Top 10 Best Stand-Alone Graphic Novels!

[@jondoe1444]

1:22 Daytripper 3:11 Blankets 5:06 MArvels 6:47 This One Summer 8:57 Watchmen 10:53 Pride Of Baghdad 12:34 4 kids walk into a bank 14:44 Silver surfer: Parable 16:34 All star superman 18:50 Maus

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you for this!

[@jondoe1444]

@@NearMintCondition you're welcome

[@properplay]

@@jondoe1444 thank you! Daytripper is indeed a gem of a graphic novel. So good!

[@texasgirls1651]

Thank you this is great 🙌

[@frankh6273]

@@properplay absolutely! Beautiful artwork and story.

[@olexiiy]

Though there's all that talented creators behind all that books - you are the person who introduced all that stuff to me! Huge thanks as always, man!!

[@NearMintCondition]

Wow, thank you!

[@willreilly2996]

I've just recently started getting into comics and I just want to say your channel has been super helpful and amazing!!

[@NearMintCondition]

And I want to take this time to say: I’m glad you found the channel and also glad I could help. :)

[@juselara02]

Just started my graphic novels collection with the backbones, playing safe with Watchmen and The killing Joke but I am eager to keep expanding. Great list, thanks!

[@brett5569]

When I first got into comics about 10 years ago I looked up google top graphic novels ever and that’s where I discovered watchmen, sin city, Maus, blankets. Maus is incredible and deserves to be on everyone’s list.

[@FadeToBlood]

I see you got a spawn avatar I’ve been wanting to read some spawn but a lot of people say the story writing is weak?

[@brett5569]

@@FadeToBlood spawn is fun. The writing isn’t the best but the artwork is killer. You can always try getting vol.1 of the first spawn compendium. It collects the first 50 issues

[@jaumcardososs]

I was surprised that the list opened with a graphic novel from my own country that I've never heard of before, I'm definitely gonna check it out now. First video of yours I'm watching but I'm already subscribed :)

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much. And welcome aboard. :)

[@drock6287]

30k!! Congrats, Omar. Happy to be one of them. You deserve it.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank YOU!

[@angelgraham4504]

Reading This One Summer, out of complete boredom and at random in the back of my high school library, was definitely a pivotal moment. Glad to see it here!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thanks for sharing and thank you so much for watching.

[@MaulSlasher]

You can tell Blankets really touched Omar. I've always wanted to read Daytripper and Blankets.

[@NearMintCondition]

You should read one of those this year for sure.

[@protoklown]

Can't vouch for Daytripper yet, but Blankets is AMAZING.

[@shazam2323]

This video itself is a total feel, so much passion and detailed breakdowns

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much, my brother.

[@ΑλκιβιάδηςΚαζαμίας]

Reading Daytripper now. The journey is amazing.

[@NearMintCondition]

It's amazing.

[@jarod9135]

I really gotta say thank you to the Uncanny Omar. I found this channel during a very very dark time in my life and it provided me an outlet and an escape. I genuinely have loved every series I have read under the Mintie crews recommendations! This channel means the world to me and in so many ways it saved me. I just ordered the books I could off this list and I cannot wait to read them and be enchanted with new stories!

[@NearMintCondition]

I really hope things are going better for you, brother and always keep that head up. I know it's easier said than done, but through the dark times if you can keep on moving, that's a damn win.

[@jarod9135]

@@NearMintCondition i appreciate it! Some of the stories in these books have been so beautiful and touched on things I thought no one understood. I am reading Blankets right now and goodness this book is without a doubt magnificent

[@NearMintCondition]

Just checking in on you. Making sure you are doing okay.

[@jarod9135]

@@NearMintCondition hey! It means the world to me you checked on me, im doing better! I have been reading through a whole list of horror graphic novels! Plus I have officially started reading through some of the Marvel Noir stories! They are so good!

[@MacLaw3084]

Hey man I really dig the style of your review: almost imperceptible jazz in the background, the slow page turn while you give commentary in the minimized box. I’ll definitely be following, good luck with the channel.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words.

[@timcline9689]

all star superman made me a fan of the character. such a great story. all the reasons you stated were reasons i was never a fan of superman but these two together made it all better. still gotta pick up daytripper. dude! maus. fantastic. i will let anyone borrow that book. great video.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you, brother.

[@brianmurphy250]

Loved this book! Esp how Supes keeps the key to the Fortress of Solitude under the welcome mat. Of course it’s a key only he can lift…

[@mezcalycafe8702]

Congrats on the 30k . Really appreciate the work you put in. Channel has kept me sane during this crazy year

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words.

