Where do I start with western comic books? The greeks?

Honestly, there aren't really that many "classics" that almost everyone will agree on, aside from Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Killing Joke, and Hellboy. Most English speaking comic book fans just eat up the raw sewage that capes are, until they puke and never look back. Alternatively, they are hipsters that fail to notice how recycled over and over Walking Dead is or have so little exposure to arts that they think that Saga is good.
I will recommend what I think is good and worthwhile. Most of Art Snobs jizz themselves over Persepolis and Blankets, which just aren't good, and MAUS, which you would roll eyes at after either exposure to a handful of decently written books/plays/films, having above average knowledge of WW2's history, or becoming familiar with the author and his body of work. All three have shitty, too.

Watchmen - drama/capes/mistery
There used to be street level superhero teams, but got disbanded. Years later (in 1980s) someone assassinates one of them, which leads to another former heroes to start his own investigation. Other heroes and their lives and problems are revisited. Series is also a commentary/deconstruction on capes from 80s and earlier.
Art: Very good - old school and realistic. Colors are not as nice as in some of the more recent stuff, but that's due to limitations back in the day.

Sandman - horror/dark fantasy
God of dreams, Morpheus, gets caught and then released centuries later. During his imprisonment he lost portion of his power, his domain fell into ruin, and he reevaluated his past life. Morpheus decides to regain his past power but also to become a better being and make some amends. He also has a few enemies to deal with along the way. Book does get a bit surreal at times.
Art: no consistent artists, but good for the most part. A little messy and old school, but obviously done by skilled people.

Hellboy - horror/dark fantasy/adventure
Hellboy is a demon that was raised by soldiers, scientists, and personnel working at various military bases and federal agency (B.P.R.D.) established to deal with supernatural problems. He becomes an agent himself and we meet him once he is a grizzled and established paranormal investigator. It has some comedy too.
Art: simple but unique and well though out, lots of light/shadow contrast. Can be tough to read without colors.

B.P.R.D. - horror/dark fantasy/adventure
Spin off of Hellboy, focuses on other not quite human special agents and missions the embark on. A little bit less bad-assery but more camradery and weirdness. Abe Sapien focuses on just one of the agents from the team. Witch Finder and Lobster Johnson are another spinoffs, sort of prequels to whole Hellboy universe.
Art: more complex and nuanced than that Hellboy, but they don't clash or anything. I like the way B.P.R.D. is drawn more than Hellboy is.

2nd part of my post. It got much longer than i expected.

Thorgal - action/adventure/fantasy/scifi
Capsule with alien child (no superpowers) crashes on Earth and is found and then raised by vikings. He goes on many adventures to explore his past, fight to prove his place among vikings, save his family, and face various monsters and gods. He is kind of like a Conan if he was a monogamous and stand up guy.
Art: pretty good at first, gets better as it goes on. More realistic than an average comic.

Chew - comedy/action/adventure
FDA agent who has a gift of seeing past of anything he eats, decides to use it to solve murders. His supervisors eventually send him to deal with more and more difficult and bizarre cases. There are few other people with interesting superpowers related to food and eating as well that we get to meet.
Art: very good, cartoonish without getting too goofy or simplistic.

American Vampire - horror/historical fiction?
It follows a new American vampire bloodline and how it developed throughout American history. Each arc follows different characters and is set up in different time period.
Art: starts out as simplistic, but gets better as series goes on. Nothing horrible, but not great either.

Atomic Robo - adventure/comedy/scifi
Robot made by Tesla and saves the world from crazy scientists, supernatural threats, monsters, etc . Series is mostly made of standalone arcs, that follow Atomic Robo's adventures throughout the years. Comics are pretty much straight up adventure and comedy, with no pointless drama.
Art:pretty damn good and consistent. It is cartoony, bright colorful, but backgrounds can be a little lacking sometimes

Fables - urban fantasy
Big Bad Wold is reformed, has a human body, and now works as a sheriff for a community of fable characters that emigrated to New York and try to blend in with modern society. Living in American society for centuries made a mark on characters, with many villains being reformed and some heroes becoming more decadent. Series starts out as a crime mystery but then slowly turns into more of an urban fantasy.
Art: Artists changed throughout series. Starts ok, goes to shit for a bit, and then is decent for the most part, with few volumes being gorgeous.

Having basic knowledge of capes you can get by reading wikis should be plenty enough. There is very few cape stories that are truly worth reading. Besides, references are mostly a cheap in jokes anyway and there aren't many at all.
If you read Watchmen, know that uncle Ben dies, what Spidey-Sense is, that Batman and Robin'used to be goofy but now are more serious, Superman used to be kind of dick that in silver age, Iron Man and Ant-Man had drinking problems, with the former one battering his wife once, Flash is OP, Stan Lee stole credit for most of his creations, and writer Brian Bendis is a Jew who desperately wants to be a black, you are covered.

