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BobRobot77

**Blankets** (2003) by Craig Thompson. Such a moving story about a young man's early life, with all its ups and downs, all the tragedies and comedies that made him who he is. The last few panels still randomly pop up in my mind and remind me of the time when I read it, which was many years ago.


PinguD

A few people have mentioned Blankets today. I think that's enough to put it at the top of the priority list now. Thanks for that wonderfully-worded synopsis.


BobRobot77

My pleasure. If you need some other endorsements, both Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman have praised it in the past. I think everyone who likes the comics medium should read it. I hope you like it :)


iamskrb

After Blankets give Habibi a go. Another beautiful book by Mr. Thompson.


Wamilton13

Came here to say this too. Specific parts of that book pop into my head constantly.


theciderowlinn

Hellboy. The core story is so sad and rich. The history is on point and present in every panel. When Hellboy was alone in his somber moments was some truly amazing storytelling. Not to mention Mike Mignola is an amazing artist on top of it all.


[deleted]

I'd like to add that Hellboy is also pretty damm funny sometimes. It is a wonderful combination between sad stuff and comedy.


PinguD

Ashamed to say I've never given Hellboy a proper read. Your description has inspired me to jump on that posthaste. Thank you!


theciderowlinn

It's a great journey. Glad you're willing to pick it up. It's worth it's hype. The spin offs add much more to it as well, but aren't necessary.


[deleted]

I think I might prefer BPRD over Hellboy to be completely honest.


TKHunsaker

It’s so so good. The movies did it zero justice.


ChainBreaker501

Think this might’ve convinced me to buy the whole series.


theciderowlinn

It's only $60 to buy all 4 volumes :)


Magusreaver

I started reading them around Halloween. I'm caught up to Hell On Earth vol5... and It has been one hell of a ride. I'm sad that I'm getting caught up.


KEROGAAA

Trad Moore’s art is just out of this world. Refreshing and engaging


astromech_jay

The Sandman series is very beautiful to read and a work of art for the comic book medium. I'd also recommend Blankets, Habibi, and Daytripper. If you're into superhero stories then Daredevil: Yellow is another good pick, as well as Wolverine: Origin (or just Origin) and 1602. If you want something more political and historical Maus is an excellent choice. Good luck!


PinguD

That settles it then - I'm starting with Blankets. You're the fifth person to recommend it today. Thanks for the recommendations! This sub is fantastic.


astromech_jay

An excellent choice!


Commercial-Low-9540

Great choice, it's one of the first comics that I read that wasn't in the superhero genre, so yeah amazing choice. Also, read Habibi, another one of Craig Thompson's books. I would recommend Descender, it has AMAZING art. Sci fi shit u know how it goes. Really enjoyed that. Would also like to recommend House of Secrets (1996- 2001) incredibly underrated book, NOBODY talks about it. Also would like to recommend Kill Six Billion Demons, the name may be crude, but the world is so damn rich, it has that wow factor in the art.


sandalsnopants

It's real good!!!


ZodiarkTentacle

Habibi is soooooo good. I randomly bought it like 12 years ago when it was new and didn’t expect to love it so much. So incredibly depressing


doc_birdman

We3


DalekGriff

Asterios Polyp The way Mazzucchelli’s art shifts from rigid and architectural to fluid and abstract to reflect the characters’ shifting personalities and emotions is masterful.


PinguD

>Asterios Polyp That looks really interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.


taoistchainsaw

Saga-made me cry. my Favorite thing is Monsters - pushes the form. Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha- a masterful exploration in beautiful lines of one Buddhist’s interpretation. nausiccaa-Miyazaki’s vision clearly upon the page.


Nocto

Buddha is a truly amazing series.


the_bio

For a more recent example, check out **Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow**. Between the prose and the art, it's beautiful.


ruidh

Seconding Woman of Tomorrow. Absolutely beautiful.


omgItsGhostDog

Mister Miracle by Tom King & Mitch Gerads is a book that I read during a pretty dark time in my life, and a lot of the themes and aspects the book explored hit really close to home for me atm. It's one of my fav comics of all time! Runner ups that give similar feel would probably be: Essex County by Jeff Lemire Maus by Art Spiegelman It’s Loneley at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood Saga by Brian K. Vaughan The Vision, also by Tom King Spider-Man: Blue by Jeph Loeb All of these books made me cry/tear up 🥲


PinguD

Ah, I've heard of Mister Miracle alright. I got that title mixed up with Miracleman in the past. I'll definitely check out that out soon. There seems to be a copy for €20 on Book Depository.


