remember to finish your homework before reading comic books

Book Lists by Age
Book Lists by Category
Reading Resources
Language & Speech
Raise a Reader Blog
Back to School
Success Guides by Grade
Homework Help
Social & Emotional Learning
Activities for Kids

Raising Super Readers: Benefits of Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Discover 10 benefits your kids can reap by reading comics and graphic novels..

remember to finish your homework before reading comic books

Training My Brain to Read Comics and Graphic Novels

Emily Martin

Emily has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, MS, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from GCSU in Milledgeville, GA, home of Flannery O’Connor. She spends her free time reading, watching horror movies and musicals, cuddling cats, Instagramming pictures of cats, and blogging/podcasting about books with the ladies over at #BookSquadGoals (www.booksquadgoals.com). She can be reached at [email protected].

View All posts by Emily Martin

The human brain is built for reading comics and graphic novels. Let me explain.

Apparently, our brains are hardwired for visual content. Not only are we built to read images faster, but generally speaking, we’re also able to remember visuals better than we are able to recall spoken words or written text. That’s thanks to something called the Picture Superiority Effect . When we read a text or listen to words, we will likely only remember 10% of the information three days later. Comparatively, if the text is presented with images, we are likely to remember 65% of the information three days later.

So not only should we be better at reading comics, but following this logic, we should remember more of them than books with just words, right?

But if this is the case, why am I so bad at reading comic books and graphic novels?

Looking for answers to my problem, I did what anyone in the 21st century would do and I took to Google. But in all my searching, I couldn’t find anyone who has this same issue (issue…get it?). When I looked around to see why some people have trouble getting into comic books, it always came down to the same problem. Not knowing where to start . Yes, it’s true that comic books can seem overwhelming due to the sheer number of issues and offshoots and spinoffs any one series can have. But it’s not the storyline that scares me. It’s the actual images.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

And now that I know that my human brain is meant to process images, I wonder what is wrong with me. Most people could probably zip through an entire graphic novel in one day. For me, it takes about a month. I have to stare at the page for a long time to process the images and fully understand what’s going on. When I try to read faster, especially during action sequences, I basically have no idea what’s going on. Words, I can make sense of. But images? They scare me!

The 4-Month Plan: Training My Brain to Read Comics

2022 is the year of embracing the things that scare us. This is why I have decided this is the year I’m training my brain to read graphic novels and comics. I’m starting off with a small goal to get me going. For every month in the year of 2022, I’m reading one graphic novel. After all, I estimate that it takes me about a month to finish a graphic novel. I’m accounting for all the time it takes me to look at images, process them, and connect them to the text. And then I’m accounting for the huge breaks I need to take from reading a couple of pages, because honestly the whole process is exhausting.

In January, I read Sailor Moon Eternal Edition: Volum e 6 by Naoko Takeuchi. Last year, my husband and I started reading this series after rewatching the whole anime. But it soon became clear that I was much too slow of a reader to keep up the same pace as him. He is now several volumes ahead of me, and I’m just waving the white flag. I’ll get through them when I get through them. It helped that I was already familiar with the story, so this was an easy one to start the challenge.

In February, I read The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado. Again, this felt like good way ease into graphic novels for me, because I am already a fan of Machado’s work. And so, even though this story was new to me, I felt like I had a good friend to guide me through the process.

In March, my goal is to read Kristen Radtke’s nonfiction graphic novel Seek You . This book, which is an examination of isolation and loneliness in America, seems like such an appropriate read for the weird time we’re living in. And flipping through the book, I was excited to see that the pacing is slower than the graphic novels I’ve tried to read in the past. This isn’t an action-packed story like some of the comics I’ve struggled to read. I’m curious to see if I have the same issues with following the story in this one compared to action-based comics like Sailor Moon.

For April, I asked my Tailored Book Recommendations bibliologist to recommend a graphic novel for me. While I carefully planned the first three books for the year, I’m throwing caution to the wind with this one. What happens when I try to read a graphic novel that’s completely unfamiliar territory to me? I’m excited to find out. I haven’t received my recommendations yet, so it’ll be a surprise for everyone, me included.

After the Experiment

I don’t believe that yearly challenges should be a static thing. Based on how the first four months of the year go, I plan on reassessing my challenge accordingly. Maybe by this point, reading one graphic novel a month will feel way too easy. Maybe I’ll feel compelled to branch out into more single issue comics and manga. Who knows? What I’m hoping is that the more I read images and text together, the more the process of reading comics and graphic novels will feel natural to me.

I really can’t wait to check in and see where I’m at in four months. More importantly, I can’t wait to see what I’m doing with comics and graphic novels in a year. I know that I can still live a happy, full life without reading comics. But I do feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of great stories, because for most of my life I’ve completely avoided the genre. In a year, will I be a full-on comic books reader? Watch this space. I might be back with an update in 2023.

How To Start Reading Comics, An Option For Every Readers

Updated on July 7, 2024

This is certainly one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to comic readers, there’s always someone who wants to know: Where to start with reading comics? What do you recommend a comics beginner to read? And other variants.

The answer for a long time was simple. You just buy one. They were just there and most of the stories were standalone. It was a no-brainer. But as the culture around comics evolved, it feels like non-comics readers think that to start reading this type of book is like starting to climb a mountain. It feels insurmountable, you need training, guidance, and you know it will be hard and somewhat dangerous. That is not the case.

The real difficulty is not reading, it’s choosing what to read. Obviously. And even if you don’t realize it yet, comics are not just everlasting narratives about superheroes whose mythology is set in stone. The reason for that is simple. Comics are books. You don’t ask where to start with books. You pick a book in the genre you like, you read a quick synopsis, maybe you like the movie it’s based on or it’s a universally recognized classic. With comic books, it’s the same thing.

Comics are not about superheroes, but the superhero tale is the domineering genre of the medium.

So, how to start reading comics? Our answer at ComicBookTreasury.com is multiple. In fact, we thought of a way to give you the answers you may not find anywhere else. You’ll only have to choose what type of story you’re interested in, and we will suggest at least one book to read.

If you still don’t find something that interests you, leave a comment! Also, go check our selection of the 50 best Comics and Graphic Novels of All Time .

DC Superheroes
Marvel Superheroes
Other Superheroes
Comics for Children
Crime Comics
Horror Comics
Historical comics
Science-Fiction comics
Fantasy comics
Adventure comics
Romance comics
Comedy comics
Slice-of-Life comics

Where to start reading Superhero Comics?

What follows is a list of series, graphic novels, and runs by specific authors. Some are just about one book, others are long runs, but it’s always about starting somewhere!

I want to start reading DC Comics superheroes

Most of the characters have already been explored in detail with their own reading orders. You can find them in our listing of DC Comics Reading Orders .

I simply want to read a good story with the DC Comics superheroes: “DC: The New Frontier” by Darwin Cooke

Where to start reading Batman? “Batman: Year One” by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

Where to start reading Superman? “Superman: Birthright” by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu

Where to start reading Wonder Woman? “Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia” by Greg Rucka and J.G. Jones

Where to start reading the Justice League? “JLA: New World Order” by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter

Where to start reading The Flash (Wally West)? “The Flash” by Mark Waid and Greg LaRocque

Where to start reading The Flash (Barry Allen)? “The Flash: Rebirth” by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Where to start reading Aquaman? “Aquaman: Rebirth” by Dan Abnett and various artists

Where to start reading Supergirl? “Supergirl: Being Super” by Mariko Tamaki and Joëlle Jones

Where to start reading Green Arrow? “Green Arrow: Year One” by Andy Diggle and Jock

Where to start reading Hal Jordan, Green Lantern? “Green Lantern: Secret Origin” by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

Where to start reading Harley Quinn? “Harley Quinn: Mad Love” by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm if you’re into Batman’s 90s anime series, but maybe “Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing” by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti for a more modern approach.

Where to start reading the Suicide Squad? “Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire” by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell

Where to start reading Nightwing? “Nightwing: Blüdhaven” by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel

Where to start reading Batgirl? “Batgirl: Year One” by Scott Beatty, Chuck Dixon, and Marcos Martin

Where to start reading Black Lightning? “Black Lightning: Brick City Blues” by Tony Isabella and Eddy Newell

Where to start reading stories with the Bat-Family? “Detective Comics: Rebirth” by James Tynion IV and Eddy Barrows

Where to start reading Batwoman? “Batwoman: Elegy” by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III

Where to start reading Tim Drake, Robin? “Robin: A Hero Reborn” by Chuck Dixon, Tom Lyle, and Bob Smith

Where to start reading Damian Wayne, Robin? “Batman and Son” by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert

Where to start reading Jason Todd, Red Hood? “Batman: Under the Hood” by Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke

Where to start reading Stargirl? “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.” by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder

Where to start reading Superboy/Connor Kent? “Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes” by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul

Where to start reading Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)? “Justice League International” by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire

Where to start reading Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)? “Blue Beetle: Shellshocked” by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, and Cully Hamner

Where to start reading Cyborg? “Cyborg: Unplugged” by David F. Walker and Ivan Reis

Where to start reading Martian Manhunter? “Martian Manhunter: Son of Mars” by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake

Where to start reading Catwoman? “Catwoman: Selina’s Big Score” by Darwyn Cooke

Where to start reading Lois Lane? “Superman: Lois Lane – A Celebration of 75 Years” by various writers and artists

Where to start reading The Joker? “Batman: The Man Who Laughs” by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke

Where to start reading Deathstroke? “Deathstroke: The Terminator” by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Where to start reading John Stewart, Green Lantern? “Green Lantern Corps: Recharge” by Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons, and Patrick Gleason

Where to start reading Guy Gardner, Green Lantern? “Green Lantern Corps: Recharge” by Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons, and Patrick Gleason

Where to start reading Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern? “Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight/New Dawn” by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks

Where to start reading Alan Scott, Green Lantern? “Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights” by James Robinson and Tony Harris

Where to start reading Hawkman? “Hawkman: Awakening” by Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch

Where to start reading Hawkgirl? “Hawkgirl: Hawkman Returns” by Walter Simonson and Howard Chaykin

Where to start reading The Huntress? “Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood” by Greg Rucka and Rick Burchett

Where to start reading Booster Gold? “52” by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Greg Rucka, Keith Giffen, and various artists

Where to start reading Black Canary? “Birds of Prey Vol. 1” by Chuck Dixon, Gary Frank, Matt Haley, and Greg Land

Where to start reading Zatanna? “Zatanna by Paul Dini” by Paul Dini and various artists

Where to start reading Constantine? “Hellblazer: Original Sins” by Jamie Delano and John Ridgway

Where to start reading Swamp Thing? “Saga of the Swamp Thing” by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, and John Totleben

Where to start reading Starfire? “The New Teen Titans” by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Where to start reading Beast Boy? “The New Teen Titans” by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Where to start reading the Doom Patrol? “Doom Patrol (1987-1995)” by Grant Morrison and Richard Case

I want to start reading Marvel superheroes

Most of the characters have already been explored in detail with their own reading orders. You can find them in our listing of Marvel Reading Orders .

I simply want to read a good story with the Marvel superheroes: “Avengers: The Kree-Skrull War” by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, and John Buscema.

Where to start reading Spider-Man? “Spider-Man: Blue” by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

Where to start reading Miles Morales Spider-Man? “Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man” by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli

Where to start reading Captain America? “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting

Where to start reading Iron Man? “Iron Man: Extremis” by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov

Where to start reading Black Panther? “Black Panther” by Don McGregor

Where to start reading Scarlet Witch? “Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch” by Steve Englehart and Richard Howell

Where to start reading The Hulk? “Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk” by Greg Pak and Carlo Pagulayan

Where to start reading The Avengers? “Avengers: Avengers Assemble” by Kurt Busiek and George Perez

Where to start reading Clint Barton, Hawkeye? “Avengers: Hawkeye – Earth’s Mightiest Marksman” by Tom DeFalco, Jeff Johnson, and more

Where to start reading Kate Bishop, Hawkeye? “Hawkeye: Kate Bishop” by Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero

Where to start reading Black Widow? “Black Widow: The Name of the Rose” by Marjorie Liu and Daniel Acuña

Where to start reading Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel? “Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster, More” by Kelly Sue DeConnick and David Lopez

Where to start reading Kamala Khan, Miss Marvel? “Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal” by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona

Where to start reading She-Hulk? “Sensational She-Hulk” by John Byrne

Where to start reading The X-Men? “Giant-Size X-Men #1” by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum

Where to start reading Doctor Strange? “Doctor Strange: The Oath” by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin

Where to start reading Daredevil? “Daredevil: The Man Without Fear” by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.

Where to start reading Deadpool? “Deadpool” by Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness, and more.

