r/DCcomics • u/GOW_is_overrated • Aug 23 '26
Comics [Other] Just bought my first ever comic book
Basically, I live in a country where it's almost impossible to find comic books at all so I've been just reading online and that's it. Yesterday I was wandering around another city than the one I live in, and came across this lowly bookstore that sells all types of different books from all around the world, and I got across this little table there where they got lots of comic books. Out of all the books there, it came down to either a Massive Killing Joke Deluxe or this compact edition Kingdom Come, which I took. I'm still going back next week to buy more, assuming they're still there, hopefully.
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u/ssj4majuub Swamp Thing Aug 23 '26
you made the right call, Kingdom Come over Killing Joke any day.
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u/AdventurousPride6529 Aug 23 '26
Completely agree killing joke is kinda overrated imo
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u/The_Poop_Bender Aug 23 '26
Is it really overrated when, on every post about The Killing Joke, I always see a few people comment this?
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u/Thor_pool Aug 23 '26
Thats outweighed by people who claim it's one of the greatest books of all time, despite saying things like "Its like The Joker proves bro, it just takes one bad day" that shows they've never read it
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u/Mr_SunnyBones Booster Gold Aug 23 '26
Yeah even with that its still overrated.
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u/lynchcontraideal Aug 24 '26
Its not overrated just because a lot of people rightfully hype it up. Its an incredible all-time comic in its own right. Alan Moore always delivers the goods (Watchmen, V For Vendetta, Swamp Thing, Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow, etc.) and his writing in the 80s really was impeccable.
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u/Neveronlyadream Aug 24 '26
Personally, I don't think it's overrated. But I do think a lot of people got the wrong message from it.
And it's exhausting every time someone swears Batman kills Joker at the end even though Moore has explicitly said he doesn't and Moore wrote the fucking book.
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u/fifteentons Aug 24 '26
It’s an interesting little story with long term ramifications, but I’ve never considered it to be a personal favorite myself. The good thing is that it’s a short little book and won’t take a long time to read.
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u/BagZCubed Aug 23 '26
Dang. The Killing Joke was the first comic I read. ( ´⊇｀)
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u/X_177013_X Aug 23 '26
They're not saying its bad, its just not as good as everybody's glorifies it
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u/BagZCubed Aug 23 '26
I know.
I think it's a product of it's time. The more "serious" 1980s, like Watchmen and the Dark Knight Returns.
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u/Martel732 Aug 23 '26
This is by far my favorite superhero comic. I think the only downside it isn't a good choice for someone completely new to DC. It would still be a good story but I don't it would have the same impact if the reader wasn't at least generally familiar with at least the basics of the major DC characters.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
Don't get me wrong, this is my first actual physical comic book, I'm already a reader of comics online but never had one in my hands to own until now.
Still I do agree with your point, with the amount of characters in this run, one's gotta be familiar with these characters.
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u/SignificantLake1225 Aug 24 '26
Yeah, that was a concern of mine, but yeah, it’s one of my favourite artists of all time (Alex Ross) the book so much more unique than most
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u/Tbplayer59 Aug 23 '26
Great one, but you're starting at the end. The setting of this book is a dystopian future that arose from a world with super heroes as we currently know them.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
Oh I know.
This is my first ever comic book as in printed/physical, not reading.
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u/Hyphen99 Aug 23 '26
I really love DC’s Compact Comics line. Perfect size and story choices. You were blessed with Kingdom Come, too!
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u/drive_chip_putt Aug 23 '26
That's a good one. If you new to comics, the new Absolute Batman is amazing.
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u/peepyboy Aug 23 '26
Nice! The DC compacts are such a nice affordable way to get into comics, especially for new readers, I do plan on getting them all one day
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u/DopeSpopavich Aug 24 '26
This is a VERY strong choice for a first comic. The story is great and the art is some of the best in the industry.
I hope you enjoy it, my friend. Welcome to Comics!
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u/JokersRedditAccount Aug 23 '26
Great book, terrible start lmao. Killing Joke is only good if you get the original version with the original coloring. Get the New Frontier for your next book.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
I was thinking of getting Watchmen or Batman Year One, I already know the story of killing joke and I only considered it cuz it would've been a good collection starter.
I'll also check if they have New Frontier there, since it seems everyone is recommending it.
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u/JokersRedditAccount Aug 23 '26
Watchmen is great but fair warning that's it's own thing and not connected with DC up until Doomsday Clock which sucked.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
Oh yeah I know, I read it already but having a printed copy would defo be a different experience for me.
