Reddit mentions: The best manga comics & graphic novels

absolutely. (though my recommendations will probably be pretty cliche/entry level in the world of comics)

If you want to stick to recent marvel, but want an "everyman" story, check out Matt Fraction's run on Hawkeye, where it basically just explores his everyday life. it's comedic and fun and Aja's art is wonderfully simple.

Another current series that is great (and will be constantly recommended) is Saga. Brian K. Vaughan's writing is great and Fiona Staples is one of the best digital artists in comics. The story is like star wars on acid, but with a wholesome focus, at it's core, on family. it's weird, funny, progressive, and quite graphic. interesting, sympathetic characters. Highly recommend it.

Another classic Brian K Vaughan series is Y: The Last Man. All men on earth simultaneously die, barring the protagonist, Yorick. Vaughan's writing is great in this as well.

One of my favorite series from all time is Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman. the series is basically stories about storytelling, with the (occasional) main character being Morpheus, "god" of dreams (though he has many other names/titles/definitions). it is often surreal and appropriately dreamlike. Gaimain loves his deities and mythologies and the world of Sandman simultaneously creates its own mythology while including/alluding to all those that humans have created IRL. Sandman's depiction of "reality" changes as drastically and frequently as the constantly shifting roster of illustrators involved.

Around that same time was Grant Morrison's Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth. while this was just a one-shot novel, it was very dark and directly focused on the psychological aspects of batman as a character. the idea that batman is as crazy as his enemies is nothing new, but this book epitomized it. like Sandman, very late 80's/early 90's feel.

another trippy comic i love is Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing. Moore reworked swamp thing as a sympathetic monster with themes focusing on identity and memory, while still being within the horror genre. Alan Moore is probably a literal genius and he's known for his many other famous classics, like Watchmen (probably the most classic/important comic, which is also about comics), V for Vendetta, and From Hell. Anything by Moore is a safe bet and he sets the bar for writing in the comic medium.

If you are more interested in art than story, my biggest reccomendation would be literally anything drawn by Jean Giraud, aka "Mœbius." He is probably a national hero in france and he was one of the most celebrated comic artists of all time. he made masterful linework look easy and he has a genius understanding of simple composition and color.

there are tons of smaller, fun books/series, many of which i have yet to read, but the ones i listed are all pretty standard, accessible recommendations. definitely check out a few! Edit: typos

Additionally, here's an afterword from the first novel by the author:

> Since I began entering writing contests with prize money involved, I've never been able to stop thinking about winning the grand prize.
Then, I think about using the prize money to buy stocks, increasing my investment, and pretty soon I'm daydreaming about ruling the world with my vast wealth.

> Lately I've made enough money that I can order an extra-large bowl of soba from the soba stand without worrying about it.

> My name is Isuna Hasekura.

> Recently winning the silver medal of the 12th Dengeki Shosetsu Prize is an honor roughly equivalent to winning the moon in the sky. I couldn't believe it. I had three different dreams in which I got a phone call that they'd mixed me up with somebody else.

> When I started editing the manuscript, I had two dreams that I'd missed the deadline.

> I have no idea how many times I dreamed that I was wealthy enough to rule the world.

> In fact, as I write this afterword, I'm wondering even now whether this is a dream or reality.

> To the pre-readers, editors, and prize selection committee members that opened the door to this world of dreams, I give my most humble thanks. Also to the people at the prize-acceptance party who raised their voices in support; and most especially to Mitsutaka Yuki-sensei, who gave me a silver wolf accessory in connection with the Spice and Wolf title, I want to say thank you so much. The little silver wolf is even now enshrined by my computer.

> I must also thank Ju Asakura-sensei for the gorgeous illustrations. They captured my characters perfectly. I hope my thanks are as great as my surprise at seeing them.

> To all the people, things, and events responsible for putting me in the position I'm in today: Thank you so much.

> It is my intention to put forth every effort to ensure that I never wake from this fleeting dream.

> —Isuna Hasekura

Enjoy what I've done so far? I'm only here because I like the series so much. Go support the creator!

> The problem is I don't know where to start, every video/guide talks about picking the favorite character and read about it, but that's not what I want to hear

Why didn't you like the "pick your favorite character and read about it" advice? That's, imo, the best way to get into superhero comics.

> I concluded that there is different origin story for each character in each one of the events

What do you mean by "in each one of the events"? Every character's origin has been re-told MANY times. People will recommend a "best" origin, but it's not definitive, actually, it's very subjective. TBH, origin stories are kind of a new reader trap. They adhere to the beginning, middle, and end storytelling structure of "complete" self-contained stories people have come to expect from other entertainment mediums. Comics are decades-long ongoing stories. It's like a TV show with 100 seasons and every 40 seasons it get's "rebooted"—the characters are the same, but they have to find creative ways (e.g. time travel, multiverses) to change the actors/directors/writers out because they got too old/ran out of story ideas. How many times do you want to hear about Batman's parents dying before it gets EXTREMELY tiresome/boring?

Anyway, here's my copy/pasta for new readers (let me know if you have questions):

DC Starter Guide
--

---

How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) | Patrick Willems

Consider your intent/commitment. Think about your favorite stories/characters from TV, movies, games, books, etc. Do you seek quality storytelling or encyclopedic Marvel knowledge? Plan to collect? What time/resources are available i.e. how many comics (per character) could/should be read before burning out?

Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about “catching up”, continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Aquaman until Geoff Johns’ run).

Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Don’t get stuck “preparing”, just start reading. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.

Where to buy (US):

• Digital: Marvel Unlimited, Comixology, e-library (e.g. Hoopla - free), webcomics (free)
  
• Print (collected editions): instocktrades, ISBNS, library (free)
  
• Print (singles): midtowncomics, mycomicshop, DCBS
  
  Modern DC characters/teams:
  
  
• Animal Man | Grant Morrison
  
• Animal Man | Jeff Lemire
  
• Aquaman | Johns & Parker
  
• Batman: Year One | Frank Miller
  
• Batman: The Long Halloween | Jeph Loeb
  
• Batman: Hush | Jeph Loeb
  
• Batman | Scott Snyder
  
• Batwoman: Elegy | Greg Rucka
  
• Birds of Prey | Gail Simone
  
• DC: The New Frontier | Darwyn Cooke
  
• Flash | Mark Waid
  
• Flash | Geoff Johns
  
• Gotham Central | Brubaker & Rucka
  
• Green Arrow: Year One | Andy Diggle
  
• Green Arrow | Kevin Smith
  
• Green Arrow | Jeff Lemire
  
• Green Lantern | Geoff Johns
  
• JLA (Justice League) | Morrison & Waid
  
• Justice League | Geoff Johns
  
• Kingdom Come | Mark Waid
  
• Omega Men | Tom King
  
• Suicide Squad | John Ostrander
  
• Secret Six (Suicide Squad) | Gail Simone
  
• Superman: Birthright | Mark Waid
  
• Superman: All-Star Superman | Grant Morrison
  
• Superman: American Alien | Max Landis
  
• Swamp Thing | Snyder & Soule
  
• New Teen Titans | Marv Wolfman
  
• Watchmen | Alan Moore
  
• Wonder Woman | Greg Rucka
  
• Wonder Woman | Brian Azzarello
  
  Alternatively, you can skip to the recent Rebirth re-launch by reading the DC Universe: Rebirth event and then any Rebirth series #1. /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
  
  Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers already well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
  
  Modern DC events/crossovers:
  
  
• Crisis on Infinite Earths | Marv Wolfman
  
• Identity Crisis | Brad Meltzer
  
• Infinite Crisis | Geoff Johns
  
• 52 | Geoff Johns, et al.
  
• Final Crisis | Grant Morrison
  
• Blackest Night | Geoff Johns
  
• Flashpoint | Geoff Johns
  
• Forever Evil | Geoff Johns
  
• The Multiversity | Grant Morrison
  
• Darkseid War | Geoff Johns
  
• DC Universe: Rebirth | Geoff Johns
  
  DC also publishes varied-genre, creator-owned comics for “mature readers” under separate imprints (e.g. Vertigo):
  
  
• Daytripper | Fabio Moon
  
• Hellblazer (Constantine) | Delano, Ennis, et al.
  
• Planetary | Warren Ellis
  
• Saga of the Swamp Thing | Alan Moore
  
• Sandman | Neil Gaiman
  
• Scalped | Jason Aaron
  
• Sleeper | Ed Brubaker
  
• Transmetropolitan | Warren Ellis
  
• Preacher | Garth Ennis
  
• Y: The Last Man | Brian K Vaughan
  
  Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like: old/new comics? Specific genres? Literary/natural narratives? Cartoony/realistic art? Familiar/weird concepts? References/self-contained? Social/political commentary? Family-friendly/explicit content? Optimism/pessimism? Have you noticed that a specific artist/writer consistently makes comics you like? Follow these instincts.
  
