Favourite self contained graphic novels from the rest of the publishers?

[osakafanz]

What you got?

[Sparko]

Jeff Lemire's Essex County, Trillium, The Nobody, and The Underwater Welder to name a few of his one and done stories. For the most part, you can't go wrong with Lemire. Anything that's his own work. I read his Hawkeye and it never hit me like his completely original stuff.

[Sparko]

And let me dare not forget to throw in Atomic Robo. It's serialized, but most of the volumes work as self contained stories.

[George Geef]

I read Mooncop by Tom Gauld just yesterday. I must note that this is my first Tom Gauld experience.

Its all done with a minimalist approach: the artwork is simple, there isn't much dialogue, and it's intentionally basic. The humor is very deadpan, its different than most other things ive read, but im glad i read it. Its about a good-natured cop who lives on the moon, doing his job as everyone gradually leaves the moon to go back to Earth, all the while trying to deal with feeling deserted. Its a study in loneliness and isolation: these are clearly the main themes. The book has a melancholy tone to it throughout, peppered with a very dry, deadpan brand of humor. The setting is interesting too; it sort of shows what might have happened if Earth actually colonized the moon after the moon landing. We probably would have thought it was the coolest thing at first, then quickly get bored of it, and just head back.

The minimal dialogue makes it a real quick read. I liked it a lot. Its certainly sticking with me after putting it down.

[CaptCleghorn]

American Flagg #1-#12 by Howard Chaykin. The first series. Those 12 issues were set up as four three parters and formed a wonderful arc. Flagg is criminally underrated as a product of the 80s. It deserves to be up there with other brilliant works. It gets good lip service, but it's beyond good.

[osakafanz]

Keep the suggestions coming guys!

[Christopher the Barbarian]

American Flagg #1-#12 by Howard Chaykin. The first series. Those 12 issues were set up as four three parters and formed a wonderful arc. Flagg is criminally underrated as a product of the 80s. It deserves to be up there with other brilliant works. It gets good lip service, but it's beyond good.

Ah! Thank you for reminding me to reread this! Speaking of 80s, American Flagg is totally up there with L'Incal (my favorite after All Star Superman) and Akira (the manga, maybe too long for this thread?) as one of my favorite things. And if you want to go way back (late 70s so old), check out Luther Arkwright by Brian Talbot. Totally a big influence on Moore, Gaiman, Morrison, Fraction, everyone amazing!