Comic books are probably the thing I read most, and I think it’s a shame that more people don’t read them. I have an entire essay I wrote about accessibility in comics, but in summary I think the biggest two problems is that comics are really expensive and that there’s this conflation between “Superhero” and “Comic.” If you’re not a comics fan, I can guarantee that there’s a comic for you out there somewhere. Hell, I even made a little Google quiz for people looking to get into comics! I mainly focused on comics that I think would be largely accessible. I ignored all the really weird comics that are still so wonderful. But comics as a whole are really pushing a lot of boundaries when it comes to storytelling, and it's criminally underrated as an art form. If you message me I'd be happy to recommend more specific comics and ways to acquire them on the cheap. But they're so much more than just superhero stories (as much as I love those) and are truly magical experiences if you just embrace the madness of it all.
Anyways, back to me talking about myself to the void. If I listed all the comics that were emotionally impactful to me, I'd be here all day. Maybe I'll make that list some day. But for now I'll only list the few comics that are Really Important as well some general recommendations for weird and wonderful things (besides the recommendation survey above.)
- Scott Pilgrim
- Fables
- Runaways
- On A Sunbeam
- Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too: A Book. It’s a weird little book about a tiny alien making friends with the various creatures of Earth. It’s a book about death, life, art, fear and Everything. It’s kind and warming, and it’s a fun read.
- Everything Is Beautiful, and I'm Not Afraid: A Baopu Collection. This is kind of why I love comics as an art form. As much as I love super text-heavy stuff like Fun Home, or big bombastic comics like Saga, it’s the weird stuff that I think is truly unique. Everything Is Beautiful is mostly vignettes. The art is weird and abstract and it can get sad at times, but it’s a fundamentally hopeful book filled with art that evokes story and theme more than anything else.
- All-Star Superman: I love Grant Morisson. Their writing is weird and fascinating and profound and oddly kind at times. Oddly kind is how I would describe All-Star Superman. A story about the inevitability of death and the immortality of heroes. A story about how Superman and superheroes are somehow more Human than even those of us who are Flesh and Blood. It might have hit me harder since I’ve been a lifelong superhero comics fan. Maybe. But it’s still a wonderful story.
- The Department of Truth: Tynion’s work is fantastic and The Department of Truth is the weirdest of them all. It’s based on the idea that if people believe hard in something, that thing will exist. It’s a story about conspiracy theories, the satanic panic, aliens and mothman. It’s a great plot, to be sure, but I think the art is what really gets me. It’s so unlike anything else, made partially as though it were a collage of torn paper. It’s so evocative, I can’t help but adore it.
