Need help from comic readers

[BCreviews4628]

Hey gang. After many years, I'm finally getting back in to reading comic books, and loving it! So far, I've started the following..

MOTU Ongoing
TMNT Ongoing
Walking Dead
Smallville Season 11

Now where I need help, is I need advice on what titles to add. Thing is, I DON'T want to read any titles where crossovers happen. For example, the new 'Death In The Family' spreads across SEVERAL DC titles, which I don't like. I hate jumping from book to book to complete a arc.

With the titles I'm currently reading I listed above, they are stand alone ongoing books. Can you guys and gals recommend any other stand alone ongoing books? Is there any Marvel or DC books like that? I don't care if their mainstream, indie, b&w, or what, as long as they are stand alone ongoing & enjoyable titles.

Thanks guys!

[Barbecue17]

Fables is probably one of the best comic series ever written, although you would have to jump back a bit and read the trades to truly make sense of it. There was one crossover but it was only for three issues and was easy to follow. Fables had/has a few spin off books that are all quite good and enrich the universe, but aren't typically required (Jack of Fables, Fairest, Cinderella, the Literals).


Most vertigo books are pretty self contained. American Vampire is always excellent.
In regards to DC, I find that Batwoman to be one of the strongest titles and really is a standalone title. While it may reference other events, it doesn't crossover with other books.

Locke and Key, while drawing to an end, is a fantastic book that is straightforward and tells a great story.

I've also been enjoying exploring the more independant side of graphic novels through books by the likes of Derf Backderf, Chester Brown, Charles Burns, and Brosgol.

[wyldman11]

For the most part you will want to avoid titles from DC and Marvel,.

Mouse Guard, it's ongoing but more as a collection of annual miniseries.


I have found myself more going for older collected trades. Marvel and DC both have essential style collections that look like a coloring book that is uncolored but will have 30 issues in them and can be typically gotten for 10-30 bucks depending on sales. Part of the problem with most of their current titles is at any point they can decide to use the book in a crossover to either try to boost sales, or there was a sales boost (which seems 10 people all of the sudden picked up the title) so they have to introduce you to the other titles.

Other titles that are ongoing that are I would say ok or have been (need to catch up)
Red Sonja
Queen Sonja
Conan (the barbarian)
If you like My Little Pony FIM their own going hasn't been too bad.

With Marvel getting Star Wars Dark Horse is going to start a miniseries to wrap up their Start Wars titles based on the original screen play that Lucas was going to use, the one where Leia is sister to Wedge.

[Brad2dbone]

Invincible by Robert Kirkman is as good as TWD, although completely different in tone.
The Goon is the most under-appreciated comic, and one of the very best.

Why do you only want ongoing books? Some of the best books ever are are no longer running.

[BCreviews4628]

Thanks a lot guys. Well Brad, I only said that because I like books to look forward to each month. But, if you can reccomend any cancelled books I'd gladly look into them

[Lairston]

Check out Red Sonja from Dynamite.

[Brad2dbone]

Not so much cancelled books, but some of the best books are full stories with a beginning and an end. Some of my favorites are:

Bone
Watchmen
Scott Pilgrim

I have more but those will keep you busy for awhile, you'll thank me.

[Drunken Fist]

Batman has been a very good book, and despite stuff like Death of the Family, you don't have to read any other books to follow it; the tie-ins are completely optional. So, if you're interested in reading it, don't be afraid to dive right in. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE was a great series that got cancelled earlier this year, and you can read the entire run in the two trades that are out now. All-Star Western is one of the best books anyone is publishing right now, bar none. Demon Knights is another one I like quite a bit, but it's ending in August, unfortunately. Most of the Big Two's best books seem to keep getting cancelled these days.
Daredevil and Hawkeye are my favorite books Marvel has going right now. They're both superb series that you can board right off the bat with no prior knowledge of the characters.
Dark Horse's Conan books are always good. If you dig the pulp-style characters at all, Dynamite has some very nice titles featuring The Shadow, The Spider, and a miniseries called Masks that features most of the most famous pulp characters, as well as other heroes from that era, such as Zorro. Francesco Francavilla's The Black Beetle is a new series in the same vein, and it's great.
If you like superhero stuff with a horror twist, Bedlam has been a rock solid series. It's pretty much if the Joker got "fixed" Clockwork Orange-style and tried to help the law enforcement capture serial killers. Very interesting stuff.
My favorite books from Image right now are Manhattan Projects, a great sci-fi series operating on the premise that American and Soviet scientists secretly collaborated during the Cold War, and Bedlam, a Lovecraft/film noir mashup.
Hope some of this is helpful. One of the greatest things about comics is that you can find plenty that you'll enjoy, no matter what your tastes.