(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best comics & 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.

absolutely. (though my recommendations will probably be pretty cliche/entry level in the world of comics)

If you want to stick to recent marvel, but want an "everyman" story, check out Matt Fraction's run on Hawkeye, where it basically just explores his everyday life. it's comedic and fun and Aja's art is wonderfully simple.

Another current series that is great (and will be constantly recommended) is Saga. Brian K. Vaughan's writing is great and Fiona Staples is one of the best digital artists in comics. The story is like star wars on acid, but with a wholesome focus, at it's core, on family. it's weird, funny, progressive, and quite graphic. interesting, sympathetic characters. Highly recommend it.

Another classic Brian K Vaughan series is Y: The Last Man. All men on earth simultaneously die, barring the protagonist, Yorick. Vaughan's writing is great in this as well.

One of my favorite series from all time is Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman. the series is basically stories about storytelling, with the (occasional) main character being Morpheus, "god" of dreams (though he has many other names/titles/definitions). it is often surreal and appropriately dreamlike. Gaimain loves his deities and mythologies and the world of Sandman simultaneously creates its own mythology while including/alluding to all those that humans have created IRL. Sandman's depiction of "reality" changes as drastically and frequently as the constantly shifting roster of illustrators involved.

Around that same time was Grant Morrison's Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth. while this was just a one-shot novel, it was very dark and directly focused on the psychological aspects of batman as a character. the idea that batman is as crazy as his enemies is nothing new, but this book epitomized it. like Sandman, very late 80's/early 90's feel.

another trippy comic i love is Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing. Moore reworked swamp thing as a sympathetic monster with themes focusing on identity and memory, while still being within the horror genre. Alan Moore is probably a literal genius and he's known for his many other famous classics, like Watchmen (probably the most classic/important comic, which is also about comics), V for Vendetta, and From Hell. Anything by Moore is a safe bet and he sets the bar for writing in the comic medium.

If you are more interested in art than story, my biggest reccomendation would be literally anything drawn by Jean Giraud, aka "Mœbius." He is probably a national hero in france and he was one of the most celebrated comic artists of all time. he made masterful linework look easy and he has a genius understanding of simple composition and color.

there are tons of smaller, fun books/series, many of which i have yet to read, but the ones i listed are all pretty standard, accessible recommendations. definitely check out a few! Edit: typos

This would be a great place to start. Very recent, great retelling of the origin.

I'll just list the first volume of each series, as they're similarly titled and easy to find on Amazon/wherever if you're looking. (Except Hickman...)

Stan Lee / Jack Kirby: Started it all, still the best. There's the Masterworks paperbacks (about 10 issues a trade) and the omnibus.

• Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four, Vol. 1 (Lee / Kirby)
  
• Fantastic Four by Lee & Kirby Omnibus, Vol. 1
  
  John Byrne: The next great run. Again, there're the Visionaries trades and the omnibus.
  
  
• Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne, Vol. 1
  
• Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus, Vol. 1
  
  Walt Simonson: Just trades, as far as I can tell. They also seem to be out of print. (Not a particularly high-priority run, though, so don't worry about it.)
  
  
• Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walt Simonson, Vol. 1
  
  Mark Waid / Mike Wieringo: One of the top runs, easily. Right up there with Lee/Kirby and Hickman.
  
  
• Fantastic Four by Waid & Wieringo Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1
  
  Jonathan Hickman: Recently ended, but already hailed as a landmark. The reading order is a little convoluted because there were two titles at one point. I'll list everything here. (Note: It's all been neatly ordered for the omnibus, so that's the easiest.) Hickman's run starts with a mini-series that tied into the ongoing Marvel status quo at the time, Dark Reign. Norman Osborn, formerly Spider-Man's nemesis the Green Goblin, is given control of the nation's security, starting a SHIELD replacement called HAMMER. While a tie-in, it does set up a major conceit of Hickman's run and I'd recommend reading it. Hickman starts on the book proper with #570 and continues until its cancellation at #588. The book is restarted as FF with a new #1. After #11 of that series, Fantastic Four is brought back with #600, while FF continues its own numbering. This is where things get tricky. Now that there are two titles written by the same guy about mostly the same characters, the reading order is a little wonky. The trades don't even attempt to address this, but I've provided Hickman's recommended order (which was used for the omnibus.)
  
