A COMIC YOU'D RECOMMEND TO ANYONE | Day 2 of 31 Days of Comics!
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- čas přidán 6. 05. 2023
- Day 2 promised to be a kinder, gentler, softer day than Day 1. In this video, I go a little bit into how that was not necessarily the case, and share with you possibly the most 'successful' comic in my experience of recommending.
Leave your pick below!
Day Zero video here: • YOUR FAVORITE COMIC | ...
Day One video here: • YOUR FAVORITE COMIC | ...
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The Five Best Comics for Young Readers: • The Five Best Comics f...
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I'll go with Asterix. It is for all ages, so it is accessible to anyone, but I feel like you probably enjoy it more as an adult, as you get more of the references, parodies or caricatures (be it a parody of a famous painting, or a reference to Wilhelm Tell), and overall it just has a big heart, and puts a smile on the readers face in my opinion.
Another great comic that appeals across ages, and for different reasons!
For all ages: Calvin and Hobbes, without that caveat: Astro City
Unqualified agreement all around!
Daytripper - although the theme of death is at the core of the graphic novel, Daytripper is an explanation in love to life. The story is unusual and fascinating. The colors are bright and warm, and each page invites the reader to enjoy what he has and cherish it, as at any moment he may suddenly lose it.
For all the trappings and the central 'gimmick', it ends up being an almost reassuring and comforting read!
As you were describing this category I was initially gonna go with Bone as well, but then I went back on my choice when you explained your reasoning for choosing Daytripper instead. I haven’t read Daytripper yet, but of the comics I have read that 1. I’d recommend to anyone, and 2. Captures some of the wonderful aspects you described about Daytripper, is Calvin and Hobbes. As a kid I loved the gags and the art, and now as an adult I love the deep, philosophical, moving subjects it tactfully discusses (along with the gags and the art!) It’s infinitely accessible to anyone, from the reader who deeply appreciates comics to the reader who just likes a good weekly Sunday comic strip
'Infinitely accessible' - I will steal that, thank you very much.
this turned out to be an easy choice for me.. "Daytripper", since I actually HAVE been going around recommending it quite recently to a bunch of folks, thanks to your gateway comics video, which got me interested to pick it (among some others) up in the first place .
huh! I actually chose the above before I went through your full video, and am amused to see your choice was the same! (more importantly I didnt cheat.. promise :-P)
Either great minds think alike or fools seldom differ, you can pick! 😁
In my secondary school library we were allowed to order in any book we wanted. I ordered in the complete black and white Bone because I had seen some of the books in public libraries, but they were always out of order so I wasn't able to read them. Anyways, when the book came in, I read it and loved it. That year I ended up ordering many comic books, and I might've played a part in my librarian deciding to start a comic book club for the following year. In subsequent years, every time we had our first comic book club session, we would have to introduce ourselves and state our favourite comic. Bone would always be the book that was brought up the most. I feel like I unintentionally did my part in hooking many other kids onto comics.
That's a really good way of getting kids engaged in reading. The school libraries I had certainly didn't lack for resources, but I don't remember ever being asked what I was interested in reading. You basically got what you were given! The books available were mostly pretty conservative and rather dry in content from memory (because you can't have school kids thinking rebellious thoughts, right?). We certainly didn't have access to comics! The only engagement with the school librarians tended to be over how to use the library equipment and search for reading/research material (or when they told you off for talking!). Libraries these days do seem more interested in facilitating self-directed learning, which as far as i'm concerned is the best way to get people invested in their education.
A good library can be the most wonderful place in the world. I've been exposed to both the dry, conservative kind and the wonderful, open approach ones, and even in the worst cases you have the chance of discovering something that changes your life.
@@ftloc The librarian got really obsessed with getting different comics too after opening up the comic book club. She ordered in famous series like The Sandman and Mouse Guard, while also bringing in a variety of stuff like Superhero comics, works from cartoonists such as Jason and Tom Gauld, and even heavier autobiographical and journalistic works like Palestine and March. She kept an eye on different comic awards for recommendations, resulting in her bringing in a variety of works. At the time I used to read around one comic book per school day, and yet I had no idea that she was helping me develop a strong comic book literacy. The local public library didn't come close to matching our school one, and now I'm sad that I've graduated.
@@slimyfisher1370 I think it was a mix of the school priding themselves on the library, as well as basically giving free reign to the librarian who was heavily enthusiastic about promoting reading. When the time came from me to move schools, she tried to bribe me to stay by saying she'd lend me her personal Fables comic collection, as well as let me borrow books over the summer. She was heavily involved with students and what they wanted, and I think that passion is what pushed a lot of students to get invested in comics as well as general books.
Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue. I recommend this comic because both the art and story are incredible. This manga tells us the story of a high school basket ball team. The main character Hanamichi Sakuragi is a trouble maker that joins the team only to impress a girl, but during the time line of this story he learns the game and improve his game skills until he finally falls in love with basketball. The rest of the characters are excellently developed and you start feeling excited by each game/tournament they play. My heart went 1000 miles per hour while reading the last chapters. Simply Amazing!!! 100/100 👏👏👏
Another I need to look into - thank you for the great little write-up!
After a day of deliberating I can say that I fully agree with Daytripper. Primarily for the reason that it does a great job at tackling universal and human issues, despite being such a personal and unique comic, but also for the fact that it doesn't swing heavily towards any one genre. The great art has also got to help!
Something of universal appeal doesn't have to be bland and generic. In fact, I would say that bland and generic may be palatable but seldom will rise to "great love". Daytripper is a great example of a work that feels universal because of its honesty and avoidance of easy cliche.
Lots of things to think about with this choice. Most of my favorites are too dark (Dan Clowes, for ex) or too involved (Chris Ware, for ex) to meet the requirements.
Both Maus and My Brother’s Husband I considered for different reasons, but I think I’d go with Peanuts. The strip format makes it very easy to pick up and put down, there’s tons of it to read, it’s an essential work in the medium beloved by many, and it works for all ages. You can grow with it even and appreciate its different layers.