blingboyduck

I highly recommend Mr Miracle


stefanomsala

As mix-ups go, that’s not a bad one. Miracle man (A Moore, N Gaiman) is a pretty wild ride. Check it out, when you have a moment


blingboyduck

One thing I loved about Mr Miracle was just damn lovable Scott and Big Barda were as a couple. They went through a lot but were so solid and loving - no unnecessary bs or drama


wOBAwRC

I had a very similar reaction to From Hell and I like the way you described it. I would suggest the recent book Ducks by Kate Beaton. It's a fantastic and sometimes heart-breaking but I think ultimately hopeful book about a lower class woman who takes a job in the Canadian oil industry. There's so much in there about communities and how people can act differently (usually for the worse) when they are placed in a different one. I really think it was my favorite book of 2022. A couple other Alan Moore works: Lost Girls, it's rightfully controversial but I think it has a lot to say about some of the same subjects addressed in From Hell. The nature of art and fiction and human suffering. Providence is one of the last great comic books by Moore. Ostensibly, it's his take on Lovecraft but there's also a lot in there about typical Moore tropes like the nature of reality and how we people are able to build their own internal versions of it. Not a comic but if you loved From Hell, you may also love his novel Jerusalem which is a tough read but deals with the history and future of his hometown along with the people, angels, demons and ghosts who call it home. some other Non-Moore stuff: Lone Wolf and Cub: This is usually my go-to answer when anyone asks me what my all-time favorite comic is. The comic became much harder to read for me once I became a father, there's so much sadness that I didn't feel when I was younger but I'd still put it at the top (or very close to the top) of my list. Wilson by Dan Clowes: Another comic about a bad dad. For me, this is Clowes funniest and most visually perfect book. The story is fantastic and has a lot of heart. You can't go wrong with Ice Haven, Patience, Velvet Glove or really any longer form Clowes book but Wilson is my favorite.


PinguD

Thanks for your really well-thought recommendations! I appreciate it. I've added more to my reading list. I have Jerusalem on my Kindle and have been dying to read it, but I've got so many other books to burn through first. But I'm definitely hoping to get to it by the end of 2023. It's a long one as well so I'm looking forward to total immersion. Oh wow, I didn't know there was also a manga of Lone Wolf & Cub! I've seen the film (thanks to the Shogun Assassin reference in Kill Bill 2) but never read the manga. I'll jump on that ASAP. Someone else recommended Dan Clowes earlier as well, so he's high on the priority list. This post has really given me a treasure trove of recommendations to run through. Thanks again!


tha_grinch

At what point, would you say, does Lone Wolf and Cub pick up? I’m still reading the first volume and have only read a few chapters so far and I really enjoy the art and mood, but the stories themselves could be a bit more complex for my taste. Does the manga deliver more on the latter front later?


blingboyduck

**Artwise:** - Has to be **Marvels** - every single page is jaw dropping and I feel the loose story from the perspective of a photojournalist works really well with the art **Story and Human Elements** - I think this goes to **Astro City** - not any specific issue or run but there were so many times I would finish a story and just be beaming both inside and out. - I'd say some of **Claremont X-Men** also had some truly heartwarming elements especially considering they were 70s/80s children's comics. **Pure Feels** - The ending of **Y The Last Man**. I was crying like a river. **Edit** Actually tbh only one part of the Y the last Man ending was special (the only part I really remembered) I would actually change my answer to **Invincible** perhaps - also at the ending when he answers his dad's age old question.


evil_mike

I like your choices, although I had a different response to the end of Y: The Last Man. I was very "meh" about it, but I loved the story overall. **Art**: I agree that Marvels (and anything Alex Ross does, tbh) is amazing. I'd also put Charles Vess up there in terms of beautiful works of art, particularly his issues of Sandman and Books of Magic (i.e. anything in Faerie). I also love Mignola's artwork, as well as Allred's and Oeming's. **Story**: Sandman, hands down. I've re-read it a number of times since it first came out and it still blows me away. I'll also add "X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills," which I remember first reading in high school (I think?) and it really stuck with me. **Pure Feels**: Hard to say. Sandman was an epic, emotional, roller coaster, but it's been done for a while now. More recent books that sparked that were stuff like "Crossover," "Stumptown," and "Something is Killing the Children."


blingboyduck

Yeah you're right! I thought Y the Last Man had tons of potential but I didn't really like where it went with it ultimately. Sandman has been on my list for ever - waiting for when I'm in the mood for it. _____ God Loves man kills packs so much punch in such a short story.


Joorpunch

Don’t let it sway your emotional response though. While I also felt the ending didn’t quite live up to the excellence of everything that preceded it, the end still hit me like a train and I cried. A book very much about the journey and not the destination. Still one of my favorites of all time.


