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2GingerbreadMan
You won't go far wrong with anything by Alan Moore. V for Vendetta is great. I love the Top ten books as well.
Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is also a masterpiece and condidered a classic.
For more Super heroes with a human angle, I think Kurt Busiek's Astro City books are very clever.
For something much more realistic, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is a great account of growing up in Iran around the time of the revolution.
Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is also a masterpiece and condidered a classic.
For more Super heroes with a human angle, I think Kurt Busiek's Astro City books are very clever.
For something much more realistic, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is a great account of growing up in Iran around the time of the revolution.
3kristenn
'Anything' is super difficult to answer.
One thing that helps narrow it down is whether you want to stick with self-contained stories like Watchmen (or V for Vendetta) or also look into ongoing series.
Astro City really is excellent.
One thing that helps narrow it down is whether you want to stick with self-contained stories like Watchmen (or V for Vendetta) or also look into ongoing series.
Astro City really is excellent.
4AygsWithLaygs
Ah sorry for the ambiguity. I suppose self-contained stories?
Thanks for the recs GingerbreadMan!
Thanks for the recs GingerbreadMan!
5Papiervisje
For me, a graphic novel is a self-contained story and not a collection of monthly comic strips. So, Fables by Bill Wiillingham, Love & Rockets by the Hernandez brothers and Sandman by Neil Gaiman, although wonderful series, are not a graphic novel.
There are more and more graphic novels published each year, as traditional publishers and bookstores have discovered they sell well. A few of the ones I loved:
Louis Riel by Chester Brown, a biography of a Canadian freedom fighter (or terrorist)
Wimbledon green by Seth
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes (also available as a fantastic movie). Actually, anything by CLowes
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, an autobiographic story
Never ending summer by Alison cole on her childhood
Why did Pete kill himself and Mail order bride by Mark Kalesniko
Epileptic by David B. A story on his childhood with an epileptic brother
Black Hole by Charles Burns, A fantasy story about teenagers with a plague, but much deeper.
Genesis by Robert Crumb. The bible drawn by this great artist
PyongYang by Guy Delisle on his life in PyongYang
Flood by Eric Drooker. A silent story
A contract with god b Will Eisner. To many the first Graphic Novel and inventor of the term Graphic Novel
Garage Band by Gipi. On a struggling group of teenagers trying to start a rock band.
Arzach by Moebius. If you read this story, you will know where most designers of Sci-Fi movies get their inspiration
The diary of a teenage girl by Phoebe Gloeckner
Mother come home by Paul Hornschemeier.
The beauty supply district by Ben Katchor. On an old neighbourhood in New York and wonderfully drawn.
The City: A vision in Woodcuts by Frans Masereel. An old story, not drawn, but cut in woodblocks
Temperance by Cathy Malkasian, a story of recovery and awakening.
Bardin, the superrealist by Max. A fantasy story by the Spanish master Max
Cages by Dave McKean. The cover artist of many books has also made a wonderful story about a man facing his creative fears.
Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan. About a woman looking for her lost father, who may be killed by a car bomb.
From Hell by Alan Moore. On Jack the Killer and Lost Girls depicting the sexually explicit adventures of three important female fictional characters of the late 19th and early 20th century: Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, and Wendy Darling from Peter Pan
Don't go where I can't follow by Anders Nilsen on the illness and death of his girlfriend. You will cry.
Soba: Stories from Bosnia by Joe Sacco. Also his other journalistic stories on Bosnia and Palestine.
Gemma Bovery by Posy Simmonds. A twist on the classic story Emma Bovery.
Maus by Art Spiegelman. On his fathers history as a jew in WWII. A Pulitzer winner
James Sturm's America by James Sturm. 3 stories in 1 book on historic USA
Alice in Sunderland by Brian Talbot. On the many references in Sunderland to Alice in Wonderland. Fantastic Art.
The tale of one bad rat by Brian Talbot. On a runaway teenager and his recue by good samaritans
The Arrival by Shaun Tan. A silent story on an immigrant
The Push man and Abandon the old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Day of life stories by a great manga artist
Ode to Kirihito by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka made many more great stories, but this was one of his novels.