  Suggestions to improve this guide are welcome.
  
  EDIT: Added Jeff Parker run to Aquaman recommendation
  
  
  

• First and foremost, Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Really, pick up the first volume.. and then I dare you to stop reading.
  
  
• Everything Warren Ellis touches generally turns to gold, but I especially loved his Transmetropolitan series. Science fiction, anarchy, general badassery.. fantastic all around.
  
  
• Ghost World has been mentioned, and while I liked that, I thought David Boring was a superior work from Clowes.
  
  
• Just picked up The Unwritten, a new series by Mike Carey. After finishing the first volume, it looks pretty promising.
  
  
• Demo was dark and angsty, but in a good way.
  
  
• Marvel 1602 was a really interesting take on superheroes.. and again, penned by Gaiman. He fucking rules. Oh, and another Gaiman favourite of mine: Books of Magic.. Gaiman knows the right way to write John Constantine.
  
  Edit: Also, you might want to give manga (asian graphic novels) a try! Good ones to get started with are Death Note and Bleach. I also liked xxxHolic (though I never finished the series), and the anime film for Akira was amazing so I can only imagine that the manga would be just as good -- if not better!

Hey, congratulations on wanting to experience Dragon Ball in its best format. I'd recommend starting from Dragon Ball volume 1 and working your way through the series since that's its proper storyline progression. Unfortunately there have been a lot of English releases and re-releases with varying amounts of censorship, so it's really confusing about what's "best" to buy, and I don't think it's even possible to get the least edited versions anymore.

You should check eBay because you can get some good deals on there if you buy in bulk, and sometimes you can get single volumes for very cheap on Amazon.

• If you're going to look for the single volumes you want to try to find the ones with the old VIZ "eye" logo on the bottom. The new logo means it's more censored. If you can't it's no big deal because they switch before the series ends anyway.
  
• The series was initially released with volumes that looked like this. This was the most unedited version IIRC, but those are harder to find and I don't think it spanned the entire series before it was cancelled. Come to think of it, this version had several releases of varying censorship. Very confusing.
  
• You'll want to keep away from the 3-in-1 releases because I hear that the paper quality and inking are TERRIBLE.
  
• This release has been cancelled/put on hold indefinitely, but VIZ did release the Saiyan arc in full color. The volumes are big, the paper quality is nice, and it's beautiful to look at.
  
• Have you considered buying digitally? It's so convenient having the volumes on your computer. Take them with you wherever you go and enjoy the fact that you can see all of the page that otherwise is tucked into the spine. You can buy the series this way in several formats.
  
• The VIZBIG collection is probably the easiest and cheapest way for you to get your hands on the series. While these don't have all the colored chapters, they do have most and the paper quality is nice. The downside is that you're holding 3-4 volumes in your hands at once while you're trying to read.
  
  tl;dr: I recommend researching! Find what's right for you. I recommend digital, but you might find a better deal if you buy in bulk. The VIZBIG would probably be what I go with if I had to buy them over again. There's a lot more I could have said about these, and a lot of political stuff about how they were advertised vs. what we got, but I hope that this at least gets you started. I'm no expert but if you want more help feel free to respond here or PM me and I'll try to answer your questions or point you to someone else who can.

So, as far as writings similar to the series, you, of course, have Lovecraft. His writings that most resemble Bloodborne has to be The Dream-Quest of Unknown Khadaf. They reek of the Nightmare Frontier and the beings there are the most similar to what we see as Great Ones in the BB universe. The second tie-in has to be The Shadows over Innsmouth for the fishing hamlet and many other tropes in Bloodborne. The last one, The At the Mountains of Madness is basically the premise of humanity in its current state. I personally can say that almost everything Lovecraft has written can be 'adjacent' to the BB universe. But those three appear to be the direct link.


As far as other authors? Lord Dunsany is a well-known contributor to the creation of fictional universes. It's his writings that inspired Lovecraft as well as Tolkien and Frank herbert. As a bit of recent writings, House of Leaves is one of my favorite books.


Moving over. Did you know that Bloodborne is Japanese? It is (Lol)! and was inspired by a host of authors. The most telling of which happens to be Junji Ito and his work, Uzumaki. In the work, a series of strange happenings all involving a spiral end up making a town go crazy. He's also famed for his other works, Tomie and Gyo. The Enigma of Amigara Fault is also quite popular. Uzumaki is being made into an anime by Toonami.


There also Berserk. It has less of an impact on the series compared to Dark Souls but is still well-liked overall. The Executioner Wheel and the Hunter's Mark seem to come directly from it.


There's a Fan Comic, mostly about Gehrman's relationship with Maria. I like it quite a bit. Guy Davis's, The Marquis is so similar to Bloodborne you can just outright stick it in the universe and not bat an eye.


As far as movies there's not a whole lot. Angel's Egg seems to be the direct inspiration tonally and we know it's on the minds of From software. Brotherhood of the wolf is the direct inspiration for ALL the clothing of Bloodborne. The Cainhurst Noble set is actually taken from the series. I actually don't care for it. But you might like it. Bram Stoker's Dracula seems to be another inspiration, specifically to Cainhurst. I'm not a huge fan of that either. I'm much more a Van Hellsing sort of guy.


You might enjoy Made in Abyss but its less the tone and more mad science. I'm reading it right now.


I hope you find this interesting and check out some of it. I actually bought the physical copies of almost everything on this page. Money well spent! May the good blood guide your way.

He wasn't part of the devlopment team officially, but Kojima was meeting with him to get ideas for the game.
I've loved Ito's works for years, he has lot of stories that are very Silent Hill-esque overall. I really recommend just going through all of his oneshots - there are so many of them that it's veeeery hard to pinpoint certain oneshots of his to be the most Silent Hill like when very many of them are. It'd be an endless game of "This one. Oh and this one. Oh I forgot this one". I'll try to mention few that comes to mind though.
As others, I agree with Uzumaki, after all it's the ultimate story of a town where everything slowly starts to twist - literally. From oneshots Blood Sickness of the White Sands Village comes as kinda obvious one, but somehow also collection of Oshikiri oneshots comes to mind, especially as together (if you have read only one or two, I really recommend to read them all, they actually... connect, sort of, reminds me somehow of SH).
If anyone wants to read, his works can easily be read here, though I really recommend buying some of his collections ^^ they even look really nice on shelf if you buy them as a set.

...also as a side note not-related-to-horror but his Neko Nikki is amazing as well.

I too like books with anthro characters, but there is a lack of quality in what is available. Here is a short list of posted in an earlier thread:

I would recommend looking at the reviews on flayrah. Personally, I have not found much in the way of quality furry literature, but I have read a few.

The Sacred Book of The Werewolf by Victor Pelevin. There are two kinds of furry books: those writen by furries and those that are writen by non-furries. This is one of the latter. I do not have the time to give a full review, but if you like werewolves, kitsune, eastern philosophies, Russian culture (or at least curious about it) eastern and russian folklore, and supernatural romances, you might just like (I did). Furriness - 6, Quality - 10 [I want to add that this book has very mature scenes]

Ringworld by Larry Niven. This usually shows up somewhere on the top 100 sci fi novels. However, this is another book not written by a furry, and it shows since only one character could be classified as "furry". Furriness - 4, Quality - 10

Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling. I have not read much of this so far, but from what I have seen it is high fantasy. So far, I have not been impressed with the writing, which is why I haven't finished it. Furriness >5, Quality <6

In Wilder Lands by Jim Galford. Another high fantasy novel, but this one was much better written. I will be buying the sequel when comes out, for whatever it is worth. It does have a few problems, namely that many characters and the world need to be fleshed out more. Furriness - 9, Quality - 7.

Spice and Wolf by Isuna Hasekura. Yes, I know it is not exactly furry, but OP may still like it. One of the main character is a wolf "god" who takes the form a young woman, and the other is a traveling merchant. The setting is largely inspired by post dark ages Europe and is not overwhelmed with fantasy brickabrack. Furriness - 2, Quality - 8

I am going to pick up Red Sails in the Fallout tomorrow for my kindle, since the sample is holding my interest. I might also pick up Argo and Ten Thousand Miles Up. These last two books are short stories not novels.

Edit: misspelled book

Totto-chan is a delightful, light-hearted read despite the backdrop of WWII. The publishing of the Kino no Tabi series is a bit up in the air, but I thoroughly enjoyed the first one. I highly recommend The Woman in the Dunes; it is a beautiful work. I loved the first volume of Ballad of a Shinigami. Goth is a personal favorite, but it's horror and can get a tad gory. I would encourage you to give it a try though, it has altered my point of view quite a bit.

