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Ask Slashdot: I Want To Get Into Comic Books, But Where Do I Start?
An anonymous reader writes: Hi fellow readers. I don't recall reading many comic books as a kid (mostly because I could not afford them), but of late, I have been considering giving that a shot. I wanted to ask if you had any tips to share. Do I start with paperback editions, or do I jump directly into digital? Also, could you recommend a few good sci-fic comic book series? Thanks in advance!
What are you interested in? Are you looking for short (comic books) or long (graphic novels)?
My recommendation would be Neil Gaiman's Sandman series.
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
I'm a latecomer too. Moved to digital, reading deadpool. That way I can read when I have time.
Usually, I start with the first page. Beware, though, some Japanese titles might start with the last page.
What do *you* mean, You People?
Dead trees or electronic?
You're asking strangers if you are more comfortable reading a screen or paper.
Casper the friendly Ghost might be a good place for you to start.
The Sci-Fi TV series is from the comics of the same name. The TV series went bad with the last season and ruined it, deviating from the comics. If you find a copy of The Death Of Superman (1st run) cheap... grab it.
I really like the app and use it on my phone and tablet to read comics. It is only $69 a year for an annual subscription.
https://marvel.com/comics/unlimited
Westerners tend to read from left to right; however manga traditionally starts from the rightmost cover. ;)
mnem
I find that CosPlay is generally the most fun aspect by far of any comic I've ever actually enjoyed.
When the Wind Blows
Maus
I've enjoyed reading Star Power (http://www.starpowercomic.com/), it's solidly in the Sci-Fi category.
Also Schlock Mercenary (https://www.schlockmercenary.com/), which has been running for a very long time. The art has imporved much since the beginning.
Girl Genius is kinda sci-fi (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/newreaders.php) though not in a futuristic setting, which I have found interesting.
So much shit is being printed now. Even the "limited edition" prints aren't limited.
If you aren't sure what you like just yet I would recommend checking out your local library. They usually have a pretty good selection that you could sample and see what you like.
There are numerous classic series, and numerous classic storylines within those series that have been collected as trade paperbacks.
If you don't know what you want, maybe get a Comixology account, and browse through what's available. Read reviews on comic book web sites (like cbr.com) and see what people have to say. If something strikes you as interesting, you can buy a single issue online, and see if it grabs you. If it does, you can catch up with back issues at your leisure.
If you're going to binge read, getting an online account on something like Marvel Unlimited for $12 a month or whatever it is now is likely going to be a lot cheaper than shelling out $3 an issue to read 50 issues in a row.
ComicsExplained:
https://www.youtube.com/user/f...
Anything you'd ever want to know about Marvel, DC and everything in between.
Obama's legacy: (N)othing (S)ecure (A)nywhere and (T)error (S)imulation (A)dministration
Go to your local librarian, and spend the afternoon at the library and see what you like.
Note that there is hardback comics, like Tintin etc.
Superhero comics often require a certain knowledge of the backstory.
I thought this (4 page take from a robot in a similar situation as yours) was an interesting take on the status of comics today although I'm a webcomic guy, never been an actual comic BOOK reader, so I don't know if its accurate or not. You could also cast a wider net, and read some reviews and other discussion by searching for 'comic book reviews', 'comic book blogs', or other similar searches on your preferred search engine. Perhaps there may some sort of community on reddit, facebook, or another community site where people who are specifically into comics may have insight if nothing turns up here.
Here are some sites that may have interesting info:
https://comicbookroundup.com/
https://www.cbr.com/category/c...
https://comicsverse.com/
http://comicbook.com/
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/bo...
Seriously, just don't.
If you must, go for the indie authors and limited series. Pick already complete series, or ones by creators that will end their series.
Marvel and DC have rebooted, reset, rehashed, and redone their series so many times that you will never stop being disappointed and disgusted by the garbage they've come up with for this year's 'special'. They never end, never progress, so you will never be able to stop spending money - you'll have to give up, disappointed.
Comic books are something teenagers read. Yes I know there are adults who read it too but that's mostly for nostalgia because they used to read it when they were kids.
It's like skateboarding. Virtually every adult skater does it because they've been doing it since they were small. Nobody turns 35 and then thinks "hmm I should take up skateboarding even though I've never tried it before".
