Graphic Novel recommendations

[Melv]

I have in the last year, started collecting graphic novels that look appealing. I have enjoyed most of them so want to know what you guys think are must haves.

These are what I have so far:

Superman & Batman: Generations - Good fun if silly
Superman: Endgame - Pretty lame but it was the first one I bought

(I got those two years ago but never got more until now)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Amazing
Batman: Arkham Asylum - Beautiful
Batman: The Long Halloween - Riveting
Batman: The Court Of Owls - Gripping and more original than I expected
Justice League New 52 Collection 1 - Pretty but empty
Justice League New 52 Collection 2 (forgot the names of these) - See above
Superman: Red Son - Really nice concept done well
All-Star Superman - Some really nice ideas overall but dull segments, especially bizarro
The Death Of Superman - Just had to but who are the weird Justice League?
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse - Fun and silly
Superman: Birthright - Really nice origin the MOS clearly borrowed from
Kingdom Come - Amazing artwork and story
Superman: For Tomorrow (Reading now) - So far a bit dull
Superior - Really good
Watchmen - Fantastic


So what else should I get?

[Melv]

I forgot, I've also got the Action Comics Volume One from the New 52 which started really well but as soon as the Brainiac story was over I lost interest.

[Kirok]

Yeah Morrison's run on Action Comics started off great but quickly nosedived into the bizarre and things have been a mess ever since. Tony Daniel's issues were a breath of fresh air but he left after only 3 and now it's just more of the same mediocre Superman that can be found in his self-titled book.

Other GN recommendations:

Batman: Year One
Batman: Dark Victory
Robin: Year One
Superman: Secret Origin
Superman and the Legion
Superman: Brainiac
The Flash: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Secret Origin

[Deleted]

Son of Superman
Superman: Secret Origin
Superman: Secret Identity
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

[Kirok]

Sept 3, 2013 19:48:45 GMT -5 @bamabrad said:

Superman: Secret Identity
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Should've mentioned those myself, two of my favorites!

Also I'd recommend all the "Earth One" books. Superman has 2 and Batman has 1 so far.

[Melv]

I've read Public Enemies actually, and I've got the cartoon. I borrowed a book from a friend.

I've seen Earth One at my local shop in Auckland so I might get that next.

[crazy_asian_man]

I'd reccomend the early tpb's of the Flash by Geoff Johns and his "Teen Titans"-
Also, his early "JSA" tpbs- I found those particularly interesting because (at the time) it was fascinating to read about older superheroes with real old person issues as well, and blend it in a way that was moving, rather than ridiculous.

The reason I'm not recommending later ones, are because in many of the cases, the books start to go "crossover happy" and so, when you're buying the books, you're only getting PART of the story. (This happened to me with "Blackest Night" and "Green Lantern" tpbs).

Miller's Batman: Year One, Dark Knight Returns (the first one, not the sequel), Miller's "Elektra" and "Born Again" trade paperbacks. This was Miller's high points- "Ronin" had promise, but I think it was pretty weak by the end. "Sin City" i feel is a bit overrated- and, hard to read because his art style gets to a point where you can't figure out which character is saying what! (That's pretty bad).

Miller/Claremont's "Wolverine" miniseries is considered a classic (though it's been awhile since I read it).

I'd also say (if you can find it cheap anywhere) Alan Moore/Neil Gaiman's "Miracleman" tpbs are great.

[Melv]

Well, I love Alan Moore's Watchmen.

I just bought The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vols. 1&2. I've read the first and that was fantastic.

Are From heck and V For Vendetta any good? Anything else by him that's similar?

I also saw one by Grant Morrison called The Filth. Any good?

[crazy_asian_man]

Well, I love Alan Moore's Watchmen.

I just bought The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vols. 1&2. I've read the first and that was fantastic.

Are From heck and V For Vendetta any good? Anything else by him that's similar?

I also saw one by Grant Morrison called The Filth. Any good?

Also loved Moore's Watchmen--- what's funny about Miracleman (which he started as 'Marvelman'- then it was reprinted under a new name 'Miracleman') is that at the time "Watchmen" was supposed to be Alan Moore's 'final words' on superheroes (at the time)- then, he went and had to finish up his Miracleman arc--- (and then handed it over to his chosen then-unknown successor Neil Gaiman- who ended up not being able to finish his own arc because of a legal nightmare with Todd McFarlane)- which then became his 'second final word' on superheroes. GRRREAT stuff..... and the art I thought was amazing (the artist has literally gone blind since then)- and I consider it one of Moore's all-time best works.

From heck I never picked up, but heard it was good.

V for Vendetta is interesting- FAR better than the crappy movie. What's interesting about that one, too, is that he started off the miniseries at one time- and then there's several years before he had a chance to finish it up.... and he even comments how much he had changed as a writer in between.... but, very good stuff.

