Dirty Hipsters said:
Johnny Novgorod said:
This is why I could never get into the superhero fad. It just keeps going round and round, eating its own tail.
That's always been my problem as well, well half my problem.
There's two issues with comic books, the first is the fact that there's just too much lore and the second is the constant pull back to the status quo.
Simultaneously too much happens in comic books, and also not enough happens. There is tons of lore, and tons of call backs, references, and fan call-outs they you're supposed to be aware while reading any particular storyline, but at the same time almost nothing in the universe ever changes. Characters die and get brought back to life, couples break up and get back together, universes are destroyed and then reborn and it all ends up having very little effect on anything.
*cracks knuckles* See, I do comic books. I read and work on them myself, and I'll go over the same thing that I say to everyone that says that. Your problem is with legacy comics, not superhero comics.
Legacy and zombie comics are comics that have years of lore, status quos and fan specific renditions to their characters. These are the long tooth heroes and comics from the big name comic companies that are akin to circle track racing. Making your laps and keeping as far ahead as you can. What you need are drag racing comics. The one and done, fast paced comics that don't have time for decompression.
Here the little guy is king, and I recommend going to your local comic book shop, and asking about one off, mini series comics, or those that have a finite number. Want a comic where a hero dies each book? Comix Tribe has Red Ten. Want a story that is literally a comic soap opera, drama and secrets? Supurbia is your book. How about looking for We3, trust me. You've got your The Maxx, The Crow, V for Vendetta, Transmetropolitan, and Watchmen sure. But I can't recommend Sex Criminals enough, or the Goon if you want a longer comic, Chew, Saga, Wanted (though not all of these are for all ages)..
How about just a single omnibus? Grant Morrison's Animal Man is a good one, oh, or how about the Planetary Omnibus? Comics with single trades as well, like Gladstone's School for World Conquerors. There are absolutely tons of very good self contained stories that you can collect the entirety of it.