1000 Full length Stories/Compilations that belong on your shelf or How to create a great and praiseworthy comic collection and also go broke (a comics journall-ly type list thread)

1. A complete collection of McCay's 'Little Nemo', preferably in an oversized edition
2. At least two of the rectangular Harper Collins book reprints of Lynda Barry's Ernie Pook's Comeek; I'd recommend 'It's So Magic' and 'My Perfect Life', but any will do. Bonus points for early pre-Marlys collections, '100 Demons', 'What It Is' or her novel, 'Cruddy'
3. Charles Burns' 'Black Hole', either in compilation or single issues
4. At least one trade by Kyle Baker, most likely 'Why I Hate Saturn'
5. 'Maus' I and II
6. 'The Dark Knight', bonus points if you have individual issues or a remarkably lame compilation copy (leatherbound or the such)
7. At least one trade collection of Harvey Pekar's 'American Splendor', bonus points if it's a pre-movie collection
8. At least one book by Gary Panter, individual issues of the Zongo label 'Jimbo' book should work
9. Volumes 1-3 (at least) of The Essential Fantastic Four, bonus points if they're heavily dog eared and lovingly read
10. At least two oversized reprint books of EC Segar's 'Popeye', bonus points if they're the 80's Fantagraphics books

11. At least 50 contiguous issues of Cerebus or three phone books, bonus points if you have a complete run of over 200 issues or ten phone books

12 - lots of Tintin
13 - lots of Asterix
14 - The Frank Book and The Book of Jim.

15 - One or two hardbound Moebius books in the original french.

16. Paul Pope. Bonus points for saddle stitching over perfect bound works.

17. Don Rosa's 'The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck', either in compilation or individual issues

18. A handful of the out-of-print B&W Titan 2000 AD albums from the 80s.

19. The complete Akira.

20. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
21. A considerable run or TPB of Moore's work on Swamp Thing
22. From Hell by Moore and Campbell
23. A few trades or representative issues from Moore's America's Best Imprint, preferably 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' 'Top 10' or 'Promethea'
24. V for Vendetta by Moore and David Lloyd
25. Some random weird Moore batshit project such as 'Bojeffries Saga', 'Maxwell the Magic Cat', 'Lost Girls' or 'Big Numbers'
26. A few DC Moore stories, preferably 'Killing Joke'
27. A sizeable chunk of 'Miracleman', bonus points for the complete run

28. Palomar + Locas, and/or a ton of trade paperback L&R collections, bonus points for the new versions

29. Two or more complete runs of Vertigo maxi-series (Preacher, Y, Invisibles etc.), bonus points if in issues.

30. At least one collection of 60s Robert Crumb.

Oh, see I was gonna go MUCH more precise on the vertigo stuff, but that's a good start.

31. At least two Hellblazer trades
32. At least one hardcover of Dan Dare stuff from the 50s.

lol at the UK/US divide already rearing its head on this list!

Jimmy Corrigan.

The Complete Alec by Eddie Campbell. Definitive version of which should be out this summer.

I have 18 out of 34 so far, with 2 bonus points.

Frustratingly incomplete set of Corto Maltese translations

I'll second that one.

36. A full set of Trondheim's 'Dungeon' in whatever language you speak.

37. Kirby's Fourth World

(It's hilarious to think how much I used to hate Kirby's work.)

38. Ditko at Marvel - Spider-Man and, more importantly, the batshit Dr. Strange.

39. Any EC Comics collection heavy on Wood / Kurtzman stories.

40. At least two years of the recent Peanuts reissues, bonus points if you got the slipcase; bonus bonus points if you have every slipcase yet released

41. A lengthy run of a book written and drawn by Mike Grell, preferably 'Jon Sable' or 'Green Arrow'; bonus points if that run starts at the first issue

42. A few comics taking place in a now-defunct universe that was active in the eighties or nineties; examples would include Milestone or Valiant

43. At least two old school Classics Illustrated

I think i'm getting off topic with those last two, but they feel important.

