One of the most common questions I get on this site is “where is a good place to start reading Marvel?” With so many comics coming out each week, month and year it’s a pretty valid question to ask. So to help answer this question I’ve put together a brand new monthly column, which highlights the many jumping on points and new series Marvel put out every month.
I’ve broken this up into two sections. New series, which are brand new comics starting this April, and existing series, which have been around for a little while but are starting new stories. Along with that I’ve added the solicitation text, creator credits, covers and other things to help you make take the dive into any of these new Marvel comics.
All of these will be available at any good comic book store, Comixology or the Marvel Comics App.
As this is the first time I have done this column any feedback on how this can be made even better is much appreciated.
I hope you enjoy diving into the Marvel Universe!
New Series
Here are all the new Marvel comics starting in April. All of these start with issue #1 and are a great place to start from the ground floor.
Black Panther
Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Art by Brian Stelfreeze.
Solicitation Text:
A new era for the Black Panther starts here!
Written by MacArthur Genius and National Book Award winner TA-NEHISI COATES (Between the World and Me) and illustrated by living legend BRIAN STELFREEZE, “A Nation Under Our Feet” is a story about dramatic upheaval in Wakanda and the Black Panther’s struggle to do right by his people as their ruler. The indomitable will of Wakanda — the famed African nation known for its vast wealth, advanced technology and warrior traditions — has long been reflected in the will of its monarchs, the Black Panthers. But now the current Black Panther, T’Challa, finds that will tested by a superhuman terrorist group called The People that has sparked a violent uprising among the citizens of Wakanda. T’Challa knows the country must change to survive — the question is, will the Black Panther survive the change?
Pages: 40
Rating: T+
Price: $4.99
Black Panther #1 is available from April 6th.
Gwenpool
Written by Christopher Hastings. Art by Gurhiru.
Solicitation Text:
2015’s overnight internet sensation takes center stage in her own ongoing series! Gwen Poole used to be a comic book reader just like you…until she woke up in a world where the characters she read about seemed to be real! But they can’t be, right? This must all be fake, or a dream or something, right? And you know what that means…NO CONSEQUENCES! Could Gwenpool truly be Marvel’s least responsible and least role-modely character to date? She can if she tries!
Pages: 40
Rating: T+
Price: $4.99
Gwenpool #1 is available from April 13th.
Moon Knight
Jeff Lemire Art by Greg Smallwood.
Solicitation Text:
THE BOOK YOU’D BE INSANE TO MISS!
Marc Spector (a.k.a. Moon Knight/Jake Lockley/Steven Grant) has been fighting criminals and keeping New York City safe for years… or has he? When he wakes up in an insane asylum with no powers and a lifetime’s worth of medical records, his whole identity (indentities) are called into question. Something is wrong, but is that something Marc Spector himself? Jeff Lemire (EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN) and rising star Greg Smallwood are calling everything you know about Moon Knight into question.
Pages: 40
Rating: T+
Price: $4.99
Moon Night #1 is available from April 13th.
A Year Of Marvels: The Amazing #1
Written by Ryan North and Amy Chu. Art by Danilo Beyruth and Ryan Browne.
Solicitation Text:
• Join us in a brand new Marvel comics adventure as your favorite heroes journey through the calendar year one month at a time!
• It’s February and Peter Parker’s got a hot date, but the old Parker luck hits hard…and so does the bank-robbing villain The Vulture! It’s a tale of romance, adventure, and punching! From Ryan North (SQUIRREL GIRL) and Danilo Beyruth!
• When business is down in March, Scott Lang’s Ant-Man Security Solutions will take just about any job offered to them – including stealing back stolen goods! But all is not as it seems! Join writer Amy Chu (Poison Ivy) and artist Ryan Browne (SECRET WARS TOO) as they team together for this Spring Break themed heist!
One-shot
Pages: 40
Rating: T+
Price: $4.99
A Year Of Marvels: The Amazing #1 is available from April 27th.
Existing Series
Here’s a bunch of current comic series which are starting brand new stories which you can dive into. Don’t stress about starting with issue #1 and dive in. They should give you everything you need to know in the summary page and throughout the story so you are not lost. If you are enjoying the story and want even more I highly recommend picking up the first trade paperback collection of that series, which is either already released or not too far away.
Spider-Women Alpha
Story by Jason Latour, Dennis Hopeless & Robbie Thompson
Written by Robbie Thompson. Art by Vanesa Del Rey.
Solicitation Text:
SPIDER-WOMEN PART 1!
The Spider-Event of 2016 is here, bringing SPIDER-GWEN, SILK and SPIDER-WOMAN together for a story too big for any one of their books! Spider-Woman is taking a mentor-role with Silk and Spider-Gwen, and the three spider-heroes take a brunch break on Gwen’s Earth-65. But when the nefarious spy organization S.I.L.K. and their leader (Earth-65’s Cindy Moon) notice the interdimensional interlopers, all of Jessica Drew’s plans go wrong.
One-shot
Pages: 40
Rating: T+
Price: $4.99
The Spider-Woman crossover start on April 6th. Read more about this crossover.
Squadron Supreme #6
Written by James Robinson. Art by Leonard Kirk and Paolo Villanelli.
Solicitation Text:
“Through The Lens” STARTS NOW!
