For beginners even looking to play on an electric, I recommend starting with an acoustic. It's harder because the frets are spaced further apart, but it will teach you good fundamentals and stretch your fingers out for more advanced playing later. Start with one with Nylon strings, especially if you haven't played a guitar-like instrument before. Steel strings will shred your finders on an acoustic should you got that route.
If you want to skip that step entirely, then Stratocastors are excellent beginner level guitars. There sound is extremely adaptable and can handle some pretty heavy stuff as far as metal is concerned, but their stock neck pickups can give you a nice, bluesy feeling as well. I used a St. Blues Stratocaster (same guitar build, different company), and it got me through a good three years of playing and learning, so they should last you a while. Later I moved on to a ESP M100-FM because it came with a Floyd-Rose tremolo system, but you don't have to worry about that now. Just worry about finding a guitar that's comfortable and fun to play.
As far as amplifiers are concerned, anything simple by Fender is the way to go. You won't need ones with multiple Amplifier Models, Effects, or Drum Loops for a while, and having an amp like that will just frustrate you when you don't know what you're doing. Just find one with a simple Distortion/Clean setting, and you'll be set.