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus, Vol. 1
  
• Dark Reign: Fantastic Four (DR:FF #1-5)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 1 (F4 #570-574)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 2 (F4 #575-578)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 3 (F4 #579-582)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 4 (F4 #583-588)
  
• FF by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 1 (FF #1-5)
  
• FF by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 2 (FF #6-11)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 5 (F4 #600-605)
  
• Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 6 (F4 #606-611)
  
• FF by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 3 (FF #12-17)
  
• FF by Jonathan Hickman, Vol. 4 (FF #18-23)
  
  You can read straight up to F4 588, then FF 1 through 11, then: F4 600, FF 12, F4 601, FF 13, F4 602, FF 14, F4 603, FF 15, F4 604, FF 16, F4 605, F4 605.1, F4 606, FF 17-18, F4 607-608, FF 19-21, F4 609-610, FF 22, F4 611, FF 23.\
  
  Now, to step away from runs on the FF books proper, here's some mini-series and spin-offs worth reading:
  
  
• Fantastic Four: 1 2 3 4
  
• Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules
  
• Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comics Magazine
  
• Fantastic Four: First Family
  
• Fantastic Four: Island of Death
  
• The Books of Doom
  
• Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer, Vol. 1
  
• Silver Surfer: Parable
  
• Silver Surfer: Requiem

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.

>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.

cracks knuckles


For Aquaman skip almost everything and start with the four Geoff Johns volumes from the new 52. These are called vols 1-4 and have the subtitles of The Trench, The Others, Throne of Atlantis, and Death of a King. They are excellent. I can also recommend the two Jeff Park volumes that come after (5 and 6). I can't speak for anything after that.

Green Arrow, the easiest spot to start is with Green Arrow Year One and then read Rebirth forward. There are a few other good runs(Kevin Smith, Metzler, Winnick, Lemire) but Year One and rebirth will be the easiest place to jump in.

The last three are the most complicated:

Superman has different places to start depending on what you are looking for.

If you want to read about the various Origin's superman has had then you can read: Superman for all seasons, Superman:Birthright, Superman: Secret Origin, Superman: American Alien (A greg miller rec).

If you want to read Superman as an established hero, there are two good places to jump on board: Geoff Johns run that starts with Last Son of Krypton is really good. Otherwise, start with Superman:rebirth which is a really great run so far.

And for some just overall good Superman stories: Kingdom Come, Superman:Secret Identity, All-Star Superman.

Batman...Oi.

Do you want to read older books or newer books?

For older books you have the always timeless Batman Year One, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman:The Long Halloween and it's sequel Dark Victory.

If you want to read more recent books, then it just depends how far back you want to start reading.

You can go all the way back, you can go back to the 90's and read Knightfall, you can go back to the early 00's and read Cataclysm/No Man's Land, or you can jump in 2006's Batman and Son when they introduced Damien Wayne. To do that, you'll just read the Batman books by Grant Morrison.
If you want to get got up to modern Batman the fastest, just start with the New 52 run as other's have mentioned that starts with Batman vol 1: The Court of Owls.


Spider-Man, you have to decide what kind of stories you want. Do you want Peter Parker in High School? Then read Ultimate Spider-man. It's a seperate universe from the normal marvel universe, but it is really good. It also leads to Miles Morales who is, in my humble opinion, the best Spider-Man ever.

Do you want to read crazy Peter Parker in his late 20's becoming a High School teacher? Read the run that starts here:
https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Ultimate-Collection-Book/dp/0785138935/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502988383&sr=8-1&keywords=spider-man+by+jms

Do you want to start with Peter as an adult, but Single? Jump in with Spider-Man: Big Time.
I personally, think Big time is the best place in the normal continuity to start. Dan slott wrote some good stories and it feels the most like the pop culture Spider-Man people know.

