YOUR FAVORITE COMIC | DAY 1 of 31 Days of Comics
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- We're off with the game and the first one's a doozy! Only your favourite comic, that's all we ask for. Here's my pick and leave yours below!
All episodes are collected in the 31 Days of Comics playlist here: • 31 Days of Comics
Other videos of mine to watch as you wait for new episodes of 31 Days:
Check out my Creator Spotlight playlist of videos:
• Creator Spotlights
Introductions and reviews of some of my my favourite comics gathered in this playlist:
• Introductions to Class...
Check out all fifteen of our "complete comics collection" videos:
• Our Comics Collection
In fact, just check out all the different playlists I've put together!
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For me it’s Bone. Was reading it when it first came out in black and white and a few years ago reread it in colour. Great artwork from Jeff Smith that charms you with its old school cartooning and then throws you when he creates a feeling of impending doom and drama and still finds time to indulge in the comedic shenanigans of the Bones.
Warms my heart! The book, and to see it named absolute favourite!
My favorite comic of all time is Maus. One of the first graphic novels that I read and it showed me what comics were capable of. Great story telling and I could really put the book down as I was reading. To me, this graphic novel is hard to beat.
I was wondering if anyone would mention Maus! It's almost a cliche now to say there's anything quite like it.
Daytripper by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. Beautiful art, emotional, makes you think about life type of storytelling. Each issue is more or less self contained.
One of my all time favourites and we are not alone, as these comments show!
Hellblazer. All of it, but specifically the Jamie Delano and recent Si Spurrier runs. Picking up the HB thick trades is a big part of what got me into collecting, and Spurrier's series helped kick start my weekly and monthly comics shopping in a way I wasn't doing before. Above that though, I love the stories and the character of John Constantine. Just a superb book
Hellblazer is one of those series i may term 'underrated', even though it enjoys both financial success and a sterling reputation. Something about the trappings may be obscuring the excellent storytelling for some readers. I'm not sure why, but i always think of it alongside Lucifer as a well regarded comic that still doesn't get its due.
@@ftloc I agree. It might be one of those decently well known but under-read series that gets love from those who read it but has relatively few committed readers
@@stephenjohnson9745 I've only read Hellblazer by Garth Ennis but I think it was pretty great. The stories were okay but John Constantine's character makes them so much better. He is definetly one of my favourite characters
My favorite is Nausicaa of Hayao Miyazaki. Not only for the amazing art style but also for the characters and how it delivers a delicate subject like the uneasy relation between humanity and the natural life.
A superb comic, one I could easily name myself and have no qualms about it.
A few others in the comments have already mentioned this, but for me the original Sandman series is my all-time favorite comic. I love Neil Gaiman’s writing and the blend of mythology, fantasy, history, and obscure DC Comics references all centered (for the most part) around the power of stories. If I wasn’t limited to one pick, I’d say the entire Sandman Universe is my favorite work of comics. It’s like a goldmine of talent all came together to capture lightning in a bottle in the original series, Endless Night, The Dream Hunters, and Overture. Dave McKean, Bryan Talbot, Mike Dringenberg, Michael Zulli, Charles Vess, Kelley Jones, P. Craig Russell, and J. H. Williams III are among my favorite comic artists, and I think some of their best work was done on Sandman
There's a reason it has the reputation it does, and even today I find it a read of electric display of the possibilities of and optimism about comics as a medium.
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore because there is nothing better and scary than a Dystopian novel which seems to gradually become reality with the passage of time.
Ah yes, the eeriest, most significant, and saddest way to move from fiction to fact...
I'll have to go with Watchmen for its unbridled ambition, uniqueness, re-readability, nuanced character studies, multi-layered narrative and super-dense semiotics, all of which makes it a sort of monstrous rebus or a pregnant, faceted diamond, brilliant and heavy with information. (Sorry, got a bit carried away there, but I'm just so in awe of this comic book.)
As a long time viewer of this channel, you know there's no such thing as 'getting carried away' in this dojo! We're all about the gushing praise! 😊
For me it's the first one that got me into this medium which is Calvin and Hobbes. Love how it never talked down to me and would present philosophical and deep questions in the wrapper of childhood whimsy without being completely cynical where most discussions of this manner tend to go. Still find it worth rereading
No such list will ever be complete without Calvin and Hobbes!
Notemaster you have a way with words. Very well said. As it happens I have always put Calvin & Hobbes into same basket with Moomin. What you just said I would say about Moomin too.
@@analogcomics i can see the similarities for sure, especially the humaneness.
Tank Girl by Hewlett and Martin, the ~30 issues that first appeared in deadline magazine. Part because as a teenager it made a great impression on me, and because a re-read some years ago really drew me into comics (books with a visual layer to the storytelling) next to text only books.
I have not read the comic, but I love your association with it! Thank you for sharing!
Captain Britain. A story told over years, serialised a few pages at a time through various comics, weeklies and later monthlies, from origin blended with mythology, to superheroics, to the fantasy otherworld and Arthurian lore, the birth of Marvel's multiverse and to alternate realities, magic, death, life, the horrors of the symbiote killing machine The Fury, and eventually home and .. for a time, a happy end.
This was a hard month of deep thought, inner arguments, and finally just surrendering. There are stories and art that mean so much to me, shocked and upset me as a younger comic addict, I nolonger own the original issues but have them all collected in books.
The Astrosmurf by Peyo. It must be over 40 years since I read it, but that’s the one. I remember it as a beautiful and funny story of dreams, wonder, adventure and friendship. Picking it up again now, it’s all flooding back, being absorbed in the story over and over again. Thank you for the memory.
I really love the Smurfs, although I read many of them for the first time as an adult. But one book - The Smurf's Apprentice - was a childhood favourite and when I looked at it the other day I felt a flood similar, I think, to the one you are describing. Every little curve of a test tube or bowl or spoon was still firmly etched in my brain.
