Graphic Novels

[SturmDolch]

Ok, I admit it. I have no clue about graphic novels. I didn't grow up with them, unless you count Tin Tin and Asterix among them. But I recently checked out a graphic novel from a series of books called The Dresden Files. The graphic novel (is there a shorter way of saying that? Granov? Nogra?) is called Welcome to the Jungle and is about a Personal Investigator Wizard who fights paranormal threats in a normal Chicago world, just like the series. [footnote]I definitely recommend the Dresden Files to anyone even remotely interested in mystery, fantasy, the paranormal, etc. It's an amazing series.[/footnote]

I loved it! And I'd love to read more graphinovas. What other one are good that feature more of a fantasy setting, instead of a superhero setting? I mean, I like the occasional superhero. But I lose interest when the characters are all Masked Cliches. I did also like V for Vendetta and want to read Watchmen.

TLDR: Wut graphic novel = gud??

 

[King Toasty]

Go get Scott Pilgrim. 'Tis epic, my friend.

 

[WolfThomas]

Even though it's not really on topic, I've noticed there seems to be a lot of confusion on the use of the phrase graphic novels/comics these days, you get different ends of the spectrum like my Dad who calls all comics graphic novels and those dislike comics and think graphic novels is a lame way of pretending mature.

Now the way I see it something can be either a comic or a graphic novel or both at the same time. A graphic novel usually has a begining middle and end, unlike an ungoing comic series, likewise it's collected issues in one book rather than loose. A comic is a loose issue you get at a store as an ongoing series. Pride of Baghdad is a good example o a graphic novel, it came out all at once and is all contained in one book. Likewise ordinary spiderman #543 is a comic. Some things such as Watchmen begin as monthly comics, but the collected edition is considered a graphic novel.

Three must read graphic novels/collections of comics are Preacher by Garth Ennis, Transmetropolitan by Warren Ells and the Invisibles by Grant Morrison. This are not about superheroes and I believe you'd find them enjoyable.

Spoiler: Also general advice I give to everyone

Find authors you like, they're usually consistent in quality.

My favourite authors in no particular order are:
Warren Ellis (Next Wave: Agents of Hate, The Authority, Transmetropolitian, Ultimates Galatus Trilogy), Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher), Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Grant Morrison (All Star Superman, Animal Man, The Invisibles) Mark Millar (Kickass, Wanted, Ultimates 1 and 2, Superman : Red Son, The Authority) Neil Gaimon (Sandman, Marvel 1602) and Brian K. Vaughn (Y - The Last Man, Runaways, Ex Machina).

What other one are good that feature more of a fantasy setting, instead of a superhero setting?

Fables, trust it may sound kind of lame as a concept, but it's really good. Basically every single fairy tale (or public domain story) is true, the characters from these tales have fled into our world because they're lands have been taken over by an evil overlord. You have characters like the Big Bad Wolf, Prince Charming, Cinderell, Mowgli all having adventures in the "mundi" (short for mundane) world. It's really good and different interpretations of characters and their developement is good.

They manage to turn Little Boy Blue into a badass without changing him too much.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Good graphic novels?

Arkham Asylum is great but kinda trippy. Watchmen is a must. Marvel Zombies 1 and 2 and, anything Discworld.

 

[Stuntkid]

Go get Scott Pilgrim. 'Tis epic, my friend.

WE ARE SEX BOMB-OMB!!!
1,2,3,4!
*eardrums explode*
Yeah, I'm on issue 2

 

[SturmDolch]

*snip*

Thanks for the informative reply. Jim Butcher actually wrote about the comic/graphic novel dilemma in the introduction to the one I read. He said he grew up reading comic books and graphic novels didn't exist back then, so he's calling his book a comic book, but that you can call it a graphic novel if it makes you happy.

 

[WolfThomas]

*snip*

Thanks for the informative reply. Jim Butcher actually wrote about the comic/graphic novel dilemma in the introduction to the one I read. He said he grew up reading comic books and graphic novels didn't exist back then, so he's calling his book a comic book, but that you can call it a graphic novel if it makes you happy.

I generally just call them comics as I unashamedly love them. I mean the average comic reader is like 30 or something. Also we live in a spectacular time for the artform, as many of the genius and great minds still alive and producing fantastic work. I wonder what people in a century will think of writers like Alan Moore and Grant Morrison.

 

[Ldude893]

DMZ. Basically, civil war breaking out in America due to its focused attention on the war abroad and "The Free States of America" and the United States struggle for control over New York City, which is now a war-torn wasteland with only several hundred-thousand people living in the city. The comic's about a journalist from a news company called Liberty News (a.k.a. FOX News) going into Manhattan and documenting the life of the people living in New York, and he finds out that it's very different from the image created by the media.
It's a great reflection of the War on Terror and the war in the Middle East. There's quite a bit of sex and gore in it, though.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

The Goon! It's the best darned rag your liable to pick up in your life! Set in an unspecified American town in the first half of the 20th century, it follows the exploit of a thug working for a crime boss by the name of Labrazio. He goes about smacking zombies, drinking liquor with spiders, and saving humanity from eldritch horrors. Its got more punch than any graphic novel out there!

 

[WolfThomas]

DMZ. Basically, civil war breaking out in America due to its focused attention on the war abroad and "The Free States of America" and the United States struggle for control over New York City, which is now a war-torn wasteland with only several hundred-thousand people living in the city. The comic's about a journalist from a news company called Liberty News (a.k.a. FOX News) going into Manhattan and documenting the life of the people living in New York, and he finds out that it's very different from the image created by the media.
It's a great reflection of the War on Terror and the war in the Middle East. There's quite a bit of sex and gore in it, though.

