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[Costanza]

(this isn't a dig at Watchmen. I just liked the image of a superhero being kicked out of a window)

Every week, Spike's threads get bogged up with discussion about Marvel/DC crap, leaving those of us who don't care for most of that getting buried in the sea of pictures of embarrassing Power Girl statues while trying to discuss our awesome non-superhero fare.

So... this is a long-overdue place to talk about whatever cool Image/Vertigo/Icon/whatever series are coming out this week, what you're currently reading, or anticipating, or older stuff you just want to RTTP on. The only rule is: Don't talk about superheroes. Comics are so much more than that.

Some great examples:

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Fables

The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by "The Adversary" who has conquered the realm. The Fables have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown.

Jack of Fables

Jack of Fables is a spin-off of the comic book Fables, both of which are published by DC Comics as part of that company's Vertigo imprint. It shows the adventures of Jack Horner after his exile from Fabletown.

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is centered on Rick Grimes, a small-town police officer from Cynthiana, Kentucky, his family, and a number of other survivors who have banded together in order to survive after the world is overrun with zombies. As the series progresses, the characters become more developed, and their personalities shift under the stress of a zombie apocalypse. Fighting growing despair — and sometimes each other — the group searches for a secure location which they can finally call home.

Scott Pilgrim

The series is about 23-year-old Canadian Scott Pilgrim, a slacker, hero, and part-time bassist who is living in Toronto and plays bass guitar in the band "Sex Bob-Omb." He falls in love with American delivery girl Ramona V. Flowers, but must defeat her seven "evil exes" in order to date her.

Y: The Last Man

Y: The Last Man is a comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, about the only man to survive the apparent simultaneous death of every male mammal (barring the same man's pet monkey) on Earth.

Chew

Chew centers on Tony Chu, a police detective who is "cibopathic," meaning he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. Chu is appointed to the FDA, which - because of the illegalization of chicken, allegedly due to bird flu - has now become the most powerful law-enforcement branch of the United States government.

100 Bullets

The initial plot of 100 Bullets hinges on the question of whether people would take the chance to get away with revenge. The mysterious Agent Graves approaches someone who has been the victim of a terrible wrong. Graves gives them the chance to set things right by providing them a handgun, the eponymous 100 bullets, and documentation of the person primarily and personally responsible for the recipient's woes. He informs the candidate that the bullets are completely untraceable, and any law enforcement investigation which uncovers one of these bullets will immediately stop.

Sandman

The Sandman is an epic comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo. It chronicles the adventures of Dream of The Endless, who rules over the world of dreams, in 75 issues from 1989 until 1996.

Preacher

Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a down-and-out preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. Custer was accidentally possessed by the supernatural creature named Genesis in an incident which killed his entire congregation and flattened his church.

American Virgin

American Virgin was an American comic book series published by Vertigo Comics and written by Steven T. Seagle and illustrated by Becky Cloonan. The series launched on a monthly schedule in March 2006 and was canceled two years later. Seagle was able to finish his storyline.

The story follows the life of Adam, a teenager who is a born-again Christian preacher, and his struggle with issues of his sexuality and faith. Adam's near constant companion is a stepsister, Cyndi, who is sexually liberal.

Bone

The series centers around the Bone Family, white, bald cartoon caricatures with big noses. In the opening pages the three Bone cousins—avaricious Phoncible P. "Phoney" Bone, goofy cigar-smoking Smiley Bone, and everyman character Fone Bone—are run out of their hometown of Boneville after Phoney decides to run for mayor and built a balloon on top the head of a statue of Boneville's founder.

Scalped

Scalped is a ongoing comic book series written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by R. M. Guéra, published monthly by Vertigo Comics. Issue #1 was published on January 3, 2007.

The series is set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in modern-day South Dakota. Containing elements of the film noir and crime fiction genres, the story is concerned with organized crime as well as the culture and living conditions of the Oglala Lakota living on the reservation.

