can you help me create a list of the top 10 indy comic titles from 1975 to now?

[AGGIEZ]

Does Xenozoic Tales count...atleast the Kitchen Sink Press books? Probably not Top 10 as the "independent" issues are limited to the story's 14 book run....too short, but oh so sweet!

 

 

[Mr.Illmannered]

Faust for me, hands down.

[dupont2005]

Elfquest was the first comic book series to ever have its TPB collection stocked regularly in mainstream chain bookstores. Long before a TPB section existed in Waldenbooks, there was Elfquest. And only Elfquest. Along with Garfield and Peanuts reprints. This was back when a "trade paperback" reprinting several issues was almost unheard of at Mervel and DC. This was back when a series of trade paperbacks reprinting the entire run of a comic didn't exist at Marvel and DC. Elfquest sold a million copies of their TPB through Waldenbooks sometime around 1988.

 

Thanks to Elfquest we can now trade wait with the comfort in knowing the trade is coming. Thanks to Elfquest we can pop in at the local bookstore and pick up a trade. They are probably the single most influential independent publisher and title on this list. They didn't just introduce a new trend, they didn't introduce a new creator or character. Well, they did all that, but they also drastically changed the industry along the way.

[Bill Robinson]

I would throw Sin City and the Crow into the mix.

[B-Smooth]

Faust for me, hands down.

 

Yeah!

[oakman29]

I would throw Sin City and the Crow into the mix.

Most definitely. (thumbs u

[AGGIEZ]

Immediately these come to mind:

 

TMNT: obvious choice

Bone: obvious choice

Maus: won a Pulitzer Prize. It was a huge deal back then.

Cerebus: influenced the creation of the Trade Paperback

Strangers in Paradise:

Love and Rockets: Cerebus, Strangers in Paradise, and Love & Rockets all reached a level that everyone reading comics knew they existed. Even if you weren't in to independents. These titles also inspired other creators to go the independent route. That aspect is something that is hard to measure, but these titles are always mentioned as influences by creators. Others mentioned in this thread also fit this category, but these seem to be mentioned as influences the most.

Heavy Metal:

Dark Horse Presents: Heavy Metal and Dark Horse Presents gave opportunities to independent creators to publish their stuff in a title that reached a mainstream level. These books had a enormus impact on creating future comic book creators.

Hellboy: I always felt Hellboy comics saved Dark Horse Comics from falling off the map. Hellboy also broke into the mainstream level with 2 movies, cartoons, and tons of comics published over the years.

The Walking Dead: Yes, The Walking Dead is an indy. It's hard to remember that since it's success is so hot and mainstream right now. But this is a zombie book that was published at Indy numbers for YEARS before blowing up. Kirkman wasn't a partner at Image when it started or a big name at all. In fact, he was an unknown.

 

 

I like this list.

[boatfund]

Ones I really liked reading:

Nexus

Concrete

American Flagg

Jon Sable

Hero Alliance

Cerebus

Usagi Yojimbo

Mister X

Bone

Ralph Snart

 

The ones that have the most long term effect:

TMNT

Cerebus

Elfquest

 

Really, what effect did Elfquest have? I must have been asleep at the wheel.

 

Most long - term effect would certainly be:

1. TMNT

2. Bone (in schools, public libraries, etc. fostering a new generation of readers)

3. Cerebus (TPB, single-story in 300 issues)

 

 

I think dupont2005 answer above gave a better response than I could about Elfquest. However I would also add that it brought in a lot of female readers at the time.

 

 

[moonpool]

Does Xenozoic Tales count...atleast the Kitchen Sink Press books? Probably not Top 10 as the "independent" issues are limited to the story's 14 book run....too short, but oh so sweet!

 

 

(thumbs u