Topic: Best Comic Series to Read?

[jrlibrarian]

I'm looking to over the next few months basically catch up on as many comics as I can read. What series would you all recommend I include in my search?

[ShyGuy]

Currently? or do you want classics as well?

[broodwars]

I don't read much in the way of comics, but the release of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions last year did get me into reading Spider-Man Noir and Ultimate Spider-Man.  Both are excellent reads (and Noir is mercifully short at only 8 issues or 2 trades), especially Ultimate Spider-Man.  I've also heard good things about the Walking Dead, assorted Batman Comics (Hush, The Long Halloween), All-Star Superman, the DC mini-series 52, etc.

[Morari]

Archie, duh.

[Caterkiller]

One Piece man! It's long, but man it is pure enjoyment! It is one of those series(the only one) to truely reward long time readers. You will never feel stabbed in the back. That is precisely why I had to drop marvel, too much universe rewritting to make sure that things "never happened" and I hate that crap. 

One Piece is kind of like a Disney Pixar movie, on the surface it seems really light hearted and adorable, but if you really look you can find those deeper darker things that might blow over a childs head. Not that being dark means that its good, there is an amazing blend of adventure, world building, and action.
 
Oh and the ending has been planned out since the beginning, so it wont last forever and just keep adding redudant stories. Each chapter is building to the final panel.

[broodwars]

One Piece man! It's long, but man it is pure enjoyment! It is one of those series(the only one) to truely reward long time readers. You will never feel stabbed in the back. That is precisely why I had to drop marvel, too much universe rewritting to make sure that things "never happened" and I hate that crap. 

One Piece is kind of like a Disney Pixar movie, on the surface it seems really light hearted and adorable, but if you really look you can find those deeper darker things that might blow over a childs head. Not that being dark means that its good, there is an amazing blend of adventure, world building, and action.
 
Oh and the ending has been planned out since the beginning, so it wont last forever and just keep adding redudant stories. Each chapter is building to the final panel.

The thing about One Piece, though, is that if it's anything like its anime counterpart, it's also an absurdly long manga series.  The same goes for Bleach, Naruto, etc. (all the Shonen Jump series).  I'm sure it's a fine series.  I'm just not sure if I could recommend a manga that currently has an anime going for well over 400 episodes with no end in sight.  That's why I've been trying to recommend smaller series (or at least newer ones, as Ultimate Spider-Man is long-ish at well over 100 issues, but that's still only 13 trades for the original run of the series) that are easier to digest.

That said, if we're recommending manga I've heard very good things about the Tsubasa manga (better things than I've seen with the Tsubasa anime, anyway), though you really only get much out of it if you're familiar with a lot of Clamp properties (it's a Sliders-esque show about these characters jumping in and out of various parallel dimensions starring different combinations of old Clamp characters).

[Caterkiller]

It is a long series, but it never feels like a chore. Ultimate Spider-Man lost its way after a while. I was the biggest Ultimate fan there was until things messed with continuity and Bendis just went nuts with it.  The whole universe is on the verge of being destroyed now right? or is it already over.

One Piece is up to 616 chapters, but it is amazingly consistant. And when something happens, I mean anything, it happens for a reason. And though it seemed like nothing in chapter 19, it is a huge revalation later. It's very long, but darn it, that just means there is more of it to love.

[jrlibrarian]

Currently? or do you want classics as well?

I'm thinking everything.
 
I've been looking into the Ultimate series, probably Spider-Man and X-Men for now.

[ShyGuy]

Batman LOTDK trades: Batman:Faces, Batman: Gothic, Batman:Prey, Batman:Venom

[Caliban]

One Piece is up to 616 chapters

617's been out for a few days now.

The thing about One Piece, though, is that if it's anything like its anime counterpart, it's also an absurdly long manga series.  The same goes for Bleach, Naruto, etc. (all the Shonen Jump series).  I'm sure it's a fine series.  I'm just not sure if I could recommend a manga that currently has an anime going for well over 400 episodes with no end in sight.

Bleach is easy to read. You get one word per page, or one panel per page... I'm mocking it of course. Bleach has turned sour. You can ignore it.

Naruto isn't far off from the end I think.

Fairy Tail moves at a much faster pace. Even the anime.

Soul Eater is also good.

Full Metal Alchemist is also great.

I, of course, personally recommend  One Piece. Love it unconditionally.

In regards to comics I would recommend Galactus the Devourer. 6 issues.