Blankets by Craig Thompson. On his teenage years in a very religious and restricted society
Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware. On a little boy, his father and grandfather and their fears of life
Publishers like Drawn & Quarterly, :01 First Second and Fantagraphics, but also Pantheon and Houghton publish a nice selection of graphic novels. If you are not so narrow minded on the name graphic novel, there are also great series collected in hardbacks and paperbacks, but that is another list.
edited to correct link
There are more and more graphic novels published each year, as traditional publishers and bookstores have discovered they sell well. A few of the ones I loved:
Louis Riel by Chester Brown, a biography of a Canadian freedom fighter (or terrorist)
Wimbledon green by Seth
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes (also available as a fantastic movie). Actually, anything by CLowes
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, an autobiographic story
Never ending summer by Alison cole on her childhood
Why did Pete kill himself and Mail order bride by Mark Kalesniko
Epileptic by David B. A story on his childhood with an epileptic brother
Black Hole by Charles Burns, A fantasy story about teenagers with a plague, but much deeper.
Genesis by Robert Crumb. The bible drawn by this great artist
PyongYang by Guy Delisle on his life in PyongYang
Flood by Eric Drooker. A silent story
A contract with god b Will Eisner. To many the first Graphic Novel and inventor of the term Graphic Novel
Garage Band by Gipi. On a struggling group of teenagers trying to start a rock band.
Arzach by Moebius. If you read this story, you will know where most designers of Sci-Fi movies get their inspiration
The diary of a teenage girl by Phoebe Gloeckner
Mother come home by Paul Hornschemeier.
The beauty supply district by Ben Katchor. On an old neighbourhood in New York and wonderfully drawn.
The City: A vision in Woodcuts by Frans Masereel. An old story, not drawn, but cut in woodblocks
Temperance by Cathy Malkasian, a story of recovery and awakening.
Bardin, the superrealist by Max. A fantasy story by the Spanish master Max
Cages by Dave McKean. The cover artist of many books has also made a wonderful story about a man facing his creative fears.
Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan. About a woman looking for her lost father, who may be killed by a car bomb.
From Hell by Alan Moore. On Jack the Killer and Lost Girls depicting the sexually explicit adventures of three important female fictional characters of the late 19th and early 20th century: Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, and Wendy Darling from Peter Pan
Don't go where I can't follow by Anders Nilsen on the illness and death of his girlfriend. You will cry.
Soba: Stories from Bosnia by Joe Sacco. Also his other journalistic stories on Bosnia and Palestine.
Gemma Bovery by Posy Simmonds. A twist on the classic story Emma Bovery.
Maus by Art Spiegelman. On his fathers history as a jew in WWII. A Pulitzer winner
James Sturm's America by James Sturm. 3 stories in 1 book on historic USA
Alice in Sunderland by Brian Talbot. On the many references in Sunderland to Alice in Wonderland. Fantastic Art.
The tale of one bad rat by Brian Talbot. On a runaway teenager and his recue by good samaritans
The Arrival by Shaun Tan. A silent story on an immigrant
The Push man and Abandon the old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Day of life stories by a great manga artist
Ode to Kirihito by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka made many more great stories, but this was one of his novels.
Blankets by Craig Thompson. On his teenage years in a very religious and restricted society
Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware. On a little boy, his father and grandfather and their fears of life
Publishers like Drawn & Quarterly, :01 First Second and Fantagraphics, but also Pantheon and Houghton publish a nice selection of graphic novels. If you are not so narrow minded on the name graphic novel, there are also great series collected in hardbacks and paperbacks, but that is another list.
edited to correct link
6jnwelch
Lots of great suggestions here. I particularly liked The Arrival and Alice in Sunderland, although neither is anything like Watchmen.
I'm sure you'll want to read Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. As GingerbreadMan says, it's a masterpiece and considered a classic.
You might enjoy looking through the book 500 Essential Graphic Novels, with one author's take on the subject. Here it is at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/500-Essential-Graphic-Novels-Ultimate/dp/0061474517/ref=sr...
I'm sure you'll want to read Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. As GingerbreadMan says, it's a masterpiece and considered a classic.
You might enjoy looking through the book 500 Essential Graphic Novels, with one author's take on the subject. Here it is at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/500-Essential-Graphic-Novels-Ultimate/dp/0061474517/ref=sr...
7kristenn
Some self-contained stories that I've enjoyed.
Asterios Polyp - Story of an architect and the disintegration of his marriage. No superpowers. A lot of the story is told through the use of different art styles.
Stitches - Autobiographical story of a kid in a dysfunctional family who loses his voice to surgery and only later learns why. Author is now a successful illustrator of children's books.
Pride of Baghdad - Invasion of Iraq from the perspective of zoo animals.
