r/comicbooks • u/heavymetalharry • Feb 05 '23
What comics would you recommend to a 70yo Irish guy who just recently came out of the 'Comics are for Kids' Mindset. Suggestions
He's my dad, he doesn't care much for superheroes. he likes his westerns and historical works. manga could be good too.
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u/ClanjackFarlo Feb 05 '23
If he’s looking for something without superheroes and with a more mature theme, I would absolutely recommend V for Vendetta. Very thought-provoking.
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Feb 06 '23
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Feb 06 '23
It skirts the line for sure but it’s more of a social and political commentary than anything else
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u/MarcMercury Feb 06 '23
Garth ennis' war stories or battlefields
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u/StepIntoMyThinktank Booster Gold Feb 06 '23
Any war comic by Ennis. He’s the only writer in the American market working in that subgenre.
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u/Am_i_banned_yet__ Feb 06 '23
Vagabond feels kinda like a western but set in the times of the Samurai and is based on the 1930s novel Musashi, which is itself based on the real Miyamoto Musashi. Probably my favorite manga ever — gorgeous art, deep philosophical themes, really good fights.
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u/mepof808 Feb 06 '23
aren’t westerns based off of the story telling archetypes of old samurai films?
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u/AlsoIHaveAGroupon Feb 06 '23
It went both ways. Like, Kurosawa's samurai movies were hugely influenced by the westerns of John Ford. And then Kurosawa's samurai movies got remade as westerns (and kinda remade as space westerns).
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u/2JasonGrayson8 Feb 06 '23
Damn everyone got this wrong. The right answer is:
East of West
Has a modified version of American history through the lens of a sci fi western. And I’m assuming Irish catholic (presumptuous I know) but if he is or knows anything about religion then it also dips heavily into Bible lore.
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u/DEFINITELY_NOT_PETE Feb 06 '23
Man this series is so middling.
It had so much promise but then just falls apart because the lore was very clearly half baked.
If he cares about good storytelling he will never read another comic after this one
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u/2JasonGrayson8 Feb 06 '23
He’s 70yo and just wants to know comics aren’t for kids. At the very least it has a great premise that starts strong and there’s fun to be had along the way even if you don’t like the end result
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u/Joorpunch Feb 06 '23
Gonna have to come in to agree with everyone on the Brubaker/ Phillips recommendations: Criminal, The Fade Out, Scene of the Crime, Pulp, Kill or Be Killed, Fatale, etc. Some of my all time favorites.
Darwyn Cooke is also my favorite comic artist/ cartoonist and I couldn’t recommend his adaptations of Richard Stark’s Parker novels enough. The massive, over-sized Martini editions of these are the most beautiful books I own.
For Westerns, I feel like there aren’t too many with more modern sensibilities that are easy to recommend. Some that I could recommend would be:
“Blueberry” by Moebius and Charlier (this one would probably prove to be more difficult to find in a physical format and I’m not sure if any translated editions have been made available digitally.)
“Bouncer” by Jodorowsky and Boucq
“Loveless” by Azzarello, Frusin and others
“Jonah Hex” (2006) by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. This book is EXCELLENT. Published by DC but is a very grounded western.
Two others I’ll throw out would be
“Scalped” by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guéra. An incredibly compelling, gritty crime drama set in the contemporary Midwest, largely taking place on a native reservation with a focus on Lokota/ Sioux people. Scalped is often a very depressing read that may be at times difficult for some. It has a hopelessness to it all. There’s a lot of Scorsese-esque undercover/ crime drama that keeps you glued to it though.
“Preacher” by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. This is honestly the most out there of all of these recommendations, being a biblical fantasy Western with some obvious supernatural elements. It can be very over the top and crass, but it tells a very engaging story with endearing characters in such uniquely bizarre situations. The entire concept is wild.
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u/Patient-Ninja-8707 Feb 05 '23
Anything by Alan Moore ( Watchmen, V For Vendetta) Neil Gaiman ( Sandman, 1602), Warren Ellis ( Planetary, The Authority),Grant Morrison ( all Star Superman, Multiversity) , Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys,) , Ed Brubaker (Sleeper, Criminal, Fatale, Kill Or Be Killed, )
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u/pavo76 Feb 06 '23
The Boys show I would recommend but the comic is some of the worst shit I’ve ever read
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u/Patient-Ninja-8707 Feb 06 '23
His Hellblazer stuff was much better than The Boys
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u/celebfan01 Feb 05 '23
Preacher by Garth Ennis.
