shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,874
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Post by shaxper on Jul 26, 2017 12:08:47 GMT -5
One of my favorite things about this community is how many amazing non-superhero works it's turned me onto. Thus, I thought it would be interesting to discuss and compare our absolute favorite works from other genres.
Please feel free to add to and/or revise this list of genres as you see fit:
Adventure: Uncle Scrooge, by Carl Barks
Crime: Grendel, by Matt Wagner
Fantasy Sword & Sorcery: Elric of Melnibone, by Roy Thomas and P. Craig Russell
Fantasy Other: Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and others
Horror: Child, by Richard Corben and Budd Lewis
Historical Fiction: Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai
Humor/Satire: Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber and others
Non-Fiction Biographical: The Name of the Game, by Will Eisner
Non-Fiction Other: Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud
Romance/Soap: Life with Archie - The Married Life, by Paul Kupperberg and others
Science Fiction: Planet of the Apes, by Doug Moench and others
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Post by Icctrombone on Jul 26, 2017 12:17:41 GMT -5
You just had to sneak in the Planet of the 🦍.
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Post by Randle-El on Jul 26, 2017 13:21:40 GMT -5
A few of my favorite currently running series are:
Spy/espionage: Velvet by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. I would describe it as one part Bourne Identity (superspy forced to go on the run from the organization that made her), one part Black Widow (said superspy is a female who routinely outclasses the males around her), one part James Bond (series is set during the Cold War era), and a sprinkle from the movie Under Siege starring Steven Seagal (said superspy is retired from spying and working as a secretary when circumstances force her to come out of retirement). Well written and beautifully drawn by the creative team that did the Captain America Winter Soldier run. And I know most people don't pay much attention to colorists, but this series also features the work of Elizabeth Breitweiser who I think is one of the most talented and distinctive colorists in the industry today.
Speculative fiction: Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. So this one is hard to categorize -- it's set in a dystopian future, and while science and technology is an important part of the concept, I would hesitate to call it "science fiction". I think "speculative fiction" is more accurate. Whereas sci fi tends to be speculative fiction in the sense of speculating on the impact of a certain piece of technology or scientific concept in future, I think the concept of this series is more economic and sociological -- what would happen to society if governments collapsed and were supplanted by large corporations ruled by powerful families. Basically, it takes the idea of the 1% and income inequality and runs with it to its logical conclusion. What would happen to society if the 1% grew so rich and so powerful that they made governments and nations obsolete?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2017 13:47:10 GMT -5
It's so hard to narrow these types of things down to one, epsecially when the underlying point is to bring good stuff into the spotlight to gain potential readers and introduce readers to new stuff, so I expanded it, giving all the books in each I considered and ordering them somewhat into gold, silver, bronze and then any honorable mentions left over. I also tweaked a few, adding alternative history to historical fiction and changing soap opera to drama. I did not draw any distinctions by date to separate classic from contemporary.
