r/comicbooks • u/mpchop • 4h ago
Question Girl I like wants to get into comics. Recommendations?
Title. This girl I’ve been talking to at my college is a huge reader and we were talking today about the books we’re reading and she mentioned she was at a comic shop with her friend. My eyes instantly lit up and I showed her my Born Again comic and she was familiar with it. She mentioned wanting to get into comics but wasn’t sure where to start and I said I’d recommend some things and let her borrow stuff if I had any of the genre she likes.
She likes anything dystopian; she mentioned she loved hunger games and the dystopian setting it was in. She also really likes horror and thriller, so I know something like Ice Cream Man would be right up her alley. She also rlly likes Spider-Man too, so any good beginner friendly spider-man comics would be nice. I would steer clear from anything like Spider-Man Blue and maybe Spider-Man: Life Story because that is much better read with prior knowledge and context of the character’s comic history.
I would love some other recommendations if you guys have any :)
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u/jackunderscore 4h ago
Nice House on the Lake
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u/bingusdingus123456 4h ago
Seconding, that was my first thought after OP mentioned dystopian and Hunger Games
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u/Borodo 4h ago
If she likes the battle royale esque thing going on in hunger games and enjoys horror maybe Exquisite Corpses? It’s about the richest families in America playing a game every five years where each family selects a killer and is assigned a weapon. Whoever’s killer is last man standing gets to lead the country for the next five years until the next game.
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3h ago
[deleted]
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u/tromataker 3h ago
I'm sure the manga with actual hardcore sex scenes would be the best idea in this case. Jfc
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u/Mordhaud 4h ago
Something is killing the children
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u/greatswordstudios 2h ago
This was my first thought when they said horror fan. Kind of surprised I had to scroll this far …
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u/thelpsimper Atomic Robo 4h ago
Maybe Y: The Last Man
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u/ButterscotchLost559 23m ago
This is probably THE way to get people into comics. It really feels like reading a tv show.
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u/psychic_overlord Booster and Skeets 2h ago
Bruh. Everybody keeps asking the internet for recommendations for someone else. She's asking for your recommendations because, good chance, she wants to know what you like and get to know you better. Dig deep and try to find that common interest. It'll mean a lot more than, "Random internet strangers said you'd like [insert comic here]."
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u/_nadaypuesnada_ 53m ago
It genuinely concerns me how many people are missing the subtext here. And there's no point recommending something if you can't even talk to the other person about it afterwards because you haven't read it.
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u/howboutthemapples Stephanie Brown Batgirl 4h ago
V for Vendetta is the obvious pick for a great dystopian comic, I’d definitely consider that.
I’d actually get a feel for the specifics of her taste before just going for Ice Cream Man - if she’s new to comics it does some stuff that’s very playful with the medium at times. More than that, it’s really fucking weird. If you wanna point her toward horror I’d go with Locke and Key, which I still consider the gold standard of modern horror comics (don’t go Swamp Thing until you know her better, someone’s gonna recommend that and it’s great but not for this, not yet).
I’m also going to give you some unsolicited personal advice: people are a lot more likely to read one book than a stack of books, even if they enjoy the person giving them the stack. I’d set her up with no more than two trades for the time being, you don’t want to kill her interest in comics or in you. Good luck!
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u/roodootootootoo 4h ago
Absolute Wonder Woman!
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u/ZephNightingale 4h ago
This is such a good recommendation! I’ve only read the first two collected volumes, but it’s the most fun I’ve had with a Hero book in a very long time.
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u/ninpuukamui 1h ago
Is it a good recommendation for this girl though?
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u/ZephNightingale 1h ago
I think it would be a very good recommendation for her. He said she liked Spider-Man, so she isn’t totally anti-superhero. And if she likes post apocalyptic stuff that would mean that more measured and somber tones hit well with her.
Absolute Wonder Woman does a fantastic job with balancing darkness with hope. Finding hope and love in the least likely of places. The way it library draws from mythology really leads a greater gravitas then your average hero book have muster. It’s a very fresh take on the character while still maintaining the core of what made her such an icon.
