Graphic Novel Recommendations?

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neist
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Graphic Novel Recommendations?

Post by neist »

I've been trying to slow down on my video game spending and throw it into other vices. Not the greatest plan in the world, I admit, but I'm trying to diversify. For a long while I've wanted to start collecting graphic novels. Now, I don't mean trade paperbacks, I mean actual graphic novels. Books that have really no tie in with current comic book series.

I was taking a long walk today and noticed a comic book shop about a mile away from my house that I'd never seen before. Turns out that it has more graphic novels than any place I've seen on the planet. I'd dare say it's in the top 10 best shops in the US for graphic novels. They have hundreds if not thousands of different books. And about three times that many trade paperbacks.

Anywho, anyone have any decent recommendations? I really have no direction or insight into them, so any suggestion would be fine. Chances are this store has a copy in stock.

Thanks in advance.
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Post by barmskii »

If you like your zombie flicks I can heartily recommend 'The Walking Dead'. It is nicely drawn and extremely well written.

Kinda like reading a Romero film!
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Post by Momijitsuki »

If you don't mind manga, I suggest Yotsuba&!. It's one of my favorites.
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Post by Mortificator »

Watchmen and Maus seem to be two of the most-regarded and most-recommended, so I'll recommend them too. I really enjoyed Watchmen. Maus, not really, but it's about the Holocaust, so I'm not sure you're supposed to.

I know you asked for books that aren't related to big-name superheros, but Marvels, Batman: Year One & The Dark Knight Returns are amazing.
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Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

After reading Stephen King's Dark Tower book, I wondered how it would fare as a comic book or a graphic novel. Fast forward to a few years back...there was great interest in producing a limited run comic book series of the Dark Tower. And with Mr. King's blessing, it became a reality. ^_~

A little while later, a hardcover version of The Dark Tower was released. I bought it and was quite pleased with it. Such lavish artwork to behold indeed that accompanies the story. ^_~

The graphic novel of "Hard Boiled" with such stylized violent crashes of people crashing through windshields and bodies strewn everywhere...it could only come from the creative mind of Frank Miller with crazy & super detailed artwork by Geoff Darrow. ^_~

Aeon Flux: The Herodotus File is another cool graphic novel worth checking out from Peter Chung. It recieved a 2nd printing in soft cover version. The original version has a real dossier file setup. Only if MTV went with the cool animated version of Aeon Flux instead of the live-action flick mess with Charlie Theron. The original Aeon Flux animation series (circa 1991) was ahead of it's time.

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Post by sjewkestheloon »

Again if you like manga, I'd recommend Osamu Tetsuka's Ode to Kirihito. Highly enjoyable and a little obscene in a good way.

I know they are trades but I would also highly recommend pretty much any of the 2000AD GNs.
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Post by BulletMagnet »

I don't think anyone's mentioned Persepolis, about growing up during the Iranian revolution - they recently made a movie version of it.
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Post by Bootaaay »

I'll chuck in reccomendations for Preacher (probably the best graphic novel series i've read), The Sandman (brilliantly written & illustrated), Transmetropolitan (hugely enjoyable) & 100 Bullets (amazing on-going series).
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Post by kengou »

I've only read a few that aren't manga. Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, and the Star Wars Dark Empire Trilogy. I really enjoyed all of them, but you clearly have to be a star wars nut to love those books. Watchmen was really brilliant, and Dark Knight Returns was also very enjoyable and puts a very dark spin on Batman.
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Post by Acid King »

I'd suggest Torso. It's a "true crime" graphic novel set in the 1930's about a serial killer chopping up homeless people..
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Post by DC906270 »

most "graphic novels" will be collections of stuff prev released as single comics, at least american ones. someone mentioned the walking dead, that is an example of what im talking about. even watchmen was released as single comics. so, it is not so easy to say what is or is not a pure "graphic novel", however i will recommend Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, which is a story released over several volumes (though even this was originally released over a period of time in an episodic format, i believe).
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Post by CStarFlare »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:A little while later, a hardcover version of The Dark Tower was released. I bought it and was quite pleased with it. Such lavish artwork to behold indeed that accompanies the story. ^_~
There's at least two. I grabbed them with some Christmas cash, but haven't gotten around to reading them yet. Good to heard that they live up to expectations.
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Post by maxlords »