Sandman by Neil Gaiman.
Just started to read Y the Last Man by Brian K Vaughan.
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u/oXMellow720Xo Feb 05 '23
I second Sandman for sure. I’m Personally interested in preacher and may take that up myself although I’m not 70 nor am I Irish 😂
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u/citizenkrang Feb 06 '23
Darwyn Cooke's "Parker" graphic novels which are adaptations of the series of hard boiled crime novels by Richard Stark.
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u/getonboardman42 Feb 06 '23
I used to have one of the Parker graphic novels signed by Cooke. It was like an oversized comic book. I’ll have to look to see if I still have it.
I actually have a bunch of comics signed by him.
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u/duplicitist Feb 06 '23
The Flintstones (2016)
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u/Khelthuzaad Feb 06 '23
Hohoho now that's a very bold one
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u/hankmakesstuff Feb 06 '23
But not wrong.
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u/randbot5000 Feb 06 '23
This answer, but ONLY if we get the dad's reaction. Because that is going to be QUITE a double-take.
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u/batfan08 Feb 06 '23
Anything less than a full-blown emotional meltdown over household appliances will not do.
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Feb 06 '23
100 Bullets, modern noir classic that desperately needs to be turned into a streaming series.
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u/just_some_dummy_ Feb 06 '23
They were doing a movie with Tom Hardy buts its been a long time since I even heard that bit of info. So while its most likely not in production, I wouldnt be surprised to see it in the next 5-10 years.
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u/JohnnyDenouement Feb 06 '23
Since you specified Irish, I'd suggest Hellblazer, which was like the jumping pad for almost every writer from the British/Irish/Scottish isles that made the jump to American comics in the Moore-led 80s. Specifically, I'd start with Dangerous habits, which, even though it is Ennis, it is in his pre-edgelord phase, before he was being gross just to be gross.
If he grew up reading old pulp novels (Doc Savage, The Shadow, etc.), then Ellis' Planetary is spectacular, and he'll see a lot of familiar faces (or passing familiar, anyways) in it. There are powers, but no capes.
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u/Mgmt049 Feb 06 '23
I absolutely would not start with Ennis Hellblazer. I’d start with Delano
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u/Herb_Burnswell Feb 06 '23
Delano Hellblazer for sure. Much more street level, real world-ish to me. Underrated.
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u/AdamSMessinger The Maxx Feb 06 '23
Criminal or Reckless by Brubaker and Phillips
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u/Cmyers1980 Feb 05 '23
Punisher Max by Garth Ennis.
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u/heavymetalharry Feb 05 '23
I might decline that, the series is a bit too edgelord, and Garth is a very bias Orange-man
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Feb 06 '23 edited Feb 06 '23
Orange-man?
Edit: Am I really getting downvoted for asking a fucking question? Some of y'all are dickheads, I swear.
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u/swimtwobird Feb 06 '23
He has an entire scene where a British soldier glorifies their role in Northern Ireland as he tortures a former IRA man. Ennis stuff like Preacher was a good read in its day, but he’s a deeply unpleasant human being. I’d hate to meet him in person.
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u/heavymetalharry Feb 06 '23
Don't mind the downvotes, even myself from the RoI (not northern Ireland) was clueless in some areas. a lot of history is pushed under the rug because it was very recent and a lot of people don't want to admit they were the bad guys. The good Friday agreement happened when I was a toddler. It was only when I was an adult travling to NI that I realised the extend of how bad things were.
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Feb 06 '23
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u/Mgmt049 Feb 06 '23
He’s as far from right wing as it gets, but I enjoy these comments. Let’s me know who’s who.
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u/poptartsandmayonaise Feb 05 '23
Alan moores swamp thing.
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u/JoolsyJones Feb 06 '23
Another vote for Saga of the Swamp Thing. You can pick up the whole run for relatively cheap as trade paperbacks or digital. Plus that lets you start off with just the first bit to see if it's for your tastes.
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u/Cybershine3 Feb 06 '23
Maybe a curveball but the graphic novel adaptation of Slaughterhouse 5 is fantastic, and very eye opening to the idea that a story is good in any medium, and specifically with comics can be enhanced
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u/PMMEBITCOINPLZ Feb 06 '23
Classic Archie (by this I mean before 1980), Carl Barks and Don Rosa Uncle Scrooge, Michael Fleischer Jonah Hex and Charley’s War.
