So it seems like every week, someone's getting into comics again, and they ask for recommendations. And every week, everyone re-lists their favorites. So rather than keep redoing it, why not have an official thread?

What I have in mind is this: list your recommendations and I'll add them to the first posts. It would help if you have a link that goes to a preview, review, or maybe even amazon so people can buy it.

CBR's "Top 100 Comic Book Runs" List.

pcostabel's "Introduction to European Comics thread

Thanks for any and all input from the following: FnordChan, Halycon, Scribble, 8bit, 7Th, Splatt, Blader5489, Hive, wackojackosnose, No6, Lain, Phthisis, Rur0ni, DieNgamers, MattKeil, MisterHero, Rindain, AniHawk, Hcoregamer00, FlightOfHeaven, my name is ed, beat, Fularu, Spike Spiegel, pcostabel, favouriteflavour, Napoleonthechimp, Shig, Jugendstil, Viewt, and me.

DC

Action Comics (858-on)

All Star Superman - Morrison has a crack at an icon and utterly nails it, backed by Frank Quitely's intricately detailed art. If you read one Superman comic, read this one.

Animal Man

Arkham Asylum: Living Hell

Batman: Arkham Asylum - Batman (and readers) go on the ultimate head trip when the inmates take over Gotham, agreeing to a hostage exhange only when the Dark Knight agrees to willingly enter their world, experiencing their own personal hells.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller's satire inspired an entire industry towards grim and gritty, proving that they didn't get the joke. Which is a pity, as TDKR is one helluva adventure, mixing grim futurism with the perfect expression of Bruce Wayne as an old, tough as nails bastard who refuses to quit. The one Batman trade everyone should read.

Batman: HUSH - its quality is debatable, but you can't deny that this collaboration between Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee marks a definitive run on Batman, and serves as an excellent introduction to new readers.

Batman: The Long Halloween - another really weird omission considering nGAF's obsession with it... Loeb/Sale's take on the Dark Knight, and Two Face's origin, is generally considered a seminal Batman work.

Batman: The Man Who Laughs - it doesn't get a lot of press, but this release from a few years ago acts as a sequel of sorts to Batman: Year One, and chronicles Batman and Gotham's first encounter with the Joker. Written by Ed Brubaker, it's one of the great Joker stories, albeit a bit short, and features stellar artwork by Doug Mahnke.

Batman: Year One - Showing that Miller can write Batman as something other than vicious satire, this is a perfect example of how to take a classic origin story and expand it for a modern audience. Miller takes us from the tragic death of Bruce Wayne's parents to the finished incarnation of his crime fighting persona.

DC: The New Frontier - Darwyn Cooke's gorgeous re-telling of the early DC continuity, as filtered through the sensibilites of the 1950s. Crucial DC reading.

DC Universe - A collection of miscellaneous stories Moore did for DC, all of which are gems. Here's the rest of your essential Superman reading (including Moore's love letter to pre-Crisis Superman, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"), as well as the acclaimed Batman story The Killing Joke.

Doom Patrol (Grant Morrison)

The Flash: Blitz - anything Flash written by either Geoff Johns or Mark Waid is deinitely worth reading to any fan of the Scarlet Speedster, but this storyline stands about from the rest for pushing the Flash (and readers) in ways physically, mentally, and emotionally like never before.

Identity Crisis - contraversial, loved and loathed by many, Brad Meltzer's groundbreaking miniseries set the stage for the Final Crisis event and its offshoots, and shook the foundations of the DC Universe to their very core with an unrelenting look at the dark side of this colorful world of superhero comics.

The Golden Age - James Robinson's acclaimed Elseworlds series chronicles the fate of superheroes post- World War 2, and how the Justice Society struggles to survive against an unseen yet familiar thread amidst 1950s McCarthyism.

JLA

JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice - this is the ultimate DC team-up of team-ups. The Justice League of America, the Justice Society of America, joining forces to combat some familiar faces and a pairing of classic villains in a smashup that can only be described as epic.

Justice League International - in the 1980s, DC tasked Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire with revitalizing its flagging Justice League franchise. By filling its roster with lesser known heroes (and Batman) and injecting a great deal of humor into the book, they led the Justice League to new heights of greatness. Years later, the trio returned to their creation with the hilarious Formerly Known as the Justice League and its sequel, I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League

JSA/Justice Society of America - someone else already mentioned JLA, but DC's other supehero team book is just as good... if not better. The entire run, from JSA #1 onward, is worth reading, but the Final Crisis reboot has been absolutely remarkable, establishing what sets this team apart from the League.

Justice - Krueger, Ross, and Braithwaite team up once again for a Silver Age -inspired story in which the DC villains unite to punish the Justice League for failing to save the world from ending... only, it hasn't happened yet. Any fan of classic DC, or the old Superfriends vs Legion of Doom cartoon, should not miss this.

Kingdom Come - another... odd... omission. Mark Waid and Alex Ross collaborate on the ultimate alternate future take on the DC Universe, a world where the lawless childen of superheroes threaten the safety of the Earth.

Ronin - long, LONG before Sin City came into being, Frank Miller wrote and illustrated this tale of an epic struggle between a masterless samurai and a soul-stealing demon, taking us from feudal Japan to a decaying, ruined New York City eight centuries later.

Superman for All Seasons - yet another Loeb/Sale collaboration, this is considered by many to be "Long Halloween" for the Man of Steel, following the formative years of Clark Kent's life as Superman as marked by the changing of seasons.

Superman: Red Son - this popular Elseworlds story explores what might have happened had the rocket that carried Superman to Earth landed in the heart of the Soviet Union instead of Smallville, Kansas. He may not stand for "the American Way" anymore, but readers will find that a Superman bearing the Communist symbol is still Superman.

SUPERMAN: Secret Identity: This is the story that made me love Kurt Busiek. He writes a damn good Superman in this book. Essentially, this is a four-issue What If. In current DC continuity, Superboy-Prime never got a chance to grow up on his world (our Earth, where the DC universe is all in comic books), as it was destroyed and he was thrown into maelstrom of shit. Busiek's tale is about the Superboy-Prime who was able to become the sole superhero in the world. There are no giant robots or bald super-villains to be found here. Secret Identity is about growing up, figuring out what's most important to you in the world, and doing everything you can to protect it. It's brilliant.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies - later story arcs were either hit or miss, but this initial offering from DC's new series pairing these heroes was a smash. Taking the same "kitchen sink" approach to storytelling as the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, this action-packed storyline has everything you might expect and more.

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? - written by Alan Moore years ago, this remarkable story explores many of the same themes currently being mined by Grant Morrison in All Star Superman. This tale recounts the last days of Superman, his triumphs and tragedies, and a final stand at the Fortress of Solitude against those who would ultimately be his undoing.

Swamp Thing (Alan Moore)

Watchmen - Alan Moore's definitive deconstruction of the superhero comic. Dense, literate, powerful, this is the graphic novel that launched dozens of graduate theses and is cited, rightly, as a shining example of the idea that comics aren't just for kids. An excellent starting point for the new comics reader looking for something a bit more challenging.

Wonder Woman: Down to Earth - a more recent story of prominence for WW, this was the start of Greg Rucka's acclaimed run on the series, exploring the many facets and contradictions that make up this character. Ambassador, warrior, princess, scholar, philosopher, woman, and myth all roled into one.

Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals - given her status as the final component of DC's Trinity, it seems odd that the number of prominent stories featuring her can seemingly be counted on one hand. Gods and Mortals is unquestionably one of those stories, serving as a reboot post- CoIE and doing for Wonder Woman what the equally impressive Man of Steel series did for Superman.


Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia - another Rucka gem from the same period as Down to Earth, this standalone volume sees Batman on the trail of a young woman who's committed a crime... a woman whom Wonder Woman is honor bound to protect from all harm - including from the Dark Knight - by a sacred pact she dare not break without bringing down the gods' wrath upon them all.

VERTIGO

100 Bullets

Fables

The Invisibles - a mature readers comic book series that was published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics from 1994 to 2000. It was created and scripted by Scottish writer Grant Morrison, and drawn by various artists throughout its publication. The plot follows (more or less) a single cell of The Invisible College, a secret organization battling against physical and psychic oppression using time travel, magic, meditation, and physical violence.

Preacher - Garth Ennis' wildly irreverent road trip in search of God undertaken by a man who wants to bring him to task. The humor is very black, the art is very clean, and the whole thing is cheerfully profane and blackly entertaining.

Sandman - Neil Gaiman's acclaimed crossover modern fantasy about Morpheus, the lord of dreams, is filled with mythology, wonder, wit, and pathos. Reading this at the local coffeehouse will help you pick up hot hipsters. No, seriously.

Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis' finest moment, about a cyberpunk Hunter S. Thompson raging against authority, combining a heavy dose of future shock with plenty of piss and vinegar from our degenerate hero and his beloved filthy assistants.

V for Vendetta - A dystopian SF broadside against the horrors of Thatcherism, whose protagonist dons a Guy Fawkes mask and wages a campaign of terror against near-future totalitarian Britain. As good as the movie was, the comic is much better.

