Listen to our episode discussing our top 10 graphic novels here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/15939747
My top 10 list of graphic novels changes almost daily. It’s a dynamic list that could change at any point. I’m going to share my top 10 graphic novels on the day we recorded this Friday Conversation episode. If you’d like to hear more and hear Jarrod and Jose’s picks please check out the episode!
10. Nameless – Grant Morrison
Nameless made my list because it’s a thought provoking, complex and absolutely brutal mix of science fiction and horror. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read this book and every time I reread it I find something new. New small details in the background, something I missed in the dialogue or my entire perception of the book changes.
In Nameless we meet a man who has been recruited by billionaires to join a mission to save Earth from an asteroid called Xibalba (or “place of fear” in Mayan mythology). There may be a life form on the asteroid, but in some ways that’s the least of their worries.
If you love science fiction horror, Nameless is for you.
9. Preacher – Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
The first of many Ennis books on my list, Preacher is a master class in balancing story, characters and humor. The characters shine, you quickly become attached to all of them and they are all flawed. We get up close and personal with each of them and their imperfections. We follow Jesse, a Preacher (of course) who is given The Word of God from a being named Genesis and soon finds out God is missing and may or may not have abandoned heaven.
There are some scenes you will feel guilty for laughing along with, but that’s one of the things Ennis does best. With that said, the humor can be very crude so this isn’t for everyone. The story explores religion, faith and ventures into some fantastical areas but it always feels grounded.
Steve Dillon’s artwork is realistic enough to keep the edgy feel throughout, and the pacing is almost perfect. The other characters that are introduced have their own look and feel and don’t overstay their welcome. In fact, some of the side characters are as memorable as the main characters are.
Part western, part adventure, Preacher is a must read for any comic book reader who doesn’t mind some dark humor.
8. Fury MAX: War Gone By – Garth Ennis
Another Ennis title, but for good reason.
I’ve never really cared about Nick Fury. He wasn’t an interesting or compelling character until I read this book. We get to know Fury and his history in an up close and personal way with the Eniss twist. Eniss loves writing war stories and that shines here.
But it’s not all about war and combat. The lasting impact of this title is Fury and his life, the passage of time and aging. We explore love, loss, death, and memories in a way that you really wouldn’t expect to in a title like this.
7. The Killing Joke – Alan Moore
The Killing Joke is my favorite Joker story, where Moore gives us his origin. What makes him tick, why does he do the things he does and how does that compare to Batman? While the conclusion is a little ambiguous, I love the parallels Moore draws between Batman and Joker, how similar are they? How broken are they? Do they need each other?
It can be interpreted in several different ways, but regardless of what conclusion you draw you’ll be thinking about this story long after you finish the last page.
6. The Killer – Matz
When you think of a cold blooded assassin for hire you probably think of someone who looks athletic, attractive and mysterious. But in a real world situation that person would stand out like a sore thumb, that’s why I love that our main character in The Killer is kind of… well… a nerd. Don’t get me wrong, he’s formidable but if you walked right past him you wouldn’t think twice.
He’s not someone who is physically intimidating or particularly good looking, but he is patient and committed to his craft. Of killing people for money. Instead of action packed shootouts and combat, it’s more of a slow burn with him waiting and waiting for the right moment to strike. It’s over pretty fast but the build up and tension is done masterfully. He does run into other people and gets caught up in situations that he has to act, but because of the way he’s presented to us it feels more realistic.
If you’ve seen the live action adaptation of The Killer, it’s pretty close to what you can expect in the book.
5. Invincible – Robert Kirkman
I’m not a fan of coming of age stories, or stories that involve children in general. I kept hearing how good Invincible was, so I decided to give it a try. It was not at all what I was expecting.
Yes, it is a coming of age story, you could even call it a family drama in some ways. But it’s so much more than that. It takes superhero tropes and story lines and turns them on their head. In recent years subverting expectations has become more and more popular, but Kirkman does it in small and subtle ways instead of trying to subvert just to subvert.
Invincible is thought provoking, violent and captivating. There are some absolutely brutal scenes that serve the story, they aren’t just for the sake of violence and brutality. Invincible has to make some difficult decisions that you would never really think about while reading other superhero stories. What is the right thing to do? Is it still the right thing if thousands of innocent people will die but you will save millions more?
4. Stray Bullets – David Lampham
You may have noticed by now that I gravitate towards authors who can write extremely complex, flawed and riveting characters. Much like Eniss, Lampham has a knack for writing characters that are multifaceted and you can relate to in a personal way.
Stray Bullets is crime noir and we follow several different characters and groups of characters. They range from different ages and perspectives. Lampham’s artwork shines and the book feels very personal, it’s very well plotted and from the first few pages you know what kind of ride you’re in for.
3. Crossed Volume 1 – Garth Ennis
If you’ve heard of Crossed, you’ve probably heard it’s one of the most disturbing and violent comics ever printed. I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, because I’ve read some pretty horrible stuff, but if you stick with mainstream comics this is more violent and disturbing than anything you’ve picked up before. In Crossed, we follow a group of survivors after a mysterious virus begins spreading that turns normal people into homicidal maniacs who will stop at nothing to act out their most depraved thoughts and desires. Society breaks down quickly and the struggle to survive begins.
Crossed is survival horror at its finest. It doesn’t take long for Ennis to let us know what we’re in for and set the bar for what will happen when our characters make a mistake or trust the wrong person. With Jacen Burrows on artwork, it’s the perfect mix to create a story you won’t forget. It is very disturbing and violent, so it’s not for the faint of heart.
2. Watchmen – Alan Moore
What can you say about Watchmen that hasn’t already been said? It’s one of the best pieces of literature ever written. If you haven’t read it, go read it. Then read it again and find all of the fine details you missed the first time. Rinse and repeat.
- 1. Punisher MAX – Garth Ennis
I loved the Punisher back in the 90’s, but he always seemed out of place with the rest of the Marvel universe. A guy who goes around shooting people? Does he kill anyone?
Garth Ennis turns the Punisher into a killing machine and explores his origins in the most memorable of ways that gives you an entirely different perspective on who the Punisher is and why he does the things he does. This is the HBO version of the Punisher, mixed with the character work and humor that only Ennis can bring to the table creates the perfect mix for the best Punisher stories ever written.
