Marvel Comics Recommendations

[Darthkostis]

I deliberately skipped Wood's arc on MK due to a severe case of fatigue for his work on X-Men and Conan, and yet to my surprise the reviews are generally positive and I've read positive comments here and there; my curiosity for the book is coming back on the eve of Bunn's debut so Id appreciate some more feedback

Well, the political angle put some people off, but I liked it. The overall story-arc was pretty darn interesting and the final issue did offer a nice twist. All in all, I really enjoyed it and, If I'm being honest, I would recommend it.

[victorxd1999]

So I'm going to my local con in a couple of months, and I want to make a list of some books I want to buy.

I'm looking to expand my collection, ideally with some miniseries. You can often find complete minis from recent-ish (sometimes going as far back as the mid-to-late 80s) for reasonably cheap.

Are there any recommendations for some really good minis from the past 15-20 years or so that are worth picking up? Maybe something a tad less mainstream?

I particularly like X-books. Last con I got three separate Magneto minis (Magneto, Magneto Rex, and Magneto: Testament), and the 1980s X-Men and Alpha Flight two-shot. I saw on the shelves some others, like X-Infernus and Havok and Wolverine: Meltdown.

Hmm, the Bishop mini by Ostrander is fun though very 90's. The Ares mini from 2006 is pretty great especially if you've read Secret Warriors. Most Noir titles were pretty fun too. The Kingpin mini by Jones and Phillips is highly underrated, it's really good with killer art. The Dead Girl mini and Dr. Strange the Oath were also fun.

Edit: get Ghost Rider Annual 2 too when you see it. It's Warren Ellis's first American work and it's an amazing and thoroughly chilling horror story. I got it myself for €1,25.

[victorxd1999]

Yeah I would recommend Wood's MK. Everything has been good so far and I hope Bunn continues the streak.

[Geralt of Rivia]

Cool, thanks guys. I'll see if I can track down the issues.

[Wiccus]

So I am just recently getting back into comics after 10 or so years of not really reading them at all. Lately I have been reading a ton of Image and Dark Horse stuff as their titles are all self contained and easy to follow.

That said I love the Marvel universe it's just that its so large and expansive with multiple universes that it can be daunting for someone to get into. So I am asking for some advice from you Marvel die hards as to what titles are out right now that I should look into or even past titles that are worth looking at. I am subscribed to secret wars as I feel that will be pretty essential to follow along with but other than that I am kind of at a loss. I do love Thor, Daredevil and Captain America but there are lots of heroes that I know next to nothing about and I feel like I could be missing out on stuff.

[Cosimo]

I think there are a couple of good approaches. First, you could either take a character or team that you like and try that. Second, you could look for opinions on good comic book writers at Marvel and try reading some of their books. Generally, the Marvel NOW! and All-New Marvel NOW! titles are good jumping on points for new or returning readers.

Just going off of the characters you've named, I would give Jason Aaron's Thor: God of Thunder run a crack (starting with the God Butcher and Godbomb story arcs). I didn't really get into Marvel comics until a couple of years ago, and Jason Aaron's Thor has consistently been blowing me away. My impression is that there is consensus Mark Waid's Daredevil run has been consistently good as well. It started in 2011 and was later relaunched and renumbered. I've only been reading it since the All-New Marvel NOW! renumbering, but I've enjoyed it.

If you are into Spider-Man, I think that there is general consensus Dan Slott is just finishing up an amazing run with him. He has been consistently writing Spider-Man since the Big Time story arc. I've only read Spider-Man since the Superior Spider-Man in Marvel NOW! and now the Amazing Spider-Man relaunch, but I thought that there have been lots of great stories and character development. Bendis's Ultimate Spider-Man (it started in the early 2000s) is definitely worth checking out to if you want to read a more modern approach to classic Spider-Man origin and stories. I've gotten through about 60 issues so far and I love it!

I'll also list some other great comics Marvel is doing right now or has done recently that you may want to check out. A lot of what you'll enjoy reading is down to taste, though, so you might want to try some titles out with a Marvel Unlimited subscription and then decide from there (based on the characters/series you like or the writers you want to follow) where to start keeping up with monthly issues in print.

All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men (I really enjoy these titles, but some of the X-Men fans on these forums are critical of these series. I was a new reader to the X-Men going in, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them)
She-Hulk
Ms. Marvel (this title is really popular with younger readers and women especially)
Uncanny Avengers (start with the Marvel NOW! launch)
Hawkeye (amazing!)
Magneto
Moon Knight
Silver Surfer
Death of Wolverine is worth checking out if you care. I'd avoid the various tie-in series, though.

I wouldn't really recommend the Marvel NOW! Iron Man run, and I'd also avoid some of the big crossovers Marvel has done recently (Original Sin and Age of Ultron in particular. I'd also avoid Avengers vs. X-Men, which came right before Marvel NOW! in continuity. It's really daunting and confusing for new and returning readers). I would skip AXIS unless you catch up to that point in Uncanny Avengers.
(Most of this post reflects my personal opinions, so take it with a grain of salt!)

[Hawk_Guy]

My recommendations:

Thor: God of Thunder (epic, easy to jump into, beautiful art)
Moon Knight (the first six issues by Warren Ellis are very cool, but the Brian Wood run was skippable)
Wolverine & the X-Men (it's a long run, but the cool parts are VERY cool, the series gets bogged down when the AvX crossover messes with the storyline but besides that I had a lot of fun reading this)

[Centipede Damascus]

I would recommend checking out Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers series that he's been writing for the past couple years. Together they tell one epic, amazing story which is also leading up to the big event this summer, Secret Wars.

