The Official Recommendations Thread

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I can't seem to find a decent picture of it to post but I reccommend.

Star Wars: Dark Empire

I can't say that I've read it but if you are a Star Wars fan I hear this is the book for you

 

[Yodaman]

I didn't like it much at all. It was very very cheesy and it's kind of anticlimatic seeing that the Emperor was resurrected. If you don't mind cheesy action pieces read it, but if you want a real Star Wars adventure read the Timothy Zahn novels instead.

 

[The Question]

And its not like a government has ever put a lot of money into something that proved to be prejudadice before...

But it wasn't something that could be scene either way. They were building 60 foot tall robots specifically designed to hunt down and brutally slaughter an entire group of people simply for the actions of a small number of them who most of them probably have never met. They killed innocent people and said that it was a cell of mutant terrorists, even though they were engaging in no terrorist activity and were killed solely because they were mutants. The government, especially the government of today, would never do that. SImply on the basis that it would be a complete PR nightmare and is tactically illogical.

 

[Darthphere]

So thats a no on Ultimate X-Men?

 

[The Watchman]

Judging by your avatar I really think you'd like it.

 

[Darthphere]

Judging by your avatar I really think you'd like it.

Hmmm makes sense.

 

[The Question]

So thats a no on Ultimate X-Men?

Oh, no. It's a yes. It's a very good read. I'm just saying, the ultimate version of the Sentinel program doesn't make much sense.

 

[The Watchman]

but Millar write "badass" like no one else at Marvel right now. Not as good as The Ultimates, but between the art and the contained continuity it's a great read.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

but Millar write "badass" like no one else at Marvel right now. Not as good as The Ultimates, but between the art and the contained continuity it's a great read.

Yeah, you know Millar's a good badass writer when CYCLOPS is a huge badass. I mean, the only time the guy's ever been a badass was when Morrison was writing New.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Might I recommend:

Loveless: A Kin of Homecoming

Written by the usually-noir-scribing Brian Azzarello, it is a brilliant spaghetti western set during the reconstruction of the south after the Civil War.

The story starts in Blackwater, Missouri, where Wes Cutter, just recently out from a Northern prison camp, comes back to his hometown, his land, and his wife, Ruth, when he finds out that his land has been taken by the Union after the fall of the Confederates. This is only the beginning to Cutter's bloody course, that is hard to dicipher at this point...considering almost all the main players in the soon-to-be major bloodfest have mysteries surrounding them.

Despite that, it's a great story, and I highly recommend it.

 

[Elijya]

Hey Peck how's it going? Well I have to make out a b-day list and I can't really think of anything except for some TPB I want. I was wondering what you could reccommend. I like pretty much all comics. As long as the stories are good. I think you have an idea of what I like from chatting with you but this might help give you a better idea of what to reccommend me.

Books/stories I have or really enjoyed.

Thanos Quest IG saga
Batman Year One
Batman DKR
Kingdome Come
Hulk The End
Watchmen
Dark Pheonix Saga
Days of Furture Past
Batman:The Cult
Batman: DKSB
Kraven The Last Hunt
Supreme Power
Crisis On Infinite Earths
JLA Earth 2
Red Son p. 3

Those are some of my favs. I am getting Banner but I was wondering if you could recommend some really good Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Green Lantern, Dr. Strange & Doom, F4, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man or any really good DC stories or just really good stories in general.

I'm asking you, well because I know you have read a lot but I also hold on yours and a few others opinions here for any worth in terms of quality readings.

This is of course if you have the time.

Thanks Peck

Thanks, very cool of you to come to me.

I'm gonna recommend a few things based on what you asked for, a couple other hero books, and some non-hero stuff to broaden your horizons

mind If I respond in the recommendations thread, though?

No not at all. I know you have posted plenty in there but it's a lot to sort through not to mention I can't get them all, even though I would love too. I was hoping you would reccommend a few non hero books.

As much as I like Marvel and DC I do really want to get into other comics from different companies that offer more than just superheroes. Also are the essentials any good? Such as Thor, Hulk, X-men, Spiderman and so on?

I mean any really good stories or just a lot of history?

Thanks again Peck

IMO, The Essentials (and DC Showcase) are really just there if you really love the characters and want their history. Personally, comics from any more than 20-30 years ago or so just don't usually compare to stories from today. Though I'm sure there are many older collectors who would disagree with me.

