Best of
Graphic-Novels-Comics

2003

The Complete Persepolis


Marjane Satrapi - 2003
    It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.

Batman: Hush, Vol. 2


Jeph Loeb - 2003
    Volume 2 is collecting Batman #613 - #619.

The Walking Dead #1


Robert Kirkman - 2003
    Comatose after being shot while on duty, Rick finds the world abandoned of all things living and is faced with walking undead, who attack him on sight. He returns home to find his family, son Carl and wife Lori, gone. He meets his new neighbor, who points him towards Atlanta. After retrieving supplies from the abandoned Police Station, Rick sets off to Atlanta to search for his family.

Jane Eyre - The Graphic Novel


Amy Corzine - 2003
    Rochester.

The Photographer


Emmanuel Guibert - 2003
    This graphic novel/photo-journal is a record of one reporter’s arduous and dangerous journey through Afghanistan, accompanying the Doctors Without Borders. Didier Lefevre’s photography, paired with the art of Emmanuel Guibert, tells the powerful story of a mission undertaken by men and women dedicated to mending the wounds of war.

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return


Marjane Satrapi - 2003
    Here is the continuation of her fascinating story. In 1984, Marjane flees fundamentalism and the war with Iraq to begin a new life in Vienna. Once there, she faces the trials of adolescence far from her friends and family, and while she soon carves out a place for herself among a group of fellow outsiders, she continues to struggle for a sense of belonging.Finding that she misses her home more than she can stand, Marjane returns to Iran after graduation. Her difficult homecoming forces her to confront the changes both she and her country have undergone in her absence and her shame at what she perceives as her failure in Austria. Marjane allows her past to weigh heavily on her until she finds some like-minded friends, falls in love, and begins studying art at a university. However, the repression and state-sanctioned chauvinism eventually lead her to question whether she can have a future in Iran.As funny and poignant as its predecessor, Persepolis 2 is another clear-eyed and searing condemnation of the human cost of fundamentalism. In its depiction of the struggles of growing up--here compounded by Marjane's status as an outsider both abroad and at home--it is raw, honest, and incredibly illuminating.

Superman: Red Son


Mark Millar - 2003
    and who, as the champion of the common worker, fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, Socialism, and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.In this Elseworlds tale, a familiar rocketship crash-lands on Earth carrying an infant who will one day become the most powerful being on the planet. But his ship doesn't land in America. He is not raised in Smallville, Kansas. Instead, he makes his new home on a collective in the Soviet Union!Collecting SUPERMAN: RED SON #1-3.

The Metabarons: Ultimate Collection


Alejandro Jodorowsky - 2003
    A multi-generational tale of family, sacrifice, and survival told within an immense universe, both in scope and originality. A true classic in the pantheon of graphic storytelling and science fiction as a whole. Omnibus content includes The Metabarons #1-4 trades + 30 pages of bonus material (including two Metabaron short stories), presented in its original size and color and in a limited and numbered print run of 999 copies only.

The Bumper Book of Bunny Suicides


Andy Riley - 2003
    This text presents the ultimate collection for fans of the fluffy little bunnies who just don't want to live any more.

Tank Girl: The Odyssey


Peter Milligan - 2003
    Booga, husband of Tank Girl, is being wooed by Hollywood producers, and without his wife there his resolve is crumbling. Tele, their TV-headed son, knows that he must contact his mother...setting off a chain of events that will see Tank Girl face death itsel

The Goon, Volume 1: Nothin' but Misery


Eric Powell - 2003
    An insane priest is building himself an army of the undead, and there's only one man who can put them is their place: the man they call Goon. Collects The Goon series and The Goon Color Special, originally published by Albatross Exploding Funny Books; presented here for the first time in full color.

In Me Own Words: The Autobiography of Bigfoot


Graham Roumieu - 2003
    Learn the hairy one's brave struggles with eating disorders, casual cannibalism, pop culture, and philosophical quandaries. In this crazed mutant graphic novel, Graham Roumieu gives us a portrait of the artist as a young ape that will leave the reader howling with laughter.