I had a huge stash of 80's and 90's Marvel comic books that I've collected since I was 11 (it's mostly gone now, given away to various people). A few years ago I read em again, and aside from nostalgia I found them unreadable. They were obviously written for a middle-school audience and completely beneath my current level of intellect. They were fine when I was 11-15, not so much now.
transmet is a delightfully bonkers sci-fi/political thriller epic; the series has completed and is available as a (ten? iirc?) volume collection via amazon et al.
News for Geeks in Austin, TX
Individual Titles:
The Watchmen
V for Vendetta
300 (get the hardback, the movie is a perfect rendition of the original comic)
Series:
Sin City
BlameBillCosby.com
Schlock Mercenary. 15+ years of daily comics, and still going strong. The first 5 years of art was pretty rough, but it's much better with that much practice now.
Velociraptor = Distiraptor / Timeraptor
Submitter, what are you trying to write?
xkcd and Joy of Tech have been going strong since 2000 as web-only image files.
Marvel and DC Comics have so many titles reserved that it's hard to create a hero without their help.
Political cartoons are all over the web and print... see if your local newspaper can find a slot for you.
That's actually great advice. I'm not into comic books and I would assume they had all died out or are only in very large metro area. Doing a little research or driving to get to one and you can see what's featured and get a real quick glance at a lot of different options would really be worth it.
Graphic novels and comic books are a medium through which to tell a story. There are really good ones that take a long time to work through and keep your attention well. There are horrid ones where you find yourself flipping back and forth between adjacent pages because you feel like there was a printing error and they forgot five or six pages. Starting out is like starting out with fiction, or movies, it's reasonable to just pick a couple well-reviewed pieces which are materially different from each other so you can get a sense for what works for you, then narrow things down going forward.
"The Watchmen", and "The Killing Joke" (Batman) are both considered top examples. The HellBoy series is fun, as is "The Tick".
Good luck!
After years of reading comics, there's a distinct difference between European (mainly French and Belgian) and American comics. To get a good understanding I recommend the Preacher, 100 Bullets, various Batman renditions and Sandman (which I personally don't like) to get a feel.
On the European side I think XIII is a must-read (based on the Bourne books), followed by Tintin, Asterix and maybe Bruno Brazil.
Dead try with only a spine pointed outward... did it ever occur to you need some promotion to get the customer to pick it up?
Do you have lots of disposable income that you have no better use for?
;-)
If YES: Go right ahead and dive into comics collecting. Be warned you won't have that disposable income for long, though.
If NO: Walk away now. It'll likely bankrupt you in the long term.
Go to a comic book convention and talk to the dealers there, ask them how they got started in the comic book selling business.
They'll tell you they started out as collectors.
Find your local comic shop and check it out. Look around, see what you like. If they are good shop, they have a current issue for each comic to check out the inside versus just seeing the cover art.
If you like a few things, see if they have what is called a "Pull List" or "Subscriber List". This is where they set aside the comics on your list every week so you can ensure you get them and pick them all up at once, often at a % discount. A good shop will not charge you for "bag and board". This is the cardboard backer and sleeve your comic gets put in to protect it. Usually made from acit free materials, often by BCW. If they aren't doing this, or are charging you for this, maybe look into a better comic shop.
Every month, there is put out a "Previews" catalog that shows what is available in the next two months. It's like $5. If you find yourself getting into comics heavily, picking one of these up monthly is the way to stay on top of your game.
Lastly, you'll want to pick up a short box or long box to put your bagged and boarded comics into to protect and store them. Most shops should carry these cardboard boxes for a couple bucks.
Some good series I like:
Anything with Superman
Anything with Batman
Flash
Star Wars Darth Vader
Star Wars Thrawn
Green Lantern Corps
Black Betty
Walking Dead
The Boys (finished several years ago, but the graphic novels are available, amazing series)
Locke and Key
Most of the Marvel stuff should be avoided until they are done cleaning out the SJWs that tanked their sales. They just aren't good, unless you are into that. Give it 6 months or so to see if the ship is righted.
IDW has hits or misses, but they are seriously hurting after taking a severe left turn and losing 91% of their sales, just fired their president for shens, and could be losing the Hasbro licenses this year.
Image has hits and misses as well. Both are worth checking out for some good stuff hidden among the dying SJW tripe on it's way out.
As always, check out the indie titles for great stuff.
The very best place to start if you want to get into comics is your local comic book store. You will find people there who will be glad to make recommendations, and better still, they'll show you what they're recommending so you can try them on. You'll be able to see the artwork and decide which worlds you want to visit. The people in those stores are generally nice, and weird, and sometimes really great. They have time to talk to you and they truly love the subject. There's no better way to get introduced to something than that. Don't feel the need to take the recommendations though. Let the books speak to you and decide where you want to go.
