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[SD-Ness]

I asked this in the on one of the "Comic Book Day" threads on the old GA board, but since that was during the school year it was a casual question. I had no time to go out and buy any or books let alone read anything. Since it's summer now that means I can finally read. YAY!

What are the good books to get?

I stopped by Borders today and went to the comic section. A lot of the books there, I was unfamiliar with and was reluctant to purchase any. I was about to purchase Ultimate Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man (only because Straczynski writes for the latter and I think he's good.) Others...Ultimate X-Men, Batman, Marvel Knights, Iron Man, Fables, Star Wars, New X-Men, et cetera were all there.

Soft cover or Hard cover?

The section I went to was near the magazine section so the books were all soft covers. The hard cover section was in the actual book area. Which is better to get? Do hardcovers just contain compilations of softcovers? In the "Comic Book Day" thread, are the books you guys talk about soft covers or hard covers?

What are sites that have news and stuff related to comic books? Where do you get the lists of all the books coming out in a certain week? I think one good site is ICv2.com, but I'm not sure.

Thanks.

 

[bjork]

If you're not afraid of manga, read GTO.

My work here is done.

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

Well, I am not a huge comic fan... I honestly didn't start really getting into Western comics until halfway into the Ultimates run. I was into that, but the lack of releases has killed off my interest.

Personally, what really pulled me in was the Grant Morrison run on New X-Men, Runaways, X-Statix and Human Target. I buy the last three without fail (New X-Men isn't so hot anymore). I'm really loving the little bit of The Walking Dead I've been able to gather too. Marvel Knight's Spider-Man is also quite good and only on #3... you shouldn't have a problem finding all three issues still.

Most of those are available in trade paperbacks at this point... as are many other comics. Don't be stupid like I was at first and try to find issues of every last thing. Just buy the collections. Better value and no ads.

www.diamondcomics.com is where the usual shipping list is posted from. If you have a local comic shop website, they sometimes will e-mail you the new lists. www.grahamcrackers.com does, for example.

 

[BuddyC]

Hardcover is generally a good deal for $30, it usually collects 4 $10-$15 trades and gives you oversized pages.

If you're looking to get back into comics, I first recommend the title that got me back in:

New X-Men.

Start with the Vol. 1 Hardcover. Vol 2 is good as well, though the art is rather inconsitent. Vol. 3, which wraps up Morrison's run, should be out soon. For optimum reading pleasure, avoid discussing the title with anyone until you've finished Vol. 3. Then when you're all pissed off, we can enlighten you to the glory. In other words, there's a plot twist that many found sudden and unexpected, but had been planned from the get go, and subtly hinted at throughout the entire run. Morrison's run on X-Men refused to stagnate, and actually progressed the series somewhat. Sure, most of it was undone after he left, but what a great ride it was.

Another recommendation: Daredevil.

The Vol. 2 hardcover by Bendis is just amazing. Vol. 1, by Kevin Smith, is alright, but Vol. 2 is awesome. Nomo suggested it to me almost a year ago, and I'm glad I took the plunge - it's certainly worth it and the series has been nothing but great (minus a 5 issue run by artist David Mack) since.

Other suggestions - Y: The Last Man, Fables, and Blankets (this one is a graphic novel). Once it's collected in trade, definately check out Wanted.

 

[Quadrophenic]

I am reading the Preacher series right now...I think I have read through the first 10 or so issues. Its good stuff, I recommend it as an alternative to the normal superhero stuff.

And pick up the Astro City trade paperbacks. Family Album is great, Confessions is my favorite, "Welcome to Astro City" (I think thats the name) is probably the best one to start out on. The latest one, which I can't remember the name...for some reason I think its something like "Steel Angel" but that sounds too cheesy...is good, but you should read the other three before so you can get a better understanding of the city and stuff.

 

[Dujour]

I want you to read Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. I was an ok Batman fan prior to this (thanks to the animated series), but this one pushed me over.

