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THE SANDMAN COMPANION by Hy Bender & Neil Gaiman.
© DC Comics

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Comicscape - February 1, 2006

And yet, those ostensible non-readers didn't share all the marked characteristics of the comic faithful. Their comic-reading habits circumvented many of the objections non-readers voice about the hobby and the industry. They didn't worry much about the collectible and scarcity issues because they could either purchase the titles as trade paperback or, in the case of SLG, in perpetual reprint -- they didn't have to hit the shop on a weekly basis for titles that remained available. They also didn't have to follow years of continuity because the aforementioned titles were either self-contained, or any older material (in the case of SANDMAN and ELFQUEST) remained in print. And, of course, these books featured neither superheroes nor heroines in barely-there costumes that, in reality, one could only find in a brothel.

Those issues remain circumstantial to modern comic collecting and peculiar to the industry itself. You don't need ongoing series, superheroes, hot chicks, variant covers, and comic shops crawling with fanboys to enjoy sequential art. Those attributes repel many would-be readers. Yet more damning, the major publishers likely won't abscond to a new model centered around mass market volumes of self-contained, multi-genre stories, as ongoing superhero titles make too much money. I don't blame the publishers, but, though ignorant, many people won't read MAUS or BLANKETS because they hate superheroes. Comic haters of the world, I feel your pain, but you're wrong.

People must overcome negative associations with the peculiarities of the comic industry and embrace sequential art as, not a hobby, but another storytelling medium on par with books, television, and movies. The vast majority of people feel comfortable enjoying novels, TV, and films at their leisure with no special sense of commitment to the mediums, yet they view comics as a hobby for those of "low taste." Yet, going to an occasional movie doesn't constitute a hobby or participation in a subculture (unless you're seeing UNDERWORLD). Everyone must come to view comics in the same light they would any other storytelling medium -- one to enjoy at leisure as regularly as any other.

Practically, this remains difficult. People won't spend money on something they already feel biased against. Besides voicing recommendations, some fans and creators have suggested almost forcibly lending comics to people, and even leaving stacks of unwanted back issues in public places, as some curious passerby might read them. Similarly, incorporating comics into school curriculums, along with film and video game adaptations, helps the industry (though not necessarily the medium), if only with more exposure and, of course, more revenue. I can't argue with those strategies, though pessimism worries me that video games, the Internet, and other new media have already nailed the coffin shut on American comics. Regardless, if, like Stupidhumanzz, you feel negatively about comics, but find yourself reading this anyway -- or, if you're a fan and you decide to browbeat your coworkers and classmates into reading -- I bring you a list of some of the best comics for people that don't read comics, in no particular order. As always, this list reflects my personal preferences and experiences. I haven't read a few seminal works (such as 300), so I'll include a short list with no commentary of those titles at the end. And, please, don't e-mail me demanding to know why I didn't include EIGHTBALL or whatever. I don't intend to rewrite the canon of western literature in COMICSCAPE. But, if you feel I missed something and want to tell the world about it, feel free to e-mail me at comicscape@cinescape.com or at kurtamacker@yahoo.com. I'll run your suggestions of comics for people that don't read comics next week if I get enough. Otherwise, I'll write about boobs. Here we go.

WATCHMEN by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
I'll just dispense with the obvious first. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's tale of a superhero murder mystery set in a vision of America on the brink of World War III still enthralls, well, everybody. It's difficult to adequately summarize either the story or its overwhelming impact on comic books. WATCHMEN remains one of the few comics to have "crossed over" into respectable literature, arguably holding a place in the Canon -- that oft-referred to (and argued about) body of the greatest books and poetry ever written. It lays bare the idea of the superhero and explores its implications to their very extremes when one man commits a terrible crime for the greater good.

