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**B-Lister** · May 15, '24, 9:39 AM

All are great and deserve to be on a list like this. You have a deep love of the medium and its history, and ability to tell emotionally poignant stories.

Do you read manga at all? I feel you could fill an entire list with just manga, and it'd be just as exceptional.

**MRP** · May 15, '24, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by B-Lister

All are great and deserve to be on a list like this. You have a deep love of the medium and its history, and ability to tell emotionally poignant stories.

Do you read manga at all? I feel you could fill an entire list with just manga, and it'd be just as exceptional.

My reading of manga is limited at best. Lone Wolf and Cub was my first real foray. I've read a chunk of The Vinland Saga and I really like Gou Tanabe'a adaptations of Lovecraft. I've read some Akira (the first 2 big phone book volumes) and a smattering of stuff that was translated and released in single issue form in the US direct market in the 80s that I pick up when dollar bin diving, but not a lot. The hoopla service added a lot of manga last year, and I've browsed through marking stuff of interest to check out when I get the chance, but I haven't really dived in deeply.

I tend to be a mood reader, I read lots fo what I am in the mood for, but if I try to read something I am not in the mood for, I feel like a kid in high school trying to struggle through an assigned book, which even though it may be a great book, is a challenge for that reader to get through, and I've been devouring a lot of stuff, both comics and prose this year, but none of it has been manga. We'll see what the rest of the year brings though (I have 2 Tanabe volumes still in my TBR pile next to my reading chair as well).

-M

**Jorge Galvan** · May 15, '24, 12:18 PM

SO its NOT Just Graphic Novels. it could be individual comic runs then? Okay, lets see...

**MRP** · May 15, '24, 12:22 PM

Originally posted by Jorge Galvan

SO its NOT Just Graphic Novels. it could be individual comic runs then? Okay, lets see...

yes. The breadth and scope of comics as a medium is fodder for the list.

-M

**Dannyc** · May 16, '24, 6:40 AM

My own personal must read list would include:
Akira
Hardboiled
MCP-Weapon X
Superman vs Muhammad Ali
Slaine the Horned God
The 'Nam
Byrne's FF run

**MRP** · May 16, '24, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by Dannyc

My own personal must read list would include:
Akira
Hardboiled
MCP-Weapon X
Superman vs Muhammad Ali
Slaine the Horned God
The 'Nam
Byrne's FF run

Awesome! Slaine is one of those series I have always been interested in but have never read. What would you recommend as a good starting point or introduction to the character?

-M

**Dannyc** · May 17, '24, 7:10 AM

Originally posted by MRP

Awesome! Slaine is one of those series I have always been interested in but have never read. What would you recommend as a good starting point or introduction to the character?

-M

Imo, the Horned God storyline is a great starting point. The 3 volumes have been collected several times over the years so should be easy enough to obtain. But theres actually an oversized anniversary edition coming out this summer that I'm really looking forward to.
And after that, the storylines preceding and following the horned god are worth checking out too, though not as iconic. Slaine the King and Demon Killer, respectively. The last couple of installments of Slaine the King has some of the best B&W artwork of the 80s ,imo. And supposedly was the catalyst for Simon Bisley painting the horned god in full color, because he felt like he wouldn't be able to top it.

**MRP** · May 17, '24, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by Dannyc

Imo, the Horned God storyline is a great starting point. The 3 volumes have been collected several times over the years so should be easy enough to obtain. But theres actually an oversized anniversary edition coming out this summer that I'm really looking forward to.
And after that, the storylines preceding and following the horned god are worth checking out too, though not as iconic. Slaine the King and Demon Killer, respectively. The last couple of installments of Slaine the King has some of the best B&W artwork of the 80s ,imo. And supposedly was the catalyst for Simon Bisley painting the horned god in full color, because he felt like he wouldn't be able to top it.

Awesome, thanks.

-M

**publiusr** · May 20, '24, 3:28 AM

MAN-THING was an early favorite—-second to IRON WOLF

Before STAR WARS, there was Howard Chaykin’s IRONWOLF

https://nothingbutcomics.net/2016/03/21/ironwolf/

In American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s, contributor Dave Dykema notes that, in 1976, when Marvel Comics agreed to publish a comic book adaptation of the upcoming Star Wars movie,

**Jorge Galvan** · May 22, '24, 10:05 PM

Long day, I am Knackered. Was gonna go over you're 100 list, but need some sleep, next time.

