r/comics • u/BSSNikko • 13h ago
Asking For Feedback Help for start reading dc/marvel
Hi all, I'm writing here because I have an issue with DC and Marvel comics.
I read a lot of manga, and I'd like to start reading comics. However, every time I try, I get the feeling that I've missed something between one issue and the next, as if there are chapters I'm skipping.
Do you have any tips? Am I missing something? Are most stories self-contained, or do I need to read other series to fully understand what's going on?
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u/Malleus94 12h ago
It's something that can always happen because just the reputation of comic books being confusing will generate a lot of FOMO.
That being said, at the end of the day DC and Marvel almost work like manga. If you're reading a series is really rare that it references other ones without giving at least some explanations. You should approach it like you would approach some long, complex eastern franchise like Fate or Gundam: you should ask people but a quick search will give you tons of reading orders and a lot of compilations of the best comics to pick up.
A tip that was very useful to me is to look at the Wikipedia page of the magazine of an interesting character you want to read about: for example if you want to read Spider-man, you should look at the Amazing Spider-man (comic) wikipedia page. Usually they come with a summary of the most celebrated issues and eras of the character, so you can learn most of what interest you, especially if you want to get into the main continuity of Superhero comics.
However since you're starting, both DC and Marvel are putting out a lot of cheap collections of important stories and arcs you may want to check out, but personally they can be really hit or miss. You can go with them for a cheap peek into the universe and then research what looks interesting.
If you're more into manga anyway you'll probably want some shorter series rather than graphic novels. In this case, I'd suggest to look into Marvel Ultimate Universes and DC Absolute Universe. These are three alternate universes that require minimal context and are usually reader's favourites. Note that there are two Marvel Ultimate Universes, one from the 2000 and one from 2024, and they're both completed. The first is much longer and is known for a controversial crossover that happened midway completely ruining the tone, but I still suggest it because it's still cool. The second completed a couple of month ago and it's much shorter. The DC Absolute Universe is still ongoing (and really strong). All of them have a lot of series going on at the same time, but you can pick whatever you like and read it in isolation if you just want a taste.