That's exactly the thought process I went through,, you have to strip away all those loves that are a bit too involved, that ask too much up front as it were.
Peanuts delivers a lot of the same weight, but almost invisibly.
So you FINALLY broke The Only Rule. Two comics mentioned🧐But I do admire your strength for getting this far. Weirdly this makes me loosen my tie too and relax😊
With this challenge I think most about the hard to please readers. So I’d steer away from the universally known characters that even the non-readers see as ”generic” comics characters. This means no SupaHeros, no European classics like Tintin or Asterix, no Disney etc. Most have already read some of those in childhood and still grew up to be non-reader of comics. So we need enough unfamiliarity to allow them approach without too much baggage. But I’d still offer something that doesnt try to sell them too much in one go or require deep philosophical thinking. I’d sell the idea as entertaining, captivating and unpredictable adventure.
It’s Bone.
Hahaha your comment made me laugh out loud. Nice selection by the way!
I never break rules! Some may bend under the pressure I apply, but that's fair game, I feel! 😁
Great thinking process, and you've articulated something so well in "Most have already read some of those in childhood and still grew up to be non-reader of comics". This is the kind of next level "fussing" that really works for me. How to overcome barriers is a big part of our thinking here as recommenders, and we have to recognize that some of the very things that became lifelong favourites and gateways for us, those exact things can be barriers for others. That is where the separation of the recommender and recommendee becomes so important!
@@ftloc The Comics Oversight Committee is evaluating your response to help determine the severity of punishment. Complimenting my thought process will have mitigating effect on final verdict.
@@analogcomics I have given it my best shot, now it is out of my hands
Supergirl: woman of tomorrow by Tom King, Bilquiz Evely, Mat Lopes.
Great writing, incredible art and colors. A story that starts as a space Western adventure ( which it delivers) and then starts talking about much harder things like war, racism, family, tragedy, loss, PTSD, relience, getting back up and moving on. It uses a lot of existing mythos from silver age and even the Matrix era gets an awesome Easter egg, and does something great with it. The art is simply unbelievable - and each planet is distinct and new. Characters are drawn beautifully and emote so well. The colors are just magnificent too...
Tom king said this is a book for "someone who is a daughter, or has a daughter"
I feel this book would be a great read for anyone. It has got a bit of everything, and it delivers on all front!
Wow, you really sold me on this. The art does look wonderful and there have now been a number of Tom King books that I greatly enjoyed, so here's a superhero book that goes on the list! 👍🏾
After thinking long about this, I will go with Mafalda, by Quino. It works great for different age groups, and it's amazing how relevant it still is after all this years. It's comprised of individual strips, so you can read just a few of them or the whole collection. I read it when I was a kid and enjoyed it immensely, and again as an adult and was able to decode it more deeply. It might require the reader to have some cultural background on the setting, but then again, what work of art doesn't?
I've heard so much about Mafalda, yet never gotten to read any of it! I hope that changes soon!
- my favorite comic: Nausicaa of the valley of the wind by Hayao Miyazaki
- a comic to reccomend to anyone: Peanuts by Charles Schultz
It's not an easy one but I would advice Peanuts by Schultz. I think is very accessible to anyone and easily enjoyable. I remember one day on the train an old man with his nephew both reading and laughing while reading Peanuts.
I whole heartedly agree! And there's so much of it! ♥️
This video series is pure gold!
So very glad to see you enjoying it so far - I do believe things are only going to get more swing-y from now on!
I had a strong feeling you'd go with Daytripper and my mind immediately went there for my own answer. In the spirit of giving a different answer and also one that I genuinely believe is an excellent choice in the topic, I've gone with Wrinkles by Paco Roca.
I've chosen it as it's a story that we all can relate to in some way. A bittersweet story on the fears of getting older, or having a loved one go through it. I have met so many people who have some personal experience of Alzheimer's that it's a story that can speak to everyone. It's beautifully written and drawn and shows the emotional impact the medium can produce.
Wrinkles is almost like a cousin of Daytripper now that i think about it, maybe a nephew. Beautiful choice.
@@ftloc Perhaps grandparent? 😉
Wrinkles, by fellow Spaniard Paco “The Rock” Roca may certainly appeal to anyone. Tender, sweet and heart-breaking at the same time.
Hooray for Wrinkles!
This is a tough one. I'm gonna say the original Grandville story by Brian Talbot. It's exciting, idiosyncratic, original, funny, not too long, it's anthropomorphic animals, so that gives it broad appeal. For more seasoned readers it's a beautiful example of comic craft, and for newer readers it's something that could only really work as a comic so that makes it a great demo for the medium. I feel like not a lot of people have read this, not as if it's underground but it's not fully mainstream, so it'll be worth a recommendation for a lot of people. If somebody reads this and likes it, there's a load of other Grandville stories they can try out, and if they want to explore more Brian Talbot then there's a pretty sizeable and varied catalogue of work by one of the most talented living creators to move on to.
So wonderful to see love for Grandville, a superb, and seemingly underrated, series of books!
The Flintstones by Mark Russell. It doesn't matter if you used to watch the cartoon or ate the vitamins as a kid, Mark Russell takes the Flintstones and tells a tale about the first civilization. Of course, the first civilization is going to have its growing pains, and that's where this book shines. Anyone who picks it up will be left thinking about how our society tackles the same issues as Mark Russell depicts in the Flintstones.
What a fantastic pick. I can also attest to how much my wife lived the comic, and she said ' I KNEW there was something more grown up about the Flintstones!'
That made me think of something Russell does that's even more impressive than bringing in radically different ideas, he makes us believe they were already there in the source materials interest in work, marriage, family and neighbours. Wonderful stuff!
@@ftloc glad to hear that! I have also heard good things about the jetsons comic by Jimmy Palmiotti. Might read that one next now.
There are so many, for me personally, I would say Tintin which just works for any person irrespective of age
Follow up question, which Tintin would you start with? 😁
@@ftloc TinTin In America will always remain special as my parents gifted me almost 3 decades ago; it happened to be my first book...