The Strazynski run on Amazing Spider-Man is pretty damned good, too. I stopped at around 50, but I'll try and get the collected paperbacks to catch up.

Pay your dues with Batman: Year One, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, and Ennis' Punisher. Those should tide you over for now. Haven't touched an X-book in a while, though. :/

 

[8bit]

Fables, Y - The Last Man, Preacher or Transmetropolitan if you're not big on men in tights.
Runaways & Sentinel if you're looking for something easy going and fun.
Watchmen & Batman The Dark Knight Returns if you want something deeper.
New X-Men & Ultimate X-Men if you like the X-Men.

 

[Seth C]

Preacher is FANTASTIC. Get all the trade paperbacks.

I recommend Ultimate Spider-Man. Get the hardcovers. Someone posted a link that had all 3 (about 50 issues of the comic) for $40! An incredible deal. You get oversized pages, better quality pages (with better ink saturation), and sometimes some extras (like a reprint of Amazing Fantasy #15 in the first hardcover).

Also pick up the Ultimates hardcover that just came out. It was hard to read if you tried to do it issue by issue, but now that it is collected it should be good times.

The weekly comic threads are about the new stuff coming out that week. Mostly they deal with the ongoing monthly/bi-monthly/whatever issues, and not trade paperbacks or hardcover compilations.

 

[RiZ III]

Is Uncanny Xmen or Xmen still running?

 

[Seth C]

Is Uncanny Xmen or Xmen still running?

Uncanny is. X-Men became New X-Men, and I think that's what it is still called.

 

[RiZ III]

Could someone update me on a few things. I quit reading comics back a while ago. It was that saga that happened after the Onslaught saga. It was with that wierd gay who wanted to bring back sentinals or something. I remember prof x was gone. Later I heard some characters died. So in spoiler tags, could someone write down some of the major things that have happened since then in the Xmen comics? Thanks in advance.

 

[Dujour]

Oh, dude, even I remember that. I just know that his name was... :/


Damn, it was called Zero Tolerance. I forgot his name. bastion? Sabastian Shaw? Isn't that the guy from the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club?

/me leaves.

REMY BETRAYED THE XMEN!

 

[BuddyC]

Uncanny is. X-Men became New X-Men, and I think that's what it is still called.

New X-Men reverted back to X-Men with Issue #157. They started another ongoing series called New X-Men, but it follows the Special Class at the Institute.

 

[Volt]

Ten really great books to get you back into comics :

1) Y The Last Man : one of the best concepts of the last decade, coupled with a great narrative, believable dialogues and nice drawings.

2) 100 Bullets : I'm reading this in trades, and you can already get about 6 or 7 of them, and they're ALL brilliant..

3) Preacher : hilarious, exciting, over the top but also believable characterisation... an excellent series you can pick up completely in trades

4) Transmetropolitan : same as above

5) The Losers : an excellent para-military tilte that came from nowhere and keeps on rocking month after month.

6) Promethea : three trades available, I consider it to be Alan Moore's best recent work, next to Top Ten. Only apply if you like magical discussion and lots of experimental styles of narrative.

7) The Invisbles : completely available in 7 trades (if I'm not mistaken), I still consider it to be the best comic series ever.. It's difficult, it demands a lot of the reader, but it's also an excellent mind-fuck of a ride !

8) Barry Ween : a hilarious set of mini-series (available in 3 trades), with art and writing by Judd Winick. One of the very few comics that actually made me laugh out loud a lot.

9) Box Office Poison : a huge 600+ pages trade of Robinson's seminal series is available and I really recommend it. One of the best, consistent and interesting indie comics I've ever read, and I've read a lot

10) Planetary : Warren Ellis and John Cassaday explore every possible genre of pulp fiction in a glorious, heavenly way. Planetary is a series that will keep you guessing (also about it's shipping dates ), because it's filled with sssssecrets and some of the best characters ever created. Must-read !!