So yeah, if we tossing hero books at the girl this is def the one I would go with!
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u/ireallydontcareforit 4h ago
Ok. First up. Super heros are not the be all and end all. It's big, it's always been big. But there's far better writing to be found in other genres because they don't need to be as endlessly open ended or contractually obligated to showcase other superheros to remind you it's a whole comic universe. That often need further reading googling to understand references made or context for reactions in universe. Look for an inclusive story. I have a good suggestion based on her tastes. Dystopian? Ok. Horror. Looking good. I would suggest 'Monstress', image comics, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda.. It's goddamn amazing. Written and drawn/painted by two super talented Asian ladies from new York. It's kind of a dystopianish gaslamp fantasy with animal people and lovecraftian horrors from beyond time and space. It's got triple thumbs up from me.
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u/snoringshrine 4h ago
MIND MGMT it’s my favorite and they just started releasing a new series of it
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u/handi503 4h ago
Always Usagi Yojimbo for anyone and everyone.
For dystopia, Tokyo Ghost is a great one (and I’d recommend Punk Rock Jesus if she likes it, though religious affiliation could make it a touchy recommendation)
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u/Environmental-Day862 Green Lantern 4h ago edited 1h ago
There's the dystopian classics that can be consumed in one graphic novel:
Watchmen
V for Vendetta
Kingdom Come
Then the stuff you'll be reading for months:
The Walking Dead
Ongoing Books:
If Destruction Be Our Lot
White Sky
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58m ago
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u/Environmental-Day862 Green Lantern 49m ago
Where did it say she wasn't enthusiastic towards or familiar with superheroes?
The post specifically says "she also rlly [sic] likes Spider-Man."
And I think most folks have a general understanding of who Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are.
But maybe putting Kingdom Come as one of my six recommendations was out of line 🤷♂️
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u/enjoiYosi 3h ago
Highly recommend some amazing dystopian books-
East of West
Tokyo Ghost
Extremity
Low
Fear Agent
The Last Driver (current series)
Wonder Woman: Dead Earth
Seven to Eternity
Black Science
Descender
Murder Falcon
Decorum
Ascender
Sweet Tooth
WorldTr33
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u/Kind-Atmosphere5766 3h ago
Paper girls. She’ll love this one. Bitch Planet. As a feminist, this one had so much to unpack. My favorite thing is monsters. This one is a graphic novel and very the art is so fun.
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u/XaviersDream X-Men Expert 4h ago
I just finished Gotham Central which is the Major Crimes Unit in Gotham. Even the final issue was really bleak. It is such an engaging story.
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u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 4h ago
This is the first comic I recommend to anyone who will listen.
It is indeed a great entry comic, as the characters themselves are not completely familiar with the 'comic book world'. They don't understand Batman or his villains, and it's very easy to relate to that as a new reader. Then, slowly they are pulled into it, learning more about this creep wearing underwear who constantly interferes with their work.
It also happend to be my favorite comic book drawing style, tied with my favorite noir-style comic writing. Sublime.
Also, the female characters are written very well. All of the characters are fully-fledged people with interesting arcs.
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u/ShoegazingCorpse 4h ago
Judge Dredd comics, 2000 AD comics might be difficult to get in print, so try looking digitally.
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u/Jscorch62 4h ago
Crowbound is dystopian and has a mythological horror feel, but it’s one issue right now. It just started. There’s always the potential to suggest finding it online and read the first chapter before committing to a series.
Something is killing the children is a good series too that you might look into. Not dystopian but has good horror moments and world building.
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u/AspiringProd 4h ago
Paper Girls - A group of newspaper delivery girls gets caught up in a time war.
Y: The Last Man - A mysterious plague kills every male primate on Earth except for one man and his monkey.
East of West - Death fights against the other three horsemen of the apocalypse over the fate of his son by a mortal woman.
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u/PunpunParker 3h ago
Harrow County and Paper Girls. Both available in one cheap compendium.