Don't want to be too contrarian here, but Mike Grell??

I will stand by that. I'd rather have Longbow Hunters than anything by Paul Pope.

But we've got a THOUSAND entries here, so let's cast that net wide!

NB: I still need to read Batman Yr. 100

well, okay, but Grell would be in my 2nd thousand if he showed up at all. From the 80s I'd rather have --

44. Chaykin's American Flagg
45. Baron & Rude's Nexus
46. Matt Wagner's Grendel

xpost

See, I never cared for Chaykin. But I will ride with you on those latter two and add
47. A lengthy run of Wagner's Sandman Mystery Theater
48. A lengthy run of Wagner's Mage

Hmmm....I'd probably go with Grendel over Mage, but hey! We got a thousand!

So yeah, throw a giant collection of Feiffer's strips for the Voice on there, and probably Munro and his Playboy work, and Tantrum and...

Yeah.

49. Jim Woodring's "The Book of Frank"

50. Peter Blegvad's "The Book of Leviathan"

51. A complete set of Rachel Hartman's "Amy Unbounded" (you can substitute "Belondweg Blossoming" for the individual issues 7-12 if you want)

we wld have to reach many many thousands before i welcomed a mike grell comic bk on my shelves

Europe:
52. a BERYL THE PERIL annual drawn by davey law
53. MORT CINDER by alberto breccia (has never been translated into English, sadly)
54. FIRES by lorenzo mattoti
55. THE MAGICIAN'S WIFE by Charyn and Boucq
56. ISAAC THE PIRATE by Christoph Blain
57. a LUKCY LUKE album by Goscinny and Morris
58. THE YELLOW M by Edgar P Jacobs
59. the first CHARLEY'S WAR collection by Mills and Colqohoun
60. a TRIGAN EMPIRE collection by Mike Butterworth and Don Lawrence
61. a good collection of Munzo and Sampayo strips, including 'mr conrad and mr wilcox', translated in RAW vol 1 No 3
62. a BROONS annual drawn by Dudley D Watkins
63. one of the early VIZ collections
64. THE HUNTING PARTY by Christin and Bilal
65. GET A LIFE by Dupuy and Berberian

US:
66. THE MAN by Vaughan Bode
67. HERCULES AMONG THE NORTH AMERICANS by Mark Marek
68. BRAVE FOR ADVENTURE by Alex Toth
69. THE COMPLETE FREAK BROTHERS by Gilbert Shelton
70. WHERE THE DEMENTED WENTED by Rory Hayes
71. BINKY BROWN AND THE HOLY VIRGIN MARY by Justin Hayes
72. BARNABY by Crockett Johnson (there were paperback collections in the 1980s, but we await the definitive collection)
73. KONA, THE MONARACH OF MONSTER ISLE by Sam Glanzman (his U.S.S. STEVENS strips are equally worthy of collection)
74. MISS FURY by Tarpe Mills (Pure Imagination issued a medicore black and white reprint of the first three issues of the comic a little while ago)
75. MARY PERKINS ON STAGE by Leonard Starr (I only have the first volume so far, which is gorgeous)
76. LITTLE LULU by Stanley and Tripp (any/all of the Dark Horse paperbacks)
77. THE NEW YORKER cartoons of Charles Addams
78. POLLY AND HER PALS by Cliff Sterret (so far an imaginary collection...)
79. TROTS AND BONNIE by Shary Flenniken (ditto)
80. CAT by B Kliban

http://www.amazon.com/Polly-Her-Pals-Compilation-1912-1913/dp/0883556650/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236118377&sr=1-7
!!!!!!!!!!!

This year will see the release of collections of Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy and Prince Valiant; a solid Sterret and Barnaby collection can't be far behind.

