Cool to see it on the list with Sandman, Y:The Last Man, Watchmen, etc. Good list, all 'round.

k8cre8 | February 07, 02:46 CET

Yeah, it is good that Y:The Last Man got a nod, despite the fact it was last on the list. So sad it's over. :-(

userpjx | February 07, 02:53 CET

I'd have to say Joss' run on Astonishing is easily in the top three of accessible X-Men comics. (which is no doubt why Whitney chose it for a starter book) There's lots of great X-stories out there but Joss was able to choose a small band of characters versus every other X-title with huge casts (Uncanny anyone?). Way too hard to keep track of storylines and overwhelming amount of different teammates. With Astonishing, Joss was able to cut out the fluff and get down to the story telling.

I also highly recommend anything by Craig Thompson. He's on the POP Candy list with Blankets. Blankets is as thick as a phonebook and you'll read it in one afternoon because you wont be able to put it down. I met the author/artist at a comic show and he drew a kickass sketch in my book! If anyone is interested, I can post it.

More kudos to Joss! Yay!!

alexreager | February 07, 03:13 CET

Good point, alexreager! It's very accessible as you say, and, yet, doesn't forget long-running X-fans either. Not an easy task. I guess, though, our Mr. Whedon excells at such challenges (i.e. Serenity).

k8cre8 | February 07, 03:26 CET

Once upon a time I had like a 14 book a month habit and the X-Men were my cornerstone. But Marvel HAD to just keep expanding the world and having all those damn cross-overs into books I didn't even like just to follow the story and I just had it. I gave up. I quit cold turkey. But I miss them. I found out about Joss's run somewhere about #18. Maybe I'll try again now that the graphic novels are coming out. He's already got me buying again with S8 & A-ATF.

I just finished a graphic novel called CAIRO by G. Willow Wilson, art by M. K. Perker that I quite liked as well.

BreathesStory | February 07, 07:46 CET

I can't remember the last time I couldn't wait to read the next issue of a comic book until Astonishing X-Men...but it must be decades. Great now I am dating myself.

magnus carnage | February 07, 08:06 CET

I repeat myself when under stress...I repeat myself when under stress...

[ edited by magnus carnage on 2008-02-07 05:07 ]

magnus carnage | February 07, 08:06 CET

It's a great list. In fact, no offense intended, but I wouldn't put AXM on it - I just don't think it's as sublime as the other titles (Pekar excepted - I've never been able to get into his stuff). You need an X-Men title? One of the Byrne/Claremont collections, preferably the "Days of Future Past" TPB.

For Joss representation, I'd rather see "Fray." Or even the first BtVS Season 8 TPB.

SoddingNancyTribe | February 07, 08:33 CET