A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans
Obi-Wan Kenobi, the new Disney+ series, represents the first time the character has been in the cinematic spotlight by himself. But the vast tableau of Star Wars stories across multiple modes of media contains many previous examples in which the wise and cagey Jedi operates on his own. Below is an overview of some of the more notable offerings – both canonical and non-canonical “Legends” – as well as some Obi-Wan Kenobi fun facts, to get you ready for the new live-action series!
Since his MCU origin in 2016, Dr. Stephen Strange has held one of the more consistent supporting roles in the Marvel Universe. Benedict Cumbermagic’s Strange plays key roles in Thor Ragnarok, Avengers Infinity War, and of course most recently, Spider-Man: No Way Home. Much like his cameo-laden Marvel Comics counterpart, stories related to multiverse-breaking magic have been held to the fire for *not* including the good Doctor (although certainly in the case of WandaVision, I’d argue it was for the right reasoning).
All of which is to say, Strange’s official movie sequel, Multiverse of Madness, directed by Spider-Man savant Sam Raimi, is central to the larger MCU and where Phase 4 will focus for the remainder through Fantastic Four. The events of Loki on Disney+ revealed the Multiverse is open for business, and there’s a multiverse of Kang the Conquerors going to war for control. “No Way Home’s” forgetting spell gone horribly wrong revealed to Strange this dangerous revelation, and now in Multiverse of Madness, the good Doctor gets to set out in the alternate realities and counter-earths of the MCU. [Read more…] about The Best Comics To Read With Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness!
[covers by Sara Pichelli & Justin Ponsor; Mashal Ahmed; and Cliff Chiang]
The world seems to slip by so fast these days—hence, why the past decade feels like two decades! (And yes, that’s the usual cliché inverted, because it’s truer!) Somehow, in 2022, it seems like Kamala Khan has always been with us and yet only a little more than eight years have passed since her January 2014 debut. Now obviously, it’s not like she’s there in the comics before 2014’s historic Marvel Now relaunch (not a reboot), but really, so much has been done to assure Marvel readers, especially those who came of age in the 2010s, that this Ms. Marvel, from a Jersey City Pakistani immigrant family and a diverse high school, is even more than just the Peter Parker of her time. Kamala is unique for a star Big Two superhero because whereas most superheroes are sped through what would realistically be their gradual, formative phase, to get them away from their families and their everyday, relatable lives and settings, to launch them into cosmic battles and world-ending dramas, Marvel has from the beginning to the present moment stewarded this character to guarantee that she is what has been all too rare in superhero comics: an authentic in-universe viewpoint for an entire generation of fans, a position she shares perhaps only with Spider-Man Miles Morales. [Read more…] about The Best Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) Comics!
It’s time for DC’s The Batman to hit theaters in 2022, which means the CBH staff is here to pick some favorite Batman comics and graphic novels to fully immerse yourself in Gotham City.
Much like our guide for Wolverine, these picks represent some personal favorites and more off-the-beaten-path recommendations than the average list. If you’re wondering where best of Batman mainstays like Dark Knight Returns and “Year One” are, well, you can probably find them on my picks for the best comics of all time!
As Marvel Comics kicks off the 10 issue weekly event X Lives / X Deaths of Wolverine
It’s worth noting up front that these selections largely eschew the well-worn recommendations you can find on any ol’ site (what’s up Claremont/Miller Wolverine, Old Man Logan, and that time Wolverine swallowed a cigar whole like a dumb manly python because Moira asked him to put it out indoors). These are the deep cut, personal Wolverine stories and eras that most effectively resonate with us, and this complex, simultaneously easy and hard to love Canucklehead. [Read more…] about The 10 Best Wolverine Comics!