Best Comic Book Storylines

Y'all are gonna have to help me out. The only thing I used to read were the usual comics that come off the rack. So, when you say "trade" I don't know what you mean. You don't mean trade paperback, do you? Like a novel? Help me out.

 

The original Kree-Skrull War is what got me hooked on Marvel Comics.

 

I'm a big fan of Batman: The Long Halloween.

 

Oversized book, 14x10(?) compiling a multi-issue story in one place. TPB=trade paperback.

 

Correct.

 

I like to think of it as 4-5 issues of the comics "bound together" and sold as one. Typically they are the same size (paper-wise) as the normal monthly (weekly?) issues (I've heard some people call these floppies - but I think of the computer floppies as floppies - yeah - dating myself there). These can be 100+ pages. However it's still the art-work and not prose-only (as I think of Novels which appear in HC and then in PB bindings)

I *think* (it might not be correct) that a Graphic Novel was never published in a serialized monthly "issue" format - it's something that was always published as one single "book" (100+ pages or so). I *think* that The Killing Joke was never published as anything else (ie. it didn't have monthly or weekly comics) - so it would qualify as a Graphic Novel. Watchmen (which is used as an example of a great Graphic Novel) was however published as a multi-issue set - so per my definition, it wouldn't be a Graphic Novel.

Q for all of you all - How would you differentiate an "Annual" from a Trade Paperback - since sometimes the page size can be comparable between the two.

I guess I need to read that wikipedia page from Rowan Sjet's post.

 

^Annuals are still floppies, just double-sized issues. Trade paperbacks still have the nicer binding (no staples) and generally comprise more issues and pages than an annual.

 

I seem to be the only person who ever lists Electra Assassin. I would have thought it would have been more popular.

 

X-Men Age of Apocalypse is my absolute favorite comic storyline ever. It was so well done and I loved how expansive they made it. Crossing all X-Titles and reinventing a whole history in four issues of each. Masterfully done.

 

I still think that my favorite is the original Infinity Gauntlet, but I say that with a condition. For me, the Infinity Guantlet is great because of the build-up in Silver Surfer #34 through #50 and the 2 issue Thanos Quest. That build up is what makes Infinity Gauntlet great; reading the 6 issue mini-series alone is just not the same.

 

That's correct, but in practice fans tend to use the terms interchangeably.

 

I think I read it that way using the trades - Essential Silver Surfer Vol1 and Vol2 followed by Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos which exists in a single Trade.

The Essentials being Marvels black and white collections may not be preferred by many (since they're black and white) but there's something about seeing Silver Surfer in stark Black and White that is more appealing than the standard 4-color. I'd say the same about a Rampaging Hulk essential volume that I've read - very moody and the artwork looks very attractive.

I haven't actually read the Infinity Gauntlet itself.

 

Which trades are these found in? I've been searching for this storyline off and on but can't seem to find the trades.

I got a complete age of apocalypse book - which is actually a book post-the defeat of Apocalypse and not even complete. Talk about non-truth in advertising!

By Age of Apocalypse, I mean the first introduction of Apocalypse and Cable and a bunch of other characters.

{Edit} Sorry for two consecutive posts - I had missed the comment re Age of Apocalyse.

 

Regarding previous mentions of Cerebus, I agree the early volumes (2-5, in particular) are great, for the most part. "High Society" and "Church & State, Part I" are great; "Church & State, Part II" has a great conclusion appended to a few hundred pages of turgid storytelling. "Jaka's Story" is the best single volume of the series, one of my all-time favourite comics stories. It's mostly downhill from there.

 

The AoA series (the original ones) were collected into 4 volumes. I bought and read all of them myself. They're really strong, and a different take on the X-Men. I like to think of it as the 'Mirror Universe' X-Men in some respects.

Cable does not actually appear in the AoA series. He is from the normal 616 Marvel universe, just from the future. However, there is a character called Nate Grey, who is almost identical to Cable, but even more powerful, in the Aoa universe. Like Cable he is the son of Scott Summers and Jean Grey (although I believe in the regular universe it's a clone of Jean Grey named Madelyne Pryor). The AoA universe split from the main one when Proteus goes back in time to kill Magneto, and manages to kill Professor X instead, leading to the different universes.

 

Marvels

it's the story of the early years of the Marvel U seen from the POV of a photographer. From Human Torch's creation in WWII through to the death of Gwen Stacey in the 70s.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility

Spidey gets a modern day make over and it's DAMN good. it's the old Amazing Fantasy #15 story decompressed to six issues.

Ultimate X-Men: The Tomorrow People

The X-Men get a modern day update.

Ultimate Fantastic 4: The Fantastic

like wise for the F4

The Ultimates: Super-Human and Homeland Security

Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Giant Man and Wasp become America's super-soldiers in these two arcs and battle Hulk in Manhatten and an invasion by the Skrulls. Anotehr modern update with political satire and bals-to-the-wall widescreen action.

The Ultimates 2: Gods and Monsters and Grand Theft America

the sequels with Loki as the chief villain.

 

So, what are my options for reading all these things? Do libraries carry them or am I looking at spending a lot of money if I want to read'em all?

 

If you can find them, each alt title was released in a TPB w/gold covers. I have a full original issue collection and it would cost a bit to get it like that, of course, but the TPBs should be easy to find. Worth maybe $10-$15 each, these days .unless they are signed/mint.

 

Libraries differ, mine has almost no comics at all. What I do is buy them and sell them back on Amazon making most of my money back. I only end up spending a couple bucks on each trade, and some I make profit on. For example at a bookstore I could get New X-Men Childhood's End Volume 2 for $5. It's worth $35 used. Cha-ching.

 

I went to a comic show back in the spring and a dealer had them for 1/2 off. I picked up Essential Hulk vol1&2(finished both), Man-Thing vol1(currently reading), Silver Surfer vol1, Moon Knight vol1 and Werewolf by Night vol1.