500 ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC NOVELS

A better guide and introduction to the world of graphic novels there could not be. There's enough scope here for the die-hard comic book fan and the comic book curious alike.

I'll declare an interest here though; I'm the author of a number of the reviews featured in this volume. So I'm bound to be pro more than negative.....but for very good reasons.

It's a slick publication, very professionally put together. The many contributors bring a sharp and critical eye to each graphic novel, scoiring them from 1 to 5, five being the highest. So it's not just a pat on the back and tub-thumbing.

The usual suspects are here, Maus, V For Vendetta, Watchman and The Dark Knight Returns. But then there's a more interesting assortment that probably only lacked a decent marketing budget and the sales force and distribution of say Marvel and DC. But that's all they lack.

Worth your time and hard earnt cash would be (to mention but a few):

Orient Gateway by Vittorio Gardino
Bookhunter by Jason Shiga
Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi
After The Rain by Andre Juillard

The list goes on.

Let 500 Essential Graphic Novels be your guide to graphic novels and no I don't get a percentage of the profits......I don't do this for money (just as well really), I do it for the format, the art and the writing.

Comics aren't just for kids........this guide shows the way!

THE POMP AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF AN EPIC FAILURE

Okay, maybe failure is a bit harsh for this magazine sized publication from 1980, complete with its Frank Frezetta oil on canvas cover.

But it was supposed to be serious stuff, you know, the kind of comic book that comic book fans could point to and say something like: See, comics can be serious and adult. So there!!! Got ya!

Not that the concept was particularly original, as Heavy Metal and, too a degree, Warren Publications had already laid down most of the ground work that Marvel were attempting to muscle in on. Or rip-off, depending on your point of view.

But Epic, which would run form 1980 to 1986, was a slick affair, where artists, both old and new could try something, maybe a little different from their usual superhero fodder. And the first dozen or so issues were very much in that mold.

Last point about the first issue though: Stan Lee contributed a loose letter for this first issue, the opening line of which is branded forever in my memory. He wrote: 'Hi there, culture lovers'.

ARRRRRRRAAAUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

WE PLUCKY CHAPS DO S.F TOO, DON'T YOU KNOW OLD BOY

The main thrust (no pun intended) of English comic books, certainly in the 70s was to keep World War Two alive and kicking. And to remind the world in general who actually won the danm thing.

It was the American's in actual fact, if my Hollywood addled memory serves my correctly!

But that might just be a topic for another day, time or comic book cover. However, towards the end of the 70s, 1978 here, science fiction crept onto the English comic book scene, no doubt aided by the success of Star Wars.


Starlord was, in my humble opinion the better offering over 2000AD, the latter would come to dominate the field and oust all those WWII offerings in a matter of a few short years. Starlord would fold too, attempting to appeal to readers of all ages.

2000AD may have had Judge Dredd but it never has had a cover as good as this one!!!

A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE LADIES....SEXISM & THE 70s

To redress the balance and probably push forward the underdeveloped emotional growth of some, if not all, male comic collectors, Marvel Comics gave it's fans (and FanBoys), Ms Marvel.

See Ms., acknowledging that women were equal to men. Well, almost. A look at this cover Ms. Marvel number one suggests otherwise, in its patronising pose, tone and wordage.

Hey, look 'this female fights back'. (Doh), really, wow how new and different, how hip, how cringe worthy. Look, her alto ego can answer a phone for herself!! What ever next, driving a car, running her own bank account? But don't the dishes need washing first, who's cooking dinner tonight?

Notice also that Ms. Marvel 's still getting trashed by a male super villain and still has an ample cleavage. So if you do get bored with her agenda there's still something to look at.

And then there's that in the tradition of Spider Man!!! Like Ms. Marvel's too weak a character not to need a supporting cast of manly men. I could go on but I think you're getting the point or getting bored, or both.

There are worst sexist covers than this but, as teenage boy this was first and also my first realisation that something was not quite equal in the macho world of comics. And, I believe, that's still the case today. Some three decades later!

YOU KNOW RULES ARE A BORE BUT JUST TO KEEP YOU FROM DANGER I AM THE LAW

Judge Dredd fortunately proved the UK can do it's own comic book heroes (or anti heroes in this case) thank you very much.

If we can forget the Hollywood debacle that was the 1995 Judge Dredd film, starring in the title role that actor of immense pose, expression and acting acumen, Sylvester Stallone. And look at the comic book character with more dimensions than some actors.

Debuted in 1977's second issue of 2000AD, Judge Dredd, policeman, up-holder of the law and full time, full on right-winger has remained popular even since. Never very far from satire but hard edged and never shying away from reflecting back at society a near prefect mirror image of istself, Dredd has never compromised on his duty.

Famously chasing one prep for dropping litter and clocking up all the crimes committed by said prep as she chases him down. And again, when distroying half of Mega City One to rid it of invaders. Sometimes with Dredd the cure can most certainly be worse than the illness.

His catch phrase of: I am the law is so much better than Up, up and away.

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? NO, IT'S JUST SHEER BLOODY EMBARRASSMENT

I could do the date thing and make some excuse for 1976 and maybe the 70s in general but no. Rumours where flying thick and fast in comicdom circa 1975 that Marvel US where about to give the good old UK it's very first superhero.

Trust me, amongst comic fans, there was a frenzy......of sorts, for people with inter-personal er issues. But we were about to get one of very own superheroes, so what could possibly go wrong? I mean Marvel had been doing the superhero thing in their own back yard for decades....how hard could it be?

Marvel's then publisher, Stan Lee, even crossed the pond on a UK promo tour. I tuned into BBC's regional news program Nationwide and awaiting with bated breath for Stan (The Man) Lee to bestow upon the unbelievers why comics were not childish or just for children.

And you what he attributed the success of comics too? Sound affects. You know. Biff, boom, bash, sock. Very Batman TV series. I just curled up and tried not to die. Luckly for me my parents were in another room.

And Captain Britain? It was awful and worse still, came with a free Captain Britain mask. Fan - bloody - tastic. .....NOT.

Whilst the Captain would get better, once UK writers got hold of him, Stan Lee would never be the same in my eyes again. And four years later he would include a personal letter in the first issue of very important comic book magazine which opened with the line: Hi there, culture lovers.

I cringed them and I'm cringing now.

Oi, Lee! No!

BUT WHO REALLY WATCHES THE WATCHMEN?

As much as I dislike the concept of muscle-bound super-heroes, and I do, UK born Alan Moore took a hell of a lot of coals to Newcastle and not so much beat the indigenous talent at their own game, sending out-dated and out-moded superheroes in a whole new, more realistic direction.

I still can't stand them to this day but Moore's rag-tag collection of insane, washed-up, self-absorbed, selfish, bumbling and emotionally retarded heroes cast a certain dye in 1986 that can still be detected today not only in comic books but also films based on them.

The Watchmen itself is likely to become a movie at some point which is a pity because it's reputation will no doubt be tarnished. Reduced to a focus group of people who like their superheroes neat, caped and unlikely to question their existence.......let alone yours.