Entering the world of mainstream comic books can be a daunting task for any new readers. Comic books from big publishing houses such as Marvel and DC Comics can be unacceptable due to the 70 plus years of story continuity and multiple books featuring same characters.
Over the years, publishers and editors have found ways to bring new readers to decades-old comics, such as rebooting the franchise, killing off characters and replacing them with edgier versions, and adding new diverse characters.
Listed below are a few recommendations that can act as jumping off points for new readers.
“Astonishing X-Men”
Joss Whedon/John Cassaday
In Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s run of “Astonishing X-Men,” the series returns the X-Men to their fundamental themes by featuring the characters as a group of mutants seeking acceptance from the human population who view them as monsters. In addition, this particular comic includes a nice mixture of action-packed sequences and social commentary, which pays homage to the late 1970s era that made the comic popular.
The series works as an introduction to Marvel’s merry band of mutants and acts as a stand-alone movie that eases new readers into a crash course on the X-Men. In addition, comic book veterans can be entertained by the subtle homage to the franchise’s lore, such as Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde’s complicated relationship from bitter enemies to teammates. By the end, readers will obtain a better understanding of the mutants’ struggle.  
Though Whedon plotted each volume to loosely connect to the overall story arc, the character development acts as a vehicle that draws in readers and pushes the events. Similar to Whedon’s other works, he has the uncanny ability to take larger than life characters and humanize them through witty dialogue and heartbreaking moments, such as Beast’s longing for a normal appearance or Emma’s fear of never measuring up to Cyclops’ dead wife, Jean Grey.
However, Kitty’s development steals the spotlight. Whedon guides Kitty from fledgling member who lacks confidence in her powers to the world’s savior. Much like Whedon’s Buffy, Kitty sacrifices her life as she uses her powers to make a giant bullet intangible as they pass through the planet. Coupled with Cassaday’s breathtaking art, Whedon’s epic saga will be remembered as one the best X-Men stories, equal to “The Dark Phoenix Saga” or “Days of Future Past.”
“Batman: Hush”
Jeph Loeb/Jim Lee
Of all the superheroes in the comic book industry, Batman has numerous storylines that can serve as a jumping off point for new readers.
The fact that Batman is a normal man without any powers whose tragic backstory of watching a criminal gun down his parents has blessed the Caped Crusader with accessible material. No other collection of stories highlights Batman’s accessibility than the “Hush” storyline, which ran in the “Batman” series.
Considered as one the best Batman comics of all time, Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s “Hush” follows Batman’s investigation of a deadly new foe called Hush, who tries to destroy the Dark Knight by any means necessary including targeting his friends. The storyline is filled with great twists and turns that ends with the best shocking conclusion in recent history. However, Batman’s complicated relationship with Catwoman takes center stage as Loeb explores how Batman’s past and current crime fighting career hinders his ability to have a normal and healthy relationship.
With Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” premiering in July, the graphic novel acts as the perfect primer for the deeply rooted and complex mythology of the Batman universe. Throughout the 11 issues, Loeb effortlessly introduces readers to Batman’s multiple villains and supporting characters, such as the Joker and Robin, without distracting readers from the central plotline and its star, Batman.
Loeb is one of the few writers that can capture the complexity of Batman’s dual personas: the super-analytical crime fighter and the troubled young man still haunted by the death of his parents. The highlight of the collection is Loeb’s ability to display Batman’s in-depth knowledge of criminology and forensic science skills—a skill set that has been neglected in his television and movie adaptations. This story easily proves why everyone refers Batman as “The World’s Greatest Detective.”
Marvel’s “Ultimate” Imprint
Multiple writers and artists
Started in 2000, Marvel’s “Ultimate” comic book imprint takes place in an alternate universe where superheroes begin to emerge in modern day New York and eliminate the baggage of 70 years worth of continuity. The origin of the imprint helps Marvel update and reinvent their iconic characters for a new generation of readers. It also allows writers to take big risks otherwise unattainable with their mainstream counterparts. A few months ago in “Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man,” writer Brian Michael Bendis killed off Peter Parker, Spider-Man’s teenage alter-ego, and replaced him with Miles Morales, a bi-racial teen from the Bronx. This change was inspired by “Community” star Donald Glover’s bid of the lead role in the new Spider-Man movie out this July.  
The “Ultimate” comic books are surprisingly approachable considering the 12 years worth of storylines. The Marvel editors and writers designed many of the comics to be a limited series giving new readers many options to jump into the rich and complex world without punishing them for not reading the previous series. However, the brilliance of the imprint comes from the writers’ ability to build on the spirit of the original universe and create a streamlined version, controlling the influx of the characters and giving them a purpose to exist in the shared world. But over the years, Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee’s premise of a shared universe, in which all the heroes co-existed in the same place, quickly became convoluted in the mainstream comics.
In addition, these comic books share a symbiotic relationship with many of the television and movie adaptations as they inspire each other in terms of character designs and storylines.  Much darker storylines emerge giving the characters a more adult edge while exploring more taboo topics, which traditional comic books skirted around for years. In an early storyline of “Ultimates,” this universe’s version of the Avengers, writer Mark Miller explores the domestic violence between superheroes Giant Man and the Wasp—an old plot point hinted at in the early 1960s.
However, the crown jewel of the imprint are “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Lasting for 160 issues, Bendis places Peter Parker back in high school as the bumbling nerd who tries to balance his superhero career with the pressure of being a bullied student. Bendis’s characterization of Peter makes him relatable and extremely endearing as he captures the down-on-his-luck aura paying homage to the extremely popular Stan Lee and Steve Dikko era.
During Peter Parker’s tenure as Spider-Man, Bendis was able to reinvent the Spider-Man mythology and reintroduce classic storylines and team-ups adding modern twists. In a storyline, Bendis recreates the famous team-up from “Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends” that teams Spider-Man with the X-Men’s Iceman and the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch. But the highlight of this series was Peter’s journey from inexperienced vigilante to strong willed superhero. His story ends with an epic and final battle with the Green Goblin resulting in Peter’s death and breaking the hearts of fans across the country.
With accessibility and fun interpretations of classic characters, any of these comic books can ease you into the complex and sometimes confusing world of mainstream comics. But with a little perseverance, any new reader can hold their own in heated arguments with veteran fans while waiting in line for this year’s blockbuster superhero movies.