So You Want to Read Comic Books: Watch the Movies and TV Shows

It has been a while since we talked about getting into comic books, so let’s get started by looking at my first recommendation:

1. Watch the Movies and TV Shows

Chances are this is one thing pretty much all of you have already done, so congratulations! You are officially one step closer to being a regular comic book reader. For those of you that haven’t, I suggest you check some of them out.

“But wait,” you say, “I have heard many comic book fans criticizing the movies and TV shows. How do I know which will enhance my comic book knowledge and which will turn me off comics forever, or worse yet, make me stick out like an obvious comic book noob?”

Excellent question! I personally believe that all comic book knowledge is good knowledge. Even the worst movie will introduce you to the basics. Who’s the hero? Who is the villain? Are there any love interests? What’s the hero’s back story? Etc. It will also introduce you to what most hardcore comic fans hate and why they hate it. Most Batman fans hate the movie Batman and Robin and/or think that the Adam West Batman TV series was ridiculous, but you will still hear comic book fans talking about them and even quoting them. Sometimes you have to understand the bad things to understand the culture.

But you assume correctly that there are some movies, and TV shows that are better than others, so here is my Top 10 list to help you on your way.

Important Note: I did not include The Avengers or The Dark Knight on this list because I have figured pretty much everyone has seen them. If you haven’t go see them immediately!

1. Batman the Animated Series
2. X-Men: the Animated Series
3. Watchmen
4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
5. Spider-Man 2
6. Hellboy
7. Sin City
8. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
9. The Walking Dead
10. Thor

Okay, this Top 10 list was really difficult to write and there are many, many good movies and TV shows I didn’t include on here. Some honorable mentions may be: Captain America, Iron Man, Young Justice, and Smallville.

The important thing to remember about the TV shows and movies is they are supposed to get you interested enough in certain characters that you go and look them up on your own. If after you watched The Dark Knight Rises you got really interested in Catwoman and wanted to learn more about her, then look her up. It’s as simple as that. Try and find some of the best comics about whatever character interests you.

One of the best and most confusing things for people when it comes to comics is how most comic books are set in one big universe. Captain Marvel interacts with Superman, and Wolverine has fought side by side with Captain America; this sometimes confuses new fans because, Green Arrow may mention something in his comic that happened in a Birds of Prey comic that they didn’t read. But this is actually a good thing, because it might introduce you to a character that you might want to learn more about.

But we’ll talk about that more next time when we discuss researching comics and characters. After that you will have the basic building blocks to start getting into comics. MadameAce and I will help you along your way by reviewing some comics, particularly ones that we think new readers will enjoy.

See you soon! Excelsior!