Hello eventual true believers! It’s time for So You Want to Read Comics, this is our weekly feature where we take a look at a single topic or genre, then give you two comic book recommendations, perfect for new readers, based on that topic or genre. This week we’re taking a look at current Marvel titles that are great for new readers to jump into.
Last week we took a look at comic titles coming out of DC for new readers, so it’s only fair that we give The House of Ideas, Marvel Comics, their due. Unlike their counterparts at DC, Marvel has refrained from rebooting their continuity quite as many times. While this makes tracing the rich history of both the universe as a whole and individual characters easier in ways, it also comes with its own obstacles for new readers. In particular, the universe itself feels more interconnected, which means there’s not as many clear jumping on points, this then makes it more intimidating for people looking to dive in. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some series out there right now that are more accessible and welcoming, that also happen to feature some of the more popular and recognizable characters out there.
Here are a couple of Marvel Comics titles that got started in 2023 and look to continue on into 2024 with spin-offs and collected volumes.
THE AVENGERS
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: C.F. Villa
Publisher: Marvel Comics
It might seem counterintuitive that a comic featuring a large cast of characters, most of whom have their own individual titles, would be a good place to jump into The Marvel Universe. But, the most recent series of The Avengers manages to be just that, a strong entry point for new readers. The key to this is due to the setup for this series, which involves a team of super powerful villains known as The Ashen Combine, who are mostly new to the universe as well, arriving on Earth, looking to destroy cities as a sort of sport. This leads to the team having to split up to take on the threat individually at first, using information from one of their longtime rivals Kang the Conqueror, to help tip the scale in their favor. This allows each character to get their time to shine and for readers to experience them in short digestible chunks. Also, the team is filled with characters who should be familiar to anyone who’s seen an MCU movie or two, like Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Thor. The first volume of this series has already dropped in early 2024 making any reader interested in this series, only a couple of purchases away from being completely caught up.
ULTIMATE INVASION
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Okay, I’ll admit, I’m gambling with this one. In 2000, Marvel launched a lineup of comics that took some of their most popular characters and reimagined them specifically to appeal to new readers. This lineup would go on to be massively influential as it helped inspire parts of the MCU as well as introduce characters like Miles Morales, who would go on to be incredibly popular. Eventually though, this imprint was discontinued. But, over 20 years later it appears that Marvel is looking to relaunch this universe, starting with this miniseries Ultimate Invasion, which tells the story of the last survivor of the Ultimate Universe attempting to rewrite his timeline by altering the history of characters who would’ve gone on to be superheroes. While it’s unclear how successful this relaunch will be, there’s no denying that it offers a unique opportunity for new readers to jump into the very beginning of a self-contained continuity, with very little backstory knowledge required to understand. The collected edition of this miniseries is set to drop in March 2024, with 4 ongoing titles: Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Black Panther, Ultimate X-Men, and The Ultimates being set to fill out the ongoing titles of this universe.
What are your favorite ongoing Marvel titles? What did you think of these recommendations? Let us know in the comments section below.
Dear Spoilerite,
At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.
At a young age, Jonathan was dragged to a small town in Wisconsin. A small town in Wisconsin that just so happened to have a comic book shop. Faced with a decision to either spend the humid summers and bitter winters traipsing through the pine trees or in climate controlled comfort with tales of adventure, horror, and romance, he chose the latter. Jonathan can often be found playing video games, board games, reading comics and wincing as his “to watch” list grows wildly out of control.