Top 11 Stand Alone Stories
Written by The Last Angry Geek Tuesday, 22 February 2011 23:43
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Comments (62)
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02.23.2011 - 00:34 | WarxePB
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02.23.2011 - 02:50 | FreelandWhat are you talking about?! Turning into Bargo, with the power of LAAAARGE HAM and control over penguins and reality sounds freaking awesome.
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Hey man that was a good list, I even put some of them on my Amazon wish list, like Shazam and We3 cause I've read most of the other one's. I love Astro City and The Long Halloween. I would always check them out from my high school library.
I am surprised though that some of the one's I thought would be on there weren't on there. Such as Superman: Red Sun, Kingdom Come or Marvels. I don't know I think at least Kingdom come should be somewhere on there. Oh well it's your list man. If you could though could you explain your reasons, thanks :) Again good list though man!
P.S. Would you consider Batman: Hush to be a standalone story? It doesn't take all that much knowledge of Batman to know what's going on in there.
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02.23.2011 - 00:39 | rockybalboa211
This review made me want to do the latest dance craze the "Scarn"!!
"Jump to the right and you shake that hand / Jump to the left and you shake that hand / You meet new friends / Tie that yarn / And that’s how you do the Scarn.”
If doing the "Scarn" is gay, then I'm the biggest queer on Earth.
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02.23.2011 - 00:58 | cool_inuyasha_girl
Ummm okay this is driving me crazy but whats up with the Death Note images next to ya, u never mentioned Death Note or any Manga in your list?
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02.23.2011 - 01:05 | Dark Jak
Great list, i agree with most of your choices but i would have included Spider-man: Kraven's Last Hunt somewhere on here.
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Interesting list, I'll check Squadron Supreme, it seems really good.
By the way, kind of bad timing with the Superman All Stars comment isn't? with the sudden death of Dwayne McDuffie and all (I know it was Morrison who wrote the comic book, but still).
Also, for Batman I could suggest "Broken City" and "Arkham Asylum: Living Hell", they contain its own little universe inside of the continuity of Batman so I think is easy to jump in, besides being incredible awesome stories.
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02.23.2011 - 01:23 | dorHi isn't there an episode in the Justice League animated series that based on Squadron supreme idea?
the episode "A Better World"
where the superheros control the world and lobotomies criminals
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02.23.2011 - 01:25 | Noj776I usually enjoy your videos, but this one really bugged me for a couple of reasons. First of all Watchmen probably shouldn't have been on this list. Watchmen is honestly probably one of the most well known stand alone comic series of all time. If a person trying to get into comics was looking for suggestions from anyone, everyone and their mother would have already recommended it. Including it kinda seems like beating a dead horse. You should have focused on lesser known stories Shazam and the Monster Society, or We3.
Second, while I am kinda ticked that Squadron Supreme got the top spot over Long Halloween, one thing you said really pissed me off. Saying that in the Mini Marvel did DC better than DC ever has is a COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS statement. While Squadron Supreme is an alright story it is just not something DC heroes would do. You REALLY think Superman would ever try, or even condone taking over the world? IMO Squadron Supreme comes off like a bad FanFic more than anything.
OH and P.S Anyone wanting to get into comics, ignore him and pick up All Star Superman. I read it when I was just getting into comics and completely changed the way I thought about Superman. I used to actually hate him as a character, and that series showed me how AWESOME superman could be!
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02.23.2011 - 01:31 | GLKnight
Squadron Supreme and Identity Crisis are pretty much the same exact book. Where there are some aspects that vary between the two, at the heart of it, it's the very same comic. That's like saying "Chew is better than Leave It to Chance! They both are detectives involved with weird incidents!" There are many elements that differ, yes. But if you are willing to take the time to discern why both are good, then it makes it all better.
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02.23.2011 - 01:33 | GLKnightThere are quite a few comics you left out that I was puzzled on.
- Wildguard
- Ronin
- American Century
- American Way
- Crossing Midnight
- Moonshadow
- Finals
- The Quitter
- Sgt. Rock: Between Hell and a Hard Place
- Project: Superpowers
- The Golden Age (this one left me INCREDIBLY perplexed)
I know, there are MANY more. But those are some pretty strong choices to begin with.
One list I'd recommend is a top 11 defunct storylines or Universes. Like Malibu, Defiant, Valiant, and so on.
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02.23.2011 - 01:54 | omegawyrmSpeaking heresy against the mighty Morrison? Off with his head!
No, seriously, I enjoyed the list and the episode. Every one of these books that I've read was very good, and I'll definitely be hunting down Squadron Supreme. I assume the Justice Lords story from the JL show was inspired by it?
I was expecting a different Alan Moore book than Watchmen because it's got so much press. My personal favorite Moore story is From Hell, but that's kind of heavy. I think Top 10 would have made the perfect choice for the list, but from what I understand Astro City has a similar premise. So, you probably picked the best one considering. Can't beat the classics.
(Last Rites 1&2 are totally the best Batman story)
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02.23.2011 - 02:10 | DJKennedy90
Hrm.... I didn't really mind "Cry For Justice" all that much... it wasn't that bad!
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02.23.2011 - 02:48 | FreelandWhat? No Nextwave? I expected it to be in the top 3.
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02.23.2011 - 02:58 | DMasterDAAAAAMMMNN. I'm just blown away here. I have no idea where to begin with these (well, actually I do - I do OWN Watchmen, I've just been lazy with reading lately), but...yeesh. You really know how to keep topping yourself Brian.
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I really dig the hell out of your reviews. You have that genuine quality to your character that makes even your dislike of All-Star Superman or the Prequels not come across as douchey, and that's a real talent in this day and age. So please, continue the good work.