Adventure
Gold: Lt. Blueberry by Jean Giraud (Moebius) & Jean-Michael Chalier
Silver: Tintin by Herge
Bronze: Corto Maltese by Pratt
Honorable Mentions: Velvet by Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting, Hawks of the Sea by Will Eisner, Jon Sable, Freelance by Mike Grell, Queen & Country by Greg Rucka & others
Crime
Gold: Parker OGNs by Darwyn Cooke
Silver: Criminal by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
Bronze: Savage by Gil Kane
Honorable Mentions: Torso by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko, Sin City by Frank Miller
Sword & Sorcery
Gold: Conan by Kurt Busiek & Cary Nord
Silver: Conan by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith
Bronze: Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser by Howard Chaykin & Mike Mignola
Honorable Mentions: Arak by Roy Thomas and others, Blackmark by Gil Kane, Warlord by Mike Grell
Fantasy
Gold: Bone by Jeff Smith
Silver: Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Others
Bronze: Oz graphic novels by Eric Shanower
Honorable Mentions: Fables by Bill Willingham & others, The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman & others, Elquest by Wendy Pini, Mouse Guard by David Petersen, Colonia by Jeff Nicholson, Castle Waiting by Linda Medley, Autumnlands by Kurt Busiek & others
Horror:
Gold: Hellboy/BPRD by Mike Mignola & others
Silver: Frankenstein Alive, Alive by Steve Niles & Berni Wrightson
Bronze: Fatale by Ed Brubaker & Sean Philips
Honorable Mentions: Rachel Rising by Terry Moore, Locke & Key by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez, From Hell by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
Historical Fiction/Alternative History
Gold: Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower
Silver: Rex Mundi by Arvid Nelson & others
Bronze: Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai
Honorable Mentions: Roland; Days of Wrath by Shane Amaya, Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon
Humor/Satire
Gold: Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick
Silver: Bone by Jeff Smith (yes it’s in 2 categories)
Bronze: Order of the Stick by Rich Burlew
Honorable Mentions: Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aaragones, What’s New with Phil & Dixie by Phil Foglio
Non-Fiction: Biographical
Gold: March by John Lewis
Silver: Dignifying Science Jim Ottavani
Bronze: Two-Fisted Science by Jim Ottavani
Honorable Mentions: King by Ho Che Anderson; Clemente by Wilfred Santiago; Louis (Armstrong) by Philippe Paquet; Maus by art spiegleman, Brooklyn Dreams by J.M. DeMatteis & Glenn Barr
Non-Fiction: Other
Gold: Fax From Sarajevo by Joe Kubert
Silver: Safe Area Goazde by Joe Sacco
Bronze: Clan Aspis by Jay Hosler
Honorable Mentions: Understanding Comics, Berlin by Jason Lutes, Sandwalk Adventures by Jay Hosler, Beowulf by Gareth Hinds
Drama (replaces Soap Opera)
Gold: A Contract with God by Will Eisner
Silver: Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
Bronze: Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks
Honorable Mentions: The Building & Dropsie Avenue by Will Eisner, Strangehaven by Gary Spencer Millidge, Love & Rockets by Los Brothers Hernanadez, The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
Science Fiction:
Gold: The Incal by Jodorowsky & Moebius
Silver: Lone Sloane by Druillet
Bronze: Fear Agent by Rick Remender & others
Honorable Mentions: Metamorphosis Odyssey & The Price by Jim Starlin, Injection by Warren Ellis & Declan Shalvey, Y, The Last Man by Brain K. Vaughan & others, Saga by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples, A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran, Finder by Carla Speed MacNeil, Lazarus by Greg Rucka & Michael Lark, trees by Warren Ellis & others
even with all that, I am sure there are some I will kick myself for forgetting. I may not have read all of some series mentioned, but I have read portions of all (things like Rachel Rising and Love and Rockets are things I have started but not made my way all the way through
-M
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
Posts: 3,959 
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Post by Crimebuster on Jul 26, 2017 14:00:02 GMT -5
I'm still in the process of putting together my war collection, which will take a long time! but based on things I have read, and other things I have only read about, some starting suggestions:
War: Charley's War, The Private War of Willie Schultz, U.S.S. Stevens, Vietnam Journal, The 'Nam (1st year), The Losers by Jack Kirby, Unknown Soldier
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2017 14:06:39 GMT -5
