(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best graphic novels

I only recently just got into comics so I can understand that it's an overwhelming experience.

> How important is it to read comics in order?

You should read story arcs and issues in order but don't be overly concerned with starting at the very very beginning for every character. One, because a lot of popular characters (including Spider-Man) go back decades and decades, and, two, not everything from the beginning is good reading or good for a newbie. Go back to the very start if you're curious but I don't think that's a good jumping on point. What's considered good comic writing now is very different from what was considered standard back in the 30s or 60s.

>Are there any that would be especially good for "newbie" readers?

This is kind of tough to say.

Talking about monthly comics: DC recently rebooted their whole line of comics a few years ago with The New 52, one of the reasons being to allow for new fans to jump on easier. Marvel hasn't rebooted but they did launch Marvel NOW whose goal was to make it easier for fans to jump on, so anything that says Marvel NOW might be a good place to start.

Here's what I did though. I've been reading comics for about two years and only just started reading monthly issues this May. Up until then I was reading trade paperbacks (TPBs), which are just collections of individual issues.

Basically all I did was pick a character I like, google "best [character] trade paperbacks", and pick up a few that looked interesting. While I was reading TPBs I would be on subreddits like /r/comicbooks, /r/Marvel, or /r/DCcomics, to see what people liked and when new series were starting to find good jumping on points. I found the first good jumping-on point with The Amazing Spider-Man #1 which launched in May.

So that's what I'd recommend.

As for individual books, Spider-Man is only on its fourth issue right now so it's pretty easy to get caught up and jump on board.

My personal favorite Spider-Man TPBs are Superior Spider-Man (this actually stars Doc Ock in Spidey's body; some people don't like it, I think it's great, just be warned), Spider-Man: Kraven's Last Hunt, Amazing Spider-Man Ultimate Collection (a huge collection of J. Michael Straczynski's popular run of the book in the early 2000s; I don't love the art but it's still a good read) and Spider-Man: Dying Wish (which sets up Superior Spider-Man).

I also read Spider-Man: Birth of Venom and The Death of the Stacys to catch up on some important Spidey history.

Do some research before diving into a book or character and pay attention to stories and art that you like so you can follow creators.

Hope that helps. I'd be glad to answer questions if you have any.

>I'm interested in reading the avengers or the guardians of the Galaxy, as they were my favorite marvel movies, but I get that I might want to start with the individual character's stories rather than jumping straight to the team up. Is there any series in marvel's line up that are must reads?

If you've seen the movies, I don't think you need to read individual stuff before you read a team-up book. There are some things different between the comics and the movies, but they're much more similar than they are different. The Avengers series by Jonathan Hickman that's currently ongoing is really good, here's the first collection: Avengers by Jonathan Hickman vol. 1: Avengers World. For the Guardians, the 2008-2011 series by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning is considered the best. Start here: Guardians of the Galaxy by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning: The Complete Collection, vol. 1.

>I love the x-men movies, although Even the little I've read about the comics on other sites has got me confused, since there are some that can hold goddesses or something, does that have something to do with their mutation?

There are no X-Men that hold goddesses. Storm was worshipped as a goddess when she was younger, but she's not actually divine. There are a few mutants who also have supernatural gifts/abilities, like Magik and Pixie, but they are not a result of their mutations.

>Some mutations I get like ice powers and fire, but then there are some that can bend reality? Can a mutation allow that?

Mutations can allow anything the writers decide to allow. Storm controls the weather. Nightcrawler teleports. Mutations have nothing to do with reality.

If you want to read some good X-Men stuff, I recommend starting X-Men with Grant Morrison's New X-Men. It's good stuff, and it's easy to get into. There's three volumes, starting with this one: New X-Men vol. 1. After that, you should pick up Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon, which is really good and picks right up where New X-Men leaves off. There's four volumes, starting with this one: Astonishing X-Men vol. 1.

>Captain america certainly appeals to me, since I am, well, american, and Thor also seems like a badass, but I'd really read anything from marvel, as all their superheroes seem great.

>Also, all the dead pool panels I've seen here are hilarious, but I don't know much about the character.

Here's some good starting points I recommend for Marvel heroes:

• Captain America by Ed Brubaker vol. 1: The Winter Soldier
  
• [Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron vol. 1: The God Butcher](http://amzn.com/1846535336
  )
  
• Deadpool by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn vol. 1: Dead Presidents
  
• Iron Man by Matt Fraction vol. 1: The Five Nightmares
  
• Indestructible Hulk by Mark Waid vol. 1: Agent of SHIELD
  
• Hawkeye by Matt Fraction vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
  
• Black Widow by Nathan Edmonson vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread
  
  Now, I would recommend checking your local library first, they may have a lot of these available to check out. I'd also want to let you know that Marvel has a digital subscription service called Marvel Unlimited which has every comic I just mentioned available to read for $10/month or $70/year. It's a real good deal.

Check out The True Amazon by Jill Thompson. It's so beautifully drawn and offers new twists on the origin. Can't really recommend it enough. It's a lot more fantasy and mythology and stands completely on its own, with not relation to the DC universe.

Grand Morrison and Yanick Paquette's Earth One is another origin, has a lot of the traditional recurring characters (Etta Candy, Steve Trevor, Hippolyta) and even brings back the space kangaroos, has great ambition and some truly brilliant character moments (basically every page with Candy), but kinda crackles under the pressure. I think it would've been exceptional if it were edited by someone other than Eddie Berganza.

The first two volumes of the George Perez run are really good. I think it doesn't quite manage to gel the mythology parts with the superhero parts, but it's a really successful 80s, post-Crisis reimagining of the character. Great art, great sequential storytelling, great varied character work.

I kinda like The Azzarello/Chiang run. It has some amazing high-points, also some pretty low one, but it's always beautifully drawn. The best way to take it I think, is to consider it a sorts of Elseworlds, alternate take on the character. Which it actually becomes.

