# The best graphic novel(long comic) is ... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385 "2000-06-04T19:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/21 "2000-06-05T20:04:16Z")
I’ve got to go with Rumiko Takahashi’s Maison Ikkoku. A great manga novel that took something like 6 years worth of weekly installments to come out. Human characters, a fine love story, actual honest-to-God character development (something notably lacking in most GNs, let’s face it), and uproarious humor from time to time. They’re currently available in 15 compilations from Viz comics. Worth it. If I have to choose a sort of mainstream thing I’d have to go with either V for Vendetta or Cerebus: Jaka’s Story. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guy_incognito/32/3920_2.png) [@Guy\_Incognito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/22 "2000-06-05T20:59:28Z")
Watchmen The Dark Knight Returns Black Orchid Kingdom Come The Killing Joke Arkham Asylum ---
**Author:** ![Iguana\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@Iguana\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iguana_Boy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/23 "2000-06-05T21:41:11Z")
The Watchmen is good. The Dark Knight Returns is better. The best however (even though it’s really a comic book series) is Cerebus the Aardvark - Church and State being the best parts, so far… ---
**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:** [June 6, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/24 "2000-06-06T00:19:35Z")
WOOOO-HOOOOO!!! 🙂 DC comics Archive Editions!!! Lots o Golden Age material, all printed on acid-free paper & library-quality bindings. The latest-- they are reprinting the ENTIRE Will Eisner “Spirit” comics , from #1 onward, in the abovementioned archive edition bindings. This is on my Xmas list!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullroar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bullroar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullroar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/25 "2000-06-06T02:48:13Z")
Anything but Maus. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2000, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/26 "2000-06-06T05:55:38Z")
Agreed, except the Preacher is a comic book series. 😃 So what? Most of Dickens started out as a serial. 🙂 therefore: V for vendetta The Friendly ones (Sandman) A game of you (Sandman) From hell (Alan Moore, like V) And how about Like a velvet glove cast in iron (Dan Clowes, Fantagraphics!) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2000, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/27 "2000-06-06T09:13:36Z")
**Elektra: Assassin** ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/28 "2000-06-06T20:14:43Z")
Maus was deep; I can’t say I liked them, exactly… I’m also surprised no one has mentioned the two books in the Mage: the Hero… trilogy. Although I can’t for the life of me remember the name of the guy that wrote, drew & lost the rights to them. And Grendel vs. Batman. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2000, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385/29 "2000-06-07T02:33:09Z")
I don’t even know why I’m contributing (?) to this thread. But I don’t understand why the Preacher series shouldn’t be considered a “graphic novel.” It’s all one story, isn’t it? I’d never seen the “comic” version (I live in rural Iowa, we don’t even get Archie) but I tracked down Gone to Texas because Joe Lansdale (currently my favorite writer) did the intro. I got hooked and have all of them, and I think they’re great. So Preacher has my vote. Although it means nothing, since I haven’t read a single one of the other nominees. Ha! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-graphic-novel-long-comic-is/21385.md?page=1)