Best Graphic Novels for Superhero Fans
The ever-expanding screen domination of Marvel and DC has brought about a revolution, with more fans than ever watching films and television series about superheroes. The popularity of the movies has also resulted in a revival of the comic book genre. Readers of all ages are now picking up some of the best graphic novels out there, featuring Captain America, Spiderman, Captain Marvel, Batman, and the likes. However, so vast is this genre that several great discoveries are waiting to be admired, for their art, their stories, and the nostalgia often associated with comics. We feature here five unique and best superhero graphic novels that should be in every fan's collection.
Deadpool Killustrated by Cullen Bunn and Matteo Lolli
The most entertaining anti-superhero in the comic-verse, reading a Deadpool graphic novel is a rib-tickling experience like no other. While there are several comics featuring the fast-talking, fourth-wall-breaking mercenary, a few stand out for their sheer brilliance. Dead Presidents is definitely one of his best graphic novels, but for book lovers, it has got to be Killustrated. In the know-how that everyone around him is a fictional character, Deadpool in this gem of a book goes on a rampage "butchering stories from literature's finest authors." Expect lots of excitement, gore, sarcasm, and pop-cultural references as Deadpool faces Moby Dick, Mowgli, Dracula, Frankenstein, and Sherlock Holmes, to name just a few.
Thor and Loki – Blood Brothers by Robert Rodi
Blood Brothers works on the premise of how one needs to be careful of what they wish for, by making the trickster Loki's innermost desires come true. Victorious over Thor, Loki now commands over Asgard. However, it isn't as he imagined, for the pressure to rule and the ego boost that he experiences, leads to unimaginable turmoil. It's a moment of introspection for Loki, where he relishes the advantages of his newfound power but is simultaneously unable to comprehend a growing void inside him. Considered one of the best superhero graphic novels ever, Blood Brother is unlike your typical action-adventure comic. Robert Rodi's masterpiece is, in fact, a thought-piece, complemented beautifully by the breathtakingly stunning art of Esad Ribic.
The Best of The Spirit by Will Eisner
Will Eisner is known as the father of graphic novels, responsible for coining the term. His comic, A Contract with God, is one of the most powerful and amongst the best graphic novels ever. However, The Best of The Spirit is where Eisner delves into the superhero genre, albeit in his own unique way. The Spirit, a detective back from the dead, is Central City's savior, the dashing hero who always gets the girl in the end. However, the brilliance of Eisner's work lies in his panels and story-telling style. There are comics where The Spirit takes up a supporting role, with the readers being privy to a world seen through the eyes of the common man caught in-between a situation or, in one case, even the killer. Originally written in the 1940s, Eisner's The Spirit is full of human emotions, thrill, and excitement. It is also, undoubtedly, the inspiration behind some of the greatest superhero works to come out later.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Half-Shell
Initially published in 1988, the 25th Anniversary edition of Heroes in a Half-Shell is a nostalgic ride you do not want to miss. More in tune with the TMNT cartoons, the comics in the book feature the four renaissance-artists named turtles - Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael - along with several characters remembered fondly by fans. There's the origins story of Be-Bop and Rock Steady in the collection, which also features the walking talking evil brain, Krang. Shredder, of course, is at his sinister best, and the butt of most jokes made by the Turtles. The art and coloring of the comic are a little amateurish, and the stories have a more teenage audience in mind. Still, Heroes in a Half-Shell is a must-buy graphic novel for all TMNT fans.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Minicomic Collection
An extensive volume, weighing over four pounds and consisting of well over 1000 pages, He-Man's minicomic collection is one of the best superhero graphic novels to own. Sized like a regular paperback, only thicker, this assortment, released by Dark Horse, features comics that accompanied Masters of the Universe toys sold since the early 1980s. The adventures of Prince Adam, who transforms into He-Man, as he fights, along with his friends, the evil Skeletor, are all wonderfully presented for fans of both the toys and the resulting He-Man cartoon series. Also included are some unpublished works, and interviews with artists who worked on the comics over the years. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an essential graphic novel to have for anyone who stood up on their couch and shouted "By the power of Greyskull" while extending a make-belief sword over their head.