Building Stories. The form, the craft, the depth. Made me rethink all my assumptions about the way "story" is supposed to work, yet the formalism and play doesn't sacrifice the feeling. To me not just fave comic, but a fave work of art across all media.
But in a tie is The Photographer (Le Photographe) by Didier Lefevre, Emmanuel Guibert and Frederic Lermercier. Hands down the comic Ive reread the most. So innovative, honest and impactful. Rare comic where u will laugh and cry.
@@franciscobello1519 no ties allowed 😁
Blankets by Craig Thompson. It's so honest. Beautifully drawn and incredibly engrossing. It absorbed me completely in its world.
There's a reason it has appeared so often in these comments now!
If you are into superhero stuff, Watchmen, that's probably my favorite. Blankets on the other hand while I loved the artworks, the story did not resonate with me - maybe mostly because it spoke about moving on from old strict religious viewpoints if I remember correctly and I wasn't raised similar and also not a Christian.
Swamp thing by Alan Moore, Steven Bissette, John Totlenen and Veitch.
Beautiful in every single way! The ONLY comic i have tripple dipped - color hc, black and white custom HC and original issues.
The writing is just perfection. I can get lost in these words and feel like i have been transported to those swamps.
And the art is just INCREDIBLE.
It's super impressive how it manages to stand on its own and yet be connected to the larger world seemlessly!
It looks equally awesome in the black and white of Titan books and the original coloring HCs - both have their own charm!
a true masterpiece, and very often the series I cite as my favourite 'big two' comic of all time.
Mine too 👊
Agreed.
I recently discovered old issues of Usagi Yojimbo at a flea market, and immediately loved the series. I read the first Usagi Yojimbo Saga collection a few days ago (I found it at Comic-Con Cape Town), and it is now among my absolute favourites
So terrific to hear! And you're just getting started - so wonderful to have so much ahead of you to visit and revisit!
It's a great inspiration to me as a cartoonist as well; Stan Sakai really is a master. Also, it's great that your channel includes comics from all over the world. I'm South African and love seeing an international community appreciating the medium.
Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing has to be my favourite. The first issue I read was #44 and the way he told the story of a serial killer was such a new and chilling way of telling a familiar story.
He continued to do this throughout his run. As a reader, you never knew what was going to happen next.
Alan Moore transformed a shambling, muck-encrusted monster into a hugely powerful avatar for the World's plants.
Add to all of the the amazing artwork of Tottleben, Bissette and Vietch plus the colours of Tatjana Wood and you have a magical work of storytelling.
In an earlier Q and A video, I got the question split into two - favourite "still-running'' series' and favourite ''done'' series.
Usagi is still running so that was my pick there, but Swamp Thing by Moore was my pick for the other category.
My long winded way of saying "You have great taste"😊
Talk about going big from the start!
It's the impossible question. A constantly shifting answer. Something like this would probably change from one day to the next. When you mentioned it could be a particular run from a comic my answer popped into my head. I'm going with the Lee/Ditko/Romita Sr run in Spider-man. Not for the historical significance, it's accessibility or anything or that nature. Which is all true. It's a personal thing. I don't read Marvel or DC anymore for a variety of reasons. Yet, I will always read this run. When I sold off my Marvel and DC comics and trades, I could never sell off the collections I have of this run. It's comfort reading in the way a favourite movie is. I could pick a single story from the entirety of the run, sit down and delve into it and it cheers me up when I've finished. It's corny and probably a little dated now, but that's all part of its charm. Considering I have a very negative view on story telling from these two companies now, this is a run that has stood the test of time and my changing philosophy on comics and story telling in general. Tomorrow I may have a different answer, but today this is mine.
I absolutely think that the answer to this question changes with time, not because we have different answers, but because it is an impossible question to honestly answer. It is just an excuse to turn an eye on to a love, the way you have so wonderfully done.
@@ftloc Oh absolutely. A future answer might be a comic that doesn't exist yet.
It's an excellent idea for a series and will generate a lot of discussion. I'm looking forward to further episodes.
My favorite comic is: Memin Pinguin. This is a dramedy comic from Mexico (drama with a lot of funny moments) that shows the life of an afro-mexican kid with his best friends in Mexico City. The drawing of the main character (Memin) is controversial. But the story is heart-warming, since it gives the message of not judging others by their skin color, their money, status etc. Also emphasizes the values of family and friendship. This comic was created in 1943 and my father used to read it when he was a kid. The story is so classic that when I was a kid my father purchased the new editions for me and my brothers and all of us laughed out loud when reading this comic and made us feel sad or angry when an injustice occurred to the characters. It's as if these characters were my friends in real life, since I felt a lot of affection for them.
Tha k you for this fantastic spotlight! I'll need to see if i can find English editions!
Never has an art style more perfectly accentuated, balanced a story, its subject matter, and tone than Eddie Campbell’s beautiful illustrations for From Hell. For my money. Moore is in my top ten comic authors and Campbell is very favorite cartoonist.
From Hell, aside from having a wonderfully compelling theory as to whom the Ripper could have been, it is also layered multiple times over with themes- albeit extremely dark and depressing- of misogyny, classism, impoverishment, and bigotry amongst several others. It has a tremendous sense of place and time.
Importantly, Moore treats the victims with due respect giving them plenty of pages of development, making the, feel like the real people that they were. Not fodder for entertainment.
I can’t get enough of this novel. I think it is perfect.
Great pick, and one of my very top books of all time!
My all time favourite is Fables. I love everything about this comic series - the characters, the story, the art and how some minor event could has a great impact 20 issues later.
I hold a deep, abiding fondness for Fables that I don't think will ever fade. And the use of threads and breadcrumbs that magnify later still remains some of the best I've read!
