morrison's run? Or does he cover the whole run? Thanks.

sportzboytjw

TPBs/Graphic Novels are more or less the same thing. There is the occasional GN that is actually just a GN, but they're pretty much the same thing.

New X-Men was awesome under Morrison, not so awesome past him. You might enjoy Astonishing X-Men next. Green Lantern? Start with Rebirth, or thereabouts, and carry on from there.

Robos A Go Go

Astonishing X-Men is the spiritual successor. The New X-Men books that come after Morrison's run are about new characters and are more teen-oriented, at least until House of M.

Dryghten

Well yeah I just finished up Astonishing X-Men, which was seriously one of the best things I've ever read, so I'm definitely on the lookout for more good X-Men shit. And yeah, thanks with the Green Lantern suggestion. Rebirth and on, will do

spookymuffin

I self-chuckle when people call comic books "graphic novels". It just sounds so pretentious, since graphic = comic, and novel = book. Mostly in movie trailers, when the announcer says something about it being based on the graphic novels.

DouglasDanger

Well, a graphic novel can refer to a stand-alone comic, published as a complete story arc, I guess, which was not published as "single issues". Right? But that is shaky, because that makes most manga graphic novels I think. Really, the whole calling comics something else in an attempt to sound literary or whatever is stupid. The merit of something is not decided entirely by format.

Servo

yeah "graphic novel" i would only really use to describe something like scott pilgrim or last of the independents, something that wasn't published as a monthly serial originally. of course, i am also not ashamed to just call them "comics", so i'm not too worried about it either way.

Dryghten

Can someone also recommend me a really good run on a superhero team that is not x-men related? Like is Morrison's JLA stuff worth checking out? I am not even sure what the Avengers are, or if there is a good series or not. I would really like to read some team stuff though - thanks

edit: sorry, need to clarify to recommendations that aren't on the first page, either. I am particularly interested in JLA or Avengers. Or is Civil War worth checking out (without flagging down the backstory?) Thanks again.

Robos A Go Go

Morrison's JLA is a definitive run for the series, so definitely check it out. Bendis' New Avengers is fine and worth checking out from the beginning.

I'd also recommend Avengers: Initiative and The Order.

The Lovely Bastard

if you are into the avengers read the entire Busiek/Perez run of Avengers

Servo

they've also just started releasing trades of giffen/maguire JLI, and that's definitely worth it.

also morrison's doom patrol. one of the best super-hero books ever.

Dryghten

Thanks again for the recommendations. I will definitely check all this stuff out.

Solar

So, I've been interested in looking at X-Force for a while now. Yes it has lots of Wolverine and Wolverine-a-likes, which is not too amazing, but it also has Archangel, who is funky and cool, plus from what I have seen it has some cool art, badass violence and a bit of cheesecake thrown in for good measure.

Anyway, so what are your recommendations people? I don't really read X comics (in fact I don't own any at all), and do you really only get good stuff out of the series if you have? Or is it still readable as standalone?

spookymuffin

I don't read X-Men comics, and I don't generally like X-Men at all, but the X-Force books are really good.

The Lovely Bastard

all x-books are part of a bigger whole as mutants are pretty much their own little pocket in the marvel universe, but almost all the titles can be read as stand alone.

CorporateLogo

TLB is wrong

Read X-Men: First Class for actual awesome stand alone stuff

The Lovely Bastard

well first class doesn't count

The Lovely Bastard

it is still awesome