Based on discussions with some fellow comics fans and at the request of some folks I know (or friends of friends) getting into comics for the first time, who know I am into comics and have been for a long time, I was asked to put together my list of 100 "Must Read" runs or GN. Understanding that "must read" is a nebulous term, and dependent on the tastes and perspective of the one making the list and the ones using the list. I prefer to make specific recommendations to people based on the kinds of things they like to read or watch outside of comics, but I was asked for a more generic reading list of sorts, so I put together a list that I hoped would span the breadth and depth of comics as a whole, not just super-heroes and not just one era focused. I tried to hit several genres, eras, and important creators in this list. Some are entire series or mini-series, some are particular runs within a series, some are particular creators work on a series or character, some are comic strips, some are OGN. Not all are American, but most are. I did not include some of my nostalgic favorites from when I was a kid, as my reading then was pretty narrowly focused on Marvel Super-Heroes and I was trying to present the breadth and scope of what comics could be in the list, and there already wasn't enough room for every important, interesting or quality run or series in a list limited to 100. So this is, at best, a curated list of choices, and doesn't pretend to be anything resembling comprehensive. It most definitely is reflective of my tastes and biases despite my attempts to choose things outside those to give the list more breadth and scope.

I thought some of the folks here might want a chance to list some of their choices (not necessary to do 100 if you don't want to) or react to mine. Outside the top 10ish, which are among my all-time favorites, these are not in any particular order.

1. Bone by Jeff Smith
2. The Spirit by Will Eisner
3. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
4. Doctor Strange by Ditko & Lee
5. Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai
6. The Incal by Moebius & Jodorowsky
7. The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke
8. Fax from Sarajevo by Joe Kubert
9. The Reckless OGN series by Brubaker & Phillips
10. Conan by Busiek & Nord

11. Zorro by Toth
12. Lone Wolf & Cub by Koike & Kojima
13. Criminal by Brubaker & Phillips
14. The Parker adaptations by Darwyn Cooke
15. Conan by Thomas & Smith
16. The Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower
17. Lone Sloane by Druillet
18. Metamorphosis Odyssey by Starlin
19. Elfquest by Pini & Pini
20. Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck by Rosa

21. Uncle Scrooge (any) by Barks
22. Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
23. Swamp Thing by Alan Moore, Veitch, Bissette & Totleben
24. Planetary by Ellis & Cassaday
25. Sandman by Gaiman & co.
26. Jungle Book by P. Craig Russell
27. Hellboy by Mignola & co.
28. Mouse Guard by David Petersen
29. Dignifying Science (or any of the science books)by Ottoviani
30. A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran

31. Finder by Carla Speed McNeil
32. Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks
33. Castle Waiting by Linda Medley
34. Tuki by Jeff Smith
35. Conan by Thomas & Buscema
36. Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser by Chaykin & Mignola
37. Avengers by Busiek & Perez
38. Astro City by Busiek, Anderson & Ross
39. Batman Year One by Miller/Mazzuchelli
40. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Miller/Janson/ Varley

41. Tintin by Herge
42. Dreadstar by Starlin
43. Wonder Woman by Perez
44. Daredevil by Miller, et. al
45. The Fourth World by Kirby
46. Bravo for Adventure by Toth
47. It Rhymes with Lust by Matt Baker
48. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Eastman & Laird
49. A Contract with God by Will Eisner
50. Superman by Siegel & Shuster (1930s-40s)

51. Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond
52. Terry & the Pirates by Milton Caniff
53. New Teen Titans by Wolfman & Perez
54. X-Men by Claremont, Cockrum & Byrne
55. Wolverine by Claremont & Miller
56. The Oz GNs by Shanower
57. Fatale by Brubaker & Phillips
58. Dr. Strange by Englehart, Brunner & company
59. Starman by Robinson, Harris & co
60. The Spectre by Ostrander & Mandrake

61. The Spectre by Fleisher & Aparo
62. Warlord by Grell
63. Strangehaven by Millidge
64. Marvels by Busiek & Ross
65. The Flash by Waid
66. Justice League by Giffen, DeMatteis & Maguire
67. Watchmen by Moore & Gibbons
68. The Books of Magic by Gaiman & co.
69. The Book of Ballads & Sagas by Vess & co.
70. Den by Corben

71. Tor by Kubert
72. Saga by Vaughan & Staples
73. Powers: Who Killed Retro Girl by Bendis & Oeming
74. Yossel: April 19, 1943 by Kubert
75. Maus by Spiegleman
76. Book of Genesis by Crumb
77. Thor by Simonson
78. Sin City by Miller
79. Spider-Man by Ditko & Lee
80. Thor by Kirby & Lee

81. Fantastic Four by Kirby & Lee
82. Metabarons by Jodorowsky & co.
83. Tarzan by Joe Kubert
84. The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
85. The Thanos saga by Starlin
86. Micronauts #1-12 by Mantlo & Golden
87. Doctor Fate by Giffen
88. Concrete by Chadwick
89. Green Arrow by Grell
90. Dr. Strange: Triumph & Torment by Stern & Mignola

91. Hawkman by Kubert (B&B 34-36, 41-43)
92. Batman by O’Neil & Adams
93. The First Kingdom by Jack Katz
94. The Sixth Gun by Bunn & Hurtt
95. Lazarus by Rucka & Lark
96. Captain America by Brubaker, Epting & co.
97. Love & Rockets by Los. Bros Hernandez
98. Rocketeer by Stevens
99. Gotham Central by Brubaker, Rucka & Co.
100. Palestine by Sacco

And that's the list I gave folks. and yes I have read all or at least a chunk of everything on the list. There a couple of entries that are longer runs that I have not read all of, but have read a good chunk of and am still working my way through (for example Canniff's Terry and the Pirates, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Katz's First Kingdom), but other than a few minor exceptions like that, I've read all or most of them.

Look forward to seeing what others would come up with for such a list. Feel free to write reasons for choices if you wish, I was not going to do so for 100 different entries, but I told folks to whom I gave the list that if they has questions about specific entries, I would expand upon that choice if they contacted me. In hindsight, I probably should have ascertained some of these were in print or at least easily accessible, but alas I did not think of that while I was putting the list together this past spring.

Again, the intent was to expose someone new to comics to the breadth of possibilities within the medium and to as many different runs I considered to be quality reads without knowing the specific tastes of those I was making recommendations for. I think its important when making recommendations like this to remember that even if I love a particular run/OGN/etc. doesn't mean that it is going to appeal or be accessible to someone else, especially someone who is new to comics and does not have the comics literacy and experience I do, and who may enjoy entirely different types of reading experiences, stories, and storytelling techniques than I do, so it is important to avoid tunnel vision in choices and to recognize that there are holes in one's one experience that will be reflected in the choices made-my list is incredibly light on underground and alt comics, and on the current swath of YA OGN that are very popular in the current market. I just haven't read a lot of them, nowhere near enough to make informed recommendations about them, though I included a few I had read and enjoyed, but that may make my list less interesting to certain groups of new readers for whom that is what fits their tastes better. It's an inexact science at best.

But looking forward to seeing others choices.

-M