Εither tin tin or blake and mortimer. Both inspired me to start making my own comic that will hopefully be out in a few years.
Edit: since I can only pick one. Tin tin and the Red Sea Sharks
Love the choices, and I particularly love the discipline of sticking to the one rule!
For this i will choose a single book. Carl Bark's "The Golden Helmet". I think the raw feeling of discovery and adventure, plus nostalgia of this book. Humour, Donald's inner and outer journey..so much, great art etc.
Great pick, great spotlight!
@@ftloc definitely a great question, having to narrow down one comic. Usagi, Bone, Cul de Sac, all contenders,
Love and Rockets. Easy. The characters feel like my family members. The stories feel like my own. Knowing that Los Bros began their careers producing work of this caliber is just as awe-inspiring as it is knowing that they still produce work of this quality.
Great, great pick and only the second 'anthology'/ magazine selected thus far!
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
by Chris Ware
...
I was too much confused which one to pick. Jimmy Corrigan or Rusty Brown. At last I selected Jimmy. It's breathtaking and full of life. When I finished the Graphic Novel I didn't like outside world(Real world) as I was lost in Chris Ware's world.
When my wife was trying to guess what my pick for this day would be, she insisted it would be either Jimmy Corrigan or Rusty Brown. I told her if we were on one of those gameshows we would have failed miserably, but I would have understood...
Want to think of something else but favorite has got to be Watchmen. Before reading it I was just into superhero, but Watchmen opened up the horizon for me to what Graphic Novels could be. Tipped the concept of hero and villain, stretched out the limits of it. The art is imprinted in my memory now. I go back to it often and find new layers everytime. It reeled me in as a superhero story but as a reader it opened up the world of comics and wonderful stories being told outside of the big two.
I believe at this point Watchmen may be the most picked title for this category in these comments, and that really says it all, doesn't it?
I almost chose this. High quality work. I have read it so many times.
The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, and Clayton Cowles.
I have incredible memories of reading this monthly when it came out, I would immediately pour over every issue on release day, sometimes with my heart racing because of how many times I was deeply touched by the story, or astonished by the artwork, or had the rug completely pulled out from under me by the plot. I went to events and signings attended by the creators many times during the run, they were always so nice to speak to, the other fans were always so cool, and I've come away with very sentimental signed comics and merchandise. I was so involved in online discussion after every issue, fawning over how good it was, sharing how it made me feel, reading everybody else's takes, getting new things out of it with those perspectives. That experience means it will always be my favourite comic, that's the sort of energy I could bring to something in my late teens - mid twenties when it was coming out. I feel like you only get that once and it's special.
Besides my personal attachment to it, it's completely amazing. It features such a big roster of fully realised and distinct, diverse, complex characters, and they all get their own arc, and the visual design for each of them is so unique and amazing. For the first 12 issues of the comic, Jamie McKelvie's covers were different characters in the same shoulders-up neutral expression straight-on headshot pose. Who else would ever have the confidence to do that and know that the covers will be beautiful and iconic? The plot is so rich and invites so much speculation, it blindsides you at every turn, but even when you're trying to guess ahead of it, you'll never outsmart it, it will always surprise you. The twists all feel satisfying and keep the story fresh. It all leads up to a hugely satisfying conclusion. It's deep and reach and complex, but also immediate and colourful and emotional and funny, it hits on every level. The characters are so heartbreakingly real even though they're gods. And it's so embedded in art and history that all the references in it will send you off on infinite research rabbit holes. Every time you go back to the comic there's something new there, some foreshadowing or dramatic irony in the art or writing that you never noticed, some reference you didn't get at the time, a little subtle emotional or comedic beat that just slipped past you before. For me there's nothing else like it, it's completely perfect, a masterpiece.
I thought it was a great series and one that I can completely see myself returning to over the years and finding more in it than I remember, or may even have noticed!
Mine would have to be Usagi Yojimbo as well. It’s definitely the comic I’ve read the most. I think I’ve read volumes 1-21 at least four times.
A close second would be dragon ball 1-16. I’m not even sure how many times I’ve read those
Usagi remains eminently re-readable, another reason it sits so high, indeed!
Gor a while my favorite comic was Dam Keeper but now thst I've gotten older i think it's Daytripper. I adore this comic and recommend it to pretty much everyone i talk to. This sounds cheesy but it really did change my perspective on what life is and i seem to get a new understanding every time I reread it.
I know I'm only allowed one favorite but if i could i would also choose Calvin and Hobbes.
I hear you loud and clear! And many Daytripper mentions at the top of people's lists on this very comment section!
I've only been into reading comics for a year but I gotta say Sandman is my fav so far. The mysterious world and characters that Gaiman created is simply brilliant.
It's a great series!
Daytripper!!! for day one
Another book that I am expecting to show up more than once, with very good reasons!
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa. No doubt anymore. And I say that because two summers ago here in Pescara (Italy) there was a fire near my house, and I had to think (between other things) which comic I wanted to take with me if we needed to leave the house.
Well, for me it was easy. It's a comic that I read back when I was a child and it stuck with me since then.
Luckily the fire didn't spread to much to cause any damage to my house, so I still have all my collection.
Don Rosa wrote, in my opinion, a masterpiece. A story about a life of struggles and victories, a life of highs and lows, but mostly a story about stories that, if you think about it, it's what life is: events that when we tell each other becomes stories. I really love it.
My written English isn't very good😅 sorry about that.
About usagi yojimbo, now I now what my next purchase will be.
How lovely to hear, so glad to have you along for the ride!
And wow, you got to actually test that old game of 'what would i save in a forest?' A variation on that became a game I played ona livestream here!
And your written English is great, and Don Rosa is amazing!
