Top 10 Essential Graphic Novels, Part 1 - with Stuart McMillen

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Graphic novel recommendations by cartoonist Stuart McMillen. Want to build a graphic novel collection, but don't know where to begin? This is #10 to #6 of the Top 10 Essential Comics countdown.
These are the graphic novels that I think will appeal to as many readers as possible - proving that comics are about more than just superheros and gag strips.
Here are the 'buy' links for each graphic novel, and for the other comic books that I discussed in passing:
#10
"Box Office Poison" by Alex Robinson (2001)
www.bookdepository.com/Box-Of...
#9
"Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth" by Chris Ware (2000) www.bookdepository.com/Jimmy-...
(see also: "Building Stores" by Chris Ware www.bookdepository.com/Buildi...)
#8
"The Complete Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi (2000)
www.bookdepository.com/The-Co...
#7
"Safe Area Goražde" by Joe Sacco (2000)
www.bookdepository.com/Safe-A...
#6
"Watchmen" by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons (1987)
www.bookdepository.com/Watchm...
(If you make any purchases through The Book Depository after clicking those affiliate links, I'll get a small financial kickback.)
Watch part 2 of this video via • Top 10 Essential Graph...
Read a blog post about the 'making of' these videos: www.stuartmcmillen.com/video/t...

[@Nathanjo88]

I have been looking for more comicbooks like "Maus" or ''Persepolis'', serious comicbooks about real life. So thank you for your video's!

[@stumcm]

Heh, sounds like this is exactly the video that you were looking for!

[@username-zh1gr]

Barefoot gen-fun home

[@reginaldforthright805]

Boring comics with terrible art and no imagination you mean.

[@dddaaa6965]

@@reginaldforthright805 hey don’t be mean! These are some awesome comics to drink a nice cup of soy to while eating some food replacement supplements!

[@adityaprakash8285]

Dude that's a great list. Keep up the good work

[@mnm25chango2]

Love this video and your selections - and the reasons why you chose them, so many good books!

[@jontnoneya3404]

Great list - I interesting stories and different styles of art work and your list seems to be quite a diverse but interesting list of books. I found myself thinking "Hmm.....I really would like to read that" so bravo!

[@TechnologyTidbits]

Excellent review. Excellent presentation. l look forward to more of your uploads.

[@arielangeloaquino4780]

"mostly stay away from superhero comics..." sold! new subscriber here!

[@jladimirceroline4535]

omg, what a great video. real good. continue and you'll be great my friend. very informative, loved the omics. cheers :)

[@nienkevletter]

This was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

[@malthus101]

Great - very interesting list. Onto part 2!

[@AbuGrabIt]

Extremely well-done. Music was too loud compared to your narration but overall I loved your analysis.

[@jofox1186]

I like your top picks! Given the types of story you like I think you would enjoy the Manga "Planetes" by Yukimura. It's a slice of life type story based around a small team of garage collectors working in space. Another really well written manga is Pluto by Urasawa. This is a noir detective story set in the near future and explores the idea of what makes a person real comparing people and advanced AI robots. Some of the best Manga I've read in terms of art is Vagabond by Inoue. The story begins really well with some beautifully crafted character development but degenerates later into long fight scenes which, although beautifully illustrated, don't bring that much to the story. (Also, Inoue has put this story on permanent hiatus and it doesn't look like he will ever finish it.)

[@susanstorm4450]

I love this list! :)

[@dimifisher7942]

Ok here s how it goes, Transmetropolitan Planetary Watchmen The invinsibles Black hole Akira Sandman Hellblazer And from superhero I would go for Geoff Johns run on Green lantern, what he did in the expansion of the corps and the color spectrum is very interesting and thought provoking despite that is full of action, so no reason to bash it just because it is superhero genre... Also the Saga I ve heard is very good

[@ThaKid14]

great list. transmet is on my list coming soon - can't wait to dive into Spider Jerusalem's story. read watchmen, sandman SOO good. sandman is one of the best ever.

[@dimifisher7942]

@@ThaKid14 is genius read it

[@ThaKid14]

@@dimifisher7942 look forward to diving into Warren Ellis I’ve heard and seen so many good things.

[@GuitarreroDaniel]

Thank you very much for this. I suffer super-hero fatigue mainly because freaks using capes are just everywhere. I've just ordered the ones that I haven't read.

[@allanjensen2587]

Manga recommendations: Takehiko inoue - vagabond Makoto yukimura - vinland saga Yukito kishiro - Battle Angel Alita Katsuhiro otomo - Akira

[@Graphicxtras1]

Very good selection of graphic novels, some I have, some I will look out for

[@h.joshi_]

Read Vagabond (Manga) by Takehiko Inoue.. you'll certainly appreciate the artwork and storyline.. 👍🙂

[@KalleVilenius]

An easy manga recommendation to make is Summit of the Gods by Jiro Taniguchi and Yumemakura Baku. It's a thriller about a two Japanese men, their quest to conquer Mount Everest, the path in life that led them to that point and the real-life mystery surrounding the 1924 disappearance of Irvine and Mallory, two people who may have been the first to reach the summit but who died on the mountain. Five volumes of amazing artwork and intense mountaineering.