I'm still in the process of putting together my war collection, which will take a long time! but based on things I have read, and other things I have only read about, some starting suggestions: War: Charley's War, The Private War of Willie Schultz, U.S.S. Stevens, Vietnam Journal, The 'Nam (1st year), The Losers by Jack Kirby, Unknown Soldier Excellent list. I would add Eisner's Last Days in Vietnam if I were doing war comics as a genre, as well as some part of Kubert's Sgt. Rock stuff, but I have only recently started reading a lot of war comics so my experience is more limited than some here. -M |
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Post by Rob Allen on Jul 26, 2017 14:24:51 GMT -5
Some great works have been mentioned already. A few more things that I've enjoyed in recent years:
Non-fiction biographical: My Friend Dahmer by John Backderf
Non-fiction other: Stagger Lee by Derek McCulloch & Shepherd Hendrix
And a couple of things that have superheroes but are not completely inside the standard "superhero genre":
Superhero romantic comedy: Love & Capes by Thom Zahler
Superhero mystical metaphysics: Promethea by Alan Moore & JH Williams III
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jul 26, 2017 14:28:54 GMT -5
Great subject, shaxper. My opinion in 2017, not necessarily reflecting what I would consider the best of all times... Adventure: The Walking dead, by Charlie Adlard and Robert Kirkman. The Walking dead compendiums must be the best deal available on the shelves right now. So much story under two covers! This chilling depiction of a post-apocalyptic world is very effective in showing how the greatest threat to mankind is itself. Crime: I really don't read that many crime comics. I really liked Collins' and Piers Rayner's Road to perdition, though. Fantasy Sword & Sorcery: Conquests, by Sylvain Runberg and François Miville deschênes. This tetralogy seems to be tailor-made for people who love Robert E. Howard's blend of fantasy and history, without imitating the man's work at all. We're several thousand years before our era, back when all the people mentioned in the first chapters of Herodotus's histories were still active. Scythians, Sarmatians, Babylonians, Amazons, Egyptians, Hittites, are all there, as well as beasties like griffins, mammoths, and even indricotheres. And the last survivors of Atlantis, too! Fantasy Other: Saga, by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughan. I count it as fantasy rather than SF, because it's really space fantasy. The thoroughly magical story of a young star-crossed family hunted by two warring civilizations. Horror: Chilling adventures of Sabrina, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack. Thoroughly enjoyable reinvention of a favourite character of old, in the vein of Afterlife with Archie, but this time with a Rosemary's baby atmosphere. Historical Fiction: Le décalogue, by Frank Giroud and others. A magnificent multi-generational saga told in reverse chronological order, in which we piece together the overall story of a lost book that describes a unique and potentially world-altering historical artefact... a camel's shoulder blade on which the prophet Muhammad is said to have written a Mulsim decalogue. Humor/Satire: Boulet's blog, regularly collected in book form. From his intelligent and hilarious takes on daily life to his forays into the realms of pure imagination, Boulet never disappoints. His business model is also amazingly brave and generous: everything he does, he puts on his blog... and hopes people will by his next collected book when it comes out. english.bouletcorp.comNon-Fiction Biographical: Pyongyang, by Guy Delisle. Who would have thought that a biographical comic about a cartoonist who spends a few months in North Korea could be so hilarious and informative? Non-Fiction Other: Emmanuel Lepage's Un printemps à Tchernobyl. A haunting visit to Pripyat, the ghost town left behind by the meltdown of the Chernobyl buclear power plant. Absolutely stupendous painted artwork. Romance/Soap: Ethel and Ernest, by Raymond Briggs. It's a beautiful, simple and unforgettable love story. Science Fiction: So many to choose from... Once upon a time I would have said Lone Sloane, Valérian, Dani Futuro or something else, but the latest title that really thrilled me was The Aldébaran interconnected series of graphic novels. Lovely world-building by writer/artist Leo, who crafts fascinating ecologies for his new worlds. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2017 14:34:18 GMT -5
Another I would recommend but wasn't sure what genre to put it in (probably fantasy but it's more folklore as it adapts existing tales and songs) is Charles Vess' Book of Ballad & Sagas. Vess does all the art but works wihta myriad of writers adapting many classic folktales and folksongs.