Batgirl: Year One


Scott Beatty - 2003
    A look into the action-packed origin of the original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon! This volume collects the 9-issue miniseries that uncovered Gordon's transformation from average citizen into costumed super-heroine.

The Little Endless Storybook


Jill Thompson - 2003
    Her protector and favorite puppy Barnabas searched the waking world for his tiny princess to no avail. Now, Barnabas must travel to the strange and unlikely realms of each of the Endless to see if Delirium's siblings have seen their missing sister...For years fans have demanded to see more of Jill Thompson's Little Endless, the diminutive versions of the characters from Neil Gaiman's award-winning SANDMAN series, and now their dreams are answered.This special edition hardcover features Jill Thompson's original sketches and the secret history of the Little Endless.

A Baby Blues Treasury: Wall-To-Wall Baby Blues


Rick Kirkman - 2003
    From games of Destroy the Legos to how to blow a two-year-old's nose with just one box of tissues, Baby Blues never fails to revel in the funny facts and fantasies about raising kids.Wall-to-Wall Baby Blues: A Baby Blues Treasury. represents a treasury of the best moments from three previous Kirkman and Scott collections--Baby Blues: Unplugged, Dad to the Bone, and Never a Dry Moment.This combination of daily strips and full-color Sunday features delivers an array of hilarious family comedy. Wall-to-Wall Baby Blues: A Baby Blues Treasury. has young readers, parents, expectant parents, and grandparents nodding their heads in recognition of life in the MacPherson household. It's truly family fun for everyone in the family.

Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 3


Brian Michael Bendis - 2003
    5: Public Scrutiny and Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 6: Venom, plus a 16-page story exclusive to Wizard magazine and other bonus material. Young Peter Parker faces his darkest hour yet in the story line you've been waiting for... the Venom Saga! Will Peter ever be able to think of himself as a hero again?

Unmanned


Brian K. Vaughan - 2003
    But why are he and his faithful companion, the often testy male monkey Ampersand, still alive? He sets out to find the answer (and his girlfriend), while running from angry female Republicans (now running the government), Amazon wannabes that include his own sister (seemingly brainwashed), and other threats.

Runaways: Marvel Age, Vol. 1: The Pride


Brian K. Vaughan - 2003
    

Pinocchio


Winshluss - 2003
    In this dark rendition, a greedy Geppetto builds Pinocchio as a metallic weapon of war, while Jiminy Cockroach is a homeless squatter living the good life in Pinocchio's skull. Critically acclaimed, Pinocchio won the Grand Prize at France's Angouleme comics festival in 2009. Exquisite drawings by celebrated cartoonist Winshluss bring to life a rich tale of greedy fools, lust, sadness, redemption, and hope. Teamed with brilliant colorist Cizo, Winshluss creates an epic adventure through a lush world. As we follow Pinocchio along the way, the stories and vinettes intertwine, offering subtle political critiques and send ups of popular culture. We meet seven sleazy dwarves, follow Jiminy's struggles as a novelist, watch a blind tramp find God, and see the innocent, yet powerful Pinocchio encircled by those who would use him for their own ends. Winshluss has perfected the wordless comic. Each page is perfectly composed - not a panel is wasted. The artwork is primarily done in pen and ink, and watercolor but switches to paint for larger splash panels. The art also references a terrific range of illustrative styles and history in the story from late 18th century pen and ink, to early French film pioneer Georges Melies, through early Disney, and underground comix. Born in 1970, Winshluss is the creator of numerous comics and graphic novels that have garnered awards and acclaim across Europe. Winshluss is the pen name of Vincent Parronnaud, perhaps best known as co-director of the animated film Persepolis (with Marjane Satrapi), which won the Jury Prize at Cannes and was nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy Award, Golden Globe and Cannes' Palm d'Or. Currently, he and Satrapi are teaming up again to adapt Satrapi's 2006 book "Chicken with Plums.""

