#i am a huge proponent of reading comics if y'all can't tell lmao

[wallylinda]

So lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of people talking in my tags about how they don’t know where to start reading comics or about how it’s really hard to access them to begin with. Which is completely understandable, especially if you’re looking to get into DC or Marvel, and why I made the following cheat sheet for anyone who is potentially interested:

To preface this, I’ll begin by saying that there is no right way to “begin” reading comics. Both DC and Marvel are continuity franchises; meaning that the start of their timelines originates all the way back to their first publications in the late 1930s. That is to say, each and every character has a history that spans decades with literally thousands of interconnecting appearances in hundreds of different series. It doesn’t help that writers like to reference these past arcs under the assumption that the reader already has this prior knowledge. 

It is unreasonable for a beginner to go through—much less want to—read all of this. And because of that, any comic you start off with will inevitably have tie-ins to events, arcs, or characters that you’ll probably know jack-shit about. There is unfortunately no way around that. However, it’s incredibly easy to get into the flow of things, and mainstream comics are genuinely worth your investment into them despite how confusing they can be at times. 

That’s what this guide is ultimately for. It’s an easily digestible, detailed starting point for any beginner reader with a lot of information that you might not otherwise find out about for a long time. 

---

TERMINOLOGY:

Yes, I’m giving you vocab. A lot of these words are basic in concept but are necessary to know when discussing comics. You should have at least a basic understanding of what these words are referring to. For convenience’s sake, they will be listed in alphabetical order. 

Annual: An oversized special of a particular comic series that is released once a year. 

Continuity: Refers to a select period of time within the publishing record.

Ex: The New 52 era from 2011 to 2016 is considered a continuity.

Floppies: Slang term for issues. Usually only used when referring to the physical copy of an issue. 

HC: An acronym for “hardcover”. Refers to a collected edition in a hardcover format. 

Issue: The “chapters” of a comic series.

Ex: issue #5 refers to the fifth installation of a particular series. 

Mini-series: A comic that has a set number of issues. Can also be referred to as a limited series. 

Omnibus: Large hardcover collections. 

One-shot: A large single-issue comic book. 

Ongoing: A series that is currently being published.

Reboot: Ends a continuity in order to recreate its characters, plotlines, and backstories from the beginning. 

Ex: Crisis on Infinite Earths, the New 52, and Rebirth are all reboots. 

Retcon: When a past event is changed retroactively without a reboot. 

Ex: Bucky Barnes’ backstory was retconned so that instead of dying, he was brainwashed. 

Run: A consecutive string of issues as written by a singular author. 

Ex: Mark Waid’s time of the Flash is referred to as “Waid’s run”. 

TPB: An acronym for “trade paperback”. Refers to a collected edition in a paperback format. 

Variant: An alternative cover of an issue. 

There are also four distinct comic eras that you may see being referenced. These eras are organized depending on both their publishing date and their writing style. While it is not strictly necessary for you to know the exact details, here is their chronology regardless:

Golden Age (1938-1956)

Silver Age (1956-1970)

Bronze Age (1970-1985)

Modern Age (1985-Present Day)

---

RESOURCES:

Included below are the three resources that I personally use on a frequent basis. While this is applicable for me, keep in mind that there are other websites that you can and will use. For example, you might google a reading list for a more concrete look at a character or arc, or you might search up a term on Wikipedia. It really depends on what you’re looking for. 

readcomiconline.li

This website is the number one pirating website when it comes to comics. Despite your opinions of piracy, the fact of the matter is that this is the easiest way to access comics and read them at no significant cost to yourself. Though please remember to put on an ad-blocker before you start.

dcuguide.com

This website is a fan-run index of all things DC. It sorts character appearances chronologically or by publication date, has miniature biographies of each character, stores all published DC issues in its database, and much, much more. It’s a lifesaver. 

cmro.travis-starnes.com

Essentially the Marvel equivalent to dcuguide; it includes a list of chronological appearances for characters and arcs. However, I am told that it doesn’t have in-depth character biographies.

leagueofcomicgeeks.com

This website is an index where you can browse through all published issues of DC, Marvel, and assorted indie brands like Darkhorse, Image, and Valiant. What marks this website as a must-have, however, is its “New Comics” section, which marks the release date for all ongoing comics. Use this as a reference to when an ongoing comic is going to be updated or when a new comic will be released.