Kingdom Come for its legacy and redemption arc, but a Superman story at its heart
At its heart, yes, one which it wears on its sleeve! I will always think of Kingdom Come as a Superman story, no disrespect to Oliver Queen! 😁
The Obscure Cities by Peeters and Schuiten. Beautiful, mysterious and immersive.
I've read only one book in the series and it was haunting. The earlier publications seem hard to get my hands on, but I will prevail!
@@TheCLK0 Those are the three I am hoping I can get now, and keep my fingers crossed for reprints of all the others, especially The Leaning Girl.
This looks right up my alley
@@ChaosandComics Good luck and if you find any second hand copies of the earliest IDW ones, please let me know!
I have The Leaning Girl in my to be read pile but am looking forward to it!
Usagi is such a perfect choice for a favorite comic. I'm hard pressed to find a better structured example of serialized storytelling
From personal experience I can say it's hard to unseat once it takes the throne! 😁
For me, the Sandman series comes first in my mind..my first foray into this medium of storytelling, acknowledging the fact
that comic books/graphic novels are just as comparable to any other form of literature; moreover some stories can only be effecively
and uniquely told through this medium. Sandman is nowhere near-perfect to me,I prefer some story-arcs far more than others, but its the one that got
me reading,collecting and thinking about comic-books, which eventually lead me to your channel.. resulting in an exponential increase to my comic-book buying budget!😋
Yes, one's favourite comic does not need to be perfect or measured by any other standards other than 'being my favourite' 😁
For me it's Hellboy with its solid consistency, increasing level of dark fantasy and epic as well as drama and melancholy; charm of short stories with stunning level of compression and pacing, scale of second half of the saga with its vibrant grandiosity and drama. All of it with steadfast guy (just happens to be half-demon) with dry humor, sometimes rough temper and kind heart who just doing his job and exclaiming "Screw you!" to all kinds of beings and entities trying to tell him what his destiny is. Well, you know, it's Hellboy.
Hell yes, with the pun completely intended. It's achievements are formidable indeed!
Hellboy is love.
Had to read down to find someone who had Hellboy. All well said.
@@neilmcadam8677 I believe there are at least three Hellboy picks, but I'll have to do a proper audit to be sure! 😁
There's three that I can think of after a little think, but as I can't have honourable mentions, I will say Scott Pilgrim. Not only have I read it many times and always have a great time, but it's one of the comics that opened my eyes to what the medium could do beyond the big two.
Way to stick to the discipline of the game and leave those honorable mentions aside. I am sure they will find purchase on one of the other days! 😁
Easy for me, it is Jeff Smith's Bone. I started reading it as a child, and it has always been my favourite.
Not the first, not the last time Bone will appear in these comments. Justifiably.
Akira, no other comic has impacted me like it until today.
I love it!
@Alejandro Toro This is the way (of the 31 Days)! 😁
Have a lot to catch up on, but right now I’d still put Blankets by Craig Thompson as my #1. It affected me so deeply, more so than anything else I’ve read thus far (although Chris Ware has certainly gotten close, and I’d probably rate his work as higher quality overall).
Blankets can have this one, you have thirty other days in which to fit in Ware!
Mad Man - Michael Allred. This might not be my favorite (Love and Rockets is) but it a creator and book i haven't seen in the comments yet. I dig the pop art style and Laura Allred's colors are a perfect marriage. Frank Einstein is a great character. I think its an important body of work and deserves to be on the list of great comics.
So glad to see that odd, weird and completely unique comic get this love! Sometimes I feel a favourite comic speaks to us in ways that are quite hard to express...
Easy choice for me. It's fear agent by rick remender. The comic that got me in love woth the medium. We never forger our first love...❤
Something so charming about this story, the coloring, the drawing, the characters, the funny dialogues, the tongue in cheek, the surprises, etc.
Just a good package, not too long, good ending. Everytime i re-read it i love it.😊
With the reprint of Vol 2 I will finally be able to read this series that I have heard so much about!
Thanks to this channel I was introduced to usagi yojimbo.
My favourite comic is Vagabond by takaehiko inoue I was blown away by artwork and story telling
So glad to have you along, and representing the samurai! 😁
For me it's gotta be Cages by Dave McKean. The art covers so many styles, all of them beautiful, and I love how he is not afraid to switch styles mid-chapter if it suits what he wants to say. The premise is unique, the characters relatable and funny, and the overall vibe is just the right amount of pretentious (for a lack of better word) to give you something to ponder without feeling tiresome. Love every page.
It's a great, and underrated, book!
Miracleman book 3: Olympus. Simply for the number of concepts of ideas contained in so little number of pages. The writing quality, particularly found in the narration, is one of Moore’s best, in my opinion. The design of Mount Olympus by John Totleben is spot on what a Mount Olympus should look or feel like, again, in my opinion.
One of the most egregious gaps in my reading, I need to read beyond Vol 1 of Miracleman!
I almost chose this. What a fantastic comic.
The Sandman. And the best part is I get something new out if it upon each re-read which reminds me why it's my favourite!
What a gift that is!
Blacksad. The whole series. Beautifully written, designed, laid out, drawn, and painted.
And period noir crime in general is a far more interesting genre than most for new readers!
Super tough. I interpreted this as a single favorite comic! I’m going to say, Conan the Barbarian issue no 3, The Grey God Passes. It’s the comic that I’ve reread the most over a period of five decades.
A single issue is a great call in this category, and this is perhaps the first one in these comments!
Saga by Brian Vaughan. First comic I read that made me realise that's there's more than DC/Marvel
Ah the gateways to the larger worlds beyond. They will always hold a special place in our hearts!
I'm late, but I'm going to come in with "Black Hole" by Charles Burns. It's got astounding art, a strong plot and believable characters, and it also tackles some of my favourite themes - particularly adolescence and the feeling of being a freak/outsider - all in a milieu that I found very relatable, despite growing up in a different decade, on a different continent.
