Graphic Novels: Where To Start...?

[Trent Roman]

I'd never paid much attention to the medium either, until I read Maus. I highly recommend it, and if you like dark, it doesn't get much darker than the Holocaust, particularly with the stark kind of style its drawn in. There are also some metafictive elements you might enjoy, as it is the compelling story of a Holocaust survivor, framed by him recounting that story to his son (the author) so he can produce the book, and often reflects on his own methods of production.

Preacher, I just started, mostly because I'd heard around the 'net that it was a hardcore kind of series, and because I've liked what Ennis has done with the MAX Punisher title. So far, though, I'm not seeing it. Granted, I'm only a few issues in, but the grittyness and violence and pretty much at par with Punisher, the artwork is washed-out and unlovely, and there's nothing particularly controversial about it unless you're a humourless Christian fundamentalist, and even there it's nothing that Hellblazer and Spawn haven't done, and better.

Creditorly yours, the Rent Woman

 

[TheBrew]

4) If you enjoy fairy tales and deconstruction as a theme, you might enjoy Fables which is set in a world where all the fairy tales are real and live in another world. When that world is invaded by a malevolent force, some of the fairy tale characters (from Snow White, to the Big Bad Wolf to the 3 pigs and so on) have to escape into our world. It does a great job of taking characters you thought you new and taking them in unexpected directions. Several story arcs run through the series which is still ongoing.

This sounds right up my street, though as I said, I'm more likely to read something which is complete than ongoing. Still, like with any other recommendations, if I like the first "compedium"/collection then I'll get the rest... just slower in this particular case to let the author finish

Hugo - Starts making notes

Well Fables is a bit of a special case in that the author has completed the arc he originally set out to do. You can read 1-75 as a complete story. What's going on right now is the sequel so to speak. The big thing is that the main story itself doesn't really start until issue 19 in that first three trades are set up and exploring the world created. Willingham really takes his time marching along with his wooden soldiers.

I can also not recommend Y: The Last Man enough. It is not a 'comic book story', but a great story that just happens to be in a comic book. Easily one of my personal top 10 pieces of fiction released in the last 20 years.

 

[DarKush]

A lot of the books I would recommend have already been recommended. I see a lot of love for Y: The Last Man, and I was into the series until the 10th book. I think the final chapter of the story was a big let down, won't go into why to avoid spoiling it. However, the journey was pretty good, the artwork, writing were excellent for the most part.

But some of the others I've enjoyed:

Batman:
The Dark Knight Returns (But avoid the sequel, DKR2, it's horrible)
The Killing Joke
Batman: Year One
Batman: Year Two (Not as good as Year One, but I like the new villian the Reaper)
Death and the Maidens
Knightfall
Knightsend
War Crimes
Batman and Son
The Resurrection of Ras Al Ghul

Superman:
The Death of Superman
The Return of Superman
Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey
Superman Red Son
Lex Luthor: Man of Steel (An interesting Lex POV kind of story)
Superman/Batman: Supergirl

Others:
V for Vendetta
The Watchmen
The Truth: Red, White, and Black (Captain America)
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Identity Crisis
Omac Project
Supreme Power
Supreme Power: Nighthawk
Supreme Power: Hyperion
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (at least Volume One-haven't read the others)
Garth Ennis's Punisher MAX series (I've read three or four of these; pretty hard hitting stuff)
Preacher (Volume 1 at least; want to the read the others)
Sin City (First volume was great, but haven't read the others)
Scalped
The Walking Dead
Bite Club
World War Hulk-main title
Civil War (Marvel)-main title
Wolverine: Enemy of the State
Weapon X
Kingdom Come
Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight
Wonder Woman: The Challenge of Artemis
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear
Iron Man: Extremis
Iron Man: Execute Program
Moon Knight: The Bottom
Spider Man: The Birth of Venom
Black Panther: Enemy of the State
Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?
The American Way
Incognegro
Papa Midnite
Nat Turner

Also...Noble Causes and Dynamo Five. I've read one volume of NC and a handful of D5, but I think both books have potential.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I tend to drift well into the darker territory of my SF/Fantasy/TV/Film overall and read/watch widely across genres and styles.

Series' like The Sopranos, Deadwood, Dexter, NuGalactica, B5, DS9 excite me overall...

SF by Dick/LeGuin/Vonnegut/Gibson/Reynolds/Clarke/Bester gets me going...

I tend to enjoy emotionally, psychologically complex and intense stories (in whatever format) overall and more often than not, stories which have a good lengthy arc.

So, where else should I start...?

Watchmen
V For Vendetta
Punisher- Welcome Back Frank
1602
and for a blast from the past, Six From Sirius


Avoid The Dark Knight Strikes Again at all costs...

 

[Hugo Rune]

So, with a newly subscribed Library Card in hand Hugo went and took his Saturday morning scouring his London borough’s 6 libraries for comic book/graphic novel material.