While I have not read any, I have heard good things about Brave Story, Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go) and Kenzaburo Oe (The Changling). I have heard Botchan is popular in Japan.

As a tip, search for Japanese light novels. They are "light" in the sense that they are the literature equivalent of manga, often with many volumes. They were really popular a few years back, but I am not sure if they are still being published. Check out Amazon for some old Tokyopop, Seven Seas, and Yen Press books. Also, Spice and Wolf.

The original SAO LN in Japan is way past the anime. (A good 2 seasons or so.) In English, it's been published up to the end of the first season with the first arc of the second season coming out on the 15th. (Phantom Bullet) The anime adapts through to volume 8.

The SAO: Progressive series is a re-write of the first arc and hasn't been adapted beyond a single chapter. It's a really good read for those that are interested in what SAO should originally have been. The manga version of it is a silly adaption where it tells the story from another character's perspective while focusing on comedy.

Not sure about other kinds of LNs he might like considering it's hard to get an accurate sense of taste just from the series listed. Going based off the genres, Danmachi is a really enjoyable growth adventure action series I consistently look forward to the next volume of.

A Certain Magical Index is a series I love as the story is always becoming more and more exciting with some of the best writing from an author out of many light novels. The English publication isn't past the anime yet but the anime does butcher some of the arcs so it's worth it to start from the beginning. A companion to this series would be the A Certain Scientific Railgun manga which is also very action orientated.

Tate no Yuusha is an LN series without an anime adaption that got licensed in English. It's a pretty good adventure series that he might like. It's a safe bet for something he's probably not experienced yet I think. Only 2 volumes published in English so far.

I think the best thing to do for now would be to ween into comics. I'd start off with graphic novels so you don't have to follow too deeply into a series. Start off reading something like The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, or Watchmen by Alan Moore. Get a feel of it before you start off. Once you read a couple of novels, I'd look into getting some trade paperbacks of some series. The Walking Dead has been a really good series; it isn't just a plain zombie story...it's more about the human side of the standard zombie tale, such as how they survive, how they interact with each other, etc. Another good TPB to get into would be The Sandman which has some of the coolest artwork and storytelling I've seen. After you start catching up with some TPB's, THEN I'd look into single issues, starting with the first issue of an arch (it will say something like Part 1, Part 1 of 6, etc.). The comic book shop guys are usually pretty cool dudes and can help you find a good arch thats currently going on. Also, places like Half Price Books usually have TPB's for cheaper, but that depends on if you're okay with buying from a secondhand place instead of a small business (I like to go about half and half on purchases, just to save money and to help keep the small guy in the game). Hope this helps!

>I keep hearing that they're very censored but I want to have some solid examples

Censorship in Dragon Ball involves the removal of strong language, female nudity, middle fingers, and near the end, guns. Dark-skinned characters – namely Officer Black and Mr. Popo – have their large lips altered. Mr. Satan's name & Satan City are renamed Hercule and Herculopolis respectively. Violence and gore is unaffected.

• The 3-in-1s are the least censored release, but this release is printed on very thin, low quality paper, and does not include any of the special colored chapters. There is an account of the remaining censorship in this version on the Kanzenshuu forums.
  
  
• The VIZBIGs have excellent paper quality and this is the only English release to include the special colored chapters, though a few were left in black & white for some reason.
  
  
• The individual volumes are censored to a slightly lesser degree than the VIZBIGs, and are all in black and white. This is the version used for the digital release.
  
  
• The Full Color manga is mostly uncensored (sans Popo's lips), and will probably become the definitive release over time. Unfortunately, it won't be released in its entirety in English for many years to come.
  
  The Kanzenban edition might not ever get a release in English. This edition had many special features, but the alternate ending is the only major change to the story. You can read all four pages here.
  
  Until the full color manga is finished, I usually recommend the VIZBIGs despite the censorship. The paper quality is excellent and the color chapters are a nice bonus.

In Japan, the book is just called Dragonball/ドラゴンボール. In the anime, (don't know if you're from the U.S. or not) Dragonball is split into two. Dragonball and Dragonball Z. It's to make it more convenient, in my opinion, makes it more confusing lol.

Dragonball (when the main character is young) and Dragonball Z (when the main character is an adult and has a kid), the more popular title. Dragonball is Volumes 1-16, Dragonball Z is 1-26.

Dragonball is known for its tournaments and raunchy humor, and Dragonball Z is known for beating the shit out of aliens and cyborgs without spoiling too much.

The manga (basically a Japanese comic book) goes by faster, the anime if you'd like to see extra stuff (filler--extra detail--etc.) and want to see it animated. I recommend Dragon Ball (Z) Kai because it cuts out (most) unnecessary fluff. In other words, goes by wayyyy quicker. There are many options for both the manga and anime.

For example there's the:
Manga

• Tankōbon/単行本 (original chapters made into volumes)
  
  
• Kanzenban/完全版 (basically a "perfect/complete edition" of the manga, also a slightly revised ending, new cover drawings, etc.)
  
  
• 3-in-1 (3 volumes in one complete book, very cheap-looking, not recommended)
  
  
• VIZBIG (huge books)
  
  
• Full Color (self explanatory, but all of it hasn't been done yet unless you get the Japanese versions)
  
  There are more released in the U.S. and everywhere else. Check Amazon to see which version you prefer. They're all slightly different. Almost all are censored in some way, besides the Japanese version I think.
  
  Anime
  
  
• Dragonball & Dragonball Z (in the U.S. they're separate like I said before, also the original has a different, more Americanized soundtrack)
  
  
• Dragonball & Dragonball Z (Japanese, all of Dragonball and Dragonball Z, have English subtitles available, and on Funimation's website you can pay a subscription so you can watch whichever version you'd like--subtitles or dubbed--I'll add a link below)
  
  
• Dragonball (Z) Kai (the more recent and shorter version, recommend. Both English and Japanese versions are available, both have the same music and the English version has some different voice actors--the whole show hasn't been finished yet here in the U.S.)
  
  This show is dubbed in so many different languages around the world, oh I can't begin to tell you. Spanish dub, German dub, Korean dub, Malaysian dub (looool), etc.
  
  I also recommend starting with Dragonball, then going on to Z, since that's chronological order.
  
  When you are done, you can go watch the new Battle of Gods movie, and then the Resurrection F one. If you'd rather watch it in episode format there's a new show that recently came out called Dragon Ball Super be warned, it's lower in quality (but you'll have to find ways to watch it on your own--or PM me :P).
  
  Sorry if this is a jumbled mess. I'll try to fix it. I've never added so many asterisks to anything in my life.
  
  Hope you enjoy it~
  
  Edit: Added some stuff, formatting, added links:
  
  First Dragonball volume (in English):
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1569319200/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453856346&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=Dragon+ball+manga&dpPl=1&dpID=51Ys3Lm8hHL&ref=plSrch
  
  Start of Dragonball Z:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Z-Vol-1/dp/1569319308
  
  Fuimation's (subscription required, but there are many more shows there and 30-day free trial + they let you watch the first 5 episodes free without account/subscription) Dragonball:
  http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball/videos/official/secret-of-the-dragon-ball?watch=dub
  
  Funimation's Dragonball Z (first 10 episodes free to watch):
  
  http://www.funimation.com/shows/dragon-ball-z/videos/official/the-new-threat?watch=dub
  
  Sorry if this seems so long D,:
  

Akira<br />
by Katsuhiro Otomo<br />
Genre notes: post-apocalyptic sci-fi psychic punk epic<br />
6 vols<br />
ISBN: 1632364611<br />

Akira is pretty much just legendary. One of those books that is so good that it ought to sit comfortably in the top half of any reputable Top 20 comics of all list.

And it's not just one of those books that is lauded and recognized for its place in comics history. Akira is every bit as vibrant and jaw-dropping today as it was in 1989, when I first encountered it. That a book produced in the '80s should 30 years later still feel better and more accomplished than nearly anything in the last ten years is impressive, seeing as how we are essentially living in a golden age where every living artist can do pretty much whatever kind of comic they want.

Akira spawned an awe-striking animated film that basically turned the american sense of what animation could be on its head even though Akira the movie was a piss-poor adaptation of the glories found in Akira the book. (I remember wearing out my Streamline VHS tape back in 9th grade and it's still that dub that echoes through my mind whenever I remember scenes from the movie.)