Wow what a great video as always, man this is an interesting way of chosing a comic. I mean I have relatives who are raising their children the way we were raised and let them watch R rated movies, so I would have no problem recommending them adult books; but I know other parents wouldnt let their children read that stuff. All ages is the way to go if I must recommend to anyone, in that case I choose:
Mouse Guard
Thank you so much, and so glad you enjoyed the video!
Fantastic pick and it really works so well, even for those who may be drawn initially only to the art!
It has to be Carl Barks and his Duck comics! A good second would be Calvin and Hobbes.
Both are solid cases for universal loves!
I thought it would take me a lot longer to think about this but for me it’s All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. I don’t think you can describe Morrisons work as accessible most of the time. In All Star he just boils superman down to its core element and at its core, Superman is a character that has such wide appeal. Superhero comics have probably been most peoples gateway into comics as a medium. All Star for me is the cream of the crop. Last few words reserved for Quitely, his art I think can be quite ugly when you see it the first time. It gets into your eyes though, merges with your brain, rewires your senses and leaves you looking at art in a different way. I left comics for a while and it was Quitely’s art that brought me back.
I love All-Star Superman and I love the art. I guess I understand that Quietly's art can be polarizing, but it is such an integral part of the storytelling here and the source of so much of its grandeur and immersion that I can be quite flippant about people just not seeing the woods for the trees 😁
Daytripper - While maybe not perfect for a child the brilliance of Daytripper is how it changes perspective depending on where the reader is in their life. Glad I didn't use it for Day 1 (almost did).
Haha saving up a comic for a later day is classic 'strategy'! Well done! 😁
“No matter what” does make it tough. There are comics I would recommend to /most/ but not all people (e.g., I would recommend Bone to someone who isn’t interested in longer stories).
I think my choice would ultimately be Calvin and Hobbes. I have never met someone who disliked it, so I think it is likely to be a hit. Additionally, it’s such a great comic. The jokes are hilarious and thought provoking, the art is beautiful, and it’s really accessible.
There was one person in the chat during one of my livestreams who said they didn't like Calvin and Hobbes, but the rest of us decided that they were just trying to get a reaction out of us. It is so inconceivable that nobody took it seriously, alas!
I think length and familiarity would help all readers so for new and old, young and old, a character that’s familiar at a length that’s not intimidating (as I wrote that you said it about daytripper 😂). Also panel layout and structure which can be confusing for new readers has to be simplistic. So, Batman: Year One.
Absolutely; I consider Batman Year One a 'hall of fame' pick here!
I'll go with "Maus" just because I consider it a must read and, as such, needs to be read by anyone. If you already read a lot of comics you'll love it. If it is your first comic I think it will make you understand what this amazing medium can do.
The only caviat probably is that maybe kids under 10 years old could not appreciate it fully. So, for almost anyone 😅
There's no better way to get a must-read read by people than a recommendation, naturally!
For me I might have to go with Hilda for a comic to recommend for everyone. It's not the silliest thing ever and it's not the most action-packed thing ever, but it provides a relatable sense of living life while at the same time providing a rather appealing mystical side of the world that people live alongside, and Luke Pearson's art (and it's evolution throughout the series) is always such a treat to look at.
Terrific pick, and I wholeheartedly agree with every point!
I will check this one out of yours, I have never heard of it before. I cannot think of anything I would honestly recommend for anyone based on something I have read. I am mostly blanking now that the spotlight is on me haha
Yes, the blanking out is real! The good thing is you can some back and edit or add comments at any time!
And definitely give Daytripper a shot, I'd love to know what you thinking it!
I will go for Tintin. A comic for all ages and a long time favourite of mine (and plenty other people!).
And was for many many people an introduction to comics!
I was grateful to have met Fabio Moon at C2E2 in Chicago. He sketched in both my deluxe and absolute editions of Daytripper.
I alas being poor had only my second hand TPB; he sketched gently for he sketched on my dreams...😁
@@ftloc “sketched on my dreams” - love that!!
@@ta5777 I'm plagiarizing! 😁
Asterix. Amazing for children, as it gets them into the comics world, and the jokes are usually understandable to most children (some like "get a fix" and "I'll loquace" are a little regional and/or old-fashioned). Adults generally laugh more, as kids don't get all of the more lewd references (ahem Asterix and the Laurel Wreath). I actually wouldn't recommend Tintin as a lot of the comics have a dark undertone behind it, and there are some books that are a LITTLE problematic (Tintin in the Congo, Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in America, basically all of the early ones).
Childhood Tintin vs Asterix arguments always had kids complaining that Asterix wasn't funny and the jokes were hard to get. We kids who thought we were so smart probably didn't understand that then, but i feel i have more sympathy now for how hard pun based comedy is for people not adept with the language.
I still think Asterix is a great comic for everyone, but your comment suddenly made me think of that!
@@ftloc Originally, I actually thought that Asterix's textual puns were a little on the serious side, and I got my laughs from the visual gags, of which thankfully there were plenty. Only as I approached the age of ten did I begin to appreciate the boatload of verbal puns, like this gem:
"The battle is short, owing to the clever manoeuvres (sic) carried out by the legionaries, notably a skillful withdrawal towards previously prepared positions..."
That one had me rolling on the floor. It would be like if Charlie Chaplin wrote books instead of making movies. That's the best reference that I can come up with because it's so funny. So I can see where the kids complain about not getting Asterix, but I love it.
P.S. Yes I'm American and "manoeuvres" is an objectively dumb way to spell it. "Maneuvers" is so much better.
This is tough to narrow down to one book. I would have to say Deadly Class, aside from the obvious violence, this is so much heart in these pages. Remender is a phenomenal writer and Craig art is spectacular. The progression we get with these characters, from being teenagers to middle age is so well done. Hands down one of my favorite stories I have read and would definitely tell anyone to read.
Although I have never read it myself, I have heard so much praise! One question though: from what I can tell, it is quite violent; do you think that may curb a little bit of that 'recommend to anyone' appeal? Or does it not factor signifcantly, in your opinion?
