Favorites?

[Revolver7]

So ive been reading tons of back issues, trying to catch up with what ive missed during the period where i had to cancel my subscriptions, and im kinda in the mood for something new. not really to take my focus away from the dcu, but just a change of pace.

what is everyone's favorite stand-alone (not an on-going series, just one book) graphic novel? what are the absolute must-reads?

Love to know everyone's opinions, and even more, id like to find out why and actually read the books!

[Tabernac]

Batman Year One
Batman The Long Halloween
Batman Dark Knight Returns
The New Frontier 1&2
Watchmen
V for Vendetta
300 (Darkhorse)
I have more but can't really think of much right now.

[pryde15]

Freedom Fighters (vol. 1)
Watchmen
Crisis On Infinite Earths
Kingdom Come

Those are the favorites that come to mind.

[Dave G.]

Any Grant Morrison Doom Patrol book
Ronin
Identity Crisis
Kingdom Come
JLA - Earth 2
Green Arrow - Quiver
Daredevil - Born Again (best Daredevil story ever)

[trsman2785]

Tier 1 (in no specific order):

Sandman - Great storytelling by best selling novelist Neil Gaiman. Very long and very epic. I love it.

Miracleman - Interesting, fantastic and dark take on the superhero story. Never really finished and most likely never will but still a must read if you ever get the chance. Rare.

Watchmen - Shouldn't really need an intro. Read it if you haven't already.

Dark Knight Returns - Same deal. My favorite Batman story ever.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Still ongoing but 2 fully finished volumes. Great story about famous fictional literary characters teaming up to save the day. Nothing like the movie.

Lone Wolf and Cub - Amazing samurai story. Epic. A must read. More than just action. If you stick with it, you will be hooked.

Tier 2 (in no specific order):

Preacher - Had a hard time not putting this in my tier one. Strange, funny, cool, wonderful work. Penis heads, ass faces, gods, angels, John Wayne, Vampires and more.

Planetary - Superb science fiction superhero action.

All Star Superman - My favorite superman story.

Powers - Still ongoing but has 2 fully finished volumes (I think). About superhero detectives (detectives that deal with super powered homicides).

Y: The Last Man - Great story about the last man on earth after every other man suddenly dies all at the same time. Really really good book.

Berserk - Insanely epic, gory, brutal, fantastic, manga. I think around 30 volumes and ongoing but still a must read.

Vagabond - More Samurai goodness. Great story. Great art. Still
ongoing but also a must read.

Hajime No Ippo - More super epic ongoing manga. About a boy who learns to box. Supremely awesome.

Tier 3 (in no specific order):

Animal Man - Weird but very good DC superhero work. Not your normal stuff

New X-Men (Grant Morrison) - I think the best X-Men story ever. Can be read without going through earlier X issues.

Gantz - A really weird ongoing manga. Definitely worth checking out, because it's actually really fun stuff and violent.

Invincible - Another ongoing book, sorry. But it rocks. A superhero book done really well.

Ultimate Spider-man (pre 100th issue) - Still ongoing but in my opinion only excellent before somewhere around the 90th issue or so. I continue to enjoy it but not as much. Early stuff is too good to not check out.

Ultimates 1-2 - More awesome superhero fun. Stop at v2.

Akira - A classic manga. Very very good. Only in my 3rd tier but I am sure plenty of people would put it in their 1st. Futuristic, psychic, crazygoodness. Much better than the anime.

X-Statix/X-Force - I love this. Weird, mutant superheroes, and lots of death.

Runaways - Read only what was written by BK Vaughn. Really great story set in the west coast marvel universe.

Claymore - Similar to Berserk. Also still ongoing.

Death Note - Wow. Suspenseful and exciting mind thriller. Completed series but I say stop after the conclusion between L and Kira, if you can.

Honorable Mention (no specific order):

Domu - Same guy who did Akira. Great psychic battle story.

Crossing Midnight - More wonderful storytelling but the ending is lacking.

The work of the Luna brothers - Such as Girls or Ultra.

Freak Angels - Volume one and more is free to read online or you can buy it. Warren Ellis is a great writer.

The Walking Dead - Zombies! Ongoing.

Swamp Thing - The Alan Moore stuff.

Blade of the Immortal - Samurai, fun, ongoing.

Seven Soldiers - Great linked series that should be read in order. Everything Final Crisis should have been.

Kingdom Come - Great DC superhero action. If you dig this, check out Justice.

Batman Year One - Good batman story.

HSDK, Bleach, Fairy Tale, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - More wonderful manga that should be looked up.

[Ilash]

I'll limit it to DC since this is the DC forum (with some Vertigo thrown in) and to single (or at most two-part) graphic novels rather than series:

Batman: Year One
Batman: The Dark Knight returns
DC New Frontier (either in one Absolute edition or two softcovers)
Watchmen
JLA: Year One
Superman: Secret Identity
Kingdom Come
V For Vendetta
Death: The Time of Your Life
All Star Superman
The Flash: Return of Barry Allen
My Faith in Frankie

And, just for fun, a few non-DC, non-Marvel titles:

The Escapists (Dark Horse)
Local (Oni Press)
Tellos (Image)

[ScottyQuick]

From DC?

Wonder Woman: Gods & Mortals. It's a truly epic story arc, all about Diana coming to Man's World and saving it, with absolutely gorgeous art and a fantastic storyline.

Honorable mention goes to Huntress/Question: Cry for Blood. It's just really good and you have to go read it.

[Jack-In-The-Box]

WE3 (one of the best works of soft sci-fi ever, imo)
DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore
Pride of Baghdad

[Revolver7]

no way, dont just limit to DC, ive already read most of those. thanks for the suggestions so far!

[Warpsters]

Garth Ennis Punisher. Try the MAX and after you devour that you'll want the Omnibus that collects the Marvel Knights issues.

Bendis/Bagley Ultimate Spider-Man-Still a great read,but I miss Bagley(not a knock on Immonen). Pick up the Ultimate Collection Vol.1...It features issue #13 that is one of the best single issues of any comic that I've ever read.

Ultimates Vol.1&2- Damn they're good. It was worth waiting through the delays for the goodness that finally arrived. I envy you. You get to read them all at once.

[Revolver7]

Garth Ennis Punisher. Try the MAX and after you devour that you'll want the Omnibus that collects the Marvel Knights issues.

Bendis/Bagley Ultimate Spider-Man-Still a great read,but I miss Bagley(not a knock on Immonen). Pick up the Ultimate Collection Vol.1...It features issue #13 that is one of the best single issues of any comic that I've ever read.

Ultimates Vol.1&2- Damn they're good. It was worth waiting through the delays for the goodness that finally arrived. I envy you. You get to read them all at once.
lol awesome