Getting into Comic Books: Not as hard as you might think

One thing I've noticed lately is people are talking about comic book characters more, but most of them have barely picked up comic, much less read or even heard of masterpieces like the Killing Joke and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. It's easy to see how this happens.

Marvel's Avengers was a titanic commercial successes (even though I personally found it completely ruined by the lack of Ant-Man and the Wasp *sniff*). While the story was rather run of the mill and it did have a few plot holes, it had FANTASTIC characters, fight scenes and special effects. For the first time, Hollywood was able to capture the essence and feel of a superhero team. And Batman: The Dark Knight brought forward an incredibly grounded, realistic, and gritty superhero story to the theaters. (Well, as realistic as "rich man dresses up as a bat to fight crime" stories can be) I feel that both of these movies made super heroes much more accessible to the mainstream audience. Which is a good thing, believe me. Even if someone hasn't read every issue of Batman (which is not necessary at all, believe me), they can still provide new insight on a character, create astonishing fan art, or simply decide to purchase a graphic novel or comic now and again.

The problem I'm seeing is many people are interested in comics, they don't really read them. I feel like some of that deals with ease of access, but let's face it, comics are pretty much soap operas with tights and fights. Their plots can become convoluted and complicated. Writers can take over titles and totally wash away everything the last writer did with a retcon. Plot elements from 15 issues back can spring back into effect with little to no warning. Good Lord, you would not believe some of the plot twists Spiderman comics come up with, and don't even get me started on the tomes you could fill with all the unnecessary characters in X-Men (But if anyone touches Beast, Gambit, Colossus, or Nightcrawler I will hurt them with a stick!) So I guess this is my meandering long winded way of saying, I'd like to help give some tips on getting into comics.

1) Try everything to find out what you like- When I started buying comics, I didn't immediately decide what to follow monthly, so I bought a lot of titles to see what I wanted to keep reading. I also didn't just stick to my stuff. I read all my friends comics too. From there I was able to par it down what I actually wanted to continue to spend money on.

2) If you found something you like, do a little research- Many people don't like to jump in on the middle of a story, and I can respect that. Most comics are nice enough to include a recap page to explain what is happening. If not, we live in the age of the internet. While I hate admitting this, I will wiki information I need to know before I read a comic, especially if a tie-in I don't want to buy was involved. Don't be afraid to do a little research history on your favorite characters. I highly recommend sites like Comicvine for doing so. They can really fill in the gaps.

3) Try to establish a comic community with your friends- Comics are a lot more fun with your friends. If money is that big of a deal, you can easily share the load with your buddies so people can keep what they like the most while getting to keep up with everything that's going on in other big titles. It also gives you someone to discuss and speculate with, and makes attending comic movies much more rewarding when everyone gets the references.

4) Don't be intimidated- Comics are big, with story lines that can converge over years if planned correctly. Do not be afraid because you don't know everything. You think I knew who half the characters where in Kingdom Come or Justice League Unlimited? BITCH PLEASE. Believe me; I know it can be hard to follow. Don't let it overwhelm you, if a writer is good enough he will try to explain lesser known characters instead of moving on with clueless readers. The best thing is to jump in, and start absorbing as much information as possible. Or you can read indie comics, which are not usually as bogged down in continuity, featured more varied stories that are less dependent on super heroes, and come to (usually) satisfying and definite conclusions

5) If comic store runs are inconvenient , go digital- If you don't want to go to a grubby comic book story filled with sweaty nerds who know more about men in tights than American history, well I'm very sorry to say you are a sad person, and we can no longer be friends.

..Kidding, I'm just kidding! Wipe that frown off your face! But seriously. I understand if you don't want to go to a comic book store every week to follow your favorite titles. You're busy, I'm busy, and we are all busy. Comics are (usually) cheaper, awesome promos and deals abound, and it's quite convenient. For some people, storing comics is a hassle. With an e-reader or smart phone, you don't ever have to worry about giant clunky boxes full of comics you're never going to read again. Going digital is a great way to stay connected to what's going on without having to deal with the hassle of getting a hard copy.

I hope these tips help. Comics are a vast, wonderful, and varied world. The important thing is finding what you like, and friends to share what you find. Comics aren't for everyone, but I hope what I've said was able to spark some interest in you, even if it was just a glimmer. Thanks for reading!