I'll try to be as descriptive as possible since this question is the most vague question I could ask.
I'd like to start reading comics, and don't know where to start.

Universe: Marvel
Type: Cosmic, Heroes become unwillingly bad, Iron Man (der), X-Men, I really like stories in space when it is people from earth.

Guardians of the Galaxy was fun. Rocket Raccoon is great

I really enjoyed ultimate Spider-Man. It's where I started

1.Secret Wars
2.Annihilation
3.Operation Galactic Storm
4.The Korvac War
5.The Trial Of Galactus
6.The Infinity Gauntlet
7.The Kree-Skrull War
8.The Dark Phoenix Saga

just a few off the top of my head,but all fun to read.

Seconded. The Guardians of the Galaxy series (newer one and the one that ended a year ago) would probably be right up your alley.

I also think the Annihilation series of books would be good for you.

Marvel Cosmic

You're welcome.

Anything with watchmen in the title has never let me down.

Planet Hulk
World War Hulk

I find it hard to recommend certain Marvel stories without recommending so much additional backstory to it, everything get's so in depth. In terms of books in general, I would recommend anything written by Bendis. Ultimate Spider-man was and still is awesome. It's a good book you can read on it's own, without having to read every other Ultimate title. If you're familiar with who other characters are from movies and clix, that would be enough. I would also recommend reading Disassembled, all of New Avengers, jumping into the numerous events as you get to them, like House of M, Civil War, Secret Invasion, Siege, and Fear Itself.

Onto other writers, Brubaker's Captain America run was awesome, Extremis and Invincible Iron Man was good, and JMS' Thor run was epic. Also, the first volume of Young Avengers and Runaways were amazing.

For Herod becoming bad superior Spider-Man.

Superior Spider-man. Start now. It's excellent. Make sure to begin at Amazing Spider-man 698 and read through 700 before starting Superior.

Civil War basically is about Ironman becoming a villain of sorts. He's actually not villainous at all, but most of the story portrays him very badly. It's pretty poorly written (Would have been much better if it had more good fights and weren't so lopsided in deciding which side what right), but the idea behind it is cool.

Avengers vs X-men is another plot about heroes becoming bad. I kind of liked this one.

This vague question has a vague answer. I'm gonna try and be as comprehensive as possible.

First you have to decide what kind of comics you want to read. Personally, I go into my shop every week and pick up single issues. However, most series are collected into hard cover and paperback collections after so many issues come out (usually 6). Do you want to read new stuff, or do you want to hunt down older stories?

For cosmic, I can't recommend anything new because I'm not reading any of it right now. I can recommend the image that another poster above me linked to. Those are some amazing stories. I highly recommend all of it and most, if not all, can be found in hard cover and/or trade paperback.

For Iron Man, I would start with the most recent #1. Marvel Now started a little less than a year ago, and it was basically a soft reboot of everything. No universe wide continuity changes, no sweeping retcons, just new series with a new focus. Look for Marvel Now Iron Man and that will catch you up to today. Can't be more than 12 issues.

For Iron Man stories in recent history, I would find Iron Man: Extremis. It was partly used as inspiration for Iron Man 3, and explains the power upgrade Tony Stark got that is still mostly in use today. After that, look for Invincible Iron Man: The Five Nightmares. Its the start of a new volume and is what comes before the current Iron Man series (though its not necessary to read). It was a good run that goes for 3-4 years.


X-Men is... Messy. The current state of X-Men has kinda been built on the main threads from the last 10 years. Again, I recommend starting with Marvel Now if you want to read current stuff. All-New X-Men #1, Uncanny X-Men #1, X-Men #1. You can probably jump in without knowing too much. There is also Wolverine and the X-Men but its... not great.

Going back is a great trip if you don't mind reading a lot. Astonishing X-Men #1-24 (Written by Joss Whedon, director of Avengers) is an awesome starting point. From there read House of M, Messiah Complex, Second Coming, Schism, AvX Consequences. Also start Uncanny X-Men #1 that picks up after Schism. You can skip the main AvX issues. I would also recommend the issues of Uncanny X-Men during Fear Itself. That happens after Second Coming but before Schism. This is really bare bones recommendations. There is a lot more out there.

In all of that X-Force is a great series. It starts after Messiah Complex and runs through Second Coming, where it ends and Uncanny X-Force picks up. I recommend both series.

Pretty much any story from J. Michael Strazynski. Thor and Spiderman had great runs and great concepts.

On the DC side I recommend you go online and find Identity Crisis, Countdown to Infinite Crisis was actually one of the best ideas comics had in a long time. 80 pages for only a dollar, and it was the best story I had ever read involving the second blue beetle. Infinite Crisis had me hooked through most of it, but being a DC title at the time sputtered and died....horribly. It DID give us some opportunities to make Ralph Dibney badass. I so wanted to see him as the new Dr. Fate! Black Adam was an actual character, not just someone for Billy to punch. Day of Vengeance was also a great story, I wish that the Shadowpact would have gotten a better story to run with after reading Day of Vengeance. The original Crisis on Infinite Earths is a must read as well.

Skipping back foreward, Villains United was also a great run and I recommend that everyone read that and the Secret Six series that followed. It would have been nice to finish the Trials of Shazaam, but I can't seem to find an issue ANYWHERE! Either it was that good, or just that bad. Anyway, that's all from the top of my head for now. Goodnight all!

for X-men I would try "The Messiah Complex". It was one of the best X stories in a while.

Uncanny X-Force, Wolverine and the X-men, Astonishing X-Men for X-Men books.

For cosmic characters: Annihilation, Annihilation Conquest, War of Kings, Realm of Kings, Thanos Imperative, Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy.

For Heroes going bad: Superior Spider-Man. I would recommend it every day of the week, and it is getting multiple spin-offs.