MAUS by Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman's graphic novel won a Pulitzer Special Award for Letters in 1992, a first for any comic. As such, school libraries carry it and people that ordinarily wouldn't touch a comic book enthusiastically recommend it. Young Art interviews his father (in the comic), Vladek, about his experiences during the Holocaust as a Polish Jew. Besides portraying his father's life, Spiegelman recreates the interview sessions themselves. He grapples with the story while learning more about his father, warts and all. The trick is that all of the characters are drawn as animals. He draws the Jews as mice and the Germans as cats, with the other nationalities of Europe portrayed as different animals. Spiegelman first serialized MAUS in his magazine RAW, but has since published it in two volumes -- MY FATHER BLEEDS HISTORY and AND HERE MY TROUBLES BEGAN. There's also a collection with both still in print.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS by Frank Miller
Yes, non-comic reader, I've included a Batman book. Miller offers a nightmarish vision of a future Gotham City where most citizens only know the Batman as an urban legend. Between a recently released Joker and a gang of punk rock Mutants overrunning the city, the aging Bruce Wayne decides to come out of retirement. A young girl named Carrie ingratiates herself to the Dark Knight and becomes his new Robin. Miller uses both Batman and the godlike Superman to great effect as commentary on the Regan presidency and the United State in the 1980s. Many feel that, along with the preceding two books, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS is about as good as it gets.

THE SANDMAN by Neil Gaiman
Gaiman blends literature, history, and mythology into the nuanced and incredibly entertaining saga of the Endless -- seven god-like sibling personifications of the forces that shape the lives of men. Dream -- also called Morpheus -- presides over the Dreaming, the realm where our nocturnal visions reside. His sister, Death, retrieves souls when their time has come. The others -- Delirium, Desire, Despair, Destiny, and Destruction -- fulfill their obvious functions. They preside over their respective tendencies in the souls of humanity, in between squabbling with each other. THE SANDMAN ran for 70 issues, with a few miniseries and a follow-up title called THE DREAMING written by others. You can buy the original series in ten trade paperbacks (along with an eleventh released after the series's conclusion). Just stick with Gaiman's stuff, but diehards may want to look into the other material.

THE CROW by James O'Barr
Yes, they made a movie out of this, along with several abysmal sequels (both comic and film), a wretched television program, and every bit of merchandise short of breakfast cereal. While the film merits your attention, neither it nor any of the dreck that followed plumb the depths of anguish and loneliness expressed in the original miniseries. When a drunk driver killed his girlfriend, O'Barr projected his rage into a story about a young man named Eric, back from the dead for revenge. When their car breaks down, a gang pulls over and kills him and rapes his fiance, Shelly, before murdering her. Eric returns from the grave, invulnerable, heartbroken, and vengeful. In between ruthlessly murdering the gang members, he reflects on his lost love and God's unabashed cruelty. With visceral action and raw, bleeding emotion splashed across the page, O'Barr drags the reader through the lowest depths of rage and despair. The faint of heart won't care for this, but everyone should read it.

ELFQUEST by Wendy and Richard Pini
Like all of the preceding suggestions, ELFQUEST found a larger audience in mall bookstores than it did in comic shops. For years, Wendy and Richard Pini self-published the saga of the Wolfriders -- a tribe of elves on the mythical World of Two Moons. However, when the colorized collections appeared from Donning/Starblaze and, later, Father Tree Press, the series found acclaim in the mainstream press. The Pinis spent the first 21 issues focusing on the Wolfriders' quest to find the lost Palace of the High Ones -- their ancient, godlike ancestors. However, the series continued with innumerable miniseries and spin-offs. Some dealt with the contemporary setting of the originals, and others explored the complex mythology that preceded the story. Not all were written by the Pinis. Tolkien fans, hippies, environmentalists, and women (and me) usually dig ELFQUEST. The Pinis signed a distribution deal with DC a couple of years ago, and the publisher reprints their original stories in inexpensive, Manga-sized, black and white volumes. The two continue to create new stories as well. But, if ELFQUEST sounds interesting, you've got a lot of catching up to do.