-M
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 26, 2017 14:38:04 GMT -5
War comics: Charley's War, It Was The War of the Trenches (by Tardi), Enemy Ace (the Kubert material, the Garth Ennis two-part War in Heaven), The Lonely War of Captain Willy Schultz, A Sailor's Story, The USS Stevens, The Nam, Vietnam Journal, Blazing Combat, Frontline Combat, Two-Fisted Tales, Kirby's Losers, Sgt Rock, Ernie Pike (Argentine comic, from Hugo Pratt).
Westerns: Maverick, Kirby's Rawhide Kid, Dick Ayers' Ghost Rider, Jonah Hex (especially the Tim Truman ones), Rio.
Mystery: Maze Agency, Ms Tree, Scarlet in Gaslight, Baker Street
Romance: Strangers in Paradise
Adventure: Uncle Scrooge, Corto Maltese, Tintin, Terry and the Pirates, Challengers of the Unknown, Secret Six, Scout
Sci-fi: Forever War, The Aldebaran Saga (by Leo), American Flagg, Dan Dare, Flash Gordon, Star Trek, Grease Monkey
Fantasy: The Hobbit (Dave Wenzel), Fafhrd and Gray Mouser (Chaykin & Mignola), P Craig Russell's opera stories, Conan, Warlord, Elric, Bone
Crime: Torpedo, Alack Sinner
Espionage/Adventure thriller: Modesty Blaise, Jon Sable, Velvet, Queen & Country, Lady S, XIII,
Humor: Barks' Ducks, Bone, early Cerebus, Lethargic Lad, The Tick, Star Wars: Tag & Bink, Madman
Memoir: To the Heart of the Storm, Maus, A Sailor's Story, Stuck Rubber Baby (fictionalized memoir), Pedro & Me, Persepolis, Streetwise, The Dreamer, Our Cancer Year, American Splendor
Public service: Death Talks About Life
Pure joy: Valerian, Spirou & Fantasio, Mafalda, Calvin & Hobbes, Peanuts, Pogo, Billy & Buddy, Scary Godmother, Bone, Patty Cake
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Post by Rob Allen on Jul 26, 2017 15:09:00 GMT -5
A couple more:
Humor - The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers; and Sam & Max, Freelance Police
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Post by Jesse on Jul 26, 2017 15:17:44 GMT -5
Action/AdventureScience Fiction- Zot! by Scott McCloud
- Tom Strong by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse
Historical Fiction- Maus by Art Spiegelman
- Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue
Spy Thriller- Velvet by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting
Horror- From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell
- Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla
- Revival by Tim Seeley
Supernatural Noir- Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Fantasy- The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
- Rat Queens by Kurtis Wiebe
Humor/Satire- Howard the Duck by Steve Gerber
- The Goon by Eric Powell
- God Hates Astronauts by by Ryan Browne
- I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young
Autobiographical- American Splendor by Harvey Pekar
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 26, 2017 15:32:32 GMT -5
I am hoping to put together a list. But in the interim I just want to say that @mrp 's taste in funnybooks is ludicrously similar to mine.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2017 15:46:00 GMT -5
A couple of newerish scifi titles that were vying for honorable mentions for me...
Descender by Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen
Trillium by Jeff Lemire
Mind MGMT by Matt Kindt (I've only read vol. 1, I have vol. 2 in my to read pile)
Black Science by Rick Remender & Matteo Scalera
-M
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jul 26, 2017 16:10:01 GMT -5
Since mrp mentioned Safe Area Gorazde, I'd also recommend Sacco's The Fixer and War's End, which also deal with the Bosnian war and its aftermath. And in that vein (i.e., the pleasant topics of recent wars/genocide), another disturbing but also moving book is J.P. Stassen's Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda.
On a lighter note, I highly recommend pretty much anything by French writer/artist Joann Sfar, but in particular The Rabbi's Cat (two volumes), The Professor's Daughter, Vampire Loves and the Little Vampire books.
An excellent fantasy/adventure is The Quest for the Time Bird by Serge Le Tendre and Regis Loisel.
I'll probably remember some other stuff later...
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