**Jorge Galvan** · May 24, '24, 8:18 PM

96. Captain America by Brubaker, Epting & co.

I can barely remember this run, can someone remind me of the theme?

Honorable mention to John Byrne's run, especially where Cap goes to England and is reunited with Lord Falsworth & Jaqueline (Spitfire).

But! Mark Gruenwald's CAP is the best run for me!! Loved it and he did a killer job!!

81. Fantastic Four by Kirby & Lee; OBVIOUSLY! Nuff said!!

85. The Thanos saga by Starlin
WHich one??? I have lost track, there are so many

87. Doctor Fate by Giffen
This was the one after the JSA Got RAILROADED TO LIMBO in 1986, right??? I did enjoy it and the artwork was KILLER and the sad part if I remember was it sure SEPERATED the fact that Kent was a member of the JSA!! And it seemed to paint INZA as a depressed, almost suicidal woman who hated her existence and wanted to either end her life or LEAVE Kent, Fate and NABU!!! Again, it has been EONS since I read it and I do have The whole series somewhere in my fortress of solitude (Storage unit).

77. Thor by Simonson, this was incredible and even if it was for only the creation of BETA RAY BILL, that alone would have been worthy!

79. Spider-Man by Ditko & Lee
80. Thor by Kirby & Lee
DITTO as with the original FF!

61. The Spectre by Fleisher & Aparo
This is the one from ADVENTURE COMICS from the 70's right? EWWW. As a little kid reading those, I was very taken aback, here was a HERO of the JSA and he was KILLING the villians!
Nowadays no one would bat an eye, but for 1970+ it scared the CHEET out of me!!! I think one issue had a SNAKE pop out of a poster and gobble up the bad guy?!?! EWW!! Im getting paranoid now...

64. Marvels by Busiek & Ross
Never read it, I guess someday, I will have to go and pick it up, but I have read the current MARVELS that Kurt did that came out a couple of years ago and that one was pretty good, I thought it was supposed to be an ongoing????

66. Justice League by Giffen, DeMatteis & Maguire
Well. NO. I am sorry, but after CRISIS and after that POS: LEGENDS, to get this it was NOT MY JLA and for me it will always be JLI or JL or whatever else it morphed into. The only thing I got out of it was; BWAHAHAHA! And the Batman-Guy Gardner One Punch. Other then that nothing. When Grant Morrison RESCUED the JLA it was very welcomed! Sorry.

67. Watchmen by Moore & Gibbons; would it sound bad if I told you all that I prefer the film over the book? I know, I know the comic alone is a masterpiece, but I have a fondness for the film even if Alan washed his hand of the whole debacle!!

51. Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond; A CLASSIC

53. New Teen Titans by Wolfman & Perez; The artwork was some of Jorge's best and the stories were killer, TRIGON, Brother BLood, the whole DOOM PATROL ARC!! Amazing stuff. Was it fair to Garth, Lilith, Betty, Mal, Karen, Roy and Charley/Charlie. Not really

59. Starman by Robinson, Harris & co; the last survivor of ZERO HOUR! HAHAHAHA! This series was brilliant and if it wasnt for this, there would have NOT BEEN a JSA revival at the end of the 90's. The reintroduction of all the previous STARMEN, the journey into space, my fave; "TALKING WITH DAVID" Every year, which was bitter sweet. I DO remember the intro of David Knight in the 80's STARMAN series and then to have him KNOCKED OFF so bluntly was HorseCheet!!! It should have gone on, and I have NO IDEA what kind of deal Robinson struck , where DC CAN'T use Jack anymore!!!

60. The Spectre by Ostrander & Mandrake
Yeah this was okay... Again it seemed DC wanted to separate the fact like FATE that Corrigan was a member of the JSA. And it failed when they introduced MICHAEL HOLT!

Okay, gotta go lie down for a bit, will be back.

**Jorge Galvan** · May 24, '24, 11:06 PM

37. Avengers by Busiek & Perez
BRILLIANT. The # 1 AVENGERS Supporter; ME!!!
I have every issue of this from # 1 to current series, the West coast Avengers, all the minis, the one off, etc,etc...

And this period was great, this was after the HEROES REBORN; Rob Liefield 12 issue maxi series. And Kurt & George just tore the FKN THING UP!!! HEAVY METAL MAN!!!
You had EVERY AVENGER represented and it was great. I can't say enough about this series.