[@amrit9037]

Thank you, Omar. Loved the recommendations! I was looking for this stand-alone list on your channel other day. Please also do one with short or all in one manga series.

[@NearMintCondition]

That is another video I will work on.

[@mattthompson3371]

I've not heard of three of these. Omar you and I share so much in common, so I'm going to go and find these books. Thank you. Blankets, 4 Kids and Parable I'm ordering right now.

[@NearMintCondition]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@michaelhood7625]

Actually we reviewed Maus in a college class back in the 90's. Immediately went out and bought my own copy. A very moving experience reading this. Definitely recommended. Very brutal though.

[@NearMintCondition]

Very brutal indeed.

[@andrewzaccaria8216]

Great list Omar and congratulations on 30,000 subs.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much.

[@just23bulls]

Congrats on 30k! Love the old and new top 10/top 5 anything videos. :) Daytripper was one i just discovered due to a friend and it was incredible. I need that Absolute!! Real dudes saw this video already though Hahahaha. Congrats again since you guys more than deserve it! Take care & God Bless.

[@NearMintCondition]

Awesome! Thank you! and you got a sneak peek into my brain while editing.

[@GabrielDaty]

Congratulations on the 30k subscribers !

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much 😀 My brother.

[@brotherfranciz]

I just went straight to Amazon to buy four of your recommended books - the first one I looked up was Daytripper, and in the 'Customers who bought this item also bought' section, was Blankets and All Star Superman, which were the other two I was looking for (the fourth was 4 Kids Walk into a Bank but it was sold out on Amazon. I have already read Watchmen and Maus, which I agree are great recommendations). Your recommendations must be spot on! 👍

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words.

[@kevintrjohnson]

This One Summer and Daytripper are freaking amazing, and of course Watchmen is untouchable. Maus is basically the Night (Elie Weisel) of graphic novels. It's been too long since I had Blankets, I barely remember anything about it (makes me wonder if I ever actually got around to reading it cover to cover) other than the artwork. I don't read a lot of superhero comics anymore, not since the early 1990s. Been meaning to track down Pride of Baghdad. Never heard of 4 kids. I'm gonna toss in ten that aren't on the list. 1. Diary of a Teenage Girl by Phoebe Gloeckner. A slightly fictionalized account of Gloeckner's sexual relationship (one might call it statutory rape, since she's fifteen) with her mother's boyfriend, based on her teen diaries. I wrote a portion of my masters' thesis (an examination of intermedia in literature) on this book, focusing on its use of prose (the diary portions) along with various forms of illustration--traditional single-panel illustrations based on a portion of the text and drawn by the modern-day Gloeckner; contemporaneous "comix" strips drawn by Gloeckner as a teen (also some art given to her by R. Crumb, who cheekily accused her of plagiarism); and narrative comic portions that do not represent part of the diary (either filling in the gaps or replacing sections of it) written and illustrated by modern-day Gloeckner. The latter portions are roughly equivalent to what one of my advisors called a distance-remembering narrator--a narrator, often the adult version of a child character, who is far enough removed from the events portrayed to be able to reflect and view the event in a different way than they did at the time (Scout's narration in To Kill a Mockingbird is the quintessential version of this kind of narrator, as opposed to, say, Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, who is removed from the events but only by a few months, if I recall correctly, and is essentially still trying to put together the meaning of the events prior). I find the juxtaposition of these various elements intriguing--the raw, of-the-moment diary sections (though I suspect some editing has taken place, beyond simply changing the names of those involved, perhaps to limit extraneous details that don't pertain to her affair). 2. Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. A pair of novels that, like Diary, feature significant prose portions, but unlike Gloeckner, Selznick's art style is very much outside of any comic book conventions, featuring no traditional comic panels and instead being full page, or more often, two page spreads, which especially fits Hugo, since that novel focuses on movies. 3. Any of Julie Delporte's memoirs (Journal, Everywhere Antennas, This Woman's Work). Beautiful impressionistic colored pencil illustrations and surprisingly heartbreaking view of everyday depression. 4. Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan. Story of a young Israeli man whose estranged father may or may not have been killed in the latest terrorist bombing but very much for sure has been sleeping with a giraffe. I mean, "The Giraffe," an Israeli soldier named Numi who desperately wants to find out for sure if any of the bodies are his. 5. A Girl on the Shore by Inio Asano. I first read this in fan translation, but it got an official translation a few years ago, and I still don't know how. This is a dark, graphically sexual novel about a pair of lonely, broken teenagers. It's not hentai, it's too grounded and realistic, but fair warning, it is transgressive in how much it's willing to show, and it is bound to be off-putting at first, and purposefully so (for me, it helped that I first read it as it came out in fan translation over the course of several years; I don't know if I could have stomached it all in one go initially). Definitely not for most people. By the author of Solanin and Goodnight Punpun (the latter having a line that kind of sums up Asano's work: "I want to make your life miserable.") 6. Heartbreak Soup by Gilbert Hernandez. Culled from the pages of Love and Rockets, Heartbreak Soup is probably the best cross-section of Gilbert's Luba stories, functioning as a self-contained story with a similar magical realism to the works of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez (the sense of a village both modern and ancient is reminiscent of 100 Years of Solitude). I personally prefer the artwork of his brother Jaime, but his books are less self-contained. 7. Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot. Story of a teen girl who runs away from her abusive home, along with her pet rat. Includes an entire faux Beatrix Potter book, which turned out to be the work of the girl. 8. City of Light, City of Dark by Avi, art by Brian Floca. Another prose-heavy graphic novel for young adults, this story is about a semi-dystopian/slightly magical New York city (called the People's City) in the not-too-distant future. The Kurbs, an ancient mystical group, "lend" their power and the Island (presumably Manhattan) to the people in exchange for the performance of an odd ritual each year meant to remind the people who truly owns the island. The art is absolutely gorgeous. 9. Kill Your Boyfriend by Grant Morrison, art by Philip Bond. Dark, satirical about...guess. The titular activity actually happens fairly quickly within the short graphic novel, and then things just go off the rails in all the best ways. 10. Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind by Hayao Miyazaki. Cheating a bit. There is a two volume box set available, collecting the entire series, though it's a hulking brute and I prefer the seven-volume softcover edition. One part Lord of the Rings, one part Dune, and one part Metal Hurlant era Moebius, it is easily the best sci fi fantasy manga I've ever read, with gorgeous art. The more famous movie is pulled mostly from the first volume to give you context as to how sprawling this story is; the manga is also darker and more violent, especially in the second half, and more than likely inspiring the themes and tone of Princess Mononoke. Bonus round: Hayao Miyazaki's The Journey of Shuna. Never released officially in English, but fan translations exist. A socialist allegory from back when Miyazaki was a full-bore socialist/communist. Typically great art, but in color unlike most manga.

