There are two Paul Duffields (actually there are probably hundreds but two are relatively well-known). A British Paul Duffield who is an artist and an Australian Paul Duffield who is a football player. I was making a joke about this but I then realized if I did it straight, somebody would think I was being serious.
Try the Whedon/Cassaday run of Astonishing X-Men. They are all available in trade paperback format and won the 2006 Eisner Award for “Best Continuing Series.”
What about Judge Dredd? The movie was hilarious (although I got a little mad that the tough as nails woman judge only got to fight Joan Chen. Even that recently women are relegated to catfighting while men are allowed to have the “real” battles). Anyway, is the comic more serious?
Well, here’s a good graphic novel with excellent reviews: Daytripper
For something a little more off the wall, I enjoyed Creature Tech
And I second the recommendation of Y: The Last Man
The Batman story arc that drew me into comic books was Hush. Both the art and writing are superb although the story gets a tad weak towards the end. Fables is definitely an excellent comic, one I’d recommend above Sandman actually, as much as that may sound like heresy to fans. I think it is a far more accessible comic, especially for people who’re new to the medium. I actually don’t know of any comics that do comedy well, or as well as books. There is stuff like Calvin and Hobbes of course, but I don’t think comic strips are under discussion. The funniest comic books I’ve read involve Deadpool, who is a Marvel character. You could give those a whirl.
If webcomics are allowed, you must try Girl Genius. It is set in a steampunk/gaslamp setting, often hilarious, always brilliant, and, best of all, entirely free.
I don’t like the idea of webcomics. True, there are some very funny ones, but don’t I spend enough time in front of my computer? And my Kindle? Sometimes you just want a good old real thing in front of you, not virtual.
That doesn’t mean I won’t ever try them, but let’s please keep this thread to comic books not in the virtual media. Thank you. 
I am trying to get back into comics and it is daunting. Many things have been posted, such as talking to people at the comic store or looking at titles you like, and that’s a good start.
I decided to get back into them because DC did a “reboot” last year about this time with 52 titles. You still sometimes see the new DC 52 and that’s what this is about. I picked up about a dozen titles, but, at the time, only stuck with two. And then I found out the problem.
Even when I was first into comics, 80s and 90s, you could get a fairly good, moderate sized story in one issue. Maybe two short stories based on that universe. However, what I found when I read these new comics, on the individual level, was that there wasn’t a story there, just a plot. So, very few hooked me.
But, now that it’s been a year, the trade compilations (which can be hard or paperback) are coming out. This is good and bad so far.
I remember the OP started the Babylon 5 thread, and I’m a big fan of B5, so here is what I found with these new compilations.
I’m not happy that there are umpteen cross overs. Back in the 80s and 90s, Marvel did it often but DC rarely did until the late 90s. Now, if you like Batman, you might see the Night of the Owls. And it crosses over five or six titles! I don’t like that, so I’m irked about that.
It’s not a true reboot as well. I don’t know how much they pared it down but this is not a reboot.
I read the first issue of Catwoman and thought it was okay but there was no direction in it. As I said above, a bunch of things happened but no real story.
Then I got the trades of the Batman title Night of the Owls and Catwoman. Much better. They still don’t give me the full story, in that it’s an ongoing saga, but there was much more there. I could nitpick Batman but that’s for another day. I do want to say that reading Catwoman was much better with six or seven issues compiled together. It had a much better storyline, a really good look into Selina’s character and her motivation and it left me wanting to know more.
I had only bought trade format for a while but now I really recommend it. Then, if you find there are titles that you really enjoy and can’t wait, maybe you switch to singles for them. But for the rest that you like but want more, wait for the trades.
(For myself, I get the DND comics and Shadow titles as they come out but am fine with trades for the rest just because I really like them and they did do well, for the most part, with the first issue. But that’s me and knowing some of the background of both of those titles helped.)
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoy them! I have loved comics for decades now and hope you do as well!
Well, since I’m currently catching up on the Caped Crusader, let me definitely recommend The Long Halloween. It’s an excellent story that I found quite easy to follow with only my basic knowledge of Gotham City. Most of the usuals make an appearance, but you don’t need to know tons of backstory to keep up.
Yes. But also no. It’s a lot darker than the movie, but also a lot more ridiculous. At its best, it’s a vicious satire of consumer-capitalist culture, the human tendency to groupthink and mass irrationality, and the simmering danger of fascism that lies just below modern society. At its worst, it’s an excuse for gross-out humor and ultraviolence. Worth reading at either extreme, IMO.