Where to start reading the Fantastic Four? “Fantastic Four” by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Where to start reading Thor, God of Thunder? “Thor” by Walter Simonson

Where to start reading Thor, Goddess of Thunder? “Thor – Goddess of Thunder” by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman

Where to start reading The Guardians of the Galaxy? “Guardians of the Galaxy” by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Where to start reading The Falcon? “Captain America and The Falcon: Secret Empire” by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema

Where to start reading Bucky, the Winter Soldier? “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting

Where to start reading Shang Chi? “Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu” by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy

Where to start reading Ant-Man (Hank Pym)? “Ant-Man: Season One” by Tom DeFalco and Horacio Domingues

Where to start reading Ant-Man (Scott Lang)? “Ant-Man: Second-Chance Man” by Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas

Where to start reading Luke Cage? “Luke Cage, Hero for Hire” by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr.

Where to start reading Jessica Jones? “Alias” by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos

Where to start reading Iron Fist? “Iron Fist” by Chris Claremont, Larry Hama, and more

Where to start reading The Punisher? “The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank” by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Where to start reading Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)? “Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation” by Garth Ennis and Clayton Crain

Where to start reading Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch)? “Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch” by Howard Mackie and Javier Saltares

Where to start reading Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)? “Ghost Rider: Four on the Floor” by Felipe Smith and Danilo Beyruth

Where to start reading Moon Knight? “Moon Knight: From the Dead” by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey

Where to start reading Blade? “Blade: Vampire Hunter” by Marc Guggenheim and Howard Chaykin

Where to start reading Venom? “Venom: Dark Origin” by Zeb Wells and Angel Medina

Where to start reading Spider-Gwen? “Spider-Gwen: Most Wanted?” by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez

Where to start reading Gwenpool? “The Unbelievable Gwenpool: Believe It” by Christopher Hastings and Gurihiru

Where to start reading Wolverine? “Wolverine: Weapon X” by Barry Windsor-Smith

Where to start reading Silk? “Silk: The Life and Times of Cindy Moon” by Robbie Thompson and Stacey Lee

Where to start reading Black Cat? “Black Cat: Grand Theft Marvel” by Jed MacKay and Travel Foreman

Where to start reading Silver Surfer? “Silver Surfer: Origin of the Silver Surfer” by Stan Lee and John Buscema

Where to start reading Nova? “Nova: Annihilation” by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Kev Walker

Where to start reading Nova ( Sam Alexander)? “Nova: Origin” by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness

Where to start reading War Machine? “Iron Man: Armor Wars” by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and Mark D. Bright

Where to start reading Nick Fury? “Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” by Jim Steranko

Where to start reading Spider-Man 2099? “Spider-Man 2099” by Peter David and Rick Leonardi

Where to start reading Adam Warlock? “Warlock” by Jim Starlin

Where to start reading X-23? “X-23: Innocence Lost” by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost

Where to start reading Elektra? “Daredevil” by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson

Where to start reading Namor? “Namor, the Sub-Mariner: Enter the Sub-Mariner” by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, and Gene Colan

Where to start reading Squirrel Girl? “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Where to start reading Howard The Duck? “Howard the Duck” by Steve Gerber

I want to start reading other superheroes

Where to start reading superhero stories for adults? “ Watchmen ” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Where to start reading another superhero universe? “ Invincible ” by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley.

Where to start reading a comic deconstructing the superhero genre? “ Astro City ” by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Where to start reading a parody of superhero comics? “The Tick” by Ben Edlund

Where to start reading a crime series with superheroes? “ Powers ” by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming

Where to start reading classic pulp hero comics (with a modern flavor)? “The Shadow: Year One” by Matt Wagner and Wilfredo Torres

Where to start reading superhero webcomics? “Strong Female Protagonist” by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag

Where to start reading Non-Superhero Comics?

Where to start reading non-superhero comics for children.

Where to start fantasy adventure comics for Children? “ Amulet ” by Kazu Kibuishi

Where to start humor comics for Children? “ Calvin and Hobbes ” by Bill Watterson

Where to start mystery and detective comics for Children? “ The Adventures of Tintin ” by Hergé

Where to start science-fiction comics for Children? “The Last Kids on Earth” by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate

Where to start animal adventures comics for Children? “Owly” by Andy Runton

Where to start friendship and slice-of-life comics for Children? “Smile” by Raina Telgemeier

Where to start fairy tales and folklore comics for Children? “Hansel and Gretel” by Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti

Where to start historical fiction comics for Children? “Nathan Hales Hazardous Tales” by Nathan Hale

Where to start sports comics for Children? “Roller Girl” by Victoria Jamieson

Where to start reading crime comics?

Where to start reading gangster stories? “Criminal” by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Where to start reading detective/noir stories? “The Good Asian” by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi

Where to start reading true crime stories? “Green River Killer: A True Detective Story” by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case

Where to start reading spy stories? “Queen & Country” by Greg Rucka

Where to start reading historical crime stories? “From Hell” by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell

Where to start reading Horror comics?

Where to start reading monster stories? “ The Goon ” by Eric Powell

Where to start reading vampire stories? “ American Vampire ” by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque

Where to start reading cosmic horror stories? “ Hellboy ” by Mike Mignola

Where to start reading slasher stories? “ Hack/Slash ” by Tim Seeley and various artists

Where to start reading survival stories? “Y: The Last Man” by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Where to start reading zombie stories? “ The Walking Dead ” by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore then Charlie Adlard

Where to start reading psychological horror stories? “Gideon Falls” by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

Where to start reading Historical comics?

Where to start reading war comics? “Charley’s War” by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun

Where to start reading non-fiction war comics? “Maus” by Art Spiegelman

Where to start reading non-fiction historical (not war!) stories? “March” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Where to start reading Ancient history stories? “Age of Bronze” by Eric Shanower

Where to start reading Vikings stories? “Northlanders” by Brian Wood and various artists

Where to start reading stories about the history of music? “Hip Hop Family Tree” by Ed Piskor

Where to start reading Science-Fiction comics?

Where to start reading space-opera stories? “Descender” by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Where to start reading time travel stories? “I Killed Adolf Hitler” by Jason

Where to start reading alien invasion stories? “The Eternaut” by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López

Where to start reading post-Apocalyptic stories? “East of West” by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta

Where to start reading cyberpunk stories? “Transmetropolitan” by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson

Where to start reading Fantasy comics?

Where to start reading heroic fantasy stories? “Conan the Barbarian” by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, and Barry Windsor-Smith

Where to start reading dark fantasy stories? “ The Sandman ” by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and more

Where to start reading fairy tale stories? “ Fables ” by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham (and others)

Where to start reading urban fantasy stories? “The Unwritten” by Mike Carey and Peter Gross

Where to start reading mythological stories? “Norse Mythology” by Neil Gaiman and various artists

Where to start reading humorous Fantasy stories? “I Hate Fairyland” by Skottie Young

Where to start reading other types of Adventure comics?

Where to start reading Swashbuckling Adventure? “Zorro” by Matt Wagner and various artists

Where to start reading Western Adventure? “Blueberry” by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud

Where to start reading Romance comics?

Where to start reading Rom-Com stories? “Scott Pilgrim” by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Where to start reading Historical Romance stories? “The Prince and the Dressmaker” by Jen Wang

Where to start reading LGBTQ+ Romance stories? “Heartstopper” by Alice Oseman

Where to start reading Romance stories for adults? “Sunstone” by Stjepan Šejić

Where to start reading Comedy comics?

Where to start reading satirical comics? “Fante Bukowski” by Noah Van Sciver

Where to start reading Parody comics? “Groo the Wanderer” by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier

Where to start reading Slice-of-Life comics?

Where to start reading Family Drama? “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” by Alison Bechdel

Where to start reading Travel Journal? “French Milk” by Lucy Knisley

Where to start reading YA comics? “Giant Days” by John Allison, Max Sarin, and Lissa Treiman.

Where to start reading comics about making comics? “Pussey!” by Dan Clowes

To Read Before Commenting

This is not a definitive guide. In fact, we are welcoming your help to perfect it. We do not read everything and it’s probable that some books, especially with the superheroes, are more welcoming to new readers than others. Feel free to write your suggestions and your arguments to why it’s better to start with those books!

Also, the different categories/subgenres are not set in stone. We want to propose a larger view of what comics have to offer to new readers. Maybe your favorite genre is not represented here, maybe you have a better suggestion for one or more categories. Once again, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

How to Start Reading Comics

I have great news for you: if you’re reading this, you have everything you need to be a passionate fan of comics. All that is required is your desire to find out more about this awesome medium which encompasses an infinite variety of stories, moods, styles, and subjects.

But here are some more concrete steps you can take to let comics into your life:

STEP 1: Don’t Panic!

These words are, of course, famously written in “large, friendly letters” on that miraculous work, the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy , but they are also excellent advice to the new or nervous comics fan. There’s a ton out there to know and find, but that’s a good thing! Imagine living your whole life only dimly aware that music exists, and the world that would open up to you when you discovered it. Where do you start: Beethoven? The Beatles? Beyonce? The answer is “there’s no wrong answer!”

But that doesn’t mean you have to go in blind!

STEP 2: No One Is Alone

A wonderful way to begin with comics is with the buddy system. If you have a friend who loves comics, they are your best resource, both because they’ll probably let you borrow things and–more importantly–they know you. Your particular taste is the most important consideration when you’re starting out, and when you’re ready to seek outside help, that’s what you’ll want to think about when you approach your local comic shop employee or librarian.

STEP 3: Your Friendly Local Comic Book Store (or Closest Equivalent)

First of all, see Step 1. A good, friendly comic book store (or LCS: Local Comic Shop) is the backbone of the reading experience for many fans, but comic book stores have a bad reputation, and not without reason. The great news is that a lot has changed and is still changing, and there are more good, welcoming ones than ever. You can look for a shop using the Comic Shop Locator , or using tools like the list at “Hater Free Wednesdays” . I am also a proud member of an organization of female comic book store employees called The Valkyries , and we (as well as our male colleagues) share a deep commitment to making comic shops the welcoming, exciting spaces they should be.

In addition to your LCS, most bookstores now carry graphic novels, and your local library is another fantastic resource. Many libraries have impressive graphic novel selections and can be especially helpful for finding all-ages content. Some even participate in digital comics lending programs like Hoopla, which make it incredibly easy to get books into your hands!

And finally, of course, there’s the internet! In addition to what you can acquire via Amazon and online retailers like Mile-High and Midtown Comics, the internet is chock-full of comics: webcomics like Hark! A Vagrant and Questionable Content , all-you-can-read services like Marvel Unlimited , and the enormous library of offerings at Comixology , where new release comics from most major publishers can be found for same-day digital purchase.

You’ll also find great recommendations on sites like Goodreads and Panels , or via folks like me, Hector Navarro, and Whitney Moore, when we talk about comic book recommendations every week on Drama Club Heroes !

STEP 4: Read Read Read!

Now comes the fun part: let’s start reading!

New comics are coming out all the time, usually in monthly installments (or “single issues”), but most new fans will want to start with collected editions (known as “trade paperbacks”) and graphic novels (these are overlapping terms; don’t let them worry you!). These are big chunks of story that look great on your bookshelf and give you good bang for your buck.

Where to start? That’s where your taste comes in; it could be with superhero stories (a classic like Batman: The Long Halloween or a brilliant new hero like Ms. Marvel ) or slice-of-life drama ( Blankets will break your heart, and Daytripper , by twin Brazilian writer/artists Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá, is a life-changer).

It could be something that got the screen adaptation treatment, like Scott Pilgrim (video-game-inflected coming-of-age story), Persepolis (autobiography by Iranian expatriate Marjane Satrapi) or Jessica Jones (dark superhero mystery series with one of my favorite heroines). There are classics like Maus (Pulitzer Prize-winning true story of the author’s father in WWII) and Sandman (the epic horror/fantasy tale written by Neil Gaiman) that are taught in classrooms for their storytelling achievements, and new, exciting works like Rat Queens (worst Dungeons & Dragons party ever) and Saga (addictive and gorgeous scifi epic of starcrossed lovers). The Japanese and European publishing scenes are forces to be reckoned with; comics in Japan are known as manga, in French as bandes dessinées. From Astro Boy to One-Punch Man , and Asterix to The Incal , there are many new worlds and works to discover.

For a list of more recommendations for first-time readers, and a ridiculous chart I made about getting into comics, you can check out one of my first Geek & Sundry videos .

STEP 5: One of Us!

The key thing you need to know is that no matter what you’re into, there are, beyond a doubt, comics out there that you will love and comic book fans who can’t wait to talk to you about them. If you’re not already one of us, you will be soon; the only thing as fun as discovering your new favorite book is telling other people about it. Once you catch yourself doing that, you know you’ve really got the bug.

Welcome to the family!

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer

Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

How To Start Reading Comics In 2024: A Beginner’s Guide

January 25, 2021 by Dave 10 Comments

Comic books can be intimidating. The easy solution to learning to love comics is quite clearly “read some,” but it can be a challenge to know where to start. The first time I walked into a comic book shop, I walked out with a “Flash” issue that tied into an event I knew nothing about, and focused exclusively on a Flash rogue (Boomerang) without hardly any mention of the hero. It was weird, and confusing, and I never went back to that store!