Akira is about the leader of a teen biker gang that runs the streets of Neo Tokyo, a Tokyo that has arisen from the ashes of a terrible explosion decades earlier. It's about one of that leader's lieutenants who after an accident begins to develop powerful psychic powers. It's about how those unstoppable psychic powers, powers that make him a god, are nothing next to the powers of a kid who's been on ice for decades. It's about a city under military control. It's about politics and religion and annihilation and apocalypse and drugs and revolution and lasers and hovercraft and motorcycles and a guy who really just wants to spend some sexy time with this one girl terrorist.

When Marvel first brought Akira to the US, colourizing it and having Otomo redraw a couple scenes that wouldn't likely fly on American shores (like full frontal of a teen boy, redrawn to show him from behind instead), it was a revelation. If you are picking up Akira today for the first time, it will be a revelation. Last time I reread the series, it was a revelation—the book is so thoroughly a legend, so thoroughly a part of the comics canon, that it's easy to forget just how magnificent it really is.

And if you're in the market, Kodansha is producing a deluxe 35th anniversay set, due out in October: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1632364611/

I am going to actually say you should not read Watchmen, which is usually high on people's list until you read more superhero stuff. the characters in that are superheroes cast in gritty realism.

Art / Graphic Novels

Maus -- very popular, very discussed, very good

Sandman -- Once you get over how 80's gothic this is, it is a superb story...for all 10 volumes.

TransMetropolitan -- Cyberpunk Hunter S Thompson

Fables -- Hands down one of the best series in terms of scope and planning.

Manga

Akira -- This will take you week to finish the whole series.

Pluto -- Though an actual knowledge of Astroboy would be wonderful for this, this manga is so good i was shocked at how sobering a manga could be.

Superhero

Batman -- I am going to break rank and say that Frank Miller's Batman miniseries The Dark Knight Returns isn't the best place to start atleast for Batman. It is a good read along with the Knightfall trilogy) but it is dense and famous becasue of when it was released. I am recommending Scott Snyder's new 52 Batman story arc Court of the Owls which is a two part arc edning with City of the Owls. This will also set you into current Batman. there are things that have happened before, the fight is against a new villian rather than an old one with tons of backstory. It is also drawn with style and grace and the whole thing is entertaining.

Green Lantern -- Rebirth -- This is completely one sided because I love Green Lantern and space shit. This is the beginning of the Geoff Johns run which will spill out into a huge decade long narrative culminating at The Blackest Night.



----------

As for other superheroes here are reading lists for DC and Marvel. It is really up to you what you find interesting. If you are into X-men, this podcast is really fun to get caught up with everything that has happened since the 70's. It is also hosted by a very knowledgeable husband and wife team.

If you enjoyed Batman, I would highly recommend checking out the new Scott Snyder setup with the new 52 for Batman. Vol. 1 - Court of Owls and Vol. 2 - City of Owls is a fanatasic story arc that plays well with Batman (and I'm not a huge super hero comic fan).

After that it kinda went wierd, but still enjoyable.

Also would highly recommend Preacher (Careful with Preacher, as you WILL get addicted, and have to purchase all 9 volumes, but amazing story and well written with some adult humor/content btw).

Also Sandman, Y: The Last Man, and Saga all always good choices (Saga is being written as we speak, only volumes 1 through 3 are out, same author of Y : The Last Man. Fantastic mix of fantasy and sci-fi... again adult elements)

> I enjoy comics but they're so intimidating to start reading with so many series and canons.

I always encourage people getting into comics to not even think about canons and stuff like that. The only canon that matters is whatever's happening in the particular story you're reading. Read every collection like it's the only book in that universe ever published.

Trust me on this. Take a trip to your local library, find where they keep the comics, grab anything that looks interesting, and read it.

That said, these are some of my favorite comics ever that I think everybody should read:

• Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday
  
• Hellboy by Mike Mignola
  
• Sandman by Neil Gaiman, et al.
  
• Astro City by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson
  
• The Invisibles by Grant Morrison, et a

Our FAQ has this answered, should have checked there!

> The 3-in-1s are the least censored release, but are ongoing and currently incomplete. This release is printed on very thin, low quality paper, and does not include any of the special colored chapters.
>
> The VIZBIGs have excellent paper quality and is the only English release to include the special colored chapters, though a few were left in black & white for some reason.
>
> * The individual volumes are censored to a slightly lesser degree than the VIZBIGs, and are all in black and white.

----

> So my question is, are the Vizbigs really that bad? Is it worth giving up some less-child-friendly moments to get the better looking series?

The VIZBigs are not bad. If you're looking for a way to get the completed series, then this is the better release for you. The second best release (that is not visually censored, besides Mr. Popo's lips) would be the Full Color manga.

As long as you're happy with having a censored release, then go with the VIZBigs. If you think that you're going to be paranoid that some panels are clearly censored, then you may want to look into the 3-in-1 set - but you'll have to deal with awful paper quality.

First step is to figure out what characters you think you might like, then find out what the recommended reading is for those characters.

The sidebar is a good resource for that.

My person recommendations:

Batman: Death of the Family: You can't go wrong with Batman, and this is a great Joker story. It is the third Volume of Batman New52, this collects Issues #13-17. #1-13 is also worth your time if you're a Batman fan.

Batman Eternal Vol.1: A great on-going series, following the wake of Forever Evil, which was a recent big event.

Green Arrow: The Kill Machine: Vol. 4 of Green Arrow New52, this collects #17-24, and is a great arc, Vol. 5 Outsiders War collects #25-31 and is also amazing. Other essential Green Arrow books: Year One, Longbow Hunters.

Flashpoint: This is a large scale book, it is the event that led to the creation of the New52 universe, worth checking out, but if you want to save time, there is an animated DC movie that covers this story pretty reliably. Justice League: War is another decent DC movie which covers Vol. 1 of Justice League new52.

Stories outside of the New52 world:

Batman: The Killing Joke: an amazing Batman/Joker story from Watchmen writer Alan Moore.

The Flash: Rebirth: This is an essential pre-new52 Flash story that covers Barry Allens return to comics after being dead for a very long time.

Kingdom Come: A very interesting older book. Good story, and unique art.

Injustice: Year One: This is a comic based on the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us, but it has turned into so much more. Absolutely amazing on-going elseworlds book.

If you're looking for darker themed books, check out:

Hellblazer, Vol. 1 Original Sins: Very different from classic hero comics, in this series Constantine deals with magic, demons, etc.

The Sandman Vol. 1 Preludes & Nocturnes: Another great book, this follows the story of Dream, younger brother of Death, and sibling to the other Endless.

Lucifer: Book One: Lucifer Morningstar started out as a side character in Sandman, but received his own book later. This series begins where his character left off in Sandman, having resigned his post and abandoning his kingdom of Hell he lies low on Earth, however things change when he receives an offer from his father, God himself.

I'll add some more if I think of anything, or if you even find this helpful. I imagine it is pretty overwhelming. Good luck.

Lucifer, Hellblazer (Constantine), and American Gods (as well as other works) all operate under the larger Sandman universe created by Neil Gaiman. Start there for a good primer and to get a better idea of how the greater cosmos works in this. Sandman also sets up why Lucifer left Hell and why he's on Earth, though that doesn't happen until the Season of Mists arc of Sandman.

It's not as silly as superhero comics: all of the characters are based on older myths and the arcs have a specific purpose and the story has a specific end in mind.

Lucifer (the comic) follows the Sandman cosmos in scale and characterization, while American Gods is a smaller story with somewhat smaller characters, and Hellblazer wanders off a bit to establish a different pantheon, but it's still heavily influenced by the greater Sandman mythos. There are others that I haven't delved into in a while and can't remember as clearly, like Books of Magic and Anansi Boys.

Vertigo comics in general are a good source for these kinds of stories.

Keep in mind that Lucifer in the comics is a vastly different character. Don't get me wrong, I like the actor and the character they've created for the show, but he doesn't fit into the original mold at all. The story in the show is incredibly simplified and the scale and pacing are greatly diminished, to make for a serialized TV show. They tend to make Lucifer out to be a character from Supernatural, when the original story shows a completely different character. Be ready for that change.

Sandman (TPB Vol 1)

https://www.amazon.com/Sandman-Vol-Preludes-Nocturnes-New/dp/1401225756/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518061103&sr=8-1&keywords=sandman+preludes+and+nocturnes



Lucifer (TPB Vol 1)

https://www.amazon.com/Lucifer-Book-One-Mike-Carey/dp/1401240267/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1518061143&sr=1-1&keywords=lucifer

I don't know quite how much you are buying them for on eBay, but, if possible I think it's best to order from Amazon 1st Box Set 2nd Box Set, I bought the first two box sets for roughly £120 ( £60 - £65ish each ). Good luck!

