Comics You Should Read.

[Elesirdur]

Kingdom Come is well worth buying in trade paperback form for the art - it's absolutely gorgeous.

[Imitarate]

Lucifer. Especially if you've read the Sandman; Lucifer continues out of it under the (much-better-than-his-work-on-X-Men-or-Ultimate-FF) writing of Mike Carey. He also wrote a short story TBP continuing out of Sandman called The Furies, relating the follow-up story of Lita Hall, and is the only writer that I know of whom Gaiman has allowed to use the Sandman character directly (he has direct ownership of 6/7 of the Endless). It's a pretty epic story. It doesn't always focus on Lucifer himself, but much more so than Dream in the Sandman.

Fables is very good, though in my opinion it had a rough patch around the (equivalent of) the 6th-7th tpb. It's gotten better since, and remains very well written. The spin-off, Jack of Fables, is pretty good but has one glaring flaw -- the main character is an absolute asshole, with no noticable redeeming characteristics. It makes it hard to enjoy the series sometimes when you literally don't care about the main character except a slight sense of despair that he'll ever get his comeupance.

Marvel's been... difficult to enjoy, these past few years. Certain continuing-runs by certain writers. Peter David and Craig Kyle/Chris Yost come to mind. I'm not a big fan of Bendis' work in Marvel, though I have to admit that I have consistantly enjoyed Ultimate Spiderman since issue one. I'm not much on the rest of the Ultimateverse, though Ultimate Nick Fury is fucking awesome.

Specifics from Marvel:

Age of Apocalypse: though some people may like certain tpb/events better, AoA has my vote for being easy to get into, very enjoyable, and (being alt-con) having exciting, permanent things happen to the characters in it. One of my favorite Marvel "event"s.

The first volume of Runaways. The second volume isn't quite as good, and after that it just gets kinda silly. It's not BAD, but it's definitely not as amazing as the first volume.

[BRP]

Seven Soldiers of Victory

Truly an awesome event by Grant Morrison. Seven 4-issue series that can be read and enjoyed on their own all tie-in together in subtle overall plot. Also includes an intro and end issue for the entire series. It takes place in DC, but you don't know have to know too much about the universe to enjoy it. It has Frankenstein slaying demons. Read it.

Demonoid.com - Seven Soldiers of Victory (complete)


Nextwave

This 12-part series by Warren Ellis is easily one of the most humorous I've read. It's Marvel and if you like Deadpool, well this is better. While it is a parody of superheroes and Marvel, it goes beyond that. It is over the top, producing results which are hilarious and awesome at the same time.

Demonoid.com - Nextwave agents of HATE complete


Annihilation

This is easily Marvel's best crossover event in the last decade(or longer) and that is saying a lot because that's all they've ever do now(like 4-6 a year). It has little to do with the heroes on Earth, but is a space epic that involves all the major players- Galactus, his heralds, Thanos, Skurll, Kree, etc. The series is split into four 4-part series, an intro, and then finally the main series(6 issues). There is also some introductory stories included in the torrent I am posting which focuses on a story that leads up to the event. The series is a great introduction into Marvel's space stories, including Nova, Annihilation: Conquest event, and things that follow that. All of which I recommend too. Best part of Marvel right now.

Demonoid.com - Marvel Comics - Annihilation Saga (34 Issues Complete)


Thor (vol 3)

In his latest volume, Thor returns from the end of his gods world, Ragnarok. He intends to rebuild his kingdom and bring back the gods who are currently within the bodies of various humans. The story typical viking god awesome and the art is incredible. Also no-eyebrow-woman Loki will give you a fetish.

Demonoid.com - Thor Volume 3 (issues #1 to #10 (present)) FILE 3 of 4

[Lexa]

Guh, I need to get my hands on some more Fables. They were printed in Nemi (Norwegian strip published in Scandinavia and England mainly), but then I moved to the states, and couldn't get a hold of Nemi on a regular basis anymore...

This was my book list for this semester's comic book class:

Ames and Haspeil, The Alcoholic
Moore, et. al., Swamp Thing: A Murder of Crows
Tan, The Arrival
Gaiman and McKean, Signal to Noise
Mowll, Operation Red Jericho
Moore and Gibbons, Watchmen
Vaughan, et. al., Y: The Last Man
Waid and Ross, Kingdom Come
Spiegelman, In the Shadow of No Towers
Jacobson, The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation
Miller, et. al., Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Right now we're up to Watchmen. We've also spent a week focusing on Dr. Horrible and discussing superhero archetypes. Gotta say, pretty cool going to a 300-level college class and spend 1hr15min discussing Neil Patrick Harris.

