I'm going on a purchasing binge today, and I need your input, dudes. I prefer DC, but I'm open to anything.
Thanks dudes.
Basically what Bale said - we need to narrow it down a bit. What sort of things do you like? Mystery, sci-fi, romantic comedy, slice-of-life? If you like superheroes, what sort of superheroes do you like? How high a tolerance do you have for stuff that is cool, but somewhat dorky and old? Would you prefer stories complete in one volume, or do you like the idea of six- or eight-volume epics?
This was my first thought followed by We3, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Sandman, and Preacher. Get the last two if you are truely buying in bulk.
Solo:
Dark Knight Returns
Batman Year 100
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Killing Joke
Batman: Death in the Family
Superman: Red Son
Hulk: Grey
Daredevil: Yellow
Spiderman: Blue
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Maus
Originals
Desolation Jones
Marvels
Kingdom Come
1602
Ronin
anything by Joe Sacco
Series:
Sandman
Preacher
Y The Last Man
100 Bullets
Transmetropolitan
Hellboy
BPRD
Invinicible
Scott Pilgrim
Astro City
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Planetary
Global Frequency
Powers
Sincity
Proto on
and her knees up on the glove compartment
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
If you get JTHM, then get Squee. If you don't mind minor animal cruelty, both are good. If you're leaning towards philosophical I'd go for JTHM but for just plan funny I'd go Squee.
Other awesome graphic novels:
Battle Angel Alita
Blade of the Immortal
Strangers in Paradise
these are all series though. If you're just looking for the entire comic, JTHM and Squee then. I'm reading currently Crisis on Infinite Earths and just ordered Watchmen. CoIE is pretty good to me thus far.
One-book DC stuff that's worth reading:
We3
Watchmen
DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore (whatever the exact title is; make sure it's the newest version with "The Killing Joke" and "Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow?")
Dark Knight Returns
DC One Million
Long-form DC stuff:
Preacher
100 Bullets
The Losers
Saga of the Swamp Thing (the Alan Moore and Rick Veitch runs)
Doom Patrol (the Grant Morrison run)
Animal Man (ditto)
Transmetropolitan
Hitman (only partially collected, unfortunately)
All-Star Superman is also great. There's one collection out now, and a second will be out shortly after the final issue is published in a few months.
Don't believe anyone who recommends Batman: Hush for any reason other than "Jim Lee draws pretty pictures", which is true. The good parts of the story are, ahem, borrowed from several other superior Batman stories (in particular, The Dark Knight Returns, The Man Who Laughs, Arkham Asylum, and the Wrath storyline from the '80s). Batman: The Long Halloween is from the same writer, and is better, but still suffers from the same conceit of Loeb trying to fit every single Bat-villain and Bat-motif into one overlong story arc.
Triple BBastard of the NorthMARegistered Userregular
edited July 2008
Thanks, you guys. Awesome recommendations here. Sorry I didn't narrow it down for you at all, though. I already own a ton of Batman stuff. I just want something that's awesome, and I can get completely immersed in. I prefer DC, but I'm open to pretty much anything. I actually went shopping on the day I posted this, but didn't find anything of value, as the store's inventory was really limited. I shall go on an expedition tomorrow to acquire some of the books you have suggested in this thread.
And if you get into the Fables world, the spin-off Jack is worth getting. It's not nearly as engrossing, but it fills a void and gives some new information on the world.
Improvolone on
Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
For more adult-oriented fare, I heartilly recommend The Invisibles, as well as the semi-follow up The Filth.
Both are completely awesome mind-fucks.
Seriously. The Invisibles is one of my favorite series ever, if nothing else just for sheer breadth - how many other comics, much less novels or film, have ever tried to integrate Carlos Casteneda, Gnostic myth, Hinduism, 60's spy movies, Michael Moorcock novels, conspiracy theories, punk rock, and GLBT politics?
Just about the only thing that beats it out in my books is another thing by the same writer, namely Seven Soldiers, which I can't recommend enough. SS is, to me, pretty much the culmination of everything I've ever wanted in a superhero story. It's hilarious, gorgeous to look at, inspiring and moving.
Posts
Solo titles:
We3
The Dark Knight Returns
Kingdom Come
Batman: Year One
Weapon X
Series
Fables (11ish trades so far, ongoing)
Y: The Last Man (10 trades, complete)
Preacher (9 trades, complete)
That's it. Seriously.
