Start with what you already enjoy
New readers often ask for the best comic ever, but a better question is what kind of story you already like. Someone who reads literary fiction will have a very different first experience with Maus than someone who wants fast space adventure and starts with Saga. This guide is built around that: formats, buying and borrowing, how to read a page, and a short list of first books by taste.
The formats you will see
Single issues, sometimes called floppies, are the monthly pamphlets, usually 20 to 32 pages, and suit readers who want to follow a story in real time. Trade paperbacks collect several issues, usually four to six, into one softcover, and are the most common way new readers follow a series. Original graphic novels are complete books published as one unit. Omnibus editions are large volumes that gather many issues or books.
For a first book, a trade paperback or a graphic novel is the simplest: you get a complete story in one purchase, and you never have to track down a missing issue.
Where to buy or borrow
Local comic shops carry new issues and back-catalog collections, and staff are used to helping new readers after a short chat about taste. Public libraries have a growing graphic novel and manga section, which is a low-risk way to try a series before deciding whether to buy the next volume. Many libraries also lend comics through apps such as Libby.
Online retailers, including Amazon, list current editions and formats for most in-print collected volumes. Our cards link there. We show no prices, because they change, so check the listing on the day you buy.
How to read a comic page
Western comics are read left to right and top to bottom, like English text. Each panel is a moment, though a panel can cover an instant or several minutes, and the size of a panel and the space between panels set the pace. Speech balloons are read in the same order as the panels. Rectangular caption boxes carry narration.
When a page layout breaks that pattern, as parts of Watchmen and The Sandman do, slow down and follow the flow of the art. Manga is different: it is read right to left. Our how to read manga guide explains it with an animated diagram.
What the first graphic novel feels like
Your reading speed will probably feel fast the first time, because you are taking in pictures as well as words. A 200-page graphic novel can take less time than a 200-page prose novel, and that is normal, not a sign you read it wrong. It is common to flip back a page or two to look at art you passed quickly. If a page confuses you, slow down and trace the order of the panels with your eye.
Accessible starting points by taste
If you like literary fiction or memoir, try Maus, Persepolis or Fun Home. If you want an ongoing adventure in collected volumes, try Saga or Monstress. If you want a self-contained genre story, try Watchmen or Nimona. If you want a friendly, low-barrier start, Bone is one of the most often recommended gateways for readers of any age, and Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 is a warm, modern superhero start.
If you want to learn how the form works, Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud is a comic about comics.
Maus: A Survivor's Tale
Art Spiegelman
A graphic memoir about the Holocaust, told with animal characters.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Marjane Satrapi
A memoir of growing up in Iran during and after the revolution.
Saga, Vol. 1
Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples
A space-opera family story with adult content.
Watchmen
Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
A twelve-part story that remains a go-to starting point for non-superhero fans.
Nimona
Noelle Stevenson
A shapeshifting teenager signs on as a supervillain's sidekick in a funny-turns-serious fantasy.
Bone: Out from Boneville
Jeff Smith
Three cousins get lost in a valley with a dragon, a Rat Creature and a farm girl.
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.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Scott McCloud
An explanation of how comics work, told as a comic.
Find a first book with the Comic Finder
Not sure where to begin? Search a title or a film you liked, or choose a style and a genre. The Finder lists the first book of each series it knows.
Budgeting your first few books
A single trade paperback is usually less than a hardcover novel, and most acclaimed complete graphic novels stay in print for years, so there is rarely a rush. If you are not sure comics are for you, borrow from a library or read a sample first. Used copies of widely printed titles such as Watchmen, Maus and Bone are commonly available for less than new copies.
Myths that stop people starting
“Comics are only for kids.” Many of the most praised graphic novels, such as Maus, Watchmen and Fun Home, deal with serious adult subjects. “You have to catch up on decades of continuity.” That is true for some long-running superhero titles, but every book recommended here is chosen because it does not need that. “Comics are an easier version of novels.” The form uses different tools, such as panel pacing and the interplay of picture and word, and it rewards a careful read.
Building a reading habit
Many new readers enjoy a first book and then do not know what to read next. A hub such as our best graphic novels or best comic books of all time guide is more useful than searching broadly. Follow one series at a time, at first, so you can keep track of one cast and plot. Local shops and libraries welcome questions from newcomers.
If you are buying for a child or a teen
Our kids hub sorts books by age, with series pages for Dog Man, Wings of Fire, Amulet and Bone, each with a checklist. For teens, see graphic novels for teens. Check each book’s age rating before buying, and look through a copy first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start reading comics?
Pick one complete book that matches a genre you already like, such as Maus, Watchmen, Nimona or Bone, in a trade paperback or graphic novel. Avoid starting with issue #1 of a series that has run for decades. Try the library first, and use our Comic Finder to search a title you enjoyed.
Do I need to read comics in a specific order?
Only if you are following a series. Standalone books such as Maus or Watchmen can be read on their own, and series such as Saga or Bone are best read from Volume 1 in order. Our reading-order pages list several series with a checklist that remembers your progress.
Are single issues or trade paperbacks better for beginners?
Trade paperbacks are usually easier. They deliver a complete story arc in one purchase, while single issues need monthly follow-up to avoid gaps. Single issues suit readers who want to follow a story in real time and chat with other fans. Most new readers start with trades or graphic novels.
Is manga a good place to start instead?
Yes, it is a valid starting point, but it is a separate path. Manga is read right to left and follows different pacing conventions. Our manga hub and how-to-read-manga guide explain it, and the Comic Finder can filter by manga style and age. This guide focuses on Western comics and graphic novels.
Can I read comics for free?
Often, yes. Many public libraries lend comics and graphic novels in print and through apps such as Libby, and some offer services like hoopla. What is available depends on your library, so check its digital collection, or ask the librarian where the graphic novel shelf is.
Are comics only for kids?
No. Comics and graphic novels cover every age. Many of the most praised books, such as Maus, Watchmen and Fun Home, deal with serious adult subjects, and publishers label them for adults. For children there are series for every age, sorted by age band on our kids hub and in the Comic Finder.