Alright OP, here's what I've got for you:

• My favorite comic right now is East of West by Jonathan Hickman. This takes place in an alternate history America. It's a sci-fi western where the four horsemen of the apocalypse come down to begin the apocalypse. However, Death is our protagonist. Lots of mystery and world building. Don't expect it to move to fast, but it's fantastic.
  
  
• In a completely different vein, Blankets by Craig Thompson. This is a coming of age story. It is sort of autobiographical. Definitely don't expect any powers or supernatural stuff here. Fantastic story, and it's not uncommon to hear about someone crying from this one.
  
  
• If you want to go to a more sci-fi route, check out Black Science by Rick Remender. This title is loved by a lot of people. Each issue has a new dimension or planet or world to explore, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. This is like the action movie of my recommendations. It doesn't have the most depth, but the ride is a ton of fun.
  
  
• If you love a good supernatural throwdown, check out Rumble by Jonn Arcudi. Fantastic art, and a very interesting zany world. The main character is a god who takes the form of a scarecrow. Really fun read and drawn really well.
  
  
• Finally, my personal favorite: Hellboy by Mike Mignola. The Hellboy universe was started in the 90s, and so it is pretty expansive. However, Mignola prides himself on there being multiple jumping on points. I would recommend jumping in on Hellboy Vol. 1 or BPRD: Plague of Frogs Book 1. Plague of Frogs is definitely going to be the most bang for your buck. If you want a specific reading order to the series, this is the best one currently out there.
  
  Good luck reading OP! Feel free to ask any questions.

Here's a few:

Amulet by Kazu Kibiushi - Great YA fantasy series perfect for his age, is a great adventure with shades of Ghibli, featuring airships, creatures and sword fights.

The Nameless City/The Stone Heart by Faith Erin Hicks - Another great fantasy/historical fiction series with street rats and political intrigue, with shades of manga and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Faith Erin Hicks is such a great artist/graphic novelist, you should check out her other stuff as well!

Speaking of that Avatar: The Last Airbender has some great comics that continue the story after the tv series ends. If your nephew hasn't seen the show, sit his butt down right now and make him watch it. One of the best television series (animated or otherwise) ever made.

Some others that I haven't read yet but hear rave reviews about is the Delilah Dirk series. If he liked Brody's Ghost, he'll probably like actual manga, so Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist or 20th Century Boys.

I love the Scott Pilgrim series, but I don't know if the sense of humor and lifestyle it explores would pique the interest of a 13 year old? More like older high school or college. That being said he might love it so what do I know.

For more Image stuff, I'd recommend:

Invincible - This comic is so absurdly good. I've read up to volume four of the ultimate collections and had a blast the whole way through (it's probably in my top 3 comics I've ever read, if not #1). The characters are wonderful, and everything that happens has an impact on the story as a whole. Not to mention the fantastic art!

Monstress - This comic is just gorgeous. (Seriously. Here's a sample.) The story's pretty good, too! It's kind of a horror adventure comic, if that makes any sense. Or, a fantasy adventure adventure comic with darker themes. Yeah, let's go with that. Point is, it's good, and it deserves your attention.

Now for my superhero recommendations:

Daredevil by Frank Miller - If you want a more action-oriented Daredevil story, definitely read through some of Frank Miller's stuff. You can jump right into his run with the omnibus or paperback collections or you can get your feet wet first with his standalone stories, such as the retelling of Daredevil's origin in The Man Without Fear or what many consider to be the best DD tale ever told, Born Again (both of which are contained in the omnibus companion if you wanna stick to the nice hardcover stuff).

Batman: Year One - Speaking of Frank Miller, I've noticed a severe lack of this book on your shelf. This is Batman's origin as it was meant to be told, and is still my favorite Batman story to date. There's not much else to say other than if you consider yourself a Batfan, you need to read Year One.

Batman: The Long Halloween (and its sequel, Dark Victory) - Since you enjoyed (most of) Yellow, Blue & Gray and like Batman, why not follow the Loeb/Sale team and read two of the best stories set early in the caped crusader's career?

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender - Wanna see Wolverine, Deadpool and friends tear shit up? This is the book for you!

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. - Wanna see a ragtag group of "heroes" you've likely never heard of tear shit up even harder? This is definitely the book for you. Nextwave is the comic equivalent of dumb popcorn fun.

