Books: What are the best graphic novels/comics/manga in your opinion?

[Shareefruck]

The "Here" suggestion in the EP thread re-ignited interest for me-- Found the look and premise really cool. Love the medium as a whole, but haven't dug too deep into it yet, outside of a few obvious ones. Which ones do you hold in highest regard?

I guess an offshoot discussion point would be, in your opinion, do the best Japanese Manga get anywhere near as good as the best graphic novels? I've been skeptical of that (the type of audience also tends to make resources feel unreliable, to me). If so, what are some examples that deserve to be put on a pedestal?

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[Pink Mist]

I've mostly only read the well know stuff / what can probably be called "political graphic novels" or "graphic non-fiction", ie stuff that borders on political journalism But here's my favourites:

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Basically anything by Joe Sacco (the cartoonist, not the former NHL player and Colorado Avalanche coach, though that would be a funny job for him to moonlight as) but in particular Palestine, Footnotes in Gaza, and Safe Area Gorazde. He also has a new one on Canada's indigenous genocide that I want to read and has been well reviewed

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

The Property by Rutu Modan

Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq by Sarah Glidden

Also Calvin and Hobbes if that kind of newspaper strips stuff counts

I agree that it's a medium that I really want to dig into more, so I'm curious to see what people suggest

 

[Primary Assist]

Watchmen is an all-time classic in this medium. It's also the only graphic novel I've ever read, so sorry I can't be more help

 

[eXile3]

Not a 100% sure if these are graphic novels or comics series.

The Sandman
Watchmen
Scalped (This might be more of a comic series)

I agree Maus is a good one.

 

[Winger98]

I like stuff by Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam, among others).

 

[xtra]

Kingdom come was a great one

 

[Shareefruck]

Anyone have an opinion on whether Adrian Tomine's reputation is deserved or if his work is overrated? I like his aesthetic style but it seems like the kind of thing that can go in either direction.

 

[Pink Mist]

Anyone have an opinion on whether Adrian Tomine's reputation is deserved or if his work is overrated? I like his aesthetic style but it seems like the kind of thing that can go in either direction.

I've only read Shortcomings and wasn't really a fan. Like you said, I enjoyed his aesthetic but I found the actual story and characters kind of underwhelming

 

[barriers]

Concentrating on stories that stand on their own as opposed to a part of a series, Watchmen and Batman: The Long Halloween are 2 of my favourites and I probably re-read them at least every other year. Less popular ones that I'm quite fond of,

Essex County by Jeff Lemire
Sheriff of Babylon by Tom King/Mitch Gerads
Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

edit: Almost forgot Darwyn Cooke! The New Frontier is a classic and all 4 of his 'Parker' adaptations are magnificent!

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Garth Ennis’s run of The Punisher MAX

 

[Babe Ruth]

Batman Damned is one of my favorite graphic novels.. primarily because of Lee Bermejo's art.

I recently finished Shackleton (Nick Bertozzi). True story about E. Shackleton's dramatic attempt to walk across Antarctica. And Shackleton & crew walked across a lot of ice, but not as expected.

 

[Shareefruck]

Bumping an old thread.

Just wanted to make a quick update that while forays into Western graphic novels ended up kind of fruitless for me (only ones that connect for me currently are Calvin and Hobbes, Watchmen, Here, and to a lesser degree a short book called "Why Art?"), and despite the fact that I typically despise and am uninterested in Manga, I recently became aware of Taiyo Matsumoto and I'm now obsessed with his style. It looks like it's exactly what I originally wanted out of this thread.

I've already gotten into and fallen in love with Ping Pong (easiest transition due to already loving the Anime), but order of interest is currently GoGo Monster (too difficult to get my hands on, though), Sunny, Cats of the Louvre, No. 15, and then eventually Tekkonkinkreet (which I have less interest in).

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I've mostly only read the well known stuff / what can probably be called "political graphic novels" or "graphic non-fiction", ie stuff that borders on political journalism but here's my favorites: Maus by Art Spiegelman

I've been reading illustrated books since 69 and have written about them for several websites. @Shareefruck

1. Maus: A Survivors Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

2. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

3. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. One of the best superheroes GNs ever. Moore and bestselling novelist Neil "The Sandman" Gaiman are 2 of the best ever. Neil Gaiman

4. Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon

5. This One Summer

6. Sweet Tooth

7. Through the Woods

8. Blankets

9. My Favorite Thing is Monsters

10. Jimmy Corrigan

 

[J T Money]

As far as Manga goes, I’d have Berserk at the top of that list. It’s a dark fantasy, but the story and art is second to none.

 

[eXile3]

As far as Manga goes, I’d have Berserk at the top of that list. It’s a dark fantasy, but the story and art is second to none.

I second. The only problem being you either have to find a way to get it for free or delve out a ton of money to get the series up to now.

 

[barriers]

I just devoured The Nice House on the Lake Vol. 1 & 2 by James Tynion IV & Álvaro Martínez Bueno over the past day and loved it. Great art and setting.

The Weatherman by Jody Lehup & Nathan Fox is one of my favourite series from the last 5 years and I think it's finally supposed to start its' final run this November. Really looking forward to it.

 

[sigma six]

I read the whole run of Ennis' The Preacher graphic novels back when those were a new release, thought they were quite gripping at the time. Was a shame the live action show was botched so hard.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

@Shareefruck I think you would fall in love with Krazy Kat. Bill Watterson swore by it. I think it's even better than Calvin and Hobbes personally and one of the coolest things on the planet.