@@ftloc no that's definitely a fair criticism, since it is hyper violent. But I think the mere shock value of the violence, would show the non comic book reader, comics can be so much more and not just for kids.
I think you would enjoy Wes Craig series Kaya, he is doing the art and writing. It's a complete 180 from his style in Deadly Class, but it's got great depth and heart. 👊🏾
I would say Yojimbot its a lot of fun and the art is beautiful the world is intriguing enough for both new and seasoned readers.
Absolutely!
Asterix the Gaul. I read those when I was a kid (for some reason, it’s really popular in Australian libraries) and they’ve stuck with me ever since
They were incredibly popular in India too!
Daytripper was great... I love the story, and the concept, and the artwork was quite unique (perhaps not unique to all but to me - then again, I am not an avid reader or anything) Reminds me, I loaned it to a friend a few months back and he is yet to return it to me.... :P :P
Haha, you better see if you are ever getting it back! And for the art, I usually like the art not by itself but what it does for the storytelling. So unique art is not necessarily something unlike anything else (although it can be) but rather one that uses its power to do unique things in storytelling.
The points you made about recommendations not always being suitable for the first time reader reminded me more of my usual criticism of anime recommendation lists (for new viewers) which often include Akira - a movie that I still find confusing to this day having watched it several times (yes it has very nice animation, so I'd recommend it to animation students, but not "anyone").
Anyway, back to comics: if I'm completely honest, my answer would still be the same as it was for Day 1: Judge Dredd's America. Although I perhaps didn't explain why.
It might not quite be suitable for all ages (graphic violence and brief nudity, but also complex themes), but it's barely over 60 pages, and I have re-read it so many times over the years--having first picked it up in my early teens--but it has never lost impact.
However, in the spirit of NOT trying to name the same comic for each Day, I've had a longer think about what I'd recommend instead.
I arrived at: The Sculptor.
Staying safe in case of new readers or people whose tastes I don't know, I figure it's best to steer clear of longer series, anything superhero related, or Japanese. It still might not be entirely kid-friendly (can't quite remember) but is a good story with several relatable elements for many young adults, and was probably the best thing I read when I picked it up in 2020.
Great reasoning, and I have to agree - no matter how we later develop as readers, cultural alienness and knowledge can make a big difference in appreciating a work when starting out. I always wonder if people need to be protected from it, thrown into the deep end, or gently eased into it! 😁
It would be redundant to pick Usagi Yojimbo again but I would be a perfect fit for this one. Maybe it’s a little too graphic for younger kids.
I think Don Rosa duck comics is my pick. They could work with practically everyone you give them to.
Yes, and YES! 😁
My first reaction when I saw the title was to pick Daytripper as well - I've recommended it to anyone and everyone who bothered to ask already, but then got baited by the 'should I make it kid-friendly, in case my nephew asks me?' question you speak about.
As a result - I wrote down Calvin and Hobbes. It's familiar for most, but easy to read, surprisingly deep enough to engage adults in parts, and has a great feel-good factor that makes sure newcomers might be convinced to stay a while in the world of comics.
Hear hear on Calvin and Hobbes!
Just curious, have you watched the other 31 Days of Comics videos on this channel?
I've been working my way through them - I started with Day 9 (I only started following this channel in the last couple of weeks), have been watching them in a random order since. Thanks a ton for doing this, though - I'm a big fan already! @@ftloc
I bought Daytripper on your recommendation, and it's also my pick for Day 2.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed your conversation around all the circumstances and consideration. I expected Bone or Daytripper and got both! For me, I'd second Daytripper OR go with Darwyn Cooke's Parker: The Score. It's a phenomenal comic in every technical level, but also totally accessible to a new reader. Unlike Daytripper, it doesn't play with that boderline-maudlin or headiness that might turn off non-reader types. It's so good! I think it could totally connect with young-ish readers and simple dad types alike. 😅
Thank you so much, so glad you enjoyed it! And what a great, great pick. The leaness and mercurial nature of that comic means it can pretty much be mainlined, with every little resistance indeed!
Damn, I totally overlooked the Parker stories by Darwyn Cooke! They really have a way of dragging the eyes of the reader across page after page. Good choice!
A perfect example of Scenario 1 for me - I know it is a great comic and I am not familiar with the source material. So 'adaptation' is only incidental or cosmetic in my evaluation and appreciation of it, if that makes sense.
Mars Attacks from Dynamite written by Kyle Starks and art by Chris Schweizer. This is a somewhat touching comic about a father and a son. It's also about finding your purpose. Although there is a fair amount of violence in it the art is cartoony enough to keep it out of the realm of disturbing. Mars Attacks is collected in tpb form and is easy to obtain and affordable. I'm not sure if pick a collected edition is a cheat in this category as the tpb collects all four issues of the mini-series.
I've never read the comics, but I do get a sense of the tone from the cards and of course the Tim Burton movie. What you mention seems a new facet I haven't heard mention before and it immediately makes me curious!
And no, as we discussed in the Day One episode, that's not cheat. "A comic" can mean anything from a single issue to a decades long run, and everything in between! Thank you!
Mine is Invincible! It's fun, dramatic and really good, specially the first 12 issues. I haven't read Bone yet... I did buy a few for my sister when she was a child, she loved them.
I love Daytripper. I remember buying it because both you and Omar from Near Mint Condition recommended it around the same time.
Daytripper is one of those recommendations that has never failed to 'work' in my experience, making it an easy pick here.
I haven't finished Invincible yet. But everything I've read has been entertaining and intelligent!
Daytripper is a great pick! I got stuck on the 'for anyone' part and decided that I had to pick an all ages book, and if I have to pick an all ages book then I can't look further than Hilda!
"Can't look further" because there's no need to! 😁 Superb choice!