Yeah, there aren't very many graphic novels that aren't just collections of individual issues. I can recommend a ton of series that have been released in graphic novel format, but not really any that are ONLY graphic novels.
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Post by neist »

maxlords wrote:Yeah, there aren't very many graphic novels that aren't just collections of individual issues. I can recommend a ton of series that have been released in graphic novel format, but not really any that are ONLY graphic novels.
And thats mostly what I'm looking for. This store has an entire shelf of books just like that. I didn't know most of them existed. A lot of them look like projects that indie artists may have been involved with. You know, the over-the-top, crazy stylized art that everyone is trying to pull off these days.

I'm not entirely against bound series, but it would have to be a series that borders more on literature rather than entertainment. The Watchmen is a good example of that. Maus, too. Back when I was a freshmen in college I was working at a library and that book popped up. Interesting stuff.

Thanks again for the recommendations everyone. Sometime this next week I'll take a list over there and see what they have. Persepolis and Torso look pretty interesting. I also stumbled across something called Mouse Guard that looks pretty neat.

Edit: Dug around on wiki, and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aw ... hic_novels

I may have to dig around through there a bit.
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Post by maxlords »

Ok, well, all ya REALLY need are GOOD books then. It won't matter whether it's a compilation or a stand-alone...you just want literature-quality material. That's a whole different request :D

Here are a couple of suggestions. Not all of them are in print or cheap or easy to get though:

V For Vendetta by Alan Moore - Like the movie but much better.

Miracleman by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman Issues are cheaper than the GNs...up to $300 a copy for Vol. 3 - Easily my favorite comic series of all time. Superhero book...but it's a lot more, a lot darker too.

War Story by Garth Ennis - modern war comics about WWII

Stardust by Neil Gaiman...novel with art by Charles Vess...much better than the movie

Sandman by Neil Gaiman - Gaiman's magnum opus...follows the Sandman through various adventures...very experimental and well thought out.

Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz - Spendy...but not as much as MM - post nuclear war New York where dinosaurs have come back. Awesome storytelling, and astonishing art....all done by Schultz.

Bone by Jeff Smith It looks silly but you'll be surprised

Give Me Liberty by Frank Miller - IMO Miller's best work...better than Dark Knight Returns or Year One even but a LOT different - "Future" of America storyline following a girl named Martha Washington.

Top Ten by Alan Moore - Book about a police precinct in a world where EVERYONE has superpowers....

Cerebus by Dave Sim - VERY long but once it gets going it's amazing - follows Cerebus the Aardvark through his ENTIRE life to his death...ran a full 300 issues to do so. The series was planned in advance to be a full story of Cerebus's life in 300 issues culminating in his death...very impressive.

Astro City by Kurt Busiek - A whole different book about a city full of superheroes....very dark.

Black Kiss by Howard Chaykin - quite messed up....if you're conservative, don't bother.

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis - sophmoric humor that covers over a very well-thought out series about a journalist of the future being forced to make good on his book deal...and creating a massive shitstorm or two through the media in the process.

Lone Wolf and Cub - Amazing manga in feudal Japan about the shogun's disgraced executioner, Ogami Itto who has become an assassin along with his 3 year old son Daigoro. REALLY REALLY good... 28 volumes at about 300 pages each, but a MUCH more accessible read than most mangas. Also, half of em have no text...it's barely necessary.

Rising Stars by J. Michael Straczynski - a comet hits a small town and every child in utero is born with super powers....and the effect it has on the US. Amazing story...very solid and well written.

Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski - Antoher awesome series...shorter though about a man who falls through the cracks in reality...

The Invisibles by Grant Morrison - A group of people invisible to society waging a secret war...odd but good.

Animal Man by Grant Morrison - Morrison did the Vertigo revamp of Animal Man....#1-28 or 30 or something...and they're REALLY amazing. After that the series isn't nearly as good but his run is PHENOMENAL. If you like it...his run on X-Men a few years back is almost as good (but far more mainstream).

Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore - Unique book about a girl and the girl she has a crush on and the BS that happens to em. Trust me...it's good.

Thieves and Kings - Odd super-indy book from Mark Oak (tiny print runs...all self published) - Amazing B&W book that follows a young thief in a fantasy setting....comic is part art part story and the telling shifts from one to the other. It's hard to explain and hard to follow but it's defintely neat.