WE3

Y: The Last Man - Current critical and mainstream darling Brian K. Vaughn's thorough exploration of a single concept: What if there was a single male mammal left alive? Well, two mammals, namely a boy and his monkey questing through a post-apocalyptic, all-female society. A recent classic and very highly recommended.

WILDSTORM

The Authority - notable for its intense graphic violence, grand scale and visual flair, often described as "widescreen" comics, and the uncompromising attitudes of its characters.

Ex Machina - Brian K. Vaughn's account of a man who is given super powers in a world without them, tries to be a superhero in the classic sense, and winds up as the mayor of New York City instead. If you like Y, here's your follow-up.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - A gleeful mash-up of Victorian fictional heroes, with wonderfully evocative art from O'Neil. Blackly comic and almost entirely lacking in romantic sentiment for the past, it's a hoot and a half.

Planetary - Ellis takes a group of cynical superheroes and sends them globe trotting through dizzying variety of comic and hero archetypes. Ellis provides the wild concepts and black humor, Cassaday provides the stunning artwork.

Promethea - Meanwhile, this is Moore attempting to explain his personal religion - it involves the divinity of false gods and the power of fiction - via a heroine who takes on the aspect of a goddess via creativity. Packed to the gills with metaphor, a healthy dose of eroticism, and drop dead gorgeous art, you may not understand it, but you'll like it.

Tom Strong - Alan Moore's riff on Doc Savage is all about SCIENCE! Talking apes? Dimensional travel? Weird happenings of all sorts? Tom Strong stands ready to analyze it, negotiate with it, and, if necessary, beat it up. Tremendous fun.

Top Ten - Moore having fun with superheroes rather than picking them apart, providing police procedurals in a city where everyone has powers.

MARVEL

Avengers Assemble - following the "Heroes Reborn" fiasco, Marvel rebooted many of its franchises with "Heroes Return," including the Avengers. Starting at #1, Kurt Busiek and George Perez began a run of greatness on Earth's Mightiest Heroes that continued well into Geoff Johns's turn on the series.

Criminal - Ed Brubaker's comic book love letter to crime fiction, telling a series of short, self-contained storyarcs about men and women on the wrong side of the law in suitably noir-soaked fashion.

Daredevil: Born Again - Street level Marvel about a hero broken and reborn. Frank Miller at his noir soaked best, with terrific art backing it up.

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear - Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. team up to breathe new life into the origin story of Marvel's blind superhero. From the defining moments of Matt Murdock's childhood to the moment he puts on the costume for the very first time, this is one of the best origin retellings out there. Year One for DareDevil.

Daredevil: Yellow

The Defenders: Indefensible - Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire come together again, this time under the Marvel banner for a tale featuring the most unlikely superhero team around. Not quite up to their work at DC, but if you liked Justice League International then give this a whirl.

Earth X - at its core this is Kingdom Come for the Marvel Universe... no, seriously. Wiki has the story; basically Wizard asked Alex Ross to give some Marvel heroes the KC treatment, and fans liked the results so much that Marvel ran with it. That doesn't stop this future tale of the Marvel Universe in chaos from being any less enjoyable.

Fury (MAX) - the third in my trio of Garth Ennis recommendations. Nick Fury is a soldier without a war, a killing machine unable to adjust to the touchy-feely, policitally correct modern world, called into action once again by an old friend's challenge to relive the glory days. If you've ever pined for the bygone days of 80s action films, when bullets and blood caked the screen then this is right up your alley.

HULK: The End - actually collects two seminal Hulk works, both by Peter David, both chronicling the possible final days of the Incredible Hulk. In Hulk: Future Imperfect, the modern day Hulk is transported into the war-ravaged future wastelands of Earth, to battle an evil dictator -- his future self. And in Hulk: The End, only three things remain alive on the planet Earth: giant cockroaches, Bruce Banner, and the Hulk. One story serves as a harrowing cautionary tale, the other as a heartbreaking end to a tragic character.

Hulk: Grey

HULK: Planet Hulk - a bit recent, I know, but this stands as the most memorable Hulk story in years. Betrayed by friends and sent into the depths of space, Hulk becomes the central figure in a struggle for survival against an oppressive emperor, on a faraway planet where outcasts become heroes... and even a monster can find a home.

Kraven's Last Hunt - Often though of as a goofy character, Kraven comes out of nowhere with a desire to kill Spider-Man, the one beast he could never capture. A dark story for its time, and sometimes described as Marvel's attempt at a "Dark Knight Returns"-esque story, but a good read nonetheless.

Marvel Essentials - obviously not a specific recommendation. These are a series of 500+ page, black-and-white newsprint collections of classic Marvel stories, perfect for folks on a budget who are looking for older material from their youth. DC has a similar program going with its Showcase Presents series of graphic novels.

Marvels - Kurt Busiek's nostalgic account of the early years of Marvel continuity, providing a grounding in their universe with plenty of humanity thrown in.

Punisher: Born (MAX) - not satisfied with simply reinvigorating the Punisher, Ennis took things a step further by giving the street vigilante an origin, one that begins not with the deaths of his family, but years earlier in the jungles of Vietnam. In the closing days of the war, at an isolated outpost on the Vietnamese border with Cambodia, Frank Castle fights a war that's already lost, to satisfy something dark inside him...

Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank - before Garth Ennis came along, Frank Castle had become something of a joke in the Marvel Universe, taking on other Marvel heroes and fighting demons with magical weapons. But in this series relaunch, the Punisher returned to his true self, and then some. This was the inspiration for the recent film starring Thomas Jane, which hardly does it justice.

Runaways - Being a teenager sucks enough without discovering that your parents are supervillains. Cue our group of renegade teens trying to come to grip with their legacies and with some very serious parental issues. By the ever awesome Brian K. Vaughn.

She-Hulk: Single Green Female - what Dan Slott achieved here, was truly remarkable. Sensational, even. Completely revitalizng a character many considered second-string, Slott gave us fresh, inventive stories in which Jennifer Walters fights her battles in the courtroom, and builds a life for She Hulk outside of eye candy. Smart, clever, funny, engaging... use any adjectives you like, just buy it.

Spider-Man: Blue - surprise, another Loeb/Sale collaboration! Part of a series of color-themed stories from this creative duo, "Blue" is one long, heartbreaking love letter, not just from Peter Parker to Gwen Stacy, but to the early days of Spider-Man. Mary Jane fans best stay away, though...

Squadron Supreme (Classic) - long before Kingdom Come, long before The Authority was an idea in Warren Ellis's head, Mark Gruenwald explored the concept of superheroes taking over Earth "for our own good" in this incredible miniseries. Released around the same time as Watchmen, it doesn't get nearly as much attention but its influence is undeniable.

Thor Visionaries: Walt Simonson - long considered by many to be THE best Thor stories ever told, Walt Simonson's run on this classic Marvel character is the stuff of legend. If you consider yourself even a minor fan of the character, you owe it to yourself to pick up this and subsequent volumes.

Ultimate Spider-Man - Bendis takes the classic stories and runs wild with them, making an alternate continuity far more entertaining to follow than the real thing. All the Spidey you'll need is right here.

Weapon X - the 2002 series from Paul Jenkins covered were Wolverine comes from, but in 1991 Barry Windsor-Smith gave us the incredible story of how a secret government project transformed the unusual man named Logan into the unstoppable killing machine codenamed Weapon X. A beautifully illustrated, defining story for the character.

Grant Morrison's X-Men - A recent take on old favorites, running wild with ideas and shifting away from the established soap opera formula. Our merry mutants, now a significant portion of the global population, begin to band together as an established minority, with Morrison looking at the impact this has on society and how the X-Men adapt to their new role. Don't worry, super-powered bad guys still get beat up. Inconsistent art, yet consistently awesome.

Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men - On the other hand, here you have the soap opera formula perfected, showing the X-Men fighting foes and interacting amongst themselves according to the classic format, but told with modern flair and plenty of wit by Whedon, with gorgeous art by John Cassaday. Between this and the Morrison run, you've got most of your X-Men needs covered.

Captain America (Ed Brubaker)
Iron Man: Extremis (and if you like that, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD)
Thor (JMS)
Thunderbolts (Warren Ellis)
The Ultimates 1 and 2 (Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch)
Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.
The Incredible Hercules
Marvel Boy
Captain Britain
Nextwave
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Spider-Man/Human Torch (Dan Slott)
The Immortal Iron Fist

INDIE/OTHER

Acme Novelty Library - Chris Ware's relentlessly depressing comics feature a brilliant design sense and pages packed with fiddly detail that you can stare into as a handy, portable abyss.

Age of Bronze - Eric Shanower's extensively researched, historical fiction accounting of the Trojan War. There are no gods here, no creatures of myth or exaggerated feats of heroic strength; just a down-to-earth story about the most famous war of the ancient world. At seven planned volumes, it'll take forever before it's finished (three volumes in seven years!), but so far it's worth the wait.