Cowboy Bebop Set: The Complete Manga Collection


Yutaka Nanten - 2003
    In keeping with the popular but off-beat anime, the manga begins a series of original stories that take the action to a whole new level. Spike, Jet and Faye all end up after the same bounty, Spike goes after a convict who's already in prison, and Faye (the con-artist she is) ends up the victim of a con not once, but twice.

Fray


Joss Whedon - 2003
    Stuck in the middle is a young girl who thought she had no future, but learns she has a great destiny. In a world so poisoned that it doesn't notice the monsters on its streets, how can a street kid like Fray unite a fallen city against a demonic plot to consume mankind? Joss Whedon, the celebrated creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, brings his vision to the future in this unique tale. As inventive in the comics medium as in that of television or film, Whedon spins a complex tale of a skilled thief coming of age without the help of friends or family, guided only by a demonic Watcher.

Nemi - Vol. 1


Lise Myhre - 2003
    Meet Nemi Montoya, the vegetarian, cynical/romantic, hilariously honest twenty-something goth, in this brand new collection from artist Lise Myhre!Hang out in the pub with Nemi and her friends, including her flatmate, the blue-haired Cyan; hear her opinions on romance and dating; watch her watch TV in her untidy flat; learn how she feels about birch trees, spiders and blondes; and generally experience the highs and lows of being Nemi in the modern world!A superstar in her native Norway thanks to the immense success of Nemi — also reprinted in the 1.12 million-circulation UK Metro newspaper — you too can enter Lise Myhre’s witty, wonderful world!

100 Bullets, Vol. 7: Samurai


Brian Azzarello - 2003
    This seventh volume, featuring the story arcs "Chill in the Oven" and "In Stinked," features a new cover by Dave Johnson and an introduction by legendary Argentinean comics writer Carlos Trillo. This 168-page trade paperback returns first to the character of Loop Hughes, who is joined in prison by Lono, and then to Jack Daw, who finds himself in a roadside zoo face to face with several varieties of wild animals - both two - and four-legged!

Season's Eatings: A Very Merry Garfield Christmas (Garfield Classics)


Jim Davis - 2003
    . . er, um . . . Greetings! Garfield knows Christmas isn’t just about the presents–it’s also about the cookies, the cakes, the lasagnas, the holiday hams, and all the delicious, creamy eggnog you can drink! From the day after Thanksgiving–when the season of goodies officially begins–to the last of the figgy pudding, Christmas is the best time of year to be America’s favorite fat cat!The perfect stocking stuffer, this uproarious collection features Garfield Christmas strips from the last twenty-five years–and that means a lot of good times and warm memories. So join Garfield, Jon, Odie, and the rest of the gang for some holiday cheer. There’s sure to be tree trimming, hall decking, bell jingling, over eating, Odie-teasing, and lots of yuletide fun. If everyone was good this year, who knows, Santa may even pay a visit! From the Hardcover edition.

Mother, Come Home


Paul Hornschemeier - 2003
    Mother, Come Home is Hornschemeier's graphic novel debut—the quietly stunning tale of a father and son struggling, by varying degrees of escapism and fantasy, to come to terms with the death of the family's mother. The story seamlessly weaves through the surreal and the painfully factual, guided by the careful, somber colors and inventive pacing unique to Hornschmeier's storytelling. Mother, Come Home extracts almost tangible drama from the most tranquil of moments, making that which is unspoken in each panel easily audible, and almost uncomfortably experienced.

Blankets


Craig Thompson - 2003
    A tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.

Runaways (2003-2004) #1


Brian K. Vaughan - 2003
    This year, the children decide to find out what is so special about this annual party, only to find the parents committing murder!

Sempe: Mixed Messages


Jean-Jacques Sempé - 2003
    Each volume in the collection contains about 100 illustrations.

Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things


Ted Naifeh - 2003
    Courtney's parents have dragged her out to a high-to-do suburb to live with her creepy Great Uncle Aloysius in his spooky old house. She's not only the new kid in school, but she also discovers strange things lurking under her bed.

