It took me a while to get into comics. I had heard about Watchmen and Ultimate Spider-man and how I should really give them a gander, I’d probably like them. But, it was all so overwhelming. And then someone introduced me to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman Series. Holy moly! Such good stuff. I grew up obsessed with Greek mythology and it was interesting to see characters from all kinds of different kinds of mythologies – Greek, Shakespearean, superheros – in one story. The story was so complex and rich. I was hooked! I picked up the Death miniseries and then fell in love with P. Craig Russell’s adaptation of The Sandman: The Dream Hunters. I was still a bit timid, but I was more willing to explore other comics. Luckily, I worked at the library at this point. I could wander the stacks to discover what was out there and what I liked. Never underestimate the power of browsing!
I also had co-workers who could give me some great recommendations and I eventually gained some comic confidence. I began to explore different online reviews. I discovered the Amulet series, Batgirl, Zita the Spacegirl, and, most recently, Shadow Hero.
- How to Love Comics: provides lots of reviews and previews, tips, and glossary of terms.
- 10 Comic Blogs that Every Comic Book Fan Should Read: I especially recommend Comics Alliance and Comics Worth Reading
- Bookriots’ Adventures of a Comic Newbie: not a lot of posts yet, but some really good introductory information. I hope to hear more things from Amanda!
It’s also a great idea to follow different comic book artists and writers on Twitter/Tumblr/Instagram/whatever. You’ll find a really interesting community.
READ THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL!! it’s really, really good.
What are your favorite titles? What comic book websites do you keep bookmarked? Next time, I’ll talk about my love of the Women of Marvel podcast. Stay tuned…
Kate the Curious 