# Best Comic Trade Paperbacks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068 "2003-09-22T12:33:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/41 "2003-09-27T13:07:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darth Nader \* > \*\*I read the first two, and after that I didn’t bother checking if there were any more Phule books in print… Same with the Timescout books. Yuck. > > Maybe it was those nice editions of the first Myth books, the ones with the great illustrations, that grabbed me. > > Thanks, **Lynn**! \*\* As an aside, the Phule books (and the Timescout books) after the first two apparently are only Asprin because he got his name on the cover and supplied the initital idea and gets some of the royalties.\* In the case of Timescout, this isn’t too bad 'cause Linda Evans is a pretty good writer. In the case of the Phule’s stuff…his “partner” is, quite possibly, the worst writer in the history of the universe. The one that shows the Phule folks on a roller-coaster is so bad that it’ll make your eyes bleed. Fenris \*The story goes as follows: Asprin A) had writers block for years and B) was sloppy paying his taxes and was hit by the Government with a thingie where his future royalties would go to pay his back taxes. There was a loophole in the wording, though: if he collaborated with people he would be able to keep a lafger percent of his money than if he wrote solo. Hence all the collaborations. ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/42 "2003-09-27T13:46:44Z")
And now, a recommendation from FAR off the beaten path: Kaja and Phil Foglio’s “What’s New! with Phil and Dixie.” There are three of these, I think; they’re collections of the “What’s New!” comics that Phil did for Dungeon magazine, and the Duelist, and then Dungeon magazine again, I think. The second volume has a bonus: The long-awaited “Sex in D&D” feature analysis! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/43 "2003-09-27T21:40:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RobuSensei \* > \*\*And now, a recommendation from FAR off the beaten path: Kaja and Phil Foglio’s “What’s New! with Phil and Dixie.” There are three of these, I think; they’re collections of the “What’s New!” comics that Phil did for Dungeon magazine, and the Duelist, and then Dungeon magazine again, I think. The second volume has a bonus: The long-awaited “Sex in D&D” feature analysis! \*\* I can _strongly_ second these. I also recommend Foglio’s _Xxxenophile_ series of graphic novels. Very sexy, very funny, very fun. Not for kiddies. On a tamer note, Foglio also has a current series called _Girl Genius_. Given the Teeming Millions’ fondness for Mad Scientists, I think you’d like this series, set in a Europe _ruled_ by Mad Scientists. [http://www.studiofoglio.com/](http://www.studiofoglio.com/) _Xxxenophile_ also has its own site, just plug a dotcom on it. Also, check out the Oni Press GN’s _Blue Monday_, and _Hopeless Savages_. No superheroes, but two very great creations. [http://www.onipress.com/titles/titles.php?id=BM3](http://www.onipress.com/titles/titles.php?id=BM3) [http://www.onipress.com/graphicnovels/gn.php?id=70](http://www.onipress.com/graphicnovels/gn.php?id=70) Finally, this. [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563893355/qid=1064699250/sr=1-8/ref=sr\_1\_8/104-1270128-5363163?v=glance&s=books](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563893355/qid=1064699250/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/104-1270128-5363163?v=glance&s=books) ---
**Author:** ![Sketch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Sketch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sketch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/44 "2003-09-28T04:15:05Z")
I’ll second Dave Sim’s Cerebus, has Sim written anything else after that, why has he just disappeared? One that (suprisingly) I don’t think has been mentioned is Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai-great art and great story. Try Grasscutter, or the Dragon’s Bellow Conspiracy epic TPBs. ---
**Author:** ![Sketch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Sketch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sketch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/45 "2003-09-28T04:20:23Z")
I’ll second Dave Sim’s Cerebus, has Sim written anything else after that, why has he just disappeared? One that (suprisingly) I don’t think has been mentioned is Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai-great art and great story. Try Grasscutter, or the Dragon’s Bellow Conspiracy epic TPBs. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/46 "2003-09-28T04:45:18Z")
OOH! And all of the “Lone Wolf and Cub” collections! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/47 "2003-09-28T05:01:39Z")
OOH! And all of the “Lone Wolf and Cub” collections! ---
**Author:** ![\_Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e47c2d/32.png) [@\_Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Tim)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/48 "2003-09-28T07:34:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sketch \* > \*\*I’ll second Dave Sim’s Cerebus, has Sim written anything else after that, why has he just disappeared? \*\* Actually, he’s still writing it. He has been saying it’s a 300 issue limited series since 1977, and it’s on schedule to conclude with issue 300 in March 2004. (the _Cerebus_-titled volume collects issues 1-25.) I’d recommend the next three TPB volumes after the first one also, though I started to enjoy the series less after that…I haven’t been reading it lately. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/49 "2003-09-28T18:51:39Z")
Some of my favorites: **Age of Bronze** , by Eric Shanower. The story of the Trojan War told in a realistic manner (no supernatural stuff at all, except in dreams). **The Ring of the Nebelung** by P. Craig Russell. Absolutely beautiful art. All the **Flaming Carrot** collections are great. I think there are four. If you like alternative stuff, go for **Legal Action Comics** vols. 1 and 2. Really funny anthologies and it’s for a good cause. Johnny Ryan’s **Porta Johnny** is amazingly offensive and hilarious, as is the complete **Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers** by Gilbert Shelton. That last one is one of the funniest comics I’ve ever read. For superhero stuff, my all-time favorite collections are DC’s **Greatest … Stories Ever Told** books. They may not be in print anymore but you can still find them pretty easily at comic stores or online for cover price. ---
**Author:** ![Suzene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Suzene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suzene)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/50 "2003-09-29T09:37:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by phreesh \* > \*\*So, what am I missing? \*\* The first two **Fables** trades by Bill Willingham. The first four **Elfquest** trades by Wendy and Richard Pini. Marvel’s **Squadron Supreme** TPB. Suzene ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068/51 "2003-09-29T10:41:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darth Nader \* > \*\*Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that anything [Dave McKean](http://www.dreamline.nu/) did the artwork for is worth owning. \*\* I second that notion passionately. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-comic-trade-paperbacks/203068.md?page=2)