Lastly two things. If you want to read about Miles Morales, you can just start with the Miles Morales Ultimate Collection:
https://www.amazon.com/Miles-Morales-Ultimate-Spider-Man-Collection/dp/0785197788/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502988492&sr=1-3&keywords=miles+morales

But if you really want a cool story, there is a Spider from another universe named Spider-Gwen who takes the spider-man story you know and twists it on it's head:
https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Gwen-Vol-0-Most-Wanted/dp/0785197737/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502988539&sr=8-1&keywords=Spider-Gwen+0
Spider-Gwen and Miles are my personal favorites.

And let us know if you want to read cool comics that aren't about Superheroes. Because that is where the really great writing is.

For most comics if you want print graphic novels, go with Amazon. If you want print issues, find a local store. If you want digital, go to Comixology.com which does not have the problem of if the given book or issue is in print.


The important thing to remember is that a lot of us comic readers that started before the movies made them mainstream, didn't have internet resources, so we just jumped into random stories that sounded interesting and filled in our knowledge gaps as we went forward. Even now I don't know everything and never will. And I've been reading comics for over ten years.

> 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.
  
  
  

Hawkeye is still about heroes because he is one, but it's more about what Clint Barton does during his downtime when he doesn't have powered heroes/SHIELD to back him up. The first comment in this post does good job explaining why it's a good read.

That's a pretty good way to put it. DC is generally about telling stories about god-like characters in a modern mythology way. Marvel tells more flawed, human stories. When Batman is in a bad spot, he's still a genius and calm and badass. When Hawkeye is in a bad spot, it's basically "oh shit oh shit why did I do this?"

Here are some more recs based on the things you listed.

Smallville: There's the comic season 11 going on right now. For complete Superman stories, Birthright is my favorite origin story and the new movie drew on it. Two Elseworld (alternative universe) stories are widely seen as the best about Superman: Red Son and All-Star Superman. Red Son's premise is "what if Superman landed in the USSR?" and All-Star is a story about Superman having only one year left to live.

The Dark Knight: The /r/batman's sidebar has a really comprehensive list of recs for complete stories. Definitely check out the current Batman comic, though. It's very good.

Justice League: The current Justice League reads like a Michael Bay movie, so if that's your cup of tea, it's fun and mindless. Keep in mind that some of the characters (Wonder Woman) are written really terribly so you shouldn't base your understanding of them on it. Kingdom Come (Elseworlds) is one of my favorite superhero stories ever. The art is stunning. Grant Morrison's writing on the Justice League is probably the best "in universe" stuff. I think there are 5 volumes. JLA: Tower of Babel is also very good. They made this into the movie, JL: Doom.

Teen Titans: The current Teen Titans is terrible. Don't do it! I haven't read much TT stuff, but for teenage superhero teams, Marvel's Runaways and Young Avengers are both great.

MCU: So, again, I don't read that much Marvel so take this with a grain of salt but Brubaker's run on Captain America is meant to be very good and movie viewer friendly. He's also behind Winter Soldier which is the plot of Captain America 2. I've also heard good things about Fraction's Iron Man, but I think that requires background knowledge about Civil War (a huge event in Marvel's timeline). The Thor story I recommended earlier is great and has a similar vibe to the Asgardian bits of the movie.

Hello and I'm glad to see you're showing interest in comics. Let me be the first to say that I'm not some seasoned veteran with limitless knowledge of the "ins" and "outs" regarding to comics. The first time I picked up a DC Comic and read it was a 2 years ago, I picked up Batman Under The Red Hood. Why? I had seen the animated movie and LOVED it. I wanted to see what the graphic novel had to offer. At the time I didn't have access to comics and that was the only DC Comic I read. A year ago, I was on vacation in NYC and I picked up Justice League Vol. 1 Origins. Why? I was browsing through the store for something to jump out at me. I had no idea who Geoff Johns or Jim Lee was. At the time I didn't care, I just wanted to pick up a book, read it, and enjoy it. When I picked up Justice League Vol. 1, I was like "OH SHIIIIIIII", I felt like I had been transported into another reality. Reading about Green Lantern meeting Batman for the first time, it was great.

