Manga/Comic Suggestions

[Saith]

I couldn't find one in the ten seconds I spent looking for such a thread, so I guess it's time we had one.

So basically suggestions for manga or Western comics or graphic novels or anime or whatever go here.

I'll get this started by recommending:

The Walking Dead: Sounds like a typical zombie series, but I find it to be a pretty fantastic look into the survivors life. Um, better put, the zombies are more of a plot device to force the survivors together, rather than being the antagonists. The series focuses less on gruesome gut-eating (though there's a lot of that) and more on the interactions of the characters. As the author put it, the title isn't describing the zombies.

Narutaru: Stop! I didn't say Naruto! Narutaru is a rather soul-crushing deconstruction of the typical 'mon' genre. I mean, what do you think would actually happen if a hormonal teen was bonded to a monster? As a side note, you should not watch the anime as it's retarded, and you shouldn't read the Dark Horse Comics translation, as that's only slightly less retarded (and also censored). It hurts you inside, but not as much as-

Bokurano: In my opinion (though others will think otherwise), it's a more depressing Evangelion. By the same guy as Narutaru, but I'm pretty sure the anime/official English versions are safe. It's a giant robot thing, once again featuring hormonal teens. Also testube maggot rape, so uh... Yeah...
Moving on-

Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni: Meaning something like 'Where the cicadas cry'. It's a supernatural murder mystery, and by mystery I mean 'fucking confusing'. If you can get past the second volume without screaming in frustration about why certain things are there, it's golden. If you like Death Note, then you'll... Well, you might like this, I dunno. I like them both, but I haven't asked anyone else, so yeah.
As a note, the volumes aren't numbered, so the order you should read them in is thus:

Onikakushi
Watanagashi
Tatarigoroshi
Himatsubushi
Utsutsukowashi*
Meakashi-hen
Tsumihoroboshi
Yoigoshi-*
Minagoroshi
Matsuribayashi
Kokoroiyashi*
*These are side stories, but canonically they go where I've placed them.

Anyway that's it for now, but gogogo suggest!

 

[Blastoise Fortooate]

The Runaways series by Marvel is a good read. There's a deinonychus/velociraptor with a nosering! It basically asks, "What would happen if the children of supervillains found out about their parents' careers?"

 

[Aisling]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Oh my god you have to read it oh my god. I can't recommend it enough. It's so much better than the movie, it's just amazing.

Fullmetal Alchemist. Herp derp better than the anime blah blah everybody knows this one. I personally consider it the best manga after Nausicaa, don't let squealy fangirls give you the wrong impression. They only like it because it's fucking awesome but also pretty if you love beautifully drawn things

Watchmen? old news I know but it's really good and I only know like two people personally who have read it. It's awesome. If you haven't read it (I have no idea how likely or unlikely this is on the interwebs) you should go out and do it, and then fangirl Dan with me.

Um, if you're into that Azumanga Daioh and Lucky Star type stuff Strawberry Marshmallow is also a guilty favorite of mine.

first post mentioned anime but there's also a manga adaptation- Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is my second favorite anime ever. My favorite is based on a manga only it's better than the manga, and that is Revolutionary Girl Utena. But the manga isn't too bad. If you like shoujo and mindfucks and analyzing things you'll love it.

 

[goldenquagsire]

manga...

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service
is funny as hell in a way that a lot of manga isn't. it does have quite a lot of otaku-centric humour, but it does it loads better than other series (and it isn't afraid to mock its readership mercilessly). the tight script probably helps, with natural-sounding English and none of that onee-sama crap. what I especially love about the series is that it works on two levels: not only is it very funny, but under the right conditions (read it late at night when you're home alone) it is frankly terrifying. loads of maggot-ridden corpses (as the title would imply) and other creepy stuff.

Great Teacher Onizuka
is a goddamn classic. absolutely perverted, but in such an over-the-top way that it's not irritating! good for plenty of belly-laughs. even if you don't normally read Japanese comics, if you've gone through the school system you'll get a kick out of it.

and western graphic novels

anything by Joe Sacco is good. his documentary graphic novels show that the medium is capable of literally anything. Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde are just as hard-hitting and brutal as any TV or film documentary. but what makes him particularly good is that he doesn't just present a sanitised, Western-friendly account - he depicts his subjects warts and all, with funny moments among the tragedy. I also really like his art style.

Garth Ennis is another consistently good writer. his Preacher series is drop-dead hilarious and incredibly blasphemous (one of the minor characters is the mentally-retarded inbred descendant of Jesus). with lots and lots and lots of blood and guts.

oh, and obligatory shout-out to Harvey Pekar, since he recently passed away. American Splendour and Our Cancer Year are unusual in that they mostly deal with everyday life (at least, in the case of OCY, the everyday life of a cancer patient) but they're pretty mature works. pay your respects and read his stuff, THEN you can go back to your yaoi and batman comics.