[Mr`Orange]

How are you planning on reading them? Single backissues , trades, hardcovers? Or if can make a suggestion, but a decent tablet and get the Marvel Unlimited subscription. as I have done recently. So many books, not always complete runs, but enough to sample all the books you want.

I actually came here to put up a similar thread, just a little more specific. As I dropped out the Marvel world around the time of AvX and want to know the best books to comes back onboard with.

[Mr`Orange]

I think there are a couple of good approaches. First, you could either take a character or team that you like and try that. Second, you could look for opinions on good comic book writers at Marvel and try reading some of their books. Generally, the Marvel NOW! and All-New Marvel NOW! titles are good jumping on points for new or returning readers.

Just going off of the characters you've named, I would give Jason Aaron's Thor: God of Thunder run a crack (starting with the God Butcher and Godbomb story arcs). I didn't really get into Marvel comics until a couple of years ago, and Jason Aaron's Thor has consistently been blowing me away. My impression is that there is consensus Mark Waid's Daredevil run has been consistently good as well. It started in 2011 and was later relaunched and renumbered. I've only been reading it since the All-New Marvel NOW! renumbering, but I've enjoyed it.

If you are into Spider-Man, I think that there is general consensus Dan Slott is just finishing up an amazing run with him. He has been consistently writing Spider-Man since the Big Time story arc. I've only read Spider-Man since the Superior Spider-Man in Marvel NOW! and now the Amazing Spider-Man relaunch, but I thought that there have been lots of great stories and character development. Bendis's Ultimate Spider-Man (it started in the early 2000s) is definitely worth checking out to if you want to read a more modern approach to classic Spider-Man origin and stories. I've gotten through about 60 issues so far and I love it!

I'll also list some other great comics Marvel is doing right now or has done recently that you may want to check out. A lot of what you'll enjoy reading is down to taste, though, so you might want to try some titles out with a Marvel Unlimited subscription and then decide from there (based on the characters/series you like or the writers you want to follow) where to start keeping up with monthly issues in print.

All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men (I really enjoy these titles, but some of the X-Men fans on these forums are critical of these series. I was a new reader to the X-Men going in, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them)
She-Hulk
Ms. Marvel (this title is really popular with younger readers and women especially)
Uncanny Avengers (start with the Marvel NOW! launch)
Hawkeye (amazing!)
Magneto
Moon Knight
Silver Surfer
Death of Wolverine is worth checking out if you care. I'd avoid the various tie-in series, though.

I wouldn't really recommend the Marvel NOW! Iron Man run, and I'd also avoid some of the big crossovers Marvel has done recently (Original Sin and Age of Ultron in particular. I'd also avoid Avengers vs. X-Men, which came right before Marvel NOW! in continuity. It's really daunting and confusing for new and returning readers). I would skip AXIS unless you catch up to that point in Uncanny Avengers.
(Most of this post reflects my personal opinions, so take it with a grain of salt!)

As per my previous post I'd second the Marvel Unlimited subscription, really worth while, but make sure you have decent sized and spec'd tablet.

Cosimo, what would you consider to be the core post AvX books? Uncanny Avengers, All new x-Me, Uncanny X-men?

[booleanspline]

Pretty much a dc guy, but I have liked most the marvel movies and def liked AOU. Was just never a fan of their comics as much, I prefer the more seriousness of dc, and I like the darker art work that it goes along with. That being said I would like to branch out a bit and give marvel a try, but where does one begin? Any recommendations on how I could get started in the world of marvel, or comics that I may like by them?

[sifighter]

Well what did you enjoy reading when you were reading DC or what types of stories do you enjoy?

[booleanspline]

Thanks for the reply. Mainly batman, dkr, tkj, long Halloween. All the classics, plus the snyder/capullo run is pretty great. I have read born again and that it was awesome. What would be a marvel must read?

[sifighter]

Well if you are interested in Marvel, Marvel is doing a bunch of new series during Secret Wars. You could see what catches your eye and give it a shot, however no one knows which series will continue past Secret Wars.

Now I can't say you will enjoy what I'd recommend but perhaps try the recent Daredevil or Moon Knight runs. Other then that is there any specific Marvel Heroes you are interested in reading.

[JKtheMac]

Thanks for the reply. Mainly batman, dkr, tkj, long Halloween. All the classics, plus the snyder/capullo run is pretty great. I have read born again and that it was awesome. What would be a marvel must read?

Well the possible problem here is you highlight some very dark stories in your list. It's those kind of stories that steered me away from DC in the first place. I am not saying they are bad but they were not to my taste. Indeed DKR is objectively great even though I don't really like it.

I would probably steer you towards the contrasting Marvel stuff. The runs that are both inspired by and serve as an answer to the questions posed by darker Batman. That would lead us to Daredevil The Man Without Fear.

I would also say Moon Knight could be interesting.

If you would prefer to just immerse yourself in recent good stories then Aaron's Thor God of Thunder is probably a good place to explore. I started my journey back into comics with Hickman's Fantastic Four and FF runs and Gillen's Journey into Mystery, as well as going back to old X-Men classics that I had missed. They would certainly serve as a contrast to DC.

The God-Tier thread is currently listing people's perfect Marvel stories.

P.S. Essential Marvel has to include Spider-Man. It has been consistently great in the current Slott era.