Can I get a recommendation?

[DPlague]

So I'm not actually sure where to post this...

What I'm looking for is a recommendation on a comic (or trade) to buy for my girlfriend. She's into fantasy, westerns and maybe some family stuff. Kinda vague I know, sorry. She doesn't like anything too dark or gory. Stuff that she currently is reading are Mouse Guard, Magician: Apprentice, Lone Ranger (even though it is a bit dark). The art in the comic can be quite a big thing for her, so it would be cool if the book was very "pretty" (her words, hehe), or different in its approach to the art.

So if anybody has some ideas that would be awesome. Thanks in advance.

[shaxper]

If she likes Mouse Guard, then I strongly recommend Usagi Yojimbo for strong art, cute anthropomorphic characters, and touching storylines.

For fantasy, I'd recommend Aria from Image Comics. It's out of print now, but the back issues are full of powerful art and great fantasy storylines concerning mythological gods residing in New York City.

How about Sandman? I've never read it, myself, but I've never met a fan of fantasy that didn't respect the series.

[DPlague]

If she likes Mouse Guard, then I strongly recommend Usagi Yojimbo for strong art, cute anthropomorphic characters, and touching storylines.

For fantasy, I'd recommend Aria from Image Comics. It's out of print now, but the back issues are full of powerful art and great fantasy storylines concerning mythological gods residing in New York City.

How about Sandman? I've never read it, myself, but I've never met a fan of fantasy that didn't respect the series.

I never thought of Usagi, thanks. As for Aria, it definitely sounds like a cool premise...now just to try to find some comics, or a trade.

As for Sandman, I'm starting to collect the trades, so the little she reads of it she can read through me, but thanks for that one anyways.

[Ideal.]

If she enjoys westerns then she should definitely look into Blueberry by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud. Really great stuff. However, I doubt many people would call these comics "pretty". Instead, they're raw and gritty. Still worth checking out, though.


As for "family stuff", Gilbert Hernandez' Palomar stories are definitely worth checking out. They're centred around a Latin American town and are among the greatest comics, evuh. Fantagraphics has serialized the bulk of the stories in one book for a reasonable price, so that's worth keeping in mind.

Craig Thompson's Blankets is something I could definitely see fitting under the category of "pretty". I'm personally not the biggest fan over the book, but I've seen people go head over heals over it. He has terrific art and great writing, but, it just doesn't hold up for a re-read...


The best thing to do is drop her off at a comic store and refuse to pick her up until she finds something.
=).

[DPlague]

If she enjoys westerns then she should definitely look into Blueberry by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud. Really great stuff. However, I doubt many people would call these comics "pretty". Instead, they're raw and gritty. Still worth checking out, though.


As for "family stuff", Gilbert Hernandez' Palomar stories are definitely worth checking out. They're centred around a Latin American town and are among the greatest comics, evuh. Fantagraphics has serialized the bulk of the stories in one book for a reasonable price, so that's worth keeping in mind.

Craig Thompson's Blankets is something I could definitely see fitting under the category of "pretty". I'm personally not the biggest fan over the book, but I've seen people go head over heals over it. He has terrific art and great writing, but, it just doesn't hold up for a re-read...


The best thing to do is drop her off at a comic store and refuse to pick her up until she finds something.
=).

Thanks for all the recommendations, I'm going to check them all out. And while dropping her off would be ideal, I'm trying to get it as a gift for Christmas, so I want it to be a surprise. Though the suggestion did give me a good laugh. Thanks!

[Aaron King]

Kabuki

Peanuts

Hellboy ("Right Hand of Doom" or "Chained Coffin" trades)

It's too bad Bat Lash isn't out yet.

[JKCarrier]

COURTNEY CRUMRIN is a gorgeously-drawn fantasy comic -- gothic-flavored, but not too dark:

http://www.ninthart.com/display.php?article=940

[nweathington]

If you're looking for “pretty” fantasy, you should check out The Book of Ballads by Charles Vess, which collects his comic series Book of Ballads & Sagas. It's comprised of comic book adaptations of Celtic mythology and fairy tales. Beautiful stuff.

You also may want to take a look at Tellos by Todd Dezago and Mike Wieringo. Image recently published a big hardcover collection of the story, but the trades and back issues aren't too hard to find.

And then, of course, there's Fables, which is one of my favorite books coming out right now.

[shaxper]

Good call on Fables. I was thinking of suggesting Shadowpact, but Fables is a far better example of Bill Willingham's fantasy work.

[dupersuper]

Jonah Hex and Bone come to mind.

[Kirk G]

If she likes westerns and fantasy, she might try the recent Graphic novel "Death comes to Dillinger" by James Patrick

[pariah-1972]

How about Elfquest? i've personally never read it but it sounds like it might be up her alley?

[Shellhead]

Get her some Blacksad.

Hardboiled cat detective stories with amazing artwork:

http://twinkiethekid.files.wordpress.com/2006/11/blacksad.jpg

That cover doesn't quite do justice to the character... try this link:

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/sublimeacide/images/images/livres/blacksad%20planche2.jpg

[Jimmy Starburst]

SANDMAN truly is not only a great comic book, but a brilliant piece of literature... I cannot recommend it enough.

Any series that manages to combine werewolves, lesbians, demons, superheroes, chocolate people and Shakespeare, AND manages to draft a convincing cosmology in which all the pantheons of human religion are equally valid and can interact is A-PLUS in my book.