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Previous Thread: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3395087 I've reserved the 2nd and 3rd posts for Reading Lists. If you feel that I've missed something, please PM me or email me at my username at gmail. Edge & Christian's OP, originally from back in the mists of time: One of the things that I really like about BSS is that it's not specifically a community of hardcore funnybook obsessives. There are certainly a good portion of us, but there are also plenty of people who are lapsed readers, casual fans or people who are just now discovering the terror and wonder of the funnybook industry and artform. For all of those people, recommendation and suggestion threads/conversations are really valuable and helpful, especially for people who want to spread their interest, creeping-mold-style to unsuspecting others. So for this valuable service, I'd like to propose a sort of "reccomendation mega-thread". I want to make it clear that this is NOT intended to be a thread for "post your favorite comics". If someone would like to start that thread, it would also potentially serve some sort of purpose, either here or in PYF. But that isn't the purpose of this thread, because I don't really know how those sort of threads really benefit any noviate readers. To go back to the threads I linked to above, the "Comics with Thieves" thread is a good example of a concrete question with a good range of responses. The poster described which kind of comics he liked, what sort of reccomendations he'd like to receive, and people responded accordingly. The other two threads were either hopelessly vague or gave a scattershot list of things the person read with minimal explanation of why he liked those comics. Examples of good questions: quote:I saw Sin City a few months ago and picked up the comics. I really enjoyed them, and want to read more stories of that sort. What other gritty, stylized crime comic books are available? quote:I have really been enjoying Ed Brubaker's Captain America run; I always thought he was a goofball, but Brubaker's troubled but resolute soldier reading of the character is great. Are there any other series or runs on series that portray him similarly? quote:I really really really love Warren Ellis, are there any other writers that write in a similar manner? I am thinking particularly of stuff like Planetary and Ultimate Fantastic Four, the sort of science-fiction-heroes stuff. Examples of bad questions: quote:I read some comics with Batman in them and they were AWESOME, what other Batman should I get because Batman is awesome. quote:I just started reading comics all I've read is From Hell, Johnny the Homicial Maniac and Spider-Man. What else should I read? quote:I've been thinking about getting into [Marvel/Vertigo/non-superhero] comics, what should I read? To put it more simply, all that I ask of participants of the thread: To the questioners, please explain why you like the comics you are using as examples, or if you are constructing a hypothetical comic ("I'd love to read a humorous science fiction comic!") explain what appeals to you in that concept. This ensures that you will get comics that appeal to you and this will be helpful. To the answerers, please bear in mind what the person is asking for. The words I hate to see in all of these threads are "well this isn't really.." and "but you should still read it anyway". That's great that you are so excited about a certain comic that you think every man woman and child on Earth should read it -- I get the same way about certain comics -- but that isn't what this thread is about. Andy says: There are a lot of people asking for recommendations. If you guys could quote the person you're answering (you don't have to quote the whole post, just a little bit will do), that'd be very helpful. If you're not answering anyone's question, please keep unsolicited recommendations to yourself. Somebody will come along soon enough with tastes that you can recommend that book to, and then you can post your recommendation and be a help at the same time.
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Feb 25, 2014 16:19
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 11:39 |
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Common Recommendation Requests Note that virtually everything here will be available digitally on Comixology (or possibly through Marvel's Unlimited service), or in softcover or hardcover collections. Marvel Avengers The current main Avengers run is by writer Jonathan Hickman. He is writing both Avengers, and New Avengers since December 2012, and both would be recommended if you're looking to read Avengers stories. They are thematically linked, and while they're not crossing over (for the most part), they are becoming more linked as their stories progress. So far, these 2 Avengers books have lead up to a single event, Infinity, in 2013. Here's the read order: Prelude (These can be read in any order, more or less). 