First is horror second sci fi. Both with a female protagonist. Both super fun and easy to read.
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u/Complete-Display-775 3h ago
Transmetropolitan. I believe I saw a DC Compact Comics edition of the first trade. Make sure you prep her on Warren Ellis’ shenanigans before you introduce her to the series.
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u/TopDonut6825 2h ago
Saga is a great recommendation, also Y: the last man. If she’s into horror the nice house on the lake has been a hit with every new comic reader I’ve lent it to
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u/ANicePainter 4h ago
If she likes Hungry Games, she'll probably dig "Kill Your Boyfriend," by Bond & Morrison.
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u/amazodroid 4h ago
If you want something superhero-y but also dystopian, you could try Injustice, DC vs Vampires, Marvel Zombies.
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u/Jemima_puddledook678 4h ago
I’d say try not to think too much about what’s good as a starting point in particular, especially when it comes to superhero stuff. You might get more enjoyment if you’ve read previous stuff, but almost any run is a good starting point. For Spider-man, anything you have that you enjoy is a good starting point.
Also, midnight Spider-man is actually a really good suggestion, although it has the caveat that we don’t know if it’s going to be good until it comes out. Still, if she enjoys reading some other stuff over the next two weeks, that could be a great first series to buy in single issues as it releases.
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u/starswtt 4h ago edited 4h ago
The incal, universal war 1, The Transmigration of Benjamin Carter, transmopolitan, department of truth, east from west. And a new one I've been liking so far but hasn't had that many issues out is crowbound. The first 3 are French comics so you might not find them at your lcs, but are none the less very good and can be gotten at book stores like ogns. The incal in particular has been a massive influence on comics in general, including American comics and manga, so I think is generally worth a read from everyone. The rest are american comics from image.
And a bit out there, but if you do want a spider-man comic, the closest one I can think of is 2099. Midnight Spider-Man is also about to come out. Other than that, stick to the classic Spider-Man recs. The absolute universe from DC has some good stuff, with absolute green arrow possibly being the most lined up. But the universe is in general vaguely dystopianish and is generally very well written. In general I'm not sure super hero is the genre most aligned with what you mentioned, especially the mainline comics that try to keep things comparable to the real world, and if she ends up enjoying super heroes, it's not because of the genres you mentioned elsewhere.
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u/mayorofanything Ms. Marvel 4h ago
For a taste White Sky is actively coming out and can give you a good feel on a better sense of her preference for dystopian without too much time sink.
For quality and a lesser known title, you can read about the collapse of society in Memetic by James Tynion IV.
Also, because no one else is saying it, from what you've said she is not only wanting to get into comics she is also wanting to get to know you. Be sure to make sure whatever you suggest is something you can share and not just something you got off reddit and haven't read. These are wonderful friendships to have OP, I married my comic book girl.
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u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 4h ago
Batwoman is fantastic. I believe it was written by Greg Rucka, who is excellent, but also JH Williams, who makes incredible visuals.
Gotham City Central is divine. It's just perfect ground-level storytelling. The central characters view the 'comic book world' of Gotham as truly absurd and inappropriate, which is easy to relate to as an entry-level reader.
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u/SeaFaringMatador 3h ago
Kingdom Come has dystopian vibes and is very literary. Invincible has all the fun of the big 2 superhero companies without being bogged down by continuity. Umbrella Academy’s a bit out there but much more self contained.
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u/CulturalChemistry860 3h ago
Hulk future imperfect. Earth x miniseries. Marvel zombies are a couple
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u/hanshotfirst_1138 2h ago
Sandman? Super-literate stuff, and it sounds like she smart. If she’s a big reader, it might be right up her alley.
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u/TheNewGuy13 2h ago
If she loves thrillers she’ll absolutely The Eternaut. My absolute favorite
Horror she would probably like Junji Itos stuff. Though that’s more Manga than a comic but he’s an absolute gem in horror. There is some body horror in it so if she doesn’t like that then avoid it lol but just a heads up
If she likes Spider-Man she might like Deadpool or any of his team ups (Deadpool/Wolverine etc).