Plus, you'll be supporting a local business and you may make some new friends. Those are good things.
You are welcome on my lawn.
That is my thought exactly.
Unlike some other hobbies, there isn't really a learning curve (other knowing how to read the language the books is written in) for entry.
Unless what the poster really wants to be a Comic Book snob. Then probably there is a set of comics that every should had read and familiar with, just so you can talk intelligently with the other comic book snobs.
But if you just want to have a good time, then go to a Comic book store and get what you find interesting, and ignore any disapproval stares from the guy behind the desk.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Read books, not comics. Go to a library or bookstore to start. I read comics as a kid. Wham, pow, thin plots. Really, you can do better. I never post anonymously, but I know if I don't I'll invite a storm of haters.
EC produced groundbreaking science fiction comics in the 1950s. Look for Weird Science, Weird Fantasy etc. These titles featured the finest artists ever to work in comics, and the writing pushed cultural boundaries to the extent that publisher William Gaines was called to testify to the Senate on charges that comics led to moral decay (which resulted in the formation of the Comics Code Authority). Original copies are rare, expensive, and pretty much museum pieces. Luckily there's a great variety of reprints including hardcover anthologies from Dark Horse, and my favorite, reprints in their original comic book format, produced in the 80s and 90s by Russ Cochran. Long out of print but they're easy to find and cheap.
do it. Draw comics. Put 'em online with some banner ads and a Patreon account. Run a few kickstarters to get some print runs done. If you really want a following maybe do a Twitch channel of your drawing sessions. Once you've got some samples and a following use that to break into the industry. That's what the 8-Bit theater guy did.
Oh, and make sure you have a thick skin. You _will_ have trolls who's only join in life is telling you how much you suck. And worse than the trolls are legitimate critics. Ignore them. Ignore everyone and draw.
It's 2018. The best way to do it is to do it.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Check out your local library. Libraries now have a really decent selection of graphic novels, and I'm not talking about YA manga crap. Our library has everything from Spiderman, Batman, hero type stuff to indie stuff. Go and check out your library and try a bunch of different graphic novels!
Trade paperbacks are the way to start. In terms of Sci-fi: Ex Machina, and Y-The Last Man are two I really enjoyed. Fables is another good series to dive into but isn't sci-fi. The nice thing about TPBs is you can pick them up relatively cheap, and if you don't like the story, no need to grab the next one.
I'd go with the graphic novels / compilations rather than try to start with individual comics, as with a compilation you're more likely to start at the beginning of a story arc.
As to which titles to read, that's a very individual choice. I can tell you what titles *I* liked, but your mileage may vary. Wildly.
I hadn't really followed the DC universe very closely in the last couple of decades, but ended up picking up the Supergirl: Power and Supergirl: Identity compilations a couple years ago and really enjoyed them. Kara is a more complex and tragic character in these stories than I'd remembered her being.
The first two Marvel: The Ultimates compilations are pretty good. Each is a complete story, of the "what if super heroes existed in the real world" type that Watchmen started in the 1980's. Extremely violent, character deaths, creepy in parts.
Just about anything by Neil Gaimen. Sandman, Coraline, Stardust, "How to talk to girls at parties", American Gods.
Pretty much any of this century's Green Lantern Corps compilations. Well written, engaging characters.
Alan Moore's Miracleman (Marvelman) compilations are finally available, after being in legal hell for a couple decades. Well worth reading. Start with "A dream of flying". It starts out as a straight superhero story, but rapidly takes a really dark, science-fiction turn.
In my opinion, Marvel had a good thing going with the Ultimate universe (Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, The Ultimates, Ultimate Iron Man) until Marvel apparently got bored with the universe and destroyed it. The early Ultimate graphic novels were mature, interesting and lacked all the decades of baggage that their regular titles had.
And finally, I have to put in a word for Schlock Mercenary, a "comic space opera" webcomic that starts out a gag-a-day but over the years has become a complex and compelling science fiction story in a very plausible, scientific framework. The online strips are available as softbound compilations. Also recommended is the Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries, the beat-up edition filled with handwritten notes from the Schlock characters who had previously owned it.
Also check out the Pibgorn webcomic. Start with "the girl in the coffee cup".
