You might also wanna try Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things. It’s a fun series about a young girl and magic and how magic can sometimes go horribly, horribly wrong. I love it.

iZombie is a really fun series, it’s so much fun. It’s got a very retro 50’s vibe from Allred’s art, but basically the main character is a normal girl except that she lives in a graveyard, eats brains once a month to survive, and her bestfriends are a Ghost and a Wereterrier.

Books of Magic is another great series. It started with a mini by Neil Gaiman, but became an on-going written by John Ney Reiber with art by Peter Gross (artist of Unwritten). It’s about a young boy who has discovered that he will be the single greatest magic user of his era and him coping with that and the strange crap that comes his way after his entire world has changed.

You can also check out Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld. It’s a 12 issue maxi series you can find easily on e-bay for cheap or you can buy the black and white Showcase Presents version. Basically it’s about a young girl who discovers that she’s actually the princess of a magical world known as Gemworld and when she travels there, she becomes a grown woman (due to time moving differently between the two worlds) and she has to face the evil Dark Opal who rules her world and is trying to kill her (of course).

If you liked the movie Inglorious Basterds, check out Time Bomb. It’s a time traveling comic where a group of elite soldiers go back into the past and kill some Nazis. It has that kind of fun, craziness of Inglorious Basterds.

The Unknown by Mark Waid. It’s a great story about a young woman that solves mysteries. She’s a kind of super sleuth like Sherlocke Holmes, but a little cooler.

Welcome to Tranquility by Gail SImone, basically it’s about a superhero retirement home and all the crazy inhabitants. It’s really fun.

Fallen Angel by Peter David. This started at DC and moved to IDW, so there are a bunch of different volumes out there. It’s about a strange woman named Lee who has come to Bette Noir, a dark and evil city that is reported to be the city that shapes the world. Lee has become a pain in the current “ruler’s” ass, Doctor Juris and has set up a “Court of Last resort” for those who need and want her help.

So there are some. Sorry you didn’t like I kill Giants. It’s one of my favourite comics of all time tho.

You didn’t like Bone Vol. 1?! It does get better since the first volume is an introduction everything. Try vol.2 of it. If you don’t love it, you should probably give it up forever.

I don’t think I’ve gotten past the fourth; maybe one day I’ll try again! Especially since there are apparently flat-chested characters! That would be a nice change from most comic style art. lol

I did read The Dreamhunters and loved it. Much better artwork!

Yeah, Gunnerkrigg Court! I love it!

I am rereading Sandman and spinning it out as long as I can by reading one issue each night. The only problem is that I keep getting confused and skipping issues, and having to go back and read them out of order. :/

Anyways, I know what you mean. I haven’t read all that many good graphic novels or comics to be a reliable commenter (nor can I offer any good alternatives…), but I often feel like the books I read are merely good and not as mind-blowing as I might have hoped they would be. And then I fall back on old favorites (which reminds me… I should really reread The Sandman…).

If I find the DWJ of graphic novels, I will let you know promptly, loudly, and often. :p

I read Understanding Comics (largely because of you!) a while ago, and I thought it was great. Scott McCloud is a funny guy. I’m kind of curious to read his proper book, Zot or whatever, but haven’t seen it at the library yet.

Yes, exactly. And I had waited so long to read this book, and built it up so much in my mind, it would have been hard for it to live up to what I wanted from it.

I have a high tolerance for magic, when it’s really magic, and it’s got rules, and people have to abide by the rules. But magical realism, any damn thing can happen and it’s just, like, oh yeah, that’s magical realism for you! It’s too vague.

Yeah, same. Why is magical realism so weird? I love magic! Surely inserting it into regular books should make them better! 🙁