And… boy did the borough fall short.

But not a wholly worthless trip as I came back with the following:

V for Vendetta
Batman: Year One
Road to Perdition
The Originals
And a random Hellboy comic recommeded by Frank Miller... as I enjoyed the first film

Sadly my borough only has compendium issues 3-8 for Sandman so I have put in a request to get 1-2 / 9-10 shipped in from another part of London

So, Batman: Year One was picked up at the first library and was subsequently read on the buses between all the other libraries, and finished on the way home from work at 3am on the night bus, surrounded by people in Hallowe’en costumes – including a Batman and a Catwoman.

Rather fitting, no?

Oh, and she pulled off the costume very well

So… Batman: Year One – what a fascinating little book. And my first Batman comic.

I enjoyed it overall, some parts playing in a wonderfully grim and sadistic tone, whilst others… feeling a little shoehorned in. Yet, overall, an interesting piece.

I read the thing as slowly as I could (I’m an impatient and gluttonous man overall when it comes to entertaining media), soaking up the detail, paying (almost excessive) attention to the artwork, eventually finding a steady pace to immerse myself in this rotten Gotham.

And frankly, this is the first time in any medium I’ve felt that Gotham IS actually falling apart. Seedy, grimly realised through the art and prose, a town ripe for the Rha’s Al Ghul of Batman Begins to tear down. A pity that for all its intentions in Nolan’ film, that outer circle of hell which they’re aiming for is never as rich as it is here in Year One.

The artwork is stark, again grim, at times almost minimalist and in others so textured you can almost feel the craggy lines on Lieutenant Gordon’s face. Yet there are moments where the artwork comes off as a little half thought-out, most notably the section where Batman takes on a group of thugs in a stairwell in Chapter Two. It feels stale, static and a little humdrum compared to the remainder of the piece. But it’s a small pothole overall.

There are a few other irks which I couldn’t shake too. Selina/Catwoman seems a touch shoehorned in for no real reason here. It’s nice that she starts out at the bottom and aims for something higher through her thievery, yet I can’t help but think this could have been dropped in favour of more political infighting/intrigue between the Commisioner/Falcone/Underworld. Still, she’s a little dose of humour added to the rather relentless mix, so again, it’s forgivable. As is the rather Flash-Gordon-like use of a convenient chimney to save Batman from an aerial bomb attack on a building he’s hiding in. A 30’s throwback? Possibly, but a touch daft for me given the tone of the rest of the piece. Still, the sheer ruthlessness of the overall story structure helps counteracts these little blips.

What isn’t forgivable however is the rather bizarre use of inflection in the characters speech. There are times when a word (or part of a word) are bolded and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what in the world they meant!

Aweful example I just gave, I know, but it bugged me endlessly. As did the diary-font used to convey Bruce’s thoughts. Nice idea, but at times nearly bloody unreadable.

But I guess these are quibbles really.

Still, should an origin story really give the more interesting beginning to Gordon over Batman? I guess Wayne’s growth into the bat has been explored so many times Miller had to find something fresh to bring to the mix. Wayne here at times feels almost like a cipher, riding on the readers pre-existing Batman-Baggage to carry him through. Meanwhile, at least for me, Gordon was a previous non-entity. A man inside the establishment pulling favours, red-tape and records for Wayne’s caped vigilante loon. It was refreshing to see an honest man, a man who reminded me of a worn out stuffed animal, so abused by his keeper that the stitching is barely holding him together. A fighter, as tough and imaginative as Batman, and as flawed as we all are. If anything THIS is the truly exciting re-imagining, and you can certainly see where Nolan lifted from for his Batman flicks.

A fascinating piece which I think I’ll re-read in a few weeks before giving it back to the library.

So, onto V for Vendetta which I’m now 40 pages into. The story hasn’t gripped me just yet, but I’m adoring the artwork.

Update to come when complete.

Hugo – might use this thread to discuss his reading if people are up for the little essays

 

[zakkrusz]

I'd recomend:

Planetes
The Seikai Trilogy

 

[Lapis Exilis]

So… Batman: Year One – what a fascinating little book. And my first Batman comic.

And it's a great place to start. Your analysis is quite good. The book is far from perfect, but it has so many truly gorgeous moments that it's flaws are imminently forgiveable. Personally I find the fourth chapter a bizarre anticlimax with none of the vigor of the first three chapters.

Selina/ Catwoman is indeed shoehorned in, and adds little to the story. In her you see the beginning of Miller's obsession with whores as figures of desire and vindictiveness. Luckily she's a rather mild version of what he comes up with later in Sin City.

The book does one of the best jobs ever of creating Gotham as a character, and of creating a city that needs a vigilante. One thing often missing from Batman stories is a sense of a totally corrupt world that is essential for the noir-ish essence of Batman. Every level of the government and law enforcement must be corrupt and sadistic, power structures gone mad, and Year One does that far better than most. (How fabulous is the attack on the Mayor's mansion? "Your feast is nearly over. From this moment on, none of you are safe.")

