Top 10 Completed Series Ever

[atlas689]

So as you can guess from the title, this is a thread to discuss the best 10 completed series ever. I will define series as a comic book or graphic novel. The book must already be out and completed. This thread can also serve to bring other forum members to read or learn of series they never have before. Remember there is NO right answer, this thread is only opinion. So without further ado, IMO:

1. Watchmen
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Dave Gibbons
Company: DC Comics
Issues: 12

2. Preacher
Writer: Garth Ennis
Penciller: Steve Dillon
Company: Vertigo Comics
Issues: 75

3. Y: The Last Man
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Penciller: Pia Guerra
Company: Vertigo Comics
Issues: 60

4. Wanted
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: J.G. Jones
Company: Top Cow
Issues: 6

5. Transmetropolitan
Writer: Warren Ellis
Penciller: Darick Robertson
Company: Vertigo Comics
Issues: 60

6. V for Vendetta
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: David Lloyd
Company: Vertigo Comics
Issues: 10

7. Top 10
Writer: Alan Moore
Penciller: Gene Ha
Company: Wildstorm Comics
Issues: 12

8. Kingdom Come
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Alex Ross
Company: DC Comics
Issues: 4

9. Ronin
Writer: Frank Miller
Penciller: Frank Miller
Company: DC Comics
Issues: 6

10. Girls
Writer: Joshua Luna
Penciller: Jonathan Luna
Company: Image Comics
Issues: 24

Now its your turn!

[CoreyB]

I'd have to think about this.
Nice pick on Girls, though. Didn't expect that one. I've read the first two trades and I'm really impressed with how well-balanced the suspense and drama is maintained amid the comedy of the small town yokels. It's really well done. Although I've heard mixed things about how the series ends.

[Ed Cunard]

10. Cerebus.
Writer/Artist: Dave Sim.
Company: Aardvark/Vanheim.
Issues: 300.

Like the guy and his work or hate it, that's a fucking hell of an achievement.

[howyadoin]

Panther's Rage.

[hayabusa]

For a Star Wars example, I would like to mention the Tales of the Jedi comics that deal with Ulic Qel-Droma. Excellent work.

[Alex Scott]

Bone
Creator: Jeff Smith
Company: Cartoon Books/Image/Scholastic

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Company: Tokuma Shoten (J) Viz (US)

Planetes
Creator: Makoto Yukimura
Company: Kodansha (J) Tokyopop (US)

Akira
Creator: Katsuhiro Otomo
Company: Kodansha (J) Marvel/Dark Horse (US)

Sandman:
Creators: Neil Gaiman, et al
Company: DC

Maison Ikkoku
Cr: Rumiko Takahashi
Comp: Shueisha (J) Viz (US)

That's all I can think of right now.

[Aubergine~!]

Sandman and (to a lesser extent) Lucifer deserve mentions.

For shorter runs, DKR and Marvels were excellent miniseries as well.

[kmeyers]

Sandman and (to a lesser extent) Lucifer deserve mentions.

For shorter runs, DKR and Marvels were excellent miniseries as well.
You beat me to it. The fanboy in me said that The Dark Knight Returns should be on that list.

[StoneGold]

The Fight-Man One-Shot.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61lSBYRBYFL._SS500_.jpg

Only one issue. Because it's all he needed!

[Tanjint]

just me...i wouldn't count DKR, star wars etc. and other things that have a whole universe of tie in material.

but rather I'd count stuff like Y and Preacher that are finite.

i agree with most of the OP's list, i'd maybe trade Ronin or Girls for the Invisibles. though I haven't read ronin or girls yet, and I'd like to...Invisibles is the best creative output on the part of any humans anywhere ever imo

so are Josh and Jonathan Luna the Luna brothers from sword and spider-woman origins?

-T

[jesse_custer]

Unquestionably, Maus would be on my list.

The Fight-Man One-Shot.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61lSBYRBYFL._SS500_.jpg

Only one issue. Because it's all he needed!

Hell yeah. Fight-Man rules.

[StoneGold]

Hell yeah. Fight-Man rules.

Only decent issues of Agent X.

[Agent Helix]

I don't understand this.

This is a list of the ten most finished series? How does one qualify that?

[StoneGold]

I don't understand this.

This is a list of the ten most finished series? How does one qualify that?

Ain't no one gonna revive US-1.

[jesse_custer]

I don't have regular fights.

I HAVE FIGHTMAN FIGHTS!

[Agent Helix]

But US-1 had a shark blimp! HOW CAN PEOPLE NOT SEE THE BRILLIANCE?!

[Shellhead]

I don't understand this.

This is a list of the ten most finished series? How does one qualify that?

It is a way to keep Planetary off the list for now.

[jessecuster3]

It is a way to keep Planetary off the list for now.

But not Nextwave!

[MWGallaher]

I'll interpret eligibility to be limited to those series which were intended as indefinitely-ongoing series that were given a proper and satisfying conclusion (as opposed to ending with the implication of on-going status quo adventures that we the readers wouldn't be around to see, or assurances that our hero would continue to be seen in other places, or a promise of a "special or miniseries", or notification of a wrap-up in another comic, or written with a finite run and definitive conclusion in mind).
My top 10:

Godzilla (Marvel)
Omac (original run)
Doom Patrol (original run)
Mr. Miracle (original run)
The Spectre (Adventure Comics Bronze Age run by Fleischer and Aparo)
Electric Warrior
Tales of the Zombie
Deadenders
Outlaw Nation
H.E.R.O.

[Dreadstar]

Doom Patrol (original run)

Oh, there's a good choice.

[Ray R.]

I think 6 issues is a bit of a stretch to call a series, but anywho:

Jim Starlin's Warlock. Although it went from Strange Tales to a pick-up of his expired series to Avengers Annual 7 to Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2.

