Rokuez,

Starting out with a DE is a good idea. It lets you get down some important aspects of wet shaving -- prep, lathering, understanding the direction of your beard growth.

Merkurs have a good reputation, but I thought I'd put in a word for vintage Gillettes. The Superspeed DE is a great razor, and you could get one in nice shape for under $10 on eBay.

I haven't used the slant bar myself, but it seems like it takes experienced DE users some time to get the hang of. I'd suggest starting with something a little easier to handle, like the Merkur HD or a Gillette.

Creams and soaps are both good, but there are differences. The only cream I've used is Proraso, which is available at Target in the spa section. It's great stuff. My favorite soap is Colleen's soap, which is sold over in the vendors forum. Wonderful scents and a really nice lather.

Good luck,
Josh