Like Watchmen and Daytripper, Black Hole is racking up multiple mentions here!
Criminal (Brubaker/Phillips)
For me, the champagne (or is it bourbon?) of Brubaker/Phillips
Transmetropolitan for me is my favourite, endlessly rereadable
I have to agree about how re-readable Transmetropolitan is, which - to be perfectly honest - I was surprised to find when I returned to it!
The Motherless Oven trilogy. Just blew my mind.
What an excellent pick! Truly a magnificent comic that also feels so odd and unique and personal that it feels built to be an idiosyncratic, personal favorite.
I'm extremely curious as to what your pick will be. Tintin? Black Hole? Maybe Usagi or Bone?
This one is a relatively easy pick for me; Andrea Pazienza's "Gli ultimi giorni di Pompeo" (The last days of Pompeo), which has been my favorite since 2020.
Bravo! And thanks to your urging, I went on the hunt for Pazienza but all I could find (in English) was a copy of Zanardi listed at around 120 dollars...BUT the quest continues!
@@ftloc Yeah, that's the only thing by him that's been published in English (to little success from what I can tell). The Zanardi stories are great (quite dark, but great) and well worth getting if you find them at a reasonable price. Even so, Pompeo is so much better imo.
I literally shouted with elation when you said Usagi!
Haha wonderful to hear!
My single favourite comic: Calvin & Hobbes. I was brought up on European comics, but my father had this one translated (Dutch) book of Calvin & Hobbes and even as a kid, it had so much of an impact on me and the way I see the world (and comics). As an adult, I have now read most of the stories and plan on buying the complete boxed set sometime soon. They are just perfect for reading on a cozy autumn day in a reading chair with a large mug of hot tea, and few comics bring me the feeling of sheer happiness that Bill Watterson can provide.
It is, in fact, a comic without peer.
This is so tough and I'm sure I'll regret my answer later when I remember other books. But I'm going to say Essex County by Jeff Lemire. The reasons are more personal than "objective". It is the book (the collection) that brought me back into comics a few years back. It has a lot of the things I love: it is warm and full of heart. It focuses on the everyday heroism of "quiet little lives" which I find so relatable. And Lemire's art fits so well here because it is raw and expressive while also being sweet and grounded.
I love Essex County! Why would you ever regret it anyway, you can always have a different answer for the next time the question comes up! 😁
My favorite comic is The Heartbreak Soup/Luba Family stories from GIlbert Hernandez. I never felt like I feel about his characters, they all remember someone I used to know in my old neighboor and elementary school. I belive Palomar strikes very well when you are a latinamerican reader.
Of all the Love and Rockets stories over the years, my absolute favourite continues to be Heartbreak Soup. Indelible.
With such easy access to fantastic comics and knowledgeable individuals recommending them, I feel spoiled for choice these days, often making my latest read my new favorite. Perhaps this reveals a lack of conviction on my part, or a sign of my ever-decreasing memory. Regardless, it's not a bad problem to have........ I'm going for Blacksad on this one........ ask me again in a week 😉
I guess I never thought of this but people can come back and edit their comments here as they change! 😁 Or at least 'reply' to their own comment to update!
My favorite comic is The Eternaut by Francisco Lopez.
What a magnificent comic that is!
Picking a favorite comic is hard for me, since I don't ever have a singular favorite. I don't even know what to answer when asked about my favorite foods, movies, tv shows, etc. But since we only need to pick one, I'm going to go with one of the few comics I've loved since the first time I've read and only continue to keep loving with subsequent reads. My pick is "Black Hole" by Charles Burns.
Yes, it really is more of an exercise than any real qualification or quantification of 'truth'. And Black Hole is another of those that I think many (including myself) adore.
Mine is Love & Rockets. The characters are so rich and the art is so great. I also love the fact that there’s always more of it being produced and released, especially since Gilbert is so prolific. If I had to choose a single release, it would be that big boxset from last fall.
And we have our first (that I can see) pick of a boxset/ archival collection, something I wondered if people would think of (a favourite comic could also encompass format and presentation aspects) and Love and Rockets is one of those comics that deserves that kind of treatment.
I will have to go with Top 10 from Alan Moore, Gene Ha, Zander Cannon, et al.
It is one I can go back to over and over and always find something new. It captures Alan Moore in a period where his writing is as creative and serious as ever, but also more optimistic and bright (even with some of the gnarly topics covered) than books like From Hell, Watchmen, V, etc.
The art is unbelievably gorgeous and dense, definitely rewards multiple readings.
Top 10 just perfectly encapsulates comics for me, and i never get tired of it.
I love this idea of 31 days!
The ABC books are some of my all time favourite comics, and often get unfairly compared to the admittedly impressive Moore trinity of Watchmen, From Hell and V. Tom Strong and Top 10 in particular are eminently rereadable and rewarding!
My answer is most definitely Ian Flynn run on Archie Sonic because it the run/series that made me fall in love with the medium also incredibly inspire me so much as a inspired creative and hope someday to make something similar to it's brilliance.
I have never read any Sonic comics and I have to admit it would never have crossed my mind to try! Worth a look, you say?
@@ftloc Sad to said it hard to find physical copy of the series because of rights issue between the companie and creatives but if you lucky enough do find it I happily recommend it's a fun serialize comic book series fill with action, adventure, romance, fantasy, and sci-fi through out the course of it run.
Oh man. Planting a flag for my favorite comic of all time?? That's a really tough one. So many runs by authors to think about. So many miniseries that are great. If I have to go with one title, I will have to go with Bone by Jeff Smith. The level of excellence that book held across so many issues/volumes is so impressive, and the fact that I was able to love it as an adult and still introduce it to all of my nephews and have them love it too? That deserves the crown.