Aqua Leung

Bone - Delightful all-ages adventure about a trio of odd creatures and their quest through a fantasy world, full of terrific characters, humor, and vast crossover audience potential. Self contained in one big honkin' volume, this is both the perfect gift for any younger family member you want to introduce to comics and a story you'll want to have on your own bookshelf.

Cerebus - Dave Sim's lifework started out as a Conan parody about a barbarian aardvark, became a epic, brilliant satire on politics, religion, and more, and then broke down completely around the same time Sim himself did. The second half of Cerebus is a very mixed bag, but that first half is some kind of brilliant and one of the finest examples of self-publishing in comics. The first volume shows the promise of the series to come, but is still rather rough around the edges; start with High Society and, when you're hooked, go back to the first volume.

Channel Zero - A fine introduction to Brian Wood, whose stark black and white art really makes this story of a near-future super-censored society come alive. Use this as a springboard to the rest of the Channel Zero stuff and the DMZ series.

Conan - Dark Horse's ambitious project to assemble the definitive vision of Robert E. Howard's famous swords-and-sorcery character begins here, as Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord chronicle the early years of the Cimmerian's days of high adventure. A new series is set to begin in July.

Dork - Evan Dorkin's utterly black take on the gag strip eviscerates comic strip archetypes, is intelligently tasteless, and occasionally goes beyond being hysterical into disturbingly introspective.

Adam Warren's Empowered - a lighthearted parody of the genre that focuses on the more sordid aspects of superhero culture and fanboyism. Starring an easily distressed, bondage-prone superheroine with self esteem issues, Empowered titillates yet is incredibly endearing.

Fell - Warren Ellis' current series about a detective transferred to the worst neighborhood that ever existed, and the life he makes for himself there. It's just getting started, but the first volume is a great read and holds lots of promise for the series.

Finder - One of my personal favorites, Carla "Speed" McNeil's anthropological science fiction (her phrase) is difficult to pigeonhole and wouldn't be nearly as good if you could do so. It's about an outsider in a sophisticated future society and the purpose that her serves, the people whose lives he affects, and the serious trouble he has a knack for getting into. I can't enthuse about the art enough, but the storytelling is also engrossing, combining thoughtful world building with a very humanistic attitude. Crucial reading.

From Hell - A dark, brooding account of a Jack the Ripper theory that is even more dense and literate than Watchmen. It has extensive footnotes, for god's sake. Visceral and brilliant.

Hellboy/BPRD Mike Mignola's saga of a world-destroying demon allied with the forces of good, taking on the paranormal and weird, expertly combines humor with horror for a captivating combo. Companion series BPRD eliminates the big red star, focusing on lesser known characters.

Invincible - Robert Kirkman proves he's more than just zombies with this incredible superhero coming-of-age series. Ever since the day ten years ago when Mark Grayson's dad sat him down and told Mark his father was the world-famous superhero known as Omni-Man, Mark has patiently waited for the day his own powers would kick in. Finally, that day has come, and Mark rushes to join his father's world... the world of the superheroes. Cannot recommend this series enough.

Love and Rockets - Representative of indie comics at their finest, this collaboration by Los Bros Hernandez started in the early 80s as a series of off-beat stories with each brother going in a different direction. Jaime provided fantastic adventures about fringe LA punk culture as seen through the filter of pulp SF, with loveable locas working as mechanics in odd settings and taking inspiration from female wrestlers, with the occasional monster rampage thrown in. Meanwhile, Gilbert's storyline about the daily lives of the inhabitants of Palomar, a small Central American town, told warm, humanistic stories with a touch of magical realism thrown in. From this starting point, Love and Rockets evolved throughout the 80s into a masterful anthology series.

Maus - Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer winning biographical account of his father's survival of the holocaust (famous for it's depiction of Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats) and his autobiographical depiction of the effect learning his family history had on Spiegelman.

Mouse Guard - set in medieval times, this series follows the adventures of a group of sword-wielding mice as they defend their borders, territories and inhabitants against all manner of threats. An all-ages read that's simply beautiful to look at.

Powers - Sort of Batman: The Animated Series crossed with a cop show. Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim are homicide investigators in a city full of superheroes. A ground-level semi-noir loaded with Bendis dialogue that goes some very unexpected places as the series progresses. Some people don't dig the writing, but this is one of my personal favorites.

Queen and Country - Greg Rucka takes the classic espionage TV series The Sandbaggers and updates it for a post 9/11 world while maintaining it's realistic tone (read: lots of bureaucratic in-fighting and virtually nothing resembling James Bond) and compelling storytelling. The comic book for LeCarre readers.

Rising Stars - J. Michael Stracynski (Babylon 5) takes on the superhero genre and produces an amazing and refreshing book. When a meteorite strikes a small American town, all the local children in utero at the time are born with superpowers. The series tells the story of their lives and how the world is changed by their presence. (The compendium in the link isn't out until December, but the whole series is available in separate trades, too.)

Frank Miller's Sin City - a strange omission from the list thus far, some backlash from the film perhaps? Regardless, Miller's gritty series of highly stylized, hard boiled crime stories are pretty much THE first name in film noir -inspired comics.

Strangers in Paradise - Terry Moore's touching and very human story of two women who take most of their youth to admit they love each other. Very soap opera-y, but exceptionally well-written characters with interesting story arcs and a few moments of brilliance. It ended last year, and spans 19 volumes total. This is a good one to use to introduce a girlfriend to comics, but I'd recommend it to anyone with even a vague interest in relationships and time.

Usagi Yojimbo - Stan Sakai's long-running homage to the samurai film genre is a "wandering warrior" epic akin to the likes of Lone Wolf & Cub... assuming you can get past the furry.

The Walking Dead - Meanwhile, Robert Kirkman takes the zombie film and runs with it, pitting our survivors against the other survivors in a world overrun by the living dead. The comic book for Romero fans.

Alan Moore's Supreme
Scott Pilgrim
Demo.
Blankets
Black Hole
Ghost World
Zenith
Miracleman
The Boys
La Quête de l'oiseau du temps

- if you're up for a treasure hunt, you might want to find and read the Milestone Comics line. The most well-known character is Static, who briefly had an animated TV show "Static Shock". Milestone launched in the mid-90s during an industry boom, but they told good stories and generally used a beautiful watercolour technique for coloring at a time when most other comics were doing garish computer-colored works. Titles: Static, Icon, Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Xombi, ... and I'm probably forgetting some.

Ted Naifeh's work on both the "Courtney Crumrin" series and "Polly and the Pirates" is excellent. The latter is a little more suitable for kids than the former, IMO, in that the Crumrin series gets really dark.

MANGA

NeoGAF Top Manga List: the top 25-

1. Berserk - A story following the life of a mercenary, Guts, from childhood to adulthood as struggles to survive facing the everyday dangers of a mercenary. The story takes a wild turn when his mercenary troop leader sacrifices his band of followers in order to become a demon, and Guts is one of two survivors. Gritty, action packed, Berserk pulls no punches in either the grisly details of battle or in the depiction of the demons, which only serves to supplement the excellent story that drives it all.

2. One Piece - A young boy is inspired by a band of pirates to begin his quest to become King of the Pirates. As he sails the world, he meets and recruits crewmates in many exotic locales. The artstyle is a bit goofy, but it serves and defines the nature of the world of One Piece; a world where even the most menacing of people have a flamboyant air about them, where the wacky and wonderfully bizarre is expected, and the most powerful of pirates have the strangest abilities. One Piece retains a sense of a grand exploration and a love for life and friendship coupled with epic fights, delightfully imaginative scenery and powers.

3. Yotsuba&! - The author of Azumanga Daioh brings us the story of Yotsuba, a young girl who hails from "the left." Each chapter involves Yotsuba and a specific adventure (Yotsuba & Fireworks, Yotsuba & The Newspaper, etc). An adorable slice of life series that can make the reader remember to stop and appreciate the smaller things in life.

4. Akira - Yes, it's the one everyone's heard of, but Otomo's cyberpunk classic, full of street punks and renegade psychics, is still a wonder to behold, with it's incredibly cinematic style, crisp artwork, and insane detail. See also it's spiritual successor, Hiroki Endo's brilliant, bleak Eden.

5. Monster - Naoki Urasawa's sprawling tale of a surgeon who throws away his career in order to track down a serial killer is a brilliant thriller, full of twists and turns, memorable characters, realistic art, and a heavy dose of pure, hyper-addictive crack that will have you utterly jonsing for each volume.

6. 20th Century Boys - A group of childhood friends had a secret club where they dreamed of how they would save the world from biological terrorism. Unfortunately, it looks like one of their number has decided to make this innocent fantasy a reality, at which point all hell breaks loose. From the creator of Monster, with the first volume due out in the US soon.

7. Vagabond

8. Hajime no Ippo - Also known as "Fighting Spirit", Ippo follows the sports manga formula to the hilt - likable protagonist decides to become the best he can at a sport, in this case boxing, and, with the help of his friends, becomes a champion - and the result is incredibly addictive. Almost 80 volumes (and counting!) available via scanslation.

