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Cheex Incarnate

Best. Graphic Novel. Ever?

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Flat out or until I remember something else...

 

06045.jpg

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.

 

Although you could argue that isn't a true graphic novel since it was serialized first, but still.

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If you're talking about something that came out in a GN format and not TPBs... I'll say The Killing Joke or God Loves, Man Kills.

 

If you include TPBs... The Watchmen.

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Guest Boomer Sprinklespax

Dark Knight Returns is a great choice, as is ANYTHING by Frank Miller for that matter. Just about anything by Garth Ennis (with the first 2 or 3 Preachers and the Punisher miniseries from Marvel Knights standing out), Neil Gaimen (Sandman, baby), or Alex Ross also qualifies easily.

 

But the undisputed King of All has got to be Watchmen. I don't think anything has even come close to topping it.

 

EDIT: I also seem to remember a painted stand-alone graphic novel by Kurt Busiek that involved wizardry and elves and such that kicked all sorts of ass. Anyone have any clue what I'm talking about?

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Didn't we do this thread just a few weeks ago?

 

Anyway, stricltly GN speaking, God Loves Man Kills is my top choice. If we're talking TPBs, then Marvels, hands down.

 

Best. TPB. Ever.

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I liked Marvels more than Kingdom Come.

 

(ducks flying objects)

 

Calm down, I just like the sentimental look back at the past more than KC's sentimental look forward at the future.

 

As for best of all, I'd put down Sandman as being the very best, with Watchmen just behind. Heck, pretty much anything by Alan Moore or Neil Gaiman is bound to rule.

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I liked Marvels more than Kingdom Come.

 

(ducks flying objects)

 

Calm down, I just like the sentimental look back at the past more than KC's sentimental look forward at the future.

The intertwining of the "everyman" with the heroes made for a great visual. Kingdom Come stands out on it's own, but without that connection to the common man, I couldn't get into it quite as much as Marvels. Like 1603, it's a great story, you feel a little too "detached" from everything that's going on.

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I'd say Watchmen is the greatest graphic novel of all time, followed by The Dark Knight Returns.

 

Funny how I've heard people slagging DC Comics for years, yet the same company manages to release the two best graphic novels ever created, and in the same YEAR, too (1986, if memory serves correct).

 

I've heard nothing but good things about Maus too, so I'm curious to check it out soon.

 

Personally, I've been a mark for Crisis on Infinite Earths for a long, long time, but I don't know if you'd find it on too many "greatest graphic novel" lists...

 

-Ben

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Crisis on Infinite Earths is a great complex super hero read. I never think of Maus in these kinds of discussions, but I think that's because I have a hard time seperating super heroes from comic books.

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Guest SP-1

CRISIS served a function and was a great story but there are other TPB's and GN's have better character depth. Kingdom Come comes to mind, DKR, etc. Just my opinion.

 

Kingdom Come tops my list, to stick to the topic. But then that's probably because I identify with the preacher struggling with faith, and I love the very hidden Captain Marvel/Christ kind of parallel. I don't even know if Waid intended it, and I don't say it is so important that I'd be blasphemous, but it's a pretty interesting duality the character has in common with Jesus as Christians understand him.

 

Plus Alex Ross is amazing.

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Kingdom Come tops my list, to stick to the topic. But then that's probably because I identify with the preacher struggling with faith, and I love the very hidden Captain Marvel/Christ kind of parallel. I don't even know if Waid intended it, and I don't say it is so important that I'd be blasphemous, but it's a pretty interesting duality the character has in common with Jesus as Christians understand him.

I kinda noticed that too. It made sense.

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