WANTS & RESEARCH - WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
Hello Fellow Comic Book Lover!
So you just found out about comic books, huh? Or you've been interested to check out the local comic book shop for awhile but don't know where to start? Well let me tell you that you've just entered a whole new world of endless possibilities. You'd be surprised of how many options you actually have when it comes to comic books. There's a title and a genre for everybody. If you're interested in superheroes, there's more than enough titles to satisfy your needs. Do you like a good Sci-Fi read? What about horror? Kids Comics? Fantasy? Adventure?... My Little Pony? (Yes, this does exist and it's a big hit!). In the end, the million dollar question is this: What do YOU like?
Depending on how you answer that question, you should know that a little research goes a long way. As you may or may not know, there are several comic book publisher nowadays (other than the big two: Marvel & DC) that deal with different genres and characters. It's also very important to know that if you are gonna be shopping for your little superhero, most publishers also have a kids line just for them! Here are the top publishers that dominate most of the market:
THE BIG TWO
Marvel Comics
Marvel of course is one of the more wider known publisher that has been in business for over 50 years (70 if you include the early years). Which include a stunning and accomplished list of characters that I'm sure you've heard of (unless you've been living under a rock for all this time): Spider-Man, Hulk, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers just to name a few. Marvel has been successful for all this time because of their unique stories, great writers, artists and story arcs. But more importantly, it's that they've never strayed from tradition, and has kept true to its original concept, which is spark your imagination (at least I'd like to think so).
Marvel is currently publishing comics under the Marvel Now! universe (October 2012), which brings back most of its titles back to #1 issues (so now is a good time to start). New beginnings, new teams, and bigger and badder enemies! A lot has happened over the past six or seven years (give or take), and a lot of superheroes have died, new teams have been assembled, and some heroes, either aren't who they used to be anymore, or have stepped up and reinvented themselves. So check Marvel out! There's a reason why they're still #1 in most categories when it comes to superhero comic books.
Marvel also includes a kids line for the little hero in you life. The selection might not be that extensive, but their comics are fun and teaches them valuable lessons. Not all stores carry these titles mostly because the customer base is low, so their not big sellers (not because of the quality).
***I will be publishing a list of story arcs and what you should read in order to catch up to most of the events that are happening right now. Some titles do require you to know a bit of the past to understand what is going on in the present, and it might be confusing at times. It's a long list but at least you'll know what to look for***
DC Comics
DC Comics is the second biggest publisher out there that has been extremely successful since its first start back in 1934. Characters include Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, just to name a few. They have been publishing under the New 52 universe (52 titles), which started mid 2011, and are being released as monthly titles. DC wanted to start fresh and create a new universe for all of its characters, and so far, it has payed off for most of their titles. They have some of the most talented and successful writers and artists a fan could ask for, and they have no plans of backing down (watch out Marvel!).
When it comes to the New 52 universe, there really is no need to read any previous story arcs due to the fact that they are new beginnings and origins (It might get expensive if you decide to start from #1 issues since most titles are currently on issues #16). That doesn't mean you shouldn't read any of the great stories that came before. I will also publish a list of story arcs that you should read just because they're awesome and deserve to be read!
DC also includes a kids line for the little hero in you life. The selection might not be that extensive, but their comics are fun and teaches them valuable lessons. Not all stores carry these titles mostly because the customer base is low, so their not big sellers (not because of the quality).
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS
Image Comics
With Image, you have a whole new list of categories you can dive into and not feel shortchanged. Some of their most popular titles include The Walking Dead, Spawn, Saga, Invincible, Revival and Fatale.
IDW Publishing
IDW is another great publisher since it deals with what I like to call, the unusual (you'll see once you look at some of the titles), but still manages to push out great stories and fun comics. Their popular titles include Mars Attacks!, G.I. Joe, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Transformers, Ghostbusters and 30 Days of Night.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse comics is the third largest publisher in the U.S. and is know for great titles such as Sin City, Hellboy, Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hellboy, at the helm of Mike Mignola, has been an awesome read (as usual).
Hello Fellow Comic Book Lover!
So you just found out about comic books, huh? Or you've been interested to check out the local comic book shop for awhile but don't know where to start? Well let me tell you that you've just entered a whole new world of endless possibilities. You'd be surprised of how many options you actually have when it comes to comic books. There's a title and a genre for everybody. If you're interested in superheroes, there's more than enough titles to satisfy your needs. Do you like a good Sci-Fi read? What about horror? Kids Comics? Fantasy? Adventure?... My Little Pony? (Yes, this does exist and it's a big hit!). In the end, the million dollar question is this: What do YOU like?