I Would Have Bought You A Cat , But... A Get Fuzzy Gift Book


Darby Conley - 2003
    It now appears in 250 newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Seattle Times. Readers can't get enough of the goofy trio that populate this hilarious strip: Rob Wilco, the single, mild-mannered advertising executive, and his two rambunctious pets, Bucky, the sharp-fanged, self-absorbed cat, and Satchel, the easygoing mixed-breed dog who ends up on the receiving end of Bucky's mischief. The combination creates Get Fuzzy's astutely witty take on relationships between the species.Now, in a size and format that's perfect for die-hard fans and those looking for the perfect gift, I Would Have Bought You a Cat, But . . . will become the must-have little treasure for everyone who craves a bit more of the trademark Get Fuzzy foolishness, or just enjoys a good chuckle.

Xenozoic Tales Volume 2 The New World: New World v. 2


Mark Schultz - 2003
    Schultz's vision of our Earth's future includes guano-powered Cadillacs, warring factions of humanity battling for ruined cities, reborn dinosaurs, and their intelligent, humanoid descendants. The tough-as-nails shaman, Jack Tenrec, and the beautiful scientist, Hannah Dundee, seek to uncover the origins and secrets of their violent world while dealing with their own rocky relationship.

It's Back to School, Charlie Brown!


Charles M. Schulz - 2003
    Go to the head of the class with this smart new collection featuring 50 yearsof Peanuts strips--all related to school and learning!

B.P.R.D., Vol. 1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories


Mike Mignola - 2003
    That story is collected here with rare Hellboy related stories, long sought after by fans of the Mignola's hit comic, which is soon to be a major motion picture! Reprinted here for the first time are the first solo Abe Sapien comic, Drums of the Dead, by Brian McDonald and Derek Thompson, as well as the short stories "Abe Sapien versus Science" and "Lobster Johnson: Killer Inside My Skull." If these names mean nothing to you, you've been missing out on the greatest adventure saga comics has to offer. If you do know these names, then this is the collection you've been asking for.

Snoopy the Winter Wonder Dog


Charles M. Schulz - 2003
    Double axels, acrobatic jumps, and flying spins: Watch out winter—here comes Snoopy the Winter Wonder Dog!   This is a collection of original Peanuts comic strips featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the whole gang.

Snoopy, Master of Disguise


Charles M. Schulz - 2003
    Join everyone’s favorite beagle as he confounds and confuses the whole Peanuts gang!

Betty & Veronica Summer Fun


Frank Doyle - 2003
    Blondes, brunettes, beach balls and bikinis- now you can cherish the innocence of summer days gone by with this paperback edition collecting the earliest stories from the hard-to-find BETTY & VERONICA SUMMER FUN editions of the ARCHIE GIANT SERIES! Whether chasing after hunky new lifeguards, modeling the latest swimwear or putting up with Archie and Reggie's goofy rivalry for their affections, Betty and Veronica are truly the queens of summer!

Runaways (2005-2008) #1


Brian K. VaughanJames Jean - 2003
    TRUE BELIEVERS PART 1 Now that the evil Pride is gone, nearly every bad guy in the Marvel Universe is trying to fill the power vacuum in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only heroes who can stop them!

Xenozoic Tales Vol 1 After The End


Mark Schultz - 2003
    Collecting award winning cartoonish Mark Schultz's decade-long run of Xenozoic Tales in its entirety, this is the first volume of a two-volume set.

