Help Getting Started With Comics

[Purple Man]

Give 'Wolverine: Public Enemy' and 'Wolverine: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.' a try

Blood, ninjas and a whole mess of Marvel stars.

 

[Rellings]

I was wondering about something: Do the different X-Men series ( Uncanny, Astonishing, Unlimited, etc) take place during different times, or are they different takes on the X-Men from different writers?

 

[squeekness]

If you don't mind reading the comics on your computer you can look into buying 40 Years of X-men on DVDRom. It has Uncanny issues 1-461 on it, plus 17 annuals for about $40. It is a legal, Marvel sanctioned product. You can find details on it in this short thread. :

http://www.superherohype.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234588

Also available on disc -- 40 Years of Avengers, Fantastic Four and Amazing Spiderman.

 

[Orko Is King]

Here's what I recommend if it's X-Men you're looking for...

Astonishing X-Men HC
40 years of X-Men CD-ROM

 

[Genesis 1.0]

I was wondering about something: Do the different X-Men series ( Uncanny, Astonishing, Unlimited, etc) take place during different times, or are they different takes on the X-Men from different writers?

Heh, they all take place during the same time, but don't expect any interraction. One team could take down a big time villan and the other team wouldn't mention it. The writers have the teams set aside in their own little bubbles, if you will.

As a Wolverine fan, I suggest you also get Enemy of the State & Agent of SHIELD, it shows Logan at his best shutting in the Marvel community and kicking major ass. Also the Wolverine line is doing him justice, so check that out as well.

Besides Astonishing, Uncanny X-Men is also a worthwhile book.

 

[Prognosticator]

Hi, I've never been a big comic guy, I have a few random ones spread around my apartment. Part of the reason is I don't know where to start! I'm interested like many, in Wolverine. I'd like to start somewhere where I don't have to back order 400 issues, but I don't want to miss alot either.

I was looking at the Wolverine and Wolverine Origins comics and was wondering, which I should start with? Or start with one of the many X-Men series, which I have no clue where to start with that, there are like 5 different series! I want to be able to read the story and not be reading things that have happened and not wondering what the hell they are talking about.

As you can tell, I'm overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the many different series and have no clue where to start. I just want to start where I havent missed anything, so Issue #1 would be the best.

You certainly picked the worst character for your specific problem! I mean that since Wolverine appears in EVERY damn book Marvel puts out. By christmas, he'll also be joining the FF and become the new herald for Galactus!

...but seriously, if you don't mind buy 70 issues of something, you could always pick up the full Ultimate X-Men series in trade paper back form for cheap on Amazon, and you'll never miss a lick of his continuity there...

 

[Prognosticator]

A Wolvie fan?

Dude,go out and get the Enemy of the State and Agent of SHIELD paperbacks.Both stories go together and it was one hell of a Wolvie story with lots of action and guest stars.

this is true if you want action! but i'd have to agree with Darthphere about "Deadly Genesis", it's superb! You could really just back up, grab the first two 'Astonishing X-Men' Softcover Trades, these two 'Wolverine' trades, 'Deadly Genesis', and you can decide from there which series interest you the most in pursuing!

 

[Prognosticator]

Well I guess I'll start with Origins and maybe pick up the Wolverine Essentials books to catch up on the Wolverine series. Thanks for all the replies everybody.

Screw 'Origins' and pick up the trade of "Wolverine: Origin", a limited series by Jurgens, I believe. It poignant w/o overdoing it, and gives Wolverine a whole new perspective. Plus, FANTASTIC artwork!

 

[Darthphere]

Its Paul Jenkins.

 

[Prognosticator]

yes, sorry i was too lazy to look that up...i suck for that one

 

[Fred_Fury]

You should check out Batman comics too, they usually have better story than Wolverine or Punisher comic books because theyre written by better writers (such as Frank Miller). I suggest you pick up the Dark Knight Returns

 

[Prognosticator]

I would agree, Batman books kick more ass, artistically and otherwise!

 

[Darthphere]

Opinion.

 

[squeekness]

You should check out Batman comics too, they usually have better story than Wolverine or Punisher comic books because theyre written by better writers (such as Frank Miller). I suggest you pick up the Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller was the first writer on the Wolverine ongoing book in '88, so if you pick up the Essential Wolverine vol. 1, you'll be getting Miller's work anyways.

 

[Fred_Fury]

oh and by the way, batman would kick wolverine and punishers ass at the same time. and thats a fact.

 

[Prognosticator]

Opinion.

Certainly. Opinion only.

 

[squeekness]

oh and by the way, batman would kick wolverine and punishers ass at the same time. and thats a fact.

That may be - and I disagree - but the fact is that all these guys have had rotating creative teams and good runs and bad runs. The hard part is for a new collector to decide what's decent and what isn't. We are not going to agree even amongst ourselves here on teh board what's good and what's bad. That's what I like about the DVDRom's that Marvel just released. For $40, a minimal committment, you can get a chance to read almost 500 issues and then decide for yourself what you want to buy on paper. The Esssentials are okay, but they cost $15 each, only have about 20 issues in them, and they are in black and white. The DVDRom is the way to go. Seriously.

 

[Prognosticator]

I might have to check those out myself, squeek. thanks

 

[squeekness]

I might have to check those out myself, squeek. thanks

In this short thread I even listed the system requirements for someone who asked.

http://www.superherohype.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234588

I have the X-men disc, I tell ya, it's worth every penny. I can't see why the other editions -- FF, Spiderman -- would be any different. I hope DC jumps in and does the same thing, I really do.

 

[Super Mark]

One piece of cheap advice: Flip through the bargain box once in a while at your local shop. You may "discover" something you would never have bought at full price and end then up loving it!

 

[squeekness]

That's true. I've really made out especially if the place is closing. I bought a ton of Lobo's at 10-25 cents each and I find him hilarious in a sick and twisted sort of way.

 

[warren_sparta27]

i've only recently started reading marvel, and i really can't recommend Civil War enough, it's been excellent, if you start reading that you could prolly start picking up the Wolverine title at the start of the civil war tie-in at #42.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

You should check out Batman comics too, they usually have better story than Wolverine or Punisher comic books because theyre written by better writers (such as Frank Miller). I suggest you pick up the Dark Knight Returns

As you can see Relling, alot of strongly opinonated people here, just remember the Reading Rainbow motto: "But don't have to take my word for it."

 

[JustSayKB]

Hey guys! Like Rellings I'm getting back into comic reading and collecting. The last book I picked up was in January 1987! Back then I was a monthly subscriber to Mile High Comics. Glad to see they're still around.

So far the Civil War series and tie-ins have me hooked. There are way too many X-Men titles to get back into it but I look forward to X-Men #475 for obvious reasons. I'm also stuck trying to find Wolverine #41 & 42. I tried my four local stores to no avail. Where do you guys back order? Monthly subscriptions? If any has extra copies of those two issue please let me know.

 

[Elijya]

hey justsay, welcome back to the hobby!

you're right on, there are WAY too many X-Titles to get back into. Uncanny 475 looks to be a good jumping on point, but be careful not to get sucked into buying everything just because it has an "x" on it

We have an Official Recommendations Thread that should help you alot in telling you what some of the best books of the past 20 years are, hopefully you'll find lots of stuff to look into
http://superherohype.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186190