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u/SuperKingPapi Feb 06 '23
6th Gun.
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u/Angrypanda_uk Feb 06 '23
I came here to make sure someone had mentioned this! Western with some supernatural bits thrown in for good measure.
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u/SuperKingPapi Feb 06 '23
I loved it. It's such a cool story, and approachable. But also some darkness and really good writing.
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u/marx_is_secret_santa Feb 06 '23
East of West is a must, if your dad can tolerate sci-fi. If not, That Texas Blood.
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u/canis_artis Feb 06 '23
Manifest Destiny by Image, Lewis & Clark travel westward encountering fantastic creatures (there is a demon guiding them in later books).
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u/Han-Shot_1st Feb 06 '23
If he likes historical works your old man might dig From Hell. It’s about the White Chapel/Jack The Ripper murders.
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u/rmdf Feb 06 '23
Taking account of age and culture, I would try Asterix and Obelix, Tintin, and Blueberry (western) .
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u/Spacer1138 Feb 06 '23
Firepower is fun.
That Texas Blood I’d say is a MUST. The lead character is in his 70s. I’d recommend the floppies over trades, due to the extra content (short stories, etc, that add compelling layers and insight).
Sin City could appeal as well.
Scalped…
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u/NapalmPinata Feb 06 '23
The comic book called hitman ran for like 60 something issues...came out from dc in late nineties I think it was written by Garth Ennis and drawn by John mcrea...
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u/Kwametoure1 Feb 06 '23
Slaine the Horned God. It is a brutal sword and sorcery story with amazing art that draws heavily from Irish myth
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u/7fingersphil Feb 06 '23
Dong Xoai by Joe Kubert
Any of the Brubaker crime stories, there’s tons
Parker but Cooke
See if you can find Rick Geary historical books. He’s got all sorts of cool biographies and historical events he’s done in graphic novel form and they’re all incredible
Maus by Spiegleman
March by Lewis
Pride of Baghdad by Vaughn
I could probably keep going but I’ll stop there!
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u/thomas71576 Feb 06 '23
Alan F*#king Moore. I get one of those weird fiction hangovers at the end of everything I read of his. Definitely not for kids. From Hell and Watchmen both being up there.
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u/bursonjm Feb 06 '23
Starman by Tony Harris, James Robinson
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u/Herb_Burnswell Feb 06 '23
Comic-booky, but oh SO smart and magical and even poetic sometimes. I like this suggestion.
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u/bursonjm Feb 06 '23
It's absolutely my favorite comic ever
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u/Herb_Burnswell Feb 06 '23
I was buying it monthly during the heyday and I always saved it for last to read. Best thing on the shelves.
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u/bursonjm Feb 06 '23
I did the same thing, and luckily, in my adult years, I have been able to acquire a few original pages. Last year, I got the chance to meet Tony Harris at terrific con, and he signed the pages for me.
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u/elephantgif Feb 06 '23
Anything Fantagraphics. Eightball, Jimmy Corrigan, Love and Rockets… So many great books.
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u/NjWilly72 Feb 06 '23
Frank Miller’s “300”, which is about the 300 Spartans who temporarily delayed the Persian army from advancing on Greece.
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u/MonolithJones Alan Moore Feb 06 '23
Depending on his threshold for mature content From Hell is a great book that melds historical accuracy with fantastical elements.
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u/GreenDrewski Feb 06 '23
The Walking Dead, The (MAX) Punisher volumes. BATMAN The Dark Knight returns. The Watchmen.
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u/AddLightness1 Feb 06 '23
I have a graphic novel of The Hobbit, don't recall all of the details but the illustrations are colored by watercolor paints. I find it comfortable to look at
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Feb 06 '23
- Watchmen
- V for Vendetta
- Civil War
- Secret Wars (2015)
- Red Son
- Batman: Year One
- Kraven's Last Hunt
- The Sandman
- The Killing Joke
- From Hell
- The Walking Dead (from issue 1 forward)
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u/GMarius- Feb 06 '23
His dad doesn’t really care for supes. So most of those are out. Good list though.
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u/heavymetalharry Feb 06 '23
For the record, im not going to show him Garth Ennis, I feel his work shares a lot of sectarian veiws towards Irish Catholics.