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
If you are interested in super-hero comics, Invincible is a great place to start, especially if you go digital and start with issue 1. It does a great job of introducing you to that universe bit by bit and has a good mix of character, action, and humor.
If you do, and your library has a subscription, check out Hoopla. You can borrow digital editions of physical comic books, allowing you to try before you buy.
Spoiler: Any of the choices out there are good ones, it's up to you to figure out how much time you want to devote to enjoying them.
Inheritance is the sincerest form of nepotism.
for example (and sorry for the long link): https://www.amazon.com/Invinci...
I think it was this one that my friend lent me, and it had something like 4 separate story arcs between the covers.
Ummm.....in a comic book store?
Exactly right. Asking "where do I start to get into comic books" is like asking where to start to get into movies or books. You have to experience a few first, see what you like and don't like, and go from there.
my karma will be here long after I'm gone
If you have a library account you can link it to a app called Hoopla which lets you check out digital comics for free. Sandman, Locke and Key, Transmetropolitan, Y The Last Man and Saga and Chew are some of my favorites.
Alan Moore, without a doubt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Debate is a form of harassment. Do not question my truth.
Wizard Magazine put out a list a few years back of the 100 greatest graphic novels, that could be a good starting point.
Get Marvel Unlimited. It's just $10 a month and gives you access to decades worth of archives, and you can read all you want without extra cost.
Then just check out something related to movie characters that sound interesting, browse the app's own suggestions, or try something at random.
And if at some point you find yourself interested in how some situation came to be, or where a character came from, just google for it and you'll quickly find wiki pages telling you exactly which issues to read.
I would recommend trying out a subscription to Marvel Unlimited. It's an app that has decades of digital back-catalogs for Marvel comics and newer comics on a six month delay. They also have a number of guided reading options, like "Read everything with this character" or "What to read before you watch Black Panther" and that sort of stuff. They also have offline reading options, so you can download a whole ton of comics before you get on a plane or something.
Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. https://jayandsilentbob.com/ca...
You could try Humble Bundle.
They have a new comic bundle out as I type this. They are inexpensive and tend to be eclectic; so not a bad place to start since you are just starting out and do not have specific preferences yet.
I feel the paper editions are too pricey these days, especially when bought individually. Digital comics read well on tablets. I think it is a good idea to stick to digital until you find a series you really like.
You should visit your local library as well and sample around. Mine offers both paper and digital versions.
Obviously falls a bit out of the "comics" OP refers too, but Akira is a roller-coaster ride everybody should take themselves to. Never mind its age - lmost 30 years old does not take away from most of its still up to date themes. And it does get you a cheap, premium 35th anniversary box that is not only super complete and polished, but very inexpensive when you do the per-volume math.
Or, you know, get the "free" digital version.
If you go the digital route, periodically check out Comixology (for sales) and Humble Bundle Books.
Also note that many of the second-tier publishers (Valiant, IDW, Image) provide DRM-free PDF/CBZ downloads for backups; others -- notably Marvel and DC -- do not.
with Calvin & Hobbes.
Wait, you dodged a bullet but now want to volunteer to jump in front of one? Did you also never live in your mom's basement and would like to try that now? Just because you're on Slashdot you don't have live like the rest of us. There's still hope for you!
First of all, I agree with most others that Graphic Novels (Trade Paperbacks) are much better than individual issues.
I would suggest picking up a series that has actually completed and well regarded. There's so much fantastic works out there that you shouldn't waste time on trying something that you haven't heard of.
Also, when I read novels, I love science fiction. For some reason, in comic books, I tend to read a lot of fantasy. Prepare to be interested in genres that you would not otherwise like.
Some of my favorite Trade Paperbacks:
Lucifer by Mike Carey - 11 volumes, totaling ~75 issues of the series.
Fables by Bill Willingham - 22 volumes, totaling 150 issues of the series.
Batman by Jeff Loeb
Justice League by Grant Morrison
Justice League International by Keith Giffen
Justice League: Identity Crisis by Meltzer
New Avengers (the first or second run) by Brian Michael Bendis
New Avengers: Illuminati by Brian Michael Bendis
Blue/White/Gray/Yellow by Jeff Loeb
Deadpool by Daniel Way
Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman
Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
In my strongly held opinion the greatest comic book creator of all time was Carl Barks (aka "The Good Artist") creator of Uncle Scrooge. He both wrote and drew his stories.