V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
Read this one before the movie comes out, so you can understand my column wherein I complain about the changes. Began in 1981 during the Thatcher administration in the United Kingdom, Moore offers a nightmarish vision of a fascist Britain in 1998. V, a survivor of a concentration camp experiment, rescues young Evey from a gang of policeman and taker her under his wing as he systematically dismantles the government with acts of terrible violence. Though Moore clearly disapproves of the fascist world he creates (and clearly parallels it to the Thatcher Administration), he never quite endorses V's violent anarchist agenda, either. Regardless, V FOR VENDETTA remains a thoughtful, provocative dystopian work still relevant during a national cat fight over freedom versus security.

PREACHER by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon When a powerful spirit called Genesis enters his body, small-town preacher Jesse Custer gains the power of the Word -- the ability to command virtually anyone. Genesis was born of the unnatural union of an angel and a demon. After its conception, God absconds his throne in Heaven, and Jesse sets out to find him, accompanied by his ex-girlfriend, Tulip, and a badass Irish vampire named Cassidy. Admittedly, Ennis's theology comes off as amateurish, but his compelling narrative and his vision of Americana and his romance with some of this country's most powerful narrative archetypes makes PREACHER worth the read. The entire series remains in print as nine collected volumes. Clear your schedule for a weekend, because you won't put it down.

ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz Despite her origin in DAREDEVIL, this collection stands on its own, if only for Bill Sienkiewicz's radical, unusual art. It barely takes place in continuity with the rest of the Marvel Universe, so you can enjoy it without reading DAREDEVIL. Miller's story feels like a pulp conspiracy theory dream and I honestly can't adequately summarize it. However, Sienkiewicz employs a plethora of mediums to create an abstract, expressionist vision that still stands out today. Initially, the non-traditional approach can seem unnerving, but with time, it grows on you.

FROM HELL by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell
Though the Hughes Brothers made a fun murder mystery film out of this one, their movie never scratches the surface of the psychological nightmare woven by Moore. He works from a debunked royal conspiracy theory (and admits as much). The story seems simple enough -- Queen Victoria orders the royal physician, Sir William Gull, to kill several prostitutes that have tried to blackmail the throne with the secret of a royal baby born of Prince Albert and a Catholic prostitute. But, FROM HELL looks into the mind of a killer that believes he works on behalf of forces and ideas even greater than the crown.

KINGDOM COME by Mark Waid and Alex Ross
In the far future of the DC Universe, the newest generation of heroes unrepentantly fights crime (and each other) with wanton violence and no regards for morality or collateral damage. The old guard of DCU superheroes confront themselves and their differences to stand up to both the new heroes and Lex Luthor's Mankind Liberation Front. Waid draws quite a bit from the Book of Revelation, but it's not just that story retold with DC characters. Alex Ross's fantastic painted art remains the best reason to read this. Comics simply don't look much better.

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE by John Wagner and Vince Locke
The David Cronenberg film is superb, but it changes quite a bit of Wagner's story. When Tom McKenna thwarts a robbery at his diner, he efficiently kills the two criminals with their own gun. After the local and national media spread his story and brand him a hero, a few Mafia hoods from Brooklyn arrive. They claim to have known Tom years before, when he fled New York after committing a brutal crime. Tom denies the accusation, but as the hoods force him to defend his family and kill again, he must confront the past that won't release him.

TRANSMETROPOLITAN by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertston
In a future where technology makes nearly everything possible, gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem rails against the myriad of consumerism, cult religions, and fly-by-night culture that fills the City. As a muckraking journalist, he lives to annoy the president, whom he candidly refers to as "the Beast." But, when his more charismatic opponent, "the Smiler," defeats him in the election, Jerusalem realizes the public's been scammed. Along with his affectionately dubbed "Filthy Assistants," Yelena and Channon, he sets out to bring down a president in the court of public opinion. Warren Ellis crafts a madcap world of infinite possibilities with so much nuance and detail that I'm still amazed that it works. If you like science fiction to be more than action movies in space, TRANSMETROPOLITAN is for you. The original 60 issues are all available in trade paperback, along with a collection of Jerusalem's columns.

