Comics Without Punching... [Archive]

muddi900

06-10-2009, 01:24 PM

Most people get into comics through superheroes, and then graduate to other genres. Some don't even do that, and have a huge cape fetish. But fuck those people. I go into comics the other way around. Through Maus, Local and Blankets.

Through my recent exposure to the works of Robert Kirkman and Geoff Johns, I am mostly reading Superhero comics. And I am kinda getting sick of Space Cops, Secret Origins and Rogues galleries. To tell you the truth, I am sick of zombies, robots and vampires as well.

I am looking for something different. Not autobiographical, no something like Local, Box office Poison or Strangers in Paradise.

Any Reccomendations?

Telefrog

06-10-2009, 01:28 PM

Maus.

/thread

Lint of Death

06-10-2009, 02:05 PM

I'm pretty sure he already read Maus. Is there really so little hope?

muddi900

06-10-2009, 02:21 PM

Maus.

/thread

Maus is right there in the first paragraph. I am NOT looking for autobio books.

Telefrog

06-10-2009, 02:27 PM

I know it's there. I'm still saying Maus is it.

Zero

06-10-2009, 02:33 PM

I know it's there. I'm still saying Maus is it.

Maus, the book he's already read, is the book he needs to read?

muddi900

06-10-2009, 02:39 PM

I know it's there. I'm still saying Maus is it.

*crickets chirping*

pronounconnoun

06-10-2009, 02:46 PM

Shortcomings was good. But if you're not Asian or into Asian American Studies, it might be a little foreign. Good read, though. Funny and insightful; deals with race and racial identity.

Telefrog

06-10-2009, 02:52 PM

Okay. Go for American Born Chinese.

BlackPete

06-10-2009, 04:15 PM

Tintin and Asterix.

Oh and Lucky Luke.

:D

civil

06-10-2009, 06:13 PM

I can't believe no one has mentioned Maus yet. You really should start there.

Zabyx

06-10-2009, 06:25 PM

Bottomless Bellybutton. Seriously, it is my quest to go around the internet and just plug that. Graphic novel about an elderly couple getting divorced and how their grown children react to it.

If you love pretty pictures, check out Black Hole. I wasn't really into the story like some were (actually found it a bit lacking), but the art is some of the best I've seen anywhere.

Ink Asylum

06-10-2009, 06:51 PM

I would have to highly recommend Maus.

Rogue_hunter

06-10-2009, 07:42 PM

I took a comics/graphic novel class last semester, and here is the stuff we read (besides Maus and Watchmen):
Love and Rockets Vol 2: The Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S. (http://www.amazon.com/Girl-HOPPERS-Love-Rockets-v/dp/1560978511/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product)
Persepolis (http://www.amazon.com/Persepolis-Story-Childhood-Marjane-Satrapi/dp/037571457X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231962435&sr=1-1)
Exit Wounds (http://www.amazon.com/Exit-Wounds-Rutu-Modan/dp/1897299834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231962403&sr=1-1)
We3 (http://www.amazon.com/We3-Grant-Morrison/dp/1401204953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231962459&sr=1-1) (this does have punching/brutal violence/gore, but is not superheroes)
Fun Home (http://www.amazon.com/Fun-Home-Family-Tragicomic-001/dp/0618871713/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231962486&sr=1-1)
Black Jack Vol. 1 (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Jack-Vertical-v/dp/193428727X/ref=sr_oe_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231962373&sr=1-1)

civil

06-10-2009, 08:26 PM

Those are good suggestions, Rogue, but you should have included Maus in that list.

Laughing Penguin

06-10-2009, 11:29 PM

cppcrusader

06-11-2009, 08:45 AM

I remember kefka was always recommending American Virgin. No clue what it's about, but he was always recommending that one for people that didn't want super heroes.

DoctorFinger

06-11-2009, 08:46 AM

Man, that's tough. Even the books which I consider more non violent - Atomic Robo, Magic of Shazam, Maintenance - all have some punching in them.

BlackPete

06-11-2009, 09:00 AM

Shit... there's always some lovey-dovey manga.

Just walk into any anime store and there'll be thousands of manga sitting on the shelves. Even Chapters carry them now.

muddi900

06-11-2009, 09:20 AM

How do you feel about crime comics? Two come to mind right away:

DC Comics/Vertigo's 100 Bullets has some really great stories. I was really hooked on the early story arcs and the tales that revolved around the briefcase.

