Thursday, March 12, 2009

After Watchmen...What's Next? [ATTN Comic Noobs!]


When I bought all my new comics yesterday at Golden Apple, inside the bag I found this handy dandy "After Watchmen, What's Next?" booklet. Inside is a list of "Award-winning titles for new fans just discovering graphic novels and established readers looking to try something new" and holy effer, is this list right on. Granted, it's only DC, including Vertigo, so Marvel fans look elsewhere, but wow.

The ones on the list that I've read and agree you all should read right now:
Batman: The Killing Joke
Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile
League of Extraordinary Gentleman Vol 1
Preacher Vol 1: Gone to Texas
Y: The Last Man Vol 1: Unmanned

The ones on the list that I own and are currently waiting for me to read them:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Ex Machina Vol 1: The First Hundred Days
Kingdom Come
V For Vendetta

The ones on the list that I've heard of and want to read, but don't own:
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Joker
Transmetropolitan
Planetary Book 1: All Over the World & Other Stories
Saga of the Swamp Thing
Sandman Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
Superman: Red Son

The ones on the list that I haven't heard, but hell, I'll read!
All-Star Superman Vol 1
Identity Crisis
Ronin
We3

Pretty cool, no? Last week, one of the fine folks from Film School Rejects wondered what graphic novel would take the place of Watchmen as the greatest of all time should Watchmen lose the title due to overexposure/the movie. I personally don't think anything should/will take Watchmen's title, but this list is a great place to start. Also on my list for you to read is Powers and for me to read is Walking Dead, Invisibles, The Long Halloween, 100 Bullets...the list goes on

There is also a website that divides everything up into 5 categories:
-Books that redefine modern superheroes
-More books by Alan Moore
-Books that push the boundaries of Science Fiction
-Best-selling books from best-selling authors
-Books for mature readers

Thanks for doing this, DC! I actually think it's really cool. Enter new wave of comic book fans! I hope!

1 comments:

Brendan M. Leonard said...

I had completely forgotten about Planetary. The very concept (a secret agency investigating the secret history of the twentieth century, which includes thinly veiled and twisted versions of pulp heroes) of that and the execution of it is so good. There's one where they investigate a Hulk-like character that is killer. That and Transmet make Warren Ellis one of my favorites. He also did Global Frequency, which I really like.

Kingdom Come is kind of meh though. You can avoid the shit out of Identity Crisis, though.

Superman: Red Son is fun in its concept and execution. I'm kind of lukewarm on Millar as a whole though.