To speed things up, I'm just giving quick snippets with links to amazon. You can see the cover art and read other people's opinions about the books there if you want more info


Thor - Anything by Oeming, which would be Disassembled and Blood Oath. Both just really really awesome mythological tales
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...f=pd_bbs_1/102-2057549-0828931?_encoding=UTF8
(the Blood Oath softcover won't be available until next year, appearently, but $12.99 for the HC is a damn good deal)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
There's also the very cool Ennis/Fabry miniseries Thor: Vikings, but the trade's been out of print for awhile. See if any of your LCSes might still have it in stock, or check ebay


Hulk - Hulk The End is probably the best Hulk story I've ever read, but you've got that. After that, I'd say Future Imprfect, which you'll have to check ebay for. I've been hearing Planet Hulk is good, but that's not out in trade yet.

Captain America - Brubaker's current run is fantasic. Get "The Winter Soldier" vol 1 and 2. For God's sake, he made me actually care about Nomad, which I didn't think was possible!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Green Lantern - Green Lantern Rebirth, possibly the most Badass GL story ever written
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
DC: The New Frontier is also an incredible read, that focuses on the DC of the 1950s when America is in it's post war years and heading into a new era. Tells the tale of the early years of Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and several less notable (today) DC characters like The Black Hawks and the Challengers of the Unknown. GL gets a little more focus here than the other characters. The series comes in two volumes
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore is a book you should probably get anyway because it's friggin Alan Moore. It also contains two of the most fascinating GL stories you'll ever read.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Dr. Strange & Doom - you grouped these, have you already read Triumph and Toment? If not, you should, it's arguably the greatest single story in the MU. Only available off ebay and slightly hard to come by, though. For both Doom and the Fantastic Four, anything written by Mark Waid. In particular, the Hardcovers collecting Waids run tell one of the best Doom stories ever, and some really excellent, simple fun ones with the FF
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Batman, Super Man, Wonder Woman - oy, there's too much to go into with those three, and you've probably read the majority of the notable stories starring them. Really, almost any JLA trade is good reading. Superman: Secret Identity by Busiek was really excellent
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
There's some good Supes and Bats stories in the Alan Moore book I mentioned above, as well.

Iron Man is tough. I like him as a character, but I've never really read any top notch stories with him. The best I can name is The Mask in The Iron Man from about 7 years ago which was a really good story about Tony's armor becoming sentient
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Really, if you want good Thor/Captain America/Iron Man stories, I find they work best ensemble, which means the Avengers. And if you want to read Avengers, you've GOT to read the Busiek/Perez era, which was just non-stop fun
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155


As for other DC stories - Green Arrow is the way to go. Phil Hester drew the first 40 or so issues of the latest series, aided by excellent scripts from Kevin smith, Brad Meltzer, and Judd Winnick. I did some write-ups for the book back on page 4
http://superherohype.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6132291&postcount=95

Invincible - earns it's title of "probably the best superhero comic on the stands" over and over, Invincible never stops being a great read. Make sure to get the hardcover! covered on page 1:
http://superherohype.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6101625&postcount=2


other stuff:

we3 - if you enjoyed JLA: Earth 2, you should love We3, since it's also by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. It's this bizarre little sci-fi tale about three cybernetic assassins... that happen to be a dog, cat, and bunny.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14...102-2057549-0828931?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

For more non-superhero stuff - well, I've littered this thread with them, just check page 1. For some great Sci-Fi, anything written by Warren Ellis (The Authority, Planetary, Ocean, Transmetropolitan) or Phil Hester (The Coffin, Deep Sleeper). Anything published by Vertigo will also blow you away (Preacher, 100 Bullets, Sandman, Fables, Y-The Last Man)

 

[Not Jake]

You know coming back from X3 the other day I started thinking on how I never really gave Ultimate X-Men a shot. For the record I dont read any Ultimate titles but I remember picking up Ultimate X-Men with the now famous Blockbuster arc. Lets just say I dropped the book after the firts issue of the new Mutants arc. Ive always wondered what Millar and Kubert did in the beginning. So should I bother looking into the first hardcover at least or let it die?

