The Best Graphic Novels of 2009 (As Picked by Edward Kaye)
 |
Well, it’s that time of year again, when every comic site begins compiling lists of their favourite releases of the year. So I thought it was high time that I started to compile my list, it being the penultimate day of the year, and all. I thought I would start by putting together a list of my favourite graphic novels released this year, and honestly didn’t think it would take me very long at all. However, it turns out that there were a huge amount of fantastic releases this year, and this list took me forever to compile!
I’ve tried to keep the list to either OGNs (original graphic novels), or collections of miniseries that are no longer in print. Or perhaps it’s better to say that I didn’t want to fill the list up with trades of currently running series, because that would overlap with the list I plan to compile of the best comics of 2009 (which I plan to have up in the next couple of days).
This year’s list has a few obvious GNs on it, which are appearing on everyone’s lists this year, as well as a few not so obvious ones. Three of the books are by Los Bros. Hernadez, and two of them are by Jeff Lemire (go Canada!). Six of them were released by Fantagraphics, three are from Top Shelf, and three are from Dark Horse. The list is sorted into a rough order, but don’t take it too literally, because all of these books were fantastic, and it’s very hard to rank variations of greatness!
If you click the links on any of these titles, you will be magically transported to Amazon.com, and if you buy something, I’ll make a couple of cents per purchase. If you would like to discuss this list, or post your own, head over to the Hypergeek forums.
Without further ado, here is the list of what I thought were the greatest graphic novels of 2009, and why I picked them:
by David Mazzucchelli
What?
An original graphic novel about the titular protagonist, Asterios Polyp, a middle-aged, meagerly successful architect and teacher, aesthete and womanizer, whose life is wholly upended when his New York City apartment goes up in flames. In a tenacious daze, he leaves the city and relocates to a small town in the American heartland. But what is this “escape” really about? As the story unfolds, moving between the present and the past, we begin to understand this confounding yet fascinating character, and how he’s gotten to where he is. And isn’t. And we meet Hana: a sweet, smart, first-generation Japanese American artist with whom he had made a blissful life. But now she’s gone. Did Asterios do something to drive her away? What has happened to her? Is she even alive? All the questions will be answered, eventually.
Why?
After almost a decade of silence David Mazzucchelli has returned with an original graphic novel that has stunned the comic industry with its unabashed mastery of the medium. A hauntingly beautiful tale of love, ambition and opportunity, filled with philosophical and mythological references, Asterio Polyp is possibly one of the most literary comics stories ever devised. A masterpiece in terms of both writing and artwork, Mazzucchelli has pushed the boundaries of the medium, and raised the bar for all who come after him. One of the best graphic novels ever created!
by Alan Moore & Kevin O’Neill
What?
Top Shelf is proud to present the all-new installment in the breathtaking series by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill! In The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol III): Century #1 (“1910″), our familiar cast of Victorian literary characters enters the brave new world of the 20th century!
CHAPTER ONE is set against a backdrop of London, 1910, twelve years after the failed Martian invasion and nine years since England put a man upon the moon. In the bowels of the British Museum, Carnacki the ghost-finder is plagued by visions of a shadowy occult order who are attempting to create something called a Moonchild, while on London’s dockside the most notorious serial murderer of the previous century has returned to carry on his grisly trade. Working for Mycroft Holmes’ British Intelligence alongside a rejuvenated Allan Quatermain, the reformed thief Anthony Raffles and the eternal warrior Orlando, Miss Murray is drawn into a brutal opera acted out upon the waterfront by players that include the furiously angry Pirate Jenny and the charismatic butcher known as Mac the Knife. This one is not to be missed!
This book is the first of three deluxe, 80-page, full-color, perfect-bound graphic novellas, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O’Neill — with lettering by Todd Klein, and colors by Ben Dimagmaliw. Each self-contained narrative takes place in three distinct eras, building to an apocalyptic conclusion occurring in our own twenty-first century.
Why?
Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill return with more tales of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This time we find ourselves at the tail-end of the Edwardian era, for a tale of mystery, action and suspense, with pirates, a serial killer, and a shadowy occult order. Ringing in at only 88-pages, this densely layer, literary masterpiece tells more story in its short space than most full-size graphic novels could ever hope to achieve. Moore continues to play with characters from literary works, to create a wonderfully inventive and intelligent tale that is both gripping and original. O’Neill’s artwork continues to impress and surprise, and he delivers some of the finest artwork of his entire career in this volume. A true epic in every sense of the word, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is one of the best comics comic series ever conceived, and this latest volume is the high-point of the series thus far!
by Richard Stark & Darwyn Cooke
What?