You've hit the nail on the head about what makes this prompt so potentially paralyzing. That whole idea of planting a flag and making that one claim seems to reject all others. But of course it's just a way to flex one's conversation-with-myself powers and have fun celebrating something we find worthy.
And I bet you love it as much as I do that so many people in these comments have mentioned Bone!
As for my favourite comic i will go with good night pun pun by inio asano i could have listed any of his works really but since we have to go with one i've picked this
That's one of those incredibly well regarded books I have yet to read! Soon, I hope!
I am going with Saga. This changes every now and then but Saga for me right now.
That's the best way to play this category, I think - what is it right now? Solid pick, I expect to see Saga pop up more throughout these days, let's see!
Bone. It's got everything!
I agree! And to be honest, it was a close call in some ways!
I don't think I'm going to mention much here which we haven't already talked about previously, but since you asked;
I went back through my goodreads history to refresh my memory, and essentially three comics stood out to me a bit more.
- Sin City, it was the first one that sprung to my mind when I saw the category for this video, I have a weak spot for this one as you well know.
- The Arrival, because, well we both love this comic, it's just excellent, further explanation seems rather superfluous.
- Blacksad, I enjoyed this series immensely and the style is just wonderful, I still need to get around to reading the last installment
But as we follow rules here (a first?), I will say that my favorite comic is The Arrival. It's so fantastically accessible, and one of the few comics that I've recommended and loaned to other non-comics readers to check out. The fact that it's a silent comic and has a unique art style also just cements it into a class of it's own, so I'm not at all uncomfortable in placing it as my favorite here.
With that said, I am very eager to sink my teeth fully into Usagi Yojimbo, as I believe that I'll enjoy that immensely as well, but I've set my mind to not starting that up until I secure all of the volumes in the Saga hardcover collection, and I'm still one short. We'll see if this might end up replacing The Arrival in the future :)
Hmmm... if one makes a list of comics but doesn't *label* them honourable mentions, does it means the rules about no honourable mentions wasn't broken? Are you giving me...a loophole?
As I saw Sin City, I was going to start typing 'I'm SHOCKED" but then you ended up picking The Arrival and I was now non-sarcastically shocked. Of course I completely agree with how wonderful a comic that is and I feel that many of these comments name books that I could so easily have had as well. There's a small handful of titles that will always be interchangable in this and a couple of upcoming categories, and I feel that makes them those movies with a bunch of nominations that don't need to 'win' - just being on so many people's minds they have proven how impressive they are.
If you don't enjoy Usagi, that's fine, everything is allowed of course, no such thing as absolute truth but...you don't need to tell me, ok? 😁
team Shaun Tan! team silent comics!
@@ftloc You need to think of it more as 'context' rather than 'honourable mentions' :D
Everyone of course has to have a train of thought to reach a conclusion on which is their favourite comic, and since I'm an incurable wordpooper I couldn't resist giving some insight. This of course does not in any way apply to you since we both know that this whole game is an exercise in detoxing the resident prolixifist off of those sweet sweet honourable mentions ;)
Regarding Usagi I'm just revving up and expecting greatness in spades. So far I only read the Fantagraphics box set which was really nice, but not quite enough to entirely suck me into the land of unadulterated worship. Like I said though, that's quite possibly going to change once I get a hold of that last elusive volume.
Gonna go with the city of Belgium by Brecht Evens. The usage of colour and the way he depicts city life resonate on a very deep level with me.
A Brecht Evens I haven't read but heard nothing but praise for!
It is very difficult for me to pick an absolute favourite as I have so many that could be contenders, but I’m going to go for Strontium Dog by John Wagner and Carlos Esquerra (serialised in 2000AD). An almost under appreciated series that is a mixture of action and comedy with heavy themes.
As someone who just got their hands on Strontium Dog, I am so excited to hear your high praise for it!
Despite the writer turning out to be a somewhat shady character, Transmetropolitan remains one of my favourite comics in terms of sheer creativity and re-readability.
I have to say Transmet still appeals to me. And this is the second mention for it here!
Usagi comes so close to the top though.
This is extremely hard and painful. After thinking about it for 2 days my answer will be 2000AD. It is the reason i started reading comics passionately when I was 6 the reason I started looking for comics in a foreign language when I was 16 and were I first met some of my favorite creators (Moore, Wagner, Mills.. ) and read some of the best stories (Halo Jones, Dredd, Nemesis...). It shaped who I am and my views and now am reaching 50 it is more like an old friend than any other comic. Not the best but so close to my heart it is a mixed bag I can call my favorite
(Choosing an anthology is a bit of cheating isnt it? :) )
Great to see 200AD getting so much love!
It may not be an unexpected choice, but I've gotta go with my gut - Watchmen. Moore and Gibbons are in perfect sync. It rewards close reading, its beautifully written, tight and expansive. It's perfect. Part of me would like to say Black Hole, The Incal, Sandman, Ant Colony, or Jimmy Corrigan, but it's gotta be Watchmen.
I think it is wise to sidestep the self consciousness in favour of the gut. That's really what the term 'favourite' is supposed to be all about!
Very strong list💪🏻I see Sandman there too. I didnt mention Sandman in my comment. Mentioning Sandman with my first choice would’ve broken The Only Rule. That’s why I never mentioned Sandman. Talking about Sandman here just because Sandman was listed here. No other reason🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥
For me it’s got to be The Adventures of Tintin
It just makes me so much entertained
I see a lot of merit in doing this every 1.5 years. Would be interesting to have a comparison for the 31 distinct categories and how they changed with time.