I've read and reviewed the first 3 tpbs in this thread and they're nothing to write home about. But something to write Hype about, apparently.

 

[Not Jake]

Oh, I read WE3. It was great.

9/10

 

[The Watchman]

I bought that for my girlfriend because she's a huge animal person and she wouldn't talk to me for a week, she doesn't understand the greatness of Grant Morrison and Quitely

 

[Speedball]

I'm defianantly gonna have to recommend Ares. If your a fan of mythological heroes, than you'll get a kick out of Ares.

 

[Elijya]

I bought that for my girlfriend because she's a huge animal person and she wouldn't talk to me for a week, she doesn't understand the greatness of Grant Morrison and Quitely

funny, my fiance LOVED it. She even made it her avatar

 

[Elijya]

To people looking for recommendations: Whether you've just started reading comics and are looking for what's good, or are an old-timer who thinks he's running out of things to read, we welcome you. I hope you find the recommendations contained in this thread helpful, and I assure you I try to only recommend things I find to be at the top of the pile of quality, although our views may differ from time to time. Even if it fits into a genre you've not previously been a fan of, I encourage you to give them all a try anyway, as the books below are of the best stories comics have to offer, and the best works in any genre often transcend their genre. Also, we always recommend you start at the begining of any series, as most books are quite linear, and jumping on in the middle will sometimes ruin the surprise of great events that happened before.

If you are having difficulty finding a place to get these books, I can tell you that most Borders, Walden Books, and Barnes and Noble have small graphic novel sections, and should be able to order many graphic novels for you that they do not keep in stock. Also, www.the-master-list.com will assist you in finding your nearest comicbook stores. If you've never been to a comicbook store before or recently, I highly recommend you stop by one and hopefully will find a pleasent conversation with the clerk on duty, and may see some more things you enjoy. Lastly, graphic novels can be found at www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com, www.milehighcomics.com, www.dreamlandcomics.com, www.talesofwonder.com, and www.instocktrades.com. I have provided direct links to the Amzon.com listings for these vomues so you may get more information and other reviews of them, but be sure to look around at the other places they're available for purchase.

I hope this will all be helpful to you. Happy reading!

(If you would like to add a recommendation yourself, or request ones from others, please visit the old ORT here: http://superherohype.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186190 )

Page 1
-Invincible
-Fables
-Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
-The Ultimates
-Sleeper
-Planetary
-Y: The Last Man
-Gotham Central
-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
-V for Vendetta
-Sandman
-Astonishing X-Men
-Lex Luthor: Man of Steel
-Superman: Birthright
-Alan Moore's Top Ten
-Batman: The Killing Joke
-Watchmen
-Squadron Supreme
-Spider-Man/Human Torch
-Great Lakes Avengers: Misassembled
-1602
-Exiles
-Arrowsmith
-Astro City
Page 2
-Peter David's Captain Marvel
-We3
-Space Ghost
-The Might Thor (by Dan Jurgens)
-JLA: The Obsidian Age
-Astonishing X-Men
-Keith Giffen's Justice League
-Batman: Hush
-Identity Crisis
-Transmetropolitan

 

[Elijya]

Title: Invincible
Writer/Artist: Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Marvel Team-Up), Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker
Publisher: Image
Genre: Superheroes

Invincible is the Eisner Award-nominated top selling Image book, created and written by Robert Kirkman (same guy who's doing The Walking Dead, Marvel Zombies, Marvel Team Up, and Ultimate X-Men). Here's the pitch from the back of volume one:

"Mark Grayson is just like most everyone else his age. He's a senior at a normal American high School. He has a crappy part time job after school and on weekends. He likes girls quite a bit... but doesn't quite understand them. He enjoys hanging out with his friends, and sleeping late on Saturdays... at least until the good cartoons come on. The only difference between Mark and everyone else is that his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, and as of late, he seems to be inheriting his father's powers. Strange things begin to happen to Mark Grayson as he begins to develop superpowers. Luckily, his dad is around to show him the ropes, at least he would be if he weren't so busy saving the world all the time. "

But that's just the begining. Over only two years, Kirkman has not only developed Mark and his father into amazingly fleshed out characters, he's created a whole world around Mark that rivals the entire Marvel or DC Universes in variety and creativity. The twists are non stop, as is the fun. The plot is no holds barred, the storytelling is top notch, and it is downright the best superhero title being published today.

