I came from manga to Marvel comics about a year ago, similar to you (unless you count the like, one issue of Sonic the Hedgehog I bought as a kid). I started off with Ultimate X-Men, then after the amazing crossover between it and Ultimate Spider-man I picked that up too.
I would definitely recommend reading Ultimate Universe comics first. The plots of them are a bit more linear and the arcs are more connected than those of the 616 Universe they are based upon (USM is, at least). Since you like reading comics from beginning to end, this eliminates that whole barrier of the older comics not aging well. It also familiarizes yourself with some of the main villains and heroes, so if you traverse from here to the 616 stuff, you won't be as confused when they pop up - their backstories will differ somewhat, but you'll have a vague idea of who they are. USM also has amazing writing and is really well-liked, so you may get a better impression of comics through it.
It also helps that you can decide on a character that you really like, e.g Thor, and use a website like Uncanny X-men to find the issues you want to read from the main universe - I did this with Nightcrawler's character, and it really helped to integrate me into the 616 stories.
It is important to keep in mind the difference between Ultimate and regular Marvel... A lot of things are the same, but a lot of things are different. Ultimate Marvel and regular (616) Marvel are completely different realities. I know everyone here probably knows that, but if you are new to comics, you might not.
I decided to go with 616 (what does that mean anyway?) universe so that I would be reading `real' comics, as opposed to the epic ballads of legends. At least thats the perception I had of the two options.
Added Ms Marvel and The Incredible Hulk to my subscriptions this week, bringing the total to 5. Huzzah!
I decided to go with 616 (what does that mean anyway?) universe so that I would be reading `real' comics, as opposed to the epic ballads of legends. At least thats the perception I had of the two options.
Added Ms Marvel and The Incredible Hulk to my subscriptions this week, bringing the total to 5. Huzzah!
Marvel 616 is the multiverse designation of the main universe. Basically there are a bunch of universes with minor or major differences, and 616 is the one that most of the books are based in. Ultimate books are based in a different universe, although I'm not sure of the number.
Ultimate Universe isn't supposed to have a number, I think, because it was supposed to be separate from the Multiverse and never, ever cross over with 616 because that's the kind of shit that made DC have its first Crisis.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
I decided to go with 616 (what does that mean anyway?) universe so that I would be reading `real' comics, as opposed to the epic ballads of legends. At least thats the perception I had of the two options.
Added Ms Marvel and The Incredible Hulk to my subscriptions this week, bringing the total to 5. Huzzah!
Thats not really what the Ultimate line is. It sounds like your perception is "the retelling of classic stories" where its more like "what kind of stories could we tell if these characters were created today and didnt have 60 years of often useless backstory weighing them down." And the Ultimate characters "count" just as much 616 ones do, they are just a seperate universe.
Sometimes they will do a modern retelling bit, but for example in the Ultimate version of the "Clone Saga" the only simmilarity between the two versions is the name and it involves Spider-Man.
Also Ultimate Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man of the last 20 years, so it also has that going for it.
Ultimate Universe isn't supposed to have a number, I think, because it was supposed to be separate from the Multiverse and never, ever cross over with 616 because that's the kind of shit that made DC have its first Crisis.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
Wasn't there a fuckup recently when somebody from the 616 universe saw the Marvel Zombies universe, thereby connecting the 616 and Ultimate universes?
And at some point I'm sure Marvel will crossover 616 and Ultimate Marvel, if only because it'd have the potential to be an absolute cash cow.
Ultimate Universe isn't supposed to have a number, I think, because it was supposed to be separate from the Multiverse and never, ever cross over with 616 because that's the kind of shit that made DC have its first Crisis.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
Ultimate Universe isn't supposed to have a number, I think, because it was supposed to be separate from the Multiverse and never, ever cross over with 616 because that's the kind of shit that made DC have its first Crisis.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
Wasn't there a fuckup recently when somebody from the 616 universe saw the Marvel Zombies universe, thereby connecting the 616 and Ultimate universes?
And at some point I'm sure Marvel will crossover 616 and Ultimate Marvel, if only because it'd have the potential to be an absolute cash cow.
Ultimate Universe isn't supposed to have a number, I think, because it was supposed to be separate from the Multiverse and never, ever cross over with 616 because that's the kind of shit that made DC have its first Crisis.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
Wasn't there a fuckup recently when somebody from the 616 universe saw the Marvel Zombies universe, thereby connecting the 616 and Ultimate universes?
And at some point I'm sure Marvel will crossover 616 and Ultimate Marvel, if only because it'd have the potential to be an absolute cash cow.
I think that's what he was saying here.
Oh, I know. I was just clarifying for my own sake as much as anything.
Joe Quesada discussed it in his latest Q&A (both 616 Black Panther and Ultimate Doctor Doom being in the same dimension at once), interestingly. He says that it in no way represents a step towards a crossover between the two universes: even if T'Challa and Doom were to shake hands, it would merely represent each character having met another from an alternate universe, which is far from a groundbreaking event in either 616 or Ultimate.
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Marvel Adventures Avengers is soooo good.
I would definitely recommend reading Ultimate Universe comics first. The plots of them are a bit more linear and the arcs are more connected than those of the 616 Universe they are based upon (USM is, at least). Since you like reading comics from beginning to end, this eliminates that whole barrier of the older comics not aging well. It also familiarizes yourself with some of the main villains and heroes, so if you traverse from here to the 616 stuff, you won't be as confused when they pop up - their backstories will differ somewhat, but you'll have a vague idea of who they are. USM also has amazing writing and is really well-liked, so you may get a better impression of comics through it.
It also helps that you can decide on a character that you really like, e.g Thor, and use a website like Uncanny X-men to find the issues you want to read from the main universe - I did this with Nightcrawler's character, and it really helped to integrate me into the 616 stories.
Added Ms Marvel and The Incredible Hulk to my subscriptions this week, bringing the total to 5. Huzzah!
Marvel 616 is the multiverse designation of the main universe. Basically there are a bunch of universes with minor or major differences, and 616 is the one that most of the books are based in. Ultimate books are based in a different universe, although I'm not sure of the number.
But then Marvel Zombies, of all things, became really popular.
Thats not really what the Ultimate line is. It sounds like your perception is "the retelling of classic stories" where its more like "what kind of stories could we tell if these characters were created today and didnt have 60 years of often useless backstory weighing them down." And the Ultimate characters "count" just as much 616 ones do, they are just a seperate universe.
Sometimes they will do a modern retelling bit, but for example in the Ultimate version of the "Clone Saga" the only simmilarity between the two versions is the name and it involves Spider-Man.
Also Ultimate Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man of the last 20 years, so it also has that going for it.
Wasn't there a fuckup recently when somebody from the 616 universe saw the Marvel Zombies universe, thereby connecting the 616 and Ultimate universes?
And at some point I'm sure Marvel will crossover 616 and Ultimate Marvel, if only because it'd have the potential to be an absolute cash cow.
The Ultimate Universe is Earth-1610.
I think that's what he was saying here.
Oh, I know. I was just clarifying for my own sake as much as anything.
Joe Quesada discussed it in his latest Q&A (both 616 Black Panther and Ultimate Doctor Doom being in the same dimension at once), interestingly. He says that it in no way represents a step towards a crossover between the two universes: even if T'Challa and Doom were to shake hands, it would merely represent each character having met another from an alternate universe, which is far from a groundbreaking event in either 616 or Ultimate.