I could keep writing, but the column's starting to look like an Icelandic Saga. However, here's a short list of other interesting comics. I mention some of these based on critical acclaim, so I can't personally vouch for all of them. Just because I write this column doesn't mean I've read everything.

• HELLBOY
  
• STRANGERS IN PARADISE
  
• 300
  
• RONIN
  
• Y: THE LAST MAN
  
• FABLES
  
• THE WALKING DEAD
  
• 30 DAYS OF NIGHT
  
• MARVELS
  
• THE INVINCIBLES
  
• DOOM PATROL
  
• Alan Moore's run of SWAMP THING
  
• HELLBLAZER
  
• PLANETARY
  
• And more...

New This Week
by Al Brown and Kurt Amacker

DARK HORSE

Conan & The Demons Of Khitai #4 (of 4) $2.99
Kurt: This time without the offending boobies.

Concrete Vol 3 Fragile Creature TP $12.95

Hellboy Makoma #1 (of 2) $2.99
Al: Mignola teams with the legendary Richard Corben for a story about Hellboy in Africa. So, okay.
Kurt: So, this f--king rocks. This is like a lesbian dream sequence with...no, I can't say that. I just won't.

Perhapanauts #3 (of 4) $2.99
Al: Interesting little series, this. I like the idea - lots of sorta mythological characters like Bigfoot teaming up to fight for humanity or whatever - but the execution's been a little wonky and the Chupacabra character annoys me. As Randy Jackson would say, "That was just aight for me, dog."

Star Wars Empire Vol 5 TP $14.95

DC COMICS

ABC A-Z Terra Obscura And Splash Brannigan $3.99
Al: And this is too much alphabetical information for me.
Kurt: Al's still learning to read, folks. God knows how he does the listings every week.

Aquaman #39 $2.50

Batman And The Monster Men #4 (of 6) $2.99

Blood Of The Demon #12 $2.50
Al: Everybody Hates Etrigan!
Kurt: Is that going to run after Smallville next season?

City Of Tomorrow TP $19.99

Detective Comics #816 $2.50
Kurt: Let's hear it for two issue arcs. This feels like a breezy jog on an autumn day after Lapham's 12-issue monster a few months ago.

Exterminators #2 (MR) $2.99
Al: Issue 1 was...well, it was ugly. One of the lead characters is prett much unredeemably racist and vile, and that makes it sorta tough to read sometimes. But it's possible that this is going somewhere interesting. Extremely dark, anyway. If that's what pees on your hydrant, go for it.

Gotham Central #40 $2.50
Al: Final issue. Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop getting B-12 shots from Miguel Tejada.
Kurt: There isn't much use for a police department that just picks up bad guys after Batman finishes with them. I have a feeling that GCPD gets called to open jars for old ladies a lot.

Green Arrow Moving Targets TP $17.99

Green Lantern #8 $2.99

Green Lantern Variant Cover #8 $2.99
Kurt: It's random variant month!

Hard Time Season Two #3 $2.50

JSA Classified #8 $2.50

Justice League Unlimited #18 $2.25
Al: Featuring Space Cabby! Apparently I'm not kidding.

Legion Of Super Heroes #14 $2.99
Al: Atom Girl is for real! I always believed, Violet.

Looney Tunes #135 $2.25

Lucifer Vol 9 Crux TP $14.99

Outsiders #33 $2.50

Rann Thanagar War Infinite Crisis Special $4.99
Kurt: Prepare to be confused...again.

Seven Soldiers Bulleteer #3 (of 4) $2.99
Kurt: The boobiest hero in the Seven Soldiers universe!

Superman Man Of Tomorrow Archives Vol 2 HC $49.99

Swamp Thing #24 (MR) $2.99
Kurt: It should be noted that Swamp Thing, in fact, does not sport a serious rack and, therefore, should be ignored in favor of the Bulleteer.

Team Zero #3 (of 6) $2.99

Thunderbolt Jaxon #1 (of 5) $2.99
Al: Warning: British accents within.
Kurt: Shine ya shoes, guvnah?