Grant Morrisson's stuff is interesting- (especially as he was a nemesis of Moore's for awhile)- I haven't read the Flith, but it's apparently EXTREMELY dark. I am, however, curious....

[Deleted]

I want MiracleMan SO goddamn badly.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using proboards

[crazy_asian_man]

I want MiracleMan SO goddamn badly.

The Moore and Gaiman run probably is available to view online somewhere---
What REALLY is great about the transition is that Moore ends his run in a way that you think, "hm... there's NO way to continue this story. All the story ideas have been tapped out-"..... only to have Gaiman use the end of the Moore's story as a great opportunity to show how the whole world would evolve (and devolve) from that amazing end point.

As a hint: Gaiman chose to have three arcs as sections: 'The Golden Age', 'The Silver Age', and the 'Bronze Age'--- The Golden Age was finished, the Silver Age only a couple of pages got drawn until the McFarlane lawsuit--- but just judging by the titles and what had gone on in the Golden Age and Silver Age- my guess is that the Bronze Age would have been an amazing finish to the series as a last chapter.
So- the direction was in Gaiman's head..... but legalities froze Miracleman up. *sigh*

[ShogunLogan]

Just saw this thread. Coincidentally, I was at the local comic shop and there was a card listing 25 DC essential Graphic Novels. I haven't read them all but here is the list for what it's worth:

• Watchmen
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
• The Sandman Vol 1
• Batman: Year One
• V for Vendetta
• Saga of the Swamp Thing Vol 1
• Fables Vol 1
• Batman: The Killing Joke
• Y: The Last Man Vol 1
• All-Star Superman
• Kingdom Come
• Batman: The Long Halloween
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol 1
• Batman: Earth One
• Green Lantern: Rebirth
• American Vampire Vol 1
• Blackest Night
• Final Crisis
• JLA Vol 1
• Identity Crisis
• Batman: Hush
• Joker
• The Flash: Rebirth
• Superman: Earth One
• Planetary Vol 1

[Melv]

Well I'll certainly look at getting most of them. I definitely prefer Batman in the comics to Superman even though I've always preferred Superman as a character in film and TV.

I've just finished The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 2 and really loved it so I'm definitely on a bit of an Alan Moore thing. I'm not sure which to get next. I've got Watchmen, read The Killing Joke years ago but don't really remember it, yet it's so thin that I don't really want to sheck out for it. I want V for Vendetta but I've seen the film so I don't know whether to get one I know nothing about first.

I'm thinking From heck next. Good choice?

[crazy_asian_man]

A friend of mine who loved "From heck" described how it was essentially the story of Jack the Ripper- but that the neat thing was the crossovers from other characters who lived at the time (fictional or historical I don't recall).
Sounded neat, but I never followed up on it. If you eventually get "V for Vendetta" you'll see how they got the look right, but the story really wrong in the movie. (Not unlike Watchmen).

[Melv]

After finishing League Vol. 2 and loving it I went a bit mad and bought all of the rest!

I saw The Black Dossier in a small shop and left it because it didn't look too appealing. I then went to another shop on the other side of Auckland and saw Nemo: Heart Of Ice. I thought it looked ace and found all of Century there too and went to buy them but couldn't see the The Black Dossier. When I asked the guy he said that The Black Dossier wasn't allowed to be sold in New Zealand! I thought, 'Fuck! I just saw it and left it!' I don't know if he was lying but I knew that I'd seen it in the other shop and the idea that I might not be able to get it meant that I bought them all then and there and then rushed back to the other shop to get The Black Dossier, which luckily was still there.

I'm now working my way through them all.

(I got V For Vendetta too! I saw From heck but it was $80NZ so I thought I'd ask for it for Christmas as that's a bit excessive.)

[Deleted]

My local library system has all of the collected volumes of "The Walking Dead." I figured I'd give it a read since I caught on to the show earlier this year.

[Melv]

I've finished the League. Century wasn't as good as Vols 1 & 2 and The Black Dossier was a bit pretentious but I really like the series overall. Nemo: Heart Of Ice was a bit vapid. It seems now that he's just showing off with references rather than wanting to tell an original story. Even so, I read the whole of V for Vendetta in a day which restored my faith in Moore. It was awesome.

I've just finished Vol 1 of The Sandman which I really enjoyed even though it's apparently nowhere near as good as the later ones so I'm looking forward to continuing that.

I've also just started Y: The Last Man. Damn it's riveting!

I've just ordered the DC Universe Alan Moore Stories but I'm worried after reading up that it might not include The Killing Joke as it's only in certain versions. That would suck a bit, but I'll wait until it arrives before I assume the worst. At least I can get it separately but I thought I'd found a deal when I first bought this collection.