Daytripper

Brás de Oliva Domingos is an obituary writer with a famous father, a career he hates, and tons of questions. How does a person become a successful writer? How does a man get out of his father's shadow? But those concerns will dwarf the surprise he'll find in the first issue – a twist both he and readers will never see coming, which will grow into a mystery about the meaning of life itself.

Transmetropolitan

Transmetropolitan is a post-cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis with art by Darick Robertson and published by DC Comics. The series was originally part of the short-lived DC Comics imprint Helix, but upon the end of the book's first year the series was moved to the Vertigo imprint as DC Comics cancelled the Helix imprint. It chronicles the battles of Spider Jerusalem, infamous renegade gonzo journalist of the future, a homage to gonzo journalism founder Hunter S. Thompson.

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower is an ongoing series of comics by Marvel Comics based on Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels. It is plotted by Robin Furth, scripted by Peter David, and illustrated by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove. King serves as Creative and Executive Director of the project. The first volume, The Gunslinger Born, is based primarily on flashbacks from The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger and The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass; the later ones are new content.

Persepolis

Persepolis is an autobiographical account of Marjane Satrapi's childhood growing up through the Iranian Cultural Revolution, before being sent to France to avoid the ever-more restrictive nature of her home country. It was turned into a film in 2008.

Maus

Maus (also known as Maus: A Survivor's Tale), by Art Spiegelman, is a biography of his father's struggle to survive the Holocaust. A great comic, with a distinct art style that represents different nationalities and races using different species of animals.

DMZ

In the near future, America's worst nightmare has come true. With military adventurism overseas bogging down the Army and National Guard, the U.S. government mistakenly neglects the very real threat of anti-establishment militias scattered across the 50 states. Like a sleeping giant, Middle America rises up and violently pushes its way to the shining seas, coming to a standstill at the line in the sand — Manhattan or, as the world now knows it, the DMZ.

Matty Roth, a naïve young man and aspiring photojournalist, lands a dream gig following a veteran war journalist into the heart of the DMZ. Things soon go terribly wrong, and Matty finds himself lost and alone in a world he's only seen on television. There, he is faced with a choice: try to find a way off the island, or make his career with an assignment most journalists would kill for. But can he survive in a war zone long enough to report the truth?

Strangers In Paradise

The story primarily concerns the difficult relationship between two women, Helen Francine Peters (known simply as Francine) and Katina Marie ("Katchoo") Choovanski, and their friends David Qin and Gwynnethina Casey Bullocks-Femur (known as Casey). Francine considers Katchoo her best friend; Katchoo is in love with Francine. David is in love with Katchoo (a relationship which Katchoo herself is deeply confused about) and Casey is in love with David.

This plays itself out over a second plot element, a thriller style story concerning the shadowy 'Big Six' organization. Its leader is a woman named Darcy Parker, who uses highly trained women (of whom Katchoo was one) to infiltrate—and to an extent control—the American political system. It uses a non-linear approach to storytelling, putting in sequence elements of the story often years apart, and going back in time frequently.

The Invisibles

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.

The Filth

The series tells the story of Greg Feely, a bachelor whose main interests are his cat and masturbating to pornography. Feely is actually a member of a shadowy organization called The Hand and their attempts to keep society on the path to the 'Status Q'.

Lost At Sea

Lost at Sea is a comedy/romance graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley. First published in 2003 by Oni Press, it tells the coming-of-age story of shy 18-year-old Raleigh who thinks she has no soul — a cat stole it from her — and who is now on a road trip across the United States with some kids from her school she barely knows.

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Anything else to suggest for the OP? Let me know.

 

[Costanza]

reserved

 

[Jet Grind Radio!]

So the new Green Lantern is going to be awesome. =/

 

[Mistouze]

How was Image United #0 btw? :lol

The second post better include Sandman or else...

 

[Veidt]

Liking this.