Comic books certainly don’t have to be this way, and after several years of learning to love what I consider my favorite artistic medium in all of storytelling, I have some tips and pointers that can hopefully help.

Without further ado, here’s how to start with comic books for new readers.

I) Comic Book reading options

Print comics
Trade paperbacks
Digital comics

II) Where to start with comics

Support For Comic Book Herald:

Comic Book Herald is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a qualifying affiliate commission.

Comic Book Herald’s reading orders and guides are also made possible by reader support on Patreon , and generous reader donations.

Any size contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Support CBH on Patreon for exclusive rewards , or Donate here! Thank you for reading!

a) Best comics for new readers

b) Best comics of all time

c) Comic book publisher guides

c.1) DC Comics

c.2) Marvel

c.3) Star Wars

c.5) Vertigo

c.6) Dark Horse

c.7) Valiant

c.9) 2000 AD (Judge Dredd)

c.10) Archie Comics

I) Understanding The Comic Book Reading Options

1) Ongoing Comics (Print)

Most comic books begin as single issues that most closely resemble a magazine. You can find these issues in comic book shops (and you can find your LCS – local comic shop – using comicstorelocator.com ).

Comic book publishers will release new issues to shops every Wednesday (new comic book day).

So, for example, a publisher like Marvel (one of the Big 2 superhero comics publishers alongside DC), might release Amazing Spider-Man #1 on October 7th. This is the first issue in the series, and is a great time to start collecting Amazing Spider-Man .

If you read the issue and enjoy it, you can tell an employee at your LCS to “add it to your pull list.” A pull list is all the comics you want your comic shop to order and prepare for you each week they are released. So if you add the series Amazing Spider-Man , when you return to your comic shop on November 7th, they will have Amazing Spider-Man #2 ready for you at checkout. You just walk up to the cashier and say “I have a pull list for [Your Name Here].” Replace [Your Name Here] with [Your Name Here].

Most comic book series are published once a month, although some are published every two weeks. You can use a site/app like League of Comic Geeks to see what comics will be available when.

Steps To Collecting Ongoing Print Comics

Identify a local comic book shop
Pick out the comics you want to start with (more on this in a bit)
Tell your comic book shop employee your name and the books on your list
Return to the comic book shop the weeks your books are released, and prepare to spend $2.99 to $4.99 per issue (on average).
Enjoy the heck out of comics every week!

2) Trade Paperbacks

When you start getting into comics, you’ll see the following terms used to signify what is ultimately a single story, or chapter in a larger story: Trade Paperbacks (TPBs), collected editions, or simply trades.

Instead of purchasing single print issues (per option number one), many comic book readers will “wait for the trade,” and collect fully formed stories in softcover or hardcover collections. More often than not, a trade paperback will contain five or more issues, and will be released approximately 3 to 4 months after single issues are published. Trades for single stories tend to range from $9.99 to $14.99.

Your options for purchasing comics via trade are greatly expanded. In addition to your local comic shop, you can find trades everywhere from Amazon to Things From Another World to your local library.

3) Digital Comics

The proliferation of digital reading options has made getting comic books significantly easier than it’s ever been before. While there’s always an argument to be made for the value of that sweet, sweet paper in your hands, the ease of downloading comic book stories directly to your tablet or phone is fantastically convenient.

Most new readers are going to find their digital comics fix at Comixology , which is now owned by Amazon (offering easy digital comics access via Kindle devices).

For “All You Can Eat” comic book subscription services akin to Netflix or Spotify, there’s a variety of options that I explain below. Price for digital subscriptions ranges from $9.99 per month to totally free with a library card in the case of Hoopla Digital.

Understanding “All You Can Eat” Comics Services

Marvel Unlimited Review

Comixology Unlimited Review

Hoopla Digital Review

DC Universe Review

The Best Tablets For Reading Comics

II) Where To Start With Comics

Ok, you have a pretty good feel for your comic book reading options, now you just need some direction on what to start reading.

Since the field of comics is so enormous, and simply getting started can feel absolutely paralyzing, I’ve laid out some of the most successful approaches I’ve seen to help get you reading. Below you’ll find a quick outline of my recommended approaches, elaborated in the following sections:

Explore comics with a curated list of the best comics for brand new readers
Start with the best comics of all time
Read according to comic book publisher
Check out the best selling comics on Amazon’s best seller list

A) Best Comics For Brand New Readers

Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Marvel Comics masterpiece is well worth the brief moment of wondering whether Hawkeye could truly have one of the best comics for new readers.

The 2012 Hawkeye series is brilliant, fun, and largely avoids complicated continuity questions present in most Marvel comics. All of this makes it a great pick-up for new fans who want to see Marvel at its best.

Kamala Khan, Marvel’s Ms. Marvel since 2014, restores the high school drama, romance, and heroism of the best 1960’s Spider-Man comics. While I’d recommend any serious Marvel comic reader explore the 60’s Amazing Spider-Man work of creators Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, those comics are clearly of an era over 60 years removed.

Saga is the romantic comedy space opera (classic genre!) from creators Brian K. Vaughn ( Y: The Last Man , The Private Eye) and Fiona Staples. Saga manages to feel innovative and fresh, infusing modern sarcasm and eye-opening world-building into the well-worn cluster of Space stories.

More than anything, Saga feels like a story for “adults,” and this Image Comics series is definitely for mature readers only. If you’ve long held the suspicion that comics are junk media for kids, Saga is the type of sophisticated yet fun adventure that can go a long way towards changing minds.

B) The Best Comic Books Of All Time!

Another option that can work for many new readers is to work your way through the canonical best comics ever. This is definitely the approach I’ve taken with classic rock, hip-hop, and literature (without pictures… *shivers*), and it’s fun to explore the best of the best over the ages.

Fortunately, I have just such a list, with an ever-expanding guide to the absolute best comic books in history. Every time I read a new comic, graphic novel, or entire series, I add it to my guide!

Dave’s Faves: The Best Comics of All Time

The Best 100 Marvel Stories From 1998 to 2015

To get you started here are the top 10 favorites from my list, with notes about the types of readers that might enjoy!

1) Watchmen

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s classic deconstruction of superheroes has been voted one of Time’s 100 best novels (not just graphic novels – novels ), was developed into a feature length film from director Zack Snyder, and the inspiration for HBO’s 2019 Watchmen . This comic series convinced me comic books could be intellectually rewarding and inventive, and is for mature readers.

Neil Gaiman is the author of many celebrated comics and fiction, including American Gods and Coraline . The Sandman is his comic book masterpiece, celebrating a love of stories while covering endlessly cerebral territory. Sandman centers on Dream of the Endless and his realm of dreams, where any story is possible, meaning the book bounces everywhere from a Serial Killer convention to Arabian Nights visions of India.

Sandman is so popular DC Comics resurrected the brand in 2019 for an expanded Sandman Universe.

Bone is a remarkable all-ages fantasy adventure from writer/artist Jeff Smith. While Bone can take some darker more frightening turns, it remains a great comic book read for younger and older readers alike.

In 2019, it was announced a Bone series will (finally) be coming to Netflix, meaning it’s likely reading Bone is going to be as in demand as ever.

4) Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison & Richard Case

While I love Morrison and Case’s early 90’s DC / Vertigo Doom Patrol , I’ll also be the first to admit I love it largely because of how insanely weird it can get. This is the least straightforward “superhero” comic I’ve ever read, but if you’re interested in some absolute imaginative insanity, Doom Patrol is the book for you. For mature readers only.

Miracleman is another 1980’s superhero deconstruction from Alan Moore, the best comic book writer of all time. See the Superman and Captain Marvel mythos elevated to a more “realistic” form. For mature readers only.

If you like the concept of stories within stories, or fiction coming to life and effecting our real world, Bulletproof Coffin is a modern Image Comics masterpiece from David Hane and artist Shaky Kane. This pick made Comic Book Herald’s top 10 best comics of the decade from 2010 to 2019 ! For mature readers.

Matt Kindt’s Mind MGMT from Dark Horse comics is another modern masterpiece, both one of the best spy / secret organization stories I’ve ever read, and one of the most innovative comics ever. Highly recommended reading, and for a PG-13 audience.

Maus is Art Spiegelman’s biographical account of his family’s surviving the Holocaust, as well as his autobiographical account of his relationship with said family. It’s a harrowing, real look at the devastating tragedy of the Holocaust and generational trauma, told with superb skill. Very serious subject matter, but I’ve seen this used as text at the junior high reading level.

9) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller’s mid 80’s re-imagining of an aged Batman coming out of retirement sets up years of the macho, grim and gritty Batman we know today. There’s also surprising humor and inspiration here, in one of my favorite Batman comic for new readers.

10) Y: The Last Man

“Y” is an epic, 60+ issue Vertigo comics series from the early 2000’s by comic book masters Brian K. Vaughn and artist Pia Guerra. As the title implies, “Y” explores the life of the last man on earth, in a world of all women. It’s a long running comic imbued with humor, heart, and humanity.

C) Reading Comics According To Comic Book Publisher

There are a wide variety of publishers across the comic book landscape, and the most popular among them form relatively clear guides on where to start with comics.

For example, DC Comics is home to the DC Universe of characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, while Marvel Comics is home to characters like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Squirrel Girl. DC and Marvel are known as the “The Big 2” in the comics industry, and own the most well known superhero universes that are now reflected in some of the most popular movies every year.

Other comic book publishers like Image Comics and Dark Horse are less reliant on shared superhero universes, instead focusing on fostering the vision of unique creative talent.

Below you’ll find guides to the most commonly discussed comic book publishers, as well as suggestions and resources for how to start reading.

C.1) Where To Start With DC Comics

The DC Universe fully rebooted during the summer of 2016 with a linewide initiative titled DC Rebirth. This Rebirth sparked new #1 issues and jumping on points for all DC comics, from Superman to Blue Beetle.

Of course, you could also dive into DC with comic book storylines of the past, from DC classics to the essential stories from the 2000’s.

Below you’ll find Comic Book Herald’s resources for getting started with the DC Comics universe.

DC Comics Resources:

DC Infinite Frontier Reading Order (2021 to Present)

DC Rebirth Reading Guide (2016 to 2020)

DC New 52 Reading Guide (2011 to 2015)

Modern Fast Track To DC Comics From 1999 to 2011

Every DC Omnibus Collection Ever

Batman Reading Guide

Superman Reading Guide

Wonder Woman Reading Guide

More DC Events & Character Reading Guides!

C.2) Where To Start With Marvel Comic Books

As always, over 65 years of publication history means there’s plenty to read, whether you’re invested in the newest Marvel material, or want to enjoy the publisher’s greatest hits.

Marvel Comics Resources:

The Complete Marvel Reading Order Guide

Marvel Fresh Start (2018 – Present)

Hickman’s X-Men!

1961 to 2000 Essential 25 Trade Collections Fast Track

2000 – 2012 Essential 25 Trade Collections Fast Track

Find Deadpool, Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy and over 50 more character guides here

C.3) Where To Start With Star Wars Comics

Star Wars fans have a couple options for diving into the vast world of Star Wars comics. Starting in 2015, Marvel Comics obtained the license to publish Star Wars books (Disney ownership has its perks), and rebooted the Star Wars comics line immediately following the events of “A New Hope.” This results in great jumping on points for a Star Wars comic series , alongside solo character series like Darth Vader and Han Solo . The Marvel Comics are largely the only stories considered Star Wars canon now.

Interested fans should also be made aware that the entirety of Star Wars comics are made available via the Marvel Unlimited digital comics app .

Star Wars Comics Resources:

Complete Star Wars Reading Order Guide

Best Star Wars comics!

Marvel Star Wars comics in canon

C.4) Where To Start With Image Comics

Over the course of the 2000’s, Image has established itself as the bastion of creator-owned, critically acclaimed projects. The most famous of these is the mega popular Walking Dead , which become the most watched show on television, and also officially concluded its comic book run in 2019.

Diving in to Image Comics is a great way for new readers to get started, as individual series are typically self-contained and don’t rely on the in-universe continuity of the major superhero publishers.

Below you’ll find a detailed complete guide to the best Image Comics.

Image Comics Resources:

The Best Image Comics Guide

The Walking Dead Reading Order Guide

Invincible Universe Reading Order Guide

Neil Gaiman's Sandman from Vertigo Comics

C.5) Where To Start With Vertigo Comics

Vertigo Comics is the (now defunct) mature readers imprint of DC Comics, and for most of the 1990’s and early 2000’s was the place to find critically acclaimed all-time great comics. The likes of Sandman, Preacher, and John Constantine, Hellblazer all come from Vertigo.

Below you’ll find a comprehensive guide to every great Vertigo comic of all time!

Vertigo Comics Resources:

Best Vertigo Comics Of All Time

Hellblazer Comics Reading Order Guide

Fables Universe Reading Order Guide

Astro City Universe Reading Order Guide

Best Neil Gaiman Comics Guide

the buffy the vampire slayer comic book reading order

C.6) Where To Start With Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse is a wonderfully consistent comic book publisher, with well known properties like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Hellboy , in addition to video game comics adaptations like Mass Effect and Dragon Age .

