vzg
2008-03-16 09:20 pm UTC (link)

Runaways maaay be to your tastes. The heroes become heroes because they discover the villains (their parents). Money is not so much mentioned... at least not directly, but it is a Marvel comic, and the damage they do can't be nearly as bad as what the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Hulk, et cetera do on a daily basis. There are normally about six focus characters, more than half of whom are female. The snark is plentiful.

Also, it's just plain awesome, SO.

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	youngcurmudgeon 2008-03-16 09:28 pm UTC (link)
	Ooooh, that sounds fun! Really, I think I just want Insidious and Independent Evil, because Mine Is An Evil Laugh Evil is just too much fun to take seriously. And yeah, I think the money discussion may have to wait until I know enough about comics to write my own. Thanks! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ravenscanary 2008-03-16 10:28 pm UTC (link)
	Another thing going for Runaways - Joss Whedon wrote some. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sepiamagpie 2008-03-16 11:33 pm UTC (link)
	Meh. That's what made me drop runaways. Brian K Vaughan's writing, however, was aces. So I'd suggest the collections of his work. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	kaen 2008-03-17 03:57 pm UTC (link)
	Ugh, same here. And I hate Ramos' art style so much (especially his five-year-old Bratz doll Molly) that I don't think I'll be picking it up again once Moore's run starts unless fans start praising it to the high heavens. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	zaliesiren 2008-03-17 04:32 pm UTC (link)
	Eh. Whedon isn't very good with comics. I still get it, but I'm not sure why, since I can't stand it. D: (Reply to this)(Parent)

	vzg 2008-03-16 10:42 pm UTC (link)
	And if you want a peek before making any purchases, there's a lot to see at scans_daily, of course: "Runaways" tag (Reply to this)(Parent)

undomielregina
2008-03-16 09:30 pm UTC (link)

Well, I only really know trade paperbacks, so what I've got to recommend will mostly be fairly self contained things that are basically collected miniseries. That said, pick up a copy of Kingdom Come (DCU) and Marvels (Marvel), both of which look at superheroes through the eyes of an ordinary man. You should also check out the series Astro City, which is a nice take on some of the major tropes in superhero comics. For strong female heroes, I'd recommend Birds of Prey, which you've surely seen talked up since you're a scans_daily frequenter.

This just confirms that I probably read too many comics, especially for someone without a local comic shop.

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I might be biased.

wonderfish
2008-03-16 11:35 pm UTC (link)

I suggest Blue Beetle, as always. There's a clear progression in his abilities and responsibilities, and when the villains turn up where he is, it's for good reason. There's steady character development, and while there aren't any strong female superheroes (there are very few superheroes that show up regularly), there are lots of strong female characters that have their own lives - his mother, his friend Brenda, and the local crime lord, for instance. Economic costs have come up once or twice and been dealt with sneakily. Bonus: snark, good writing (for the most part; the fill-in issues are somewhat hit-or-miss), and it's for the most part pleasantly tucked away from the rest of the DCU. Definitely a good introductory book, anyway.

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	sepiamagpie 2008-03-16 11:35 pm UTC (link)
	Try Ex Machina by Brian K Vaughan! It's about a hero who discovered very quickly that it wasn't just a case of punching out lunatics in bright tights and getting a parade for it. So he unmasks himself and runs for mayor of New York City instead. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	ms_treesap 2008-03-17 06:19 pm UTC (link)
	...I think I've wanted to read something like Ex Machina for years without knowing it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	phosfate 2008-03-17 08:33 pm UTC (link)
	Seconded. It's f'awesome. (Reply to this)(Parent)

dafnap
2008-03-16 11:49 pm UTC (link)

Speaking of strong female protagonists and heroes, I'd check out Manhunter, about a federal prosecutor by day, kick-ass superhero by night, all while dealing with a kid, an ex, and ethical and legal complications galore. Alias by Bendis is also pretty kick-ass, and deals with an ex-super heroine private detective with an acid tongue and a mean right-hook.

As for a man-on-the-street view of superheroics and their aftermaths, I'd also check out Gotham Central, about how the Gotham PD deals with the aftermath of Batman and his villains. Really great female protagonists and some searing, heartbreaking writing to boot.