We3 - Incredible Journey with bionics and guns.
Moving Pictures - Attempts of museum employees to smuggle art out of Paris after the Nazis moved in.
Too Cool to be Forgotten - 30-something man goes under hypnosis to quit smoking and ends up back in high school in the late 80s.
Asterios Polyp - Story of an architect and the disintegration of his marriage. No superpowers. A lot of the story is told through the use of different art styles.
Stitches - Autobiographical story of a kid in a dysfunctional family who loses his voice to surgery and only later learns why. Author is now a successful illustrator of children's books.
Pride of Baghdad - Invasion of Iraq from the perspective of zoo animals.
We3 - Incredible Journey with bionics and guns.
Moving Pictures - Attempts of museum employees to smuggle art out of Paris after the Nazis moved in.
Too Cool to be Forgotten - 30-something man goes under hypnosis to quit smoking and ends up back in high school in the late 80s.
8edgewood
Great lists, y'all. Some others that I've enjoyed:
One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry. Technically a collection of 18-panel autobiographical comic strips interspersed with paintings/collages, this works for me as a cohesive mosaic of her dysfunctional (sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking) childhood.
La Perdida by Jessica Abel. Perhaps the most novelistic graphic novel I've read, telling the story of a young U.S. woman who moves to Mexico City to try to get back to her cultural roots.
The Courtney Crumrin collections by Ted Naifeh. Truly spooky works from a master storyteller & draftsman.
The Blue Monday collections by Chynna Clugston-Major. Charming stories of a group of Mod-obsessed kids at a California high school.
Love Fights by Andi Watson. A superhero love story by a great storyteller, with a minimalist drawing approach that grows on you. Also his Little Star.
Harvey Pekar's autobiographical graphic novels, including Our Cancer Year, American Splendor: Another Dollar, and The Quitter.
Sloth by Gilbert Hernandez. A magic realist teen drama set in the agricultural Central Valley of California.
Kim Deitch's goofy, convoluted tales, including A Shroud For Waldo and especially The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Fray, the collected miniseries of Joss Whedon's future Slayer.
Bread and Wine, An Erotic Tale of New York. Science fiction writer Samuel Delany's memoir of meeting his then-homeless, now long-term lover, Dennis.
The Rabbi's Cat, French cartoonist Joann Sfar's charming story of a talking cat, set in 1930's Algeria and Paris.
One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry. Technically a collection of 18-panel autobiographical comic strips interspersed with paintings/collages, this works for me as a cohesive mosaic of her dysfunctional (sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking) childhood.
La Perdida by Jessica Abel. Perhaps the most novelistic graphic novel I've read, telling the story of a young U.S. woman who moves to Mexico City to try to get back to her cultural roots.
The Courtney Crumrin collections by Ted Naifeh. Truly spooky works from a master storyteller & draftsman.
The Blue Monday collections by Chynna Clugston-Major. Charming stories of a group of Mod-obsessed kids at a California high school.
Love Fights by Andi Watson. A superhero love story by a great storyteller, with a minimalist drawing approach that grows on you. Also his Little Star.
Harvey Pekar's autobiographical graphic novels, including Our Cancer Year, American Splendor: Another Dollar, and The Quitter.
Sloth by Gilbert Hernandez. A magic realist teen drama set in the agricultural Central Valley of California.
Kim Deitch's goofy, convoluted tales, including A Shroud For Waldo and especially The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Fray, the collected miniseries of Joss Whedon's future Slayer.
Bread and Wine, An Erotic Tale of New York. Science fiction writer Samuel Delany's memoir of meeting his then-homeless, now long-term lover, Dennis.
The Rabbi's Cat, French cartoonist Joann Sfar's charming story of a talking cat, set in 1930's Algeria and Paris.
9kristenn
Oh I loved Love Fights. Although a big part of the appeal was how it sort of parodied other famous stories. Also the trouble with 'The Nearness of You' in Astro City.
