Sh1ner said:
Hey guys, big comic book fan, can someone reccomend me something that is cyberpunkish that has been out for a while?
Several things come to mind immediately for older cyberpunkish titles, most of which are manga.
Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis's take on the near future stars the cyberpunk equivalent of Hunter S. Thompson who has returned to The City to take on political corruption. 60 issues and it's done, with a terrific ride the entire time. If you liked Global Frequency, here's more Ellis waiting for you.
Akira - Half the world has seen the movie by now, but if you've never read the manga you're really missing out. A more coherent (and complete) plot, wonderful artwork that combines intricate detail with a clean design sense, and all manner of psychic hell breaking loose. Okay, so the movie had plenty of that last bit, but there's even more of it in the comic. Also, you know you want Kaneda's bike. This has been inexplicably out of print for a while, but it's being reissued with the first volume out and the next few en route. 6 volumes and it's done.
Ghost in the Shell - Masamune Shirow's most successful manga release, Ghost in the Shell looks absolutely fantastic and is a showcase for Shirow's art, while also having a plot that, if not wildly coherent, holds up reasonably well while also being removed enough from the movies and such that, even if you've seen them, you'll get a kick out of this. It's about a group of cops who act as a sort of cybernetic crimes SWAT team, set in a future where full brain transfers to robot bodies are relatively commonplace. This is a single volume, though if you enjoy it some of Shirow's other near-future SF manga such as
Appleseed (four volumes) and
Black Magic (one volume), though you should be warned that the storytelling in each ranges from puzzling to incomprehensible. But, man, the art is just fantastic, and for the stories being told - small unit combat teams in high tech societies - it's easy to forgive the shortcomings in their plots.
Eden: It's An Endless World! - Finally, I have to pimp a great title that, alas, hasn't been completely translated into English and isn't necessarily guaranteed to get across the finish line. That said, Hiroki Endo's Eden is an astonishingly good cyberpunk comic. With art clearly influenced by Otomo's work on Akira, Endo tells the story of a post-apocalyptic (I sense a theme here) world where mankind has recovered from a deadly virus and the global balance of power has shifted. Our hero is a young man with ties to the new movers and shakers who finds himself involved with a mercenary team (I sense a theme here) and their incredibly violent battles against cybernetic enemies (and worse), with plenty of behind the scenes political wrangling and criminal activity to keep things interesting. I cannot recommend this title highly enough, even if there's a chance you'll never have the opportunity to read the whole thing. Dark Horse has released twelve of eighteen volumes in the US and it's one of the best comics on the stands, period. Check it out.
FnordChan
Do you have recommendations?
