First, welcome.
Second, lots of assumptions you are making that are common to all newbies, including myself some time ago when I decided as an adult to get back into the game after many years, and discovered that most of the assumptions are actually just that.

You can borrow and rent what you need for a few trips, to get an idea of what you're up against. Some of the gear is a personal decision - if you can sleep on an inch and a half of foam (I most emphatically could not!) the regular Thermarest self inflatables are fine. If you can't, there are other pads or mattresses to consider. But you won't know until you try one. Same with pretty much everything else.

Some gear you can go cheap on. Stoves, simple to make for very little money - visit zenstoves.net for a full run down. Or if you don't care, google the fancy feast stove (can of cat food plus hole punch equals nearly free stove that boils a liter of water) or look up the pocket rocket, the snow peak giga, or any of the $40-50 canister stoves. Don't bother yourself with the hype about stoves like the jetboil. You need something to boil water - it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive to do it.

Ziplocks and plastic spoons do the job for packaging food and eating it. Look over at trailcooking.com for great ideas for food you get at grocery stores and create just-add-water meals. No need to spend $10/meal on freeze dried junk that is full of sodium, preservatives and food substitute.

Get with a group. I know you said solo, but as a search and rescue volunteer, I can tell you that's not smart in the beginning. And you will get a lot of great info from hikers and backpackers who frequently go in your area, on places to go and the kinds of gear that are best for use there.

Always leave a detailed itinerary with someone, along with the number you want them to call in case you don't return home. Especially if you are determined to go by yourself. If no one knows where to start looking, they won't find you if something goes wrong. Newbies don't know all the things that can go wrong, and a large part of learning to go out in the wilderness is knowing the real risks and knowing how to reduce them. (No, animals aren't the number one issue. Worry more about things like your health and well being...)

Check the gear lists on the left hand side of the main page of this website.

Ignore brands, popularity, etc of items. Get pack, shoes, etc that fit YOU. Get measured and fitted for pack size. Get hiking shoes, not sneakers, and make sure there is enough room in the toe box.

If I were talking to myself some years back when I was buying my first round of gear - I would tell myself - get what works for you, try stuff on, stick with wool, spend all the money on the sleeping gear (sleep matters a WHOLE LOT more when you aren't getting it!), the foot gear, the pack and the shelter - cheap out on all the rest. Don't think you need to spend thousands. There is a ton of stuff available at outlets like Sierra Trading Post - clothes, stoves, bags, etc. even shoes once you figure out what your actual size should be.

And, if an item weighs more than a couple of pounds, think twice about other options. I know you want a pat answer, but you can save yourself a lot of money by being willing to do some research and find some options that neither break the bank or your back.

Gear reviews - backpackgeartest.org
Mark Verber's page - good stuff for newbies here. http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/backpack/index.html