Edit: And if you didn't know, they both come with some really good looking posters, I have pictures if need be! :)

>Ok so you want almost 40 books at once that about $10 USD each?

Yes? You don't need to buy them all at once, I didn't. I bought a few here and there until I caught up with Dark Horse's release schedule. You can still do the same, if you can find the books still in print.

>Even the 1st isn't reduced

Yes it is.

Volume 1

Volume 2

>there's doesn't seem be collectors box or any to get in bulk for a reduced cost or space

In the past, they have had trouble selling the current edition of Berserk. Why would they invest more money into new boxed sets and omnibuses when they don't think anyone will buy them. If you wanted some box set deal, Right Stuff did that a couple of years ago when the volumes were last reprinted. And is it really that hard to add items to a online shopping cart?

>Despite the movie being supposedly pirated so much, I rented from Amazon. Because I could. Can I can do that with the books... Well...you guess that

Let me be the first to congratulate you on renting a movie instead of pirating it. Anyway about the manga...

Hakusensha has been hesitant, like many Japanese publishers, to release its comics digitally. It was only within the last couple of years that they began digitally selling their manga and releasing a delayed digital version of their magazines. They have been hesitant because they feel that digital copies would be easier to pirate than physical books. It's a old school way of thinking, especially considering the lengths that people go through to pirate manga, but there is some truth to it. You can thank Evil Genius for helping to add to their fears by editing and distributing those digital copies for all to freely download.

Thanks EG. You're service has been invaluable once again, well done.

If you want to support Berserk by purchasing it digitally, you can go here. As far as Dark Horse goes, they have expressed interest in releasing Berserk digitally in the past, but as I said earlier Hakusensha has been slow to embrace digital sales. However if you think you are going to get a better deal because it's digital, you obviously have not purchased manga digitally before. You will probably only save a couple of dollars on each volume.

Hey, I got you covered. So here's my strategy: try to minimize on the rupee per page. A general single volume manga would cost around 500 bucks, for essential 200 odd pages. Kinda too much, but ok given the value added compared to a general paperback. Also, given that you are starting a collection, you will most probably want to collect all the volumes i.e. complete the series. So it should preferably have lesser volumes. Based on that I recommend these

• All you need is Kill
  
• Planetes Vol 1 and Vol 2 (Note that Vol 2 is pretty costly, but i was able to snag it about 2 years ago for around 1000 bucks. I recommend you wait and check the prices. Till then you'll have volume 1)
  
• Solanin
  
• Death Note (This is an All in One edition, and for the price, it's a steal. That said, I am a little biased to the black edition that came out earlier. They looked cool, had three volumes each in a single volume and did I mention it looked cool?)
  
• Satoshi Kon's Opus
  
  If you're looking for manga series whose individual books contain a large number of pages, try searching "manga omnibus" or "manga all in one" on amazon. There's quite a few, and if you're willing to wait, you could wait for price drops (I recommend keepa.com to check and notify you for price drops on amazon.in)
  
  Happy shopping, and let us know what you buy.

This isn't really a classic romance, but spice and wolf is a (partly) romance series of light novels set in a light fantasy version of medieval Europe. The main characters are a pair of traveling merchants, one of whom is a harvest God who wants to see the world, or something like that. If you can ignore the fans and tolerate the anime style art that you see on the cover it's pretty great.

Edit: there are occasional illustrations on pages because I don't know but it's 99% picture free.

Have you tried any of the older Gundam series yet? If you like military history, the Universal Century series should be to your liking, and in my opinion they're far superior to Wing in almost every aspect.

If you're interested, I'd recommend starting with the first series (my favorite anime and the peak of the series) and watching on from there in production order.

Keep in mind that the Universal Century series all take place in the same universe and have connections. I wouldn't recommend watching them out of production order. Also, I'd only recommend watching the compilation movies after you've seen their respective series. You don't get the same amount of character development from the movies, and in the case of the Zeta Gundam movies, they have a different ending that ruins the original's tone.

Production Order:

Mobile Suit Gundam (Series: 1979; compilation movies: 1981–1982)

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (Series: 1985; compilation movies: 2005-2006)

Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam (series: 1986)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (movie: 1988)

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (OVA: 1989)

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (movie: 1991)

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (OVAs: 1991; compilation movie: 1992)

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (Series: 1993)

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (OVAs: 1996, compilation movie: 1998)

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (OVAs: 2010)

You can download most of the series on BakaBT. Just search Gundam. Keep in mind you need to make an account, which is free.

Oh, and one more thing. The original, 1979 series also has a manga that was written and illustrated by the series' character designer and lead animator, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. It's called Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, and Vertical, Inc. has recently began releasing it in the West. Honestly, Origin is not just a great retelling of the original series, but also an amazing manga. If you're interested, volume one is currently available and preorders are available for volumes two through four. There should be around 12 volumes in total.

Here are the links for the manga on Amazon:

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 1- Activation

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 2- Garma

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 3- Ramba Ral

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 4- Jaburo

I don't really have anything to compare it to, but I recently got the 2-volume deluxe etc edition of Nausicaa and was blown away by its quality.

Super super super nice.

I would suggest amazon. Its where I got all 13 volumes that are currently out. They're pretty lengthy. But they're (mostly) fantastic. I found 1-7 to be really fun and great reads. 8-10 I got very bored of and trudged through. But 11-13 is even better than the beginning volumes and blew my mind it made the previous slog worth it.

The Rising of the Shield Hero Volume 01 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935548727/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FP07Cb2671Z2E

1. Sandman Vol. 1. I love Neil Gaiman and I've been dying to read the Sandman series. Plus it's being made into a film!
   
   
2. I don't have a kindle, so no e-books on my WL. Here's a cheap used book on my WL instead for options? It's the Little Prince and one of my favorite childhood books. I have yet to read it again as an adult.
   
   
3. If I were a book, I hope that I'd be a great one. Thanks for the contest! Book contests are my favorite.

No problem! It's rare I get to recommend books and such like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Uzumaki-3---1-Deluxe-vols/dp/1421561328/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420486625&sr=8-1&keywords=uzamaki

This is a 3 in 1 collection of my favorite horror manga (and possibly one of my favorite horror stories in general), Uzumaki. It's a story about a curse on a town, causing spirals (the spiral shape is called an uzumaki) to appear everywhere, and slowly everything falls apart. Really a great read, it stuck with me after finishing it.

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Terror-Tokyo-Over-Japan/dp/B0026LYMK0/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1420486613&sr=8-10&keywords=tales+of+terror

This may be my favorite j-horror anthology in my collection. It's cheap, but it's also better than many others out there. Each story is between 5 and 20 minutes long, with a total of 60 stories. While some of the stories are better than others, there really aren't any that are bad, like in some anthology collections. Easily worth the price.

I hope you enjoy them!

Hello Redditors, I wanted share with you a fan art I just uploaded in my blog [No sure if I can hyperlink it]. I used as reference a panel from TLOZ: A Link to the Past by Shotaro Ishinomori. Actually a little rough fan art because I just used some old sharpie markers. I will rework it when I get something better coupled with my improved skills - lol that bang covering his right eye.

Thank you :) !

• The Thirteenth Floor
  
• Moon touched on another theme we've argued over in this thread, about identity and the "real" you.
  
• Inception - I'd give good money to know if that top ever fell.
  
• Source Code was far better than it had a right to be.
  
• Edge of Tomorrow - great as a standalone SF/action movie, but also deep (and related to this thread) once you look into it. Based on the novel All You Need is Kill.
  
• Solaris touches on the idea of whether, given what you most deeply wanted in a fantasy, would you have the strength to choose reality without that thing instead. It also touches on the cloning problem, and which version gets to call itself the "real" version. I haven't seen the Tarkovsky version yet, but I hear nothing but good things about it. The book by the same name is also fantastic.
  
• Primer - not directly related to the themes in our thread, but still a fantastically deep movie, philosophically, and very rewarding on repeated viewings.

The Garden of Words is another good oneshot I recommend. It also has a movie, both of which I found to be enjoyable. Unfortunately I don't have any other recommendations that are under 5 volumes in length but these are ones that I would recommend.

The Evangelion Omnibus has 5 mega volumes out and is finished (about $100 plus tax) - 14 total volumes. Claymore is quite a bit longer but it has a box set of all 27 volumes for about $140 (~5$ each volume) and it seems right in line with your interests, just shop around for the best price online.

If you're into rom-coms then:

• Monster Musume has 8 volumes out and is ongoing (slow releases; next release is in september)
  
  
• Ninja Girls has 9 volumes out and is finished.
  
