While true, I think Saga is easier on newcomers because the composition/design has a lot of attention placed on left-to-right reading and guiding the eye. For instance, usually the character that talks first is on the left of a given panel.
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COMICS! |OT| July 2014. Lots of stores on the way to San Diego sell deodorant.
- Thread starter Spike Spiegel
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While true, I think Saga is easier on newcomers because the composition/design has a lot of attention placed on left-to-right reading and guiding the eye. For instance, usually the character that talks first is on the left of a given panel.
I had never noticed this, but that is pretty cool. I love me some saga. Bought a copy of it for a friend yesterday.
Hey Comic-GAF. I am going to keep this as short and sweet as I can because I am guessing you get this all the time and it is probably annoying.
I have never read a comic book. But I want to. I want to know how/where to get started but the vast array of characters, different iterations of characters, series, authors, arcs, reboots, and whatever else is completely overwhelming to the uninitiated. Do I just jump into something at its most current issue? Or find something and then look for issue #1 of that something? Are there universally praised series that are a good starting point for the new reader? Any advice for someone new to comics?
Is it superhero comics that you're interested in or just comics in general? A lot of the creator-owned works at places like Image don't have the same intimidation factor because you're starting at the first issue with everyone else. There are some recommendations already made by Jedeye and others earlier today for that
If it is superhero books at DC/Marvel then we need a bit more to go on. There are loads of comics out there covering whole swathes of those respective universes. What sort of stuff interests you? Any characters that jump out at you?
Your question is basically like asking: I want to read books where do I start? Albeit comics have the added obfuscation factor of things like crossovers and reboots.
I guess if I chose a team it would be Justice League. My knowledge is very little though. My background: I grew up an 80s kid and collected every Kenner DC Super Powers and Marvel Secret Wars action figure and watched the DC Superpowers cartoon. (Odd I never moved onto the comics I guess. Hopefully not too old to get into comics
Other than that my only exposure is basically just the various live action movies over the past decade or two.
I was going to ask for a less major mainstream recommendation because the big well-known-for-a-century characters have such long, convoluted, and overwhelming (to me) histories. So Hawkeye may be a good choice that I will look into if something Justice League related isn't a good starting point for a beginner.
And this is really the heart of the matter for me. Let's say I choose to get started with Hawkeye as suggested. I just did a quick wikipedia search, it says the series publication for Hawkeye is:
Vol 1: September 1983–December 1983
Vol 2: January 1994–April 1994
Vol 3: December 2003–August 2004
Vol 4: August 2012–Present
So these are all distinct storylines and your recommendation is essentially start with the first issue of the newest volume (Vol 4, Issue 1), correct? I wouldn't have to find some issue from 1983? I guess as a complete comic outsider, this is always the tripping point in understanding where to even begin.
Thanks for the recommendations. I am looking into these now as well
Yeah I think superhero stuff for right now at least.
And I know the question was broad...and that makes it really difficult to answer. DC/Marvel/Indie/something else honestly doesn't matter. In fact though I know their characters better, DC/Marvel may be the wrong choice for me because the extensive histories are complex and intimidating to me unless it is a 'lesser' character.
It's really easy to just take for granted once you're acclimated. I only started noticing it deep into 2nd read-through.
Unrelated but on the topic of great artists, the entity now occupying the San Diego Convention Center is the Subway convention.
I guess if I chose a team it would be Justice League. My knowledge is very little though. My background: I grew up an 80s kid and collected every Kenner DC Super Powers and Marvel Secret Wars action figure and watched the DC Superpowers cartoon. (Odd I never moved onto the comics I guess. Hopefully not too old to get into comics
Other than that my only exposure is basically just the various live action movies over the past decade or two.
I was going to ask for a less major mainstream recommendation because the big well-known-for-a-century characters have such long, convoluted, and overwhelming (to me) histories. So Hawkeye may be a good choice that I will look into if something Justice League related isn't a good starting point for a beginner.
And this is really the heart of the matter for me. Let's say I choose to get started with Hawkeye as suggested. I just did a quick wikipedia search, it says the series publication for Hawkeye is:
Vol 1: September 1983December 1983
Vol 2: January 1994April 1994
Vol 3: December 2003August 2004
Vol 4: August 2012Present
So these are all distinct storylines and your recommendation is essentially start with the first issue of the newest volume (Vol 4, Issue 1), correct? I wouldn't have to find some issue from 1983? I guess as a complete comic outsider, this is always the tripping point in understanding where to even begin.
Thanks for the recommendations. I am looking into these now as well
Yeah I think superhero stuff for right now at least.
And I know the question was broad...and that makes it really difficult to answer. DC/Marvel/Indie/something else honestly doesn't matter. In fact though I know their characters better, DC/Marvel may be the wrong choice for me because the extensive histories are complex and intimidating to me unless it is a 'lesser' character.
The Justice League from the New 52 is very new reader friendly and it is also one of the DC books I like the most. There are only 3 or 4 trades released up to now so you can catch up reasonably fast.