9. Nausicaa - Ecological SF from Hayao "You love my Studio Ghibli flicks" Miyazaki, whose teenage heroine (natch) must stop another apocalypse and save the inhospitable world she knows and loves. It's gorgeous and a must read.

10. Lone Wolf and Cub - The classic story of vengeance, about a shogun's executioner and his young son traveling across Japan, determined to kill the man who murdered his wife. Full of historical detail and kinetic action, this is one of the all time great samurai manga.

11. Dragon Ball

12. Blade of the Immortal

13. GTO - 1/2 of the legendary "Oni-Baku" motorcycle gang, Eikichi Onizuka is a 22 year old virgin. His idea to get girls? Become a high school teacher, naturally! Upon becoming a teacher, Onizuka is given a classroom of problem students, and he must try to win them over. A story with a great blend of action, drama, and comedy, each volume will keep you interested in seeing how Eikichi becomes "Great Teacher Onizuka."

14. Slam Dunk

15. Maison Ikkoku - All subsequent romantic comedy in manga and anime is derivative of MI, which combines sitcom romance and wacky hijinx with an almost palpable sense of melancholy. Funny, touching, and also the only comic Rumiko Takahashi ever wrote that had an actual ending.

16. Naruto

17. Death Note - When a brilliant young man finds the notebook of a god of death and learns that he can kill people by writing their names in it, he does what any overachieving teenager would do: plans to rule the world as a benevolent god by killing all criminals. Cue a convoluted, but beautifully drawn, cat and mouse story as the cops try to hunt him down.

18. Azumanga Daioh - The narrative is quite simple; a group of girls growing up and having everyday adventures as they go through high school. A varied group ranging from the young, naive genius Chiyo to the spacey, strange, yet ever endearing Osaka, the chemistry within the group keeps the story light and humourous throughout. The format is also different from a standard manga; it was made to be printed daily within newspapers. Only four volumes long, it is worth is and will definitely be read over and over.

19. Fullmetal Alchemist - Two brothers lose their mother to an illness. Devastated and alone, all they have left is their home, and the alchemy books their father left when he abandoned them. The brothers prove to be gifted at the art, and pursue a forbidden goal; the resurrection of the dead. After years of study, they finish the alchemical formula and use it; but things go horribly awry. Their mother returns for seconds as a misshapen corpse and dies again, one brother loses his entire body to the process, and the other loses his left leg in the process as divine punishment for trespassing into the realm of God. Using his alchemical skills, the remaining brother sacrifices his right arm to bring back his brother's soul and bond it to a suit of armor. Soon afterwards, the brothers set out, one with a pair of prosthesis, in search of the legendary Philospher's Stone in order to restore their bodies to their original state, but soon find themselves entangled in a plot far bigger than they. FMA features a strong and varied cast where few lose relevance and all make repeated return appearances, and the story is excellently executed.

20. Eden: It's an Endless World! - Hiroki Endo, channeling Otomo's Akira in both style and setting, creates a post-apocalyptic world with vast abandoned swaths punctuated by ultra high-tech enclaves where rival drug cartels struggle, cybernetic mercenaries act as proxies, and everything is extremely grim. Eden's cyberpunk aesthetic and bleak storytelling is an astonishing kick in the teeth.

21. Hunter X Hunter

22. Ruroni Kenshin

23. Beck

24. Genshiken - Or "Your Local Anime Club: The Manga", this is about a college club dedicated to anime, manga, and video games who cheerfully wallow in contemporary otaku culture. Cue wacky hijinx and geek romance in this witty, affectionate look at fandom everywhere.

25. Claymore

Adolf - This is the comic that got manga god Osamu Tezuka shelved with the highbrow literature, and it's as good as that implies. Adolf is the story of three men with that name and their interactions during World War Two. Drop dead serious, engrossing war drama from the master. Alas, it's out of print in the US, but is worth the effort of tracking down.

After School Nightmare: Mashiro Ichijo seems the usual good looking, hard working and bright student. In reality he hides a secret, something he's very ashamed of: he is not a full man. Only the top of his body is male, while his lower body is female.
One day he gets approached by the school nurse and invited by her to a special course: he has to enter a linked nightmare along with other anonymous students to try and find a key. If he passes it (finding the key), he will be able to graduate from school and maybe fix his problem and finally become a true, complete man.

Alice 19th

Alien Nine - In the near future, aliens have arrived and they're a bit of a nuisance, with many of them getting underfoot and causing problems. Thus, three girls are given symbiotic helmets and rollerblades in order to patrol their middle school when aliens show up. Alien Nine's extended puberty metaphors are even more effective considering the contrast between the cuteness of the girls and the deeply weird events of the comic.

Angel Heart

Battle Angel Alita

Battle Royale

Tekkon Kinkreet: Black and White - Cult favorite Taiyo Matsumoto's dizzying urban fantasy about superpowered orphans running wild in the streets and generally having the run of their town - until the gangsters show up, at which point things get ugly. The art style has to be seen to be appreciated, and you'll either love it or hate it. If you love it, it's crucial reading.

Bokurano

Buddha - Osamu "God of Comics" (and I'm not even exageratting) Tezuka has a vast body of work, but for an English starting point Buddha is my favorite, a biographical tale of spiritual awakening and transformation, presented both with transcendent power and cheap gags to help liven things up when it's getting too heavy.

Cardcaptor Sakura

Cat's Eyes

Ceres: Celestial Legend

Cesare: From the same author of Mars and ES, Fuyumi Soryo, this one centers around Cesare Borgia and his life, told from the point of view of Angelo da Canossa. Really delightful on the eyes, the story tries to be as faithful as possible to the real events and life of Cesare Borgia.

City Hunter

Crimson Hero: Nobara Sumiyoshi is the heiress of an old-fashioned Japanese restaurant. Her mother wants her to work there, serving old and rich people just like she does and forget about volleyball, Nobara's only love. Nobara has no interest in following her mother will however. She only wants to play volleyball since that is the only thing she is good at and to follow that dream, she joined an high school with a great volleyball club. Sadly on the first day of school she finds out that the female volleyball club has been dissolved at the request of one of the school's donors: her own family.
So now she has to find new members and reform the club.

Dragon Head

Drifting Classroom

ES: By the same author as Mars, here we follow the story of a boy, Ryousuke Akiba, who calls himself ES and displays some kind of special powers (he can play with people minds and memories, and can read what is really inside a person's heart), and a researcher, Kujo Mine. They meet by chance, and just by chance he finds he can't play with Kujo's mind and memories like he can with almost any other.

Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga - Brilliant, scathing satire of the manga industry, following two would be manga superstars and their attempts to write the perfect best selling comic by analyzing the state of manga publishing. In the process, every single manga stereotype you've ever heard of (and some you haven't) are viciously skewered in hysterically over the top fashion.

Eyeshield 21

Family Complex

Freesia

Fruits Basket

Fushigi Yugi/Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden

Gantz

The Gentlemen's Alliance

Golgo 13 - For forty years Duke "Golgo 13" Togo has been assassinating targets with a stoic manner, cold decision making, and brilliant execution (as it were). However, he's rarely the main character, with stories focusing on the principals in all the major (and minor) global conflicts of our time. Each and every volume is completely self-contained.

Gundam: The Origin

Hana Kimi

Homunculus

Honey and Clover - Shoujo romance about starving art students in love. Don't let the stylized cuteness throw you off, this is an excellent romantic comedy - and, at times, drama - about the college experience. Okay, so one of the characters looks like she's eight, but if you can get past that it's a terrific read.

Ichi the Killer

I'll Generation Basket: A sport manga, this one is about basketball. Kouzu High has never been in the top, but thanks to Akane Tachibana, a boy that plays basketball in a really wild way and Hiiragi Hitonari, a boy coming from a family of talented basketball players trying to get off the shadows of his father and brother, as well as the rest of the team, seems to finally have a chance this year.
A great read mostly because of the relationships between the cast of characters as well as a really cool and unexpected ending. wiki

Imadoki!

Kilico

King of Thorn

Mars: It's the story of Kira Aso, a brilliant but introverted artist and Rei Kahino, a charismatic, beautiful but dangerous boy. Basically a drama/love story, it follows the two protagonists as they develop a relationship amidst all their differencies and the problems of their past.

Misora: By the same author as Miyuki, Mitsuru Adachi, comes Misora. The protagonist is Misora, the daughter of a supposedly great actor (or he would have been, hadn't he died right after his first movie). Misora, along with 5 other people from her school, was involved into an accident at a temple when they were all younger. The temple was destroyed by fire, but they saved the temple relic from it, and because of that, they were granted a special gift on the day of their 13th birthday: a unique special power. They all forget about it, until their 13th birthday comes, and Misora finds herself with a talking cat.

Miyuki: A triangle love story, we have Masato Wakamatsu, a young boy with a crush on his classmate, Miyuki Kashima. He lives alone since his father is overseas, but this all changes when his young and cute sister, Miyuki Wakamatsu, who also seems to have a crush for him, returns and starts living with him.

