Noob Looking for Guidance

[macomicfan]

I have been lurking in these forums for a couple of days and I still haven't found the exact answer I am looking for.

I am new to comic books and would like to start getting into reading them. I don't know however if I can just start up and know what is going on by just picking up the latest issue of Superman. I did already buy the Chronological Volume 1 which I believe was just released by DC. Has the Action comics 1-13 I believe as well as Superman #1 and Worlds Fair Comic #1.

From some of the other threads it sounds like July's superman started a new story line? Is this true? Also is there a good resource you can recommend for say buying back issues if I am interested in reading the "Up, Up and Away" series.

Thanks in advance for all of your help. :)

I would be interested in also a chronological list? of TPBs that I can buy today that would fill in some history?

If you also have any recommendations for new comics or other series feel free to tell me about those as well. I hope to discuss many interesting stories with everybody here in the Forums!

[Jack Zodiac]

Get "Up, Up, and Away". All you need to know is that Superman just recently lost his powers for an entire year and they're slowly coming back, after a full year as just Clark Kent. Superman and Action Comics are the only One Year Later books that actually clean up well enough for new readers to just jump on board.

[Brash]

Get "Up, Up, and Away". All you need to know is that Superman just recently lost his powers for an entire year and they're slowly coming back, after a full year as just Clark Kent. Superman and Action Comics are the only One Year Later books that actually clean up well enough for new readers to just jump on board.

I'm also a bit confused... what is the difference between all of the Superman titles? I'm getting back into comic books myself, and for the life of me, can't figure out what is going on. Can anyone explain this to me/us?

I used the search engine but didn't real get anything that answered my question.

[Jack Zodiac]

Well, the difference between Superman and Action Comics is simply the writers. Usually. Right now they're both being written by Kurt Busiek, with Action co-plotted by Fabian Nicieza. The reason there are two Superman titles is so that he can have more than just one story a month. That's why Batman has three titles of his own, and why they both have a title together. They're DC's most popular characters, so they have multiple books for different kinds of storytelling.

[Brash]

Well, the difference between Superman and Action Comics is simply the writers. Usually. Right now they're both being written by Kurt Busiek, with Action co-plotted by Fabian Nicieza. The reason there are two Superman titles is so that he can have more than just one story a month. That's why Batman has three titles of his own, and why they both have a title together. They're DC's most popular characters, so they have multiple books for different kinds of storytelling.
Yea, but as far as continuity is concerned, how does it all work? What title should be read first? Which one involves a Superman which isn't in the mian continuity. Am I even spelling the word right!? ARGH! And they wonder why they call up newbs.

[Jack Zodiac]

They're both in continuity, and can be read independently from one another because the stories told in each title are usually self-contained. Every once in a while, as with "Up, Up, and Away," writers will have a crossover event that requires you to read both books in a certain order (which is always however they're released that month) to get the entire story. It doesn't happen too often, so you can read either title as a stand-alone.

Unless stated otherwise (like, for instance, an editorial box stating that an issue happens before a certain issue of another series) every book is in continuity.