Required Reading Graphic Novels

I dislike ranking books, but here is a constellation of work that were formative, groundbreaking, or works of lasting literature.

See also
Best Graphic Novels
500 Essential Graphic Novels
Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize
Required Reading Graphic Novels

By ratings
All graphic novels with at least 25,000 ratings
All graphic novels with 10,000 and 24,999 ratings
All graphic novels with 1,000 and 9,999 ratings

Marvel Comics Collected Editions:
2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
400

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4.40 avg rating — 3,262 ratings
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402

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4.16 avg rating — 3,883 ratings
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402

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4.30 avg rating — 753 ratings
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402

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4.08 avg rating — 1,654 ratings
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402

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3.86 avg rating — 2,697 ratings
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402

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3.70 avg rating — 682 ratings
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407

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4.15 avg rating — 27,425 ratings
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407

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3.74 avg rating — 6,081 ratings
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407

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4.58 avg rating — 502 ratings
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410

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3.90 avg rating — 9,111 ratings
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410

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4.15 avg rating — 3,373 ratings
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412

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4.29 avg rating — 1,215 ratings
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412

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3.95 avg rating — 14,225 ratings
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414

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4.46 avg rating — 4,351 ratings
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414

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4.28 avg rating — 1,953 ratings
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414

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4.18 avg rating — 709 ratings
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417

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3.81 avg rating — 1,618 ratings
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417

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4.17 avg rating — 80 ratings
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417

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3.82 avg rating — 3,266 ratings
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420

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3.54 avg rating — 1,039 ratings
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420

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3.95 avg rating — 54,229 ratings
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422

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4.30 avg rating — 34,306 ratings
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423

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4.02 avg rating — 1,451 ratings
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423

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4.23 avg rating — 139,296 ratings
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423

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4.33 avg rating — 38,008 ratings
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426

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4.32 avg rating — 1,354 ratings
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427

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4.01 avg rating — 3,680 ratings
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427

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4.12 avg rating — 1,172 ratings
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427

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3.79 avg rating — 1,395 ratings
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427

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4.19 avg rating — 16,523 ratings
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431

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3.78 avg rating — 1,312 ratings
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431

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4.08 avg rating — 5,291 ratings
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431

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3.78 avg rating — 1,123 ratings
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431

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3.66 avg rating — 1,285 ratings
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435

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3.48 avg rating — 5,259 ratings
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435

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4.26 avg rating — 17,078 ratings
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437

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3.71 avg rating — 1,568 ratings
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438

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4.43 avg rating — 10,855 ratings
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438

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3.78 avg rating — 2,291 ratings
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440

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4.17 avg rating — 164 ratings
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440

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4.36 avg rating — 1,859 ratings
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442

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4.07 avg rating — 29,631 ratings
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443

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3.99 avg rating — 456 ratings
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443

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4.15 avg rating — 982 ratings
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443

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3.38 avg rating — 165 ratings
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446

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3.76 avg rating — 387 ratings
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446

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3.87 avg rating — 226 ratings
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448

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4.09 avg rating — 401 ratings
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449

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3.72 avg rating — 4,366 ratings
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450

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4.22 avg rating — 352 ratings
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450

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3.84 avg rating — 3,428 ratings
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452

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3.93 avg rating — 691 ratings
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452

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3.77 avg rating — 1,424 ratings
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454

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4.43 avg rating — 1,420 ratings
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455

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4.15 avg rating — 323 ratings
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455

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3.96 avg rating — 418 ratings
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455

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3.89 avg rating — 9,900 ratings
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458

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4.15 avg rating — 37,820 ratings
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458

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3.82 avg rating — 137 ratings
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460

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4.14 avg rating — 276 ratings
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461

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4.27 avg rating — 3,555 ratings
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462

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4.25 avg rating — 250 ratings
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462

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4.05 avg rating — 1,447 ratings
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464

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3.76 avg rating — 924 ratings
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464

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3.66 avg rating — 20,578 ratings
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464

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3.34 avg rating — 5,202 ratings
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464

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4.19 avg rating — 2,811 ratings
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468

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4.39 avg rating — 1,134 ratings
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469

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4.13 avg rating — 78 ratings
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470

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4.11 avg rating — 1,362 ratings
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471

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4.09 avg rating — 1,241 ratings
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472

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3.97 avg rating — 2,559 ratings
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473

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3.86 avg rating — 4,163 ratings
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474

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3.98 avg rating — 1,139 ratings
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475