Portajohnny: The Best of Angry Youth Comix: The Early Years


Johnny Ryan - 2003
    His ongoing comics series, Angry Youth Comics, has earned raves from such cultural luminaries as Edward Gorey, Simpsons Producers George Meyer and Dana Gould, comix journalist Joe Sacco, and humor legends Bagge and Daniel Clowes. His work appears regularly in Nickelodeon magazine and he is creating a new, ongoing strip for the Portland Mercury. Portajohnny collects Ryan's "greatest hits" from his own self-published comic books from the 1990s (published before Fantagraphics began publishing Angry Youth Comix in 2000), as well as a host of anthologies like Zero Zero, Measles, Goody Good Comics, and elsewhere. Not for the kids (unlike his Nickelodeon work), Ryan's humor is lowbrow and dirty, often uncomfortable but usually hilarious. Featured are such mini-masterpieces as "The Nudist," in which a naked superhero battles the evil Captain Candy, a supervillain who wants to rot the teeth of our nation's children by having them eat the gumdrops that coat his entire body. The book also introduces Loady McGee, Ryan's most popular character, a misanthropic, acne-scarred hustler who will try anything and everything to avoid getting a real job, from rinsing out used toilet paper to re-sell as new to inventing appliances like the Pussy Hunter 6000. Also featuring: the scathing "Dildobert," a parody of Scott Adams's notorious office-worker; a parody of Dave Berg's insipid "Lighter Side Of" feature from MAD magazine; the adventures of God, the world's most righteous superhero, and much more. Ryan's utter unpretentious taboo-tackling is an infectious and hilarious bombardment of political incorrectness, taking full advantage of the medium's absurdist potential for maximum laughs. In an age when the medium is growing up and aspiring to more mature and lofty literary heights, Ryan builds on the visceral tradition that cartooning has had on our collective funny bone for over a century. 160 pages b/w illustrations.

Harlem's Hell Fighters: The African-American 369th Infantry in World War I


Stephen L. Harris - 2003
    Many from New York City joined the 15th N.Y. Infantry, a National Guard regiment later designated the 369th U.S. Infantry. Led by mostly inexperienced white and black officers, these men not only received little instruction at their training camp in South Carolina but were frequent victims of racial harassment from both civilians and their white comrades. Once in France, they initially served as laborers, all while chafing to prove their worth as American soldiers.Then they got their chance. The 369th became one of the few U.S. units that American commanding general John J. Pershing agreed to let serve under French command. Donning French uniforms and taking up French rifles, the men of the 369th fought valiantly alongside French Moroccans and held one of the widest sectors on the Western Front. The entire regiment was awarded the Croix de Guerre, the French government’s highest military honor. Stephen L. Harris’s accounts of the valor of a number of individual soldiers make for exciting reading, especially that of Henry Johnson, who defended himself against an entire German squad with a large knife. After reading this book, you will know why the Germans feared the black men of the 369th and why the French called them “hell fighters.”

The Sandwalk Adventures: An Adventure in Evolution in Five Chapters


Jay Hosler - 2003
    

Red, White, Black and Blue: A (Th)Ink Anthology


Keith Knight - 2003
    These thought-provoking humorous single panel cartoons tackle political and social issues, often lampooning newsworthy current events which concern communities of color. Edgy, topical, and funny, "Red, White, Black, and Blue contains some of the most colorful black and white comic strips ever.

Be a Man


Jeffrey Brown - 2003
    For all those jerks who complained that Jeffrey Brown was a sissy, finally you can see him "Be a man!"

Halo and Sprocket: Welcome to Humanity


Kerry Callen - 2003
    Contains the critically acclaimed issues #1-4 of Halo & Sprocket, the special Free Comic Book Day story "Aw Heck," and eight brand new pages! Plus, pin-ups by Andi Watson (Skeleton Key, Namor), Phil Hester (The Coffin), and others!

A Peanuts Valentine


Charles M. Schulz - 2003
    Could this will be the year that the little redheaded girl sends Charlie Brown a valentine? For the Peanuts gang, love is in the air . . . along with laughter and friendship. This charming collection is a perfect way for you–and someone you love–to be a part of the fun!