0a)Avengers Vol. 5 #1-17 0b)New Avengers Vol. 3 #1-8 Main Series 1)Infinity #1 2)Avengers Vol. 5 #18 3)New Avengers Vol. 3 #9 4)Infinity #2 5)Avengers Vol. 5 #19 6)New Avengers Vol. 3 #10 7)Infinity #3 8)Avengers Vol. 5 #20 9)Infinity #4 10)Avengers Vol. 5 #21 11)New Avengers Vol. 3 #11 12)Infinity #5 13)Avengers Vol. 5 #22 14)Avengers Vol. 5 #23 15)Infinity #6 16)New Avengers Vol. 3 #12 If you want to go back further, Brian Bendis has a long run as main Avengers writer/architect. In my opinion, it had some highs, but really was the victim of too many event books (and constantly changing status quos), and later bendis kinda phoning it in. Here's a recommended order of reading stuff (Event books are marked with a *): 0a)Secret War This is only tangentially related, but is worth a read 0b)Avengers Vol. 1 #500-503 [Disassembled] Note that this is a really bad story with awful art. It begins the whole thing but is pretty skippable, you could get by with just starting with New Avengers #1. 0c)Avengers Finale 1)New Avengers #1-10 [Breakout/Sentry] 2)*House of M #1-8 3)New Avengers #11-20 [Secrets and Lies/The Collective] 4)*Civil War #1-7 4a)New Avengers #21-25 [Civil War] Post-Civil War, the books split into Mighty Avengers and New Avengers 5a)Mighty Avengers #1-11 [The Ultron Initiative/Venom Bomb] 5b)New Avengers #26-37 [Revolution/The Trust] 6)New Avengers: The Illuminati #1-5 OP Note: In my opinion, this is where poo poo starts to get whack. 7)*Secret Invasion #1-8 7a)New Avengers #38-47 [Secret Invasion Book 1/Secret Invasion Book 2] 7b)Mighty Avengers #12-20 [Secret Invasion Book 1/Secret Invasion Book 2] Post-Secret Invasion, a third Avengers book launches, Dark Avengers. 8a)Mighty Avengers #21-31 [Earth's Mightiest/The Unspoken] 8b)New Avengers #48-60 [Power/Search For The Sorcerer Supreme/Powerloss] 8c)Dark Avengers #1-6, 9-12 [Dark Avengers Assemble/Molecule Man] Dark Avengers #7-8 is part of a crossover with Uncanny X-Men called Utopia 9)*Siege #1-4 9a)New Avengers #61-64 [Siege] 9b)Mighty Avengers #32-36 [Siege] 9c)Dark Avengers #13-16 [Siege] 10)New Avengers Finale At this point, all the books are cancelled and relaunched, with Avengers Vol. 4 as the main book, and New Avengers Vol. 2 being a secondary, "street-level" book. You're on your own with those. If you do continue, don't read Fear Itself. X-Men Brian Bendis has recently joined the X-Men writing team and has two main books currently, Uncanny X-Men Vol. 3 and All-New X-Men, mostly focussing on Cyclops' side of the "Schism". You can start at those with their #1 issues. They both crossed over into the Battle of the Atom event with two other books in the line. Other current books are Wolverine and the X-Men, recently relaunched by Jason Latour, and (Adjectiveless) X-Men by Brian Wood, focusing primarily on the female team members. Other BSS recommended X-reading:
Captain America Rick Remender is currently writing Captain America. Start with Captain America Vol. 7 #1. Older stuff:
Spider-Man This is relaunching soon under Dan Slott with Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 #1. Thor Jason Aaron is current writer of Thor, start his run with Thor God of Thunder #1. Older stuff:
Daredevil Mark Waid is the current Daredevil writer, teaming with Chris Samnee. It's on a brief hiatus right now, and will be re-launching with Daredevil Vol. 4 in March 2013. Daredevil has had mostly great runs for the past 10-15 years:
If you want to read some earlier stuff, check out Frank Miller's run from the 80's. Hulk Mark Waid is currently writing Hulk, start his run with Indestructible Hulk #1. Older Stuff:
Punisher Nathan Edmondson just launched a series under the All-New Marvel Now banner. Start with The Punisher Vol. 10 #1. Older stuff:
Marvel Now/All-New Marvel Now Here are a some random Marvel series which you should be reading because they're awesome.
irlZaphod fucked around with this message at 16:24 on Feb 25, 2014 |
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Feb 25, 2014 16:19
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Reserved.
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Feb 25, 2014 16:20
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I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. I've never read American comics before, just some euro stuff in the eighties and nineties (Groo, anyone?), so feel free to recommend anything, even if you assume that everyone and their mother already read it. I also don't feel like getting into superheroes. e:poo poo, Groo is an American comic.
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Feb 26, 2014 15:06
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mcustic posted:I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. The answer to the first one is Hellboy and BRPRD. The whole series is full of lovecraftian and paranormal poo poo.
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Feb 26, 2014 15:11
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mcustic posted:I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. You'll probably love Dial H, especially if you've read China Mieville before.