Don Rosa's Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck. Within the larger Uncle Scrooge series.

Bone.

Watchmen.

Camelot 3000.

[stealthwise]

Only decent issues of Agent X.

Or @#$*$% NOT!

[LtMarvel]

The one missing from all of your suggested lists is Lone Wolf & Cub.

I wouldn't call Top Ten finished.

So my list would have:

Bone
Cerebus
Lone Wolf & Cub
Maus
Preacher
Sandman
Starman
Watchmen

That's 8, anyway.

[Aubergine~!]

It is a way to keep Planetary off the list for now.

Discrimination, I say!

That should definitely go on the list once #27 comes out.

[Chris Nowlin]

Ain't no one gonna revive US-1.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

It could happen!


One of my earliest comics, that is.


He's like a superhero, but he's not. He's a trucker. It's about trucking!

[Ed Cunard]

I heard that US-1 and Razorback are going to have their own miniseries in the vein of Jonathan Lethem and Farel Dalrymple's OMEGA THE UNKNOWN. Currently, the writer is slated to be Thom Jones, and I think they said the artist was going to be Nick Bertozzi.

[Agent Helix]

Don't tease, Ed.

That's cruel.

[Paradox]

Actually US-1 is better than it sounds.

The fact that it accomplishes this by sounding absolutely irredeemable is beside the point. :tongue:

[radioshow host]

Rich Bernatovech's Sentinels were pretty good. All self contained stories yet a good arc over all. And..it's completed.

[Slam_Bradley]

I'll interpret eligibility to be limited to those series which were intended as indefinitely-ongoing series that were given a proper and satisfying conclusion (as opposed to ending with the implication of on-going status quo adventures that we the readers wouldn't be around to see, or assurances that our hero would continue to be seen in other places, or a promise of a "special or miniseries", or notification of a wrap-up in another comic, or written with a finite run and definitive conclusion in mind).
My top 10:

Godzilla (Marvel)
Omac (original run)
Doom Patrol (original run)
Mr. Miracle (original run)
The Spectre (Adventure Comics Bronze Age run by Fleischer and Aparo)
Electric Warrior
Tales of the Zombie
Deadenders
Outlaw Nation
H.E.R.O.

Love the choice of Doom Patrol.

I find the Spectre to be interesting, but probably don't agree. I love that series. But it definitely wasn't "finished." And good as it is, I think it pales next to the Ostrander/Mandrake Spectre series from the 90s...that really was finished.

[Ontir]

Ronin
Dark Knight
Watchmen
Starman Robinson's
Orion Simonson's
Sin City
300
Astro City
Danger Unlimited
Mai, the Psychic Girl

[LtMarvel]

Hard for me to call Astro City "complete".

[Libaax]

1.Lone Wolf & Cub - greatest manga or western comic i have read.

2. Sin City

3. Hitman

4. Sleeper

5. Gotham Central

6. Crying Freeman

7. Slam Dunk

8. Monster

9. Death Note

10. V for Vendetta

[mgs]

10. Cerebus.
Writer/Artist: Dave Sim.
Company: Aardvark/Vanheim.
Issues: 300.

Like the guy and his work or hate it, that's a fucking hell of an achievement.

I agree.Maus


I forget, but was Maus a series? I thought it was just one book, but maybe 3? O.o *doesn't remember*

[LtMarvel]

Originally, it was serialized. Then it was collected in two books, one of which has my nomination for the best original title ever published for a comic book:

"My Father Bleeds History"

[stealthwise]

I agree.

I forget, but was Maus a series? I thought it was just one book, but maybe 3? O.o *doesn't remember*

It was 2.

Here's my ten (no order):

Watchmen (ok, I lied, #1)
From Hell
Sandman
WE3
Top Ten (ironically)
Maus
Y: the Last Man
Black Hole
Transmetropolitan
Preacher

My list comes from the basic question of "if you were on a deserted island..." blah blah.

[Sean Walsh]

I'd have to think about this.
Nice pick on Girls, though. Didn't expect that one. I've read the first two trades and I'm really impressed with how well-balanced the suspense and drama is maintained amid the comedy of the small town yokels. It's really well done. Although I've heard mixed things about how the series ends.

My friends were fans of GIRLS for many months (the comic series - they've both been fans of females for all their lives.....but I digress), but they COMPLETELY turned on the series with the last few issues.

.....in fact the manner in which they turned made me wonder if they even liked the series at all ever.

[Jerkstore]

Hitman (can't believe only one other person has listed this. The last few pages of the last issue almost make me cry)

Sandman
Major Bummer
Transmetropolitan
Preacher
Starman
Bone

[Gingold]

The Invisibles
From Hell
Preacher
New Gods
Watchmen
Bone

[Kid Omega]

much of this thread makes me hell of depressed.

[mgs]

pretty hard to pick a top ten, but some of my fave series': (in no order)

The Maxx (Image)
Kingdom Come (Elseworlds/DC)
Thieves & Kings (I box publishing) - *n.b. although he's apparently set to produce 2 more volumes.
Sandman (DC)
Azumanga Daioh (ADV manga)
Reality Check (various publishers)
Bear (SLG)
Scud: The Disposable Assassin (Fireman Press/.Image)
Sidekicks (Oni)
Blue Monday (Oni)
7 guys of Justice (False Idol Studios)
Fade From Blue (secondtosome studios)
La Perdida (Fantagraphics, various)

[Aubergine~!]

Hitman (can't believe only one other person has listed this. The last few pages of the last issue almost make me cry)

Great series, and a good shout, but if I had to pick one series by Ennis, Preacher would get my vite every time.

Major Bummer

Don't consider that one complete myself. Ended waaaay too early.