LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 I thought I had already started this topic a while back but can't seem to find it now... Well I've been wanting to get into graphic novels for a while now, read/watched a lot of Manga as a teen and started to read Bleach but the Japanese humour isn't doing it for me at the moment, so decided to pick up some graphic novels. I've always been a fan of Batman so it seemed a good place to start. So far I have read Year One and The Killing Joke, and I am going to start The Dark Knight Rises tonight. Love what I've read so far, TKJ especially was fantastic. So my question is, what next? At some point I know I have to read Watchmen and at the other end of the scale I fancy having a look at The Walking Dead (I didn't stick with the series but hear the graphic novels tell the story better). As for Batman, I think The Long Halloween might be my next unless there are any other recommendations? Wouldn't mind reading more about the Bruce Wayne/Barbara Gordon relationship (it was a bit of a shock getting a glimpse in to it in TKJ) but don't really know where to start with that. Up to now, I've been using this free Kindle book from DC for recommendations but for obvious reasons they're all DC/MAD/Vertigo and while I like a lot of the DC characters, I'm also (theoretically at least as I've only seen them in movies) interested in Thor and Ironman: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Entertainment-Essential-Graphic-Novels-Chronology-ebook/dp/B00CYXOU5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389088555&sr=8-1&keywords=dc+graphic+novel So I guess my question is if you were just starting to get in to graphic novels, which would you read first?
sonofsanta Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 If you want to read Batman, The Dark Knight Returns is absolutely what you want to be reading. Though that may be what you meant by Dark Knight Rises, as that's the name of the third movie, not a graphic novel (AFAIK). Watchmen is incredible in graphic novel form, don't judge it on the movie. Alan Moore specifically set out to make something that took advantage of the medium and that wouldn't translate across to anything else. Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is always spoken of highly, but I've never had the money around to actually buy & read it
Dos_Box Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 The Ballad of Halo Jones: The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones (2000 Ad): Amazon.co.uk: Alan Moore, Ian Gibson: Books One of the best, and another winner from Alan Moore too Oh, and DR and Quinch: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-D-R-Quinch-Alan-Moore/dp/1906735883 if you want a giggle! I'm also a big fan of MegaTokyo. You can read it online of buy the books (which are better for following the story narrative) and are full of geeky humour: MegaTokyo - [1] E3 Nightmare Begins
Domino Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 100 Bullets is really cool, with a long running series http://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Bullets-Vol-First-Shot/dp/1563896451
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 If you want to read Batman, The Dark Knight Returns is absolutely what you want to be reading. Though that may be what you meant by Dark Knight Rises, as that's the name of the third movie, not a graphic novel (AFAIK). Watchmen is incredible in graphic novel form, don't judge it on the movie. Alan Moore specifically set out to make something that took advantage of the medium and that wouldn't translate across to anything else. Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is always spoken of highly, but I've never had the money around to actually buy & read it You're totally correct, I did mean Dark Knight Returns I'll be starting that one tonight I have heard a lot of people singing Watchmen's praises so it's definitely on my reading list Sandman is another I keep hearing crop up so I'll add that to the list too The Ballad of Halo Jones: The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones (2000 Ad): Amazon.co.uk: Alan Moore, Ian Gibson: Books One of the best, and another winner from Alan Moore too Oh, and DR and Quinch: The Complete D.R. & Quinch: Amazon.co.uk: Alan Moore: Books if you want a giggle! I'm also a big fan of MegaTokyo. You can read it online of buy the books (which are better for following the story narrative) and are full of geeky humour: MegaTokyo - [1] E3 Nightmare Begins 2000AD - totally forgot about those! Read a few when I was a teenager but it was annoyingly difficult to buy from my local newsagent. That MegaTokyo looks interesting too, thanks
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 100 Bullets is really cool, with a long running series http://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Bullets-Vol-First-Shot/dp/1563896451 Sounds excellent -added to the list!
tmcd35 Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Don't know what's available here, but may be worth a look. Came accross is (old resource, btw) a couple of days ago when I was reminiscing about ACE computer magazine... https://archive.org/details/comics For those who want to delve into the delight of ancient computer periodicals... https://archive.org/details/computermagazines
north-ict Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 DC - Identity Crisis is a pretty damn good read and the batman Hush story arc i liked. Elseworld series by DC, Redson in which superman lands in russia and not america is also another fav of mine. Marvel - Civil war was ok I know of others but cant think of them right now will have to look at my collection.
sparkeh Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Just off the top of my head, in no particular order: From Hell Alice in Sunderland Watchmen V for Vendetta The Frank Book Superf**kers Maus Persepolis Judge Dredd case files The Walking Dead The Hellblazer series The Lucifer series The Tale of One Bad Rat Promethea The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series Grandville and Grandville Mon Amour Sin City series Chew Fatale
pcstru Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Something a little different - Logicomix - an epic search for truth
ICTDirect_Dave Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Surpised @nephilim hasn't posted yet! It's always worth getting the DC crisis novels, they're suitably epic! And also the Kingdom come novel!
featured_spectre Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Righty...good reads Judge Dredd Complete - fantastic graphic novel. Any of the Marvel Essential graphic novels - covers the original origins of the marvel heroes and their beginning stories and enemies. "Greatest" - DC - Get any of the Greatest ones by DC. They have great story lines, good team ups and cover varying bad guys also. Beyond the universe - DC - again, great storylines, but go far and beyond what people are used too for the characters. Vertigo (Publisher) - most of these are good reads, but be prepared for characters you are not used too or who seem obscure with their abilities.
