Best method for moving a character?

I am about to start learning how to program games in VB and need to be pointed in the best direction to do the following:

Move a chracter on the screen with different frames as he walks and does other movements (Jump, punch, etc.)

Detect collision with another character on the screen and tell what position each of them are in at the time of collision.

I do not need to scroll the background and I do not want the characters to flash as the frames change. Where do you suggest I begin with this?

Is there a game engine already written to use in VB6 to do this? If not, that would be awsome for 2D games!

Thanks!

Try Fox's animation tutorial:

http://orion.spaceports.com/~mccloud/