Another really great one is Street Angel by Jim Rugg. It was originally six regular comic book issues, each telling their own story, like episodes of a tv show, but it's available combined into a single volume. It's a little closer to the superhero genre in that it's fun, action-packed, and totally fantastical. There are ninjas and mad scientists and snarky skateboarders. And online preview pages! http://www.streetangelcomics.com/saonepre.htm
Another really great one is Street Angel by Jim Rugg. It was originally six regular comic book issues, each telling their own story, like episodes of a tv show, but it's available combined into a single volume. It's a little closer to the superhero genre in that it's fun, action-packed, and totally fantastical. There are ninjas and mad scientists and snarky skateboarders. And online preview pages! http://www.streetangelcomics.com/saonepre.htm
10Papiervisje
If you liked Andi Watson, you may want to check his other stories:
Princess at Midnight (Image comics), Glister (Image comics), Clubbing (Minx press), Paris (SLG publishing), Slow News Day (Oni Press), Breakfast Afternoon (Oni) and his early work (Geisha and Skeleton Key).
All in his distinguished style, but each with a different subject.
Princess at Midnight (Image comics), Glister (Image comics), Clubbing (Minx press), Paris (SLG publishing), Slow News Day (Oni Press), Breakfast Afternoon (Oni) and his early work (Geisha and Skeleton Key).
All in his distinguished style, but each with a different subject.
11kristenn
Grittier and gorier than I care for, but Mark Millar writes a lot of standalone superhero stuff. The really dark kind, not unlike Watchmen. And they've been getting made into films lately -- Wanted and Kick-Ass.
He also wrote a really clever Superman mini, available in a single book. It's an Elseworlds, which means that it has nothing to do with official continuity and exists completely on its own. This one is called Red Son and explores what would have happened if the infant Superman's ship was about 12 hours off schedule and thus landed in Stalin-era Ukraine instead of Kansas.
He also wrote a really clever Superman mini, available in a single book. It's an Elseworlds, which means that it has nothing to do with official continuity and exists completely on its own. This one is called Red Son and explores what would have happened if the infant Superman's ship was about 12 hours off schedule and thus landed in Stalin-era Ukraine instead of Kansas.
12AygsWithLaygs
*rubs hands together* Thank you all for such great lists :)
13lucien
I'm a bit late here so I'm mostly seconding things - Asterios Polyp, Sandman (some of the early stuff can work as stand alone stories even if they do have repercussions later), and Maus.
Since you mentioned Watchmen, I'll throw out The Dark Knight Returns - which has a 'retired' Batman return to crime fighting. It's not as good as Watchmen but it was part of the same movement that (for better or worse) was a strong influence on superhero comics that came after. For deconstructed superheroes in general I'd also recommend the Pixar film - The Incredibles - less gritty than the others but very well done.
For lighter fare in general there's the fantasy quest Bone and the sweet Castle Waiting.
Since you mentioned Watchmen, I'll throw out The Dark Knight Returns - which has a 'retired' Batman return to crime fighting. It's not as good as Watchmen but it was part of the same movement that (for better or worse) was a strong influence on superhero comics that came after. For deconstructed superheroes in general I'd also recommend the Pixar film - The Incredibles - less gritty than the others but very well done.
For lighter fare in general there's the fantasy quest Bone and the sweet Castle Waiting.
14Echobrain
I would recommend any of Ed Brubaker's Captain America and Daredevil books.
Also Bryan Talbot's Grandville is amazing and unlike anything else you'll read within the graphic novels medium.
Also Bryan Talbot's Grandville is amazing and unlike anything else you'll read within the graphic novels medium.
17fraxi
I agree entirely about Talbot's Tale of One Bad Rat. I have the original 4 issues from 94/95. Read them again about 10 weeks ago and it has not lost any of its power in nearly 15 years.
18Percevan
Blankets by Craig Thompson - Wikipedia: "coming-of-age autobiography, the book tells the story of Thompson's childhood in an Evangelical Christian family".
Bone by Jeff Smith - Wikipedia: "light-hearted comedy and dark, epic fantasy".
Rocketeer by Dave Stevens - Wikipedia: "a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly. His adventures are set in 1938 Los Angeles ... a retro, nostalgic feel".
Franco-Belgian comic Legends of Percevan fantasy/knight series. Description at Librarything: "a story full of action, adventure, friendship, magic and romance".
Fables by Willingham - a must-read, maybe the most interesting Vertigo series.
Norwegian comic Hey, Wait... by Jason - Wikipedia on Jason: "minimalist, clean style ...His protagonists are usually anthropomorphic animals and/or B-movie monsters. There is little or no talking, and very rarely any captions".
Bone by Jeff Smith - Wikipedia: "light-hearted comedy and dark, epic fantasy".
Rocketeer by Dave Stevens - Wikipedia: "a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly. His adventures are set in 1938 Los Angeles ... a retro, nostalgic feel".
