#1: Saga of the Swamp
Writer Alan Moore's seminal horror series is now published in hardcover for the very first time - including the never-before-reprinted Saga of the Swamp Thing #20, in which Moore wraps up the previous storyline and sets the stage for the groundbreaking tales that were to come. Â
#2: Batman- The Long Halloween
'The Long Halloween' collects the 13-issue series. Early in Batman's career, a serial killer named Holiday began a series of monthly murders, each keyed to special days on the calendar. As the Dark Knight struggles to find the elusive Holiday before he or she kills again, he discovers no shortage of suspects in a Gotham! Excellent and stylish story with great artwork and a nice post Batman Year One vibe to the whole tale.
#3: Astonishing X-Men
Winner of multiple prestigious Eisner Awards, Whedon and Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men was a smash hit with critics and fans alike - racking up nearly every major comic-book industry award. Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Whedon and Cassaday assembled a tight cast - Cyclops, the Beast, Wolverine and Emma Frost, joined by returning fan-favorite Kitty Pryde - and set forth a groundbreaking pace, from the opening pages of a Sentinel attack to the unexpected return of a beloved X-Man.
#4: The Walking Dead
Created by writer Robert Kirkman the Walking Dead chronicles the travels of a group of people trying to survive in a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse. Fighting growing despair - and sometimes each other - the group searches for a secure location which they can finally call home.
#5: Batman: The Killing Joke
The Joker escapes from Arkham once more - and breaks into Gordon's home shooting his daughter Barbara - the former Batgirl - crippling her for life before kidnapping a distraught Gordon and attempting to drive him as insane as the Joker himself.
#6: Y The Last Man
Yorick embarks on a transcontinental journey to find his girlfriend and discover why he is the last man on Earth. But with a gang of feminist extremists and the leader of the Israel Defense Forces hunting him, Yorick's future, as well as that of the human race, may be short-lived.
#7: Fables: Volume 1
When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown.
#8: Invisibles: Volume 1
Throughout history, the secret society of the Invisibles, who count among their number Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, work against the forces of order that seek to repress humanity's growth. In this first collection, the Invisibles latest recruit, a teenage lout from the streets of London, must survive a bizarre, mind-altering training course before being projected into the past to help enlist the Marquis de Sade.
#9: 300
Writer-artist Frank Miller's and colorist Lynn Varley retell the Spartans' heroic stand at Thermopylae. The story focuses on King Leonidas, the young foot soldier Stelios and the storyteller Dilios to highlight the Spartans' awe-inspiring toughness and valor.
#10: Transmetropolitan: Volume 1
A post-cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis, with art by Darick Robertson, this is simply one of the best comic series of the last few years, mixing great characters, drama, humor, and using the futuristic setting to parallel present day problems with wit and biting satire.
#11: Preacher: Volume 1
Preacher focuses on narrative storytelling with an unapologetic handling of religious and supernatural themes. Preacher's full-on, with dark and frequently violent humor, plus a wide range of allusions to popular culture outside of comic books.
#12: Hellblazer: Volume 1
This collection represents the earliest adventures of the tortured antihero John Constantine, who faces both supernatural and man-made horrors in this great volume. Excellent place to start the adventures of the somewhat amoral occult dabbler and psychic detective.
#13: Sandman: Volume 1
Neil Gaiman's Sandman weaves the story of a man interested in capturing the physical manifestation of Death but who instead captures the King of Dreams.
#14: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume 1
What if Captain Nemo, Allan Quatermain, Dr Henry Jekyll (together with Edward Hyde) and the Invisible Man were brought together by a Miss Mina Harker (who once had a dalliance with a certain Count from Transylvania), to fight the menace of Fu Manchu? Now, despite fighting their own personal demons - and each other - they must join forces to save the world.
#15: V For Vendetta
Taking place in a totalitarian England following a devastating war that changed the face of the planet this amazing graphic novel spotlights a mysterious man in a white porcelain mask and his young protégé as they fight political oppressors through terrorism and seemingly absurd acts. It's a gripping tale of the blurred lines between ideological good or evil and details a world where political, personal freedoms are non-existent.
