Top 5 Graphic Novels/TPBs/Collected Editions/etc - What are your favorites?

[techvoodoo]

Are we limited to only graphic novels, or are TPB/Collected editions allowed? I'm not sure how many books would qualify otherwise.

[BarryAllen]

Are we limited to only graphic novels, or are TPB/Collected editions allowed? I'm not sure how many books would qualify otherwise.

 

I changed the title, TPB/Collected Editions/etc are definitely welcome! My bad on an inaccurate use of naming convention.

 

Thanks!

[akaSteveRogers]

1. Annihilation, Books 1-3 by Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Christos Gage

2. Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller

3. Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev

4. The Immortal Iron Fist, Vol. 1: The Last Iron Fist Story by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction

5. Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

6. Captain America Vol. 1: Winter Soldier, Book One by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting

7. The Death of Captain America, Vol. 1: The Death of the Dream by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting

8. ....

 

uh, I cant do just 5 sorry...

[james1miller]

 

This or

Fell by Ellis

Nowhere Men by Stephenson

Manhattan Projects or East Of West both by Hickman

Last Days Of American Crime by Remender. Here's what it's about

 

With one week until the end of all crime in the United States, can the last heist in American history be pulled off? In the not-too-distant future as a final response to terrorism and crime, the U.S. government plans in secret to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts. To keep this from the public, the government creates a distraction, installing a new currency system using digital charge cards. Enter: Graham Brick. A career criminal never quite able to hit the big score, Graham intends to steal one of the charging stations, skip the country, and live off unlimited funds for the rest of his life. But the media has leaked news of the anti-crime signal one week before it was to go live, and now Graham and his team have just a few days to turn the crime of the century into the last crime in American history.

[Boboset]

I'll try to list some that others haven't. Lots of excellent choices so far.

 

1) Hitman by Garth Ennis and John McCrea - Bueno!

 

2) Madman by Mike and Laura Allred - Anything by Mike Allred is the cat's pajamas. Also see Red Rocket 7.

 

3) Hard Boiled by Frank Miller and Geoff Darrow - An under appreciated classic. Darrow is a god.

 

And then two must read single issues:

 

4) Superman Annual #11 - Essential Alan Moore reading. Better than the The Killing Joke.

 

5) Spider-Man's Tangled Web #4 by Greg Rucka and Eduardo Risso. My favorite single issue next to FF51. "Tom Cochrane has worked for the Kingpin for twenty years, earning a good life for himself and his family. But when one of his assignments is spoiled by the Amazing Spider-Man, will Tom get a second chance?" So good.

[dupont2005]

My top five not only take into account the quality of the work, but the presentation of the material and the value of cost vs page count. So in that criteria I particularly like these.

 

Usagi Yojimbo Special Edition two volume slipcase set (counting as one)

 

Hip Hop Family Tree two volume slipcase set (counting as one)

 

Strangers In Paradise Omnibus slipcase set (counting as one)

 

The Complete Bone

 

Big Damn Sin City

[miraclemet]

Im going the same route as dupont and naming 5 collected editions that I think provide not just a great story, but a great collection of other material, presentation and so on.

 

1. Usagi Yojimbo Special Edition Slipcase (we think alike!)

2. Crisis on Infinite Eaths Omnibus (so much extras, and you can look at the Perez art for days)

3. JLA/Avengers Slipcase (Again with the Perez art, but it also has material about all of the work that went into getting the cross-publisher event pulled off, very interesting)

 

the last two are just amazing reads and it doesnt matter the format

4. Daytripper. Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moons amazingly beautiful and crushing tale. Hardest to read if you are a father, or a son

 

5. Duncan the Wonder Dog. Adam Hines is better at making animals human than most writers are at making humans human. Maybe the most thought provoking thing Ive ever read in graphic form.

[Phantalien]

5 Sitting on my shelf, which I have wanted to read for a long time...

 

The Sandman Omnibus

Daredevil Omnibus (Frank Miller / Klaus Janson)

Saga

The Walking Dead

100 Bullets

 

5 on my shelf that I have read and would always recommend

Bone

The first 2 Fantastic Four Omnibus I think it covers the first 70 issues

Promethea

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Mad MAgazine

[Psithyrus]

Planetary

Saga

Y the Last Man

Manhattan Projects

Bone

[Chris_Skeleton]

I Kill Giants

Pride of Baghdad

Y The Last Man

Saga

 

Yup, I like reading BKV books.

 

+1 for Pride of Baghdad

 

Also,

Habibi

Watchmen

Superior

 

I haven't read too much outside of mainstream Superhero.