I always get the sense that Ward's collection would be one I could really learn a few things from.

didn't know abt that Polly bk, tho' i think the real primo stuff comes a little later

apparently the crockett johnson estate want ridic amounts of royalties for barnaby

wash tubbs and prince valiant have been collected before of course - both of em need to be on our collective 1000 (along w/ flash gordon, krazy kat, terry and the pirates, etc etc)

thank you forks, its all abt sharing innit

81. A collection of Theodore Geisel's cartoon work; bonus points for a copy or two of his kids books

If I ever go to the UK, I'm gonna blow like a thousand bucks on comics.

a solid ...Barnaby collection can't be far behind.

you know something about the Johnson estate that dozens of publishers don't?

whoops xpost, bad bbcode delayed me

82. As noted prior, The Complete IDW Terry and The Pirates; last volume due out shortly!

83. McCay's 'Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend'
84. Graphic Witness: Wordless Graphic Novels compilation ( http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Witness-Wordless-Masereel-Laurence/dp/1554072700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236127312&sr=8-1 )

85. Bottomless Belly Button. Bonus points if there's a scrap piece of paper you used to decode the secret message in the middle of the book stuffed between the pages.

86. Ed the Happy Clown

I would add "in floppies" to that. Has there ever been a collection that didn't make a hash of the original comics?

I dunno, I've only got an A3 collection (maybe 10 years old?). Works for me, but maybe it misses out some stuff.

87. One book by Joe Matt
88. Two books by Ivan Brunetti
89. Milt Gross' 'Hearts of Gold' aka 'He Done Her Wrong'
90. The reprint volumes of Frank King's Walt and Skeezix, bonus points if you have the mammoth book of Sundays
91. At least one decent collection of reprints of Chester Gould's Dick Tracy
92. At least one decent collection of reprints of Harold Gray's Lil' Orphan Annie

93. Ice Haven
94. Maximortal
95. the Rare Bit Fiends trades
96. Essential X-Men (Claremont's run)
97. the theoretical Flex Mentallo trade
98. No More Shaves

I'm sure I could think of tons if 90% of my comics weren't in storage (grumble grumble).

(Sorry, I notice only now that Rare Bit Fiends was collected in trades as The Dream Art of Rick Veitch, lest I create any confusion.)

99. New Engineering
100. Snake N' Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret
101. B.J. & Da Dogs
102. a (slim) collection of Al Columbia's complete works would be amazing, but I'll just toss out the two issues of The Biologic Show

And I'll throw in Cola Madnes and The Family Man as specific recommendations for number 8 and 31, respectively.

(P.S. Al Columbia's "The Trumpets They Play!" from BLAB! #10 is kind of astoundingly great. I guess you can just rip those pages out of that otherwise worthless anthology and tuck them somewhere amid your praiseworthy collection.)

I would add "in floppies" to that. Has there ever been a collection that didn't make a hash of the original comics?

Yeah, the second Vortex edition, with the black cover. It's different to the floppies, but it's great as a book.

Bonus points for saddle stitching over perfect bound works.

I was going to say "Wouldn't you get the bonus points for actually having his old stuff?" but then I remembered you reckon it doesn't count bcz you never heard of it till last year

Saddle stitching = staples = older works, right?

I hadn't heard of Pope's work until last year? Am I missing something?

It's good stuff! I don't know what more to say, I really dig his art.

no infighting on the thread plz

but this is ilx

i retract my statement

no, not really
103. A book or two by Bill Fingerman, most likely 'Minimum Wage'

Getting back on track - 104. Jack Cole, whether it be Plastic-Man or his blue material.

105. A smattering of Groo.

106. The hardcover collections of the postwar "Spirit," at least until the point when Eisner lost interest and wandered away

107. Kramers Ergot 7

108. NON #5

109. A handful of Matt Feazell's "Cynicalman" minicomics

110. All volumes to date of Eric Shanower's "Age of Bronze"

111. A couple of volumes of Carla Speed McNeil's "Finder"--maybe "Talisman" and "Five Crazy Women"

safe area gorazde, the complete lw&c

owned just owned

113. The complete Sandman (for all its faults)

114. Two pieces of representative work from Ed Brubaker: one from his crime noir work and one from his hero stuff
115. A book by James Sturm, 'The Golem's Mighty Swing' or 'Unstable Molecules' as for instances
116. A complete run of Tezuka's Buddha
117. At least five issues of Fantagraphics long gone much lamented Nemo magazine
118. A trade of Mary Fleener's work or several issues of Twisted Sister or one of her other side projects
119. At least one book length piece by Kim Deitch

[quote]All volumes to date of Eric Shanower's "Age of Bronze"[/quote]

How many of these have there actually been? I've got two trades and some random issues but the thing seems to get published in floppies whenever the zodiacal age changes.