The Hunter, the first book in the Parker series, is the story of a man who hits New York head-on like a shotgun blast to the chest. Betrayed by the woman he loved and double-crossed by his partner in crime, Parker makes his way cross-country with only one thought burning in his mind – to coldly exact his revenge and reclaim what was taken from him! Richard (Donald Westlake) Stark’s groundbreaking Parker books are adapted for the first time as a series of graphic novels by Darwyn Cooke. The initial graphic novel brings to life the first Parker book, The Hunter, which introduces readers to the dangerous anti-hero’s cold and calculated world of criminals, thugs, and grifters.
Why?
There’s been a bit of a Noir revival going on in comics recently, but this retelling of Richard Stark’s original, shows us that there is nothing quite like the hard boiled classics. Adapted by Darwyn Cooke, with breathtakingly beautiful artwork, this OGN is perhaps even more nail-bitingly tense and suspenseful than Stark’s original prose. A visual masterpiece!
by Pat Mills and Leigh Gallagher
What?
London, 1668. It is two years since the city was devastated by the Great Fire, the inferno caused by a comet passing over the capital. But from the ashes rose the undead, hungry for the flesh of the living. Protecting the populous are zombie hunters like Titus Defoe, ex-Leveller and now agent of the crown. As Titus battles the zombie horde he comes to realise that some sort of intelligence is guiding them. Along with his Brethren of The Night, he must look deep into the rotten heart of the undead capital, to discover the cause of this evil canker!
Collects:
‘1666′ (2000 AD progs 1540-1549)
‘Brethren of the Night’ (2000 AD progs 1589-1598)
Why
Written by Pat Mills, with artwork by Leigh Gallagher, this wildly original story mixes elements of steampunk with zombie horror, to create something that is far greater than the sum of its parts. Pat Mills uses his love of history to play with politicians and inventors of the era, and create a mind-blowing reality where Sir Issac Newton and Robert Hook create zombie killing steam engines, and angelic powered flying machines; where zombie hordes are commanded by the severed head of Oliver Cromwell, which barks orders from its place atop a pike! The artwork, by Leigh Gallagher, is is just breath-taking, with his intricate line art, and strong inking, which pays tribute to the style of the era. This is a collection that you can’t afford to do with out! It’s a thrill-ride from start to finish, and is sure to blow your mind!
by Jason
What?
The acclaimed graphic novelist Jason returns with his most eagerly awaited book yet, thanks to the inclusion of the title story, the world’s first (and likely last) chess Western. Originally serialized in 2008 to a huge audience in the New York Times Sunday Magazine “Funny Pages” section, “Low Moon” made Jason’s 2008 appearance at the MoCCA Arts Festival in Manhattan the talk of the prestigious show, catapulting the Norwegian star to a higher level of mass appeal. This 216-page hardcover book features five yarns – all brand new with the exception of the aforementioned “Low Moon,” which is collected into book form for the first time. The volume also includes deadpan, genre-warping tales of murder, revenge, and strained relationships.
Why?
Norwegian cartoonist, Jason (John Arne Sæterøy), has done it again. It seems that he manages to outdo himself with every single release. I really didn’t think that he would be able to top his last masterpiece, Pocket Full of Rain, but I was wrong! Low Moon is filled with, mostly silent, tales of crime, existential crises, alien abductions, and cowboys who rather than have gun fights, battle each other with games of chess. Each tale is illustrated in Jason’s inimitable minimalist style, with all the protagonists being anthomorphic animals, with haunting white circles for eyes. At times both bleak and humorous, these beautifully absurd stories will leave you as speechless as one of Jason’s silent characters.
by Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez
What?