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Feb 26, 2014 16:01
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Good current DC books to consider if you're making a list, OP. All Charles Soule comics: Red Lanterns, Swamp Thing, Superman/Wonder Woman. Action Comics (Pak) Green Arrow (Lemire) Animal Man Batman, Batman and ... Wonder Woman. bobkatt013 posted:then its Finch time That's a dirty, untrue rumor! Teenage Fansub fucked around with this message at 17:41 on Feb 26, 2014 |
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Feb 26, 2014 17:09
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Teenage Fansub posted:Good current DC books to consider if you're making a list, OP. Wonder Women should be edited to say for one more storyline then its Finch time
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Feb 26, 2014 17:28
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bobkatt013 posted:The answer to the first one is Hellboy and BRPRD. The whole series is full of lovecraftian and paranormal poo poo. Thanks, I'll check it out. Hakkesshu posted:You'll probably love Dial H, especially if you've read China Mieville before. Wait, China Mieville writes comic books? 
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Feb 26, 2014 18:32
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mcustic posted:I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. You want The Filth, also written by Grant Morrison.
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Feb 26, 2014 18:37
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mcustic posted:Thanks, I'll check it out. Well, he wrote Dial H, and it is incredible. Also mostly separate from the rest of the DC universe, thankfully.
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Feb 26, 2014 18:39
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mcustic posted:I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. You might also enjoy Transmetropoliton. Hunter S Thompson in the gonzo future showing how everyone is power is corrupt.
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Feb 26, 2014 22:23
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mcustic posted:I read The Invisibles and really enjoyed the whole paranormal/conspiracy/counter-culture/Lovecraftian barely comprehensible mish-mash, if you get what I mean. I'm looking for similar subversive comics. The more out there, the better. Ed Brubaker's Fatale has a Lovecraftian enemy with noir and pulp themes. It got me back into collecting and I think you would love it. It has e volumes in Trade Paperbacks right now.
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Feb 27, 2014 19:27
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I'm either looking for a good sci-fi or gothic/paranormal super hero/team. I think I'd also like to keep it fairly recent, so written within the past 15 years or so. I'd prefer it if the writer and artist stay consistent, I tend to lose interest if either change all of a sudden. I really like the Hellboy/BPRD series and I've read and enjoyed most of Brian Vaughan and Warren Ellis's comics or runs on various comics. I tend to shy from the big crossovers or events. I think it's because I prefer things in their own setting and no to have to read other series to get the full story. or maybe because I tend not to like the writers (Loeb).
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Feb 28, 2014 02:30
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Porkins posted:I'm either looking for a good sci-fi or gothic/paranormal super hero/team. I think I'd also like to keep it fairly recent, so written within the past 15 years or so. I'd prefer it if the writer and artist stay consistent, I tend to lose interest if either change all of a sudden. Saga
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Feb 28, 2014 02:58
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For gothic, I've heard good things about Peter Milligan's current Shadowman series. For sci-fi there's quite a lot of good series' running. Saga, Black Science which is a crazy, dark time/dimension travel science team book, The Wake from Scott Snyder, Trillium from Jeff Lemire, and I guess you could count The Manhattan Projects. I love Manhattan Projects. It's by Jonathan Hickman, who's also heading up the Avengers stuff at Marvel, about how the scientists who were brought together to create the atomic bomb were really there for more secret insane mad science projects. Completely nuts and really fun. Free first issue to try here http://www.comixology.com/The-Manhattan-Projects-1/digital-comic/21798. Teenage Fansub fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Feb 28, 2014 |
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Feb 28, 2014 05:01
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Porkins posted:I'm either looking for a good sci-fi or gothic/paranormal super hero/team. I think I'd also like to keep it fairly recent, so written within the past 15 years or so. I'd prefer it if the writer and artist stay consistent, I tend to lose interest if either change all of a sudden. Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson sounds like it might be just what you want. There's even been some one shots where they team up with the BRPD. It's about a team of investigators who go around solving paranormal activity in their small neighbourhood. Also they are all cats and dogs. And the art is pretty drat gorgeous. Dark Horse has a preview of issue #1 up on their site. It's a really great series.
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Feb 28, 2014 12:20
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Waterhaul posted:Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson sounds like it might be just what you want. There's even been some one shots where they team up with the BRPD. It's about a team of investigators who go around solving paranormal activity in their small neighbourhood. Just do not read if you lost a pet in the past year. The comic can be really really depressing. I also saw that DH has solicitation for Lone Cub and Son omnibi. How is it?