My favorite ongoing comic book at Dark Horse is the Black Hammer universe. If you’re looking for my favorite current place to jump in with any Dark Horse books, it’s with the Comic Book Herald Black Hammer reading order .

Below you’ll find a complete guide to all the best Dark Horse comics through the publisher’s storied history.

Dark Horse Comics Resources:

Best Dark Horse Comics of All Time

Hellboy Universe Reading Order Guide

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Universe Reading Order Guide

C.7) Valiant Comics

For a good chunk of the decade, Valiant was my favorite alternate superhero universe, modernizing many familiar superhero universe tropes.

If you’re looking to enjoy superhero comics without the decades of baggage that come with DC and Marvel Comics, I highly recommend you check out the Valiant Universe guide below.

Valiant Comics Resources:

Valiant Universe Reading Order Guide

Original Valiant Unity Saga Guide

More than Meets the Eye comic book series

C.8) Where to Start With IDW (Transformers & TMNT)

IDW has done wonders with licensed content from 80’s and 90’s cartoon favorites like Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and GI Joe.

You can dive in to my favorite IDW series below with complete guides to Transformers comics (shockingly great) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

IDW Comic Book Resources:

IDW Transformers Universe Reading Order Guide

IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Reading Order Guide

C.9) Where To Start With 2000 AD (Judge Dredd)

2000 AD is a mainstay of British Comics, best known for excellent science fiction and Judge Dredd.

You can find Comic Book Herald’s complete Judge Dredd comics guide below.

2000 AD Comics Resources:

Judge Dredd Universe Reading Order Guide

C.10) Where To Start With Archie Comics

With the launch of the CW’s Riverdale, there’s never been a better time to explore the 2015 relaunch of Archie Comics. Below you’ll find a complete guide for new readers wondering how Archie can fit in with modern comics.

Archie Comics Resources:

Archie Comics Relaunch & Riverdale Reading Order Guide

Welcome To Comics!

Reading comics is a blast, so as you get started, remember that this should be fun! If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the amount of material, just know most comic book readers have felt the same at some point, and the best thing you can do is find a starting place above and dive in.

If you have questions, suggestions, or comments, do what feels right to you in the comments below. Finally, as always, enjoy the comics!

Dave is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Comic Book Herald, and also the Boss of assigning himself fancy titles. He's a long-time comic book fan, and can be seen most evenings in Batman pajama pants. Contact Dave @comicbookherald on Twitter or via email at [email protected].

Reader Interactions

March 19, 2023 at 1:37 am

Do you think you’ll ever add Boom! studios to this?

December 13, 2021 at 1:59 pm

This was still overwhelming. For me the best way is to start with your favorite character or a character that sparks your interest. Then from there find out about the best stories for that character. The best way to do this is to find a video whose title is “Best comic for beginners” of said character (I recommend Nearmint Condition Youtube Channel). I got interested in Flash, and I started with Mark Waid’s Born to run, continued with Geoff John’s Flash, and finished with Francis Manapul’s Flash. I am now up to date with the current Jeremy Adam Flash run. I found Flash to had a concise back catalogue which was easier to get into. Characters like Batman or Spiderman are overwhelming for a new reader.

January 9, 2020 at 1:37 am

Hey dave, Wonderfully written

May 11, 2019 at 9:16 am

“Marvel Comics is home to characters like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Squirrel Girl”

You just know the person who wrote this doesn’t like Marvel at all when he decides to represent Marvel with “Squirrel Girl” instead of actual major characters who everyone knows about, who have made Marvel Cinematic Universe the most successful franchise in the whole world.

June 7, 2019 at 11:42 pm

And you sound really miserable to be complaining about a Squirrel Girl mention. Hope it gets better.

November 28, 2019 at 11:11 pm

You leave Squirrel girl alone! She is a goddamn delight!

May 25, 2018 at 4:22 pm

Informative to a point… But this article was almost as overwhelming as trying to get into comics. Article assumes that you know what you like, and what you’re looking for with comics. I need a basic beginner reading list of say 15 to 20 comics to read to get started. Comics that are best in their genres, classic stories and good starting points.

April 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm

Hey Dave. What makes Doom Patrol for mature readers only?

November 11, 2017 at 1:19 pm

Hi Dave. can U plz make a list of beginner friendly TPBs for top marvel and DC characters and teams. not just the characters of the main teams of the big 2. include other teams and other characters too.like Dr fate and Moon Knight. plz introduce more than 3 TPBs for each team and character. Thanks

New to Comic Book Herald?

A Guide to Reading Comics: Where to Start?

Did you ever want to get into comics, but did not quite know how? There are endless amounts of comics, ranging from genre to genre and where to start can be quite overwhelming. Especially, if you do not know much about them and do not have anyone that can teach you the do’s and don’ts. Comics are a blackhole, in a way, and you can be sucked into a community that already knows what they like and do not like; but alas, I am here to save the day — well, attempt to. In the recent years, more comics have expanded and they are not just superheroes comics like the majority of the popular comics were for baby boomers and millennials.

In the recent years, comics have expanded and they are not just superheroes comics like majority of the popular comics were for baby boomers and millennials. Around the time baby boomers had comics, Batman and Superman were just being created and were something that was dominant in the scene of comics. Nowadays, you have comics like Saga and Sex Criminals that have made it to the forefront and they are nothing like a superhero comic. There are also conventions that support this idea as well and lead to an even bigger stance in the community of comics.

What comics are going to be mentioned are not only superhero comics but comics for readers who do not necessarily enjoy superhero comics. If Captain America is not something for you, then not to worry. Although, the superhero comics will be dominant — there have been many other genres of comics under Marvel, Image Comics, Vertigo Comics and etc. They have made their way to the forefront recently.

Let’s begin with what comics are as a buffer. Comics are a medium in which you express your ideas through art combined with text and other visuals. They are often in the form of juxtaposed sequences of panels and images. In the picture to the left, it gives you a rundown of how to read comics. Now, this is the standard way. Some artists and creators do change that up, depending on what you are reading and what they prefer. However, that is the standard way one would read a comic.

Now that we have that covered, let’s start with what comics you should start with if you want to start reading.

Marvel / ‘Ultimate’ Marvel[ 10 ]

Good ol’ Marvel Comics or Marvel Publishing , if you will. I’m sure you’ve heard of Marvel; even without being in the comic book community. Marvel has come into your peripheral. One can assume it was the Marvel Cinematic Universe that caught your eye. The movies have become bigger and bigger in the recent years. Alas, the movies had to derive their content from somewhere and that somewhere is comics.

Here is some background information just in case you want to know where your newfound gems are going to come from. Marvel started in 1939 as Timey Publications ; however, by 1950, its named changed to Atlas Comics . In 1961, creators such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko created the masterpieces we know such as The Fantastic Four , Iron Man , Spiderman , X-Men , Inhumans , and etc. Many of these, which will inspire generations of comics to come. They also provide good places to start, some of them are mentioned below in greater detail. But, first let’s touch on Ultimate Comics and what Marvel has done with the new millennial if you would like to look into that as well.

Ultimate Marvel was aimed towards millennials; it is a generation of comics made in 2000 to 2015 to represent updated versions of the superheroes that were previously different. You will realize that when you read how many of the plots actually were compared to how they are now when you continue your endeavors. What you have under this imprint of comics are: “Ultimate” in the name, such as “ Ultimate Spiderman ,” “ The Ultimates ,” and “ Ultimate X-Men ,” and etc. The characters that exist in these comics are ones that don’t necessarily exist in the regular Earth-616 Marvel Universe, which is the default universe most comics are in.

Where to Start?

Now, you might be asking why I am talking about such old comics in 2016. The answer is simple, the original origin stories have derived from what is being mentioned below. So, if you do decide to get into Spiderman from 2008, then the origin is similar to where it started. And, they say, if you don’t like an origin story of how it began there is a high chance you will not like it in the long run. No matter who creates it and changes it and makes it their own. All origin stories are quite similar to where they began, and what is better than to start at the beginning and then choose from there on out if you want to read other versions of that comic.

So, where do you start? That’s the ultimate question. Well, let’s start with Spiderman .

Spiderman[ 1 ]

The Amazing Spiderman began in the 1960’s; this was where it all began. It was not a full series when it originally started out. Once comic readers got a whiff of it though, it was created into a full series in 1963.

Peter Parker changed the way comic readers were looking at comics. The comics that were being published at the time were comics such as Hulk, Fantastic Four, and Ant-Man — all sidekick type comics. Spiderman was one of the first characters that was not a sidekick, however simply a high school teenager fighting crime on his own. Spiderman , in a sense, started the non-sidekick superhero fad. And for that, we do thank him.

Amazing Fantasy #15 was the mini-series that Spiderman was featured in. The comic was canceled. That was the last issue before it’s departure and if not for that moment, we would not have gained such a diverse and successful Spiderman series.

The original plot goes a little something like this: Peter Parker goes to a high school called Midtown High, where he is a ‘gifted’ science student and on his way to college with a full scholarship. Peter Parker was a confident young fellow, confident enough to ask girls on dates. He often faces rejection because he is perceived to be a nerd. While attending a demonstration on radiation, he is bitten by a radioactive spider — that immediately dies afterward. Peter starts feeling ill and leaves the demonstration, almost getting hit by a car by making a leap into the air. By instinct, he lands on the side of a wall and clings to it. He realizes what abilities he has and realizes that they include speed, strength and the agility of a spider.

Peter decides that he wants to test out his newfound powers and so he decides to fight against a wrestler. Peter is wearing a mask, just in case he loses. But, he quickly beats the pro wrestler and wins the prize money. A TV producer finds him and thus begins his TV career. As he is on set a criminal passes / runs by Peter. Being famous results in Peter Parker becoming arrogant and not necessarily caring about anyone, but himself.

He says “Catching criminals isn’t what he’s paid to do.” Coming home from a gig, Peter notices the police at his house and realizes that the burglar from earlier was the one who killed his Uncle Ben. Realizing that he could have saved his Uncle from being killed if he wasn’t arrogant and selfish, he starts to become a hero, “With great power must also come — great responsibility.”

This results in Peter becoming a neighborhood hero, as opposed to a vigilante. And, thus, he begins saving the world from enemies. He also created a “Spider-Tracker” to which he can spider-sense his enemies better and track them down. As the years go on, he meets his three loves — two of which you might have heard of. The first one is Betty Brant, they split and then he goes to college and that’s where he meets Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson.

Throughout this series, you also learn that his parents were CIA agents who were killed by enemies of the U.S. It was also added that his parents knew Nick Fury and even encountered the Wolverine on a mission. He later went on to have multiple TV animation series’ as well as live action series’ and even spin-offs as well as other comic endeavors. This has led up to what we have encountered of who he is now and how he has changed. Those include Miles Morales and a new version of Peter Parker.

The Hulk was one of the first superheroes who also came upon the scene of comics, a year before Spiderman made his appearance. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, his first appearance was made in 1962 in the Incredible Hulk #1 .

Bruce Banner is the son of Dr. Brian Banner who was an atomic physicist and mother Rebecca. His father Brian hated him. Brian was an alcoholic and a very angry man. Because his mother Rebecca loved him so much, Brian was prone to jealously. Brian even believed that radiation had altered his work and gave him a mutant son. So, Brian then abused Bruce and finally murdered Rebecca, and was ultimately placed in a mental hospital.

He was then left to live with his aunt and father’s sister, who understood the great pain that he endured. They raised him as their own child and cared for him deeply. He grew up with him as a gifted and child prodigy from then on. After graduating from a science high school, he studied nuclear physics and became a star student. As an adult, he went to work for the U.S. Defense Department where he fell in love with Betty Ross. And while that was happening, he designed a “Gamma Bomb.”

Going to rescue a student who was stranded in the gamma test site, Banner went in while they halted the countdown. Except, they did not halt the countdown and Banner was stuck inside. Figuring that he would die, no one would even know he went in there. The bomb went off and caused him to transform into the Hulk , a powerful, green-skinned, humanoid.

Avengers[ 3 ]

The good ol’ Avengers — now, you may know a little bit about them from the films from the MCU. Fun-fact is that they originally started in 1963 with Avengers #1 — created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Avengers is inspired by the successful DC Comics version Justice League of America, which was created in 1960.

Originally labeled Earth’s Mightiest Heroes , it consisted of Hank Pym ( Ant-Man ), Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and The Wasp . Captain America joined shortly after 4 issues. What the Avengers did were fought the villains that no one superhero could do on their own. A villain that Spiderman could not take on his own, the Avengers would do that instead. They had their famous “Avengers Assemble!” line that they would say when they were about to fight a villain, which consisted of mutants, robots, humans, aliens, supernatural, and etc.

The Avengers consists of previously created superheroes by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and the series was published bi-monthly through issue #6 and then monthly after that until issue #402 (Sept. 1996). Avengers is known for its spin-offs, annuals, and miniseries. Some of those spin-offs include; West Coast Avengers (four-part miniseries), Heroes Reborn, and Avengers vol. 3 . Some of the newer versions of the Avengers are The New Avengers, The Mighty Avengers, Avengers: The Initiative, Dark Avengers, All-New, and All-Different Avengers.

