17 must-read comics
20.4.2016
Translation: machine translated
This week sees the 25th edition of the Fumetto festival in Lucerne. It's the perfect opportunity to present you with my favourites.
From "Mickey Parade" to "Mortadel et Filémon" to "Lucky Luke"; I've been devouring comics since I was a kid. Even though I still visit Donaldville from time to time today, my preferences have changed. As I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting comics (and don't always have time for Fumetto every year), I'd like to share my favourites with you and am open to any other suggestions. Anyone whose fingers are already itching to tell me that we don't say comics, but Graphic Novels can file over to the nerds' corner with Seth Cohen 😉.
"The Goon"
My favourite series is The Goon. A thick brute who, with his friend Franky, takes on the craziest creatures. They are, in fact, swarming around the small town. Zombies, giant octopuses and werewolves. The Goon strikes them all. Writer and cartoonist Eric Powell has found the perfect blend of style and humour. The comics are often a little brutal, but always original and very well drawn. If you like this style, you should definitely check out Powell's Big Man Plans. However, the very explicit violence occurring there is not for everyone.
"100 Bullets"
The drawing style is certainly not my first choice, but the story is one of the most compelling I've read in comic book form. The multifaceted characters, unexpected twists and turns, complex, but still understandable. The plot: people who have been wronged in the past are visited by a man dressed in black with a briefcase. It contains an unmarked gun, 100 cartridges, irrefutable proof of the wrong done to them and the identity of the culprit(s), as well as the assurance that they will not suffer the consequences of their revenge. The story runs for 100 issues or 13 collections and is scripted by Brian Azzarello; a name not to be forgotten.
"Conan"
Dark Horse is my favourite comics publisher. At the latest after discovering "The Goon" at the [Analph] in Zurich, I'm still on the lookout for the black horse's head. While browsing in a comic book shop in Paris, I stumbled across the 'Conan' series and it was love at first sight. After all, I'd grown up with Schwarzenegger films and Conan the Barbarian had no right to be missing. "And if you don't listen, then to HELL with you! Unlike the film, the series is much closer to Robert E. Howard's book. The style varies according to author and illustrator. The first few volumes in particular are first-rate in terms of both content and style, and I can't recommend them highly enough. Volume 0 "Born on the Battlefield" is the ideal introduction to frustrating stories full of graves, bloodthirsty monsters and buxom women.
"Lumberjanes"
Much less interested in mountains of muscle: the Lumberjanes. The five girls spend their summer holidays at a scout camp full of fantastic and supernatural phenomena, and have adventures no less fascinating than Conan's. Drawings with a daring style, original stories, amusing dialogue and, above all, something out of the ordinary.
"Watchmen"
The quintessential cult comic is, at the latest after its 2009 screen adaptation, familiar to most people. It's well worth reading, even if you've already seen the film. The story by Alan Moore and cartoonist Dave Gibbons takes place in a parallel universe where Richard Nixon is elected President for the third time. The world is approaching World War III and a group of "retired" superheroes are struck down by an assassin. The interplay between personal setbacks and political aggravation makes "Watchmen" a fascinating experience.
"Hellboy"
Also known is Hellboy. A red devil who was summoned by the Nazis, but ultimately fights evil alongside Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, his mentor. Mike Mignolas' unique style, the adventure-filled stories and the believable protagonists make this anti-hero series a must. I can also recommend "B.P.R.D." or "Abe Sapien".
"Cash - I see Darkness"
Anyone with even the slightest interest in country legend Johny Cash should definitely read this drawn biography. Reinhard Kleist paints a heavy-handed picture of the eventful life of the Man in Black. From the famous concert at Folsom Prison to his moving women's stories, we get a captivating yet accessible insight into Johny Cash's career.
"Hector Umbra"
Good comics don't just come from the pen of Americans. Germany's Uli Oesterle mixes reality and illusion in a black-and-white setting set in the heart of Munich. The drawings are grandiose and the story is gripping.
"Chew"
Tony Chu is a cibopath: he is able to trace the history of the food he eats. Handy, because Chu is an agent of Food and Drug Enforcement and fights against chicken trafficking, banned following bird flu. But not so handy when you have to chew through everything to reconstruct the facts. As well as Chu, there are many other unusual characters with unusual gifts. My favourite is EL POYO: a cyborg super chicken and ultimate war machine.
"Fables"
Imagine if all the fairytale characters like the Big Bad Wolf, the Frog King and Snow White had to leave their kingdom and find refuge in modern-day New York. This is the basis of "Fables", which revolves around a life full of sex, murder and intrigue for the fairytale characters (Fables). The local sheriff is called Big B, no less than the Big Bad Wolf. Not everyone is happy with him and he is always a point of contention. There's also The Farm, home to the other characters who can't stay in town because of their animal appearance. Aside from all the stories involving the various characters, the fear of the Adversary, a mysterious villain whose aim is to wipe out the Fables completely, reigns. This comic book series serves, in fact, as the template for the first-class adventure game called "The Wolf Among Us".
"Deadpool"
Deadpool and I have only known each other since the admittedly average, but highly entertaining game of the same name. The wacky anti-hero with his ugly face and ruthless approaches that often backfire amused me. However, the tone of the comics varies greatly from one to the next. The less serious stories with lots of humour and silly lines are my favourites - especially the dialogue with his dual personality. "Deadpool Volume 2: Soul Hunter" is a perfect example.
"The Joker"
Brian Azzarello's Joker is portrayed as sinister and sick. One of the best stories in the Batman universe both linguistically and visually.
"Saga"
In a utopian future, a couple from two enemy races have a child and become the centre of a galactic conflict. Fleeing bounty hunters, alien TV robots and stepmothers, this young family not only has to fight many dangers, but also themselves. Gripping, complex and varied sci-fi story.
"WizzyWig"
Infiltrating phones, computers and hiding out to evade the FBI. The story of the young hacker in "WizzyWig" leans towards real-life examples. The stories begin in the 1970s, when some bigwigs discovered that you could reproduce the sound of coins to fool telephone boxes. Of course, the stories don't stop there. Hacker Kevin is always coming up with daring new targets. "WizzyWig" delivers an interesting and exciting insight into the world of hackers.
"Persepolis"
This Iranian-French comic by Marjane Satrapi not only shows a new facet of a foreign culture, which I thought was much more serious, but also a lot of humour, sincerity and joie de vivre. From the presentation of Satrapi's childhood in Iran, to her time spent abroad, to her return is entertaining and informative at the same time. Definitely read both volumes!
"Blacksad"
A comic book series with a film noir atmosphere dealing with private detective John Blacksad. He, like the other characters in this comic, has a human body and animal heads whose species reflect their character. With "Blacksad", the two Spaniards Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido tell a curious fable that has no equal when it comes to the language and composition of the images. I recommend the making-of "The Sketch Files" to anyone who likes this style.
Thomas Ott
And finally, a gem from Switzerland. I'm naming the author directly rather than listing specific titles, because they all go along the same lines. Thoma Ott's images engraved on scratch cardboard are also in the direction of film noir. Dialogue is sparse and the characters involved in the story often die at the end. Deliciously macabre and a real feast for the eyes. Reading tip: "Panopticum", "Hellville" or "Dead End".
As most of these comics are unfortunately unavailable in our range, I've found a few nice alternatives.
Almost as good as the comics and twice as trashy
. [[productlist:2413245]]
The film adaptation is also very successful [[productlist:4659333]]
I'm not familiar with it, but it looks very entertaining [[productlist:2516148]]
Also one of the best "Batman" comics outside of "The Joker" [[productlist:2445971]]
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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