Looking for some good reads

Hello all, new here.

I used to read comics back when I was a kid and there has since been a long break and I'm starting to get back into them.

I recently read the Hellboy series even though I haven't seen the movie and thought it was great. I think I'll rent the movie to see if it's any good. I'm thinking of picking up Watchmen. I actually read one or two of the Watchmen books when they were first published back in the 80s but never continued it.

So, with that said can anyone recommend some good books? I don't necessarily like the books being too preachy...I can read about politics in the newspaper so I don't need allegory shoved down my throat when I'm trying to escape. I think the most important aspect for a good read is good character development. I think that's what made Hellboy so likable to me...he's just really, really cool 😄

I know it's lame to be reading these books just because there's a movie series out...but I'm late to the game. 😮

In no particular order...

Moore's Swamp Thing
Sandman
Miracleman
Solar, Man of the Atom (Gold Key)
Watchmen
Kingdom Come
Secret Wars I
IG Saga
All-Star Superman
Marvel Zombies I (just a fun read)
V for Vendetta
DC One Million
Earth/Universe/Paradise X
Sinestro Corps Wars

I started reading Watchmen a few days ago and if you want character development I would say it's a pretty good choice. Politics, war etc are involved but it kind of takes a back seat for the characters.

yeah, i agree

Are their specific character you want to read up on from Marvel, DC, Image or any of the other comic companies?

No specific character. I've read the major story lines for Superman and Batman (Death of Superman, Wargames etc) and liked them.

The Hellboy series was really, really good. So it doesn't necessarily have to be someone from the DC/Marvel universes...anything really.

Planet Hulk...into World War Hulk
Animal Man..Morrisons run
Omega Flight....limited series..never made it to an ongoing..but i loved it
New avengers...Issue #1 right up to Cilvil War
Secret Invasion
Ion..limited series
Gl Rebirth...not sure how long you have been out of comics?
Wonder Woman
Trials of shazam
Buffy the vampire slayer..season eight
Angel.
Dynamite comics..project superpowers
Incredible Hercules...former hulk comic..that hercules took over after World War Hulk.

Trying not to repeat previous posters choices....but i enjoyed them.

Originally posted by m.ramius
Hello all, new here.

I used to read comics back when I was a kid and there has since been a long break and I'm starting to get back into them.

I recently read the Hellboy series even though I [B]haven't seen the movie and thought it was great. I think I'll rent the movie to see if it's any good. I'm thinking of picking up Watchmen. I actually read one or two of the Watchmen books when they were first published back in the 80s but never continued it.

So, with that said can anyone recommend some good books? I don't necessarily like the books being too preachy...I can read about politics in the newspaper so I don't need allegory shoved down my throat when I'm trying to escape. I think the most important aspect for a good read is good character development. I think that's what made Hellboy so likable to me...he's just really, really cool 😄

I know it's lame to be reading these books just because there's a movie series out...but I'm late to the game. 😮 [/B]

Well if character development is your thing I'd highly recommend Daredevil. The first trade of the latest series was a story arc called "Guardian Devil" that has been collected in trade and it's fun and full of character development. In fact that entire series is good for that.

If you are looking for a fast paced plot I'd recommend the last X-men event called Messiah Complex. It feels like the old events from the mid 90's but the story is actually good!!!

If you want something slightly more humorous I'd recommend Incredible Herc (two trades out so far) It's a fun romp with lots of mythological and hellenistic references.

If you change your mind about political allegories or undertones, my favourite comic series was Mark Millar's run on Ultimates (the first 26 issues, all collected in trades) It's full of political satire and religious underones but it's a modern take on the Avengers that is superbly written. Can't recommend enough.

If you are looking for an overview of DC and Marvel stuff it's worth buying the events that are in trades. For DC by any trade with crisis written on the front for an update of DC's long (and often convoluted history) For Marvel I'd recommend buying the last few events in trade (Avenger's Dissassembled, House of M and certainly if you are gonna pick any, pick up Civil War, it really changed the comics)

If espionage is your thing then I'd highly recommend the latest series of Captain America in trades. It's brilliantly written, plenty of action and delivers shock after shock.

There's plenty more I'd recommend but these titles are certainly a fun start ✅

I'd recommend starting with the classics/things that'll become classics

All-Star Superman or Morrison's Animal Man/Doom Patrol/Arkaham Asylum/Invisibles (all Vertigo titles, and trippy shit, but not too difficult to understand)
Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and Swamp Thing (Alan Moore)
Shade, The Changing Man (Peter Milligan)
Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" or "Books of Magic"
Garth Ennis' "Preacher" or "Hitman" or his run on "Hellblazer"
Warren Ellis, "The Authority" or "Planetary" or "Transmetropolitan"
James Robinson's "Starman"
Brubaker's "Sleeper"

Those are all titles that are complete and in easy, trade paperback format. If you want ongoings:

"Captain America"
"Daredevil"
"Green Lantern"
"Action/Superman"
"Invincible"
"Justice Society"
"Captain Britain"
"Blue Beetle"
"Uncanny X-Men"
"Astonishing X-Men"
"Hellblazer"
"Gravel"

All of those (both complete and ongoing) are easily accessible and mainstream (rather than if I recommended something like "American Splendor," "The Filth," "Zenith," or "Love and Rockets"- all freaking amazing comics, but you might want to build up your comics reading proficiency before you tackle those). And they're all consistently awesome reads.

