Recommended Comics Series

Recommended Comics Series

I don't really like most cape books, as they tend to err towards sexist portrayals and recycled ideas. Which isn't to say good examples of that genre don't exist, of course.

This is an overview of stuff I like. Cover art is linked to many more extensive reviews on Amazon UK.

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The Authority

One of the first modern comics to play with 'realistic' superheroes — i.e. what would happen to a world and its politics if individuals with Superman-level abilities got it into their heads to try to improve things. The first two volumes collecting the Warren Ellis stories (Relentless and Under New Management) are excellent, as are the five StormWatch volumes that precede them. Unfortunately, the quality of non-Ellis Authority material ranges from okay to abysmal. (I do like Millar's Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority, though.)

Fables

Characters from fairytales, rhymes and similar transplanted to a more-or-less modern setting with plenty of fantastical elements retained. As with many series, the first few books work as standalone material before pressing ahead with an overarching plot. The first volume is a murder mystery introducing characters, then book two, Animal Farm, adds a loving dose of farce to proceedings.

Hellboy

Minimalist and highly-stylised art/dialogue make the first few volumes of this a treat, especially the short story collection The Chained Coffin and Other Stories. Hellboy was found and raised by a good man who dedicated his life to fighting evil, and Hellboy does likewise... in a very matter-of-fact way, and often by hitting things or blowing them up. There's plenty of folklore research in there if that's your bag, but these are also rousing action adventures with undead Nazis and a cast of similar recurring villains.

Hitman

Unfortunately very difficult to find these days, and some of the series wasn't collected in trade paperbacks. Tommy Monaghan is a superpowered hitman who deals in taking care of superpowered villains. This doesn't make him very popular with more respectable vigilantes such as Batman, and the storytelling bounces between humour and pathos. Sometimes a bit too much so, and the lead characters were never destined to get a happy ending, but the first few volumes are top notch storytelling.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Alan Moore draws from centuries of literature for characters and the basis of this series, with endless references for literary buffs to spot. Volumes one and two also work extremely well as action-adventure storytelling, bringing together a team of special operatives (Mina Harker, Alan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, et al) to protect the British Empire. Basically not connected with the film of the same name, and a thousand times more entertaining.

Planetary

Warren Ellis takes his turn to mine previous decades of storytelling, mixing superpowered archaeologists with everything from kung-fu films to Sherlock Holmes and Doc Savage. What unfolds is a mystery that pits Elijah Snow and his team against another group of explorers who've set out to monopolise the power strange alien artifacts bring for their own benefit. For added interest, often stunning artwork is matched to the area of popular culture referenced by each issue.

Preacher

I found the strongest bits of this series by Garth Ennis were the opening and concluding chapters, but the rest is worth at least one read too. The plot revolves around a disillusioned preacher, Jesse Custer, given the ability to command others with divine authority. There are also vampires, an extremely high body count, and quite a lot of scatalogical humour. Not for the easily offended.

Transmetropolitan

Hunter S. Thompson in the future, as ghostwritten by Warren Ellis. Essentially this is an framework for the author to muse on journalism, writing, politics, treasuring history and various other topics. Very irreverent and not suitable for kids, but you'd already guessed that, hadn't you? The first few volumes are relatively standalone, after which more focus is given to an ongoing storyline. Highly quotable.

Sandman

The series that made Neil Gaiman. The first volume isn't necessarily the best starting point, but it's as good a place as any — a man tries to capture Death but gets her brother Dream instead. The following series dwells on history, classics, Shakespeare, and the nature of story. Best read as a teenager, but that isn't to sound dismissive — simply to say that it'll have most impact then.

StormWatch

Probably best summed up by the title of the third collection, Change or Die. The kind of comics writing that only flourishes in universes where the characters don't have to be reset and put back in their boxes for the next writer to play with. Cape books, but with a cast that develop somewhat as individuals as well as lists of powers and silly costumes. The "everyone-goes-to-the-pub" issue collected in Lightning Strikes being a particular highlight.