What are your top 5 comics EVER?
Maryanne Rose Papke self-publishes comics online and in print. Her comics are usually weird, often silly, typically cute, sometimes sad, and occasionally epic. Check out her work at silverkraken.com.
5). WATCHMEN
Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons / DC Comics
Whatever your opinion of the story itself, Watchmen stuck with me for the way it took full advantage of the graphic novel medium, from the deliberate paneling choices to the supplemental material between chapters. We have not just the interspersed Tales of the Black Freighter, but other scenes told side-byside on the page, all visually distinct and skillfully interconnected. On top of that, it has the best kinds of revelations that make you flip back to the start of the book, looking for visual clues with your new insights.
4). CALVIN AND HOBBES
Bill Watterson / Universal Press Syndicate
On a newspaper comic page filled with pat running gags and formulaic character art, Calvin and Hobbes shone above with clever and imaginative writing and an organic energy to the brush strokes. From transmogrification rays to deranged mutant killer monster snow goons, the intelligence and creativity in Calvin and Hobbes really spoke to me. Calvin and Hobbes taught me that ten-dollar words can absolutely have a place in all-ages media.
3). ELFQUEST
Wendy & Richard Pini / WaRP Graphics
This was another favorite from my youth, in particular the Original Quest and up through Kings of the Broken Wheel, and a huge influence on my own work. Follow a troupe of elves struggling to survive on a planet their ancestors were stranded on thousands of years before. I love the characters and setting, as well as the science-fiction-esque fantasy worldbuilding.
2). VAGABOND
Takehiko Inoue / Kodansha, Viz Media
This is a masterful epic with gorgeous art. I remember one winter break home from college staying up to 11 in the morning two days in a row reading Vagabond. I have seldom seen such a thorough tale of character growth, as we are taken on the full journey from hot-headed youth to Zen sword-master. The visual storytelling in Vagabond left me stunned at times.
1). TERROR ISLAND
Diane Heaton & Lewis Powell / terrorisland.net
“some photos of chess pieces don’t want to buy groceries?” I surprised myself a little by placing Terror Island as my top comic of all time, but as I was considering my choices, this relatively obscure photowebcomic kept coming to mind. It is hilarious, absurd, and brilliant, with a remarkable amount of internal consistency to its nonsense. It takes advantage of the website format to give every comic title-text (the text that appears when a user hovers the cursor over an image) with bonus jokes or information. Below each strip are author notes, adding another layer to the reading experience with meta information, theories, and fascinating philosophical tangents.