I am tired of writing now, so I will leave rest to others. There is plenty other good comics that I haven't listed.

Thanks m8.

Read the original run of Power Pack. If one of the characters they meet or plots they involve themselves in seems interesting to you, pick up their series.

For specific characters, you should check out comraderecs.

My person favorites for just good comics would probably be

After Eugene 'Flash' Thompson, Spider-Man's highschool bully, lost his legs in iraq, he got a second chance after the government gave him the Venom symbiote. The series covers him going on different covert missions at first before delving into a deeper plot. It's pretty much perfect if you skip circle of four and stop reading after the writer change.

Pretty much the reason I like peeg.

It's about the new Sinister Six, made up of Boomerang, Speed Demon, Beetle, Shocker, and Overdrive, although it's more about Boomerang than the others. It's pretty much a comedy book, hijinx ensue and it has nothing to do with SSM.

Meh, though comics get called "the ninth art", I should think sequential art evolved shortly after painting, in the stone age. Speech balloons followed later, though. As writing hadn't been invented then. Neither had speech. British comics documentaries always say The Dandy was the first British comic with speech balloons, in 1937. Even though they can be clearly seen on 17th century political cartoons about (among other things) The French Revolution.
To say nothing of the first (full) English edition of the bible, with Henry VIII handing out copies from a throne, and people below saying "Vivat Rex" in speech 'scrolls'.
Anyway, sticking with medieval times, Icon / reliquiary cabinets, or "folding screens" and decorative features in churches, had tryptiches on them, which were 3 paintings telling a story.
Later there were series paintings, such as A Rake's Progress.
Spain, apparently particularly around Catalonia, had broadsheet moral instruction pictures called Auca in the early-mid 19th century, which had a series of pictures with verse underneath, presenting the results of a life of sin against a life of virtue. I've also seen an American one, which was in 'colour'(ish), though most of the rest of the prototypical comics in the west at that time were text-heavy "penny dreadfuls" or "dime novels".

Crap, I made a lot of typos in those two posts. I checked this one handful of times, so it should be better.

You’re welcome.

Since there were very few other recommendations, I guess I will write more. People probably are not that eager to comment, since we have at least one recommendation thread every two weeks or so.

Maybe recommendations sticky would be a good idea? When someone comes across something good, they would just pop in and add it to the list.

Locke and Key - Adventure/Horror
After father gets murdered, mother and kids move across country to his old family house. There is a handful of magical keys hid in it, which produce many different effects once they are put in the right lock. House also has a demon trapped on the property, who wants to use keys for its own nefarious purposes, while kids are trying to prevent that.
Art: Very good and there is not a single undetailed, rushed, or lazy panel in the book. Few people tend to really dislike it, for some reason

Blacksad – Noir(ish)
Story follows an anthropomorphous back cat who works as a detective in 1950s America full of anthropomorphous animals. Story itself is pretty good, aside from two kind of preachy ones that can be summed up in “racism is bad” and “red scare went overboard.”
Art: Some of the best art put on pages of a comic in history. It is just absolutely outstanding, and probably bigger selling point than writing. Coloring is especially great.

Baltimore – Horror/Adventure
WW1 ended, Europe is swept by an epidemic, and overrun by vampires. Lord Baltimore gathers some men and embarks on a journey to have a revenge on a prominent vampire, and to clean up the mess along the way. Throughout books we get to visit various places in Europe and crew deals with other horrors besides vampires.
Art: Pretty good, although at times can be tough to read due to coloring, uses shadows similarly to the way Mignola does in Hellboy. Colors are washed out and mostly grayish, unless it they are red and orange, which makes visions and violence stand out more and have bigger impact.

The Goon – crime/comedy/fantasy/horror
Series follows Goon and his friend Franky, who are just thugs trying to get by in a world somewhat similar to ours, but also full of zombies, necromancers, and other monsters. Usually, they end up doing something sketchy that ends in a brawl, or trying to fend off someone who is after them. It is full of humor, great action, and gets pretty violent.
Art: Very good, sort of a middle ground between cartoonish and “realistic.” It really shines during action sequences. Some issues are in black and white and some other ones in color.