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 My Amazon wishlist is expanding @ICTDirect_Dave - the DC Crisis series looks interesting, but I can't tell whether there is a continuous story arc (i.e. is there a particular one I should start with) or if they each stand alone? @sparkeh - that's one hell of a list! If I said to you you're only allowed to keep three of those (series) and the rest must be burned forever, which would you choose?
featured_spectre Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 With the DC infinite Crisis, as with the DC 1 million, each takes place in the view of the character, so you could pick one, read, then pick another and read and get a different view point. I would always suggest start with Superman or Green lantern with the infinite crisis and DC 1 millions and then work through alphabetically. Mainly because Green lantern features most of the other heroes within his story arc compared to say batman or superman or aquaman or wonder woman etc.
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 @nephilim - OK from your recomendations added Judge Dredd Complete Case Files and Marvel Essential Avengers (thinking that will be a good leaping off point for some of Marvel's biggest names), When you say DC "Greatest", is this the kind of thing you mean? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Greatest-Stories-Ever-Told/dp/1401204449/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389099327&sr=1-14&keywords=dc+greatest Struggling to find the "Beyond the Universe" series on Amazon, keeps coming up Batman Beyond...
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 With the DC infinite Crisis, as with the DC 1 million, each takes place in the view of the character, so you could pick one, read, then pick another and read and get a different view point. I would always suggest start with Superman or Green lantern with the infinite crisis and DC 1 millions and then work through alphabetically. Mainly because Green lantern features most of the other heroes within his story arc compared to say batman or superman or aquaman or wonder woman etc. Are they quite hard to get hold of or am I just looking in the wrong places? The only places I really know are Amazon and Forbidden Planet and neither throw up much searching for Infinite Crisis... If anyone is interested, here's my reading list so far: http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/2VEUBVN73SUVK
Domino Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Transmetropolitan. Warren Ellis in general. Transmetropolitan is a great call... Also Y: The last Man if you've not read it too... Y The Last Man TP Vol 01 Unmanned: Amazon.co.uk: Pia Guerra: Books
sparkeh Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 @sparkeh - that's one hell of a list! If I said to you you're only allowed to keep three of those (series) and the rest must be burned forever, which would you choose? Oof, that's a tough one but... ok: 1. Judge Dredd case files. Can't beat a bit of justice Joe style. 2. The Frank Book. Not to everyone's taste but there are some beautiful stories in there told purely through pictures. 3. Watchmen. It was the game changer really and gives you an insight to a lot of work that followed it.
LosOjos Posted January 7, 2014 Author Posted January 7, 2014 Amazon.co.uk: infinite crisis try that It's probably just me being dumb but I can't see how you differentiate which is Green Lantern, Wonderwoman, Superman etc... perhaps one I'll buy in store where I can have a proper look at them! Transmetropolitan is a great call... Also Y: The last Man if you've not read it too... Y The Last Man TP Vol 01 Unmanned: Amazon.co.uk: Pia Guerra: Books Y! Almost forgot that one, it sounded interesting reading about it in the DC eBook I linked earlier Oof, that's a tough one but... ok: 1. Judge Dredd case files. Can't beat a bit of justice Joe style. 2. The Frank Book. Not to everyone's taste but there are some beautiful stories in there told purely through pictures. 3. Watchmen. It was the game changer really and gives you an insight to a lot of work that followed it. I'm open minded - Frank Book added (the other two were already on the list )
featured_spectre Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 For infinite crisis, you are probably best off getting this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crisis-Infinite-Absolute-Edition-Editions/dp/140120712X/ref=sr_1_19/276-2491309-5856640?ie=UTF8&qid=1389102188&sr=8-19&keywords=infinite+crisis
SpuffMonkey Posted January 7, 2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Definitely - Maus and you could try a Chris Ware such as Jimmy Corrigan or Building Stories - I got Building Stories last Xmas - very impressed - you can read the bits in any order and it still makes sense, though the themes are "grown up" and melancholic (imho)
MrMat Posted January 8, 2014 Posted January 8, 2014 Ohhhh I sure do love Graphic Novels. My recommendations are as follows: Watchmen - Already mentioned several times. I feel its aged a little but it's still a fantastic read. Contains probably one of the best comic book/superhero characters ever – Rorschach. V for Vendetta - Again a fantastic read written by Alan Moore same as Watchmen. Don’t judge the book by the movie as the film only covers the first chapter of the book. The book goes into much more detail regarding the state of Britain and delves much deeper into the two main characters of V and Eve. The Boys - Great series. An alternative take on the superhero genre where masked heroes are ten a penny and have let the power go to their heads (similar idea to Watchmen but in a completely different style). It's hilarious, witty, engrossing and violent! It focuses on a group of folks with hero-esk abilities who work for the government. Their job is to ‘deal’ with masked superhero’s when they step out of line. Y the Last Man – Think this one has already been mentioned too but it’s a really good read. Quite clever and very witty. Focuses on a chap called Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand who happen to be the only two living males left on the planet after a plague whips out everything on earth with a Y chromosome! Locke & Key – Probably my favourite series. It’s absolutely brilliant. It’s drawn to perfection, the writing is superb and it’s fantastically creative. It falls into the horror genre but don’t let that put you off if horror isn’t really your thing. It’s about the Locke family who move into an old mansion. Within the mansion are hidden keys which open special doors allowing for all kinds of unusual things to happen. Honestly it’s hard to describe but it’s brilliant! The first in the series is only about £2 on kindle so if you have a tablet, give it a go. Batman – If you’re after a Batman novel to read I would recommend either The Dark Knight Returns (an olde but a goodie!), Killing Joke (great Joker story but a little short, contains some great artwork and Joker monologues though) or Death of the Family (my personal favourite, another Joker story which is very dark but a really great read). Could go on but I will stop there!! All the above are available via Amazon or ForbiddenPlanet (who have a store in Birmingham btw!)
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