Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:35 pm
Ok, with comics becoming all the rage in Hollywood I've been picking up a few graphic novels here and there as my interest was renewed. As it turns out, graphic novels are the hot new thing in the comics inductry. I swing by my old comic shop and the guy who runs the place was telling me all about how graphic novels are in really high demand as some people view them as easier to read because typically the storyline gets wrapped up in one read rather than reading a piece at a time each month if one is simply collecting the comics.
I'll cover what I know and let some others like Vince, DD, Paul, DC, etc. fill in the blanks.
First of all, if you're reading Marvel books, you have to know that there are alternate universes. What that means is that there is a regular line of books and then other books that feature the same characters only slightly altered and living in a totally different storyline. Marvel did this years ago to make comics more accessible to new readers. (I'm not a fan of the new line.) Thus, you'll want to avoid the "Ultimate" books (not to be confused with the Ultimate Guide I mentioned in another thread). There are others that are outside the normal universe and time period like "What If", "Origins", "2099", etc., but you should be able to figure them out. (Just ask before purchase if you need to.)
That being said if you're looking to catch up on specific titles, like The X-Men, that can be difficult AND really easy.
Let's start with the Essential collections. Go to any comic store in your area and they'll have these books. They are numbered volumes that contain black and white versions of a number of comics for a specific title. For example: Essential X-Men #4 contains issues #162-179, Annial #7, and another story for $17. That makes the Essential books really easy ways to catch up from day 1 if you wanted to.
Moving on to the graphic novels, these are best for reading specific events. Again, if you're focusing on the X-Men, the best events, IMHO are:
-The original issues with the original 5 mutants (Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl, Beast, and Angel)
-The new team saves the old team (New team is Thunderbird, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Banshee...am I missing someone?)
-The Brood (first storyline) - Aliens who take over the host bodies of their victims. A good Wolverine storyline.
-The original Wolverine limited series.
-The Wolverine and Kitty Pride limited series
-Fatal Attractions storyline (This one kicks much, much, mush ass.)
-The Onslaught storyline. (Not so much a great story as its importance for one character...)
-I need some help with this one, Cable's son tries to remake the Horsemen with Wolvie as Death... What is this storyline's name? Great Wolvie story with a fantastic ending.
*NOTE: I'm trying to do these in chronological order and this begins an area where I wasn't reading comics. I need help here. I know the Mutant Massacre occured here, but were there other major events? And when does the Genosha thing happen in this timeline? What's that storyline called?
-Age of Apocaplyse - I recommend you know these characters before you get this one.
That's most of the X-Men stuff I can spout off about at this second. However, here are a few more than are much more recent but involve Wolverine and other heros (Spiderman, Captain American, Iron Man, etc.)more than the other X-Men:
-Secret War - Not to be confused with Secret Wars, although that's a decent read itself (80s story involving EVERYONE). This is like a setup punch for this portion of the list.
-Avengers Disassembled - HUGE storyline in the Marvel universe that sets up a "new order" and everything coming up. It is an effort to make the Avengers very important again instead of bit players. Considering who ends up on their new roster, you'll want to read it.
-New Avengers: Breakout
-Spiderman: New Avengers
-House of M - I don't think it will be totally necessary for you to know everybody and it's probably not possible unless you read a LOT of other stuff too, but this storyline is really good and essential to the current Marvel universe. (You can pick up any of the House of M: insertnameofherohere books if you want to as well, but they're not critical and kind of unnecessary.)
-New Avengers: Secrets & Lies
-New Avengers: Sentry ...(I might have Sentry and Secrets & Lies backwards.)
I think that's the really big stuff that has JUST happened in Marvel's universe that I highly recommend.
However...you should also pickup "The Other". It's a Spiderman story and is important if you're reading New Avengers (and you should be).
Currently, Marvel is running a new event called Civil War which is pretty cool in concept. Basically, a fight between superheros and villains results in the deaths of 600 civilians, a lot of them kids. The government now wants to register superheros and know who they really are, thus no more secret identities. It has just begun and Marvel is pumping it up saying it will change everything. That's comic talk for them altering a few things here and there and maybe killing someone. Issue 1 starts the series off well with Captain America going rogue as he's against the Registration Act, Iron Man is heading up the "for" heros, Spidey is about to go public with his identity, and Wolverine is going solo to track down the villain who killed all the kids. This series promises a lot of good guy versus good guy battles with an interesting backdrop of politics.
Just know that most of the stuff you saw in the movies is to be considered "Alternate Universe". What I mean is that most of the facts you got there are bullshit. Get your knowledge from us here, Marvel, or a local comic shop person.
Everything I listed above those comic shop guys will know what it is and find it for you.
Now that's all Marvel stuff and I await questions and help filling in the blanks. However, before you go, let me recommend three DC graphic novels to you. DC being the universe with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, etc.
