What comic would you suggest for a non-comic reading friend to start with?

Fysh

If you were talking to a friend who knew nothing about comics, and you wanted to recommend one book to them that you thought would at least explain to them why you liked comics, what would it be? (assume, for the sake of argument, that you've managed to get past the whole "Comics? Isn't that just idiots with their underpants over their trousers fighting other idiots?" thing, even though it's rarely that simple, especially if you're talking to *gasp* girls *shock horror*)

My choice would be either one of the Flight Anthologies from Image (in fact, I passed my copy of Flight Vol 2 onto a friend for the exact reason above two days ago) or one of the Drawn & Quarterly collections (probably volume 5, my favourite of the ones I've seen).

Why these? Well, they're short story anthologies, which are always good introductory material - you get to see a wider array of talent so there's a higher chance you'll see something you like. Plus there's something about these collections (especially the Flight books) that just stirs up a variety of emotions, the strongest being the feeling that the world is an enormous playground waiting for you to go out and discover its secrets. It may sound stupid but no other type of art or whatever manages to convey that feeling in quite as strong a way as comics do.

Kaboogie

Hi have you ever tried the Bunty or Judy?

DoctorEdgeWild

Depending on the person;

Some literary dude who looks down upon comics - Fron Hell and The Crow. Surprising how so many people read these books who have never read any other comics. Can really open people up to the medium. Also, Top 10 by Alan Moore is absolute genius and lighter.

Random bloke - Any decent Spiderman or Batman. Not difficult to get into and you don't need a familiarty with the characters to understand what's going on. Although I think most people have at least an idea of what Spidey is all about. In fact, you can't go far wrong with Alan Moore - pretty much anything that bears his name has a certain quality and imagination to it.

Guy who thinks comics are seriously gay - Tainted (One-shot from Vertigo). Unbelievable comic - really freaks out the 'norms'.

I got into comics myself from 2000AD especially Judge Dredd, before Stallone and his Hollywood mates decided to rape him. Now anything from Silver Surfer to Shaolin Cowboy turns up on my desk.

simu

Somefin by Daniel Clowes mebbeh.

amazingemmet

depends on the person tbh.
semi sick sense of humour: JTHM or Lenore
A bit more serious: The crow
If familiar with the Characters: dark knight returns

Manach

Something that would expand on their expectations, Sandman - "Fables and Reflections".

Wacker

For a 21st birthday present, a collector friend of mine gave me Miller's Batman: Year One. I couldn't think of a better starting point than that.

baldi1212

Marvels is a good starting point and a good way to introduce the marvel characters
Death, the time of ur life and the high cost of living is always a winner.
Daredevil, the man without fear by Frank Miller
Batman year one/Dark Knight Returns
Sandman
Preacher

TerrorFirmer

I was never a big comic reader, but the ones I found most readable initially were one such as Nighthawk, The Punisher, Eternal Warrior and a few others, 2000AD as someone suggested is a fairly good starting point also

Doubtful Donkey

I've never really been one for the X-Men books (X-Static becomes X-Force, X-This, X-That, blah, blah, blah), but my girlfriend got me Astonishing X-Men:Gifted, which is the first book written by Joss "I created Buffy" Wheedon and it's adamn good starting place

Karmafaerie

If they're onto superheroes, then Donkey is right.
The first Astonishing X-Men is a great starting point, because it's such an easy read.

If they're into superheroes, but want to start from a completely blank slate, then either Supreme Powers (Marvel) Or Rising Stars (Top Cow), is the best you'll get! Both are written by J. Michael Staczynski, and are perfect as both are in stand alone universes!

If they like the whole superhero thing, then virtually anything by Vertigo!
I work in a comic book shop, and it's amazing how many non-stereotypical comic book readers you get hooked by suggesting something like Preacher, or Transmetropolitan! (You can play up the whole Irish aspect with Precher, what with Garth Ennis being Irish, and Cassidy being one of the funniest Irish characters in comics!!!)

Hope that helps!

Pippy

Heya,
You're the only person I know of who has read Tainted besides me. What a sick but fab comic eh? You got any recommendations for me? None of my friends are into comics so I'd appreciate any info. I'm a girl by the way.

DoctorEdgeWild

Hey, Tainted is an amazing comic. I got it totally at random over in New York one time. It has turned out to be one of my favourite comics.

I recently got some more cool stuff - The original Iceman 4 part mini series (1984-85) is excellent. It was really cheap online as well. Pretty much any Silver Surfer is good as well, the 'essential' books are available in every comic shop and are really cheap and full of reading. Surfer and Punisher ones are great.

Try getting 'Bad Company' as well from 2000ad. Cool story.

