By Lauren Barbour
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As anyone who’s spoken to me for more than five minutes lately can attest, I have most definitely got a bad case of superheroes on the brain. I can’t help it. At this point, I’m not even going to try to fight it. Instead, I’m going to share a bit of advice: if you have ever wanted to get into comics, my suggestion is to just jump right in. If you have a series in mind, you should easily be able to find a diving-in point that doesn’t require going all the way back to the beginning. Instead, for example, you can just start with a recent relaunch. And this isn’t even taking into consideration all the awesome, totally new series that are around.
On that note, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few recommendations so, to take my own advice, I’ll get straight to them.
1. Batgirl
Barbara Gordon. How do I explain the awesomeness of Barbara Gordon? The answer is I can’t, at least not as well as just reading the series would. While the loss of Barbara as Oracle is understandably disappointing, the New 52 reboot definitely gives us a change in perspective, especially from Issue 35 and on. If you’re looking for a lighter, more colorful, more adventurous, less tragic Batgirl, that’s where I recommend starting. The previous issues are just as good, they’re just considerably darker in content.
2. Ms. Marvel
I could not in good conscience ever pass up talking up the new Ms. Marvel, especially with Issue 12 set to release on Feb. 18. Kamala Khan is probably one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever come across, with the cutest celebrity crush on Carol Danvers, currently Captain Marvel, formerly Ms. Marvel. The series is excellent in dealing with all the identity issues a teenager can find themselves facing, with or without superpowers, and is really just the type of thing I’d love to see more of in the world.
3. The Wicked + the Divine
For those not interested in either DC or Marvel, or superheroes in general, I sincerely hope this series from Image will be the thing. The premise is this: every 90 years, 12 gods incarnate as humans and become the ultimate celebrities, with all the adoration and resentment that come with it. Within two years, they’re dead. The first arc starts off with Lucifer accused of murder and relying on superfan Laura to prove her innocence. If you’re looking for a good fantasy/mystery, you’ll find it here.
4. Lumberjanes
From BOOM! Studios, Lumberjanes is all about friendship, with a healthy dose of lighthearted mystery. For a cuter kind of read, I’d suggest checking this out. The first arc just ended, so this is the perfect time to jump in.
As far as comics go, while there are places you can pick up physical copies of both single issues and volumes of collected issues, I’d like to point out the digital option. Personally, I use www.comixology.com, which has regular sales and a lot of other great series I’d recommend browsing through, even if only for ideas of what to look for when you make it to an actual comic store.
There are so many series out there, I would hope everyone could find something that appeals to them. Anyway, happy reading.