>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.

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.
  
  
  

These are all the modern Barry Allen Books in the order they occur. If you want to read the best of the best Flash stories The Flash by Mark Waid volume 1 is out and The Flash by Geoff Johns volumes 1-3 but these feature Wally West as the Flash who (in most people on this sub's opinion) is the best Flash. Wally is also my personal favorite comics character. So here's my Barry Allen reading order with brief explanations:

•Flash Rebirth brings Bary up to speed with the world and shows him dealing with being a man out of time. This story kind of demeans Wally as character in my opinion, it makes him seem incapable of doing much and shows Barry doing things Wally can't do in this story despite Wally showing he's convincingly surpassed his mentor. I'd talk more about this but this isn't he post for that.

•The Flash Dastardly Death of The Rogues is the best Barry Allen story, it is a must read

•Flash: Road to Flashpoint. This story is pretty alright, the collected version has a lot of interesting one shots and such and it directly leads into Flashpoint. This doesn't get recommended often, but I enjoyed it and I think it should be at least mentioned

•Flashpoint kicks off the New 52 and is a very well written Barry Allen story. This leads into the New 52 series

•The Flash New 52 Vol 1-4 Collected in this omnibus. This has absolutely stunning art and it's the same art team that did Dastardly Death of the Rogues, the artists also double as the writers and they capture a good Barry Allen in my opinion. This run is great but everything after is pretty mediocre. This easily my favorite run on the character and it's very beginner friendly. If you want to just get one thing on this list, get this.

•DC Universe Rebirth is a great story and Barry and a certain other speedster are very relevant to the story

•The Flash Rebirth (2016) is the current ongoing, you can digitally purchase it or buy the issues individually from Midtown Comics (The website) or your LCBS. I'm linking the first volume of this run.

Regarding Superman, don't worry about him, I hated him when I started reading comics (started with Batman) because to me it also seemed too OP for his stories to make sense, maybe I stayed too much with my vision of him instead of giving him a shot. He did grow on me, and is now one of my favourite characters. The stories that really helped for me to love him are Superman American Alien, All Star Superman and Superman Peace on Earth among many others. Don't worry if you still dislike him, it won't diminish your fondness of the rest of the vast DCU nor will it spoil you stories, just don't go into every story with a "ugh I hate him" and give him a few tries. Being such an important figure in the DCU you will cross paths with him several times, like him or not, better to make the most of it and not be too stubborn.

Regarding Watchmen, Watchmen is a story that deconstructs a lot of superhero tropes and cliches, so the best way to take the most of it would be to have read a lot of comics and really understand what this story is trying to break. So yes, you could read it now and like it, or you could read it in a few months worth of comics and really love it. At least I know that I love it a little bit more on every re-read, having read lots of comics in the interim.

---
And now the important stuff, where to start:

Yes, both New 52 and Rebirth are two completely perfect starting points, one being 5 years older than the other. Rebirth serves as a continuation of the N52, but starting on it right away won't diminish anything, it's a perfectly valid starting point and I recommend you to start there. The reason being that you have much less to catch up (no more than a year and a half). So what I would recommend is:

• Start with Rebirth, with DCU Rebirth #1 and then read every character's rebirth series that you are interested in. Lets say Batman? Currently there's been only two volumes of Batman Rebirth released (vol 1 and vol 2 with the third one on september). Just pick his volumes, and after you have read this "Trade paperbacks" (collection of single issues), you can read the series on a weekly basis, buying the 2.99 single issues (or 'floppies'), which are currently in between the #10th and #25th issue.
  
  
• After you have cought up with Rebirth as much as you like (you don't need nor have to read every character, just read whatever you like) you can both retroactively read the New 52 series and go on with the Rebirth ones. So let's say you finished every Rebirth volume you were interested in and crave for more, you can read, with Batman as an example, his 10 New52 volumes.
  
  ---
  As for where to read stuff, that's completely up to you. If you have a cool Local Comicbook Shop (LCS) near you, you should go and check it out, they have really cool people that can guide you in a much humane way than an internet stranger. If you don't, don't worry, I read most of my stuff online, so check out Comixology with all of their weekly sales! And the third option is to order everything online and get it delivered, some good sites are Amazon, InStockTrades and Bookdepository. Check out all of your options!
  
