I still remember leaving the movie theatre after watching The Avengers, the first Marvel movie I ever watched. I was amazed by how much I loved the movie, and I wanted nothing more than to read some comic books to learn more about each of the characters. However, I had no idea where to start—comics seemed complicated to me, and whenever I tried to figure out the “science” behind them, there was a lot of terminology being thrown around that I didn’t understand. However, I soon learned that comics aren’t complicated at all: they’re actually A LOT of fun! If you’re ready to dive into some comic books but need a little guidance, consider this your primer for getting started!
Some terms you’ll need to know
- Book—This is definitely the most vague term in the world of comics; it usually means a single issue of a comic (like Black Widow #7), but some readers will call the entire run of a title (every issue in a particular Ghost Rider series, for example) a book. However, just to be honest, people who prefer the latter usage are usually pretty pretentious.
- Run—The entirety of a series (you’ll hear readers say things like “the 2016 run of Champions” or “Mark Waid’s The Amazing Spider-Man run”).
- Trade—Multiple issues of a comic that you buy in one collection, like a graphic novel. Trades usually collect 6 books and are often called “volumes”, so The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 1: The Parker Luck is The Amazing Spider-Man #1-6. Trades are, in my opinion, the easiest way to get and read comics, and if you’re looking for comics in big chain bookstores (like Books-A-Million or Barnes & Noble, for example), you’ll almost always find trades instead of little separate books.
- Event—An event is a huge, important storyline that involves a lot of characters and possibly multiple series/runs. The Civil Wars I and II are the most pertinent examples of events.
Now what?
- Pick out the character you want to read. Who interests you the most? Whether it’s Spider-Man, Deadpool, or the Hulk, decide who you want to read about.
- Find some comics featuring that character and flip through them. Go to a bookstore or a specialty comics store and look at the various runs yourself. What looks interesting? Is there an art style that you find appealing? Find something that looks like fun.
- Get the first issue of that run. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. If you start anywhere in the run that’s not the beginning, you will be confused. Even I can’t jump into the middle of a run and enjoy myself, and I’ve been reading comics obsessively for years now. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning.
Some suggested titles
You can get started with whatever runs you want, but if you’d like some suggestions here are a few titles that I’m crazy about:
- Civil War by Brian Michael Bendis: This is just such a beautifully written event. Also, reading it will really enrich your understanding of the plotline in last year’s Captain America: Civil War movie.
- Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson: This is probably my favourite comic book. The leading lady, Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani teenager who deals with a lot of unique issues that make her comics stand out to me.
- Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker: If you love Bucky Barnes, this is the comic for you. It reveals TONS of Bucky’s history with Black Widow. It’ll also enrich your Captain America: Civil War movie experience (I have actually argued that the Civil War movie draws more from this comic than it draws from the actual Civil War run).
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by Mark Waid: This might be the most fun comic I’ve ever read, and the art is amazing. Plus, heroes like Spider-Man and Dr. Strange drop in along the way. What makes this series so cool is that it shows readers that there is more going on in the Marvel universe than what we see the major heroes dealing with.
- Champions by Mark Waid: The fun factor in Champions definitely competes with Agents’. This run also features art from my favourite comics artist, Huberto Ramos. Three of my favourite heroes (Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and the Hulk) are working together, and it makes for a great read. It has GORGEOUS art and a heartening, funny story so far.
And there you have it! Now that you know how to navigate the word of comic books, get out there and have fun reading!
