Before they conquered theaters, Marvel was responsible for some of the greatest comics ever made and building amazing characters who have stood the test of time. There are plenty of great Marvel comics for new fans to start with, but making the transition from screen to page can be difficult for younger fans.
Silver Age comics are hard to get into to begin with and modern comics have a tendency to be a bit too edgy for young fans, but that doesn't mean Marvel has nothing out there for them. The last 40 years of Marvel history have produced plenty of great kid-friendly comics.
10 Avengers Forever Is Full Of Madcap Avengers Craziness
Avengers Forever, by writers Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern and artist Carlos Pacheco, is a doozy of a story meant to clean up years of Avengers continuity while starring a team of Avengers from throughout time. That might not seem like something kids would be into, but Busiek and Stern do a great job of explaining everything while delivering an action packed romp. Avengers Forever is full of the kind of stuff that kids are getting from the MCU, but dialed up to eleven. Avengers Forever will make anyone a fan of the comic team.
9 1998's The Inhumans Maxi-Series Is The Inhumans Done Right
The Inhumans never really got a chance to shine on TV or in the movies, but there have been some great Inhumans comics. The Inhumans, by writer Paul Jenkins and artist Jae Lee, highlights the power struggle that is central to the Inhumans, as Attilan is beset by foes.
The book is heavy on characterization, drama, and intrigue while light on violence. One entire issue is told from Lockjaw's perspective. The Inhumans perfect for a smart kid who wants more than the simplistic MCU fare.
8 Earth X Will Imbue Kids With A Love Of Marvel History
Earth X is Marvel's answer to Kingdom Come, dreamed up by Alex Ross. Written by Jim Krueger with art by the late great John Paul Leon, Earth X takes place in a Marvel future where everyone has powers. The heroes of the past struggle with their place in the world as two threats test this new Earth.
Earth X is full of amazing world building while also explaining the history of everything in the book. Although the book can be a bit dark, it's no more so than a Disney movie. Earth X is not only a great story but also a comic history lesson.
7 Ultimate Spider-Man: Power And Responsibility Is A Great Introduction To Spider-Man
The Ultimate Universe was Marvel's way of trying to get new readers in the 2000s. While not every Ultimate Universe book is kid friendly, Ultimate Spider-Man: Power And Responsibility, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley, is perfect for younger readers.
A modern retelling of Spider-Man's origin, Power And Responsibility stars a young Peter Parker without the years of baggage and misery the 616 version has. Bendis and Bagley are an amazing Spider-Man team and this book proves why. Power And Responsibility lays out his origin and relationships and is full Bendis' snappy dialogue and Bagley's kinetic, detailed art.
6 Captain America: Operation Rebirth Is Captain America At His Finest
The '90s weren't a good time for Cap, with him and his fellow Avengers losing the popularity battle to the X-Men and the newer, more extreme heroes of the day, but Captain America: Operation Rebirth, by writer Mark Waid and artist Ron Garney, takes a back to basics approach. Waid and Garney proved to be an amazing team. Waid understood Cap and Garney's pencils brought Waid's action packed scripts to life.
5 Walt Simonson's The Mighty Thor Ragnarok Saga Is Perfect For Kids
One of the great things about 80s comics is they were still judged by the Comics Code Authority. This meant the violence was pretty tame and there was no sex or cursing. A lot of comics from back then are perfect for younger readers. A great choice would be writer/artist Walt Simonson's Ragnarok saga from The Mighty Thor.
Seeing all of Asgard team up to try and stop Ragnarok from happening, The Mighty Thor has epic moments, massive battles, and makes the MCU Ragnarok look tame by comparison. Simonson's Thor is amazing and perfect for kids.
4 X-Men: Mutant Genesis Is An X-Men Epic
X-Men: Mutant Genesis, by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, is an amazing X-Men story, one that pits the iconic Blue Team against Magneto and his new servants the Acolytes. The story is thirty years old but like many older X-Men stories, it holds up well. Still under the Comics Code Authority, this book is no more violent than any MCU movie and made many '90s kids X-Men fans.
X-Men: Mutant Genesis is one of the greatest X-Men stories of all time and it's just a tour de force. It has the best X-Men team up against the team's most iconic villain, with Claremont and Lee giving it their all.
3 Ms. Marvel: No Normal Introduced One Of The Best Teens In Comics
Ms. Marvel is Marvel's premiere teen hero, a powerful yet wholesome heroine who has become a massive part of the Marvel Universe and is about to take the MCU by storm. It's time for kids to get in on the ground floor and that's Ms. Marvel: No Normal, by writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona. This is one of those stories that is basically a perfect origin story and it's wonderful.
Kamala Khan feels like a real teenager and she's a great character. Young readers will fall in love with her and her adventures are perfect for a kid to get into. She's made a massive name for herself in the comics, so she can be an in to the Marvel Universe for a young reader.
2 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Power Is A Great Story For Kids
Squirrel Girl is unbeatable and not just by villains. She's always been a super chipper, positive character. As the years have went on, fans warmed up to her and she got her own book. The first volume, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Power, by writer Ryan North and artist Erica Henderson, is the perfect book for a young reader to experience why Squirrel Girl is so great.
Following her to college, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl saw the titular heroine having great adventures with a new supporting cast. More of a humorous superhero romp than a straight superhero series, the book will stay with young readers and leave them begging for more.
1 Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur: BFF Has Been Popular With Kids For Years
Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur: BFF, by writers Amy Reeder & Brandon Montclare and artist Natacha Bustos, introduced readers to new Inhuman Lunella LaFayette, the smartest person in the world. When the Devil Dinosaur is transported from the prehistoric past to the present, Lunella gets a new friend in a world turned upside down by the Terrigen Mists.
Moon Girl's comics were long bestsellers with children. Lunella is a perfect young hero and her status as the smartest hero in the Marvel Universe means she earned the respect of her peers immediately. Teamed with Devil Dinosaur, one of the book's stated purposes was to get children interested in STEM subjects and Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur: BFF succeeds while being entertaining.
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