Maybe you kids could help me

C.bronco · Sep 20, 2006

I asked in the comics forum what comics were popular today. You see, as a young'un, I never read the superhero stuff. I liked Dracula, horror comics and Dr. Strange. I wanted to know what was comparable and popular today. Everyone says Spidey, but, heck, I used to see him on the Electric Company and still wasn't enthralled.
Anyone?

Rabe · Sep 20, 2006

You're asking a very loaded question.

Depending on the tastes and interests of the individual readers and maturity levels.

Myself, I started off with X-Men and the various spin-offs and still enjoyed The Avengers (was more thrilled with West Coast Avengers though...probably due to the underdog nature of them), Spider-Man, Captain America and then some of the off-shoot companies. DP7, some of the Malibue things (like the Strangers). I also enjoyed back issues of Defenders, Champions and Dr. Strange. Okay, so mostly Marvel comics. A little later I got into Sandman (where I discovered the divine grace of Neil Gaiman) and other 'independant' style and 'creator owned' comics.

But to look at what is popular, go with the standards: Fantastic Four, Avengers, Justice League, Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, etc. Basically, if there is a long running cartoon/show/movie franchise based on it, then its still the 'popular' ones.

Rabe...

veinglory · Sep 20, 2006

The X-Men, Spidey, Hellblazer, Catwoman, Justice League, Wolverine, New Averngers --also Manga and more indy titles like Strangers in Paradise or the Authority. But mostly everything old is new again.

I still like Dr Strange, but hell, I liked Dazzler.

TheIT · Sep 20, 2006

If you like Dungeons & Dragons, Nodwick is a hysterically funny parody comic by Aaron Williams. He also writes PS 238 about a school for metaprodigy (superhero) children.

www.nodwick.com

Ordinary_Guy · Sep 20, 2006

C.bronco said:
I asked in the comics forum what comics were popular today. You see, as a young'un, I never read the superhero stuff. I liked Dracula, horror comics and Dr. Strange. I wanted to know what was comparable and popular today. Everyone says Spidey, but, heck, I used to see him on the Electric Company and still wasn't enthralled.
Anyone?

No superheroes...?

I might try a Frank Miller flavor of Batman (he helped refine the "dark hero" concept). The "Grendel" anti-hero incarnations are interesting as well. My wife introduced me to "The Maxx" (generally odd) is worth a look...

ChaosTitan · Sep 21, 2006

Here are a few links to blogs that I read on occasion. They are all comic related and may help.

http://www.photontorpedoes.com/

http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/

http://del.icio.us/glecharles/Shelves

Birol · Sep 21, 2006

Find a small gaming store and ask the person behind the counter. They know what they sell, what they don't, and who buys what.

Variant Frequencies · Sep 21, 2006

I asked my writing partner, who's a big comics fan. He recommended you check out http://www.moonstonebooks.com/.

Hummingbird · Sep 21, 2006

I've been reading Manga since I was little. I've never been really into other types. Spiderman, X-Men, and those types are still good. I've also read Runaways, but I still go back to Manga. Mainly manga about magic and fantasy creatures.

HConn · Sep 21, 2006

300 by Frank Miller

Ex Machina by what's his face

Pride of Baghdad that one guy who was in Slate.com

Astro City: Life in the Big City by Kurt Busiek is in graphic novel form and is the superhero book I've always wanted.

Hellblazer by [various] is an R-rated horror/supernatural comic.

A History of Violence by the guy who got rich when they made a movie from his comic.

Ghostworld by the guy who got credibility (also: rich) when they made a movie from his comic.

Arrowsmith by Kurt Busiek--WWI in a fantasy world with trolls, vampires and magic.

I don't know where you live, but where I am you can pick up most of these at the public library in collections.

yanallefish · Sep 21, 2006

wow, I had a bizarre childhood

Um... Lil' Abner, Pogo, Charlie Brown, Garfield, The Real Ghostbusters.

And then there was that huge collection my father had of old Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner, and Yogi Bear...

And then there was the other huge collection of Asterix comics - yeah, that was how I learned french*g*

And then there were the stories about the Schildbergers, from which I learned (some) German...

I'm gonna go hide now in my geek closet.