The plot of the 1960’s version of Avengers was aimed around Loki . The Asgardian God, who is seeking revenge against Thor . He then leads Rick Jones ( A-Bomb , also sidekick to many Avengers superheroes, including Hulk ) to collect Ant-Man , Wasp , and Iron Man. This was to help Thor and Hulk who Loki was using as a pawn. The group defeated Loki and Ant-Man stated that they should form a group since they work so well together. So they decided to form a team and that team ended up being the Avengers , whom the Wasp named.

After that instance, the roster changed — Issue #2, Ant-Man became Giant-Man , Hulk left, and the revival of Captain America in issue #4. Cap then joined the team and was given the title “founding member” in the status of Hulk ‘s place. They went from them on to fight master’s of evil, of any and all sorts. Another milestone that happened was Captain America ‘s resignation, which then Hawkeye , Scarlet Witch , and Quicksilver joined. Giant-Man was now Goliath and The Wasp came back as well. Hercules became part of the team as well, along with Black Knight and Black Widow . However, they did not become actual members until years later.

Spiderman was asked to join, but declined; Black Panther joined after rescuing the team from the Grim Reaper . There was also a crossover with X-Men and the Avengers in 1968, which then introduced Vision. The Wasp and Ant-Man then got married.

Avengers headquarters is in New York City, it is called the “Avenger’s Mansion,” you have good ol’ Tony Stark to thank for that one.

DC Comics[ 11 ]

DC Comics , known as Detective Comics, Inc ., produces characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, Hawkman and Green Arrow , as well as many many more on an endless list. They have created teams such as Justice League, Teen Titians, and Justice League of Society . Even villains like Joker, Catwoman, and Deathstroke .

They debuted their first comic in 1935, and Detective Comics was formed by Wheeler-Nicholson and Jack S. Liebowitz. In 1938, DC launched their fourth title which introduced Superman , and it was called Action Comics #1 . The first comic book to feature that type of character known as superheroes — and from then on proved to be a sales hit.

There are two significant ages that DC is known for and that is The Golden Age and The Silver Age . The Golden Age is the 1930 to 1950 era of comic books. During this time, comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. Many characters were introduced such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel (Shazam).

This was the event that debuted the Superman in Action Comics #1 that was mentioned above. Between 1939 and 1941, DC Comics and All-American Publications introduced superheroes such as Batman, Robin, Flash, Wonder Woman, Atom, Hawkeye, and many more ( [12] ).

Following The Golden Age , The Silver Age was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in the mainstream version of comics — mostly in the superhero genre. The Silver Age is covered from the period of the 1950s, more accurately 1956 to 1970 and was succeeded by the Bronze and Modern ages . After WWII, superhero comics declined. Comics about horror and crime were becoming more popular in the comic book scene. In 1962, the Justice League of America was created and Marvel followed suit with Fantastic Four ( [13] ).

Batman[ 4 ]

Batman was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Batman’s origin has had countless retellings of it over the years. During the Golden Age , Batman ‘s first appearance was in Detective Comics #27 . He is a crime fighter, his origin was first introduced in Detective Comics #33 (Nov. 1939) and is explored in greater depth in Batman #47 . These two comics state that Bruce Wayne is born to Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha. They are very wealthy and charitable in Gotham City. Bruce is born into a wealthy, privileged existence until the age of eight. When he was eight his parents were killed by a criminal named Joe Chill, while on their home from a movie. That is the moment that Bruce swears he will get rid of the evil that is instilled in Gotham City. And, take revenge upon the person who took his parents lives.

After that moment, he engages in physical as well as intellectual training, but he soon realizes that those will not be enough. He then chooses to make a disguise and takes on the persona of Batman . In the early comics, Batman has a fiancée named Julie Madison, he also takes in Dick Grayson a orphaned circus acrobat, who is named Robin . Batman also becomes a founding member of Justice Society of America , as well as Superman . With that being said, he only participates occasionally and that is what that title implies.

Batman then gets back on the good side of the law and becomes a member of the Gotham Police Department. During the Silver Age , the story was completely changed.

Superman[ 5 ]

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1933. The origin story of Superman is one of the most popular franchises that DC has created. Although the details have varied and changed with each retelling, most themes remain the same like in Batman . Superman was rocketed from the planet Krypton to Earth, where he was found and raised was by a couple in Smallville. While growing up, he develops super-powers and travels to the city Metropolis where he officially becomes Superman and protects people.

The Golden and Silver Ages have explored their own versions of Superman , which are Earth-One and Earth-Two. He was altered and intensified in 1986 when the Crisis on Infinite Earths , which rebooted Superman ‘s history. Thus, Man of Steel was born and revisited the early life of Superman . There was an updated version started in 2004 by Mark Waid called Superman: Birthright . But, this version conflicted with the earlier version and thus another version was made in 2009 by Geoff Johns.

Green Lantern[ 6 ]

Green Lantern originated in 1940 by John Broome, Gil Kane, Bill Finger, and Martin Nodell. Green Lantern was another origin story retold several times over throughout the years. During the Silver Age, the first version of Green Lantern was in Showcase #22 . Green Lantern was Hal Jordan, who was given a power ring by a dying alien.

The Silver Age Green Lantern was a special character in the DC family — he was the only one with a family. He has two brothers, Jack and Jim. He has a love interest Carol Ferris, who was in charge of the Ferris Aircraft and Hal’s Boss. Carol preferred Green Lantern to Hal Jordan and took a role is trying to win him over, even proposed to him. Carol was one of the first strong-willed women of authority, which was rare at the time.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths ended and the entire DC Universe went into a different continuity. And, during this time, the characters origin story was retold and expanded into a limited series. The first of these series went into his past about his childhood, brothers, and father.

Other Genres of Comics

If you do not like superhero comics and that is not something you think you are not going to get into in the near future, here are some other comics that are under the science fiction genre. As opposed to the superhero plot. There are comic publishers such as; Image Comics, Vertigo Comics, and Dark Horse Comics. Amongst many more than you can find here . Other comic book publishing companies are becoming more and more popular for readers that do not want to read about Iron Man every week, or Captain America .

Saga (2012 – Present)[ 7 ]

It is often to be considered as “Star Wars meets Game of Thrones.” There are also the comparisons between The Lord of the Rings meets Romeo and Juliet. Saga has 33 issues currently.

Saga is an epic space fantasy comic book series, created by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. It is published monthly by Image Comics . The series is heavily influenced by Star Wars and Brian, the creator, actually created this comic in his childhood. He created this comic in math class, calling it a fictional universe.

Saga is a comic about a husband and a wife from extraterrestrial races, Alana, and Marko, are feeling from authorities. They are also two lovers from different worlds whose people are at war with one another. They are fleeing from authorities on both sides of the galactic war as they struggle to care for their daughter, Hazel. Hazel is born at the beginning of the series, and she occasionally narrates the series as well as an unseen adult. There are also story arcs that happen throughout the series and they all also have different plots as well, if you decide this one is for you to check out.

Black Science (2013 – Present)[ 8 ]

Black Science is created by Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera on Image Comics . The first issue was released in 2013. The story follows Grant McKay, who is an ex-member of the Anarchist Order of Scientists. He has done the impossible: deciphered Black Science and punched through the barriers of reality. McKay and his team are thrown through dimensional barriers to alien worlds while they try to repair the Pillar and return home. The Pillar is a piece of tech that has allowed McKay and his team to travel between the dimensions with the use of Black Science. It is released monthly on Image Comics .

Sandman (1989 – 2015)[ 9 ]

The Sandman is a comic published by Vertigo Comics created by Neil Gaiman. The first issue of The Sandman was debuted in 1988. He has appeared in DC Comics before such as Swamp Thing vol. 2 in 1989. The Sandman is a comic about how Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, is captured and learns that sometimes change is inevitable. The Sandman falls into the dark fantasy genre such as urban fantasy and epic fantasy.

At the start of the series, Morpheus is captured by an occult ritual and held a prisoner for 70 years. Morpheus escapes in the modern day. After avenging himself upon his captors sets about rebuilding his kingdom, which has fallen into disrepair in his absence. The character’s haughty and cruel manner often softens after being imprisoned at the beginning of the series. The challenge of undoing past sins and changing old ways is huge for someone who is set in his ways and has been for billions of years.

Most of the storylines take place in Morpheus’ realm and the waking world — but, they occasionally visit Hell, Asgard, and Faerie.

If this seems like something you may be into, then the next thing you are going to do after reading this article is go to your local comic book store (if you have one). Another comic book community insider I want to tell you about are conventions. Comic-Con, Wonder-Con, and Cons on Cons on more Cons. It is where you dress up as your favorite superhero (or don’t) and be a part of the great community we call a family. You meet the people who create and draw these comics and the entire time you are there, it is like you’re home. What a time to be alive right?

Now, this is not saying that you should absolutely read these comics first — but, this is a good starting point for anyone who wants to start reading comics. The older versions of the superhero comics are where it started. If you get the gist of the personality from those, it does not change too much in newer versions of those comics. There are some you can skip. Instead of wasting your time and reading all of the origin stories that every comic intstills, you can read these few to see if you like and see if they are for you. But, even if these are not for you, there are some others that may be up your alley as well. This is simply to get your comic book wheels turning and seeing what you like out there. Your comic endeavors either start or end here. Whether you like, love, or simply do not want to read one ever again is up to you. But, without further ado, welcome to the community! Just warn us if you are about to scream about a comic you are excited about, so we can pull out our earplugs. We are getting way too old for that.

Works Cited

[1]: Kistler, Alan. “The Many Origins of Spider-Man: A History.” Comic Book Resources. Comic Book Resources, 27 June 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
[2]: “Hulk (Robert Bruce Banner).” Hulk (Robert Bruce Banner). Wikia, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
[3]: “Avengers (comics).” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers_(comics)>.
[4]: “Batman Origins.” DC Database. Wikia, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. .
[5]: “Superman Origins.” DC Database. Wikia, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.
[6]: “Green Lantern.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern>.
[7]: “Saga.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_(comic_book)>.
[8]: “Black Science.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Science_(comics)>.
[9]: “The Sandman.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandman_(Vertigo)#Themes_and_genre>.
[10]: “Avengers (comics).” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers_(comics)>.
[11]: “DC Comics.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_Comics>.
[12]: “Golden Age of Comic Books.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Comic_Books>.
[13]: “Silver Age of Comic Books.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Age_of_Comic_Books>.

What do you think? Leave a comment .

Want to write about Comics or other art forms?

Receive our weekly newsletter:

Overweight Superheroes and Supervillains

85 Comments

Thanks! This was very helpful for me. I’m thinking of starting to really get into the comic book world. I’ve always been drawn (no pun intended) into comics, with the illustrations, bright colors and the recognition of my favorite superheros. I don’t understand why some comics start a #0 and others at #1? Is there a reason for that?

a #0 issue is an issue that is dedicated to the backstory and just that — information that you need to know about the character and etc., it rarely happens anymore (i don’t see many of them), but back in the day, it used to happen more so. now they incorporate backstories into comics as it goes along as opposed to creating a #0 comic.

I’ll come back and read this later but for me it took a while to get into comics because I’m a cheap bastard who can’t/unwilling to afford 20-40 bucks per novel or $4ish per issue of everything i wanna read. I started by torrenting a ton (blasphemy i know) and then I recently moved to a place that has a hastings which has really great deals on used novels and individual comics. now I try to buy new issues when I can to make up for all the torrenting. anywho… that’s one way to do it. also I started with manga. it’s cheaper and freely available on the internet.

To me that sounds a bit lazy.

I myself has recently been into comics and I find it really entertaining (yet pricey). If you’re into Marvel, try to invest on Marvel Unlimited to catch up on old titles. This is how I did it. And also, keep an eye on discounts at Comixology.

i buy both, paper and digital — but, ludie is right! there’s marvel, image, dc, and comixology apps and they all have deals (quite constantly). there’s also websites you can download them for free even if you just want to check them out beforehand before buying as well. there’s always deals and digital is becoming the better option these days because you can take them on the go and on your phone while you’re out and about!

Avoid 90’s comics.

I’ve tried to get into comics about ten times in my life (from childhood to now). Everytime I pick on up and read it, I find every other panel goes on about something that happened in a previous issue that I don’t have but need in order to make sense of what I’m reading at that moment.

I understand that’s probably the main draw (collecting all them to piece together the whole story), and also a great way to sell comics, but it’s a big turn off for me. It’s the opposite with self-contained hardcovers; I finish and it wasn’t enough content for me! I’ll just stick with regular books, thank you.

