Looking for something more from a comic book

[Fresco99]

Hi guys,

I have been reading comics books for years and have traditionally been going for the usual Marvel/DC superhero books. I dont know if it is something to do with getting a bit older, or just the type of books I have been reading lately, but I find myself loosing interest in my usual list.

So I'm looknig for something new, something thats a bit more challenging to read than the usual superhero beat-em-up.

Reading some of the other posts on this forum I have ordered the first trade of Walking Dead as this seems to be popular, but was looking for some other recommendations, perhaps try a couple of the lesser known series. Nothing to gratuitious, but something character driven or something that will make me think.

Any recommendations? :smile:

[Dan Felty]

Hey, it's great to hear that you are looking for more from comics. I've been at the same place as you, and I'm very glad I branched out.

Try some of Will Eisner's work. He's great at characterization and is fond of existential themes. He helped create many of the techniques used in superhero comics, so the transition to reading his work shouldn't be tough. A Life Force is my personal favorite. It's his follow-up to A Contract with God, but I think it works a little better. It's published as a single volume and in the Dropsie Avenue hardcover with another two books he did. LINK (http://www.wwnorton.com/catalog/fall06/032803.htm)

Joe Sacco is a trained journalist that has made several excellent comics about living in war zones based on his visits to Palestine and Bosnia. His comics do a great job of presenting conflict in human terms. He characterizes real people in a way that is humane, nuanced, and complex. It's a great window into these situations, especially for one who is not familiar with them. Check out Safe Area Goradze for his Bosnia stories. LINK (http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1111&category_id=273&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62)

Charles Burns' Black Hole tells the story of teenagers in a suburban setting dealing with a horrific disease that causes monstrous transformations. From the publisher's site: "As we inhabit the heads of several key characters - some kids who have it, some who don't, some who are about to get it - what unfolds isn't the expected battle to fight the plague, or bring heightened awareness to it , or even to treat it. What we become witness to instead is a fascinating and eerie portrait of the nature of high school alienation itself - the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety and ennui, the longing for escape." It is a fascinating, affecting book that is incredibly well drafted. LINK (http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/blackhole.html)

If you are interested in action, check out Mike Mignola's Hellboy and B.P.R.D. series. Sometimes understated, sometimes wacky, often apocalyptic, always beautiful, the series are a blast. Start at the beginning of the trades to appreciate the progressions of story and character. The first movie is a pretty good crash-course to the series as well. LINK (http://www.hellboy.com/)

Good luck! Let me know if any of these sound interesting!

[skinshark]

I feel you Fresco99.
That's why I think you may enjoy this.
As singles it was very dense and asked a lot from our audience to wait a month. But April it'll collect as much as anyone can handle at any given time.


For those who had a hard time getting the singles, this is presented in it's original format as an adapted novel.

And there's a hefty bit of backmatter...20 years worth!

And it's 168 pages long not 68 as reported on CBR!
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/60/l_029a90f462204504acebc92faeb4f68a.jpg

THE OVERMAN TP
story SCOTT REED
art & cover SHANE WHITE

APRIL 11 168 PAGES / FC$16.99

The year is 2135. It is the final year. In this futuristic neo-deco world, hired killer Nathan Fisher stumbles upon a secret that will destroy the Human Race. He must risk his sanity, and his life, in a desperate attempt to stop a horrific union between Mankind and machine. He will fail.

Collects issues #1-5

A FINAL VISION OF THE FUTURE, FROM IMAGE COMICS.

=s=
For more information: http://www.theovermancomic.com/

[GRANT!]

So no Image recommendations, Dan?

Fresco, You might want to be specific in what you're looking for or what you interested in reading. Do want horror? More real life type stories? Comedy? Sc-Fi? Or maybe more superheros? Got to give us something to work with. There's a whole world of comics outside the Big Two.

Some non DC/Marvels books I'm enjoying:

Savage Dragon
Invincible
Jack Staff
Godland
Scott Pilgrim
Madman (anything Allred really)
Hellboy/BPRD
Eightball
Acme Novelty Library
Whatever Paul Pope is working on
Ditto Matt Wagner (especially Grendel and Mage).

Wouldn't hurt to try some Anthology books. Popgun and Mome are fantastic.

[Greg Anderson]

Order Strange Embrace. Right now.

Also, check out Proof and Golly!

Here's a link to Image's first issues. You can read first issues here free and get a taste of what may peak your interest.

http://www.imagecomics.com/onlinecomics.php


But still.... order Strange Embrace. Right now.

[michaeljsmith]

Yes PROOF - PROOF and PROOF :biggrin: check it out

[Fresco99]

Thanks for the repsonses so far guys, and wow Dan, some of those suggestions are quite far removed from what I'm used to. Safe Area Goradze looks intreaging and I'm tempted to look into Hellboy and BPRD.

Maybe I should have been a bit more specific in what I'm interested in. Its difficult to pin down, I guess I'm looking for something a bit fantastic but in a real world setting - nothing too far removed. I like the long running series with room to let the characters breath and develop.

