It's tough because there are so many to pick from-- to help narrow the recommendations, what are some of your favorite (non-graphic) novels? Or films or TV shows? What are the sorts of stories you really enjoy?
Also, are you strictly a superhero guy, or open to indie titles? And are you defining “graphic novel” as a story that was released only as a book, or do collections of mini-series count as well?
I'm open to superhero or indie or anything in between I'm just wanting to find some good stand alone books whether it was a short lived series of a few issues or a GN.. Cuz I've recently realized I've been reading way to many long running series
Torso, by Brian Bendis. Based on a true story, and probably still my favorite book he's ever written. Blacksad, by Díaz Caneles and Juanjo Guarnido. Noir story mashed up with Disneyesque artwork. Beautiful stuff. Whiteout, by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber. Don’t judge a book by its movie adaptation. Really cool story in an unusual setting. And if you like it, there’s a sequel: Whiteout: Melt. Road to Perdition, by Max Allen Collins (an acclaimed crime novelist) and Richard Piers Rayner. In this case you can judge a book by its movie. And there’s a sequel in three volumes, two of which feature gorgeous artwork by José Luis García-López. Parker: The Hunter, by Darwyn Cooke, and its two sequels, The Outfit and The Score. Top notch adaptations which at times surpass the original novels. Petrograd, by Philip Gelatt and Tyler Crook. It’s about the plot to assassinate Rasputin. Very cool book. Super Spy, by Matt Kindt. Or, really, any book by Matt Kindt.
The very first Marvel graphic novel, The Death Of Captain Marvel, by Jim Starlin, is a very good read. I believe they've reprinted it, so it should still be available.
Steampunk, noir and anthropomorphics are all on hand in Bryan Talbot's Grandville books, Grandville and Grandville, Mon Amour. A third volume, Grandville Bete Noir, is due out this Christmas.
Alan Moore and Gene Ha gave us Top Ten, which is a kind of Hill Street Blues by way of Jack Kirby, and presents a solid police story in a world where every single comic book trope is represented in every wake of life. The Omnibus edition has been solicited and contains not only the main mini-series, but also the connected series, Smax and The Forty-Niners, but you can buy these all separately if you wish.
Maus, by Art Spiegleman. A bit grim, comes in two volumes, but a very significant and important read. The only graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize.
The Last Unicorn, based on the popular novel, if you're more inclined towards fantasy. Takes a few visual cues from the animated feature, and is very beautiful to look at. There is also an adaptation of The Hobbit, which would be appropriate in light of the imminent release of the movie.
Here's a list, by author, I compiled for a friend once (about 3 or 4 years ago) (I should update) that might be helpful:
1. Azzarello - 100 Bullets:– Azzarello/Risso – Great crime book 2. Bagge, Peter - Hate - funny 3. Baker, Kyle - Cowboy Wally Show - funny 4. Baker, Kyle - Why I Hate Saturn - funny 5. Bechdel, Alison - Fun Home – terrific bio comic – Time's #1 book in 2006 or so 6. Bendis, Brian – Powers – superhero/crime 7. Bendis, Brian – Torso – true crime 8. Bendis, Brian -Goldfish - crime 9. Bendis, Brian -Jinx - crime 10. Chadwick, Paul – Concrete - philosophical 11. Chaykin, Howard - American Flagg – futurist, political satire, action 12. Clowes, Dan - Ghost World – indie type stuff 13. Eisner - The Spirit - classic 14. Eisner, Will - Contract with God -classic 15. Ellis/Cassady – Planetary - SF 16. Ennis, Garth /Dillon - Preacher – a kick-ass adventure story – multi volume 17. Gaiman – Sandman – epic fantasy – 10+ volumes 18. Hernandez, Gilbert – Poison River – Mexican/folkish/indie 19. Hernandez, Jaime - Locas – slice of life/indie 20. Kirkman- Walking Dead – intelligent horror/suspense 21. Lapham, Dave - Stray Bullets - crime 22. Lutes, Jason – Berlin – Germany in the 1920s 23. McCay, Windsor - Little Nemo in Slumberland – turn of the century classic strip 24. McLoud, Scott - Understanding Comics – a classic must read study of comics 25. Millar, Mark - Ultimates vol.1 – great superheroes 26. Miller, Frank - Batman: Dark Knight Returns -Miller/Jansen - classic 27. Miller, Frank - Batman: Year One -Miller/Mazzuchelli – great Batman story 28. Miller, Frank - Daredevil - Miller/Jansen – solid superheros 29. Miller, Frank - Dark Knight Returns 30. Miller, Frank - Sin City - crime 31. Moore, Alan - Small Killing - Alan Moore/Oscar Zarate 32. Moore, Alan -From Hell - Moore/Campbell 33. Moore/Bisette Swamp Thing – great horror 34. Moore/Gibbons Watchmen - classic 35. Moore/JHWIII - Promethea – fascinating exploration of imagination/magic 36. Moore/Ha – Top 10 – cop comic – adventure/funny 37. Moore/Lloyd – V for Vendetta – terrific adventure/politics 38. Moore/O'Neill - League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1, 2, Black Dossier – fun literary adventure 39. Moore/Gebbes – Lost Girls – literate pornography – interesting, beautifully drawn, but not great 40. Moore, Terry - Strangers in Paradise – a bit soap opera-y/slice of life/relationships 41. Morrison, Grant - Doom Patrol - Morrison/Case – cool, weird, existential stuff 42. Morrison, Grant – The Invisibles – cool, weird, politically subversive, existential stuff 43. New Frontier – Cooke – terrific straight up superhero comic – DC characters 44. Petersen, David - Mouse Guard – great "all ages"/kid comic - adventure 45. Robinson, Alex - Box Office Poison – indie comic 46. Robinson, Alex – Too Cool to Be Forgotten – indie comic 47. Robinson, Alex – Tricked – indie comic 48. Robinson/Harris – Starman – great superhero/SF adventure 49. Runton, Andy - Owley – great "all ages"/kid comic 50. Satrap, Marjane – Persepolis – a little girl growing up in Iran 51. Seagel/Kristensen - It's A Bird . . . – great human story which also explores the appeal of the Superman myth 52. Shanower, Eric - Age of Bronze – Trojan War – multi volume 53. Sim, Dave – Cerebus – my favorite comic – funny/satirical/philosophical/amazing stuff – but doesn't really pickup until vols 2-4 (of 16) 54. Simonson, Walt - Thor Visionaries – great superhero stuff 55. Smith, Jeff - Bone (1 vol. ed.) – straight up adventure/magic/fantasy 56. Spiegelman, Art – Maus - holocaust 57. Sturm, James - James Sturm's America: God, Gold, and Golems – really interesting Americana 58. Thompson, Craig - Blankets - slice of life/relationship/indie book 59. Vaughan - Pride of Baghdad – political – beautifully drawn 60. Vaughan- Y: the Last Man – SF/adventure/political 61. Vaughan, Brian K. - Ex Machina Brian KVaughan/Harris – political/superhero 62. Vaughan, Brian K. – Criminal - crime 63. Wagner, Matt - Grendel – fantasy/action/crime – multi volume 64. Wagner, Matt –Mage – fantasy/adventure – 2 volumes 65. Ware, Chris - Jimmy Corrigan – odd/indie/weird/excellent 66. Willingham – Fables – classic fables characters in a great adventure – 11 volumes, gets better and better – especially from Vol. 4 onwards
joncasso
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It's tough because there are so many to pick from-- to help narrow the recommendations, what are some of your favorite (non-graphic) novels? Or films or TV shows? What are the sorts of stories you really enjoy?
Torso, by Brian Bendis. Based on a true story, and probably still my favorite book he's ever written.
Blacksad, by Díaz Caneles and Juanjo Guarnido. Noir story mashed up with Disneyesque artwork. Beautiful stuff.
Whiteout, by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber. Don’t judge a book by its movie adaptation. Really cool story in an unusual setting. And if you like it, there’s a sequel: Whiteout: Melt.
Road to Perdition, by Max Allen Collins (an acclaimed crime novelist) and Richard Piers Rayner. In this case you can judge a book by its movie. And there’s a sequel in three volumes, two of which feature gorgeous artwork by José Luis García-López.
Parker: The Hunter, by Darwyn Cooke, and its two sequels, The Outfit and The Score. Top notch adaptations which at times surpass the original novels.
Petrograd, by Philip Gelatt and Tyler Crook. It’s about the plot to assassinate Rasputin. Very cool book.
Super Spy, by Matt Kindt. Or, really, any book by Matt Kindt.
That should get you started.
Steampunk, noir and anthropomorphics are all on hand in Bryan Talbot's Grandville books, Grandville and Grandville, Mon Amour. A third volume, Grandville Bete Noir, is due out this Christmas.
Alan Moore and Gene Ha gave us Top Ten, which is a kind of Hill Street Blues by way of Jack Kirby, and presents a solid police story in a world where every single comic book trope is represented in every wake of life. The Omnibus edition has been solicited and contains not only the main mini-series, but also the connected series, Smax and The Forty-Niners, but you can buy these all separately if you wish.
Maus, by Art Spiegleman. A bit grim, comes in two volumes, but a very significant and important read. The only graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize.
The Last Unicorn, based on the popular novel, if you're more inclined towards fantasy. Takes a few visual cues from the animated feature, and is very beautiful to look at. There is also an adaptation of The Hobbit, which would be appropriate in light of the imminent release of the movie.