Absolutely! Given the time it will take me to get through 31 episodes, maybe once every couple of years makes more sense! 😁
This has been a really tough choice to make, oscillating between comic series such as Calvin and Hobbes, Schulz's Peanuts to Asterix, then Tintin and Tarzan! I have to finally go with MAD magazine -- which I think, growing up, has influenced various aspects of my personality. Satire, humour and sarcasm -- which is rarely seen in today's society and comics (without running into controversies and criticism) -- needs to be understood and cultivated. MAD taught me to to enjoy art (Wally Wood and Don Martin) and comic literature for what it was -- to entertain. It reflects in my newsroom banter and in my ability to not take life or myself too seriously!🙂
Hooray for MAD! Great pick!
Not going to lie... this one really stumped me. I love so many comics that span so many genres that it was almost impossible to pick. But when I checked my bookshelves only one name came up and that is Mark Waid's and Mike Wieringo 's run on Fantastic Four. This comic is everything that I want from a comic. It has action, humor, drama and most importantly to me, heart. This also happens to be my favorite FF run, but it transcends that into being my favorite comic.
This answer surprised me and I don't know if it will change or not in the future, but for right now it's gotta be FF.
I was looking through here hoping to find someone who said something that clicked for me, but one that nobody else said but which I was reminded of when someone noted Calvin and Hobbes is the comic Far Side by Gary Larson. Something about that one really captured my imagination as a young kid. Definitely many favorites, especially and mostly narrative comics, but I feel confident of Far Side's place up top.
I believe there's one other commenter here who chose The Far Side, which I think is excellent as well!
Donjon - so regularly lulls you into a false sense of security before subverting the wacky and whimsical exterior with events that are complete emotional gut punches.
I'm a big fan of Donjon!
Is this the same as Dungeon by Sfar/Trondheim? I think it’s Donjon in french. I bought one volume(2 albums) last year and it was really good. In fact much better than I expected. Now I want them all!
@@analogcomics It is - the stories are divided into 3 eras (past, present, Dark Dark Future) with new issues coming out every few years for each of them. Sfar is one of my favorite writers in comics, but his work combined with Christophe Blain's art is just *Chef's Kiss*
@@benhillman8384 I have Zenith vols. 1-2. Herbert ducks magic sword is probably the best I’ve seen in any comic - Berserk included. Never seen a weapon so laconic😄And the only sword ever to make me laugh. Great choice💪🏻
I pick Love & Rockets. I couldn’t choose between Locas and Palomar stories, but I guess ‘The Love Bunglers’ is the one I feel closer to my heart ❤️
I have a tough time choosing between them as well! I think I prefer the earlier Palomar stories to many of the later ones (with Heartbreak Soup still being my absolute favourite) but the Locas stories just kept getting better and better...
Ah well, a good conundrum to have! 😁
This has convinced me to get started on Usagi Yojimbo. It's been sitting my wishlist/ cart for a while, but I think I'll pull the trigger on the purchase now.
In all honesty, my favourite comic would be V for Vendetta, but I shall not pick that because I went with that for Day 9 (think of me as Dr. Manhattan - I don't perceive time linearly 😀), and I don't want to repeat comics.
Speaking of Dr. Manhattan, my answer for 'Favourite comic which isn't V for Vendetta' would have to be Watchmen, an obvious and quite a common choice.
What sets it apart for me is - every time I re-read it, I find something new that I hadn't noticed before. For example - It was only last week that I realized upon yet another re-read that the whole comic-in-a-comic trope is deeper than it looks - the story arc of the comics in the book (Tales of the black frieghter, I think it's called?) mirrors the main plot of Watchmen - it talks of a man who's afraid of imminent danger (the arrival of the black freighter), and tries to save his family from it. But in the process, he ends up going a little insane and becoming the danger.
Terrific picks all around, and I am interested in this nonlinear approach of yours! Depending on when you watch which episode, we could find ourselves with overlapping picks! 😁
And if you do try out Usagi Yojimbo, I would love to know what you thought of it!
"the forever war' by Haldeman and Marvano... great story increadable art.
My favorite single issue is The Warlord 22 by Mike Grell (DC). I received it as a free "add-on" gift with another book I purchased off of ebay. It was tossed in a packing material to be honest lol. I read it out of curiosity and fell in love with the art, the story, the character. It was such an incredible surprise. I've purchased many copies of this book to give to my comic loving friends. I even found a page of the original art and purchased it! I highly recommend this issue. The whole series is fun. It's sword and sorcery along with tech and Tarzan in the mix. I'd be happy to mail you a copy.
I'd love to check it out - I was always intrigued, as a child, with the ads for Warlord I saw in DC comics! And what little I have read of Greall, I have enjoyed.
And so great to see yet another single issue be called out in the midst of all the long books and series!
Late to the party as ever. Only just started to watch CZcams comics stuff and very new to your great channel. Anyway let's see if I can catch up over the next few days. This one is easy for me its 2000ad. I mean yeah that's a LOT of comics but its fundamental to the way I not only view what makes comics work, but what makes all imaginative fiction across all media. From 5 years old stirring at dinosaurs fighting cowboys in Flesh. Well it melted my brain and the comic has grown with me. Now we have comics as wonderful and wide ranging as The Out, Brink, Proteus Vex, Chimpsky and the unshakable backbone of Dredd.
2000ad is so brilliantly diverse and yet has that anarchic thrillpower running through it.
Just wish you'd had a better range suggested to you in your London visit (just watched that video last night) and while they are fun comics there is so much more to what 2000ad offered... still most importantly hope you enjoyed them and its opened a door way to what is truly The Galaxy's Greatest Comic.
As I have said before, no such thing as late to a party that's still raging! 😁
A very warm welcome to the channel and hope you find plenty to enjoy here. And everyone's got to start somewhere and I believe my delve into 2000 AD is just in its first, baby steps! I'd love to hear what you would recommend most from within those pages! Cheers!
@@ftloc Thank you for the welcome. I'll try not to take all the remaining booze at the party.
