Fantasy Comics/CrossGen

[pennywisdom]

I'm surprised there aren't more comics published in the fantasy genre. Recommend some that you're enjoying and tell why.

I already have most of Virgin's debut comics on my "must read" list, I just haven't ordered them yet. I look forward to them, as I love the concept behind the line. Also, I plan on picking up some of the Forgotten Realms books published by Devil's Due, as I've enjoyed the Drizzt novels they're based on.

Auxiliary question: Did CrossGen ever publish their comics in TPB format? Now that they're out of business, are their comics even readily available? I ran into an old issue of Sojourn that I bought back in 2002, but for some reason, I never picked that book up with any consistancy while it was still being published. I regret missing the train on that one.

I'm not looking forward to hitting the back issue bins and grabbing up a truckload of single issue floppies, and I'm hoping I can just get a single volume that collects the series.

CrossGen seemed to support the fantasy genre (and many others) in a way few publishers do. It's sad they went out of business. You'd think D&D fanatics, or the guys who read fantasy novels voraciously would have jumped onboard and kept them afloat, but it wasn't to be.

[Arvandor]

Artesia, from Archaia Studios. A true fantasy epic, but very graphic and mature rated. Gorgeous art with an involving and intricate plot. I can't rate this comic enough. Did I mention it's gorgeous?

Conan, of course, from Dark Horse.

Red Sonja. It's more than t&a - it's well-written, and GREAT t&a.


Edit: Yes, MANY of CrossGen's comics were published in trade form. At least one for each of their titles, and most had two or three.

[pennywisdom]

Artesia, from Archaia Studios. A true fantasy epic, but very graphic and mature rated. Gorgeous art with an involving and intricate plot. I can't rate this comic enough. Did I mention it's gorgeous?

Conan, of course, from Dark Horse.

Red Sonja. It's more than t&a - it's well-written, and GREAT t&a.


Edit: Yes, MANY of CrossGen's comics were published in trade form. At least one for each of their titles, and most had two or three.
Excellent. Thank you. I Googled "Red Sonja" and discovered that book is written by Mike Oeming, who I love. I wasn't aware of that. I should have picked that book up ages ago.

Any other recommendations?

[Allen Klingelhoets]

I still miss Crossgen.

[ratzo]

George RR Martin, the author of the "Song of Ice and Fire" series of novels (the most recent being A Feast for Crows), wrote a prequel graphic novel for Devil's Due called The Hedge Knight. Reading that was what led me to his novels and I've never looked back.

There was an Image/Desperado comic called Beyond Avalon that expanded on the King Arthur mythos. There were only a few issues released, but I liked it.

Speaking of King Arthur, the recent mini-series Dracula vs. King Arthur from Silent Devil was a lot of fun. Don't let the title fool you; the creators take this crossover very seriously and they make it work well.

[sschroeder]

I'm surprised there aren't more comics published in the fantasy genre. Recommend some that you're enjoying and tell why.

I thought the first issue of Ptolus was good. The Marvel/DabelBros partnership should see this reprinted and the rest of the series start coming out shortly. I really like the art on this one.

You might also want to check out Mouse Guard. Beautiful art.


Auxiliary question: Did CrossGen ever publish their comics in TPB format? Now that they're out of business, are their comics even readily available?

I haven't kept up if they are readily available these days. CrossGen fantasy titles you might want to try include: Sojourn (Greg Land art), Meridian (Steve McNiven art), Scion (Jim Cheung art?), The First, and Mystic. The first three were the better titles in my opinion.

If you just want to sample various CrossGen titles to find the ones you'd like to collect or just read more the line an affordable basis, search for the Forge and Edge (which may have become Vector just before cancellation) collections.

Otherwise, you can also get digest or regular sized versions of individual series collecting about 6 issues at a time.

[Crazee Creator]

I just picked up Scion trades 1-4 and The first Sojourn trade at the Big Apple Con from one of the vendors for 50% off the cover price. So I am sure stores have them in there backstock bins.

[Winslow]

Auxiliary question: Did CrossGen ever publish their comics in TPB format?

Yes, they published several tarde formats (which probably contributed to their bankruptcy.