Nodame Cantabille - Shoujo romance about starving music students in love. Our heroine is a deeply quirky slacker with the potential to become a piano prodigy. She falls in love with an uptight would-be conductor who could use some more weirdness in his life. Cue wacky romantic hijinx and classical music.

Othello: Yaya is a weak girl with a strong love for cosplay. When she is cosplaying, she feels happy, because she can escape all the bullying she receives from her schoolmates. One day one of her schoolmate finds out that she is a cosplayer, and this brings on her even more bullying until a mysterious, strong girl appears to save her. The girl's name is Nana, and her motto after punishing bad people is "Divine Punishment!". What links these two girls? Well, they are the same person, but only one of them is aware of the other's presence.

Ouran High School Host Club: Ouran High School is an exclusive school for rich people. In this school there's a very strange club: its main activity is to keep company to young, bored and rich girls. The protagonist is Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student that ends up being forced into joining the club and work hard to repay a vase that gets broken in the club. The catch? Well, she's a girl.

Phoenix - Tezuka's masterwork - and that's saying something - about the immortal phoenix and her effect on humanity throughout time, with stories beginning at the dawn of mankind, ending in the distant future, and filling in everywhere in-between. Each volume is self contained, so start where you like; volume four, Karma, is particularly acclaimed.

Pluto

Sailor Moon

Sexy Voice and Robo - Welcome to the adventures of Nico Hayashi, a precocious young girl with the ability to alter her voice at will, and her companion the geeky Iichiro Sudo, who has an obsession with robot toy models, as they become private detectives under the orders of an aged gangster. Beautiful artwork and youthful, very honest, storytelling make this a must read for all comic fans.

Shadow Star Narutaru: There are dragons, but not the usual fantasy kind. Shiina, a cheerful girl, finds one, a babydragon, and because of that she ends up in a war between other people who also have babydragons.
Hard to follow at times, it highlights many of the problems young people have to go through and the way society overlooks them.

Special A (S.A.)

Shugo Chara

Tetsuwan Girl: The story is based in 1945, after Japan has been defeated and is centered around a girl, Tome Kano, who works as a waitress in a club. Her personality tho isn't that of the typical girl. She's strong willed, she never bows her head and that causes some troubles. Her life changes after, by chance, she and some of her friends get selected to play a match of baseball.

Tokimeki Tonight: Ransie Eto comes from a strange family. Her father, Mori Eto, is a vampire and her mother Shiira Eto, a werewolf. She also has a younger brother, Rinsie Eto.
She herself is a vampire, but not the usual type. She doesn't like sucking blood, and when she bites someone or something, she turns into that person/object, and only sneezing can make her turn back to normal. On her first day at school, she falls in love with Shun Makabe, a normal human boy and from there start her struggles to hide her true identity from the one he loves as well as the fact that she is in love with a human from her family, with all the comedic troubles this implies.

Tramps Like Us: Everyone loves pets. But Sumire's one is a little different... he's just a normal guy she found inside a box outside her condo. Following the story of Sumire, a journalist in career that looks cool on the outside, but is really clumsy and vulnerable in everyday life and Momo (this is the name she gives her pet) as they start to live together is refreshing and provides lots of laughs.

Zetman: (Taken from wiki) The story traces the origins of two rival heroes - Zetman, born with the ability to transform into a monstrous figure, with superhuman strength, and Kouga, heir to a wealthy technological empire, with his specially designed suits and weapons.

Bloom County - An absurdist Doonesbury for the Regan era, Breathed's magnum opus (as it were) replaced Trudeau's post-commune proto-yuppies with a few neurotic kids and animals, a sleazy preppie lawyer, a sensitive penguin, and the cheerfully degenerate Bill the Cat. Throw in a heavy dose of weirdness and you get an extremely off-kilter look at the Eighties, mixing casual political elements with raw goofiness. Breathed can be criticized for occasionally pushing his inspiration a bit closer to plagiarism than was proper, but at it's best Bloom County provided ludicrous, highly-quotable masterpieces. One big retrospective is still in print, or you can start from the top. Just keep in mind that things start to go downhill in the early 90s and the follow-up Outland just didn't have the same magic. By the time Breathed got back in the saddle with his current newspaper strip Opus, it was all over.

Calvin & Hobbes - Calvin & Hobbes -

One of the best newspaper comic strips out there, following the misadventures of a mischievous and highly imaginative young boy (Calvin) and his stuffed tiger (Hobbes), who possesses pride in being an animal, and an inherent distrust of humans, outside of Calvin... and the occasional girl. Drawn and written solely by Bill Watterson, the daily strips carry a certain energy and looseness in their style, while the Sunday comic strip breaks conventions in terms of paneling, pacing, content, and coloring. The strip ranges from absurdly humorous to powerfully introspective, and is often both. Watterson took his craft seriously, and it shows.

While there are many collections available, there are two to get. The Calvin & Hobbes Complete Collection, which is, as implied, a complete collection of every comic and panel he ever drew, including the special poems and comic strips made for older compilations. Calvin & Hobbes: The 10th Anniversary Collection, which features C&H strips of Watterson's own choosing along with commentary. It also has a section written by him stating his opinions on the comic industry, his approach towards comics, his struggles with his published against commercializing C&H, and other things.

Doonesbury - Depending on your politics, you may want to dismiss Doonesbury as being a bastion of liberalism, but either way you have to admit it's a damn funny bastion of liberalism. However, look past the hype and you'll find that for over three decades Trudeau has taken on all targets with wit and insight and that his commentary on American life is as relevant as ever. If you begin at the beginning and read the anthology collections in order, you can give yourself a pretty good education in contemporary American history. Most of these volumes are out of print but are available for spare change plus shipping via Amazon. You can also grab the latest volume or just start reading online and backtrack from there.

The Life an Times of Scrooge McDuck from Don Rosa.

[url="http://www.freakangels.com/?p=23"url]Warren Eliis' Freakangels[/url] - It's a nice little story about a telepathic, British street gang living in a flooded and destroyed London. Weekly, and free.

Calvin + Hobbes
Peanuts
Far Side
The Non-Adventures of Wonderella
Perry Bible Fellowship

Okay, I am done with the old thread now. Can a mod delete that, and also posts 3, 5, and 8 so it flows right? Thanks!

What do you guys think I should read after Watchmen? I was thinking about Y: The Last Man, but it would cost me over 100 bucks to get into :\

I always wanna recommend Kraven's Last Hunt to everyone, because it's my favorite story. But some people don't like spider-man unless he's all wisecracking and stuff, and in KLH he's kinda... dead, for like 3/4 of it.

Costanza said:

What do you guys think I should read after Watchmen? I was thinking about Y: The Last Man, but it would cost me over 100 bucks to get into :\

Click to expand...

I'd suggest you continue with the other major graphic novel of the 80s, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Where Moore deconstructs the superhero in Watchmen, Miller goes off into full bore satire, and the results are vastly entertaining while also being sufficiently badass. Hey, it's Batman, badassery is an important quality.

From there, major Vertigo series such as Y, Sandman, Transmetropolitan, and Preacher come to mind. They're all non-superhero genre fiction that, while vastly different stylistically, are all damn fine series that have a beginning, middle, and an end. (Sandman isn't quite as structured, but it does have a very definite conclusion.) Don't feel that you have to go out and buy 10 volumes of Y at a go - just grab the first volume of whatever catches your eye and go from there. Also, depending on where you live, your local library or used book shop may be able to help.

FnordChan

Bjork, some strip recommendations:

Doonesbury - Depending on your politics, you may want to dismiss Doonesbury as being a bastion of liberalism, but either way you have to admit it's a damn funny bastion of liberalism. However, look past the hype and you'll find that for over three decades Trudeau has taken on all targets with wit and insight and that his commentary on American life is as relevant as ever. If you begin at the beginning and read the anthology collections in order, you can give yourself a pretty good education in contemporary American history. Most of these volumes are out of print but are available for spare change plus shipping via Amazon. You can also grab the latest volume or just start reading online and backtrack from there.

Bloom County - An absurdist Doonesbury for the Regan era, Breathed's magnum opus (as it were) replaced Trudeau's post-commune proto-yuppies with a few neurotic kids and animals, a sleazy preppie lawyer, a sensitive penguin, and the cheerfully degenerate Bill the Cat. Throw in a heavy dose of weirdness and you get an extremely off-kilter look at the Eighties, mixing casual political elements with raw goofiness. Breathed can be criticized for occasionally pushing his inspiration a bit closer to plagiarism than was proper, but at it's best Bloom County provided ludicrous, highly-quotable masterpieces. One big retrospective is still in print, or you can start from the top. Just keep in mind that things start to go downhill in the early 90s and the follow-up Outland just didn't have the same magic. By the time Breathed got back in the saddle with his current newspaper strip Opus, it was all over.

Someone more familiar with the material than myself should really pimp the Fantagraphics collections of Peanuts.

FnordChan

bjork said:

I always wanna recommend Kraven's Last Hunt to everyone, because it's my favorite story. But some people don't like spider-man unless he's all wisecracking and stuff, and in KLH he's kinda... dead, for like 3/4 of it.