Steven Speilberg was a fan and some of the Indiana Jones stuff was inspired by things in Barks stories. A patent was applied for for raising sunken ships and rejected because there was prior art in one of Carl Barks's stories. Other comics artists have continued to write comics using variations of his characters in various countries; here in the USA the most notable was Don Rosa. Do an internet search for Barks and/or Uncle Scrooge or read about them in the wikipedia.
In theory, theory and practice are the same; in practice they're different. (Yogi Berra & A. Einstein)
Go back and collect the classic greats. Individual titles have good days, and bad ones. You've already been told about tDKR. Here are some more recent great titles you might want to pick up:
- Identity Crisis (Infinite Crisis is drivel, though)
- Green Lantern: Rebirth
- Hush (best Batman arc, IMHO)
- Astonishing X-Men (Joss Whedon)
- Marvel's Civil War
- Marvel's The Ultimates series 1 & 2
There's one publisher that is an absolute delight; only published for a span of 3 or 4 years before going defunct: CrossGen. It's long dead now, and you can pick up all of it for pennies to the dollar at a used comic or book store. They went bankrupt by packing their comics with the most gorgeous art I've ever seen (Greg Land's pencil work for Sojourn is stupid good). The stories are great, too; especially Negation. Check it out.
I'd suggest growing out of it. Seriously.
Let me guess--you think the current never-ending stream of comic book movies are fantastic?
There's a lot of really good stuff out there (and another 90+% of horrible crap, but the good stuff is enough to keep you busy for a while):
Naver has been betting strong on infinite-canvas style, both eastern translated works and english-original ones (check the page out, there's A LOT of webcomics there, a bit of everything for everyone)
Girl Genius got most of the Hugo awards for graphic story in the first years of the category
uhm, I'm a bit busy at the moment so I'll just list a bunch of webcomics I liked below, if you look at what the authors of each of those recommend you'll find lots more, and these cover a fairly wide range of styles, themes and tones:
http://www.samandfuzzy.com/new...
http://www.johnnywander.com/
http://www.egscomics.com/
http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/
http://flipside.keenspot.com/
http://www.somethingpositive.n...
http://oglaf.com/latest/
http://www.happletea.com/
http://www.errantstory.com/
Comixology has an unlimited subscription that got me into a lot of series I wouldn't have spent money on. If you have any kind of tablet digital is the way to go. I only get a physical copy if I really liked it and knew I'd read it again. As far as comics go, Locke and Key is one of my absolute favorites and it's a limited series. I really liked Scott Pilgrim as well. I used to read a lot of DC, but I haven't liked anything they've done in a while.
I also couldnâ(TM)t afford comics as a kid. In my 20s I started reading Uncanny X-men and followed that plus all of the extended books through Age of Apocalypse. You can figure out that was about 20years ago, give or take. A couple of years ago I wanted to check out what had been going on in comics and downloaded the Marvel apps. First I started buying the digitals, but I found the Marvel Unlimited app was nearly as good and less expensive in the long term. With an annual subscription I read all I want, any Marvel title they offer.
Others have suggested specific books that may or may not be very good, I donâ(TM)t know. However Iâ(TM)d advise looking to one of the big publishers, Marvel is my choice, as they have been doing this forever, offer a wide selection of titles, and have the digital presence to make consumption painless.
Q: What's the difference between a comic and a graphic novel?
A: About 20 bucks.
TY,IHAW,TTSP
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
That's what I do.
I don't have an ebookreader or tablet though so I haven't read them.
But I for sure do buy them. Lots of them.
Online/torrent would also be an alternative but on HB you get 30-60 issues for $15 or something so ..
Free online, though you can pick up print if you want. Totally worth reading. I used to have a $20 a week comic book habit back in college, but gave it up when Marvel did the Onslaught storyline. Just got tired of spending too much $$$. But Atomic Robo is the only comic I go out of the way to buy (and have most of the trade paperbacks now). (can't believe I took the bait and replied to this post)
Gotta pay the bills somehow until you build your vast following.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... Then anything with jim starlim, mike mignola, frank miller, neil gaiman, and the best, alan moore
I'd recommend a comixology account and play with some of the titles that interest you.
A good online never comic is a nice way for a quick escape or dip into a larger narrative, without sitting tight for video/audio, or trying to read prose on a screen.
I can pull up a comic on my laptop, get engaged in a story, even read all the meta discussion on the latest issue to get my bearings or missed context if I really want to soak up the story for days after.
I agree with many folks here that the big name superhero ones can be hard to step into late - but there is lots of other stuff out there that is compelling.