Another recomendation is the "Injustice: Gods AMong Us" series. It is my favorite ongoing DC book as of now. It's basead on the game but cover a period of time that the game do not. You don't need to know anything about the background of any of the characters to enjoy the story. I can't emphasize enough how much I like this series.
whatsinaname
Member
As someone who started reading superhero comics fairly recently, I would say start with an acclaimed or newer volume. Each run can be considered a 'soft reset'. Similar to how you can start watching Doctor Who from the beginning of a new Doctor's run (without going back to the 60s to start). You can always go back to the older ones at a later time if you end up liking the character/team.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
I think you're probably ok to rant. I doubt people will be happy with a Bendis solution to anything, especially considering MU overall has kicked any of the Annhilation-verse to the curb, importance-wise.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
You are correct on both of those questions. The current Hawkeye run which began in 2012 requires no knowledge on the previous runs or anything.
One of the biggest hurdles to comics from the Big Two is the fact that you will not be able to read every single book for most characters, and that's fine. For a large majority of Marvel and DC stuff, they have very newbie-friendly starting points over the past few years. So if you want to read something like Batman or Justice League, you can start with their current series in the New 52. If you want to go beyond and read some older stories then you'll have to do some research or ask us, but for the most part it's a lot less difficult than it seems.
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Okay. Either this check or the next I buy it. If I can translate my work ethic, I know I can do it. I know people think I am a gimmick at this point. But ai mean it from the bottom of the heart. When my Dad was inches from his life, he asked me "what are you thinking about? Becoming a comics superstar?" I will eat anyone's soul who gets in my way.
Yep, just start with Vol 4 Issue 1.
Or take a gamble on whether or not you'll love it by buying the first trade paperback. Here's the 2nd volume (of the current series.)
Each of those volumes are their own self contained series, essentially. If for some reason you need encyclopaedic knowledge of Hawkeye, you can go back to those, but the present series was part of Marvel NOW!, which is Marvel saying "here's a good jumping on point for everyone." They did it again with All New Marvel NOW!, but that's a story for another time.
Invincible sounds like it would be just right for you. It's a superhero book at Image and it's all contained within that one series pretty much.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_(comics)
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
Sammiches or trains?
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
I guess it hasn't started yet, but signs were up last night.
That is going to be the worst smelling convention ever. And, my god, the bathrooms...
Tyrant Rave
Banned
I guess it hasn't started yet, but signs were up last night.
What kind of exclusive swag is available?
i don't know if i'm doing this right but #Notallcomicfans ?
Hey guys, why are people on the internet so angry?
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
Yeah, I'm not seeing the point of the article either. It's a bit vapid and obvious. People will always be angry and complain-y and shitty.
ViewtifulJC
Banned
to be fair, you haven't liked most cape comics either
or most things
or most things
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Rocket Raccoon #1 and Saga #20 were good. The only comic book movie i really liked was the first Iron Man, RDJ sold stark very well and it wasn't too cheesy for me.
My votes were submitted for my top choices of the month. Much better month than I expected. My list of series I am reading is around 50 and 15 or so are either ones I am trying out (The Squidder, Low, Bodies, etc.) or ending soon (Avengers Undercover, Original Sin, etc.).
We exist in a bubble though. We are decent, pretty fucking cool people at ComicGAF and we definitely don't represent the majority. I'm sure there are groups of geeks that act that way, we just don't see them here.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Will they really? Is that really how we're handling it?
That's sad as hell.
In this day and age we just have to accept that there are people "representing" the things we love and being terrible and literally harming the mediums we enjoy, closing them off to other people who might be interested but then see people gang up and misogynistically trash a female critic and say 'Yeah, okay, never mind, no comics for me' and then they never get to read the Deaf Hawkeye issue?
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? THAT IS A TRAGEDY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.
doniewhalberg
Member
Hnnng. From the back of the manhattan projects this week, out next year. Hopefully this is Feel Better Now finally resurfacing, but I guess Hickman could have ditched that for some other idea now. I know I'll buy it already.
Courtesy of Multiversity comics Click
Also, don't want to link it since it kind of has spoilers in it and stuff, and thus I wouldn't recommend for new readers, but for current readers, Multiversity has a really good interview with the Baltimore team.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
But yeah, really, what harm can it cause.
This won't give comic fans a black eye.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runni..._fans_who_are_calling_our_critic_a_harlot.php
Oh. Never mind.
This won't give comic fans a black eye.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runni..._fans_who_are_calling_our_critic_a_harlot.php
Oh. Never mind.
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
I understand what you're saying, and you're 100% right, but I don't think that article is anything but a quickly typed out rehash of something that's been stated constantly and consistently for a while now.
You know what hits me way harder, what actually has weight to it, what is a really damn good signpost for the problem? The quote from Bendis that you posted in the thread you made about this article:
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Totally agreed.
