# Suggest a cyberpunk noir graphic novel/comic **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077 "2003-11-13T19:50:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/1 "2003-11-13T19:50:40Z")
Can anybody suggest a good cyberpunk noir graphic novel or comic? I would consider a novel like Gibson’s ‘Neuromancer’ to be cyberpunk noir. Something dark and moody, preferably that takes place in a big city, and preferably something without big swords or superheroes. Something that’s futuristic, but still realistic (ie, takes place in the near future). Something that’s occasionally erotic, but not dirty. Am I gonna have to draw my own? 🙂 Any suggestions? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/2 "2003-11-13T19:56:16Z")
PS: Computers and gadgets are acceptable… AI & robots are not (even dumb robots)… PPS: Plot is more important than action. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/3 "2003-11-13T20:18:43Z")
Ghost in the Shell fits your description pretty well. Hell, it’s even based (somewhat) on _Neuromancer_ ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/4 "2003-11-13T20:45:57Z")
Try Paul Pope’s [**Heavy Liquid**](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563896354/qid=1068756020/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-0919742-7007043?v=glance&s=books) or **100%**. I haven’t read it, but the recently completed miniseries **The Filth** might qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/5 "2003-11-14T14:57:33Z")
While not fitting exactly the noir/Blade Runner angle, which would narrow the field (and get monotonous IMO) **The Difference Engine** William Gibson and Bruce Sterling don’t be put off by the fact that it _appears_ to be set in the past, it sure isn’t historical. **Heavy Weather** and **Distraction** Bruce Sterling **Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep** P.K.Dick the original Also some of Neal Stephenson’s stuff (I’m not up to speed with him yet) All of Gibson’s SciFi though I guess you know that 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/6 "2003-11-14T17:04:59Z")
Small Clanger, thanks for the suggestions… I’ve read a lot of those works. RIght now, however, I am looking for graphic novels or comics, not just good ole novels. Thanks, though! ---
**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:** [November 14, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/7 "2003-11-14T20:16:30Z")
This is too high tech, but it’s got a hard-boiled Private Eye, so you might like it. [http://www.studiofoglio.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store\_Code=SF&Product\_Code=STF038](http://www.studiofoglio.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SF&Product_Code=STF038) It’s fun! ---
**Author:** ![Montresor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@Montresor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montresor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/8 "2003-11-14T21:07:21Z")
I can’t believe that no one else has mentioned it, but **Akira** is pretty damn cyberpunk. Its also mind-bogglingly long, in manga form, which is why I’ve never read it. **Appleseed** , also by Masamune Shirow, while a little high-tech and extremely complicated, is a good read, and probably qualifies as cyberpunk (although not too noir). **Baker Street** isn’t really sci-fi, being a Sherlock-Holmes-as-class-London-punk concept piece, but its definitely dark. The only other suggestion I can think of, off the top of my head, is a short story (whose name completely escapes me) by James O’Barr, famous for **The Crow**. It was collected in an anthology I read maybe ten years ago, and asiduous Googling on my part comes up with a big goose egg. Maybe you’ll have better luck. Apparently some folks think **The Crow** counts as cyberpunk, but it was pretty heavy on the moping and the harlequin masks for my taste. I know, I know, O’Barr had some major issues he was working through, but any who thinks that book is punk rock probably thinks that The Cure is also punk rock, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/9 "2003-11-14T22:24:24Z")
Noir, by K. W. Jeter. He also wrote a couple of sequels to Blade Runner that might be easier to read. Read my [review of Noir](http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/03/29/211257&mode=thread&tid=126) at [slashdot.org](http://slashdot.org) I also suggest the duo Queen of Angels and Slant by Greg Bear. The former is very nearly exactly what you describe. You may also enjoy Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling. I second the recommendations of Heavy Weather and Distraction, by Sterling, as well as Zodiac by Stephenson. Heck, anything written by these authors is worth a read. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-cyberpunk-noir-graphic-novel-comic/213077/10 "2003-11-14T22:31:38Z")
Bill Sienkiewicz’s _Stray Toasters_. Originally published as a four-part series around fifteen years ago, it’s been recently reissued in a trade paperback edition. If you can find it, get it. Visually stunning, definitely noirish, dark and moody as they come. It’s not dirty, and whether it’s erotic or not depends a lot on your particular predelictions, but there’s a fair amount of sex and nudity. I’m almost glad that Sienkiewicz hasn’t done much else in the way of comics/graphic novels since, because almost anything would be a disappointment in comparison. You can see some of the art (though not the text) [here](http://www.graphiccollectibles.com/shopping/view_items.php3?id=10688387203fb52f40a01b8&cat=Comic+Art&subcat=Sienkiewicz+Stray+Toasters+2) ; perhaps the most representative item is [this one](http://www.graphiccollectibles.com/shopping/view_big.php3?id=5015) . Here’s the Onion AV Club [review](http://www.theonionavclub.com/review_pop.php?review_id=6916) of it, which gets it pretty close.