Usagi Yojimbo – action/fantasy/history
It’s about adventures of a ronin rabbit wandering through land heavily inspired by feudal Japan, with some fantastical elements here and there. It is written extremely well – there is probably not a single bad issue. It is rather serious and can get brutal, but there is plenty of comedy in it too. Stories are mostly standalone, but there is a larger underlying plot there as well. If I would have to call one comic the best of all time, this would be the one.
Art: Absolutely excellent, and probably only book that comes close to it is Blacksad. Style is simple at first glance, but when you look closer there is a lot of detail to it. Not to mention impressive and massive battle sequences. It is in black and white, and resembles Japanese woodprints a little bit.

Aside from books that became critically acclaimed only due to their authors' agendas, there are two other ones that come to mind. Nikopol trilogy and Grant Morirson's Doom Patrol. Both books are surrealistic and strange, but they are also original and made well enough to stand above most of other artsy books.

I'm writing down all of these recommendations btw, thanks m'lads.

my nigga

What comics is the Question a conspiracy theorist? Are there any runs where he is similar to how he was in Justice League Unlimited?

Only the Justice League Unlimited comic books.

Yes, the Greeks can be a good starting point. I know the shared universe and a shit ton of lore and continuity can be scary at first, but just start with the Titans arc and move on from there.
There's also the Romans, but they're pretty much the Greeks-lite, at times downright stealing content from them and just changing the names. Still some original stuff though, and things that could be considered unofficial sequels to some Greek stuff.

If for whatever reason those aren't edgy enough for you, look into the Norse. I'd especially recommend Snorri Sturlaufson's work, shit's metal as fuck while still intelligently written.

Avoid the English stuff. Especially Bayeux. Just trust me on that one.

I am in disgust.

He has his own mini-series, I think it was six issues. I didn't see the end but it had a promising start.

He wasn't like in JLU but he had been cracking down on a new wave of crime in Metropolis.

In the first issue it's revealed that to hide from Superman's x-ray vision all the local organized crime had to change their tactics- and the Question goes where Superman wouldn't dare- into the private bedrooms and bathrooms of citizens.

Gangsters using pneumatic tubes to transport drugs from abandoned subway tunnels to bathrooms across Metropolis- a place Superman dare not look.

...

Sky Doll is that kind of book too.

Afterall, they originated this shit OP. You should atleast read the one that started off the whole craze, odds are you can find localized versions of it everywhere, and a bunch of the big publishers wound up ripping it off at one time or another just because it's that much of a classic.

Any more like this?

Written languages are for plebs who need shit explained to them. Beautiful art should just speak for itself.

If not for art, Maus is quite interesting and considered a classic.
Something with good art is the Incal and a lot of stories by Moebius.
if you want to read some cape related comics read one-shots. There is Joker by Azarell, The dark knight returns and such.

This time I will try to avoid horror comics and make it shorter.

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, The Legend of Luther Strode, The Legacy of Luther Strode - action
Luther, A nerdy high school lanklet, purchases an exercise program that will get him ripped in a week. Turns out that it works, and aside from putting on plenty of muscle, exercise program also made him inhumanly strong and much more durable, but also resulted in random bouts of rage and bloodlust. Initially, Luther uses his abilities to defend himself and his nerd buddy from bullies. Eventually, he attempts vigilantism, which attracts attention from an individual that has his own plans for Luther.
Art: On the cartoonish side, but very, very good. It does get very gory, so keep that in mind if you don’t like that kind of stuff. One of my favorite books when it comes to artistic side of things.

The Bone – comedy/fantasy
Three creatures that resemble bones end up in a medieval fantasy-like land. They end up befriending a local girl, and eventually get drawn into the local conflict. Story is a homage and a spoof of fantasy adventure.
Art: Simple, cartoony, and very good. It fits the light-heated tone of the book perfectly. Black and white versions of the book are my personal preference.

Nemesis the Warlock – science fiction
Books chronicle fight of an alien with fascist human government that wants to exterminate all alien life. It’ very entertaining, but to explain it further and do it justice I would have to write whole paragraphs. It’s just something you have to read.
Art: Very good, fits the book like a glove, although at rare occasions can be a bit tough to read in black and white. It does get pretty surreal and crazy but that’s only a plus.

Y the Last Man – science fiction/post-apocalyptic/adventure/drama
One day, all male mammals on Earth die. Only exceptions are Yorick, his pet monkey, and an astronaut that is in space. Whole world goes to hell for a good while, and as a part of the efforts to restore natural order, Yorick is taken on a trip across the U.S. to reach cloning expert. Yorick is accompanied by government agent, and during their travels they cross paths with many groups that want to either murder or capture Yorick for their own purposes.
Art: Series goes through multiple different pencillers, but art remains simple and adequate. Nothing great, but it serves story well enough and never gets horrible. More detail and better coloring would help the book a lot.

