Need Dark Horse suggestions please...

TrustyMutsi

I'd like to try out some Dark Horse comics. Can anybody recommend anything? I like just about anything, as long as we're not talking Garth Ennis level violence.

Here's a list of their digital offerings. Thanks for any feedback!

https://digital.darkhorse.com/browse/

nweathington

3 Story was my vote for Best Original Graphic Novel the year it came out.
The Amazing Screw-On Head is surreal awesomeness.
Battlepug is a fun series.
Beasts of Burden is one of my favorite books ever.
B.P.R.D. is excellent if you don't mind a very long story.
Chimichanga has a little bit of the surreal as well, but it's a pretty fun story.
Chronicles of Conan has some great stories and great artwork (Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema) for the first few years, but the recoloring doesn't work for me.
Classic Star Wars is fantastic. It doesn't really fit into continuity, but the Archie Goodwin stories are cool, and the Al Williamson artwork can't be beat.
De: Tales is very good. Love me some Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon.
Empowered is not the one-note story its surface would indicate. It's actually a well written, beautifully drawn story with cool ideas, humor, and depth of emotion. And a lot of gratuitous sex.
The Goon is just plain awesome.
Groo is really good, though for some people a little goes a long way.
Hellboy is one of my favorites, though I tend to like the oddball one-shots the most.
Little Lulu is a lot of fun. If you like The Little Rascals, and I do, then you'll like it too.
Lone Wolf and Cub is very good if you're looking for a violent samurai story — and who isn't?
Speaking of violence, Milk and Cheese is one of the funniest comics known to man.
Mind Mgmt is one of my new favorites. Matt Kindt is great with espionage/psychological thrillers, and this is no exception.
Rex Mundi is pretty good. If you like The Name of the Rose, you'll like this one.
Tale of One Bad Rat is one of the most compelling stories you will ever read. Great, great stuff.
The early Tarzan issues feature some of Joe Kubert’s best work. ’Nuff said.
Usagi Yojimbo is another violent samurai story, but with more warmth and heart thanks to Sakai’s artwork.

I could probably throw half a dozen more titles onto the list, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

David_D

I don't think it gets much better than Hellboy.

And if you want to get in on the ground floor of something, I think Mind Mgmt is fantastic, and one of the best new books of the year.

TrustyMutsi

Thanks guys! How about "Umbrella Academy"?

nweathington

The art is fantastic — Gabriel Ba again. I liked the first story. I'd give it a solid B grade. The second wasn't quite as good, but still enjoyable enough.

peedmyself

I haven't read most of that stuff, but I'll agree that Beasts of Burden, Milk & Cheese, and Lone Wolf & Cub are all top drawer reads. I'm on book 11 of Lone Wolf and it's still going strong.

Torchsong

A lot of Dark Horse stuff is collected in affordable, easy-to-carry Omnibus formats. That might also be a good way to dip your foot in the pool.

Hex

I dropped Hellboy ages ago, but I just can't quit BPRD. Consistently "top of the stack" for me.

TrustyMutsi

One more question for y'all: Do I need to read the stuff in "Dark Horse Presents" to fully enjoy the regular titles? For example, do I need to read DHP's "The Massive" entries to fully enjoy the regular title?

nweathington

I don't buy every issue of DHP, and I'm not reading The Massive ongoing, but from the two episodes I read, I doubt it's vital to the series.

TrustyMutsi

Thanks for the feedback!

Grrrrrr.... it seems if I buy the digital books, some of the backup stories are going to be missing! I'm not sure I'm a fan of how Dark Horse has their digital stuff set up. I'm also frustrated by all the special stories in DHP that aren't in the regular titles. This is what I'm trying to get AWAY from with indy books. I want the whole story in ONE title! :(

nweathington

Wait for the trades then. It's the only way you'll get it all in one place. Except for Mind Mgmt. There's actually extra material in the single issues that won't be in the collections.