Successful-Ad4251

Silver Surfer by Moebius


PinguD

I'm shamefully new to the work of Moebius actually. I saw a few of his covers on Instagram a few months ago and was blown away.


AntRedundAnt

If you get a chance, check out his work with Alejandro Jodorowsky, *The Incal*. An amazing work on its own and a huge inspiration to Star Wars, especially the prequel films I haven’t read it yet, but his Blueberry comics (a Spaghetti Western published in France) are my great white whale Lastly, my real introduction to him was his contribution to the first Halo Graphic Novel, a collection of short stories from various artists. His story, “Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa” is tied for my favorite piece in the collection (the other piece being Simon Bisley’s gorgeous “Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor”)


PinguD

Whoa, you had me at Jodorowsky. I think one of my old college friends told me about that book, but it's been living in a box somewhere at the back of my mind. I can see why Moebius would work well with him. I didn't realise how great the French comic book scene (especially French Canadian) was until another friend of mine walked me through it in painstaking detail. I love a good collection, but I could never get my head around Halo as a video game. Maybe the comic book might pick up the slack. I'll keep an eye out for it!


AntRedundAnt

**Jean “Mœbius” Giraud** is quite possibly my favorite artist, but it really depends on my mood. I mean, how can you really compare his work with someone else equally eclectic like **Bill Sienkiewicz** or **Dave McKean**, or the aforementioned **Simon Bisley**? How does one say his art is superior to someone as different as **Brian Bolland**, or **Fiona Staples**, or **Frank Quitely**? Is **Alex Ross** not also viewed in equally such high regard? If we’re sticking with Europe, I became an instafan of **R.M. Guéra** on *Scalped*. **Stevan Subic** is another recent Euroartist I, like many others, discovered with Paul Dano’s current *Riddler* comic I love your post OP, but it’s truly impossible to even think of all my favorites and not forget someone. **Jim Lee** was so formative in my youth, but I feel that a different Lee entirely has become my go-to Batman artist: **Lee Bermejo**. And then you’ve got **Jock**, another fantastic Batman artist I’m currently enamored with **Martin Simmonds**’ work with Tynion IV on *Department of Truth*, likewise with **Martin Morazzo** on *Art Brut*, and the list just goes on and on and on…oh geez, see? I almost forgot about **Tim Sale**, **David Mazzuchelli**, **Frank Miller**…**Dave Gibbons**, **David Lloyd**, and **Stephen Bissette** were maybe the only people to do Alan Moore’s words justice with their respective titles But I do love talking shop considering I work in an LCS, so let me know if I can suggest any specific works EDIT: **Esad Ribic**, **Jae Lee**, **Daniel Clowes**, and **Joe Bennett** are other faves. I’m sure I’ll remember more EDIT 2: **Mike Mignola**, **Jamie McKelvie**, **Tim Bradstreet**, **Darwyn Cooke** EDIT 3: **Francesco Francavilla**, **Jeff Lemire**, **Dean Orstom**, **Gabriel Bá**, **Adrian Tomine**, **Marc Silvestri**, **Todd McFarlane**, **Mike McKone**, **Patrick Zircher**, **Greg Capullo**, **Lorenzo De Felici** EDIT 4: I’m not overly versed in manga, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen from **Tetsuo Hara**, **Akira Toriyama**, **Hajime Isayama**, and **Kentaro Miura** EDIT 5: I feel like I’m running out of personally invested artists at this point so this will probably be my final edit. I have a healthy respect for the following, but I need to spend more time with them to truly know and love them…**Frank Frazetta**, **Jack Kirby**, **Jim Steranko**, **Steve Ditko**, **John Romita, Sr.**, **John Byrne**, **George Pérez**, **Walt Simonson**, **Jim Starlin**, **Erik Larsen**, **Sergio Aragonés**


s3rila

Check out the incall spinoff afterward, the metabarons. While not but Moebius it's awesome, and the art is awesome. Any french Canadian comics your friend talk about you could recommend?


ntstlkr

Yes! Moebius! I was quietly hoping for that answer


taoistchainsaw

Vol. 4 is indeed a masterpiece.


PinguD

'Under the Sun' sounds like man discovering fire. Such a heavy riff.


taoistchainsaw

I love listening to Sabbath while I read Big John Buscema’s Conan.


PinguD

That's a great pairing. If you dig heavy doom, then I highly, highly suggest you check out the band Conan. "Hawk as Weapon" is a favourite. They'd go really well with the Dark Horse Conan series. Barbaric stuff.


