Marvel Comics Recommendations

[FlashingSabre]

Amazing X-Men 8 started a new creative team. That's probably the only current book you could start without fairly extensive back reading.(Most of which is okay at best. This is coming from a HUGE X-men fan.)

[dragonmp93]

Without having to read a lot of history, i would say that amazing spider-man; because for even all new x-men you need to know about AvX and Schism to understand.

[victorxd1999]

For X-men, go for Amazing X-Men or if you want to go back to 2004 for one of the best stories ever go for Astonishing X-men #1-24 (+Giant-Size Astonishing X-men #1) by Whedon and Cassaday

[kuraikawa]

Hello,

I've been reading a long-time reader of the Ultimate Marvel series of comics who has recently returned to that universe. As I've been reading Ultimate comics, I started to wonder what the (basic, original, mainline?) universe comics were like. I've noticed that a lot of characters in the Ultimate line are dead, and X-men doesn't have a line running right now. I was wondering where would be a good place for me to start? I love the Ultimate Spider-man books, but haven't read anything past Death of Spider-man. I also really like the first volume of the Ultimates. My favorite Marvel series from cartoons and movies are: Spider-man, Iron Man, and X-men. However, I am willing to give other series a try (never know when you will find a new favorite). I saw Amazon selling a Marvel NOW omnibus, but it looks like it only has the first issue of every series, which seems like a lot to pay for incomplete stories. I also would prefer a series that is not hard to obtain, and doesn't require a lot of research or background knowledge. Having to figure out what I need to know from 20+ years of back issues is a little daunting.

What series have stayed high-quality? Are there any that are essential to read to understand what is going on? Are there any that you think I would like just based on the other things I like?

[Dark-Flux]

For all the difference between the two, if youre familiar with the Ultimate Universe you wont find it hard to transition to 616 (thats the mainline universe.)

I reckon your best bet is to start with Marvel NOW as these were all new reader friendly jump on points.
Id avoid the omnibus. Just start with the first volume of whatever youre interested in.

The new volume of Amazing Spider-man is only 3 issues in.
If you wanted more context for the story (it deals with Peter returning after an... absence) then id advise reading the Superior Spider-man trades.

The Iron Man series has just ended. But i wouldn't expect it to be gone too long.

Most of the X-titles are pretty good right now. Id just pick up the one you like the look of.
All New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men are the "flagship" titles. Both are written by Bendis who penned all of Ultimate Spider-man so you may dig those two.

Out of all of Marvels current output, id recommend;

Daredevil by Mark Waid
Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron
Captain America by Rick Remender
She-Hulk by Charles Soule
Moon Knight by Warren Ellis
Avengers/New Avengers by Jonathan Hickman

TBH, its hard to find a bad book at Marvel right now. Theyre kind of on a high. Everything is at least decent. Id just jump in on what you think looks good.

One option you may consider is to subscribe to Marvel Unlimited. For a small monthly fee you get access to thousands of digital back issues.
Its 6 months behind on current stuff but its a great way to try out new series and more gets added every week.

Happy reading!

[weezer17]

I agree with everything Dark-Flux said. Marvel Now is actually a fantastic place to start, and as said already by Dark-Flux, there are very few bad books at Marvel right now. DON'T go with the Marvel Now omnibus; you want the individual trade paperback books.

I'll address the 3 franchises you said you like the most.

Amazing Spider-Man is only three issues in right now, which sounds good at first for someone looking to hop on, but I recommend you start at the beginning of Dan Slott's run (Dan Slott is the current Spidey writer). If you go over to the Spider-Man forum here on CBR, look for a post titled "Dan Slott omnibus" or something like that. I posted in that thread yesterday a list of all the Dan Slott Spider-Man books you need to read to be "in the loop"; you can buy all of those books I listed there on Amazon.