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4.04 avg rating — 832 ratings
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476

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4.07 avg rating — 1,226 ratings
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477

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3.95 avg rating — 880 ratings
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477

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4.08 avg rating — 759 ratings
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479

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4.03 avg rating — 4,154 ratings
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480

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3.97 avg rating — 13,405 ratings
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481

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3.70 avg rating — 2,075 ratings
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482

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3.85 avg rating — 3,008 ratings
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483

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4.11 avg rating — 4,762 ratings
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484

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4.34 avg rating — 7,723 ratings
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485

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4.09 avg rating — 7,850 ratings
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486

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4.17 avg rating — 1,301 ratings
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487

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3.92 avg rating — 177 ratings
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488

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4.09 avg rating — 1,128 ratings
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488

by
3.95 avg rating — 4,321 ratings
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488

by
3.95 avg rating — 3,431 ratings
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491

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3.99 avg rating — 2,047 ratings
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492

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3.93 avg rating — 1,197 ratings
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492

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3.94 avg rating — 1,358 ratings
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494

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3.94 avg rating — 4,858 ratings
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495

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3.74 avg rating — 1,644 ratings
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496

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 5,348 ratings
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496

by
3.88 avg rating — 543 ratings
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496

by
3.86 avg rating — 2,135 ratings
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499

by
4.30 avg rating — 3,478 ratings
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500

by
3.79 avg rating — 4,896 ratings
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flag this list (?)
851 books · 1,674 voters · list created July 29th, 2008 by Max (votes) .
523 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Max 691 books
123 friends
Ancient 1366 books
66 friends
Seth 2016 books
444 friends
Kim 1419 books
588 friends
Kathy 3355 books
124 friends
Shelly 181 books
125 friends
Tanti 951 books
48 friends
D 475 books
34 friends

More voters…


Comments (showing 1-18 of 18) (18 new)

dateDown arrow    newest »

message 1: by [deleted user] (new)

Where is STRAY TOASTERS?


message 2: by Kim (new)

Kim I added it for you. :)


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

sorry i didn't know I could add to the list!!!


message 4: by Angel (new)

Angel Only reason I did not vote for a few more is I have not read them. Definitely picking some of these up in the near future.


message 5: by Laura (new)

Laura Belle I meant more the entire Lucifer Series, but this one will start you off at least.


message 6: by Fenrisfil (new)

Fenrisfil Had to add Dangerous Habits to the list, that book is the definitive John Constantine story.


message 7: by Jeff (new)

Jeff Lawrence People still like "The Dark Knight Returns" and "The Dark Knight Stirkes Back?"


message 8: by Ben (new)

Ben where is Buddha, Courtney crumrin and the night things, Enter Avariz


message 9: by Joe (new)

Joe need to add the old boy series and vagabond series by inoue and the arrival by shaun tan - none of them turns up in a search.


message 10: by Annie (new)

Annie Ok, so, where is Girl Genius? Definitely one of my favorites.


message 11: by John (last edited Jul 17, 2009 12:01PM) (new)

John Burns I thought persepolis made a much better film than graphic novel. Understanding comics was a lot of academic hooey and bogus sweeping statements.

If anyone intends to read Killing joke get the new, re-coloured edition. John Higgins really sucks.

http://www.popcultureshock.com/killin...


message 12: by Jerry (new)

Jerry You really might consider adding Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri’s Druuna graphic novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druuna

They are quite good.


message 13: by Priesnanda (new)

Priesnanda How about 20th Century Boys?


message 14: by Amanda (new)

Amanda I think Fullmetal Alchemist should be on there.


message 15: by Areseris (new)

Areseris why are the Absolute versions of books rated so much lower than the TPB versions on this list?


message 16: by Tyrone (new)

Tyrone Jeff wrote: "People still like "The Dark Knight Returns" and "The Dark Knight Stirkes Back?" "

It was a game changer among a small group of GN's that proved that comics could also be great fiction. It doesn't become 'ungood' just because it's been out a few years so why would you not still like them? That's what classics are. (although i'd agree that 'strikes back' certainly isn't in that category).


message 17: by Brannon (new)

Brannon Remaklus Jeff wrote: "People still like "The Dark Knight Returns" and "The Dark Knight Stirkes Back?" "

definitely


message 18: by Andrew (new)

Andrew Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again at 57 is the biggest mistake on this list. Other than that all the books on the list (that I've read) deserve to be here. Definitely one of my favourite lists on Goodreads.


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