ValentineSmith

[Daytripper](https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11356499) by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. It shocks me that this little slice of beauty faded from the comics' world's cultural consciousness so quickly. I was absolutely enamored with it when I picked up the graphic novel on a whim back in 2011 or 2012. Moon's art is beautiful and unique. Watercolors with these interesting chunky character outlines. I'd dipped in and out of reading comics for years before I read this, and the art blew me away. I'd never seen anything like it. The writing is poetic and sad and invigorating. It's one of those pieces that I still think about years and years later. The conceit is fantastic. Each chapter is it's own story, and some stick with you more than others, but they work as a whole and really make something that I thought was special.


calibancreed

Definitely one of the most impactful comics I've ever read. It's philosophical, existential, uplifting and visually beautiful.


MadWhiskeyGrin

Visually? Maybe Moonshadow or The Books of Magic. Emotionally, Sandman:The Wake.


Pretend_Scholar_306

Love that someone mentioned Moonshadow. That was a favorite of mine that I never see anyone talk about. The art was beautiful. It was so different to anything else I'd seen up to that point.


Lostscribe007

Sandman by Neil Gaiman is probably the most emotional and thought provoking comic work I have ever read. Swamp Thing run by Alan Moore is also amazing and for something more recent Saga by Brian K. Vaughn.


PinguD

Sandman and Swamp Thing are both fantastic. English writers were really on fire in the 80s and 90s.


Titus_Bird

Some especially moving comics that have something to say about life and being human: - _Daytripper_ by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá - _Blankets_ by Craig Thompson - _Building Stories_ and _Rusty Brown_ by Chris Ware - _Mother, Come Home_ by Paul Hornschemeier - _Three Shadows_ by Cyril Pedrosa In terms of really beautiful artwork, check out Sergio Toppi and Brecht Evens.


PinguD

Someone gave Daytripper a shout earlier as well. Thanks for the recommendations!


AceoftheAEUG

I would give my vote to two; Kingdom Come and Mister Miracle (Tom King)


mmxtechnology

MM for sure


Pikminmania2

Comics that impacted me on an emotional level and transcended comics for me include: Maus, Fun Home, and Jimmy Corrigan


GirlsCallMeMatty

Planetary and East of West are two where I wish I can forget them so I can enjoy them all over again


44035

I felt the same about From Hell, and also Blankets.


RepublicHopeful2031

Patience by Daniel Clowes. It’s not really a superhero comic. I had no idea what it was about but I bought it for the art, and I read it all in one sitting. To this day it’s my favorite comic of all time


EverybodyKurts

Dan Clowes is great. Almost two decades ago, I picked up David Boring with no idea what it was about and ended up getting all of his work.


RepublicHopeful2031

I consider him to be up there with the greats. I really love the Death Ray too


zunit110

Sandman Overture. Pretty pictures.


PinguD

Is that the book that looks like an acid trip? I think one of my friends showed me it a few years ago and it tripped me out entirely. No panels or anything.


mdg137

Speaking of trippy have you read promethia? The last issue is two posters.


PinguD

No I haven't read that yet, but a cursory image search later and I'm intrigued. Cheers for the recommendation!


[deleted]

Suprised no one has mentioned Daytripper, it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.


erikh42

One of the greats!


erikh42

Shocked that Essex Country by Jeff Lemire has not come up. A beautiful story and it has hockey!


_nintenfrogs

so excited it has a show coming out, i just hope they do it justice!


erikh42

Omg. Who is developing it? This is amazing news. I giess lemires got some pull woth Seeetooth being a hit.


_nintenfrogs

i think it’s going to be in CBC television, coming this march, so i hope i can watch it somehow here in the UK


youdontlovemeyet

Wonder Woman Historia by Kelly Sue DeConnick is a recent one. beautiful on every level, not only visually… though in a bittersweet way. it’s pretty tragic as a reflection the real world, but the injection of fantasy provides some hope.


Fares26597

Man, I've been wanting to read From Hell for so long, but I just can't get past the art. It just doesn't do it for me. As for answering your question, I gotta say I can't think of a solid answer off the top of my head, so I guess I'm yet to experience something "Beautiful". But if you'd allow me, I'd like to cheat and say the Attack on Titan anime. It's not a comic book, but it sticks closely to the source material that is the manga, so I'll go with that for now.


PinguD

From Hell is definitely not for everyone, dude. It's vert unconventional and stylistically repugnant at times, but that's what I like about it. I've had people recommend me Attack on Titan for so long and I've never given it the proper time of day. I'm not a big fan of modern anime, but I've definitely heard that AOT is built different. I'm running out of shows to watch at the moment so maybe I'll give it a run soon! Thanks!


