non-canonical list of 52 comics, that you should still read
chrismaverick posted this "canonical list of comics" in response to the book canon lists. Now, I have issues with such lists (as anyone who read the previous two entries knows), but I like to rec comics.
This is no definite list, not even my definite list. This lists does not claim to prepare you for either European or American comics, it is not a required reading list for Comics 101, it won't enable you to follow every conversation inside a comic shop, it won't give you a historical overview, nor do I have agonized for hours/days weighing titles based on their artistic, historical, financial impact -- but those are not purely my personal favorites either. I love many comics which aren't anywhere on this list, nor are all on this list among my very favorites. If I had already gotten around to actually doing the comic recs page I envisioned when first starting my web site (years ago), I could simply point you there, to compare the the lists. For a few more comics done by women, see also my Wimmin's Comics page (though even that doesn't contain all my favorites, since I'm really bad with updates).
So here's my list, the titles are in the original language (mostly anyway, sometimes I'm not sure about the artists working for French-language publishers, if in doubt I'll go with the French title, because it'll be most likely the easiest to find). It includes only comics which I have read, or in case of series at least have read a substantial number of installments, not ones I've only heard about. Series are listed with my favorite issue/story if I can pick one, often just with the series title. Also I've tried to include examples from different genres, i.e. mystery, SF, horror, fantasy, western, historical settings, as well as non-genre works (sorted alphabetically, articles at the front don't matter):
120, Rue de la Gare, by Jaques Tardi and Leo Malet
Arzach, by Moebius
Asterix, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
Back to the Klondike, by Carl Barks (get a copy of the unabridged story, with the 5 pages that were cut out by the Disney company when it was first published in Four Color Comics #456) but really you should read all of the Duck comics Carl Barks did for Disney
Black Hole, Charles Burns
Bone, by Jeff Smith
Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson
Castle Waiting, by Linda Medley
C'était la guerre des tranchées, by Tardi
Les Cités obscures, by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters
A Contract with God, by Will Eisner
Corto Maltese, by Hugo Pratt
Dirty Plotte, by Julie Doucet
Dropsie Avenue, by Will Eisner
Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel
Feux, by Mattotti
Hate, by Peter Bagge
Idées Noires, by Franquin
L'Incal, by Moebius and Alexandro Jodorowsky
Iznogud, by René Goscinny and Tabary
Jar of Fools, by Jason Lutes
Jonathan Cartland, by Michel Blanc-Dumot
Krazy Kat, by George Herriman
La Marque Jaune, by Edgar Pierre Jacobs
Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, by Daniel Clowes
Life and Times Of Scrooge McDuck, by Don Rosa
Little Nemo, by Windsor McCay
Lucky Luke, by Morris and René Goscinny
Master Race, by Al Feldsteins and Bernie Krigsteins (in Impact #1)
Maus, by Art Spiegelman
Mort Cinder, by Alberto Breccia and Héctor Oesterheld
Naughty Bits, by Roberta Gregory
Objectif Lune and On a marché sur la lune, by Hergé (but really you should read all of Tintin)
L'Origine, by Marc-Antoine Mathieu
Optic Nerve, by Adrian Tomine
Pacush Blues, by Pti'Luc
Partie de Chasse, by Enki Bilal and Pierre Christin
La Quête de l'oiseau du temps, by Régis Loisel and Serge Le Tendre
Quotidiania delirante, by Miguelanxo Prado
Sandman, by Neil Gaiman (and various artists)
Saigon-Hanoi, by Cosey
Les 7 vies de l'Epervier, by André Juillard and Patrick Cothias
Signal To Noise, by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
The Spirit, by Will Eisner
Strangers in Paradise, by Terry Moore
Swamp Thing, by Bernie Wrightson and Len Wein
The Tale Of One Bad Rat, by Bryan Talbot
Twisted Sisters Anthologies, by various artists
Understanding Comics, by Scott McLoud
Watchmen, by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore
Weird Science & Weird Fantasy series, published by EC (various artists/writers)
Z comme Zorglub, by Franquin and Greg (but really you should read all of "Les Aventures des Spirou et Fantasio")
So which have you (not) read?
