Yep, I'm finally getting around to writing another column! Amazing, isn't it? This one's pretty self-explanatory: my top 6 self-contained stories are the ones without forty years of continuity behind them, so you can get the entire thing and not be missing out on anything the story has to offer if you don't live in your mother's basement reading back issues. I keed, I keed. Why six? 'Cuz I was too lazy to write ten. So here goes.
First of all, I love continuity as much as the next guy. In fact, that's probably the biggest factor keeping me reading DC and Marvel Comics, since they essentially have their own mythologies, histories literally spanning billions of years and nearly 70 real years of stories behind them. That's incredible to me. But as much as I love that, sometimes it's nice to just read a tighter story that you don't have to be a die-hard fan to enjoy. A story where the writer creates everything he needs to tell the story, rather than relying upon others' creations to give the backstory.
There were a lot of comics I could have picked for this column. Some of them are relatively famous, some aren't. I didn't, for instance, choose Watchmen; I personally just didn't think it was nearly as spectacular as everyone else seems to think it is. I also could have chosen more indie books, but my exposure to them is honestly very limited. I've been branching out into less mainstream titles lately but I'm still sorely lacking in that department. So books like Blankets, which I've heard many a good word about, aren't on here, though I will likely add that one to my already-overstuffed bookshelf soon. The stories on my list are all very good, at least to me; but more importantly, they've all made me stop and think a bit, and, with all of the cookie-cutter comics out there, that's quite an accomplishment. While I love good ol' Spidey as much as the next guy, rarely have I returned to thinking about a Spider-Man adventure months or even years later. These are different. These have all really made me think about the world or my own life or something in a new way, and I think that's pretty cool. So here goes (and I mean it this time):
*Note that these are in no particular order. I love all of these, and I really can't pick a #1.*
#1: Rising Stars--JMS
Were I to pick an all-time favorite story, this would have a very good chance of getting that honor. JMS' 24-issue epic is absolutely phenomenal in its execution. What begins as a story about some kids with superpowers evolves into a murder mystery, followed by a touch of superheroic brawls, and ending with a truly thought-provoking climax. I really can't say much without spoiling a wonderful ending, but the story becomes much more than your average superhero fare. It deals with the fact that superheroes are essentially gods, and that they have the power to reshape the world if they would only work together and apply themselves. Rising Stars is actually 3 TPBs (or apparently a single omnibus edition as of a few months ago, though I've never actually seen a copy), each collecting an 'act': act 1 is the intro and murder mystery, act 2 is the superhero bit (and also, in my opinion, the weakest section), and act 3 is where the story matures and becomes exceptional. Everything comes together, everything is explained, and it all fits beautifully. You can't help but think about humanity as a whole reading the last act: our greatness, our folly, everything. I honestly can't praise the story enough. It's clever, and ir really does more for the superhero genre than most stories I've read. The art is fine too, though it does look somewhat bland in a late nineties/early whatever-we're-calling-this-decade kind of way. But it certainly does its job, and the focus here is really on the story anyway. Buy it. It's good stuff. Really. Quick side note: there have been a few miniseries going into more detail about the characters, but I haven't been too impressed by them, nor do they really affect the overall story. I wouldn't worry about them.
#2: Superman: Red Son--Millar
My favorite Superman story of all time. In an Elseworld setting, Superman's rocket ship lands not in the American Midwest, but in Soviet Russia and, as such, Superman is raised believing wholeheartedly in Soviet ideals. Hilarity ensues. Somewhat similar to Rising Stars, Red Son looks at the fact that Superman really is an uber-mensch. Assuming I spelled that correctly, this means that Superman is a genius, he's superstrong, and he can essentially rule the world singlehandedly. So he does. Lex Luthor over in America opposes him at every turn, and a Soviet Batman even joins in the fun. While a little knowledge of the DC universe doesn't hurt, you really don't need anything beyond simple name-recognition to get most of the nuances, and even without that you'd be fine. Again, like Rising Stars, the ending made the book for me. In fact, Red Son's ending utterly blew me away, boggled my mind, and did all sorts of other cliché things to me. Again, spoiling it would ruin everything, but it's a truly amazing ending that made me enjoy the book even more than I had when we were examining how Superman's control may have made him a monster instead of a hero. The saga of Superman's life is a very well-told and compelling one, and it really makes you think about what it means to be a hero. Again, good stuff.
#3: V for Vendetta--Moore
Everybody holds Watchmen as the gold standard of mature comics, but I firmly believe that title should go to another Alan Moore comic: V for Vendetta. Maybe it's just because I'm a fan of Orwell's 1984, but I absolutely loved V: the imagery, the theatrical elements, the story itself, the underlying themes present...I loved it. If you enjoyed the movie, you'll probably love the comic even more; if you didn't like the movie, read it anyway. The story of freedomfighter/terrorist V and his quest for anarchy is extremely well executed, and V is one of the most compelling characters I've seen in a work of fiction for quite some time. The contrast between his truest form as an idea and his human form as a vengeful, theatrical murderer is striking, and the entire story is brilliant in large part because of this. Though it gets bogged down by too much emphasis on the nuts and bolts of government sometimes, V for Vendetta is nonetheless a very powerful story. The ideas are very mature ones, the story a very cool one, and this sentence a very fancy one. Isn't that nice? I think so. Honestly, V for Vendetta is everything comics are capable of as a medium. Just like novels, comics are capable of producing true works of literature, and I think V is one of the finest examples years upon years of comics' publication has produced.
