I want to start reading marvel comics, but everything seems so confusing. I was thinking I'd like to start with an avengers and maybe an xmen title but there are so many different ones. I would also prefer to start with a more recent version. Can someone help me out?

@cam12399: I would recommend the Avenger series from the late 90's, written by Busiek. It's a good start-point. It was he book that got me into Marvel Comics.

Depends on how far you want to go back. Are you looking to jump in on a current run or are you wanting older stories and work your way up?

I think id only want to go back to around the 2000s but I'll consider checking out the 90s if it's there, thanks

@cam12399: Find a team you like and read up on them. Like Waezi said, the Avengers is a good place to start, however the writing isn't always that great (Busiek is fine, just later stuff tends to be a bit...weak).

If you're willing to go back into the late 90s, I'd suggest reading Thunderbolts. Like, from the beginning, not the new stuff (with Punisher and Elektra and Deadpool and such). It's reeeeally good.

And is there a good recent sport to start with xmen?

Just read the Ultimate books from when they started, they really good and you won't get confused with continuity.

Yeah Marvel have a million varieties of the same book, it's so discouraging. They should really do something about that.

Start with any Marvel NOW! #1. They are designed to be new reader friendly and are perfect jumping on points :)

If you want to go back further, I would highly suggest you subscribe to Marvel Comics Unlimited, which is the Netflix of Marvel comics (including access to over 13,000 issues and all brand new comics from 6 months ago). It is an amazing tool you can use to catch up all the cool stories from the past to the present.

If you go that route, you cannot beat New Avengers #1 by Brian Michael Bendis. It is a solid starting point and will usher you through all of the most important storylines that dominated the era (Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, Siege, etc.).

If you prefer X-Men... Well, I'd honestly start with Morrison's run on New X-Men (#114). From there, head into both Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men and M-Day event. From there, things get a bit more complicated but by then you will be an experienced comic reader and will be able to meander through the various cross overs like a pro :)

Yeah i was thinking of reading the new avengers but should i start with avengers disassembled first? I read something about them being linked?(new avengers)

Disassembled is the capstone to the old Avengers and tells you why the team was sundered. The New Avengers (By Brian Michael Bendis) starts a brand new story several months in the future where the team is re-founded by a new group of individuals (some of whom were only tangentially related to the Avengers previously). Disassembled is not required reading but it does give you a bit of context. There's no harm in reading it.

@cam12399: well if you like Hulk a we are only a few issues into a new HULK series just called "HULK" so far I love it, and now a new series called Savage Hulk is about to start so if you like Old Green Skin this is a great time to get to know him as those series are just starting.

Read the big events in Marvel then transition outwards. I read AVX then went on to finish avengers academy and im reading all new xmen now