This is no definite list, not even my definite list. This lists does not claim to prepare you for either European or American comics, it is not a required reading list for Comics 101, it won't enable you to follow every conversation inside a comic shop, it won't give you a historical overview, nor do I have agonized for hours/days weighing titles based on their artistic, historical, financial impact -- but those are not purely my personal favorites either. I love many comics which aren't anywhere on this list, nor are all on this list among my very favorites. If I had already gotten around to actually doing the comic recs page I envisioned when first starting my web site (years ago), I could simply point you there, to compare the the lists. For a few more comics done by women, see also my Wimmin's Comics page (though even that doesn't contain all my favorites, since I'm really bad with updates).
So here's my list, the titles are in the original language (mostly anyway, sometimes I'm not sure about the artists working for French-language publishers, if in doubt I'll go with the French title, because it'll be most likely the easiest to find). It includes only comics which I have read, or in case of series at least have read a substantial number of installments, not ones I've only heard about. Series are listed with my favorite issue/story if I can pick one, often just with the series title. Also I've tried to include examples from different genres, i.e. mystery, SF, horror, fantasy, western, historical settings, as well as non-genre works (sorted alphabetically, articles at the front don't matter):
120, Rue de la Gare, by Jaques Tardi and Leo Malet
Arzach, by Moebius
Asterix, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
Back to the Klondike, by Carl Barks (get a copy of the unabridged story, with the 5 pages that were cut out by the Disney company when it was first published in Four Color Comics #456) but really you should read all of the Duck comics Carl Barks did for Disney
Black Hole, Charles Burns
Bone, by Jeff Smith
Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson
Castle Waiting, by Linda Medley
C'était la guerre des tranchées, by Tardi
Les Cités obscures, by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters
A Contract with God, by Will Eisner
Corto Maltese, by Hugo Pratt
Dirty Plotte, by Julie Doucet
Dropsie Avenue, by Will Eisner
Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel
Feux, by Mattotti
Hate, by Peter Bagge
Idées Noires, by Franquin
L'Incal, by Moebius and Alexandro Jodorowsky
Iznogud, by René Goscinny and Tabary
Jar of Fools, by Jason Lutes
Jonathan Cartland, by Michel Blanc-Dumot
Krazy Kat, by George Herriman
La Marque Jaune, by Edgar Pierre Jacobs
Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, by Daniel Clowes
Life and Times Of Scrooge McDuck, by Don Rosa
Little Nemo, by Windsor McCay
Lucky Luke, by Morris and René Goscinny
Master Race, by Al Feldsteins and Bernie Krigsteins (in Impact #1)
Maus, by Art Spiegelman
Mort Cinder, by Alberto Breccia and Héctor Oesterheld
Naughty Bits, by Roberta Gregory
Objectif Lune and On a marché sur la lune, by Hergé (but really you should read all of Tintin)
L'Origine, by Marc-Antoine Mathieu
Optic Nerve, by Adrian Tomine
Pacush Blues, by Pti'Luc
Partie de Chasse, by Enki Bilal and Pierre Christin
La Quête de l'oiseau du temps, by Régis Loisel and Serge Le Tendre
Quotidiania delirante, by Miguelanxo Prado
Sandman, by Neil Gaiman (and various artists)
Saigon-Hanoi, by Cosey
Les 7 vies de l'Epervier, by André Juillard and Patrick Cothias
Signal To Noise, by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
The Spirit, by Will Eisner
Strangers in Paradise, by Terry Moore
Swamp Thing, by Bernie Wrightson and Len Wein
The Tale Of One Bad Rat, by Bryan Talbot
Twisted Sisters Anthologies, by various artists
Understanding Comics, by Scott McLoud
Watchmen, by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore
Weird Science & Weird Fantasy series, published by EC (various artists/writers)
Z comme Zorglub, by Franquin and Greg (but really you should read all of "Les Aventures des Spirou et Fantasio")
So which have you (not) read?