1. Maus
Art Spiegelmans incredible take on the Holocaust is a regular feature in greatest comic book lists and rightly so - anyone with an interest in comics or world history should give this compelling book a read. This haunting story follows the life of Spiegelmans father, a Polish Jew and concentration camp survivor during World War 2, while also dealing with Spiegelmans own sense of second generation survivors guilt. The book is most famous for its striking depictions of humans as animals the Jews are depicted as mice and the Nazis are cats, while Dolphins represent the British, the non-Jewish Polish are pigs and Americans are dogs. Even with the animals portraying the characters, this is deep down a story about people; there are no heroes and villains or costumes, just a family who have been through hell. As one of the darkest moments in mankinds history, the Holocaust has always been a sensitive subject and Spiegelman brings that moment to life, forcing the reader to experience this terrible ordeal alongside his family. The desperation and struggle to survive, not only during the Holocaust but afterwards is almost overwhelming at times - afterwards Spiegelmans father hoards food and money as he knows what true deprivation is like, while his mother (who is the very heart of this story) unfortunately takes her own life. Like the reader, Spiegelmans trouble is trying to understand the torment his family went through, and we join him on this journey of discovery in one of the most deeply moving experiences you could ever get from a graphic novel. Maus has shaken off its comic label and proves that not all stories told with images are for children and incapable of artistic merit or adult values. Alongside Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen, it defined the term graphic novel and brought a whole new understanding and respect to the medium. By the time Maus was hitting the shelves, Marvel and DC were a dominate force with their superhero titles, but Maus broke the mould to become the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize, and is arguably the finest piece of literature out there. This isnt just a comic; its a work of art.
Thomas Blakey
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An aspiring filmmaker, writer, traveller, and avid comic book fan, with an undying passion for calligraphy and chopping boards shaped like fruit. Genuinely enjoys receiving your hate mail.
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Thomas