Franco-Belgian comic Legends of Percevan fantasy/knight series. Description at Librarything: "a story full of action, adventure, friendship, magic and romance".
Fables by Willingham - a must-read, maybe the most interesting Vertigo series.
Norwegian comic Hey, Wait... by Jason - Wikipedia on Jason: "minimalist, clean style ...His protagonists are usually anthropomorphic animals and/or B-movie monsters. There is little or no talking, and very rarely any captions".
19jonathan_rigby
Hi,
I've been a member of librarything for a couple of years whilst I've also been working on a trading website for our comic / graphic novel shop Page 45 in Nottingham, which has been open for 16 years years now.
I deliberately put an Always Recommended section on the site for people who are looking for suggestions for things to read.
And we do a lot of recommendations in store for people, so I stuck a Give Me A Recommendation form on the site as well, for people to tell us a bit about what they've stuff enjoyed before, or what they like in other mediums etc. If you know someone loves all sorts of crime related shows on TV there's more than a few graphic novels it's almost a given they'll enjoy for example.
Plus for most of the 6000+ graphic novels on there we've tried to put up to 4 'You Might Like' this links on each product page, just so people can have a browse around naturally until they find something that catches their eye.
We've just launched the site so I would love it if anyone who is interested would pop along and have a look and maybe give me some feedback.
The URL is www.page45.com
kind regards,
Jonathan
I've been a member of librarything for a couple of years whilst I've also been working on a trading website for our comic / graphic novel shop Page 45 in Nottingham, which has been open for 16 years years now.
I deliberately put an Always Recommended section on the site for people who are looking for suggestions for things to read.
And we do a lot of recommendations in store for people, so I stuck a Give Me A Recommendation form on the site as well, for people to tell us a bit about what they've stuff enjoyed before, or what they like in other mediums etc. If you know someone loves all sorts of crime related shows on TV there's more than a few graphic novels it's almost a given they'll enjoy for example.
Plus for most of the 6000+ graphic novels on there we've tried to put up to 4 'You Might Like' this links on each product page, just so people can have a browse around naturally until they find something that catches their eye.
We've just launched the site so I would love it if anyone who is interested would pop along and have a look and maybe give me some feedback.
The URL is www.page45.com
kind regards,
Jonathan
22Gendy
I just looked at the Always Recommended section and I actually have not heard of some of these. I thinking it's time to do some investigating.
Awesome website!
Awesome website!
23Echobrain
>15 jnwelch: I met Bryan Talbot at the Thought Bubble convention in Leeds at the weekend. Lovely bloke. Got my copy of Grandville signed too.
24jnwelch
Good to hear, Paul. Hope he crosses the pond to somewhere near me someday. I'll have to get my hands on Grandville - I don't normally go for steampunk, but this one looks like I'd enjoy it.
25jnwelch
I don't think Brian Wood has been mentioned. I particularly like his Local.
26deirdre_lyon
Late to the game, but if you're interested in Watchmen, I would recommend some self-contained storylines that deal with some of the same "what if superheroes were real" issues - Dark Knight Returns is great, then there's Marvels and DC's Kingdom Come. If you like those, it's worth checking out some of Marvel's Civil War storylines, Front Line in particular.
27ACGalaga
Anything Tintin.
If you like Scott McCloud's stuff, you should check out Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks.
Edit: Also, everyone mentions Dark Night Returns, but let's not forget how great Batman: Year One is.
If you like Scott McCloud's stuff, you should check out Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks.
Edit: Also, everyone mentions Dark Night Returns, but let's not forget how great Batman: Year One is.
28deirdre_lyon
I second Batman: Year One, certainly; also, Jeff Lemire's Essex County trilogy is exceptional, and I would recommend it to any Blankets or Stitches fans.
Also, if you like R. Crumb (not my favorite, but I can appreciate the impact he's had) or Harvey Pekar, I recommend Daniel Clowes' Wilson.
Also, if you like R. Crumb (not my favorite, but I can appreciate the impact he's had) or Harvey Pekar, I recommend Daniel Clowes' Wilson.
29AygsWithLaygs
Wow, thank you for the suggestions everyone!
30Death_By_Papercut
kristenn is right about Pride of Baghdad. To stop there would be a crime though. Brian K. Vaughan is a master. Y The Last Man and Ex Machina are a blast.
31jnwelch
There's a good discussion about this going on over here, too, toward the end: http://www.librarything.com/topic/115329#2942000