I meditated on this one for a few days, but alas! I feel I'm too late; how can I match the clarity and eloquence of Eric Cota, ahchiu9 and sitbunnynow?! However, I'll give it a shot. I, too, choose Calvin & Hobbes. Not only does the narrative function on multiple levels, thus affording gags for young as well as older readers, but the sheer dynamic kinetics of the action sequences hold up to masters like George Herriman and Carl Barks. Furthermore, I think the setting is universal: Two exasperated parents trying to deal with a crazy kid bouncing off the walls with his imaginary friend. Who in the world couldn't relate to that? 😄
No such thing as late to the party; Calvin and Hobbes surges in this category in no small part to your celebration!
@@ftloc Thank you kindly, Sir. Especially for your all-round, outstanding work, and not only on the 31 days-thingie (which is, though, one of your most entertaining projects to date).
Thanks, CZcams, for deleting my comment... This one is tricky because making a "universal" recommendation is impossible. You can get really close, with things that have a very wide range like "Calvin and Hobbes" or "Bone", but a lot of people (yours truly included) has mentioned them. So... What makes a good recommendation for anyone? Giving it a quick thought I'd say the aforementioned appeal for wide demographic groups it's extremely important. And nowadays, looking at the cultural zeitgeist, superheroes are the most prevalent piece of pop culture.
The other thing that strikes me as key and I think I haven't seen mentioned is the economic part. Not a lot of people are going to buy a 40$ hardcover, a 17 volume manga or seek out an overpriced out of print book on word of mouth alone. So my pick for this second day is David López's "Blackhand Ironhead". Superhero comic, not saddled by decades of continuity, pretty short, digitally available, expertly crafted, with a story with various degrees of layers (not too deep). And, the big point, since it's a Panel Syndicate release, it's pay what you want. So potentially, free.
What is going on with YT and comment deletion? They aren't even going in to my spam folder for me to release. I'm glad you took the time to retype it!
And thank you for a pick that I am unfamiliar with, and with such terrific rationale! I do think that when recommending (unless you are lending folks your copy/ies) price and availability should also play a role, just like length often will. Once again, recommending something that is rare and hard to get one's hands on or expensive may 'show off' what I own and possess, but isn't really going to help the people I am talking to, another reason to maintain a slight separation of recommender and recommendee!
A comic I think I could comfortably recommend to anyone would be DC: The New Frontier. It's a sprawling graphic novel combining the evolution of DC's characters over the decades with real world history. It was clearly a passion project for Darwyn Cooke, and that's apparent both in the art and writing. I'd recommend it both to hardcore DC fans and those with zero comic book experience.
Excellent choice for excellent reasons.
It's a very obvious choice (even cliché), but I'll go with Maus. I think its historical significance and moving story should give it very broad appeal, even to people who have no interest in comics at all, and people who usually only want low-brow action-packed light entertainment. The only caveat is that I ignore the existence of children under the age of about 10... but I really can't think of a comic that would appeal to a 5-year-old but wouldn't alienate a huge chunk of adults. I'm not saying no such comic exists, but I don't think I've read one.
Sometimes things are obvious, even cloches, for very very good reasons, as evidenced here!
As for true universality needing to include five year olds...i don't think you're the only one who'd have problems finding a comic like that. Maybe Owly? Or Raymond Briggs'' The Snowman?
One way one could go around making this list would be to check all 31 categories beforehand to try and cram in as many favorites as possible.
I don't feel like doing that (it's kind of cheating imo), and so I'll have to think about each pick as the videos come out.
This one was also relatively easy for me; Carl Barks' Ducks Comics. I was somewhat torn between Barks and Rosa, but the former's larger output and influence on the latter (as well as my preference for Barks' art) were the deciding factors.
I have to say though, I totally expected Bone to be your pick.
I know what you mean, but I also think a game like this is just a long string of opportunities to mention favorites, maybe even an excuse to do so! 😁
The game part of it then becomes all about choosing which category gets which favourite in some sort of a personal arrangement, an arrangement one can keep second guessing and tweaking through life! 😁
And of course, great pick, one of the most worthy according to the comments!
Daytripper is already my favorite comic. But I’d be double dipping here.
And everyone could see why. But suppose you wanted to play by the challenge rule of no repeats. What would your second pick be?
@@ftloc Fair enough. That’d probably be ‘The Many Deaths of Laila Starr’ by Ram V and Filipe Andrade.
Roger Langridge's : Fred The Clown
My first thought was a very popular all ages one. But then I thought that "anyone" was already probably familiar with it so I went for one of favourite comics of all time.
Fred the Clown is funny and clever in so many ways and it keeps on giving. A child can understand how funny it is a teenager can see the sadness and an older person how clever it is. Someone familiar with comics history can see the references and someone interested in the mechanics can fall in love with the bold innovative techniques used.
And most of all this book deserves all the recommendations it can get and I would never get tired of preaching about it!
What a coincidence, i just picked that up used last week! I haven't gotten to it yet, but now I'm doubly stoked!
@@ftloc Very happy for this. I love this book to pieces! and Langridge is an amazing cartoonist. I am sure you will appreciate it
I'll go with Better Place. It's a short and in a way quite simple but extremely touching comic about loss to which most of people can or will be able to relate in some way. And yes, I thought of Daytripper at first too.
Thank you for this; I need to look this up as it doesn't immediately ring a bell.
It changes from time to time. For now I choose Days of Sand by Aimée de Jongh. Beautiful drawings, one and done, and very relevant.
I think that's a great pick; great punch, very appealing art, and with very broad appeal thanks to its poetic yet documentary presentation.
Recommending to “anyone” is super tough! Peanuts circa the 1960s if comic strip collections are allowed. If not, I’m recommending Top 10 from Alan Moore and crew.
Isn't it tough? To try and cover readers new and experienced, young and old and everything in between with one comic seems almost foolish.
But i suppose the challenge is to find as close to a 'universal' gem as possible. And Peanuts would definitely sit in the upper reaches of any such list. I love Top 10 almost unreservedly but i wonder it its density of comics references and allusions would find maximum impact with new comics readers. I don't have any worries about its literary or mythic allusions though 😁
@@ftloc I guess I was thinking that the layers of Top 10 would provide different readers with different pleasures...so I was hoping it would tickle the fancy of a broad range of readers...but perhaps I'm a bit myopic when it comes to comics by Moore...I almost picked Tom Strong...