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Feb 28, 2014 15:44
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Just read "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" and was wondering if there are any good one-shot Superman comics, where the entire story takes place in one issue. I'm probably going to get "Whatever happened to the Man Of Tomorrow" and "For the Man Who Has Everything" so are there any other good one-shot comics like those? Also, did Superman ever appear in Ostrander's Suicide Squad?
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Feb 28, 2014 18:29
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SpaceWolfPurrp posted:Just read "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" and was wondering if there are any good one-shot Superman comics, where the entire story takes place in one issue. I'm probably going to get "Whatever happened to the Man Of Tomorrow" and "For the Man Who Has Everything" so are there any other good one-shot comics like those? Have you checked out the digital comic? http://www.comixology.com/Adventures-of-Superman-2013/comics-series/10176 They're usually three issue runs that add up to one print comic's worth of story per creator. I've only checked out a bit of the Batman version, but I recall people praising it often. Also, if you didn't know, "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" had a follow up in JLA #100 which then led up to the Justice League Elite series, and it was all by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke. edit: Issues #0, 9 and 13 from Grant Morrison's Action Comics are pretty stand-alone and probably the best issues from the series. #0 is about a boy that steals Superman's cape when he's knocked unconscious early in his career. #9 follows the president of an alternate world America, who happens to be their Superman as he discovers even more Multiverse Supermen. #13 is a Halloween issue where Superman gets trapped in his Phantom Zone projector and helped by Krypto, who'd been trapped there since Krypton blew up. They have hooks into the main story of the series, but not in ways that effect them too much as one shot reads. Teenage Fansub fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Feb 28, 2014 |
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Feb 28, 2014 19:52
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SpaceWolfPurrp posted:Just read "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" and was wondering if there are any good one-shot Superman comics, where the entire story takes place in one issue. I'm probably going to get "Whatever happened to the Man Of Tomorrow" and "For the Man Who Has Everything" so are there any other good one-shot comics like those? It's not technically a one-shot, but Superman: Red Son is a self-contained story that casts Superman as a Soviet Hero. It's an interesting "What if...?" scenario and is collected in a single trade paperback.
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Feb 28, 2014 21:34
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Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've already seen the Red Son motion comic so I don't feel the need to experience it again despite how awesome it is. The digital comic looks great though, I've been wary of anything DC puts out since New 52 but this looks like it doesn't take place in any kind of continuity which is good. Thanks again guys.
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Mar 1, 2014 21:14
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SpaceWolfPurrp posted:Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've already seen the Red Son motion comic so I don't feel the need to experience it again despite how awesome it is. The digital comic looks great though, I've been wary of anything DC puts out since New 52 but this looks like it doesn't take place in any kind of continuity which is good. If you're interested in Superman, I'd recommend Greg Pak's new run on Action from #25. It's a lot of fun and just reads like a good ol' Superman Supermanning, nothing too involved in whatever else is going on (apart from the first issue being tied in to Batman's origin event, but it was just a great, simple Supermanny story too.) e: You read All-Star Superman? If not, proceed directly.
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Mar 1, 2014 21:22
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The Guardians trailer has got me taking a look at Cosmic Marvel, and I'm really digging the whole sci-fi space superheroes thing it's got going. I just finished Annihilation, I'm part of the way through Annihilation: Conquest, and I've got a reading list that goes up through Annihilators/Earthfall. Like I said, the "sci-fi plus magic" vibe that it has going is what draws me in, and I like that it's got that Marvel feel, but without the same tired X-Men/Avengers characters that I've been reading and watching since I was a kid. 1) Are there any good storylines I should look at post-Earthfall in Marvel Cosmic (preferably that I can get in TPB or hardcover format)? Any Cosmic titles being released currently? 2) What older Cosmic stories (again, preferably that I can just buy a trade for) would you recommend for someone who's already got Infinity Gauntlet?
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Mar 1, 2014 21:50
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The current GoTG is pretty good. Nova is also supposed to be good, but I haven't read it since the Now relaunch
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Mar 1, 2014 21:56
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SpaceWolfPurrp posted:Just read "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" and was wondering if there are any good one-shot Superman comics, where the entire story takes place in one issue. I'm probably going to get "Whatever happened to the Man Of Tomorrow" and "For the Man Who Has Everything" so are there any other good one-shot comics like those? There was a 'what if' style comic where Superman was British. Pretty funny if you're from the country. I read it ages ago so I can't remember if it was very good but I think it was called Superman: True Brit?
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Mar 1, 2014 23:15
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AXE COP posted:There was a 'what if' style comic where Superman was British. Pretty funny if you're from the country. I read it ages ago so I can't remember if it was very good but I think it was called Superman: True Brit? It was. Written by John Cleese, as a matter of fact.