Fax from Sarajevo by Joe Kubert - Absolutely astonishing true story of a comic writer in Sarajevo during the war...he faxed his story to Kubert as things were happening... very hard read emotionally.

Anything by Will Eisner. The man was a genius and will be missed. I'm a huge fan of The Spirit....just ignore that sad sacreligious movie that Miller just cranked oout though. The original Spirit comics from the 40s are ASTONISHING for their time. And Eisner's stand-alone works are unparalleled studies of humanity.

Those are a few off the top of my head. I like some of the superhero books too, but they're MOSTLY a lot less artistic and literary. There are some exceptions, but not a ton. I can recommend some of those as well if you like any of the above...would give me an idea of what else to recommend :D I checked out that link...a fair bit of the stuff I recommended above is in there ;)
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Post by evil_ash_xero »

Hrmm...well, most of the best ones(and most in general) are series that have collected into trades. Now, you really don't have to read the series to enjoy them, or anything.

A few of the must haves: Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Sandman, Akira, Preacher, V For Vendetta, Daredevil: Born Again, and Miracleman(Alan Moore's run...must be downloaded).

There's lots of other cool stuff like Batman: The Long Halloween, Torso, Animal Man(Grant Morrison's run), Bone, Hitman, Swamp Thing(Alan Moore's run), Fortune And Glory, and DC: The New Frontier.

s/m
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Post by Skykid »

Aliens Omnibus: Vol 1.

Tis great. 8)
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Post by maxlords »

What's in the omnibus anyway? I'd recommend some Aliens comics to anyone who's a fan, but not all the Aliens stuff is good.

Better Aliens books:
Aliens (6 issue B&W)
Aliens (4 issue color)
Aliens: Earth War (4 issues)
Aliens: Genocide (4 issues)
Aliens: Earth Angel
Batman Vs. Aliens (kinda fun but silly)
Aliens Vs. Predator (the original 4 issue minseries)
Aliens: Tribes (HC novel w/art in comic format...awesome)
There are a few other Aliens comics that are pretty good too.

The Predator stuff is much inferior IMO, as are the Terminator comics...I'd avoid both to be honest. There's only a couple of Predator Minseries worth bothering with at all:

Predator (4 issue original series)
Predator: Hell and High Water (4 issues...written by Mark Schultz)
Batman Vs. Predator (the first series)

I would however recommend the Thing From Another World comics which continue the story of MacReady from the movie...and are REALLY awesome to boot:

The Thing From Another World (2 issues)
The Thing From Another World: Climate of Fear (4 issues)
The Thing From Another World: Eternal Vows (4 issues)

Eternal Vows is probably the weakest series of the three. Still a good read though. I'm a huge Thing fan :D
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Post by TripleA »

Yeah the Aliens Comics are really really cool. Its more an Art Comic ^^ But nobody knows the Okami Books? Really great Stuff :D

Lady Death 2 (Dont know what for a Year but in Germany it comes 1998 or 97 ^^ I have the Chrome Cover Edition but the Story and painting is really great!

Vampirella! I have read only the second Comic and had from Splitter the Variant Cover Edition (I mean this cool Glowing Covers

The Crow (Illustraded Book or so), LOBO xD i love this Guy so ^^ Lobo the Duck really great Parody :D, Lobo vs Wolverin in the DC Crossover Coll. I hate the End its Impossible! :P, Lobo vs. Judge Dredd (Funny and nice Paintings and a lil bit Violence ^^), Lobo Comics 1 to 20 are really great the Stuff after is for me Unknown i know only the Death and Tex Special and the Lobo vs The Mask ^^ And the first "book". The the Summer Sex Special :D The Alien have an short "Fight" with Lobo ^^

The Street Fighter II Comics dont know who Released it i have 3 of 4 Issues of this Comics. I think the Original is an Manga i have it Colored. The Releaser was Bastai O.o Only the third Issue is missing :(

Leatherface Comics dont know how you can get it.That Comics are absolutely rare BUT to great illustrated :D And yes its Leatherface from TCM ;)
Some Mangas ^^

Battle Angel Alita
Evangelion NERV
DragonBall but the later Mangas the first Mangas have an older Painting style without much details ^^
Record of Loddoss War

Some other Comics

Sin City ...
300 ...
Evil Ernie
Chasity
Faust!
Satanica!
Death Bringer (UUUUH Glen you OWN) :D
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Post by Observer »

The only one I can remember is "Legion" by Salvador Sanz.

http://store.idwpublishing.com/product_ ... ts_id=1057

It is an argentinean graphic novel that was later released in english.