Also, Girl Genius is available in a very handsome dead-tree format.
I also liked Hush but not Return as much. I didn’t think I needed to know tons about it to follow the story.
I’d have to know what other sorts of art you liked to be able to recommend something specific, but my public library has a sizable “Graphic Novels” section–if yours does, also, you might try poking around there and checking out whatever looks appealing to you.
Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
It sounds like it should be a good fit, if you like an in-depth story and lots of text (besides being really good).
I like some graphic novels, so I’ll weigh in.
Get Sandman. The writing is excellent, and so is most of the artwork. I didn’t like a few of the artists at all, but for the most part, the art is perfect for the story. Also get the Death spinoffs. The first Sandman book (TPB) is actually a tribute to the older Sandman comics, which I didn’t understand when I first read it. Talking to the comic book shop owner, though, helped me understand and enjoy the book more. This series has ended.
I kind of liked Preacher, but the stories are mostly about a bunch of criminals. Jesse and Tulip are presented as heroes, and as likeable people, but they are really nothing better than a couple of car thieves who have fallen in love. Jesse has had a miserable upbringing, and he’s further been inflicted by a supernatural being, but still…he’s just a car thief. He might rationalize that he only steals from people who can afford it, but that doesn’t cut it with me. This series has ended.
I liked Y: The Last Man very much, except for the last book. That one felt like it was rushed, and I wasn’t completely happy with the ending. Yes, many of the women in the world have sex with other women. However, it’s not that they’re lesbian by inclination, it’s just that they would prefer to have sex with another person rather than masturbate, and the only other people around are women. Except for The Last Man. This series is ended.
Bone is good, and you can buy the whole series (which has ended) in one huge book. Having the whole series in one huge book is good in that you don’t misplace book #6, but bad because it’s unwieldy.
Fables is very good. Basically, fairy tales actually happened in another world/universe, where the rules are somewhat different. Fables might or might not come back to life after being killed. However, there’s a threat to the world(s) of the Fables, so they retreat to our world, where they try to make new lives for themselves. Those entities which are or can appear to be totally human can live in the city or at the Farm, but those who can’t pass as fully human must live at the Farm. Most or all of the talking animals, for instance, live at the Farm. The Fables have not stayed the same as they were when their stories became famous. Goldilocks is all grown up now, and she’s a bomb throwing anarchist, for instance. Prince Charming has been married and divorced at least three times. The Big Bad Wolf is still Big, but he’s a shapeshifter, and can appear as a somewhat hirsute human. He lives in the city community, and he’s given up being Bad. Or at least, this is how the Fables series starts.
I’ve tried a few Hellblazer collections, and while they were readable, I didn’t care for them.
Mostly, talk to the people who work in the comic shop, and listen to them. And if you decide to buy something, buy it from that shop, rather than from Amazon or a big box book store.
I recommended FreakAngels as a graphic novel and if you read it as such, you’d never know it was originally a web comic. But I felt it was only fair to tell you so you didn’t buy the books and then find out the material is available for free online.
Same thing with Girl Genius. You can read it as a book if you choose (and in my opinion it works better that way) but it’s available online.
The Lucifer spinoff is mostly good, too.
Ooooo, I loved the movie. Good one!
Well, I probably plan to go to the comics store tomorrow or Thursday, and I will be going at least semi-armed so I don’t just stand there slack-jawed going “uh…batman?” Thank you all for your help!
In my experience, you have your fiance tell you what’s worth reading. Then you go to conventions and end up with the weirdest collection of indie comics you keep meaning to read but don’t get around to. (Sorry, very nice guys who do Pinnochio, Vampire Hunter.)
My other half doesn’t like comic books. He doesn’t read a whole hell of a lot, mostly just pratchett and some nonfic.
I thought the Lucifer spinoff was excellent. I didn’t want to mention it here, because, well it only makes sense after the spinoff event happens in Sandman. Mike Carey is a really good writer. And since Hellblazer is being mentioned, I wanted to note that my favourite Hellblazer books were those by Mike Carey. Constantine is a sharper, cleverer character and the way he outwits the forces of hell is always satisfying during Carey’s run. Otherwise, I found it wasn’t exactly easy to get into Hellblazer. I read all of it, but it wasn’t always enjoyable.
Hush is fantastic. Gets my vote for the best modern Batman comic. And yes, Return of Hush, not so much.