What do you think of the Marvel Comic's Essentials? What is your opinion on them?

[boywonder13]

If you have no idea what I am talking about Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_Marvel_Comics

Are they really worth it cause I want to start getting most if not all X-Men comics.....? Is the black adn white okay?More Comments would be liked also thanks.

 

[Elijya]

IMO, The Essentials (and DC Showcase) are really just there if you really love the characters and want their history.

It really just depends on if you like older stuff. Personally, most comics from before around 1986 I can't really read because they're written with such a different style that's not as entertaining or mature, and it's a boring struggle to get through alot of them. Oh sure, I respect the classics, and there are exceptions. Alot of writers had brilliant ideas. But while I respect the concepts, it's the execution that disinterests me. But that's just me. I'm sure there are many older collectors who would disagree with me.

The only Showcase I own is Green Arrow, which I only have because I'm a big GA fan. And I haven't erven read it, yet.

so I'd just say it's a matter of A. can you read older books and enjoy them? B. how big a fan of whatever character it is are you?

 

[Elijya]

and it's really not necessary to start the X-Men from the begining. But if you gonna do it, either get the essentials, or the 40 years of X-Men on CD-Rom, because those're the only ways you'll be able to afford reading them all.

couple weeks ago, some person new to comics got interested in the x-men via X3 and asked "I wanna read them from the begining, where should I start?" and I informed him that there are somewhere around 2,000 X-Men comics when you count all the spin-off series, and that took the wind out of his sails.

But anyway, what's inspired you to do this? what comics have you been read before? have you read silver age comics before? because they don't read like modern ones

 

[UK_Stu]

I actually really like them. The stories are the most important elements for me, so the Essentails and the showcase books offer great value for money for reading stories. The fact they are in black and white means little to me, its the fact you can read about 30 consecutive comic books for about a tenner - expanding your comic knowledge base without spending a fortune on back issues

 

[boywonder13]

and it's really not necessary to start the X-Men from the begining. But if you gonna do it, either get the essentials, or the 40 years of X-Men on CD-Rom, because those're the only ways you'll be able to afford reading them all.

couple weeks ago, some person new to comics got interested in the x-men and asked "I wanna read them from the begining, where should I start?" and I informed him that there are somewhere around 2,000 X-Men comics when you count all the spin-off series, and that took the wind out of his sails.

But anyway, what's inspired you to do this? what comics have you been read before? have you read silver age comics before? because they don't read like modern ones

I've read Silver Age, and Bronze age comics. I amactuallyu starting from the one with giant size X-Men, so its fairly modern, 1975 I believe.

I love comics from yester yearm Im 14 years old but I still love comics from the 60s and 70s. I should have said that I want to start with X-Men's "return" to comics with Giant Size X-Men #1. I read it adn it is really good. It prety much began modern comics books.

Essential X-Men 1 has teh phoenix saga adn the second one has the Dark Phoenix saga.

Thanks for the advice Elijya! Mods on other boards are ususally loosers.

 

[Elijya]

yeah, just realize they do something tricky, in case you didn't notice - Essential X-Men starts from Giant Size #1 and #94, the Clarmeont run

Essential UNCANNY X-Men, starts from #1 back with the sixties group

yeah, I'd say the Claremont run would be a good starting point for you

 

[Elijya]

here, this'll save you a ton of money, but you may not like reading comics on the comp
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...4290-1410211?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=229534

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

I like th' Essentials. All th' classic stories without shellin' out classic prices.

And I agree with E, sometimes they're a bit hard to read 'cause th' farhter back ya go th' more simplistic th' tales and methods. Late 70s is when they start to hit their stride.

 

[Ben Urich]

I don't like them because I like reading comics as they were originally produced. Since they're in black and white, and the originals were in color, it just... bugs me. It's like a huge coloring book to me.
I'd much rather save up and buy a ton of Masterworks editions. Or just totally go without. I mean, they're fun stories, those old ones, but how many memorable ones can there be? There's only so many times you can read Daredevil foiling the mishaps of one of his bumbling early rogues over the course of 32 pages and still be entertained.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

Same could be said about watchin' Family Guy or the Simpsons, but people manage to do it.