DMZ would make a great game in my oppinion, like Stalker meets GTA, lots of factions and unique counter culture.

 

[alik44]

Eh im goona have to say Bone by jeff smith...cnt explain why but when i first got it i could not put it down for the life of me

 

[Dr. Whiggs]

Ok, I admit it. I have no clue about graphic novels. I didn't grow up with them, unless you count Tin Tin and Asterix among them. But I recently checked out a graphic novel from a series of books called The Dresden Files. The graphic novel (is there a shorter way of saying that? Granov? Nogra?) is called Welcome to the Jungle and is about a Personal Investigator Wizard who fights paranormal threats in a normal Chicago world, just like the series.

I loved it! And I'd love to read more graphinovas. What other one are good that feature more of a fantasy setting, instead of a superhero setting? I mean, I like the occasional superhero. But I lose interest when the characters are all Masked Cliches. I did also like V for Vendetta and want to read Watchmen.

TLDR: Wut graphic novel = gud??

Run! Get out while you still can!

...Wait, Vendetta? If I wanted to have some paranoid egomaniac bore me cross-eyed I'd just go back in time to when GeoCities was still solvent. Then I'd jump off a bridge.

 

[Chewster]

I tend to think "a rose by any other name" and see the term "graphic novel" as an attempt to better market them to people, but there are some good comics out there. Frankly, I don't know anyone who still sees a stigma around the use of the word "comic book" anyhow. I guess the term "graphic novel" is used to indicate length or something, but it has always bugged me.

Watchmen is a good call. It's quite the compelling read.

Also, Superman: Red Son. Alternate telling of the Superman story, whereby he lands in Russia instead.

 

[Ldude893]

DMZ. Basically, civil war breaking out in America due to its focused attention on the war abroad and "The Free States of America" and the United States struggle for control over New York City, which is now a war-torn wasteland with only several hundred-thousand people living in the city. The comic's about a journalist from a news company called Liberty News (a.k.a. FOX News) going into Manhattan and documenting the life of the people living in New York, and he finds out that it's very different from the image created by the media.
It's a great reflection of the War on Terror and the war in the Middle East. There's quite a bit of sex and gore in it, though.

DMZ would make a great game in my oppinion, like Stalker meets GTA, lots of factions and unique counter culture.

Nah, the protagonist never even killed anyone. I think the comic's more suited for a film adaption.

 

[WolfThomas]

Nah, the protagonist never even killed anyone. I think the comic's more suited for a film adaption.

Well you wouldn't play as him, that'd be boring, you'd have your own new character and you'd be able to join multiple factions (e.g. Nation of Feargus, Delgardo Nation, Central Park Ghosts or Freestates) and do missions for mulitple people, fight trustwell mercs and the crazies from the empire state building.

 

[Redtiebear]

I'll tell you straight up right now that I'm not a big fan of superhero comics, so my suggestions reflect that.

Two of the best things I've ever read, period, are Blankets and Asterios Polyp. Pick them up. Now.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7885217-koko-be-good

And this was just released last month, Koko Be Good, and the art is super sexy.

The term "graphic novel" was coined by Will Eisner as to give comics a readier appreciation to people who put down comics as trite (for more, read Reinventing Comics by Scott McCloud), but at the same time, he did also create a new way to print comics as full-length stories, rather than released as serials (the monthly issues that come out in stores), or newspaper comic strips. However, they're not entirely mutually exclusive: for example, the graphic novel Local began released as a serial comic, but then collected together into graphic novel format. Also, we can say Scott Pilgrim is a graphic novel, but divided into different volumes.

I really liked Scott Pilgrim, don't get me wrong, but I think it's just really accessible and panders to a lot of game references, after a while. Accessible = good, but sometimes, its jokes start to feel like a one-trick pony. I also really liked the supporting characters a lot more than Scott a hell of a lot more of the time.

So yes, Scott. If your life had a face, I would kick it in the balls. And tell people to pick up more graphic novels, while I'm at it.

 

[Ldude893]

Nah, the protagonist never even killed anyone. I think the comic's more suited for a film adaption.

Well you wouldn't play as him, that'd be boring, you'd have your own new character and you'd be able to join multiple factions (e.g. Nation of Feargus, Delgardo Nation, Central Park Ghosts or Freestates) and do missions for mulitple people, fight trustwell mercs and the crazies from the empire state building.

I gotta admit, an RPG akin to Fallout 3 would be nice.

Still, I think it would be better adapt the comic as a film rather than turn it into a video game. Turning it into a video game would betray the message the comic is trying to present.

 

[XJ-0461]

If you want graphic novels, then check out Watchmen, Scott Pilgrim. I've read both of them (...ish. I've only read volume 1 of Scott Pilgrim) and liked them both.

If you want collected editions of comics, then I'd suggest Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman: Heart of Hush, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction and Ultimate Spider-man volume 1 and volume 2. All are pretty enjoyable reads.

 

[Tallim]

Go get Scott Pilgrim. 'Tis epic, my friend.

Yep yep.

Sandman.
The Crow.

Akira is one of my favourite graphic novels. It is very different from the anime movie but it is a very long haul.

 

[Wintermoot]

Scott Pilgrim VS the world and allot of Manga,s (Japanese graphic novels) if you are looking for something purely American there are allot of super hero novels out there like Iron Man Super Man Batman etc.