Then this past year I went to my first Comic Con. DC was pushing a lot of comics and they had all these artists and writers and panels, but I had no idea who these people were or why they were important. I remember sitting there at the Batman panel and they showed a slide of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, as they were describing the story behind and what Bruce was going through, I was thinking, "I need to read this."
After NYCC was over I went to my local comic book store and picked up TDKR, and fucking LOVED it. It's not New 52. It's not new, it's older. But here's the thing. It's fucking awesome. Go buy it and read it and you'll see.


I'm just going to cut this short and say, there isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to read comics. Just go to the store, and see what jumps out at you. I mean, who cares if you happen to like the current Batgirl, while I may hate it. You are paying for the comic and if you enjoy it, why does it matter if it's "right" or "wrong"?

If you're lost, I'm sure you can find some help from everyone on here, the staff at your local comic store, can surely help if you just take the mindset of, "Hey I'm new can you at least point in me in some sort of direction for starting out?"
That's all I have to say about that. Good luck and hope you enjoy your time in comics (whether it be DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, etc)

If I had to supply a "here's a good place to start list", I'd say start with the following.

-Batman [Court of Owls] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-Court-Owls-New/dp/1401235425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342173&sr=8-1&keywords=batman+court+of+owls)

-Batgirl [Darkest Reflection] (http://www.amazon.com/Batgirl-Vol-Darkest-Reflection-New/dp/1401238149/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342206&sr=8-1&keywords=batgirl+vol+1)

-The Flash [Move Forward] (http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Vol-Move-Forward-New/dp/1401235549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342234&sr=8-1&keywords=flash+move+forward)
This isn't New 52 but it's still good [The Dark Knight Returns] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-Returns-Frank-Miller/dp/1563893428/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422342259&sr=8-1&keywords=frank+miller+the+dark+knight+returns&pebp=1422342259313&peasin=1563893428)

I'll give a crack at this:


Amazing Spider-Man is the primary comic that Spidey has appeared in and it has over 700 issues (damn close to 800 depending on how modern Marvel wants to count that) but it isn't the only one. His other titles and team-up books and team books put him in the thousands. So let's break this up.


Amazing Spider-Man 


The first 150 issues of Spider-Man are some of the best. You can collect this a few different ways but I would check out:


https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Amazing-Spider-Man-Masterworks-Vol-1/0785112561


Why should you start here? You get to see the magic happen as Peter becomes the hero and you get introduced to the vast majority of supporting characters that will continue to show up. There is a tonal shift after Lee steps down from writing duties that I personally enjoyed because during this era the characters grow in a way that haven't been able to in other eras. I think the conclusion of this era is with the death of Gwen Stacy and how that effects Peter's life. 


Amazing Spider-Man 200 to 400 are to be read when you are really ready to dive into the story. This is mid-80s (Secret Wars 1/2) to mid-90s (Clone Saga). I say this because it's around this time that the story is broken up where Story X Chapter 1 is in Amazing Spider-Man 312 and chapter 2 is in Web of Spider-Man 34 and Chapter 3 is in another comic. Aka it's confusing as hell. There are great stories here basically everything with Venom and Carnage but finding it is difficult. I would suggest a good reading list and Marvel Unlimited. For the Clone Saga check out: http://lifeofreillyarchives.blogspot.it/?m=1


If you are looking for a Spidey you are familiar with from the show I would read JMS's run. Personally it's not my favorite but the characterization will be very familiar to you here. 


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Spider-Man-Ultimate-Collection-Graphic/dp/0785138935


A lot changes with Spidey at this story where he is basically soft rebooted. This pissed off a lot of people but oh well it's been over a decade. You can read this basically straight through but I will provide a few other jumping on points below. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spider-Man-One-More-Graphic-Novel/dp/0785126341

Slott's run has been going on for a while to the point that this is modern Spider-Man. The character growth is something I champion but I can see people's complaints about it. If you want to see Spider-Man as he is now start here. 


https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Spider-Man-Big-Time-Ultimate-Collection-Dan-Slott/0785162178


Some modern highlights to not miss:


Avenging Spider-Man/Avenging Superior Spider-Man (that might not be right name exactly) are fantastic. It's a team up book that explores his relationship with other Avengers and it is wonderful. 