  
• Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches has 8 volumes out and is ongoing.
  
  While not manga, Bryan Lee O'Malley has Scott Pilgrim (6 volumes) and Seconds (one shot) - both of which I highly recommend.
  
  edit: links in the doobly-doo

I actually just came on here to ask about this.....I found it on amazon for cheaper BTW...

but my question is....is it different from the series?? better?? my SO just marathoned the whole series within the last 2 weeks and she loves it...her bday is next month and was thinking of getting her this...is it worth it to read it if she just saw the whole thing??

Thanks in advance

It's a great series, so I guess it all comes down to how much money you have free to use. That said where did you see it for $172 and did it come something else special because right now I'm seeing all 27 volumes for $146 on Amazon. At that price it's definitely worth it for a Berserk fan if you're not broke.

TBH I have yet to read the bonus chapter but when I am done re-reading the main story I will read it. I have attached a link to the chapter summary here:

http://deathnote.wikia.com/wiki/Death_Note_One-Shot_Special

As for the all in one edition I say it's a great value. If you travel a lot or just want a great all in one package I highly recommend it. Not sure if you're in America but here is the link for it on Amazon:

Death Note (All-in-One Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1421597713/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3ZHSzbJ4HDV2D

I would personally start with the beginning as you can get all of the translated versions on amazon and if it is his birthday then you could get him one of the two box sets that go for about 100$ and I would also say that one piece is pretty good for child audiances but there are some heavy themes, some mild language nothing over the F-word and a lot more blood than what the TV show has on it but it is still good for children also if you ever collect them all or want to give him something else I would suggest one of the color walks as they show off his fantastic art really well.

I have a bunch of the World of Nintendo Mario toys that I bought to make my younger self happy. I wanted Mario toys so much when I was a kid, but they didn't really exist. Now I find a new one almost ever time I go to Walmart.

I also have the original release of the Link to the Past comic by Shotaro Ishinomori that I really loved. It was so cool to find that back in the day.

Oh, and the Kirby Nendoroid is a lot of fun. I still need to get the Robobot mech to go with him.

The bigger the better - and the story matters!!!
I own a "couple" mangas and (for me) the Akira series is most definitely the best to read. It has the size of a telephone book (probably the same size as his Nausicaa volume) and gives the feeling you are reading something special ;)

Yes, the one and only Hayao Miyazaki. That grumpy old 'animu is a mistake' guy. Also made some of the best animated film classics, from the action-packed Mononoke Hime to the adorable My Neighbour Totoro.

Now on to the series itself. A warning, the series is not in Batoto, so you can go buy the absolutely excellent box edition for Nausicaa here which I can personally vouch, and fully recommend. If not, sail the seven seas, which I don't really recommend. Anyways.

This series itself is chosen because there are a plethora of things to discuss. From the unique artstyle, to it's steampunk setting, to it's messianic main character. That and Book Club has done way too many SoLs.

Nausicaa has some of my favorite war scenes throughout all the manga world. I've read Kingdom, Vinland Saga, Bokko, some of the big name war series in the manga world and there's something about the composition of the war scenes in Nausicaa that makes it feel more visceral than most. Definite must read if you're a fan of war scenes.

Another interesting thought is the relevancy of the message contained in the series to our current times. Protecting the environment. If you watched at least 2 of Miyazaki's works, you'll know that he is a big enviroment buff. Just look at the details in which he draws the flora and fauna in any of his series.

Also thank Nausicaa. From his interviews it appears that without Nausicaa to channel his grudge on the destruction of the environment, we wouldn't get cute, fluffy series ala Totoro and Ponyo.

Quoted from Wikipedia:

"He also noted that his continued struggle with the subject matter in the ongoing development of the Nausicaä manga allowed him to create different, lighter, films than he would have been able to make without Nausicaä providing an outlet for his more serious thoughts throughout the period of its creation"

Last thing to note, the anime adaptation is a must-watch classic, but only covers 1/3 of the manga.

Personal thanks to /u/motogmxposed for the Aria recommendation last month! Great choice right there, sorry for having to forgot to credit you last month.

Absolutely read Y The Last Man by Brian K Vaughan at some point in your life! It's 10 volumes. One of the best stories I've ever read, which I binge-read in a weekend the first time. Post-apocalyptic, scary & humorous too. Really, just everything BKV writes. (Edit: I should clarify. Only scary in a chaotic society/socially relevant way, it's not horror.)

Sandman by Neil Gaiman is probably the closest other series to Fables. Very rich in mythology & folklore.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore is very similar in nature, being about literary characters. Just forget the craptacular movie ever existed. The book is much better.

The Maxx by Sam Keith is one of the best 90s books IMO. Trippy, weird, and whimsical. A psuedo-superhero story that explores mental illness & abuse.

Edit2: Oops, how could I forget Bone by Jeff Smith which at 1,300+ pages is certainly epic -- a fun, fantastical adventure for all ages. And couple that with the fact you can often find the One Volume edition used for under $20, it's an amazing value. Do note the paper is very, very thin though, so artwork bleeds through. If that's a deal-breaker, try the more expensive single volumes.

I honestly would not start with Good Omens. It's a brilliant book, but has very little of Neil Gaiman's writing style. His influence seems to be more in the plot and a bit of darkness here and there; whereas the writing is more Terry Pratchett than Neil Gaiman.

I highly recommend you start with one of his short story collections, like Smoke & Mirrors or Fragile Things. His Sandman graphic novels are also a great start in my opinion.

The 25th Anniversary Box comes with a hardcover of all the Akira Volumes, an Akira patch, plus a hardcover of the Akira Club art book.

It just got reprinted and is available again on Amazon. There was a big delay in this reprint, because they wanted to strengthen the integrity of the box from the original print.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1632364611/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ii2VBb8SN8XTS

Just looking at pictures of it opened is amazing. And just to let you know, the first few pages of the Manga are colored, and the rest are black and white (like the original release), it's not the American version of the printing with the full color and the extra drawn in sound effects like, "blam, blam", "Pow", "Ding", that would get in the way of the original art.

Oh yes, I second Uzumaki like /u/Goober_Pyle said. Junji Ito's Uzumaki and Gyo is good. Also, Black Hole by Charles Burns is awesome :D


For vampires, you may like the American Vampire Series.

I'm not sure if you can read it online for free but you can order the books Kindle and physical version on Amazon. I'm sure most book stores likes Barnes and Noble will also sell it.

https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Shield-Hero-01/dp/1935548727

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rising-of-the-shield-hero-volume-01-aneko-yusagi/1121459597

For the Manga:
http://www.amazon.com/Fullmetal-Alchemist-Box-Hiromu-Arakawa/dp/1421541955

I bought this one and LOVE it. There are minor translation issues (they say Ishbal instead of Ishval, and Xerxes is translated into some weird word like "cesscles", but other than that, its true to the Japanese version, including the right-to-left reading style (which is really fun to read)

For the Blu-rays, buy the 1nd and 2nd Brotherhood collection on Amazon (the 2nd collection will be available on the 17th of July it says)

I hadn't read a book in the last 5+ years. Last week I picked up All You Need Is Kill because I liked the Edge of Tomorrow movie and loved it. It was a fast read at ~200 pages but it was great all the way through.

Now I picked up The Martian because I've heard a lot of good things about it. I think I actually might get back into reading now.

> Picture books and chapter books appreciated! :)

Does that include graphic novels? Finding comic books for kids that feel like 'standard' fantasy (swords & sorcery/high fantasy) has been surprisingly challenging. Oddly enough, the only one that I've found that really fits is the comic book version of A Link to the Past: https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Link-Past/dp/1421575418/

For non-standard fantasy that still uses many standard fantasy tropes, I really like Adventure Time: https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Time-Vol-Ryan-North/dp/1608862801/

And of course further off the path there's also Bone, Usagi Jimbo, and Amulet.

http://www.amazon.com/Spice-Wolf-Vol-Isuna-Hasekura/dp/0759531048 I don't like the English covers but w/e I love the story and its the best translation

Puck was first introduced on page 6 of the first chapter of the manga and he's pretty integral to the story. There's even at least one joke that I can recall about how the manga couldn't continue without him because it would be too dark. I don't know how the anime handles him since I have never watched it but I can't imagine they completely changed his character. It's probably just hampered by horrible animation, direction, and sound design, just like the rest of the anime. Maybe they changed some dialogue and plot-points as well, I wouldn't know.

Honestly I would suggest just reading the entire manga from the start if you have never done so before. All of the adaptations including the original one from the nineties have take liberties with the plot in order to deal with constraints imposed by the adaptation. You can read it for free illegally online or purchase the officially licensed version published by Dark Horse.