Format: So far there's six softcover volumes collecting the first 26 issues. But the Hardcovers are the real bargain, as they contain three softcovers each, plus a load of bonus material, for cheaper than the softcovers. You can buy the volume 1 HC for an incrediblly low $23 at Amazon (softcovers they ask $10 a peice for). Buy it, and get hooked!

Amazon.com listing:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...f=pd_bbs_1/103-9396336-0621452?_encoding=UTF8

write-up originally by Elijya

OMFG!!!!

I JUST FINISHED READING THE FIRST SEVEN ISSUES OF INVINCIBLE AND...

HOLY SH##%%$#@#^&&^$%&%!!!!!!!

Invincible has just become one of the best comics I've ever read. WITH ONLY SEVEN ISSUES!! AGGGGHHHH!!!

What are you doing reading this post??!! Go read INVINCIBLE!!! NOW!!!!

 

[Elijya]

K, in case you didn't noticed, I've started a new ORT thread that's locked. I hope to move recommendations into that thread so there's less talk and discussion inbetween the entries, and there also held to a higher standard (I'm trying to keep a consistent format, so I'll have to be adding a few things to anything moved over there)

 

[Elijya]

Warning: Adult Content. The recommended book below is intended for Mature Readers and may contain foul language, nudity or other material you may find offensive. It is the equivalent of an R Rated movie.

Title: Fables
Writer/Artist: Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and others. Covers by James Jean.
Publisher: DC Vertigo
Genre: Fantasy, Mature Readers

Summary
Fables has what you might think of as a rather easy concept, but writer Bill Willingham has made it easily one of the most intriguing books being published today. Basicly, all the fairy tale characters you know and love (Prince Charming, Snow White, The Big Bad Wolf, Beauty and the Beast, Little Boy Blue, Pinnochio, etc.) all used to live in the same world together, until a mysterious unstoppable villain called The Adversary assembled an army and swept across the lands, conquering everything. The Fables that could escaped to our world, which they call the Mundane world (and they refer to humans derisively as Mundies). They established a community for themselves in New York City, living in isolation so as not to reveal their true immortal natures, while plotting a way to win their homelands back. They've been here for hundreds of years, but a realistic effort to return to the homelands now seems unlikely, and most Fables are resigned to a normal daily routine in their new world. But some can't quite escape their nature.

The first arc is a muder mystery, when Rose Red (sister of Snow White) goes missing and her apartment is covered in blood. Bigby Wolf is Fabletown's sherrif and takes the case. The second arc, Animal Farm, deals with the large upstate property where all the non-human looking fables (the three little pigs, all the animals from the jungle book, dragons, giant, etc.) are kept. But they've become restless and tired of being cooped up in hiding... which makes it very easy for Goldielocks (who's been reading far too much Marx) to instigate a revolution.

One of the most recent arc deals with how the adversary in the other world has begun marching into the lands of the Arabian fables, causing an influx of arabs with archaic values and social structures into the new world, causing numerous cultural clashes (especially when the arabians find their beloved city of Baghdad an occupied city in this world).

It's a large overlapping tale that's just lots of fun with all the twists and turns it takes, and how you truly never know what might happen to some of these characters next.

Format: Currently, there are 7 volumes of the collected editions available. Best if read in order.
Amazon.com listing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...f=pd_bbs_3/102-2057549-0828931?_encoding=UTF8

First three pages of issue 12, for a sample read:
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/pages/30527762945.12.P1.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/pages/30527762945.12.P2.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/pages/30527762945.12.P3.GIF

write-up originally by Elijya

 

[iloveclones]

Hey Elijya. The format looks great.

Is there any way to subscribe to that thread? I tried and it said the thread was closed.

 

[Elijya]

thanks!

try clicking on "thread tools" when you're in it and select subscribe.

if that doesn't work, I'll be putting the link to it on the first page of this thread

 

[Dr.Doom]

anyone recomend astonishing xmen?

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Hey thanks for the reccommendations Peck

 

[Gilpesh]

I need some help finding some good Marvel and DC books or any comic books. And seeing as I am a little OCD I need to start at least at a new story arc.