Tell me about some comics/graphic novels that I can't go without reading.

I just recently got into collecting a few comics here and there. I read Watchmen a few years back before the movie came out, and my friend gave me Blankets by Craig Thompson which was great. Also I just read Blacksad and picked up some random fantasy comics called Books of Lore and Im getting the first trade paperback of Sandman (Gaiman) and vol 1 of Akira. Oh yeah, I used to read manga and want to get my hands on Berserk volumes, but I digress..

I would really like something dark. Very dark and gritty and I guess just all out mature themed.
If what you are suggesting has a collected version I will be much more likely to look into it.

Thank you in advance to whoever responds. =]

I highly recommend the Preacher series.

It's about a disgruntled preacher that is hunting down the Biblical god to hold him accountable for all the suffering in the world.

His friend is a Irish vampire.

It's pretty cool.

I've been reading 100 Bullets lately, and it is awesome. It starts kinda slow, but after a while, it gets amazing.

I looked into 100 bullets but for some reason it really didn't stand out enough to interest me a whole lot. Maybe I will just read my friend's Walking Dead Compendium 1.. That will keep me busy for a minute.

Well, I haven't read many graphic novels, but the manga series "Mirai Nikki" seems to be exactly what you're looking for. Super violent (yandere) but not SO much that it takes away from the plot. Not sure if they're available in English because I just read them online.

I'd recommend Berserk to you, but well that's already on your list. Since I have no clue about any comics at all I'll throw in 2 mangas you could read.

Elfen Lied: There is a anime for about the first half but only the manga finishes the story. It is very violent, mature themed and has a really deep story, which develops slowly. It does have some bad points like the end but in my opinion it really is worth the time reading.
Trinity Blood: While not that violent it has it's intense parts and has a long story, it still isn't finished. It is about vampires but not remotely in the stupid sense one might think with all the vampire crap around today. Apart from just the vampires (called Methusaleh) the story partially revolves around the "Vampire-vampires", the Crusniks and how they were even created in the first place. Again there is a anime for a rather small part of it.

pyroguy305, you might like Monster. It's not too violent in the explicit sense, but it reeks of violent undertones, is psychological, and questions what you constitute as your own morals. Beware, it's lengthy.

Gantz - Dark, gory, and mature (depending on your application of the word).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../Gantzvol1.jpg

Blame! - It's very much cyberpunk and gritty.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...v10--Cover.jpg

Kurozuka - dark and mature, and pretty much cyberpunk.
http://img.blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ybi/1/3...9_1?1227443952

Second on Gantz. I see you're not opposed to manga, but perhaps hesistant to dive back into manga which is often terrible. Gantz is nothing like your stereotypical japanese comic. The artwork is realistic and life-like. The humans actually look like humans. The story has a melancholy tone,is full of despair and failure. Failures because of human hubris, or more often failure for no purpose other than to highlight the uncaring, bleak reality of existence. Oh, and lots of gratutious gore and violence, though you become desensitized to it after a while. So yeah, read it. You will not be disappointed.

You already named a lot of my favorites..Sandmen, Watchmen, etc. You probably already thought of this, but V for Vendetta by Moore is also a classic. Better than the movie. Berserk is also incredible, at least up to the end of the middle section. You can find Berserk and Barnes and Noble, I bought a couple volumes there.


Oh, and the Hellboy comics would fit what you're looking for.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by StaySharp

Elfen Lied: There is a anime for about the first half but only the manga finishes the story. It is very violent, mature themed and has a really deep story, which develops slowly. It does have some bad points like the end but in my opinion it really is worth the time reading.

---

I read Elfen Lied, and was rather unimpressed with it. I enjoyed the plot developments in the second half of the series, but I was very disappointed with what the author did with the characters in the second half. I'd suggest you watch the anime rather than read the manga.

Another manga that might be worth looking into is Higurashi. You read about some kids in some boring little town, but naturally shenanigans start happening! Some suspicious deaths and suicides. The series is a bunch of small arcs, and you have to try to piece together the puzzle. The question arc gives you the clues, the answer arcs obviously explain it. Based off a visual novel.

I suggest you read The Haunted Vagina by Carlton Mellick III. Just look up the title and see what pops up on Google images.

If you read Watchmen then read Batman - The Killing Joke

It was also written by Alan Moore who is famous for his dark and gritty stories.It also does feature the Joker in his best storyline EVER.
Doesn't need much background knowledge.

There is A TON of batman related graphic novels,some feature really weird stories from alternate universes such as a real vampire batman (Red Rain).I really recommend it because the name kinda says thats dark ;)

I can't believe no one has mentioned The Sandman.

EDIT: Nevermind.

Russell - The Saga of a Peaceful Man Part 2

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

+1 for Preacher, it's pretty spectacular.