In the summer of 2008, Fantagraphics Books brought the classic Love and Rockets brand to a whole new audience with the hugely successful first volume of the trade-paperback sized Love and Rockets: New Stories. A year later, the Hernandez Brothers are back with the second eye-popping volume. This volume gets off to a flying start with “Hypnotwist,” Gilbert’s 39-page wordless epic about a beautiful, leggy redhead’s surreal journey into a night filled with mysterious shady characters, dreamlike violence, and sparkling retro spike heels. But is it real, or something else? Then, the concluding 50-page chapter of Jaime’s acclaimed superhero mash-up “Ti-Girls Adventures,” our protagonist Boot Angel learns more hard lessons about becoming a superheroine. Eventually, just about the entire cast gets together in Maggie’s tiny, messy one-bedroom apartment. Beto concludes with “Chest Fever,” in which a group of friends venture to Las Vegas, which isn’t quite what they expected…
Why?
Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez have managed to keep their writing and art fresh for almost thirty years now. With the ‘New Stories’ books, they not only maintain this trend, but push themselves into new realms of inventiveness and creativity. Nowhere else can you find stories as fun, absurd, and heartfelt as these. Nowhere else can you find artwork with as much character, with it’s sleek, minimalist linework, and bold, confident inking. Los Bros. Hernandez continue to blaze trails with their originality, and the comic industry is better for it. This essential collection should be on every fan’s shelf.
By Eddie Campbell
What?
For the first time ever, the pioneering autobiographical comics of master cartoonist Eddie Campbell (From Hell) are collected in a single volume!
Brilliantly observed and profoundly expressed, the Alec stories present a version of Campbell’s own life, filtered through the alter ego of “Alec MacGarry.” Over many years, we witness Alec’s (and Eddie’s) progression “from beer to wine” – wild nights at the pub, existential despair, the hunt for love, the quest for art, becoming a responsible breadwinner, feeling lost at his own movie premiere, and much more! Eddie’s outlandish fantasies and metafictional tricks convert life into art, while staying fully grounded in his own absurdity. At every point, the author’s uncanny eye for irony and wry self-awareness make even the smallest occasion into an opportunity for wit and wisdom. Quite simply, ALEC is a masterpiece of visual autobiography.
This Life-Size Omnibus edition of ALEC includes collects the previous Alec books The King Canute Crowd, Graffiti Kitchen, How to Be an Artist, Little Italy, The Dead Muse, The Dance of Lifey Death, and After the Snooter, as well as an all-new 35 page book, The Years Have Pants, and some other short stories rarely or never before seen.
Why?
Alec: The Years have Pants (a Life size Omnibus) is one of the most interesting and moving autobiographies that I have ever read, in comic form or otherwise. While I have enjoyed several of the Alec stories over the years (these stories were begun in the year of my birth), the immensity of the project never really dawned on me until I laid into this 640-page collection! The sheer level of dedication required to keep a project going this long is deserving of great accolades, but to keep the quality of these stories as high as Campbell has, and to continue to challenge himself and refine his style – well, there isn’t a honor grand enough to bestow on him for such as achievement. In much the same way that Harvey Pekar was able to take the mundane events of his daily life and convert them into American Splendor, Eddie Campbell has managed magically transform the ins and outs of his own existence into something truly magnificent. Every self-respecting comic fan needs a copy of this book in their collection, it’s stories like these that truly elevate the level of the comics medium!
by Gilbert Hernadez
What?
The sequel to the 2003 perennial classic, Palomar. Gilbert Hernandez climaxed his award-winning “Palomar” series at the end of Love and Rockets‘ original run by leveling the Central American hamlet. But he soon picked up the story of Luba: The hammer-wielding matriarch had emigrated to the U. S. where she contended not only with an unwelcoming new culture but also her extended family. These “America” stories – over 80 of them, ranging from quick one-page blackout sketches to graphic novellas – were originally published in a number of different comics and reprinted in a trilogy of oversized paperbacks. Luba collects in one compact, affordable hardcover the entirety of these tales, showcasing Gilbert Hernandez’s wicked wit, great compassion, and uncanny understanding of how human beings love, squabble, and ultimately find a way to make it through this life.
Why?
This over-sized Hardcover collects Beto’s Love & Rockets spin-off series featuring the titular (pun not intended) character, Luba. It’s an astounding collection of stories about family, life, love, and heartbreak. This is the first time these stories have ever been collected together, and when you read all of these powerful tales together in one place, you realise that Beto has created an epic here, unrivaled in it’s scale and depth. Words fail to express just how wonderful this collection is.
by Peter Bagge
What?
