Best Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are better than novels and comic books. A comic book gets finished within some minutes, but it provides a lot of visual in some ultra cool camera angles, and if the illustrator is really good then the joy of looking at the comic book is even greater. However, one just gets a glimpse of the story in a comic book, and has to wait a long month, till the next issue of the comic book is released. Novels are quite opposite of comic books, they offer a lot of story-telling in hundreds of pages, but they all leave how the situations and characters look to the reader's imagination.
In this respect, graphic novels are the coolest, as one gets to read a whole story with some beautifully drawn illustrated pages. There are many good graphic novels out there, however, if you want to know which are the best ones, here is a list of the 10 best graphic novels, which every fan should read. However, see the rating on these graphic novels, as some of the novels contain a lot of adult content and are definitely not suitable for kids. Hence, check if the book comes under the graphic novels for adults or kids.
10 Best Graphic Novels of All Time
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Author - Frank Miller, Illustrator - Klaus Janson, Colorist - Lynn Varley
One just needs to flip the pages of the book, to see the beautifully done artwork in this graphic novel. These are a comic book series which have been combined and sold as a graphic novel. In this graphic novel, Batman also known as The Dark Knight, returns from a period of deep self-finding anguish. And a gang called the Mutants are spreading havoc in the city.
Sandman: Volume 1: Preludes And Nocturnes
Author - Neil Gaiman, Illustrator - Sam Keith, Colorist - Mike Dringenberg
I am a fan of Neil Gaiman, but the Sandman series are really spooky. They are very surprising, and the best part is the two characters which is the King of the Dreams and the Death are really complex, and differently portrayed. Death is actually portrayed as a cute and cheery goth girl. This is an addictive graphic novel series, which is very dark, deep and complex.
300
Author & Illustrator - Frank Miller, Colorist - Lynn Varley
Do I need to explain about this one?? This graphic novel is one of the best of all time graphic novels, and has been made into a movie, which was a big hit just like the book. All right, I 'll describe the graphic novel in one line. "THIS IS SPAAARRTAAA!!" Okay, kidding aside... In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, King Leonidas of Sparta gathers 300 of his best men, so that they can fight the invasion of the Persians.
Blankets
Author - Craig Thompson
This is a very different graphic novel, which is not very know, but is one of the best graphic novels ever made. In this graphic novel, it is shown that how a blanket is shared by two brothers who are growing up in an isolated country, and how their sibling rivalry goes on. Then it shows the budding romance of coming out-of-age lovers. This is a beautiful work, which portrays many emotions in a fresh way.
Watchmen (Titan Edition)
Author - Alan Moore, Illustrator - Dave Gibbons
This is one of the most acclaimed comic books of all time. If you haven't seen the movie, then it is a good idea to read this graphic novel first. This novel is a very complex murder mystery that has unforgettable characters which explored to the depths of power and love. This novel is based in 1980s. Here a motley crew of costumed superheroes in an alternate universe are shown, where the US is coming close to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. A must must read!
Y The Last Man
Author - Brian K. Vaughan, Illustrator - Pia Guerra
A movie is being made from this novel, and is set to release next year. This is a very unique novel, which goes like this... Every mammal that possesses a Y chromosome which can be anything like embryos, fertilized eggs or sperm is being killed. However, the only exception seems to be Yorick Brown and his pet Capuchin monkey. Thus, begins Yorick's journey to find his girlfriend, and discover why he is the last man on the planet, but he is being chased by Israel Defense Forces.
Tank Girl: Volume 1
Author - Alan C. Martin, Illustrator - Jamie Hewlett
Tank girl is one of the best female comic book characters. This graphic novel has all the entertaining elements, it is quirky, has cyberpunk roots and general anarchy. It stars Tank Girl a beer obsessed tank driver who keeps traveling post-apocalyptic Australian landscapes with other companions called Jet Girl and Sub Girl, and the mutant kangaroo boyfriend called Booga. This is one of the best graphic novels for girls (not for kids though).
The Complete Persepolis
Author - Marjane Satrapi
Everybody must have seen the internationally acclaimed movie of Persepolis, if you haven't then go through the graphic novel of Persepolis. Persepolis is the story of a girl growing up, in revolutionary Iran. This novel provides a glimpse of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood, in a fresh unique way.
Maus: The Complete Maus
Author - Art Spiegelman
This is a black and white book illustrated by Art Spiegelman and is one of the best graphic novels of all time. In this book, mice are used to represent as the characters in the story. This is a story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife, when living and surviving during Hitler's Europe. This graphic novel address the horror of the Holocaust using simple black and white cartoons, but still it captures the various deep emotions. This is one of the best classic graphic novels of all time.
Bone: The Complete Cartoon Epic in One Volume
Author - Jeff Smith
This is a truly unique graphic novel, and a very popular one. It has a very interesting plot. Three modern cartoon cousin in a pre-technological valley get lost, and they spend a year there making friends, and escaping dangerous showdowns.
Other Honorable Mentions
Given above, were the book reviews on the best graphic novels. Here are some more, good graphic novel titles, which you can consider for further reading.
- V for Vendetta
- Sin City
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume 1
- Batman: Year One
- Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
- We3
- Daredevil: Man Without Fear
- Astro City: Volume 1: Life In The Big City
- Pride of Baghdad
- Miracleman: The Golden Age
- The Greatest of Marlys
- Batman: The Killing Joke
- The Adventures of Tintin: The Black Island
Just go online, and search for 'The 100 Greatest Comics Torrent' and you will find some real amazing graphic novels and other cool comic books in this torrent. You can also look for an individual torrent, for a particular graphic book. For example, Sandman whole series is available, you can download and read it, if you like. These internet ebooks, are in .cbr format, which is short for comic book reader. So, you will need to download the comic book reader software to view these files properly. Good luck, and enjoy reading these best graphic novels and other favorite graphic novels!
