So...you want to get into Marvel comics...

Getting into comics can feel really scary and intimidating if you’ve never read them before! There are soooo many to pick from with so many different plot lines, and it may feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to start! So today, I’m going to list off some of my favorite Marvel comic series to get you started! (A quick side note: If you're looking to have a little synopsis of what to expect from a few of these series, be sure to check out my Marvel Collabs! playlist on TikTok! I collaborated with Marvel back in the summer of 2021, and they were a huge help in finding a lot of these comics to start off with! Together, we made some videos that reflected the storylines of a few of the runs I've mentioned below. It truly meant the world to get comic recommendations to start out with from the actual comic legends themselves!).

1. The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985)

If you were a big fan of the WandaVision MCU Era, this is one of the perfect comic runs to get started with! A lot of the themes are similar to that of the WandaVision storyline (Wanda and Vision move to the suburbs to start a family and have some trouble with their neighbors along the way). This one was one of my favorites, as it was so cool to see scenes that were directly tied to certain clips from the show! The art style is beautiful, and you learn a lot more about different characters and their backstories in this one! (A helpful tip: some comic panels will reference older runs, but it always has the number and the title that they are referencing! I found it helpful to have Google on hand so that I could look up a quick synopsis or plot run of whatever comic they were talking about, and any characters they referenced that I was unsure about if I was curious to know more!).

2. Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon (2013)

If you're looking for more of that Hawkeye show feel, this run is perfect for you! Matt Fraction and David Aja's storytelling in this run is what makes it one of my absolute favorites. We get to see Clint and Kate team up to deal with street-level crimes, the Tracksuit Bros, Clint helping out his neighbors, and even adventures with Lucky! All of the scenes are fun and action packed, and it definitely makes sense as to why this run is such a popular one for Hawkeye!

3. Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962)

If you're as big a Spidey fan as I am, you will for sure love Amazing Fantasy! This was Spider-Man's very first appearance in Marvel comics! It goes through the classic tale that we have all grown to know and love. Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider, has to learn how to get used to these newly acquired spider-like abilities, loses his Uncle Ben, and realizes that with great power there must also come great responsibility. Unlike the first two recommendations, what I am suggesting here is a single comic book! However, if you are looking to read even more Spidey after this, chronologically his next comic appearance was The Amazing Spider-Man (#1-#7).

4. Young Avengers (2005)

The Young Avengers is SUCH a fun one to get started with! This run's light-heartedness and coming of age tales of the characters keeps you on your toes. It features many characters that are related to (or have similar powers thereof) some of our most well-known Heroes. And some faces you may already know from the MCU shows and movies, such as Billy and Tommy from WandaVision, Kate Bishop from Hawkeye, Cassie Lang from Ant-Man, and Elijah Bradley from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

5. Vote Loki (2016)

This one is exactly as it sounds. Full of chaos, jokes and (of course) mischief, Loki attempts to run for president! I don't know about you all, but I'm always down for more chaos with Loki, which makes this comic run so perfect.

Okay, this is great and all, but Jess...where can I even read these comics?

Lots of different places! If you know of any comic shops near you and are looking for some physical comic copies, you can always stop there! My go-to near me as someone who lives in MA is Newbury Comics. Often times, you can buy newer comic books (physical paper back copies), or you can buy a graphic novel of a full run! This just means that it is a whole comic series compiled into one big book :) You can also hit up your local bookstore, as many times they have a graphic novel section that comic prints are sold at.

You can also always order some online! Amazon and marvel.com are great places to look if you're trying to find specific ones to buy. And marvel.com sometimes even has free comics that you can read online to get started if you aren't ready to purchase a comic just yet.

I also love using Marvel Unlimited, which is Marvel's comic app subscription service! You pay a monthly (or yearly!) fee, and have access to THOUSANDS of comics to choose from that you can read on your phone or tablet. This is so helpful when you are looking to read a specific comic storyline!

And if none of these comic runs look interesting to you to start out with, another great way is to just pick a character you are interested in and find any storyline and jump right in! Usually if there are references to past issues or comic series, there will be an editors note that will help you so you aren't completely left in the dark. There are so many options to choose from, and ways to get started!

Wherever you are on your comics journey, I hope you enjoy getting into them! I know for me, it has been such a fun experience reading new comics, learning about new characters, and even seeing how the MCU reflects a lot of the comic storylines!

For those of you reading that may have already started reading comics, what are some of your favorites to get started with? Comment below with any comic runs you think are great beginner stories!