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Introducing Comics to Non-Believers

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Quimper

03:24 / 19.04.06

I have a boyfriend and a straight roommate that both aren't into comics, but I've found that gay boyfriend loved Ghost World and Astonishing X-Men. And straight roommate can't believe how great Watchmen was.

I can't wait to test Invisibles on both.

whistler

13:06 / 27.04.06

I hope this is the right place for this post. Please let me know if not and I'll start a new thread.

Any advice at all for an intermediate level comic book reader?
I'm already very persuaded by comics as a medium and my choices so far have included things like Ghost World, Blankets, Black Hole, things by Joe Sacco and Art Spiegelman and American Splendor.
It's hard to jump accross into superhero stuff though. I like reading things that are surreal, challenging, or complex. What superhero comics specifically do people here think might be a good place to start?

Mario

13:32 / 27.04.06

Surreal and complex?

Doom Patrol.

sleazenation

14:08 / 27.04.06

Dave McKean's Cage's, if you can find it.
Also Enigma by Pete Milligan and Duncan Fegrado...

One of the things one realises with threads like this is that there are many great comics that are out of print or not particularly easy to get hold of.

I have (several) bookshelves full of great graphic novels, but a large chunck of them are not the sort of thing you could expect to find in any comicshop or book store...

The Natural Way

14:23 / 27.04.06

Flex Mentallo, Rogan Gosh and Enigma are yr best bets. I really can't think of anything better if surreal, challenging and complex are prerequisites. I'm not going to bother describing them, and they won't be easy to find, but they're exactly what you want.

Doom Patrol does surreal real well, but it's patchy and doesn't really hit its stride until a good few issues in.

Sniv

14:37 / 27.04.06

Recommending Flex Mentallo? Trying to start up an obsession in finding those issues are you? I would like to third Doom Patrol. I'm reading it at the moment, and it's fantastic. I'd start with the second trade if I were you, it really hits the ground running, and is good clean comic book fun.

Alex's Grandma

15:50 / 27.04.06

In terms of surreal, challenging and complex material, or whatever you're into really, you won't go far wrong with The Enigma, so another vote for that.

It's in all ways superior to the work of Pekar, Clowes, etc, IMVHO (I'm thinking of starting a thread called 'Well You Should Have Got A Job On Wall Street Then, Shouldn't You, You Tit?' dealing with all the whining one's expected to endure from the US underground comics scene, R Crumb, Pete Bagge, and that *insert expletive here* responsible for 'Jimmy Corrigan' but I worry that people might find it a bit, erm, brash.)

Anyway, for added enjoyment, order The Enigma direct from the artist, Duncan Fegredo, on fegredo@nildram.co.uk - he will sign it, do you a sketch, and is a very nice man

(I'm not DF, IRL, but I'm beginning to feel as if I ought to be on his Christmas card list.)

The Natural Way

16:57 / 27.04.06

Perhaps someone could lend the poor dear Flex.

John, I think you'll find most peeps like the whole insectmeshhivegg arc the least, so I'm not really sure it's the best place to begin. Also, there's all sorts of foreshadowing, character development and other fun stuff that recommends starting DP from the getgo.

Sniv

17:27 / 27.04.06

If I had Flex, I wouldn't let it out of my sight for love nor money. But that's just me, I'm covetous.

The space arc of DP is in the third trade, btw. The 2nd is the brotherhood of dada, the cult of the unwritten book and the Brain and Mallah story. So it's the good shiz. I quite liked the space story though - the art is pretty fun, the concepts like the kaleidescope are very fun, and it's all worth it for the ending, with Rebis using cold logic and a bit of misdirection to win the day. That, and you have the prologues for the Flex Mentallo origin story, which is also excellent.

Hmm, I do fear I've become a bit of a DP geek. I'll be quiet now...

alejandrodelloco

18:26 / 27.04.06

Actually I gave the GM run on Doom Patrol to a very artsy friend of mine and he fell in love with it and all it's weird references etc.

Mario

18:55 / 27.04.06

Only reasons I chose DP were:

A) It's in print, and
B) It's a gateway drug to Invisibles.

I will admit, however, that I've not read Enigma or Rogan Gosh.

The Falcon

19:02 / 27.04.06

*is appalled*

Mario

20:23 / 27.04.06

*is American*

I'm familiar with Enigma, of course, but I've never gotten around to reading it. Rogan Gosh, OTOH, I've only read vague allusions to.

The Falcon

20:55 / 27.04.06

Hey, just kidding. Thought you were Argentinian f'r some reason, Mario - I've only read Gosh because Gumbitch!!11! sent me a copy for a swap, m'self. But you can, and absolutely should read Enigma; as alex says, probably best to get direct from Fegredo, but it is available in stores still, so far as I'm aware.

Mario

21:54 / 27.04.06

Nope, I'm a Yank (from Rhode Island, specifically). And I'll add Enigma to my shopping list.

Alex's Grandma

23:29 / 27.04.06

Mario;

You really, really should. To drag in a slightly dodgy analogy, it's like the Velvet Underground, when they were good, that precise mix of traditional format/new thoughts/ death, madness, etc, which is nevertheless ultimately uplifting.

Alex's Grandma

23:56 / 27.04.06

Perhaps someone could lend the old dear Flex

I have all four issues of 'Flex Mentallo' and I'm prepared to 'snail-mail' all four issues to whoever it is that makes the most convincing case as to why they should have them.

This is not a hoax, or a dream.

(I sort of feel terrrible about this, but still ...)

whistler

08:48 / 30.04.06

You all rock. The Enigma and Doom Patrol both sound really interesting. Thanks for your help.

Never or Now!

12:25 / 30.04.06

I have all four issues of 'Flex Mentallo' and I'm prepared to 'snail-mail' all four issues to whoever it is that makes the most convincing case as to why they should have them.

I think you should send them to me, cos I've already got them, and the world could do with more random acts of pointless cruelty.

Doc Checkmate

04:15 / 01.05.06

My girlfriend is BURNING through Sandman. We have liftoff.

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