Ihwar you completely, i feel i have a bit of an eyesight problem with Mr Moore myself! Choosing between Tom Strong and Top 10 is near impossible. But for this particular category, i may give the edge to Tom Strong for those who don't read comics or superhero comics over Top 10, but then again Tom Strong does Supreme level superhero metafiction across time, so what do I know?
Lot of good suggestions here. I would probably second Calvin and Hobbes. Your suggestion works really well too. I love Daytripper and got my Grandma to read it and she liked it
When a comic goes across age groups and geographies, it is definitely worth thinking about why!
Hickman's Avengers/New Avengers. An amazing starting point for new comic readers with the added benefit of being a well-known IP. It's also very close to the peak of mainstream superhero comics in terms of writing and scale for veteran comic readers. My wife and best friend are people who I put onto comics and honestly, the biggest thing that stood out was having art that was 'cool' and can be taken seriously by a non graphic novel reader. Good literary content is great only when it hits the reader, but its very helpful to have cool action and super heroes to help catch people's eyes. Sorry for the paragraph, love your vids and wish you all the best!
Welcome to the channel! There's no such thing as 'sorry for the long paragraph' here! 😁
You bring some excellent points about how 'the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down' should not be ignored, and I am always interested in things that can bring something interesting to the superhero genre!
Fortune & Glory by Brian Michael Bendis. It's fun, it's autobiographical and it ticks so many boxes on popculture. Anyone will find something fun in it and it's different from the what most people will expect from a comic. And if you like it you have multiple options to explore from the same artist like the crime noir like Jinx or more funny stuff like Total sell out or superhero stuff like Ultimate Spiderman. And if you don't what to get more into comics you just read 1 contained story about what it takes for a comic artist to make it into Hollywood (if he even makes it at all 😉)
Sounds like a great pick for this category!
I was going to go with Bone, or a total classic like Sandman, but thinking about it more, I think that Daytripper is the perfect choice for this category.
It's hard to go wrong with any of these, honestly. But yes, in my experience of recommending, few books have the success rate that Daytripper does.
Asterix. I read them when I was young from the library, my dad would read them too before they went back. I've read Asterix since, years later, theyre still fun. Asterix is timeless, has universal appeal, great if you're learning to read or a seasoned veteran and readaholic, consistantly good art, not too long and not too short, definately morish.
A lovely pick with a track record of universality that's almost unmatched!
My Day 2 pick is your first day pick - "Usagi Yojimbo" by Stan Sakai. Has broad age appeal, can be read from any volume, and bridges the gap between what comic lovers and manga lovers enjoy.
Day 1 pick - "Black Hole" by Charles Burns
Glad to know I'm not the only one doing 'the comics shuffle' with these days! 😁
Naturally, you know I'm in full agreement with you! 🙂
I would’ve said Bone, but I don’t want to repeat myself (at least not this soon), so I’m going to say Tintin. Specifically Tintin at its prime so something like The Secret Of The Unicorn or Explorers On The Moon.
Solid, and well played on avoiding repeats. I think of that more as an assist than a hindrance really. Allowing us to spread the love!
Mooncop by Tom Gauld. A lovely little book that’s only as deep and meaningful as you want/need it to be, I would imagine. A dog taking a walk in a bubble. Sitting with the woman you love and seeing the world with new eyes. A gentle read and short one, so you wouldn’t be imposing on anyone too much by recommending it.
I simply love that book. I would almost call it haunting, even though it seems like it has no pretensions of being so.
Since I had already added Tintin for Day 1. It's a tough choice between Asterix and Usagi Yojimbo. I might as well go for Usagi on this. All the three listed can be enjoyed by almost all age groups!
The game is afoot! Constant calibration of one's favourites to the categories is half the fun! I have no doubt that Asterix will also a find a home in one of the upcoming days! 😁
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes for all.
Could even end up being the #1 pick in this category!
God country
Solid artwork, some fun action sequences and a story that i think everyone can find something to relate to
Bone probably would have been my choice, but i used that in day 1. I'm going to suggest Calvin and Hobbes to anyone because it has universal appeal to anyone and everyone regardless of age or gender. If, however, the fact that it's a comic strip and not a comic book disqualifies it, i will recommend a surprisingly new book, Do A Powerbomb. Great action, dynamic art, and surprisingly so much heart. It really was a stellar title from start to finish. If i have to go with a comic BOOK, this is my choice. If Calvin and Hobbes is ok, that's my choice
Nothing could ever disqualify Calvin and Hobbes (also, see the dozen or more mentions in just two days of 31) and comics strips are still the medium of comics, and count for this game. As do webcomics, manga and other ones in languages other than English, army pamphlets, airline instructions EVERYTHING! 😁
Limbo - Lux in tenebris by Stephan Louwes. It has no words in it. It's only pictures, and tells an absolutely beautiful story.
Like The Arrival, mentioned elsewhere and always a contender, it's an inspired choice to go with a wordless book. How much more 'for anyone' does it get than removing the barrier of language? Lovely!
This was a tough one for me. Like you said, what does for everyone mean? I gave it some thought and I came to the conclusion it had to be for a wide age range, for people who are new to comics and for the comic die hards, for people who like beautifull art and for those who desire a good story. The most trouble I had was with the all ages boundaries. So I softened up on that point. And wandering from space dumplins to Castle Waitin, I finally ended up at one of your recommendations, and now one of my favourites, The Grot by Pat Grant. It has a good, profound story, attractive art. It's not too rough but also not too hyperrealistic. Not too shallow yet not too complex. Overall, it's just a great comic for everyone!
I LOVE that pick, as you well know I think very highly of The Grot! And I have to say that I too found the age barrier the hardest to navigate and that is why I did my convoluted re-think! 😁
Asterix. Easy. EVERYONE can find something to enjoy in those comics
I've seen my selection posted here, but that doesn't change the fact that Calvin & Hobbes is easily the comic I'd recommend to/for anyone. There is so just much enjoyment to be found in Calvin & Hobbes.