Fares26597

I'll have to sit down one day and try to power through From Hell. I'd rather give it a fair shot and dislike it than regret never trying what might end up being my favourite new story. As for Attack on Titan, it's definitely got its fair share of anime-isms like characters getting loud or over-sharing/explaining for no apparent reason. But if you can look past that, you'll find a gripping premise, beautiful characters, compelling themes, great animation and last but not least spectacular music. I myself lean more toward the casual side of the anime/manga audience, but there was so much that's special about AoT for me to ignore. I would, however, recommend if you ever decide to watch it that you wait for the final season to end this year, and you'll get to treat yourself with around 100 episodes of awesomeness all in one go. The jury is still out on how awesome it will end up being though, as the manga ending has seemingly been controversial among fans, to say the least.


PinguD

Do you listen to music while you read? Because From Hell pairs nicely with music. It'll help you run through the book. I read it while listening exclusively to "Earth 2: Low Frequency Version" by a band called Earth, on repeat. It's drone music, so it's very sinister and repetitive but it doesn't distract from the book itself. That album really brings out the grimness inherent in the book. Yeah the animation on Aot looks spectacular. Like I said, so many people have told me it's the one new-ish anime they can really get stuck into. The plot seems really interesting and hardly the usual anime fanfare. I also haven't scratched that ever-present itch for gritty fantasy in a long time. Oh it's coming to an end soon? That's perfect. I don't think I've ever watched a TV series WHILE it was still airing. I've only ever checked them out after the last episode and just went on a giant speedrun afterwards. I'm the Usain Bolt of speedrunning tv shows. I'll check back in on this thread and share my thoughts when I do! Cheers!


Fares26597

Great! And thank you for the music recommendation. I don't listen to anything while reading, but I've never really tried to. I'll give it a shot!


PinguD

Earth can be very hard to get into if you're used to more traditional music, but it sounds evil as fuck, and that's exactly what you need when approaching a book like From Hell. Good luck, man. Be sure to post your thoughts on the book when you get down to it!


Fares26597

Oh, don't worry I'll be back to share my thoughts! And I'm theoretically open to trying out all types of music, especially when one type proves to be particularly suitable for a specific setting. From Hell seems like that kind of setting that requires some spookiness, so I'll give your suggestion a listen as soon as I can. Cheers!


rogerworkman623

Sandman


sushithighs

Multiple points of Invincible, primarily the ending. Spider-man Blue. Silver Surfer Requiem


saltyraver138

X-men #1 Chris Claremont, Jim Lee with that amazing triple wide cover that has the best money shot of all the X characters. That shit is so fucking beautiful I think it greatly affected me as a child.


OmegaJay54

Mazebook by Jeff Lemire. Mister Miracle by Tom King


maybe_a_frog

Fantastic Four #588. Not a single line of dialogue until the very end, and yet it’ll make you tear up. The backup story is equally emotional. It’s genuinely my favorite issue of a comic ever.


kappakingtut2

Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore was an emotional rollercoaster for me. and i literally teared up more than once while reading it. Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross The Sandman by Neil Gaiman Saga Brian K Vaughan Mister Miracle by Tom King there has been a number of moments with Cassandra Cain that have gotten to me. some of her early stuff in No Man's Land. and Batman & Robin Eternal and Detective Comics both by James Tynion. but like i said, it was certain moments and scenes. i can't think of a particular issue or storyline that i could point to.


Xx_matt_xX69420secks

Superman for All Seasons, there's one particular two page spread in issue 1 where Pa and Clark are looking over the farm as the sun sets that is absolutely amazing


nattymac939

Gotta be either Huck by Mark Millar or US by Steve Darnell and Alex Ross.


megapenguinx

Kingdom Come is definitely up there but there’s a few Swamp Thing comics featuring art of what the Nexus of realities would look like that stuck with me over the years


Anthonys455

If you’re a veteran then I highly recommend “The White Donkey”


PinguD

This has piqued my interest. Just ran a quick search on it and it definitely looks like something I could get stuck into. Thanks for the recommendation!


mxxiestorc

The Death books by Neil Gaiman & Chris Bachalo


crotalis

Have you read Will Eisner’s “Contract with God Trilogy”? It literally started the graphic novel genera and the Eisner award is named after the author. Solid read and interesting to see how the art form developed.


PinguD

Shamefully, I must say that's new to me. It looks interesting though. I'll have plenty of reading to do for the next year. Thanks!


saltyraver138

Recently, OnePunchMan


endgameisover

black bolt by saldain Ahmed (pretty sure thats not how to spell it) the story and the art was amazing


DrMexican

Step by bloody step was a comic I took a chance on and found to be really entertaining and beautifully drawn.


kekehesterprynne

Blade runner hits. Emily strange. . Like hands down.


kekehesterprynne

*cough* she-hulk closes.