[@NearMintCondition]

Nausicca. What an amazing manga and my favorite Ghilbli/non Ghibli film. It is in my top 20 vidoes. Now off your list I need to read Kill your boyfriend, Wonderstruck, Diary of a Teenage girl and City of Light, City of Dark. Thank you for the suggestions.

[@megamob5834]

Great list. A few honorable mentions from me that you didn’t mention: Daredevil: born again Batman year one Dark knight returns Essex county Kingdom come Pax Romana Superman red son Airboy (James Robinson) We stand on guard Joker (Azzarello)

[@NearMintCondition]

Great honorable mentions.

[@rurugby]

I love Essex County

[@projektvyking7521]

Daytripper, Watchmen, Maus and All-Star Superman are phenomenal; I'd add Upgrade Soul too. I will definitely check out 4 Kids Walk into a Bank.

[@NearMintCondition]

I would love to know what you think, brother! Upgrade Soul was one of the best books I’ve read this year.

[@Bustermachine]

NPR has an excellent list of top 100 comics and graphic novels. With a few notable exceptions it's mostly self contained single book or short run stories. All of the above are on the list along with quite a few other gems.

[@cristianeduard2412]

I just finished Daytripper and I gotta say that was one of the best things I read in a while, thanks for the recommendation. I'm new to comics, so I'm glad I found this video, keep up the good work brother!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@Grimlock987]

I can hear the passion in your voice about these books. I’m going to go with 2 or 3 of them. Thanks for the video.

[@NearMintCondition]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Krypton_Ken]

This is such a great video, it just popped up in my feed, actually a lot of your older videos have lately, which is awesome. One of my favorite stand alone graphic novels is Frank Miller's Ronin, it honestly might be my favorite work of his.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much Ken and Ronin is phenomenal.

[@FrankCastlesConscience]

The art in Pride of Baghdad is breathtakingly beautiful, makes lions seem both powerfully majestic yet cute at the same time. But the story is so sad.

[@NearMintCondition]

The story is very sad.

[@tetraquarks]

Wow, that quote was epic! never knew about this Silver Surfer story bro! thanks as always for sharing!

[@NearMintCondition]

My pleasure, mi hermano.

[@EarthsGeomancer]

Omar putting in hard work! 🔥 Also, great killer bed stream yesterday! 🔥

[@NearMintCondition]

hahahaha by far the strangest movie I talked about on the channel.