When it comes to 2000ad its such a diverse, mixed bag - which is part of the love I have. I'll focus on modern stuff as the 'golden age' earlier stuff gets a lot of coverage, so Nemesis the Warlock, Halo Jones (which I know you've read and is brilliant), Zenith and so many others. For me there has been so much great stuff. Both The Out and Brink are recent thrills (in 2000ad parlance) of the top draw. In fact you can read any of Dan Abnett's recent works for the comic and be on a winner. In my head Kingdom is in many ways the definitive 2000ad story and just captures the tone and attitude of 2000ad perfectly. Indeed his Lawless in 'sister' publication The Judge Dredd Megazine is posssssssiiibbblllllyyyy my favourite ever story from The House of Tharg. Nikolai Dante is a glorious sweeping sci-fi meladrama and the other contenter for fav thrill ever. Al Ewing's Zombo, all of John Smith's work, but I'll flag Cradlegrave as a highlight. Folk horror Thistlebone....
....gosh I'll stop there. So much great stuff. Ask me tomorrow and I'd do a whole different list I imagine!
For me it was The Eternaut, which made me fall in love with comics in my adolescence, but it might not be for everyone. But like other people said, the greatest comic ever made I think is Bone, it has all the elements I want in a comic and it could be enjoyed by pretty much everyone. I have not read yet Usagi, it is my to read list!
So, just for 'the record', are you going with The Eternaut or Bone as your favourite? 😁
@@ftloc The Eternaut 😀
Phantom comics, definitely my favourite... they've been a major part in my childhood days
Who were the publishers of the Phantom you read, just out of curiosity?
Batman: Year One is still my favorite comic 30+ years after I first read it. Miller makes a fantastic choice to make the story as much about Jim Gordon as it is about Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Mazzucchelli's art couldn't be more appropriate for this gritty, nior Batman tale.
One of my all time favorites, in no small part to the fact that it is about TWO men coming to Gotham and wrestling with it.
The trip to Italy by Cosey and everything else by him!
One for my list that I have not heard of before! And it's your absolute favourite? How have I missed this?
Again, the title is The voyage to Italy. He also has his Jonathan series, Orchidea, Saigon-Hanoi and In search of Peter Pan. Highly recommended!
Great start n ideal choice. The comic that made me discover your growing n glowing channel. May the 4th be with you!
And with you! So thrilled to have you along! Now for your pick...
@@ftlocThorgal for the epic blend of sword n sorcery, fantasy, scifi viking saga with enthralling storytelling from Van hamme and artful bliss from Rosinski depicting not only the origin n adventures of our hero but also his wife n family. Honorable mention to Alinoe for adding an element of horror to the mix.
I think that your love of comics and the return from you followers are a love story
Tough choice. I would say Daredevil by Frank Miller, including Born Again and other stories (Elektra Lives Again, Man without Fear) written by him but drawn by other artists (Mazzuchelli, Romita Jr.). A brilliant, mature reinvention of the superhero genre, clearly inspired by noir films and hardboiled detective fiction. Spectacular art, thrilling stories, unforgettable characters. Still unsurpassed today.
Excellent stuff! And if you had to pick one of the many Miller arcs, do you think you have one that edges the others out?
@@ftloc Probably Born Again or the arc with Elektra's death
Hellboy, storywise most of arcs are quite good. The art by Mignola is superb and some of the contributors are also good, like Corben and Ducan Fegredo
Not the first, and I think not the last, time Hellboy will be named!
Beanworld by L. Marder. Because I find it therapeutic.
Fantastic pick, one that doesn't really get mentioned very often but i find an almost indescribably, as you put it, therapeutic comic!
My favorite Comic is the John Bryne era of Superman (1986-88). The reason is I enjoyed both the writing & art of the series over the three books, Adventures of Superman, Action Comics & Superman Vol. 2 reboot. I'm also a Usagi comic fan.
Great to see more 'runs' being mentioned in this list and although I haven't read much of the Byrne Superman, I did read the first few issues when I was young and they left a deep impression on me.
It fluctuates but right now it's Grant Morrison's Batman run. It's such an inspired use of the characters massive continuity both to pay homage to the various interpretations of the mythos and to do something entirely fresh and new. It makes 70 years of vastly different and often contradictory runs seem like a single saga that was always naturally building to a climax.
And do you think it serves as well as introduction to superhero comics, say for those looking to read DC?
@@ftloc To be honest, not really. So much of the story is built on long running continuity that while It would still be an enjoyable read to someone with little experience with DC, it just wouldn't be the same experience. I would recommend it to any Batman fan, but I think there are much more accessible introductions to the character and DC in general (such as Batman: Year One, The Long Halloween, or Scott Snyder's Batman run). However, a stellar DC comic by the same author which needs less outside reading is Grant Morrisons Doom Patrol. It's one of the most inventive and interesting comics I've read, and recquires very little prior knowledge of the characters. It can be quite experimental, so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but it's a great example of what a superhero comic can be.
Watching day three and realized I hadn’t commented on day one. My favorite comic is Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon. Definitely the comic that most consistently excites me and that I look forward to the most.
I'm planning a read of this soon!
you know its cliched, but probably watchmen. first one to jump into my mind even if i have no definitive favorite. it just stuck with me the first time i read it and used the medium so well. the only competition really is miracleman (ironically enough also written by alan more and another superhero subversion) which I wrote my undergrad thesis on. it just bursts with energy, interesting panels, and Michael Moran's struggle of slowly falling towards toxic perfectionism. even with so many more dark superhero stories nowadays, both of these stories still stand tall.
Watchmen for the official pick, then? 😊 But of course, not having one set favourite is probably the reality for most people, but it is fun to think of what comes immediately to mind or as a reflex!
Y: The Last Man. It’s the comic that got me into comics and influenced me in a big way.
It was also part of my getting back to reading comics 'full time' as an adult! You need those hooks to be buried deep, and it certainly achieved that for me!