As the Squadron gets closer to the answer—who is the cabal of alien races on Earth and what threat do they pose to the planet? – things get personal for Doctor Spectrum as she confronts the man who helped destroy her Earth and save her life…BLACK BOLT! Also, the Squadron’s Nighthawk vs. the Nighthawk of the Marvel Universe??
Pages: 32
Rating: T+
Price: $3.99
Squadron Supreme #6 is available from April 27th.
The Astonishing Ant-Man #7
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Ramon Rosanas.
Solicitation Text:
“Small Time Criminal” STARTS NOW!
When The Power Broker hits Ant-Man where he’s most vulnerable, he’ll respond the only way he knows how: That’s right. By breaking the law. Lots of laws, actually. The secret of how Scott landed back in jail is revealed here. (Because that’s what happens when you break a bunch of laws, genius.)
Pages: 32
Rating: T+
Price: $3.99
The Astonishing Ant-Man #7 is available from April 20th.
The Mighty Thor #6
Written by Jason Aaron. Art by Rafa Garres.
Solicitation Text:
THROWBACK THOR’S DAY!
• A special tale of young Thor adventuring in the age of Vikings!
• Meanwhile, LOKI conjures up a dark and powerful new enemy: VIKING HULK
• Guest artist RAFA GARRAS brings SAVAGE NORSE ACTION because YOU DEMANDED IT!
Pages: 32
Rating: T+
Price: $3.99
The Mighty Thor #6 is available from April 20th.
Drax #6
Written by C.M. Punk and Cullen Bunn. Art by Scott Hepburn.
Solicitation Text:
“THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE” STARTS NOW!
Annihilus. Ultron. Fin Fang Foom. They were all pieces of cake. Now, Drax prepares to take on the toughest challenge of his life… a gaggle of (partially traumatized) alien children who need to get back to their home planets. Don’t worry! Drax will find other stuff to destroy. Like maybe…nap times? Homework? Poo poo diapies?
Pages: 32
Rating: T+
Price: $3.99
Rocket Raccoon & Groot #4
Written by Skottie Young. Art by Aaron Conley.
Solicitation Text:
FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS STARTS NOW!
It’s the best of times when Rocket and Groot are recruited as replacements in an intergalactic football league. These little giants might engage in some necessary roughness, but if they can learn all the right moves these leatherheads might be invincible!
Pages: 32
Rating: T
Price: $3.99
Rocket Raccoon & Groot #4 is available from April 13th.
Contest Of Champions #7
Written by Al Ewing. Art by Rhoald Marcellius.
Solicitation Text:
“Ultimate Fighting” STARTS NOW!
After the cataclysmic events of last issue — Battlerealm will never be the same! But Earth’s ultimate superteam has discovered the Contest — and they don’t like it at all! Is this the end of Maestro’s dream of power? Or the start of a whole new Contest of Champions? Fan-fave writer Al Ewing combines two of his new series into one can’t-miss epic!
Pages: 32
Rating: T
Price: $3.99
Contest Of Champions #7 is available from April 6th.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7
Written by Ryan North. Art by Erica Henderson.
Solicitation Text:
a) This special issue, called “BE THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL,” puts YOU in control of THE MOST POWERFUL CHARACTER IN THE MARVEL UNIVERSE. Will you fight crime and save the day? Or will you be a complete jerk and use her powers to tell everyone off?
b) I’m serious: these are actual choices, and you have to make them RIGHT NOW? To be Squirrel Girl and fight crime, turn to c). To be Squirrel Girl and be a jerk instead, turn to e).
c) Well, you’re in luck vis-a-vis crime-fighting, because Squirrel Girl is going to be facing off against SWARM, a bad guy made out of bees! And that’s not all. To learn more about the other bad guys she can face, turn to d)! But if INSTEAD you’d like to stop reading this and get excited about this book and maybe order it, please: feel free!
d) Nice try, but we’ve got to keep SOME surprises for the book! You decide to definitely buy this comic and see who they are. THE END.
e) What? No, why would you even want to be a jerk? Geez, man, maybe this ISN’T the comic for you. Turn to b) and answer better this time!
Pages: 32
Rating: T
Price: $3.99
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 is available from April 27th.
Daredevil #6
Written by Charles Soule. Art by Ron Garney.
Solicitation Text:
“PRACTICE TO DECEIVE” STARTS NOW!
• Hell’s Kitchen knows no fury like an assassin scorned. Though Matt Murdock has somehow managed to hide his identity from the entire world, there are parts of his past he cannot escape.
• Elektra Natchios, is back in the Big Apple and she’s got a score to settle with The Man Without Fear!
Pages: 32
Rating: T+
Price: $3.99
Daredevil #6 is available from April 13th.
What Are You Going To Read?
Which of these Marvel comics will you be checking out this month? Let me know in the comments below or via our Facebook or Twitter.
Thanks I really like this series and love your website! Hope to see more soon.
Thanks! I’ll have a May edition coming soon ?
Great list!
I’m always looking for new comics (I’m currently working my way through the DC continuity, so new comics from them are out for the moment). I’ve been branching out into Marvel a bit and these look like some great reads.
So glad to see The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl on here, I absolutely adore that comic! It’s consistently laugh-out-loud funny and an easy place to start even if you don’t know anything about Marvel.
I look forward to checking out some of these other titles, thanks!