[@astonishingmelanie]

Have you seen the movie? Did you like it? :)

[@nowcj]

Damn it! this should've been a top 20, but I'll take it. Congrats on 30K you guys totally deserve it.

[@NearMintCondition]

Really the list kept growing and condensing it was the hardest part.

[@bclayj]

Absolutely great list Omar, lots of overlap with my personal top 10 in Maus, Daytripper and Watchmen just for starters. I would probably put Moore’s From Hell on there too. Seems you are a fan of non fiction or auto-bio comics, I would recommend Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde as well as Phoebe Gloeckner’s Diary of a Teenage Girl if you have not read those.

[@mr.wilder796]

Safe Area Gorazde affected me deeply. Brilliant book.

[@lizquinn7284]

This is a pretty good list! I really enjoyed watching this.

[@NearMintCondition]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@hhhjjj6904]

congrats on 30k subs. You guys make some of the best comics related content on this platform. Also thanks for this video, i was looking for something like this a few days ago😘😘.

[@NearMintCondition]

Much appreciated!

[@hhhjjj6904]

@@NearMintCondition also awesome that you still respond to comments. not a lot of creators do that.;)

[@NearMintCondition]

Sometimes it takes me a while to get back to all comments, but eventually I do. I enjoy getting to talk to people . :)

[@unagisauce]

Just noticed you guys hit 30k subs!! I’m so happy to have watched your channel growing over the past few years. Congrats, and keep the good content rolling in!

[@unagisauce]

Graduated over a decade ago at this point but I remember my high school library had a copy of Maus. That was my first time hearing of it

[@NearMintCondition]

Thanks so much!!

[@gillywritescomics]

What a great list. Some I heard about. Some I never heard of. Just subbed to your channel yesterday and I'm already digging your content and how you conduct your reviews. It's like watching a good pal talk about comics.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much. One day I'd like to talk about your comic you're writing on the channel.

[@gillywritescomics]

@@NearMintCondition Wow, that would be cool! Keep up the amazing content!

[@joefilmco]

Great list with many I’ll have to pick up. I’m trying to dive deeper into graphic novels to help become a better artist and storyteller.

[@sabatosilvestri507]

I think it will be cool and very useful to make a video featuring female characters, not only super heroes, in graphic novels/comics.... Maybe nobody will read my messages but I'd like to suggest ' ODY-C' by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward to who didn't read it... It was one of my last readings. (need to buy 'Blankets as soos as I can😅)

[@astonishingmelanie]

I read your comment. :) Thanks for the suggestion!

[@KevinLizAndLife]

Echo is Good one with a strong female lead character.

[@AlejandroGonzalez-pf4uc]

Persepolis

[@octopusmime]

Thank you! I freaking love ody-c so much. Such amazing art and retelling.

[@bantharadio8960]

GENIUS by Marc Bernardin and another author whos name escapes me at the moment .

[@johnnieriot13]

What a great list with a great number 1. I feel like Maus doesn’t get the attention it deserves anymore. It’s a classic and an important one at that.

[@NearMintCondition]

A classic for sure.

[@dudeonthasopha]

It definitely got some attention this year lol 😆

[@nothesearechickens4203]

That is true

[@purplerain225]

Congrats on 30K. Why am I surprised I've read or own some of these. DayTripper, Pride of Baghdad, Watchmen, Silver Surfer Parable. You've piqued my interest in 4 Kids Walk into a Bank, Blankets and Maus. There's always room for more another reason I enjoy these videos and keep reading. Keep it up guys.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and I will keep reading. :)

[@jpfillion269]

Congratulations on the 30 000 subscribers!!! Keep up the good work!!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you! Will do!

[@danielromo9675]

Been meaning to pick up 4 kids for a while. Blanket also looks like a journey. On my list now

[@NearMintCondition]

Strongly recommend those two.

[@twotriz6395]

You probably shouldn't pick up random kids

[@blinknl518]

I just ordered the HC of Pride of Bagdad. Forgot all about it. Thanks Omar. In your video you mention Black Bolt as an honorary mention. Is that the recent story of black bolt in a space prison?

[@NearMintCondition]

That's the BB story. Yeah.

[@normanmacfarlane3049]

Wow , I've never heard of you , but don't worry i have subscribed. I am amazed that i have over half your books . I love graphic novels.

[@NearMintCondition]

Welcome aboard and thank you for subscribing.

[@byzantinetales]

Marvels is my favourite one! I bought it 20 years ago and I still take it out to read every once in a while

[@NearMintCondition]

It's an amazing book to reread.