38. Astro City by Busiek, Anderson & Ross
This one still has me scratching my head, I get it, but I still have a weird time trying to see its place in comics. Yeah I know, I am weird...

43. Wonder Woman by Perez
This was a cover story in Back issue # 147
https://twomorrows.com/index.php?mai...th=98_54&produ cts_id=1757

and I read the first 10 or 12 issue, it was good, I dropped it cause, I was never really a WW fan so yeah. But the feature on this bit of history is good.

48. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Eastman & Laird
Never read this and never seen a movie or cartoon. Still I give them respect for creating a genre unlike no other.

50. Superman by Siegel & Shuster (1930s-40s)
The Bloody obvious. The reason why we are all here. The great thing about this is these ARE the adventures of the EARTH-2 KAL-L (NOT KAL-EL!

)
So we briefly had The DAILY STAR and editor: GEORGE TAYLOR! And when Taylor retired in the 1950's he named Clark Kent as his replacement over his RIVAL: Perry White!!

(ooo, AAAHHH, OOO. AAAHHH. The TENSION IS THERE! WIll White go ROGUE????) As the stories continued in SUPERMAN FAMILY!

11. Zorro by Toth
I never read this, but I was gonna relay a story I heard about ALEX TOTH. Great artist, as most of you know he designed SPACE GHOST & BIRDMAN over at Hanna Barbera. For that alone he deserves praise. I was told many years ago, that he lived a "Hermit" type of life and a FAN got his address and went to visit him, he told him THRU the door, that he would ONLY let him in if he brought him some GROCERIES. So the fan went and did, so, but Alex, made him repeat the same thing at least 3 or 4 times before he actually let him in. I honestly dont know if this is a TRUE Story or not and if it is, I would hate to think poor Alex was that destitute that he couldn't afford groceries, but as we all know artist/writers get SCREWED everyday of the week!!

16. The Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower
I met Eric at San Diego before Hollyweird took over and Eric had a lone table all by himself, flogging his book. I went to say HI and he was very nice, a great guy and I think I did buy a copy of the book, which is probably in the fortress.

25. Sandman by Gaiman & co.
I met Neil once a loong time ago at some indy book shop in downtown Chicago he was there for some signing, which I can't seem to remember and there he was sitting at a table pouring himself a coca-cola into a cup and surrounded by all these GOTH-GIRLS!! AHHAHAHAHA! I went to see him because at the time, I was MIRACLEMAN MADD!! And of course I asked him all my questions, somehow the conversation would up on WESLEY DODDS, he didn't give me much insight on the whole situation at the time with MM as this was about a year before he and TODD McFARLANE went to trial in Wisconsin. Looking back NOW, if I knew how LOOONNNGGGGG ME and others had to WAIT for the HORSESCHEET that he has produced in the last year, I would have choked out the MFer!!!!!!!!

27. Hellboy by Mignola & co.
Mike Mignola is a PRICK. I met him briefly, but my best friend/my brother from another mother: PAUL PRISCHMAN worked with him when the first HELLBOY film was in production and the stories Paul would tell me, about this *******! I was never into Hellboy until AFTER I saw the films and if you ever go to MELROSE Avenue in Hollywood, if you walk down in any direction, you will see HELLBOY stickers plastered everywhere. For some weird reason Hellboy is a hit on that street!!!????

75. Maus by Spiegleman
49. A Contract with God by Will Eisner
2. The Spirit by Will Eisner
3. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

During the early Double-Naughts I had aspirations of writing for Marvel & DC. But I didn't know how, I was clueless. Then one day at the downtown Graham Crackers comics location, Pat Brower, the manager at the time (Before he left and got his own shop; CHALLENGERS COMICS) was telling some punters about LEN STRAZEWSKI. WHo was the writer of the 1990 and 1992 JSA mini series. How he had ended up getting a gig teaching Journalism at Columbia College. Well, that was enough to get the LIGHT BULB lit up in me head. I literally raced down the street (As Columbia was 6 blocks down the street). I went in looking for the Journalism department, had to go to another building and found it and then I had the receptionist confirm that he was a teacher there and I wrote him a NOTE on some SCRATCH paper she gave me (HAHAHHAHA) and she put it in his mailbox.

Three days later...

I got a Email from him and I was ecstatic, mostly cause I was gonna meet him for lunch and ask him a SHEETload of questions about the JSA, oh yeah and writing comics too!