Fans of Peter Bagge’s Hate comic may not realize he’s been contributing comic-strip opinion pieces to Reason magazine for the last several years… finally collected in this volume. Although a libertarian, Bagge is hardly dogmatic, and most of the pieces undermine traditional party lines in favor of a rather personal, rational and informed take on hot-button issues: Favorite topics include the erosion of our civil liberties, ongoing boondoggles of the American public, the Iraq war, politicians both in general and in particular, and the conservative/religious war on sex. Each piece features Bagge himself front and center as the puzzled, indignant, or deeply conflicted everyman-on-the-street trying to make sense of this 21st century. And of course, every panel is delineated in Bagge’s glorious, laugh-out-loud stretchy cartoon style, making even his disquisitions on some very serious topics crackle with wit and energy.
Why?
This collection gathers together almost a decade’s worth of Peter Bagge’s political cartoons from Reason magazine. Bagge delivers intelligent political insights, biting witticism, and irreverent satire. Everything is of course accompanied by Bagge’s instantly recognizable art style, with his gormless looking, bendy-limbed caricatures, which bring everyone down to the same (silly) level. It’s a brilliant piece of work, and perhaps Bagge’s finest achievement to date.
by Jamie Hernadez
What?
This second omnibus volume of “Locas” tales by Jaime Hernandez – collecting over a dozen years’ worth of stories from the award-winning Love and Rockets comics – picks up shortly after Maggie and Hopey’s long-awaited reunion at the end of the Locas hardcover. Even though her love life remains chaotic, Hopey takes her first steps toward responsible adulthood with a real job, while divorced Maggie manages a fleabag apartment building, where she continues to wrestle with the demons of her past – especially in the stunning graphic novel-length “Ghost of Hoppers” with its hallucinatory dream finale. Ray, still in love with Maggie, hangs out with the bombshell “Frogmouth,” whose ties to local thugs causes trouble. Of course, Maggie, Hopey and Ray’s paths continue to intersect in Jaime’s increasingly complex, always richly imagined world, along with those of characters both old (Izzy Ortiz, Penny Century) and new (the jockette Angel, the mysterious superheroine Alarma).
Why?
This beautifully put together hardcover collects the second volume of Xamie’s ‘Locas’ tales from Love & Rockets. These tales of the lives of Maggie, Hopey, and Ray, are some of the most enthralling, and sometimes bizarre, stories ever told in the comic medium.
by Jeff Lemire
What?
Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception? Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire pays tribute to his roots with Essex County, an award-winning trilogy of graphic novels set in an imaginary version of his hometown, the eccentric farming community of Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In Essex County, Lemire crafts an intimate study of one community through the years, and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation. With the lush, expressive inking of a young artist at the height of his powers, Lemire draws us in and sets us free. This new edition collects the complete, critically-acclaimed trilogy (Tales from the Farm, Ghost Stories, and The Country Nurse) in one deluxe volume! Also included are over 40-pages of previously unpublished material, including two new stories.
Why?
Jeff Lemire has created something incredibly special in Essex County. Rivaling Los Bros Hernandez in his world building expertise, Lemire creates an entire community and an engaging cast of characters, each with distinct and fully developed personalities. You find yourself caught up in the lives of these individuals, watching the grow, and love, and suffer, as the years tick slowly by. A truly remarkable achievement in storytelling.
by Bryan Talbot
What?
Two hundred years ago, Britain lost the Napoleonic War and fell under the thumb of French domination. Gaining independence after decades of civil disobedience and anarchist bombings, the Socialist Republic of Britain is now a small, unimportant backwater connected by a railway bridge, steam-powered dirigible, and mutual suspicion to France. When a British diplomat is murdered to look like suicide, ferocious Detective-Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard stalks a ruthless murder squad through the heart of a Belle Epoque Paris, the center of the greatest empire in a world of steam-driven hansom cabs, automatons, and flying machines. LeBrock’s relentless quest can lead only to death, truth… or war.
Why?
Master storyteller Bryan Talbot delivers a thrilling detective tale, set in a steam-punk inspire alternate reality, inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. It’s a amazingly creative adventure story, and the excitement doesn’t let up for one second. Bryan Talbot has always been a creative powerhouse, but he looks to have really outdone himself with this charmingly fun and exhilarant work.
by Stan Sakai
What?
Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai is an Original Graphic Novel written and fully painted in color by Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai. 2009 Marks the 25th year of publication for Stan Sakai’s rabbit ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, and to mark this occasion Sakai decided to create a special standalone OGN.
Yokai are the monsters, demons, and spirits of Japanese folklore, such as the shape-changing kitsune, the obakeneko demon cats, and the evil oni ogres. Usagi faces all these and more when a desperate woman begs for his help in finding her kidnapped daughter. Tracing the abducted girl deep into the forest, Usagi finds it haunted by creatures of Japanese legend and discovers that they are amassing for a great raid on the countryside! Fortunately, Usagi is joined by Sasuke the Demon Queller, who is also fighting to prevent the invasion, but things aren’t always as they seem, especially when dealing with the supernatural!
Why?
Sakai has created a truly enchanting tale in Yokai, which captivates the reader’s imagination from the first speech bubble to the last sublime panel. I consumed this whole tale in just one sitting, as I just could not put the book down. That’s not to say that the book isn’t value for money, as the artwork on this book is so beautiful, so charming that it’s a book that you can keep coming back to again and again, if only to appreciate what an amazing piece of art it is! Sakai’s artwork on this book is some of the best of his entire career, and his watercolor painting elevates the art to a whole new level of excellence; if you’re familiar with Sakai’s artwork, you’ll know that is really saying something!
by Jeff Lemire
What?
The tiny, isolated fishing village of Large Mouth never saw much excitement – until the arrival of the stranger, that is. Wrapped from head to toe in bandages and wearing weird goggles, he quietly took up residence in the sleepy town’s motel. Driven by curiosity, the townfolk quickly learn the tragic story of his past, and of the terrible accident that left him horribly disfigured. Eventually, the town embraces the stranger as one of their own – but do his bandages hide more than just scars? Xeric Award-winner Jeff Lemire (“Essex County”) explores themes of identity, fear and paranoia in a small community in a story that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Why?
Loosely based on The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, The Nobody is a touching story of a small town community learning to accept a bizarre looking stranger. But under the surface lies a rich mystery that keeps the reader on their toes. With beautiful artwork, sincere character moments, and amazingly natural dialogue, The Nobody is a breathtaking story of the kindness of the human soul.
by Fletcher Hanks
What?
The first volume of Fletcher Hanks stories, I Shall Destroy All Civilized Planets! (now in its fourth printing) was an Eisner Award-winning smash hit and a staple on “Best of the Year” lists. Edited by cartoonist Paul Karasik, this second volume, You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation, collects all of the rest of Hanks comic book work. The thirty-one tales in this book, when combined with the first volume, will comprise The Complete Fletcher Hanks! Fletcher Hanks was the first great comic book auteur: that is, he wrote, penciled, inked and lettered all of his own stories, many of which feature the cold space wizard superhero Stardust or the jungle protectress Fantomah. Today’s mature readers – both comics fans and non-comics fans who learned about the book from magazines such as The Believer and other journals – are stunned by these comics’ pop surrealism and outright violent mayhem.
Why?
Collecting the second volume of Fletcher Hanks’ forgotten comic strips, these surreal tales from the dawn of the super hero are uncompromisingly vivid, brutal, and at times, completely insane! Hanks was apparently a rather unstable individual, and it almost seems like he was using these stories to drive out his demons. Imagine reading this in the 1940s! It must have scared the crap out of people then, and it still remains eerie and bizarre even to this day!
Related posts:
- The Best Comics of 2009 (As Picked by Edward Kaye) As a follow-up to my list of the best graphic...
- The Essential Comics and Graphic Novels of 2010 Over the last few days I have been listing my...
- Douglas Wolk Lists the Best Graphic Novels of 2009 at BNReview Earlier this week I linked over to an article written...
- Douglas Wolk Highlights Select Graphic Novels from 2009 for the New York Times Over on the New York Times website, Douglas Wolk (author...
- Mike Carey Tells Forbidden Planet his Favourite Comics, Graphic Novels, and Movies of 2009 The Forbidden Planet International blog has posted an interview Mike...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Taking notes.
There are some books on here that I haven’t heard of, and the Brian Talbot piece is at the top of my “to buy” list….
I really liked it, but I’ve heard from a few other people that didn’t, so I hope you like it!