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	sepiamagpie 2008-03-17 12:51 am UTC (link)
	oooh. Seconding all those recs. Manhunter and Gotham Central especially. (Reply to this)(Parent)

panthea
2008-03-17 12:09 am UTC (link)

There's this one comic, fairly recent, and I can't remember the name of it-- someone help me out? Basically it portrays all the Big Superheroes as immoral, corrupt, nasty motherfuckers, and there's this group of people who fight against them, and one's modeled after Simon Pegg, and it's-- not for the faint of heart, because there is some nasty shit in there. But if you're looking for a series dealing with the down side of superheroes, that's the first one that comes to mind. (it's less monetary cost than human cost though-- Simon Pegg's character joins up with this group after his girlfriend is basically smashed to bits by a super-speed superhero who runs right through her. Which kind of sets the tone for the rest of it.)

Anyone remember the name of it? I think it's by Garth Ennis, but that may just be because it sounds like something Ennis would write.

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	hangingfire 2008-03-17 12:13 am UTC (link)
	That would be The Boys. And ... oh yeah, so not for the faint of heart. I love it, but then I've been an Ennis fan for a long time. (Supposedly the violence and foulness caused DC, which was publishing it under the Wildstorm imprint, to dump it; it's since been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment. Rumour has it that the gag with the hamster put it over the top.) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	come_love_sleep 2008-03-17 10:08 am UTC (link)
	On this recommendation--Simon Pegg!--I just downloaded and read the first thirteen issues. Damn, but that's pretty good, innit? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

hangingfire
2008-03-17 03:43 pm UTC (link)

It really is. Foul and profane as all get-out, but that's what one expects from Ennis.

I did a little looking-around and learned that, according to Ennis, DC dumped it on account of the anti-superhero themes of the series. Can't imagine why that'd upset them. >_> On the other hand, at least they were good enough to hand the rights back to the creators and let them do what they wanted with it.

(Also, I adore your icon. So much.)

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	makeshyft 2008-03-17 04:27 pm UTC (link)
	Which is a shame, really. Cause if The Monarch had pulled Butcher and crew in during Countdown: Arena... I think the entire even would be ending a might differently. And we'd all be shipping Cassandra/Female. (Reply to this)(Parent)

hangingfire
2008-03-17 12:11 am UTC (link)

I'm pretty fond of Powers (apart from the monkey sex issue—don't ask, you'll know it when you see it). Cop noir and police procedurals in a world where superheroes are media celebrities; good times. (Should warn you, the current storyline is pretty freakin' dark, and there is occasionally some serious gruesomeness.)

In a similar vein, Top Ten is great, but ignore the "Beyond the Farthest Precinct" trade. Stick with vols. 1 and 2, the "Smax" miniseries, and "The Forty-Niners" (i.e., the ones that Alan Moore actually wrote). More police procedurals, but this time in a setting where everyone has superpowers of some kind. There's robots and vampires too. I also like Alan Moore's Tom Strong, which is a highly enjoyable pastiche of both Edgar Rice Burroughs and superhero comics.

And I definitely second the Ex Machina recommendation.

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littlest_lurker
2008-03-17 02:10 am UTC (link)

Well, if you can hold out until ~~May~~ June, there's Starman. Great superhero comic from the nineties with an atypical lead character and a fantastic supporting cast. Also features the early artwork of Tony Harris, the artist of the already recc'd Ex Machina (and I have to second that rec). The downside is that, as you've probably already noticed if you've clicked the link, is that the omnibus is pretty expensive, but unfortunately a lot of the older trades are now out of print. Of course, if you are a "try before you buy" kind of person, there are ways around that... ;)

I have to second the rec for Manhunter. Batgirl: Year One is a fun comic and deals with some of the logistics of do-it-yourself superheroics quite nicely. Darwyn Cooke's stuff on The Spirit is wonderful and features some kick-ass female characters. If you don't mind more all-ages stuff, Shazam! Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith is great. Mary Marvel in that book = sooo damn cute.

Lastly, even though it's storylines don't always deal with superheroes per say, I have to recommend Planetary. Jakita Wagner is definitely up there on the list of my favorite female comic characters.