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02.23.2011 - 03:11 | TheDingo
Well those are 10 more comics to add to the list. Also i'd like to make a recomendation for anyone looking for a good story that can both stand alone (if you only read the first volume) or serve as an introduction to the Marvel Universe: Runaways.
How do I know it works? I'ts the reson I got into comics. But seriously if you want a good, solid story that you can read without previous knowledge of the universe give Runaways a try, you probably won't be disapointed, or you know perhaps you will be disapointed you will only know if you read it.
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02.23.2011 - 03:25 | Perzyn
I'm bit dissapointed by the lack of 1602 on the list. Well, it's theretically not a standalone cause it got itself few continuations, but basic story by Neil Gaiman was awesome.
Setting itself is great idea - Marvel heroes but in XVII century! What's not to like?!
But I guess, 1602 being one of very few of my foray into comic world, I lack comparison.
Oh and by the way - Death Note images were nice touch, showing that there's no looking down on manga or whatnot, but what did they have to do with a topic? I just don't grasp their relevance.
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Blackadder: Baldrick, why are you dressed like that?
Baldrick: You want the long answer or the short answer?
Blackadder: Oh, the short answer, please.
Baldrick: Whim.
Blackadder: Whim. The short answer is 'whim'.
Baldrick: Yes.
Blackadder: Just out of curiosity, what was the long answer?
Baldrick: It was 'a whim'.
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02.23.2011 - 04:58 | FunkyM
Oh that's gold. Turning int Ma-Ti when you call Shazam, That's gold.
Great vid LAG. And I'll be sure to check out some of these titles in the coming months, If I can find them.
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02.23.2011 - 05:12 | stafax
I tried reading All-Star Superman, but I couldn't. I got a couple volumes into it, but I just couldn't stand it. Not because of Grant Morrison's writing, but because of Frank Quitely's art. Yes, he knows how to portray a story through his drawings, but I just cant stand how he draws people's faces and how ugly he makes monsters look. Everything just looks ugly and everyone's faces look like butt. It's just so unappealing to me, and artwork is just as important as the writing to me. Since I cant stand the artwork, I couldn't keep reading it.
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02.23.2011 - 11:38 | theFederation
you want monsters to look good?
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02.24.2011 - 09:22 | brick mooncode
stafax wants pictures of monsters to be good, genius.
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A great standalone series from the 80s that stands up alongside Watchmen, Squadron Supreme and The Dark Knight Returns in terms of reinventing the wheel for comic books, though in my opinion Howard Chaykin's 'American Flagg!' is even less dated and perhaps even more important.
It has science fiction, comedy, action, romance - what more could you ask for?
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02.23.2011 - 06:33 | kkre4368
hey fatty, ricky gervias was hilarious. you americans just couldn't handle the truth.
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02.23.2011 - 12:59 | iGenTristeza
I'm english, and I don't think Gervias is funny at all.
Great list LAG, I had never heard of we3 before but will be picking it up for sure.
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This was rather nice review, but to the very end I was hoping that Meltdown will be on the list. But well he did say no one shots.
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02.23.2011 - 09:33 | Shea
Nifty list. Wish you wouldn't have mentioned good titles that weren't going on the list, but still a lot of interesting choices. And a surprising lack of Marvel and DC comics too, come to think of it. From the Marvel disclaimer at the start, I was expecting a lot of DC stuff.
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02.23.2011 - 09:37 | August M.
Love it! Great picks especially Shazam.
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02.23.2011 - 09:58 | Sovvolf
Mmmm, no Punisher: War Zone. Would have thought that would have made the list. Guess not, liked the list and I'll probably check a few of them out. Only ones on your list that I've read are Sin City (I've read the lot so far, The Long Halloween and Watchmen.
I would have thought V for Vendetta would have made the list too. Though I imagine you was probably trying to put a limit on the books per author or didn't think it was much compared to Watchmen.
Ho and as a poster above reminded me, I would have thought 1602 would have also made the list too.
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02.23.2011 - 12:27 | Professor Schnöbelhosen
but Punisher: War Zone DOES follow continuity. It takes place after Welcome home Frank, with the sone of Elite setting the Ma Gnucci returning from hell plot in motion.
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02.23.2011 - 10:19 | BretboThank you, thank you, thank you for giving Mark Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme it's due. I know a lot of folks like it, but it rarely gets on "you must read" lists...I never get that.
Great list, some of those I haven't read yet.
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02.23.2011 - 10:57 | PurplePantherGirl
I had no complaints, until you chose Batman the Long Halloween and put it above Watchmen! It's not that I'm refusing to accept there are things better than Watchmen- I'd be childish to do so- it's just that... Batman the Long Halloween? Really? The art is garish and ugly, the plot twists were ridiculous, and the reveal at the very end... That came out of nowhere!
Well, whatever floats your boat I guess.
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02.23.2011 - 11:05 | Ditty
What about Marvel 1602? It's a bunch of Marvel heros in 1602, and it's written by Neil Gaimen.
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02.23.2011 - 11:36 | theFederationsome things were in continuity though, but i do agree
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02.23.2011 - 11:35 | theFederationhuh, i thought that planet hulk would be on their
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02.23.2011 - 22:08 | ApacYou know, I agree, I also thought on Planet Hulk, I wasn't a fan of Hulk and I really loved that book.
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02.23.2011 - 11:58 | Ashoten2021
Right button in the top right corner? I have no idea wha........(Throws amnesia dust at reader and runs away)
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Turning into Bargo would be up there with the worst superpowers ever. No offense to the guy, but it's still a bit of a disappointment when you're expecting actual superpowers.
And damn, that Buck Godot comic looks a hell of a lot like Girl Genius. I know it's done by the same guy, but damn that's one hell of a signature style.