Superior-Foes of Spider-Man is a classic and I don't want to say much more. 


Agent Venom sprawls out of Slott's run and is also an amazing story. I don't want to give spoilers on this one too but keep it in mind. 


Finally this takes us to the team books. Spider-Man joins the Avengers in New Avengers #1 and is on the team from here. Brian Michael Bendis who I'm going to go on about in a second wrote one to four concurrent Avengers titles between 2004 and 2011 that is a wild ride. I enjoyed them and I know they had some flaws but I think they are a must read. 


Side note Spidey was made a probationary Avenger in Avengers Vol 3 which is arguably the best Avengers run (I would rate it number 2). 


Finally the Ultimate universe ... Ultimate Spider-Man and the other Ultimate titles were some of the best comics Marvel has put out in a long time. BMB was able to capture the feel of the early era but maybe it completely his own. It is a work of art ... Until Ultimatum. This event destroyed the Ultimate universe. I hated it. The ultimate comics were still good to read after that but they lost something essential that they had when they first started. 


Now I wrote all of this by memory so I'm sorry if something is off but this should be a good primer. Please consult comicbookherald.com for more (and better) commentary about comics.


But most importantly welcome and have fun on your journey. 

Edit: forgot a link.

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 :)

Right i'm bored in work so here are some suggestions!

Joss Whedons Astonishing X-Men Run - Great run and you can tell how much Whedon loves these characters

Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman - Never been a fan of the Four but Hickman has a great GREAT run here. Bit long and drawn out but if you like a slow build with a massive pay off this will be right up your street

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Rememnder Probably my most favored run out of marvel the last few years, great stories, great characters and a great ending.

If you enjoyed Saga basically anything from Image the last couple of years are fantastic and i genuinely prefer it to Marvel/Dc. My recommendations being Manhattan Projects, East of West, Black Science, Deadly class. The first two have a few volumes each and the last two have recently released their first trades.

What other characters do you love?

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

Oh yeah, I'm definitely picking up Superior. I honestly bought the first volume thinking it was a stand-alone universe, and read about halfway through it before switching to Ultimate. I really loved what I read, but at the time I was more interested in reading about Peter Parker. Still super cool looking back and putting the pieces together realizing Superior is a part of the Amazing run. And I definitely want to try to stick to chronological order over anything, so I'll get to Spider-Verse in due time.

As for the Champions series with Miles, I kinda saw the titles, but ultimately I think I'm going to stay away from it. I honestly think I prefer just reading mainly about the individual stories rather than what they get into as teams (unless maybe it was like a 1-shot sort of team-up volume like Spider-Men).

Just for shigs, I'm gonna lay out my current understanding of the storyline and if you could interject anything that you think I'm missing out on or if I've got the order out of wack:

For the Miles Line -- Ultimate Miles books 1-3 (includes Spider-Men vol1, as well as 3 issues of Cataclysm in the 3rd book---should I still pick up Cataclysm as a standalone book?) > Edge of Spider-Verse > Spider-Verse > Secret Wars Prelude > Secret Wars > Ultimate End > Spider-Man Miles Morales Vol 1 then continue through to vol 4 (is Civil War 2 worth reading after volume 1? - I see some stuff recommending it as a big tie-in event) > Spider-Men II > Secret Empire > then another Miles Morales Spider-Man vol1 which I believe picks up currently??

For the Peter Parker line, I found a general "how to" guide that references Dan Slott's run, but I don't know if there are other author tie-ins or who picks it up after the end of Slott -- Spider-Man Big Time 1 > sneaking Spider-Island into the middle of the Big Time issues because it looks like it's only briefly touched on in Big Time > Big Time 2-4 > Superior vol 1&2 > Amazing Spider-Man: The Parker Luck > Edge of Spider-Verse > Spider-Verse > Amazing SM: Graveyard Shift > Amazing SM: Spiral > Amazing SM Worldwide 1-4 > Amazing SM: Clone Conspiracy > World Wide 5-7 > Amazing SM: Venon INC is this one a good read or ok to skip? > Word Wide 8&9 > then red goblin, then Spider-geddon (as per suggested by you haha; and I believe Spider-geddon runs up to current status?)

