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What comic book and/or manga should I start with?

edited March 2009 in Manga/Comics
I'm looking to start reading some comics and/or manga and I'd like to know where to start. I'll most likely be buying off Amazon, unless there's a better online store. A question of mine is, are comics expensive? I know some come out as a single graphic novel, unless I'm wrong I really don't know much about comics/manga. I just wonder because I've heard stories of spending $20-30 on a 20-30 page comic. Anyways, I am probably wrong about a lot of this because I have no clue about this stuff.

Comments

  • 1. Watchmen
  • I'll most likely be buying off Amazon, unless there's a better online store. A question of mine is, are comics expensive? I know some come out as a single graphic novel, unless I'm wrong I really don't know much about comics/manga. I just wonder because I've heard stories of spending $20-30 on a 20-30 page comic.
    Amazon is pretty good, but it depends on what you're buying. Check out Instock Trades -- they often have slightly lower prices than Amazon, though their selection is missing some stuff. Shipping is free if you order over $50, and only about $4 otherwise. If I only want a couple of books, I'll usually go Amazon, because you can get free shipping at $25. I haven't found a "best" site for manga online, but it's not Amazon. Just poke around for the best prices.

    Are comics expensive? If you're buying monthlies, yes -- they recently jumped to $3.99 for a 22 page comic. $20-30 on a 20-30 page comic? Only if you're buying a back issue that's valuable to collectors for some reason. You probably don't want single issues, though. Graphic novels, or trade paperbacks (as collections of single issues are more properly called) are usually $10-20. Manga tend to have a cover price of $8-10, but can usually be had for cheaper online.

    Anyway, it's kind of difficult to recommend comics to start with without knowing what your tastes are. Comics are just like movies or books -- lots of genres, lots of styles, lots of tones -- what you'll like depends entirely on what you like. If you can post some things you like in other media, everyone will have a better starting point to make recommendations.
    1. Watchmen
    Really, I'm not sure that Watchmen is the best thing to start with, for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is that, in a lot of ways, there's nowhere to go but down. But aside from that, Watchmen is largely a deconstruction of superhero comics, and without a solid familiarity with the history of superhero comics, I think you miss a lot. It's also much more dense both graphically and textually than almost any modern comics. I don't know how much of an issue that might be, but I can see it either turning people off so they don't move on to other stuff, or letting them down when they do. The art in Watchmen is also a turn-off to a lot of people. Dave Gibbons is a fine draftsman and excellent visual storyteller, but the style is very dated.
  • Phoenix from Osamu Tezuka.
  • Check out the comics at your library. Decide what you like. Only buy the comics you will read more than once.
  • Watchmen or Phoenix might be a too much for a beginner. I would recommend something like Scott Pilgrim or Bone as good jumping off points.
  • I really like movies that kind of leave you trying to piece it together in the end. I can't think of many examples, but the non-director's cut Donnie Darko comes to mind. Time travel is always cool, same with movies that question common morals. Death Note comes to mind. I watched the Death Note anime and liked it a lot. When it comes to movies, I'll usually take an interesting and unique good movie or a great movie with a generic premise.
  • Creature Tech and Bone are the first things that come to mind.
  • Creature Tech
    I've never heard of that one -- it looks good. Thanks!
  • How's Wanted? It sounds interesting.
  • For Manga, might I suggest Apollo's Song by Osamu Tezuka?
  • For Manga, might I suggest Apollo's Song by Osamu Tezuka?
    As a START? That's a wierd book even for people who read manga all the time!
  • edited March 2009
    Without a doubt: Yotsuba&! (It's spelled like that.).
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • Seconding Bone and Yotsuba&!. Phoenix: Future works as a really great introduction to Tezuka's work and manga for smart people in general. I gave it to my little brother and it got him to give non-Shonen Jump comics a shot.
  • edited March 2009
    Maybe a better question is to ask, what genre's do you like already? Find comics or manga that fit in that genre and then expand slowly out. For if you like giant Mechs and samurai, then Peach Girl or Boys over flowers are not good starter reads.