And Paul Pope... Is he ever going to get round to finishing THB? I know these things take time but he seems to have said he's going to finish it every year for the last five or so...

Okay, that didn't turn out as expected...

3 volumes of AGE OF BRONZE currently. The next one is being serialized currently, but I'm not sure how long until the next collection will come together.

120 ESSENTIAL KILLRAVEN by Don McGregor, P Craig Russell etc
121 ESSENTIAL HOWARD THE DUCK by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan etc
122 ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA by Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer
122 ESSENTIAL POWER MAN AND IRON FIST by Mary Jo Duffy, Kerry Gammill etc (McGregor's Power Man stories, collected in an earlier volume, are also excellent)
123 ESSENTIAL MASTER OF KUNG FU by Doug Moench, Paul Gulacy, Mike Zeck, Gene Day etc (doesn't exist because of copyright hassles)
124 ESSENTIAL MAN THING by Steve Gerber
125 OMEGA THE UNKNOWN by Steve Gerber
126 ESSENTIAL AVENGERS by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, and by Steve Englehart
127 ESSENTIAL DOCTOR STRANGE by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko; Roy Thomas and Gene Colan; Steve Englehart and Gene Colan
128 ESSENTIAL CLASSIC X-MEN by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams and Tom Palmer
129 INVADERS CLASSICS by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins
130 ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS by Steve Gerber, David Anthony Kraft

131. A pile of Carl Barks Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck books
132. A pile of Floyd Gottfredson Mickey Mouse books

133. http://www.4shared.com/file/90747638/1a9c90dc/Agents_of_Atlas_002__2009___Minutemen-Lockafella_.html

133. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61RR52JS4KL._SS500_.jpg

134. complete Walt Simonson Thor run
135. complete Cowan/O'Neill Question run
136. prolley the first 15 issues of Stray Bullets by David Lapham

137. Miller/Darrow's Hard Boiled

I'm reading 133 right now. It's insane.

Ramona Fradon is the bomb.

Saddle stitching = staples = older works, right?

nah, his first two books were perfect-bound graphic novels

138. at least one Steve Bell If... collection, to represent strip cartooning actually afforded editorial page respect
139. at least one Footrot Flats collection, to represent someone making comics about their completely-non-comics career and them actually being successful
140. at least one Achewood self-pubbed collection, to represent the rugged minicomics individualist attitude spawning anew in the C21
140. one Giles annual. One is probably enough.

Footrot Fucking Flats?? Please no! Dude wasn't a farmer anyway

Thousand stories, folks; lets let the occasional eccentric personal favorite slide. We can always add another thousand if this doesn't get it done.

141. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
142. One book by James Kolchaka
143. A few reprint collections of Milton Caniff's Steve Canyon
144. At least one book by Rutu Modan
145. At least one reprint collection of a full-length storyline by Al Capp in Lil' Abner
146. Some representative reprint collection of the work of John Held Jr and/or the US "roaring twenties/flapper cartoonists"
147. At least one collection or one mini-series run of Paul Chadwick's Concrete
148. At least two reprint collections of Herriman's Krazy Kat
149. At least two books of Eisner's non-Spirit work, bonus points for his cartooning instruction guides or his wacked out new age horoscope/dating/occult paperbacks
150. Though she eventually devolved into self parody, one reasonably early collection of Roz Chast belongs on here

