I was just wondering if anyone can give me a list of stuff to check out. The stuff I have been reading recently has been Kabuki: Circle of Blood, Hellboy, Sin City, and the Batman: Hush books. Also the last comic I was really into was the Darkness series. I have been out of the comic book/graphic novel loop for a long long time now so I was just curious what out there is worth reading.

Thanks!

you've probably already read it, but I'd be remiss if there wasn't at least one mention for:

Watchmen

Yes, I know it was originally released as separate issues, but imo the hardcover collection is simply one of the best complete novels - graphic or otherwise - that I've read...

I would commend anyone reading/contributing here to take a quick look through:

• Graphic Novel recommendations?[Part One]

No point merging because the earlier one is nearly three years oild and new recommended titles doubtless will have arisen in the interim.

Thanks for all the info, guys! I've been on a Batman kick lately. From what I've read in these threads, these are the next Batman trade paperbacks/graphic novels I should be picking up:

Batman: Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Hush
Batman Year one

Any others I should put on the list?

Batman: Child of Dreams - this is a manga (not just a US comic in manga-style!) from a very talented manga artist: Kia Asamiya (with Max Allen Collins.)

I really like the Alan Moore stuff like Top 10 and Tom Strong. Lots of fun.

Have you ever read "Batman:The Killing Joke" by Alan Moore? Probably one of the best graphic novels ever written.

The original GRIMJACK is now coming out in a collected form. You should check it out.

I love American comics, but someone's gotta recommend some EXCELLENT Japanese series:

PlanetES - 5 volumes
Love Hina - 14 volumes
Battle Royale - 12 currently (unknown total)
Negima! - 5 currently (ongoing in Japan)

A couple of things worth checking out:
Image
Rex Mundi- A mystery book set in an alternate universe where the Inquistion is the main power.
The Walking Dead- Great zombie book. Highly recommended.
Liberty Meadows- Pound for pound, Frank Cho draws the sexiest women in comics and writes one of the funniest books.

DC/Vertigo
Fables- Best monthly book on the stands that reads even better in trade format. Imagine a section of New York City where all the fables from every culture have relocated to and throw in politics, sex and several very bloody battles.
Y: The Last Man- The last man on earth and the hunt to find the cure. Great book. Funny, sexy and throught provoking. One of those books where the minute you think you know what is going on, something new happens.

Marvel
Runaways- Best new Marvel team book in decades. From the writer of Y: The Last Man.

Enjoy.

I think it depends on what sort of genre's you like for example I would reccomend for the following:

Crime:
Torso, 100 Bullets, Stray Bullets, Sandman Mystery Theater

Samurai:
Usagi Yojimbo, Lone Wolf and Cub, Blade of Immortal

Slice of life tales:
Box Office Posion, Blankets, Love and Rockets, Strangers in Paradise

Spy:
Queen and Country

Just cool odd books:
Transmetropolitian, The Courriers, Y the Last Man, Walking Dead

And as far as classics go, Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, Maus, Batman Year One, Sandman.

Crap, I forgot Bone(now in Color) and hellboy(I reccomend volume 6).

I'm sure Gaiman's Sandman series was mentioned in the part one thread, as well as Maus. I would also add The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, Nine Lives by Dean Motter, and The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller as excellent Batman graphic novels. Finally, Maxx -- the series is making itself onto TPB. Finally, if you can find it, Kling Klang Klatch is a nice odd book starring a teddy bear detective in the future. Sort of cyberpunk Barbie noir.

Some of these were mentioned above, so take these as additional recommendations.

Great one trip here and now I am hooked on graphic novels. Can someone tell me the best place to start with Batman?

With the brand new Batman: Year One hardcover by Frank Miller (Dark Knight Returns, Sin City).

