I'm 40 and I've been collecting comic books since I was about 9. My favorite characters are Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman. I like a lot more but when it came to modern day comic books I got to the point where I only read those three, but I've reached a point where I have decided with Marvel and DC to just read back issues and luckily there are a ton of back issues that I haven't even touched yet. For instance I recently found a bunch of 70s Conan comic books in a bargain bin.
My question is does anyone have any indie/Manga recommendations? It seems like Marvel and DC for the most part want to hire people who are clueless about or hate comic books (the lady doing the She-Hulk show as well as the guy hired to do the Superman movie come to mind). I think I may start supporting Alterna Comics as well.
Thanks in advance.
When I got into comics I specifically avoided Marvel and DC because they have such an enormous backlog. As a result I can probably sit here and rattle off some good ones for you. Off the top of my head Bomb Queen is a series you should check out. Kind of an interesting approach to super hero genre from the perspective of the villain, with zero punches pulled for delicate sensibilities of the offended. We might be here a while as I rummage through my backlog.
Princess Ugg by Ted Naifeh - it only ran for two volumes but it remains one of my favorite comics. Good art, good humor, an adventure where the exotic landscape is civilization and it's one of the few comics that has moved me to tears. There's some rather melancholy moments in it. Really anything by Ted Naifeh is usually worth a look at least.
For manga, just pick up Berserk. Honestly, if you can only get one manga it should be that one. The artwork is insanely detailed with a dark fantasy story that benefits immensely from having one crazy man doing the entire thing. You will wait years between volumes though. God I hope he finishes the story before he dies.
Death Vigil by Stjepan Sejic - sort of Cthulu meets the grim reaper by way of post mortem super heroes. The main driver here is the author's excellent wit and sense of humor. Since it's entirely the author's creation you get to really see him shine and the characters are endearing. Highly recommend this one.
Freak Angels - the world ended by way of flooding and it's because this handful of idiots has super powers. Something of a character drama I think? Very compelling premise/world building. It scratches that itch of "I want to know what happened and what's going to happen next". I think the webcomic version might still be kicking around if you want to save money.
Gunnerkrigg Court - I can't give you a good summary, perhaps someone else here can give it a go. Suffice it to say, I devoured the webcomic years ago. When it showed up on Comixology I did not hesitate to throw money at purchasing it. It is that good; Probably better.
Injection - mythology and the internet team up to invade the real world...or something. It was a strange trip but I think it died on the vine. Maybe skip this one, but the concept was really engaging.
Junior Braves of the Apocalypse - some boy scouts deal with the zombie apocalypse. It was well executed, though I don't think it concluded.
Looking for Group - you're either a fan of this guy's work or you're not.
Monstress - gorgeous art. Little girl has elder god monster inside her and it eats people. Low fantasy world with air ships and regional wars between humans and Arcanics. A rather serious tone to the whole thing but I've been enjoying it as it releases for three volumes now.
Next Town Over - another one that started as a webcomic and I picked up on Comixology. It's a steampunk/fantasy western following a very dark lover's spat as far as I've been able to piece together. Definitely worth a look.
Pinocchio Vampire Slayer - if you're not intrigued by the name alone I can't help you. It exists and it was worth my time and money.
Shadow Girls - Mother/Daughter duo hosting an elder god while a rival elder god fuck with them and their town as they try to figure out what the hell's going on. This one did not conclude but what is there is worth exploring if you can still track it down. It started life as a webcomic.
Sorcery 101 - Some jackass is learning to be a wizard mostly because the dick of a vampire he's beholden to thinks it'd be funny. He's dealing with a divorce, he's a school teacher as his day job and his buddy's a werewolf married to a mage. Their daughter growls as much as the family dog. Adventures and womanizing ensues.
Spinnerette - Basically if peter parker were a ditzy blonde instead. Comedic super hero stuff with a dash of fan service, or at least not being shy about making women hot. If you're looking for super hero genre that can laugh at itself this is probably your jam.
Sunstone - Lesbian BDSM Romance. You'll actually genuinely end up enjoying it for the story and character development as much as for the cheesecake. Another gem from Stjepan Sejic.
The Wastelands: Rahu - an interesting character sketch of a piece. Follows a lonely outcast through the wilderness while offering glimpses into his past. Short but interesting
I have more but I think those are probably the ones most worth mentioning. Do let me know which of these you end up checking out and what you think of them.
I know that looking for group is reportedly better than the other guy's comic least I could do.
Thank you! That is a lot to start with. I’ll look for Bomb Queen first
I expect quarterly progress reports.
Also you're quite welcome. I've spent the better part of the last seven years preparing to answer this exact thread with my comic purchasing habits.