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Mar 1, 2014 23:29
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Where should I start with modern (post 2000) Thor? Also is JMS universally bad or just bad on certain runs?
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Mar 3, 2014 17:38
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zoux posted:Where should I start with modern (post 2000) Thor? Start with JMS, then go to Gillian as its clean up. Fractions run is just there, and Aarons is awesome.
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Mar 3, 2014 17:41
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zoux posted:Also is JMS universally bad or just bad on certain runs? He's great when he's doing his own stuff but he's pretty much always bad doing existing characters.
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Mar 3, 2014 17:42
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Opopanax posted:He's great when he's doing his own stuff but he's pretty much always bad doing existing characters. This is one of those cases where a drop in quality later results in people writing off the entire idea. His Thor run starts really good- the Oklahoma idea is brilliant- as did his Spider-Man. They both dipped later on, (I'd say less so in Thor's case, though that might be because he left more abruptly there, letting Gillen pick up) but that doesn't invalidate the earlier quality. There's even a kernel of something in his Wonder Woman run, but I'm not sure how much of that was Phil Hester taking the premise and tweaking it.
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Mar 3, 2014 18:13
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Gaz-L posted:This is one of those cases where a drop in quality later results in people writing off the entire idea. His Thor run starts really good- the Oklahoma idea is brilliant- as did his Spider-Man. They both dipped later on, (I'd say less so in Thor's case, though that might be because he left more abruptly there, letting Gillen pick up) but that doesn't invalidate the earlier quality. There's even a kernel of something in his Wonder Woman run, but I'm not sure how much of that was Phil Hester taking the premise and tweaking it. His Superman idea worked better when another writer took over!
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Mar 3, 2014 18:15
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Opopanax posted:He's great when he's doing his own stuff but he's pretty much always bad doing existing characters.
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Mar 3, 2014 18:16
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irlZaphod posted:That's really not true, Supreme Power was really good, and the first half or so of his Spider-Man is really good too (although some people don't like the Spider-totem stuff, whatevs). His FF was...ok? I forget how much of it I read. Although it does have that really horrible stuff with Reed during Civil War. I think I dropped it around that point. Yeah I'm trying to figure out where to pick up FF post Waid's first run. I'm skipping Claremont's for sure because I can't stand him, but I think JMS comes in next after him. I'm going to read post BND Spiderman at some point, I see the Spider Island stuff later on, is that the much maligned run where Spiderman meets the God of Spiders or whatever?
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Mar 3, 2014 18:30
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zoux posted:Yeah I'm trying to figure out where to pick up FF post Waid's first run. I'm skipping Claremont's for sure because I can't stand him, but I think JMS comes in next after him. Hickman, just read Hickman.
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Mar 3, 2014 18:35
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bobkatt013 posted:Hickman, just read Hickman. Dude I just read every single X-book from ReLoad up to AvX I don't think you understand my commitment towards completionism.
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Mar 3, 2014 18:37
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irlZaphod posted:That's really not true, Supreme Power was really good, and the first half or so of his Spider-Man is really good too (although some people don't like the Spider-totem stuff, whatevs). His FF was...ok? I forget how much of it I read. Although it does have that really horrible stuff with Reed during Civil War. I think I dropped it around that point. I love Supreme Power but I'd consider that his own work
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Mar 3, 2014 19:08
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zoux posted:Yeah I'm trying to figure out where to pick up FF post Waid's first run. I'm skipping Claremont's for sure because I can't stand him, but I think JMS comes in next after him. Yes and no. You're probably actually thinking of the animal totem stuff from JMS' run, which kinda sorta played into Spider-Island (and into Grim Hunt, actually, just a different aspect of it.)
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Mar 3, 2014 19:11
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I just bought a year of Marvel Unlimited. I'm catching up on the galactic side of Marvel to get pumped up for Guardians of the Galaxy. I read Thanos Quest and Infinity Gauntlet, the latter was great. Is Infinty Wars any good, or should I move on to Thanos (12 issue series)and then Annihilation? Are there any other great arcs or big stories in general like Infinity Gauntlet?
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Mar 3, 2014 20:16
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 11:39 |
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Franchescanado posted:I just bought a year of Marvel Unlimited. Infinity War is bad and Infinity Crusade is even worse. I would skip them if I were you. I haven't read the Thanos series, so I can't comment, but you should definitely read Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest. EDIT: 
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Mar 3, 2014 21:46
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