haven't read comics in years, wheres a good start?

[mags]

I wanna read a good aggressive story. any suggestions on a series with a good story and characters. I also like graphic tales so violence is a good thing to me but not just violence for the sake of violence. the story comes first. any suggestions?

[kmeyers]

I wanna read a good aggressive story. any suggestions on a series with a good story and characters. I also like graphic tales so violence is a good thing to me but not just violence for the sake of violence. the story comes first. any suggestions?
The Ultimates graphic novels are great.

[StoneGold]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785122761/104-4157580-2063917?v=glance&n=283155

[mags]

That punisher series looks good. is it a really good story? I did read the first issue of the ultimates my cousin lent me. it was pretty good. anymore suggestions?

[Gilda Dent]

Stonegold links to a group of Punisher one shots. If you like the character, you might try Welcome Back Frank in tpb, or Punisher: Max, which is an oversized hardcover with the same issus and Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe, in which the Punisher kills all the good guys and bad guys in revenge for his family's death in a superhero battle.

I'd suggest sticking with trades for a bit. Singles are kinda hard to get into. The oversized hardcover of the Marvel Knights Spider-Man is one of the better stories told about the character in a while.

Gilda

[kmeyers]

Stonegold links to a group of Punisher one shots. If you like the character, you might try Welcome Back Frank in tpb, or Punisher: Max, which is an oversized hardcover with the same issus and Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe, in which the Punisher kills all the good guys and bad guys in revenge for his family's death in a superhero battle.

Gilda

Aw, hell yes! If someone is a Punisher fan, and hasn't already read Welcome Back Frank, do yourself a favor. Buy the trade, smack yourself in the face with it a couple times for waiting so long to read it...then read it, and enjoy.

[mags]

oh yea? never use to read punisher but a good story is a good story so i'll check it out. how about any image or independat comics?

[billrob23]

Wanted by Mark Millar and JG Jones. Can't get much more aggressive than that. It's from Top Cow.
http://www.instocktrades.com/product.aspx?id=9&pid=1606

btw - the Punisher series with the MAX imprint are exactly what you are looking for as well.
http://www.instocktrades.com/product.aspx?id=10e&pid=1659
Welcome Back Frank is really good, but he goes for laughs more than real hard boiled stories. The Max title is just brutally good.

[StoneGold]

Stonegold links to a group of Punisher one shots.
More specifically though, they are probably the three single best things Ennis has written with the Punisher in them.

[Generic Eric]

I'd go with Punisher: Wecome Back Frank tpb and Bullseye Greatest Hits tpb. I just reread both twice this week.

[Pól Rua]

Try 100 Bullets. The violence can be spread out a bit, but when it happens it's certainly what the kids today are calling 'impactful'... plus a helluva story.

[Gilda Dent]

oh yea? never use to read punisher but a good story is a good story so i'll check it out. how about any image or independat comics?

From Image I'd recommend Invincible for really well done superhero stuff, and Walking Dead, which is the best zombie comic ever, both of which have a healthy trade program going for them right now.

Stonegold: I didn't mean that as a criticism. That is a really good volume, and would be perfect if it had Born in it.

Gilda

[Josh S]

CONAN will give you violence (albiet blades instead of bullets) and a great story.

THE GOON will give you monsters, ass-kickin, and humor. It's always a fun read.

[StoneGold]

Captain America right now is some of the best super hero comics like ever. Intriguing story, and some amazingly intricate action sequences drawn by Steve Epting. The best way to describe it is if Jim Steranko was doing Captain America today, and had actually bothered to follow the 35-40 years of stories since he last left the book.

http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/86/cap3.jpg

[Josh S]

Isn't Brubaker writing that?

[howyadoin]

I second pretty much all of these suggestions. And mags, have you read any Sin City?

[StoneGold]

Isn't Brubaker writing that?
Yes he is. But if Mags hasn't read in a couple years, he might not know who Ed Brubaker is. Besides, as good as he was at DC, he had sort of hit a ceiling there, whereas Marvel I think is really making him more of a star.

[Josh S]

Yes he is. But if Mags hasn't read in a couple years, he might not know who Ed Brubaker is. Besides, as good as he was at DC, he had sort of hit a ceiling there, whereas Marvel I think is really making him more of a star.


Is any of his run collected yet or is it still just monthlies?

[Pól Rua]

CONAN will give you violence (albiet blades instead of bullets) and a great story.

THE GOON will give you monsters, ass-kickin, and humor. It's always a fun read.

I shall second the recommendation for The Goon.
Ooh! And one 'a them companies out there is reprinting GrimJack! One of the best kickarse comics of the 1980's back in print at last... and if you've already read it, there's an all-new collection called Killer Instinct which rocks like a bastard!

[Pól Rua]

Yes he is. But if Mags hasn't read in a couple years, he might not know who Ed Brubaker is. Besides, as good as he was at DC, he had sort of hit a ceiling there, whereas Marvel I think is really making him more of a star.