The recent Rucka run is good as well, but a lot of what makes it so good is how it "fixes" Wonder Woman and her cast, offering new and fruitful takes on a lot of villains and supporting characters. The Lies and The Truth is literally about retconning the Azzarello run. I'd say that Year One is probably one of the best Orings, second only to The True Amazon and maybe the Perez version, and you could enjoy it on its own, but it leads into Godwatch, which, while still independent, is much more strongly linked with the retconning story.

If you're partial to young adult fiction then The Legend of the Wonder Woman is probably as good a it gets. But it's very much a YA story, with all the tropes and everything.

TL;DR

Start with The True Amazon. If you don't hate Grant Morrison read Earth One. If you like 80s comics read the first part of the Perez run. If you like YA fiction check out Legend of the Wonder Woman. Maybe even check the Azz run if you want a more horrorish take. After you become more familiar with the character read the recent Rucka Run.

A lot of 'I'm not a fan of Superman but it was good' folks here.

Might I suggest some really good Superman comics?

Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1 - Part of DC's New 52 reboot, these comics are by Grant Morrison (who is a great writer and something of an expert on comics, especially Superman) and shows a young Superman at the very beginnings of his superheroics.

All-Star Superman - Another Grant Morrison work, All-Star Superman is an Elseworlds (set outside main canon) that is by and large considered one of the definitive works of Superman stories. A little camp with lots of love given to the Golden and Silver Ages but played straight and fantastic story.

Kingdom Come - Another Elseworlds set in a dark, alternate future, where Clark has given up being Superman and the world pretty much standing on the edge. Amazing art by Alex Ross.

Superman: Red Son - An Elseworlds in which Superman landed in Communist Russia as an infant and raised by the state. The concept is silly but it's honestly a great read.

Superman: Birthright - A retelling and modernization of Superman's origin, it's a pretty good read and probably what Man of Steel is drawing a lot of inspiration from.

Superman Annual #11: "For the Man Who Has Everything" - It's a Superman story written by Alan Moore. I don't want to say anymore due to potential spoilers.

Rubix89 also said "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" which is pretty much a response to the question of 'What's so great about the big blue boyscout in this day and age?'

> Is the "All New, All Different" Series still considered a good starting point for beginners? Bisides ANAD theres Marvel NOW! and Marvel Legacy (which confuses me even more)

• 2012—2015 Marvel NOW! is a relaunch initiative for some ongoing titles (not all). There were multiple "waves" with renumbers, new stories, etc.
  
• 2015 Secret Wars (event comic that [SPOILERS?] creates a new universe with parts of Earth-616 "main" universe and parts of Earth-1610 "Ultimate" universe)
  
• 2015—present All-New, All-Different Marvel involved renumbering every ongoing title, but there was still a mix of new stories and continuations.
  
• October 2016—present Marvel NOW! 2.0 is a continuation of most Marvel NOW! stories with some new ones.
  
• September 2017 Marvel Legacy begins with a special 50-page one-shot comic (like DC Universe: Rebirth) after the current Secret Empire event concludes. Instead of annoyingly restarting at #1 again, most titles are reverting to "legacy" numbering (e.g. The Amazing Spider-Man #789). There will likely be a mix of new stories and continuations of ANAD Marvel stories.
  
  IMO, it's all needlessly convoluted, confusing, and, despite having the intention of drawing in new readers, it sometimes does the exact opposite.
  
  > Do I need to read all the past runs/entries of a series to understand whats going on? Or should I just pick the most recent Run for a series. And do newer Runs explain what happend in past Runs?
  
  Good writers will always refresh/recap important events, but the occasional unexplained reference might slip by. Some stories are more self-contained than others, but then you have less connections to the larger shared universe that so many love. The traditional beginning-middle-end story structure is more familiar (i.e. feeling compelled to read every character's origin first), but it's not required to enjoy a story. You've likely seen movies with non-linear narratives or the sequel movie is actually a prequel. We didn't know Darth Vader's origin until WAY AFTER his first appearance.
  
  Unfortunately, not all comics are high-quality productions, but they might contain the important plot points needed to understand other comics. I don't recommend reading a bunch of poor-to-mediocre comics just to "complete" the larger story. It's almost always never worth it considering how many other great comics there are that you could be reading instead. In this case, I'd just Wiki the bad stuff.
  
  > Is Ms. Marvel 2015 a continuation to the 2014 series?
  
  Yes. The renumbers (#19 --> #1) are just annoying publisher practices to draw in new readers.
  
  All that said, here's my usual copy/pasta for new readers:
  
  MARVEL STARTER GUIDE
  --
  ---
  
  How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) | Patrick Willems
  
  Consider your intent/commitment. Think about your favorite stories/characters from TV, movies, games, books, etc. Do you seek quality storytelling or encyclopedic Marvel knowledge? Plan to collect? What time/resources are available i.e. how many comics could/should be read before burning out?
  
  Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about “catching up”, continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Hawkeye until Matt Fractions’ run).
  
  Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Don’t get stuck “preparing”, just start reading. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.
  