I really enjoyed the swamp thing when it was around and am currently still enjoying fables. Ultimate Spiderman is going to continue to get my money as there is still a lot in the characters. I have been picking up the new X-File run and if they were as good as the original tv series then that would be my ideal comic.

Invincibles looks interesting, is it more than your usual superhero romp?

What about elephantmen? I have no idea what its about but the name alone makes me what to buy it.

[michaeljsmith]

Thanks for the repsonses so far guys, and wow Dan, some of those suggestions are quite far removed from what I'm used to. Safe Area Goradze looks intreaging and I'm tempted to look into Hellboy and BPRD.

Both great reads and as I said above Proof is done in the same vein as these books

Maybe I should have been a bit more specific in what I'm interested in. Its difficult to pin down, I guess I'm looking for something a bit fantastic but in a real world setting - nothing too far removed. I like the long running series with room to let the characters breath and develop.

I really enjoyed the swamp thing when it was around and am currently still enjoying fables. Ultimate Spiderman is going to continue to get my money as there is still a lot in the characters. I have been picking up the new X-File run and if they were as good as the original tv series then that would be my ideal comic.

Invincibles looks interesting, is it more than your usual superhero romp?

If you like Ultimate Spider-Man I think you will really enjoy Invincible. I am not trying to beat a dead horse but if you read the reviews on Proof it is described as X-Files with Bigfoot playing Mulder. Another great book to read if you don't mind grabbing trades is The Walking Dead. Start from the first issue. Best example of human drama being written,

What about the elephant man? I have no idea what its about but the name alone makes me what to buy it.

Futuristic story in which animals are bread as warriors and in the end start hunting the humans. Great read. It has not been the most consistent book on getting out on time but they are 2 for 2 in 2009.

[Greg Anderson]

Elephantmen is a fun book. Basically in the future, the government/scientist mixed the DNA of animals and integrate them into African women to give birth to the perfect soldiers: the elephantmen. For years there wreck terror until finally the war ends and Elephantmen tooks place years after the war when the Elephantmen are trying to fit in and live along with the humans.

As for what you may be interested in due to your suggestion: Proof and Golly! would definitely be intriguing to you. But yeah, just check out that link I posted above. And order Strange Embrace.

[Fresco99]

Ok, I'm sold on Proof and will pick up the first trade next time im at the store. I read the first issue online and it looks good. I dont know about you guys but there is something about the feel and smell of a comic book that when reading online it just doesn't feel right.

I have already ordered the first Walking Dead trade. I will let you know how I get on with that. I must confess that to me a B&W comic does not seem as appealing as a colour one, but I have heard good things so I'm looking forward to giving it a shot.

I'll read up on Golly, Strange Embrace, Invincibles and some of the other suggestions tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

Keep the suggestings comming. I buy about 20 comics a month at the moment, and I think about half of them are out of habbit, so am lookng to shake it up a bit.

[Greg Anderson]

Also, if you're a fan of the old Universal monsters (Frankenstein, Wolfman, Mummy, Dracula) and into comedy, try out Screamland. It's one of the most fun you'll have reading a comic. It's now collected from previously being a mini.

[michaeljsmith]

Ok, I'm sold on Proof and will pick up the first trade next time im at the store. I read the first issue online and it looks good. I dont know about you guys but there is something about the feel and smell of a comic book that when reading online it just doesn't feel right.

I have already ordered the first Walking Dead trade. I will let you know how I get on with that. I must confess that to me a B&W comic does not seem as appealing as a colour one, but I have heard good things so I'm looking forward to giving it a shot.

I'll read up on Golly, Strange Embrace, Invincibles and some of the other suggestions tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

Keep the suggestings comming. I buy about 20 comics a month at the moment, and I think about half of them are out of habbit, so am lookng to shake it up a bit.

Oh man do we have suggestions :rolleyes: over half of my list is Image because there are so many great books. If you start with those you will be in great shape.

I also understand the Black & White on TWD - trust me you will not notice after a few pages, you will enjoy it after a few issues, and you will reach a point you will get mad when people want to make it in color by the end of the second trade :biggrin:

[Dan Felty]

So no Image recommendations, Dan?


Oh yeah, where am I? :smile:

Godland and Jack Staff are very fun comics. Elephantmen is also good, and contains a lot of extra material for your 3 bucks.

Astro City is a great old-style superhero comic. It focuses on a city of super-heros in a 'real world' style, but in a Silver-Agey way. It's been going since 1995 (it started at Image, that counts!) and nowadays releases mini-series and specials that are all intertwined. There are quite a few trades out there. Writer Kurt Busiek stays pretty busy with Marvel and DC stuff, so it's not very frequently released, but it's worth snatching up whenever you see it.

A good way to find new things to read is to check your local library. They likely have comics in adult and juvenile graphic novel sections, and in the non-fiction 741s. I do a large portion of my comics reading through the library these days.

[GRANT!]

