What is the best Graphic Novel ever written?

[Connavar]

Great to see another Tim Sale fan. He is way way better than all the other Batman artist i have ever seen. He is the Batman artist for me.

Dark Victory and The Long Halloween is in my top ten fav comics ever list simply cause his Batman was awesome. The way you see Bats always in dark shadows just like its suppose to be. The writing of the stories isnt bad either, the best thing Loeb has done in the bizz.

[greenman]

Originally Posted by swish

-Nausicaä!
(Of the Valley of the Wind: That is the name of the manga
You other ecologists out there would also love?)

I'v not read many graphic novels but I have a hard time seeing anything beat this for me, deserves to be talk about in the same breath as LOTR and Dune IMHO.

[tarifa]

lots of good stuff mentioned here

the sandman and the endless
V for Vendetta
the watchman
some of the batman

but i will also always have a soft spot for

the John Constantine series (Hellblazer)
some of the Slaine
Black Orchid
Halo Jones

When I got burgled years ago they took all the normal stuff but also grabbed a whole shelf of graphic novels including some of the above I still miss them now whereas i've forgotten all about the electrical stuff you know?

[Inkreator]

Sandman: Endless Nights have really fascinated me with their art and myths.
But Watchmen is the best still. Rorschach is the best of the bunch and none can dispute it. His cynical attitude, his review with the doctor...

Stood in firelight, sweltering. Bloodstain on chest like map of violent new continent. Felt cleansed. Felt dark planet turn under my feet and knew what cats know that makes them scream like babies in night. Looked at sky through smoke heavy with human fat and God was not there. The cold, suffocating dark goes on forever and we are alone. Live our lives, lacking anything better to do. Devise reason later. Born from oblivion; bear children, hell-bound as ourselves, go into oblivion. There is nothing else. Existence is random. Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose. This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. Streets stank of fire. The void breathed hard on my heart, turning its illusions to ice, shattering them. Was reborn then, free to scrawl own design on this morally blank world. Was Rorschach.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by tarifa

lots of good stuff mentioned here

the sandman and the endless
V for Vendetta
the watchman
some of the batman

but i will also always have a soft spot for

the John Constantine series (Hellblazer)
some of the Slaine
Black Orchid
Halo Jones

Agreed here.

[JED]

It would have to be 'the unknown soldier' by Garth Ennis - awesome piece of work.

[November]

All the obvious ones have already been mentioned, but one of my favourites is
'Ghost World'.

While the film deviated a bit from the graphic novel, it wasn't that bad either.

[KateWalker]

Originally Posted by Mission31

What is the answer to this question? Some people say "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" and some people say "watchmen". I haven't read that many graphic novels(I have read the batman one mentioned above)but what do you think is the best graphic novel out there?

Hmm. That's a hard one. There have been so many great ones. Too many to narrow down just to one.

I tend to lean more towards the independents then just the big guys (Marvel and DC) Although Dark Horse puts out great stuff as well. I think comics are too diverse to narrow it down to one "great one". Too many genres.

I'd say Frank Miller's stuff is pretty high on the list for me personally.

[Bant Warick]

Recently picked up "the boys" by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Very good reading and very funny. Highly recommended if you are a fan of Preacher.

[Aliénor]

my favorite is Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman

[Talysia]

I definitely agree with that one!

[DeepThought]

Watchmen by Allan Moore

Cheer's, DeepThought

[DreamKing]

Hello everyone,

Just discovered the wonderful world of the graphic novels.
For me the 2 Absolute editions of the Sandman were a very good introduction into graphic novels and the best thing i have read till now.
- Watchmen (Alan Moore) is also one of the best stories i have read in a long time, classic material.
- most stuff by Frank Miller, especially his Sin City creation. He is a genius. All the Sin City paperbacks are reprinted in 2005 and easy to get for a fair price.
Other books/series are (in no particular order)

- Preacher series by Garth Ennis
- Fables
- Y: the last man
- Swamp thing by Alan Moore (Vertigo) start with volume 1: Saga of the Swamp Thing
- Hell Boy by Mike Mignola

[woodsman]

I think of Watchmen as the best graphic novel I've read (not read that many).

Maus is something else and I class it seperately, along with Joe Sacco's work, as non-fiction graphical literature. I think I found Maus more involving and more meaningful in many ways than Watchmen, after all, I rarely find a novel strikes me in the same way as real account. The author's own self doubt and evident regrets/worries/passion also put this apart from most books in general.

Both are books, along with V for Vendetta, that I think all teenagers should read.

[Connavar]

If i would choose only one i would say the best ever is Lone Wolf and Cub or in japanese Kozure Okami by the legendary team of Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima.

No manga or any other form of fiction has captured the spirit and the age of The Samurai as well as in Kozure Okami.