  Where to buy (US):
  
  
• Digital: Marvel Unlimited, Comixology, e-library (e.g. Hoopla - free), webcomics (free)
  
• Print (collected editions): instocktrades, ISBNS, library (free)
  
• Print (singles): midtowncomics, mycomicshop, DCBS
  
  Modern Marvel characters/teams:
  
  
• Alias (Jessica Jones) | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Avengers | Kurt Busiek
  
• The Ultimates 1-2 (Avengers) | Mark Millar
  
• New Avengers | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Avengers / New Avengers | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 2
  
• Black Panther | Christopher Priest
  
• Captain America | Ed Brubaker
  
• Captain Marvel | Kelly Sue DeConnick
  
• Daredevil | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Daredevil | Ed Brubaker
  
• Daredevil | Mark Waid
  
• Deadpool | Joe Kelly
  
• Doctor Strange: The Oath | Brian K. Vaughan
  
• Fantastic Four / FF | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 1
  
• Guardians of the Galaxy | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen, et al. | Cosmic
  
• Hawkeye | Matt Fraction
  
• Immortal Iron Fist | Brubaker & Fraction
  
• Inhumans | Paul Jenkins
  
• Iron Man: Extremis | Warren Ellis
  
• Invincible Iron Man | Matt Fraction
  
• Marvels | Kurt Busiek
  
• Moon Knight | Warren Ellis
  
• Ms. Marvel | G. Willow Wilson
  
• Planet Hulk | Greg Pack | Hulk 1
  
• Punisher Max | Garth Ennis
  
• Thor | Jason Aaron
  
• Ultimate Spider-man | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Vision | Tom King
  
• New X-Men | Grant Morrison | X-Men 1
  
• Astonishing X-Men | Joss Whedon | X-Men 2
  
• Uncanny X-Force | Rick Remender | X-Men 6
  
  /r/Marvel sidebar for more info.
  
  Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
  
  Modern Marvel events/crossovers:
  
  
• Avengers Disassembled | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• Secret War | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• House of M | Brian Michael Bendis | X-Men 2.5
  
• Annihilation | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen | Cosmic 1
  
• Civil War | Mark Millar
  
• World War Hulk | Greg Pak | Hulk 2
  
• Annihilation: Conquest | Abnett, Lanning, Giffen | Cosmic 2
  
• Messiah Complex | Brubaker, Kyle, Yost, et al. | X-Men 3
  
• Secret Invasion | Brian Michael Bendis | Dark Reign 1
  
• War of Kings | Abnett, Lanning, et al. | Cosmic 3
  
• Messiah War | Kyle, Yost, Swierczynski | X-Men 4
  
• Dark Avengers / Utopia | Bendis, Fraction, et al. | Dark Reign 2
  
• Siege | Brian Michael Bendis | Dark Reign 3
  
• Realm of Kings | Abnett, Lanning, Reed | Cosmic 4
  
• Second Coming | Kyle, Yost, Fraction, et al. | X-Men 5
  
• Fear Itself | Matt Fraction
  
• Schism | Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen | X-Men 7
  
• Avengers vs. X-Men | Bendis, Brubaker, et al. | X-Men 8
  
• Infinity | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 2.5
  
• Secret Wars | Jonathan Hickman | Hickman 3
  
  Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like: old/new comics? Specific genres? Literary/natural narratives? Cartoony/realistic art? Familiar/weird concepts? References/self-contained? Social/political commentary? Family-friendly/explicit content? Optimism/pessimism? Have you noticed that a specific artist/writer consistently makes comics you like? Follow these instincts.
  
  Suggestions to improve this guide are welcome.
  
  
  

For Flash:

Barry Allen started his carrier in the comics in 1959 until 1985 and then he was absent on until 2009. His modern-age series called The Flash: Rebirth when he returned. After that 2 trades came (In comics, a trade paperback (often shortened to trade) is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme.) called The Flash Vol. 1: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues and The Flash Vol. 2: The Road to Flashpoint.

After these, a HUGE event came that changed everything called Flashpont that "reset" the continuity and started the New 52 age and it's first story-line called The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward . This series (New52) lasted till Spring 2016 and collected 9 trades (the show you watched is based on this era). In early 2016 DC Rebirth came (only name change, everything is continued from New52) but a huge exception: a long missing character came back to the grand scene who was missing for so long. Rebirth's first trade is The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice

So if you are interested in Barry (overall) start with The Flash: Rebirth and move onward to Flashpont, but you can just start with The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward or DC Rebirth and The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice, then read everything up to today. (there was a Flash event called Flash War which ended a few months ago)

(there is an omnibus on sale at the moment (a collection of multiple trades) called The Flash By Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato Omnibus that collects the first 4 trades of the New 52 era.





For Superman:


His New 52 story wasn't that great (if you ask 10 people, almost 9 of them will tell you that you should skip that era), but there are 3 "essential" TPBs in that period of time:

Superman: The Men of Tomorrow by Geoff Johns

Lois Lane and Clark

Superman: The Final Days of Superman


After these, you can start with Superman Vol. 1: Son Of Superman and move forward with the volumes until a strange storyline called Superman:Reborn that ends the Final Days of Superman story. Rebirth's final TPB called Superman Vol. 7: Bizarroverse (not out yet), which is followed by a fresh new start called The Man of Steel that kicks out Superman #1 (remember, we started from New 52, yet Superman: Reborn came along)

(but if you want a full reading, you can easily start with Superman Vol. 1: What Price Tomorrow? New 52 TPB.)

About Action Comics: compared to Superman solo series, Action Comics is more about Metropolis and things happening NOT JUST with Superman, but with his friends and family etc. The first 3 volumes of New 52 were fantastic, written by Grant Morrison (starting with [Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel] (https://www.amazon.com/Superman-Action-Comics-Vol-Steel/dp/1401235476/ ) but overall the whole New 52 was a decent run.

After New 52, Rebirth's first volume's called Action Comics Vol. 1: Path Of Doom



For Aquaman:

I highly recommend starting with New 52 and move forward to Rebirth and more, as it is a great adventure seeing Aquaman in action during that period of time, lots of fun and interesting stories.

New 52 first volume/TPB called Aquaman Vol. 1: The Trench

Rebirth first volume called Aquaman Vol. 1: The Drowning

Also have to mention that the new movie coming out soon is LOOSLY (not entirely, but still) based on the story-line called Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis (new52)


For Batman:

There is a new kind of book format coming out just now called "Essential Edition" which is basically pack of 2 (or more) volumes/TPBs in 1 book.

