collecting comics - where to begin? (esp X-Men stuff)

[Jeff]

I've become quite interested in the X-Men universe, and was wondering what's the best way to get involved in the comics scene.

I was asking Orpheo in IRC, and now can't remember the book he suggested from Amazon.

I searched Amazon, and half.com for x-men stuff, and found an "Ultimate X-Men" as well as some "essential x-men" that seem to get good reviews.

Are these a collection of the actual comics from 1963 (#1 onward)? I'd really like to start from the very beginning. I see that those essential series are in black & white too. Is it hopeless to try and get the original series without taking out a huge bank loan?

I'm also interested in Spiderman, Fantastic Four, (I think I lean towards Marvel characters, over DC).

Also, I'm open to suggestions of other series, but I'm not into anime or any of that japanese stuff.

I'd give anything if I still had my collection from childhood. I'd inherited comics that actually 12cent prices on the covers.... Sgt Rock, Tales of the Weird, etc.  *sigh*

Help me get back to my childhood

[Quipp]

The Essential X-Men books are good if you just want to catch up on your X-Men history. Keep in mind, however that the Essential books are printed in black and white and  on fairly cheap paper and start with Chris Clairmont's run on the series (somewhere in the high 90's IIRC).

You might want to check out the Marvel Masterwork series of hardcover books. They're a bit pricier but have higher production values than the Essential books and start at the beginning of the series.

[Nth Power]

I'm loving all of the Ultimate line of comics.  All the books have great writers and good to excellent art.  One thing to note is that the Ultimate line is not part of regular Marvel continuity.  It's more of a way to update the hero's origins to the current era and it's been well done so far despite initial skepticism.  If your interested in that, I'd pick up the trade for the first story arc.

I'm not sure with getting the early stuff in a collected form, but it sounds like the "essential x-men" may be your best bet.  There's also "Marvel Masterworks" which have reprints in hardback and they are in color, but it's more expensive.  Lame decision by Marvel to make the paperback in B&W (from a consumer standpoint anyways).

If you want to pick up any current X stuff, there are a lot of titles out there now.  Here's a list of the team books out now :

Astonishing X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Excalibur
X-Men
New X-Men

...oh and Ultimate X-Men.

It's not too hard to get into a series since each issue's first page has a recap of everything that's happened in the previous story arc's issues.  All of the X-books, except Ultimate x, also recently had a "reload" which made it an easy(well, easier than normal I think) place for new readers to jump on. From the group, I'd say Astonishing is the best one out now.  It's being written by Joss Whedon of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame and he's doing a fantastic job.  So what are you waiting for?  Go out and get some comics!  

[Jeff]

Thanks for the info, guys. I'll be looking into it over the next few days.

[unbreakable]

I saw the "Essential" books last time I went to the comic book store.  Great buys: they will make really good Christmas presents for a few people I know.

oh yeah, someone may also find this site pretty interesting as an X-Men resource.