Start with either of these ones!

This edition is sturdier and slightly bigger, but a little more censored. Paper quality is very good though, and rarely you'll get light-colored pages, probably the most appealing aspects of this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Vol-1-VIZBIG/dp/1421520591

This next edition is a more recent one. Paper is a little thinner, size is a bit smaller. However, this one benefits from being less censored, and the design is far more appealing for collectors; the illustrations on the front are each special newer pieces from Toriyama, the spine art is like the Japanese where it all makes a big picture, and most importantly, it doesn't split-off 1/3rd or the way through. This is the most consistent English release.

https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-3-1-Vol/dp/1421555646

After informing a bit more, it seems like Berserk is the best answer to my question. Now I wonder, whether this is the first of the English series. The release date is from 2009 while the next volumes are from 2004.

Is this 2009 release just a remake? Is it as good/the same as the original?

Thanks

I found it in a local comic shop, but you can order it on Amazon. I was actually really lucky because I bought it on Boxing Day when everything in the store was 20% off.

But you're in luck if you want to order it now. It's actually on sale on Amazon right now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1421550644/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482904421&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=nausicaa+of+the+valley+of+the+wind+manga&dpPl=1&dpID=61ntFtaAHXL&ref=plSrch

http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Zelda-Link-Past/dp/1421575418

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time-1-2-Majoras-Mask-Oracle-of-Seasons-Vizkids-Manga-Lot-/151907470774?hash=item235e640db6:g:hTcAAOSwnipWZIkm

Get him the Viz Manga and/or Link to the Past graphic novel. That listing will probably end soon, but you get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Also, if you haven't already, get him Hyrule Historia. He'll flip his wig if you get him that (I mean that in the best way possible).

Hope this helps! :)

Sweet, thanks for the tip. I found it on Amazon all 3 volumes for like $15. The art looks great too.

There's a cool comic style one I had when younger here:

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past https://www.amazon.com/dp/1421575418/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SlD.BbNX93WPE

It's basically the plot of A Link to the Past, with some extra bits in it that aren't in the game. Just a fun read. The Super Mario one that Amazon is suggesting for me to buy also was one I remember being cool too.

I think the manga boxsets are the cheapest.

First 23 volumes for around 117$ USD

The 2nd boxset (24-46 volumes) is coming out this November.

You'll have to buy the individual volumes after the 46th. Yes, they're worth it. :) [+ it's always nice to legally support the series]

This will save you about $100

http://www.amazon.com/One-Piece-Box-Set-Baroque/dp/1421560747/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1404627595&sr=8-4&keywords=one+piece

and if you want to save more, you can get all the 3 volume omnibus editions. They go to chapters 28-29-30 (in October, new one comes out every 4 months). That should save you about $180 if you do this rather than individual volumes and that's not including whether you get future omnibuses as well.
http://www.amazon.com/One-Piece-East-Blue-1-2-3/dp/1421536250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404627805&sr=8-1&keywords=one+piece+1+2+3

Hey OP,

The best and most affordable release of the One Piece manga is the One Piece Box Sets with the first one covering volumes 1-23 of the manga and the second one covering volumes 24-46 of the manga.

Amazon has the first box set up for $98 which is a pretty good deal since MSRP is $185. I'd say get him that first then if he reads through that then go for the second one. The boxsets came out November 2012 and November 2013 respectively so keep that in mind if you want to pace him until the next set comes out.

If you want to get single volumes, I've heard Barnes and Noble have a 2 for 1 on Manga so you could check for that from time to time...

Also, on the anime side of things there are some really great premium boxsets that have been coming out, exclusive to Amazon priced at $89 MSRP with roughly 100 episodes each. The price fluctuates from $60.00 to $90 on Amazon but here's the first, second and third Treasure Chest Boxsets

To answer your first question, yes. In fact, I own the whole series personally. For your second question...if you mean the tv version of the original show, maybe. The origin is a retelling of the original show, so some stuff is different if you care enough to watch both. If you mean the Origin OVA then it doesn't matter. The OVA is basically a shot-for-shot retelling of volumes 5-7 of the Manga. It covers the flashback of Char's backstory. If anything, I'd recommend reading the Manga first. That way you can see what you read animated beautifully;)

https://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Suit-Gundam-Origin-Activation/dp/193565487X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=gundam+the+origin+manga&qid=1573403111&sprefix=gundam+the+&sr=8-1

Some links to the mentioned mangas for those interested. Please actually support Junji Ito if you can, but I haven't found all of these translated and for sale:

Splatter Film (Honey)

Uzumaki (Spiral) Or Buy it

Do you mean Red String?

Hanging Balloons

The Coldness / The Chill

Hellstar Remina

While not all inclusive, here is a great index to read fan-translated works.

There are many different ways to purchase the manga, though unfortunately, every official English release is censored in some way shape or form. Censorship in Dragon Ball entails the removal of strong language, female nudity, middle fingers, and near the end, guns. Dark-skinned characters - namely Officer Black and Mr. Popo - have their large lips altered. Mr. Satan's name & Satan City are renamed Hercule and Herculopolis respectively. Violence and gore is unaffected.

Below is a list of VIZ Media's current offerings of DB/DBZ in English:

• The 3-in-1s are the least censored release, but are ongoing and currently incomplete. This release is printed on very thin, low quality paper, and does not include any of the special colored chapters.
  
  
• The VIZBIGs have excellent paper quality and is the only English release to include the special colored chapters, though a few were left in black & white for some reason.
  
  
• The individual volumes are censored to a slightly lesser degree than the VIZBIGs, and are all in black and white.
  
  
• If you purchase digitally, you will get a digital version of this release.
  
  
• The Full Color manga is mostly uncensored (sans Popo's lips), and will probably become the definitive release over time. Unfortunately, it won't be released in its entirety in English for many years to come.
  
  That particular item you linked is good, but it only contains one half of the series. When VIZ published the English version, they split the manga into two halves, similar to the anime. If you want the complete set, you will want to buy that, and this box.

Great idea. One Piece isn't the world's best selling manga for nothing.

I recommend using the manga box sets for your read through. They come in stylish boxes that are easy to organize, have a few extras like bonus manga and posters and stuff and gives you 23 volumes at a time for cheap.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1421560747/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_UyuKBbB6AXDZN

Maus got me started. It has some violence (not a ton) in it - it is the Holocaust, after all - but it's not violence just for the sake of violence. It's a true story. If the Holocaust in general is too unsettling to her, then this ain't the book for her.

Black Hole is quite bizarre, which is typical for Charles Burns, but very good.

If she calls comics "picture books" then I'm guessing that all superhero books are out the door. That's the single biggest segment of comic sales, so if that's what she thinks of comics in general then she probably thinks the same of superhero books in general. That's not meant as criticism. To each her own. It's just my guess about her tastes.

Maybe the Sandman? I don't know; there's a lot of ways you can go with this. Good luck and merry Christmas, my friend.

so the graphic novel is love is scott pilgrum vs the world and legend of zelda link to the past

edit: secret? that a Novel idea even if it could be kinda Graphic!!

If you want pictures read the manga but I suggest getting the actual book. Both are good I just prefer the latter. Oh and like 1r1d3sc3nt said...it isn't an exactly happy ending so if you are truly in a fragile state I would level out before reading it.

http://www.amazon.com/All-You-Need-Is-Kill/dp/1421527618

The novel: All You Need Is Kill
Pretty decent quick read. Not super thought provoking or complex but there's some good action. It's kinda like Groundhog Day / Run Lola Run but with an alien invasion. They're apparently adapting it as a movie staring Tom Cruise. I don't have high hopes for the movie, but the book is worth reading.

I just finished All you need is kill. For a quick read it contains a fascinating story. SciFi novel about a conflict taking place all over the Earth. Futuristic "Jackets", Aliens, Amazing plot device. All around great novel. It was the source material for Edge of Tomorrow and it goes without saying, but I will say it, the movie deviates a lot from the book and the book is so much better. Its about 250 pages long, so it would go well with another short book. I finished it in about 8 hours.

Boxed set: http://www.amazon.com/Nausica%C3%A4-Valley-Wind-Box-Set/dp/1421550644/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457228263&sr=8-2&keywords=nausicaa+of+the+valley+of+the+wind

Individual volume 1: http://www.amazon.com/Nausicaa-Valley-Wind-Vol-1/dp/1591164087/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457228263&sr=8-3&keywords=nausicaa+of+the+valley+of+the+wind

I have both the boxed set and the individual volumes. You can't go wrong with either. They're from Viz and the Studio Ghibli Library. They're totally unaltered, the translation's fantastic, and there's a sound effect index in the back that translates the Japanese comic sound effects ("boom" or "bang" or whatever) into anglicized versions. If my house were on fire and I could only save one thing, it would be the boxed set. It's that good.