 

[Varient]

My biggest issue with them is the fact that Marvel uses them for RetConning a character.

Changing a word here or dropping a page or two there to make the character PC, or justify a current canon idea.
(Caps shield comes to mind, BP's ESP is a close second.)

Otherwise I think it's worth buying if you want to know the history of a character vice listening to us argue about stuff that happened before you were able to read,.....

(chuckle)

 

[XFanTim]

I'd say given a choice between buying Essential X-Men starting with Claremont's run or buying any of the current X-Men titles, you'd be much better off spending your money on Essential X-Men. That's the X-Men's golden age -- the stories that made the characters so popular in the first place.

I can't really comment on the other Essentials titles, but the first few volumes of Essential X-Men are definitely worth reading.

 

[Ben Urich]

I'd say given a choice between buying Essential X-Men starting with Claremont's run or buying any of the current X-Men titles, you'd be much better off spending your money on Essentialy X-Men. That's the X-Men's golden age -- the stories that made the characters so popular in the first place.

I can't really comment on the other Essentials titles, but the first few volumes of Essential X-Men are definitely worth reading.

Yeah, but it's Chris Claremont.
Grant Morrison is the best X-Men writer there ever was.

Same could be said about watchin' Family Guy or the Simpsons, but people manage to do it.

Point.

 

[gildea]

I think the first few spidey essentials and ff essentials are well, essential.

Particularly spidey, the stories hold up really well.

I like the ff essentials just for some black and white kirby magic.

 

[DBM]

I ****ing love the Essentials. I have all of the Essential Volumes and all of the Showcase Volumes so far. I think it's great to have a cheap and easy way to read all of these classic stories. I hope both Marvel and DC keep bringing out all of the great types of series they've been doing.

I most recently bought DC's Showcase Haunted Tank and love it. The Haunted Tank stories were some of the first ones I ever read.

 

[Themanofbat]

My biggest issue with them is the fact that Marvel uses them for RetConning a character.

Changing a word here or dropping a page or two there to make the character PC, or justify a current canon idea.
(Caps shield comes to mind, BP's ESP is a close second.)

Otherwise I think it's worth buying if you want to know the history of a character vice listening to us argue about stuff that happened before you were able to read,.....

(chuckle)

Yeah... I heard they "edited" a lot from the Luke Cage Essential to get rid of the "70's negro speak" that was contained within.



But I love them... it's a way to re-read my old comics without digging them out individually.

 

[Gilpesh]

I have to say I like the Marvel Masterworks better but I cannot find the ones I am looking for and the Essentials seem to be everywhere with no problem of getting all the volumes.

 

[Darthphere]

I love them personally, I have most of them.

 

[boywonder13]

cool, im sure gonna get them! Do they hold well togeter though? Do they fall apart easily or get torn and ripped and stuff?

 

[Elijya]

well, they don't cumble in your hand or anything, but it is a cheaper paper quality, to keep the cost of the book down, so yeah, they would tear a little more easily

 

[Elijya]

wow, I had no idea they edited stuff from certain series

 

[Ben Urich]

**** political correctness

 

[twylight]

cool, im sure gonna get them! Do they hold well togeter though? Do they fall apart easily or get torn and ripped and stuff?

They hold together well.
My Library has Essential Spider-Man Vol 1-4 and they hold up well. Not a torn out page in them and only the tiniest tears though the corners are a little rounded from use.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Love the Essential volumes, probably one of the best things that Marvel has ever done, other than creating all the kick ass comic book characters.

I have all of the Amazing Spider-Man Essentials and it's definitely helped me in catching up with the Spidey mythos and the past, classic storylines and origins.

I also have the Spider-Man 40 years CD-ROM to see it in color, and to also have a full collection...sort of.

 

[SLVRSR4]

I like the ones i have read so far but am hoping for a new mutatns one to come out soon