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Written by Jesse Thompson
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Monday, 10 September 2001 |
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Page 1 of 2  You read them as a kid, maybe even collected them like a maniac, afraid to miss an issue. You may have thought you outgrew them, but don't fool yourself, they're always with you. Comics are one of the great art forms of the 20th century, and while most of it really is trash, there are some truly awe-inspiring works out there. The Top 7 Graphic Novels is either a confirmation of what you're been reading recently, or else a reminder list of what you need to catch up on/revisit.
What is a graphic novel? It is sometimes just a collection of comics, bound together, but we're going to use the strictest definition here: a graphic novel is a self-contained series of comics, bound into one or more volumes. The difference, is that the first definition is just a reprint of various issues, and if we were going to do that, you'd see Daredevil: Born Again and some Sandman and Swamp Thing on the list. That, however, would be more like a 'best comic series' and that is not this. Here you are, then, the finest graphic novels ever put out.
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| Marvels Busiek/Ross
It's a bit in the vein of Watchmen, but it's still very much in its own niche. This is the story of Marvel origins, as told through the lens of a photographer, and what really sets it apart are the stunning paintings by Alex Ross, one of the all-time greats.
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| Sin City Frank Miller
It's hard to choose one Sin City collection as the best of the bunch, so I'll take the safe route and pick the original, although every one you will pick up is brilliant, especially That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill. In yet another evolutionary movement, Frank Miller went all black & white, and redefined how shapes move and blend through perspective and compact use of lines and shading. Oh, and it's all action, baby.
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| Kingdom Come Waid/Ross
Here's that Ross kid again, showing us how it's done. Another great storyline with Ross art on it, this is somewhat akin to Crisis on Infinite Earths in its epic scope. There are deep issues addressed, and we're treated to a futuristic view of Superman, Wonder Woman and the whole gang, as they age. The self-reflexive epilogue is priceless.
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| Batman: Year One Miller/Mazzuchelli
Going in the opposite direction of Kingdom Come, this book looks at Batman as a rookie, with all the kinks and roadblocks he would have faced. The best part is watching Commissioner Gordon start out, along side Bats. It's so good, that Darren Aronofsky has always wanted to make it into a movie--and is! Look for the film next year, written by Miller himself.
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| Magebook 1-3 Matt Wagner
Speaking of evolution, watching the art in this series evolve is like watching Mozart learn piano. Wagner starts out as a raw artist with promise, and ends up as perhaps the finest colorist in the business. This is a modernized re-telling of the King Arthur legend, and has so much imagination, it nearly outclasses its predecessors. The original series was 15 issues, put into three graphic novels.
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| Watchmen Moore/Gibbons
Simply the best writer even to pen a comic, Alan Moore changed the world of comics forever with this book. This is the story that asks, 'what if superheroes really existed, and we saw them around us?' Trust me, no one else has ever answered the question with such insight and brilliance before or since. Rumor has it that Brian Singer (X-Men movie director) has plans to film this.
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