You can check some preview images here:

http://www.editorialivrea.com/ARG/comics_legion.htm (the argentinean publishing house that did the original release)

Now, this thing is quite shocking, depressing, awesome and heavily inspired by H.R. Giger and such. The story can get a bit disjointed at times but the artwork is what I catalogued as "fucking awesome".

The Legion guys are incredibly detailed and creepy. Just click on the cover of the second link to see what I mean.
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Post by Acid King »

maxlords wrote:
Rising Stars by J. Michael Straczynski - a comet hits a small town and every child in utero is born with super powers....and the effect it has on the US. Amazing story...very solid and well written.
I haven't read Rising Stars, but I think Supreme Power is pretty good, though I've only read the first two collections. I'll have to check out Cerberus. On a side note, I was watching an episode of the old Ghostbusters cartoon (The Real Ghostbusters) and the episode was written by J Michael Straczynski. Strange to think about, considering I was probably only 5 or 6 when I first saw that episode.
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Post by maxlords »

Supreme Power was great.....until they cancelled the series in mid-run. Rising Stars is a bit better...and it's finished. 28 issues total.

J. Michael Straczynski is probably best known as the creator and main writer of Babylon 5. He's done a lot of TV work as well, including episodes of Ghostbusters, Twilight Zone, and He-Man. Now he's writing movies and comics...notably a large recent run of Amazing Spider-Man (which was probably the best Spidey ever) and Fantastic Four, and is also currently writing Thor. He's a pretty prolific guy....and a really great writer. He's in his 60s now...
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Post by CMoon »

Wow, sorry, blew off this topic assuming it was crap, then saw it started with Moore, Spiegelman and Tezuka.

I'll be insane by first suggesting a comic about comics, namely 'Understanding comics' by Scott McCloud. It's a graphic novel about graphic novels and really AWESOME STUFF. If you ever wanted to think about why comics work the way they do and how they stand as an individual media different from books and film...well, this is the book.

As far as Tezuka, been a huge fan for sometime. Highly recommend his Phoenix series (that's actually where I started). Specifically volume 2 & 4 are where you should immediately head (they aren't sequential, and can be read in any order.) Most of Tezuka's work is amazing but unfortunately it isn't all available in English, including really important works like Jungle Emperor Leo. Nonetheless, Vertical and others have been working hard to get Tezuka in print, including great works like MW and the 3 book Dororo series.

Here's another recommendation: How 'bout Shaun Tan's 'The Arrival'. I'm pushing the borders here on what people are expecting from graphic novels, but this is an amazing work that uses no words, but instead makes a complete use of the visible medium (including delving into surrealism) to explore the range of thoughts involving immigration. Fear and alienation are explored in depth, while also being a nice heartwarming story.
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Post by BryanM »

Without reading Invincible, your life is incomplete.

I know it is common to brush off such statements as hyperbole. Yet, that's what everyone told you about that Firefly show, and they were right, after all.
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Post by maxlords »

CMoon wrote:I'll be insane by first suggesting a comic about comics, namely 'Understanding Comics' by Scott McCloud. It's a graphic novel about graphic novels and really AWESOME STUFF. If you ever wanted to think about why comics work the way they do and how they stand as an individual media different from books and film...well, this is the book.
An excellent recommendation. I've lent that one to people that don't even read comics...and afterwards they start. It's really really impressive, but does tend to read a bit like a textbook in some parts. Still an essential read, along with Eisner's 'Comics and Sequential Art'. Similar to Understanding Comics but a little less lighthearted.
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Post by BulletMagnet »

CMoon wrote:I'll be insane by first suggesting a comic about comics, namely 'Understanding comics' by Scott McCloud.
I'll toss up another recommendation there - the follow-up, "Reinventing Comics," is pretty good too.
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Post by power UP »

My alltime fav:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/fra ... brusel.htm
It is not very cheap though :oops:
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