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u/RyantheAustralian Aug 23 '26
Jeezus, you're starting pretty close to the top. If this really is your first comic, a lot of the references eill be totally lost on you, I reckon. This is a comic that works so much better if you know the references .
Though if you're willing onlet it open you ip to comics, I highly recommend trying to look up the annotations for this online (sorry I've long lost the link to them and had them saved to floppy disk to show you how old that is). If it's possible to find, theyre awesome and really show you how much work was put into it - but I still think this is one that's probably better appreciated if you already are familiar with comics. Just my opinion though - hope you really enjoy it.
Edit: just realised this is the compact version. I got that on impulse a while ago and it makes the pics even harder to really see the depth of detail and references to me.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
My first physical/printed one, I've been reading comics online for a long while but never had one in my hands for real until yesterday.
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u/RyantheAustralian Aug 23 '26
Ahh ok! Well, enjoy!
(Or hage you already started? If so, what did you think so far?)
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u/thedean246 Green Lantern Aug 23 '26
These compact editions are the best thing DC has done
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u/Adekis "What a lucky man I was." Aug 24 '26
I always think that, but then every time I'm tempted to buy one, I look at it and think, "Geez, it's so small. Will I even be able to really make out the pictures as well as I want?"
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u/L_uciferMorningstar Aug 23 '26
Sorry but this is probably the worst one you can buy in compact variant. Deserves a better format this one in particular.
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u/GOW_is_overrated Aug 23 '26
Sadly this is the only one available, there don't seem to be many options cuz the entire bookstore has around 30~40 comic books total.
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u/L_uciferMorningstar Aug 23 '26
Ah alright. I usually order them so that's why I reacted like that.
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u/rolling_steel Aug 23 '26
Is Kingdom Come the one where… Superman tires of the Joker’s nonsense?
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u/Schmohawk2814 Aug 23 '26
Kingdom Come was the unofficial future of the DC storyline for a long time
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u/Mr_SunnyBones Booster Gold Aug 23 '26
Thats a great one .. I know this is the DC subreddit ,but [whispers] ( the same artist did 'Marvels' , and its a fantastic book)..
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u/LeonardoSpampinato Aug 23 '26
Welcome to the family! That is a great selection as your first. Enjoy.
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u/rikhardt99 Superman Aug 23 '26
You chose the best one! Same thing happened to me actually. The thing is, Kingdom Come is such a good Superman comic that it'll leave a void inside of you, you will try to find someting that is similarly good but will fail to find it, because none comes close to it.
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u/jrtasoli Aug 23 '26
Damn. Starting off with an absolute banger.
KC was (I think?) my first graphic novel too. Set the tone for a lifelong love of comics.
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u/HowardTaftMD Aug 24 '26
Wo, what country has no physical comics????
Congrats on the find, Kingdom Come rocks. The art is so good.
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u/hillbillyluthor Aug 24 '26
One of the best DC stories. Why did you decide to buy it, considering it's your first time?
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u/Will12182015 Aug 24 '26
Helluva pick OP! Kingdom Come (full size paperback) was the one of the first graphic novels I ever bought for myself! Definitely a better choice than Killing Joke.
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u/Adekis "What a lucky man I was." Aug 24 '26
I hope you like it! I have some reservations about Kingdom Come, but the artwork is phenomenal!
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u/Low-Artist-6676 Aug 24 '26
That is a masterpiece. If you want some recommendations I'd say Gotham by gaslight, all star superman, dark knight returns, the new frontier, jla the nail, seven soldiers and multiversity.
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u/Flynn58 "Do good to others, and every man can be a Superman." Aug 23 '26
Kingdom Come is a far better story than The Killing Joke, which has aged somewhat poorly due to modern attitudes. You'll come back to Kingdom Come again in a few years after reading more comics, and you'll make connections you didn't make on your first read, but that doesn't mean you aren't going to really enjoy this first read as well. Have fun!
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u/Overall_Falcon_8526 Aug 23 '26
What modern attitudes have aged Killing Joke poorly? The only knock I can think of is its brevity.
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u/ghanima Raven flair! YASSSSS Aug 23 '26
The controversy about whether or not the Joker raped Barbara springs to mind...
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u/Flynn58 "Do good to others, and every man can be a Superman." Aug 23 '26
Just the whole way Barbara is used as a plot device rather than a character, the attitude editorial had towards Babs that lent itself to her being used in this way. Oracle is great but that was carving something good out of the dismissive way she had been treated by previous material, including TKJ.
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u/GreatMadWombat Aug 23 '26
Good first pick.
Both cuz imo Kingdom Come is a better story, AND because Killing Joke is a comic that's colors got changed significantly when it was updated for modern printing, so you should just get an old copy from your local library