Warren Ellis' Fell (I think it's an Image comic, but i'm blanking right now). Short form, self contained issues with some really good stories.

And if you like Warren Ellis (personally a big fan) then Transmetropolitan is a must. Sci Fi series with a lot of political and transhumanist themes. Fantastic arc.

Those are just off the top of my head, i'll see if anything else leaps to mind...

I cannot believe how uncanny this is. I would've reccomended these. :D
If you're really into crime comics, you should read Criminal.

I knew I should've gone with a different title. I will check out the recommendations, thanks. But the over-enthusiasm about Maus is not funny. It's a book about genocide for God's sake.

Telefrog

06-11-2009, 10:10 AM

I knew I should've gone with a different title. I will check out the recommendations, thanks. But the over-enthusiasm about Maus is not funny. It's a book about genocide for God's sake.

People can't be enthused about a Pultizer Prize winning book?

muddi900

06-11-2009, 11:10 AM

People can't be enthused about a Pultizer Prize winning book?

No. Not when the OP asked for recommendations and explicitly stated that he has read the book.

roboninja

06-11-2009, 11:14 AM

Bone is not superheroes as such, and I enjoyed that. I will admit I have not read many non-action graphic novels. I do have Fallen Angel (by Peter David) on my desk right now. I do not think that is very punchy, but not having read it yet, I cannot be sure.

EDIT: Forgot about Maus.
I can haz joke too?

Ink Asylum

06-11-2009, 12:00 PM

There's punching in Bone, though it's usually a grandma doing it.

DoctorFinger

06-11-2009, 04:08 PM

Fallen Angel can get pretty graphic and violent. It's good, but it's about as dark as you can get in a comic IMO.

Telefrog

06-11-2009, 04:19 PM

No. Not when the OP asked for recommendations and explicitly stated that he has read the book.

But your criticsim of the suggestion wasn't that it was overplayed or annoying. Your criticism was "It's a book about genocide for God's sake." which seems to be criticizing our lack of respect towards the real-world event. It implied that either you think we're all joking (I assure you that I'm not - I think it's a great book) or that the book itself is deserving of more honor than we were paying it.

Scull

06-11-2009, 04:21 PM

I pretty much only read non-supers stuff any more, so let's begin shall we? First of all, look at Vertigo. Seriously, if you want some off the beaten path, non-supers stories this is the easiest place to go. Sandman, Preacher, Transmetropolitan, Y: The Last Man Standing, American Virgin, Fables, Swamp Thing, and a great many of their minis are decent reads. Most of what Warren Ellis does fits pretty nicely too (although they are often violent and gory), especially when it is part of an indie label. RASL has been fun, but it is probably too superhero for your tastes if I had to guess. Alan Moore books are always defying superhero genres and concepts if they have supers in them. You could go with Lost Girls (if you can find it at a decent price and like comic porn).

torrefaction

06-11-2009, 04:33 PM

Persepolis dude.

DoctorFinger

06-11-2009, 04:42 PM

Are you just looking for non-capes, non-scifi books, or non-violent ones?

Spigot

06-11-2009, 04:47 PM

I remember kefka was always recommending American Virgin. No clue what it's about, but he was always recommending that one for people that didn't want super heroes.I quite liked American Virgin.

I forget if Blankets was mentioned, but it was nice, though it's a bio book.

Black Hole is very strange stuff and Box Office Poison is great.

Nice to see Fell in this list.

I had a great recommendation for this question but my kid was busy blathering in my ear and now I forget what it is. I'll try to remember.

civil

06-11-2009, 04:48 PM

Reading what you're looking for, I think Maus would really interest you.

torrefaction

06-11-2009, 04:53 PM

Reading what you're looking for, I think Maus would really interest you.

I'm saying it twice, so it's not missed.

Persepolis

Froghourt

06-11-2009, 05:13 PM

I started reading comics with Hellblazer and Watchmen, and I am not a huge superheroes fan either (except Batman).

I have mentioned this book a couple of times but DMZ is very good and interesting. Most of my other recommendations have been mentioned, especially the Vertigo/Alan Moore stuff. Hellboy is pretty good too.

Mandatory joke: Maus is great, you should check that out!