    So here is a short list if you are starting out in a few genre. (biased towards what I read)

    Superhero: Any marvel Ultimate line (since you can easily get a self contained story involving super hero's that does not cross the hell over everything, they are updated to appeal to a modern audience and have been collected into rather large omnibuses (at least the first couple trades)). "Runaways", the children of villains attempt to find their place.

    Politics: Try finding "Eagle" (for straight up politics) or "Ex. Machina" (superhero turned Mayor of New York)

    Fantasy: If you want a story that is a more mature Harry Potter before Harry Potter was around read "Book of Magic". Some cross dressing with your fantasy "Basara". Fables characters surviving in the modern world? Check out "Fables".

    Post-apocalyptic: "Eden" surviving in a destroyed future, "Y The last man" surviving in a world without men, "The Walking Dead" a zombie tale that does not end.
    "X-1999" a group of people work for or against the destruction of civilization and to find out whether they can change destiny.

    Science Fiction: "Planetary" Finding Relics of the golden age of Sci-fi. "The Red Star", a futuristic Soviet Union. "To Terra", "Planetes"

    I could go on, anyhow, after you read some of those read "Batman: Year one", "Batman: A Long Halloween" , "Batman: Hush" then read "Batman: The Dark Knight returns". (then you'll never have to read Batman ever again, because you just read all the best stories :-p)

    Then check out Buddha, V for Vendetta and Watchmen, for those will get you through some of the more celebrated works in the media.

    I could go on, but that's a good start.
    Post edited by Cremlian on
  • Bone, Fables, Buddha, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day
  • How's Wanted? It sounds interesting.
    Much better than the movie, great art, okay story - makes fun of a lot of contemporary and classic super hero tropes and characters. If you pick this up as your first superhero book it won't resonate (or be as funny) as it would if you had already read some super hero stuff.
    Good self contained story however if you pick up the trade.

    I suggest picking up some basic super hero stuff and just start reading, then go for the alternative unless you can provide us with genres or examples of other media you have really enjoyed.

    That way I'm pretty sure I could point you in the correct direction i.e. if you told me you like crime stories, "Criminal" by Ed Brubaker would be excellent.
  • Wanted is poop.
  • How's The Dark Knight Returns?
  • How's The Dark Knight Returns?
    Awesome. The only Batman worth reading. Seconding Fables, as well. Sandman is good too, but the art is often garbage.
  • Wanted is poop.
    Wanted was a good premise with crappy writing.
  • Blade of the Immortal... if you like pretty violence.
  • Wanted is poop.
    Wanted was a good premise with crappy writing.
    That's why I said the writing was just okay, I bought it because it was funny but initially for the idea.

    How's The Dark Knight Returns?
    Awesome. The only Batman worth reading. Seconding Fables, as well. Sandman is good too, but the art is often garbage.
    I would say you'd have a hard time selling only Dark Knight without something as spectacular as Batman Year One.
    Fables is okay, once again, it's what you like, to me personally I don't waste my time on Fables.
    Sandman is hard to deny as a story, I've got the entire run and it was the book I read after X-men when I was a kid. I didn't get all of what was going on but it was definitely superior story telling. Art is wholly subjective, but what you've just called rubbish launched a number of artists careers.
  • Art is wholly subjective, but what you've just called rubbish launched a number of artists careers.
    There's still a lot of garbage art in there. I've seen it.
  • Try

    Blade of the Immortal
    The Walking Dead
    Wasteland
    Monster
    Death Note
    MPD Psycho
    Old Boy
    Mail
    Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service
    Hellsing
    Me and the Devil Blues
    With The Light

    and if you want something lighter but fun...

    Azumanga Daioh
    Great Teacher Onizuka
    Yotsuba&
  • Oh yeah, I must not forget Detroit Metal City.
  • Take your pick, anything that appears three or more times is gold.
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