151. A lengthy run or the hardback collection of Linda Medley's 'Castle Waiting'

152. At least one book by Carol Lay
153. At least one book by Carol Tyler
154. At least one book by Ellen Forney
155. Either 'Good Bye Chunky Rice' or 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson, no bonus points for both

156. At least two books by Edward Gorey, bonus points for biographies, collected letters, etc.
157. At least one trade collection or multi-issue run written by Brian Azzarello
158. A few issues of Buenavista Press' excellent Comic Art magazine
159. At least one reprint volume of Tove Jansson's Moomin, bonus points if you have a children's book, bio, etc.
160. Stuck Rubber Baby and at least one other collection by Howard Cruse
161. Palestine by Joe Sacco
162. The Times of Botchan by Taniguchi and Sekikawa
163. The Mourning Star by Kazimir Strzepek
164. A collection of old reprints or a compilation book of Bud Fisher's Mutt and Jeff
165. Comix: A History of Comic Books in America
166. McCloud's Understanding Comics and maybe one of the followup books
167. Things Just Get Away From You by Walt Holcombe

Huh. The first work I saw of Pope's was the single-issue variety THB where staples were definitely involved.

I suppose I now have to read THE ONE-TRICK RIP-OFF as penance now.

168. Showcase Hawkman (either 1 or 2), because Kubert looks gorgeous in black and white.

its frustrating that you can pretty much buy all of marvel's major titles in one format or another, whereas lots of DC's best stuff has never been re-issued

169. BATLASH by Aragones, O'Neil and Cardy
170. ANTHRO by Howie Post
171. RIMA by Kanigher and Redondo
172. THE SHADOW by O'Neil and Kaluta; and by Helfer, Sienkiewicz and Baker
173. ANGEL AND THE APE by Bridwell, Oksner and Wood
174. CAPTAIN ACTION by Shooter, Wood and Kane
175. THE CREEPER, HAWK AND DOVE, SHADE THE CHANGING MAN and STALKER by Ditko
176. SCRIBBLY and SUGAR AND SPIKE by Sheldon Mayer
177. BROTHER POWER THE GEEK, PREZ and THE GREEN TEAM by Joe Simon

at least DC have reissued
178. DIANA PRINCE, WONDER WOMAN by Mike Sekowsky and Denny O'Neil

because Kubert looks gorgeous in black and white.

I hadn't thought of this, being an old-school Marvel Zombie, but I bet that is fab and gear.

Huh. The first work I saw of Pope's was the single-issue variety THB where staples were definitely involved.

SIN TITULO and BALLAD OF DR RICHARDSON (and v2.1 of BALLAD OF DR RICHARDSON) were before THB.

I suppose I now have to read THE ONE-TRICK RIP-OFF as penance now.

Nah, it's not very good. Also not properly complete, he was going to expand it for the collection but DH just printed the serial chapters run together instead.

Dude wasn't a farmer anyway

Ha, he lived on a farm though and knew the milieu in a way that properly informed the work - it's not US ACRES. Haven't read the strip in 20 years but I'd love to believe it still holds up! Substitute any other example of the "genre," like those vanity-press graphic novels about logging in the Pacifc Northwest type things that TCJ used to review in the 90s.

"its frustrating that you can pretty much buy all of marvel's major titles in one format or another"

I do wish Marvel would get with it and reprint Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.'s run on Amazing Spider-man. That is some of the comics I loved as a kid that I haven't searched out, as they are kind of pricey for back issues.

DC does seem to keep whole runs of stuff in print a bit better than Marvel, especially with the Vertigo titles.

Oh in going with the 'comics journal' kind of list, a suggestion that I liked back in the 80s...the story about Andy and Barney was one of the few comics I showed my Dad and he got a laugh out of it.

Drew Friedman 'Any Similarity to Persons Living or Dead is Purely Coincidental'

Oh jeez, yeah, that one's a must. Did you know that the Mayberry story was the first comic D.F. ever drew?

That one's #179 btw.