Batman's story starts WAY before New 52 (his and Green Lantern's history wasn't "deleted", so everything happened in the past, is still here with us), so it is advisable to start at least Year One, then jump into New 52 via Batman: The Court of Owls Saga (DC Essential Edition) , which is followed by a great arc called Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family and others as well. It is highly recommend to read through the whole New 52 series, as it is a MASTERPIECE!

Rebirth starts with Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham

Just like Action Comics is connected to Superman, here Detective Comics connected with Batman. Detective Comics is about the Bat-family operating in Gotham City, solving mysteries etc.

New 52 first TPB Detective Comics Vol. 1: Faces of Death

Rebirth first TPB Detective Comics Vol. 1: Rise of the Batmen


For Green Lantern:

Just like Batman, Green Lantern's story wasn't deleted prior New 52, everything that happened BEFORE, is still here with is (even today). Yet you don't have to start at the very beginning, there is a really respectable writer called Geoff Johns (mentioned earlier) who started to write Green Lantern back in 2005 (long time ago) and his work laid down the basics of the mythos around the Lantern Corps, the different rings, lot of intergalactic battles etc.

His first work was Green Lantern: Rebirth, followed by many over the years. I mentioned the Omnibus format back at The Flash, for Green Lantern it is highly recommended to get through his story (as it is a HUGE connected story from the Green Lantern Rebirth) via those books

Green Lantern by Geoff Johns Omnibus Vol. 1

Green Lantern by Geoff Johns Omnibus Vol. 2


Green Lantern by Geoff Johns Omnibus Vol. 3

After these, the overall story continues in the Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army and Green Lantern: The Wrath of the First Lantern TPBs.

Just like Action Comics and Detective Comics, there is a companion series for the "main" Green Lantern books, called Green Lantern Corps. Before New 52, the old TPBs weren't reprinted, so it is hard to collect that era (starts with Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: To Be a Lantern ) but the New 52 books are much more widely available. The first one is Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: Fearsome.

After New 52, the "main" Green Lantern book becomes Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: Sinestro's Law and the Green Lantern Corps to Green Lanterns Vol. 1: Rage Planet.


Wow it is a huge list and lot of stuff. I missed a few things, but even if you start reading these, you won't be disappointed for a while. (and when you're not sure how/where to next, just ask me or anyone here on Reddit). For the buying process: there are a few options: local comic shop (LCS), amazon, ebay, https://www.speedyhen.com/ (if you are UK based), http://bookdepository.com/, https://www.instocktrades.com/ for starters.

Hope this helps!

I'm not sure about "seasons", but I can help some:

Green Lanterns are a Corps group devoted to protecting the Galaxy. Much like Police; they have "sectors", that each member (sometimes with a partner) are assigned to protect. Now I'm going to assume he means Hal Jordan;Green Lantern of Sector 2814. The series focusing on him, is just called "(The) Green Lantern".

As for which comics to get, I think you should go with trades of GL. If you don't know, trades are a collection of single issues (usually about 6-8 issues in one), in the form of a book. A popular way to go, and my personal favorite; is by starting with Green Lantern: Rebirth; written by Geoff Johns. I can help with the reading order, or what comes next; as its a series that still carries on in the New 52.

Also, i t may be out of place for me to say; but I would also suggest getting them a GL Ring. A Green Lantern is capable of overcoming great fear; which in the case of their friend, might be a cool thing to have around to always be brave.

Anyway, hope this helps. Id be more than happy to explain anything more/ help with any further questions :)

Well, the thing about getting into Big 2 comics is that it's really easier than it sounds, especially since both companies have gone through major "reboots" a few years ago, with DC launching The New 52 (which reset or compressed several decades of continuity) and Marvel launching Marvel NOW!, both of which reset several titles to #1. You can pick up trades (or collected volumes of issues) from Amazon or read digitally on Comixology. Many local libraries may also have trades and graphic novels available to check out.

With DC, you can start off with #1 of almost any New 52 series. However, you don't always have to start with #1. Some series don't get good until a new creative team takes over and establishes a new status quo. In which case, you can start reading from where the new writers began, and not worry about what happened in the previous issues. Here is a list of DC New 52 recommendations I've made before:

> For Batman and Batman-related books, I recommend the following:
Batman (#1 - ongoing) Batman, Vol. 1: The Court of Owls - The flagship title, by Scott Snyder.
Batman: The Black Mirror - This is actually just before The New 52, but I recommend this mainly because it's a very well-loved modern story that turned Scott Snyder (the current Batman writer) into DC's golden boy. It's also fairly accessible to new readers.
Grayson (#1 - ongoing) - Launched this year, and one of DC's best books in quite some time. Dick Grayson is an undercover spy. Very fun and character-driven.
Batman and Robin (#1 - ongoing) Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill - Character-driven title that focuses on the Bat family.
Catwoman (#35 - ongoing) - Selina Kyle as a mob boss. Very intricate plot.
Detective Comics (#30 - ongoing) - Manapul/Buccellato run. Fantastic art.
Nightwing (#1 - 30) Nightwing, Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes - Makes a good complement to the Batman and Batman & Robin titles.
 

>For other characters, I would recommend:
Wonder Woman (#1 - 35) Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood - Brian Azzarello's 35-part epic of gods and mortals. Great story, great art.
Green Arrow (#17 - 34) Green Arrow, Vol. 4: The Kill Machine
The Flash (#1 - 29) The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward
Earth 2 (#1 - 26) Earth 2, Vol. 1: The Gathering - The James Robinson run (#1-16) is quite good, though Tom Taylor's run (#17-26) is still decent.
Red Lanterns (#21 - 37) Red Lanterns, Vol 4: Blood Brothers - A general understanding of the Green Lantern universe might be needed to fully appreciate this.
 

