11 Essential Storylines To Read If You're Just Getting Into Comics
1. Watchmen
![Watchmen Cover](https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2017/07/255049fca788214b-600x338.jpg)
Watchmen takes the cake for being the most iconic graphic novel of all time, so it should come as no surprise to see it as a comic book essential, really.
There's not much to say about Watchmen other than what's already been said. It's so influential, so significant and so recognisable as both a comic book and as a commercial property that, apart from the Justice League and The Avengers, it's probably the most famous superhero team-based book out there. For a series that relied so heavily on creating brand new characters (sort of) for its story, that's a tremendous feat. And although it's true that the book is a Cold War analogue through and through, many of the themes it broaches are still relevant today; its dissection of the superhero genre still holds particular salience.
Watchmen is the ultimate superhero story. Not because it encompasses the genre in a feel good way or because it pays homage to the history of the medium, but because it contextualises it in a frighteningly realistic world. Indeed, it's this identity that makes Moore's book such an enthralling tale. You won't find an introduction to the medium quite like it.
-
Have any recommendations you'd like to share with beginners? Be sure to post them in the comments below!