And yes, I understand the irony. But Norse Thor would kick Marvel Thor’s ass any day.

just an idea, but they also have graphic novels, which contain all the issues in one. they are pricey about 30-50 bucks, but they are worth it so you won’t have to keep buying issues and getting lost. they normally have all the issues in that #1 graphic novel and then they continue. saves money and the artwork is great! they’re about 300 pages sometimes, and they come with so many issues! but, i understand you — i also read regular books and nothing is like a good ol’ regular book

Its weird right how some of us dont like the whole just pick something and work along the way, I NEED CONTINUTIY, and thats why I also stick to nice organized books which if have sequels are well described and organized just how I like them without overly complicated crossovers

Graphic novels are def something that you might enjoy also! the crossovers in comics are not something you NEED to read. Civil War is important to the Marvel community, but I’ve made it years without reading it until last year. There may be some that are needed, but I’d like to believe comics make it so that nothing is needed to read as far as crossovers and spin-offs

This is the most helpful “How To Get Into Comics” article I’ve read so far! Thanks!

thank you 🙂

Thanks for the breakdown to this fascinating world of comics.

thank YOU for reading it 🙂

Great piece with some interesting information to those who are new to comics. Having two boys, I am very familiar for the most part with superhero comics, but not with other genres. For this reason, I found the section on alternative comic genres very informative. I might look into reading the Saga comics, seems interesting to me.

thank you! i hope you enjoy Saga, it is an adventure of a comic!

How do I know which comic is my starting point to start reading? I mean, (I’m new to this, of course) for many comic book series there are a lot of different collections and some of them are rather old.

Comics normally will start with issue #1 or #0, and those are the start points. If it says “All-New” or “Ultimates” it’s generally another version of the older comic that came before that is / was being made for the generation it came out for. For the most part, you can start anywhere in a Marvel superhero comic. I.E. Deadpool, you can pretty much start anywhere, he tells his backstory throughout the comic (well, brings it up often) With Marvel comics you can catch on fairly quickly when it comes to back story, because it’s retold or mentioned a few times throughout.

I’d suggest just diving in to whatever appeals to you. Don’t worry too much if something came before it too much. Most modern comics are pretty good at telling you what you need to know as you’re reading. But if you’re a bit confused still with your chosen comic then Wikipedia generally has the answers you seek.

That’s what I did when I started reading comics and after a while you won’t need to do as much when you come familiar with characters and concepts.

Wild is right, it all appeals to what you want to read as well. Sooner or later you’ll get the hang of what you want to read and what comics you are stoked for on comic book wednesdays and you may read some that you won’t like in five years, but that’s the experience of comics. you find what you like and once you do it sticks and you have your own little way of reading comics

Great article, thanks. I’m just starting to get back into comics, loved them when I was a kid but stopped reading them the older I got. I really like the darker comics, so I prefer the likes of batman, absolutely love the current games. But I like villains in batman over the hero and I was wondering if there are any comics that focus more on the bad guys than the good guys? I love Harley Quinn and The Joker if that helps any…

YES! Suicide Squad, basically bad guys in general (the comics are cooler than the movie looks), Harley Quinn (she has her own comic, featuring the Joker at times as well), Harley Quinn and Power Girl have a comic as well. Catwoman has a new series. Convergence as well could be something that you could be into. The New 52 is a good series. The Joker can be found in plenty of these making a cameo.

http://www.dccomics.com/comics/harley-quinn-and-power-girl-2015/harley-quinn-and-power-girl-1 http://www.dccomics.com/comics/harley-quinn-2013/harley-quinn-17 http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-jokers-asylum-2008/the-jokers-asylum-the-joker-1 http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-jokers-asylum-2008/the-jokers-asylum-two-face-1 http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-new-52-futures-end-2014/the-new-52-futures-end-1 http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-new-52-futures-end-2014/the-new-52-futures-end-6

Here are some that you may like, and then you can broad your search after those, but there are some good ones for villains on DC so you are in luck! I hope this helped :^)

There’s lots of comics that focus villains. Harley Quinn has her own series at the moment which is a lot of fun. Last month’s issue (#17) is a great jumping on point. As for the Joker, the best story featuring him is the classic Batman: The Killing Joke, but there’s also a great story now called Joker which is another classic. Other villains with their own comic recently are Lobo, Magneto and Deathstroke.

Also, listen to Hendrickson, Harley’s new series is rad (have been reading it, I can vouch for it)

A great place to start would be to pick up the new 52 Scott Snyder Batman, i would say get enough to read through the Court of Owls arc, and then if you still like it (which who wouldn’t after reading court of owls) then pick up the other 15 or so issues because so far they’re all amazing. Other good Batman reads for beginners would probably be Batman and Son, Long Halloween and Dark Victory (in that order), Year One (It conflicts with zero year since it’s not officially canon, but still a great read), Dark Knight Returns (also another non-canon Frank Miller, but one of the best comics of all time, The Killing Joke, and any new 52 Batman related comics (Batgrl, Batwoman, Batman and Robin Vol.2, Nightwing).

Nightwing is the best, I agree with you the New 52 is pretty killer!

genuinely great article

i went into a comic shop once, mention i had at 1 point the first comic with the venom costume. he began saying in a very ass way, that its questionable which is the actually true first comic. i said whatever comic it was in first is the first comic and true origin story. he began to tell me that that comic was a what if. i then said no if it was a what if, it would of been called a what if, like the rest. basically i had someone argue about something not worth it. everything he said was in opposition of what i said. it was almost like, because i wore a tank top, military pants, shaved head and tattoos, that i was ignorant about comics. everyone is a geek about something, like people who are really into sports are geeks. you would think that comic geeks would try to be better then sports geeks. but everyone wants to feel superior to others, dont understand why though. the comic was part of a short series called the secret wars, but since cartoons couldnt use that, they made it come to earth on a rocket. he tried to use that as ammo.

what a terrible comic book experience 🙁

The explanation for how to read it should’ve been done by Deadpool.

i actually wanted to make the entire article in the words of Deadpool haha

Is a subscription like Marvel Unlimited a good way for someone to get into comics?

Yes! I like digital, I think it’s a good way of being on the ‘go’ and actually reading while you are out and about. That is a HUGE plus for me, I always will like buying them, but it is very beneficial!

Or, you can just buy a manga through these simple steps:

1. Go to bookstore 2. Look for 1st volumes of each manga till you find something that is interesting 3.purchase 1st volume of manga 4. enjoy

Comic books are so convoluted these days that it’s practically impossible to actually get started.

Yes, because the tale of a boy using a demon book to kill people with the aid of an apple-eating demon… that then leads to him leading a police task force to hunt him down…

…or of moon princesses who fight weird monsters with the help of a masked waiter (I think that’s his day job, at least)…

…or One Piece (really, do I need to say more?)…

…all those stories are TOTALLY simple and not at all as crazy and complex and convoluted as American comics.

Plus even if he did return her feelings it could not actually go anywhere, I feel that all those stories where they fall in love and get married are actually pretty unrealistic (aside from the fact that it happens within the span of five seconds). While the manga does not up and say it, the fact that every Hyuuga looks like every other Hyuuga means that they practice inbreeding (Incest), as heir to the Hyuuga clan Hinata would never be allowed to marry outside of said clan (plus the elders would never allow the Byakugan to belong to another clan). Not what I posted here was for my fanfic site I can’t remember the author’s name but this is why Naruto’s last movie is about as phony as a FanFic story I want to look up the office name / be given some credit for this but his story is Redux Namikaze if you want to look it up and see who I refer to cuz I would like to get the guy full credit for pointing this out that no one else everyone else seems to ignore with the Naruto series what is the old saying done with the facts yet we have a good story the saddest thing is the man who will now though creating an amazing story and great characters only handle to a bunch of fanboys and fangirls and IRC hope none of these fan boys and fan girls are in love with the actual character I bet you have an iPhone love with the actual actress who voice of the character which I’ve actually seen a photo of her and she is quite good looking just so you know she wouldn’t give you the time of day girls you can tell loser coming from a mile away believe me I’ve been down that road I know all about it so you don’t need to diss me on because I am a loser I won’t deny that it takes to lose the knowing loser and trust me and something I’m not proud of but I accept that but at least I’m not an idiot at least if I was going to do something and stay true to the story and what I haven’t even saw and when I got served unlike a certain fanfic based company that actually of what I heard actually has photos of the character wearing lingerie and even a Playboy bunny outfit I don’t know about you but that seems highly unprofessional and a little immature you know what we’re up guys in act your age not your shoe size I know it’s hard to do but you don’t try ask with forget it do or do not there is no try and show some damn professionalism seriously you guys have a fictitious character wearing lingerie in a Playboy bunny outfit I’m not sure where I should laugh or cry about how about actually pathetic at actually yes actually I’ll just cry my😥 and that’s how you do not do an anime mangia cartoon drawing but to the man who wrote Naruto your story was absolutely amazing characters were creative absolutely beautifully drawn the craft and creation of the way you made it was actually amazing it’s too bad you left your show in the hands of a bunch of idiots when I say idiot I mean adults mentally inferior to a child with information difference the way you can apologize to the Naruto fans is by taking it back and we doing the story as you see it if you truly believe what you said but he had to go back and rewrite the whole number to a franchise and make it so the end up together and don’t say you don’t want to do it because if you don’t it just says you’re lazy and you best we passed the buck I know that you are a better writer than that so please go and do this for the true friends of Naruto and please be consistent I know you probably don’t need this crap or this type of stuff but I would appreciate that someone would take it seriously look if that’s what you intended from the beginning then go back and read make nails or call it naruto reboot if you have to I think you can do it if that’s what your true intentions were but I don’t think that was your true intentions you allowed another company to influence your decision is same company with the season finale of The Legend of Korra also influence the ending of the Legend of Korra based on fanfic of a Asami and Korra

At once shallow, completely haphazardly assembled and written with stellar ineptitude, this alleged article may be evidentiarily cited as affirming in countless readers why they’d be wasting their time if they chose to read those comic books they’ve been hearing so much about. And that’s a shame, almost as much a shame as the artifice of editorial oversight on this site.

This is a very helpful resource. There are so many different iterations of each comic series and character that it is a daunting hobby to get started in.

That is true, alas though, once you’re in you start to get your own mojo and what you like and what you don’t like and what you want to read and that is one of my favorite things!

I learned something today… damn it!

It’s a never-ending story where the characters are always getting reboots when their story start getting boring. You don’t really see the characters evolving as human beings, but rather getting their story retold over and over and over… That’s why I like Deadpool because he doesn’t really any of this crap.

#supportdeadpoolforpres

This is great and I’ll be sharing this around my social media places.

Most people say to buy the new series that Marvel and DC make but to never buy the A-list ones, i personally disagree, despite titles like “X-Men” and “Superman” having been around for decades, there’s not any actual need to read the older comics, because comics are always having new storylines that are created independently from older ones.

Is comic continuity confusing? Yes it is.

Do you need to understand the continuity to understand the plot? Not really.

That’s true, I mostly just suggested them for the backstory as well as seeing where that “superhero” dynamic came from. the backstories are almost always the same unless the character changes gender and even then they kind of are. But, it shows that the distilled version of a superhero is also the same, it hasn’t really changed much even from 1960 and I think that is cool to learn and appreciate as well!

actually a pretty decent rundown. reading the DC and Marvel wiki’s can also shed some light, but you’re bound to run into some heavy spoilers that you might not want to know, or you’ll see things that just don’t match up with the era you’re reading.

That’s what I used to do at times, it makes it so you don’t have to read the entire thing and the good thing about Wiki is that it has paragraphs for certain comic series, so hopefully they don’t spoil too much

Fan wikis are often even more in depth too. Personally, I wouldn’t worry about spoilers for American comics since sometimes a storyline will end in a different book or even get forgotten about so who knows when you might run across it.

A very nice intro. I might try SAGA. Thanks!!!

I hope you like it 🙂

While this article has been immensely useful in giving a perspective on the methodology of reading a comic, and gave a starter’s entry into which comics a lay-person can begin from, I do have some questions to ask regarding your article.

For a start, I noticed that you didn’t add entries of Vertigo and Image comics in your article. Or even some well known British comic icons. While the article itself is focussing on the original hub of comics from a story-arc perspective (and hence is probably excluding panel comics like Popeye, Dagwood, Garfield, B.C. and Charlie Brown), It would have benefited from having (at least) Judge Dredd ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Dredd ) and Hellblazer ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellblazer ). I also find it interesting that you didn’t include The Punisher ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punisher ) as well – I would like to know your perspective on these comics and why they were not included, since you have already mentioned Vertigo and John Constantine is their flagship character.

Furthermore, a little more detail regarding comic book tropes (two page spreads, inking type, narration styles) would also have been beneficial to this article. Maybe there is another article on these tropes on The Artifice and I don’t know about it? If so, where is the article?

Lastly, and this is me being honest: I actually liked how you gave a very neutral perspective on the introduction of comics (or story arc based comics, at any rate – hero or no hero) for the reader to examine and consider. Even though I have comics in their traditional magazine form (as well as a few trades), I find that there are websites where you can read comics online (comicmad for instance).

