I've been a comics fan all of my life and I still get a box of comics from my hometown comic shop every month. I'm mostly a DC girl (love my Batman!), but I have some favorites among the independents and Marvel puts out a couple of titles I like (although not that many, I'm afraid). I buy about a couple dozen graphic novels every year. Keep in mind that some of these are actually collections of single issue miniseries - but it's easier just to group them all together (and that's how they live in my library anyway!)
Breakfast After Noon Oni Press - You should know that I basically worship Andi Watson who wrote and illustrated this book. Andi has several titles out and I am diligently working to get them all. (Love Fights by Oni is another favorite.) In many ways Breakfast is just a slice of life comic. It's about a couple, their plans to marry, the loss of jobs and what happens next. Andi nails real life better than just about anyone though, and his work is some of the most literary I know. In other words - the guy writes as well as all those famous award winning noncomic people, he just happens to draw beautifully too!
True Story Swear to God AIT Planetlar - This follows the true romance of Tom and the woman he loves who happens to live in Puerto Rico - and he doesn't. All the standard conflicts are here and a lot of sweet humor. I just like these people alot, and Tom's honest portrayal of their relationship is a pleasure to read.
Star Trek, Debt of Honor DC - This is my oldest GN and one of my favorites. It takes place in the events after Star Trek IV and also reaches back to the earliest days of Kirk's career. It has Romulans, Klingons and some new baddies as well. It's just great classic Star Trek and it was written by Chris Claremont. It's excellent and I've been carrying it around from house to house for about 15 years now.
Gloomcookie Slave Labor Graphics. I'm not a goth - I'm about the most ungothy person I know, but I love Gloomcookie! It's basically a dark fairy tale that takes place in the real world with alot of snarky comments and wit and humor and some monsters under the bed and potential end of the world moments. Here's the deal - if you liked Buffy, Gloomcookie will crack you up!
Batman: Absolution DC -The set up is that Wayne Enterprises was bombed by terrorists and suffered several fatalities. Batman is committed to bringing the group responsible to justice and tracks one young woman in particular who broadcast the terror group's message. It seems, years later when he finds her, that she might have felt honest remorse and be seeking redemption. The question is, does that matter? And what will Batman/Bruce Wayne do to avenge the dead in the face of someone who is truly changed. It's dark, it's deep, it's timely. One of the best Bat comics I've read in ages and beautiful to look at from start to finish.
Orbiter Vertigo. Written by Warren Ellis, illustrated by Colleen Doran - this was one of the GNs I looked forward to for ages. I grew up on the Space Coast and the shuttle world - hell, the pre-shuttle NASA world, is what I know best. The story about a shuttle that has been gone for ten years and then suddenly returns with only one crew member onboard is both thrilling and fascinating. Lots of folks bitched about this story but I loved it. Don't expect all the answers when you're dealing with space, people - that's what gets us into trouble every time.
Kingdom of the Wicked Dark Horse. This story of a writer who used to have a host of imaginary friends will strike a chord with lots of us who remember out childhoods fondly. When Chris starts cracking under the pressure of his adoring public he starts to see visions of his childhood friends but the world he created has dramatically and horribly changed. The place of his childhood is at war and his friends are dying. It's Wonderland/the trenches of France. No one has ever written anything like this book and combined with the awesome artwork, it is something to treasure. I thought the mystery was great, the villain inspired and the fantasy world truly fantastic. Give it a shot - you'll be most surprised.
Finally, I've written about my love for Oni Press over at Bookslut and every month I am more and more impressed by the quality of their comics. A few quick favorites: Hopeless Savages which follows the adventures of a punk rock couple and their (mostly) grown children. Always funny, sometimes outrageous and surprisingly - the best family comic I've read yet. Three Strikes - this is a crime comic that honestly, made me a little sick. Not because the violence is intense or gratuitious, but because it is so honest and so sad. I knew the ending was coming, but I couldn't duck it. It tells it like it is and we just have swallow it until the rules are changed. Last Exit Before Toll - the best mid life crisis comic ever, and I mean that in a "what the fuck am I doing with my life" kind of way. It's adult, smart, thought provoking - it's just perfect. READ THIS! It's about what matters, and all the stuff that happens when you finally find it. Courtney Crumrin - Courtney is one of my favorite characters in comics. She's smart and pissy and thinks her idiot parents should get their shit together and spends her times dealing with goblins and all sorts of other monsters. Consider this Harry Potter meets goth Nancy Drew and has a lot more backbone than either of them. Again, Buffy lovers, you are missing something if you don't have Courtney on your shelf.
Lots of tree stuff to do tomorrow. Lots of busy work. I'll be back with Mysteries sometime tomorrow night!