[@fzegarra1088]

Great informative video...greetings from Peru

[@55djaki]

Thanks for the recommendations! I saw the film of Persepolis and really enjoyed it. I’m planning on writing a sci-fi romantic comedy as a graphic novel (It’s sort of a cross between I Dream of Genie, The Nanny, and Rick and Morty). I’m having a hard time deciding which sort of illustration style would best serve the story. I like the style of manga and classic style super hero comics but I’m not sure if that style would work for a comedy. What do you think?

[@user-vg4on5cj8b]

So ,did have you done some progress?

[@phenomenal14U]

Like the music love the video thanks

[@JohnSmith-lp1kd]

Box office poison is amazing just got it for Christmas & could not put it down I thought the characterization was very true to life

[@loudredflipflops]

Nice stuff.

[@migueldeclercq3883]

The first season of Seinfeld? I thought pretty much the whole series was about nothing in particular (which I loved, btw).

[@PotatoPo-Ta-To]

I really like your hairstyle very much Stuart

[@allanjensen2587]

Part 2: Junji ito - Frankenstein Takeshi obata - all you need is kill Shirow masamune - Ghost in the shell Osamu tezuka - Buddha Kentaro miura - Berserk

[@Shutter-Writer]

Just read Blankets. truly fantastic book, It's honestly brilliant.

[@phlegmarhbizmahl8075]

SCREAMFEEDER!!! & Graphic Novels

[@kennethmatthew9638]

I want Neil gaimen or Alan moore, metaphors and poetry in between syntax so as to keep the intellectual in me interested... sandman or swamp thing, something like that

[@reginaldforthright805]

How about Delano hellblazer

[@akashsarkar7850]

Are the reprinted editions worth buying?

[@savageco.124]

First season of Seinfeld?!

[@foxmementoart777]

Esse é nerd pra carai. Mano é a personificação do nerd. Se não fosse nerd diria que trabalha com física nuclear. Parabéns. 👏👏👏👍

[@suntaylor7696]

You're polite , mate

[@akashsarkar7850]

The background songs good sauce?

[@Felix-ij8eg]

Please make a video about uzumaki

[@mikeyangyang8816]

Thank you, but the music for each section is uncomfortably loud.

[@MystiqWisdom]

This video and part 2 is the graphic novels course from university. I'm not really saying that's a good thing because in the end those stories didn't stick with me. The only exception to the university syllabus is Watchmen.

[@setts9416]

just read manga. western graphic novels are trash to say in the least

[@hahahahaha288]

@@setts9416 not all

[@josecarlospadilla9883]

some manga I've liked lately are Oyasumi Punpun and Nijigahara Holograph, Uzumaki and Junji Ito's short stories, Monster, Boku Girl, Aku no Hana, Berserk, maybe check any of those out if they interest you

[@allanjensen2587]

And takehiko inoue - Real

[@shanecarlson7488]

music is way too loud

[@doinosor6405]

What kind of drawing pad is behind you? I'm looking into getting one

[@stumcm]

That is a Wacom Cintiq 24HD. A good piece of equipment, and there is a newer model now available: Cintiq 27QHD.

[@doinosor6405]

stumcm cool, thanks!

[@supeeyanarazzak7103]

☺

[@MasoomRana]

I won't call you pretensious for not following superhero books, but I don't think one is equipped to appreciate Watchmen without understanding why it was so beloved back then, how that is tied to the superhero genre so heavily, and how it(along with Claremont's X-Men and Adams' Batman) has allowed other books to evolve or do better in all the time that has passed since.

[@coperfield9188]

like this gal

[@Clam-ne5cg]

Read elfen lied

[@Hala-si9sf]

you should read Death Note its one of the best manga series of all time and that's a fact also HunterXHunter is a classic in manga history.

[@triclopesesquire9078]

Is this a joke countdown? At one point he said “all of the main characters are uninteresting and nothing happens”. And that’s why he likes it? Very, very dry humor my man. Cheers

[@franco3134]

Triclopes Esquire drawing/writing something that feels real isn’t an easy task and it can be refreshing to read

[@setts9416]

switch to manga you oaf

[@celestialvonnoodleson]

am i the only one who got annoyed by his pronunciation of manga or am i just fussy

[@Books_and_Budget]

You're just fussy. Haha

[@tarstarkusz]

Ditch the awful noise that comes blasting in 3 friggin times as loud as your voice. FFS, you're blowing out my eardrums. Let me know when you learn audio.

[@caminthecut3955]

how do you not add watchmen to this list? you're really doing yourself a disservice by not reading it

[@goodkopbadkop9054]

Because at the start of the video he said he won't be doing Superhero comics because they weren't his thing.