The artwork is stark, again grim, at times almost minimalist and in others so textured you can almost feel the craggy lines on Lieutenant Gordon’s face. Yet there are moments where the artwork comes off as a little half thought-out, most notably the section where Batman takes on a group of thugs in a stairwell in Chapter Two. It feels stale, static and a little humdrum compared to the remainder of the piece. But it’s a small pothole overall.

I used to hate the artwork of Year One, now I think its texture and subtlety is superior to almost any other superhero comic. Mazzuchelli's sense of lighting and angle is deft and evocative.

What isn’t forgivable however is the rather bizarre use of inflection in the characters speech. There are times when a word (or part of a word) are bolded and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what in the world they meant!

Isn't that weird? Get used to it. Most superhero comics do it. I've been reading them for 10 years and I've never been able to figure it out.

Still, should an origin story really give the more interesting beginning to Gordon over Batman? I guess Wayne’s growth into the bat has been explored so many times Miller had to find something fresh to bring to the mix. Wayne here at times feels almost like a cipher, riding on the readers pre-existing Batman-Baggage to carry him through. Meanwhile, at least for me, Gordon was a previous non-entity. A man inside the establishment pulling favours, red-tape and records for Wayne’s caped vigilante loon. It was refreshing to see an honest man, a man who reminded me of a worn out stuffed animal, so abused by his keeper that the stitching is barely holding him together. A fighter, as tough and imaginative as Batman, and as flawed as we all are. If anything THIS is the truly exciting re-imagining, and you can certainly see where Nolan lifted from for his Batman flicks.

Many have commented that Year One is somewhat more Gordon's story that Wayne's. That is Gordon goes through more changes, but the book was intended to explain how Commissioner Gordon, ally of Batman, came to be, for that had never been explored at all. Miller (and many authors) tends to imagine Batman as such a narrowly focused character that he can come off as minimalist. Plus, he is a quintessential man of action - his character is revealed in his what he does, rather than in any emotional struggles. He's a strange combination of arrogance and insecurity in Year One, but that is always shown in the middle of things, where Gordon spends a good deal of time soul searching. But Bruce can't hold himself back in the East End with the pimp running the child hooker; he loses control of the situation in his first use of the costume; he leaves money for the suit he steals; he pays special attention to the SWAT guy who took a shot at the cat; and then there's that lovely, silent moment when he first returns to Gotham, and kneels with head bowed on the graves of his parents - this is actually a pretty complex man, but he doesn't slow down long enough for the reader to get a good bead on him. And in this story, all of his major decisions except the costume, have already been made by the time he arrives in the story. That really is the triumph of Batman Begins - that story finds the twists and turns Wayne had to go through to get to the idea of becoming a vigilante in the first place - but it is a rare tale in that way.

The Dark Knight Returns gives Wayne more of journey. Be sure to give us your thoughts on that one.

 

[Trent Roman]

Isn't that weird? Get used to it. Most superhero comics do it. I've been reading them for 10 years and I've never been able to figure it out.

I asked this question a while back in the TrekLit forum and was told by one of the authors there (I think it was Keith R.A. DeCandido) that the practice originated because of cheap printing: if a comic page was faded, it was often hard to see the text, so the most important words were rendered in bold, such that they could still be legible in all but the most poorly printed of copies. I agree that it's a bizarre thing to see for us modern readers.

Creditorly yours, the Rent Woman

 

[Trippy]

My son loves Bone. He has finished the first two book collections and is impatiently waiting for me to buy him #3!

 

[Colonel Green]

I have to second the poster who suggested Maus. It won the Pullitzer Prize, what more do you need to know?

 

[Cicero]

Good standalone 'graphic novels' (all were originally published as regular comics):

Tier 1:

Watchmen (Warning: some truly depraved elements; not gratuitous, unusually)
Batman: Hush (If you like Batman)
The Ultimates 1 & 2 (four volumes altogether in tpb)
Kingdom Come (If you cared for Superman, etc. at any point)
SHAZAM: The Power of Hope (One of the most optimistic things I've ever read)
X-23: Target X (The star is Wolverine's young, female semi-clone, but don't be put off by the premise; it's amazing)

Tier 2:

New X-Men vols 1-7 (1-3 in new editions) (If you like the movie X-Men)
Astonishing X-Men vols 1-4 (1-2 in hardcover) (If you like the movie X-Men, New X-Men, or Joss Whedon's other work)

Tier 3:

Ultimate Fantastic Four vols 1-6 (5-6 especially)
Ultimate X-Men vols 1-8 (1-2 especially)
New X-Men: Childhood's End (five volumes in tpb) (by the writers of X-23: Target X, drastically improves as the series continues)

 

[sidious618]

Midnight Nation by JMS is a masterpiece.