180. The Penguin Book of Comics
181. At least three reprint collections of Walt Kelly's Pogo
182. Collodi's Illustrated Pinocchio
183. Wrightson's Illustrated Frankenstein
184. At least one book by Jay Stephens
185. Joe Kubert's A Fax from Sarajevo
186. A few issues or reprint collections of TMNT from the Eastman and Laird era
187. John Kershbaum's Petey and Pussy
188. A reprint collection of the work of R.F. Outcault
189. Joann Sfar's The Rabbi's Cat

190. Dave McKean's Cages
191. A full run of Arcade
192. A full run of Marvel's shot at the Underground, Comix Book
193. Pedrosa's Three Shadows
194. Gipi's Notes on a War Story
195. Tezuka's Phoenix
196. Lat's Town Boy + Kampung BOy
197. At least one book by Dave Collier
198. At least one book by Dave Cooper
199. Gus and His Gang by Christoph Blain
200. Dori Seda's Dori's Stories

167. Things Just Get Away From You by Walt Holcombe

What that? Last I saw from him was King of Persia.

's

http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=536&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1199&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62&vmcchk=1&Itemid=62

Comp that includes KoP

A second vote for 'Footrot Flats': I grew up on those reasonably annual collections.

201. One, and only one, issue of a Rob Liefield comic for giggles.

202. The two IDW volumes collecting William Messner-Loebs' "Journey."

203. A half-dozen romance comics from the psychedelic era.

204. David B.'s "Epileptic."

205. Both issues of "Don Rosa's Comics and Stories."

206. Both volumes of Chris Ware's "Acme Novelty Datebook."

207. "Superman Beyond 3-D."

208. One oversized issue and one tiny issue of Ware's Acme Novelty Library
209. Tezuka's Astro Boy
210. Ohba and Obata's Death Note
211. Takami and Taguchi's Battle Royale

212. Blueberry - the Confederate Gold Sage. Bonus points if in the gorgeous Epic albums.

Er, Confederate Gold SAGA. Sorry, I'm a bit pissed.

213. Kirby's 2001 adaptation. Plus the subsequent series, if you are so inclined.

sigh. blew about two hundred with this list in mind.

214. A collection of issues or a book compilation of early Mad reprints
215. The Humbug boxset (just out!)
216. Bill Willingham's Fables
217. A collection of '40's era Batman comic strips
218. Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo
219. Mister O and Mister I by Trondheim
220. Kings In Disguise by Vance and Burr
221. Some of the collected works of Lionel Feininger
222. The Willie and Joe box set
223. Tezuka's Black Jack
224. Tezuka's Dororo
225. Art Out of Time
226. A collection of Geo McManus' Bringing Up Father

tip o' the hat on Leviathan, Douglas; it was great.

227. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
228. The Borden Tragedy by Rick Geary
229. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
230. Laika by Nick Abadzis
231. Bone by Jeff Smith
232. Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan
233. The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot
234. Deogratias: a Tale of Rwanda by Jean-Philippe Stassen
235. Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie
236. Astro City by Kurt Busiek

let's get this rolling again.

237. The Complete History of the Universe v 1/2/3 by Larry Gonick

Is that the Complete history, or the Cartoon history?

er, cartoon history. but it's very complete!

238. Sleeper by Brubaker and Phillips.
239. Final Crisis by Morrison (yes, really)

240. Sfar & Trondheim's Dungeon Zenith (assuming it hasn't been listed yet)

Just got my hand's on the translations and they're such wonderful fun!

who in the heck can fit a thousand volumes of ANYTHING in their apartment? in addition to all the normal books, DVDs, records & furniture--no wai jose

I probably have a thousand bound comics, if not all from different authors and series

but then for the last two years I've had them all in storage and have been of no fixed abode, so I guess ian is otm

240. A NANCY collection by Ernie Bushmiller - I hear Fanta's working on some collections, due for release soon.
241. We All Die Alone by Mark Newgarden
242. 676 Apparitions Of Killoffer by Killoffer - comic event of the current decade, racing to its end, in my opinion.

243. Crogan's Vengeance.

244. A full run of the recent Prophet reboot