-The Nail - Great story where the Kents get a flat and never find Clark.
-Kingdom Come - Critically acclaimed, a must read.
-The Dark Knight Returns - Superman versus Batman written by Frank Miller. It's very good.
*whew*
I'll cover what I know and let some others like Vince, DD, Paul, DC, etc. fill in the blanks.
First of all, if you're reading Marvel books, you have to know that there are alternate universes. What that means is that there is a regular line of books and then other books that feature the same characters only slightly altered and living in a totally different storyline. Marvel did this years ago to make comics more accessible to new readers. (I'm not a fan of the new line.) Thus, you'll want to avoid the "Ultimate" books (not to be confused with the Ultimate Guide I mentioned in another thread). There are others that are outside the normal universe and time period like "What If", "Origins", "2099", etc., but you should be able to figure them out. (Just ask before purchase if you need to.)
That being said if you're looking to catch up on specific titles, like The X-Men, that can be difficult AND really easy.
Let's start with the Essential collections. Go to any comic store in your area and they'll have these books. They are numbered volumes that contain black and white versions of a number of comics for a specific title. For example: Essential X-Men #4 contains issues #162-179, Annial #7, and another story for $17. That makes the Essential books really easy ways to catch up from day 1 if you wanted to.
Moving on to the graphic novels, these are best for reading specific events. Again, if you're focusing on the X-Men, the best events, IMHO are:
-The original issues with the original 5 mutants (Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl, Beast, and Angel)
-The new team saves the old team (New team is Thunderbird, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Banshee...am I missing someone?)
-The Brood (first storyline) - Aliens who take over the host bodies of their victims. A good Wolverine storyline.
-The original Wolverine limited series.
-The Wolverine and Kitty Pride limited series
-Fatal Attractions storyline (This one kicks much, much, mush ass.)
-The Onslaught storyline. (Not so much a great story as its importance for one character...)
-I need some help with this one, Cable's son tries to remake the Horsemen with Wolvie as Death... What is this storyline's name? Great Wolvie story with a fantastic ending.
*NOTE: I'm trying to do these in chronological order and this begins an area where I wasn't reading comics. I need help here. I know the Mutant Massacre occured here, but were there other major events? And when does the Genosha thing happen in this timeline? What's that storyline called?
-Age of Apocaplyse - I recommend you know these characters before you get this one.
That's most of the X-Men stuff I can spout off about at this second. However, here are a few more than are much more recent but involve Wolverine and other heros (Spiderman, Captain American, Iron Man, etc.)more than the other X-Men:
-Secret War - Not to be confused with Secret Wars, although that's a decent read itself (80s story involving EVERYONE). This is like a setup punch for this portion of the list.
-Avengers Disassembled - HUGE storyline in the Marvel universe that sets up a "new order" and everything coming up. It is an effort to make the Avengers very important again instead of bit players. Considering who ends up on their new roster, you'll want to read it.
-New Avengers: Breakout
-Spiderman: New Avengers
-House of M - I don't think it will be totally necessary for you to know everybody and it's probably not possible unless you read a LOT of other stuff too, but this storyline is really good and essential to the current Marvel universe. (You can pick up any of the House of M: insertnameofherohere books if you want to as well, but they're not critical and kind of unnecessary.)
-New Avengers: Secrets & Lies
-New Avengers: Sentry ...(I might have Sentry and Secrets & Lies backwards.)
I think that's the really big stuff that has JUST happened in Marvel's universe that I highly recommend.
However...you should also pickup "The Other". It's a Spiderman story and is important if you're reading New Avengers (and you should be).
Currently, Marvel is running a new event called Civil War which is pretty cool in concept. Basically, a fight between superheros and villains results in the deaths of 600 civilians, a lot of them kids. The government now wants to register superheros and know who they really are, thus no more secret identities. It has just begun and Marvel is pumping it up saying it will change everything. That's comic talk for them altering a few things here and there and maybe killing someone. Issue 1 starts the series off well with Captain America going rogue as he's against the Registration Act, Iron Man is heading up the "for" heros, Spidey is about to go public with his identity, and Wolverine is going solo to track down the villain who killed all the kids. This series promises a lot of good guy versus good guy battles with an interesting backdrop of politics.
Just know that most of the stuff you saw in the movies is to be considered "Alternate Universe". What I mean is that most of the facts you got there are bullshit. Get your knowledge from us here, Marvel, or a local comic shop person.
Everything I listed above those comic shop guys will know what it is and find it for you.
Now that's all Marvel stuff and I await questions and help filling in the blanks. However, before you go, let me recommend three DC graphic novels to you. DC being the universe with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, etc.
-The Nail - Great story where the Kents get a flat and never find Clark.
-Kingdom Come - Critically acclaimed, a must read.
-The Dark Knight Returns - Superman versus Batman written by Frank Miller. It's very good.
*whew*