I look forward to your response.

honestly, it would’ve been way too long if i wanted to add everything i had hopes for unfortunately :/ i had to cut a lot out, i would hope someone adds a part 2 for this that shows the basics of how to read an article and etc., i tried to get most of the general things down, but it was getting pretty long as it was. i wanted to add fight club 2 and paper girls and some neutral mature comics as well. Archie and Peanuts to show the differences too! i have been trying to answer questions as far as what else anyone wants to know since i know i couldn’t add very much in this. i tackling on a bunch of topics in this article. I do know about Vertigo and Dark Horse etc., but i presume the basis of me mentioning Image it would start a chain reaction in the audience searching up the others as well since i couldn’t add everything i intended to. i know about all three of those comics you’ve mentioned, which are also good areas to start. thank you for mentioning them! hopefully, people will cruise down the comments and see this one.

*an comic, not article sheesh

So, so helpful. I love this!

Thank you! 🙂

After years of reading manga and the occasional graphic novel, I’ve started to get into comics a bit more. And while I wouldn’t exactly call DC’s New 52 easy to pick up, it’s certainly more accessible to me than say the previous 52 run or the Batman RIP arc. I mostly still just collect trade paperbacks of the main series, but I have also widened my base through Comixology, much to my wife’s chagrin (they were having a flash Flash sale, how could I resist!). I’ve still yet to attempt to crack Marvel’s Superior Spider-Man/Death of Peter Parker/Ultimate Miles Moralis Spider-Man. But I do hope to eventually.

Ebay will be your best friend as well, if you want paperback copies; they sell from old to new to not even released yet comics and it’s really cool i’ve ordered a bunch from there when i can’t find certain old school comics in the comic book store!

One of the best articles here. Brilliantly done!

Thank you so much or this I’m going to bookmark this page to use in the future.

You should do one for every nerdy/geeky subject.

Alas, I do not think that “alas” means what you think it means …

as a form of exclamation?

“Alas” is used as an expression of grief – a good synonym would be “unfortunately.” For example, in your first paragraph, I’m not sure you meant to say “unfortunately, I am here to save the day” … I mean, as a comic book novice, I personally found your article to be quite interesting and not at all unfortunate 🙂

haha thank you! I meant it more towards a form of exclamation, I guess nowadays it’s used more towards that. (I had this talk with a few of my professors, I’m an english major myself) and how words are changing into different meanings. But, you are right! The original definition is grief!

Well, I agree with your suggestions.

I’m… Impressed. I was expecting this to be some sarcastic, back-handed satire, but this is actually really helpful and informative. Kudos!

I used to get individual issues until I realized it’s crazy expensive. Now I buy trades on Amazon for $10-15 each. They’re a lot nicer to look at, substantially cheaper, and easier to keep track of all the issues needed to follow a particular story arc. I do miss going to the comic shop though.

I am teaching a Comp 2 class this semester designed around reading and analyzing graphic novels. Since most of my students are complete novices when it comes to comics, I found it to be essential to teach them how to read a comic. Apparently for some it’s not as intuitive as I would’ve thought. I heard several comments when I gave them Jessica Abel’s “What is a Graphic Novel” comic say, “where do I look first”.

You forgot a final piece of advice: NEVER go on the internet. Just… don’t. You will be much happier just reading the comic then reading what reviewers, angry fans, Marvel Zombies and DC Devotees are all screaming about.

This was great! Very informative for first time comic readers.

Great post! I’m very new to the world of (Western) comics as I’d only ever read manga before, which are relatively straightfoward. Suddenly there were so many different universesn runs, people working on them, not to mention retcons and I felt so overwhelmed. I’ve been trying to cope by following certain characters I like, in addition to recs and explanatory posts like these!

Wonderful post. I took a class in studying comic books as a creative medium, but I haven’t read that many beyond school assignments. I’m personally intrigued by Saga and Sandman, which I’ve heard about before.

Very good article. I like how you introduce the comics to the medium too, it’s a rising medium, I think, especially these days. DC is the best.

This essay is helpful. We need more lesson plans and guidebooks for college courses in literary studies about comics.

we do, I took a course on how to teach graphic novels and comics in the classroom and it was one of the best courses i’ve taken in college!

I loved the Sandman series. Good article!

I really want to read Saga!!! But this is very useful because I think people find it hard to be a comic book fan when there is such a massive back catalogue they don’t know where to begin

Great article. As some who’s about a year into being into comics, this really helped me out to discover more stories I’ve missed.

Unsure if I missed in the article, but for anyone starting out I’d suggest any classic Batman stories, especially those done by Frank Miller like Dark Knight Returns or Year One. Even The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb.

I appreciate the focus on comic books outside the superhero genre. Some of the best comic books I’ve read have been crime comics (100 Bullets, Scalped), horror comics (Wytches) and sci-fi comics (Fear Agent, plus Black Science and Saga, which you mention).

Regardless of personal taste, comics are a fantastic storytelling medium, and they offer something for everybody!

Thank you very much for sharing this post. I love to read comic books and all these comic book series are my favorite.

I would definitely also recommend the Miracleman series, originally written by Alan Moore. His penchant of deconstructing superhero norms, which would reach its pinnacle in works like Watchmen and V for Vendetta, all began with the exploration and reinvention of a Captain Marvel/Shazam-style of character, and what it would actually be like, in the real world, to have powers that make you a virtual god.

I was thinking of starting reading some of these comics but some of the origins are not really in my budget. Superman’s first appearence (Detective Comics 1) is like 2mill to buy. Some other old pieces are very expensive as well so… Not all origins are that available

Why comics belong in schools…and more ideas from graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang

By Laura McClure on July 21, 2016 in Interviews

Gene Luen Yang taught high school science for 17 years while moonlighting as a graphic novelist. Today, both art and education get celebrated in his work. Ten years after his book American Born Chinese became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award, the Library of Congress appointed Yang the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature — which, he says, “was one of the best days of my life.”

Yang recently spoke with TED-Ed before heading to Comic-Con International in San Diego. Below, check out his recommended reading lists for kids, his thoughts on writing the Chinese Superman, and his advice for teachers on how to use graphic novels in schools.

What were you like as a kid?

I was pretty much a textbook nerd. I liked all the things that nerds are supposed to like. I liked computers; I started coding when I was in sixth grade. I liked comic books; I started collecting comics when I was in fifth grade. I liked to draw; I was always drawing in class. I liked comics, I didn’t like sports. But there were definitely kids who liked both, and I think that artificial divide between athletic activity and nerdy activity is breaking down. I was not an awesome student. I don’t think I was terrible, but I also wasn’t great. There are certain subjects that I really liked, and I would pay attention during those subjects, and then the other subjects I’d have a hard time with.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a graphic novelist?

When I was really little, I wanted to be in animation — I wanted to be a Disney animator; that was my lifelong goal. And then after I started collecting comics in fifth grade, I slowly switched over. I think it solidified for me when I was in college and I took a summer-long animation class, and during that summer, I produced like two, three minutes of animation total. That’s when I realized that animation is so labor-intensive that it’s actually very difficult for one person to have control over an entire project. I mean, comics is really labor-intensive as well, but at least it’s manageable enough that one person can do it. If you really want to, you can do the whole thing all on your own. So I switched over to wanting to do comics when I was in college. I started self-publishing comics, and then I got involved in a local community of cartoonists who’d hang out all the time, and we’d go to things together.

In the late ’90s comics in America were just doing — the industry was not doing well. The conventions had very low attendance. Nowadays Comic-Con is crazy — it sold out in April. But back then, you could walk up day-of to buy tickets to go in, and then on Sundays, which was the last day of the convention, I remember it seemed like there were more exhibitors than there were attendees, it was just really low attendance, nobody was really interested in comics. People were predicting that the comic book industry was about to die. I don’t know if you remember this, but Marvel Comics had to declare bankruptcy, and people were — some people — were expecting it to just go out of business completely, and if that happened, they were saying it would take out probably the comic shop system within America, because so many comic shops were reliant on Marvel Comics. It was very apocalyptic, and that’s when I was entering comics. People were saying, “You know that comics is going to become this very niche thing in America?” I wasn’t expecting to be able to make any money out of it. I remember going with my friends to comic book conventions and feel kind of depressed afterwards, but we decided that we’d keep doing comics, just because we liked it. We wanted to do it, because we liked it.

So I got a job as a teacher, and I was expecting back then that I would always have a full-time job, and I would just make comics on the side. Some people play golf to relax, I would make comics to relax.

What advice do you have for teachers who want to use graphic novels in a classroom?

There are lots of different ways that comic books and graphic novels can be incorporated into a classroom. The easiest way is to use them with reluctant readers. Comic books and graphic novels are really a gateway into just the habit of reading, and I know a lot of teachers have had success using comics with reluctant readers — just getting them into the habit of reading. I do think comics are worthy of study in and of themselves, though, as well.

Comics are also a great way of getting kids to think critically about the visual media that surrounds them. So unlike a lot of these other visual media out there — unlike film, and television, and animation — in comics, the images are static, so you can — in a comic book, past, present and future all sit side-by-side on a single page, and because of that, you can dwell on a moment as long as you want. And you can do that as a class, or you can do that as an individual reader. And I think it allows you, if you want, to think and read a little bit more critically than is maybe possible with film or animation or television. If a teacher knows what she’s doing, I think she can use comics to teach visual literacy, to teach kids to be critical about the images that surround them. I think we have a tendency to always believe what we see; as a species I think that’s true. We have a tendency to just believe what we see. And I think in today’s world of sophisticated imagery, that doesn’t always serve the student to do that. So comics can be a way of breaking that, of making kids think, not just about the words that they hear but also the images that they see.

As the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, I created Reading Without Walls to encourage kids to explore the world through books. I want them to read diversity, and I want them to read diversity in three very specific ways. Number one is I want them to read books about characters that look or live like them. And I especially want them to pick books with covers that feature characters of color. I think there’s this really weird discussion within publishing right now about — I’ve had more than one author of color tell me that their publisher encouraged them not to put a character of color on their books, because they felt like it damage sales. So I want kids to pick books with characters that are of color on the covers.

Second, is I want them to pick books about topics that they might find intimidating. And then third is, I want them to pick books that are in formats that they don’t normally read for fun. So if they normally only read chapter books, I want them to try graphic novels. If they normally only read graphic novels, I like them to give a chapter book or a book of verse a try.

Do you have an idea where graphic novels are going next?

It seems like pop culture is getting more and more nerdy, so the things that used to be really niche — when I was a kid, if you were a superhero fan, if you read superhero comics, you would just kind of hide it. There was no way you would advertise that. In my junior high, there’s no way I would advertise that. And now, even the super popular kids are wearing Spiderman t-shirts and stuff. It seems like we’re still on an upward swing with that kind of stuff. So in the broader pop cultural landscape, it seems like people are becoming more and more aware of superhero comics, at least. And also the fact that every librarian knows what a graphic novel is now. I don’t think you could say that in the mid-’90s.

It also seems like comics are becoming more diverse in America — so for a really long time, comics in America were dominated by superheroes, and now there are just so many options out there. Memoir has become a real force in comics — Raina Telgemeier’s stuff, I think she’s probably the best-selling American cartoonist right now, which again, in the ’90s, I just don’t think she would’ve been able to predict. That trend towards diversity in every sense of the word, I think that is just going to continue as well.

What can you tell us about the latest Superman installment?

The diversity conversation is happening everywhere, and it’s in superhero comics right now. Superheroes are just so American. They’re created in America, they became popular in America. Now people all over the world are — you can find superhero fans anywhere in the world. But they still embody this very American ethos, and I think the diversity conversation as applied to superheroes is really about who can be American. And I think the reason there’s this push for seeing heroes of every identity, period — is really, we kind of want to see a visual representation that anybody can be an American.

The Chinese Superman, in particular — that wasn’t my idea, that was actually the idea of Jim Lee, who’s one of the co-publishers at DC comics — he’s kind of like my boss now; it’s kind of crazy because when I was a teenager, I was reading his comics. He was a fan-favorite artist, and he was working for Marvel back then, and now he’s the big cheese at DC, and he wanted to see an Asian superhero. So the Chinese Superman is not American; he’s a Chinese citizen, he’s not a Chinese-American. But what we want is to take the things in this deeply American genre and see how many of these values translate into another culture — see how much of this stuff is universal, and see how it translates into another culture.

Let’s talk about the future of education and storytelling. What do you think we can expect from the future, as you see it?

First, I think that diversity — in every sense of the word — is going to be a big thing, and different people of different identities and different cultural backgrounds are going to get more and more of a voice — not just on the American stage, but on the global stage. Second, stories are also getting more diverse. I think what’s happening in comics, with the genre diversity within comics, is happening within storytelling in general. We’ll see more and more stories that defy genres, we’re seeing genres break up into multiple sub-genres, and that’s just going to continue to happen.

Within education, I think education is going to become more customized, so it’ll become more individualized. Teachers will have the technologies to serve their students better as individuals, or as an entire class. And I think all that is really awesome. And as the writer of Chinese Superman, I do think that a lot of what we’re going to see within the next two decades, at least, is going to be defined by that relationship between America and China. It’s going to be interesting to see how that develops.

