Allright, UC. I need your help.

[ultimatedjf]

The bookstore that I work at currently carries no comics/graphic novels, but they would like to order about 20-25 this Summer.

I thought I'd ask all y'all what you think are the 25 most important graphic novels ever, what a bookstore should have. But the manager also wouldn't mind incorporating some new stuff, like trades of current series, into the mix. In fact, he's encouraging it. So that makes the list a little tougher to make. I knew I could count on you for some suggestions, though. You don't need to give a list of 25; I think a few suggestions from everybody ought to give me enough to compile a great list. Obviously, I'm thinking Watchmen, and as for current comics, I'd add the first Runaways hardcover to the list.

Those are my contributions. What are yours?

 

[E]

The bookstore that I work at currently carries no comics/graphic novels, but they would like to order about 20-25 this Summer.

I thought I'd ask all y'all what you think are the 25 most important graphic novels ever, what a bookstore should have. But the manager also wouldn't mind incorporating some new stuff, like trades of current series, into the mix. In fact, he's encouraging it. So that makes the list a little tougher to make. I knew I could count on you for some suggestions, though. You don't need to give a list of 25; I think a few suggestions from everybody ought to give me enough to compile a great list. Obviously, I'm thinking Watchmen, and as for current comics, I'd add the first Runaways hardcover to the list.

Those are my contributions. What are yours?

Off the top of my head (and these should all still be in print):

Watchmen
V for Vendetta
All New Avengers TPBs/PHCs
Earth X trilogy (which might not all be back in print yet - not sure)
Seven Soldiers of Victory (4 TPBs)
Generic (or recent) Superman, Batman, & X-Men collections

 

[Iceshadow]

Fables, Ultimates, and Y:The Last Man

 

[Random]

Ultimates, Kingdom Come

 

[Ultimate Houde]

Ex Machina
Mouse Guard

 

[SSJmole]

The Judge Dredd tpbs.

 

[Seldes Katne]

My list is mostly for kids and young adults:

Owly
P.L.A.I.N. Janes (in fact, DC has an entire Minx line that your manager might want to check out)
Bone
Any of Dark Horse's Star Wars titles

I don't know how many copies will sell, but Maus won a Pulitzer Prize Special Award in 1992.

 

[Dancanread]

Maus
The Dark Knight Returns

 

[SSJmole]

Any of Dark Horse's Star Wars titles

Hell yeah , some of the star wars ones e.g Crimson Empire. Kick ***

 

[Planet-man]

If I could pick a few, it'd be:

Watchmen
V For Vendetta
Kingdom Come
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth

Good starting point for a bookstore that currently has no GNs, because all five are genuine literature.

 

[E]

If I could pick a few, it'd be:

Watchmen
V For Vendetta
Kingdom Come
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth

Good starting point for a bookstore that currently has no GNs, because all five are genuine literature.

If that's the criteria you might want to add Pride of Baghdad.

 

[ultimatedjf]

My list is mostly for kids and young adults:

Owly
P.L.A.I.N. Janes (in fact, DC has an entire Minx line that your manager might want to check out)
Bone
Any of Dark Horse's Star Wars titles

I don't know how many copies will sell, but Maus won a Pulitzer Prize Special Award in 1992.

If that's the criteria you might want to add Pride of Baghdad.

Oh yeah. I forgot to add that Bone and Pride of Baghdad would be on my "definite" list too.

And I know it's weird, but bookstores love Jimmy Corrigan as well.

Keep 'em coming, guys!

 

[Dancanread]

DEFINITELY Pride of Baghdad.

 

[Hellsbuttmonkey]

Watchmen
V For Vendetta
Dark Knight Returns
Ultimates 1 AND 2
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Spider-man: The Death of Gwen Stacy
Batman: Broken Bat
Batman: Who Rules the Night
Batman: Knightsend

 

[ProjectX2]

This is my speciality. Note, the following I recommend may not be personal favourites of mine, but they are what the comic community consider the greatest graphic novels of all time:

Watchmen
V For Vendetta
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: Year One

So yeah. I think those four are definite. And then you have these:

Marvels
Kingdom Come
Earth X
Ultimates Vol. 1
Fables Vol. 1
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1
Ultimate X-Men Vol. 1
Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1
Y The Last Man Vol. 1
Sandman Vol. 1
Superman/Batman Vol. 1
Ex Machina Vol. 1
Runaways Vol. 1
Young Avengers Vol. 1
New Avengers Vol. 1
Planetary Vol. 1
Authority Vol. 1
Invincible Vol. 1
The Walking Dead Vol. 1
Pride of Baghdad
Maus
Preacher Vol. 1
Green Lantern: Rebirth
A Geoff John's Flash TPB
Identity Crisis
A Bendis' Daredevil TPB

That gives a good range, and then if people like one particular title you could always order in the rest of the series.

 

[Zombipanda]

I'd break it down into 5 categories, with 5 books in each. Unless otherwise noted, if the book is a series, I'd suggest the first volume. That way, the store owner can use sales of that to gauge if he should order later volumes.

Literary Comics
Maus
Promethea
Watchmen
Sandman
Y: The Last Man

Young Adults
Runaways
Mouse Guard
Bone
Pride of Baghdad
Teen Titans

DC Superheroes
The Authority
The Dark Knight Returns
DC: The New Frontier
Kingdom Come
DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore

Marvel Superheroes
The Ultimates
Earth X
Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller
Captain America (current volume)
Astonishing X-Men

Mature Titles
Preacher
Transmetropolitan
Swamp Thing
100 Bullets
Ex Machina