Depending on how you answer that question, you should know that a little research goes a long way. As you may or may not know, there are several comic book publisher nowadays (other than the big two: Marvel & DC) that deal with different genres and characters. It's also very important to know that if you are gonna be shopping for your little superhero, most publishers also have a kids line just for them! Here are the top publishers that dominate most of the market:
- Marvel Comics (marvel.com)
- Kids Line (http://marvelkids.marvel.com/comics)
- DC Comics (dccomics.com)
- Kids Line (http://dcnationcomics.kidswb.com/)
- Image Comics (imagecomics.com)
- IDW Publishing (idwpublishing.com)
- Dark Horse Comics (darkhorse.com)
- Dynamite Entertainment (Dynamite.com)
- Boom! Studios (boom-studios.com)
- Kids Line (http://www.kaboom-studios.com/)
THE BIG TWO
Marvel Comics
Marvel of course is one of the more wider known publisher that has been in business for over 50 years (70 if you include the early years). Which include a stunning and accomplished list of characters that I'm sure you've heard of (unless you've been living under a rock for all this time): Spider-Man, Hulk, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers just to name a few. Marvel has been successful for all this time because of their unique stories, great writers, artists and story arcs. But more importantly, it's that they've never strayed from tradition, and has kept true to its original concept, which is spark your imagination (at least I'd like to think so).
Marvel is currently publishing comics under the Marvel Now! universe (October 2012), which brings back most of its titles back to #1 issues (so now is a good time to start). New beginnings, new teams, and bigger and badder enemies! A lot has happened over the past six or seven years (give or take), and a lot of superheroes have died, new teams have been assembled, and some heroes, either aren't who they used to be anymore, or have stepped up and reinvented themselves. So check Marvel out! There's a reason why they're still #1 in most categories when it comes to superhero comic books.
Marvel also includes a kids line for the little hero in you life. The selection might not be that extensive, but their comics are fun and teaches them valuable lessons. Not all stores carry these titles mostly because the customer base is low, so their not big sellers (not because of the quality).
***I will be publishing a list of story arcs and what you should read in order to catch up to most of the events that are happening right now. Some titles do require you to know a bit of the past to understand what is going on in the present, and it might be confusing at times. It's a long list but at least you'll know what to look for***
DC Comics
DC Comics is the second biggest publisher out there that has been extremely successful since its first start back in 1934. Characters include Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, just to name a few. They have been publishing under the New 52 universe (52 titles), which started mid 2011, and are being released as monthly titles. DC wanted to start fresh and create a new universe for all of its characters, and so far, it has payed off for most of their titles. They have some of the most talented and successful writers and artists a fan could ask for, and they have no plans of backing down (watch out Marvel!).
When it comes to the New 52 universe, there really is no need to read any previous story arcs due to the fact that they are new beginnings and origins (It might get expensive if you decide to start from #1 issues since most titles are currently on issues #16). That doesn't mean you shouldn't read any of the great stories that came before. I will also publish a list of story arcs that you should read just because they're awesome and deserve to be read!
DC also includes a kids line for the little hero in you life. The selection might not be that extensive, but their comics are fun and teaches them valuable lessons. Not all stores carry these titles mostly because the customer base is low, so their not big sellers (not because of the quality).
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS
The following publishers are considered what are called Independent. They don't follow in Marvel or DC's footsteps (which makes for very interesting characters and great storytelling), are in a league of their own and should be taken into consideration when purchasing comics. Check them out!
Image Comics
With Image, you have a whole new list of categories you can dive into and not feel shortchanged. Some of their most popular titles include The Walking Dead, Spawn, Saga, Invincible, Revival and Fatale.
IDW Publishing
IDW is another great publisher since it deals with what I like to call, the unusual (you'll see once you look at some of the titles), but still manages to push out great stories and fun comics. Their popular titles include Mars Attacks!, G.I. Joe, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Transformers, Ghostbusters and 30 Days of Night.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse comics is the third largest publisher in the U.S. and is know for great titles such as Sin City, Hellboy, Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hellboy, at the helm of Mike Mignola, has been an awesome read (as usual).
Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling properties, including The Shadow, The Green Hornet, Vampirella, Bionic Man and The Boys.BOOM! Studios
Founded by Ross Richie in June of 2005, Boom! Studios generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry's top talent. Titles include Adventure Time, Hellraiser, Planet of the Apes and 28 Days Later.
Boom! also includes a kids line (Kaboom!) for the little hero in you life. They have a great selection of kids comics and deal mostly in the fantasy (not your typical superheroes). They are big sellers and are popular among kids of all ages.
Well there you go folks! You now know what the comic book world has in store for you. As I mentioned before, you have endless possibilities and are only bound by your imagination. The next article will talk about how to choose the right comic book store. You now know how to look for what you're looking for, now let's go buy some comics!
Thanks for reading,
Taka