 

[Escape Goat]

If this is no superhero then the other comic threads are off limits to you, Costanza

 

[krypt0nian]

Great if it means you stay the fuck out the weekly thread with your constant anti-superhero whining.

Good deal.

 

[Costanza]

So the new Green Lantern is going to be awesome. =/

How was Image United #0 btw? :lol

The second post better include Sandman or else...

Didn't read it yet but Ottley is on some of the art so it can't be too bad. This isn't the place for that though.

And Sandman is already there.

 

[silverbullet1080]

Jesus fuck when the hell is Scott Pilgrim volume 6 going to come out =(

 

[Viewt]

Instead of segmenting a group of people that's frankly too small to begin with, why don't we just celebrate comics in general and let people like what they like? It's fine if you're not into super-heroes, dude, but if somebody happens to dig statues or capes, why rag on 'em? Comics are a tiny corner in the world of media - let's just be happy we've got funnybooks, period.

Silly hate aside, this thread does have the possibility to lure people who have an anti-capes outlook into the world of comics, so I'm all for that. I just disagree with the need to put people down.

 

[the_log_ride]

subscribed. 'should be good

 

[Costanza]

Instead of segmenting a group of people that's frankly too small to begin with, why don't we just celebrate comics in general and let people like what they like? It's fine if you're not into super-heroes, dude, but if somebody happens to dig statues or capes, why rag on 'em? Comics are a tiny corner in the world of media - let's just be happy we've got funnybooks, period.

Silly hate aside, this thread does have the possibility to lure people who have an anti-capes outlook into the world of comics, so I'm all for that. I just disagree with the need to put people down.

I don't like them, but for the most part I'm just having fun when I tease you guys about your superheroes. Don't take it seriously.

 

[krypt0nian]

Great then you won't mind when we shit on the pretentious indie scene books in this thread.

There's so much more to comics than emo "aren't I so serious" ahem graphic stories.

 

[levious]

so what would stuff like Conan comics fall into?

edit: oh, pretentious artsy crap, ok. Why the hell would someone be embarrassed by sexualized characters in a comic?

 

[Parallax]

im fine with this thread. hopefully no capes/anti capes divide comes of this, but gaf is better than that, right?

Great then you won't mind when we shit on the pretentious indie scene books in this thread.

There's so much more to comics than emo "aren't I so serious" ahem graphic stories.

cmon, dont do that.

 

[Costanza]

*shrug* Besides say.. Daytripper (which I sorta hate but can understand why people like it), I wouldn't consider any of that stuff in the OP pretentious artsy crap.

But seriously, lets not use this thread to argue stupid shit. I won't bash your superheroes in Spike's threads anymore.. promise.

 

[levious]

*shrug* Besides say.. Daytripper (which I sorta hate but can understand why people like it), I wouldn't consider any of that stuff in the OP pretentious artsy crap.

where does the line get drawn? Is it really super heroes or would a conan comic fit in here?

I'm not trying to give you shit or be confrontational...

 

[EviLore]

Shitty inflammatory thread title. Fixed.

 

[Jet Grind Radio!]

Instead of segmenting a group of people that's frankly too small to begin with, why don't we just celebrate comics in general and let people like what they like? It's fine if you're not into super-heroes, dude, but if somebody happens to dig statues or capes, why rag on 'em? Comics are a tiny corner in the world of media - let's just be happy we've got funnybooks, period.

Silly hate aside, this thread does have the possibility to lure people who have an anti-capes outlook into the world of comics, so I'm all for that. I just disagree with the need to put people down.

To be fair, Costanza is all about silly hate. He hated on Johnny Cash in the RB thread just a bit ago.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

Fred Perry deserves a god damn medal for his career, despite it never taking off. The sheer amount of content and work he does is just so far beyond what most 'comic creators' do its just a tragedy Gold Digger has never made it big. Just a genuinely fun comic.

 

[squidhands]

No mention of Strangers in Paradise? :-(

 

[Dead]

This is the thread equivalent of "I READ GRAPHIC NOVELS, NOT COMIC BOOKS!"