Click to expand...

Kraven's Last Hunt should be on top of everyone's list. It's awesome.

Also, for people wanting wisecracking Spidey stories, get Dan Slott's Spider-Man/Human Torch mini. It's hilarious.

:lol, I kind of ignored this thread at first ("ugh, not another one"); didn't realize what bjork was trying to accomplish here. Sorry. :O

Anyway, here are a few things the lists are missing...

Dark Horse
Frank Miller's Sin City - a strange omission from the list thus far, some backlash from the film perhaps? Regardless, Miller's gritty series of highly stylized, hard boiled crime stories are pretty much THE first name in film noir -inspired comics.

Conan - Dark Horse's ambitious project to assemble the definitive vision of Robert E. Howard's famous swords-and-sorcery character begins here, as Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord chronicle the early years of the Cimmerian's days of high adventure. A new series is set to begin in July.

Hellboy/BPRD Mike Mignola's saga of a world-destroying demon allied with the forces of good, taking on the paranormal and weird, expertly combines humor with horror for a captivating combo. Companion series BPRD eliminates the big red star, focusing on lesser known characters.

Adam Warren's Empowered - a lighthearted parody of the genre that focuses on the more sordid aspects of superhero culture and fanboyism. Starring an easily distressed, bondage-prone superheroine with self esteem issues, Empowered titillates yet is incredibly endearing.

Usagi Yojimbo - Stan Sakai's long-running homage to the samurai film genre is a "wandering warrior" epic akin to the likes of Lone Wolf & Cub... assuming you can get past the furry.

DC Comics (Vertigo and Wildstorm are pretty well covered)
Kingdom Come - another... odd... omission. Mark Waid and Alex Ross collaborate on the ultimate alternate future take on the DC Universe, a world where the lawless childen of superheroes threaten the safety of the Earth.

Justice - Krueger, Ross, and Braithwaite team up once again for a Silver Age -inspired story in which the DC villains unite to punish the Justice League for failing to save the world from ending... only, it hasn't happened yet. Any fan of classic DC, or the old Superfriends vs Legion of Doom cartoon, should not miss this.

The Golden Age - James Robinson's acclaimed Elseworlds series chronicles the fate of superheroes post- World War 2, and how the Justice Society struggles to survive against an unseen yet familiar thread amidst 1950s McCarthyism.

Batman: The Long Halloween - another really weird omission considering nGAF's obsession with it... Loeb/Sale's take on the Dark Knight, and Two Face's origin, is generally considered a seminal Batman work.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - Batman (and readers) go on the ultimate head trip when the inmates take over Gotham, agreeing to a hostage exhange only when the Dark Knight agrees to willingly enter their world, experiencing their own personal hells.

Batman: The Man Who Laughs - it doesn't get a lot of press, but this release from a few years ago acts as a sequel of sorts to Batman: Year One, and chronicles Batman and Gotham's first encounter with the Joker. Written by Ed Brubaker, it's one of the great Joker stories, albeit a bit short, and features stellar artwork by Doug Mahnke.

Batman: HUSH - its quality is debatable, but you can't deny that this collaboration between Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee marks a definitive run on Batman, and serves as an excellent introduction to new readers.

Superman for All Seasons - yet another Loeb/Sale collaboration, this is considered by many to be "Long Halloween" for the Man of Steel, following the formative years of Clark Kent's life as Superman as marked by the changing of seasons.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies - later story arcs were either hit or miss, but this initial offering from DC's new series pairing these heroes was a smash. Taking the same "kitchen sink" approach to storytelling as the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, this action-packed storyline has everything you might expect and more.

Superman: Red Son - this popular Elseworlds story explores what might have happened had the rocket that carried Superman to Earth landed in the heart of the Soviet Union instead of Smallville, Kansas. He may not stand for "the American Way" anymore, but readers will find that a Superman bearing the Communist symbol is still Superman.

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? - written by Alan Moore years ago, this remarkable story explores many of the same themes currently being mined by Grant Morrison in All Star Superman. This tale recounts the last days of Superman, his triumphs and tragedies, and a final stand at the Fortress of Solitude against those who would ultimately be his undoing.

Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals - given her status as the final component of DC's Trinity, it seems odd that the number of prominent stories featuring her can seemingly be counted on one hand. Gods and Mortals is unquestionably one of those stories, serving as a reboot post- CoIE and doing for Wonder Woman what the equally impressive Man of Steel series did for Superman.

Wonder Woman: Down to Earth - a more recent story of prominence for WW, this was the start of Greg Rucka's acclaimed run on the series, exploring the many facets and contradictions that make up this character. Ambassador, warrior, princess, scholar, philosopher, woman, and myth all roled into one.

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia - another Rucka gem from the same period as Down to Earth, this standalone volume sees Batman on the trail of a young woman who's committed a crime... a woman whom Wonder Woman is honor bound to protect from all harm - including from the Dark Knight - by a sacred pact she dare not break without bringing down the gods' wrath upon them all.

Identity Crisis - contraversial, loved and loathed by many, Brad Meltzer's groundbreaking miniseries set the stage for the Final Crisis event and its offshoots, and shook the foundations of the DC Universe to their very core with an unrelenting look at the dark side of this colorful world of superhero comics.

JSA/Justice Society of America - someone else already mentioned JLA, but DC's other supehero team book is just as good... if not better. The entire run, from JSA #1 onward, is worth reading, but the Final Crisis reboot has been absolutely remarkable, establishing what sets this team apart from the League.

The Flash: Blitz - anything Flash written by either Geoff Johns or Mark Waid is deinitely worth reading to any fan of the Scarlet Speedster, but this storyline stands about from the rest for pushing the Flash (and readers) in ways physically, mentally, and emotionally like never before.

Justice League International - in the 1980s, DC tasked Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire with revitalizing its flagging Justice League franchise. By filling its roster with lesser known heroes (and Batman) and injecting a great deal of humor into the book, they led the Justice League to new heights of greatness. Years later, the trio returned to their creation with the hilarious Formerly Known as the Justice League and its sequel, I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League

JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice - this is the ultimate DC team-up of team-ups. The Justice League of America, the Justice Society of America, joining forces to combat some familiar faces and a pairing of classic villains in a smashup that can only be described as epic.

Ronin - long, LONG before Sin City came into being, Frank Miller wrote and illustrated this tale of an epic struggle between a masterless samurai and a soul-stealing demon, taking us from feudal Japan to a decaying, ruined New York City eight centuries later.

Marvel Comics
Earth X - at its core this is Kingdom Come for the Marvel Universe... no, seriously. Wiki has the story; basically Wizard asked Alex Ross to give some Marvel heroes the KC treatment, and fans liked the results so much that Marvel ran with it. That doesn't stop this future tale of the Marvel Universe in chaos from being any less enjoyable.

Squadron Supreme (Classic) - long before Kingdom Come, long before The Authority was an idea in Warren Ellis's head, Mark Gruenwald explored the concept of superheroes taking over Earth "for our own good" in this incredible miniseries. Released around the same time as Watchmen, it doesn't get nearly as much attention but its influence is undeniable.

Spider-Man: Blue - surprise, another Loeb/Sale collaboration! Part of a series of color-themed stories from this creative duo, "Blue" is one long, heartbreaking love letter, not just from Peter Parker to Gwen Stacy, but to the early days of Spider-Man. Mary Jane fans best stay away, though...

Weapon X - the 2002 series from Paul Jenkins covered were Wolverine comes from, but in 1991 Barry Windsor-Smith gave us the incredible story of how a secret government project transformed the unusual man named Logan into the unstoppable killing machine codenamed Weapon X. A beautifully illustrated, defining story for the character.

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear - Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. team up to breathe new life into the origin story of Marvel's blind superhero. From the defining moments of Matt Murdock's childhood to the moment he puts on the costume for the very first time, this is one of the best origin retellings out there. Year One for DareDevil.

HULK: The End - actually collects two seminal Hulk works, both by Peter David, both chronicling the possible final days of the Incredible Hulk. In Hulk: Future Imperfect, the modern day Hulk is transported into the war-ravaged future wastelands of Earth, to battle an evil dictator -- his future self. And in Hulk: The End, only three things remain alive on the planet Earth: giant cockroaches, Bruce Banner, and the Hulk. One story serves as a harrowing cautionary tale, the other as a heartbreaking end to a tragic character.

HULK: Planet Hulk - a bit recent, I know, but this stands as the most memorable Hulk story in years. Betrayed by friends and sent into the depths of space, Hulk becomes the central figure in a struggle for survival against an oppressive emperor, on a faraway planet where outcasts become heroes... and even a monster can find a home.

She-Hulk: Single Green Female - what Dan Slott achieved here, was truly remarkable. Sensational, even. Completely revitalizng a character many considered second-string, Slott gave us fresh, inventive stories in which Jennifer Walters fights her battles in the courtroom, and builds a life for She Hulk outside of eye candy. Smart, clever, funny, engaging... use any adjectives you like, just buy it.

Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank - before Garth Ennis came along, Frank Castle had become something of a joke in the Marvel Universe, taking on other Marvel heroes and fighting demons with magical weapons. But in this series relaunch, the Punisher returned to his true self, and then some. This was the inspiration for the recent film starring Thomas Jane, which hardly does it justice.

Punisher: Born (MAX) - not satisfied with simply reinvigorating the Punisher, Ennis took things a step further by giving the street vigilante an origin, one that begins not with the deaths of his family, but years earlier in the jungles of Vietnam. In the closing days of the war, at an isolated outpost on the Vietnamese border with Cambodia, Frank Castle fights a war that's already lost, to satisfy something dark inside him...

Fury (MAX) - the third in my trio of Garth Ennis recommendations. Nick Fury is a soldier without a war, a killing machine unable to adjust to the touchy-feely, policitally correct modern world, called into action once again by an old friend's challenge to relive the glory days. If you've ever pined for the bygone days of 80s action films, when bullets and blood caked the screen then this is right up your alley.

Thor Visionaries: Walt Simonson - long considered by many to be THE best Thor stories ever told, Walt Simonson's run on this classic Marvel character is the stuff of legend. If you consider yourself even a minor fan of the character, you owe it to yourself to pick up this and subsequent volumes.

Avengers Assemble - following the "Heroes Reborn" fiasco, Marvel rebooted many of its franchises with "Heroes Return," including the Avengers. Starting at #1, Kurt Busiek and George Perez began a run of greatness on Earth's Mightiest Heroes that continued well into Geoff Johns's turn on the series.

The Defenders: Indefensible - Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire come together again, this time under the Marvel banner for a tale featuring the most unlikely superhero team around. Not quite up to their work at DC, but if you liked Justice League International then give this a whirl.

Marvel Essentials - obviously not a specific recommendation. These are a series of 500+ page, black-and-white newsprint collections of classic Marvel stories, perfect for folks on a budget who are looking for older material from their youth. DC has a similar program going with its Showcase Presents series of graphic novels.

Image Comics/Independents/Other (again, pretty well covered)
Age of Bronze - Eric Shanower's extensively researched, historical fiction accounting of the Trojan War. There are no gods here, no creatures of myth or exaggerated feats of heroic strength; just a down-to-earth story about the most famous war of the ancient world. At seven planned volumes, it'll take forever before it's finished (three volumes in seven years!), but so far it's worth the wait.

Invincible - Robert Kirkman proves he's more than just zombies with this incredible superhero coming-of-age series. Ever since the day ten years ago when Mark Grayson's dad sat him down and told Mark his father was the world-famous superhero known as Omni-Man, Mark has patiently waited for the day his own powers would kick in. Finally, that day has come, and Mark rushes to join his father's world... the world of the superheroes. Cannot recommend this series enough.

Mouse Guard - set in medieval times, this series follows the adventures of a group of sword-wielding mice as they defend their borders, territories and inhabitants against all manner of threats. An all-ages read that's simply beautiful to look at.

I'll work up some descriptions in a bit.

Regarding manga :

Nothing from Tsukasa Hojo? Really? Cat's Eyes, City Hunter or Angel Heart are way better than 80% of that "top 25" list

Fularu said:

Regarding manga :

Nothing from Tsukasa Hojo? Really? Cat's Eyes, City Hunter or Angel Heart are way better than 80% of that "top 25" list

Click to expand...

Did you vote for them when they did the voting here? I was banned at the time, so I couldn't pick my favorite either.

Fularu said:

Regarding manga :

Nothing from Tsukasa Hojo? Really? Cat's Eyes, City Hunter or Angel Heart are way better than 80% of that "top 25" list

Click to expand...

Then tell us how!

I know City Hunter's extremely popular (And didn't Jackie Chan do a film based on it), and I heard that Angel Heart's a spinoff (Recent anime, right).

I adore Chris Ware's stuff. Absolutely amazing detail and design, even with the book cover and binding itself. Jimmy Corrigan remains one of my favorite books of all time.

I'm gonna give this another update tonight. Keep the recommendations and link summaries coming!

How is From Hell? I contemplated picking it up yesterday, but the incredible length and lack of color made me second guess.

Fularu said:

Nothing from Tsukasa Hojo? Really? Cat's Eyes, City Hunter or Angel Heart are way better than 80% of that "top 25" list

Click to expand...

Those are great comics that, alas, aren't readily available outside of the out of print Raijin release of City Hunter (five, count 'em, five big volumes) and possibly scanslations. Still, if you want to see them given love in this thread, how about writing up a description for 'em?

Phthisis said:

How is From Hell? I contemplated picking it up yesterday, but the incredible length and lack of color made me second guess.

Click to expand...

From Hell is extremely good for what it is - a dense, literate exploration of a fringe theory as to the identity of Jack the Ripper. Moore's insight into the motivation of the Ripper and the politics behind it is fascinating, as is the extraordinary amount of historical detail, right down to extensive endnotes. Meanwhile, Campbell's art is as dark and grimy as the Whitechapel setting, while also portraying moments of mysticism with the proper sense of wonder. Don't let the lack of color bother you - the art is excellent and fits the story very well without it - but keep in mind that it isn't exactly light reading. That said, it's one of Moore's finest moments as a writer, and that's saying something.

FnordChan

DC:

If we're recommending closed-ended runs like Batman: Year One and Watchmen, then let me recommend "Superman: Secret Identity" by Karl Busiek and Stuart Immonen. Immonen has a variety of styles, but the one he used here is absolutely tremendous. Busiek's writing is also in fine form.


Marvel:

If you like martial arts action at all, you gotta check out Brubaker and Fraction's run on "The Immortal Iron Fist". David Aja is a great artist as well. All three main contributors will move on (or already have?), so I can't yet vouch for it as an ongoing.

Dan Slott's work on "She-Hulk" was terrific - funny, clever, and clearly demonstrating an insanely in-depth knowledge of the MU.

I loved the art and concept of "Earth X'; I haven't yet found time or money to get into the sequels especially since the artist of Earth X didn't stick around.


Indie:

"Hellboy". They'll probably make another big push this year to go with the movie. Mike Mignola really came into his own when he started the Hellboy comics and decided to just stuff it with things he loved to write and draw.

"Usagi Yojimbo". Stan Sakai's comic is awesome. Pick up nearly any of the TPBs, you'll love it.

"Sin City". If you saw the movie, Rodriguez created an incredibly faithful adaptation. Still, the comic's art, which has nearly no grays or colors, is more striking than the film.

Miracleman: I second bjork's rec -- and many of his others -- but this one is problematic. It's been out of print for a long time, it's got some awesome Alan Moore stories, and trademark and other IP rights are so messed up that reprints may never ever come. Neil Gaiman took over the series and was doing a great job IMO, but then the comic company collapsed, so in addition to the comics being hard to find, when you do read them, you'll find the story's unfinished.

Speaking of which, if you're up for a treasure hunt, you might want to find and read the Milestone Comics line. The most well-known character is Static, who briefly had an animated TV show "Static Shock". Milestone launched in the mid-90s during an industry boom, but they told good stories and generally used a beautiful watercolour technique for coloring at a time when most other comics were doing garish computer-colored works. Titles: Static, Icon, Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Xombi, ... and I'm probably forgetting some.

Ted Naifeh's work on both the "Courtney Crumrin" series and "Polly and the Pirates" is excellent. The latter is a little more suitable for kids than the former, IMO, in that the Crumrin series gets really dark.

Manga

The English translation cut out after the 12th volume, but I'd still recommend "Gundam: The Origin" for the absolutely beautiful Yas artwork.

Strips/Webcomics

The Non-Adventures of Wonderella
Perry Bible Fellowship

http://www.freakangels.com/?p=23

I'm sure I'm fairly late with this, but a friend from work introduced me to Warren Ellis' Freakangels the other week. It's a nice little mindfuck story about a telepathic, British street gang living in a flooded and destroyed London. Weekly, and free (the link above is the first page of the first "issue")

Finished updating with descriptions.

I'll be back in about 90 minutes or so to update the OP. This is turning out better than I thought it would.

May I suggest Ultimate Spider-Man? for pure spidey fun, its the best book.
also, the dark phoenix and days of future past x-men story lines were great.

Okay, I think I got everyone's suggestions added. I may need to go back and edit the descriptions a little so that I don't go over the character limit on any of those posts, but I think it's fine for now. I wasn't getting any weird errors yet.

I probably won't get a chance to update the posts until... Wednesday, I think. Gonna be working some long days and I'm also in the process of organizing a bunch of stuff I wrote, possibly for a project based on my job. So if you post something and it's not in the first few posts, don't fret! I will get to it as soon as possible, I promise.

Just so you know bjork, I think Freakangels is also being released in graphic novel form under the Avatar label later this year, If that changes how you wanted to organize things in any way, shape, or form.

Wanted is another one to recommend. Great action and also very funny. For anyone who enjoys any of Millars work this is a sure thing.