The only comic I currently make time for is IDWs Lost Light - a literal hasbro transformers comic, but just full of clues and references, humor, and awesome (usually) art and characters.
Start at the library, especially if cost was once an issue and might still be.
Saga by Image Comics, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, is pretty awesome.
Up to 8 trade graphic novels now and not stopping soon.
Forbidden love, intergalactic warfare, child rearing advice, Gender issues, In-Law issues, bounty hunters. A heart-tugging story! What more do you want?
Do it the way we did it - sample for yourself and see how you feel. This is one of the weirdest, most passive "Ask Slashdot"s I think I've seen.
I want to get into collecting thimbles, where do I start?
Equivalent question, dumbass.
There's a hell of a lot of good stuff available from french or belgian authors. I'm quite sure you'd find translations at least for the more common ones, if needed.
Think of classics like Tintin, Asterix, Spirou, Valerian for the extremely well knowns. There are so many others.
I would suggest finding something more useful to do with your time.
I got into comics pretty heavily about 5 years ago and have fallen in love with the medium, the power of pictures and words is something that is overlooked by many (including many comic writers). It is an extremely expensive hobby though, so here are some tips to manage that:
Use the library: I first started getting into comics though libraries, they are fantastic and you can get a huge selection. Plus it's a great way to explore the genre, grab a bunch and if you don't like something, no sweat, move on to another book. In Canada (at least where I am in Canada) they separate the adult graphic novels from the all ages stuff, which is great cause some of those adult books can get very sexually explicit and violent. But it's also a way to help you sort for stuff you like, if you want biographies and mature content you have a separate section than the all ages which is where you will find most of your Marvel and DC content (though both have some adult content too)
Bargain bins: Most comic stores will have bargain bins were you can get graphic novels for about $5 or floppies for $.25-$1. Those are a good place to sample new stuff and I have found most of my favorite books in those.
Piracy sites: I won't be specific here cause I don't want to advertise any sites but I do pirate a lot of stuff, especially all the new series from Marvel/DC. Not many have the money to buy every new number 1 from Marvel DC to find the new good series, nor do I think a person should have to buy a book to sample it. There is also the problem that Marvel has been relaunching books once a year, this is a terrible business practice and should NOT be supported. So I usually pirate the first couple issues and if I like it I will buy them.
Marvel Unlimited: This is a good way to get old comics. It's a digital subscription service that allows you to read a TON of the back catalog. I find that the 80s and the early 2000s are two extremely good era's for Marvel and there is lots of good stuff on Marvel Unlimited.
It took me a while to hone in on the types of books I really like and it took a lot of experimenting with new types of books and a lot of just straight up gambling with random books from the bargain bin. But I feel I have a pretty good grasp on what I like now. As for science fiction here are some good ones to start on:
Ocean/Orbiter by Warren Ellis: collects 2 stories, he is known as one of the best comic writers and these two stories are my favorite. Orbiter is an uplifting story of a dystopia that finds it's love for space again
Orbital by Sylvain Runberg: (yes, can get confusing with the above comic) European comic and a bit Star Trekian in it where it's attempting to solve conflicts between species with politics. Not 100% successful cause then there would be no action, a nice blend of action and politics.
Star Trek Broken Mirror: Speaking of Star Trek. Takes place in the Mirror TNG Universe where the Federation Empire has been pushed back to earth. Oddly, Barclay is one of the main characters.
The Metabarons by Jodorworsky: If you want a weird space epic this is the best of the best. It follows a lineage of Metabarons as they become the most powerful warriors in the galaxy and how the traditions have come to be. It is mythical and beautiful.
The Nikopol Trilogy by Enki Bilal: Distant future and Ra has returned to earth because he needs to procreate so his lineage is preserved. There was a weird movie based on it call Immortal, half animated and half CGI character but before they could do that properly, so it's very visually weird but very well made.
There is also TONS of Marvel sci-fi, with stuff like Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy. Too much for me too list. But I hope this starts you off well. Oh, at some point you should read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, it is one of the only good analysis's of the comic medium and is a must read for fans of comics. Happy reading!
I would highly recommend these "starter" books:
Topic: Math & Logic
Logicomix: An epic search for truth
https://www.amazon.com/Logicom...
Topic: Super heroes
Watchmen
https://www.amazon.com/Watchme...
Topic: DnD
The Bag Wars Saga
https://www.amazon.com/Knights...