Tower Of The Future Vol 2 $9.99

Will Eisner Companion Sc $12.99

Y The Last Man #42 (MR) $2.99

IMAGE

City Of Heroes #10 $2.99

Intimidators #2 (MR) $3.50
Al: OMG, you got a hero named Fetish who dresses slutty and has a gimp! Kewl! ...sigh. Ironic ultraviolence, anyone?

Liberty Meadows Vol 4 Cold Cold Heart HC $24.95

Necromancer #4 $2.99
Kurt: "Some call me...Tim."

Noble Causes Vol 5 Betrayals TP $14.99

PVP #22 $2.99

MARVEL

Avengers Galactic Storm Vol 1 TP $29.99

Captain America #14 $2.99
Al: The conclusion of the Winter Soldier arc, about which I have very mixed feelings.

Doc Samson #2 (of 5) $2.99

Fantastic Four #534 $2.99
Al: Guest-starring the Hulk, because nobody told Straczynski that he's in friggin space right now.
Kurt: It, like, takes place before that. This is Marvel time, man. Pass the bong.

Fantastic Four Iron Man Big In Japan #4 (of 4) $3.50

Fury Peacemaker #1 (of 6) $3.50
Al: Know what's a sure way to make a miniseries disposable? Make the whole thing a flashback.
Kurt: Well, as long as no one takes the Dallas the-entire-thing-was-a-dream route, I'm game.

House Of M Incredible Hulk TP $13.99

House Of M TP $24.99
Al: Hey...I wonder if you read it all at once if the first six issues won't seem like filler. I'll never find out, because $25 is too much for eight comic books.
Kurt: You could buy a lot of Ho-Ho's for $25. I mean, think of all the chocolately sponge-cakey goodness you'll miss if you buy House of M. Come on, man, I'm just sayin'.

I Heart Marvel My Mutant Heart $2.99
Al: Man...some of Marvel's ideas are so weird!
Kurt: Like what? Giving Wolverine a second series?

Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #12 $2.50

Marvel Romance Redux But He Said He Loved Me #1 (of 5) $2.99

Marvel Romance TP $19.99

Marvel Team-up #17 $2.99
Al: Guest-starring Mutant X, which marks the second time this month that characters from the mostly-forgotten 2099 line make guest appearances. What?
Kurt: I bet Marvel send a hat around the office filled with forgotten c-list characters and if you get in trouble, you have to draw a name and write them in. Write Brother Voodoo? Oh yes, you will.

Marvel Visionaries Roy Thomas HC $34.99

New Excalibur #4 $2.99
Al: Guest-starring Austen creation Lionheart, because this is the Official Book of characters nobody else wants.

Powers #16 (MR) $2.95

Punisher #30 (MR) $2.99

Sable & Fortune #2 (of 4) $2.99
Al: Will Silver Sable finally be defeated by her own hair?

Saga Of Squadron Supreme $3.99
Kurt: I can't believe I actually bought this.

Sentinel #4 (of 5) $2.99

Sentry #5 (of 8) $2.99

Spider-girl #95 $2.99

Supreme Power Nighthawk #6 (of 6) (MR) $2.99
Al: Lots of debate recently over whether Daniel Way is actually a decent writer or not. He's blown his share of bad stories (see Wolverine), but this series has been flatout awesome. Jury's still out on you as a complete package, Mr. Way - but this gets my Most Kickassinest Book of the Week award!

Ultimate Marvel Flip Magazine #9 $3.99

Ultimate Tales Flip Magazine #9 $3.99

Uncanny X-Men #469 $2.50

Underworld #1 (of 5) $2.99
Al: Not an adaptation of the movie. Something about humorous urban grit by Frank Tieri (Queen & Country) and Staz Johnson (New X-Men, so I hope he's switching his style up for this). But okay, I'm interested. Just...please, please don't be ironic and ultraviolent, okay? That sh-t is played out.

X-Factor #3 $2.99

X-Factor 2nd Ptg Var #2 $2.99

X-Men The End Men And X-Men #2 (of 6) $2.99
Kurt: I'm not even going to ask.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@cinescape.com.