[@marconacher01]

Always a pleasure to watch your videos, Omar. Your love for comics is contagious. It rekindles my love for the art form. I would agree with Maus at number one. It’s great. Also, you were right to include Watchmen. Mind you, I don’t think it’s flawless. From Hell might be a superior work. But there’s just something about Watchmen. Every few years you just feel like re-reading it, and every time you re-read it, you love it as if you were reading it for the first time. Lastly, I know it’s not easy to make such a list, given all the great graphic novels out there, but maybe I would’ve included Batman Year One. (Or Daredevil Born Again. It’s a coin toss between the two.)

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words! And yes born again was a hard one not to choose.

[@marcellomantero7317]

hey man. love the content and that little jazz touch in the background ! One of the few comic channels I truly love.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words brother. Seriously!

[@marcellomantero7317]

thank youy brother !!

[@samarthagnihotri2633]

Read 7/10 on this list. I'd say day tripper and blankets are my favorite. The emotional high I got from them, I've never found anywhere else

[@NearMintCondition]

Absolutely.

[@Retrocade1979]

Amazing list and what a useful video. Been putting a lot of titles from this video on my wish list. Would be awesome if you guys put these kind of list out on a sort of regular basis. Just subbed to the channel so would def keep a eye out. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@NearMintCondition]

I will keep doing this again. Promise. And much love from America.

[@shanecasey2490]

The algorithm brought me here, but the content kept me here. Subscribed!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and welcome aboard. :)

[@shreyankdas4547]

All of your lists are freaking amazing!!! Cannot thank you enough for making these videos!!!

[@NearMintCondition]

You're so welcome!

[@AlejandroGonzalez-pf4uc]

Great list. I would add "From Hell" Alan Moore story about Jack the Ripper.

[@NearMintCondition]

Check out my list of Top 13 Horror Graphic Novels. I love that book!

[@chrissalmasi3407]

@Ed Smythee @FBI

[@CreativeRob]

So I came here on youtube in search for good recommendations for a graphic novel. The funny thing is, it was right after reading Day Tripper! LOL, such a great one. So happy to hear you mention it. I subscribed to your channel also! :)

[@NearMintCondition]

Welcome aboard and I'm so glad you enjoyed Daytripper. It's a masterpiece.

[@hillbillycomics7408]

I had to read Blankets for an English class in college that focused on comics. I was sort of dreading it going into it, cause it seemed kinda too different than what I was used to, but the story was just incredible. I still remember it as if I read it yesterday

[@skeletonshorror5184]

Great list, Silver Surfer: Parable was mind blowing, cheers. 💀🔥

[@NearMintCondition]

Absolutely.

[@megamob5834]

Man I really need to get to Daytripper... that and Asterios Polyp have been on my list forever

[@NearMintCondition]

It is phenomenal.

[@rurugby]

Daytripper is absolutely amazing.

[@GLEN2K12]

Hi Omar, I just started crisis on infinite earths, from your recommendation. I’m loving it, I grew up with 80s comics, but never read it. I picked up infinite crisis omni too, do I have to read identity crisis before infinite? Thanks for all you do, and for getting me into omni collecting 😊

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you for the kind words. YES! So glad you are loving Crisis and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Infinite Crisis. As far as Identity Crisis. It is a very polarizing story. Some people hate it and others love. I say its short enough for you to make up your own mind.

[@flavoredwallpaper]

Thanks for this list. A bunch I haven't read that I'll look into. I read standalones (or at least short series already in omnibus form) almost exclusively. Ain't got the time and money for never-ending series, and standalones tend to be more cohesive and read more like novels as opposed to the constantly-ending-on-cliff-hangers-let's-milk-this-franchise-for-as-long-as-it-takes type series.

[@JTwhitewolflibrary]

You're the best, Omar. Look forward to your videos hitting my sub box every day.

[@NearMintCondition]

You're the best for doing that!

[@trentschultz6782]

Great list Omar. Maus is fantastic. Got assigned to read it in college and so glad for it. Only disagreement from me is that I didn't like All Star Superman. I know I'm in the significant minority but just didn't do it for me. Gave it to a friend and it became one of his favorites of all time so that became the best thing about that book for me.

[@NearMintCondition]

It's all subjective I had lots of fun with that story. I had a friend of mine that also didn't like it. I get it.

[@FrankCastlesConscience]

Yeah i read it in 2014 whilst in hospital, hadnt read comics for years at that point, my knowledge of Superman were the Reeves films and a few comics here and there i’d read. I thought i would be ok but immediately didnt know what was going on (off planet with the scientist guy) and then later on i had no clue who bizarro was, not to mention i didn’t like him. Its not one for me but i can see why other people would really like it.

