I love comic books.  I love the mythology in comic books.  I love the artwork in comic books.  I love the endless possibilities in comic books.  Everything about comic books appeals to me.  So, I read them, as often as I can.

I've had a love for comic books for many years, but have really only started reading them properly recently when I stumbled across found an old Frank Miller Daredevil from the early 80's, sitting creased and folded in a pile of my "things". 

Below are a list of some great comics I've read in the last year or two.  Some are old, some are a bit more new, all are amazing.

You may notice a trend...

Still my favourite comic to this day, Kingdom Come is a four issue epic from the mid 90's, written by Mark Waid and artwork by the marvellous Alex Ross. 

Set some 20 years into the future of the then-current DC Universe, it deals with a growing conflict between "traditional" superheroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League, and a growing population of largely amoral and dangerously irresponsible new vigilantes. Between these two groups is Batman and his assembled team, who attempt to contain the escalating disaster, foil the machinations of Lex Luthor, and prevent a world-ending superhuman war.

The series draws heavily on Biblical apocalyptic imagery, especially that of the Book of Revelation.  I'm not religious, but I love apocalyptic themes and stories, so this one is right up my alley.

The first time I read it, I was torn between reading it fast, just to find out what happens, or read it slow, to appreciate the highly detailed and beautiful artwork.  I went with the former the first reading and have since been back many times to take it all in.  This is a wonderful comic book, that gives me something new everytime.

The comic that inspired a franchise re-boot (much of this story was used in the movie Batman Begins), Batman: Year One tells the story of the beginning of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman and Jim Gordon's with the Gotham City Police Department.  Written by nerd king Frank Miller, it successfully re-started the Batman mythos.

Critics praised this comic book, with IGN Comics ranking Batman: Year One at the top of a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, saying that "no other book before or since has quite captured the realism, the grit and the humanity of Gordon and Batman so perfectly....It's not only one of the most important comics ever written, it's also among the best."

I love this comic book because it paints Batman as a human, something that can be lost in superhero stories.  It shows that he is vulnerable and can be brought down just like any other man.  It's about overcoming one's fear and using it against those who thrive on it.

The artwork is solid and noir inspired, which co-exists perfectly with the writing.  This is a must read for all comc book fans.

Frank Miller you've done it again.  Released in the mid 80's to almost universal acclaim, Batman: TDKR tells of an old and retired Bruce Wayne, forced to don the suit one last time in an effort to save Gotham City.  This time, words and artwork both by Miller, this is a triumph of the graphic novel genre.

IGN Comics ranked The Dark Knight Returns #2 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, second only to Miller's Batman: Year One. The website called The Dark Knight Returns "a true masterpiece of storytelling" with "scene after unforgettable scene". Miller has stated in interviews that the comic creators community did not appreciate the different tone of Batman, with some writers and artists calling Miller telling him they "ruined" their character.  Pish!

They were just jealous.  This is one of the greatest comic books created.

A must read.

Apparently this is one of two comic books given to Heath Ledger prior to shooting The Dark Knight.  This is more the story of the rise and fall of Harvey Dent and his transformation into Harvey Two-Face.  It's also a murder mystery, one that is guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end.  Unless you're reading it the second (or more) time, which you can sit back an take in Tim Sale's noirish artwork.

Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, The Long Halloween tells the story of a mysterious killer named 'Holiday', who murders people on holidays, one each month. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month.

In terms of the re-started Batman canon, this is an unofficial sequel to Batman: Year One.

A masterpiece of Comic Book God Alan Moore, this is the other comic book reportedly given to Heath Ledger prior to shooting The Dark Knight.

Batman: The Killing Joke revolves around a largely psychological battle between Batman and his longtime foe The Joker, who has escaped from Arkham Asylum. The Joker intends to drive Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon insane to prove that the most upstanding citizen is capable of going mad after having "one bad day".  Along the way, the Joker has flashbacks to his early life, gradually explaining his possible origin.

Tim Burton is quoted in saying "It's my favorite. It's the first comic I've ever loved. And the success of those graphic novels made (filmmaker's) ideas more acceptable."

I keep finding it hard to put into words how much I love this book.  If you can, spend a few extra dollars on the hardcover "Deluxe Edition" as the re-done artwork is a sight to behold.

A must read.

Okay, here goes.  Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a down-and-out preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. Custer was accidentally possessed by the supernatural creature named Genesis in an incident which killed his entire congregation and flattened his church.  Genesis, the product of the unauthorized, unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon, is an infant with no sense of individual will. However, as it is composed of both pure goodness and pure evil, it might have enough power to rival that of God himself. In other words, Jesse Custer, bonded to Genesis, may have become the most powerful being in the whole of living existence.

How d'ya like them apples?  Prior to reading Preacher, I'd stuck with mostly traditional superhero mythos.  This series blew me completely out of the water, and left me wanting more and more.

Violent, funny, sadistic, romantic, disgusting, exciting, blasphemous, poignant... Preacher is not for everything, but most certainly is for me!

And it just so happens, Sam Mendes is directing the movie.  Bring it!

Widely considered the greatest graphic novel of all time, the "Citizen Kane" of comic books, Watchmen is an epic work of art.  It's a twelve-issue limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. 

Taken from Wikipedia: "Moore used the story as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to critique the superhero concept. Watchmen takes place on an alternate history Earth where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s, helping the United States to win the Vietnam War. The country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most costumed superheroes are in retirement or working for the government. The story focuses on the personal development and struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement and eventually leads them to confront a plot to stave off nuclear war by killing millions of people".

By now you've probably watched the movie, and if you liked it at all, you must read this masterpiece.  I think Zack Snyder did a pretty good job at a faithful film adaptation, but it still left out so much of the complex story.  I don't want to say too much, because it's best to read it all first hand, but I will mention that this book is the only graphic novel to feature on TIME Magazine's 100 greatest novels of all time.

 It's hard to describe Batman: Arkham Asylum, as it's less a traditional graphic novel, and more a psychedelic trip into the deepest, darkest pits of the human soul.  The artwork is just that, artwork!  Page after page of beautiful and often disturbing images of the gritty and creepy bowels of Gotham City's infamous Arkham Asylum.

Batman: AA - ASHOSE (even the abbreviation is long), is also the most successful graphic novel of all time.

The blurb reads: "Arkham Asylum....is a hard-hittinh psychological horror story featuring Batman and virtually all the inmates of Arkham Asylum, the house for the criminally insane.  Led by The Joker, the inmates - Two-Face, the Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Clayface, Scarecrow, and more - take over the asylum and seize control of the staff.  They're willing to release the hostages, but only if their one demand is met: Batman must be turned over to them, and become on of their own".

To borrow from Comic Book Legend Stan Lee, "'Nuff said".

Featuring a scarred titled character, Joker could be seen as an unofficial sequal to The Dark Knight movie.  The story starts off with The Joker being released, without explanation, from Arkham Asylum.

The story is told from the perspective of Jonny Frost, a low level thug who is sent to Arkham Asylum to pick up the Joker. Frost becomes part of the Joker's gang and assists him in trying to regain his former status as high profile gang figure within Gotham City, clashing with figures such as Two-face, Killer Croc, The Penguin, The Riddler and Batman.

I enjoyed the different angle this comic book took in that it mostly dealt with the expected antagonist of the story, and in a way, reversed the traditional narrative perspective.  It managed to do this, without making the reader forget that the said anti-protagonist is also an insane and unpredictable psychopath.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.