> So i intend to finnish the 2017 version

Just don't. Watch S1 from the 90s and just read the whole manga.


> Is there a good place to buy the paperback? That's how I like to read

Very good choice.

Either Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506711987

or Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Berserk-Deluxe-1-Kentaro-Miura/9781506711980

It is indeed quite awesome. This box set is amazing, too:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1421550644/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Take acting classes. Do scene work and improv.

Read Uta Hagen's Respect for Acting

Find a short story from a graphic novel you like, [online] (http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/) or from a book, and write it as a script. For starters, you can use Celtx or some other freeware formatting app.

Pick a stageplay you like. Read it, then watch it performed. Now, rewrite the most compelling scenes in screenplay form based on what you've seen. Streamline it, of course. Get rid of anything that doesn't work visually.

All about script format

It was originally a manga that got a novel version. It called “All you need is Kill” here it is on Amazon.

All You Need Is Kill https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1421527618/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qbBQDbCY0ZHKB

Yes Emily Blunt is awesome in the film. Not normally a Tom Cruise fan but seeing his transformation as it goes along is fantastic.

That is the right series but I recommend picking up this, it has all 3 volumes and has a beautiful hard cover .

Assuming you haven't already you should really check out some of Ito's other stuff.

Here's my (and many other's) favorite short that hooks a lot of people into his work:

The Enigma of Amigara Fault

​

If you're looking for lengthier stories, his generally considered top 3 are Uzumaki, Gyo, and Tomie which are all available in beautiful hardcover here.

​

Stay creepy Babe!

The complete box set is just awesome, it's also the thing that brought me into the series. Yes, it's the full series with all the books plus an artbook, here's a link for its Amazon page if you want more information.

I'll suggest picking up All You Need is Kill. It's a standalone, but meets your other criteria. Very exciting read, with an engaging premise.

The Vampire Hunter D series might also be up your alley.

My favorite anime movie. It's just so immersive and endearing, and the animation really still holds up despite the age. I've seen it at least 4 times now... That opening credits sequence gets me every time.


Highly recommend you check out the manga. The movie is (loosely) based on the first 2 volumes out of 7. The manga is so expansive and epic... I stayed up many nights reading it until 4 in the morning because I couldn't stop.

Then I bought the 2-book hardcover box-set on amazon and read it a second time.

Also check out Castle in the Sky if you havent yet. It was very much influenced by Nausicaa, being made only 2 years later.

InStockTrades (my preference due to better packaging, if you spend $50 you get free shipping) or Amazon.

It was originally serialized in Nintendo Power. The graphic novel was just reprinted last year.

UZUMAKI: Spiral Into Horror by Junji Ito

This is a really neat horror-manga about a young girl living in a town that is cursed by spirals. Uzumaki, the word for spiral, is the title of this manga, but don't confuse it with that other guy, Naruto Uzumaki! Spirals are a recurring theme throughout, and the artwork is nothing short of grimacing. I received this as a gift for Christmas and loved it.

That's cool. For others considering the same thing I saw a deal on Twitter the other day that had the first 23 volume "East Blue" Box Set preorder on sale for $119.27. That's a pretty good deal. Amazon Link.

Maus is probably one of the two most celebrated works in english comics

Fullmetal Alchemist is probably the most popular modern manga series

Amazon.

The movie contains all three tracks, the original dub, the new dub, and japanese.


And here's the first manga. Happy reading!

I have a [gundam backpack] thats shaped like the one used by the original gundam. Then there is the [Gundam: The Origin] series in hardback, and also the [Gundam Mechanics/World] books which give details about the mobile suits in a series or more info for world building but they're only available in Japanese.
There are a few [games on the PS4].

Beyond those I've seen gundam wallets, figurines, [cosplay/clothing] etc.

Might be an idea to have a look around some of the specialist retailers/importers/exporters like [1999.co.jp] , [hlj.com] and maybe hit up ebay and amazon with some very targeted keyword searches.

Not sure if it's allowed to be posted here but it doesn't seem to break any rules.

http://www.mangareader.net/claymore/1/ This is a good site to use but if you wish to have the physical copies you can buy them all here.

Since you're not aware, it should be mentioned that most manga tend to be long series and span multiple books, so it's rarely just one book.

I would recommend something like Cardcaptor Sakura. This particular edition of the series has 4 books in total. You can search them using the search term "Cardcaptor Sakura Omnibus".

Since you've mentioned she likes Hayao Miyazaki's works, check out this manga box set by him. It's called Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

This Nausicaa boxset is the nicest set of books of any type that I own. Just beautiful. And big.

EDIT: A couple more images.

You can buy them individually, which is ridiculously expensive, or you could by them as a boxed set on Amazon or something. The box-art is pretty nice, so there's an added bonus.

Just buy the paper backs LINK it's the easiest way to get into the story and the cheapest. Or if you have a lot money to spend you can get the Omnibuses LINK. Like the other user said start with Preludes and Nocturnes and just follow in order. Or try this if you don't mind digital. Overture is a different story all together and should be read after the original series.

that would be... nice? But only popular/serialized anime would have that. At Amazon you can request books to be turned into audio books but i don't know that process. spice and wolf novel 1 in the bottom right, you can click "let us know" in the audible section which may prompt a creation. Other than that, check youtube. thats all that i would know of where to get.

These were all in Nintendo Power (at the same time as a much-less good Super Mario comic) prior to TLoZ:ALttP being released on SNES. There were (I think) 16 issues (but I'm not positive on that). I remember back then, when I was 11 years old, finding the ending extremely bittersweet, and I've read them multiple times over the years. They're very well done.

For those looking for them, there are TPB's available. This is the most recent one.

Not legally but I'm sure a google search would come up with a few results :P The box set is beautiful though, http://www.amazon.co.uk/NAUSICAA-VALLEY-WIND-BOX-SET/dp/1421550644

The manga is a bit different to the movie storyline but there are similar elements. For example the movie misses out the Dorok empire which is a huge part of the manga.

As for prequel there is this short that was released: https://vimeo.com/64987176 I'm not so sure a prequel would work though. Basically it would just be a war and then people recovering from it, I like the time period Nausicaa is set at (although the manga does give a lot of details about what happened during that time)

You can buy the complete set for less than 150$ Amazon US||Amazon UK||Amazon JP
if don't have the money for it, try to buy at least 1 volume when you get the chance & money.. to give some support.
for your request here but i hope you use this link as a last resort.

> it's more like a pocket-book.

Take a picture of the cover, I'm curious what you mean. Is it the individual Tankobons? The original comic book release? If you can't take a picture heres a list of the versions of the manga to find the one you have. I don't think Viz does the Swedish release, so the censorship would be different.

Start Here or if you have more money to spend on nice books the whole series was recolored and put in a very pretty binding Here.

$147 on Amazon! Set me back a bit but definitely worth it. Here’s the link

Very nice!

FYI Dark Horse about to release the manga in a new format if you didn't know. https://www.amazon.com/Berserk-Deluxe-1-Kentaro-Miura/dp/1506711987/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QVRZ8QZBREHVPZG1C75S

For me it was the book series Akira. I loved the future scifi story focused on a Japanese motorcycle gang (among other things). It has probably one of the most iconic fictional motorcycles ever (next to maybe the Tron Light Cycle).

​

Re: zero https://www.amazon.com/Re-Zero-Starting-Another-World/dp/0316315303/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1549558112&sr=1-1&keywords=re+zero the mc gets transported to a different world and killed over and over, but every time he dies he goes back in time. groundhog day style.

Chaos seeds https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34234639-the-land this series is similar. this genre is called litrpg

The Rising of the Shield Hero https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Shield-Hero-01/dp/1935548727 pretty interesting

sufficiently advance magic https://www.amazon.com/Sufficiently-Advanced-Magic-Arcane-Ascension-ebook/dp/B06XBFD7CB

​

By continuity, do you dislike not knowing the backstory of the characters, or you literally can't decipher which order the cells on the pages are supposed to be in?

There are a lot of graphic novel paperbacks that are collected story arcs (or even the whole series).
Watchmen and Sandman (10 volumes) you can read from beginning to end. And they are awesome.
And there are one's like Ms Marvel that are several individual comics collected so you can follow a whole story. You'll get enough backstory at the beginning to understand what all is happening.

/u/johnnycomet has you covered if you don't like the "graphic" part of graphic novels.

You gotta read the manga then. It's like learning the little song you grew up loving is just the opening to a symphony.