Marvel Comics: Where to Begin?

[Mang0TarD]

I've always been a huge DC comics kinda guy and I never really touched Marvel comics too much. But recently, I've been wanting to start reading stuff from the Marvel universe.

So does anyone have any recommendations as to where to start from? I've read Civil War (and some of the Spider-Man tie-ins), but otherwise that's it... Any series or story arcs that I should be paying close attention to?

Thanks in advanced for the help starting me off!

 

[Skinwalker]

Depends which characters or area of Marvel are you interested in? Like what kind of thing did you like in DC, and which Marvel stuff and characters have you liked from the cartoons/ films/ games etc?

A good recent jump on point for one side of marvel is Annihilation and its prologues, a nice intro to cosmic marvel that follows into a couple years of good stories across three events and two ongoings.

 

[jai009]

Well, I usually just buy whatever current issue that catches my eye and work my way backwards from there. I usually buy X-Men related books.

 

[Blue Saint]

Right now the main subsection are Spider-Man, Avengers, Cosmic, and X-Men. While there is a general Marvel Universe subsection it has been diminished and most of the titles get caught up in the various events. Spider-Man and X-Men books really don't have a DC counterpart but I think you would know if liked them by now anyways. The Avengers titles are the "central" Marvel titles at the moment so they can be seen a gateway but most I think are $4 books. Cosmic Marvel is similar to the Green Lantern titles and REBELS just minus any real Earth based action, a bonus here is that is currently down to one titles which I believe leads into a relaunch. A new subsection centered around street level characters is also coming about soon centered around Daredevil and the Shadowland event. On a final note anything with Heroic Age on is a good place to start since while some subplots may continue the central universe plotline has been reset so basically you don't have to really worry about what has been going on for the last few years. Also stay away from X-Men #1 and the "Curse of the Mutants" event that is going to be a flaming pile.

 

[m121akuma]

The Marvel status quo essentially just got hit with a big reset button, so now is a good jumping on point for most of the Marvel Universe (outside of the X-Books). This week's "Avengers #1" is a pretty good place to start.

 

[Covar]

Hickman and Eaglesham's Fantastic Four. Still early but already becoming one of my favorite runs on the title.

Also the heroic age is just starting up so you should be able to pick up any of them and find something you like. Avengers #1 just came out wednesday and Iron Man had a big jumping on point at issue 25.

I suggest waiting for the end of Second Coming before picking up an X book. They're in the middle of a large crosssover tying in all their books and everything that has happened with them in the past 5 years.

 

[Skyknight]

-The Spectacular Spider-Girl: Alas, the title is about to reach it's conclusion, but it's the "natural" and "real" continuation of the Spider-Man story written by his best innovator,. Tom DeFalco. The "Who Killed Gwen Reily" TPB has a few of the "Mr and Mrs Spider-Man" back-up strips that show just how better things would have been if Tom had been ALLOWED to give Peter and MJ their baby back like he was originally intending to, also includes a good twist with Carlie Cooper providing Peter with

-X-Men Forever: The continuation of Chris Claremont's original vision for the X-Men, again, VERY "old school" so the milage may vary

-Iron Man: It's grasped the thematic tone of the Iron Man movies very well, probably the most accessible title Marvel have in light of this, the characters all feel AND act as you would expect them to on-screen too, so a good capture of the "voice"

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man:: The best reboot of Spidey in years, it takes the familiar Ultimate story, but completly turns it on it's head by pandering to the Shortpacked, Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim webcomic generation

-Avengers: Might be good for a spill now the "Heroic Age" has begun

 

[Ragna "D" BloodEdge]

Enter The Heroic Age #1

 

[MMPR]

^^ Agreed

Heroic Age just started and it is essentially a revamping of the entire universe. I say start picking up those issues

 

[MrMonk]

-Iron Man: It's grasped the thematic tone of the Iron Man movies very well, probably the most accessible title Marvel have in light of this, the characters all feel AND act as you would expect them to on-screen too, so a good capture of the "voice"

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man:: The best reboot of Spidey in years, it takes the familiar Ultimate story, but completly turns it on it's head by pandering to the Shortpacked, Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim webcomic generation

-Avengers: Might be good for a spill now the "Heroic Age" has begun

This is a good list.

Depending on how much you're looking to spend, we can point you towards trade paperbacks.

Marvel's best currently is any title in which Bendis gets to write Spider-Man. He really gets the character on a basic level.