The reason why Nova never escaped and Star-Lord did is probably gonna be bullshit, count on it.
I agree, I do not accept this bad article representing my love for striking back at terrible people.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
Rereading Superior Foes since volume 2 is out. I really love Janice's origin story issue, it's so great.
Still pissed about issue 11 though. What a waste of time and effort.
Still pissed about issue 11 though. What a waste of time and effort.
Sweet. Hickman + Image is a must buy for me.
I kept throwing money at Manhattan Projects when I got to that image but Feel Better Now never showed up.
Aja's art was fantastic (and rare
) in that series, but I think the issue with the lady Fist was as good. Can't remember the artist though.Man, I hope Arcudi gets some recognition for this. He's been pumping out amazing stories in BPRD for the last hundred years and I feel like he doesn't get any credit for it
Hey man, I believie in you. #TeamRafa
!In other news, I bought the Humble Transformers bundle. I will read the new series (MTMTE and RID) and the probably give the older stuff a try. To be honest it's going to be my first exposure to Transformers - I was born too late to really get a chance to be into the cartoon (other than Beast Wars, which blew my 5-year-old mind with every episode) and Bay's movies are shit.
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
I love how Namor is being so damn honest
Tyrant Rave
Banned
I've been reading MTMTE on and off over the past week or so and it really is a great comic. It's a lot to take in at first if you aren't familiar with the universe, but you kind of get used to it the more you read. The hardest part is trying to remember everyone's names honestly.
WadiumArcadium
Member
Damn, Guardians of the Galaxy was brilliant/hilarious/lots of fun.
And which limbs belong to whom when the action ramps up. haha
How's your dad doing?
the_firewithin
Member
oh shit Chew Omnivore edition 4 came out.....need to get on that right quick
Annihilation: Conquest - Starlord #1-4
Seeing how the Guardians of the Galaxy movie is releasing this week and I have The Thanos Imperative in hand, now would be a good time to start on some GotG reading with this Marvel Unlimited subscription.
In Annihilation: Conquest - Starlord, the Phalanx is infecting the galaxy and it's up to Starlord and his band of misfits to jump into this suicide mission to stop it. You know what? I absolutely love this mini (thanks to whomever suggested it earlier in this thread). I love the entire crew and Star-Lord's personality really shines. The subtle jokes that pop up here and there (and everything that Rocket Raccoon says) breaks the somewhat serious tone when debriefings or fights happen. It says a lot when I'm reading a book about these superpowered characters fighting to save the galaxy, yet, the one to lead them all is just a regular guy who has a penchant for getting things done despite the odds. If anyone is currently on the Marvel Unlimited subscription, give this one a look. It's only four issues and well worth the read.
Seeing how the Guardians of the Galaxy movie is releasing this week and I have The Thanos Imperative in hand, now would be a good time to start on some GotG reading with this Marvel Unlimited subscription.
In Annihilation: Conquest - Starlord, the Phalanx is infecting the galaxy and it's up to Starlord and his band of misfits to jump into this suicide mission to stop it. You know what? I absolutely love this mini (thanks to whomever suggested it earlier in this thread). I love the entire crew and Star-Lord's personality really shines. The subtle jokes that pop up here and there (and everything that Rocket Raccoon says) breaks the somewhat serious tone when debriefings or fights happen. It says a lot when I'm reading a book about these superpowered characters fighting to save the galaxy, yet, the one to lead them all is just a regular guy who has a penchant for getting things done despite the odds. If anyone is currently on the Marvel Unlimited subscription, give this one a look. It's only four issues and well worth the read.
Two great Chew volumes in that. Like all the other volumes. One of the best comics out.
Newbies read Chew
Anyone read the Guardians of the Galaxy 100th anni issue and doesn't want the digital code? I'd love to read it.
--
SQUEEEEEEEE
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
doniewhalberg
Member
Man, I hope Arcudi gets some recognition for this. He's been pumping out amazing stories in BPRD for the last hundred years and I feel like he doesn't get any credit for it
.
I know man, I'm actually pretty bad for describing BPRD etc to people as Mignola stuff, just because it's an easy short hand way to get people to understand what you're talking about quickly, even though, I absolutely know the difference haha. While, personally, I do prefer Mignola to Arcudi, dude is amazingly talented none the less and I wouldn't have it any other way, I like that the BPRD books have their own slant on things, and differ to Mignola's writing style.
Haha don't I know it guys. Reminds me I don't actually have that Secret trade yet, must remedy.
whatsinaname
Member
After ranting about B&N's packaging yesterday, in stark contrast is IST's.
http://i.imgur.com/fdPelso.jpg
The book is huge and heavy.
Front and rear of the book (without the jacket).
http://i.imgur.com/ElUTqwj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fdPelso.jpg
The book is huge and heavy.
Front and rear of the book (without the jacket).
http://i.imgur.com/ElUTqwj.jpg
indigo-cyclops
Member
Damn those are dreamy
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