Squidbot

06-11-2009, 05:21 PM

---------------------------------->Sandman<----------------------------------------

Superman's Dead

06-11-2009, 05:25 PM

Y: The Last Man has very little punching.

The Invisibles is crazy, and has some violence that's super-graphic but the plot is still the driving force.

And Sandman and Lucifer...

muddi900

06-12-2009, 05:13 AM

Are you just looking for non-capes, non-scifi books, or non-violent ones?

I am looking for non-scifi/fantasy books, but most violent comics are so OTT that they can only be considered sci-fi. So no Garth Enis for me.

In fact, I am looking for non-genre books. Stuff like Box Office Poison and Essex County. It's not that I don't like genre books, it's just that I need some balance in my entertainment.

EDIT: I've read most of the stuff mentioned in this thread. Black hole and American Born Chinese have been added to the list.

Karmakin

06-12-2009, 05:31 AM

It does have SOME punching in it, I guess, but I'd highly recommend the Scott Pilgrim series.

Savok

06-12-2009, 05:34 AM

Most people get into comics through superheroes, and then graduate to other genres. Some don't even do that, and have a huge cape fetish. But fuck those people.
Spoken like someone who hasn't seen Dick Grayson in nothing but a cape and mask *purr*

Books, uh.... Warren Ellis' Crecy makes history fun and then there's... dude just go read manga. Seriously, it's one of the three pillars of Japanese fiction, giant robots, magical girls and actual life (usually in a school).

Oh and Maus, of course.

EDIT: Oh yes, Colleen Coover's Small Favors is the cutest porn comic ever, track it down.

muddi900

06-12-2009, 06:48 AM

Spoken like someone who hasn't seen Dick Grayson in nothing but a cape and mask *purr*

Books, uh.... Warren Ellis' Crecy makes history fun and then there's... dude just go read manga. Seriously, it's one of the three pillars of Japanese fiction, giant robots, magical girls and actual life (usually in a school).

Oh and Maus, of course.

EDIT: Oh yes, Colleen Coover's Small Favors is the cutest porn comic ever, track it down.

Manga like Death Note;

"Oh noes he knows who I am"
"But I know who he is"
"Lets play tennis"

Spigot

06-12-2009, 06:55 AM

Books, uh.... Warren Ellis' Crecy makes history funOh crap. How could I forget Crecy? That book is awesome.

I know you said no Garth Ennis but I've really enjoyed the two volumes of Battlefields (The Night Witches and Dear Billy). Great historical stuff that doesn't pull punches but isn't gratuitous.

Commissar Rob

06-12-2009, 07:04 AM

It's got some punching (some sword play, and a crossbow here and there), but loads of character development and some fairly fascinating political and religious discourse - Dave Sim's Cerebus (http://www.amazon.com/Cerebus-1-Dave-Sim/dp/0919359086/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244811810&sr=8-1).

High Society and Church and State are my two favorite series. YMMV.

Savok

06-12-2009, 09:13 AM

Manga like Death Note;

"Oh noes he knows who I am"
"But I know who he is"
"Lets play tennis"
Not Death Note :p

I mean like (and I'm about to seriously worry Spigot) yuri or romance books in general. Hell there's stories about people owning fucking teahouses, I don't think Japan has short stories that aren't manga.

Stuff that hasn't been officially translated yet is usually scanlated and floating around the net too, so the sheer volume of it all is incredible.

squirrelTactics

06-12-2009, 10:02 AM

I agree with civil, I think you would really benefit from a good read-through of Maus

muddi900

06-12-2009, 10:33 AM

Ink Asylum

06-12-2009, 10:48 AM

My GOD the misogyny. Holy shit.

Commissar Rob

06-12-2009, 12:18 PM

You forgot misogyny.

Well...yeah. That's true. Dave did seem to have some...issues.

Lint of Death

06-12-2009, 12:26 PM

I just blacked out over the past few days and I don't have time to reread the thread. I don't know too much about it, only read a page or two myself, but you might want to check out Maus if you don't mind that all the characters are animals.

roboninja

06-12-2009, 12:39 PM

torrefaction

06-12-2009, 12:40 PM

Old joke is old :p

Old joke about old joke is old.

Superman's Dead

06-12-2009, 12:40 PM

Oh, yeah, Savok! Good idea.