[@JTR_3]

Chris J Stone I never read any Superman cómic before All Star , I just let myself go through the ride and it blew me away. It made me understand Superman truly for the first time and since then he has become my favorite hero. I still have no idea who some of the characters are or where they come from in All Star but it truly doesn’t matter, never mattered actually. If you know who Lex Luthor and Lois are and symbolize then you’re golden.

[@GuiltyFeat]

So pleased you mentioned I Kill Giants and We3. Both broke me. Cheers.

[@NearMintCondition]

They are phenomenal.

[@protoklown]

This video came up on my recommendations and I'm glad it did! Loved your list, I know most of them but the few I don't are going on my must-read list. Just subscribed, can't wait to check out more of your videos!

[@NearMintCondition]

Awesome! Thank you so much for subscribing and welcome aboard!!!

[@jasonw3479]

Great list! I need to check out a good handful of these; Daytripper, Blankets, Marvels, Maus, We3 and God Country especially so. Pride of Baghdad, All-Star Superman and Vision are some of my personal favorites for a list like this too. Great stuff! Love this kind of content.

[@NearMintCondition]

Glad you enjoyed the list. Check those out.

[@justingillespie4210]

Fantastic video and congratulations to you and the gang on reaching 30k subscribers! Several titles have been added to my wishlist over the last few weeks based on your recommendations. One title that may not be too well known in the US and I heartily recommend is When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs. It's a quick read but it is so powerful and heart breaking. You won't be disappointed!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and I have not read that book. I'll have to search for it.

[@oxmeatpete]

Wow! Wonderfully done (I can only imagine how hard it was to trim the list). I noticed at my local half price book retailer that they have about 10 copies of Maus. I’ve been reluctant to pick up one to read it and add to my collection due to not being able to deal with heavy subjects currently but now I’m thinking of buying a few of them to donate to my kids school libraries. Great suggestion.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and Maus is heavy. For sure. Its hard to read and imagine these things happening to anyone, but I think it's important so that they never happen again.

[@astonishingmelanie]

Donating is a great idea. You're a caring person. :)

[@raedemuerta]

Thanks for sharing this list, a lot of great recommendations! What is the "zookeeper" anime that Pride of Baghdad made you think of?

[@daniellaserafim9739]

I would add “ fun home “ by Alison Bechtel; “ stitches “ and “home after dark” from David small and “ minor miracles “ by will Eisner (: - hahah hard to choose only 10 ...great list though!!!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for adding those to list of books I need to read.

[@kosterix123]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmKzh2V8YtKFftk ?

[@kosterix123]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5ObpKedjJudgJY

[@markharris7378]

I'm in full lockdown in Paris right now in this list is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thanks so much! I shall get stuck in

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and im so sorry you are back to lockdown. Stay healthy and safe please.

[@stoyangeorgiev77]

Thank you for the introduction to these novels. I am currently reading „The World of Edena“ by Moebius

[@NearMintCondition]

I hope you are enjoying it.

[@guiterrorist]

Superman: Secret Identity fits the "stand-alone" part wayyyyy better than All Star.

[@NearMintCondition]

I love Secret Identity. Busiek is one of my favorite writers, but there was something magical about All Star that was missing from Secret Identity, maybe it was Immonen's art.

[@andersonxaviersilva]

This time i stay with All-Star Superman! But Secret is a top 5 superman graphic novels, anyway!

[@erickbressani]

I've just finished daytripper. It was amazing, what a beautiful journey! I'm a Brazilian and I've never heard of it, thank you so much for this recommendation!

[@NearMintCondition]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

[@makzax]

Great list, Omar! I would probably put WE3 on my list, glad to hear it was on your honorable mentions. I'm hooked to check "This one summer".

[@NearMintCondition]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@SylentEcho]

Superb channel and list! Sharing it with my friends for sure.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much.

[@ComicsGranPa]

30000 subs!woo-hooo! Couldn't think of a better guy that deserves that!))) Let's go for 50k! And of course SMASH that like+subscribe button to a man that puts Daytripper in his list!!(all are👌👌👌) Great work as always!) Cheers from Greece!

[@NearMintCondition]

You're the best! Thank you so much.

[@markvincentmonedero9034]

THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING DAYTRIPPER TO ME ‼️‼️

[@probablyaparent]

Have to watch these videos, despite having generally read or already own 80-90% of the list, just for those one or two EXCELLENT recommendations I somehow missed. Super grateful for these videos.

[@NearMintCondition]

Glad you like them, seriously. Thank you so much.