A winner here for very good reasons! 😁
I really want to read bone I just struggle to find it all collected and sold well together. But I guess I could read it digitally.
The one volume black and white edition should be relatively easy to find, of you're interested in that format!
Mister Invincible: Local Hero; by Pascal Jousselin. Excellent superhero comic book for children, parents and basically anyone.
Also a lot of fun for fans of the comics medium and it's tools!
I would recommend Castle Waiting to anyone. For me, it is the perfect all ages book. There is nothing that will offend or be inappropriate for children, but neither is it immature in its handling of sometimes difficult topics. The artwork is so clean and easy to read, without being boring or lifeless. I feel like everyone could benefit from reading it.
A recommendation I would heartily second! It's lovely!
Well for me I guess it has to be bone by Jeff Smith . Because its a beautifully written well paced and also quite enjoyable and fun to read.
I'm giving this one to The Arrival as well, as I already mentioned previously that it's one of the few comics I've recommended to non comics readers.
Call me boring and predictable, but my favorite comic and the one I recommend to people coincide, how very surprising.
Sure, you know I won't ever complain about The Arrival getting too much love. But there is that difference made I mention in the video - "A comic...' can be another one recommends to a broader base, not the one most often recommended. Unless you are saying that you only have one recommendation ever? 😁
@@ftloc I know, and I have pretty much never recommended another comic to a non comics reader before, so I stand by my statement :)
I'll also stick with The Arrival due to what I mentioned earlier, it's universal and very accessible, so also there a very good option right away.
In general I have rather few comics that I would be prepared to recommend to "anyone", I think a comic like that needs to have a very broad appeal, and it's quite difficult to find one that suits all demographics. Though I would agree that Bone is probably a better recommendation in this case since it's more appealing to children, but A: I have yet to read bone, and B: I don't give a crap about kids :D
After reading Tintin I'm looking for something lighthearted. Classic art like Tintin, an atmosphere like The Wind in the Willow/Peter Rabbit, but for adults. Do you have any tips? Is MOOMIN a good choice?
For this category I'll go with Maus. I'm tempted to add a second but will resist😬
Haha, great pick and you'll get plenty of opportunities to name the ones remaining in your pocket! 😁
Freddy Milton's Gnuff books that is now known as "Nuft" in Fantagraphics recent translations. A fun comic suitable for all agegroups
I will have to look that up; I'm not familiar!
Duck Comics by Carl Barks. Don Rosa’s would be 2nd.
Hmm I went straight to something all-ages with the prompt. Hard to argue with Calvin and Hobbes and Asterix. Love Daytripper but will save it for an inevitable future choice. My choice is I Kill Giants, which has had a lot of success for me. Kind of all-ages but you get more out of it as an adult.
Fantastic choice, and one that straddles that line between the all ages and the adult reading very well!
I'd say Beasts of Burden. It has the familiar feel like Disney cartoons mixed with the elements like Scooby Doo, yet unique enough to stand out on it's own. I will say it has fair share of scary visuals but under supervision I'd even recommend some issues to kids. The first story of Animal Rites, is dark but has this combination of happy-sad wholesome scary tone to it, my little cousins liked it. And for the general reader, who doesn't like a bunch of animals secretly conducting paranormal investigations with crazy good artwork? My mom and aunt both loved the series and I frequently recommend it.
Fantastic pick, even more fantastic a rationale!
Kane by Paul Grist is a great police/detective story. It is full of interesting characters and situations. It has touches of humour , pathos and outright strangeness.
Another one added to my list of comics to look up! Thanks!
Lucky Luke, daisy town (or however it is in english). Its just funny and a good time everytime you read it.
What i didn't know until much later was that Daisy Town is an adaptation of a Lucky Luke movie, one of those rare cases where the movie came before the comic!
@@ftloc oh fr? I always thought the comic was first. Though I originally saw the movie before I read the comic. But still nice to know that.
Daytripper is amazing. I already have deluxe edition in english. Next month it will be published in czech language so I'm planning to buy it again because I want to give it to read to my mother and to my wife. But I don't think it's comics for everyone. Kids will not have clue what it is about. I think also some adults will not understand. Bone is amazing also but I don't think that for example my mother will enjoy it because it fantasy... So it again really hard to select something. I like silent comics and I think I already have a nice collection of them. Maybe some silent comics can be offered to anyone. Also to someone who can't read yet. Also to many people who speaks many different languages. So I will select few silent comics - "A" and "Dědečkové (Grandfathers)" by Pavel Čech, “A Sea of Love “ by Wilfrid Lupano and Grégory Panaccione and "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan.
Silent comics are such a great pick to break through all language barriers. Yet I wonder if they don't almost need a closer and more incisive form of reading, especially if they contain any 'non realistic' elements. I know of some people who almost feel lost without words to guide or explain things. That is why true universality is probably impossible. Calvin and Hobbes probably comes closest due to the way children and imagination are thought of by most people, and it anchors itself in a 'kids say/do the darndest things' context, allowing it overcome barriers of fantasy/non reality.
The Arrival by Shaun Tan, for Day 2. I think I would be able to recommend this to anyone. It is so easy to read, so beautifully drawn, and one of those comics that revived my love for reading comics as an adult. As before, would love to hear others recommend me some more comics based on my choice for Day 2. :)
For a start you should try out other Shaun Tan books. Some may be more akin to picture books, but they're all breath taking.
it depends on what you like in 'The arrival'? The art? The autobiographical nature? The poetic aspect? The oneiric? The metaphorical?
If it is the art, you will find it in other books by Shaun Tan. Same or similar creatures. His work is very poetic, it has a taste of childhood, like Ray Bradbury. But if you need a clear story you should maybe look somewhere else.
What you can do is to dive in all the reviews of 'For the love of comics'. You will find all types of comics.
In France 'The arab of the future' by Riad Sattouf was a bestseller because it is very simple to read. It is autobiographical, funny and interesting. The art is very simple. Lot of non-comics readers were able to enjoy this comic book. It was my choice for day 2 :-).