[Dareus]

This is a awesome list. I've always wanted to get into comics but I never knew where to start, I always felt like I would be missing part of the story if I didn't read the whole thing.

I now know where to start and can be a official geek now, thanks! I sent you a pm BRP, I would love one of those invites.

[Tanthalass]

Alan Moore V for Vendetta
Alan Moore Batman: The Killing Joke
Jeff Loeb Batman: Hush
Jeff Loeb Batman: The Long Halloween/Dark Victory
Frank Miller et al Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller et al Batman: Year One

[Araelus]

Despite the fact that with Nikola Tesla and Mark Twain fighting Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie there are perhaps more than five fists involved, The Five Fists of Science is surprisingly well done. Matt Fraction writes, Steven Sanders illustrates.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-The5fists.png

Tons of good rec's in this thread already, so far as I'm concerned, especially Transmet, Bone, Moore and Spiegelman's work, and of course anything Gaiman is involved with.

Hellboy should go without saying, and I see some other people enjoy Bill Willingham's Fables!

Cheers.

[grantlogan]

Alan Moore V for Vendetta
Alan Moore Batman: The Killing Joke
Jeff Loeb Batman: Hush
Jeff Loeb Batman: The Long Halloween/Dark Victory
Frank Miller et al Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller et al Batman: Year One

Alan Moore is good, old Frank Miller is good, but Jeff Loeb? A thousand times no. 90% of the comics he writes, he simply fills it up with as many characters possible and 100% of the plots in his comics are just foolish.

[BRP]

Oh god is Loeb bad. BAD BAD BAD

FUCKING BADDDDD

hahahahARGGGGGGGGREDHULKULTIMATUMULTIMATES3HEROES SHIT

Even his "good" stuff goes pretty sour when you actually think about it. For example, in retrospect Long Halloween(in my opinion his only decent piece of work) made no sense. This is because everyone guessed who the killer was by half-way in. He didn't like it so he changed it at the last or second last issue creating huge plot holes. He has been using this same exact trick ever since(Red Hulk, Dark Victory, Hush, etc).

[grantlogan]

I rank Loeb up there with Chris Claremont, my most hated writer.

[crunkinator]

This is a great thread idea.
I grew up on marvel but am pretty particular about what i like from each company and i still buy/read almost everything that comes out each wedn.
whoever said 100 bullets is a genius.
whoever said Green lantern is brillaint. the entire sinestro corps war and this coming light war arc are rediculous. was easily the best crossover of last summer.
anywho: my books.
My Favorite book ever
Planetary
One of the best comics ever. 27 issues of win. It's about these 'archaeologists of the impossible' and their organization Planetary trying to uncover the secret history of the world. and the people opposing them are this twisted version of the fantastic four that keep things secret for their own profit and to control the world.
this book is basically a lesson in comic book history. with various characters from pulp comics, sci fi,mytholgy and very popular moden super heroes making an appearance in some form. If you're not up on comics, sadly this book can go way over your head.
All Star Superman * i know it's been said but i have to reitterate*
I Hate superman, but as expected with grant morrison. superman was interesting to me for the 1st time ever.
We3.
also grant morrison/frank quietly. but really out there.
Wildcats v3.0.
corporate superheroism.
Cable:
the new cable book is very bleak and well written. cable + the mutant messiah traped in the future only able to time travel forward. while being chased by former x-man Bishop. as he sets up his final trap for them.
it sounds rediculous. and it kinda is. but in a good way.
New Avengers.
I personally feel secret invasion dragged on too long. but. this book is sick.
fan favs from all over marvel, with dialogue and interaction between them thats not really rivaled by anything. ( the green lantern and justice society books are close. but not so much) anytime spiderman says anything i almost die laughing.
New Avengers: Illuminati
doc strange, black bolt, mr. fantastic, iron man, prof X, namor. Get together and decide how things with the world are going to go. all issues are self contained. a really fun short series
Gold Digger:
Adventures of this super genius archaelogist and her family.
one of the best american manga books out. The stories are cool. the action and fight scenes are like something from video games/anime. and the artist does like to draw the babes. also the writer/artist Fred Perry actually plays FF 11. and has drawn some little FF mini comics.

