Marvel comics have been around since the 1930s, capturing the imaginations of generations of readers with their exciting stories about superheroes like Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, and more. If you’ve never read a Marvel comic or are thinking about getting into them, here are 7 Reasons To Read The Ultimate Marvel Comics.
1. Complex, Relatable Characters
Unlike the perfect, squeaky-clean heroes of the past, Marvel characters tend to be complex, flawed, and very human people who struggle with real-world problems when they’re not saving the planet. Tony Stark battles alcoholism and ego issues. Daredevil tries to balance life as a lawyer and vigilante while also dealing with being blind. Mutants like the X-Men face persecution and discrimination just for being born different. These relatable struggles make the characters much more interesting.
2. Social Commentary and Representation
Because of its flawed but inspiring heroes, Marvel has a long history of addressing real-world social issues about prejudice and injustice through its stories. Groundbreaking series like Black Panther and Ms. Marvel center around lead characters of color, giving powerful representation to minorities. And recently more stories highlight LGBTQ characters as their full, authentic selves. The X-Men have always been an allegory for oppression and racism as well.
3. Epic Crossovers
A fun perk of Marvel comics is how all the different superheroes and teams inhabit the same universe. This allows for gigantic crossovers where the Avengers meet the X-Men or Spider-Man teams up with Daredevil. Seeing all your favorite heroes share an adventure together never gets old! These events also have ripple effects across the other comic lines for a thrilling, connected storytelling experience.
4. It Inspired the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Chances are you’ve seen an MCU movie like Avengers: Endgame recently, which is now the highest-grossing film ever. But all those wildly popular movies about Iron Man, Captain America and other superheroes wouldn’t exist without decades of Marvel comics establishing them first. So if you love those films, just imagine how much more epic and exciting their original comic book adventures are!
5. Amazing Art and Visuals
Nobody does comic book visuals like Marvel. Artists like Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr. and Jack Kirby created the iconic looks for Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man and the rest back in the 60s. And today’s artists continue to amaze with their dynamic, high-energy art that practically leaps off the page. The visual innovations from decades of Marvel comics even inspire the CGI fight scenes of movies today.
6. There’s Something For Everyone
With over 80 years of history, there are thousands of Marvel issues and a diverse array of tones, styles and genres to explore. Like horror? Try The Tomb of Dracula. Prefer street-level heroes over cosmic beings? Daredevil and Punisher have your back. If you grew up on the cartoons, the Ultimate Spider-Man comics will feel familiar. Like mythology? Check out the Thor books rooted in Norse legends. Simply browse and sample different eras and characters to find what appeals most to you.
7. Join the Conversation and Fandom
Marvel comics boast an enormous fandom who are deeply invested in the stories and characters. There’s endless discussion to be part of online as people share their thoughts on controversial plot twists, favorite heroes, fancasting movie roles, and more. It’s fun to join fellow Marvel fans in anticipation of the next big event or Marvel Cinematic Universe film. You’ll make new friends who share some of your favorite fictional universes.
Begin Your Marvel Comics Journey
Hopefully these 7 reasons have shown why Marvel comics deserve a prized place on your bookshelf or e-reader. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t read these series since you were a kid or have never picked one up at all — now is a great time to start. Dive into timeless classics or fresh modern tales and see why Marvel continues to dominate pop culture and inspire millions of loyal fans. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this “7 Reasons To Read The Ultimate Marvel Comics” article.