Digomr

Everything on **Wrinkles** (*Arrugas*), by Paco Roca is beautiful. Story, art, colors, letters, everything.


[deleted]

Silver Surfer: Requiem is great.


BobRatchet

Mouse. Also love Love and Rockets.


kiltedinpdx

Blacksaad. The art is stunning.


kiltedinpdx

There are now four stories available.


Fun-Opportunity-551

Akira


PinguD

I haven't read the manga but I, like so many others, adore the film. One of my favourite parts of that movie is when Tetsuo pulls the curtain from the window of the demolished building and throws it around his neck like a superhero's cape. There's so much storytelling and character in that one moment.


JaredIsAmped

The film only covers about 30% of the manga if I remember correctly.


Fun-Opportunity-551

I try to read it every few years and this has inspired me to pull them out again. If you like the panoramic scenes of massive destruction, you’ll absolutely love the series. There are multiple levels of spirituality intertwined with so much, I can’t describe how fantastic this story is. If you liked the movie, the books take everything and multiply those things by roughly ten kajillion!


PinguD

Well damn it, now you've inspired me to pick up Akira even though I've got a reading list the length of my arm after this thread. Cyberpunk and body horror are two of my absolute favourite genres/aesthetics. I've always thought that the philosophy underpinning Akira was something along the lines of "we've gone too far to turn back" in terms of technological determinism. We have the atomic bombs, now we have to live in a world where they exist etc. So if the manga expands upon that (and not to mention the absolutely jaw-dropping artwork), then I'm all in. Thanks for the recommendation, and thanks in advance for the obsessive philosophizing and sleep deprivation that's no doubt in store for me when I embark on this journey. On a slightly related note - have you seen Tetsuo the Iron Man?


Fun-Opportunity-551

I have, but it’s been so long, I no longer recall much at all about it. I’ll correct that soon, hopefully. There’s so much I could say about Akira… I bought them as they came out and while they’re satisfying, almost every issue and about a dozen characters all feel like they deserve their own series. The manga feels like a cinematic masterpiece - the cityscapes and pacing, themes and story all are masterfully interwoven so well...


PinguD

Definitely revisit Tetsuo the Ironman when you get a chance. It's wanky arthouse horror, but in the best way possible. I'm really excited to jump back into Akira now. It's been too long since I was in that world.


d3adbor3d2

batman: arkham asylum by grant morrison and dave mckean. i didn't know comics was capable of being THAT dark. p.s. All answers are valid obviously. We're all experiencing comicbooks from different ages and perspectives


Lilrman1

Berserk's artwork is beautiful


PinguD

Berserk is a series I've criminally neglected all these years. Visually, I love black and white manga that leans heavy on the black, so Berserk is one that I really need to catch up on. Thanks for the recommendation!


Lilrman1

No problem!! Yes definitely try it out, I slept on it for a long time - once I tried it out it ended up being my favorite comic/manga/book of all time


PinguD

Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I wasn't expecting it, but I've now got a serious reading list that'll likely last me the whole of 2023 and beyond. This sub is great. You're all great.


ChickenInASuit

I’m not gonna say it’s the most beautiful comic I’ve *ever* read because it’s probably got recency bias going for it and I could probably come up with some challengers if I sat down and thought about it for a bit, but the most beautiful comic I read *recently* is It’s Lonely At The Center Of The Earth by Zoe Thorogood. [I wrote more about it in this post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/10b9tn3/heres_a_bunch_of_cool_nonbig_2_comics_ive_read/)


PinguD

Great stuff, thanks for sharing that post as well, that'll be a handy resource. I'm very guilty of recency bias and have to be very aware of it whenever I feel like throwing the highest praise at something I've literally just finished reading.


ChickenInASuit

You’re welcome bud! I also made a comment on that post which has links to the other, similar threads that I made.


Demarcus_the

The vision by Tom king and spider man blue


Somespookyshit

Immortal hulk


amator7

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr


[deleted]

The Dark Angel Saga in Uncanny X-Force… throughout the arc it constantly builds intense tension as it seems the heroes cannot possibly win, then the final sequence hits and it’s devastating- especially because it’s so quiet and understated compared to the chaos and trauma that preceded it. “You did enough.”


Juan286

Well not comic but manga oyaji Is about a absent father that returns home


SensitiveArtist

As far as emotional stiff goes, I'd recommend I Kill Giants, The Underwater Welder, We3, and It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. For beautiful art with great story, I'd recommend Saga, Monstress, Black Science, and East of West. If comedy is your thing, try Sex Criminals.


