Advice for Those New to Comics

Spydes

Hi All!

As a person who has discovered the wonder of comic reading within the past year, I thought it might be a nice idea to create a thread to offer general advice to others who may also be new and in need of a guiding hand. Obviously, I am by no means an expert, but I will list a few lessons that I have learned and tricks that I have found useful in my pursuits thus far. However, as I am sure that there is collectively a great wealth of experience amongst the forums, I would invite others to join in so that we might create the most useful resource possible. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Tips for New Comic Enthusiasts:
1. Visit as many local shops/cons as possible. This is not only an opportunity to learn what is on the market and add to your budding collection, but also a great way to meet other people who share a passion for comics. Feel free to ask the staff about their recommendations. A good shop owner will be more than happy to point you in the right direction of something you will enjoy.

2. Buy discount comics. Whether it be fifty-cent bins of back issues or deeply discounted pre-orders and trades, finding bargain comics is easier than you may think. Many publishers also offer first-issue reprints of their most popular titles for only a dollar. By targeting low-cost books, you will be able to build a library and get exposure to many different writer/artist combos. Don't be afraid to sample something that may not interest you superficially. You will be amazed at how often a book will surprise you, and it is important to try out the full spectrum as you develop your own reading tastes.

3. Check-in on what's happening. Obviously you have dabbled in comics podcasts, and that is a great way to learn. There are also numerous websites dedicated to comics, not to mention these very forums. In particular, you may want to seek out the various "Best of..." lists that are published at the conclusion of a calendar year. These resources are all a great way to benefit from the collective experience and find content that comes highly recommended.

RickM

I read comics as a kid, then was out of the loop for 20 years, then came back to them in the 2000s. Wikipedia and other sites were invaluable when I needed quick information on characters, titles and storylines.

Spydes

Great suggestion, @RickM ! You are absolutely right about Wikipedia as a resource. Very helpful.

luke52

Comichron.com is a great resource to see what's selling well both currently and in the past.

chrisw

My experience from each time I've gotten back into comics is that you shouldn't be afraid to just dive into a title, regardless of where it's at in the story. If you even just kind of like it, give it a chance for a few months, try not to get too hung up when you come across something that doesn't make sense to you. If the title is at all well-written, it'll all make sense in time, and you can always backtrack and read what came before if you like.

In this day and age, when you can hop online and catch up with every episode of a TV show before deciding to watch it week to week, I think its become too easy for people to write something off because they weren't with it from the start. If I'd thought like that back in the '80s, I'd never have gotten into comics. I had no idea who any of these X-Men were when I picked up my first issue, but in less than a year it was one of my favorite titles.

Hex

chrisw said:

My experience from each time I've gotten back into comics is that you shouldn't be afraid to just dive into a title, regardless of where it's at in the story. If you even just kind of like it, give it a chance for a few months, try not to get too hung up when you come across something that doesn't make sense to you. If the title is at all well-written, it'll all make sense in time, and you can always backtrack and read what came before if you like.

In this day and age, when you can hop online and catch up with every episode of a TV show before deciding to watch it week to week, I think its become too easy for people to write something off because they weren't with it from the start. If I'd thought like that back in the '80s, I'd never have gotten into comics. I had no idea who any of these X-Men were when I picked up my first issue, but in less than a year it was one of my favorite titles.

This is great advice. Making those connections and discovering who the characters are for yourself is one of the things I enjoy most about reading comics.

Spydes

Hex said:

chrisw said:

My experience from each time I've gotten back into comics is that you shouldn't be afraid to just dive into a title, regardless of where it's at in the story...

This is great advice. Making those connections and discovering who the characters are for yourself is one of the things I enjoy most about reading comics.

I completely agree with both of you on this point. As a new comer it can feel intimidating to try to jump into a long-running title. However, as @chrisw points out, it is entirely possible to "learn as you go". Typically books are written to provide some degree of context on the title page, so even if you pick a mid-arc issue, you should be able to get your bearings fairly quickly.

Great advice!

SolitaireRose

I recommend using an on-line book recommendation system like Goodreads. Put in what you have read and liked and it'll give you recommendations. You like hard boiled crime novels? Read Criminal, Fatale and Stray Bullets....that sort of thing. His the "best of" lists that pop up in December and try those. Follow creators, not characters and check out ANYTHING interesting at the library.

CaptShazam

I would not be concerned with continuity - especially with the big 2. It is almost optional. If you want to go back and read more you can, but it is not required anymore.

There is going to be a relaunch/reboot/refresh of titles every few years. It is almost to the point that you only need to know what the current creative team has done.

The beautiful part is that if you love a character and really want to know more and see the development over the years, trades exist in some form from all parts of the different comic book ages for nearly every major big 2 character.

miscatonic

This current issue comes up often when talking about new readers and I honestly will never understand it. Unless you have been reading comics since the 30's everyone who starts 'jumps in'. Only in the past 10-15 has it been 'easy' to catch up. What did those before do to catch up?

Honestly we bought the back issues that filled us in, you know spent the money. I fail to see why that is no longer relevant.

Absolutely give comics a try and if you like what you read, catch up. Those of us that are older did it that way and it was most effective.

SolitaireRose

miscatonic said:

This current issue comes up often when talking about new readers and I honestly will never understand it. Unless you have been reading comics since the 30's everyone who starts 'jumps in'. Only in the past 10-15 has it been 'easy' to catch up. What did those before do to catch up?

Before Stan turned super-hero books into a soap opera, situations were static and stories were stand alone. They'd set up the situation "Superman, disguised as mild mannered reporter Clark Kent, fight for truth and justice!" and then introduce character as if it was their first time appearing.

Stan would fill readers in with footnotes and awkward dialogue, "If only Jane Foster knew that I, Thor, the God of Thunder were really lame Dr. Donald Blake, she woudl love me. But it can never be."

Now, Marvel gives you a intro page and quick character tags (which are great, IMHO) and DC...well, DC expects you to know everything that has happened, what counts and what doesn't, and then has entire issues filling you in on continuity implants that didn't happen in printed comics.

Spydes

SolitaireRose said:

miscatonic said:

This current issue comes up often when talking about new readers and I honestly will never understand it....

...Marvel gives you a intro page and quick character tags (which are great, IMHO) and DC...well, DC expects you to know everything that has happened, what counts and what doesn't, and then has entire issues filling you in on continuity implants that didn't happen in printed comics.

As a fairly new reader of comics (within the past year), I understand both of these perspectives.

There is certainly nothing wrong with jumping in on a title in the middle of a run. In fact, with the many online resources available, I've found the best way to do so is to find out where one arc ends and another begins. It's not necessary to have the origin story of a first issue, but starting mid-story makes it a bit more difficult to get your bearings.

On the other hand, I feel that the industry would benefit from a bit more self contained story telling that is synonymous with today's single issues or one-shots. Sure the publishers want to hook you into buying 5 or 6 issues to complete an arc, but if they don't make their books appeal to a broader audience (including kids) they will have a hard time expanding their base.

Again, in my mind, no one is really wrong in this type of debate. Everyone has different tastes, comforts, and styles and we are fortunate enough that the current industry has a little something for everyone. But, I am glad that we showcased this debate a bit for anyone who may be new to comics and reviewing this thread. Thanks for contributing!