I don't read a lot of Iron Man, but I have kept up with Kieron Gillen's Iron Man (which is part of Marvel Now); to be honest, it's been a little sub-par, which is weird because I usually enjoy Gillen's stuff. You can start there if you like -- it's very easy to jump onto that. The books you read are as follows:
> Believe
> The Secret Origin of Tony Stark (Book 1 & 2)
> Fatal Frontier (optional, it was first released as a digital comic)
> Iron Metropolitan
> Rings of the Mandarin (coming out soon)

Also, Gillen is writing an Iron Man story with Mark Waid as part of the Original Sin event. Kieron Gillen's run is coming to an end soon, so you'll likely get another good jumping on point for Iron Man in a couple of months.

As for X-Men, I can't think of another franchise HARDER to get into because of all of the continuity. But, as Dark-Flux has said, if you like the X-Men and Brian Michael Bendis's Ultimate Spider-Man, odds are you will like the Marvel Now X-Men titles. Pick up these books:

All-New X-Men
--------------
> Yesterday's X-Men
> Here to Stay
> Out of their Depth
> All-Different
> The Trial of Jean Grey
> One Down (coming out soon)

Uncanny X-Men
---------------
> Revolution
> Broken
> The Good, the Bad and the Inhuman
> Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. (coming out soon)

Also buy Battle of the Atom, or those books won't make sense.

Let me know if you have more questions!

[tsaimelemoni]

I would be remiss if I didn't recommend Elektra by Haden Blackman and Mike Del Mundo

[blackwidow12345]

After the movie, I bought Electra the Hand by Yoshida & Gosset. I found it truly insightful

[tsaimelemoni]

After the movie, I bought Electra the Hand by Yoshida & Gosset. I found it truly insightful

Her new series is only three issues in, and new reader friendly imo. You should check it out, the art alone is worth it, and the writing is also very good.

[Chief]

Take a three day weekend and read the entirety of Daredevil by Mark Waid. You will not be disappointed.

[akwinot]

I've decided to buy Marvel Unlimited tomorrow after I put money in the bank. However, as a relative (okay maybe not so relative) newbie I need to know where I start. Basically all I've read of Marvel is the entire run of Whedon's Astonishing X-men about four years and some Spider-Girl when I was in middle school. I know there used to be a place for this but I don't know if there is one now. So I apologize if this is in the wrong forum.

Recommendations no matter what characters are involved are greatly appreciated. Recommendations that are Marvel Unlimited are even better.

Thanks!

[ImprobableQuestion]

I don't know too much about older Marvel works but I have a few classics that ought to be included in Unlimited.

Iron Man: Extremis was loosely adapted into Iron Man 3. It's a short, self-contained story with good art.

Dan Slott's She-Hulk is among my favorites. I plan on finishing that collection this year.

If MU includes 2012 or later then Kelly Sue Deconnick's run of Captain Marvel is worth the read.

Annihilation has a series of good 4-issue character vignettes. I haven't read the actual event but I have read all of the Nova, Silver Surfer, Super Skrull, and Ronan tie-ins. If you don't know much about any of those characters it's a pretty good introduction.

[rukkis]

I was in the same boat as you a year or two ago. I had a very basic knowledge of some characters from middle school but wanted to get back into it after watching the Avengers movie.

For Avengers and general marvel characters, Id start with Avengers Disassembled and move on to Bendis' New Avengers. He is certainty not the most popular writer on these boards but that's where I picked up and it really helped me learn the basics of a ton of different characters. It also ties in to most of the big events that happen during that run.

For the Fantastic Four, Id start with Hickman's run. It starts with Dark Reign: Fantastic Four. Reading Order

For the cosmic stuff, definitely Annihilation. Reading order, Annihilation through Thanos Imperative.

For the X-Men, Im not really sure where would be the best place to start. Maybe Schism, I read most of the pre AvX stuff out of order so you would be better off getting advice from someone else.

[Red_11]

If you're interested in the Marvel U, I can't really help you, but if you're just looking for good books I'd recommend Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer and Ghost Rider. All have great writing and distinct art styles. All but Hawkeye have just recently begun so you'd have little catching up to do. Better yet (imo) all are self contained and are not tied to any big cross over event (at least not yet.)

[The4orTy67]

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2000).