Separate from that, I guess I'd pick up the new Superior Octopus & Superior Spider after Clone Conspiracy & Spider-geddon respectively (probably once it's in a collected format), & maybe check out Spider-Gwen's run, and I also had the owner of the comic shop mention a separate Amazing SM line where it's Peter, MJ, and their daughter all with powers? (I can't remember the title for the life of me though).

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.
  

Awe boo. I guess that's kinda true. I'd probably whine about it to my SO, or creepily stare over his shoulder while he played... and mutter about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery :P

Yess! Wigs are FUN! Blue is on my list. Purple is next, purple with BRIGHT PINK!

Don't Starve is coming out with multiplayer sometime soon! Plus RoG is pretty fun, just remember to start in the autumn.
I'll check out Diversity. I'm always looking for servers, I still haven't found one that I really like.

Mmmm, Uncanny X-Force actually has Deadpool in it. Not a TON, but it's a good introduction to his character with a good blend of suggestion, morals, and punny jokes. Check out the Apocalypse Solution.

After that I'm not even sure where you could go. Cable and Deadpool is a classic. Joe Kelly's Omnibus just came out not long ago, and he's considered one of the best writers for Deadpool's character. Daniel Way's Complete collection is in the works, with an omnibus on the way. Way has a lot of subtleties with his DP. A lot of the time it is directly in your face, but I feel like there's more you can read into if you look.

Wha-wha-whaa? There's a different ending in Watchmen? One of the biggest problems I had with the movie was with the ending and you're telling me it's different? Hmmm. I may just have to pick it up after all.

V's good, It's Alan Moore so you really can't go wrong. I think the movie actually held up pretty well against the book actually.

You know I haven't pick up any of the Avenger stuff. We've got a Thor comic laying around that I need to read, but that's it. It's funny because I actually really like RDJ's Iron Man, but I've not picked up the comics yet.

I'm a Marvel Hero Fan and a DC Villain fan. I feel like DC's villains are more rounded and actually have pretty respectable goals/logic. (Mr. Freeze and his poor Nora! Never mind backstory, there's at least warped logic!) But Marvel's villains feel lackluster in comparison. Very flat most of the time.

On the flip side Marvel's heroes (or anti-heroes) feel more rounded to me than DC's do.

I'm always willing to read more though. Lots to read- I'll never get through it all.

^^^and ^^^I'm ^^^so ^^^sorry ^^^these ^^^are ^^^so ^^^long, ^^^I ^^^never ^^^get ^^^to ^^^talk ^^^to ^^^people ^^^about ^^^comics ^^^:(

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.

If you want the best Flash stories read The Flash by these writers in this order:

The Flash by Mark Waid
The Flash by Morrison/Millar (This takes place in the middle of Waid's run)
The Flash by Geoff Johns

These books do not have Barry as the Flash, they feature Wally West as the Flash. Barry was dead at this time due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West was the Flash at this time. The Flash by Mark Waid and the Flash by Morrison and Millar all feature the introduction of the Speed Force and use evil speedsters the most. Geoff Johns uses the Rogues more than evil speedsters but the stories are still great. Mark Waid's run has 2 books out (With a third coming out later this year) and will be around 7 or 8 books long, Morrison's run is 1 book long and Johns has 3 books out but it will be about 5 or 6 books. Reading in the right order is not essential. I read Johns run before Morrison/Millar and Waid and understood everything.

For Barry Allen all I can recommend is

Flash Rebirth (2009) by Geoff Johns

Flash Dastardly Death of the Rogues by Geoff Johns

[Flashpoint by Geoff Johns] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1401233384/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480633753&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=flashpoint&dpPl=1&dpID=61e0-Dt31zL&ref=plSrch)

New 52 Flash volumes 1-4 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato

The rest of the New 52 is really bad, do not get it. Flash Rebirth (2016) has been pretty fun, but a bit disappointing at the start, but it's gotten a lot better. But still, I heavily recommend getting the Wally West volumes above.