  If you are in the US go to your local library and check out Hoopla a really great way for you to read a lot of stuff for free!
  
  ---
  

  TLDR
  

  
  You want to start with the New 52?
  
  

• Flashpoint (completely optional) -> pick a character -> read his volumes
  
  Here is a list of the first half of the New 52 (couldn't find a complete one)
  
  You want to start with Rebirth?
  
  
• DCU Rebirth 1 -> pick a character -> read his volumes
  
  Here is a list of them all. Check out the "Road to Rebirth" tab, which has optional, stuff for you to read
  
  What would I do?
  
  Pick Rebirth, after finishing, read the New52 stuff while continuing with Rebirth

Some gift ideas that have gone over well in the past:

• Standing flashlight - great for a DIYer
  
• Turkish Towel - I use it heavily when traveling. It's a plane wrap, a picnic blanket, a quick coverup, seriously worth packing.
  
• An amazing spatula. I love it. Great for any cooks or bakers.
  
• If you have an older female relative who likes kitchen stuff, go to Walmart and grab some stuff from the Pioneer Woman. It's cute, it's functional and my mother-in-law loves the stuff. Ree annoys me but she makes it easy to Christmas shop.
  
• Teen girls can be tricky. Buy a pair or two of BaubleBar (or BaubleBar for Target) earrings, buy this earring case and now you have a 2 for 1.
  
• You should buy some Yak sticks for your dog. Costco also has some great Nylabone and Kong gift packs.
  
• Every adult male I know loves this temperature gun.
  
• Every newlywed lady I know wants the Chrissy Teigen cookbooks.
  
• This throw is the softest thing ever. I have 3.
  
• Cute couple's gift (also works for a family member who is bringing someone to Christmas who you feel obligated to gift to but you know little about them): Picnic blanket. You can even add a basket and fill it with wine or cocoa and cookies. Or just gift them a gift card to a cozy restaurant.
  
• This Calvin and Hobbes collection is the best gift I received last year. And it's cheaper than it used to be.
  
  Also, here's my link to a review on here of Etsy/ArtfullyWalls/Society6 artists in case you want to shop for yourself/others with the upcoming sales.

I'm not a historian, but I used to be a history teacher and I think I got a few things right in terms of keeping people interested. A few books I used that are fun and relatively easy:

• The Cartoon History of the Universe is good for kids and grown-ups, although there might be some sections for which there has been much new research.
  
  
• You may also enjoy Guns, Germs, and Steel which gives an interesting theory of history up to about 1535. A book which tackles the same questions from a much more "cultural" (rather than geographical) angle is The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. They're a fun read together.
  
  
• I know the professional historians might disagree, but starting with the broad sweep of European history and working your way outward can be fun. I liked From Dawn to Decadence which is a bit of a luxuriating read and very detailed. Less detailed but also good popular introductions are Norman Davies' Antiquity and Europe books and Norman Cantor's Civilization of the Middle Ages.
  
  
• For a total timeline (big bang to now), Cosmos (the series or the book) is an awesome way to slot human history and science into the whole universe.
  
  
• Also, novels that cover crazy spans of time are great. One I liked was Bridge over the River Drina which helps you understand both Europe and the Ottoman Empire over the course of 400 years. Others can recommend novels in the super-epic (in terms of timespan) genre as well.

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.

It depends on what characters or genres you're interested in. The New 52 is a solid starting point for many books, but that doesn't mean you should stay away from pre-N52 trades, as many of them are still accessible with a limited background knowledge. Here's a giant list of recommendations that I've made in the past (and that I keep adding to for some reason). Just take a look at what might interest you, and jump in.

> For New 52 Batman and Batman-related books, I recommend the following:

• Scott Snyder's Batman (#1 - ongoing), starting with Batman, Vol. 1: The Court of Owls - The flagship title.
  
• Tim Seeley/Tom King's 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.
  
• Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin (#1 - ongoing), starting with Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill - Character-driven title that focuses on the Bat family.
  
• Genevieve Valentine's Catwoman (#35 - ongoing) - Selina Kyle as a mob boss. Very intricate plot.
  
• Francis Manapul/Brian Buccellato's Detective Comics (#30 - ongoing)
  
• Kyle Higgins's Nightwing (#1 - 29), starting with Nightwing, Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes - Makes a good complement to the Batman and Batman & Robin titles.
  
• Ray Fawkes's Gotham by Midnight (#1 - ongoing) - The X-Files in Gotham.
  
• Becky Cloonan/Brendan Fletcher's Gotham Academy (#1 - ongoing) - Harry Potter meets Scooby Doo in Gotham.
   
  
  >For other New 52, I would recommend:
  
• Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman (#1 - 35), starting with Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood - Azzarello's 35-part epic of gods and mortals. Great story, great art.
  
• Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow (#17 - 34), starting with Green Arrow, Vol. 4: The Kill Machine
  
• Francis Manapul/Brian Buccellato's The Flash (#1 - 29), starting with The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward
  
• James Robinson's Earth 2 (#1 - 16), starting with Earth 2, Vol. 1: The Gathering
  
• Charles Soule's Red Lanterns (#21 - 37) Red Lanterns, Vol 4: Blood Brothers
   
  
  >And here are some good pre-N52 that you should definitely check out:
  
• Scott Snyder's Batman: The Black Mirror - This is a very well-loved modern story that turned Snyder (the current Batman writer) into DC's golden boy. It's also fairly accessible to new readers. Also check out Batman: Gates of Gotham that he co-wrote with Kyle Higgins.
  
• Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman
  
• Mark Waid's Kingdom Come - An AU story featuring a dark future with a disillusioned Justice League.
  
• Chuck Dixon/Scott Beatty's Batgirl/Robin Year One - A couple of fun stories featuring the early years of the sidekicks.
  
• Chuck Dixon's Nightwing, starting with Nightwing, Vol. 1: Bludhaven
  
• Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son - AU story with Soviet Superman.
  
• Marv Wolfman's The New Teen Titans, starting with The New Teen Titans, Vol. 1 - The iconic Teen Titans. Beware, it's very 80s :)
  
• Geoff Johns's Teen Titans, starting with Teen Titans, Vol. 1: A Kid's Game
  
• Jeph Loeb's Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory - Classic detective stories.
  
• Grant Morrison's Batman run across multiple titles, starting with Batman: Batman and Son
  
• Geoff John's Green Lantern run across multiple titles, starting with Green Lantern: Rebirth
  
• Frank Miller's Batman: Year One - Iconic origin story.
  
• Batman: No Man's Land starting with Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 1 - Big epic Bat family crossover event collected in four volumes.

Mogworld by Yahtzee Crowshaw is a hilarious book about a sentient NPC in a fantasy MMORPG.

Mechanical Failure by Joe Zieja is the first book in space based comedy series. It's great fun.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore is possibly the best book I've ever read. It is about Christ, but it walks the fine line of being respectful, without being worshipful and hilarious, without being mocking. Absolutely brilliant. He wrote another book involving the main angel, called The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror is also hilarious and Christmas themed, if that appeals.

David Brin has written a lot of great stuff. The Practice Effect is a short novel about a guy visiting and trying to understand a very strange planet. It's not as pure humor as the others, but has funny parts. His other books are more serious, but his Uplift series is excellent (you can skip the first book if it doesn't grab you... it's his worst book and just a prelude to the other books), and Kiln People and Glory Season are others that are also great.

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 wish I had more time right now - maybe I'll fill one of those out later and send it to you.

I have to say, though, that I don't like the layout - turning much more of the text into dialogue would be much easier to read. Now it's like a book with pictures, like A Cartoon History of the Universe, which, as we all know, sucked ass and just sat on my shelf until I got to high school and just burned it in my backyard. Not that yours is bad (it's good, I like it a lot), but it shares the problematic "is it a book or a comic?" layout.

