Definitely Fray. The first -- is it 6? -- issues are out already.

Good!

I'd go with the Sandman comics over Fray, myself. The Sandman grabbed me on a fairly complex and literary level, whereas I think Fray is like a mediocre episode of Buffy set in the future. When I was starting to read comics again, I also found myself drawn to anything by Alan Moore. My wife, who disdains most of the comics I read, really loves Moore's Promethea series on America's Best Comics. I liked the deconstruction of the superhero myth in The Watchmen.

Well, I didn't know if she wanted Jossverse or not.

Non-Jossverse: I'm a HUGE fan of Ultimate Spider-Man. And you can't go wrong with V for Vendetta.

I'd definitely recommend Sandman, though I'd suggest starting with "Preludes and Nocturnes" since it gives the backstory and introduces some major characters. I tried to start right in the middle and just got very muddled.

I'm sorry, Teppy; I wasn't meaning to be critical. Ignore me. I'm grouchy today.

I was trying to answer the question of what to read when getting back into comics, rather than what Jossverse comics should one read.

I was heading for Buffyverse as a way of reading comics without having to get into a new verse. But I'm open to suggestions.

With the Sandman, I started closer to the middle (A Game of You) and then went back to catch up, which I recommend to anyone who thinks exactly like me. Otherwise, Madrigal's right: start at the beginning.

I'm sorry, Teppy; I wasn't meaning to be critical. Ignore me. I'm grouchy today.

No apologies necessary, hayden -- I thought *I* was being short-sighted.

I was trying to answer the question of what to read when getting back into comics, rather than what Jossverse comics should one read.

Right on.

For context, I didn't read comics between the ages of 12 and 29, when my buddy convinced me that a) comics can be written for adults, and b) aging punk cred is the same thing as aging comic book guy cred: i.e. nothing but shades of the same geekiness.