Dark Knight Returns
Basically what Bale said - we need to narrow it down a bit. What sort of things do you like? Mystery, sci-fi, romantic comedy, slice-of-life? If you like superheroes, what sort of superheroes do you like? How high a tolerance do you have for stuff that is cool, but somewhat dorky and old? Would you prefer stories complete in one volume, or do you like the idea of six- or eight-volume epics?
This was my first thought followed by We3, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Sandman, and Preacher. Get the last two if you are truely buying in bulk.
Civil War (buy everything if you've got the stones)
Dark Knight Returns
Batman Year 100
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Killing Joke
Batman: Death in the Family
Superman: Red Son
Hulk: Grey
Daredevil: Yellow
Spiderman: Blue
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Maus
Originals
Desolation Jones
Marvels
Kingdom Come
1602
Ronin
anything by Joe Sacco
Series:
Sandman
Preacher
Y The Last Man
100 Bullets
Transmetropolitan
Hellboy
BPRD
Invinicible
Scott Pilgrim
Astro City
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Planetary
Global Frequency
Powers
Sincity
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
No no no, do not buy this.
If you want to read awesome Spider-Man stories, pick up Ultimate Spider-Man
and most of Frank Millers stuff on DD.
Anything Alan Moore:
From Hell
The Killing Joke
No Man's Land Volumes
Sandman
Lucifer
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Killing Joke
Persepolis
Watchmen (after the fifth or so recommendation, you know you must get it)
Planetary
Hicksville
Jar of Fools
+ Arkham Asylum
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
If you get JTHM, then get Squee. If you don't mind minor animal cruelty, both are good. If you're leaning towards philosophical I'd go for JTHM but for just plan funny I'd go Squee.
Other awesome graphic novels:
Battle Angel Alita
Blade of the Immortal
Strangers in Paradise
these are all series though. If you're just looking for the entire comic, JTHM and Squee then. I'm reading currently Crisis on Infinite Earths and just ordered Watchmen. CoIE is pretty good to me thus far.
Seriously.
Also: Pride of Baghdad
We3
Watchmen
DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore (whatever the exact title is; make sure it's the newest version with "The Killing Joke" and "Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow?")
Dark Knight Returns
DC One Million
Long-form DC stuff:
Preacher
100 Bullets
The Losers
Saga of the Swamp Thing (the Alan Moore and Rick Veitch runs)
Doom Patrol (the Grant Morrison run)
Animal Man (ditto)
Transmetropolitan
Hitman (only partially collected, unfortunately)
All-Star Superman is also great. There's one collection out now, and a second will be out shortly after the final issue is published in a few months.
Don't believe anyone who recommends Batman: Hush for any reason other than "Jim Lee draws pretty pictures", which is true. The good parts of the story are, ahem, borrowed from several other superior Batman stories (in particular, The Dark Knight Returns, The Man Who Laughs, Arkham Asylum, and the Wrath storyline from the '80s). Batman: The Long Halloween is from the same writer, and is better, but still suffers from the same conceit of Loeb trying to fit every single Bat-villain and Bat-motif into one overlong story arc.
Also buy Scott Pilgrim. This is extremely important.
Fables
Fables
FABLES
Limed for truth! >: o
Also, DMZ is a very engrossing read.
And if you get into the Fables world, the spin-off Jack is worth getting. It's not nearly as engrossing, but it fills a void and gives some new information on the world.
Beat'd! I loved Pride, though it is short and probably overpriced (got it as a gift).
I also just read both parts of Persepolis, and very much recommend them.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
Both are completely awesome mind-fucks.
Seriously. The Invisibles is one of my favorite series ever, if nothing else just for sheer breadth - how many other comics, much less novels or film, have ever tried to integrate Carlos Casteneda, Gnostic myth, Hinduism, 60's spy movies, Michael Moorcock novels, conspiracy theories, punk rock, and GLBT politics?
Just about the only thing that beats it out in my books is another thing by the same writer, namely Seven Soldiers, which I can't recommend enough. SS is, to me, pretty much the culmination of everything I've ever wanted in a superhero story. It's hilarious, gorgeous to look at, inspiring and moving.
Short stuff:
We3
Watchmen
Long stuff:
Sandman
Lucifer
Transmetropolitan
DMZ
Those are all top notch. Every damn one of them.
"Blankets" -Craig Thompson