Some of my favorites tpb/graphic novels are:
Strangers in Paradise-- the story of three friends, Francine, Katchoo and David and the people they fall in and out of love with.
It's a tale of dark pasts and hopeful futures, double-crosses and true friendship, love and hate. In other words: it's a story of real life, kicked up a notch
Finder-interesting sci fi title
Thieves and Kings--a nice fantasy series
Jane's World
The Walking Dead--zombies
Box Office Poison

It is nice to see some reccomendations for some of the more independent comics in this thread. I get tired of all the same old DC/Marvel/Image stuff being listed.

Check out "Its A Good Life If You Don't Weaken" By Seth

Well luckily this thread has only listed the usual DC/Marvel stuff 3 times and only when requested (where to start with Batman, etc.). For the most part the better graphic novels aren't Marvel or DC, at least not right now.

Its A Good Life If You Don't Weaken is, however, a really good nonsuperhero book. IF you are the type of person who wants something totally different, this is a great recomendation.

Will pick up, so far the only graphic novel I've read is by Frank Miller (first Sin City) and I love it. Speaking of Miller is there any verious of 300 that is available, Amazon lists them as unavailable

I always look into these comic book treads, knowing that I'll be disapointed so this one was a breathe of fresh air. Mainstream comics are fine, and some are really good, just mostly not for me.

If you like Seth, you should read King-Cat by John Porcellino. It isn't really a graphic novel, more of a long running xeroxed minicomic, but probably the best thing going in alternative comics for many years now. I've been trying to find old issues, but they are very hard to come by. Even Ebay hasn't turned up any thing for me

Are they reprinting the Munden's Bar stories or just the GrimJack tales?

A few more that I forgot to mention:
Strangehaven Think Twin Peaks in Britain. A very odd book, it's too bad it takes so long for each one to come out.
Nodwick For all the gamers out there. The story of a henchman regularly abused by his party.
Dork Tower Another great gamer related title.
PS238 I wasn't sure about this one at first, but it grows on you quickly. The story of young metahumans in school.
Three Fingers Sort of an E True Hollywood story of a famous toon.
Bughouse Jazz playing bug with a drug problem

I think they plan to, but so far all they've released is the first volume, which reprints the original stories that ran as backups in Mike Grell's Starslayer series. The publisher is IDW, by the way. They're also reprinting Jon Sable: Freelance; Dynamic Forces is reprinting Dreadstar and American Flagg; Dark Horse is supposedly reprinting Nexus (although it's been almost a year since they announced it and nothing yet); there are rumors that Badger is going to be reprinted. It's First Comics all over again!

If we could only get Elementals back in print, I could truly build my 80s Independent Dream Library.

I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the article, but I thought I read IDW is just First Comics renamed?

Another vote for Elementals.

Not really. First Comics was founded by Rick Obadiah, and Mike Gold was the editorial driving force behind the company. Neither has anything to do with IDW, and the people at IDW don't (as far as I'm aware) have nay history with First. They just were able to team up with Grell and Ostrander/Truman (who own the rights to Sable and Grimjack, respectively) to reprint their stuff. But all (or the vast majority) of the stuff that First published was creator-owned, so it could show up anywhere.

Here's a good link on the "First comeback:"

http://home.hiwaay.net/~tfharris/pul...s/050217.shtml

Seriously, though -- Bill Willingahm's a hot property these days, what with Fables and Robin. Somebody reprint Elementals!!!

I haven't read any comics for years and years, and never collected them, just read random titles from time to time. Anyway, I recently bought the Batman Begins 2 disc, and after reading through the 3 comics they included with the set, I'm suddenly into a graphic novel kick. Picked up "The Watchmen" today at the bookstore, since that was the one that seemed to be recommended above all else at Amazon. I also plan on getting V for Vendetta, since the film will be out soon, and several of the Batman comics (The Long Halloween, since the first chapter was part of the Batman Begins 2 disc, but also The Dark Knight Returns, and Year One). What other novels should I look into? Not really interested in collecting issues of regular comic books, just looking at the graphic novels. I guess I've listed some of the classics, so what new titles should I check out?

Brian