[@alexloyola4695]

This list was fantastic. Some work I 100% agree with and some welcome surprises. Great stuff.

[@NearMintCondition]

Much appreciated! Seriously . Thank you.

[@Havok1718]

Yes sir That punk rock jesus. All of these picks are great. Great content bro.

[@NearMintCondition]

My man!

[@kwekvonscaf]

Try the adaption of "No Longer Human" by Junji Ito. Also "Persepholis" by Marjane Satrapi and if you can get it: "Western" and "The Great Power of Chninkel" both written by Jean Van Hamme and drawn Grzegorz Rosiński

[@NearMintCondition]

I've got the original No Longer Human manga and dug that. Really depressing and Persepholis is great.

[@kwekvonscaf]

Lucky man... That has been sold out for a while now.

[@louisdore-savard8429]

I have only read 3 of those (Watchmen, Maus and Blankets). Some great suggestions in there that I'm adding to my list. Especially intrigued by Daytripper and Pride of Baghdad. My absolute mindblowers over the recent years are Bone (available as one big book but not sure it counts as a stand-alone) and My Favorite Things is Monsters. The latter is absolutely phenomenal and I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that it is a debut graphic novel from Ferris. I'll check out your other content. Cheers.

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words. My wife loves LOVES My Favorite Thing is Monsters. And I'm a big fan of Bone.

[@omrmajeed]

Watchmen is a complete story. Before Watchmen and Doomsday Clock...everything else is just trying to milk the cow. Watchmen needs no prequels or sequels and as far as im concerned, Watchmen has no prequel/sequel.

[@NearMintCondition]

This man gets it!

[@joba4848]

Especially didn’t need the awful Tv series!

[@davinci3478]

@@joba4848 dude the new show is great

[@theotherguy21]

@@davinci3478 it sucks

[@mix-jk3ys]

​@@theotherguy21 nah bro it was great i loved it

[@AnEleatic]

Fantastic list! New subscriber btw, after having just watched this. I would have had an honorable mention including Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman but I know that book is pretty polarizing.

[@NearMintCondition]

Big fan of Hickman’s book. Doesn’t get lots of love. As I work on my next hidden gems list I was going to add that to it. Thank you for joining the channel. Welcome aboard!

[@RyanRoemer8624]

I don't have a top 10 list but I have a massive list of the best graphic novels from then and now here's my list 1. The Crow by James O'Barr 2. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman 3 The Greivling by Steve Niles 4. Hack/Slash by Tim Seeley 5. Revival by Tim Seeley 6. Spawn by Todd McFarland 7. The Darkness 8. Witchblade 9. Cyber Force 10. Aphrodite IX 11. Invincible by Robert Kirkman 12. The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman 13. Saga by Brian K Vaugn 14. Something is killing the children 15. Blackwood by Evan Dorkin 16. Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin 17. Watchmen by Alan Moore 18. V For Vendetta 19. Deadpool 20. The Punisher 21. Sunstone 22. Sex Criminals 23. Rat Queens 24. Chew 25. Plunge by Joe Hill 26. Dying is Easy by Joe Hill 27. Tales From The Darkside by Joe Hill 28. The Authority by Warren Ellis 29. Wildcats by Jim Lee 30. The Boys 31. Scalp by Jason Aaron 32 Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron 33. The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn 34. Street Fighter by Udon 35. Darkstalkers by Udon 36. DMZ by Brian Wood 37. Ex Machina 38. Y The Last Man 39. 100 Bullets 40. Ronin by Frank Miller 41. Dceased by Tom Taylor 42. Marvel Zombies 43. Transmetropolitan 44. The Wilstorm by Warren Ellis 45. Deathstroke 46. Harley Quinn 47. Injustice 48. House of Secrets 49. House of Mystery 50. Swampthing

[@Graphicxtras1]

Superb selection, read a number of them and I agree with your comments about the books. I love stand alone books as well as long running omnis. However, never read the Silver Surfer Parable, must check that out

[@NearMintCondition]

Awesome, thank you! There are others that came close, but it was fun putting the list together.

[@notsopunk]

I would highly recommend My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris for an amazing graphic novel. It’s a big ass book and the second half will hopefully be out next year.

[@NearMintCondition]

My wife is a huge fan of that book. I thought there was going to be a second one.

[@sebastianquinchia1840]

All Star Superman was the first comic to ever make me cry. Maus was another one that let loose some tears in me

[@garrettpeters9342]

Awesome video! Could you put timestamps with the name of each book in the description? Either in this or future videos? I love when other channels do this, especially when the videos are longer. Keep up the great work!