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’ve loved all the Studio Ghibli movies that have made it big in the US

Anything by Neil Gaiman, but especially Sandman. I wouldn't say that absolutely everyone loves Sandman, but the odds are very, very good that it will be to your taste, especially if you like Ghibli movies. Gaiman is a gentle soul.

"Ultimate Spider Man" is pretty good. It's very pop art, not mean-spirited or all about the fights, and the writing is solid.

Giant Days: Just a damn fun slice of life series about a couple of British girls going through college. Made by the people that made the webcomic Scary-Go-Round. Through all of the superheroics and dramas that are out there, it's just a refreshing break. The stories are relate-able even when they're exaggerated, the characters are all super charming and it just feels good to read.

New 52 Harley Quinn: More super heroics but I would also call this another refreshing break from it all since it requires almost no pre-knowledge of DC events going on and are more focused on comedy. Conner and Palmiotti's art is always on point and I think this is really the height of Harley's character growth and it hasn't gone backwards yet cause it's been so strong. I've got all 5 volumes and I'd say they're definitely worth it.

Honorable mentions go to Sex Criminals, Wicked+Divine, and Spider-Verse. I haven't read them, but they always get talked about online and by people I know personally so they're probably worth a look.

There's The Invisibles by Grant Morrison, one of my personal favorites but definitely on the weird side. - http://www.amazon.com/Invisibles-Vol-Say-Want-Revolution/dp/1563892677/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320418749&sr=8-1

The Sandman books which are easily the most compelling modern mythology that have been put down in comic form - http://www.amazon.com/Sandman-Vol-Preludes-Nocturnes-New/dp/1401225756/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320418825&sr=1-1

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis, frequently called the best sci-fi graphic novel ever, and I tend to agree with that - http://www.amazon.com/Transmetropolitan-Vol-01-Street-Revised/dp/1401220843/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320418877&sr=1-1

And if you want a really strange series I'd suggest trying to find a copy of Jodorowsky's The Metabarons. Another one of my favorites, and his most accessible story (the man is a genius but he also appears to be completely insane until you get acquainted with the stuff he's done) but still, it's like Shakespeare meets connan the barbarian filtered through DBZ, fastened to a rocket made out of Warhammer 40k and shot into the sun.
http://www.amazon.com/Metabarons-1-Othon-Honorata/dp/1594650004/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320419305&sr=1-5

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson is a favorite of mine, kind of a weird fantasy/superhero riff that has some rather dark elements, but is generally funny and sweet.

Through the Woods by Emily Carrol is darker, a collection of some excellent, short scary stories (most structured like fairy tales) in comics form. If your daughter likes horror at all, I strongly recommend her work, she is very good. His Face All Red is collected in the book, and is a good introduction to her work.

Check out some more Matt Kindt work - Mind MGMT is fabulous, and I really enjoyed Red Handed.

Also, if you want the DC version of Civil War, released ten years earlier and (IMO) much, much better, give Kingdom Come by Mark Waid a look.

I haven't read Bunn's Deadpool, but IMO the absolute best Deadpool is Joe Kelly's.

Just some other books to check out:

• Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender (also available in Complete Collections)
  
  
• Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
  
  
• Planetary by Warren Ellis (Omnibus also available)
  
  
• Chew by John Layman
  
  
• Starman by James Robinson
  
  
• The Maxx by Sam Kieth
  
  
• Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli
  
  
• Bone by Jeff Smith (there's also a full-color edition but it's out of stock and much more expensive, not that it matters - the art is considerably better in black & white)
  
  
• Stray Bullets by David Lapham (you can get individual volumes for about $12-$15 bucks each but there's 12 of them, the $45 omnibus is considerably better value for money)
  
  
• Scalped by Jason Aaron.

Don't worry, I've read all of the Calvin and Hobbes strips many, many times.

One more question for you if you don't mind.

Looking at Bone on Amazon, I'm seeing two things. One is the Bone: The Complete Cartoon Epic in One Volume, while the other is what it looks like you probably got BONE #1: Out from Boneville.

The all-in-one obviously is the original black and white, but the paper is supposed to be incredibly thing (but conveniently has everything). The second one is apparently a later re-color, but would likely have better paper, but is split among multiple books.

