Vertigo Comics

[InformationGeek]

A branch of DC comics who produced more adult and mature comics, like Sandman.  Recently, I've been trying to expand my comic book horizon or whatever you call it by trying non superhero comics.  Vertigo seemed like a right way to go since they have an interesting variety of stories.  I've read all of Sandman (It was... alright), try Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing (Couldn't get into it), read the first few issues of Y The Last Man (Very good, but I should probably be reading more), read the first volume of American Vampire (Damn good story.  I need to pick up a copy for myself), and have fallen in love with Fables.

For those who read comics and Vertigo in particular, anything you would recommend or think is pretty good?  I'm open to most things, so don't be afraid to suggest anything from their line.  Also, if anyone reads Scalped, can you tell me if it is any good or not.  I'm kind of curious about this one and no one in town has a copy to buy or loan.

[WilliamWeird1313]

Oh, sweet mamma jamma! I loves me some Vertigo goodness. LOVES it. Some oldiers but goodies you can find under the Vertigo banner that I HIGHLY recommend include...



Preacher, by Garth Ennis is my favorite, but I also love Grant Morrison books like...



The Invisibles

The Filth

Doom Patrol (much like Swamp Thing and Sandman, they moved The Doom Patrol from the main DCU for this run, as well as a few equally awesome runs afterward, before finally moving the team back to the main DCU years later)

Animal Man (ditto ...PS> this one is definitely worth checking out in that it involves a comic book superhero who becomes aware that he exists as fiction!)

WE3 (I'll let you look it up yourself, but, fair warning, it sounds a little weird and maybe not worth your time, but I've never met anyone whose read it and NOT loved it, ...deceptively brilliant)



Also HIGHLY recommended:

Transmetropolitan - by Warren Ellis

Shade The Changing Man - by Peter Milligan

Hellblazer

Terminal City

100 Bullets

Lucifer

Sandman Mystery Theatre (not the same as Gaimain's fantastical Sandman books, the Sandman Mystery Theatre retells stories from the original pulp-style Golden Age Sandman in a more impressively dark, violent, hyper-noir pulp manner... with small nods to Gaiman's OTHER Sandman series)

[dean]

I have never paid much attention to which company releases what outside of the usual Xmen/Batman fare but WilliamWierd's suggestions are very much a yes from me. I didn't realise most of these awesome series came out of Vertigo!  The more you know.

Since he's pipped me at the post, I'll add my two cents on the ones on his list that are a must for me:

Preacher.  It is AWESOME.  Get into it.  Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.

Transmetroplitan.  It is also AWESOME.  GET INTO IT! I love Transmet, because I love cyberpunk but boy is Spider one of the best characters created ever.

Doom Partol: Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol is fabulous.  I'd start with The Painting that Ate Paris, as that gives you a good idea of what you'll be in for for the rest of it [even though it's book two]

The Filth: Not everyone's cup of tea because of its subject matter, but if you like surreal depravity this is one to watch out for. 



Really everything on WW's list is great [of those I've read], but those are the ones that I keep reading over and over and over and over.  Y The Last Man is also a good read, so I'd recommend sticking with it, though personally it kind of fizzled near the end for me.

[Hammock Rider]

Sandman Mystery Theatre (not the same as Gaimain's fantastical Sandman books, the Sandman Mystery Theatre retells stories from the original pulp-style Golden Age Sandman in a more impressively dark, violent, hyper-noir pulp manner... with small nods to Gaiman's OTHER Sandman series)

  This is one of my favorite comics ever. It's amazing, even the occassional "off" story. I highly recommend it. The other suggestions are great too. The only thing I can add is that you might want to look up BEAUTIFUL STORIES FOR UGLY CHILDREN. It's officially published by Pirahna Press but I think that was connected to DC somehow.  The stories were weird, off beat and fantastical and sometimes pretty funny. I can't really peg them down any better than that. Each issue stood on it's own, and sometimes they were very unusual.

[WilliamWeird1313]

The only thing I can add is that you might want to look up BEAUTIFUL STORIES FOR UGLY CHILDREN. It's officially published by Pirahna Press but I think that was connected to DC somehow.  The stories were weird, off beat and fantastical and sometimes pretty funny. I can't really peg them down any better than that. Each issue stood on it's own, and sometimes they were very unusual.

Piranha Press was indeed connected to DC. Like Vertigo, it was a DC imprint meant to put out more mature and/or "alternative" style graphic novels. It died around the same time Vertigo was founded, so it can kind of be viewed as a precursor. In addition to Beautiful Stories For Ugly Children, Piranha put a few other noteworthy titles I'd recommend, particularly The Elvis Mandible, Invaders From Home, and Kyle Baker's Why I Hate Saturn.