Bart Allen

Impulse by various authors is a great series from what I hear. Personally I haven’t read it but various well informed Flash redditors have said it’s great. Just don’t read Flash Fastest Man Alive. It’s not good.

A few miscellaneous stories include

The Brave and The Bold by Mark Waid a story about Barry Allen and Hal Jordan for 6 issues at different points in their life. I haven’t been able to find a physical copy.

This whole series is a team book that features Wally as the Flash

The current Titans by Dan Abnett heavily features Wally. Especially this first trade.

Green Lantern v3 issues 66-67 a short arc between Kyle Rayner Green Lantern and Wally West. It’s their first one on one team up and it’s a cool story that ignites their rivalry.

All-Flash #1 sets up Wally as the Flash after Bart’s tenure as the Flash (Do not read it) and is a cool, cool story that shows Wally at one of his lowest points.

The Wild Wests by Mark Waid (Flash vol 2 #231-237) is a story that isn’t close to as good as Waid’s initial run but it’s still good in my opinion. First story with Wally as a dad and it tries to establish a new status quo for the Flash. Then Waid leaves DC. Also, it has cool art.

Both Young Justice by Peter David and Teen Titans by Geoff Johns feature Bart in a main role

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.

I started from J. Michael Straczynski's run on The Amazing Spider-Man and straight through Superior to now. Here's the reading order of J. Michael Straczynski to Big Time:

• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, Book 1 (collecting AMS vol. 2, #30-45)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Ultimate-Collection-Book/dp/0785138935/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1412858993&sr=8-4&keywords=amazing+spider-man+by+jms
  
  
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, Book 2 (collecting AMS vol. 2, #46-58; Amazing Spider-Man #500-502)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-JMS-Ultimate-Collection/dp/0785138943/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
  
  
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, Book 3 (collecting AMS #503-518)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-JMS-Ultimate-Collection/dp/0785138951/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
  
  
  
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, Book 4 (collecting AMS #519-528; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4; Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19-22)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-JMS-Ultimate-Collection/dp/078513896X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_z
  
  
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, Book 5 (collecting AMS #529-545; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24; Sensational Spider-Man #41)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Ultimate-Collection-Book/dp/0785138978/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
  
  
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Vol. 1 (collecting AMS #546-551; Free Comic Book Day 2007: Amazing Spider-Man; Venom Super Special #1)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Brand-New-Day-Vol/dp/078512845X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412859490&sr=1-1&keywords=spider-man+brand+new+day
  
  
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Vol. 2 (collecting AMS #552-558)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Brand-New-Day-Vol/dp/0785128468/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
  
  
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Vol. 3 (collecting AMS #559-563)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Brand-New-Day-Vol/dp/0785132422/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z
  
  
• Spider-Man: Kraven's First Hunt (collecting AMS #564-567)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Kravens-First-Marc-Guggenheim/dp/0785132430/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1PECDWKJMK0CSC91BRTN
  
  
• Spider-Man: New Ways to Die (collecting AMS #568-573)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-New-Ways-Dan-Slott/dp/0785132449/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0F83QKBSVC3K2HGBCY9R
  
  
• Spider-Man: Crime and Punisher (collecting AMS #574-577; "Death of a Wise Guy" from Spider-Man: Brand New Day - Extra!! #1)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Crime-Punisher-Zeb-Wells/dp/0785134174/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QESJRKA46KTC3B8M4QD
  
  
• Spider-Man: Death and Dating (collecting AMS #578-583, Annual #35)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Death-Dating-Mark-Waid/dp/0785134182/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
  
  
• Spider-Man: Election Day (collecting AMS #583-588; "Black and White" from Amazing Spider-Man: Extra! #2; "With Great Responsibility Comes Great Power" from Amazing Spider-Man: Extra! #3; "Gettysburg Distress" from Presidents' Day Celebration #1)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Election-Day-Marc-Guggenheim/dp/0785134190/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0M680NBFE1VSSRGJ6PTP
  
