Well for Marvel most stuff is new reader friendly thanks to the recap pages but Dark Avengers #1 only came out a couple of months ago so there's probably some of them still on the shelf. This provides a good jumping on point for setting the current tone of the Marvel Universe coming out of the Secret Invasion event.
As for DC, well assuming you know about Final Crisis, then the next big events are Battle for the Cowl (If you like Batman) issue #1 has already come out, also I'd recommend picking up as much as you can from Green Lantern in recent years as DC's next mega event will be Blackest Night which will be the culmination of story lines that has been built up be Geoff John's for Green Lantern in the last few years.
Other than that it really depends on what you like and just jumping back into it
Well the Sinestro corps wars is out in trade. That is one of the best green lantern story lines in well....ever. Blackest Night is a similar concept to it but on a grander scale
Marvel: Secret Invasion and its tie-ins are a good starting point for new readers. Assuming your familiar with the Marvel Universe, that is. If not, I would suggest setting up a monthly (or yearly, it's cheaper) subscription with Marvel.com digital comics. They have over 5,000 digital comics you probably won't find in your local comic book store. This allows you to become familiar with various aspects of the Marvel Universe for a really cheap price. Plus it's really easy to use. For $10 a month, or $5 a month for a yearly subscription, you can read many new and old titles/events such as Annihilation, Infinity Gaunlet, Infinity War, Infinity Abyss, MU: The End, Secret Wars (1984), Secret War (2004), Thor: Blood Oath, Ragnorak etc...
DC: Like the others have said Final Crisis and Sinestro Corps War (plus their tie-ins) are the two most recent large scale events that have taken place in the last two years. They're good starting off points if you're familiar with the DC Universe. They pretty much catch you up on the current status of DC and will ease you in nicely to the upcoming event Blackest Night.
I'm in the same situation, I haven't been reading for a long time. Read Secret Invasion. Then read the Dark Reign titles that come after that...Iron Man, War Machine, Dark Avengers, New Avengers.
Also, pick up X-Men Messiah Complex and love it. After that, I am now reading X-Force, X-Factor, Uncanny X-Men, X-Men Legacy and Cable. All of which pick up the story after Messiah Complex.
All great, great stuff. I'm especially loving X-Force and Cable.
If you want a general overview of the main, core stuff in the MU, Civil War and Secret Invasion (the main series on both) are musts. Like 'em or lump 'em they definitely changed the Marvel universe. Secret Invasion, being the most recent one, will give you the most up to date account. After that it's the Avenger's titles, starting with Dark and then New Avengers. Mighty Avengers was up until SI, really relevant, now as good as it is, it's following it's own tangent.
Since the start of New Avengers #1, several years back, Marvel have really placed an emphasis on the Avengers being integral to the wider Marvel universe. Civil War split the Avengers into two camps but the Avengers remained essential reads for a comprehensive understanding. Secret Invasion pushed this to a greater degree by adding another team, Dark Avengers (By the way if you like this series, read Warren Ellis' run on Thunderbolts, it's exactly the same).
If you aren't too bothered by keeping up with main events and just want good Marvel stories, then I'd recommend....
Captain America (Ed Brubaker's run) He's approaching the 50th issue but I'd recommend picking up the past 40 something issues in trades (You must buy up to #34 for a comprehensive look at Cap's wider role in the MU up to today)
If X-men is your thing then I'd recommend Messiah Complex. Up until New Avengers #1 came out, the X-men were Marvel's main super team and they had some really good (and really bad) events. Messiah Complex feels like one of those fun events from a decade or two ago. Also it's important for upcoming X-men events so it's a must for X-men fans.
If you really don't care about the Marvel universe as a whole and would rather just enjoy a character cutting out their own corner of the universe, Iron-Fist is a good recommendation. Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction did two trades on that which is overflowing with Kung Fu action.
If you really don't want continuity and just fun stories, pick up Ultimate Spider-man. It's set in the Ultimate universe which is outside the main Marvel universe and follows it's own route. It's really fun and you can just grab any trade (I'd recommend starting around issue #70 or #80, and work through the clone saga storyline).
Also from the Ultimate Universe, I'd recommend the Ultimates. DO NOT READ Ultimates vol 3 or the event out at the moment called Ultimatum, unless you like terrible stories. Instead pick up Ultimates vol 1 and vol 2. These two series are incredible and will blow your mind.
It really depends on what you like the look of and don't be intimidated by the number on the issues as each issue has a recap page and if you like it enough there are always the trades to buy previous story lines. However you are trying to grasp a general feel of the MU as a whole, I'd say pick up New Avengers. Generally it's been a good series but one of it's best qualities is that since issue #1, it has been leading the Marvel universe in terms of plot and tone for many years now.
I just started reading Captain America from issue # 1, and I'm loving it so far. Despite his cheesy costume and idealistic beliefs, he really is a fun and interesting character to read.
Mitch... In regards to Marvel I forgot to add. If cosmic events are your thing then you might want to pick up Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest, maybe some of the tie-ins such as Annihilation: Surfer, Nova, Ronan, Super Skrull, and Heralds of Galactus, Nova's ongoing title, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Brubaker's run on Cap has been consistently solid. He's done stuff that should be controversial but hasn't had a vast outcry because it's been written so well.
KMC Community Forums
Mar 21st, 2009 08:53 PM
