Enjoy Comic Books

Comic book fans know they have a hobby for life. Many remember the comics of years ago, when they were first introduced. They do not realize how the books as well as the drawings have changed and improved. Walking through a Comic Book Store is just as interesting and as much fun as going to a movie, or strolling through a library.

Steps

  1. Keep an open mind and expect to see many changes between the comic books of years back, and those of today. Be surprised at the new graphics and wordings, and artistic design. Comic books as well as all graphic novels have drastically changed, and are no longer just for the young.
  2. Go to the comic shop with a friend. It is a nice place to visit, have lunch before or after, and make a day of it. Look at the shelves for the latest comics, as well as some of the older ones.
  3. Realize that it's not all superheroes, spandex and capes out there, and admit that there may be more here than you originally supposed. Ask a staff member to show you the latest comics, or to recommend the best ones, or the older versions as opposed to the latest to compare the changes made.
  4. Start with identifying other pop culture things you like - Comics, like movies and TV shows, now come in all shapes and sizes, and can be compared to a library or stand next to your favorite films, TV and video games. Instead of books on the shelf, expect to find an assortment of comic books and graphic novels. See the Tips below for suggestions on matching your areas of interest with specific comics and graphic novels.
  5. Do not limit yourself to comics in color - some of the most interesting ones are produced very inexpensively by an independent creator or small company without the vast resources of the major comic companies. In fact, if you have an idea for a story, you can go to the library, and find a book on How to Make a Comic Book and try to make your own.
  6. Try out different shops. Each comic shop has a culture and feel all its own. If you feel like the shop you chose first is too small, too big, too dusty, too dark, try a different one. If the staff isn't helpful, realize that the culture of a different shop's staff might suit you better. Don't judge all comic shops on one experience, they're all as different as the books they carry.

Sample Comics

Doc:Comic Book,Comic Strip,Political Comic

Tips

  • For Kids: Owly, Amelia Rules, Archie, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Simpsons, Zoom Suit.
  • If you like noir-style films, particularly detective based ones, you might enjoy Whiteout and its companion, Whiteout: Melt, Torso, or the ongoing series, Powers. Or try Sin City, or the Dark Knight Returns.
  • For fans of Horror movies or scary stuff, you'll probably enjoy 30 Days of Night (which has several sequels now), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel Zombies, The Walking Dead, The Dark Tower (based on the books by Stephen King).

  • For dark fantasy, you could not do better than the lyrical, sometimes disturbing world of The Sandman, or The Books of Magic.

  • For those who enjoy Action movies or TV, such as 24, Alias, James Bond, or Mission: Impossible, you'll probably like the comics based on 24, CSI and other licensed books like them. Or you may enjoy Queen and Country, a sort of secret agent working for the Queen book.
  • Those who like Romantic comedies, slice of life fiction, or real life stories might enjoy True Story Swear to God, Blankets, Strangers In Paradise (which also has a cool subplot of organized crime intrigue running through it). Other books like Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane are unexpectedly nice in this vein, also.
  • If you like Star Trek or Star Wars - you're in luck! All are running excellent series in regular comics as of this writing (2010). Same the aforementioned Buffy, GI Joe, and Transformers.
  • If you like Sci-Fi, you might enjoy Global Frequency, Rising Stars (which is like (and actually pre-dates) Heroes and The 4400), Planetary, Ocean, Orbiter.
  • If you like animated movies, like Toy Story, or How to Train Your Dragon, you can also find comics based on those and other animated films!
  • Comic lovers know that the colorful books they enjoy so much often mirror other media, mainly movies and TV - to help you match your TV or movie-going choices with comics you might be most likely to enjoy, here are some helpful tips.

  • If you're lucky, you'll run across an old edition of Classics Illustrated from the 1950s - classic stories by the world's greatest authors in full color. And now, Marvel is producing newly re-colored versions of their illustrated classics comics, too - titles like Last of the Mohicans, The Jungle Book and many other great works! A wonderful way to bring good literature to reluctant readers!
  • Definitely there are superheroes galore. Try jumping on with Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, or the X-Men - always lots of interesting stuff going on, and it just might surprise you. And check out Watchmen written by Alan Moore, it's the only comic to appear on Times "100 best English-language novels".

Warnings

  • If you are too impatient to wait for each issue, consider getting the collected volumes instead. These are collections of comics bound together, either in hardback or soft covers, and contain an entire story in one volume.
  • Collecting comics can get expensive fast. Set yourself a weekly budget to help combat this.
  • Be prepared to begin a new hobby. You can easily get hooked.

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