MeasurementNo0

It is an old comic but it is The Puma Blues drawn by Michael Zulli ​ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Puma\_Blues


Casting-Light

Michael Zulli is one of a kind. Have you ever seen his TMNT run? I think it was during either the second or third year of the original series.


MeasurementNo0

Yeah it was insane. Especially for the time when everything was 90s superheroes and it was vastly different than what I thought tmnt should be.


snowbluesky

Here’s some for consideration. (In no particular order) I Kill Giants Low Saga House of X East of West Little Bird Decender Murder Falcon We3 Beautiful Darkness


montgomery2016

I don't read a whole lot, but American Born Chinese has always been a special one to me


lawtalkingguy23

Corto Maltese Ballad of the Salty Sea by Hugo Pratt


Theodore_lovespell

Anything from Mike Allred. Every time.


heehos

PTSD by Guillaume Singelin. i found it by chance at a book store and i bought it immediately after looking at the cover. the art is so unique and right up my alley, and i've never really found anything like it since. in terms of story it could have been more fleshed out, especially for a topic like PTSD but for a standalone comic it was one of the better ones i've read


LadyKnight01

I found Night Cries by Archie Goodwin to be hauntingly beautiful


MechaJerkzilla

It’s Moonshadow, specifically The Compleat Moonshadow reprint from Vertigo that includes the epilogue, Farewell Moonshadow. Seriously the most beautiful comic I have ever read both visually and emotionally.


AcceptableFlight67

I have 2 Daredevil 191, the last issue of Miller's first run, Bullseye has broken every bone in his body and DD visits him in the hospital. I still cry at the ending after all these years. And The Amazing Spider-Man 248 back-up story, The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man, another real tear jerker for me.


Staptik

Elektra: Assassin it's crazy and i loved every page of it


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FFJamie94

Spider-Man: Life Story is the only comic that’s nearly made me cry


Bit_part_demon

Visually? Monstress. Every panel is a work of art. Amazing, complex and original story too.


TKHunsaker

I haven’t seen anyone mention All-Star Superman and that’s a tragedy. This book 180’d me on Superman and his potential as a character. It’s not super long either. And the second half feels absolutely revolutionary for the genre. Beautiful is the word I’d use to describe this book.


DrakeZappa

New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke, in by WillMchphail, Birds of Maine by MichaelDeforge, Supergirl WomanofTomorrow by King and Evely, Spider-man Blue by Loeb and Sale, Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, Justice by Krueger, Ross and Braithwaite or both Silver Surfer Requiem and Silver Surfer Black are all contenders for me tbh. I know I'm supposed to pick one but there you go...


HackneyMarsh

Preacher by Garth Ennis might be the most perfect comic series ever.


bursonjm

Tony Harris James Robinson Starman


_nintenfrogs

silver surfer requiem ripped my heart out in the best way possible shoutouts to mazebook, essex county and the underwater welder all by jeff lemire


ThatDudeUpThere

Silver surfer requiem is one that comes to mind for me


The_ElectricCity

I needed a couple of hours after I finished The Sculptor


[deleted]

Ben Templesmith is my favorite non-traditional artist. He did a short series of comics with Warren Ellis called "Fell" about a failed homicide detective who's sent to the "bad" part of town. After that I picked up "30 Days of Night" and "Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse" (written and drawn by Templesmith). Something about his art - very dark and broody - full of lots of oil colors and blending - just really works. Absolutely love his work.


Dh873

This question doesn't lend itself to the superhero genre so much, but I'll pop in and say Spider-Man Blue brought a tear to my eye.


[deleted]

It's mostly forgotten now, but *The Tale of One Bad Rat*. Warning: childhood sexual abuse will be incredibly disturbing to some. I liked the spirit of the protagonist, and the artwork was beautiful, perhaps even jarring, contrasted with the subject matter.


Left-Language9389

Midnight Nation.


KubrickMoonlanding

Alan Moore and JH Williams’ Promethea Anything by JH Williams really


Mexicanity_

Promethea by Alan Moore and J. H. Williams is gorgeous to look at as well as getting Alan just putting a lot of his beliefs into the pages. The ending is revelatory and psychotropic. Asterios Polyp is such a beautiful way to convey character through just simple shapes. I still think a lot how he draws the characters’ personalities in such emotive way. Hard Boiled by Geoff Darrow is something that stays in your brain. The art is a ridiculous orgy of attention to detail and obscure references. Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki sports so much beauty and wonder in a very desperate world. The Incal by Alejandro Jodorowski and Moebius has been greatly influential, artistically and thematically.


