Teen
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Batman: Year One
Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli
A grounded origin of Batman and Jim Gordon in a noir Gotham.
Who publishes what
Characters & publishers
Most readers meet comics through a character. These guides show where to begin with each, and how the big publishers keep their stories organised.
Superhero comics are published by a few big companies. DC publishes characters such as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Marvel publishes Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers. Image Comics, Dark Horse and other publishers focus on creator-owned stories, from Saga to Hellboy.
Long-running characters have been written by hundreds of creators, so there is no obvious first page. Publishers sometimes relaunch a line to give new readers a clean start. DC’s Absolute Universe, for example, tells new versions of its best-known heroes, and Marvel has done the same with its Ultimate line.
The easiest way in is a self-contained story. Our guides for Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and Marvel point to specific books that need no background. If you already know a character from film or television, start with a book that matches the tone of that version, then explore a different era. Publishers also put out their own character guides online, which are worth a glance before you buy.
Tip
A new line or relaunch is usually the easiest door into a character, because it does not expect you to know the past.
Starting points by character
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Teen
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Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility
Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley
A modernized Peter Parker origin, written to be easy to jump into.
Teen
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All-Star Superman
Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
A stand-alone story about Superman's final year.
Teen
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X-Men: Days of Future Past
Chris Claremont, John Byrne
A story about a future that the X-Men try to prevent.
Teen
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Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo
Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta
A new, stripped-down take on Batman from DC's Absolute Universe.
Teen
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Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal
G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona
A teenager in Jersey City gets shape-shifting powers and has to work out who she wants to be.
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Guides in this hub
All guides
Guide
Best Batman Comics and Where to Start
Batman has close to nine decades of stories. Start with one complete book, pick the tone you like, and ignore the rest of the continuity until you want it.
GuideBest Spider-Man Comics and Reading Starting Points
Spider-Man has one of the longest publication histories in comics. Start with one complete story, then follow the tone you enjoyed.
GuideBest Superman Comics for Modern Readers
Superman is often skipped because he is “too powerful”. These stories show why that is wrong, and each one is a complete book that needs no background.
GuideBest Marvel Comics for New Readers
Marvel’s shared universe is more than 60 years deep. Start with one complete story by character, and skip the continuity homework.
Pages in this hub
Superhero guide
Absolute Batman: where to start
DC’s Absolute Batman is a fresh start by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. Here is what it is, the volumes in order and what else is in the Absolute Universe.
Superhero guideUltimate Spider-Man (2024): where to start
Marvel’s 2024 Ultimate Spider-Man is a fresh start by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto with a married Peter Parker. Here is the order.
Superhero guideBest X-Men comics
Seven X-Men collections, from the classic Claremont years to the 2019 relaunch, with a clear first pick and what makes each one worth reading.
Superhero guideBest Daredevil comics
Daredevil has two very different tones, dark and bright. Here are the runs people recommend, and which book to open first.
Questions people ask
Who publishes Batman, Spider-Man and Superman?
DC publishes Batman and Superman. Marvel publishes Spider-Man and the X-Men. Image, Dark Horse, BOOM! and others publish creator-owned and licensed series. Manga is mostly published in English by companies such as Viz Media, Kodansha and Yen Press, and kids’ graphic novels often come from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint.
Do I need to know a character’s history before I start?
No, if you choose carefully. Many collected stories are written so that a new reader can follow them, such as Batman: Year One, All-Star Superman and Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1. Start with one of these, then follow the creators or characters you enjoy.
What is the Absolute Universe?
It is a DC Comics line launched in 2024 that tells new versions of heroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman, apart from DC’s main continuity. Absolute Batman is by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. The books are meant to be easy for new readers to start without background.
What is continuity, and does it matter?
Continuity is the shared history of a publisher’s stories. It matters if you want every reference to land, but not to enjoy one story. When a book is marked as an alternate version or a relaunch, you can read it without any prior knowledge.
Where should I start with Marvel?
Pick a character and a self-contained story. Ms. Marvel Volume 1 and Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 are common entry points, and the X-Men have classic arcs such as The Dark Phoenix Saga. Our Marvel guide lays out options by tone, from lighter to darker.