The comic book medium has gained mass popularity since the 2000s, especially with the increasing film adaptations. If you feel like exploring the stories in these films in the medium they were written, then you should start reading the source material: comics.
It is natural to feel overwhelmed with the amount of material. Most comic book readers have felt the same at some point, and the best thing you can do is find a starting place and dive in. The Bombay Circle Press has a few suggestions to help get you started with reading comic books.
Approaching the comic book medium can be daunting—reboots, crisis events, volume releases, alternate universes, pull-lists and more terms like this don’t help.
Before we begin, remember this: An issue is a single piece of a story in a series or volume. A volume is a bundle of issues, usually around five, but can vary depending on the run of title. A volume can be seen as the collection.
If you wanted to read one of the legacy superheroes (Spider-man, Batman, Superman and more), you wouldn’t start with issue #1 written in the 1940s. The best way to start is to begin with a seminal story, published in trade as a collection. If you’re going in completely cold, Google or ask your local bookstore/comic book store clerk the question, “What’s a seminal [insert character] story?”
For instance, a seminal modern Batman story would be Batman: Hush, or Batman Year One. After you’ve read a few of those and have an understanding of the character, you can start collecting your singles and catching up on the story with your trades.
Another great option to start reading is to check out digital releases and scans. Websites such as Comixology can help with this. You can catch up on monthly and weekly comic releases using their subscription service.
Not exactly reading, but multiple YouTubers have been breaking down comic books and stories for decades, and bring a great deal of reader experience to this. You can check out the channels Variant Comics and Comics Explained.
If you just want to get started with the medium, want a standalone story, and do not care about the big Marvel or DC, you should check out some independent comic/graphic novel series. Here are a few recommendations:
Saga
Saga is the romantic comedy space opera from creators Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man, The Private Eye) and Fiona Staples. Saga manages to infuse modern sarcasm and eye-opening world-building into the cluster of Space stories. If you’ve always heard that comics are junk media for kids, Saga is the type of sophisticated yet fun adventure that can go a long way towards changing minds.
Watchmen
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s classic deconstruction of superheroes has been voted one of Time’s 100 best novels (not just graphic novels – novels), and was developed into a feature length film from director Zack Snyder, and the inspiration for HBO’s 2019 Watchmen. This comic series will convince you that comic books could be intellectually rewarding and inventive.
Maus
Maus is Art Spiegelman’s biographical account of his family’s surviving the Holocaust, as well as his autobiographical account of his relationship with said family. It’s a harrowing, real look at the devastating tragedy of the Holocaust and generational trauma, told exceptionally through this medium.
The comic/graphic medium is criminally underappreciated. Do showcase some love towards the incredible artists and writers working tirelessly, and fall into the world of comics.
For more information and recommendations on all things literary, do follow The Bombay Circle Press’ Bulletin.