Love Marvel’s movies but baffled by the comics? Here are your entry points to their biggest characters.
Thanks to the Iron Man movies—and the upcoming Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger flicks—Marvel Comics have never been hotter. But with 50 years of ongoing story lines and increasingly convoluted character histories, the books themselves can be more confusing than doing your tax returns drunk (at least your W-9 never got replaced by a clone or spent decades trapped in a floating block of ice). That’s where Marvel’s Point One initiative comes
in. Starting this month the publisher is creating special issues of 11 of its biggest, best series—stand-alones that explain the status quo, set up major new story lines, and make ideal jumping-on points for readers who don’t know Peter Parker from Tony Stark. Marvel’s David Gabriel breaks down why the Point One comics make the perfect gateway to the Marvel Universe.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #615.1
”Over the years many different men have taken up the role of Captain America. With the current Captain on trial, somebody new attempts to carry the shield…”
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1
“The debut of the new Venom! He’s familiar to folks who’ve only seen the Spidey films, and this will bring him into contact with the web-slinger for the first time.”
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500.1
“It’ll bring everyone up to speed on where Tony Stark is in his life right now as we begin a huge story that completely tears up the fabric of Tony’s life.”
WOLVERINE #5.1
“He’s clawed his way back from the underworld, but he still has to kick out the demons who’ve taken up residence in his body. And…it’s his birthday!”