[@NearMintCondition]

That's a great idea!

[@reef6826]

I just read my first comic, Killing Joke. Glad I purchased the book, think I’m going to check out watchmen next.

[@uFELLA]

Nice video. thx. If you can find it, and are a bit of a history buff or just want to get a feel for how the genre evolved, I highly recommend George Metzger’s "Beyond Time and Again" (Kyle & Weary, 1976). That stand-alone book is widely recognized as the world's very first graphic novel. I was surprised that the genre is so young! It's in black and white, which I thought was very cool, too.

[@NearMintCondition]

Okay, I've heard of it before but never read it. I'm on the hunt now.

[@biznesstime83]

I love Daytripper. I read it in issues when it came out, read it again after my father passed away, and read it again after my son was born. I had strong and different reactions each time I read it. I've worked in three schools all of which use Maus. Great list. I've read 7 on the list, and will track down the remaining 3. So glad you mentioned I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and Ken Niiumara (beautiful exploration of a child's imagination as means of dealing with reality) Another one that blew my mind is the Nightly News by Johnathan Hickman. Not the lightest of reads but really explores the idea of media while pushing design and what a graphic novel can be.

[@NearMintCondition]

I love I Kill Giants and cutting it out of the top 10 list, was so heartbreaking. I really enjoyed the Nightly News too. So great.

[@Archonsx]

i'm not a big fan of the list, but i love that you showed how the art style is and the pages

[@sputnikprivate]

I’ve just finished SAGA paper girls and I adored them so I am definitely going to be picking up the pride of Baghdad because Brian K Vaughan can do no wrong!

[@amarikwa888]

You should also read Y:The Last Man

[@thecrazyandthewild]

Thank you! I only knew and already read Watchmen and Maus. Of your list, I'm going for Pride of Baghdad. It reminded me the book "Life of Pi" in which the author talks about zoos in a way I never understood it before. That book is great! It seems like Pride of Baghdad goes on a different direction but the art is beautiful so, I'll read it! Thanks again, have a great day, man!!!!!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much for the kind words. Life of Pi is wonderful. Have a wonderful day, brother.

[@buggydes]

Congrats on 30k Near Mint Team!

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you! Always happy to see you pop up.

[@nilulal545]

This came as a recommendation and was i glad i click to watch!! Whats not to love about this channel!! Subscribed!! 🛎

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much and happy to have you onboard.

[@AlexAguilar18]

I’d like to recommend Torso. The story of a serial killer in 1930s Cleveland. I also enjoyed My Favorite Things is Monsters. Great video. I’m going to look for several of the ones you recommended.

[@White_Tiger2169]

When I was a kid graphic novels were done for the first time as a hardcore or a softcover. Many of these were miniseries or maxiseries collected in one volume. It wasn't until they stared selling them in bookstores that they started calling them that. But to go with these trends these are my 10 favorite "graphic novels" in no particular order: -Daredevil: Born Again -Squadron Supreme -Watchmen -Chicacabra -Marvels -Kingdom Come -Batman: The Dark Knight Returns -Blacksad: Somewhere Within The Shadows -Sin City: The Long Goodbye -Supernan: All Seasons Honorable Mentions: -X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills -Soider-Man: Parallel Lives -Wolfpack -Batman: The Killing Joke

[@NearMintCondition]

God Loves, Man Kills is my favorite X-men story.

[@Autofill120]

I can recommend 3 graphic novels that I didn't see here but definitely deserve a shout out: 1. It will all hurt by Farel Dalrymple 2. The Incal by Jodorowksi and Moebius 3. The Transmetropolitan series (which come in two books with 24 issues between them I believe) PS: I love how you actually mentioned We3, been searching that one for a long time on the internet lol

[@NearMintCondition]

Thank you so much. I've not read It Will Hurt. I need to check that. I feel like Incal will lead to the Jodoverse.

[@robertsv539]

I recently came upon the "Dark Night: A True Batman Story" on Omnidog's stream and it's struck a chord with me. I'm not a massive fan of Batman but the story really hit deep on how ordinary people deal with tragedy and how our mind might cope or sometimes hinder the healing process. Might be a good read for ORNR.

[@Chandasouk]

That Dini book was great

[@astonishingmelanie]

Nice review - makes me want to read it.

[@robertsv539]

@@astonishingmelanie Aye, the scary bit is that it's quite real - it's about the time when Paul Dini got mugged and suffered strong physical and mental harm. As he said - according to his doctors, parts of his skull "powdered on impact". Still need to find the podcast where he talks about it.

[@astonishingmelanie]

@@robertsv539 Whoa