While you're at it, get Y: The Last man. Its more recent so it should still be in the major comic book places. It's a really good story and nice art.

Oh yeah and get The Walking Dead as well. Brilliant.

Now I've spent all your money

Fysh

If you like Walking Dead, you may like "Fragile" - DC released it on their short-lived Humanoids imprint as a trade, and it's a similar idea (although with more jokes added to the mix).

Y : The Last Man is excellent so far, I'm now itching to read more after picking up "Ring Of Truth" last week.

How Loathsome is also very good and worth checking out. Some very odd but engaging characters there.

DoctorEdgeWild

Just checked up on your recommendations online - The description for Fragile includes the line "While on the run from zombie hunters, Alan finds the beautiful but decomposing girl of his dreams.". Now how can I resist that one? Thanks Fysh!

ScruffySlayer

I think Marvel's Essential Series are great. 250-300 page black and white books of around 20 or so classic comics. I recommend the X-Men ones (make sure it's not the uncanny one cuz it's the 60's which is a bit crap) and The Fantastic Four ones. The F4 stuff is one of the few 60's comics which I still think reads well today.

Drastic

Hellboy.

Just classic.

Or the Goon

Moogle

For somebody who knows nothing about comics:

Fables,
Y: The Last Man,
Ex Machina

None of these require any prior knowledge of comics. They all have unique concepts and I just love the way Fables warps all those characters that Disney hold dear like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc. Also, they are all available as graphic novels.

Maccattack

WATCHMEN

That book will suck anybody in. If they quible about reading it tell them its a great book with pictures.

Karmafaerie

Maccattack wrote:

WATCHMEN

That book will suck anybody in. If they quible about reading it tell them its a great book with pictures.

The first time you read Watchmen, you should follow the "Watchmen Rule!"
There are twelve comics in the series (graphic), and you're supposed to read one a night, before going to sleep, over twelve nights.
It may sound stupid, but it really does bring out the best in the story!

Battle Pope is just now being re-released in colour, so a lot of people who would have been put off by the black and white aspect, now have no excuse to not read one of the funniest comic series ever!!!
The same thing is happenng with Bone!
"Stupid Stupid Rat Creatures!!!"
L.

Doubtful Donkey

If Queen and Country gets redone in colour - I'll drop it. Just saying

Moogle

I have to agree that Watchmen has to be a top choice.

It's one of the few books I've read that gets better each time you read it and you benefit from re-reading it because you won't get it all in the first go.

Its good for those who don't read comics because Moore grounds his heroes in reality and suddenly all the stories don't seem as far fetched. He shows what effect these heroes would have on history if they did exist and makes it seem to ring true through his use of actual history.

It's also a must for comic fans because its good on so many levels (a bit like Earth X).

Its just a pity Alan Moore abandoned his plans for the sequel "Twilight of the Superheroes"!

Spideyman

I second the Marvel Essentials recomendation, I got the first Avengers one for my little brother and now he's gone and bought Vol.'s 2-4.
Still on the marvel track the Ultimate titles were made to be a good starting off point (that's how they got me). Theres now a lot of graphics already though but get the 50 issue HC Ultimate Spidey in Forbidden Planet, it's well worth it

spooydermot

slightly off topic:

Moogle wrote:

Its just a pity Alan Moore abandoned his plans for the sequel "Twilight of the Superheroes"!

I had never heard of this before, and lokked it up on this site - beware spoilers-, it sounds fantastic, pity it was never produced.

I'm not very well versed in the minor characters in DC universe (Shazam,Green Lantern, blue beetle etc) and consider some of them to be a bit flimsy, but I'm pretty sure that Moore would have turned this into something special.

Eva24

Well, I got dragged in mostly to Manga but the Ultimate series are excellent but if your friend has a really condescending view then maybe some more arty like the Neil Gaiman/Yo****aka Amano collaboration or Art Spiegelman's "Maus" which is a harrowing tale of his father's life in the second world war-It won a pulitzer Prize :eek:

Lemming

PvP & Liberty Meadows for a good chuckle.

Velcrow

Watchmen
V for Vendetta
Locas
Palomar

blu_sonic

i'd have to say anuthing from marvel's ultimate range, its laid out in essence like a movie so its face paced, only thing is it'll knok em off the mainstream MU, i can't get back into the mainstream MU since collecting ultimate x-men and the ultimates, the real MU just seems so tame in comparrasion

de5p0i1er

Ultimate Fantastic 4 vol 1. Most marvel stuff quotes stuff that happened years ago but the ultimate stuff starts from scratch so you don't have to catch up on 40 years of history.