Dr.Traveler
Mathematician
- Aug 31, 2009
- 3,948
- 652
- 190
Hello,
I was curious how many comic book fans are among us, and what the interests are. So, a good way to feel things out is to ask: What are the top 10 graphic novels?
My list, in no particular order:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Complete-Cartoon-Epic-One/dp/188896314X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260197929&sr=8-2"]Bone: The One Volume Edition[/ame]: A comic book for everyone. Some parts funny, some parts serious, this epic one volume edition collects all the adventures of the Bone Brothers.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Miller-Batman-Deluxe-Leatherbound/dp/068140969X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198043&sr=1-1"]The Complete Frank Miller Batman[/ame]: A bit of a cheat as: this is no longer "complete", and this includes "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns." These are two of the best Batman stories ever written and worth a read.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Long-Halloween-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1563894270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198159&sr=1-1"]Batman: The Long Halloween[/ame]: One of the better mystery stories you'll read in comics, and up with "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" as being the best Batman stories. It helps explain how Gotham goes from a city in the grip of organized crime to a city in the grip of costumed lunatics.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Return-Superman-Omnibus/dp/1401215505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198309&sr=1-1"]The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus[/ame]: A good old fashioned comic book epic that is an unapologetic success. A cross country brawl, a hero's last stand, a world in peril, and a mystery with dire consequences. All in all an excellent story.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Come-Mark-Waid/dp/1401220347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198512&sr=1-1"]Kingdom Come[/ame]: An epic final saga of the DC superheroes mixed with imagery from Revelations. Alex Ross and Mark Waid spin an epic yarn with an emphasis on the human side.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/JSA-Golden-Elseworlds-James-Robinson/dp/1401207111/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198655&sr=1-4"]The Golden Age[/ame]: Think of as a companion piece to Kingdom Come. This is the swan song of the golden age heroes set against a backdrop of post WWII euphoria and the roots of the McCarthy era. You don't need to know anything about the golden age heroes to appreciate this one.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Watchmen-Alan-Moore/dp/1401219268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198798&sr=1-1"]Watchmen[/ame]: The war and piece of comic book superheroes. Ignore the film and read the book. Watch carefully as a lot of neat subplots and easter eggs lurk beneath the surface.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Marvels-Kurt-Busiek/dp/1905239971/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198878&sr=1-1"]Marvels[/ame]: Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross teamed to bring this man of the street view of the origins of the Marvel Universe. An excellent book that pulls you in and puts you on the streets of New York as the Avengers move through the streets, Galactus attacks, and Spiderman deals with the greatest tragedy of his career.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Earth-X-Alex-Ross/dp/0785123253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260199088&sr=1-1"]Earth X[/ame]: The companion piece to Marvels in many ways. In Earth X everyone has superpowers, the world is on the brink, and there is no "man on the street"... at least not any more. Its a dark messier epic than Marvels or Kingdom Come, but still solid in its own way.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Maus-Box-Set-Art-Spiegelman/dp/B001G50SCS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260199306&sr=1-4"]Mauss Volume I and II[/ame]: I debated including this, as its a book I can't seem to read or finish without a high level of emotional pain, but how do you have a list like this and not include Maus. Its a powerful and haunting tale of the holocaust.
I was curious how many comic book fans are among us, and what the interests are. So, a good way to feel things out is to ask: What are the top 10 graphic novels?
My list, in no particular order:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Complete-Cartoon-Epic-One/dp/188896314X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260197929&sr=8-2"]Bone: The One Volume Edition[/ame]: A comic book for everyone. Some parts funny, some parts serious, this epic one volume edition collects all the adventures of the Bone Brothers.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Miller-Batman-Deluxe-Leatherbound/dp/068140969X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198043&sr=1-1"]The Complete Frank Miller Batman[/ame]: A bit of a cheat as: this is no longer "complete", and this includes "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns." These are two of the best Batman stories ever written and worth a read.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Long-Halloween-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1563894270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198159&sr=1-1"]Batman: The Long Halloween[/ame]: One of the better mystery stories you'll read in comics, and up with "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" as being the best Batman stories. It helps explain how Gotham goes from a city in the grip of organized crime to a city in the grip of costumed lunatics.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Return-Superman-Omnibus/dp/1401215505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198309&sr=1-1"]The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus[/ame]: A good old fashioned comic book epic that is an unapologetic success. A cross country brawl, a hero's last stand, a world in peril, and a mystery with dire consequences. All in all an excellent story.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Come-Mark-Waid/dp/1401220347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198512&sr=1-1"]Kingdom Come[/ame]: An epic final saga of the DC superheroes mixed with imagery from Revelations. Alex Ross and Mark Waid spin an epic yarn with an emphasis on the human side.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/JSA-Golden-Elseworlds-James-Robinson/dp/1401207111/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198655&sr=1-4"]The Golden Age[/ame]: Think of as a companion piece to Kingdom Come. This is the swan song of the golden age heroes set against a backdrop of post WWII euphoria and the roots of the McCarthy era. You don't need to know anything about the golden age heroes to appreciate this one.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Watchmen-Alan-Moore/dp/1401219268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198798&sr=1-1"]Watchmen[/ame]: The war and piece of comic book superheroes. Ignore the film and read the book. Watch carefully as a lot of neat subplots and easter eggs lurk beneath the surface.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Marvels-Kurt-Busiek/dp/1905239971/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260198878&sr=1-1"]Marvels[/ame]: Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross teamed to bring this man of the street view of the origins of the Marvel Universe. An excellent book that pulls you in and puts you on the streets of New York as the Avengers move through the streets, Galactus attacks, and Spiderman deals with the greatest tragedy of his career.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Earth-X-Alex-Ross/dp/0785123253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260199088&sr=1-1"]Earth X[/ame]: The companion piece to Marvels in many ways. In Earth X everyone has superpowers, the world is on the brink, and there is no "man on the street"... at least not any more. Its a dark messier epic than Marvels or Kingdom Come, but still solid in its own way.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Maus-Box-Set-Art-Spiegelman/dp/B001G50SCS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260199306&sr=1-4"]Mauss Volume I and II[/ame]: I debated including this, as its a book I can't seem to read or finish without a high level of emotional pain, but how do you have a list like this and not include Maus. Its a powerful and haunting tale of the holocaust.
)