What advice would you give to students, especially those looking for creative ways to turn their life experiences into artistic mediums, as you have done with your graphic novels?

In a lot of ways, I feel very jealous of students today, because I think there are a lot of tools available to them that just weren’t available to me and my generation. If I were just starting today, what I would do is I would make my comic and I would put it out as a web comic series, and I think that there are a lot of kids that are actually doing that right now, and a lot of high school kids are creating webcomics and putting it out there for the world to see. There are a lot of professional comic book artists now that started off in webcomics. Webcomics, when I was starting out, were not really anything — it didn’t come around until a few years later. But I think the internet in general is just such an effective way for a creator to connect with an audience, and if I were starting off, I would take advantage of that.

In addition, when you’re just starting off, it’s really important to get in the habit of creation. The habit is almost more important than the work itself. I tell students who are interested in making anything creative to set up a time regularly to work on their creative work, and to make sure — to think of that time as sacred, to keep it sacred. And then I will say, just never to let perfection get in the way. If you are too obsessed with making things perfect, you’ll never finish — and the feeling of finishing something is so important to have, it has to feel very familiar — finishing a project, seeing a project all the way through. Finishing is more important than perfection.

Love superheroes? Watch the Superhero Science TED-Ed Lesson series here >>

Movie Reviews
Comic Reviews
Gaming News
Video Game Reviews
Hero History
Sign in / Join

A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Comics: How to Get Started and What to Read

Introduction: understanding the variety of comics available.

Comics have been a beloved form of entertainment for decades, but for those who are new to the medium, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. With so many comics, characters, and universes to choose from, it can be difficult to know which comics are worth reading. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll take a look at how to get started with reading comics and some recommendations for what to read.

Getting Started: Tips and Tricks for Finding Your Next Favorite Comic

Before diving into the world of comics, it’s important to know that comics come in all shapes and sizes. There are mainstream superhero comics, indie comics, graphic novels, and webcomics, all of which offer different styles and types of storytelling. To get started, it’s a good idea to figure out what kind of comics you’re interested in. Are you a fan of superheroes? Do you like horror comics? Are you interested in indie comics? Once you have a general idea of what you’re looking for, you can start to narrow down your options.

One of the best ways to get started with comics is to visit your local comic book store. Not only will you be able to browse the latest comics, but you can also talk to the staff who can give you recommendations based on your interests. Many comic book stores also have a pull list service, where you can pre-order comics and have them delivered to the store for you to pick up on release day. This is a great way to keep up with the comics you’re interested in and make sure you never miss an issue.

Another way to get started is to explore digital comics. Many comics are now available in digital format, which makes it easy to access a wide variety of comics without having to leave your house. Some popular digital comics platforms include Comixology , Marvel Unlimited, and DC Universe.

Classic Comics: “Watchmen” and “Sandman”

“Watchmen” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons: This is a classic comic that is often considered one of the greatest comics of all time. It’s a deconstruction of superheroes and features a complex, multi-layered narrative that is both thought-provoking and entertaining.
“Sandman” by Neil Gaiman: This is a fantasy comic that tells the story of Morpheus, the lord of dreams. It’s a beautifully illustrated and written series that explores mythology, literature, and the human condition.

Superhero Comics: “Ms. Marvel” and “Scott Pilgrim”

“Ms. Marvel” by G. Willow Wilson: This is a superhero comic that features a teenage girl, Kamala Khan, who discovers she has superpowers. The comic deals with themes of identity, culture, and growing up, making it a relatable and entertaining read.
“Scott Pilgrim” by Bryan Lee O’Malley: This is a graphic novel series that tells the story of Scott Pilgrim, a slacker who must fight his girlfriend’s seven evil exes. It’s a hilarious and action-packed series that is perfect for anyone who loves video games and pop culture references.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Comics: “Saga” and “Y: The Last Man”

“Saga” by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples: This is a science fiction comic that tells the story of a family from opposite sides of an intergalactic war, who must navigate their way through a galaxy of danger to find a way back to each other. It’s a beautifully illustrated and written series that is perfect for anyone who loves science fiction and fantasy.
“Y: The Last Man” by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra: This is a science fiction comic that tells the story of Yorick, the last surviving human male on Earth, as he searches for a way to save his species. It’s a thought-provoking and entertaining series that deals with themes of gender, identity, and survival.

Dark and Psychological Comics: “The Walking Dead” and “The Killing Joke”

Reading Comics The Walking Dead & The Joker

“The Walking Dead” by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore: This is a horror comic that follows a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by zombies. It’s a gripping and intense series that explores themes of survival, leadership, and humanity.
“The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland: This is a psychological thriller comic that tells the story of the Joker’s origin and his attempt to drive Batman’s closest ally, Commissioner Gordon, insane. It’s a dark and intense comic that explores the nature of insanity and the relationship between Batman and the Joker.

Conclusion: Embrace the World of Comics with an Open Mind

Reading comics can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start. With so many comics, characters, and universes to choose from, it’s important to figure out what you’re interested in and to keep an open mind. Whether you’re a fan of superheroes, horror comics, or indie comics, there’s something out there for everyone. Remember to take a trip to your local comic book store, explore digital comics, and to not be afraid to try out different genres and styles. Happy reading!

Five Ways Comic Books Can Improve Literacy Skills

Being able to read and write can be a superpower for anyone—so why not learn by reading about superheroes? Comic books can be used as a great tool for improving literacy skills, not just for children, but adults too.

At a 2016 Comic-Con in San Diego, California, a panel of education professionals shed some light on the superpowers that comics are filled with, both figuratively and literally. “Idioms, homonyms, homophones—you can see that clearly in the play between text and pictures,” said Lalitha Nataraj, a panelist and librarian. “For that reason, comics are wonderful.”

Another panelist uses Chris Claremont’s X-Men comic book to explain one of the most significant roles comic books play in building literacy skills. “You have Colossus, and he’s this big, giant metal guy. You get a really good sense of what the word colossus means and that’s a good 10-cent word. Banshee’s power is screaming. You have these characters that embody the vocabulary words that they are. That’s something that’s a fun way to learn new words, in addition to the contextual clues,” said James Bucky Carter, author of Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels.

There are several ways that comic books can be used to educate learners of all ages.

Motivation Adults who read at a low level or cannot read at all can be intimidated by books overflowing with text. Comic books deliver small amounts of text on each page that act as stepping stones to longer and more complex texts. With these small amounts of text, readers are exposed to a lot of details without having to decode more words then they can handle.

Reading Comprehension The sequential artwork in comic books lays the foundation for building reading comprehension skills. You don’t exactly get every detail of the story the way you do while reading a novel. Reading comic books requires a person to read between the lines, draw interpretations, and synthesize the information. By interacting with both the text and images, the reader can easily comprehend and visualize the story. The more they do this, the easier and quicker they can build their reading comprehension skills.

Dialogue In comic books, readers are exposed to a great deal of dialogue. This especially is valuable for English language learners. Not only is the text short and simplified, but the images display various expressions during these dialogues. For someone who may not know English very well, it helps to read the text and see the expressions on the characters’ faces to draw real meaning from the dialogue.

Writing Comic books contain basic story elements such as setting, characters, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Each panel in a comic book equals one paragraph. Reading comic books can be a great exercise for adult learners. Not every panel will have text, but every panel will display a story element. With the setting, characters, etc. in place, learners can practice their writing skills by taking what they see and writing their own paragraphs.

Vocabulary As mentioned above, comic books provide a baseline for learning vocabulary. Characters in comics are very unique, but are also built around various nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Readers can l earn new terms through word usage in addition to illustrative support.

Add Comic Books to the Literacy Agenda

Comic books can be the lone wolf in the world of adult literacy. Instructors’ inventory of educational material may consist of online courses, printed workbooks, novels, etc., but not typically comic books. Let comic books join the pack and give them a try—you may be very surprised at how well they work as a building block for learners transitioning into more advanced reading and writing. Then learners can have their own superpowers!

Originally posted by Jennifer Vecchiarelli on Nov. 08, 2018 to proliteracy.org .

RESPONSE TO COVID

LOCATIONS & PARKING CONTACT US MISSION, VISION, & VALUES HISTORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF EMPLOYMENT / CAREERS PRESS ROOM RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE MARGO HUDSON

GET INVOLVED

TUTORS VOLUNTEER TUTOR APPLICATION

DONATE ATTEND EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS TELL OTHERS

FACTS & RESOURCES

FACTS & LITERACY STATISTICS 66% THE SOURCE OF THE STATISTIC RESOURCES HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY (HSE) TEST OPTIONS GED® TEST INFORMATION HISET® TEST INFORMATION

BECOME A STUDENT

WHY ENROLL HOW TO REGISTER REGISTRATION FORM CLASSES

CURRENT STUDENTS & TUTORS

HOLIDAY CLOSURES – No Tutoring Days

VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

CURRENT TUTORS

Virtual Tutors – log and scheduler
Tutor Forum
Behaviors and Expectations

CURRENT STUDENTS

Student Texting Program
Learn HSE Subjects on Your Own, Improve Your Computer Skills, Practice Reading Fluency, Watch Recorded Lessons Created by Seeds Tutors, Digital Literacy Assessments
Student Successes
Rules of Conduct, Statement of Expectations, & Release of Information

Would you like to switch from a one-time donation to a recurring one?

When you give monthly, you help to ensure the sustainability of the program. Please consider ongoing support for our students.

IMAGES

Homework
How to: Comics :: HOW TO: Finish work
How to Finish Your Homework: 15 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Finish Your Homework: 15 Steps (with Pictures)
How to finish homework fast?
HOW TO DO HOMEWORK FAST :5 Expert Tips and Hacks/Easy Ways to Finish Your Homework Faster/STUDY TIPS

VIDEO

Go finish your homework! 🤨 @Infamous_wu13 #sofimanassyan #relatable #school
DID YOU FINISH YOUR HOMEWORK YET? #msbeanie
IT'S WATCHING YOU. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Finish your homework

COMMENTS

Raising Super Readers: Benefits of Comic Books & Graphic Novels
Reading comic books is a great way to share the joy of reading with your child. If you grew up reading Archie or Spider-Man comics, you can share that with your reader now. ... Remember, there are a ton of great books and a ton of not-so-great books. The same is true of graphic novels and comics. Do your homework before choosing graphic novels ...
Training My Brain to Read Comics and Graphic Novels
The human brain is built for reading comics and graphic novels. Let me explain. Apparently, our brains are hardwired for visual content. Not only are we built to read images faster, but generally speaking, we're also able to remember visuals better than we are able to recall spoken words or written text.
How To Start Reading Comics, An Option For Every Readers
I want to start reading Marvel superheroes. Most of the characters have already been explored in detail with their own reading orders. You can find them in our listing of Marvel Reading Orders.. I simply want to read a good story with the Marvel superheroes: "Avengers: The Kree-Skrull War" by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, and John Buscema. ...
How to Start Reading Comics
STEP 3: Your Friendly Local Comic Book Store (or Closest Equivalent) First of all, see Step 1. A good, friendly comic book store (or LCS: Local Comic Shop) is the backbone of the reading ...
How To Start Reading Comics In 2024!
I) Understanding The Comic Book Reading Options. 1) Ongoing Comics (Print) Most comic books begin as single issues that most closely resemble a magazine. You can find these issues in comic book shops (and you can find your LCS - local comic shop - using comicstorelocator.com). Comic book publishers will release new issues to shops every ...
A Guide to Reading Comics: Where to Start?
If this seems like something you may be into, then the next thing you are going to do after reading this article is go to your local comic book store (if you have one). Another comic book community insider I want to tell you about are conventions. Comic-Con, Wonder-Con, and Cons on Cons on more Cons.
Why comics belong in schools…and more ideas from graphic
The easiest way is to use them with reluctant readers. Comic books and graphic novels are really a gateway into just the habit of reading, and I know a lot of teachers have had success using comics with reluctant readers — just getting them into the habit of reading. I do think comics are worthy of study in and of themselves, though, as well.
A Beginner's Guide to Reading Comics
Recommended Reading: Top Picks for Beginner Comic Fans. When it comes to what to read, it's important to remember that comics are not just for kids. There are comics for all ages and interests, so don't be afraid to explore different genres and styles. Here are a few recommendations to get you started: Classic Comics: "Watchmen" and ...
Five Ways Comic Books Can Improve Literacy Skills
Reading Comprehension The sequential artwork in comic books lays the foundation for building reading comprehension skills. You don't exactly get every detail of the story the way you do while reading a novel. Reading comic books requires a person to read between the lines, draw interpretations, and synthesize the information. By interacting ...
How to read comics: a beginner's guide
How to read comics: a beginner's guide. Published on: 09 July 2012 Author: Hannah Berry The fantastic graphic novelist Hannah Berry, who's work includes Adamtine and Brighten & Brulightly, became our seventh Writer in Residence back in 2012.In this blog Hannah wrote about getting in to comics, the many ways a comic books pages can be laid out and why they're a fantastic medium for engaging ...