Daredevil: Yellow. This is not as good as their other mentioned "colours" book Spider-man Blue but its a good follow up using a similar convention. Instead of talking to a dead lover its letters to a dead father. I found it a very involving read and I think it will be very effecting for anyone who remembers what its like when you lose a person close to you.

Anyone recommend Hulk:Grey?

Shit, my descriptions were long. May I do C&H?

Calvin & Hobbes -

One of the best newspaper comic strips out there, following the misadventures of a mischievous and highly imaginative young boy (Calvin) and his stuffed tiger (Hobbes), who possesses pride in being an animal, and an inherent distrust of humans, outside of Calvin... and the occasional girl. Drawn and written solely by Bill Watterson, the daily strips carry a certain energy and looseness in their style, while the Sunday comic strip breaks conventions in terms of paneling, pacing, content, and coloring. The strip ranges from absurdly humorous to powerfully introspective, and is often both. Watterson took his craft seriously, and it shows.

While there are many collections available, there are two to get. The Calvin & Hobbes Complete Collection, which is, as implied, a complete collection of every comic and panel he ever drew, including the special poems and comic strips made for older compilations. Calvin & Hobbes: The 10th Anniversary Collection, which features C&H strips of Watterson's own choosing along with commentary. It also has a section written by him stating his opinions on the comic industry, his approach towards comics, his struggles with his published against commercializing C&H, and other things.

favouriteflavour said:

Anyone recommend Hulk:Grey?

Click to expand...

It's basicly the same as Spiderman Blue and Daredevil Yellow. A slideshow fest of past adventures with words in it. If you liked Blue and Yellow, you'll like Grey.

Splatt said:

It's basicly the same as Spiderman Blue and Daredevil Yellow. A slideshow fest of past adventures with words in it. If you liked Blue and Yellow, you'll like Grey.

Click to expand...

I will give it a try then as i enjoyed both immensely.

Aw, no love for Lucifer. Again.

Costanza said:

What do you guys think I should read after Watchmen? I was thinking about Y: The Last Man, but it would cost me over 100 bucks to get into :\

Click to expand...

Not to discourage you from supporting the industry, but you could always read the Y:TLM trade paperbacks at your local bookstore.

Where's Persepolis? Someone else do the work.

edit: nvm

Ninja99 said:

Aw, no love for Lucifer. Again.


Not to discourage you from supporting the industry, but you could always read the Y:TLM trade paperbacks at your local bookstore.

Click to expand...

Technically you are supporting the industry (to some degree) - as the library sees more people borrowing their comics they actually purchase more, be they additional copies or even new books.

And I absolutely could not stand Lucifer. It's one of those few books that I hated but kept reading the tpbs (from the library of course) hoping it would get better. I actually stopped half way through the last book - I couldn't even be bothered to go through the final few issues because I thought it was terrible. Mike Carey just keeps rambling on. He uses too many words and makes the characters talk in circles and it's really annoying. It's like he's trying to create the illusion of intellectualism but it make me shout out "get to the fucking point!!!!!!!!!" He also did the rambling thing throughout his Hellblazer run, barring his final 3 tpbs which actually read quite well as they seemed to be written like comic books and not the prose form he seems to adapt into comic.

I finished reading Y: The Last Man over the weekend and it's really damn good. I was a bit put off by the reason for the men dying at first, but when I found out what was really going on there, it put my worries to rest.

Really sad ending though.

Finished Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men series. One of the few superhero books I can stand reading. I wasn't a fan of Kitty Pryde (mostly because I hadn't read too many X-Men books) before Astonishing X-Men, but I loved her character at the end. I'm not sure why Cyclops gets so much hate, but he has one of the best lines in Whedon's run:
I've been reading Fables and need to get the tenth volume next. Other than that is Shazam! and the Monster Society by Jeff Smith, artist/writer of Bone. Really looking forward to both.

The only single issue comics I collect are Echo (Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise), RASL (Jeff Smith, Bone), and Powers (Brian Michael Bendis, Ultimate Spider-Man/Alias/Secret War/Secret Invasion/Sam and Twitch/etc), pretty much because of the authors involved and the fact we won't see TPBs for a good while.

The topic should've been like this:

-----------------------------------------
<Thread Title>

<Intro Sentence>

"One Piece"
"Re-read One Piece"

</thread>
-----------------------------------------

/thread

Aqua Leung from Image is a great read. Only the first volume has been released so far but the art is just staggering. Some incredible panel designs and the use of multi page spreads is done better than any other comic i have read.

SUPERMAN: Secret Identity: This is the story that made me love Kurt Busiek. He writes a damn good Superman in this book. Essentially, this is a four-issue What If. In current DC continuity, Superboy-Prime never got a chance to grow up on his world (our Earth, where the DC universe is all in comic books), as it was destroyed and he was thrown into maelstrom of shit. Busiek's tale is about the Superboy-Prime who was able to become the sole superhero in the world. There are no giant robots or bald super-villains to be found here. Secret Identity is about growing up, figuring out what's most important to you in the world, and doing everything you can to protect it. It's brilliant.

(P.S. That Amazon.com price is bullshit. The MSRP is $19.99. Ask your local comic shop or book store to order it for you)

EDIT: I just saw that it was already on the list. D'oh. Well, I suppose you've got a description for it now.

Also, Ani, if you want to get into more X-Men, you should give New X-Men a shot. Grant Morrison wrote it for a while, and his first twelve issues are collected in the New X-Men Ultimate Collection #1 trade. The artwork can be iffy sometimes, but the writing's good stuff.

Viewt said:

Also, Ani, if you want to get into more X-Men, you should give New X-Men a shot. Grant Morrison wrote it for a while, and his first twelve issues are collected in the New X-Men Ultimate Collection #1 trade. The artwork can be iffy sometimes, but the writing's good stuff.

Click to expand...

I've been slowly moving away from superhero books for the last couple years now, but I'll probably give it a shot in the future. I did enjoy All-Star Superman a lot.

josephdebono said:

The topic should've been like this:

-----------------------------------------
<Thread Title>

<Intro Sentence>

"One Piece"
"Re-read One Piece"

</thread>
-----------------------------------------

/thread

Click to expand...

No, see, people are recommending good things to read here.

AniHawk said:

No, see, people are recommending good things to read here.

Click to expand...

Wait, wait. Are you by any chance insinuating that One Piece is not a good thing to read?

Have you read it?

AniHawk said:

No, see, people are recommending good things to read here.

Click to expand...

One Piece is still good, but there is more, and there is better out there.

Edit: I should probably do something for Naruto and Cardcaptor Sakura.

AniHawk said:

I've been slowly moving away from superhero books for the last couple years now, but I'll probably give it a shot in the future. I did enjoy All-Star Superman a lot.

Click to expand...

Well, New X-Men definitely has a lot of those super-hero trappings, and in classic Morrison style, you've got to invest time in the story before it pays off. If you enjoyed Whedon's run primarily for its characterization, then New X-Men may not be your bag. It's very "We are the Marvel X-Men. Have you seen our kevlar jump suits?" In a good way, of course. But still very super-hero.

Have you tried the comics spun out of Whedon's shows? I've heard nothing but good things about the Buffy comics (don't read 'em myself because I never got into the show) and Firefly series (which I've been meaning to pick up). Angel, apparently, was more hit and miss.

FlightOfHeaven said:

One Piece is still good, but there is more, and there is better out there.

Edit: I should probably do something for Naruto and Cardcaptor Sakura.

Click to expand...

Naruto's moved to a whole fuckfest of forced actions. Last few chapters was like watching the end movie of MGS3. Same exact story.

josephdebono said:

Wait, wait. Are you by any chance insinuating that One Piece is not a good thing to read?

Have you read it?

Click to expand...

Well you were insinuating everything else wasn't worth reading so I thought I'd be an asshole.

Viewt said:

Well, New X-Men definitely has a lot of those super-hero trappings, and in classic Morrison style, you've got to invest time in the story before it pays off. If you enjoyed Whedon's run primarily for its characterization, then New X-Men may not be your bag. It's very "We are the Marvel X-Men. Have you seen our kevlar jump suits?" In a good way, of course. But still very super-hero.

Have you tried the comics spun out of Whedon's shows? I've heard nothing but good things about the Buffy comics (don't read 'em myself because I never got into the show) and Firefly series (which I've been meaning to pick up). Angel, apparently, was more hit and miss.

Click to expand...

Actually, I always stayed away from Whedon's TV shows because I really thought they were more eh... I dunno, WBish in a Dawson's Creek sorta way. I got into Angel during its final season and loved it though. Saw Serenity, but not Firefly. I have been tempted to pick up the comics though.

AniHawk said:

Well you were insinuating everything else wasn't worth reading so I thought I'd be an asshole.

Click to expand...

Valid point. Damn :/

I forgot to update this last week, but I'm gonna do it for sure this Wednesday or Thursday, just in case I lose my ban bet on Friday. Any last minute recommendations?

I finished this yesterday.



Greatest last panel in a comic book series ever, yeah, I think so.

I need more comedies in manga these days too depressed for those darker themes
great list though