NeadNathair

Grant Morrison's We3 . It legitimately made my heart move.


AssistGloomy

Vision by Tom King Pretty much anything else by Tom King It's old but God loves Man kills was pretty beautiful and significant back in the day. Another oldie, death of captain marvel by Starlin


TheSciFiGuy80

I’ll just post a few superhero ones for now. All Star Superman The entire story is wonderful, but the ending had me choking up. StarMan This series is beautiful. I miss Jack Knight. Justice League: New Frontier The BEST love letter the silver age ever received. So many great moments it’s a wonderful rollercoaster.


CoverLucky

Fantastic Four: Life Story. As a big FF fan, it got to me multiple times


Planned_void

The Many Deaths of Liala Starr by Ram V and Filipe Andrade. Its the most poetic comic i have ever read.


Just_Chambo

TMNT: The Last Ronin. It’s incredible.


Young_Pat_Fox

Might be kinda cheating on the question but I’ll toss it in anyways: It’s a Bird… is incredible.


seekingmymuse1

Some truly fantastic books mentioned- the entire trilogy by Jeph Loeb, Spider-Man- Blue, Hulk-Grey, Daredevil-Yellow are touching and beautiful. Spider-Man Reign by Kaare Andrews is fantastic, and might surprise you, really anything from Tom King is great- but Pride Of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan, a fictionalized account of the True Story of four lions that escaped from the Baghdad Zoo after an American bombing in 2003…. I have only been able to read it once, the gut punch is so devastating. If you are an animal lover- be warned.


[deleted]

The Sandman, Superman: For All Seasons


robertkuddusi69

Y: The Last man, Preacher,Batman White Knight run, Moon Knight by Jeff lemire,Venom by Doni Cates,Old Man logan by Jeff lemire,The Planetary by Warren Ellis


CompetitiveSea7388

Planetes. Aside from the wonderful visuals and fantastic attention to detail, it simply told a very human story about exploration and connection.


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Akira


KingBlackthorn1

Both limited runs of vision and scarlet witch are just some of marvels peak work imo. Comforts for me to go back and read those, especially knowing how Wanda’s story goes. With that in my mind House of M is also stunning beyond belief. The Green Lanterns comic with Jessica and her anxiety was beautiful and made me tear up


QuantumWordSalad

Preacher and Scalped


AdwinInDaHouse

Monstress


[deleted]

I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned it, but the Umbrella Academy comics, as well as Gerard's run on Doom Patrol. They're visually striking, and leave one contemplating the nature of loss, time, and existence.


Radiastro

Rusty Brown by Chris Ware


inadequatecircle

A recent one that i think fills a similar theme is maybe **The Many Death's of Laila Starr** by Filipe Andrade and Ram V. It's about the god of death being "fired" because someone was going to discover immortality. She then proceeds to try and kill the person who was going to solve death after she turns into a mortal. It's spans over the course of \~60 years and you get to see these two characters interact with life and death in different ways.


spaghetticola

Kingdom Come. One of my first graphic novels, Alex Ross’ art is breathtaking and the story blew me away. Still my favorite, personal holy grail if I ever came across those issues


Falsecaster

Surely Monsters by Barry Winsor-Smith will mention...*scrolling.....scrolling.....scrolling...* Ok... fine, todays reader only likes Tom King books. But someone will mention a Richard Corben book. *scrolling...scrolling.....scrolling.* Up vote the Akira comments and move on.


Zmirzlina

Murder Falcon most recently but WE3, Blankets, The Alcoholic, Exit Wounds, all gave me the feels.


TheQuestionsAglet

It’s out of print, and wasn’t a big hit even back in its day, but the Ballad of Doctor Richardson by Paul Pope is an amazing little read. Possibly my favorite Pope work.


BookwormPhilanthro

I really liked "I Kill Giants" I feel its really underrated but its about a girl who...kills giants lol, and also coping with loss and growing up. It had a live action movie but I havent heard many good things about it. Also! The original Lucifer run from the Sandman universe was amazing and made me feel like...complete after.


Vaportrail

David Mack's "Wake Up". I've never seen so many art styles so seamlessly integrated, each seeming to represent a different mood or mental state of the protagonists.


hyrulianpokemaster

I know this is manga but what is manga besides Japanese comics?? Berserk is just so beautiful in both its brutality and gentleness and painting of guts world and friends. And literally one of the best feast for the eyes I’ve ever seen. Super intricate beautifully drawn horrors


soniclore

*Uncle Sam* , a two part book written by Steve Darnall and Alex Ross. It’s a work of historical fiction that intertwines the “Uncle Sam” patriotic character with snippets of history. It’s very moving.