Would you have a recommendation/insight on which to probably go for?

Edit: Just ordered the first 3 of the individual volumes. That collection looked like it would be unwieldy. Between the size and better paper, I think I'll enjoy the individual volumes better.

TBH, I feel like a lot of what's recommended is a little heavy for a 14-15 who doesn't like to read much. Instead, here's a list that I think he may like as it's rich in imaginative fantasy and engaging story:

Joe the Barbarian
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Barbarian-Grant-Morrison/dp/1401237479

I Kill Giants
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Barbarian-Grant-Morrison/dp/1401237479

Secret Identity (this is a really well done coming of age superman story)
http://www.amazon.com/Superman-Secret-Identity-Graphic-Novels/dp/1401204511/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407248102&sr=1-2&keywords=secret+identity

Sword
http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Complete-Collected-Deluxe-Hardcover/dp/1607062801/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407248155&sr=1-2&keywords=sword+luna+brothers

Hopefully you find something he will like in this list, if you have any questions about what I posted, let me know. I'd be more than happy to expand on any of them as they're all personal favorites of mine.

All Ages

• Fable Comics | Charise Mericle Harper
  
• Fairy Tale Comics | Telgemeier, Thompson, Mazzucchelli, et al.
  
• Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye | Colleen AF Venable
  
• Hilda and the Troll, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Hilda and the Black Hound, Hilda and the Bird Parade, Hilda on the Stone Forest | Luke Pearson
  
• Julia's House for Lost Creatures, Little Robot, Nobody Likes a Goblin | Ben Hatke
  
• Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, The Secret World of Arrietty | Yonebayashi & Miyazaki
  
• Marvel Age: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Team-up | McKeever, Dezago, et al.
  
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Superheroes, Super Heroes (2010), The Avengers | Sumerak, Tobin, David, Bejamin, et al.
  
• Marvel Universe: Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Avengers Assemble Season Two | Caramagna
  
• Mighty Jack, Mighty Jack and the Goblin King | Ben Hatke
  
• Nightlights | Lorena Alvarez
  
• Nursery Rhyme Comics | Thompson, Mignola, Telgemeier, et al.
  
• Power Pack | Simonson, Brigman, et al.
  
• Tamsin and the Deep | Brown & Cameron
  
• Thor: The Mighty Avenger | Roger Langridge
  
• TOON books: The Shark King | R. Kikuo Johnson
  
• Usagi Yojimbo | Stan Sakai
  
• Zita the Spacegirl, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl, The Return of Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke
  
  Ages 8+
  
  
  
• Adventure Time | Ryan North
  
• The Adventures of Tintin | Herge
  
• Amulet | Kazu Kibuishi
  
• Asterix | Goscinny & Uderzo
  
• Atomic Robo | Brian Clevinger
  
• The Backstagers | James Tynion IV
  
• Bone | Jeff Smith
  
• DC: The New Frontier | Darwyn Cooke
  
• Five Worlds | Siegel & Siegel
  
• Gotham Academy | Becky Cloonan
  
• Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away | Hayao Miyazaki
  
• The Legend of Wonder Woman | Renae De Liz
  
• Lumberjanes | Stevenson, Watters, Ellis
  
• Moomin | Tove Jansson
  
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Reeder & Montclare
  
• Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard | David Petersen
  
• The Nameless City, The Stone Heart | Faith Erin Hicks
  
• Nimona | Noelle Stevenson
  
• Roller Girl | Victoria Jamieson
  
• Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts | T- | Raina Telgemeier
  
• Star Wars | Jason Aaron
  
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eastman & Waltz
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man | Brian Michael Bendis
  
• A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle
  
  Ages 12+
  
  
• Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling | Tony Cliff
  
• Giant Days | Allison & Cogar
  
• Nimona | Noelle Stevenson
  
• Most superhero comics at DC and Marvel
  
  Resources:
  
  
• goodokbad
  
• comicbookresources
  
• comicsintheclassroom
  
• ilovelibraries
  
• pastemagazine
  
  EDIT: removed Godzilla
  
  EDIT2: added content rating sections, reorganized entries, removed inappropriate entries
  

My favorites are really obscure, you probably haven't heard of them:

Fashion in Action

Journey, Vol. 1

Journey, Vol. 2

Toadswart d'Amplestone

Moonshadow

Now, I know, I know, you said "non-Superhero" but I'll also give you 3 superhero books that might change your mind.