 

[Mistouze]

Didn't read it yet but Ottley is on some of the art so it can't be too bad. This isn't the place for that though.

And Sandman is already there.

That was a rhetorical question! Good on Sandman being there, everyone should read this. One of the best pieces of fiction ever.

I don't see any love for Morrison's non-superhero Vertigo stuff >_<.

 

[itsinmyveins]

I got Criminal 1-3, Sleeper 1&2, Point Blank and Fables volumes 9 and 10 just today.

 

[gerg]

Where's Maus or Persepolis?

Although I'm not sure what this thread is trying to achieve.

 

[krypt0nian]

Shitty inflammatory thread title. Fixed.

Thanks. Now a truce can be called.

 

[GDGF]

Good stuff here.

 

[-Mikey-]

Does anyone read Proof? I'm trying to figure out what books out there are similar to it. I get the feeling it is similar to Fables, could be wrong.

 

[Costanza]

where does the line get drawn? Is it really super heroes or would a conan comic fit in here?

I'm not trying to give you shit or be confrontational...

I dunno, I've never read it. The wiki calls him a "hero", but because he doesn't wear a cape/costume or live during modern times... he's technically not a "super"hero.

 

[Kurtofan]

 

[library_discards]

Jesus fuck when the hell is Scott Pilgrim volume 6 going to come out =(

I heard june 15th.........

 

[Costanza]

I don't see any love for Morrison's non-superhero Vertigo stuff >_<.

gimme some suggestions!

 

[gdt]

This thread isn't about divided Comic Book GAF, it's about bringing in new readers (who always have a bias against Superhero books).

And, it kinda sucks when me and Costanza are the only people talking about Walking Dead/Chew/Invincible/etc when everyone else is masturbating to a new set of Green Lantern rings to get.

 

[Jet Grind Radio!]

Jesus fuck when the hell is Scott Pilgrim volume 6 going to come out =(

Actually, O'Malley said August for 6.

 

[Costanza]

Does anyone read Proof? I'm trying to figure out what books out there are similar to it. I get the feeling it is similar to Fables, could be wrong.

Looking at the wiki page it sorta seems to me like a much less fleshed out, less epic version of Fables. So you should definitely try Fables.

This thread isn't about divided Comic Book GAF, it's about bringing in new readers (who always have a bias against Superhero books).

And, it kinda sucks when me and Costanza are the only people talking about Walking Dead/Chew/Invincible/etc when everyone else is masturbating to a new set of Green Lantern rings to get.

yeah, exactly.

 

[silverbullet1080]

Actually, O'Malley said August for 6.

I thought that's when the movie was going to- oh.

edit- I hope Kim comes back ;_;

 

[krypt0nian]

This thread isn't about divided Comic Book GAF, it's about bringing in new readers (who always have a bias against Superhero books).

And, it kinda sucks when me and Costanza are the only people talking about Walking Dead/Chew/Invincible/etc when everyone else is masturbating to a new set of Green Lantern rings to get.

You're the other prime offender than needs to keep the superhero hate out of the weekly thread.

 

[British Monsoon]

No love for Transmetropolitan?

If it weren't for the Preacher & Sandman, Transmetropolitan would easily be my favourite graphic novel series.

 

[library_discards]

Actually, O'Malley said August for 6.

i thought they would want to release it before the movie though...

but again

its still posted as TBA on radiomaru as mid-2010

But what are people reading now?


Im reading...

 

[gdt]

You're the other prime offender than needs to keep the superhero hate out of the weekly thread.

I don't really hate on superhero books at all.

I read GL/BN/GLC. Invincible. Ultimate Spiderman.

I've also read alot of miniseries; Kingdom Come, Red Son, a bunch of Batman stuff, etc.


So....huh?

I'll stay just fine in the weekly threads.

 

[krypt0nian]

I don't really hate on superhero books at all.

