Graphic Novels

[Speaking Mute]

One of the best graphic novels I've ever come across...

Luna Park: Kevin Baker, Danijel Zezelj: 9781401215842: Amazon.com: Books

 

Luna Park: Kevin Baker, Danijel Zezelj: 9781401215842: Amazon.com: Books

...something of a spoiler, but it is actually a work of Weird Fiction/Cosmic Horror.

[hypnogeist]

beakripped mentioned Charles Burns' epic Black Hole series. This is Burns' most ambitious project so far. You can get the comic books in which the series was first published or the hardback compilation. I recommend the comic books since the hardback compilation doesn't contain the awesome color covers. Here's a few examples:








There's a lot of stuff packed into this series including teenage insecurities and cruelty in 1970s era Seattle, alienation, drugs, sex, a mysterious STD that causes strange physical mutations in its victims ranging from relatively minor anomalies to hideously grotesque reworkings of the flesh, compassion, unrequited love, mystic visions of surrealistic transcendent gloom and horror, torture, murder, and a kind of ambiguous salvation.

Another enjoyable creation of Burns are his El Borbah tales, which are collected in the El Borbah hardback (known as Hard-Boiled Defective Stories in an earlier edition):


El Borbah is a tough-as-nails pot-bellied private dick sporting a Mexican wrestler's get up. He cracks heads almost as often as he cracks wise. These stories are crawling with oddball characters and all manner of high weirdness. Highly recommended!

[Mr Loligo]

American Vampire:

Written by SCOTT SNYDER & STEPHEN KING
Art and cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE

Vertigo | Graphic Novels

I've only read volume 1, which collects issues 1-5. Many more have since been produced.
I'm not especially a fan of vampire stories, but I did thoroughly enjoy reading this and intend to continue reading them. Not least because it restores the image of vampires being dark and malevolent creatures.
A reputation which has been tarnished recently with all this "Twilight" business *curls lip in a sneer*

Quick summary from Vertigo website -

From writers Scott Snyder and Stephen King, AMERICAN VAMPIRE introduces a new strain of vampire – a more vicious species – and traces the creatures' bloodline through decades of American history.

This first hardcover volume of the critically acclaimed series collects issues #1-5 and follows two stories: one written by Snyder and one written by King, both with art by future superstar Rafael Albuquerque. Snyder's tale follows Pearl, a young woman living in 1920s Los Angeles, who is brutally turned into a vampire and sets out on a path of righteous revenge against the European monsters who tortured and abused her.

And in King's story set in the days of America's Wild West, readers learn the origin of Skinner Sweet, the original American vampire – a stronger, faster creature than any vampire ever seen before.

[DoktorH]

I second the reccomendation for American Vampire. I've read volumes 1 and 2, covering things from the Old West to the great depression. Vol. 3, covering WWII and forward, comes out in February. my favorite comic of late is Hack/Slash: Hack/Slash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Cassie Hack's mom was a serial killer who came back to life after being gunned down by cops. Cassie single-handedly stopped her after she came back, and has been hunting undead serial killers since. There've been crossovers with Evil Ernie, Child's Play (cassie vs Chucky), and Archie Comics, as well as a number of Lovecraftian elements. I like it.

[Coa]

I have recently watched movies adapted from these graphic novels so I decide to read them and both were pretty good but very different from the movies.

SNOWPIERCER VOL. 1: THE ESCAPE : Very good piece of dark post-apocalyptic science-fiction, pessimistic and bleak... Artwork is great it totally matches tone of the story.
Its way better that film, which is still solid effort.

SNOWPIERCER VOL. 1: THE ESCAPE: Jacques Lob, Jean-Marc Rochette: 9781782761334: Amazon.com: Books

 

SNOWPIERCER VOL. 1: THE ESCAPE: Jacques Lob, Jean-Marc Rochette: 9781782761334: Amazon.com: Books

Blue Is the Warmest Color : Very simple and straightforward story about love, I was surprised to find out how much it differ from the film which in this case is way more complex and mature - one of the best movies in recent years about theme that has been so drained and exhausted - love.

Blue Is the Warmest Color: Julie Maroh: 9781551525143: Amazon.com: Books

 

Blue Is the Warmest Color: Julie Maroh: 9781551525143: Amazon.com: Books

[Stu]

That reminds me, I need to reread City of Glass. I also love Mazzuchelli's work on Batman: Year One and Daredevil: Born Again.

[bendk]

1970s-Inspired Graphic Novel in the Works

[miguel1984]

I forgot to post this before.

Juan Giménez, the Argentinian comic book artist, died some days ago due to Covid-19.

He was the artist for Alejandro Jodorowsky's Metabarons and his own series Leo Roa and The Fourth Power, among others. A real loss.

[ToALonelyPeace]

Quote Originally Posted by miguel1984

I forgot to post this before. Juan Giménez, the Argentinian comic book artist, died some days ago due to Covid-19. He was the artist for Alejandro Jodorowsky's Metabarons and his own series Leo Roa and The Fourth Power, among others. A real loss.

I just look at those. Very nice.

[miguel1984]

This is quite horrible: The writer Pat Mills said he was raped by a priest when he was 12 and he has a blog detailing all of the abuses in the Catholic school he attended.

Brother James: Serial Sex Offender | Pat Mills