Marvel tends to reset a series whenever a new creative team takes over, or when a new status quo is put into place, so it's even easier to find a jump-in point. Just start with #1 of any series. Marvel also has a subscription service that allows you to digitally read any comic older than six months. Here are some recent series that I would recommend:

Matt Fraction's Hawkeye
Mark Waid's Daredevil
Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Nathan Edmondson's Black Widow
Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man
Cullen Bunn's Magneto
Tom Taylor's Superior Iron Man

You can look up these titles on Comixology and see previews for each issue. Just pick whatever sounds interesting to you, and start reading.

I'll try to help clear up some terms for you. Lol the golden age of comics is basically any comic made in the 1930s-50s. The silver age is any comics made from 1955-1970. The new 52 started in 2011. It is when DC ditched all of its old titles and started over with 52 new running comics. The new 52 recently ended this year and they started new again and called it rebirth. Trades are collections of comics bound into a book so that they are easier to collect and less expensive typically.

The book you're asking about could be a good place to start because you might read a story in there you enjoy and then you can find which comic it came from and expand on it but you wouldn't get exposure to anything current.

Personally, I would start by reading Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman run. It has beautiful illustrations. It has a lot of really cool ties to Greek mythology and the mythology of Wonder Woman herself. The story is her fighting her personal demons and how she came to be. It really makes you understand why she is Wonder Woman, her emotions and what makes her tick. The way he portrays Wonder Woman is perfect. She is honest, brave and so morally sound. It's a great read.

Also, the sensation comics that came out in 2014 are super cool. Each comics is a collection of short stories by different writers about Wonder Woman. Most of them are super upbeat and sometimes funny. And the art is always awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/Sensation-Comics-Featuring-Wonder-Woman/dp/140125344X

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/140123562X/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_of_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RS38640PTRA9SK6981WW

Well since you seem to like Scott Snyder, try out The Wake, only 2 issues in and it's a great horror story.

Thor: God of Thunder is fantastic, also a good read. Pick up the first trade and some back-issues and you'll be good!

And I gotta say, I'm not sure if you're a fan of the whole Spock thing, but Superior Spider-Man is pretty fantastic as well. Pick up the trade, back issues, maybe pick up Amazing Spider-Man #700 digitally and you're set.

A place like Midtown should set you up with those trades and playing catchup though, but definitely check the prices.

I'm not sure if this is your first time setting up something like this, but if you find yourself having trouble looking for good reads, iFanboy is a good place to see ratings on a vast array of titles, and Comic Book Club is a good podcast to listen to for opinions on the latest pulls and nerdy news.

All that being said good luck on the subscription and happy reading!

I’m assuming you probably heard or read a lot of these already but their worth repeating on the chance that you haven’t.

• The first four volumes of Superman/Batman are probably the best stand alone team up stories those two characters probably ever had. Between the four they deal with the kind of stories that only superhero books have done well. Things like multiple universe, massive crossovers, time travel, and introductions of legacy characters. They are also just damn good reads.
  
  
• Kingdom Come is another story that really could only be done well in a superhero book. If you haven’t read it then you really need too.
  
  
• Volume One and Volume Two of DC: The new Frontier are timeless superhero stories that really exhibits what makes them so special.
  
  
• All Star Superman shows what a modern version of a Silver Age story would like. This has the special sauce that made comics good back in the 60s and 70s and its one of the best Superman stories ever told.
  
  
• Superman: Red Son best example of an Elseword or Alternate universe story. Really good.
  
  
• Marvel’s Secret Wars should be required reading. Kind of like how Catcher in the Rye or To Kill a Mockingbird is in public schools. It’s a corner stone for comics.
  
  
• Crisis On Infinite Earths: If Secret Wars is Catcher in the Rye then Crisis is War and Peace. It is a tuff read for a new reader but it is masterpiece in terms of craft, storytelling, and the weaving of continuity.
  
  
• Identity Crisis was mentioned before but I’ll repeat it because it is the superhero story the deals with issues typically never addressed in superhero books. It is controversial for some of the things that happen but ultimately very good book.
  
  
• Superman: Our Worlds at War is probably a bit difficult to find at the point but it is a massive phone book size trade that show what a good multi author/artist collaborative crossover event can be like.
  
  
• The Long Halloween and Dark Victory are two timeless Batman stories. I don’t care for Batman comics but these books are so good that even I like them.
  
  
• Astro City just started back up again so a new printing of the first story should be just around the corner. It is a celebration of everything that make superhero comics great. Keep an eye out for this one.
  

I understand why you are weary to ask for specific books, but there are some books that are important to the marvel universe or comics in general which would be pretty safe bets.

For Instance:

• Marvels, which is the history of the marvel universe through the eyes of a reporter for the Daily Bugel. Shows events from the Namor and the original Human Torch, to Captain America, to the X-Men, to Spiderman, to Galactus. Really cool depiction of the marvel universe.
  
• The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos tries to take over the universe. Very well recieved event that the 3rd and 4th Avengers movies will be "based" on.
  
• Secret Wars, much older than the other books so much campier style, but it was (I believe) the first big crossover book from any publisher. Its also where spiderman gets the black suit that turns into venom and great moments throughout.
  
• Annihilation (All three books), Was a relaunch of Marvel's Cosmic line and sets up for all of the cosmic books for many years to come. Very cool book. Can read with no prior knowledge whatsoever.
  
• Watchmen, Good book, very important to the comic medium itself. Published by DC but not set in that universe.
  
• The Dark Knight Returns, Again published by DC but very important to Batman and comics in general. And who doesn't love Batman.
  
• Any charcter has at least one trade that is good standalone and is important to the character, but without knowing your preferences I can't recommend specifics
  
  Even if these arn't your absolute favorite books, they are relevant to the history and there is a pretty high chance that you will want to read them at some point.

Well, in that case!

• Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg
  
  This is my favorite book of all time. It draws you in and makes you feel like the characters are family. I also really enjoy the underlying themes of ethics in TV and new technology contrasted against small-town America. Sad and funny and heartwarming.
  
  
• Blankets, by Craig Thompson
  
  The autobiographical comic of a teenage boy and his overbearing parents, his relationship with his little brother and his first love. It perfectly captures the confusion of growing up and dealing with the lot life gives you.
  
  
• The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
  
  Wickedly funny, but also a melancholy look at racial tension and prejudice. The audiobook is fantastic!
  
  
• Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
  
  Dark, very wtf, confusing at times, but overall a really cool take on the Wizard of Oz universe. Dark City meets Heat meets Wizard of Oz.
  
  
• The Secret of Platform 13, by Eva Ibbotson
  
  A fun, whimsical story about spoiled children being terrible. Ibbotson's books are all really great in that bad people aren't just misunderstood or lonely. They are also assholes. And everyone calls them on it. It is really refreshing in children's/YA books.
  
  
• The Solitaire Mystery, by Jostein Gaarder
  
  This book changed my teenage existence. It's very simple, yet beautifully crafted. It's everything Alice in Wonderland fans have built that mythos into, without any of the pretentiousness/needing to be zany for zaniness' sake.
  
  
• Deerskin, by Robin McKinley
  
  This is my favorite dark fairy tale. The beginning gets into some heavy stuff, but it has everything that I love: a strong lady protagonist, excellent character growth, and dogs. SO MANY DOGS. Dogs are the real love story.
  
  
• The Raging Quiet, by Sherryl Jordan
  
  I stole this from my high school library because I didn't know where to get my own copy. It's a really excellent look at disability in the middle ages, couched in a very sweet romance.
  
  
• The Blue Castle, by LM Montgomery
  
  This is the ultimate vicarious experience book. The protagonist goes from mousy and trod-upon to "I don't care what you think, I'm gonna run away with misfits and unemployables and have a grand time, thankyouverymuch". It's everything you want to happen in a non-contrived, excellently paced way.
  
  
• Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
  
  The first of a classic series! They're short, which is nice, and very dated but still so much fun. Tarzan is the ultimate early 20th century Mary-Sue but it works for him.
  
  
• The Mount, by Carol Emshwiller
  
  I really enjoyed the world built in this book. It's silly at times without trying to be, but it's a cool horse-flavored dystopian coming-of-age story.
  
  
• Tamora Pierce's Tortall series (17 books total in 3 quartets, a duo and a trilogy. They can be read separately but I feel chronologically gives the best experience.) This is the first one. They're the ultimate female-lead sword and sorcery books.
  
  The first quartet focuses on a young girl who pretends to be a boy so she can become a knight. The second is about an orphaned country girl who discovers she can communicate with animals just in time to help with a war between humans and immortal monsters. The third is about the first girl allowed to train as a knight and a non-magical war.
  
  The duo is about a spymaster's daughter stuck in a civil war based on the British occupation of India.
  
  The trilogy is set in the past and is a series of intense mysteries/police dramas. Pidgeons are carriers of the dead in this mythos and the main character can hear their voices.

Sadly, I can't speak for DC Rebirth. I haven't read any of it. I can say that I loved the New52.

Batman list, in order of what I would read first.

• Batman, Year One is a great story of Bruce's first year as the Batman. I loved seeing the way Batman evolved & the lessons he learned. I highly suggest this as your first read.
  
  
• The Long Holloween was also a fantastic story. It reads a lot like a mystery novel. The ending is surprising and all around, this book is satisfying.
  
  
• Batman New52 is a great storyline. It is a "reboot" aka a nice starting point for a series. If you love this story, read on with the New 52 & slowly get the "iconic" other stuff later.
  
  
• The Dark Knight Returns is an interesting spin on things. Bruce is old and has hung up his mantle. But for reasons mentioned in the book, he dons the cape yet again. This, in my opinion, is a really great read after Year One & The Long Halloween. Those three just flow nicely IMO.
  
  
• The Knightfall series (Vol1 Vol2 & Vol3) explain why Bane is one of the greatest villains Batman has ever had. If you're looking for a complete story arc, this is where you want to start.
  
  Staples for Batman
  
  
• The Killing Joke is an iconic storyline that I would put on a must read list for Batman.
  
  
• Hush is also a very great mystery story.
  
  
• A Death in the Family is a pivotal story for the Bruce Wayne Batman.
  
  
• Arkham Asylum is a really cool & unique story about Batman going into Arkham Asylum after it is taken over (sounds a lot like the first batman game of the recent trilogy). It is a really cool perspective & you should read it at some point.
  
  Flash list (I don't know as much about the Flash)
  
  
• The Flash: Rebirth is a really great place to start. The world is established but this is a nice way to jump into the comics.
  
  
• Flash New52 is where I would go after reading Rebirth. They flow nicely. I would read Vol 2 & Vol3.
  
  
• Flashpoint, as you know if you watch the CW series, is a big moment for Barry. It's a similar story but done in a very different way. Reading this will feel fresh, even if you know the tv show.
  
  Batman/Flash related things
  
  
• Catwoman New52 is amazing. I'm not sure if you're a huge Catwoman fan or if you hate her (seems most Batman fans go one of those directions) but if you are, her series is one of my favorite New52.
  
  
• Justice League New52 was pretty cool.

Now if you crave more of the Man without Fear, I can provide a bit more on the subject (which is my area of expertise).

