Graphic Novels: Your Hall of Fame

[Mewick_Alex]

What graphic novels would you rank right up there as your favourites and for what particular reason? Was it story? characterisation? Artwork?

For me, Marvels was brilliant in terms of the perspective the story was narrated from. There was something special about it being told through the life a simple human being rather than a super-powered entity trying to masquerade as a normal person. And you can't get a better artist than Alex Ross.

The Y: The Last Man series had tremendous characterisation, this coupled with the comraderie of the main characters made the story all the more immersive, and the ending all the more crushing.

 

[dontworryaboutit]

The Y: The Last Man series had tremendous characterisation, this coupled with the comraderie of the main characters made the story all the more immersive, and the ending all the more crushing.

Agreed.

Add pretty much Alan Moore's works (unoriginal opinion I know), as well as The Walking Dead, Preacher, Sandman and Hellblazer. Just to name a few.

 

[Gerazzi]

Watchmen, for it's deep compelling story, with characters that drew both animosity and empathy at the same time. Oh, and Rorschach

ninja'd

 

[Mewick_Alex]

Add pretty much Alan Moore's works (unoriginal opinion I know)

Nuthin' wrong with unoriginal if unoriginal = awesome

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

I haven't read any.


>.>
<.<


Don't kill me?

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

-snip-

I personally think V for Vendetta is a masterpiece, with so many interwoven stories that work perfectly, and the film is a shambles, a story about british 80s politics butchered into Bush-era American politics.

But enough about that. I personally really like Black Summer, a high concept moral black hole of a graphic novel that drops bombs on the first few pages. It's got a diverse set of characters, and what I personally believe is a great story to tell, no doubt. Recommended.

Another will have to be DMZ. I love the concept of alternate realities for places and things we have grown accustomed to, so America in a modern day civil war with New York as a battleground? You best believe this one is something that won't disappoint.

And I can definitely say that Runaways Volume 1 was well done, with great artwork and children as the protagonists being a great perspective to tell a story from. But avoid the Joss Whedon run and anything afterward like the plague, it's garbage in comparison.

Wanted was awesome, solely for it's spin on the heroes and villains bit. Much better than the film, which seemed to trail off into it's own little world and story (I mean come on, assassins? that's a cop out, that graphic novel was meant to be unfilmable).

And I know this isn't so much a recommendation thread as it is an honourable mention thread, but I may as well kill two birds with one stone.

 

[DreamKing]

Neil Gaiman's Sandman has the best of characterization, art, and story. I have all of the books and a massive volume containing the first three books and extras. I also have a special edition of the first trade issue. It was the inspiration for many of my screen names, including this one. My computer has seen many Sandman backgrounds as well. I am obsessed with this series and I have made it the backbone of my personal view on life, along with American Gods, also by Neil Gaiman.

Watchmen was great. Moore's writing was perfect and the bright and colorful art was beautifully juxaposed with the stark and gritty story and characterization.

Y: The Last Man is quite funny and the characters are well thought out.

Wanted is like Fight Club with super villians. The art is beautiful and the color matches everything perfectly.

I have not read much of the Walking Dead but from what I read, it has a nice horror movie feel to it that does not lead to many jumps, more a thinking man's terror.

 

[Mewick_Alex]

I have not read much of the Walking Dead but from what I read, it has a nice horror movie feel to it that does not lead to many jumps, more a thinking man's terror.

Forgot about them. I like that fact that because it has so many characters people can get killed off fairly frequently without it affecting the narrative.

Well, it used to have lots of characters anyway... damn zombies.

 

[dontworryaboutit]

I'm considering reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing and The Boys because it's an interesting concept and I love Garth Ennis.

He's so fucking brutal.

 

[lava_lamp]

Watchmen, for it's deep compelling story, with characters that drew both animosity and empathy at the same time. Oh, and Rorschach

 

[The Infamous Scamola]

I've only read two: Maus and Watchmen.

Guess they win by default.

 

[Radeonx]

Ive only read a few, but my favorite two would be Watchmen, and V for Vendetta.

 

[Skuffyshootster]

The Y: The Last Man series had tremendous characterisation, this coupled with the comraderie of the main characters made the story all the more immersive, and the ending all the more crushing.

Aww, and I thought I was going to be original. Also, Watchmen for it's story and characters and The Surragates because of it's awesome art work.

 

[FailingwithStyle]

Besides the obvious Watchmen, I really enjoyed The Walking Dead. That should be a fucking HBO series.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

I'm considering reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing and The Boys because it's an interesting concept and I love Garth Ennis.

They're both brilliant. Swamp Thing is actually my faviourite Alan Moore series (even though Watchmen is probably better written) and the Boys is genius, simply because it's violent, hilarious and so, so disgusting. It's basically a guys comedy with super heroes. Plus, one of the guys looks like simon pegg. It's like he's playing the role. Awesome!

For me, my favourite comic of all time is the Sandman series. An incredibley well done adult fairy tale (like all neil gaimans stuff). It's beautifully written, has wonderful art (best front covers ever) and it's just so damn weird. Only in Sandman can a guy cut open his chest and a load of crows fly out of his rib cage. Only in the sandman can there be a story entirely about cats and how they used to rule the world. Only in the Sandman can a man be 600 years old FOR NO REASON. What is also fantastic is the horror. The horror isn't common, but when it's there the images and words reach into your head and fuck with your brain, and they're so subtle. That image of a girl putting her little finger behind her eye...It makes me shiver every time. Truely a great comic.

Also, Dilerium is 100% win.