Human Target – espionage/action
Main character is a master of disguise and expert combatant. He offers his services as a decoy and”assassin trap” to people fearing attempts on their lives. Series has multiple arcs, during which you get to see main character dealing with danger linked to his profession, job’s physical and mental consequences, as well as trying to retain and re-establish his own identity.
Art: Much like in Y, artists change as the book goes on. It is pretty good, but not exceptional and colors are a bit flat. It works well for the story, action is drawn well, and it tends to be on the “simpler” side, which I believe was a throwback to older comics from which character of Human Target originated.

Violence and Strife is the only language a true man needs!

Not him, but what are some must-read fantasy comics?

Thorgal, Bone, Usagi Yojimbo, Sandman, and Hellboy/B.P.R.D. were already mentioned. Other than that, there are DC's Books of Magic and there was a Dungeons and Dragons comic, which wasn't bad if you don't mind Wheadon-esque writing. Dark Horse had a very good comic titled Fafhrd And The Gray Mouser written by Mignola, but curiously enough, I rarely see it mentioned.

When I was a teenager I used to enjoy Elf Quest and Sojourn, but I haven't touched those in over a decade.

Orc Stain is pretty good, although definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

Does OP also want to read webcomics?

The Dark Tower, based on Stepehen King's books, has fantasy elements mixed with western and is a solid series. I actually like it more than novels

Ekho – fantasy/adventure
Female college student inherits a talent agency in a “mirror” universe, and while being taken away over there a random bystander ends up taken along by accident. Mirror universe is our world, but run by small, crafty creatures called Preshauns, and with electricity-based tech not working and replaced with beasts and a little bit of magic. While there, it also turns out that our protagonist is a medium. Each book consists of adventures that result from running the talent agency and main character being possessed by ghosts than need help with unfinished business before moving on.
It’s just a silly adventure book at its core.
Art: Absolutely gorgeous. Insane amounts of detail, lively colors, and lots of motion. If you like pretty drawings, you will love it. Every volume has some top notch cheesecake too.

Fear Agent – science fiction
Former special agent stumbles upon an alien conspiracy to genocide humanity and tries to stop it. Comic is full of crazy science fiction adventures, great action, and some humor. It draws a lot of inspiration from old science fiction pulp magazines and radio serials.
Art: Pretty good. It is a middle ground between what you might see in MAD magazine and realistic.

The Sixth Gun – weird west
Story takes place in post-civil war America, but with supernatural and horror elements added in. Main character is Becky, who inherited a magic gun granting visions of past and future from her father. Second main character is Drake, who is looking for Becky and her father.
Art: A bit simple and sort of web-comicy, but it fits the story and is by no means bad. Although once in a while you will happen across a panel that looks goofy.

Lucifer – fantasy
It’s a spinoff of The Sandman, in which Lucifer gets bored of his existence. He decides to rebel against order of things once again, abandons Hell, and settles on the Earth deciding to remain neutral in Heaven vs. Hell spats. Eventually, Lucifer is convinced to help Heaven out with one endeavor in exchange for “reward of his own choosing.” Lucifer’s chosen rewards ends up starting a string of events that attract unwanted attention and threaten balance between forces of Heaven and Hell. It is one of the best written comics in last decade or so.
Art: Varies. It is on realistic side and competent for the most part, but can get a bit too simple at some points. Not bad, but not great either.

Umbrella Academy – adventure
43 children with supernatural abilities get born at the same time to women who show no signs of pregnancy. 7 survive and are then adopted by wealthy scientist and adventurer (who might or might not be an alien), who raises them to be a superhero team that he believes will stop Armageddon someday. After one of the kids dies team falls apart. After their adoptive father dies, team is forced to reunite due to strange events. Story takes place in late 70s in universe similar to ours, but with intelligent chimpanzees living along with humans, super science being possible, and Kennedy not being assassinated. Comic gets pretty wacky and crazy, so it is probably not for everybody.
Art: Art is somewhat similar to Mignola’s, but more rough around the edges, bit simplified, and with less reliance on shadows. 1st volume has a handful of simplistic art, but it is pretty good overall. 2nd volume is much better.

The time travel cowboy arc was crazy refreshing, what with Robo dying, but everything after that is like eating dried out birthday cake.
There could've been some interesting outcomes with the massive biomega island, but no, there just happens to be an abandoned Nazi orbital weapon platform powerful enough to kill the damned thing.
Sure, it makes sense, considering all the wacky tech, but it was just so dull. Maybe I got sick of it due to marathoning all of it, but while the tech gets more advanced, nothing really changes, storywise.

It seems like creators are either running out of ideas or don't have time to evaluate and polish ones they have. Atomic Robo should either end while it is still good, or creators need to take a break and come back fresh.