Daredevil has two definitive origin retellings, The Man Without Fear (which is what DDs1 is based on) by Frank Miller & John Romita, Jr., and Daredevil: Yellow by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (the same creative team behind Batman: The Long Halloween).
TMWF: http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Without-Fear-Frank-Miller/dp/0785134794/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452067420&sr=1-1&keywords=the+man+without+fear
DDY: http://www.amazon.com/DAREDEVIL-YELLOW-Jeph-Loeb/dp/0785109692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452067605&sr=1-1&keywords=daredevil+yellow

Now both of those stories are excellent, but for Daredevil: Yellow I'd actually recommend reading Kevin Smith & Joe Quesada's controversial Guardian Devil before you start it. If you do read it, please, PLEASE read it the whole way through, as most just stop before the end which is criminal. I guarantee that if you finish, you will have a whole new respect for a certain foe of Spider-Man. (Also definitely buy the trade, the individual covers give away things that happened in the previous issue so if you buy in bulk like I do you will be spoiled)
DDGD: http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Guardian-Devil-Kevin-Smith/dp/078514143X/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51BmRRUZ5oL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=18YSDWRHE8YQ2CWRR0N4

Now I'd also recommend reading Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev's run, as well as Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark's run which comes right after it, as both are some of the best comics of the Modern Age.
DDbBMB&AMv1: http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Michael-Bendis-Ultimate-Collection/dp/0785143882/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Ssk-ZLobL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR103%2C160_&refRID=1AAEZR1ZFM4AKWTPR57W
DDbEB&MLv1: http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Brubaker-Michael-Ultimate-Collection/dp/0785163344/ref=pd_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51gw0%2BVbCkL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=0AEEM22Y7D77C00BFNX8

Now for the big stuff, The Bullseye/Elektra Saga by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson which I recommended above, and of course, Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli, which is considered one of the greatest comic books ever written, and I would agree. If you only read one thing, read that. It (along with The Man Without Fear) is being released with all of Frank Miller's other works on the character as a companion piece to the omnibus I recommended above, so you may want to look into that.
DDTBES: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078519536X?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_3&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
DDBA: http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Born-Again-Frank-Miller/dp/0785134816/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41Qg3D1G2rL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR103%2C160_&refRID=0T80NS4CV47BB7FXP3DC
DDC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785195386?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I hope that is enough Daredevil to tide you over until March.

Anything by Alan Moore. Promethea is a personal fave, but might not be the best place to start. Top Ten is also very good if cop drama overlaid with some super-hero stuff sounds appealing. Watchman is a cornerstone of the form, but you will definitely appreciate it more if/when you have a fair bit of 'capes & tights' superhero work under your belt.

Blankets is just stunning. I've bought it 3 times already and have the new hardcover edition on perorder.

Stardust is another great one by Neil Gaiman. It's also unique in that if you enjoy the story you can experience it in 3 different, but all very good, forms. The original comic, the prose novel, and the film all work quite well and give a nice window into what bits a pieces work better in each form.

Of course no comic list is complete without Maus and Understanding Comics.

I really enjoyed the Kingdom Come graphic novel as well as Superman: Peace On Earth. Although Peace on Earth is a Christmas story it is still really well done, and anything done by Alex Ross is worth picking up. Both show Superman pitted against his greatest enemy: the darker aspects of human nature.

Superman: Red Son is an interesting twist on the Superman story line, where Superman is raised in Russia instead of on the Kent farm.

The Superman: Man of Steel volume set by John Byrne is a nice introduction, but I personally feel it is really short and lacking in a lot of detail.

The Death of Superman is quite good too, and I would highly recommend picking it up; the final pages are really hard for me to get through, but that might just be me.

Superman: Secret Identity isn't technically about Superman, since it takes place on Earth-prime (a world where superheroes exist only in comics, kind of like our world), but I love how this graphic novel portrays humanity...

I hope that helps. If I can think of any more graphic novels I'll be sure to list them in an edit. Good choice on Birthright though, you won't be disappointed.

Also, I know you had mentioned that you wanted to steer away from the new 52 for now, but they are going to be coming out with volume sets here soon, so if you wanted to you could start off with Action Comics Volume 1. This way you could experience Superman as he becomes the greatest hero the world has ever known.

If you want a book that has a really good all around historical look at wonder woman I highly recommend picking up Wonder Woman: A Celebration of 75 years

I also personally love the Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman Run in the new 52. It's also probably one of the most self contained titles in the new 52. The first volume is Wonder Woman Vol 1. Blood

There are two really great origin stories of wonder woman that I really love that are very current. The first (and my favorite of the two) is The legend of Wonder Woman. And the second is Wonder Woman: The True Amazon. The art in this one is fantastic.

Another great wonder woman story is Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia

I also really loved Sensation Comics featuring wonder Woman. I really love all of the different writers and artists takes on wonder woman.

Now, as for which character to start with, I'd advise you to start with Batman comics. His comics are very accessible, and he has tons of fantastic stories. Of course, with Batman stories, rarely do you need any pre-reading. Some stories have some required reading and/or are sequels to a previous story, though.

The de facto first trade to get is Batman: Year One by Frank Miller. The first major Batman story chronologically, but more importantly, it's a fantastic story overall.

Another great story is the KnightSaga. You mentioned you were interested in Bane. Well, this is as interesting as Bane gets. It's a trilogy of storylines, consisting of Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1, Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 2: Knightquest, and finally Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 3: KnightsEnd. The Knightfall Saga does not require any pre-reading, by the way.

Now, another way to go, is that you can just forget about everything pre-new52 (post-Crisis) and just jump into Batman Vol. 2, which is the New 52 relaunch of the Batman title. I wouldn't recommend completely dismissing every Batman story that isn't 52, though. Because even though his new 52 stories have been consistently superb, you'd be missing out on a lot of good shit. If you do feel overwhelmed, though, and just want to jump into the relaunch so you can catch up and then read it monthly, start with Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52). It's one of the best Batman stories of all time, by the way, so regardless of whether or not you wanna put off post-Crisis stories, read Court of Owls, which is the first 5 New 52 Batman trades currently out.