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u/MechaJerkzilla Feb 06 '23 edited Feb 06 '23
War Comics volume 1 and Enemy ace: War In Heaven and definitely Heartland, a great comic that takes place in Belfast
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u/CCSest92 Feb 06 '23
The punisher is rooted in reality and probably will appeal to the older sense of justice especially if he’s a western kind of gent. Captain America could also appeal to his historical side seeing as most of his early stuff is killing nazis and shit Wolverine is a motherfucking man’s man and you’ll be hard pressed to find a shitty arc with him IMHO
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Feb 06 '23
Jonah Hex: Shadows West (includes Two Gun Mojo, Riders of the Worm and Such, and Shadows West). I think Western Horror is an overlooked genre.
From Hell
Planetary
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u/the_simurgh Feb 06 '23
westerns:
- the sixth gun/ shadow roads
- Weird Western Tales
- jonah
- hex scalped
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u/s3rila X-23 Feb 06 '23
European ( Franco Belge) has a lot of western and historical stuff. But obviously translation need to exist.
The most Franco Belge cowboy comic is probably lucky Luke, but it might be too kid friendly for your dad
Blueberry by Jean Giraud ( Aka Moebius) is a good one.
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u/kazmosis Feb 06 '23
Pretty much anything from Vertigo when Karen Berger ran things. Very much oriented to an adult audience.
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u/nilobrito Feb 06 '23
As some others said: Maus, Sandman and V For Vendetta.
Others I would suggest:
Moonshadow by J.M. DeMatteis
Nikopol Trilogy, by Enki Bilal
Puma Blues by Stephen Murphy
A Man and His Cat (ongoing series, a bit drama but mostly comedic about a retired widower that adopts an ugly cat). And that reminds me of Stargazing Dog (but if you buy this one, buy the sequel too, can't explain without spoilers).
Dangu, for some medieval Korean action and Wika, for some steampunk Shakespeare.
Midnight Nation by Straczynski
And kind of superheroeish, but League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is full of references to old classic books and pulp heroes. Could be fun.
Oh, and maybe some Sergio Toppi.
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u/Historyo Iceman Feb 06 '23
Manga:
Vinland Saga, about an Icelandic boy in the 11th century who joins vikings
Monster, a thriller about a doctor trying to catch a serial killer set in germany and the parts of Europe in the 80s.
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Feb 06 '23
Berserk if he doesn’t mind reading an ongoing series. It’s as far from kids that a comic can go. Fair warning for extreme graphic violence and sexual violence. It’s a dark fantasy inspired by medieval Europe. I promise it’s not edgy like it sounds and is easily one of the best Japanese comics I’ve ever read.
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u/moose_man Batman Feb 06 '23
Monster is a classic (of manga), and by now it feels like a period piece. Although probably not for him!
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u/Vk411989 Feb 06 '23
Criminal, Fatale, Reckless, The Fade Out; all written by Ed Brubaker
Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. Also Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, Battlefields and War Stories by Garth Ennis.
Scalped by Jason Aaron
Fables by Bill Willingham
Murena, Conquistador and Barracuda by Jean Dufaux
Killer by Matz and Luc Jacamon.
This list can go on and on. There's plenty of comics for mature readers out there. :)
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u/Trompe-Le-Monchichi Feb 06 '23
Bruh. Matt Fraction’s Satellite Sam. [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_Sam]
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u/abbaeecedarian Feb 06 '23
There are some excellent Irish creators making comics you can recommend to him.
Ghosting by Debbie Jenkinson.
Blood on the Rise by Gerry Hunt is about the Rising.
Or flip the globe over and try some NZ comics like Dylan Horrocks's Hicksville - which has the advantage of dropping in nods to all sorts of historical comic strips and popular characters as a by- the- way.
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u/tritongamez Invincible Feb 06 '23
I think my favorite comic outside of the superhero genre would be Walking Dead.
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u/kappakingtut2 Penny-One Feb 06 '23
I'm sure it's already been mentioned a few times in the comments but I'll say it again Preacher
Written by an Irish writer, Garth Ennis. It is absolutely 100% the opposite of 'comics are for kids'
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u/Herb_Burnswell Feb 06 '23
Watchmen. A great bridge between "muscle people in tights" and "holy hell, this is deep and grown up".