Some of my favorite comics experiences are Japanese sports manga. 'Slam Dunk' and 'Whistle!' are both phenomenal and have very little combat. But by the time you're done with the fifth or so volume you understand those sports from a strategic standpoint so much better.

muddi900

06-12-2009, 12:56 PM

Also, I saw Persepolis the movie and awaiting the sequel.

You guys don't have anything that I haven't read. Since this has turned into a non-cape comic thread, I am go ahead and say that Unwritten from Vertigo is totally awesome. Do not trade wait.

Savok

06-12-2009, 01:44 PM

Yeah well welcome to western comics, they're about people in spandex hitting each other and/or bears. You want something else you head east.

Ink Asylum

06-12-2009, 01:50 PM

What about Maus, Savok?

Savok

06-12-2009, 02:07 PM

Well Maus of course is one of the exceptions.

Laughing Penguin

06-12-2009, 02:23 PM

As I recall, some of the older Crossgen stuff was decent... Have you ever read The Path? Basically a Samurai story. Some combat, of course, but nothing at all like the superhero brawls you seem to be looking to avoid.

You could always track down the old Milk & Cheese comics from Evan Dorkin, they're always a good read. But they do punch people. A LOT.

Froghourt

06-12-2009, 05:41 PM

Yeah well welcome to western comics, they're about people in spandex hitting each other and/or bears. You want something else you head east.

Thats a pretty... narrow statement. There are plenty of books that aren't about superheroes (as illustrated by this thread) but a lot of the really good ones have been mentioned already.

Ink Asylum

06-12-2009, 05:43 PM

Say otherwise and Alan Moore will kill you in your sleep. Just look at him.

Froghourt

06-12-2009, 06:05 PM

Alan Moore will fuck your shit up! Try to adapt one of his books in a subpar way and fear his wrath!

Zero

06-12-2009, 08:21 PM

Alan Moore will fuck your shit up! Try to adapt one of his books in a subpar way and fear his wrath!

Why would be afraid of his relinquishment of royalties?

Savok

06-12-2009, 10:15 PM

Thats a pretty... narrow statement. There are plenty of books that aren't about superheroes (as illustrated by this thread) but a lot of the really good ones have been mentioned already.
It's a pretty narrow range of non-superhero/fantasy/sci-fi/explosions stuff. It exists, but not on any large scale. The void seems to be filled by webcomics these days, but most of them aren't very good.

Also I want to post the Alan Moore x Alan Moore hentai pic now just to make your brains explode :p

Ink Asylum

06-12-2009, 10:28 PM

Not on any large scale? I can go into the big comic shop here in Manhattan and there's a huge bookcase that runs the length of the store devoted to non-superhero/fantasy/sci-fi/explosions comics. You just need to look for it.

Ghostbear

06-12-2009, 10:39 PM

Pride of Baghdad is fantastic and VERY pretty.
Cassanova - A comic about a Thief and his really fucked up life.
Northlanders, by Brian Wood is great. Vikings!
DMZ - Set in the fictional DMZ of Manhattan after a civil war in the united states. follows a photographer as he learns was it means to live in the DMZ.

Those are just a few, I tried to avoid ones already mentioned, like Maus ;)

Savok

06-12-2009, 10:40 PM

*shakes fist*

New York has the best damn shops.

muddi900

06-13-2009, 04:11 AM

Well Maus of course is one of the exceptions.

The Top Shelf, Oni, First Second, D&Q and Fantagraphics catalogs say "HELLO".

EDIT: In fact, OGN sales list regularly include biographical stuff in the top 40. It's a major genre that's quite popular in the mainstream literary circles. The book that shan't be named wasn't an exception, it began a new genre.

Savok

06-13-2009, 04:39 AM

Why do you need our help finding these things again? :p

muddi900

06-13-2009, 05:13 AM

Well I thought I knew less than I actually knew :o

Froghourt

06-13-2009, 06:46 AM

It's a pretty narrow range of non-superhero/fantasy/sci-fi/explosions stuff. It exists, but not on any large scale. The void seems to be filled by webcomics these days, but most of them aren't very good.

Also I want to post the Alan Moore x Alan Moore hentai pic now just to make your brains explode :p

If you are referring to the picture I think you are referring to, I have already seen it and masturbated furiously.