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	ru_debega 2008-03-17 07:14 am UTC (link)
	Invincible is a fairly new-ish series and easy to get into, and both embraces and mocks the superhero genre. I don't know, I like it. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	makeshyft 2008-03-17 04:33 pm UTC (link)
	And that segues pretty nicely into comics like Nobel Causes, think Dynasty with superhumans. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	quartz 2008-03-18 04:32 am UTC (link)
	I'll second the Invincible love. I have problems justifying $3-$4 per comic, but Invincible actually got me to not only buy it, but to buy the spiffy $30+ hardback collections. It's that good. (Reply to this)(Parent)

jar
2008-03-17 11:23 am UTC (link)

Kick it with Watchmen, because it's always good to start with the classics. V for Vendetta (also by Alan Moore) is well worth reading too, and has the bonus of an awesome female lead.

If you want to wee yourself laughing a little, pick up absolutely anything with Deadpool in it! Cable & Deadpool recently finished its run, but you can pick up trades for much crack and hilariousness and mostly not taking the genre seriously (on Deadpool's part anyway).

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	jar 2008-03-17 11:24 am UTC (link)
	Oh right, you actually mentioned snark being a plus in your post. In that case YOU NEED DEADPOOL. HE IS WIN FOR SNARK! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	quartz 2008-03-18 04:38 am UTC (link)
	Agent X too! It's a Deadpool spinoff/tie-in. Find it to download because it's impossible to find in singles and isn't availible in trade form. The snark is glorious and it never takes itself seriously while taking itself seriously. It only sounds like a contradiction until you read it. Trust me. :D (Reply to this)(Parent)

	scootermcgaffin 2008-03-17 12:40 pm UTC (link)
	If you can find Alias, you should buy it as hard as you can. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	makeshyft 2008-03-17 04:24 pm UTC (link)
	Mothafuggin' WORD! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	immlass 2008-03-17 02:04 pm UTC (link)
	For the economic costs of superheroing, if you can find it, try Damage Control. I just remember the comics, but apparently someone made a movie from it. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	jim_smith 2008-03-17 02:14 pm UTC (link)
	There's a Damage Control series on sale right now, actually. The movie mentioned in the Wikipedia article doesn't actually exist--it was produced within a storyline of the comics, and the star was a member of the West Coast Avengers. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	youngcurmudgeon 2008-03-18 09:11 pm UTC (link)
	Yay! I knew I couldn't be the only one concerned about these things! Thanks so much. (Reply to this)(Parent)

Fairy Tale Characters in New York

goblin
2008-03-17 02:59 pm UTC (link)

Fables is truly awesome. I've recommended it to hard-core superhero junkies and people who don't read comics alike, and everyone's loved it. A large number of fairy tale characters fled The Old Country and came to New York, where they deal with reconciling their old systems with the new. Most of the books focus on Snow White, now a powerful (if sarcastic) political figure in her own right, and the Big Bad Wolf, who has become a noirish detective. A very nice look at the immigrant experience, as well as a great adventure story in its own right.
Samples can be found at scans_daily.

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	Re: Fairy Tale Characters in New York youngcurmudgeon 2008-03-18 09:10 pm UTC (link)
	... That sounds like the most perfect comic I've ever heard in my life! Thanks so much! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	belafarinrod 2008-03-17 04:17 pm UTC (link)
	If you want something non-Superhero with strong women, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is awesome. From the little I have read and the many recs, I'd also say that Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore has both kickass ladies and snark =) (Reply to this)

makeshyft
2008-03-17 04:24 pm UTC (link)

Well, since nobody else has brought him up, gotta reccomend a little Ellis for the masses. Especially Transmetropolitan, think Hunter S. Thompson of the futureeeeeeeee. And Planetary, in twenty six issues it managed to brilliantly homage everything from old pulp heros to hong kong cinema to an EVIL Fantastic Four.

And, of course, Global Frequency... which so needs to be a TV series. Now.

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	mister_terrific 2008-03-18 04:25 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, you beat me to Planetary and Global Frequency, dammit. For sheer braincrack, try Nextwave: Agents of Hate by Ellis and Immonen. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	sashenka 2008-03-19 08:54 pm UTC (link)
	You'd have to check, but I think the first storyarch/trade of Marvel Knights 4 is about the city of New York suing the Fantastic Four for damages. I thought it was a pretty cool story arch. Wonder Woman is a good place to look for a good female hero, but I don't have issues to figure out what numbers right now. The last few stories before Infinite Crisis were good, I remember. (Reply to this)