Well, we met and we had a great lunch and I asked my questions and he told me his secret Origin! he was a Southsider who grew up off of Pulaski and 83rd street if I remember! When I asked him if he could teach me how to write comic, he just sank his head and shook it and told me how the industry WILL BREAK your spirit. And he was right...

I could go into our LONG association and how he became my SENSEI, but I won't. unless you really want to know. Apparently, Terrence Griep, was also a apprentice of his! Anyway About the four above titles.

These books were some of the titles Sensei told me to get to READ and UNDERSTAND how comics work, the secret to SEQUENTIAL ART! He said McCloud's book alone is the best resource one could have, but Eisner himself, his work alone pretty much are the secrets of the universe in regards to comic writing and STORY TELLING. Gee, maybe that's why he has an AWARD named after him every year at COMIC CON!?!? There were times, when I have a script written and I met up with him and he read it and then he starts dissecting things in the script and when I give him the wrong answer, what does he do? He rolls up my script and SMACKS me on the head with it. "WRONG" he would tell me.

The SENSEI and GRASSHOPPER relationship was never like this...

I do miss those times...

7. The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke

Everyone loved this book and They LOVED

Darwyn! I was lucky to meet the man at San Diego many years ago. Sadly, I gave him GRIEF over the absence of CAPTAIN COMET, since this series was set in the late 50's early 60's. He was very apologetic and he could see the disappointment in my eyes and I felt so bad afterward. He was a very nice man. Sadly he died wayyy too YOUNG. F***! He didnt' deserve that. He was brilliant. I wasn't mean or anything remotely, but I was razzing him abit about it and I have felt bad over this for years, there are times like NOW, when I still do and I feel like a complete and utter C*** over it. That poor man and his family.

RIP Darwyn.

And that MRP are my review, comments and memories of some of your list. Let me know what you or anyone else thinks. Now I don't now if I can legitimately come up with 100 titles.

Will see...

**MRP** · May 25, '24, 12:01 AM

Thanks for the responses.

We'll have to agree to disagree on some things but that's the beauty of comics, there's something for everyone and not every comic needs to be for every person.

For example, Legends is my favorite DC event (though that is damning with faint praise as I dislike most DC events), and was my major introduction to Kirby's Fourth World and Phantom Stranger. I grew up mostly a Marvel kid, most of my DC exposure was through cartoons and TV shows, not comics and for every DC Comic I owned, I had about 10-15 Marvels as a kid. And I found Morrison's JLA to be shallow, overly bombastic and populated with plot puppets rather than actual characters. But my first real deep dive into DC comics (and not other media) started during the period often referred to as the DC Renaissance under Jeannette Khan and Dick Giordano starting in the mid-80s and running to the early 90s which was my years as an upperclassmen in high school and my university years for the most part.

For clarification, the Giffen Fate I liked beast were the back ups that appeared in Flash in the early 80s and were later collected in the Immortal Dr. Fate Baxter series. The Brubaker Cap is the one that introduced the Winter Solider and several other aspects of Cap that was taken into the MCU, and aside form the Kirby and Steranko runs is the only Cap run I really like. I found Gruenwald's Cap to be uneven at beat reaching points of dull mediocrity at its best and downright nearly unreadable at its worst. The only arc I even like form it is the Bloodstone Hunt. But again, everyone's tastes are different.

Avengers was my favorite as a kid and the first book I seriously collected when I first discovered back issues and comic shops. During the Busiek Perez run, I was a member of the Avengers Mailing List and West Caost Avengers Mailing Lists curated by Van Plexico in which Kurt, Tom Breevort, colorist Tom Smith and occasional George himself when time and deadlines allowed were active participants and Avengers history comics and behind the curtain discussions were the primary focus of most of the postings. I haven't followed Avengers comics that closely since the Bendis era began, but I have read bits and pieces of most of the runs since then on Marvel Unlimited.

There's lots of stories about Toth out there. Many are exaggerated or apocryphal, but not all. He was a curmudgeon and in his later years a recluse, but he did have strong relationships, mostly through correspondence with a handful of folks in the industry. I am a huge fan of Toth's work, both in comics and animation. The Genius trilogy (Genius Isolated, Genius Illustrated, and Genius Animated) published by IDW is a must read for anyone interested in Toth's work or life, and the Alex Toth in Depth Podcast (also available as youtube VOD) hosted by Paul Fricke is another great resource of Toth info, especially his long interviews of other creators who knew, worked with, or were influenced by Toth.