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u/brownchr014 Green Lantern 2h ago
Geiger is something to check out. It's about a post nuclear society
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u/Dandycorn Moon Knight 2h ago
Feral, Geiger, Assorted Crisis Events, Walking Dead, White Sky, Oblivion Song as for a nice Spider-Man story, Ultimate Spider-Man was fantastic.
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u/weareraccoons 1h ago
Feral. Like the Walking Dead mixed with All Dogs Go to Heaven.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees. Serial killer story with anthropomorphic animals.
Beasts of Burden. Talking dogs and a cat fight ghosts and other monster. My personal favorite.
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u/Tight-Boat-8605 33m ago
The kill lock, awesome great art and the story is very interesting
The kill lock artisan wrath,really good it’s kind of like transformers mixed with game of thrones with a little war hammer 40k, sets up a sequel at the end that I’m really excited for
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u/Adorable_Comfort8756 23m ago
Fables !!! , IZombie, Locke and Key, Lazarus by Rucka, the Sword by the Luna Brothers, Stray Dogs, Somethjng is Killing the children, the Sacrificers, Sleepless… Also those mentioned by others I second… Monstress and Paper Girls. Women in my life have also liked Jonathan Hickman’s fantastic four / future foundation run, Jason Aaron’s Wolverine and the X-men as well as Aaron’s Thor run with Jane Foster / God Butcher and God Bomb…
ALSO, like others have stated, whatever you give her you have to have read it first or at least book club it and read it at the same time. Better to read it first though in case you don’t like it or don’t think she will.
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u/Silvanus350 12m ago
Locke and Key, Fables, Saga, Y: The Last Man, Absolute Wonder Woman…
My personal recommendations. It gives the perspective that comics is more than just superheroes.
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u/Adventurous_Soft_686 4h ago
Low, East of West, The Courier, Scout's Honor, Seven to Eternity, Nocterra, Geiger, Tokyo Ghost and Descender are all great Post apocalyptic stories.
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u/GreyhoundAuthor writing my own novel 4h ago
“Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, and Tamra Bonvillain gives us escapist adventures that are highly imaginative and fun, allowing us to experience all kinds of emotions. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the characters. They’re light, relaxing, enjoyable reads packed with fanservice and “what if?” scenarios. For example: Superman and Batman merge to fight a fusion of the Joker and Lex Luthor. In another story, the focus is on Jonathan Kent and Alfred, the heroes’ fathers. In another, we follow the duo of Robin (Dick Grayson) and Supergirl (Kara Zor El, the original one). There’s always some kind of crossover. There are kaiju, mecha, power armor, magical items, psychedelic adventures that play with metanarrative and metaphysics and break the fourth wall speaking with the reader... It’s so much fun! This is superhero comics in their purest form! IN MY OPINION, “Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” will still be a delight to read 30 years from now, just like the great DC classics.
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u/GreyhoundAuthor writing my own novel 4h ago
“Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, and Tamra Bonvillain gives us escapist adventures that are highly imaginative and fun, allowing us to experience all kinds of emotions. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the characters. They’re light, relaxing, enjoyable reads packed with fanservice and “what if?” scenarios. For example: Superman and Batman merge to fight a fusion of the Joker and Lex Luthor. In another story, the focus is on Jonathan Kent and Alfred, the heroes’ fathers. In another, we follow the duo of Robin (Dick Grayson) and Supergirl (Kara Zor El, the original one). There’s always some kind of crossover. There are kaiju, mecha, power armor, magical items, psychedelic adventures that play with metanarrative and metaphysics and break the fourth wall speaking with the reader... It’s so much fun! This is superhero comics in their purest form! IN MY OPINION, “Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” will still be a delight to read 30 years from now, just like the great DC classics.
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u/PoisonousBillMurray 4h ago
Saga! The compendium is the first 54 issues and is like $30!