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Here are some of my favorite comics, in more or less detail;
Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist)
Blacksad is film noir styled detective story set in late 50s America, each volume being on individual case. It tells the story of hardboiled private detective Blacksad. All characters are anthropomorphic animals reflecting their personality and role in the story. For example most of police force are canids, while criminals are often reptiles. The main cast consist of Blacksad (black cat), side-kick and journalist Weekly (least weasel) and police commissioner Smirnov (german shepard). Blacksad himself is the only character who appears in every volume.
The art is simply phenomenal. The look is fairly realistic, yet the characters very expressive. Fully colored, beautifully with watercolors. Very cinematic, and wonderfully impressive camera angles in lot of panels, especially when there is action.
Story is also good. Not extremely original, though that is expected in the film noir style. A few suprising twists and nicely handles some typical themes as racism and the tensions of Cold War.
Bone by Jeff Smith
Bone centers around three ”Bone” cousins. Small, bald, white cartoony creatures. After some comedic disaster related to mayor elections they are ran out of Boneville. While crossing a desert they get in a sea of locusts and are separated. Each of them eventually find themselves in the mysterious Valley, inhabited by talking animals, savage rat creatures and dragons. Local men do not believe in the dragon part, but a big red one seems to bother Fone Bone regulary. Fone meets and falls in love with human girl Rose. Rose takes him to her homefarm, where she meets her grandmother and is re-united with his cousins. However, the dark and enigmatic Lord of Locusts threatens all other living things in the Valley.
Starting out as comedy and developes in fullfledged fantasy adventure of a clash between good and evil. It stills keeps the comedic edge thorough the story. The gags and some dialogue is absolutely hilarious, amazing comedic timing. The characters are loveable and the plot thrilling. Smiths art is very polished and especially his story telling abilities shine. Great composition and diving of the panels, to get the reader to experience the whole impact of both comedy and drama. Simply awesome on every aspect.
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Biography of the authors father Vladek, a polish jew and a survivor of the holocaust.The frame story is son interviewing him to make a comic of his fathers life story, and it jumps between 70s/80s New York and Vladeks memories from Poland during WWII. The trick is, jews are mice and nazis are cats. Worth noting that this is the only comic ever to win a Pulitzer.
All I can say is wow. Incredibly touching story, with many levels. Not only what happens in Vladeks life, but his sons struggles with Vladeks diffficult personality and trying to understand him. The use identical animal characters to depict different nations raises interesting point, absurdity of categorizing people like that. A lot of thematic depth, a lot to study and think in this piece of true art. Artstyle is rough, but fits the story just perfectly.
Others I enjoy greatly but are too lazy to write a better descriptions now are Sandman, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the movie is horrible compared to the original, nothing in common), lot of other works my Alan Moore, Hellboy, Asterix, Tintin, and Don Rosas Scrooge McDuck. Among others.
Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist)
Blacksad is film noir styled detective story set in late 50s America, each volume being on individual case. It tells the story of hardboiled private detective Blacksad. All characters are anthropomorphic animals reflecting their personality and role in the story. For example most of police force are canids, while criminals are often reptiles. The main cast consist of Blacksad (black cat), side-kick and journalist Weekly (least weasel) and police commissioner Smirnov (german shepard). Blacksad himself is the only character who appears in every volume.
The art is simply phenomenal. The look is fairly realistic, yet the characters very expressive. Fully colored, beautifully with watercolors. Very cinematic, and wonderfully impressive camera angles in lot of panels, especially when there is action.
Story is also good. Not extremely original, though that is expected in the film noir style. A few suprising twists and nicely handles some typical themes as racism and the tensions of Cold War.
Bone by Jeff Smith
Bone centers around three ”Bone” cousins. Small, bald, white cartoony creatures. After some comedic disaster related to mayor elections they are ran out of Boneville. While crossing a desert they get in a sea of locusts and are separated. Each of them eventually find themselves in the mysterious Valley, inhabited by talking animals, savage rat creatures and dragons. Local men do not believe in the dragon part, but a big red one seems to bother Fone Bone regulary. Fone meets and falls in love with human girl Rose. Rose takes him to her homefarm, where she meets her grandmother and is re-united with his cousins. However, the dark and enigmatic Lord of Locusts threatens all other living things in the Valley.
Starting out as comedy and developes in fullfledged fantasy adventure of a clash between good and evil. It stills keeps the comedic edge thorough the story. The gags and some dialogue is absolutely hilarious, amazing comedic timing. The characters are loveable and the plot thrilling. Smiths art is very polished and especially his story telling abilities shine. Great composition and diving of the panels, to get the reader to experience the whole impact of both comedy and drama. Simply awesome on every aspect.
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Biography of the authors father Vladek, a polish jew and a survivor of the holocaust.The frame story is son interviewing him to make a comic of his fathers life story, and it jumps between 70s/80s New York and Vladeks memories from Poland during WWII. The trick is, jews are mice and nazis are cats. Worth noting that this is the only comic ever to win a Pulitzer.
All I can say is wow. Incredibly touching story, with many levels. Not only what happens in Vladeks life, but his sons struggles with Vladeks diffficult personality and trying to understand him. The use identical animal characters to depict different nations raises interesting point, absurdity of categorizing people like that. A lot of thematic depth, a lot to study and think in this piece of true art. Artstyle is rough, but fits the story just perfectly.
Others I enjoy greatly but are too lazy to write a better descriptions now are Sandman, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the movie is horrible compared to the original, nothing in common), lot of other works my Alan Moore, Hellboy, Asterix, Tintin, and Don Rosas Scrooge McDuck. Among others.
eath in the Family,Batman:Knightfall,Batman