1. Azzarello - 100 Bullets:– Azzarello/Risso – Great crime book
2. Bagge, Peter - Hate - funny
3. Baker, Kyle - Cowboy Wally Show - funny
4. Baker, Kyle - Why I Hate Saturn - funny
5. Bechdel, Alison - Fun Home – terrific bio comic – Time's #1 book in 2006 or so
6. Bendis, Brian – Powers – superhero/crime
7. Bendis, Brian – Torso – true crime
8. Bendis, Brian -Goldfish - crime
9. Bendis, Brian -Jinx - crime
10. Chadwick, Paul – Concrete - philosophical
11. Chaykin, Howard - American Flagg – futurist, political satire, action
12. Clowes, Dan - Ghost World – indie type stuff
13. Eisner - The Spirit - classic
14. Eisner, Will - Contract with God -classic
15. Ellis/Cassady – Planetary - SF
16. Ennis, Garth /Dillon - Preacher – a kick-ass adventure story – multi volume
17. Gaiman – Sandman – epic fantasy – 10+ volumes
18. Hernandez, Gilbert – Poison River – Mexican/folkish/indie
19. Hernandez, Jaime - Locas – slice of life/indie
20. Kirkman- Walking Dead – intelligent horror/suspense
21. Lapham, Dave - Stray Bullets - crime
22. Lutes, Jason – Berlin – Germany in the 1920s
23. McCay, Windsor - Little Nemo in Slumberland – turn of the century classic strip
24. McLoud, Scott - Understanding Comics – a classic must read study of comics
25. Millar, Mark - Ultimates vol.1 – great superheroes
26. Miller, Frank - Batman: Dark Knight Returns -Miller/Jansen - classic
27. Miller, Frank - Batman: Year One -Miller/Mazzuchelli – great Batman story
28. Miller, Frank - Daredevil - Miller/Jansen – solid superheros
29. Miller, Frank - Dark Knight Returns
30. Miller, Frank - Sin City - crime
31. Moore, Alan - Small Killing - Alan Moore/Oscar Zarate
32. Moore, Alan -From Hell - Moore/Campbell
33. Moore/Bisette Swamp Thing – great horror
34. Moore/Gibbons Watchmen - classic
35. Moore/JHWIII - Promethea – fascinating exploration of imagination/magic
36. Moore/Ha – Top 10 – cop comic – adventure/funny
37. Moore/Lloyd – V for Vendetta – terrific adventure/politics
38. Moore/O'Neill - League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1, 2, Black Dossier – fun literary adventure
39. Moore/Gebbes – Lost Girls – literate pornography – interesting, beautifully drawn, but not great
40. Moore, Terry - Strangers in Paradise – a bit soap opera-y/slice of life/relationships
41. Morrison, Grant - Doom Patrol - Morrison/Case – cool, weird, existential stuff
42. Morrison, Grant – The Invisibles – cool, weird, politically subversive, existential stuff
43. New Frontier – Cooke – terrific straight up superhero comic – DC characters
44. Petersen, David - Mouse Guard – great "all ages"/kid comic - adventure
45. Robinson, Alex - Box Office Poison – indie comic
46. Robinson, Alex – Too Cool to Be Forgotten – indie comic
47. Robinson, Alex – Tricked – indie comic
48. Robinson/Harris – Starman – great superhero/SF adventure
49. Runton, Andy - Owley – great "all ages"/kid comic
50. Satrap, Marjane – Persepolis – a little girl growing up in Iran
51. Seagel/Kristensen - It's A Bird . . . – great human story which also explores the appeal of the Superman myth
52. Shanower, Eric - Age of Bronze – Trojan War – multi volume
53. Sim, Dave – Cerebus – my favorite comic – funny/satirical/philosophical/amazing stuff – but doesn't really pickup until vols 2-4 (of 16)
54. Simonson, Walt - Thor Visionaries – great superhero stuff
55. Smith, Jeff - Bone (1 vol. ed.) – straight up adventure/magic/fantasy
56. Spiegelman, Art – Maus - holocaust
57. Sturm, James - James Sturm's America: God, Gold, and Golems – really interesting Americana
58. Thompson, Craig - Blankets - slice of life/relationship/indie book
59. Vaughan - Pride of Baghdad – political – beautifully drawn
60. Vaughan- Y: the Last Man – SF/adventure/political
61. Vaughan, Brian K. - Ex Machina Brian KVaughan/Harris – political/superhero
62. Vaughan, Brian K. – Criminal - crime
63. Wagner, Matt - Grendel – fantasy/action/crime – multi volume
64. Wagner, Matt –Mage – fantasy/adventure – 2 volumes
65. Ware, Chris - Jimmy Corrigan – odd/indie/weird/excellent
66. Willingham – Fables – classic fables characters in a great adventure – 11 volumes, gets better and better – especially from Vol. 4 onwards
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L nny