Best "Alternative" Comic?

[SweetZombieJesus]

Poll question: Best "Alternative" Comic?

Continuing my comic geekery, this thread is for the Preachers, the Sandmans, the Hellblazers, Transmetropolitans, Planetarys, and Top Tens of the world.

[Archae]

1. Extinctioners

www.extinctioners.com

[FlashHarry]

2. LOL!

I was going to say David Cross or Janeane Garofalo!

[SweetZombieJesus]

3. Heh, I would have said "Comedian/Comedienne" if that were the case

And David would win, with Patton Oswalt a close second ;-)

[Redneck Socialist]

4. I voted for Sandman, but...

I absolutely loved the Books of Magic. Does anyone else think Harry Potter was a rip off of this? Currently I like Fables, Lucifer, Y and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

[SweetZombieJesus]

6. All great books

I just realized I forgot "The Authority". I loved that book.

[dwckabal]

9. Not so sure about The Authority

since Warren Ellis turned it over to Robbie Morrison. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill!

[SweetZombieJesus]

11. Last I knew it had been cancelled because DC didn't like the "controversy"

But I've been out of commission for a while.

[Khephra]

12. It's back

But not nearly as popular. DC didn't get top-shelf writers, so interest has faded. I'm expecting a new creative team soon, if they want to keep the title afloat.

[dwckabal]

7. Sure Harry's a rip-off

Har-ry Pot-ter
Tim-my Hun-ter (OK, I know it's a stretch!)

Too bad The Hunter saga had to end (for now, anyway). I also like very much the new crop of Vertigo titles (Y, Fables, Lucifer)

[dwckabal]

5. OK, I voted for

The Invisibles, you could have put The Filth on there as well. I loved Transmet and Preacher, but my current favorite is Planetary.

Warren Ellis is currently my favorite writer, with Garth Ennis a close second, followed by Grant Morrison, Frank Miller, Jeph Loeb, and Neil Gaiman. I love Garth's Punisher (I just bought 2 signed Garth Ennis scripts, one for Thor: Vikings #2 and the other Punisher #29--sweet!

Plug: If anyone in this forum cares about freedom of speech (and I know you do!), become a memeber of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It's tax dedutable, and the money goes to help comic creators and sellers who are being prosecuted for violating "obscenity" laws around the country.

http://www.cbldf.org

[CanuckAmok]

8. I liked "Stickboy" n/t

[Khephra]

10. I picked "The Invisibles"

But that was the hardest poll pick I've made in ages. I love each and every one of those books!

Promethea should also get a special mention.

[Cleve Steamer]

13. Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware

Runners-up: Eightball, Crumb's new stuff (Mystic Funnies, etc.), anything by Beto Hernandez.

The items listed in the poll just seem like traditional long-underwear/fantasy/sci-fi titles with an "alternative" gloss. :shrug:

[SweetZombieJesus]

14. Sorry, haven't read any of those non-superhero books

It's not like I purposely left them out, I'm just not that familiar with them. Enlighten me.

[Cleve Steamer]

19. You're missin' out!

Here are some links for the above-mentioned creators:

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/acme/acme.html

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/clowes/clowes.html

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/lr/losbros/losbros.html

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/crumb/crumb.html


I should have mentioned: anything by Jim Woodring, too:

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/woodring/woodring.html


As far as the more mainstream "alternative" comics go, I do like Alan Moore's "America's Best" line. Even the new Top Ten spinoff (Smax) is worth reading.

Man, I remember when publishers like Pacific Comics and Eclipse Comics were "alternative" . . . sigh . . .

[Khephra]

21. We'd also have to throw in Johnny The Homicidal Manic!.

[Susang]

28. I love JTHM

The Squee series is pretty great too.

[oustemnow]

15. I'm splitting my "other" vote

for either Hate or Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman

[Cleve Steamer]

17. Reid Fleming!

I haven't thought of that character in years. For some reason, Reid Fleming brings to mind Flaming Carrot and the Mystery Men (Bob Burden's comic book version, not the shitty movie adaptation). Wasn't there a Fleming/Carrot crossover once?

[oustemnow]

22. the Fleming Carrot

would be a pretty funny hybrid. I don't recall there being a crossover, which is a far cry from saying it never happened.

I tend to link the two in my mind as well; maybe it was the fact that they were out at about the same time, had a similarly bizarre sense of humor, and I think had the same publisher.

Cleve Steamer; hmmm...isn't that slang for a particularly icky sexual practice?

[Cleve Steamer]

24. Wow, I didn't imagine it

And it was published less than a year ago . . . if nothing else, I'm glad to see that both creators are still alive!

http://www.darkhorse.com/news/press/pg_profile/sku_99373/index.html

[oustemnow]

25. I will definitely have to check that out

how the hell does Christopher Walken factor into it?

I'm surprised that it was published so recently.

[Fight_n_back]

16. Reid Fleming

Worlds Toughest Milkman

[oustemnow]

18. "78 cents or I piss on your flowers!"

Man, I wish they could've gotten that live-action movie version made way back when.

[PittPoliSci]

20. Dave the Potato

a wonderful book, i watched the guys that wrote it make a copy. they draw all copies by hand. its one of the funniest books i've ever read.

[Khephra]

23. You all might want to try Rex Mundi out too

http://www.shrunkenheadstudios.com/rexmundi/index2.html

[Susang]

26. Squee & Johnny the Homicidal Maniac

Jhonen Vasquez is brilliant. Ever see Invader Zim?

[AlienGirl]

31. I'm gonna sing the doom song now!

Doom doom doom DOOM doomy doom doom doom doom DOOM doom doom doom doom doom DOOM doom doom doom doom doom doom doomy doom doom DOOM doom doom doom doom doom doom doom DOOM doom doom doom DOOM!!!

Tucker

[WilliamPitt]

27. Too Much Coffee Man

[DS1]

29. Either "The Freak Brothers" or

Jhonen Vasquez's "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac"!

[catzies]

30. Life In Hell doesn't count anymore?

Man, I hope he keeps doing it forever even though the Simpsons will put his great-grandchildren through Harvard.