Hey, Sup Forums

Hey, Sup Forums

What are the essential reads for non-superhero books?

I'm looking into some Image published series, but I'm not sure what worth picking up.

Got any suggestions? It doesn't have to be Image, just non-superhero comics.

>What are the essential reads

what

you can read whatever you want though

Descender. It's my favorite Image title.

What do you mean by essential? Best of all time? That's incredibly subjective and can be judged on a variety of merits ranging from action art to atmosphere.
What kind of story do you want to read, let's start there.

Sorry for the subjetiveness, didn't cross my mind.

But yeah, it's kinda hard to describe. I just want to read good stories, well-written.
If it's possible, with pleasant art was well. For instance, I loved the art (especially the colors) in Paper Girls (haven't read it though).

As for the story, I'm in the middle of Bodies and I'm enjoying it. I guess I'm a sucker for mystery plots.

Books i enjoyed that are not superheroes

Maus
Persepolis
The Stand
Black Hole

I liked walking dead also

Thanks for the suggestion, user.

Seems interesting. Definitely gonna look into it.

Still very vague
Plot driven, character driven, thematically driven? Fast paced, slow paced?

I'll take plot driven, please.

I'd say Hellboy and BPRD is a good one for that
If you don't enjoy dark fantasy action try Frank Miller's Martha Washington series.

I don't know about essential, but off the top of my head: Hellboy, The Incal, The Goon, The Eternaut, Nameless, From Hell, Infinite Kung Fu, Corto Maltese, and Bacchus are all worth a read

>Autumnlands
>Cerebus the Aardvark
>Chew
>East of West
>Grendel
>Groo
>The Boys
>The Injection
>Usagi Yojimbo

None of these are essential. Mainly entertaining or well written. Just don't read things written by Brain K. Vaughn like pic related. Ever since the end of the first part of Saga, he's been on a shitty slump.

think of a writer you like, then read their non-cape work

ta da

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar
American Splendor: Our Cancer Year
Love and Rockets
Maus
Persepolis
V for Vendetta
From Hell
The Adventures of Luther Arkwright
Strangers in Paradise
A Contract with God trilogy

> Sex Criminals

It's fun and deals with some interesting topics. I find that it's some of Fraction's better work. Vol 3 is kinda out there and a tonal shift though

> Maus

I'd say it's an essential for comic collectors and readers.

> Walking Dead

Not much left to say about this franchise. It's good read it.

> Wytches

It's a great book by Snyder. Good story and art. If you're into horror it's great.

> Spencer and Locke

A great story that's a limited series wrapping up this year. It's gritty, well drawn, and enjoyably atmospheric

> Orc Stain, Aliens: Dead Orbit, Works by James Stokoe

Stokoe is an incredible modern writer and illustrator. It's worth a read just for his line work and coloring.

Fantastic Four by Lee

I know it's technically cape but it's fantastic and is one of the classics in comic book literature. I highly recommend getting the omnibuses.

just read Stray Bullets

I really liked scalped

It is essential that what you read are stories that exist.
Writing reviews and recommendations for books you imagined in a dream is harder than you might realize.

Scott Pilgrim, Locke & Key, Sandman, Hellblazer, Preacher, Chew, Transmetropolitan

I forgot Deadly Class (that's my favourite comic atm) ^

It hurts

This shit right here. Can't go wrong with Stray Bullets.

Love and rockets is a classic

Is Paper Girls any good, or are people just sucking it off because BKV?

the art is nice

>Implying they aren't superheroes/supervillains

I'd take a look at some Craig Thompson works, notably Blankets and Habibi.

His artwork in particular is stellar.

Check out "The Rabbi's Cat" as well.

Both the comic and film

Gunnerkrigg court.
Yes the art in the first 10 chapters is jarring.
Yes the first 10 chapters reference things in later chapters so it's fairly confusing.
Yes it gets better and better as time goes on.

The Invisibles
Neil Gaiman's Sandman
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck

Get Chew and Prophet. Those are the best books Image published in the last years.

Sup Forums cannot into essential lists

"Essential" doesn't mean best, it means the stuff every newcomer should read at least once so that they're on the same page as everyone else.

If we're talking webcomics, I'd probably include Homestuck, just for how different it is from every other webcomic out there, even the webcomics that were directly derivative of it, aka Prequel. All of it. The pain of Act 6 and the unquenchable thirst for bloodlust instilled by Act 7 is part of the experience.

Who wrote the one titled "Black Hole"?

Injection for sure. Really interesting premise.

Yes it's good. The art is lovely, Chiang and Wilson really compliment each other. The story is good but keeps building more mystery w/o slowing down or bringing things together much which leaves it a little meandering but still worth it.

Beasts of Burden for fast-paced animal wizard action.