Starman Omnibus Vol. 1

Tom Strong Vol. 1

Astro City: Life in the Big City is currently FREE on Kindle and Comicsology!!!

Start with Hellboy Omnibus 1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506706665/

That includes vols 1 and 2 as well as several of the early short stories.

Then just go through the 3 following omnibus vols.
___

Books like BPRD and Witchfinder and Abe Sapien are fun spin-offs from Hellboy but are unnecessary to enjoy and fully appreciated Hellboy.

If you want to get into BPRD (because it's great!) alongside Hellboy. It begins right after the Conqueror Worm story in Hellboy Omnibus 2.

The Hilda series by Luke Pearson is really great. I think Hilda and the Troll is the first one, but I don't think they necessarily need to be read in order.

Also, all the Raina Telgemeier. She has Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts, as well as graphic novel versions of the Babysitter's Club books that are fantastic. And Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.

"In bulk" is kind of a funny criterion. Do you ever hear someone asking for a really long book? I think you'll find that the GNs on the sidebar are all amazing, even though they don't come in a large collection.

That being said, I think the complete Bone collection is decently priced ($22 !!). The paperback version of the complete Calvin & Hobbes looks to be priced insanely cheaply ($62) for the quality. It also looks like you can get the entire Y: The Last Man collection for $100.

I've built my collection (relatively) cheaply as follows:

• Get a list of the main books you want in your collection
  
  
• Check their prices on amazon to get an idea of their usual retail price and their sale price (which in many cases is %50 to %66 of the sticker price)
  
  
• Check your local used book store. (This is usually the cheapest option)
  
  
• Check the bargain bins at the big book stores. (You can sometimes get a real steal)
  
  
• Repeat these last two steps over and over.
  
  
• If you really want something break down and get it on Amazon.
  
  
• I rarely buy books from big book stores at retail price. I can't bring myself to pay 40$+ for a volume of Akira that is printed on newspaper. Argh!
  
  
• If I am going to pay full price for a comic I make sure that I buy it from my local comic shop.
  
  edit: formatting
  
  

We are currently in a golden age of Graphic Novels. My favorite thing is Monsters is the best graphic novel written in the last ten years. Anything (non superhero) by Jeff Lemire. The Hana Barbara reboots (Flintstones and Snagelpuss) are amazing. Fun Home is heartbreaking. Asterios Polyp

​

Nice! You're welcome :)

If you're not reading digital and money isn't an issue, get the oversized library editions!

If you want to go cheaper, either get the TPB (just start with Hellboy Vol 1: Seed of Destruction) or, if waiting is not a problem, they're re-releasing the whole series as omnibuses starting in may (4 consecutive volumes and 2 short story collections). That should be the most cost effective option to get the whole story.

Jason is kind of unique. He tells fiction with often long passages of no words. He has a really subtle sense of humor. You would have to look to alt comix for similar comics, stuff like;

Daniel Clowes - He's got a dry sense of humor and often writes satirically about life and culture. You can check out the movies he made with Terry Zwigoff, Ghost World and Art School Confidential.


Charles Burns' work is often surreal and some what disturbing though fascinating at the same time. he is most famous for his massive Black Hole about teen age STD's gone wild. He just finished a trilogy which is part auto bio and part surreal dream sequences, X'ed Out, The Hive, and Sugar Scull

I guess you could include David Mazzucchelli's Asterios Polyp in this group of similar works though it's really original. It's about an architect that goes through a midlife crisis though it's one of the most inventive graphic novels to ever have been made. He uses every aspect of the comic to communicate to the reader, from the drawings, to the type face, to the color and even the very design of the book. It's a must read experience, thought completely unique.

Robert Crumb often has a dry, satirical sense of humor to his work. He is most famous for his 60's underground comics as shown in the Complete Crumb #4. He's done some really beautiful biographical work like his Patton about country blues musician Charley Patton. His newest work is the illustrated Book of Genesis a massive strait comic adaption of the Bible.

