Comic Book Resources

Ha! Thanks Brian. You’re awesome.

That’s a fantastic collection of comics, but I feel the need to complain about the list because a lady made it.

I think “Mark Millar licks goats” just became my new message board signature

Some Lady has some good choices! I wonder who this mysterious reviewer could be

You had me at “Mark Millar licks goats”.

Haven’t read and of her ten picks, but I have read a number of the “if you like”s, and they’re among my favourites.

You really should. She recommended a whole pile of great comics.

Yay! I have read only one of the actual recommended books but several “if you like”s, and there are several which I have been wanting to try once they come my way for snippets I have seen have been impressive…

Good list, but why are all the recommendations North American? There’s plenty of great non-American graphic novels available in English too.

Also, recommending Black Hole for sci-fi fans feels a bit odd, as the only non-realistic aspect of it (the “disease”) isn’t really a sci-fi element (it’s treated more like vampirism in modern vampire literature), and anyway Burns uses more like a metaphor than as any kind of a genre trope. I’m not saying sci-fi fans wouldn’t enjoy the story, but there’s nothing particularly sci-fi about it.

Ms. Thompson: Just curious as to why you didn’t include vol. 1 of Demo along with vol. 2?
Are you saying that the one volume’s better than the other?

Kelly,

looking at that fantasy list, I wonder, have you ever had the chance to read Mark Oakley/I-Box Publishing’s Thieves and Kings? I think it’s just about the most underrated/most underlooked thing ever.

In general though, great list.

Was this list published here before? It’s a great list, but I could have sworn I’ve read it here…

Thanks everyone!

@Tuomas: Would be happy to have some good non-American (but in English or translated) recommendations. What would you categorize Black Hole as if not sci-fi?

@Tom Fitzpatrick: I like Demo Volume 1 very much, but I think Volume 2 is superior, if only because Cloonan has become an even stronger and more confident artist. Since you don’t have to have read Volume 1, to understand Volume 2, if I’m going to recommend one of them, it’s Volume 2.

@Matt D: Have not read Thieves and Kings – will check it out. Thanks!

@Mike Loughlin: The list is brand new, but I have talked about a lot of these books on SHNH before – for some of my end of year and holiday gift lists, as well as some reviews.

@Tuomas: Would be happy to have some good non-American (but in English or translated) recommendations. What would you categorize Black Hole as if not sci-fi?

It’s pretty hard to categorize, I’d say it’s “surreal drama” or something like that, the same way David Lynch’s movies are. They both use surreal horror elements, but they’re not horror as such.

As for foreign graphic novels available in English, off the top of my head I would recommend these ones:

For people interested in Iran and political history:
Marjane Satrapi – Persepolis

For the people who liked Black Hole:
Osamu Tezuka – Ode to Kirihito

For sci-fi fans who like Blade Runner, and cyberpunk in general:
Enki Bilal – The Nikopol Trilogy

For sci-fi fans who like psychedelic stuff:
Moebius & Jodorowsky – The Incal

For people interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
Rutu Modan – Exit Wounds

For people who like autobiographical coming-of-age stories:
David B – Epileptic

For people interested in non-autobiographical coming-of-age stories (and African fiction):
Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie – Aya

I assume this is penance for breaking the internet last week…

Looks like a good list. Nice work.

@Tuomas:

Well, I mention Persepolis and Exit Wounds in the piece, so I have to assume you didn’t actually read the piece, but just glanced through the covers….which doesn’t bother me so much, except when people take to complaining.

I have read and very much like Aya, but I stand by not putting it on the list. 10 Books is not a lot of books, there isn’t room to cover everything.

Ode to Kirihito and Epileptic sound interesting however, I’ll check them out. Thanks.

I’m sorry about that, I just read the blurbs for the main 10 books, didn’t read the “try also” lists properly. You’re right, I should have done that before complaining.

If you liked Persepolis, you’ll properly enjoy Epileptic too… Marjane Satrapi’s style was quite obviously influenced by David B.’s (not to dismiss her or anything).

Anyway, one more sci-fi recommendation… Cinebook has begun to publish English editions of Valerian and Laureline, which is perhaps the greatest sci-fi comics of all time, and whose influence can be seen in movies like The Fifth Element and (arguably) Star Wars. It’s particularly worth checking out if you like strong female characters, as after the first few books the eponymous Laureline becomes the de facto protagonist of the stories, even if Valerian is still nominally the main character.

Sadly though, the greatest, most critically acclaimed European comic book series of them all, Corto Maltese, is still largely unavailable for you English speakers. Looks like that may change though, as a new English edition of the first book will come out next month. Anyone who loves historical adventure stories and/or melancholic anti-heroes should check it out!