if anyone would like or don't know how to find for themselves i can post links to these like the OP did.
-crunk

[Tanthalass]

I don't GENERALLY like Loeb, but I like Long Halloween and Hush. But maybe its just the twist at the end of Hush and the ridiculous amount of Godfather references in Long Halloween that I like <.<

I agree though, Loeb generally does nothing but pack his comics full of tons of characters. I was really glad when he got fired from Heroes.

[BRP]

Let's continue:

Blue Beetle
This series is one of the best ways to get introduced into DCU and is one the best stories they've done since Infinite Crisis. Simply fun, with the only mishap is the occasional decade old internet meme reference. It stars the new Blue Beetle(the old one got shot in the face), who is normal spanish boy living in Texas. The story focuses on his friendships and mentors, without becoming too cliche. His powerset is just interesting. Must read.

Demonoid.com - Blue Beetle v2 (1-36) Complete? [REQ]


Morrison's JLA

Now this series will be a bit tougher to get into. It has quite a bit of 90s, especially the art. However it is in my opinion THE Justice League. The Justice League name was selling pretty poorly, so Morrison went back to the basics of having a team with the strongest hitters/biggest names. He made the team into a pantheon and they would only go on world-shattering adventures. You can't find a better of example of stuff like... Batman being the BatGod he is famed for.

Demonoid.com - JLA V3 Series Complete 1 - 125


52

DC's 52 was a (really good) year-long weekly series that aimed to fulfill what happened between Infinite Crisis and the "One-Year-Later" arcs of all the series(basically everyone jumped a year). The series is deeply tied to the DCU, so again it's something that could be considered challenging to new readers, but can be the perfect introduction. A lot of current stories played off it, for example like Booster Gold(linked below). When DC tried this again with Countdown(to Final Crisis), they failed spectacularly.

Demonoid.com - (DC) Week Fifty-Two Collection


Booster Gold

Booster Gold plays off right out of 52. Its all about time-traveling within the DCU. It stars time traveling Booster Gold who promises to help fellow time traveling Rip Hunter if he can save his BFF Blue Beetle(the one who got shot in the face) from his fate. Probably best enjoyed by someone who's rather familiar with the history of the DCU.

Demonoid.com - Booster Gold #0-12 [Ongoing] (Minutemen)

[Lexa]

I have to bump this to highly recommend Y: The Last Man.

We're reading it in class now, and I'm completely fascinated with it! :D It's the only comic book the entire class all agreed we liked.

Except one chick who was absent, but she doesn't count - she's a Twilight junkie.

[Elesirdur]

Has anyone read "Superman: Red Son"? It always seemed like an interesting premise to me.

[Tricen]

V

[Isiolia]

I have to bump this to highly recommend Y: The Last Man.

We're reading it in class now, and I'm completely fascinated with it! :D It's the only comic book the entire class all agreed we liked.

Except one chick who was absent, but she doesn't count - she's a Twilight junkie.

Yeah, it's pretty good. I had a few of the titles mentioned here in the back of my head as "should look into someday". Thanks in part to this thread I ordered a stack o' graphic novels from Amazon the other week, with the first three of Y: The Last Man among them.

[xrexracerx]

Ex Machina and Pride of Baghdad are also amazingly written, Vaughn is just amazing

[Mr. Flippy]

The Authority was enjoyable. i would defintly recommend this read to anyone

[TelosIllumini]

Is this topic for American Comics only actually?

I really enjoyed the watchmen (the movie was a bit... incomplete <.<), spiderman, V for Vendetta and X men. In Europe we also have things like Tin Tin, Nero and Asterix & Obelix (the latter I really recommend), but this is a whole different style of story telling and drawing..

Semi derail:
What I find typical about the Marvel comics and the likes is that there is always some kind of Hero that fights for a greater good, preferably with special powers and loads of explosions, and the more serious "mortality" questions. Compare it to the european comics in which things seem to revolve more about less heroic story telling (usually going back in time at some point or for the whole duration of the comic) or humor. That or I'm just crazy