And if you read the comments and choices for day 2 you will have plenty of ideas.
While I try to tailor my recommendations to a specific person, my most universal recommendation to those less familiar with the medium is Saga. It doesn’t require much experience in the medium, and payoffs in terms of plot and character are big.
And from everything i hear, it's gotten many many people into or back into comics, proving its suitability for this award! 😁
The creepy case files of Margo Maloo, by Drew Weing. Great, great art, really captures a place and time. Interesting characters and story. And for anyone, ( as in all ages and easy to enter)
Out comes the shopping list! Thanks! 😁
@@ftloc you will love how he captures rooms and street scenes, as well as the Dr. Watson style approach viewpoint . He has 3 volumes out as of last i checked. Hopefully i will get to enjoy and hear you articulate your thoughtful insights on it someday. It's a fun book.
So I'll not go for the one you also didn't go for but instead go for Jamie Smart's Bunny Vs. Monkey from The Phoenix a 'kids' UK comic that doesn't get the attention it deserves. For me it has to be an all ages comic to make it as broad ranging as possible. The the fact BvsM is normally delievered in wonderfully anarchic two page chunks means its easy to dip and and get something from straight away. The art is fresh, full of cheeky, silly humour and engaging and so energetic it just drags you along. As you read more and more you get pulled quietly... well this is Bunny vs. Monkey, its never quiet! You get pulled thunderously to long form storytelling about the name of reality... well actually not its giant robots and fart jokes really... but there are the longer overarching themes if you do decide to over-read things!
It also doesn't get the attention it deserves so, as it really should be hailed as a modern children's classic, delievered with perfect craft and has something for anyone who just wants to dip in. So recommendation based not only on folks finding something to love but this comic strip needing to be put under more folks noses.
Thank you so much for this recommendation; you're quite right, I've never heard of it, but you make it sound definitely worth looking up!
Since I rooted for Usagi on Day 1, it has to be Tintin on Day 2. N i have indeed recommended and gifted Tintin
Almost a no-brainer in so many cases. And if you give somebody an album or two and they enjoy them, there's nice bite sized pieces to keep adding!
Tintin and Bone (probably to those just starting to explore this space)
I Killed Adolf Hitler (or Sshhhh!) by Jason (to those who are looking for something interesting to read)
Sparks, An Urban Fairytale by L. Marvit (because I love this one!)
All top notch picks, but I have to specially appreciate the love for Sparks, an unsung gem. And if you had to pick one out of all of these?
@@ftloc Tintin (though I keep leaning towards Sparks)
The only problem with recommending Sparks is that it is out of print and very hard to find...
mark waid and chris samnee daredevil. lighthearted fun and enjoyable for anyone
I really enjoyed this run, even though I know people who wanted more dark and grim stories.
Not to be obvious, I would like to recommend Macanudos, by Liniers. A very endearing strip, with lovely characters and aptly right to almost everyone
Aha! A comic I do not know of, making it automatically a great thing to recommend to people, falling in that 'spotlight something hidden' category!
@@ftloc there is only one book in English published by Fantagraphics. But his bibliography is much more extensive. Just to give you an idea, it’s like a South American version of Mutts.
I'm torn between the phantom or Tintin!
Both can be picked up at any point in the timeline and they do a good job of easing the reader into their microworld
Both, again caters to every age group, has all the elements of suspense, thriller, comedic relief, and more
Tough to pick between those two near-universal heroes!
I have used The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man
a few times
Great short story pick!
I'm going with The way of the househusband.
It's a manga with great comedy that consistently makes me laugh, and its subject matter being an intense gangster type doing mundane household chores means the comedy is relatable for everyone. There are comics I feel are funnier, like Hinamatsuri, but its more out-there scifi concepts might not be for everyone's tastes. Househusband has this universal appeal comparable to Mr. Bean, putting an extreme character in mundane situations and getting comedy from it. The chapters are also short and to the point, making it good for new readers who might otherwise get exhausted with long chapters.
I've heard so much about this comic but never gotten my hands on it. Maybe I should look into how to fix that!
Bone! One of the best all ages comic for me.
No argument from me there! 😁
@@ftloc Honestly I said it before I saw what you'd recommend. And I guess that's the best way to do this. Leads to uninfluenced choices.
Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman (Adults)
Maithili and the Minotaur by C.G. Salamander and Rajiv Eipe (All Ages)
Snow, Glass, Apples may be my favourite of the Gaiman comics adaptations, and the most breathtaking work from Doran that I have seen.
1 - my favorite comic : Rules of summer by Shaun Tan
2 - a comic I'd recommend to anyone : The arab of the future by Riad Sattouf
I need to know more!
Also, what a great idea to keep a running tally comment!
@@ftloc very strange, my previous comment has suddenly disappeared. I don't know why. It's not the first time. If anybody knows why...
@@tinustinus571 I read it yesterday and even responded - the one about how the tally makes so much sense etc. Very strange indeed!
@@ftloc okay, thanks, so I suppose you can't see on your side if for any reason my comment has been flagged as spam.
@@tinustinus571 I do have a spam folder and held comments section that I always check, but it wasn't there (and isn't now). It was live and published and I responded to it, that's how I remember it! Very odd, but it has happened to me with my comments before, once or twice.
Bone is easy to recommend to most people. I recommend Savage Dragon with the caveat that it becomes mature along the way and it may not be for kids. Maus and Persephone are both comic/graphic novels that I recommend often and broadly. They need to be read.
And if you had to pick one from all of those?
@@ftloc I clearly had trouble with that too. Right now I'm suggesting Savage Dragon, but I did just read the first 256 issues in a row so I suspect it's winning a little recency bias.
Daytripper, all in
Split pot! 😁
I would have to go with Nimona. It is not about superheroes, it's not too long, it doesn't take itself too seriously, the art style is goofy and inviting and most importantly it is cheap and easy to find. I was thinking about This was our pact - but i had to wait for my copy about 1 year.
Both Nimona and Pact are great selections..come to think of it, many of the comics published by First Second could fit in here very well!