#4: Bone--Smith
Ah, Bone. Everybody who's read it most likely loves it. How could you not? Except for the fact that it's 1300 pages in its entirety, the story of the lovable Bone cousins and their adventures far from home are a combination of Lord of the Rings and Bugs Bunny cartoons, and it's simply a fun read. On the surface the cartoony art might turn some people off, but that really becomes a strength of the story. The art itself is phenomenal, as, even though the series took years to finish, the style is amazingly consistent throughout. On the story side, the fact that Bone is in fact 1300 pages is also a strength: characters can be developed to a degree not found in any other comic I've seen, and that makes them all even more lovable. Like Lord of the Rings, there is an entire world and mythology the characters inhabit, and both are fleshed out enough to give you a sense that the world of Bone has existed for centuries, and we're just reading about one small saga in their overall scheme of things. Like Bugs Bunny cartoons, there's enough of a sense of humor to get even the most surly reader smiling, as evil rat creatures discuss quiche and an old lady races cows (as in, she tries to run faster than them) for fun. Though I thought the ending could have been a bit better, Bone is nonetheless a great ride if you're willing to read it all the way through. And once you pick it up, you won't put it down, even if your arms can't hold up such a massive book for long. While not necessarily particularly thought provoking I suppose, Bone is a great example of how a good story should be told. So give it a shot. Two quick notes: Rose and Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails are both pretty good fleshings-out of the story, though they shouldn't be read until after you've read all of Bone; also, the one-volume edition is rather difficult to find, so either see if your library or comic shop has the individual books or buy the new colorized versions that are being released slowly right now.
#5: Wanted--Millar
This is the iffiest book on my list. While it's certainly thought-provoking, some people are sure to hate it pretty much beyond all other comics. It's about bad guys and the evil things they do, and it's most definitely not for children. Swear words, blood, guts, fecal matter, and sex are all quite prominent in this second Millar book on my list, so if any of those don't sound appealing to you, don't buy it. Simple as that. The last two pages will also either make you stop and think or make you throw the comic out the window; I personally found it insightful, while the owner of my local comic shop was enraged and offended by it. The story overall was good, though perhaps not spectacular; for me, though, the thought-provocation level was pretty high at the end. I recommend borrowing the book from a friend, a library, a store ('borrowing,' of course, being the active word there), or reading it in the shop, since you might hate it. Or you might love it, but see if you can avoid spending the money on it before you know. It's good, but it also has the possibility to turn you into a ball of living rage. And that can't be good for your blood pressure.
#6: Demo--Wood 
Demo is actually the most recent addition to my comics library, and I loved it overall. Yet another Brian Wood book I really enjoyed, Demo is a collection of 12 completely self-contained stories that have no bearing on each other whatsoever. It's also the clearest example I've seen of a series evolving over time, since, to be honest, I think Demo starts out somewhat weak. The first few stories deal with young adults with some kind of abnormality (read: superpower) which, while good, are somewhat less enjoyable because of the fantastical element added into what are otherwise very well-developed character studies. While I like superhero stories, I think the first issues would have been better if they dealt with normal people rather than employing what is essentially an out-of-the-blue surreal element to end very real stories. However, as you read more and more issues, they become less fantastic and more relatable: two of them, 'Mixtape' and 'Breaking Up,' deal with relationships in a way nearly everyone can relate to; others look at the evolution of friendships over time, or how people deal with personal convictions in the face of outside pressures. All of the stories certainly have something to offer, but I myself preferred the later, more down-to-earth tales. I highly recommend picking this one up as, much like Local, if you don't like one story you're sure to find one you do enjoy.
So there you go. These are, in my experience, some of the best comics have to offer. With the possible exception of Wanted, these are all truly great stories, and they've all made me stop and think (except for Bone, which wouldn't let me stop reading it since it was just a damned good story). When a story can do that, and when I carry part of it with me for years to come, I think it succeeds in a way most things never do. I began reading exclusively superhero comics, but the more I branch out, the more I realize what the medium has to offer. So put down your Batman comic and try something new (you can even start with the Superman one if you want); you might even learn something. Lighten your wallet and expand your mind. Materialism isn't good for blood pressure either.
As always, please feel free to leave comments/criticisms/love poems either here or in my inbox at aswindle@gmail.com
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"Realism and Art in Comics" will be an ongoing series, posted as more observations are made and more conclusions have been reached. The regular column, "The 25¢ Bin," will explore other topics.
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