SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic - What're Your Top Five Favorite Graphic Novels/Collections?

Posted: Dec 20 2010 05:00 pm

I'm talking more comic book graphic novels than comic strip (ie newspaper/webcomic compilations). Here's my list:

1. Love and Rockets: Maggie the Mechanic
2. Maus
3. Batman: The Long Halloween
4. The Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Kim Deitch)
5. A Contract with God (Eisner)

Anybody else?

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: Dec 20 2010 05:15 pm

Grasscutter for Usagi Yojimbo is fantastic.

I've also read Maus, it's...something else. Wow.

Wizard Joined: Jun 12 2009 Posts: 4209

Maus makes me cry.

I don't read a lot of graphic novels, though. It's hard to say.

Posted: Dec 21 2010 11:21 am

If you can read Maus and not feel horrible afterwards, you're some kind of robot*. It's one of the most heartwrenching stories that's ever been put in the medium, as far as I'm concerned.

(* no offense, Not Sure)

Posted: Dec 21 2010 07:16 pm

Maus was amazing i have the entire collection. Id hate to say it but watchman

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

why would you hate to admit that you like watchmen?

Posted: Dec 21 2010 07:48 pm

Yeah, Watchmen is tops for me. Not sure on the order, but my Top 5 would be..

1) Watchmen
2) From Hell
3-5?) Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come, Marvels

I admit I also have not read a huge amount of graphic novels. And although I prefer the Marvel Universe overall, I notice my list is dominated by DC.

If you haven't read From Hell, I'd strongly suggest it. I was surprised how much I got into it. Top 10 is another great series from Alan Moore, too.

Posted: Dec 21 2010 09:01 pm

FNJ wrote:

why would you hate to admit that you like watchmen?

Because i dont want to sound like im on a band wagon because of the movie, which i know several people who are. I did read it before i saw the movie however.

EDIT: Klimb i was looking into From Hell and it looks promising, maybe i should check it out with Kingdom Come.

Joined: May 22 2009 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 353

I have not read a ton a graphic novels but here are my favorite collections..

1. Sandman series by Neil Gaiman
2. Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
3. Preacher by Garth Ennis
4. Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis
5. Y the Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn

I highly recommend all of those.

Posted: Dec 25 2010 04:17 pm

I used to have a briefcase full of Spiderman Comics as a kid, they ranged from number 5 to the late 1980s where he tamed up with Silver Sable Paladin and Captain America to fight Red Skull. Had the Secret Wars issue where he got the black suit, a bunch of goofy team ups with like Cloak & Dagger and Starfox and one of the Captain Marvel and Daredevil (every other team up seems to have been Daredevil), and that black superhero that rode a rocket skateboard.

I ended up giving them all away to a kid for his birthday years ago, I hope he took care of them.

Posted: Dec 25 2010 04:43 pm

SnesGuy wrote:

Klimb i was looking into From Hell and it looks promising, maybe i should check it out with Kingdom Come.

From Hell may take a little getting use to because the art is not traditional "comic book" art, but it works really well with the subject matter. It took a little while to grow on me, but once it did I realized the style was perfect for that story. Plus, Alan Moore did so much research and includes a huge appendix at the end. You get a lot more out of the story. It's fun to read a chapter of the book, and then go back and read all his notes on it. Really helps you understand the story more. It's my favorite non-superhero graphic novel, for sure.

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

Spiderman: Reign was a good one. It was basically Dark Knight Returns with Spiderman.

Gallery 2 · Posted: Dec 25 2010 08:23 pm

I honestly can't stick to just 5, however, I'll name a few in no particular order:

1) Watchmen
2) Blacksad
3) Akira (the manga obviously)
4) Black Jack (Osamu Tezuka)
5) Phoneix (Osamu Tezuka once again)

I hate you for making me pick just five.

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

I can't believe X-Men: Second Coming or Messiah Complex wasn't mentioned.

I can't believe *I* didn't mention it.

Posted: Dec 26 2010 06:06 am

1) Sandman. Oh my GOD Sandman. Just...the best. Ever.

2) Promethea, Alan Moore (writer), JHW III (art). Holy shit, if you've never read this, READ IT. Even if you loathe the story (which you won't), the art alone will knock you on your ass. And if you're a creative writer of any sort and have never read this, FOR SHAME.

3) Maus. Just...Maus. It sucks to read, but oh my god so amazing.

4) Watchmen. Classic. No two ways about it.

5) Batwoman: Elegy. Just released, but that doesn't make it any less brilliant. Completely deserves a place among these luminaries.

Honorable mention to Mouse Guard and Blacksad. Amazing art on each, but I like high fantasy more than noir so Mouse Guard is slightly higher on my list.

Posted: Dec 26 2010 11:00 pm

Dark night returns
The long Halloween
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Edit: Ronin by Frank Miller

Joined: Sep 10 2010 Location: Kearney, NE Posts: 65

1. Joe Casey's WildCats (Any of the TPBs of Versions 2 and 3)
2. V for Vendetta
3. Probably the 3rd Starman TPB by James Robinson
4. Superman for all Seasons
5. Kingdom Come

Posted: Jan 17 2011 11:50 pm

i mentioned this before, but i would recommend The Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck and the Companion too.

Joined: Apr 17 2009 Posts: 45

1. Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth
2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
3. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume One
4. Maus
5. SCUD: The Disposable Assassin

Joined: Mar 08 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 131

1.Kingdom Come
2.Batman Tales of the Multiverse: Vampire
3.Batman: Gotham Underground
4.Y The Last Man
5.X-Men: The Complete Age of Apocalypse

Batman Vampire is really interesting and the art is kinda dark and dated. Y The last man is good to read once all the way through but isn't as deep as some people have said. I put Age of Apocalypse at the bottom because some of the art is offputting if you are a fan of the current comic art style but the story is easily second to none for Marvel. Gotham Underground is my favorite Batman standalone book because the art is amazing and the story involves cameos by most of the interesting villains.

Kingdom Come is to me the greatest graphic novel because the story is a stand alone from the universe and really embodies the spirit of the wonders and flaws of superman and the dc universe. Who could illustrate such an important story? Alex Ross. He makes superhero's look human in a way that no one else can even compare to. If you haven't read anything that he has illustrated you should get on it.

Posted: Mar 12 2011 12:20 pm

Dammit, I gotta pick single books? Fine, fine...

I second Watchmen and Kingdom Come, let's also say League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (any of them, but if I have to pick, volume 2, I love how it almost perfectly parallels H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds), Superman: Red Son is a pretty cool what if storyline and I guess the Vector story arc of Star Wars comics that tied four eras of history to one plot line (Old Republic, shortly after the rise of the Empire, during the early days of the Rebellion and finally, 150 years after the Battle of Yavin.)

Posted: Mar 31 2011 05:03 am

1) Watchmen
2) Transmetropolitan (Big surprise there Razz

)
3) Y the Last Man
4) Preacher
5) I tie between Fables, 100 Bullets and Sandman

Title: nice little treasure. Joined: May 16 2011 Posts: 7

preacher is my favorite series.
Alan moore's swamp thing run.
northlanders
fables
sandman

Posted: May 18 2011 08:38 pm

I've heard incredible things about Moore's Swamp Thing run. I really need to find that.

Joined: May 22 2009 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 353

SoldierHawk wrote:

I've heard incredible things about Moore's Swamp Thing run. I really need to find that.

I think of Moore's run of Swamp Thing in the same regard as the Sandman series, its awesome!! Some of the best stuff I have ever read. They have them in graphic novels.