Oh yeah, where am I? :smile:

Godland and Jack Staff are very fun comics. Elephantmen is also good, and contains a lot of extra material for your 3 bucks.

Astro City is a great old-style superhero comic. It focuses on a city of super-heros in a 'real world' style, but in a Silver-Agey way. It's been going since 1995 (it started at Image, that counts!) and nowadays releases mini-series and specials that are all intertwined. There are quite a few trades out there. Writer Kurt Busiek stays pretty busy with Marvel and DC stuff, so it's not very frequently released, but it's worth snatching up whenever you see it.


Astro City is Wildstorm/DC now but 3 out of 4 ain't bad.

[KingMixer]

There are about 200 pages of Free Comics on the Popgun site if you navigate through it and you can check it out. Here's the link www.Popguncomics.com

[jediracer]

Scalped by Jason Aaron

[kcviking]

I was gonna mention Proof but others beat me to it.I think you'll enjoy it.Another book I'd recommend(even though it's not Image)is Incognito.

Good hunting to you!

[Warpsters]

Criminal and Incognito by Brubaker and Phillips. I know that Icon is a Marvel imprint but those books are far from the typical comic book.

[Libaax]

Ok, I'm sold on Proof and will pick up the first trade next time im at the store. I read the first issue online and it looks good. I dont know about you guys but there is something about the feel and smell of a comic book that when reading online it just doesn't feel right.

I have already ordered the first Walking Dead trade. I will let you know how I get on with that. I must confess that to me a B&W comic does not seem as appealing as a colour one, but I have heard good things so I'm looking forward to giving it a shot.

I'll read up on Golly, Strange Embrace, Invincibles and some of the other suggestions tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

Keep the suggestings comming. I buy about 20 comics a month at the moment, and I think about half of them are out of habbit, so am lookng to shake it up a bit.


Have you tried Vertigo books of old and new ?

Few can beat the best vertigo books when you want stories different from superhero.

[GRANT!]

Guys can we try to include some suggestions from Image otherwise I don't see the reason to continue this thread here. There's plenty of other places talk Vertigo and Icon books. I'm assuming if you're on this board you've enjoyed at least one Image book :smile:

And Incognito is an awesome book.

[trsman2785]

Definitely look up work by the Luna Brothers. I love what they do. A couple of their books you should try are

The Sword

Girls

Might be exactly what you are looking for.

[michaeljsmith]

Guys can we try to include some suggestions from Image otherwise I don't see the reason to continue this thread here. There's plenty of other places talk Vertigo and Icon books. I'm assuming if you're on this board you've enjoyed at least on Image book :smile:

And Incognito is an awesome book.


Since we are focused on Image books you can always check out FOUR EYES (which is bi-monthly) that is shaping up to be amazing and issue #2 came out this week... I don't think anyone mentioned it yet.

I know that Grant likes Savage Dragon beCAuse he Likes PeoplE Doing weird things but there are good books from other publishers too that are amazing :rolleyes:

[GRANT!]

You can mention non Image books just mention an Image book as well. It's kind of annoying to see people just talk about Vertigo books on the Image Board. We've got a DC Imprint board for that.

I don't think it's that unreasonable of a request.

[holeycrullers]

You tell 'em, Grant! Especially more Top Cow books! :wink:

[will_butler]

Sticking with Image books:

Warren Ellis's Ministry of Space
Matt Fraction's Casanova
Kieron Gillen's Phonogram

And I'd also recommend Fell and anything Jonathan Hickman has done, but they come out so infrequently that it's soured me a bit on them.

[Gadget3440]

From Image, Walking Dead is a must so it's good to see you picking that one up. Spawn's in the midst of a change. It's only been for like 5 issues though so it shouldn' be too hard to get into the flow of things

I would also recommend The Darkness from THE Top Cow.

Try getting the trades of Y: The Last Man from Vertigo too.

The Boys too!

[Fresco99]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys. Just to give you an update I have started to pick up a few Image titles.

I have got the first walking dead hardcover and am part through that and so far am really enjoying it. I can see myself getting the rest of the collection over the coming months.

I read the first issue of Elephantmen online and that really interested me. I like the premise and its something a little different to the usual comic book. I have managed to pick up a complete run of back issues on Ebay and am going to start buying future issues when they are released.

I have also ordered proof in tpb, but have not received it yet. Another title that I'm looking forward to trying.

Also on the non-image front I have picked up a few issues of House of Mystery which I'm enjoying and am also going to get the first Y:The Last Man tpd as a lot of people have recommended that.

I'm quite willing to expand this further and there is a few more tpb's that have been sugested that look good. Invincible looks like it would appeal to me so I'm sure that will be one of them. Not convinced by Savage Dragon or Scalped, but will have a flick through when I'm next at the comic store.

The longer running series are probably best collected in tpb's rather than singles. Are there any other current, newer ongoing series that you recommend that I can collect monthly? I'm not really into the horror type comics and therefore titles such as Golly and Spawn do not appeal. More things like Proof and Elephantmen are ideal.