Another point of unsolicited advice - your illustrations show that you have lots of potential as an artist - I'd encourage you to dive into upping your illustrative abilities and learning all you can about comics. Truth is, comics are all about the illustrations, and if you really want to do this, it'll be in your interest to figure out the visual part of it, and how better to incorporate your admittedly great message into comic form. And you can do it, as evidenced by your solid foundation.

As is, as an artist and writer I'd be hesitant to join forces because I'd be doing a vast majority of the grunt work and I'd want to reformat and maybe rewrite all the text blocks completely to fit my illustrations. This seems kind of like the "design the new Facebook for me for $50 and no credit, and it has to be pink" trope for web developers. The Cyanide & Happiness model of several artists making their own full comics with the same theme seems to me like it would work way better than separating out the writing and illustrating. Again, just my personal response as an illustrator/writer.

Anyway, I'm shitty at giving opinions that aren't so sharp that they make people want to avoid them just to spite them, so sorry, and I hope you find an awesome illustrator here - but if you don't, there are other great options.

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.

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

For more Image stuff, I'd recommend:

Invincible - This comic is so absurdly good. I've read up to volume four of the ultimate collections and had a blast the whole way through (it's probably in my top 3 comics I've ever read, if not #1). The characters are wonderful, and everything that happens has an impact on the story as a whole. Not to mention the fantastic art!

Monstress - This comic is just gorgeous. (Seriously. Here's a sample.) The story's pretty good, too! It's kind of a horror adventure comic, if that makes any sense. Or, a fantasy adventure adventure comic with darker themes. Yeah, let's go with that. Point is, it's good, and it deserves your attention.

Now for my superhero recommendations:

Daredevil by Frank Miller - If you want a more action-oriented Daredevil story, definitely read through some of Frank Miller's stuff. You can jump right into his run with the omnibus or paperback collections or you can get your feet wet first with his standalone stories, such as the retelling of Daredevil's origin in The Man Without Fear or what many consider to be the best DD tale ever told, Born Again (both of which are contained in the omnibus companion if you wanna stick to the nice hardcover stuff).

Batman: Year One - Speaking of Frank Miller, I've noticed a severe lack of this book on your shelf. This is Batman's origin as it was meant to be told, and is still my favorite Batman story to date. There's not much else to say other than if you consider yourself a Batfan, you need to read Year One.

Batman: The Long Halloween (and its sequel, Dark Victory) - Since you enjoyed (most of) Yellow, Blue & Gray and like Batman, why not follow the Loeb/Sale team and read two of the best stories set early in the caped crusader's career?

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender - Wanna see Wolverine, Deadpool and friends tear shit up? This is the book for you!

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. - Wanna see a ragtag group of "heroes" you've likely never heard of tear shit up even harder? This is definitely the book for you. Nextwave is the comic equivalent of dumb popcorn fun.

I like well-drawn comics, but that doesn't mean they have to be intricate and detailed - just that they match the content very well. For example, I think John Campbell (Pictures for Sad Children) is great because he can get the emotion of scenes across really well with his simple drawings. (Though I equally love artists like David Hellman.)

I like funny comics as well as serious comics. I dislike comics that aren't even remotely funny (but are trying to be). I dislike comics that could have been funny, but they ruined themselves by either going on too long (Ctrl Alt Delete) or by explaining their punchline ((Ctrl Alt Delete) again).

I love comics that are consistently good, or at least only foul occasionally.

I dislike comics that are nothing but essays with pictures added. (I'm looking at you, 50% of Subnormality.) I think the comic form is a unique medium in itself and should not be treated in such a manner.

I like comics that are self-contained to a certain extent, in that either each comic is a unique situation (SMBC) or they only have particular story arcs (Dr. McNinja) and don't just go on forever with no resolution (Megatokyo). This is why, when I go to comics stores, I buy comic books (like Blankets) rather than serials (like X-Men). (There are exceptions to this rule, when a comic book is finished and the entire collection is sold as one, like Watchmen or Marvel 1602.)

I'm sure there's more, these are just my thoughts for now.