Your top favorite graphic novels of all time?

[1upmushroom]

This is just an opinion based thread. What are your top favorite graphic novels of all time?

Here's my top 10.

10. Batman: Arkham Asylum: While an otherwise despicable novel with a disturbing backstory and very little action, it's on the list because of the artwork. The artwork is gritty, dark, and creepy up to a Tim Burton degree.

9. The Mask (First series): While not technically a graphic, the Mask was a very interesting and great comic published by an early Dark Horse comics. However, it's also ungodly violent. With many deaths, lots of blood, and cursing.

8. Batman: Year One: In this retelling of Batman's first year, we see a lot of old friends get reintroduced like. Commissioner Gordan, Catwoman,Batman. (Of course) and a mention of the Joker at the end. The artwork is also good, with a nice gritty touch to it.

7. The Dark Knight Returns: This is the comic that got Frank Miller famous. A story set after the retirement of Batman, Bruce Wayne feels the need to get back into action. While I like the plot, the artwork is kind of conflicting both realism and plain style. It just looks off to me.

6. Joker: A mafia like take on the Joker with his Heath Ledger design, Joker is an interesting take on everyone's favorite clown prince of crime, told from the view of one of his henchmen Johnny Frost. The artwork here is very very good, choosing to do a realistic looking piece. Though it does often switch from 2 different styles. Read it and see what I mean.

5. Super Mario Adventures: This is a very fun read, with a nice art design like the games and a nice simple story with elements surprisingly similar to the 91 draft of the SMB movie. It's also witty, has a lot of Mario fan fare, and will appeal to almost all Mario Fans.

4. Swamp Thing Volume One: The first volume of Alan Moore's run on the character, this first volume is a great start to the Alan Moore Swamp Thing Run. With a good storyline, and fantastic artwork for the first time.

3. Batman: The Killing Joke: My personal favorite of Joker comics, The Killing Joke has perhaps one of the best artwork in history that's enhanced in the Deluxe Edition. I also like liked the idea that the rivarly of Batman and Joker has reached a point where the simple arrest method is not an option and it may end in blood. Also the backstory thing was alright. The only other thing to comment on is the chilling ending.

2. Watchmen: One of the first comics that got Alan Moore some attention was Watchmen.
A 12 issue graphic novel with good artwork, Watchmen also had a great cast of characters, my favorites being the Comedian and Rorshach. Watchmen had alot of action and also a lot of story. It also had many clues to the ending and many red herrings as well.

1. V for Vendetta: A classic story of a futuristic britain ruled by a facist government suddenly torn down by one anarchist named V. With great artwork and a nicely setup future, V for Vendetta also makes it clear. In this story, there are no heroes only villians. And I like that. It's refreshing.

So what are your top favorites?

[Redstar]

I'm not a big comic/graphic novel kind of guy, though I have read Watchmen. It was pretty food. That's all I have to say about that, so you'll just have to wait on Phlibbit, our resident superhero expert.

[Serum]

Let's see...

Watchmen, I find to be a little long and overrated-- though I do like the story. I just thought the film had a better ending and was paced better.

My all time favorite graphic novel is Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns," but I hated the sequel "The Dark Knight Strikes Again."

The "Transmetropolitan" graphic novels are amazing, especially to fans of Gonzo journalism and Hunter Thompson.

I enjoyed the "Battle Pope" graphic novels, as well as "The Death and Return of Superman."

I used to have "Super Mario Adventures" but I lost it in a flood, and I've also read the "Silent Hill" omnibus, which I highly recommend.

That's about all I've read. As you can see I'm more of a DC person than a Marvel person...