Full Size Trades - exactly what the title suggests

Manga Sized Trades - trades in smaller format, sometimes referred to as Travelers

Compendias - Forge and Edge, which collected various issues form various titles. They were originally full size collections, but reduced size to "manga."

Now that they're out of business, are their comics even readily available?

I see the single issues in the quarter bins all the time. I don't find the trades. I'm pretty sure their online somewhere.

I like all of the above recommendations.

The only other one I suggest is Neotopia. It's a bit "feminine" in feel, but the art and architectural renderings of the fantasy world are worth the price of the ticket.

[Ivan Isaacs]

I'm surprised there aren't more comics published in the fantasy genre.

You just live in the wrong country. Try France.

But HK Comics published the first of four volumes of The Third Testament (DEC053040) a while ago (so it's likely that there won't be translations of the other three comics). It's written by Xavier Dorison (one of France's best writers ATM) with art by Alex Alice (Tomb Raider: Dark Aeons). I can't comment it hihly enough.
Dorison has written several other fantasy-like books (they are a mix of fantasy and horror) which were translated into English namely Sanctum (DEC040303) with Christophe Bec (AWESOME book - all three French volumes in a nice English edition) and Prophet/Ante Genesem (FEB045163) with Mathieu Lauffray.
And for lighthearted fun I highly recommend the stuff by Joan Sfar and Lewis Trondheim like Donjon (Dungeon), published by NBM.

[swinebread]

For Fantasy:

I would suggest Claw but it is gonna' be cancelled at issue 6. He did start out in a 4 issue miniseris that was a crossover with Red Sonja, which I liked very much. If you like fantasy you should be reading Red Sonja!

It’s a little cutesy but ElfQuest is fun.

If you can find early issues of the original Warlord (not the new series), that was great for fantasy.

Of course Conan, both the new stuff by Dark Horse and the Marvel collections made by Dark Horse.

Crossgen put out a lot of trades before they went under so try a used bookstore. I would give my highest suggestion to Way of the Rat the most

I hear good stuff about Fables but I haven’t read it.

For sci-fi I'd like to suggest some oldies:

New York: Year Zero. It’s a little known 4-issue mini from Eclipse Comics back in the '80s. It has fantastic art by Jaun Zannotto.

SIX FROM SIRIUS is good, currently it has been republished in a Trade by DE.

SCOUT, a great near future tale full of Apache myths and near apocalyptic adventures. Being republished by DE

Grim Jack, A hardboiled barbarian’s adventures through various dimensions.

Y the Last Man, All the men die except one. Good stuff.

Nausicaä of the valley of the wind, is a manga that’s really Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Steampunk all rolled into one, check it out.

[pennywisdom]

Nice recommendations. :) Thanks, everyone. Keep 'em coming.

Also, I plan on picking up some of the Forgotten Realms books published by Devil's Due, as I've enjoyed the Drizzt novels they're based on.
Out of curiosity, has anyone read these comics? I liked the books, but I'm not sure if the comic book adaptation will add to the story or detract from it.

[Althalus]

@pennywisdom: I've read them, but piece by piece as they came out. Also, I haven't re-read the novels in quite some years. But barring that, I found the adaptation to be adequate and the art serviceable if not great (but certainly a notch above most of the other adaptations they put out). Made a good read.

Other fantasy comics:

(Quasi-)Classics:
Bone
Castle Waiting
Courageous Princess
Thieves & Kings
Tellos

More Novel-adaptations:
Wood Boy, REF's The
Hatter M - The Looking Glass Wars
Magician - Apprentice, REF's
New Spring, Robert Jordan's

Other good stuff:
Courtney Crumrin
DragonPro
Girl Genius
Hammer of the Gods
Ninja Boy
Portent, The
Quicken Forbidden
Rokkin
Grimoire, The
Spellgame
Valkyries
Wonderland

Funny / parodistic:
Groo
Everknights/Hackmasters of Everknight
Lullaby

I don't have the time right now, but I'll try and dig up some links for most of those later. If you're interested I could also add some manga and bandes dessinees to the list.


~Althalus