McCloud and Eisner are seminal in understanding the craft of making comics, but there is a whole iceberg of stuff out there that lies under the water and they serve only as the tip of it. I would also recommend a book called Comic Writers on Comic Writing that has interviews with a number of different comic writers about the art and craft of writing comics (there is a companion volume for comic artists as well) that are wonderful reads even if you are not interested in writing comics oneself, and two books with Eisner, one Shop Talk which is a collection of interviews Eisner did with various comic artists that appeared in the Warren Spirit mags, everyone form Kirby to Milt Canniff is interviewed by Eisner, and then the Eisner/Miller book which is a transcript of a series of conversations between Will and Frank over a weekend visit by Frank to Will's home in Florida that cover so much about the history, and potential of comics as a medium. The Kubert books and videos that were available as part of the correspondence courses for the Joe Kubert School as also wonderful resources and behind the curtain reads if you are interested in the craft behind making comics.

And, there's no need for anyone to put together a top 100 list if they don't have the time or inclination, a top 10 or top 3 or whatever if fine as well, the point is to celebrate comics you love and share that love with others, even if they disagree with your views on particular runs or creators. That's part of the appeal of comics, it's a medium not a genre, and it can be used to tell all kinds of stories in all kinds of ways to all kinds of varied audiences. I just love hearing about what comics others love and talking about those that I adore, even if the ones mentioned aren't my cuppa.

-M

**Jorge Galvan** · Jun 7, '24, 10:59 PM

For example, Legends is my favorite DC event (though that is damning with faint praise as I dislike most DC events)
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REALLY?!?!? I was still naive enough to hopefully believe that this would REVERSE everything that happened in CRISIS and that everything would be put back in its place and nope. Nothing. I was disappointed and this led to the creation of the POWER COMPANY! Remember them? UGH!!!

or clarification, the Giffen Fate I liked beast were the back ups that appeared in Flash in the early 80s and were later collected in the Immortal Dr. Fate Baxter series.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I remember those back ups now. Just as in the Bronze age, the FLASH had Green lantern back ups, here was Dr. Fate.

The Brubaker Cap is the one that introduced the Winter Solider and several other aspects of Cap that was taken into the MCU, and aside form the Kirby and Steranko runs is the only Cap run I really like. I found Gruenwald's Cap to be uneven at beat reaching points of dull mediocrity at its best and downright nearly unreadable at its worst. The only arc I even like form it is the Bloodstone Hunt. But again, everyone's tastes are different.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, memory is shot, but I do now remember the winter Soldier bit. Sorry you didn't like the Gruenwald run, I thought it was enjoyable and with characters like D-MAN guesting and CROSSBONES and the SERPENT SOCIETY and Diamondback as Cap's Girlfriend, good times.

Avengers was my favorite as a kid and the first book I seriously collected when I first discovered back issues and comic shops. During the Busiek Perez run, I was a member of the Avengers Mailing List and West Caost Avengers Mailing Lists curated by Van Plexico in which Kurt, Tom Breevort, colorist Tom Smith and occasional George himself when time and deadlines allowed were active participants and Avengers history comics and behind the curtain discussions were the primary focus of most of the postings. I haven't followed Avengers comics that closely since the Bendis era began, but I have read bits and pieces of most of the runs since then on Marvel Unlimited.

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There have been so many runs and arcs that I love and that I can't stand. Did they ever figure out the whole KID-TONY Thing???? HAHHAHA. Kree-Skrull war, the Defenders V. the Avengers; the Celestial Madonna, the Many Squadron Sinister arcs!! the Trial of Hank PYm,

so many!!! And my fave Avenger is... STINGRAY!!!

And, there's no need for anyone to put together a top 100 list if they don't have the time or inclination, a top 10 or top 3 or whatever if fine as well, the point is to celebrate comics you love and share that love with others, even if they disagree with your views on particular runs or creators. That's part of the appeal of comics, it's a medium not a genre, and it can be used to tell all kinds of stories in all kinds of ways to all kinds of varied audiences. I just love hearing about what comics others love and talking about those that I adore, even if the ones mentioned aren't my cuppa.
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Well. I will ATTEMPT to do 100 and I am gonna start in 5,4,3,2,1...

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My 100 Must Read Comic Runs/GN

My 100 Must Read Comic Runs/GN

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