All right folks. A while ago, TIME decided to list off its opinion of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of all time. There are some interesting and obvious choices on there, so I’m going to analyze a couple of pieces for you and let you know what I really think.
Number one was "Watchmen." Of course. Everybody always picks "Watchmen" as the greatest of all time. It’s a sad, easy way out, and I believe there are better books out there with less hype behind them. It’s spawned a movie, action figures, and it's the usual example of “comic not for kids,” but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. It’s good, you should read it, but there are better out there.
Speaking of overrated, second is "Sandman." Neil Gaiman’s huge story of the Prince of Dreams just never worked for me. Too many switching artists, and to me, nothing more than a story about people telling stories. And if you read anything else by Gaiman, that’s what he always does.
"Jimmy Corrigan" is probably the most interesting choice on this list. It’s much like the movie, “Once.” You’re 100 percent sure it’s a well-crafted piece, but when you’re done you never want to see it again. Chris Ware is a master of layouts and ideas, but "Jimmy Corrigan" will make you want to die inside. But I swear, it’s amazing!
"Maus" is a Pulitzer-prize winner. Mice and cats and dogs as a representation of the holocaust. Like "Animal Farm?" Then you’ll enjoy this.
"Miracleman: The Golden Age" doesn’t have a link attached, cause you can’t find the thing anywhere. It’s been stuck in legal limbo and hasn’t been reprinted in years. I have no idea if it’s any good, and I’m actually assuming TIME doesn’t either. I call your bluff, TIME!
Hey, there’s actually a superhero comic at #9. "The Dark Night Returns" is Frank Miller’s darker take on the Bat-franchise. Just as influential as "Watchmen," but eight spots lower…
It’s a very interesting list, with plenty of good reads to look into. I would recommend trying out some of them, cause I haven’t even read all of them!
Next week, I’ll give you a top ten of much better comics to read. Warning in advance: I'm terrible at countdowns, so it will anger you if you know comics. Also, no Watchmen — it can only get so much publicity!
