By: Y · March 4, 2008

In celebration of the publishing of the last issue of Y: The Last Man, the San Francisco Chronicle has a list of the Eight Comic Books You Should Read Before You Die.

As all of us here are big comic book fans, so we’re doing our own list, and contributing 2 each.

1. Bone (Jeff Smith) - the whole damn thing. There is one issue I have with these kinds of lists, is that how do you decide which parts to throw in? Sure, you can say “Superman is required reading for comic book fans.” But there are tons of Superman books. I don’t know how you can recommend Out from Boneville and not the rest of them. Sorry, anyway…this series/book is awesome. As a fan of colored comics, it took me a little while to accept this black & white book, but I’m glad I did. It’s an Epic, full of fantastical creatures and maps of made up lands. It’s an epic adventure, but it’s also really funny. If you ever have a flight, or some time for extended reading, get this book.

2. A Contract With God (Will Eisner) - After several futile attempts at explaining why I liked comics and graphic novels, I bought my fiancee this book. I had read about it, but never read it. While I don’t think she’ll sit down with my entire Sandman or Preacher series (will they make our cut? Who knows!? Keep reading to find out!), this book did help convince an English major that comics aren’t only for adolescent males. The stories in this book are touching, and will resonate more with Jewish readers than others, but this is great proof of the “legitimacy” of the medium. Also one of the first graphic novels ever.

3. The Dark Phoenix Saga (Chris Claremont) - Talk about old school, huh? Look, there are IMMENSE flaws in this story, I admit. But the scope of the plot (they go to fucking space!) combined with the tragedy of seeing Jean Grey go through her transformation, rise and subsequent fall as Phoenix was, at least for me, the first time I saw the power of comics on a purely emotional level. Claremont does what he does best, making big operatic overtures in a story that actually gave some of the X-men some bite, whereas before they were all kind pussies. It’s a big, broad story that’s full of good fights, meaty character dramas, and a satisfyingly tragic ending. Plus a purple guy with a mohawk in space.

4. Watchmen. Next.

5. The Sandman Saga (Neil Gaiman) - My first exposure to Gaiman and to graphic novels with non-superhero content remains a defining saga for me. Darker than dark, some of the substance moves beyond nightmarish to an even darker place, that is part of Gaiman’s uniquely macbre charm during this part of his career. The sweep or journey described in Sandman is broad, from Dream’s Freedom to his Wake, but also circular and epic. It’s easy to get frustrated by the fluidity of the book because the narrative and art drifts in accordance with its substance — dreamily — from point to point, not always connecting logically or sequentially. The saga moves organically, but it does so with a purpose that lulls the reader into a patchwork dreamscape that is both nightmarish and fantastical. Plus, I found Dream’s sister Death really sexy.

7. Blankets - Craig Thompson is the standard to which graphic novelists should aspire. Part of the reason that comic books are viewed as a child’s medium is the fact that they refuse to take full advantage of the qualities that make the medium unique. Too often, you read a graphic novel where the potential for synthesis between art and story is squandered. For instance, in your average issue of, say, Spider-Man, if Peter Parker is feeling Catholic guilt, he’ll be walking past a church, and more likely than not, he’s be thinking to himself “Boy, I feel guilty for betraying my Catholic upbringing!” It gets the point across, but the power of graphic storytelling is that the story can enhance the art, and vice-versa. Craig Thompson gets this. He doesn’t put a line down on the paper without a purpose, and that’s what elevates him above other comic artists in my eyes. The best panel to illustrate this (and one of my favorite panels in any comic, ever), is the upper-right hand panel on pg. 90 (pictured!), when Craig and Raina really notice each other for the first time. There’s not a lot going on in the panel, but what’s happening is perfect.

First, both characters make the same motion, brushing their hair behind their ear. In a film, a shot like that could easily come off as forced, like the director is screaming at you to tell you that the characters belong together. In a comic, it can and does work gracefully.

Second, Thompson, who often has detailed backgrounds, removes the background completely (but notice how Raina is clearly leaning against a wall that we can’t really see). Not only does it focus the reader on the characters, but it puts us in their shoes, because the world around them faded momentarily as they took notice of each other.

Third, and by far my favorite detail, is the contrasting art styles used to illustrate each character. Raina gets detailed, thin lines that give her an air of grace. Craig, by contrast, is drawn with thick lines reminiscent of brush strokes or charcoal. Moreover, his figure is exaggerated and lacks the detail that Raina shows, giving him a much more cartoon-like appearance. The story is about Craig’s first love, and in part, his coming to terms with his childhood and moving into maturity. So, the art style can be taken to show Craig’s image of himself…he’s poorly defined, maybe not quite comfortable in his skin. By contrast, he perceives Raina as incredibly beautiful, so she gets a much more finely drawn character. That is the level of artistry and craftsmanship that I’d like to see from all comics.

8. Y: The Last Man - The story of Yorick Brown, the last man left alive on earth, may or may not be the greatest comic series of all time. I’ve certainly seen the argument made both ways, but most people agree that it belongs in the discussion. It’s a fantastic serial narrative…simply buying volume one won’t cover it. Brian K. Vaughan constructs an enormous, beautiful world that you can’t help but want to explore. The characters are rich and full of details that feel real, not just created so that each character seems to have a personality. I don’t need to be verbose about Y. It should be read and enjoyed by everyone who’s ever enjoyed a good story. It’s that universal. Here’s how good it is: I have, after finishing a volume of Y, sat alone in my living room and cheered out loud. I am in no way ashamed of this.

Get readin’!