Where to Start Reading — Simple comic guides, with links to books.
Where to Start Reading — Simple comic guides, with links to books.
Batman
— The Batman character has been around so long and gone through so much under the hands of so many writers, artists, colorists, and letterers.
Loki
— Loki of the comics can be a vain short-sighted villain of the week for Thor or the Avengers to stop, or the loveable anti-hero, "God of Mischief" we all love.
The Eternals
— This reincarnating team experimented on by the gods known as Celestials has protected Earth since primordial times and is christened the Eternals!
Spider-Man
— Here's all of the best starting points for reading Spider-Man, with a little information and Marvel Unlimited and Book links for each.
Guardians of the Galaxy
— The name Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy goes back to 1969. The series evolved a lot before the 2008 team with Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, and Groot.
X-Men
— There are two fantastic starting spots for readers looking to join the modern Krakoa era or catch up quickly on the past.
Shang-Chi
— Marvel Comics’ premier Asian-American character, Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu, was created right in the middle of the kung-fu film craze of the 1970s.
Silk
— Cindy Moon, bitten by the same spider as Peter Parker, was locked away after being bit. She re-joins the world to piece together her new life and new life.
Daredevil
— Daredevil's first comics don't much resemble the character you see on TV, but beginning in 1979 Frank Miller's work on Daredevil reinvented the character.
Wasp
— Unstoppable Wasp is my favorite new series of 2017, full of humor and heart. Nadia has this incredible authentic, infectious optimism that doesn't feel naive.
Ms. Marvel
— Ms. Marvel is, in my opinion, the best new comic book character in at least the last decade. Her story is unique, inspiring, hilarious, and emotional.
Moon Knight
— The first book of the 2014 series of Moon Knight is the greatest action comic I have ever read, and the 2016 series is fantastic.
Archie
— The new 2015 series was the rebirth of Archie comics into a modern era, and they could not have gotten a better team to do it.
Wolverine
— The story of Wolverine is a weird one for new readers. Logan is dead, and has been for a while, and his clone, Laura Kinney, has taken up the mantle.
Spider-Verse
— Spider-Verse is some of the most fun you can have in comics, and is a great introduction to Peter, Miles, Spider-Gwen and way more.
Iron Fist
— The 2004 series Iron Fist: The Living Weapon is a great place to start, but has a darker feel.
Civil War
— There are only seven issues under the Civil War title, but almost a hundred in the full list. Here's everything you need to know to start reading.
Jessica Jones
— This is a heavy, R-rated, noir book, so expect something a little more mature than even the Netflix series. It's an amazing read though, and I flew through it.
Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat
— The 2015 series, Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat is a really fun series, with unique manga-inspired art. Very all-ages, but aimed at people in their 20s and 30s.
Deadpool
— I highly recommend anyone interested in reading Deadpool start with Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan's 2012 series. These are the two current authors.
Runaways
— Runaways is a fantastic series, soon to be a Hulu web series. The books require no previous knowledge and are very self-contained.
Black Widow
— The last two Black Widow series have been filled with espionage, action, incredible art, and I can't recommend them enough.
Thor
— These are the two most recent Thor series, and they both make great starting points depending on what you're looking for.
Ant-Man
— If you've seen the Ant-Man film, you have a good idea of Scott's personality and the kind of humor you'll find in the 2015 Ant-Man series.
Spider-Gwen
— The big Spider-Man story of summer 2015, Spider-Verse, introduced a world where Gwen Stacy, not Peter Parker, was bit by a radioactive spider.
Squirrel Girl
— The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is hilarious and fun, and one of my personal favorite series currently running at Marvel
Iron Man
— The best places to start reading Iron Man comics are Extremis or The Five Nightmares which inspired the movies, or the 2015 series for the latest on Stark.
Captain America
— Originally debuted in 1940 by "Timely Comics", Marvel's predecessor, Cap's story in the comics mirrors the character's publication in a way I absolutely love.
Doctor Strange
— The 2015 series is a great starting point for new readers, and I've enjoyed the series a lot. Modern, funny, and beautifully drawn.
Black Panther
— Ta-Nehisi Coates is a very respected writer for The Atlantic who has made his comics debut with the 2016 Black Panther series.
Secret Wars
— The seeds of the 2015 Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman began in his series Avengers (2012) and New Avengers (2012), greatest comic stories I've ever read.
Captain Marvel
— The best place to start reading Captain Marvel is at the beginning of Carol Danver's 2012 series. Books 1 & 2 especially are some of my favorite issues.
Vision
— I haven't been this excited to lend out a book since Ms Marvel. It's a tragedy, from the very first issue.
Old Man Logan
— Old Man Logan began as a great short story, but has recently become a major part of the main Marvel universe.
Hawkeye
— Hawkeye is one of my favorite series of all time. The art is flat and geometric in a really beautiful way, and the story is solidly grounded. If Hawkeye calling
Young Avengers
— "Young Avengers in its first incarnation was about being sixteen. This Young Avengers is about being eighteen. The difference is telling and profound."
Avengers
— There are two fantastic starting points for Avengers in modern comics: Bendis' New Avengers, and Hickman's Avengers / New Avengers.
Spider-Woman
— Spider-Woman is one of my favorite series out at Marvel right now, and it has cemented Jessica Drew as one of my favorite characters in the marvel universe.
Marvel Events
— Comics events are like Avengers movies. Tons of characters, all with their own stories, come together for something bigger than their parts,
Superman
— The three best places I would recommend for new Superman readers are the New 52, Rebirth, and a self-contained story.
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