So I’m trying to find a place to read at least some of the X-Men comics. I mentioned this to an IRL friend, and he said…what are you talking about? Don’t you know I’ve got some, and this other friend’s got some more? I say, “Great! Can I borrow?” And he said…
Do you want
X-Men Ultimate X-Men
or Uncanny X-Men
And I said, “There’s more than one!?”
Between him & his friend they have a decent selection of all of them. So comic book people, where do I start? I would give you more info about what I like except I don’t know what I like! I’ve only ever watched the movies and touched very briefly on histories, backgrounds, etc.
My favorite’s *Ultimate *and, as a beginner, I’d suggest you go with it as well since it starts out as a reboot (in the Ultimate Universe) and has its own (shorter) history and is thus easier for a beginner to get into. Plus, I like a lot of the variations on the classic characters. It’s nifty.
I couldn’t tell you the difference between Uncanny, Amazing, Spectacular, and Insert Adjective though.
I think the one that I like is Uncanny. Havok leads a team of Polaris, Juggernaut, Iceman, Gambit, Rogue, and one of the many Wolverines. But then, Havok has always been one of my favorite X-Men.
Uncanny and Adjectiveless are in the same continuity. They just have different creative teams, and I think different selections from the pool of characters. Or at least that used to be the case. I haven’t read a main continuity Marvel book in a long while.
Ultimate is in the Ultimate Universe, which brings the characters origins up to the present (well, recent past), and changes the stories in different ways, ranging from subtle variations to complete disconnect to the exact oposite of the main continuity version.
I’d go with Ultimate - easier to get into. And I generally prefer the universe, myself, so I’d reccomend it, anyhow.
There are a number of books. Several characters have their own books, too.
I’d recommend Ultimate (a reboot, so you don’t need to have any background knowledge), or Astonishing, which is just really really good and is only on #8, so you don’t have to go very far back to see what’s happening.
I’m a comics newbie too, but when I get into something, I really get into it. I’ve read a bunch of the bios at uncannyxmen.net, which are super helpful for when you feel like a reference is going over your head.
The problem with Whedon’s X-Men comic is that there’s quite a bit of continuity invovled. I’m reading his run because I’m a Joss Whedon fan, not because I’m much of an X-Men fan, and was surprised when one of the major plot twists in the first TPB was
[spoiler]Colossus was still alive!
I was surprised, because I had no idea he was dead.[/spoiler]
Now, personally, I don’t mind jumping into the middle of a story and trying to piece together the backstory. But I understand that that bugs a lot of people, so I’d be a little hesitant to recommend that comic. Go with Ultimates instead. I thought the first TPB was incredibly cheesy, but the later ones picked up some.
Colossus sacrificed his life to release a cure for the legacy virus. Essentially he had to inject himself with the virus and trigger his mutant ability and die to release the cure into the atmosphere. Then, because the writers are lazy and Queseda said that no dead heroes can return, it was revealed that he was kidnapped by some sort of alien being and brought back to health for some shady purpose or another. He was rescued and apparently has rejoined the X-Men. Of course, Kitty scattered his ashes over the farm in Russia that he grew up on, but those probably just came from a barbecue grill :rolleyes:
Pft. Except maybe Archangel and Nightcrawler, Colossus is my most favoritest character ever and whatever implausible contortions they have to go through to get my buddy back is well worth it.
“Astonishing X-men” is only on issue 8, and is the best comic I’ve read in about 15 years. It required zero knowledge of the continuity or history of the X-men, though almost every panel or bit of dialogue has a little treat or allusion for the longtime nerds/readers. You won’t miss anything if you’re not one, but the fans also get those gorgeous little tidbits.
“Uncanny” is an absolute stinking mess. Though it’s the original book going back to 1963, avoid it like the plague.
Adjectiveless “X-men” was a stinking ulcer for a while, but it’s now being written by Peter Milligan, who’s proven to be an incredible writer on all manner of books from gothic mystical navel-gazing to hilarious superhero satires. He’s only done one issue so far, but it could get very good under him.
“Ultimate” is a whole entire different alternate history; the whole point was to have an easy, uncomplicated continuity that wouldn’t be daunting to newcomers, yet in only a few years the “Ultimate” universe’s continuity has managed to become about as convoluted as the “regular” one. Avoid.
I’m not even that well-versed in the X-men (though I did like the X-men: Evolution cartoon) but I though this was pretty funny–it’s a Flash cartoon that recaps a recent X-men storyline.
Here’s another one, this time involving Dark Phoenix. And if a complete noob such as I am finds them funny, I bet long time readers will find a lot to laugh at.
Astonishing is an extremely fun read, though I’m not too impressed by the plot (hey, didn’t they do the “cure” storyline like, at least twice so far already? And the spoiler is a ridiculous development that I can only assume Wheadon was forced to accept by the corporate masters, or else he’s going to totally turn it around and screw our expectations.
I STILL don’t know what the fuck was up with Xorn and the whole Magneto person who is now in exclaibur. I mean, at least when some characters die, they stay dead for at least a year or so.
I would give you more info about what I like except I don’t know what I like! I’ve only ever watched the movies and touched very briefly on histories, backgrounds, etc.