And while we're on Brubaker (His Cap is excellent, by the way), I have to recommend his series, 'Sleeper' he did for DC/Wildstorm, and its prequel, 'Point Blank'.
Excellent superhero/espionage series.

[StoneGold]

Is any of his run collected yet or is it still just monthlies?
The first two trades are out, which will take you through the whole Winter Soldier introduction arc.

[howyadoin]

I have to recommend his series, 'Sleeper' he did for DC/Wildstorm, and its prequel, 'Point Blank'.
Excellent superhero/espionage series.Fuckin' A.

[Forefinger]

oh yea? never use to read punisher but a good story is a good story so i'll check it out. how about any image or independat comics?
Since people have already suggested Punisher I'll go with Savage Dragon from Image Comics. Most of the series is available in TPB form.


I'd try Daredevil as well. Bendis just finished a great run on it, and it's either all in TPB, or soon will be. Brubaker is doing great stuff in Daredevil as well.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Some very good suggestions. I'd particularly second Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA and SLEEPER, CONAN and THE GOON.

Also, it's unclear how long back you last read comics, but if you've never read PREACHER, you should do so. Plenty of hardcore events, but always with some point to it. You can't really beat the mix of ultraviolence, sex, humor, blasphemy and meditations on honor and loyalty.

[founder81]

Trying to come up with things no one else has suggested:

Empire by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson - Simplest way to put it is "Doctor Doom took over the world."

Y: The Last man by Brian Vaugh and Pia Geurra (sp?) - All the males died but one. A post apocalyptic look at women in charge.

Lucifer written by Mike Carey - the regular series is ending, but trades are plentiful. Follows Lucifer after we left hell. Heaven - hell - angels - demons

[mags]

thanks for all the suggestions please keep them comming.

I havent read comics other than the first volume of the ultimates (which i did like) since the early 90's.

i also had sin city but had seen the movie first so i couldnt read it.

[Gaz]

And while we're on Brubaker (His Cap is excellent, by the way), I have to recommend his series, 'Sleeper' he did for DC/Wildstorm, and its prequel, 'Point Blank'.
Excellent superhero/espionage series.
Actually, most anything Bru's done in the last few years is great. His Catwoman is excellent, Gotham Central too and Daredevil and X-Men are shaping up pretty nicely also.

Powers and Alias are excellent pieces of character driven superhero/noir work also.

[mags]

From Image I'd recommend Invincible for really well done superhero stuff, and Walking Dead, which is the best zombie comic ever, both of which have a healthy trade program going for them right now.


What u mean by trade program? im sure it has some thing to do with trade paper backs but i dont kno the details behind the vocab.

also whats the difference between a graphic novel and a tpb?

[mags]

any more suggestions?

[DanH]

Nice picture of Cap but doesn't he have "wings" on the side of his head?

[howyadoin]

Y: The Last man by Brian Vaugh and Pia Geurra (sp?) - All the males died but one.Oh sure, everybody forgets the poor monkey...

[thehod]

haven't read comics in years, wheres a good start?

The front cover is usually the best place.






Can't believe no-one did that already.

[Pól Rua]

Oh sure, everybody forgets the poor monkey...

Hooray! Someone remem...

Oh.
That monkey.

*sniff*

[founder81]

What u mean by trade program? im sure it has some thing to do with trade paper backs but i dont kno the details behind the vocab.

also whats the difference between a graphic novel and a tpb?

Trade Program simply means that the regular issues are reprinted into a trade on a regular (sometimes semi-regular) basis.

[mags]

Whats the difference between a trade paper back and a graphic novel?

[founder81]

Whats the difference between a trade paper back and a graphic novel?

Under today's terminology. Nothing. If you go into a bookstore and ask for the Graphic novel section, it'll contain original comic book stories as well as the newest x-men or batman trade.

[Justin Davis]

Also, sometimes, media outside of comics can refer to just about everything written in comic book form as a graphic novel. Today, I heard NPR describe John Ridley’s ongoing comic book, The American Way from Image, as a series of graphic novels. Although, NPR has done plenty of stories about comics before so I get the feeling that may have been Ridley’s choice for the description. Still, it’s something I noticed.

Mags, are you just looking for books that can tell good stories, but can still contain lots of action/graphic violence?

[mags]

Mags, are you just looking for books that can tell good stories, but can still contain lots of action/graphic violence?

Yea, i mean a good story is a good story I just want things a little "adult". like i read some of the ultimate spiderman and it was just too "kiddy" for me. I need comics that aren't afraid to get a little intricate with the story. the graphic violence is cool but a good story is the main feature im looking for.


Just read welcome back frank. It was good, very good. Still had kind of a "pg" feel though. I liked punisher born better though. to me welcome back frank was like like an summertime blockbuster action film while punisher born was an academy award winning war film. Born is more of what im looking for but dont hesitate to suggest something on the level of welcome back frank.

I think ima check out more max comics stuff.

[meethraa]

You really need to read PREACHER.

[mags]

You really need to read PREACHER.

I will..........