Other Batman/Batfamily recommendations:

• Batman: The Killing Joke is the notorious masterpiece by Alan Moore. Even if Moore don't like the story (he wrote it as a favour to Bolland), it contains all of Moore's intuitions and considerations about superheroes which appear in Watchmen too. The plot take place in two separate windows of time: a half is the present of Dick Giordano's run just before "Death in the Family", the other half is a reinterpretation of the classic Detective Comics #168. Considered by most as the ultimate Joker's origin story, it's both pure Batman and pure Moore. Read it if you liked Watchmen, as The Killing Joke is one of those comics that contribute to define the psychology and the peculiarities of the characters, hero and villain.
  
  
• Batman: The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker is one of the shortest and least-known among these. It's a rewrite in a modern style of the classic Batman #1 which contains the first appearance of the Joker, but it's made to be perfectly integrated in a continuity made of Year One and The Killing Joke. It presents classic Brubaker's narration style and it's very dark
  
  
• Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb is one of the longest and most articulated story of these. It takes place in the year between The Man Who Laughs (the end of Year One) and the birth of Two Faces, includes a great part of classic Batman cast and marks the connections between the criminal clans who worked in Gotham before Batman like Falcone from Year One and Maroni from Two-Face origin story. The story is a declaration of love to the character of Batman, it could be arranged between the original first stories since it lasts for a whole year and jumps from an event to another.
  
  
• Batman: Dark Victory by Jeph Loeb is the direct sequel of The Long Halloween, involving the same cast and taking place after those events until Robin's inclusion in the dynamic duo. The story basically retcons Robin's origin postponing it after those of most villans (e.g. Robin appears in Detective Comics #38, Two-Face in issue #66), but explores in a good way the psyche of a man who takes a young man alongside him and his battle against crime, a really controversial topic debated since Jason Todd's death.
  
  
• Catwoman: When in Rome by Jeph Loeb does not contains much Batman. It's the third one of the Loeb trilogy about Batman's early years and it is said to suffer from some holes in the plot, but it fulfills some open questions like the relationship between Selina Kyle and Falcone suggested by Miller in Year One and Catwoman's absence during Dark Victory.
  
  ---
  You also asked for Vixen recs. I'd really recommend getting Vixen: Return of the Lion, which is a 2008 mini-series, written by G Willow Wilson. She is a brilliant writer, I think this mini-series will peak your interest. It doesn't require pre-reading as well.
  
  ---
  Sorry for the late reply. Hope this helped :)

Hey man, Sounds like you are interested in Batman and Superman. You said you were interested in recent comics so there are two i would recommend:

1. Batman New 52! Vol. 1 Court of Owls.
   DC reset their entire universe in 2011 and begun new story arcs that are easier for people like yourself to start reading comics. This book was actually the first trade i ever bought so it has a special place in my heart and i'm sure you'll love it. It is a trade paperback which collects issues 1-7 i'n pretty sure.
   http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-The-Court-Owls/dp/1401235425/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393927430&sr=8-2&keywords=court+of+owls
   
   
2. Superman: Red Son.
   A fairly recent comic, this one is set in Soviet Russia and explores what would happen if Superman landed with Russians as opposed to the Kents. Really great Superman story and pretty easy to get the gist of if you know the origin of Superman.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Superman-Red-Son-Mark-Millar/dp/1401201911/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393927413&sr=8-1&keywords=superman+red+son

I'm reading

• The Story of Philosophy, which is great is you dig philosophy.
  
• I'm just finishing up The Pursuit of God, which if you are a Christian dude, it's a great read (along with Praying for Strangers)
  
• Sitka is a Louis L'Amour western, but with sea-faring, some nasty russians, and the grand Alaskan frontier
  
• I re-read the first Scott Pilgrim book, which appeals to my inner 9-year old! (Read the whole set years ago, only own the first one, comes super recommended)
  
• The God of Small Things is pretty interesting so far, I'm about 4 chapters in it so far.
  
  There's more books on my list, so here are some honorable mentions:
  
  
• The book that The Edge of Tomorrow was based on is All You Need is Kill, which having been interested in the movie, I could be persuaded into reading.
  
• A friend recommended The Man With the Clubfoot, with is an early 20th century Film Noir type book. I'm excited to read it after finishing The Big O, because this dude can totally dig some Noir type stuff right about now.
  
• It scares the crap out of me, but with politics these days I'm growing more convinced that knowing history is important to understanding today, so I thought about reading The Complete Story of Civilization, which is an 11 volume set that's supposed to cover everything.
  
  And because this post will never, ever be seen; I'm going to end with a limerick:
  
  > A certain young fellow named Bee-Bee
  
  > Wished to wed a woman named Phoebe.
  
  > "But," he said, "I must see
  
  > What the clerical fee
  
  > Be before Phoebe be Phoebe Bee-Bee

1. If you want to start with modern spider-man, I'd suggest reading from either Brand New Day or Big Time, which is where Dann Slott (current writer) started his run. Of course you just can just jump on with Superior Spider-man, which is the current series with Doc Ock in Peter's body being Spider-man (this took place at the end of amazing spider-man with the Dying Wish arc. The series is currently 20 issues in, so there's not as much catch-up. There's also Ultimate Spider-man that takes place in an alternate marvel universe that is also really good and has less continuity issues and is a modern retelling of the spider-man origin story and further.
   After getting some reading under your belt, I'd also suggest checking out some of the books in the side bar.
   
   
2. The absolute first spider-man comic is amazing Fantasy #15 from all the way back in 1962, and the first comic in the amazing spider-man main series came out in 1963. I'd suggest reading some of the early spider-man comics. They're a bit cheesy today, but still a lot of fun to read. You can find them in big collected omnibus form.
   
   
   
3. Amazon is always a good bet for getting trades for cheap, but I like going to my local comic book stores. They need as much support as they can get and you can usually get the people working there to help you get into new series. Its also just a great place to hang out and talk about comics with people.
   
   Hope this helps :)