---

BUYING COMICS: THE DO��S, THE DON’TS, AND THE MAYBES

On the off chance that you’ll end up wanting to collect comics, this section will save you hundreds of dollars. I genuinely mean it: knowing where and which comics to buy is incredibly useful. 

I’ll start with floppies. The easiest way to get floppies is at a local comic shop. Issues typically cost either $4 or $5 each depending on the comic that you’re buying. Rare variants can fetch high prices (I have one that is worth $15) and annuals and one-shots are typically somewhere in the $6 to $10 range. Comic shops also sell TPBs, HCs, and omnibuses, but what’s available in that regard will vary from shop to shop. 

As for buying online, there are two stores that I can actually recommend to have good service: instocktrades.com and mycomicshop.com. 

InStockTrades sells only TPBs, HCs, and omnibuses. Unfortunately, the available choices tend to lean more towards the esoteric and are missing a lot of collected editions. However, there is always a really good sale going on so you save a lot of money on what you do buy. Shipping takes a long time but it’s absolutely worth the wait, especially if you buy more than $50 for the free shipping. 

In comparison, MyComicShop has a much wider selection and you can buy floppies. You can preorder for 35% off and there’s an auction for collectibles every week, alongside value packs and sales. Shipping is pretty pricey, but you have the guarantee it’s going to be quality. 

There are other online shops I can name, but I have personally never used them and cannot attest to their service. 

Word of advice: never, EVER buy directly from Amazon. The prices are ridiculously skewed and most of the comics you find there are damaged replicas, not to mention the shipping prices are horrendous. I exclusively used Amazon for the first few months of my collecting and trust me when I say that it has not done me any good. Amazon should be used as the last resort and even then, you should try looking on Ebay first. 

You don’t need to know the CGC grading system for comics—that’s something you can research on your own if you ever want to—but remember that the typical standard for comics going from best to worst is Near Mint (NW), Very Fine (VF), Fine (FN), Very Good (VG), and finally Good (G). Typically, stores put these labels next to the comic to indicate what condition it’s in.

Now in regards to storing floppies, use bags and boards. They’re the best way to protect issues from wear-and-tear and are really, really cheap to boot. To use them, first insert the board into the bag. Make sure that both the larger flap of the bag and the glossy side of the board is facing you. That glossiness is to ensure that the back of your comic doesn’t bleed into the board. After inserting the board, just slide your comic in and bend over the flap to the back, where you then tape it down to seal the comic in.  

Try watching Nerd Morning’s Youtube video titled “How to Properly Bag and Board Comic Books” as a reference. I understand that my explanation will be a bit confusing regardless of how I word it. 

You don’t have to know this, but for the record, there are three different types of bags and boards: Golden, Silver, and Modern. All three are designed to fit different sizes as the shape of comics has changed over the decades. If you’re buying anything from, say, the 2000s and up, then stick with the Modern bags and boards. Buying online will sometimes give you the bag and board for free alongside your purchase, and if you’re buying local, you can always ask the workers there for clarification. The brand I personally use is called Hot Flips. 

You do not need any protective material to store either TPBs or HCs. Some people chose to bag and board them regardless, but in my personal opinion, it always ends up looking a little bit stupid. 

---

There is information that I am probably missing in this list, but that’s the general gist of all that you need to know. I can’t personally decide which you comics you’re going to read, but hopefully this cheat sheet will help make starting the process easier for you. Please have fun reading comics and try to enjoy the experience!