October Top 25 Graphic Novels
1 LONE WOLF & CUB VOL 15 BROS O/T GRASS TP (MR) 13,484
Still the best comic book being published. There will be 27 volumes of this series, and that will reprint everything done in Japan. For years the rights were held up because the Japanese publisher said they should get a LOT of money for them. Looking at how well its selling, I guess they were right.
2 HARLEQUIN VALENTINE HC 10,958
A new Neil Gaiman hardcover. It's only $10, which is an amazing bargain, considering that DC charges 2 and a half times that for a similar package. Dark Horse may not be able to sell regular series, but they have the graphic novel thing down.
3 DAREDEVIL VISIONARIES FRANK MILLER VOL 3 TP 6,018
Reprinting the last issues of Miller's first run on the character. By this time he was just writing and doing layouts, with Klaus Janson doing the majority of the art. Even then it was groundbreaking stuff. This is also the first time the "Post Elektra" issues have been reprinted. Not as good as Miller's current stuff, but still highly recommended.
4 DANGER GIRL THE ULTIMATE COLL HC 4,639
Not worth a hardcover, since there will be a trade in about a year. There still won't be a new issue in that time either. 3 years to do 8 issues. Hell, I could draw faster, and I can't draw. The story is passable, but the only reason to read Danger Girl is J. Scott Campbell's art.
5 BTVS TALES O/T SLAYER TP 4,076
Another collection of the comic series. It's OK, not great. So if you are a Buffy fan who must have everything, here is something else to have.
6 BATMAN ARCHIVES VOL 1 HC NEW PRICE 3,965
The first Batman stories in a hardcover for $20? If you didn't buy it for $50 when it came out, you have no excuse to pass this by now.
7 GODDESS TP (MR) 3,797
I won't bother reviewing it, since DC has decided not to print this in light of the 9/11 attacks.
8 RANMA 1/2 VOL 18 TP 3,621
18 volumes already? Holy Pandas! A nice little martial arts sitcom that I dip into once in a while. Oddly enough, Japanese sit-com comics are more like American TV sit-coms, in that you don't really need to read the stuff in sequence as long as you know the set-up. And, since I've been reading it now for about 12 years, I can't get all excited over the book. Basically, give it a try if you like sit-coms, or martial arts comedies.
9 X-MEN E IS FOR EXTINCTION TP 3,445
Already collecting a bunch of the Morrison issues. While I applaud Marvel's new focus on Graphic Novels, I find it really odd that they are collecting stuff so fast it makes me re-think buying all mini-series and some monthly books. Since I prefer graphic novels. And if you dropped the X-Men years ago, or have never read them, get this book to see what all the fuss is about. Highly recommended if you didn't buy the actual issues.
10 SAILOR MOON VOL 11 PKT MIXX TP 3,441
11 VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE VOL 1 GN TOREADOR (MR) 3,432
OK, 48 pages for $5.99 is not a Novel, no matter how you define a novel. This is a comic book with delusions of grandeur. Kind of the like most people who play White Wolf games. *ducks and hides*
12 SAILOR MOON STARS VOL 3 PKT MIXX TP 3,393
With this one and the one above, there are comics for pre-teen girls. Now if they could just get in a comic store without feeling skeevy. Yesh, Kat, I used that word too. So there.
13 FANTASTIC FOUR VISIONARIES TP 3,316
I don't know what issues these are, but if they aren't by either Jack Kirby or George Perez, I'm not real interested.
14 JSA DARKNESS FALLS TP 3,226
Another collected book DC has said they will print at a later date due to 9/11. This one, ironically enough, was the writer's reaction to his sister dying in a plane crash, where the JSA through time travel saves a planeload of passengers. When it's printed, I'll recommend it for people who didn't buy the regular issues.
15 SOCK MONKEY CHILDRENS BOOK TP 3,097
Then why are they selling it in stores for introverted men? OK, I really don't want to know, I guess.
16 BATGIRL A KNIGHT ALONE TP 2,925
I have yet to warm up to the new Batgirl. And the first few issues of her comic didn't thrill me.
17 GREEN ARROW LONGBOW HUNTERS TP NEW PRTG 2,796
One of Mike Grell's best works. As much as the Kevin Smith run on GA is fun, this is the only Green Arrow I care to read about. Grell doing great art, a powerful story that shocked people at the time and the beginning of the only run of the character that has even been really successful. Highly Recommended if you don't' already have it.
18 SUPERGIRL ARCHIVES VOL 1 HC 2,749
The old Supergirl stories were gimmicky, goofy and aimed at 7 - 12 year olds in the late 50's. For nostalgia buffs only.
19 X-FORCE NEW BEGININGS TP 2,629
Another of Marvel's Instant graphic novels. While the first issues of the "New" X-Force were shockingly good and turned a lot of modern super-hero conventions on their heads, it seems to be only bits and pieces of stories now. I wonder if Milligan only had the ability to shock, but not sustain. Allred's art is a treat, though, and it's so clean and well done it amazes me that people call it strange. Buy the individual issues instead.
20 BOOKS OF MAGIC VOL 7 DEATH AFTER DEATH TP (MR) 2,612
By this point I had lost interest in the series. This series was NOT good enough to be preserved for the ages.
21 X-MEN CHILDREN O/T ATOM TP 2,573
If Marvel would have waited for Steve Rude to finish the art for this mini, I would be recommending it. But he was replaced halfway through, allowing the series to limp to a conclusion that was good enough, but not the artistic tour-de-force the first few issues were. Next time, take the time, since Steve Rude's art is worth the wait.
22 ZERO GIRL TP 2,285
This was a weird and wonderful mini-series by Sam Keith (who created The Maxx, inked Mage and was a co-creator on Sandman) that defies description and has the most heartbreaking conclusion of any comic series in a few years. OK, it's about a high school girl who is attacked by squares, and knows that only circles are safe...is able to emit water from her feet when in danger, and...oh Hell, just buy it, OK? Highly Recommended.
23 STAR WARS TWILIGHT TP 2,247
*shrugs* I don't know. Another Star Wars collection from the Dark Horse series, I guess.
24 DRAGONBALL Z VOL 6 TP 2,238
The Number one show on cable now, and comic shop can't even sell 2,300 of the damn things.
25 D R & QUINCH COMPLETE GN 2,216
Alan Moore's very very early work, a shameless rip-off of "OC & Stigg's Utterly Mindroasting Summer" from National Lampoon, but who the hell has read that? I have this in a previous form, but this new printing should be much nicer, and oddly enough, this is very highly recommended.