I got a question for you, Sup Forums: just how do I get into (western) comics...

I got a question for you, Sup Forums: just how do I get into (western) comics? I have vague memories of reading a few Spider-Man comics when I was a kid and I've been reading manga for many years now, but other than that I've never really read anything else.

Thing is, I can't seem to get into western comics. I've been trying to read a few superhero stories, but I seem to quickly lose interest. I love superheroes and most kinds of stories with charismatic characters, so it all seems a bit weird to me.

One thing I can pinpoint as maybe being a detriment for me is the fact that it seems (forgive my ignorance) most comics adopt a more collective type of storytelling, with multiple writers and so on. I don't usually have a problem jumping in on long running manga series, but I tend to always want to start from the beginning - something I understand is quite hard to do in this medium.

The comics I've managed to get thru these past few years were: The Bellybuttons (a bit unorthodox I guess, but I found it endearing), Y: The Last Man and Crossed (only really read it due to the gore), so I guess that's something.

To avoid rambling too much more, I'd like to ask: what should I read? I love comics as a medium, so I'd really like to get the most of it instead of just sticking to manga.

I do apologize if you guys get threads like this (in the end it's just a rec thread) often, but I didn't really know where else to go.

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Just pick something with a #1 on it.

This. There will probably be someone else to super spoonfeed you but google "popular graphic novels"

and you're done. it's the same with any medium, you baka.

I have a folder of rec images somewhere that I'll dig out. In the meantime, check out Sup Forums's old recommendation tumblr: comraderecs.tumblr.com/

>most comics adopt a more collective type of storytelling, with multiple writers and so on.
This is a poor way to think of it. Think of a writer's work on a series as a "season" like a TV show, and it becomes a lot simpler to read.

For marvel stuff, Matt Fraction's Hawkeye is a blast to read, and pretty good to start with. Rick Remender had a lot of good runs, with his Captain America, Uncanny X-Force, and Uncanny Avengers. All of these start at #1 so it's real easy to get into.

Since you said you read some spider-man... JMS' run of Spider-man was incredible, and 'Brand New Day', the run that followed it, wasn't too bad.

If that's too intimidating... XO Manowar just relaunched a new series at #1 (issue 4 comes out tomorrow) and it's fucking incredible.

But I'm a loser so I just know cape shit... sorry if you're looking for something else.

If you're wanting to get into cape comics, you don't need to start with a #1 from nearly 80 years ago, but start with a writer's first issue on a run.
Though, if you want to get into DC, since Rebirth set most of them back to #1, that is a good idea.
Marvel isn't in a good place right now, so stick to recommendation charts.
And for stuff outside DC and Marvel, it's almost always start with #1.

Recommended reading guides
Though, it is out of date
corecommendedcomics.wikia.com/wiki/Sup Forums_Recommended_Comics_Wiki

Oh, and did you have any particular superheroes you were interested in?

My recommendations for non cape would be

The Goon
Cerebus the Aardvark (first 200 issues and the finale)
Mark Russell's The Flintstones
Puma Blues
A Contract with God
Blacksad
Boxers and Saints
Bone

>how do I get into (western) comics?
Detail what you already like reading in terms of genre or theme or whatever, not just in comics but in general like action shows or horror movies or whatever, then ask for recommended more of the same.

More importantly after you're done with anything look at the writer behind the stories you really liked, and the ones you didn't, go to wikipedia or whatever to see what else they've written. Of course this isn't a spotless thing, some writers start good or bad and get better with time, some get worse but it's something of a road map.

You can also follow the character if you're blindly obsessed enough to look passed different writers and stories treating them differently, but it might wear you out in some cases. X-Fags have been particularly put through the hoops as of recent.

If you're less interested in finding things already worth the read and more particularly interested in getting into on-goings just so you can follow along whatever current tripe gets pumped out, well good luck there. No guarantees of a good or bad story until you've already wasted the time getting through it all, so like the other user said just pick up wherever and keep reading until you can't anymore.

Read this.

>I've been trying to read a few superhero stories, but I seem to quickly lose interest.
What exactly did you read?

From going from Kamen Rider to western comics, try TMNT IDW. It would probably be the best choice.

Those links/images are handy, thanks.

>and did you have any particular superheroes you were interested in?
From the ones I know from games/movies and also overall designs and images I see flying around I'd have to say Moon Knight, Spider-Man (thou I mostly really like the alternate versions like 2099 and Scarlet), Birds of Prey, Flash (I'm more interested in that villain) and Daredevil.

I'll look into those, thank you.

I've tried that a couple of times, but I tend to lose interest when writers change. I can't really explain it - but I'll give it a try once more with any comics recommended.

I guess I'd say I like a bit of everything in that regard - I pay more attention to the quality than the genre or what not. I can say I tend to prefer things like Kamen Rider, stories with themes of friendship and camaraderie, subtle storytelling, "superhero schools".

As I said, I like lots of different things, so I dunno.

>Original X-Men run (something put me off around #15)
>Original Spider-Man run (ditto)
>Original X-O Manowar (ditto)
>Hellblazer (I think this one I stopped on #18. I was really liking it, can't really say what made me stop)
>Injustice (it started okay but it lost me after year two - I guess I read this one quite a bit)

Nice, I'll give that one a try too. Thanks.

If you liked Spider-Man I would easily recommend the original Amazing Spider-Man series.
If you don't want that incredibly daunting task, I would recommend Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's much shorter, and an extremely fun series.

>Hellblazer (I think this one I stopped on #18. I was really liking it, can't really say what made me stop)

If you're talking about the original run, it's probably the overwhelming Britishness of it.

The movies

>Injustice (it started okay but it lost me after year two - I guess I read this one quite a bit)
I think that's when Tom Taylor stopped writing it.

Try Justice League-Power Rangers, the 4th issue came out last week, same guy writing it.

>stories with themes of friendship and camaraderie
Suicide Squad, volume 1, issues #1-66, from 1987 through 1992, by John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, Kim Yale et al.

The premise: Supervillains are captured by the government and forced to do good deeds (and secret espionage missions) to shorten their prison sentences.

Why it's good for you: The characters all start off hating each other, but organically and believable they grow to love each other and form a family over time.

As for Cerebus
It's recommended you use this handy guide
The creator went nuts

I really like British TV series and films, so I doubt it hue. I was probably just being stupid at the time.

I don't know, I guess it was all starting to be way too contrived (even more than it already was). The concept was pretty neat thou.

I'll give that comic a shot, thanks.

That seems perfect, thanks!

I can tell by that graph. Interesting.

...

Not just British in it's cultural trappings and background, Delano's run is very much an intimate take on the late Thatcher years.

>I tend to always want to start from the beginning - something I understand is quite hard to do in this medium.
You're not wrong. Honestly the only way you can do it and not be totally lost or feel like you're missing something is to start from, the very beginning. Be wary of 'jump on points' because they are all bollocks.

Go to your local shop and look at what appeals to you. Also see if they have the DC Essentials Guide; it's free and has an overview of basically all the key storylines for all the major players in their verse.