Shweta · Sep 21, 2006

C.bronco said:
I asked in the comics forum what comics were popular today. You see, as a young'un, I never read the superhero stuff. I liked Dracula, horror comics and Dr. Strange. I wanted to know what was comparable and popular today. Everyone says Spidey, but, heck, I used to see him on the Electric Company and still wasn't enthralled.
Anyone?

I'm a bit confused. Do you want to know what's popular, or are you looking for recommendations? The comics that are popular are not necessarily the ones that we might love.

For example, I would recomment Sandman, Jeff Smith's Bone, and the new novel-length Castle Waiting; and on the more "literary?" end, Alan Moore's Watchmen, and um... someone's... Blankets, and Spiegelman's Maus and Satrapi's Persephone.

Now I know that several of these have prizes of one sort or another, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about sales figures, except, they're not out of print.

Ardellis · Sep 22, 2006

I'd recommend anything by Alan Moore. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a gem, as is Watchmen.

Hellblazer has already been mentioned, so I'll toss out another title from DC's Vertigo line: Fables. It's a fantasy about what it would be like if the characters from the classic fairy tales were real. Y: the Last Man is also good.

Among the tights-and-capes crowd, the classics are still popular. Superman, Batman, Spidey and all those rows and rows and rows of X-Men books.

MattW · Sep 22, 2006

Archie?

Richie Rich?

Casper?

JimmyB27 · Sep 22, 2006

Hellboy's pretty good - quite tongue in cheek.
Sin City is awesome, if you don't mind the violence.

maddythemad · Sep 22, 2006

Er... I read Calvin and Hobbes. Lol.

soloset · Sep 22, 2006

Birol said:
Find a small gaming store and ask the person behind the counter. They know what they sell, what they don't, and who buys what.

This is fantastic advice. The guys at the comic store we frequent are incredibly well-versed in what's popular and what's good. And they have no problem telling you if they think something's lame or not.

We have a hold box for my SO's comics, and invariably when we stop by to pick up his order they've set aside something for him they thought he'd like based on the choices on his list. And they've been right every single time.

I think it was Watchmen last time -- the compiled one -- and the guy raved about it.

(And they carry Royo's books so I don't have to wait on Amazon.)

Shweta · Sep 22, 2006

Ardellis said:
I'd recommend anything by Alan Moore. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a gem, as is Watchmen.

I think Watchmen is excellent, but I have to say, my favourite Moore comic is Top Ten.

Leanan-Sidhe · Sep 22, 2006

Sandman all the way. It was my introduction to comic books and is still my favorite.

Shweta · Sep 22, 2006

The first Books of Magic book is great too. Not keen on the rest, personally, but the first one's loverly.

Alex Bravo · Sep 22, 2006

My 10-year-old loves Bone. The 7-year-old loves Batman.

veinglory · Sep 22, 2006

I think this is for *current* comics, Watchmen isn't even last decade now--it's great but seriously your Mom's comics.

Rabe · Sep 22, 2006

Shweta said:
The first Books of Magic book is great too. Not keen on the rest, personally, but the first one's loverly.

Is it because they weren't written by Gaiman?

Also, the ones that Gaiman did write, are they a complete story in themselves or would I have to get the others to get the whole story? Cause I've only got the Gaiman penned ones on my wishlist and hope that they are complete of themselves.

Appreciate the answers if you could. Thanks.

Rabe...

dragonjax · Sep 22, 2006

Leanan-Sidhe said:
Sandman all the way. It was my introduction to comic books and is still my favorite.

SANDMAN, without a doubt.

Anything by Neil Gaiman, for that matter.

Also, GRENDEL - Devil by the Deed and the MAGE series by Matt Wagner.

Most things by Alan Moore, especially THE WATCHMEN.

dragonjax · Sep 22, 2006

Rabe said:
Is it because they weren't written by Gaiman?

Also, the ones that Gaiman did write, are they a complete story in themselves or would I have to get the others to get the whole story? Cause I've only got the Gaiman penned ones on my wishlist and hope that they are complete of themselves.

Appreciate the answers if you could. Thanks.

Rabe...

I think that Neil wrote only the original four-part graphic novel, THE BOOKS OF MAGIC, where we're introduced to Tim Hunter. Death made an appearance in one of the early issues in the regular monthly series, but I don't think Neil wrote that one.

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