I read GL/BN/GLC. Invincible. Ultimate Spiderman.

I've also read alot of miniseries; Kingdom Come, Red Son, a bunch of Batman stuff, etc.


So....huh?

I've never seen you shit on superhero books. We'll go with that.

 

[Costanza]

No love for Transmetropolitan?

It's in the OP now

 

[silverbullet1080]

No love for Transmetropolitan?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/Bootaaay/transmetropolitan04a.jpg[IMG]
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/Bootaaay/974256032_b504887a6d_o.jpg[IMG]

If it weren't for the Preacher & Sandman, Transmetropolitan would easily be my favourite graphic novel series.[/QUOTE]
[IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/4k8y2d.jpg :lol

 

[-Mikey-]

Looking at the wiki page it sorta seems to me like a much less fleshed out, less epic version of Fables. So you should definitely try Fables.

That sucks. I'm only on the second trade of Fables. I like what I've read so far so I'll stick with it.

 

[gerg]

This thread isn't about divided Comic Book GAF,

It doesn't seem that way.

I'm all about having specified discussion, but I think that the tone should be "Hey, here's some other awesome stuff we can talk about!", rather than "Hey, that other stuff is shit! Let's talk about this instead!"

I'm not really getting that from "[Non-superhero] comics are so much more than that."

And, it kinda sucks when me and Costanza are the only people talking about Walking Dead/Chew/Invincible/etc when everyone else is masturbating to a new set of Green Lantern rings to get.

People having different tastes is bad?

Also, as well as Maus and Persepolis (c'mon Costanza, if you can edit in Transmetropolitan, you can get those two added!), The Perry Bible Fellowship should probably get a mention.

Also, Tintin.

 

[Mistouze]

gimme some suggestions!

All right!

The Invisbles(7 trades)

Throughout history, a secret society called the Invisibles, who count among their number Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, work against the forces of order that seek to repress humanity's growth. In this first collection, the Invisibles latest recruit, a teenage lout from the streets of London, must survive a bizarre, mind-altering training course before being projected into the past to help enlist the Marquis de Sade.

Trippy stuff, some people like me will love it. Other will say it's gibberish. It never makes any sense while being totally right on so many things.

The Filth(only one trade)
Basically, The Invisibles from the side of the "bad guys". If you ask me, it's more of a surreal portrayal of Morrison's depression than anything.

Sebastian O (80 page story)

SEBASTIAN O follows its eponymous protagonist as he hunts the man who condemned him to Bedlam for his moral outrages against Victorian society.

Very good, but so short it will leave you blue balled. Interesting story of vengeance at the crossroads of steam and cyberpunk.

I'll leave Vimanarama to Benjamin_Birdie because he'll surely have interesting stuff to say about it. If anyone already read "The Mystery Play", I'm interested in impressions.

Finally, even though it's out of topic Morrison wrote to superhero series published within the Vertigo imprint : Animal Man & Doom Patrol. Good stuff even people who don't like superheroes should read. Seriously.

 

[squidhands]

Would The Invisibles be considered a superhero book? That's some mind-melting shit right there...

EDIT: beaten

 

[silverbullet1080]

I don't really hate on superhero books at all.

I read GL/BN/GLC. Invincible. Ultimate Spiderman.

I've also read alot of miniseries; Kingdom Come, Red Son, a bunch of Batman stuff, etc.


So....huh?

I'll stay just fine in the weekly threads.

 

[Costanza]

All right!

The Invisbles(7 trades)

Trippy stuff, some people like me will love it. Other will say it's gibberish. It never makes any sense while being totally right on so many things.

The Filth(only one trade)
Basically, The Invisibles from the side of the "bad guys". If you ask me, it's more of a surreal portrayal of Morrison's depression than anything.

Holy shit, just looked both of those up. They look awesome.

Will get around to reading them.

 

[gdt]

God, the Invisibles is fucking AWFUL.

Morrison must've been snorting crack off a needle full of heroin when he was writing that.