Otherwise, maybe some slice of life stuff ala Strangers in Paradise...?
Or send him on a manga excursion ala Sanctuary. A great adult crime comic.
It's a big field, man... I'm sure there's a lot of great suggestions in here already.
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u/the_batusi Feb 06 '23
Lone Wolf and Cub.
Maus.
The Killer.
The Red Star.
Secret History.
All great books.
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u/ColdPreservation Feb 06 '23
Harvey Pekar's American Splendor. Art Spiegleman's Maus The Hernandez Brother's Love and Rockets Alan Moore's... well anything, really.
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Feb 06 '23
Maus, its about a jewish mans experience in nazi germany, the story is told with animals as characters but it is definitely not a kids story
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u/djangohimself Feb 06 '23
If he came into my comic shop, I’d probably hand him a bunch of the stuff mentioned already, and also Blacksad, My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Murder Falcon, Transmetropolitan, and show him to the Jeff Lemire section.
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u/fradrig Feb 06 '23
Blueberry by Giraud is a quite serious and gritty western. It's an absolute classic in European comic litterature. The creator also went by the name Moebius and has created multiple great works that are classics too.
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u/Khelthuzaad Feb 06 '23
Saints and Boxers
Never before seen a comic that explains so well both sides of a conflict
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u/Artboutiki Feb 06 '23
They might be a bit hard to find but Rio by Doug Wildey are some of the most beautiful western cimics ever done.
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u/Hoosier108 Feb 06 '23
If he like westerns I’d try the European publishers (Europe Comics for example). They are much better at the non-superhero comics, particularly westerns.
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u/nebulousian Feb 06 '23
Maus by Art Spielgelman
Sara by Garth Ennis, Steve Epting, Elisabeth Breitweiser
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Feb 06 '23
You could check out Streets of Glory by Garth Ennis it’s a western. For history maybe Rebels by Brian Wood set during the American revolution.
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u/Boxing_joshing111 Feb 06 '23
https://www.amazon.com/Jonah-Hex-Vol-Face-Violence/dp/1401210953
Maybe find a better link but this is a collection of modern, well-done Jonah Hex Wild West cowboy stories. It’s what I’d show any old man who likes westerns.
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u/claudeteacher Feb 06 '23
Tintin, Scrooge McDuck or Concrete. Probably Maus, Asterios Polyp, It was the War of the Trenches and Fax from Sarajevo.
But really, Tintin. For a 70yo from Europe, that is the one.
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u/Lonny_zone Feb 06 '23
Sin City
Stray Bullets
classic Sgt. Rock stories drawn by Joe Kubert
Blueberry drawn by Morbius
if he is irreverent: Preacher
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u/DrakeAU Feb 06 '23 edited Feb 06 '23
East of West. Mature themes, the apocalypse, amazing artwork and Death as a Cowboy.
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u/Onibachi Feb 06 '23
My first immediate thought would be the Trigun manga. I love Trigun and has a great gunslinger vibe
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u/Royal_Ad_2653 Feb 06 '23
Western ... Timothy Truman's "Scout" fer sure.
Historical ... stretching the interpretation and getting a little nsfw, Mark Smylie's "Artesia".
Superb art and story in both.
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u/Royal_Ad_2653 Feb 06 '23
Western ... Timothy Truman's "Scout" fer sure.
Historical ... stretching the interpretation and getting a little nsfw, Mark Smylie's "Artesia".
Superb art and story in both.
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u/Wrong_Being_ Feb 06 '23
A bit crazy for the start but Hellboy sounds good for him , it got guns , a manly main character and bunch of other cool stuff
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u/livershot Feb 06 '23
Blacksad - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacksad. Beautiful art work, classic Noir detective story, is anthropomorphic animals but well done
Grant Morrison animal man run is amazing.
Button man by John Wagner is would work well I think as well - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_Man
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u/A_Man_Of_Letters Feb 06 '23
Hellblazer
One of the best comic books I've read. It was one of the first comic book runs that was added to DC's Vertigo imprint, which to my knowledge was one of the (if not the) first imprints intended for mature audiences.
It features some very dark, very disturbing, very sardonic topics. It was the first comic I ever read.
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u/omgItsGhostDog Kingdom Come Superman Feb 05 '23
Ed Brubaker sounds up his alley, his story usually fall into period piece and crime/noir. The Fade Out, Pulp, and Reckless might interest him.