[Prince Namor]

I'm going to list specific books, and though they are in no particular order, I'm pretty sure these would be my top 5.... Hmm... maybe they are in order...

 

1. The Complete Eightball 1-18 by Dan Clowes - The greatest American comic collection ever put together.

 

 

2. Black Hole - by Charles Burns - A masterpiece. I got to meet him this weekend!

 

 

3. The Incal - by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius - I'd love to have a Blueberry Omnibus someday, but this will most certainly do for now!

 

 

4. CONAN RED NAILS Art Book by Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor- Smith - I've loved this adaptation for 40 years, and this original art edition is amazing!

 

 

5. Love and Rockets v3 Perla La Loca - Jaime Hernandez - It's between this or v2 Girl from Hoppers and this has Wig Wam Bam in it, which made me a hardcore fan for life.

 

[kav]

yeah those are some great pics right there

[Ken Aldred]

I'm surprised no-one has recommended 'The Wisdom of Lobo' yet.

[Ken Aldred]

Very similar taste to me, Chuck, as usual.

 

 

1. The Complete Eightball 1-18 by Dan Clowes - The greatest American comic collection ever put together.

 

 

 

 

I saw this the other day in London, and hopefully it'll be my next archival hardcover collection.

 

Looks superb.

 

[Prince Namor]

Very similar taste to me, Chuck, as usual.

 

 

1. The Complete Eightball 1-18 by Dan Clowes - The greatest American comic collection ever put together.

 

 

 

 

I saw this the other day in London, and hopefully it'll be my next archival hardcover collection.

 

Looks superb.

 

It is Paul! Thicker paper stock of the covers, original inserts, it's like a NM+ bound edition of the collection!

 

And the material of course...

[koollectablz]

Very similar taste to me, Chuck, as usual.

 

 

1. The Complete Eightball 1-18 by Dan Clowes - The greatest American comic collection ever put together.

 

 

 

 

I saw this the other day in London, and hopefully it'll be my next archival hardcover collection.

 

Looks superb.

 

It is Paul! Thicker paper stock of the covers, original inserts, it's like a NM+ bound edition of the collection!

 

And the material of course...

 

I didn't know this existed!

 

100% must buy!

[Nexus]

Wow, very cool to see one of my modern favorites, THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS, get FIVE separate recommendations in this thread! I'll be the sixth. Get the beautiful hardcover collection, which collects the first two trades.

 

I'll second all the other usual suspects, and also add Eric Powell's THE GOON. Also, if you read Y: THE LAST MAN and SAGA and enjoy them, then also get BKV's EX MACHINA.

 

I'm going to list specific books, and though they are in no particular order, I'm pretty sure these would be my top 5.... Hmm... maybe they are in order...

 

1. The Complete Eightball 1-18 by Dan Clowes - The greatest American comic collection ever put together.

 

 

 

Top-notch production on this collection. I supported the Kickstarter and contributed to the tier that included a Clowes sketch. Let's say it was underwhelming. But the overall package is so nice, that I almost don't care. Almost. Anyway, highly recommend this collection.

[Davenport]

No one mentioned this favorite Collected Edition, so I'll toss it out there...

 

The "Great Superman Comic Book Collection" hardcover form '81. Really nice paper and full eye-pleasing color. Large white volume with that poofy-leatherette thing going on.

 

Couple of hundred pages, lots of Superman classic tales and 1st appearances:

*"The Origin of Superman"

*Adventure Comics #271 - "How Luthor Met Superboy"

*Action Comics #252 - "The Supergirl From Krypton"

*Superman #141 - "Superman's Return To Krypton"

*Lois Lane #14 - "Three Nights In The Fortress of Solitude"

*Jimmy Olson #16 - "The Boy of Steel"

*Superman #167 - "The Team of Luthor and Brainiac"

*Superman #296 - "Who Took The Super Out of Superman"

*Superman #298 - "Clark Kent, Get Out Of My Life"

*Superman #299 - "The Double Or Nothing Life Of Superman"

 

[dupont2005]

I wish I had that Eightball. And the Zap Comix one. There's so much at Fantagraphics I want. Pretty much their entire catalog, especially concerning slipcased hardcover sets.

[Transplant]

Limiting to just ones I own currently:

 

Absolute New Frontier - Darwyn Cooke

Parker: Martini Edition - Darwyn Cooke

Locas - Jaime Hernandez

Marvel Graphic Novel #5 - Claremont/Anderson

Absolute The Long Halloween - Loeb/Sale