Comic Fans, what books do you use to hook potential new readers?
For me, it’s Powers: Who Killed Retro Girl, Sojourn: From the Ashes, Watchmen and Axel Alonso’s X-Force.
Just curious.
Off the top of my head, I’d go with some Ultimate Spider-Man paperbacks or issues of Batman or Justice League Adventures. I also show off Dark Horse’s Star Wars comics to friends at school who are interested in how the Clone Wars are addressing.
Watchmen
Any of the Sandman collected story arc books
Fables
JSA
Astro City
Depending on who’s asking: Castle Waiting; Tales of the Beanworld; Sandman; early Authority; Buck Godot, Zap Gun for Hire; Girl Genius; Hellboy; Powers…
That’s just off the top of my head. The key is to know your audience, and give him/her exactly what will strike squarely between the eyes.
Well, I hadn’t bought a comic book in years, but as soon as I heard that the Rawhide Kid finally came out of the closet, I had to run out and buy it.
Everyone I’ve introduced to “The Ultimates” has picked it up. It’s my favorite new title in years. The best Mark Millar work in years. Bryan Hitch has always been great, but it’s still really great art.
A third for Watchmen
Ronin
Preacher
Recently I’ve been following Transmetropolitan, pretty damn good so far.
Barry Ween
Depending on the reader:
Barry Ween
Ultimate Spider Man/ X-Men
Preacher
Just A Pilgrim
Any Sandman TPB
Box Office Poision
The Pro
Definetely Watchmen. V for Vendetta might also do the job.
Sandman works great and Books of Magic The original four issue series is also good.
Preacher maybe.
Transmetropolitan is great if your audience is neither conservative nor thinks the humour is too crude.
Maus is great for those that think comics are only about superheroes or fantasy or sci-fi. 300 by Frank Miller might also be appropriate for this public.
Hellblazer if there is any interest for the occult or atractrion to brit scoundrel types.
That’s it I think. If none of these can do it nothing can.
Wanna try again?
I’m pretty damn right-wing and I’ve been buying Transmet. since issue one. Some of us are able to look beyond our politics and enjoy stories we disagree with.
(I’m really getting sick of the idiotic idea that all one’s entertainment must be ideologically pure. I don’t know about you, but I don’t melt when I hear someone express a viewpoint different from mine. :rolleyes: )
Fenris
Fenris: Sorry.
Didn’t mean to offend you or anybody else. If I was wrong great! More people reading Transmet.
Just tought that, as it is a very engaged, satirical and somewhat offensive POLITICAL comic book people with opposing political views might be offended.
And it’s not a great idea to introduce somebody to a new medium by something that might be considered offensive.
I think everybody should at least try and read Transmet once but not as their first comic ever.
That’s thought not tought though isn’t it?
The Dark Knight Returns hooked me and I’ve used it to get more than one friend into comics.
I didn’t even think about Ultimate Spidey. Then again I make it a habit not to hand out my hardcovers so easily. I grabbed Watchman and DKR pretty cheap so they get passed around.
I used to bring CrossGen novels to work, and when the guys on the next shift got board they’d take a look. The First got most of the EQ addicts on Comics on the Web pretty soon after.
What did you think of it?
I bought and read issues 1, 2 and 3 all in one evening. Looking forward to 4, 5 and 6.
Your mileage may vary.