Five graphic novels absolutely everyone should read

[The Leaguer]

And I can't remember the name, but I have a copy somewhere of a dialoge-free story about dinosaurs, where a family of Tyrannosaurs chases some Oviraptors who ate their eggs. The art was great.

That could be Paleo, a series about animals living in the Cretacious. It had narration, but no dialogue. It was an amazing series.

Also, just an interesting note, oviraptors most likely didn't eat eggs. That's a bum rap they got when a paleontologist discovered an oviraptor brooding on a nest of eggs and misinterpreted it as the raptor stealing the eggs.

 

[blud_knight]

do they still think T-Rex was a scavenger and not a hunter? I read that a few years ago?

 

[The Leaguer]

It's still being debated, although not quite as heatedly as it was a few years ago. I guess the fad kind of wore off. There's evidence on both sides, but most support him as a hunter, if for no other reason than tradition.

 

[blud_knight]

thanks. I have to say, You know your stuff

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

Another really funny and wonderfully drawn comic-book starring a dinousar was Gon.

 

[The Leaguer]

thanks. I have to say, You know your stuff

Haha, I'd like to say that was true, considering paleontology is my chosen field of specialization, but I don't know nearly as much as I'd like to know, or will know.

 

[blud_knight]

Paleontologist eh ,i thought you seemed more knoledgeble than the average schlub.

 

[November Rain]

right, i'm just sticking to the limited ones i've read and enjoyed so here it goes, i can't do invidual novels for all of them but screw it...


Marvel:1602
star wars clone wars vol:1-9 (even the greatest prequel hater will love these books)
Greeen Latern: Emerald Twilight
spiderman vs the Green goblin: a selection of great bouts between spidey, norman and also harry
Spidey: the lost years, classic ben reilly


and as a modern series, i would throw in ultimate fantastic four.

ha, i thought i was a big ultimates fan but when push comes to shove, i don't even mention them, shame...I guess all that waiting for graphic novels has put a negative taint on them

 

[Cobblepot]

The New Frontier
The Long Halloween
Watchmen
Kingdom Come
Batman Year One

 

[blud_knight]

Kindom come was a little preachy, but still a good read, and alex ross was really in the zone on his art

 

[yenaled]

I'll give this a shot.

Superhero comic:
Astro City :: I'd say Life in the Big City as it's the first but really all of them. I especially like The Tarnished Angel. More than any other comic I think it brings Superheroes to life. There are so many stories that deconstruct the Superhero. I think Astro City is the superhero stories that rebuild them.

Non-Fiction:
Maus :: Obvious choice. It's a stunning comic that really shows what can be done outside the normal genre of comicbook fiction writing.

Mature Readers:
Animal Man :: When I first read the three volumes I was completely blown away. It is smart, horrific, challenging, funny and loveable. Even caused me to think about Animal Rights in ways I hadn't before. It works on so many levels and I can always go back and re-read it.

Other? (Since I don't read Manga I can't comment and going by Elijya's categories I couldn't see a place where this fits.)
Bone :: With the one volume edition there is no reason people shouldn't read this. It's seminal; a dark, humourous, touching, sprawling epic tale. Which really lives up to every bit of hype it gets. It's simply stunning.

Retro:
Dennis O'Niel/Neal Adams' Green Lantern/Green Arrow :: I'm not sure I can say anything that hasn't been said before about this. It was one of the first steps to how comics are today.

 

[CConn]

Oh, Animal Man's a good one. I didn't even think of it, but it is right up there with the best of the Mature stuff.

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

I figured out my adult one: The Coffin

 

[SonOfCthulhu]

Superhero comic:
Justice League: A New Beginning – what better book for showing superheroes acting like real people

Non-Fiction:
Blind picking because I haven’t read it – The 9/11 Report: A graphic adaptation

Mature Readers:
100 Bullets : Hang up on the Hang Low – it’s between this TPB or A Foregone Tomorrow. This one has a single storyline that’s a bit easier to follow

Manga:
Akira Vol. 1 – great for the detail in the backgrounds and involving sci-fi future gangland story

Retro:
Marvel Masterworks Spiderman Vol. 1 – Lee and Ditko’s work still stands the test of time

 

[GNR]

hmmm...