  
• Spider-Man: 24/7 (collecting AMS #589-594; "Birthday Boy" from Amazing Spider-Man: Extra! #2)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-24-Fred-Van-Lente/dp/0785134204/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=13Q8Z1Z8J02K050KSX2T
  
  
• Spider-Man: American Son (collecting AMS #595-599; "Nice Things" from Amazing Spider-Man: Extra! #3)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-American-Son-Joe-Kelly/dp/0785140832/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0263Y3F47GNY5SVPPEC9
  
  
• Spider-Man: Died in Your Arms Tonight (collecting AMS #600-601, Annual #36; "Just an Old Sweet Song" from Amazing Spider-Man Family #7)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Died-Your-Arms-Tonight/dp/0785144854/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=16ZEYFXWXQXBYQS55A4V
  
  
• Spider-Man: Red-Headed Stranger (collecting AMS #602-605)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Red-Headed-Fred-Van-Lente/dp/0785138692/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ZV0RZFH4QB32T1T8TS2
  
  
• Spider-Man: Return of the Black Cat (collecting #606-611; "Echoes" from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #1)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Return-Black-Joe-Kelly/dp/0785138684/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1SKDCR7FV2FENPC43AWA
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Book 1 - Electro and Sandman (collecting AMS #612-616; Dark Reign: The List - Amazing Spider-Man; "Origins: Electro" from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #2)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Gauntlet-Vol-Electro-Sandman/dp/0785138714/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FYM85KEFNYVS019SWBZ
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Book 2 - Rhino and Mysterio (collecting AMS #617-621; "Origins: Rhino" from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #3; "Origins: Mysterio" from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #4)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Gauntlet-Vol-Rhino-Mysterio/dp/0785138722/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=08MTTJFRZKR1V30AGCNG
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Book 3 - Vulture and Morbius (collecting AMS #622-625; "Origins: Vulture" from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #5)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Gauntlet-Vol-Vulture-Morbius/dp/0785146121/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=067V3YMN8DNQK9854QGD
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Book 4 - Juggernaut (collecting AMS #229-230, 626-629)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-The-Gauntlet-Vol-Juggernaut/dp/0785146148/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Book 5 - Lizard (collecting AMS #630-633; Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #6)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-The-Gauntlet-Vol-Lizard/dp/0785146164/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WV4APRVGM83YTP6GPTD
  
  
• Spider-Man: The Grim Hunt (collecting #634-637; the Grim Hunt Digital Prologue; the "Loose Ends" story from Amazing Spider-Man Extra! #3 and Gauntlet Origins: Kraven from Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #7)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Grim-Hunt-Joe-Kelly/dp/0785146180/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YAYC1092ZF1T6RBBYKD
  
  
• Spider-Man: One Moment in Time (collecting AMS #638-641)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Moment-Time-Joe-Quesada/dp/0785146202/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0477052AA9CP2SF700ME
  
  
• Spider-Man: Origin of the Species (collecting AMS #642-647)
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Origin-Species-Mark-Waid/dp/0785146229/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0G9WSN56V9RN3K2M5K17

• First and foremost, Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Really, pick up the first volume.. and then I dare you to stop reading.
  
  
• Everything Warren Ellis touches generally turns to gold, but I especially loved his Transmetropolitan series. Science fiction, anarchy, general badassery.. fantastic all around.
  
  
• Ghost World has been mentioned, and while I liked that, I thought David Boring was a superior work from Clowes.
  
  
• Just picked up The Unwritten, a new series by Mike Carey. After finishing the first volume, it looks pretty promising.
  
  
• Demo was dark and angsty, but in a good way.
  
  
• Marvel 1602 was a really interesting take on superheroes.. and again, penned by Gaiman. He fucking rules. Oh, and another Gaiman favourite of mine: Books of Magic.. Gaiman knows the right way to write John Constantine.
  
  Edit: Also, you might want to give manga (asian graphic novels) a try! Good ones to get started with are Death Note and Bleach. I also liked xxxHolic (though I never finished the series), and the anime film for Akira was amazing so I can only imagine that the manga would be just as good -- if not better!

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 :)