Madman Super-groovy King-Size Special


Mike Allred - 2003
    Madman goes underground and into the muck to give them a swat upside the head and get on with his life It's a four-color full-tilt boogie comic book party

Carl Barks: Conversations


Donald Ault - 2003
    Barks also produced more than 500 comic book stories. His work is ranked among the most widely circulated, best-loved, and most influential of all comic book art. Although the images he created are known virtually everywhere, Barks was an isolated storyteller, living in the desert of California and preferring to labor without public fanfare during most of his career. He created work of such exceptional quality that he was accorded the greatest autonomy of any Disney artist. He is the only comic book artist ever to receive a Disney Legends award. The influence of Barks's work on such filmmakers as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and on such artists as Gottfried Helnwein has extended Barks's significance far beyond the boundaries of comics. After Barks's death at the age of ninety-nine, Roy Disney praised him for his "brilliant artistic vision." Carl Barks: Conversations is the only comprehensive collection of Barks's interviews. It ranges chronologically from the very first one (with Malcolm Willits, the fan who uncovered Barks's identity) to the artist's final conversations with Donald Ault in the summer of 2000. In between are interviews conducted by J. Michael Barrier, Edward Summer, Bruce Hamilton, and others. Several of these interviews are published here for the first time. Ault's friendship with Barks, ranging over a period of thirty years, provides an unusually intimate resource not only for standard q&a interviews but also for casual conversations in informal settings. Carl Barks: Conversations reveals previously unknown information about the life, times, and opinions of one of the master storytellers of the twentieth century. Donald Ault, a professor of English at the University of Florida, is the author of Narrative Unbound: Re-Visioning William Blake's The Four Zoas and Visionary Physics: Blake's Response to Newton. His work has been published in Studies in Romanticism, The Wordsworth Circle, Modern Philology, and The Comics Journal.

Rogue Trooper: Future War


Gerry Finley-Day - 2003
    But they tell tales of a blue-skinned man who needs no respirator, a man with a talking helmet.

Marquis Vol. 2: Intermezzo


Guy Davis - 2003
    His days are filled with the politics and duties a man of his social stature should be accustomed to. His nights are filled with violence and blood as he continues his quest to rid the demons from his town Venisalle. INTERMEZZO finds de Galle as the only obstacle between a pair of supernatural killers and a townspeople already victimized by the subtler evil of the theocracy.

Christmas on the Farm


Bob Artley - 2003
    Illustrated reminiscences of the simple side of the holiday season, emphasizing the joy of family and friends over material goods.

The Red Star Collected Edition


Christian Gossett - 2003
    (United Republics of the Red Star), this critically acclaimed story follows the heroes of the Red Star as they discover their country's true intentions in a war against a smaller neighbor state; a revelation that leads the soldiers on a quest to liberate their nation from its dark legacy of oppression.

Chasing Rainbows


Svetlana Chmakova - 2003
    This comic is currently on hiatus, due to the artist's focus on published work. Index: http://girlamatic.com/chasingrainbows...Page 1: http://girlamatic.com/chasingrainbows...

Welcome to the Death Club


Winshluss - 2003
    Heartbreaks, suicide, nukular holocaust, deathly diseases and the training of Death Junior, all delightfully illustrated by Winshluss.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Comics #57)


Scott Lobdell - 2003
    At the mental institution, Buffy sort of likes not having to slay vampires and demons night after night. But there's something sinister going on here, and the doctors may not be what they appear to be.And while Giles' black magic stopped a corrupt Watcher from destroying the Council, now he has to face the consequences of dabbling in the forbidden arts.

Dave's Haircut


Damon Burnard - 2003
    The buzz cut. The pompadour. Or-worst of all-the bowl. These are just some of the dreaded 'dos in the pages of this funny, easy-to-read story, told in pictures and cartoon bubbles, about one boy's haircut hysteria. Dave would do anything rather than submit to the possibility of a (gulp) Bad Haircut. But after taking matters-and scissors-into his own hands, he lands himself back in the barber's chair. Will the resulting haircut be hot . . . or not? This hilarious and hip early reader, with its Cartoon Network sensibility and a "hairy tale" ending, will have kids guffawing all the way to the barbershop.