Superman Secret Identity-one big life lesson using Superman

 

[The Hero]

To be fair, deconstruction should have it's own category.

 

[The Question]

To be fair, I don't think Manga should have it's own catagory. I've never been fond of marking a difference between American and Japanese comics like that.

 

[DarkNick]

I'd stick with the five most entertaining graphic novels I've read, which have at least some hope of turning non-comic book readers into fans or respectful observers:

The Dark Knight Returns
Watchmen
Welcome Back, Frank
Preacher
The Long Halloween/Dark Victory

Cheated a little at the end there...But to me, Preacher and The Long Halloween/Dark Victory are one continuous story.

 

[ethan ace]

I'll give this a shot.

Superhero comic:
Astro City :: I'd say Life in the Big City as it's the first but really all of them. I especially like The Tarnished Angel. More than any other comic I think it brings Superheroes to life. There are so many stories that deconstruct the Superhero. I think Astro City is the superhero stories that rebuild them.

Non-Fiction:
Maus :: Obvious choice. It's a stunning comic that really shows what can be done outside the normal genre of comicbook fiction writing.

Mature Readers:
Animal Man :: When I first read the three volumes I was completely blown away. It is smart, horrific, challenging, funny and loveable. Even caused me to think about Animal Rights in ways I hadn't before. It works on so many levels and I can always go back and re-read it.

Other? (Since I don't read Manga I can't comment and going by Elijya's categories I couldn't see a place where this fits.)
Bone :: With the one volume edition there is no reason people shouldn't read this. It's seminal; a dark, humourous, touching, sprawling epic tale. Which really lives up to every bit of hype it gets. It's simply stunning.

Retro:
Dennis O'Niel/Neal Adams' Green Lantern/Green Arrow :: I'm not sure I can say anything that hasn't been said before about this. It was one of the first steps to how comics are today.

FINE SELECTIONS OL' CHAP.

I think:

Superhero: Kingdom Come... no, I'm kidding. New Frontier -- It is the epitome of superhero. Period.

Non-Fiction: Obviously Maus. I kind of feel like this is a cop-out answer, but nothing is better than it. Anywhere. Ever.

Mature: From Hell. It's a vast undertaking to get through it, and I had to put it down a few times because it was affecting me too much, but it really is THE BEST here. As brutal as it is, the writing is incredible, and the art is spot-on. Everything about it is top-notch.

I've not read anything really retro, and I agree with whoever said "manga" wasn't a good category. Saying "manga" in this sense is like saying lumping all Japanese music into a single category labeled "Japanese." You're ignoring the fact that they have all the genres we do, as well as tentacle rape (bonus), so it seems a bit of a broad generalisation.

 

[The Watchman]

just spitballing...

Maus
Moonshadow
Blankets
Pride of Baghdad
The Fountain
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Preacher
Walking Dead
Kickback
Ex Machina
The Losers
100 Bullets

There are plenty of graphic novels that would be enjoyed by movie fans, but because of the stigma of comics they never experience them.

 

[The Watchman]

Using Elijya's theme

Superhero title - Superman: Secret Identity, Watchmen, Gotham Central

Manga title - ???

Non-Fiction title - Pride of Baghdad, Maus, Blankets, It's a Bird...

Mature Readers title - The Losers, Ex Machina, 100 Bullets, Preacher

Retro title - New Frontier, The Spirit, XIII

 

[hulkamania85]

Well I pretty much only know superhero titles.

1)Watchmen
2)Daredevil: Born Again (my favorite Frank Miller book)
3)Invincible (a throwback to when superhero books were more simple and fun)
4)Marvels
5)Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn


Emerald Dawn is something I've read more recently and really enjoyed, and could see someone enjoying even if they don't know much about GL. As far as manga, I've only read DBZ, and have only seen the Akira movie.