[Halbred]

The Amanda Conner run on Power Girl was excellent. And not just for the reasons you think I'd like it. All 12 issues have been collected in two trades now.

[Nemo]

Just so you know where I'm coming from with my recommendations- I read mostly Marvel, and I have just about every X-Men comic ever.

Magneto Testament (2008)- A 5 part story about Magneto's childhood in a Nazi prison camp. (The story could almost have been any kid in a Nazi prison camp and it still would have been a great read.)
Angel Revelations (2008)- A nice retelling of Angel's mutant powers revealing themselves. 5 comics.
Astonishing X-Men (2004)- Joss Whedon wrote 25 comics of X-Men and it's one of my favorite X-Men runs. Issues 1-24 and then Astonishing X-Men Giant Size #1
Woverine: Weapon X- the story of how Wolverine got his adamantium. Top notch story telling and art.
Old Man Logan- A possible future story about Wolverine. What could possibly make Wolverine a pacifist? Very well done. 8 issues total
Wolverine Origins- The whole series is good (50 issues plus a few tie-ins). Wolverine remembers his past and confronts old enemies and comes to peace with past (while kicking butt).
X-Men (1991) #1-3- Chris Claremont wrote Uncanny X-Men for 17 years. It's hard to choose which comics to recommend, since his entire run was very good. However, this was the last story arch he'd write for X-Men for quite a while. Also, the X-Men fight Magneto, and that's always fun.
X-Men #25- Magneto pulls the adamantium off Wolverine's bones. Sick! (Unimportant side-note: first comic I ever bought.)
Any X-Men Crossover: generally lots of mutants and lots of battles- some that stick out in my mind: Mutant Massacre, X-Tinction Agenda, Phalanx Covenant, Age of Apocalypse (alternative reality), House of M/Decimation, Messiah Complex

I'm sure I could recommend more X-Men stuff, since I love just about all of it, but here's some other Marvel picks:

Captain America #357-364: "The Bloodstone Hunt"- My favorite Cap story, granted I haven't read a ton.
Maximum Carnage- I think a 13 part Spider-man story. My favorite Spidey story (once again, there's lots I haven't read.) Also, there's a SNES/Genesis game based on this story, if you're also into old-school gaming.
New Avengers/Civil War/Secret Invasion- New Avengers is a really good read. New Avengers eventually took part in the Civil War (which is its own good 7 comic story line). After this, the team split into two teams and two comics, the newcomer being "Mighty Avengers." New Avengers remained the one to read.  After this the story eventually led into the "Secret Invasion" which was also a good series (8 comics). Issues 7-19 of Mighty Avengers also tie in to the Secret Invasion. It's just a lot of comics. New Avengers 1-47 lead up to and are a part of the Secret Invasion. Plus CW (7), SI ( and maybe (14) MA = 76 comics.
Secret Wars- 1983's big Marvel Comics event. 12 issues, gives you a good glimpse into that era. Excellent story.
Marvel Zombies 1 & 2- What would happen if pretty much all the superheroes became zombies? Who would stop them? An amazing story is what would happen. Marvel Zombies 3 and onward are pretty big disappointments after how good the first two were, so don't bother with them.

[Miyamoto]

Check out a book called "Chew". It's hardly the greatest thing ever written but it's a fine read.

[RagnaBlade]

It's not really a comic, more a graphic novel, but buying all of Transmetropolitan was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Also, the Darkest Night issues are good

[SixthAngel]

A short book I would recommend is Fell.  It is written by the same guy who did Transmetropolitan above and is drawn by Ben Templesmith who has a very unique style which I really like.

It's about a policeman who is transferred to a city that is falling apart and is described as a feral city.   Some parts are not for the squeemish but nothing too crazy.

[RagnaBlade]

Fell is super good, too. Can't believe I didn't mention it.

[ThePerm]

I've been reading The Walking Dead for about 4 years...though I'm pretty behind. I just got to like either #13 or #14 of the graphic novel form.

[RagnaBlade]

I read to #3 of Walking Dead, and then I just fell away from it. It was pretty good though. Should I watch the show?

[ThePerm]

the show is pretty good, but I think they should just stick to the comic story lines. I originally didn't mind them deviating, because that would make it feel new again. I changed my mind though, I can imagine it becoming like the show Survivors and wind up having a bunch of filler only to be taken off the air as soon as ratings go down. The comic is packed with twists and turns, and best of all surprises.