I've found Maus, which you might've heard of, to be an effective gateway drug. It's standalone and doesn't require any previous intimacy with the medium to be enjoyed.

If you are looking for something on the lighter side of things, Bone is a fantastic comedy/action adventure. I recommend the ridiculously priceworthy 1300 pages all-in-one edition ($23!).

The Virtual World of Circus:

In 2045, the planet has a new global superpower - the virtual Universe known as Circus. Accessible in seconds from anywhere on Earth, Circus is everything that modern VR wishes it could be - a fully immersive fantasy experience where everything looks, feels, and tastes completely real. The virtual landscape is composed of hundreds of disconnected "zones," which can be as large as a dozen miles across or as tiny as a studio apartment. Each zone has been developed by users into a unique environment, from cyberpunk metropolises, to lavish casinos, to jungle tree-house hamlets, to idyllic island resorts.

But Circus is more than a game - it is an autonomous nation with its own economy, fashion, industry, politics, exchangeable currency, and law. The GDP of Circus has surpassed Finland's, and its money - called "credits" - trades at better rates than the Japanese Yen. By 2045, the concept of a virtual world has evolved, so that it is no longer simply a place to live out fantasies; it is a gathering place, a home, a place to go to work, or fall in love, to become wealthy, or famous, to drink away the sorrows of the day, or build an empire.

The Bazaar, Lakeside, and Musi's Cottage:

Two of the important zones in the virtual world of Circus include a virtual metropolis called The Bazaar - which looks like a cyberpunk version of Tokyo and is the most densely populated section of the virtual Universe - as well as the luxury resort getaway of Lakeside, a paradise playground open exclusively to members of the virtual uberwealthy and elite. There are also "private" zones, like Musi's Cottage, accessible only with the permission of the zone's moderator or owner. These zones are only available to users who are willing to pay large sums of money to rent them. Customization costs extra.

---

The Story of BLUEFALL:

When the creator of the powerful virtual Universe, “Circus” is murdered, LAPD detective JULIAN AMBROSE delves into the virtual world to find the killer and uncover the global financial conspiracy behind his death.

---

If you want to check out the graphic novel, you can preview a few pages for free on the Amazon page here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SBX93J9

Thank you!

Maybe he likes Asterios Polyp. It's not superhero stuff, but it's nice and the hardcover edition looks super fancy.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Planetary-Omnibus-Warren-Ellis/dp/1401242383

By Warren Ellis. I think it's his best work. Great stuff and certainly reminiscent of Watchmen.

If you ever feel like getting into the superhero side of things, another great series is Frank Miller's Daredevil run. It's collected in Omnibus format as well as three less pricey paperbacks, along with Man Without Fear and Born Again. His run is darker than your typical capes story, so it should be right up your alley.

Here's exactly where I'd start your kid. If you don't know, the ultimate universe was a line of books Marvel did for several years that was its own continuity outside their main earth-616 timeline. Ultimate Spider-Man largely follows the same story beats as OG Amazing Spider-Man but it uses the benefit of hindsight to trim the stuff that doesn't work, emphasize the stuff that was under-utilized, and so forth. Where your kid's concerned, it's very accessible and it's a complete story that runs for many more volumes after this and never changes author. It seldom even changes artist. It's my top recommendation for anyone who wants to get into Spider-Man but might not enjoy the 60s stuff right away.

How about Asterios Polyp?
It could be described as a serious work: an architect's apartment burns down, and he leaves on a journey to find meaning and examine his life. Some really clever art to compliment the themes and characters of the story as well.

Asterios Polyp was a really great read imo, I highly recommend it

Bone is really, really great!

Edit: you can buy it in it's entirety here but it may be a bit daunting at 1300 pages. You can also buy it in single volumes

Bone

Sandman by Neil Gaiman

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales
(Contains Somewhere Within the Shadows, Arctic Nation and Red Soul)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki

Asterios Polyp is pretty trippy. It's one that takes work, I think, it's not a super easy read, but it's really rewarding: http://www.amazon.com/Asterios-Polyp-David-Mazzucchelli/dp/0307377326 - Also, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch: http://www.amazon.com/Tragical-Comedy-Comical-Tragedy-Punch/dp/1563892464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368415202&sr=8-1&keywords=tragical+comedy+of+punch+and+judy