Originally posted by m.ramius
Hello all, new here.

So, with that said can anyone recommend some good books? I don't necessarily like the books being too preachy...I can read about politics in the newspaper so I don't need allegory shoved down my throat when I'm trying to escape.

I suggest you stay well away of anything written by Warren Ellis. He loves ramming ideologies down peoples throats. In fact its hard to read any of his more contempoary works without hearing A loud, ranting English voice in your head.

Black Summer amounted to
" AMERICA'S OBSESSION OF WITH MILITARISATION WILL END THE WORLD. THERE ARE NO GOOD PEOPLE IN AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE MORONIC ONES WHO THINK THEY RE GOOD, AS THEIR RETARDEDNESS MEANS THEY ALWAYS **** UP"

Doctor Sleepless amounted to;
PEOPLE COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY AREN'T AS CREATIVE AS I AM, THEREFORE SOCIETY NEEDS TO SHUT THE **** UP, AND BE TAUGHT A LESSON IN HOW TO BE ME."

I agree with what he says most of the time, so i love him ramming stuff down my throat. Yeah ... I know what i said.

Cool. Thanks for finding a way to insult me and tell me what not to read. All I was asking for was something that I might like.

Who's insulting you?

The guy who said he agrees with the guy who thinks all Americans are crap.

Either way, I'm not here to play games. I'm too old.

You know what he said, he knows what he said and so do I. If he's too lilly-livered to man up to what he said/implied that's his problem.

Watchmen
52
Batman Year One
All Star Superman
V For Vendetta
Batman The Killing Joke
Spider-Man: Kraven`s Last Hunt

Originally posted by m.ramius
The guy who said he agrees with the guy who thinks all Americans are crap.

Either way, I'm not here to play games. I'm too old.

You know what he said, he knows what he said and so do I. If he's too lilly-livered to man up to what he said/implied that's his problem.

I just ctrl+f'ed for Americans and crap, and you're the only one who wrote it.

Thanks for the recommendations everyone.

Kris, I really don't know what to tell ya.

Originally posted by m.ramius
Cool. Thanks for finding a way to insult me and tell me what not to read. All I was asking for was something that I might like.

Hmmmm ... just playing devils advocate here but ;

Originally posted by m.ramius
Either way, I'm not here to play games.

I'm too old.You know what he said, he knows what he said and so do I. If he's too lilly-livered to man up to what he said/implied that's his problem.

This kind of over sensitivity and metaphorical "jumping of the gun" attitude, maybe what makes people anti - American.

I'm not judging a nation based on one persons remarks, it just its quite convenient how it matches the stereotype.

Watchmen is the best reading I ever had

Originally posted by Cartesian Doubt
Hmmmm ... just playing devils advocate here but ;

This kind of over sensitivity and metaphorical "jumping of the gun" attitude, maybe what makes people anti - American.

Ok, I'm willing to give it another shot. Can you tell me how I was to interpret:

THERE ARE NO GOOD PEOPLE IN AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE MORONIC ONES WHO THINK THEY RE GOOD, AS THEIR RETARDEDNESS MEANS THEY ALWAYS **** UP

Perhaps I did "jump the gun" in my assumption that this was Anti-American statement...maybe I read it wrong. If so, I apologize for getting offended at the remark and am willing to adjust my position and see the light.

I certainly don't want to further any Anti-American sentiment with my unfounded reaction to such an obvious, well thought out compliment to Americans.

Originally posted by m.ramius
Ok, I'm willing to give it another shot. Can you tell me how I was to interpret:

THERE ARE NO GOOD PEOPLE IN AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE MORONIC ONES WHO THINK THEY RE GOOD, AS THEIR RETARDEDNESS MEANS THEY ALWAYS **** UP

Perhaps I did "jump the gun" in my assumption that this was Anti-American statement...maybe I read it wrong. If so, I apologize for getting offended at the remark and am willing to adjust my position and see the light.

I certainly don't want to further any Anti-American sentiment with my unfounded reaction to such an obvious, well thought out compliment to Americans.

Yes it is an anti-ammerican sentiment .... one that is held by Warren Ellis, someone whose books i suggest you don't read. Now if you can find the exact point where I mention that they are My exact sentiments, then you won't look like a baby who has thown his toys out of the pram.

I suggest you start with this sentence;
"I agree with what he says most of the time, so i love him ramming stuff down my throat. "

Oh yeah .... I happen to use the word MOST.